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I'm really a beginner when it comes to Star Trek. I've read a few novels, seen all the movies and most of the episodes of TOS and TNG. I have a bit o' reading time coming up in a few weeks and thought I'd ask for your advice. Please tell me what your favorite Star Trek Novel is and how useful you found it for narrating or GMing. I still want to hear if you thought it was a great book but not useful for narrating.
I'm looking forward to reading your opinions.
The Final Reflection to me is the definitive pre-TNG Klingon book. It is a fantastic read and takes a 2d villain race and makes them 3d very handily.
Infiltrator (TNG): A book written that deals with Eugenics War decendants that got away from Earth in the late 1990's. Unlike the Augments and other genie never do wells, this particular batch is highly intelligent, but not predatory. Not that Starfleet and Earth Believes that for a instant. When Earth and Starfleet finds out about them, all hell breaks loose. But not in ways that are expected. Very good book for non-hostile genetic background characters.
The Vulcan Academy Murders (TOS): Set on Vulcan during the TOS era, ti deals witha series of murders on Vulcan at the Vulcan Science academy. A very good look into Vulcan and the sort of influences it has had to put up with in the TOS era.
The IDIC Epidemic (TOS): Sequel to the above book. The Enterprise is called to a outlying colony to deal with a lethal viral outbreak. The Virus is highly lethal, and to make matters worse, highly mutable. It gives a look into the Followers of T'vet, a vulcan warrior cult based on the old ways. As well as an unpleasant look into the side effects of IDIC from one point of view. A good read
Crisis on Centaurus (TOS): This book deals with a nightmare scenario at the inner core of the Federation in the Centauri system: a fanatical cult of human xenophobes have learned how to produce cheap antimatter and threaten to use it to hold Centarui hostage if thier demands are not met. As a result a major city on Centaurus is obliterated. A interesting tale, considering the time it was written. check your local used book stores.
I read the Vulcan Academy Murders a number of years ago. It was quite good. I didn't know it had a sequel.
Thanks for the suggestions so far. I'll see if our local library has them.
I'm looking forward to more suggestions.
These are all old-series, naturally....but here are my recommendations:
The Romulan Way and Spock's World by Diane Duane both contain "historical" information about the Romulans and Vulcans that is written well (as far as Star Trek novels go,) and thus useful to the GM who needs to whip up to provide some backstory to the campaign (e.g., 128 Trianguli is the Terran designation for the Romulan home star system.) The two books are indirectly linked, and refer to many of the same historical events, albiet from different perspectives.
Dreadnought! and its sequel, Battlestations! by Diane Carey are unique, in that they are written from the perspective of a young Lieutenant working her way up the ranks who is assigned to the Enterprise under James Kirk, and who must confront a wide-reaching conspiracy. The stories are decent enough, but they are also useful to read if GM'ing a game with junior officers. You also get a small dose of the author's political opinions, although they do not detract from the story.
Strangers from the Sky by Margaret Wander Bonnano is an alternate story of first contact with the Vulcans (that is to say, it was written long before First Contact and has been overtaken by it.) I just liked the story -- and I think she portrays a much more interesting -- and realistic -- mid 21st century Earth than the one portrayed in First Contact. The Earth portrayed here recovering from World War III sounds like it reasonably had a chance to be at the forefront of an interstellar alliance in a hundred years' time, as opposed to the pitiful post-strike survivors clustered around a fire in FC. The author's political opinions are also much in evidence, and they are a bit ham-fisted at times, but the story and the characterization is basically good, I think.
Demons by J.M. Dillard -- decent horror story about an evil force that tries to take over Vulcan.
I have to second Crisis on Centaurus, if only because Samuel T. Cogley, Esq. is featured in it.
Pretty much anything by Vonda McIntyre is probably worth a look, too -- esp. her novelizations of Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock, and Voyage Home.
In addition to Diane Duane and Diane Carey whom others have mentioned I would also suggest the following:
1. Judith and Garfield Reeves-stevens (famous for collaborating with Shatner on his Kirk series and as recent Enterprise writers of note).
2. Peter David, although I would suggest books other than the New Frontier line. Rock and a Hard Place, Vendetta and Imzadi I and II are all good. If you don't know him as a comic-book writer a word of warning. He's very funny so if you like your Trek ultra serious look elsewhere. A great writers who writes for the fans.
3. Michael Jan Freedman. He's more hit-or-miss though. A great number of his more recent books have really suffered so go back to older stuff like Kahless, Stargazer and the like.
4. Keith R.A. Decandido. Like Peter David, another great writer who writes for the fans. He's had a lot of stuff in the IKS Gorkon series (Klingon books) that has been really good.
Two more that I didn't mention above.... "The Great Starship Race" by Diane Carey (again) -- excellent for its portrayal of the antagonist....
"How Much for Just the Planet?" by John M. Ford -- an oddball novel, but funny in parts. Should get a chuckle or two out of it.
I only own the german translation of it, but I realy enjoyd the TNG novel "Masks" by John Vornholt. Set in a medieval setting in a society that hides their faces behind masks that gouvern their status in society. It's been a while since I read it, but I liked it very much. The planet Lorca could be a possible setting were Star Trek RPG meets something close to LotR RPG.
My other favorite is " The Romulan Prize". the Name of the author doens't come to me mind at once though. It's a story about a smart romulan commander Valak and a brand new warbird. They manage to capture Enterprise and begin to explore one of the biggest mysteries in federation history, I've always toyed with the idea of using that setting myself one day.
Good read certainly is provided by Peter David (esp. his New Frontier series) and although I know that divides our community I realy liked to read the crossover novels by Shatner / Garfield-Reeves...
I recommend reading the 'Strange New Worlds' anthologies (what number are they up to? 8?). There are a lot of great, short stories in them (and some not so great), all written by author who are 'not professionals' (they haven't been published before in a novel format).
Within them:
Vol. 1
"Reflections" (TOS)
"What Went Through Data's Mind 0.68 Seconds Before the Satellite Hit " (TNG)
"The Naked Truth" (TNG)
"See Spot Run" (TNG)
"The First" (TNG)
"Civil Disobedience" (TNG)
"Of Cabbages and Kings" (TNG): side note, LOVE this one; it's a must read IMHO
...you know, I could on-and-on, and THIS is only the first one, that's how good they are:).
Thanks for all the suggestions. I still haven't tracked any of these down but I plan to do so soon. South eastern Idaho doesn't have the greatest selection of Sci-fi books in the public libraries. I'll probably have to buy some of these.
Keep the suggestions coming if you think of more.
I quite enjoyed the Khan books. Covering the Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, although I must admit the cameos by pretty much every 20th century based Trek character did start to grate after a while.
Thats the first 2. While the 3rd has just been released covering Khans exile on Ceti Alpha IV.
And of course the entirity of the DS9 relaunch series.
Have any of you read the Starfleet Corps of Engineers books? They look interesting.