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I notice that many people have gotten curious about the original series after seeing the movie. There are also some quite good novels, many by writers known for original sf/fantasy. Here's a brief, non-comprehensive guide:
The Spirit of Wonder
Diane Duane did the best job of capturing the joy I felt when watching the series. You want to serve on her Enterprise – and her Enterprise probably has a place for you. Her crew is full of aliens, and her stories are all about the longing to breathe in the air of a strange new world.
Spock’s World intersperses a mission to Vulcan with a series of heartbreaking vignettes from Vulcan’s history; the alternation of the intense emotional content of the historical chapters with the more contained emotions of legal trial in the main story works beautifully. Spock's World (Star Trek)
In The Wounded Sky, the main character is a female giant transparent spider physicist, and the story is about the ultimate in exploring strange new worlds, a journey both inward and outward. Poignant and beautiful. The Wounded Sky
Enterprise: The First Adventure, by Vonda N. McIntyre. An epic of alien contact, featuring nice roles for all the main characters (even Janice Rand, who is mentored by Uhura), plus backstage comedy via an interstellar circus (!) and a very angsty and interesting original Vulcan character. Her new crew realistically fails to mesh, then gradually bonds; her aliens and descriptions of zero-g are lovely. Star Trek Enterprise The First Adventure
John M. Ford, as always a category unto himself
The Final Reflection might as well be an original sf novel, as most of the characters are Klingons – and much more sophisticated and interesting Klingons than actually appeared on the show. A beautifully written and powerful story about power, politics, identity, and the costs and rewards of the choices we make. I can’t be more specific because I have no idea what was going on for a great deal of the story (let me know if you do!), but that’s true of most of Ford’s novels. The Final Reflection (Star Trek, No 16)
How Much For Just The Planet? A musical comedy. No, really. No, really. And it’s actually funny! It’s kind of a parody, but a very fond one. Kirk and the rest end up on a planet in which everyone acts like they’re in some old movie. Uhura lands in a film noir, and Kirk in a chorus line. There are hilarious film strips and an attack milkshake. Oh, just read it. How Much for Just the Planet? (Star Trek, No 36)
What if the Series Hadn't Been Totally Sexist?
My Enemy, My Ally, by Diane Duane. A Romulan woman commander develops a prickly friendship with Kirk when they’re forced to adventure together for reasons of political intrigue. Lots of convincing detail about Romulan culture. My Enemy, My Ally
There are sequels that aren't quite as good.
The Entropy Effect, by Vonda N. McIntyre. Time travel, Angsty!Fencing!Sulu, cool alien characters, several cool original female characters, and a rather slashy Kirk/Spock relationship: what’s not to love? The Entropy Effect (Star Trek)
Uhura’s Song, by Janet Kagan. This is another one that’s almost an original sf novel. When a plague hits, the cure involves going on a quest with a bunch of catlike aliens on their home world. There’s an original female character whom a lot of people call a Mary Sue, but all I can say is that I only wish Mary Sue was usually portrayed as Buckaroo Banzai, Trickster Archetype. Sweet and fun. Uhura's Song (Star Trek No 21)
Crossroad, by Barbara Hambly. A remarkably dark and often darkly funny story involving Lovecraftian horrors in spaaaaace. Christine Chapel is a major character, and her (non) relationship with Spock is developed convincingly and poignantly. Crossroad (Star Trek, Book 71)
Not My First Choice, But Worthwhile
Star Trek, Log One, by Alan Dean Foster. Based on the animated series, this is nothing really special but nicely written.
The other novels by Barbara Hambly and Diane Duane are worth reading if you enjoy the series, as are Jean Lorrah’s. I note that Laurence Yep, Peter David, Joe Haldeman and Greg Bear all wrote novels for the original series; I don’t remember them, but they should be at least decent. I vaguely remember enjoying A. C. Crispin’s books.
Run Fast, Run Far
All the novels by Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath are unreadable, though the “Phoenix” ones do have Kirk naked (and tortured) for most of the book. Avoid, even if that’s a selling point.
The Tears of the Singers, by Melinda Snodgrass. Oh God. Uhura meets a tousle-haired, temperamental asshole of a hot genius musician with a heart condition that will kill him if he gets excited. A planet of baby seal aliens are being clubbed to death by Klingons for the jewels they weep at the moment of death, only their song is holding the universe together. Kirk drafts the musician because he’s the only one who can translate the song, and he dies operatically in Uhura’s arms after saving the world. A baby seal alien spontaneously sheds a single perfect tear of woe, which Uhura makes into a necklace. The Tears of the Singers (Star Trek, No 19)
Did anyone read Spock, Messiah? Was it as dire as it sounds? SPOCK, MESSIAH! (Star Trek)
The Spirit of Wonder
Diane Duane did the best job of capturing the joy I felt when watching the series. You want to serve on her Enterprise – and her Enterprise probably has a place for you. Her crew is full of aliens, and her stories are all about the longing to breathe in the air of a strange new world.
Spock’s World intersperses a mission to Vulcan with a series of heartbreaking vignettes from Vulcan’s history; the alternation of the intense emotional content of the historical chapters with the more contained emotions of legal trial in the main story works beautifully. Spock's World (Star Trek)
In The Wounded Sky, the main character is a female giant transparent spider physicist, and the story is about the ultimate in exploring strange new worlds, a journey both inward and outward. Poignant and beautiful. The Wounded Sky
Enterprise: The First Adventure, by Vonda N. McIntyre. An epic of alien contact, featuring nice roles for all the main characters (even Janice Rand, who is mentored by Uhura), plus backstage comedy via an interstellar circus (!) and a very angsty and interesting original Vulcan character. Her new crew realistically fails to mesh, then gradually bonds; her aliens and descriptions of zero-g are lovely. Star Trek Enterprise The First Adventure
John M. Ford, as always a category unto himself
The Final Reflection might as well be an original sf novel, as most of the characters are Klingons – and much more sophisticated and interesting Klingons than actually appeared on the show. A beautifully written and powerful story about power, politics, identity, and the costs and rewards of the choices we make. I can’t be more specific because I have no idea what was going on for a great deal of the story (let me know if you do!), but that’s true of most of Ford’s novels. The Final Reflection (Star Trek, No 16)
How Much For Just The Planet? A musical comedy. No, really. No, really. And it’s actually funny! It’s kind of a parody, but a very fond one. Kirk and the rest end up on a planet in which everyone acts like they’re in some old movie. Uhura lands in a film noir, and Kirk in a chorus line. There are hilarious film strips and an attack milkshake. Oh, just read it. How Much for Just the Planet? (Star Trek, No 36)
What if the Series Hadn't Been Totally Sexist?
My Enemy, My Ally, by Diane Duane. A Romulan woman commander develops a prickly friendship with Kirk when they’re forced to adventure together for reasons of political intrigue. Lots of convincing detail about Romulan culture. My Enemy, My Ally
There are sequels that aren't quite as good.The Entropy Effect, by Vonda N. McIntyre. Time travel, Angsty!Fencing!Sulu, cool alien characters, several cool original female characters, and a rather slashy Kirk/Spock relationship: what’s not to love? The Entropy Effect (Star Trek)
Uhura’s Song, by Janet Kagan. This is another one that’s almost an original sf novel. When a plague hits, the cure involves going on a quest with a bunch of catlike aliens on their home world. There’s an original female character whom a lot of people call a Mary Sue, but all I can say is that I only wish Mary Sue was usually portrayed as Buckaroo Banzai, Trickster Archetype. Sweet and fun. Uhura's Song (Star Trek No 21)
Crossroad, by Barbara Hambly. A remarkably dark and often darkly funny story involving Lovecraftian horrors in spaaaaace. Christine Chapel is a major character, and her (non) relationship with Spock is developed convincingly and poignantly. Crossroad (Star Trek, Book 71)
Not My First Choice, But Worthwhile
Star Trek, Log One, by Alan Dean Foster. Based on the animated series, this is nothing really special but nicely written.
The other novels by Barbara Hambly and Diane Duane are worth reading if you enjoy the series, as are Jean Lorrah’s. I note that Laurence Yep, Peter David, Joe Haldeman and Greg Bear all wrote novels for the original series; I don’t remember them, but they should be at least decent. I vaguely remember enjoying A. C. Crispin’s books.
Run Fast, Run Far
All the novels by Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath are unreadable, though the “Phoenix” ones do have Kirk naked (and tortured) for most of the book. Avoid, even if that’s a selling point.
The Tears of the Singers, by Melinda Snodgrass. Oh God. Uhura meets a tousle-haired, temperamental asshole of a hot genius musician with a heart condition that will kill him if he gets excited. A planet of baby seal aliens are being clubbed to death by Klingons for the jewels they weep at the moment of death, only their song is holding the universe together. Kirk drafts the musician because he’s the only one who can translate the song, and he dies operatically in Uhura’s arms after saving the world. A baby seal alien spontaneously sheds a single perfect tear of woe, which Uhura makes into a necklace. The Tears of the Singers (Star Trek, No 19)
Did anyone read Spock, Messiah? Was it as dire as it sounds? SPOCK, MESSIAH! (Star Trek)
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*hands you the internetz*
(Only one I'd add off the top of my head is the Hambly Trek/Here Come the Brides Crossover!) Do you know it?
*goes to linky linky link*
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I'd love to read your recs TOO, though.
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I'll dig some out in a day or two (have GRANTS deadlines)--many are handily piled on my work table since I am using them in my Queering Harold Bloom to talk about Slash in original as well as fan fic project (for which I am behind, woes).
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Must revisit...
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i bought it used because it was barbara hambly and i'm a completeist and had to read everything she had ever written (at that time)--i had never read a star trek novel before though i had seen (at least most of) TOS in reruns. i had no idea what i was getting--just started reading....and then suddenly i realized that it was also "here come the brides"--it made me insanely happy.
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However, that familiarity did mean I enjoyed the novel you refer to much more than if I hadn't known about the show. (Fun crossover trivia -- Mark Lenard, who played Spock's father in the series-es/movies, also played the antagonist in Here Come The Brides. Made for some fun little in-jokes within the novel, as that character was later revealed in the story to be one of Spock's human ancestors.)
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This list, though, makes me want to jump right in. This might make good airplane reading this week!
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Diane Duane, especially, is my GODDESS!!!!!
*coffs and tiptoes away*
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Much more interesting than colonial-terrorists-biting-the-helping-hand. Ew.
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But I replaced my Hambly Trek novels, and some of the others.
I remember there was at least one with McCoy's daughter in it. The A.C. Crispin ones had a couple with a son for Spock--YESTERDAY'S SON, and I forget the title of the other.
Jean Lorrah's Trek books amuse me for having cameos by Blake's 7 characters.
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"Crisis on Centaurus" has her.
The A.C. Crispin ones had a couple with a son for Spock--YESTERDAY'S SON, and I forget the title of the other.
"Time for Yesterday". I need to reread those.
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Entertaining, and worth reading.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Our_Yesterdays_(Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series))
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One of my absolute favorites was Barbara Hambly's Ishmael, which was Star Trek meets Here Come the Brides.
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http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-Star-Trek-Novels/lm/2N5WZJEBRX4FY
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Oh the other hand, Blish's 'Spock Must Die!' holds up remarkably well as a straight forward adventure tale that could very easily have been an actual TOS episode.
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I. REMEMBER. THAT. ONE.
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That sounds remarkably like a major plot point of Joan D. Vinge's The Snow Queen.
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However, I think this may be part of that rule that there is no idea so hackneyed that some writer cannot make it work (And as no idea so fabulous that some writer can't turn out dreck).
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I think I understand The Final Reflection reasonably well. (The Ford I really want an explanation for is "Fugue State.")
Spock, Messiah! is not as bad as it sounds, but that is not to say it is good; it sounds insanely awful and as I recall is only medium awful. Which is not a recommendation.
I agree with
As for Foster, I enjoyed the Log series, but I should note that after number six or seven the books are each one long story instead of three short ones: as far as I can tell he novelized single episodes by adding lots of original material. Which would be fine except that the original material is often not very good.
If one reads and enjoys My Enemy, My Ally and/or Spock's World, Duane's The Romulan Way is also worth reading, as it does for the Romulans what Spock's World does for the Vulcans. However, I would advise avoiding the trilogy which follows that: the first two books are good but the third really falls apart.
I haven't read the Haldeman books (one by Joe, one by Jack) in a long time but I recall them being decent - probably not better than that. The Bear I vaguely recall as not doing very much interesting with the Trek characters.
Finally, another book for the "run away!" category is Sonni Cooper's Black Fire, which is a lengthy exercise in Spockophilia. And if that description sounds appealing, let me assure you it really isn't. I mean, unless you are prepared to put up with a lot to see Spock become a space pirate with an earring and everything.
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It's sort of like that stereotypical 70s porn (as portrayed in Boogie Nights, for example) where the characters act in totally ridiculous ways because the goal is not to tell a coherent story, but to get everyone to have sex. Except that the porn is more realistic than Black Fire because a)it is not using established characters whom we know don't act that way and b)one could rationalize the porn scenarios by assuming the characters are really, really horny.
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Hey, that's the whole reason to read that one! LOL!!!
(Plus, the description of his "black fire" pirate outfit has stayed with me even to this day. I long for material that behaves the way that outfit is described.) ((Imagine those greenish drafting/graphic art triangles and templates, the ones that channel light through the material so that the edges glow -- it prevents shadows on the paper, so you can see your line better. Then, imagine black material, that isn't transparent or translucent, yet channels light to the fabric edges in the same way -- except, somehow, the edges glow black. IWANTIWANTIWANTIWANT!!!))
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I vaguely remember reading "Spock, Messiah" and finding it pretty dire but enjoying it, but there wasn't much Trek fic out then and I was not picky.
A rather good Spock-centered one is "Black Fire" by Sonni Cooper. (At least I liked it, though it's not to be taken very seriously.)
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It's the time-travel. It always destroys that magic light of being a teenager, that makes bad books (bad lovers), seem like the glorious wonder of them is just out of reach.
"Tears of the Singers" came out in 1984, and "Brightness Falls From The Air" in 1986.
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(Tiptree did have a story with that plot before she made a novel out of the idea, but it's not a specially well-known story and so if Snodgrass got the idea from a sff, probably it was indeed "The Snow Queen." It's not necessarily so, though.)
It can work the other way around, though, with the time-travel. Adolescents are very exacting readers as soon as they have any choice of the stuff they grok. I spent many happy hours grading the merits of the different Trek novels. My favorites were Vonda McIntyre's. I had a little sight-unseen crush on her in those days.
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Did you read the short story they wrote in which all the crew members (except Spock) change sex? "The Procrustean Petard."
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Anyone remember _Black Fire_, the one with Spock as an intersteller pirate (complete with earring!)
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I never quite forgave the franchise for not making Duane's Romulans canon from TNG on.
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If nothing else, it's stayed with me, along with Uhura's Song and most of the other titles above. When I purged my old Trek collection for space, I kept the Diane Duane novels, the Ford novels, and I think the Kagan. That's it.
Duane also convinced me all redshirts should be Horta, at which point the Redshirt Death Rate would suddenly drop through the floor.
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Yes! She did such good things with using really interesting aliens not played by human actors.
And I don't know that I read Dwellers in the Crucible, and now kind of want to...
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...I really liked The Tears of the Singers. I was, um, eleven. Eleven-year-old-Gaudior had a thing for baby seals...
Now I'm wondering about my other favorite Star Trek novel at the time-- The Three-Minute Universe, by Barbara Paul. It featured Enterprise crew getting kidnapped by a race of aliens who repel all human senses (smell nauseating, you can see their organs through their skin, voices pierce human eardrums, acid burning touch, I don't think anyone found out how they taste). As I recall, it had some good Uhura bits. Anyone remember it/have thoughts on the quality?
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So it's not surprising that they had some eye for other people's work. I remember some OK stuff in the second "New Voyages" (the one I read).
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Thanks for the list! I am going to hit up my library for some of these I haven't read (and some I have read, like in middle school).
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I haven't read Crossroads, or Tears of the Singers, but I've read all the rest you mentioned. Indeed, I own most of them... somewhere, in storage.... And yes, you've described them all perfectly. *g*
But as for those early books (Spock Must Die, Spock: Messiah; all of the Marshak/Culbreath books, including the D&S-tastic "Phoenix" novels; etc), I'll tell you why they sold, and why I and my fellow Trekkers/Trekkies bought them: they were the only original Trek material available! There were the TV episode novelizations, of both the live and the animated series, and there were the occasional collections of short stories, usually edited by Marshak/Culbreath, but that was it! When you were a devoted Trekker/ie back then, you were desperate for continuations of Trekdom. Anything that came out was not only eagerly snapped up, but was, if not treasured, at least read again and again.
It wasn't until the advent of those newer novelizations you've listed up there that the quality dramatically improved, and we could now be choosy. And because we could be choosy, quality continued to improve, and there was more to choose from.
Now, of course, those original novels are fun to read for "Horrify Your Friends And Neighbors!" purposes... kind of like John Ringo's "Paladin of Shadows" series.
("OH JOHN RINGO NO"!!!) (http://hradzka.livejournal.com/194753.html?thread=760769#t760769)
-LOL-
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I tracked down "Kobayashi Maru" for Molly after we saw the reboot movie, and she liked it a lot. (I remembered it as decent; it turns out that none of the ST characters took that test in quite the conventional way. Scotty McGyvers his way out of the unwinnable situation or something like that, and -- my favorite option -- Sulu refuses to answer the distress call, saying that even if it's a legit call and not a trap, it's not worth potentially starting a war for a slim chance of saving a handful of people. Everyone tells their personal story to the others while on a dead and drifting shuttlecraft, or something like that.)