Best and worst Star Trek paperback novels

[Miss Mess]

I've only read about 10 star trek: original series paperback novels so far and have discovered that it's a bit like mining; you have to dig through alot of dirt to find the gold, but trust me, it's there.

Quite simply, what are the best and worst star trek paperbacks?

 

[Ralphis]

I just started reading the Star Trek novels myself. You may have already read these (I apologize if you have) but the TOS-era novels I have really enjoyed this far are The Entropy Effect, Troublesome Minds, and Prime Directive.

Just my opinion, but I really wish Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster would shift the majority of their focus on TOS-era novels (inculding the TOS Movie-era and the would-be Phase II-era). Those characters are what's fresh in people's minds right now with the new movie. Yes, I know the new movie is set in a different timeline/universe, but still, it's the same characters. BUT that's just my opinion.

 

[Greg Cox]

If you're interested, there's an entire forum devoted to discussing the books. Just scroll down to "Trek Literature."

 

[Trek_princess]

I really enjoyed Vulcan's Glory (DC Fontana), The Wounded Sky, Spock's World (Diane Duane), The Lost Years, Demons, Mindshadow, Bloodthirst (JM Dillard), Sarek (AC Crispin), Diane Duane's Rihannsu series, Probe, Unspoken Truth (Margaret Wander Bonanno), The Pandora Principle (Carolyn Clowes), and Vulcan's Heart (Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz). Brad Ferguson is also enjoyable. I have yet to read any Peter David, but I hear he's good.

I personally didn't like Mind Meld, Sanctuary (John Vornholdt), The Joy Machine (Theodore Sturgeon and James Gunn), The Prometheus Effect (Sondra Marshek and Myrna Culbreath), Crucible: McCoy (David R George III - and I hear the Kirk and Spock aren't any better), Troublesome Minds (Dave Galanter), and The Better Man (Howard Weinstein). You might like some of these, but I thought they were either bad and/or boring.

If you're having trouble finding Trek books you like, find an author you like (for me, Diane Duane and JM Dillard) and read all of his/her books.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

If you're having trouble finding Trek books you like, find an author you like (for me, Diane Duane and JM Dillard) and read all of his/her books.

Very good advice and I used to do the same until the storylines became so enmeshed I had to pretty much read everything. I have been known to just skip forward to a favorite writer though.

I remember how absolutely thrilled I was to read Spock Must Die! and Spock, Messiah! I wonder how they stand up now.

 

[Red Ranger]

If you're having trouble finding Trek books you like, find an author you like (for me, Diane Duane and JM Dillard) and read all of his/her books.

Very good advice and I used to do the same until the storylines became so enmeshed I had to pretty much read everything. I have been known to just skip forward to a favorite writer though.

I remember how absolutely thrilled I was to read Spock Must Die! and Spock, Messiah! I wonder how they stand up now.

I still like those two very much! There are many great ones, including The Wounded Sky by Diane Duane and The Final Reflection by John Ford. However, my all-time favorite, though, is still The Entropy Effect by Vonda McIntyre. Lousiest was The Prometheus Effect by Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath.

 

[Miss Mess]

Yes! I loved 'The Entropy Effect'.
Also 'The Rift'- Peter David. And absolutely 'Renegade' - Gene Deweese. Deweese is a fantastic writer.
DO NOT READ ' First Frontier'- Diane carey. The woman simply cannot write...unless you want a good laugh.

Has anyone read 'The Price Of The Pheonix'- Sondra Marshak & Myrna Culbreath?
If you're into Kirk/Spock slash, do it. And what's with Omne's treatment of Kirk...vaguely sexual? Or was that just me...my mind tends to be irretrievably in the gutter.

 

[Rulius]

"Chain of attack" was very good..."Crisis on Centaurus" was just awful.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Crucible: McCoy (David R George III - and I hear the Kirk and Spock aren't any better).

That's too bad you didn't like "Crucible: McCoy" because many of the TrekLit fans consider it a masterpiece. "Spock" is also very good. "Kirk" is much shorter and a change of pace, but that's the only one that usually gets criticism.

 

[Valin]

DO NOT READ ' First Frontier'- Diane carey. The woman simply cannot write...unless you want a good laugh.

One of my all-time favorite Trek novels, was Carey's "Final Frontier" which is about Kirk's father and Captain April. It's tied with "Prime Directive" by the Reeves-Stevens combo.

 

[highlyillogical]

OMG is that really Greg Cox?! I absolutely LOVED his Khan books! *feels like Scotty around a pretty girl*

 

[Gorn Captain]

I liked Final Frontier too. I really liked Black Fire when I was growing up, even though it's completely absurd, Spock as an undercover pirate.

I liked Enterprise, in terms of Kirk taking command of the ship and interacting with his new crew, but the mission that they were sent on was god awful.

 

[Miss Mess]

DO NOT READ ' First Frontier'- Diane carey. The woman simply cannot write...unless you want a good laugh.

One of my all-time favorite Trek novels, was Carey's "Final Frontier" which is about Kirk's father and Captain April. It's tied with "Prime Directive" by the Reeves-Stevens combo.

Has anyone read 'First frontier'? I can't imagine the same writer being any better in this other paperback ' final frontier'...but if it's unanimous, i'll give it a try.

 

[EnsignHarper]

DO NOT READ ' First Frontier'- Diane carey. The woman simply cannot write...unless you want a good laugh.

One of my all-time favorite Trek novels, was Carey's "Final Frontier" which is about Kirk's father and Captain April. It's tied with "Prime Directive" by the Reeves-Stevens combo.

One of the nice things about Final Frontier is that the framing story deals with the effect of the events of COTEOF on Kirk....which is very similar to how TNG episode Family deals with Picard and the effects of Best of Both Worlds on HIM..

 

[ToddPence]

One of the best of the novels I remember reading was "Double, Double", by Michael J. Freidman - a thoroughly enjoyable sequel to "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"

 

[Greg Cox]

OMG is that really Greg Cox?! I absolutely LOVED his Khan books! *feels like Scotty around a pretty girl*

Thanks! Glad you liked them.

If you're interested, most of us Trek writers post regularly in the Trek Literature forum. (Go figure.)

 

[Trek_princess]

Crucible: McCoy (David R George III - and I hear the Kirk and Spock aren't any better).

That's too bad you didn't like "Crucible: McCoy" because many of the TrekLit fans consider it a masterpiece. "Spock" is also very good. "Kirk" is much shorter and a change of pace, but that's the only one that usually gets criticism.

Yeah, for some reason I just really could not get into this. I actually quit reading Crucible about halfway through. I was just bored, and I thought that the characters McCoy meets were formulaic and dull. I'm glad that others enjoyed it, though. I haven't read the Kirk and Spock ones, but my friends told me that McCoy was the best, so I decided not to read the others.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

Diane Duane's books are a must. So is John Ford's "Final Reflection".

For God's sake, stay away from anything by Marshak and Culbreth (sp?) if you value your sanity...Lorrah is kind'a iffy too.

One under appreciated find among the early books is David Gerrald's "The Galactic Whirlpool".

 

[ToddPence]

"Death's Angel" by Kathleen Sky is another real stinker among the early novels to avoid if at all possible.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

^Wasn't too impressed with that one...nor "Spock Must Die"...