Anyone here read the Star Trek novels? I’m trying to find maybe a board or discussion group online for them; I’ve tried search engines, but haven’t had much success in finding anything yet!
First off, I’ve been a ST fan since the Original Series (TOS) back in the 60s. I’ve read some of the books (I seem to go in spurts with the books LOL); I hadn’t read any for a while, but was interested when I read about a couple so picked them up last weekend. I just finished, “The Lives of Dax,” an anthology of stories about the various hosts of the Dax Trill symbiont; this was very good, actually; each story was by different author(s) (some just one, some a collaboration). The book I’m on now is “The Fall of Terok Nor,” (Terok Nor being the Cardassian name for DS9); it’s Book 1 of the “Millenium” series (which is three books altogether, I think). I’d forgotten how much I really enjoyed the show DS9 and the characters on it! Strangely enough, I find the Ferengi very fascinating and crave more information about them and other ST alien races. LOL Although I’m not sure how “canon” the books are, or even if they are canon at all.
Anyway, if anyone would like to discuss these ST novels or any others, feel free to post away, or if you know of a discussion list/bulletin board, please contact me about it. Thanks and enjoy!
I read several dozen of the TOS novels and enjoyed most of them. My brother gave me a box set of the first three or four Next gen novels when they first came out and I hated them so much I vowed never to read another Next Gen novel. I’ve not read any DS9 or Voyager books.
Favorite of the TOS novels are Diane Duane’s. I used to own the dozens of TOS novels I’d read and sold them a few years ago. The Duane ones (three of them anyway) were the only ones I bought again (although I probably wouldn’t have had they not been on a clearance table at a used book store for like a quarter each).
I went through a big Trek book phase back in high school (this was right before The Next Generation came out). I’ve hung onto a few for sentimental value.
I LOVE Uhura’s Song–it’s amazing. I think it would have made a great non-ST novel, too. The culture and language is really well done, and I love the way she weaves everything together so that it’s all integral to the plot but you don’t realize it.
Ishmael–I have never seen “Here Come the Brides” and I had no idea that this was a crossover novel when I read it. I like to go back and re-read it now and then, skipping over all the chapters with the crew looking for Spock, and just reading the Seattle chapters.
How Much for Just the Planet?–Some people really can’t stand this book. It’s a bit too ridiculous. But I always get a kick out of it.
I have read a couple TNG novels and one (?) DS9 novel. Nothing realy stands out. I think I just got tired of the inconsistencies and trying to keep everything straight–though I think in some ways the book people try harder at this than the TV people do. I couldn’t handle the movie “First Contact” because it just didn’t fit with the history as I understood it.
If I had to be stranded on a deserted island with one Star Trek novel, it’d definitely be Q-In-Law. Lwixana Troi meets Q – 'nuff said.
Hysterically funny, genuine laugh-out-loud material, without any implausible plot twists, and dead-on accurate characterizations of the TNG cast. The Worf-Q exchanges alone are worth the price of the book – and then there’s everything else…
The story was so painfully obvious. A big hole in space opens up right after the singing seals start getting whacked? Gee, I wonder what might be causing that? And I wonder what will happen to the terminally ill guy?
Huh. I really like the search chapters. I like the Seattle chapters too but there were some classic scenes on the star base. “I shall write you a memo!” “I shall read it!” Heh heh. I’m sure you know that Mark Lenard played Aaron Stemple on “Brides,” yes?
It wasn’t my favorite but I enjoyed it.
Oh and to answer a question from the OP, the novels are NOT canon.
Ishmael--I have never seen "Here Come the Brides" and I had no idea that this was a crossover novel when I
read it. I like to go back and re-read it now and then, skipping over all the chapters with the crew looking for
Spock, and just reading the Seattle chapters.
Wow, I’ll have to look for this one! The TOS books I’m usually able to find at used/second-hand bookstores. While I’m not too big a fan of this sort of crossover, I’ll make an exception in this case, because I was a huge fan of HCTB when it was originally on. LOL Although I must admit, it didn’t seem quite as good when I saw it again 20 years later!
I’ll have to look for Uhura’s Song too; it’s been suggested to me by several people RL as well.
Thanks to all who’ve posted -so far- hint hint I’m still looking for a discussion forum, and anyone who like the DS9 series, please feel free to add to this threat!
Ahhh… I read a lot of the DS9 series. Actually, I think I’m only missing two or three books. I really enjoyed the Millenium series. I think you’ll like it. If you like the Ferengi, read the one by Armin Shimmerman (if you haven’t already).
When I get home back home today (just having a coffee on my way out the door) I’ll take a look and remind myself which books were my favourites.
Interesting story about that book. When they accepted it, the question arose as to whether they had the right to use “Here Come the Brides” (which was developed from “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” The editors said, “No problem. Paramount owns that.”
Movie buffs will recognize that mistake. “Seven Brides” was an MGM musical. By the time they realized this, the book was published.
Excellent book. Settling once and for all the age old fan question, “Who would win in a fight: Worf, or Winnie the Pooh”?
Also Peter David’s New Frontier series, about a Federation ship in a sector of space that was occupied by a recently crumbled empires. The captain’s so tough he’d eat Kirk for breakfast and Worf for brunch. although I haven’t read the newest ones yet. What Voyager should have been.
Vendetta - Explains the origin of the Doomsday machjine from the TOS (you know - that big paper-mache tube that ate planets), and ties it in nicely into TNG timeline.
I think that was Tears of the Singers (yeah, the title is similar, and it does have Uhura on the cover.) I do remember reading that but I’ve forgotten anything about it.
Anything by Peter David or Diane Duane. I especially like David’s New Frontier series and Duane’s Rhisannsu books. But I automatically get anything by either of them.
Beat me to it, Tears it was. Song is one of the absolute best TOS novels. I’ve enjoyed Shatner’s “Kirk back from the dead series”, tho he prolly didn’t write many of them-or at least had a lot of help from the Reeves-Stephens. Avoid Enemy Unseen at all costs, unless you are willing to suspend your disbelief enough to buy that Kirk completely forgets what happened in the TOS episode Whom The Gods Destroy. The plot makes NO sense otherwise. Finally, if you ever come across a Trek book written by Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath, they wrote 2 of the old Bantam novels and one Pocket one, buy it immediately. Under NO circumstances should you actually read it, however. Burn it, pulverize the ashes, bury them, and then salt the ground so nothing can ever grow there again. The worst books I have ever read, dreary, Psychology 101 disertations maskerading as Trek. Those authors are not even good enough to write Star Wars stuff.
Our local radio was advertising some kind of phonics-learning game by a Myrna Culbreath. Could there be two Myrna Culbreaths in the world?
My husband was reading my copy of Star Trek Lives, and when he got to some of the more… umm… analytical chapters, he said “You know, there’s some really weird stuff in here!”
