Tuesday, January 29, 2019

A Good Day to Die

Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon
Book One
A Good Day to Die by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Published October 2003
Read October 9th 2018

Previous book (I.K.S. Gorkon characters): The Brave and the Bold: Book 2

Next book (I.K.S. Gorkon): Honor Bound


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

Spoilers ahead for A Good Day to Die
!

From the back cover:
Newly inducted into the prestigious Order of the Bat'leth, Captain Klag, son of M'Raq, leads the crew of the Gorkon into the unexplored Kavrot Sector to find new planets on which to plant the Klingon flag. There, they discover the Children of San-Tarah, a species with a warrior culture that rivals -- and perhaps exceeds -- the Klingons' own, living on a planet that would be a great addition to the Empire. Klag could call in General Talak's fleet to bring the world under the Klingons' heel -- but the San-Tarah offer Klag a challenge he cannot refuse. The Gorkon crew and the San-Tarah will engage in several martial contests. If the Klingons lose, they will go and never trouble the planet again -- but if they are victorious, the San-Tarah will cede themselves to the Empire, and Klag will have singlehandedly conquered an entire world! 
The first tale in a glorious adventure that will be remembered in song and story throughout the Empire!

My thoughts:

Over the years, I have known Trek fans who wanted a Klingon-based Star Trek series. Instead of following the adventures of a primarily Starfleet crew, this hypothetical series would take place on a Klingon ship and follow the exploits of a crew in the Klingon Defense Force, boldly conquering where no Klingon has conquered before. I was always skeptical of this idea, feeling that a series that doesn't follow a Federation perspective would be difficult for an audience to relate to. One-offs, like DS9's "Soldiers of the Empire" or "Once More Unto the Breach" proved that episodes focusing on a Klingon perspective could be fun, but I still felt it would be unsustainable for an entire series.

Enter the novelverse.

2001's TNG: Diplomatic Implausibility introduced readers to the I.K.S. Gorkon and its crew, many of them from previous Star Trek episodes, along with a few new creations for the novel. Led by Captain Klag, first seen as a lieutenant in the TNG episode "A Matter of Honor," the Gorkon was a newly-commissioned Chancellor-class warship, outfitted with the latest in technology and boasting a complement of thousands of troops. The stage was set for a new Star Trek book series, focusing not on the usual Starfleet crews, but on the warriors of the Klingon Empire!

Captain Klag, known for throwing his head back and laughing heartily. Like, A LOT.

After being featured in Keith DeCandido's The Brave and the Bold series, Captain Klag and his crew graduated to headliner status with this novel, A Good Day to Die, the first in the new I.K.S. Gorkon series. Would this fierce crew of Klingon warriors be able to carry their own book series, guided by the able writing hand of Keith R.A. DeCandido?

For my money, the answer is a resounding yes! If this first novel is any indication, this is the perfect medium to tell the story of Klag and his crew. While my initial misgivings had to do with my belief that a Klingon crew would be difficult for readers to empathize with, DeCandido managed to change my mind with a colorful cast of characters who are as diverse a group of Klingons as a Federation crew would be.

This novel features an interesting story in which the crews of a number of Chancellor-class warships set out to explore the Kavrot sector, seeking new worlds to conquer for the Empire. The titular warship, Gorkon, comes across a world inhabited by a species that calls itself The Children of San-Tarah. The San-Tarah turn out to be warriors worthy of respect by the Klingons, and soon an agreement is reached: a series of contests will be held, and whichever group wins the most contests will have the right to determine the fate of San-Tarah. Of course, the contests come down to a tie, with the ultimate fate of the world determined by personal combat between Captain Klag and the leader of the Children of San-Tarah.

I found the story to be gripping and exciting, with twists that I wasn't entirely expecting. I also did not expect this novel to end on a cliff-hanger, thinking that each story within the I.K.S. Gorkon series would be stand-alone with elements running through the series. However, while this novel ends with the leader of the San-Tarah defeating Klag due to his lack of proficiency with a bat'leth thanks to a recent arm replacement surgery, the story continues in the next book with the General who is in charge of the Kavrot sector mission ordering Klag to conquer San-Tarah anyway. While some may complain that we don't get the entire story in one novel, I still feel that the events of A Good Day to Die are self-contained enough that we get a fully-formed story within its pages.

Final thoughts:

A Good Day to Die is an excellent start to the I.K.S. Gorkon/Klingon Empire series of novels. While we did get previous adventures of Klag and the Gorkon crew in Diplomatic Implausibility and The Brave and the Bold, it's great to see this eclectic group of Klingon warriors get their own novel series. It's unfortunate that the series was so short-lived, as Keith DeCandido's excellent writing is the perfect match for this terrific cast of characters.

More about A Good Day to Die:



Also by Keith R.A. DeCandido:

My next read:

Next up is my review of TNG: A Time to Kill by David Mack!

Monday, January 21, 2019

Literary Treks 256: I Would Need More Than a Paragraph

TNG: Imzadi
by Peter David


Purchase: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Imzadi is also available as part of an omnibus, Imzadi Forever, along with the sequel, Imzadi II.

Purchase: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk


Will Riker and Deanna Troi: throughout the run of Star Trek: The Next Generation, it was clear there was a deep connection between these two characters. However, they never truly "got together" until 2002's Star Trek Nemesis. What is the history between Will and Deanna? What drew them together and made them "Imzadi"? At last we look at the story that tells the tale of TNG's greatest romance!

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson are joined by Amy Nelson of Earl Grey and The Edge to talk about TNG: Imzadi by Peter David. We discuss how we first read Imzadi, Riker's life without Deanna, Will's behavior as a young man, how Will and Deanna first got together, the Guardian of Forever, temporal shenanigans, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.

At the top of the show, Dan and Bruce review the final issue in the TNG: Terra Incognita comic series and discuss your Babel Conference feedback on Literary Treks 254: A Likely Victim.


Literary Treks 256: I Would Need More Than a Paragraph
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Imzadi by Peter David





Previous episode: Literary Treks 255: The Hammock Planet: They Don't Have Butts
Next episode: Literary Treks 257: Lots of Bits of Me

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Ship of the Line

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Ship of the Line by Diane Carey
First Published October 1997
Read October 1st 2018

Previous book (The Next Generation - published order): Day of Honor: Book 1: Ancient Blood

Next book (The Next Generation - published order): #46: To Storm Heaven

Previous book (The Next Generation - unnumbered hardcover): Star Trek: First Contact
Next book (The Next Generation - unnumbered hardcover): Triangle: Imzadi II


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

Spoilers ahead for Ship of the Line!

From the back cover:
SHIP OF THE LINE tells the story of the first voyage of the U.S.S Enterprise NCC-1701-E, under the command of Morgan Bateson. Captain Bateson, a man from the 23rd century now living in the 24th, sees what no one else can see: that the Klingon Empire is building its forces and preparing to strike against the Federation. Seizing his one chance, Bateson takes the U.S.S. Enterprise on a mission to counter the Klingon threat, only to be thwarted by his enemy, a Klingon who has nursed a grudge against Bateson for decades. Standing in the way of Bateson's scheme and the Klingons' plan is Captain Jean-Luc Picard who, faced with the toughest decision of his career, must choose whether to take back command of the U.S.S Enterprise or let the torch pass to yet another next generation!

My thoughts:

Ship of the Line is a book with a great premise: a follow-up to one of my favorite TNG episodes, "Cause and Effect." You remember it: The Enterprise gets trapped in a temporal causality loop, living the same day over and over again, with the Enterprise being destroyed in every loop until the crew is finally able to break out of it (interestingly enough, "Cause and Effect" predates Groundhog Day by just under a year!). At the end of the episode, the Enterprise is hailed by the ship that has been colliding with them, causing their destruction at the end of each loop: the U.S.S. Bozeman, commanded by Captain Morgan Bateson.

The U.S.S. Bozeman emerges from nearly a century in the past, bringing with her a captain and crew who must now acclimate to the 24th century.

While this novel came out over a decade ago, I only recently got around to reading it. I'm not sure why; I loved "Cause and Effect," and was quite excited to get a follow-up. Plus, this novel features the first mission of the Enterprise-E! What's not to love?

Well... plenty, as it turns out. For one thing, Diane Carey makes a number of mistakes in this novel that should have been easily avoided with just a bit of extra research. At one point in the novel, Picard comes face to face with Gul Madred, the Cardassian who imprisoned and tortured him in the TNG two-part "Chain of Command." During this interaction, Picard mentions his capture by the Borg, and refers to it happening after the events of "Chain of Command." This occurred in the season three finale, "The Best of Both Worlds," while "Chain of Command" takes place in the sixth season, as anyone who is familiar with TNG could tell you.

There are also a number of issues with Carey's depiction of elements seen in "Cause and Effect." For one thing, the bridge crew of the Bozeman that we meet in this novel is entirely male, with no female officers whatsoever. However, as you can see in the picture below, there were at least two female officers on the bridge when the Bozeman contacted the Enterprise after emerging from the distortion: to Captain Bateson's left, a lieutenant in the command division, and an engineering division officer in the background whose rank is too indistinct to make out.

The Bozeman's crew in Ship of the Line bears little resemblance to what we see on screen in "Cause and Effect."

Additionally, the bridge seems to be in pristine condition, corresponding to Bateson's line that the Bozeman left starbase "only three weeks ago." However, in Ship of the Line, the Bozeman has just escaped a brutal firefight, complete with the Trek tropes of severe damage and exploding consoles. There is no evidence of this battle in the episode.

Finally, as we are told repeatedly in "Cause and Effect" (thanks to the time looping), the Enterprise-D is the first starfleet ship to chart the unexplored Typhon Expanse. However, in Ship of the Line, the Typhon Expanse is described as a border region between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, with a low-numbered starbase on its periphery and a great deal of traffic in the area. If this is the case in the 23rd century, I can't see how the Enterprise, nearly a century later, can be the "first starfleet ship to chart this unexplored region."

Any one of these issues on their own would probably be forgivable, but taken together, they truly make me question whether or not Diane Carey took the time to become familiar with the source material. I certainly can't speak for the author, but to me, it feels as though she took the basic elements and shaped them to fit her story, rather than adapting what was already known.

Ship of the Line is primarily an exploration of the character of Captain Morgan Bateson, and in that respect, it is at least sometimes interesting. I liked the idea of a man out of time who is both unsuited to the new status quo, but who also finds his particular skills and mindset useful when events require it. However, there were a number of elements of the story that simply felt out of place in the Star Trek universe. Diane Carey gives the Bozeman and her crew an overly "nautical" feeling, to the point of having the captain and crew actually quaff drams of rum while on duty. At times, I felt that Carey's experience with sailing had been shoehorned into the story, a complaint that comes up in other novels she has written as well.

Another aspect I had an issue with was her characterization of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Because of the loss of the Enterprise-D in Star Trek: Generations, Picard seems to have lost his nerve somewhat and isn't sure if he wants to command a starship again. However, after watching what basically amounts to a rerun of TOS's "Balance of Terror" on a holodeck, Picard learns his lesson and is ready to be back in the saddle. I understand that Diane Carey has a bit of a Kirk-worship issue, but the way it slights Picard's character rankles me somewhat.

Final thoughts:

For the most part, I was disappointed in Ship of the Line. As a sequel to one of my favorite episodes, it fails on nearly every level. There were interesting aspects to Captain Bateson's story, but for the sheer amount of Trek lore that the author gets wrong, and how much of it just doesn't fit with Star Trek, I'm afraid I have to give poor marks to this novel. It pains me to do so, as I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately it was not to be.

By the way, for a much better (in my opinion) follow-up to "Cause and Effect" and the crew of the Bozeman, check out Christopher L. Bennett's Department of Temporal Investigations: Watching the Clock.

More about Ship of the Line:

Also by Diane Carey:

My next read:

My next review is for the first book in the I.K.S. Gorkon series: A Good Day to Die by Keith R.A. DeCandido.

Monday, January 14, 2019

Lots of Book News! New Discovery, Plus TOS Covers!

Greetings, Trek book fans! We got a bit of a dump of Star Trek book news in the past day or so, so let's jump right in with a new book announcement for later this year!

Coming in July 2019 from New York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller is the next novel under the Star Trek: Discovery banner: The Enterprise War!

Here's the announcement on John Jackson Miller's website.



No cover art yet, but the back-cover blurb has been revealed:

Hearing of the outbreak of hostilities between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire, Captain Christopher Pike attempts to bring the U.S.S. Enterprise home to join in the fight. But in the hellish nebula known as the Pergamum, the stalwart commander instead finds an epic battle of his own, pitting ancient enemies against one another—with not just the Enterprise, but her crew as the spoils of war. 
Lost and out of contact with Earth for an entire year, Pike and his trusted first officer, Number One, struggle to find and reunite the ship’s crew, all while Science Officer Spock confronts a mystery that puts even his exceptional skills to the test—with more than their own survival possibly riding on the outcome!

Promising to reveal what the U.S.S. Enterprise was up to during the Klingon war of Discovery's first season, The Enterprise War is John Jackson Miller's first Trek novel since his terrific Prey trilogy back in 2016. Definitely looking forward to this one! The Enterprise War is set to be released on July 30th of this year!

Pre-order Discovery: The Enterprise War
Trade paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca


Moving on to other new book news, we have covers for the two upcoming TOS novels!

First up is The Captain's Oath by Christopher L. Bennett, due out on May 28, 2019. Christopher L. Bennett announced the cover on his own website as well.

According to the author, The Captain's Oath will focus on Kirk's career before taking command of the Enterprise; specifically, his first command of a destroyer-type ship.

Check out below for the cover, back cover blurb, and links to pre-order from Amazon!


The saga of James T. Kirk’s historic command of the U.S.S. Enterprise is known throughout the galaxy. But one part of the legend has barely been touched upon until now: the story of Kirk’s first starship command and the remarkable achievements by which Starfleet’s youngest captain earned the right to succeed Christopher Pike as the commander of the famous Enterprise. From his early battles with the Klingons to the rescue of endangered civilizations, Kirk grapples with difficult questions: Is he a warrior or a peacemaker? Should he obey regulations or trust his instincts? This thrilling novel illustrates the events and choices that would shape James T. Kirk into one of the most renowned captains in Starfleet history.

Pre-order The Original Series: The Captain's Oath
Trade paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk


And finally, August 13th sees the release of another TOS novel: The Antares Maelstrom by Greg Cox. We have a newly-revealed cover for this one, and while the blurb has been available for awhile, I'll post it again below along with links to purchase from Amazon. Remember, using the links I've provided helps out Trek Lit Review in a small way, so I really appreciate it!



The final frontier erupts into chaos as vast quantities of a rare energy source are discovered beneath the surface of Baldur-3, a remote planet beyond the outer fringes of Federation space. Now an old-fashioned “gold rush” is underway as a flood of would-be prospectors, from countless worlds and species, races toward the planet to stake their claim. The galactic stampede threatens the stability of neighboring planets and space stations, as widespread strife and sabotage and all-around pandemonium result in a desperate need for Starfleet assistance. Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise are dispatched to deal with the escalating crisis…which lies on the other side of a famously perilous region of space known as the Antares Maelstrom.

Pre-order The Original Series: The Antares Maelstrom
Trade paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk


Literary Treks 255: The Hammock Planet: They Don't Have Butts


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

The voyages of the I.K.S. Gorkon continue! Following the events at San-Tarah, the Gorkon must now investigate the disappearance of her brother ship, the I.K.S. Kravokh. The Kravokh had encountered a ship from a newly-discovered warp-capable species, a strange alien race that believes themselves to be the only sentient life in the universe. Now, Klag must take the Gorkon to their homeworld to confront this new threat, all while dealing with a possible uprising among his own ranks!

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson are joined by Earl Grey's Justin Oser to talk about I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Three: Enemy Territory by Keith R.A. DeCandido. We discuss the Elabrej Hegemony, Kurak's crippling alcoholism, a mutiny forming aboard the Gorkon, Leader Wol, Rodek's identity crisis, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.

In the news segment, we talk about a new upcoming Star Trek: Waypoint special comic and another Little Golden Book: Too Many Tribbles!


Literary Treks 255: The Hammock Planet: They Don't Have Butts
I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Three: Enemy Territory by Keith R.A. DeCandido






Previous episode: Literary Treks 254: A Likely Victim
Next episode: Literary Treks 256: I Would Need More Than a Paragraph

Friday, January 11, 2019

The War of the Prophets

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Millennium, Book II of III
The War of the Prophets by Judith & Garfield Reeves- Stevens
Published March 2000
Read September 25th 2018

Previous book (Millennium): The Fall of Terok Nor

Next book (Millennium): Inferno


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



All three books in the Millennium trilogy are also available in this omnibus edition:


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



Spoilers ahead for The War of the Prophets and the Millennium trilogy
!

From the back cover:
The crew of the Starship Defiant is trapped in a future in which the Pah-wraiths have triumphed--as the greatest epic adventure in the sage of Deep Space 9 continues...

In the last days of the twenty-fourth century, caught in the crossfire of the apocalyptic confrontation between the Bajoran prophets and the Pah-wraiths, Captain Benjamin Sisko and his crew face what might be the final millennium. On one side, the Pah-wraiths' new Emissary--Kai Weyoun--promises his followers that when Bajor's two Celestial Temples are restored as one, all beings in the universe will ascend to a new and glorious existence with the True Prophets. On the other side, the scientists of Starfleet predict that when the two Bajoran wormholes merge, they will create a Warp 10 shock wave of infinite destructive power.

With the Federation on the brink of collapse, and Starfleet consumed by Admiral Jean-Luc Picard's obsessive quest to build the largest starship ever conceived, Sisko enters the ultimate race against time for the biggest stakes of all--the survival of the universe itself.

My thoughts:

In The War of the Prophets, the second book of the Millennium trilogy by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, Sisko and the crew of the Defiant find themselves catapulted 25 years into the future after having witnessed the destruction of Deep Space Nine by the opening of the red wormhole, created after the three lost orbs of Jalbador were brought together. (Whew, what a sentence!)

What follows is our characters navigating a dark future in which Armageddon is mere days away, the Federation has suffered enormous setbacks, and a religious fanatic is hastening the end of existence by leading the Bajoran people in a struggle against every other major power in the known galaxy. This religious fanatic is Weyoun, who has turned away from his worship of the Founders as gods and instead come to know the love of the Pah-Wraiths, who are now considered to be the "True Prophets" of Bajor. To complicate things, these are not the Pah-Wraiths who are trapped in Bajor's fire caves, but rather ones who live inside the red wormhole. The fire cave Pah-Wraiths still exist, and a crazed Gul Dukat serves as their emissary.

The remnants of Starfleet have committed all of their resources to the Phoenix project, an ambitious plan spearheaded by Admiral Jean-Luc Picard to send a revolutionary new timeship 25,000 years into the past on a mission to ensure the destruction of Bajor and secure the future. With the crew from the Defiant having split up, half of them are with Weyoun and the Bajoran Ascendancy, while the other half are with what remains of Starfleet along with Admiral Picard and Captain Nog. One thing I really enjoyed about this novel was how Nog's character was written. He has lived the past 25 years with hardship and regret, which has shaped the man he has become. There are some great scenes between him and Jake, reunited after what has been many years from Nog's perspective.

The War of the Prophets shows us a possible future, featuring Captain Nog, a man who is weighed down by the burdens of a dark past.

Sisko's role as the emissary of the "False Prophets" means that Weyoun keeps him and his crew alive while the pieces are put into place to fulfill a prophecy that will bring about the end of existence. Weyoun intends to bring the two wormholes together, which will apparently bring all beings together in a new existence with the "True Prophets," but will actually cause the end of reality as we know it.

The storyline in this novel is quite complicated, something I've discovered is a hallmark of the Millennium trilogy (a phenomenon which will come to a head in book three, Inferno). Still, the Reeves-Stevenses juggle all of the various plots quite expertly. Each of the characters have a moment to shine in this story, including Vash (who was aboard the Defiant when it was sent to the future). The final fates of Vash, Picard, and Nog are a fascinating aspect of the story, and while it seems they may be lost forever, Vash seems to intimate that she can hitch a ride with Q if a future story needs her in another role at some point!

One aspect of this trilogy that I am appreciating is that each novel in it has felt complete. While of course the entire story is told over the three novels, each one still has a beginning, middle, and end, and each installment feels different from the other two. They are distinct chapters within the overarching story. Sometimes, multi-book stories feel like each novel has an arbitrary stopping point in order to split it up among the books, but not so with Millennium. The War of the Prophets has a distinct story that is wrapped up within its pages, which feels very different from the story in The Fall of Terok Nor, but still a continuation of the main elements.

Final thoughts:

I'm very happy that covering these novels on the Literary Treks podcast has finally afforded me the opportunity to read them. This second installment was a lot of fun, with a glimpse at a dark future that our heroes will have to somehow prevent from taking place. Lots of great cameos (including Thomas Riker) and with a role to play for each of the characters, The War of the Prophets is an excellent continuation of the Millennium trilogy. I found myself wanting to pick up book three, Inferno, immediately, but unfortunately there were other novels to read for the podcast before I could get to it. Definitely excited to see how this series concludes!

More about The War of the Prophets:


Also by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens:

My next read:

Next up is my review of TNG: Ship of the Line by Diane Carey!

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Release Day! Discovery: The Way to the Stars

Star Trek: Discovery
The Way to the Stars
by Una McCormack

There have been a few breakout characters in the first season of Star Trek: Discovery, and one in particular has become a favorite of many viewers: Sylvia Tilly, the young and socially awkward cadet who wound up being Michael Burnham's roommate.

But how did this young cadet find herself in Starfleet? Una McCormack has crafted the tale of Tilly's backstory, which is now available on bookstore shelves today as well as at your favorite online retailer!

Check out the back cover blurb and links to purchase below.




Publisher's description:
Despite being an inexperienced Starfleet cadet, Sylvia Tilly became essential to the U.S.S. Discovery finding its way back home from the Mirror Universe. But how did she find that courage? From where did she get that steel? Who nurtured that spark of brilliance? The Way to the Stars recounts for fans everywhere the untold story of Tilly’s past.

It’s not easy being sixteen, especially when everyone expects great things from Tilly. It’s even harder when her mother and father are Federation luminaries, not to mention pressing her to attend one of the best schools that the Federation has to offer. Tilly wants to achieve great things—even though she hasn’t quite worked out how to do that or what it is she wants to do. But this year, everything will change for Tilly, as she about to embark upon the adventure of a lifetime—an adventure that will take her ever closer to the stars….

Purchase Discovery: The Way to the Stars:

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


Monday, January 7, 2019

Literary Treks 254: A Likely Victim

Interview with Trek Author Michael Jan Friedman



Michael Jan Friedman is one of Star Trek's most prolific authors. Over the course of his association with Star Trek, Mr. Friedman has written or co-written 35 novels, a list that includes original adventures, novelizations, young adult novels, and more. Additionally, he has written 5 Star Trek short stories, 4 reference books, and close to 100 comic adventures for the various Trek crews. When it comes to Star Trek on the page, Michael Jan Friedman is a dynamo.

In this episode of Literary Treks, special correspondent Brandon Shea-Mutala catches up with Michael Jan Friedman at the Northeast Trek Con in Albany. They discuss Friedman's start in writing, how he got involved in writing Star Trek novels, the Star Trek: The Next Generation / X-Men crossover, his experience in writing Star Trek comics, the Star Trek: Stargazer series, and wrap up with what he is working on now and where listeners can find him online.

At the top of the show, Dan and Bruce review the Star Trek: Waypoint special issue and respond to your Babel Conference feedback for Literary Treks 252: Continuity Cop.


Literary Treks 254: A Likely Victim
Exclusive interview with Star Trek author Michael Jan Friedman!




Previous episode: Literary Treks 253: Basically Watching the News Frankly
Next episode: Literary Treks 255: The Hammock Planet: They Don't Have Butts