Star Trek: The Fall Kicks Off Five-Novel Next Gen/Deep Space Nine Crossover Event
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Updated with info and art for The Poisoned Chalice
With J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Dust having raked in nearly half a billion dollars worldwide, it’s a frustrating time to be a Trek fan who’s no fan of the rebooted movie timeline. All the outrage in the world won’t hide the dollar signs from Paramount’s eyes, but the nice thing that seems to get overlooked whenever we’re all butting heads about Abrams? The original Star Trek universe didn’t actually go anywhere. It might not be up on the big screen at the moment, but it’s still alive and vibrant and constantly unfolding across other media. Case in point: Star Trek: The Fall, a five-novel crossover event that unites characters from The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.
Star Trek: The Fall kicks off today with the release of Revelation and Dust, penned by David R. George III. The five-book arc unfolds over the course of a 60-day period, and apparently you don’t strictly speaking have to read the series in chronological order to follow along. So I’m guessing each book will provide a new viewpoint to commonly unfolding events. That’s handy for anybody who just happens to pick up one of the books mid-way through the crossover, but I imagine most die-hard Trekkies who are interested will want to dive in from the get-go.
Here’s the official synopsis for the book, via Amazon, which suggests the focus for this initial book will be very much on the DS9 crew:
After the destruction of the original space station by a rogue faction of the Typhon Pact, Miles O’Brien and Nog have led the Starfleet Corps of Engineers in designing and constructing a larger, more advanced starbase in the Bajoran system. Now, as familiar faces such as Benjamin Sisko, Kasidy Yates, Ezri Dax, Odo, and Quark arrive at the new station, Captain Ro Laren will host various heads of state at an impressive dedication ceremony. The dignitaries include not only the leaders of allies — such as Klingon Chancellor Martok, Ferengi Grand Nagus Rom, the Cardassian castellan, and the Bajoran first minister — but also those of rival powers, such as the Romulan praetor and the Gorn imperator. But as Ro’s crew prepares to open DS9 to the entire Bajor Sector and beyond, disaster looms. A faction has already set in action a shocking plan that, if successful, will shake the Alpha and Beta Quadrants to the core.
And what of Kira Nerys, lost aboard a runabout when the Bajoran wormhole collapsed? In the two years that have passed during construction of the new Deep Space 9, there have been no indications that the Celestial Temple, the Prophets, or Kira have survived. But since Ben Sisko once learned that the wormhole aliens exist nonlinearly in time, what does that mean with respect to their fate, or that of the wormhole…or of Kira herself?
So wait, they blew up Deep Space Nine? At least that’s how I read that first sentence up there. Granted, I don’t have nearly the time to keep up with all the Star Trek novels, but I still feel like I should grieve a little bit for the old girl. Is it too late to send flowers? And can somebody deliver them without getting pulled into the damn wormhole?
If Revelation and Dust wins you over, you’ve got four more volumes in the series, which will take you through the end of the year. The rest of the books will release once per month through December. On September 24, you’ll get Star Trek: The Fall — The Crimson Shadow by Una McCormack.
Cardassia Prime is home to a prideful people who, for centuries, forged alliances with those they believed would strengthen them and their place in the Alpha Quadrant, and expanded their empire at great cost to other worlds. For generations, dissenting voices were silenced by either fear or an early grave. When their wartime ally, the Dominion, suddenly turned on them, seeking to transform Cardassia into a tomb for every last member of their race, their old adversary — the United Federation of Planets — put an end to the carnage, and even now works to help rebuild Cardassia Prime.
To celebrate this alliance, the Castellan of the Cardassian Union is to welcome the Federation president to Cardassia Prime. As a symbol of this deepening friendship, the U.S.S. Enterprise-E is tasked to carry the Cardassian ambassador to the Federation back home. For his part, Ambassador Elim Garak is working with Captain Jean-Luc Picard to oversee the diplomatic reception that will commemorate the last of Starfleet’s personnel finally leaving the homeworld. However, there are malevolent forces at work, who even now strive to ‘restore Cardassia to its proper place and glory,’ and are willing to do anything to achieve their goal….
Then on October 29 you can pick up A Ceremony of Losses by David Mack..
THE NEEDS OF THE MANY
Despite heroic efforts by Thirishar ch’Thane, the Andorian species is headed for extinction. Its slow march toward oblivion has reached a tipping point, one from which there will be no hope of return.
THE NEEDS OF THE FEW
With countless lives at stake, the leaders of Andor, the Federation, and the Typhon Pact all scheme to twist the crisis to their political gain — at any price.
THE NEEDS OF THE ONE
Unwilling to be a mere bystander to tragedy, Doctor Julian Bashir risks everything to find a cure for the Andorians. But his courage will come at a terrible cost: his career, his freedom…and maybe his life.
November 26 will bring the arrival of The Poisoned Chalice by James Swallow.
One simple act, and the troubles of the United Federation of Planets have grown darker overnight. The mystery behind the heinous terrorist attack that has rocked the Federation to its core grows ever deeper, and William Riker finds himself beset by rumors and half-truths as the U.S.S. Titan is ordered back to Earth on emergency orders from the admiralty. Soon, Riker finds himself drawn into a game of political intrigue, bearing witness to members of Starfleet being detained—including people he considered friends—pending an investigation at the highest levels. And while Riker tries to navigate the corridors of power, Titan’s tactical officer, Tuvok, is given a series of clandestine orders that lead him into a gray world of secrets, lies, and deniable operations. Who can be trusted when the law falls silent and justice becomes a quest for revenge? For the crew of the U.S.S. Titan, the search for answers will become a battle for every ideal the Federation stands for.
And last, but not least (we assume) is Peaceable Kingdoms by Dayton Ward, arriving on the very last day of the year, December 31. Unfortunately, this last one just repeats the same synopsis as Poisoned Chalice.
Honestly this sort of mega-event always tempts me to dip a toe into the printed Trek-verse, but then I look at the four friggin’ bookshelves packed with things I’ll never get around to reading and I lose interest. What do you lot think? Any aficionados of the Trek books out there? Sound off in the comments and let us know if you’re excited about Star Trek: The Fall!
