Seeing into the Future: Star Trek Books Coming Soon

by Theresa Gauthier

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has become my latest obsession. The new series is everything to me. It perhaps ties with how I felt about The Original Series the first time I watched that. In truth, I’ve begun to suspect that I like it more than that.

That’s a big admission for me. Original Trek was my life for a long time, and, while I’ve enjoyed all the other series (to varying degrees it must be said) Strange New Worlds feels like what Trek should have been from the start.

I’ve been collecting Star Trek books since the ‘70s, and I’m pleased to discover that the first tie-in to the new series will be released in February of 2023. I admit, waiting until February seems absurd. We’ve known about the show for ages, and in the old days, they’d have released a novelization of the first episode of the show around the time that it premiered. An original release date of November 8, 2022 has been pushed back to February, 2023 and who knows in this day and age if that won’t be pushed back again at some point. (The repeated delays on the publication of The Autobiography of Spock were frustrating to me to say the least!)

Still, I’ll be pre-ordering it and devouring it as soon as it arrives. Knowing it’s coming did make me wonder about other titles I’d like to read. Some are coming out and some are merely me wishing.

First off, in the Star Trek Autobiography Series, where are the Autobiographies of Captain Benjamin Sisko and of Captain Jonathan Archer? Not to mention the Autobiographies of other favorite characters. When they released The Autobiography of Captain James T. Kirk, I’d hoped there’d be more, and then, with the release of the Picard book, I assumed we’d get all the captains. Then the Spock Autobiography was announced (and pushed back repeatedly!) This made me wonder about Wil Riker’s autobiography—and maybe Data’s or Scotty’s or Uhura’s—skipping Sisko’s autobiography troubled me on a lot of levels and each year that goes by without seeing it on the horizon upsets me more. Sisko is a wonderful character, an excellent captain, and they can get around the autobiography part by making it a biography written by Jake Sisko instead. This would add a level to the book that would elevate it in my eyes and make it truer to the feel of Deep Space Nine. As for Strange New Worlds I do hope that, eventually, we get an autobiography of Captain Christopher Pike.

Enough speculation. Here’s what I know is being released soon. 

September promises the release of a Star Trek Cookbook by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel, and while this isn’t the first one of these to come along (There’s one excellent cookbook by actor Ethan Phillips who played Neelix on Voyager and probably half a dozen others at least.) what I’ve seen of this one looks good. Vulcan Plomeek Soup, Bajoran Makapa Bread, Klingon Lingta Roast, and my favorite, Rigelian Chocolate Truffles—I can’t wait to see how those are made. I’m hoping there might be a recipe for Ktarian Chocolate Puff, but I won’t be holding my breath.

    

Star Trek: Picard—Second Self by Una McCormack is also being released in September, and I’m excited about this title. I’m glad it won’t be out until September, since I still haven’t read The Dark Veil by James Swallow and Rogue Elements by John Jackson Miller, and I’d really like to read those before Second Self is released. Second Self focuses on Raffi Musiker, and I’m pleased about that. The character deserves the spotlight, and I’m looking forward to reading more about her relationship with Elnor.

The holidays will find us taking a look at Trek the Halls by Robb Pearlman and Luke Flowers and described as “a delightfully quirky twist on ‘Deck the Halls’”—though it’s with a bit of trepidation that I consider what that means. I’m sure it’s a Star Trek rewrite of the Deck the Halls Lyrics, which could be great, but could be cringe-worthy.

    The year is rounded out with the release of author David Mack’s Original Star Trek novel Harm’s Way, which finds the Enterprise crew searching for a missing scientist, while the list for 2023 is already beginning to grow crowded with books devoted to a season by season look at Star Trek: The Next Generation and another about the women characters of Star Trek.

    I’m not sure what I’m looking forward to most—no, I’m lying. I’m
giddy at the thought of reading Star Trek: Strange New Worlds—The High Country by John Jackson Miller. The first novel set in the new Star Trek series Strange New Worlds, my anticipation for this book grows daily. I can’t tell you what it’s about because I’m not reading any reviews or blurbs about it so I can avoid any spoilers. My only hope is that it doesn’t get delayed. I don’t think I could handle that.