I have been accepted by Amazon.com, so I'll be listing books here to
recommend for purchase in association with Amazon.com.
Mostly, I'll be recommending Star Trek books that I've read for sale in association with Amazon.com. Click on the pictures if you'd like to
order the books.
I haven't read any of the TOS books, so I can't really recommend any of them. I did, however, collect the TNG books until I got hooked on DS9. These were my favorites:
For now, let me just tell you about some of my favorite Star Trek novels. I used to collect and read the TNG novels, and I thought a few of them were really good. I can't tell you much about them really since it's been several years since I've read them. But these were my favorites.
Metamorphosis is a really good Data novel. Order Metamorphosis Today!
And Survivors is a wonderful novel featuring Data and Lieutenant Yar. Order Survivors Today!
More recently (as in, since DS9 began), I've been collecting Deep Space Nine novels. I've read all that have come out thus far. While there are some that aren't up to par, some have been excellent. I would definitely recommend the following books:
Invasion: Time's Enemy--My favorite so far.
This was one of the Invasion series books that spanned all four series. It's heart-rending, adventurous, edge-of-your-seat,
bring-a-hanky stuff. Very good. The characterizations are wonderful, the plot is moving and fast-paced. A wonderful story.
What's it about? you ask. Well, for starters, Sisko, Dax, and Bashir are summoned to a starbase to view an artifact
recently discovered to have been buried in an asteroid for 5000 years: The Defiant. How's that for engaging? Why those
three? Well, they're still on board. But you'll have to get the book and read it if you want to know more.
Armageddon Sky--By the same authors as
Time's Enemy, and another winner. These writers seem to like Bashir. They are the best, so far, at writing him. The story
is good, if a bit heavy on the Klingon side of things. This was part of the Day of Honor series after all. Definitely
worth a read.
I've started reading the Star Trek: New Frontiers books, too. I bought the first one as an experiment, and I admit,
it was the captain's purple eyes that first intrigued me. But I read on and was anxious to find out what happened next.
Thus, I had to buy the second book. I've read all the New Frontiers books out now, two of which are full-sized novels. I'd
recommend them. They're interesting and have a lot of action in them.
Update. I've since stopped reading the New Frontiers books. I don't think I read beyond the 7th. There was, for one thing, too much sex. I'm not one who likes to read sex and it seemed like everyone on the ship was involved with someone else or discussing it. Too much for me. And when I heard the Excelsior would get blown up... Well,
I left the series. No, thank you. Others still read it though. Proceed at your own risk.
Finally an update!
And while we're on the subject of the Lord of the Rings....
And since we mentioned movies:
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a movie phenomenon, hopefully setting a standard other movies will strive for in the future. And if the theatrical releases were great, the Extended Edition DVDs are even better. They bring us a little closer to the book, give us more to see, and that's just the movies. There are also two disks worth of special features. I've added links to the Extended Editions and Extended Edition Gift Sets below:
And hey, DS9 is now available in DVD! The first six seasons are already available and you can preorder the seventh. All have bonus info, including special segments on members of the cast. I've got links to Amazon down below:
Ghost Ship is an interesting story, and one of the earlier TNG novels. Souls of people
long dead appear on the Enterprise and seek release.
Fallen Heroes was a lot of fun. It was so fun, I wished I'd thought of it and written it myself. Very good.
Warchild--If you like Dr. Bashir, you'll like this one. It
features him and the characterization is good. (This hasn't always been the case, unfortunately.)
The Deep Space Nine Technical Manual is out and it's
great. It has loads of information about the station. The graphics are really nice, and there are even picks of enemy
ships. The maps in the back are my favorite. This book is a must-have for any DS9 fan, especially one who writes.
The 34th Rule is also out. It's twice as long as the other DS9
novels and so far, twice as good as most of them. The writing is superb and the characters don't feel cartoonish at all.
Arman Shimmerman helped to write this, and he lends Quark a dignity we rarely see in other novels. Give it a try.
A Stitch in Time is Andrew Robinson's (Garak) novel. It's
incredible! And so canon-compatible. Nearly Garak's whole life is laid out in the story. Andy Robinson masterfully
switches between three time periods, the Garak before DS9, the Garak during DS9, and the Garak after DS9. Written as
a journal and letter to Doctor Bashir, the story is enlightening and fascinating and so imaginative. Andrew Robinson
does Star Trek proud with this one. I can't recommend it highly enough.
Avatar, Book One is the first book set after the end of the television series.
It's a good story, but since it's a two parter, it's really only half
a story. Book One gives you the setup and introduces you to the new characters in a fairly new way. They're already there. They've been
there a few weeks or even months. SD Perry, the author, writes like
we already know them, but unfolds them bit by bit so we come to know
them through the story. Shar, in particular, is quite likeable.
As the setup, it is kind of slow at times, particularly aboard the
Enterprise (Yeah, it's a DS9 novel, don't worry.) However, it certainly starts with a bang and will keep you turning pages until you
run out of them and have to get...
Avatar, Book Two, is shorter than the first book, but it moves along faster
and gives a lot of aftermath. I like a book with aftermath. There's
more action in this one and we're left with a bit of a cliff-hanger.
It's a fun ride and I can say I like the new crew. There's still
some mystery there (Shar, for one) and some animosity (What's Tenmei
got against Vaughn?). There's tragedy too. Kira makes a decision, and
though it was the right one, it has lasting and devastating effects for her. It will be interesting to see how the stories continue to unfold.
DS9 lives on, if only on the printed page.
While I'm not a big fan of William Shatner, the actor, I've decided I like William
Shatner, the writer. In The Return, he puts a little too much emphasis on the TOS characters (Yeah, we know they're legends. You don't have to
hit us over the head with it.), but he also gives good stuff to the new guys. He respects the new guys. Even Bashir. It's hard
to find an author of Star Trek books (outside of LA Graf) who does that. Bashir really the only DS9 crew member in this and he's
done well. There's TNG crew all through it and it's a good read.
William Shatner again. And this one I like even better. Spectre brings back the Mirror Universe
in almost all its incarnations. There's nothing from Dark Mirror here (a TNG novel that was contradicted by DS9's forays into the MU),
but there's Mirror, Mirror; Crossover; and Shattered Mirror. There's also characters from all the Trek's: two Spocks, Scotty, Bones, all
the TNG guys, Voyager people. Oh, DS9 is used as a setting and Kira, Sisko, and Bashir are mentioned. (But I hear Bashir's got
a good part in the sequel, Dark Victory. Garak, too.) This one was really very exciting and there wasn't quite as much TOS worship
going on. Kirk isn't infallible. I like that.
To be totally honest, I haven't read this book yet. Only because of a lack of funds. I'll still recommend it. Why? Two of the authors. Andrew Robinson, for one. He's proved he can write with Stitch in Time. And Una McCormack. This is one of our own! A fanfiction writer from alt.startrek.creative. I also know her work from LOTR fanfiction. Get this one. I will as soon as I can.
I whole-heartedly recommend these books. You've seen the movies, now read the books. I loved the movies, but the book has so much more! And the appendix! A hundred pages or more of history, timelines, pronunciation guides, family trees, etc. I have two copies myself. One I've read through that looks quite read. The other is my pristine set, three separate books to sit on the shelf in perfect condition.
And if you've read The Lord of the Rings, you should read the Hobbit. This is lighter fair, to be sure, but fun and exciting, and hey, you get to meet Legolas's dad! On the serious side, you see the start of the hobbits' part of the Ring's story. Bilbo found it in The Hobbit and gave it to Frodo in the Lord of the Rings.
Or get all four books (The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy) all in one box set.
And if you just can't get enough of Middle-Earth, dip into its ancient past. The Silmarillion takes you back to the creation of Arda (the world) in the First Age right up through the War of the Ring at the end of the Third Age. Thousands of years are covered. It's not as close a novel as The Lord of the Rings. It's more like reading a book about the Greek myths. But it is full of good stuff, especially if you like Elves.
And if that's still not enough, I'd reccommend the Unfinished Tales. The Silmarillion introduced me to Voronwe. The Unfinished Tales made me love him. More Turin than you can shake a stick at, too. Some of these are unfinished further stories of.... or expansions on tales told in the Silmarillion. Some are drafts, different ways things might have gone.
The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition
The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition DVD Gift Set, complete with an extra disk from The National Geographic special about the trilogy and wonderful Argonath book ends.
The Two Towers Extended Edition DVD
The Two Towers Extended Edition DVD Gift Set, complete with a Gollum statue and extra info on how they created Gollum for the films.
Season One
Season Two
Season Three
Season Four
Season Five
Season Six
Season Seven
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