Friday, July 27, 2018

October Star Trek Comics from IDW

Hey everyone! Some news today regarding upcoming comics from IDW, specifically the issues being released in October!

First up, we have issue two of the Star Trek vs. Transformers series, with three covers. The A cover, by artist Philip Murphy, features Captain Kirk beaming into the midst of a battle between Optimus Prime and his Decepticon foe. The B cover by artist Marcelo Ferreira is similar, but features Spock in the background. And finally, the retail incentive cover by Derek Charm is a relatively calmer scene, with Optimus Prime giving the Vulcan salute to Spock and Arex while Kirk looks on.

Here's the publisher description:
The Enterprise is burning, brought down by the united forces of the Klingons and Decepticons. Captain Kirk and Optimus Prime have a plan to strike back, but can they bring their scattered Starfleet crew and Autobots together before Megatron wipes them out? The no-holds-barred Saturday morning mash-up continues!
Cover A by Philip Murphy

Cover B by Marcelo Ferreira

Retailer incentive cover by Derek Charm

Star Trek vs. Transformers #2 is written by John Barber and Mike Johnson with art by Philip Murphy.



October also sees the release of the fourth issue in the Terra Incognita series. There are four covers associated with this title, with the first by artist Tony Shasteen featuring Will Riker with his signature "leg up on the console" maneuver and Wesley Crusher. The B cover is a photo montage, again with Riker and Wesley, followed by a pair of retailer incentive covers: one from artist Elizabeth Beals featuring Picard, Crusher, and Data in their Dixon Hill personas from the episode "The Big Goodbye," and other spectacular piece by J.K. Woodward.

Here's the publisher description:
On the heels of the blockbuster THROUGH THE MIRROR mini-series comes a brand-new NEXT GENERATION series, featuring untold tales of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D! Wesley Crusher finds himself in a situation outside his comfort zone and must rise to the challenge.
Cover A by Tony Shasteen


Cover B: Creepy photo montage!


Retailer incentive cover by Elizabeth Beals

Retail incentive cover by J.K. Woodward

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Terra Incognita #4 is written by Scott and David Tipton, with art by Angel Hernandez.


Finally, if you noticed some connectivity issues with the site recently, it's because I'm in the process of switching things over to a new custom domain name. I've been having a couple of issues with it, and in the meantime, there will be a few broken links for the next day or so. Hopefully I should have all the issues sorted soon, though! Look for the new Treklit.com, coming soon!


Thursday, July 26, 2018

Fire with Fire

Star Trek: Prometheus
Fire with Fire by Bernd Perplies & Christian Humberg
Translated into English from the original German Feuer gegen Feuer
Release date: November 28th 2017
Read December 13th 2017


Next book (Prometheus): The Root of All Rage


Purchase:
Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com |
Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Fire with Fire!

Publisher's description:
A mysterious terrorist organization has carried out several attacks against the Federation and Klingon Empire. Tensions are running high in a region already crippled by conflict. The perpetrators are tracked to the Lembatta Cluster, a mysterious region of space whose inhabitants, the Renao, regard the the Alpha Quadrant’s powers as little more than conquering tyrants. The Federation are desperate to prevent more bloodshed, and have sent their most powerful warship, the U.S.S. Prometheus, into the Cluster to investigate the threat before all-consuming war breaks out.

My thoughts:

"You have not experienced Star Trek until you have read it in the original German." - Chancellor Angela Merkel, probably.

I, unfortunately, do not read German. So when it was announced that an original Star Trek trilogy would be published in German by Cross Cult Publishing, I was thrilled, but also a bit sad that I wouldn't be able to read it myself. However, it was soon announced that English translations would follow, and I found myself looking forward to reading this take on the Star Trek literary universe. I promptly cancelled the German language courses I had signed up for and patiently waited for release day.

When I first heard the premise of Prometheus, I was a little bit wary. The idea of taking the most powerful, uber-strong, cool, slick, and deadly starship in Star Trek and centering a book series around it felt a little bit "fan-fictiony." It was the sort of idea that young fans playing Star Trek on the playground might come up with. We see the Prometheus kicking ass in the Voyager episode "Message in a Bottle," dispatching a Romulan Warbird with nary a second thought, splitting into three parts and generally being really bad-ass. Sounds kind of fan-wanky to me.

Thankfully, I was wrong about this. This first book in the Prometheus trilogy turned out to be a thoughtful and fascinating story, a welcome addition to the Star Trek literary universe. For a number of reasons, I had judged this project unfairly, and I came away pleasantly surprised.

The "hero ship" of this series is the U.S.S. Prometheus, seen in the fourth season Voyager episode "Message in a Bottle."

The inciting incident for this story is a series of attacks by a terrorist group calling itself "The Purifying Flame," seemingly-disaffected young people from a species called the Renao, a typically isolationist species who call the Lembatta Cluster home. The Purifying Flame calls aliens "sphere defilers." Their belief is based on the idea that everyone should remain in their "sphere" - their home - and that by entering other environments, they inherently destroy them.

In order to bring the parties responsible for the terrorist attacks to justice, the U.S.S. Prometheus is dispatched to the Lembatta Cluster, along with the Klingon ship I.K.S. Bortas, formerly the flagship of Chancellor Gowron, now considered a "ship without honor." The Bortas is commanded by a young and inexperienced captain who is considered a "hero of the Ning'tao," but in actuality is impulsive and somewhat reckless.


Accompanying the Prometheus into the Lembatta Cluster is the I.K.S. Bortas, first seen in the fourth season TNG episode "Reunion."

This all sets us up for what looks to be a fascinating adventure in the Lembatta Cluster, investigating the Renao and The Purifying Flame. The presence of the Klingons, who are more eager to deal out their particular brand of justice than the Federation officers, adds a volatile element to the story. The two crews working together showcases an interesting dynamic, as Starfleet idealism sometimes gives way to the "efficiency" of Klingon methods.

Fire with Fire surprised me with how well it fit into the established Star Trek literary continuity. It makes sense, given that Cross Cult is responsible for the publishing of the Pocket Books' Trek line in Germany, that the Prometheus series would follow the post-Nemesis continuity, but it was still a pleasant surprise to see characters such as Admiral Akaar along with references to events in other recent Trek novels.

I have to admit that the addition of Ambassador Spock to this story was almost a bridge too far for me.

For the most part, this novel avoids the "fan-wanky" elements I was concerned with initially. However, it does come close a few times. The inclusion of a number of familiar characters was welcome, but when Ambassador Spock shows up, it almost crosses the line into too much. Another instance that I thought would be an issue, but actually turns out to be not too bad, is the addition of a descendant of the Kirk family to the cast. Jenna Kirk, an engineer on the Prometheus, is a descendant of James T. Kirk's nephew, Peter. Her character is more three-dimensional than just "another Kirk," however, and she was a welcome addition to the story.

Finally, another character whose presence makes sense in the story is the Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire, Alexander Rozhenko. The son of Worf plays an interesting role in the story, and serves to sort of "ride herd" on the Klingons taking part in the mission. I have to admit, it's nice to see more development of this character.

One character addition that makes sense to the story is Ambassador Alexander Rozhenko.

The situation in this novel serves as a fairly blatant allegory to terrorism and governmental responses to it in today's world. This is definitely a point in the pro column. Star Trek is always at its best when it is used as a mirror for our own world. Terrorism and radicalization is a huge issue in the 21st century, and there are many lessons to be learned. Cheers to Perplies and Humberg for tackling this thorny issue in the Star Trek universe.

Finally, I have to give a hearty thumbs up to the authors for the "deep-cut" Trek references in this novel. These guys clearly know their Star Trek! My favorite would have to be the reference to the Ning'tao, which is the Klingon bird-of-prey that Kor took over in the Deep Space Nine episode "Once More Unto the Breach," taking on ten Jem'Hadar ships to buy time for the Klingon strike force in that episode to escape. It's clear that the captain of the Bortas is the "young and inexperienced" captain of the Ning'tao referred to in that episode!

Final thoughts:

A welcome addition to the world of Trek lit! I'm glad this series was made available to English speakers, as the story is off to a great start in this novel. An interesting allegory to the troubles facing the world today, Fire with Fire sets up the rest of the Prometheus trilogy nicely, putting pieces in place for what I hope turns out to be an epic adventure.

More about Fire with Fire:


Also by Bernd Perplies & Christian Humberg

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

My next review is for the Shatnerverse novel Preserver, the last book in his mirror universe trilogy.


Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Ghost Ship

Star Trek: The Next Generation #1
Ghost Ship by Diane Carey
Published June 1991
Read June 20th 2017


Previous book (The Next Generation): Encounter at Farpoint

Next book (The Next Generation): #2: The Peacekeepers


Purchase:
Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Ghost Ship!

From the back cover:
In 1995, a Russian aircraft carrier is destroyed by a mysterious creature that just as mysteriously disappears thereafter. Three hundred years later, Counsellor Deanna Troi awakens in her quarters from a nightmare in which she senses the voices of the crew of that Russian ship, whose life-essences were somehow absorbed by the creature that destroyed them. And the nightmare heralds a danger to the Enterprise itself, for if Picard can't discover a way to communicate with the creature, it could absorb his crew just as it did the Russians.

Notable quote:
Finally there would be total unity within the Federation, the first step toward people’s being at home on any planet instead of only one. The principle from the old United States, basically; it didn’t matter if you were raised in Vermont and lived in California. You were still home, still American. If your name was Baird or Yamamura or Kwame, you weren’t necessarily loyal to Scotland, Japan, or Ghana, but to America. A few decades of space travel, and the statement became 'I’m a citizen of Earth,' and no matter the country. This ship was that kind of first step. Whether born on Earth or Epsilon Indii VI, you were a citizen of the Federation. The children on this colony Enterprise would visit the planets of the Federation and feel part of each, welcome upon all. This starship was the greatest, most visionary melting pot of all, this spacegoing colony. Unique. Hopeful. Risky.

My thoughts:

Ghost Ship begins in the year 1995 with a Soviet aircraft carrier encountering a strange phenomenon. Right off the bat, if you are familiar at all with history, alarm bells should be ringing. This book was published in 1991, and at the time it was written, no one could have predicted that the Soviet Union would fall within the year. Owing to the specific window in which it was published, the novel contains a glaring anachronism with the Soviet Union surviving until at least 1995! Of course, perhaps the Soviet Union didn't collapse in 1991 in the Star Trek universe. After all, in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (released in 1986), the city of Leningrad is referred to by that name. In 1991, Leningrad's name reverted back to Saint Petersburg once the USSR became Russia once again. In this universe, in any case!

Ghost Ship was the first original novel in the Star Trek: The Next Generation line. As such, it was written before much of the tone of the show and the personalities of the characters had been firmly established. While writing this novel, Diane Carey reportedly only had access to the series bible and a few scripts from the first season. Understandably, many of the characters seem "off" and the overall feel of the story didn't quite fit the television series. Adding to the difficulties was the fact that The Next Generation was the first new television series in many years, and the first Star Trek spin-off ever that didn't features the TOS characters. While the novelists penning the first original novels in the Deep Space Nine or Voyager book lines would at least have a template for how Star Trek works in the 24th century, Diane Carey was truly in uncharted territory.


As the first TNG original novel, Ghost Ship was also the first glimpse into 24th century Trek Lit.

The most glaring inconsistencies are certainly in the attitudes and behavior of the main characters. Picard is overly gruff and quick to assume incompetence when dealing with his officers. Geordi is extremely high-strung and emotional, bordering on insubordination when interacting with his superiors, most notably Commander Riker. Speaking of Riker, it is in his character that the largest differences can be found. His interactions with Data are cold and unfeeling, a stark contrast to the friendship that the two characters would develop during the series. This seems to stem mostly from early character descriptions of Riker, presenting him as distrustful of and prejudiced against Data, owing to his nature as an artificial lifeform. It's too bad that this characterization clashes so markedly with how he is portrayed in the series. It unfortunately sticks out quite prominently in this novel.


Many of the characterizations in Ghost Ship seem off. For example, Riker is prejudiced towards Commander Data due to that fact that he is not, in Riker's opinion, actually "alive."

With those obstacles in mind, Carey actually doesn't do too badly. The mystery surrounding the Soviet carrier and the other-worldly force that has ensnared them is certainly somewhat interesting. The plight of the Russians and the moral dilemma facing the crew in Ghost Ship is well-handled, and I definitely felt empathy for the decision that Picard and the Enterprise crew were forced into. The disembodied consciousnesses of the lost Russian sailors wish to be "set free"; essentially, they wish to escape the sort of limbo they have existed in for centuries and finally die. Picard must decide whether to grant this wish and consign them all to oblivion or allow them to continue "living" in the state they are in.

There are some odd methods that Picard uses to make his decision. At the height of the crisis, he decides to spend a couple of hours in a sensory deprivation tank in order to get a feel for what the Russians are going through, which struck me as an odd use of his time. It does, however, help him to realize the existential horror of what they are experiencing, which does aid him in his decision. Still, it seemed a strange turn for the story to take.

Final thoughts:

Ghost Ship is not a bad story; the crisis at the heart of the novel is a thought-provoking one and the story itself held my interest throughout. Fans familiar with their TNG heroes will find the characterizations quite jarring, but given the limited resources with which Diane Carey was forced to work, I'm impressed the characters even remotely resemble the ones we saw on television. Still, some odd story choices and the unfamiliar feel of the story do lower the score somewhat, in my opinion. An interesting story, but not one that fits well in the TNG milieu.


Also, as a random aside: note the upside down Battlestar Galactica on the front cover. Strange.

More about Ghost Ship:



Also by Diane Carey:

My next read:

The first Star Trek: Prometheus novel: Fire with Fire by Bernd Perplies and Christian Humberg!


Monday, July 23, 2018

Literary Treks 236: Nitpicking in Good Cheer

The Nitpicker's Guides
Exclusive interview with Chief Nitpicker Phil Farrand!


Many people think of nitpicking as a disrespectful act. If you enjoy a show, why pick it apart? I, however, would contend that if you love someone, it is actually a compassionate act to tell them about the dab of mustard on their upper lip! Such is the idea behind the Nitpicker's Guides, books that attempted to catalog and describe each and every error in a number of Star Trek series, be they continuity errors, equipment oddities, changed premises, or just general goofs.

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson sit down with Phil Farrand, author of The Nitpicker's Guide for Next Generation Trekkers volumes one and two, The Nitpicker's Guide for Classic Trekkers, and The Nitpicker's Guide for Deep Space Nine Trekkers. We discuss the origin of the guides, the process of writing them, the community of nitpickers called The Nitpicker's Guild, positive nitpicking versus negativity and toxic fandom, and what Phil is currently working on and where you can find him online.

In the news segment, we talk about Big Finish and their Prometheus audiobooks, and review two new comics: what looks to be the final issue of New Visions, and Star Trek: Discovery: Succession #3.


Literary Treks 236: Nitpicking in Good Cheer
Discussing The Nitpicker's Guides with author Phil Farrand






Previous episode: Literary Treks 235: Make it Sow!
Next episode: Literary Treks 237: It's Like a Reverse "These Are th Voyages"

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Fortune of War

Star Trek: Titan
Fortune of War by David Mack
Release date: November 28th 2017
Read December 4th 2017


Previous book (Titan): Sight Unseen
Next book (Titan): 


Purchase:
Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Publisher's description:
Twenty years have passed since the interstellar scourge known as the Husnock were exterminated without warning by a being with godlike abilities. Left behind, intact but abandoned, their desolate worlds and derelict ships brim with destructive potential.

Now a discovery by a Federation cultural research team has drawn the attention of several ruthless factions. From black market smugglers to alien military forces, it seems every belligerent power in the quadrant hopes to capture the Husnock's lethal technology.

All that stands between the galaxy and those who have come to plunder the cruelest secrets of the Husnock are Admiral William Riker, Captain Christine Vale, and the crew of the Starship Titan.

My thoughts:

Click here to watch my video review of Titan: Fortune of War, or click play on the embedded video below!



Final thoughts:

A fun adventure that uses events of the TNG series to great advantage in crafting a fascinating follow-up. Fast-paced and exciting, while at the same time featuring some great character moments and explorations of the relationships in Titan. Here's hoping we get a continuation of Star Trek: Titan someday!

More about Fortune of War:


Also by David Mack:

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

Next up is the first original Star Trek: The Next Generation novel: Ghost Ship by Diane Carey!


Monday, July 16, 2018

Literary Treks 235: Make it Sow!

Star Trek: The Next Generation
A Time to Sow

by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore

Purchase:
Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Morale aboard the Enterprise has been dealt a serious blow. The incident at the Rashanar battle site has left a definite stain on the career of Jean-Luc Picard, and he and his crew can't help but feel that their latest assignment is designed to get them off the radar for the time being. However, their mission to investigate a centuries-old distress call may be more intriguing than Starfleet intended. When a new civilization is found to be thriving against all odds, Picard and his crew must get to the bottom of a mystery that threatens to tear that civilization apart.

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Bruce Gibson and Dan Gunther discuss A Time to Sow, the third book in the nine-part A Time To series, and the first book in a duology by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore. We talk about a surprise visit to the time period of Star Trek: Enterprise, Starfleet "milk runs," Data's emotions (or lack thereof), an act of sabotage, the Dokallan civilization, an outside threat, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.

In the news section, we discuss the upcoming Star Trek vs. Transformers comic miniseries coming soon from IDW, The Art of John Eaves by Joe Nazzaro coming later this year, and I Am Captain Kirk, a new Little Golden Book for the tiny Trekkies out there!


Literary Treks 235: Make it Sow!
The Next Generation: A Time to Sow by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore






Previous episode: Literary Treks 234: The Seed That Never Gets Any Water
Next episode: Literary Treks 236: Nitpicking in Good Cheer

Saturday, July 14, 2018

The Entropy Effect

Star Trek #2
The Entropy Effect by Vonda N. McIntyre
Published June 1981
Read May 23rd 2017


Previous book (The Original Series): #1: Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Next book (The Original Series): #3: The Klingon Gambit


Purchase:
Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca

Spoilers ahead for The Entropy Effect!

From the back cover:
The Starship Enterprise is summoned to transport a dangerous criminal to rehabilitation: the brilliant physicist, Dr. Georges Mordreaux, who is accused of promising to send people back in time, then killing them instead. But when a crazed Mordreaux escapes, he inexplicably bursts onto the bridge and murders Captain Kirk before the crew's eyes. Now Spock must journey back in time to avert the disaster "before" it occurs. But more is at stake than Kirk's life. Mordreaux's experiments have thrown the universe into chaos, and Spock is fighting time itself to keep the very fabric of reality from unravelling.

My thoughts:

Published in June of 1981, The Entropy Effect has the distinction of being the first original novel in the Pocket Books line. The novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Gene Roddenberry had been released two years earlier, and Vonda N. McIntyre was chosen to write the followup.

It is important to remember while reading this novel that not much had yet been established about the Star Trek universe before this point. As far as "canon" Trek goes, we only had The Original Series, The Animated Series (the canonicity of which is still debated), and the film Star Trek: The Motion Picture. This left a lot of room for McIntyre to flesh out the Trek universe. Some authors might have preferred to play it safe and operate well within the bounds of what had already been established, but McIntyre chose to expand the universe and show us things the television show and film hadn't.

What's really cool about this is that, rather than just adapting the Trek universe and setting an adventure within the bounds of what came before, The Entropy Effect actually has a hand in further developing what Star Trek would become. Through this novel, we get elements such as Captain Hunter of Starfleet fighter U.S.S. Aerfen, assigned to the Starfleet border patrol. She is, of course, an ex-fling of Captain Kirk. But what sets her apart is her heritage (she's of North American First Nations descent) and her family structure. In years past, she invited Kirk to become part of her family in a "partnership family" context along with a group of people, numbering nine in total. The fact that McIntyre introduces a form of what I assume is polyamory into the Trek universe is incredibly cool.

We also get more focus on "lower decks" crewmembers, notably a number of security officers aboard the Enterprise. The chief of security, Mandala Flynn, is the one we learn the most about, partially due to her close relationship with Hikaru Sulu (who was provided a given name for the first time in this novel). We also see a number of her security force, including Jenniver Aristeides, Snnanagfashtalli ("Snarl" to her friends), and Neon.

The plot of The Entropy Effect centers around the devastating effects that the time traveling experiments of Dr. Mordreaux have had on the universe. Mordreaux, a former physics instructor of Spock's, has set in motion a series of events that will result in the destruction of the universe within a century. The Enterprise is assigned to transport Mordreaux to prison, as he has been convicted of murder. In actuality, he has sent ten people back in time, but the authorities do not believe him.

During the voyage, Mordreaux appears to break out of confinement on the Enterprise, bursting onto the bridge and murdering Captain Kirk and Security Chief Flynn. It soon becomes apparent that the murderer is actually a future version of Mordreaux, and it is up to Spock to use Mordreaux's technology to jump around the time continuum putting everything right.

In the alternate future created in this novel, Lieutenant Sulu transfers to Captain Hunter's command, the Aerfen, serving as her helmsman/tactical officer. This is an interesting turn for this character, and we learn more about his aspirations for command. This development fits nicely with the future path his career takes, culminating in his command of the U.S.S. Excelsior in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The transfer is, of course, undone when Spock is able to restore the timeline, but Sulu is promoted to lieutenant commander instead. Spock's trials while attempting to undo the damage to the timeline while at the same time making sure his fellow crewmates are none the wiser was at times amusing and some great storytelling.

The Entropy Effect is ultimately a fascinating tale that, while somewhat predictable given the time travel shenanigans involved, is still a fun read and a worthy beginning to nearly four decades of Pocket Books original Star Trek novels. Reading this book again made me want to revisit McIntyre's novelizations of Star Treks II through IV, as I remember those being very good reads.

Final thoughts:

Thankfully, The Entropy Effect was a strong start to Pocket Books' original novel line. It is a fun adventure featuring some fascinating twists and turns for our heroes, putting them in situations that hadn't been seen in Star Trek up to that point. There was a great deal riding on the shoulders of this novel, and Vonda McIntyre delivered a strong story that served to flesh out the world of Star Trek in new and interesting ways. A solid tale that led the way for 37 years of Pocket Books Star Trek novels! Here's hoping the current contract woes can be worked out and the line continues strong for years to come. Fingers crossed.

More about The Entropy Effect:


My next read:

Next up: my video review of the David Mack novel, Star Trek: Titan: Fortune of War!


Thursday, July 12, 2018

I, The Constable

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
I, The Constable by Paula M. Block & Terry J. Erdmann
An e-book exclusive novella
Release date: November 13rd 2017
Read November 23rd 2017


Previous book (Deep Space Nine): Gamma: Original Sin
Next book (Deep Space Nine): 


Purchase:
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Publisher's description:
With his Starfleet assignment temporarily on hold, Odo needs a distraction. He welcomes Chief O’Brien’s offer to loan him some of the action-packed books that both men relish: tales about hard-boiled private eyes, threatening thugs, and duplicitous dames. Then Quark suddenly goes missing during a hastily planned trip to Ferenginar. His concerned friends on Deep Space Nine feel that Odo, as the station’s former chief of security, is uniquely suited to track Quark down. But once on Ferenginar, Odo learns that Quark is trapped in the seamy underbelly of a criminal enterprise that could have been ripped from the pages of one of O’Brien’s novels. To find the bartender, Odo discovers that he must rely not only on his law enforcement background, but his knowledge of all things noir….

My thoughts:

Click here to watch my video review of Deep Space Nine: I, The Constable, or click play on the embedded video below!



Final thoughts:

A fun read involving some great character writing by Paula Block and Terry Erdmann. These two do an excellent job capturing the voices of Quark, Rom, and Odo, and continue the arc of these characters in a fun and interesting way, especially Quark. Highly recommend for fans of Deep Space Nine!

More about I, The Constable:


Also by Paula M. Block & Terry J. Erdmann:

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

Next review: The first original novel in the Pocket Books Star Trek line: The Entropy Effect by Vonda N. McIntyre!


Monday, July 9, 2018

Literary Treks 234: The Seed That Never Gets Any Water

Star Trek: Discovery
Fear Itself
Exclusive interview with author James Swallow!

Purchase:
Trade Paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

For many fans, the breakout character of Star Trek: Discovery has been Saru, the Kelpien science officer aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou. Kelpiens are a prey species, driven by instinct to heed their natural fear response and be hyper-alert to any danger present in their surroundings. Saru is no exception to this, and when a rescue mission begins to spiral out of control, he must learn to temper his fear if he has any hope of getting himself and his team out alive.

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson are joined by James Swallow, author of the new Discovery novel, Fear Itself. We discuss the process of writing the novel, getting inside Saru's head, the various species involved in the story, Saru and Burnham's relationship, Captain Georgiou's leadership style, overcoming fear, and what other projects James has on the horizon. We also briefly talk about the current troubled state of Pocket Books' Star Trek line, and what might be in store for its future.

In the news section, we preview a new book coming next year from Dayton Ward: Kirk Fu Manual: An Introduction to the Final Frontier's Most Feared Martial Art!


Literary Treks 234: The Seed That Never Gets Any Water
Exclusive interview with Discovery: Fear Itself author James Swallow!






Previous episode: Literary Treks 233: The Yin and the Yang of Klingons
Next episode: Literary Treks 235: Make it Sow!