Star Trek premiered on September 8, 1966, inviting us to 'to boldly go where no man has gone before!' It's been one of the most successful science fiction TV series in history and has made a large impact in popular culture. The Star Trek franchise has so far produced 13 feature films, 13 television series, and over 1,000 books. To celebrate its 60th birthday, here are some Star-Trek inspired reads for Trekkies to enjoy!
If you love the original Star Trek series, you'll love Redshirts by John Scalzi. This is a satirical story of missions gone wrong! The character, Andrew Dahl worries about casualties suffered by low-ranking officers during away missions before making a shocking discovery about starship's actual purpose. You will catch a lot of references to the original series and its roots.
The Ministry of Time is a sci-fi story that mashes up popular time-warp tropes: Star Trek, spy thrillers, and Victorian romances. Set in a near-future London, it follows an unnamed civil servant working as a "bridge" to house and monitor Commander Graham Gore, a 19th-century Arctic explorer pulled forward from 1847. As they fall in love, dark institutional secrets emerge. It's also worth mentioning that this book was featured on Obama's Favorite Books List of 2024.
If you're a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Elder Race is the novella for you. The story follows Lynesse, a medieval-level princess seeking a legendary sorcerer to fight a demon, and Nyr, an isolated Earth anthropologist in a tower who is actually using grounded science and advanced technology. The story alternates chapters between Lynesse's magical fantasy viewpoint and Nyr's hard science viewpoint.
The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet is a cozy space-opera read for anyone who enjoys any adaption under the Star Trek franchise. Rosemary Harper, a young woman running from a secret, scandalous past, joins the multi-species crew of the Wayfarer, a wormhole-tunneling ship, on a long, lucrative, and dangerous voyage across the galaxy. This novel is filled with diverse characters and will leave you feeling hopeful.
What are your favorite Star Trek inspired reads? Let's talk about it in the comments!
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