[Ned'ya]

Hi all,
I have never read a Star Trek novel (seen the Tv Series', Films and games)!

Where is a good place to start?

Can you recommend any stand out books which you deem as 'must be read'?

Thanks in advance.

[Christopher Halsey]

Awesome to hear that you want to try out a Star Trek novel. You really do have a massive amount of choice available.

I could recommend a few great books but if you could tell me whether or not you have a favourite series, any favourite characters or races and what aspects of Star Trek you enjoy most then I and others can try and recommend something really well suited to you.

[Ned'ya]

Firstly thanks for responding and to attempt an answer to your question, as an 80's child I grew up watching TNG and DS9, character wise I was always intrigued by Dax and the many lives that the character lead, seeing what happened to the crew of TNG after the movies finished would be nice. Do you need any more information or have i given you enough to go on?

[Christopher Halsey]

Lives of Dax

Sounds like The Lives of Dax would certainly appeal to you. I haven't read it myself but I understand it is meant to be quite good. The book is a compilation of short stories about the various different lives of Dax.

Book jacket summary: Three hundred fifty-seven years. Nine lives. One soul.

Mother, father, engineer, ambassador, scientist, statesman, serial killer, Starfleet officer: At one time or another, Dax has been all of these things and more. The near-immortal part of a composite species known as the Trill, Dax is a sentient, wormlike symbiont joined body and mind to a succession of humanoid hosts, carrying the memories of each lifetime into the next. Each incarnation is different. Each has its own personality, its own triumphs, its own tragedies, its own dreams. And each one... is Dax.

Here for the first time are tales from the lives of one of the most unique and compelling Star Trek characters ever created, told by voices as diverse as the hosts themselves: Steven Barnes, Michael Jan Friedman, L.A. Graf, Jeffrey Lang, S.D. Perry, Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Robert Simpson, and Susan Wright.

Much more than an anthology, this unique collection of stories weaves the tapestry of one being's life... through three and a half centuries of history in the Star Trek universe.

Imagine who she's known. Imagine what he's seen.

Death in Winter

If you want to know about TNG after the movies then there are a great number of books. Death in Winter is the first post-Nemesis book, it's a nice little self contained story which doesn't require any previous reading but does lay some important character ground work for later novels.

Book jacket summary: Long before Captain Jean-Luc Picard took command of the legendary Starship Enterprise, he fell deeply and hopelessly in love with Doctor Beverly Crusher. Though, for one reason or another, Picard never acted on his feelings, he found a measure of contentment as Beverly's close friend, colleague, and daily breakfast partner.
But when Doctor Crusher leaves her position on the Enterprise to become the chief medical officer of Starfleet, the brightest light in Picard's life is taken from him. And he has hardly resigned himself to his loss when he learns that Beverly has been declared missing in action on a distant planet – and presumed dead.

Kevratas is a bleak, frozen world on the far side of the Romulan Neutral Zone where the Federation has become the plague-ravaged natives' only real hope of survival and freedom. Starfleet has no recourse but to send in another team to try to save the Kevrata – and Picard is the natural choice. Critical to the success of his mission are two colleagues who served under him when he commanded the Starship Stargazer – Pug Joseph, a man with a past to live down, and Doctor Carter Greyhorse, who has served time for attempted murder – as well as a Romulan who left his people years earlier and never expected to return. Together, they follow the trail of Beverly Crusher to Kevratas, determined to succeed where the doctor failed.

On the Romulan homeworld, meanwhile, the political vacuum created by the demise of Praetor Shinzon has been filled by his staunchest supporter, Senator Tal'aura. But there are those who oppose her, including Commander Donatra and the warbird fleets under her command, because of the way Tal'aura has mishandled rebellions on the Empire's subject worlds.
And one rebellion in particular; the movement for self-determination on frigid Kevratas.

So begins a desperate struggle – not only for the freedom of the long-oppressed Kevrata but also for the soul of the Romulan Empire. Before it's over, destinies will be forged and shattered, the Empire will be shaken to its ancient foundations, and Jean-Luc Picard's life will be changed... forever.

A Time To...

Whilst not exactly what you have asked for I would also consider the A Time To... series of TNG books, these are set between Insurrection and Nemesis. I know you said about after the movies but these books, in my opinion, are really enjoyable and do a great job of telling the stories of the Enterprise's crew and explains why many of them were leaving the ship at the time of Nemesis.

I really think this is a fantastic series and I would consider it must read.

A Time To... series summary: On the cusp of their epic battle with Shinzon, many of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's long-time crew were heading for new assignments and new challenges. Among the changes were William Riker's promotion to Captain and his new command, Riker's marriage to Counselor Deanna Troi, and Dr. Beverly Crusher's new career at Starfleet Medical. But the story of what set them on a path away from the Starship Enterprise has never been told. Until now.




If any of these don't sound appealing to you or you would like to know more about them or just want some different suggestions please feel free to say so!

[Ned'ya]

Sounds good, I will definately give them a look.

Thanks forletting me pick your brain

[Christopher Halsey]

You're most welcome, be sure to let me know if you give any of them a try and what you think.

[aceman67]

If you're a TNG/Voy/DS9 era fan, I suggest starting with the TNG "A Time Too" series, The Voyager Relaunch, and pick up the DS9 omnibuses. Lot of books, I know, but they set the stage for some really good sci-fi novels (with the exception of a few books, like Peter David's Before Dishonor).

[Christopher Halsey]

If you're a TNG/Voy/DS9 era fan, I suggest starting with the TNG "A Time Too" series, The Voyager Relaunch, and pick up the DS9 omnibuses. Lot of books, I know, but they set the stage for some really good sci-fi novels (with the exception of a few books, like Peter David's Before Dishonor).

I always recommend avoiding anything by Peter David, it's not that he's a bad writer, but half the time it just seems like he isn't taking things seriously enough, one of his books even had the Great Bird of the Galaxy in it.

[Ned'ya]

Avoid Peter David, got it. Looks like I am going to need some new shelves

[Ned'ya]

Is there a novel that explains how data is resurrected and becomes captain of the enterprise?

Thanks,

Aiden

[Christopher Halsey]

The 'Cold Equations' trilogy has Data's return, so far no book has him becoming Enterprise Captain.

A lot happens to the Star Trek universe before Cold Equations though so I wouldn't recommend jumping in at that point. There are a few essential reads before then.

[Ned'ya]

Thanks again for recommendations and spoiler alert

[Christopher Halsey]

If you do decide you want to 'skip ahead' to Cold Equations, I would strongly urge reading the following at the very least:

Articles of the Federation
Destiny trilogy
A Singular Destiny
Typhon Pact: Zero Sum Game

These should give you enough knowledge of major events in the Star Trek universe so that you can get in to Cold Equations.

That said for TNG I would recommend reading:

Resistance
Q&A
Before Dishonor (The only time I think I will ever recommend a Peter David novel)
Greater than the Sum
Losing the Peace
Typhon Pact: Paths of Disharmony

For the reading order I would go:

Resistance
Q&A
Before Dishonor
Greater than the Sum
Articles of the Federation
Destiny trilogy
Losing the Peace
A Singular Destiny
Typhon Pact: Zero Sum Game
Typhon Pact: Paths of Disharmony

Just to be clear there are a lot more that you could, and probably should read but the above lists should get you nicely caught up.

The Star Trek novels currently use a shared continuity which hasn't really been done before, since there are currently no live action TV series it's gone a bit Marvel Cinematic Universe in that everything is interconnected.

From a readers point of view it is fantastic as you'll see an event that occurs in one book cause ripples which are felt elsewhere, you also get characters and crews interacting with each other that you wouldn't have had before, however for a new reader this can make it a bit harder to jump in, all of the books provide sufficient summaries of important past events so that when something that has come before is references you understand enough but you miss out in the joy of 'experiencing' those events 'as they happen' and you'll know the outcome.

[Ned'ya]

Thanks again
I have found a few of the older books suggested on eBay, some of the Amazon seller prices were ridiculous! Someone wanted £999 for the lives of dax!

Thanks

Aiden

[Christopher Halsey]

Thanks again
I have found a few of the older books suggested on eBay, some of the Amazon seller prices were ridiculous! Someone wanted £999 for the lives of dax!

Thanks

Aiden

A lot of the old books and all of the more recent ones are available digitally, I tend to buy them all for Kindle these days, cheaper than paperback plus you get the book instantly and no worries with storing your collection.