Gaming the Star Trek novels?

[LStyer]

Has anyone here taken gaming inspiration directly from a Star Trek novel? The explanation of some event or mystery, a plot, a character? If so, what and from which novel(s)?

[Ramage]

Three novels loom big for me -- "The Final Reflection", "My Enemy, My Ally", and "The Romulan Way". These novels do a lot to inspire my view of Klingons and Romulans.

OTOH, I must admit to being a "literary snob" -- I probably get more inspiration from Patrick O'Brien and other writers of historical fiction than I do from Trek novels. Most books based on shows/movies are pretty poorly written.

[Ineti]

Pocket Books' "relaunch" novels of DS9 are really well-written. I'm using them as inspiration for a possible new campaign set post-What You Leave Behind.

[Don Mappin]

Back when I actually read Star Trek (prior to writing for it), I stole the entire plot and characters from a TOS novel called "Sanctuary." It was a nice 2-part adventure.

[Diamond]

I got the plot for my first campaign out of "Dreadnaught" and "Battlestations."

That idea of the Patriotic Conspiracy (10 years later to morph into section 31) drove my campaign for 2 years.

[Karg]

First Frontier,

Always was a sucker for time travel stories

Karg

[Perrryyy]

Originally posted by Ineti
Pocket Books' "relaunch" novels of DS9 are really well-written. I'm using them as inspiration for a possible new campaign set post-What You Leave Behind.

I bought two of the "Mission Gamma" series yesterday (This Gray Spirit and Twilight).

Really looking forward to them. Are there other relaunch books? I've heard of them, but don't know the titles. Help?

[Kaiddin]

Besides the three that Ramage mentioned, I also used the SSD from 'Death's Angel'.

[tmutant]

'Trek to Madworld' by Stephen Goldin was the setting for the first Star Trek campaign I played in, lo these many years ago. I still think it was one of the best. Lots of fun, lots of thinking, not alot of blowing stuff up, but we still got a little victory over the 'bad guys'.

[selek]

I felt compelled to lift most of the plot and elements from the novel Doomsday World (boy, I hope that's the correct title ) and victimize my crew with it. Also, for a bit of Section 31 flavor, I stole elements of Burden of Honor (not Trek, but rogue-CIA special mission forces types).

Fortunately, they DIDN't blow up the Enterprise.

[John Guo]

As a fan of good fiction, I've got to confess that the only Trek Novels I've enjoyed are the ones Ramage mentioned, particularly Final Reflection. The rest are almost universally hack fiction and not worth reading.

That may seem harsh, but when you look at how much really stellar fiction there is to read out there, why read something badly written, no matter how much you like the setting?

I'd rather read something in a different genre that's written well than see a setting I enjoy treated badly.

[Michael Barratt]

Originally posted by Perrryyy


I bought two of the "Mission Gamma" series yesterday (This Gray Spirit and Twilight).

Really looking forward to them. Are there other relaunch books? I've heard of them, but don't know the titles. Help?

The full list is at the back of the Mission Gamma books, Perry.

They start, if I recall correctly, with "Avatar," books 1 and 2.

I've used bits and pieces from the Trek Novels that I buy now and then, and really plucked a lot about the Andorians from the relaunch of DS9 (Their use of an Andorian science officer is phenom, and the biological reasons behind their four-way marriages makes for good role-playing).

I stole the Selevians from Peter David's first Trek book, and have now and then used other aliens from the books...

The Doc

[toadkiller]

How Much for Just the Planet pretty much defines my game.

[Ineti]

Originally posted by John Guo
That may seem harsh, but when you look at how much really stellar fiction there is to read out there, why read something badly written, no matter how much you like the setting?

I'd rather read something in a different genre that's written well than see a setting I enjoy treated badly.

You should check out some of the new Trek novels, then. The editors and the powers-that-be are really working hard to turn around the quality of the Trek novels. The DS9 'relaunch' is a good example. Nice writing.

And while I have no interest in it, I've heard rumors about a Voyager relaunch, with novels to pick up where the series left off.

IMO, Trek novels are enjoying a renaissance.

[John Guo]

Originally posted by toadkiller
How Much for Just the Planet pretty much defines my game.

Now this novel sounds like it might be pretty entertaining. Can you tell me a little more about it?