Starfleet Academy Teen Book Series
2 min readThe Delta Anomaly, the first in a new series of youth-oriented Star Trek books, is due out November 2.
Editorial Director Kara Sargent is not surprised with the continuing popularity of Star Trek books aimed at the young. “I’m thrilled at it, but not really surprised,” she said. “Star Trek has resonated with people of all ages for years and years. That’s the mark of a truly outstanding franchise. It’s not surprising to me that teens are embracing it today.”
Young readers have the same idea about what makes a good book, according to Sargent. “I think teens are looking for the same things adults look for in their books – compelling stories, great characters, and strong writing,” she said. “The trick with any audience you’re targeting is to make sure the material is relatable. Teens like reading about their peers, and the Starfleet world is made up of characters who are their peers. These are great characters in a very cool setting.”
The first in the new series, The Delta Anomaly, is a mystery about a serial killer. “Early on in the book, the killer targets one of the Starfleet cadets, a friend of Kirk and Uhura, in fact, and the reader is immediately drawn in to this very fast-paced, very chilling mystery,” said Sargent. “All the while, there are fantastic side stories going on. One involves Uhura and a special assignment she gets from her favorite instructor, Commander Spock. I’ll just say there’s some serious chemistry between those two and leave it at that! Another side story involves a big Starfleet assignment Kirk is involved in that pits him against his nemesis at the Academy. There’s lots of adventure in that one. And, my favorite side story involves Kirk and a beautiful young co-ed he meets at a coffee shop. Her name is Hannah, and Kirk has his work cut out for him because Hannah actually doesn’t swoon at his feet the first time she meets him.”
On December 28, The Edge, the second Starfleet Academy novel will be released. “The Edge focuses on the stress of life at the Academy,” said Sargent. “The story opens with a competition and Kirk realizes that some cadets seem to have an edge that he doesn’t have. One of the cadets is the girl he’s interested in. Some mysterious events and even a death occur, leading Kirk to investigate what’s going on, and he uncovers a really dark world of illegal activity.”
More stories will follow in 2011. “We’re planning to do at least one book per season,” said Sargent, “but I don’t have any details to share yet.”
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