Shore Leave Book Report

"So many books, so little time" was a phrase I heard often at Shore Leave 26. With the literary line now publishing forty plus titles in a typical year it can be hard for some fans to keep up. In addition to the novels and short story anthologies based on each of the five television series, there are now several series set within the Star Trek universe that have been created especially for that literary world: series like New Frontier, Starfleet Corps of Engineers, Stargazer and I.K.S. Gorkon. While speaking with fans at Shore Leave, senior Pocket Books editor Marco Palmieri gave fans a preview of what's coming up and announced that the Star Trek universe was going to be expanding a bit more.

As previously reported, there are plans for three new book series as well as other exciting new projects set within existing series to be released in 2005 and 2006. I will go into more detail on what's planned for those series in a separate report but before that let us not forget that there is still quite a bit coming up this year. So let's take a look at what's coming up for the remainder of 2004. Mo< Premiering at Shore Leave were several titles that will be in bookstores next month and one new July title. The hardcover title Vulcan's Soul Book 1: Exodus by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz hits bookstores this week. Following their bestsellers Vulcan's Forge and Vulcan's Heart, Sherman and Shwartz present a new trilogy set after the Dominion War that chronicles more of the 24th century adventures of Spock while shedding new light on Vulcan's violent history. Vulcan's Soul Book 2: Exiles and Book 3: Epiphany will follow in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

One of this years most anticipated titles is scheduled to be out in August, the short story anthology Tales of the Dominion War edited by Keith R.A. DeCandido. Shore Leave attendees couldn't snatch up this title fast enough. This trade paperback contains twelve stories set during the Dominion War providing for the reader an opportunity to experience the war from multiple points of view. Some of the stories also shed more light on significant events mentioned but never seen on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, including eyewitness accounts of the fall of Betazed and the Breen attack on Earth. Also out in August is the next novel in the A Time to… series, A Time to Kill by David Mack who also penned the September title in that series A Time to Heal.

Fans of Picard will be happy to learn that August and September will also see the release of two new titles in Michael Jan Friedman's Star Trek: Stargazer series. Continuing the adventures of the young Jean-Luc Picard during his first command, the events of Enigma and Maker will test the twenty-eight year old captain's mettle and help shape the leader we know he becomes.

The ninth and final A Time to… novel, A Time for War/A Time for Peace by DeCandido, will be out in October. When first conceived this series was planned as twelve novels but was scaled back to nine. Beginning exactly a year before the events of Star Trek: Nemesis this series has chronicled what the characters underwent in that time frame and answers most of the questions fans had about the characters after that movie.

Also out in October will be the paperback reprint of the New Frontier novel Stone and Anvil by Peter David. That is just in time for fans of this extremely popular literary series to get caught up with events before the release in November of the next New Frontier novel, the hardcover title After the Fall. Set three years after Stone and Anvil, After the Fall would be a good jumping on point for anyone who has wanted to sample this series and brings the New Frontier timeline forward to Star Trek: Nemesis.

November will also bring the first of two all new post-finale Voyager novels, Spirit Walk #1, Old Wounds by Christie Golden. Spirit Walk #2, Enemy of my Enemy follows in December to wrap up this Chakotay-centric story that finds the new commander of Voyager having to prove himself to Starfleet Command.

Those reading the Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers stories can look forward to the sixth paperback collection Wildfire, due out in November. A compilation of eBooks 20-24, Wildfire will not only contain the critically acclaimed two-part tale of the same name but also War Stories by DeCandido and Enigma Ship by J. Steven York and Christina F. York. More details on upcoming S.C.E. eBook titles will be forthcoming in a separate report.

Three new Signature Edition omnibus collections will also be hitting bookshelves this fall. In October Duty, Honor, Redemption by Vonda N. McIntyre will collect together the novelizations of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Klingon fans won't want to miss November's Signature Edition title The Hand of Kahless that will contain John M. Ford's classic novel The Final Reflection as well as Kahless by Michael Jan Friedman. You can experience Vulcan society in the December Signature Edition title Sand and Stars that brings together Sarek written by A.C. Crispin and Spock's World by Diane Duane. All three Signature Edition omnibus collections will be trade paperbacks.

Last, but certainly not least, the paperback reprint of the Deep Space Nine post-finale title Unity by S.D. Perry will be in stores in December, just in time for holiday shoppers.

Check back in the days to come for detailed reports of what's planned beyond this year, including news about the new Titan series and special projects that will celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Original Series and the 10th anniversary of Star Trek: Voyager.

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