IDIC

Welcome!

Instead of using "discussion board" for a generic catch-all topic for this group, I thought I would use "IDIC" since "Infinite Diversity, Infinite Combinations" fits the general concept, and is more appropriate for us.

Some of the more unusual items in my Trek library include a French translation of a TOS novel by Howard Weinstein, a book of poetry by Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and a novel entitled Buck Alice and the Actor Robot by Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov).

My favorite author of Trek novels has to be Peter David. I even went so far as to buy the first three Academy novels, even though I had long passed the age group they were meant for. And I wasn't disappointed.

Live Long and Prosper

Does anyone have any favorites they wish to recommend?

I don't have one particular author of Star Trek books that I lean towards, really. Of course, I'm still reading so haven't made a major lean one way.

I will say, I finished volumne 1 of Left Hand of Destiny and found it to be rather interesting, and still have the day of honor omnibus to read. (I'm a klingon fan, but no I don't speak the language... yet.)

Anyone here planning to buy the Christie's auction catalog?

It has historical tidbits and memoirish stuff in it, which tempts me. Plus, there's the whole "rarity" thing that appeal to the collectors...

(More info about the auction here)

Peter David is by far my favorite Star Trek author. Anyone looking to read the greatest Star Trek book ever written, go find Q Squared, it's truly amazing. It ties together all sorts of little parts of the Star Trek Universe. I must have read it about 15 times cover to cover back in the day.

Peter David is also responsible for what I consider the funniest Trek novel ever -- Q-in-Law. (Wherein Q gives Lwaxana the power. And Wesley receives a gift he doesn't quite know how to handle.)

I've just read Star Trek:Starfleet book one. It came free in the SFX Star Trek special edition so I probably wouldn't have picked up otherwise. I loved it ! Its nice to read a book where we know nothing about any of the characters and very little about the period in Star Trek history. I'm now going to be hunting furiously for the next one!

Uhura's Song by Janet Kagan would have to be my favorite. I'm quite fond of Peter David's work as well, though. (I actually had the pleasure of buying a story from him for an anthology I edited for DAW. Should be out next September.)

Gotta be "Ishmael", by Barbara Hambly. Here's my library review: This is quite probably my favorite Star Trek novel. Spock is aboard a Klingon ship, captive, and manages to send a cryptic message before it disappears into the past. Spock escapes from the Klingons, grievously wounded and amnesiac, in Seattle in the middle of the 1800's. He is found and nursed back to health by Aaron Stemple, an enterpreneur involved in bringing women from the East to be wives for the men of Seattle. Spock takes the name Ishmael, passes as human and settles into their society, until his memory returns at the conclusion. The science-fiction plot itself is original and intriguing, but the most compelling aspect of the book is how much of Spock's hidden personality is revealed, as he adapts to humans, bereft of memory, but with his intelligence, dignity and values intact. This more than any other book shows that Spock's more tender sensibilities are not entirely derived from his human half. A must-read for the Star Trek fan.

Hello! I joined your group because I am a big Star Trek fan, but I have read very few of the books. Most of my experience has been with television and movies. I recently picked up a couple of Star Trek novels. I will also be looking for copies of the favorites listed above.

Been a while since I last read a Star Trek novel. I second Ishmael as being a great book. I've only read one of Peter David's novels, and while it wasn't bad, it didn't lead me to read any of his other books (though it did lead me to add them to my library - I had the habit of reading the Star Trek books "in order", even though the order didn't seem to really matter, and I accidently stopped reading Star Trek before I got to my next David novel).

Diane Carey's First Frontier

Crispin's Yesterday's Son & Time for Yesterday

&

Margaret Wander Bonanno's Strangers From The Sky

round out the Star Trek books I've given 5 stars - (all rated 4.80, oddly enough).

My two favorites are Ishmael and Uhura's Song with Ishmael getting the edge.

I can't be the only one who noticed "Ishmael" uses of characters from period sitcom "Here Come the Brides," as well as cameos from "Bonanza" and "Paladdin" - a master stroke that stayed true to both series.

The felinoid characters in "Uhura's Song" are terrific; headstrong, compassionate, mischievous, stubborn, and heroic.

Thank you everyone. I am now convinced I need to track down Ishmael and Uhura's Song and I hope my son can help me out with Q-Squared. He owns a lot more Star Trek books than I do.

I'd like to recommend Star Trek Black Fire.... I read it a long, long time ago... but even today, I can remember thinking that it was a very satisfying Star Trek novelization.

(re #6) Meaning no offense, but anyone claiming that there is a "funniest Trek novel ever" other than How Much for Just the Planet? is, ahem, let me be diplomatic and say misguided. ;) Not to denigrate Q in Law which is definitely an entertaining read...but it doesn't hold a candle IMO.

Really? I finally read "How Much For Just The Planet" (by way of the Making Light blog, and their ongoing Mike Ford memorial posts) and I know it's generally seen as a classic, but it didn't really work for me. Like, at all.

Maybe I just don't have the gene for pure slapstick. Or haven't watched enough old movies. XD By contrast, the final reflection by the same author is *amazing*, even though it's been pretty thoroughly jossed.

Q-in-law was excellently funny though, in a much more comedy-of-manners way, and I quite liked I, Q although I think I like his comics work (in ST and out) better than any of his novels.

Diane Carey and Diane Duane have got to be my absolute favorites, though. Anything by either of them is gold, especially in the continuities they created, though if I had to pick one of each it'd be Best Destiny for Carey and Star Trek: Doctor's Orders for Duane.

I Love Peter David, especially his New Frontier Series and his Imzadi books and of course who can forget Q....I also love the Dominion War Series by Keith R. A. DeCandido

I read Star Trek novels as a kid, and I still remember some of my favorites. Diane Duane My Enemy, My Ally and The Romulan Way, especially if you like Romulans. She also did one on Vulcan called Spock's World. John M. Ford's The Final Reflection was a really good Klingon one (followed by the not so great How Much for Just the Planet?, which was a comedy). These all contradict some of the stuff we've seen in the series since they've been written, but I think they're good reads nonetheless. I also remember liking Strangers from the Sky.

edit: fixed italics.

Diane Duane writes the most alien-diverse Trek books, and some great Rumulan stories. She's the one that includes a Horta as a member of the crew!

Diane Carey I like the best overall though. Her style's hard to pin down, but her books tend to be more ship-centric, I gues you can say, than others.