Tuesday, February 26, 2019

May's IDW Star Trek Comics

IDW has released their solicitations for the month of May, and there are two Star Trek titles included.

First up is the second issue of the upcoming Star Trek: Year Five series. There are going to be two covers available for this one, including the Tholian cover below by artist Stephen Thompson, and a retailer incentive cover by J. J. Lendl, which hasn't been revealed yet.

Star Trek: Year 5 #2
Written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly. Art by Stephen Thompson.
As the last year of their original mission begins, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise will have to use all of the skills they’ve acquired along the way as they prepare to face the biggest challenge of their lives—a dark threat that doesn’t just threaten their existence, but the existence of the entire Federation as well...



Also coming in May is the fifth issue of The Q Conflict. There will be three covers available: A and B covers by artist David Messina, which combine to form a diptych. There will also be a retailer incentive cover by George Caltsoudas. So far, only the A cover has been revealed.

Star Trek: The Q Conflict #5
Written by Scott Tipton and David Tipton. Art by David Messina.
The contest for the ages continues as the Captains race to capture the one exotic creature that Trelane is missing from his intergalactic menagerie—a Borg Queen! But as the Godlike beings revel in the games, the crews are hatching a plan of their own. Don’t miss the penultimate issue of the biggest Star Trek crossover of all time!




Monday, February 25, 2019

The Valiant

Star Trek: The Next Generation
The Valiant by Michael Jan Friedman
Published April 2000
Read October 31st 2018

Previous book (TNG unnumbered): I, Q

Next book (TNG unnumbered): Genesis Wave, Book One

Previous book (TNG published order): #59: Gemworld #1


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 The Valiant
!

From the back cover:
Three hundred years ago, the S.S. Valiant was destroyed during an ill-fated attempt to cross the legendary Galactic Barrier. Starfleet had always assumed that the Valiant had perished with all hands aboard, until a pair of unusual humanoids arrive at Starbase 209, claiming to be the descendants of a handful of Valiant survivors who found refuge on an M-Class planet beyond the Barrier. 
Even more shocking, the visitors warn that a hostile alien species, the Nuyyad, are preparing to invade our galaxy. Uncertain of how much of the strangers' story to believe, Starfleet orders the U.S.S. Stargazer to investigate at once. 
Lieutenant Commander Jean-Luc Picard is second officer on the Stargazer. A young man who has yet to command a vessel of his own, he soon develops a special bond with one of the visitors, a strikingly beautiful woman who has inherited mysterious psychic abilities from her alleged Starfleet ancestors. But can Picard truly trust her?

My thoughts:

Over the course of his Star Trek writing career, Michael Jan Friedman has been responsible for nearly everything we know about the crew of the U.S.S. Stargazer. While (of course) non-canon, his depictions of the Stargazer crew which began in the TNG novel Reunion have informed my understanding of the pre-Enterprise years of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's Starfleet career. Now that there is an entire series dedicated to the adventures of the U.S.S. Stargazer under Picard's command, The Valiant could be thought of as book two of that series, following on the heels of the de facto first Stargazer novel, Reunion.

The Valiant takes us to the early days of Picard's years on the Stargazer, where he serves as the ship's second officer. While not yet a captain at the start of this novel, The Valiant depicts the circumstances under which he ultimately assumes command.

The Valiant could be considered a novel in the Stargazer book series, as opposed to a TNG novel.

The story involves a mission to the other side of the "Galactic Barrier," seen most famously in the second TOS pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before." That episode began with the Enterprise discovering the mission recorder buoy jettisoned from the S.S. Valiant, destroyed shortly after it attempted to cross the barrier. It was assumed that all hands were lost in that incident, but Starfleet learns that there were survivors who eventually settled and populated a world near the barrier. Representatives from that world make contact with Starfleet and warn of an alien threat: the Nuyyad.

The Stargazer is assigned to investigate this threat, along with a representative from the Kelvans, a species from the far-off Andromeda galaxy who have also settled near the galactic barrier thanks to assistance from Starfleet (see the TOS episode "By Any Other Name"). Also aboard is one of the representatives from the descendants of the Valiant, an offshoot of humanity who have been affected by the passage through the barrier in a similar manner to Gary Mitchell, who infamously turned against Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise, proving the axiom that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Starfleet and the Stargazer crew are understandably wary of this representative, fearing that she will prove as deadly as Mitchell.

The spectre of Gary Mitchell looms over this novel, making the Stargazer crew wary of the descendants of the S.S. Valiant survivors who also exhibit "superhuman" abilities.

The Valiant continues the work started in Reunion, familiarizing us with the characters of the Stargazer and setting up a much different environment than Picard would later find himself in on the Enterprise. Because Reunion is set much later, The Valiant is able to set up situations between characters that we see in that novel, and readers who have read Reunion previously will find interesting connections that ultimately result in some dramatic irony because the outcomes are already known.

I found my expectations as a reader subverted somewhat by Michael Jan Friedman. There were a number of times I was sure I knew where the story was going only to find myself surprised by the events I was reading. The descendants of the Valiant survivors were an interesting society, and reminded me somewhat of the people that Christopher L. Bennett created in his original novel Only Superhuman. I like the idea of a race of humans who exhibit extraordinary powers, but don't go down the path of Gary Mitchell or the Platonians.

Final thoughts:

Overall, a fascinating and satisfying novel that chronicles the events leading to Picard taking command of the Stargazer. I enjoyed the character-building for the crewmembers of the Stargazer that we see in other novels. I wasn't initially very interested in reading the Stargazer novel series, but after revisiting Reunion and reading The Valiant for the first time, I think I would like to see more about these characters. 4/5.

Also by Michael Jan Friedman:

My next read:

My next review is for book 8 in the A Time To series: A Time to Heal by David Mack.

Friday, February 22, 2019

Inferno

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Millennium, Book III of III
Inferno by Judith & Garfield Reeves- Stevens
Published April 2000
Read October 26th 2018

Previous book (Millennium): The War of the Prophets

Next book (Deep Space Nine): #27: A Stitch in Time


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:
Now begins the final battle of the Prophets and the Pah-wraiths within the nightmarish realm of nonlinear time -- as the greatest epic adventure in the saga of Deep Space 9 -- reaches its staggering conclusion.... 
As predicted in ancient Bajoran texts, the Celestial Temple has been restored, ending normal space-time existence for all except Captain Benjamin Sisko and those trapped on the Starship Defiant and the Klingon warship Boreth. But as apocalyptic war rages between the Prophets and the Pah-wraiths, one last chance for survival beckons -- a return to Deep Space 9.

Yet, in the realm of nonlinear time, it appears that there are two possible times at which Sisko and his allies can turn to the station: on the day of the Cardassian Withdrawal, or on the day six years later when DS9 was destroyed. But which choice will lead to the triumph of the Prophets? And which to eternal victory for the Pah-wraiths? With time literally running out and the fate of the universe in his hands, Sisko now must confront his own personal inferno-in order to change the past and restore the present, he must be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice ... his future....

My thoughts:

Inferno marks the conclusion of the Millennium trilogy, three books that unironically embody the word "epic." Perhaps it's a cliche that so many Star Trek adventures involve the "end of the universe as we know it," and of course we all know that the universe won't really be destroyed. So, fittingly, at the end of the last novel, The War of the Prophets, all of creation is... destroyed.

How do you come back from that?

At the beginning of the novel, each of our characters are living their own "personal hell," constructed for them by the Pah-Wraiths. We soon come to understand the unreality of these situations as, one-by-one, they are pulled out into what the multi-verse has become: a sort of strange purgatory, seemingly inside the red wormhole. I'm glad the authors didn't linger too long on each of the characters' vision of hell; Jake Sisko's in particular, in which every word he wrote was being erased, quickly catching up to him as he wrote, was truly horrific. I still shudder visibly when thinking about it.

What impressed me the most about Inferno was that it answered all of the questions raised in the first two novels in a surprisingly satisfying fashion. While reading the previous book, I got that feeling that's similar to the one I got when first watching "The Best of Both Worlds": how the heck are they going to get out of this? Unlike that famous cliffhanger episode, however, the authors had a clear plan for the resolution of this story going in.

I see a number of reviewers online decrying this story as a convoluted mess of time travel, and I can certainly see how someone would come to that conclusion. While most of the time I read Star Trek fiction as pure escapism, I appreciate a good story that requires you to think. And Millennium, if nothing else, requires you to engage your brain and pay attention. It is extremely easy to get lost in the myriad twists and turns, with some of the plot points seeming to come out of nowhere. However, the entire trilogy is meticulously crafted and requires the reader to pay very close attention for it all to make sense. I must admit that some plot points flew light-years over my head the first time, and it took a closer reading to make everything make sense. But eventually, make sense it does.

Seemingly minor plot details dropped into the story in the first book pay off with surprising significance in book three, while other moments will make the reader slap his or her head and say, "so *that's* what that meant!" In the end, many of the situations the characters face in the course of the trilogy seem to have been engineered specifically by a particular group who knew how things were "supposed" to play out. This struck me as amusing, as one can cast the authors of these novels in those roles, almost as a sort of "fourth-wall" break.

As is often the case, Garak wound up being one of my favorite things in this novel!

I realize that this review has veered away from a typical discussion of the plot and has become a little more abstract; I suppose that is a reflection of the sort of book this is. It's difficult to discuss elements of the plot in great detail as I feel that would multiply the length of this review significantly. Instead, I will highlight a couple of scenes that stood out to me. First, we get a version of Garak interacting with his future self. I absolutely loved this part of the story, and I would have loved to have seen Andrew Robinson tackle this. One Garak is terrific, while two is very nearly perfection.

Also, I have to highlight a scene in which Odo converses with Vic Fontaine on an empty and abandoned Deep Space Nine. This part was surprisingly touching and poignant, with the two characters reflecting on reality and their ultimate fates. Vic Fontaine, for being a hologram, was a character that brought a lot of humanity to DS9, and his character is used to great effect here.

Final thoughts:

Inferno wraps up the Millennium trilogy in a more satisfying manner than I honestly expected. Some readers will certainly be put off by the very complex and interweaving plot twists and turns, but the Reeves-Stevenses have obviously worked very hard to make everything line up correctly. This is a novel (and a trilogy) that requires the reader to pay close attention, as even the smallest plot details end up being significant and play out in unexpected ways. However, even if all aspects of the story aren't completely understood by the reader, I was left feeling that Inferno was a satisfying conclusion to the overall story.

More about Inferno:


Also by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens:

My next read:

Next up is a TNG novel, but actually the first Stargazer adventure: The Valiant by Michael Jan Friedman!


Monday, February 18, 2019

Literary Treks 259: He's Gotta Grow Some and Just Do It

The Next Generation:
Triangle: Imzadi II
by Peter David

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

Triangle: Imzadi II is also available as part of an omnibus, Imzadi Forever, along with the previous book, Imzadi.

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


As Star Trek: The Next Generation drew to a close, an unlikely romance emerged: that of Worf and Deanna Troi. A Klingon warrior with a strict code of honor and a peaceful empath in touch with her feelings do not make the most obvious couple, but Worf and Troi made a go of it before the relationship ultimately disappeared. What happened between the two of them, and how did Will Riker feel about his Imzadi becoming involved with his friend and comrade?

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Bruce Gibson and Dan Gunther are once again joined by Earl Grey and The Edge's Amy Nelson to discuss Triangle: Imzadi II by Peter David. We talk about Worf's lack of luck in love, the triangle between Worf, Troi, and Riker, Romulan Commander Sela and her convoluted plan, Riker's inability to make progress with Troi, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.

At the top of the show, Bruce and Dan review the first issue of The Q Conflict, a new comic miniseries from IDW, and respond to your Babel Conference feedback from Literary Treks 257: Lots of Bits of Me.


Literary Treks 259: He's Gotta Grow Some and Just Do It
TNG: Triangle: Imzadi II by Peter David





Previous episode: Literary Treks 258: Inaccurate Operas Will Be Performed of This Day!
Next episode: Literary Treks 260: Sorry to All the Sela Fans

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Requiem

Star Trek: The Next Generation #32
Requiem by Michael Jan Friedman and Kevin Ryan
Published October 1994
Read October 18th 2018

Previous book (TNG numbered): #31: Foreign Foes

Next book (TNG numbered): #33: Balance of Power

Next book (TNG published order): Star Trek: Generations


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

Spoilers ahead for Requiem
!

From the back cover:
Twenty-five years ago, Captain Jean-Luc Picard conducted breakthrough negotiations with an aggressive race called the Gorn. On the anniversary of that achievement, Captain Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise are headed for the Gorn Homeworld to continue that important work. When the ship stops to investigate a mysterious alien artifact, Captain Picard is suddenly hurled through time and space. Just as Commander Riker and the Starship Enterprise crew begin an impossible search for their captain, the Gorn summit goes terribly wrong.

As war looms over the galaxy and Picard is desperately needed on the Gorn Homeworld, the captain finds himself stranded in the past on a planet called Cestus III at a crucial turning point in Federation history. Caught in a deadly situation that challenges Picard's most cherished beliefs, he must weigh the fate of a world against the future of the entire Federation.

My thoughts:

Ever since their appearance in the Original Series episode "Arena," fans of Star Trek have been fascinated by the Gorn. Huge, hulking reptiles, the Gorn seem like a fearsome enemy that, interestingly enough, was not revisited again in canon Star Trek until nearly 40 years after their debut. However, the novels and comics have tackled the Gorn on many occasions, and Requiem is one such foray into bringing the Gorn into the 24th century.

Because Captain Picard has some experience with the Gorn from his time as captain of the U.S.S. Stargazer, he is called upon to serve as the Federation's representative in tense negotiations with the Gorn Hegemony. However, en route to the Gorn homeworld, the Enterprise investigates a strange construct in space. Aboard the alien behemoth, an accident propels Captain Picard back in time, depositing him on a nearby world nearly a century in the past. That world: Cestus III, site of a brutal Gorn surprise attack that completely wiped out a newly-established Federation colony and Starfleet base. And, of course, Picard finds himself mere days before that fateful event.

The Cestus III colony, destroyed in "Arena," is the main setting for much of this novel.

I enjoyed Requiem's look at a pivotal event in the original Star Trek and the added layers it brought to the episode "Arena." In that episode, we first see Cestus III following the Gorn attack, with one lone survivor rescued by Kirk and a landing party. In Requiem, we get to know a number of characters who make up the crew of the base. From Picard's perspective, they all perished in the attack decades before he was born, but when seeing them face-to-face, you can feel the captain's anguish at having to keep the knowledge of their fates to himself to ensure the integrity of the timeline. Picard gets attached to one woman in particular, the base's doctor, which adds complications to his need to ensure that events proceed as history recorded them. There is some great stuff in this novel with regards to the base's commander and his distrust of Picard, but in the end they see each other as comrades in arms when the base comes under attack.

Meanwhile, back in the 24th century, the crew of the Enterprise is desperately trying to locate their captain. This was also an interesting aspect of the story, as the crew is desperate to recover Picard not just to get their captain back, but because his expertise is needed to negotiate with the Gorn and quell the rapidly deteriorating situation on the Gorn homeworld. I especially liked the small arc that Reg Barclay gets in this part of the story. He feels that it was his fault that Picard was thrown back in time, and he finds himself paralyzed with fear when dealing with the alien mechanism. He must overcome that fear in order for the mission to succeed, which, of course, he does.

Reg Barclay gets an interesting story arc in Requiem.

The ultimate solution to the problem at hand is interesting to be sure, but of course we knew that Picard's rescue was inevitable. I was surprised at some of his actions in the past, but in the end he does what he needs to in order to keep from polluting the timeline and changing historical events.

The only thing I would fault Requiem for is the fact that we don't really learn anything new about the Gorn themselves. I would have liked to have gotten a look at their society on the Gorn homeworld and learn more about how they operate. Beyond the fact that they protect their borders and their species with great ferocity, we don't learn much more about the Gorn in this novel than we do from their appearance in "Arena." However, I can't really fault the book for this too much, as it has more to do with my expectations going in than what the story was ultimately about.

Final thoughts:

A solid entry in the TNG numbered novels series. It was fascinating to get a look at the Cestus III colony before the Gorn attack and learn a bit about the people who lived and worked there. Their story is tragic, but the role they play in Star Trek history is an important one. I would have liked to have learned more about the Gorn, but alas that was not to be. The story set in the "present" of the 24th century was a nice B-plot involving the Enterprise crew attempting to locate and rescue Picard, with some great character moments for Reg Barclay. 4/5.

My next read:

The conclusion to the Deep Space Nine: Millennium saga: Inferno by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens!

Monday, February 11, 2019

Literary Treks 258: Inaccurate Operas Will Be Performed of This Day!

Klingon Empire: A Burning House
by Keith R.A. DeCandido

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 have come to an end, far sooner than they should have! As the Gorkon puts into port at Qo'noS, the officers and crew return home. For some, that means a harvest festival with friends and family, and for others, it means intrigue, revelations, and deception. It's just another day in the life of a citizen of the Klingon Empire!

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson are joined by Earl Grey's Justin Oser to discuss Star Trek: Klingon Empire: A Burning House, the fourth and final book to exclusively feature the crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon. We talk about life on a Klingon farm during yopta' yupma', Toq's tale of intrigue when he returns to his birthplace of Carraya IV, Rodek coming to terms with revelations about his past, B'Oraq and her attempts to bring modern medicine to the Empire, G'Joth and an opera that bears little resemblance to the truth, other bits we liked about the novel, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.

At the top of the show, Dan and Bruce review Star Trek: IDW 20/20, featuring Picard's first mission as captain of the Stargazer, and respond to your Babel Conference feedback on Literary Treks 256: I Would Need More Than a Paragraph.


Literary Treks 258: Inaccurate Operas Will Be Performed of This Day!
Klingon Empire: A Burning House by Keith R.A. DeCandido





Previous episode: Literary Treks 257: Lots of Bits of Me
Next episode: Literary Treks 259: He's Gotta Grow Some and Just Do It

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

A Time to Kill

Star Trek: The Next Generation
A Time to Kill by David Mack
Published August 2004
Read October 12th 2018

Previous book (A Time To): A Time to Hate

Next book (A Time To): A Time to Heal


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 Time to Kill
!

From the back cover:
At the height of the Dominion War and unknown to all save those in the highest levels of command, the Federation secretly armed the neutral planet Tezwa with devastating weapons -- part of a contingency plan against the Dominion if the front lines collapsed. But Tezwa also lies near the border of the Klingon Empire...making the Federation's covert strategy in direct violation of their fragile peace treaties, and creating the potential threat of scandal and all-out war. 

Now Tezwa's power-hungry prime minister is all too eager to flex his newfound military muscle, menacing a nearby Klingon border world. Sent on an urgent diplomatic mission, Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew are caught in the crossfire as the crisis quickly escalates. With time running out and billions of lives at stake, only one man can avert the looming disaster -- Ambassador Worf, who must choose between his oath to the Federation and his loyalty to Martok, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire....

My thoughts:

A Time to Kill is the seventh book in the nine-book A Time To series, and the first in a duology by David Mack. This novel also has the honor of being the first novel-length work by David Mack, a fact I had a hard time believing when I was finished it. The writing, pacing, and structure of this novel is so incredibly well-done, that it's no wonder Mack would go on to write dozens of Star Trek novels.

The story involves a power grab by a rogue leader of the planet Tezwa. During the Dominion War, the Federation had entered into a secret agreement with Tezwa to station devastating weapons on the planet as a last-ditch option to counter Dominion forces, should the war force the Federation's hand. However, the proximity of the world to Klingon space meant that the placement of these weapons violated the Khitomer Accords, the foundation of peace between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Now, the Tezwan leader, Kinshawn, is flexing his muscles and provoking the Klingons by claiming a Klingon colony near Tezwa's borders. When he uses the powerful cannons to destroy a Klingon fleet accompanied by the Enterprise, the Federation president, Min Zife, orders Picard to send teams to take the cannons out of commission.

Federation President Min Zife's choices come back to haunt him in this novel.

What follows is a fast-paced, intense account of the various teams assigned to take out each of the fearsome nadion pulse cannons on the surface of Tezwa. In many ways, A Time to Kill feels like a modern political thriller in the vein of the best of Tom Clancy. While the action quotient has been dialed up significantly by David Mack, other aspects of the story are also done quite well. The world-building of Tezwa and its people was of particular note, and I liked the depiction of the two major political factions as well as the individual members of the society. Additionally, the political machinations within the Federation government were similarly fascinating. President Zife's Chief of Staff, Koll Azernall, is particularly compelling. A Zakdorn (a race noted for their highly strategic minds), it seems that Azernall is the "brains" behind much of the administration's shenanigans.

Worf's role as ambassador is used to great effect in A Time to Kill.

I also loved Worf's inclusion in the story. In order to stall an impending attack by another Klingon fleet, Picard uses Worf's position as ambassador to gain access to the command codes for the fleet, halting them in their tracks. Worf's part in the story was a great deal of fun as he schemes to get access to the codes from a particularly dishonorable member of the High Council. The use of Worf in the story felt completely organic and not at all forced. I was happy to finally see the Son of Mogh play a role in this series!

I feel that A Time to Kill marks a distinct shift in the course of the A Time To series. It feels like we are now in the real meat of the story. The previous duologies do certainly do their jobs in adding elements to the whole, but A Time to Kill really feels like we are getting to events that truly matter on the galactic stage. I have always liked far-reaching stories in the Star Trek universe, and the involvement of the Federation presidency along with diplomatic tensions with the Klingon Empire make this story feel much larger than the previous ones. Additionally, the way the story ends feels like a much better way to approach a duology within this larger series than the previous stories. While there are still hanging threads that will be followed up on in the next book, A Time to Kill feels like a complete chapter of the overall story with a distinct beginning, middle, and end.

Final thoughts:

Very fast-paced and thrilling, A Time to Kill is a departure from a typical Star Trek novel. David Mack has his pulse on what makes a compelling story, and I found myself racing through the novel in a couple of afternoons. While the action is very well-done, it is not the only thing that A Time to Kill has going for it: the world-building and character work are similarly top-notch. The fact that this was David Mack's first novel-length Star Trek story is nothing short of amazing given the quality of the work. There are hanging plot elements leading into the next book, A Time to Heal, but A Time to Kill still feels like a complete story and more than capable of standing on its own. Superb!

More about A Time to Kill:



Also by David Mack:

A Time To...

My next read:

A TNG novel from back in the numbered days: #32: Requiem by Michael Jan Friedman & Kevin Ryan.


Monday, February 4, 2019

Literary Treks 257: Lots of Bits of Me

Discovery: The Way to the Stars
Exclusive Interview with author Una McCormack!

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

Sylvia Tilly has turned into a breakout character on the newest Trek series, Star Trek: Discovery. Sometimes awkward, sometimes silly, but always brilliant, Tilly brought a lot of humanity to Discovery's first season. But what was she like before becoming a Starfleet cadet, and what choices led her to joining Starfleet?

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Bruce Gibson and Dan Gunther welcome author Una McCormack back to the show to discuss her latest novel, Discovery: The Way to the Stars. We talk about the process of writing this novel, Tilly's relationship with her mother, her experiences in school, Tilly as a runaway, her impressions of Starfleet, the poor communication she experiences, and wrap up the discussion with where you can find Una online and what she is working on now.

In the news section, we talk about the upcoming Discovery novel The Enterprise War by John Jackson Miller, and judge the covers of two upcoming Original Series novels: The Captain's Oath by Christopher L. Bennett and The Antares Maelstrom by Greg Cox. We also talk about an upcoming comic series from IDW: TOS: Year Five, review issue #4 of Star Trek vs. Transformers, and take a look at some Babel Conference feedback on Literary Treks 255: The Hammock Planet: They Don't Have Butts.


Literary Treks 257: Lots of Bits of Me
Exclusive interview with Una McCormack, author of Discovery: The Way to the Stars





Previous episode: Literary Treks 256: I Would Need More Than a Paragraph
Next episode: Literary Treks 258: Inaccurate Operas Will Be Performed of This Day!