Great Trek Lit villains

[JD]

As some of you probably know, I've been reading Forged in Fire and I've really enjoyed the character of Qagh because he is a great villain IMO. So this got me to wondering what other great villains we have gotten in Trek Lit.
For me the next one that pops into mind would be the Shedai from Vanguard.

 

[captcalhoun]

the Redeemers in New Frontier and the Overlord in particular.

The Elabrej in IKS Gorkon: Enemy Territory

Kinchawn in ATT Kill and Heal (i got it right, i didn't put kill and hate!!)

The Beings in NF

 

[VanCardboardbox]

My all time fave Trek-lit villain is probably Adrik Thorsen and the Optimum movement from Federation, by the Reeves-Stevens. Talk about tenacious.

 

[Trent Roman]

Khan, from Greg Cox's Khan trilogy. I know Khan is a screen villain, but Cox did such a great job fleshing out the villain, giving him history and motivation beyond Montalban's scene-chewing psychopath in TWOK. In the same line, I enjoyed "Twilight's Wrath" and would like to see a novel fleshing out Shinzon, who had great (though largely only glimpsed) potential as a villain. I know Mack is busy and his camel out of breath, but maybe someone like Heather Jarman could take us into the dark places of the Reman mines... and the darker places of Shinzon's psyche.

Also not entirely confined to the Lit universe, but I loved to fear Kai Weyoun and the crazed, Pagh Wraith worshipping Dukat from War of the Prophets. When evil men find religion... and get evil-er!

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Vastator]

Khan, from Greg Cox's Khan trilogy. I know Khan is a screen villain, but Cox did such a great job fleshing out the villain, giving him history and motivation beyond Montalban's scene-chewing psychopath in TWOK. In the same line, I enjoyed "Twilight's Wrath" and would like to see a novel fleshing out Shinzon, who had great (though largely only glimpsed) potential as a villain. I know Mack is busy and his camel out of breath, but maybe someone like Heather Jarman could take us into the dark places of the Reman mines... and the darker places of Shinzon's psyche.

I concur on that Shinzon book idea, it would also give a nice chance to help explore the Remans more especially after reading "Vulcan's Soul" books.

Also not entirely confined to the Lit universe, but I loved to fear Kai Weyoun and the crazed, Pagh Wraith worshipping Dukat from War of the Prophets. When evil men find religion... and get evil-er!

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

Don't forget Dukat as well in those books, both were as crazy as each other.

Not sure on villains personally as I havent read that many novels... I might choose Emperor Tiberius Kirk from the Shatnerverse Mirror Universe novels. I just quite enjoyed the character in the second book as he was a really twisted character to me.

Another perhaps interesting one maybe Commander Valak from "The Romulan Prize" though I dont think his true potential was used. He did come across as an almost Romulan General Chang type character. Beyond that *shrugs*

 

[Christopher]

Somehow the first villain that comes to mind for me (discounting my own Dovraku from Ex Machina, who's one of the few actually villainous antagonists I've created) is Commander Kumara from Alan Dean Foster's original stories in ST Log Seven and Log Ten. I guess he stands out in my mind because he was the first recurring villain of Trek lit, and because he was a fun character, the classic type of the charming, shrewd, charismatic nemesis who shares mutual respect with the hero. The sort of character Kor might have become if John Colicos had been available for return appearances.

The Heart of the Storm in Q Squared was pretty damn creepy. One of the most disturbingly evil entities I've encountered in fiction. Let's see, the prison-camp commandant in The 34th Rule and Crichton, Director of Cephalic Security from Gulliver's Fugitives also stand out for me.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Dreadful books, but Black Omne from the Marshak/Culbreath "Phoenix" novels is rather indelible! I still have this vision of Omne running down a corridor - with a Jim Kirk tucked under each arm - and Spock and the Female Romulan Commander in hot pursuit. (Or maybe I just dreamt it.)

I also enjoyed the villain in "New Frontier: Stone and Anvil", but I won't mention the spoilers.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Commander Kumara from Alan Dean Foster's original stories in ST Log Seven and Log Ten. I guess he stands out in my mind because he was the first recurring villain of Trek lit, and because he was a fun character, the classic type of the charming, shrewd, charismatic nemesis who shares mutual respect with the hero.

Great choice! I loved reading Alan Dean Foster's serialized essay in the latest (trade size) reprints of the "Logs". Kumara's first appearance is derived from a two-part ST script Foster had pitched for Season Four of TOS! He dragged it out from a drawer when Ballantine demanded that "ST Log Seven" should only contain one TAS adaptation, but be the same length as the previous six books.

 

[JD]

Wow, I guess there have actually been a lot more memorable villains in Trek Lit than I thought.

I can't believe I fogot about Kinchawn and the Redeemers when I was starting this thread.

 

[KRAD]

I was so taken with Councillor Kopek in A Time to Kill, that I made sure to use him both overtly in A Time for War, a Time for Peace and behind the scenes in A Burning House.

 

[Baerbel Haddrell]

My favourite Trek villain is still the Andorian Cray from the NF novel "Once Burned". I am hoping that one day he will appear again.

 

[Sci]

My favorite "villain," individually, is Min Zife.

Alternately, I loved how David Mack finally made Section 31 truly frightening with their actions towards Zife in A Time to Heal.

 

[toughlittleship]

Grauq in David Mack's Warpath. He seemed to really like that character.

 

[JoeZhang]

Grauq in David Mack's Warpath. He seemed to really like that character.

Name doesn't ring a bell, was he in the mirror universe bits?

 

[KeepOnTrekking]

"Never mourn Black Omne."

Another great villain like Khan that should be explored once the Vortex opens up again in 53.725 years.

 

[David Mack]

Grauq in David Mack's Warpath. He seemed to really like that character.

Name doesn't ring a bell, was he in the mirror universe bits?

Grauq was a Chalnoth bounty hunter who pursued The Cardassian Woman on Harkoum.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

"Never mourn Black Omne."

Another great villain like Khan that should be explored once the Vortex opens up again in 53.725 years.

Omne vs. a young Picard? That has potential...

 

[flandry84]

Roy Moss from "Best destiny"......what Jimmy Kirk could have turned out like.
Also I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Zett from the Vanguard series,cold lethal hit-man and a natty dresser to boot.

 

[TigerBait]

Valdore is shaping into a nice, smart baddie, but my personal fave is Calhoun's vanquished enemy from the first few New Frontier books. Sad to say I cant remember the name right now, think he's Dantari.

 

[captcalhoun]

the guy he killed in book one who gave him the scar or the dude from Double or Nothing and the Beings 2-part story or the guy who he fights in the final challenge on splintering Thallon?