What do you think?
Rate this book
Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation #1
Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures
A new nation has arisen from the ashes of the Romulan War;
The United Federation of Planets
, an unprecedented union of diverse species cooperating for the good of all. Admiral Jonathan Archer — the former captain of the Earth starship U.S.S Enterprise, whose efforts made this union possible—envisions a vibrant Federation promoting galactic peace and a multi-species Starfleet dedicated to exploring strange new worlds.
Archer’s former crewmates, including Captain T’Pol of the U.S.S. Endeavour and Captain Malcolm Reed of the U.S.S. Pioneer, work with him to secure that bright future. Yet others within the Federation see its purpose as chiefly military, a united defense against a dangerous galaxy, while some of its neighbors view that military might with suspicion and fear. And getting the member nations, their space fleets, and even their technologies to work together as a unified whole is an ongoing challenge.
When a new threat emerges from a force so alien and hostile that negotiation seems impossible, a group of unaligned worlds asks Starfleet to come to its defense, and the Federation’s leaders seize the opportunity to build their reputation as an interstellar power. But Archer fears the conflict is building toward an unnecessary war, potentially taking the young nation down a path it was never meant to follow. Archer and his allies strive to find a better solution...but old foes are working secretly to sabotage their efforts and ensure that the great experiment called the Federation comes to a quick and bloody end.
This novel is the first in the Rise of the Federation series, outlining the early years of the United Federation of Planets.
Archer’s former crewmates, including Captain T’Pol of the U.S.S. Endeavour and Captain Malcolm Reed of the U.S.S. Pioneer, work with him to secure that bright future. Yet others within the Federation see its purpose as chiefly military, a united defense against a dangerous galaxy, while some of its neighbors view that military might with suspicion and fear. And getting the member nations, their space fleets, and even their technologies to work together as a unified whole is an ongoing challenge.
When a new threat emerges from a force so alien and hostile that negotiation seems impossible, a group of unaligned worlds asks Starfleet to come to its defense, and the Federation’s leaders seize the opportunity to build their reputation as an interstellar power. But Archer fears the conflict is building toward an unnecessary war, potentially taking the young nation down a path it was never meant to follow. Archer and his allies strive to find a better solution...but old foes are working secretly to sabotage their efforts and ensure that the great experiment called the Federation comes to a quick and bloody end.
This novel is the first in the Rise of the Federation series, outlining the early years of the United Federation of Planets.
Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2013
131 people are currently reading
815 people want to read
About the author
Christopher L. Bennett
66 books220 followersChristopher L. Bennett is a lifelong resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, with a B.S. in Physics and a B.A. in History from the University of Cincinnati. A fan of science and science fiction since age five, he has spent the past two decades selling original short fiction to magazines such as Analog Science Fiction and Fact (home of his "Hub" series of comedy adventures), BuzzyMag, and Galaxy's Edge. Since 2003, he has been one of Pocket Books' most prolific and popular authors of Star Trek tie-in fiction, including the epic Next Generation prequel The Buried Age, the Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations series, and the Star Trek: Enterprise -- Rise of the Federation series. He has also written two Marvel Comics novels, X-Men: Watchers on the Walls and Spider-Man: Drowned in Thunder. His original novel Only Superhuman, perhaps the first hard science fiction superhero novel, was voted Library Journal's SF/Fantasy Debut of the Month for October 2012. Other tales in the same universe can be found in Among the Wild Cybers and the upcoming Arachne's Crime, both from eSpec Books. His Hub stories are available in two collections from Mystique Press.
Christopher's homepage, fiction annotations, and blog can be found at christopherlbennett.wordpress.com. His Patreon page with original fiction and reviews is at https://www.patreon.com/christopherlb..., and his Facebook author page is at www.facebook.com/ChristopherLBennettA....
Christopher's homepage, fiction annotations, and blog can be found at christopherlbennett.wordpress.com. His Patreon page with original fiction and reviews is at https://www.patreon.com/christopherlb..., and his Facebook author page is at www.facebook.com/ChristopherLBennettA....
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 4, 2019
Really good start to the Rise of the Federation. Can't wait to read the others in this series!
January 11, 2014
Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures continues the timeline following the Romulan War in the Star Trek: Enterprise series of relaunch novels. This book clearly lays out a course for future books in that we see how the new Federation is just starting out and how it is perceived by its interstellar neighbors. These neighbors are a bit concerned that this new government may cut into profits or remove them from territories entirely. Thus, they hatch a plan to keep the Federation's reach in check by fermenting a conflict using compromised government officials.
The old NX-01 is in a museum and the Constitution class NCC-1701 has yet to be launched. The successors to the NX class are the Columbia class, essentially refitted NX class ships with a secondary hull, are the current flagships however, they are far from reliable since they are combining tech from multiple sources. This opens up a major story thread with Malcolm Reed as his new ship, Pioneer, is a test bed for systems integration.
Laying the groundwork for future novels following the Star Trek: Enterprise book relaunch, A Choice of Futures is a good start. The story surrounding criminal enterprises trying to slow the growth of the Federation takes center stage with the Pioneer line being secondary. There is also a minor third line involving Soval and the Saurians with mining rights and cleaning up "Cultural contamination." This book isn't very heavy on action as it more focused on politics and scheming, but there is a short battle sequence with the "Mutes" (See Enterprise episode "Silent Enemy") who the criminals are using as pawns to stop the Federation.
The old NX-01 is in a museum and the Constitution class NCC-1701 has yet to be launched. The successors to the NX class are the Columbia class, essentially refitted NX class ships with a secondary hull, are the current flagships however, they are far from reliable since they are combining tech from multiple sources. This opens up a major story thread with Malcolm Reed as his new ship, Pioneer, is a test bed for systems integration.
Laying the groundwork for future novels following the Star Trek: Enterprise book relaunch, A Choice of Futures is a good start. The story surrounding criminal enterprises trying to slow the growth of the Federation takes center stage with the Pioneer line being secondary. There is also a minor third line involving Soval and the Saurians with mining rights and cleaning up "Cultural contamination." This book isn't very heavy on action as it more focused on politics and scheming, but there is a short battle sequence with the "Mutes" (See Enterprise episode "Silent Enemy") who the criminals are using as pawns to stop the Federation.
February 21, 2016
Great start to the Rise of the Federation series!
October 17, 2017
ENTERPRISE is the red-headed stepchild of the Star Trek franchise. Well, one of them, and to be honest the franchise is kind of like the Weasley family in terms of hair color. Scott Bakula did a great job as Captain Archer and I liked all of the characters but it's a series I didn't think hit its stride until it's final season when it was unceremoniously cancelled. The novels which followed it are interesting as they cover most of what I actually wanted to read about, which is the Romulan War and the United Federation of Planets being founded.
A CHOICE OF FUTURES is interesting because it basically kills the "classic" Enterprise formula because everyone has been promoted up and out of the titular ship. Archer is an Admiral now, the resurrected Trip Tucker has become a member of Section 31, and the other characters have all hit their strides.
However, the newly formed Federation is in something of a confused area as everyone agrees they need to join together but what they want to make is not as clear. Well, actually, it's very clear but it's not what Archer wants. Archer wants to found a United Nations in Space (the idealized one meant to prevent war and promote humanitarian relief--which it sometimes achieves in RL) while everyone else is thinking NATO. We know Archer will win but finding out how it happens is the interesting case.
I actually like the RISE OF THE FEDERATION BOOKS because they really are incredibly different from what you normally get in Star Trek fiction. They're effectively political novels that happen to have some boots on the ground action. The importance of ACOF isn't whether or not the phaser hits the bad guy but how Archer can bring together all these disparate factions into one singular vision of peace. The fact this comes from a man who started profoundly racist against Vulcans makes it all the more interesting as Christopher Bennett brings Archer's story to the point of seeming like natural character development versus overwriting bad writing.
The "enemies" in the book are an interesting one as the Federation is all gung ho to do some military adventurism against what they presume to be a bunch of pirates. Archer, by contrast, wants to find out what they want. Mind you, Archer stupidly believed this about a bunch of ACTUAL pirates in "Fortunate Son." It also solves the mystery of just who the hell the bad guys were in "Silent Enemy."
In conclusion, this is a book which is technically the sixteenth or so in the Enterprise spin-offs but an excellent "jumping on" point as nothing is hurt by my not having read the previous volumes. I will say, though, you probably won't get much out of this book unless you've actually seen Enterprise, though. But then, why would you be buying the books which spin off from them?
8.5/10
A CHOICE OF FUTURES is interesting because it basically kills the "classic" Enterprise formula because everyone has been promoted up and out of the titular ship. Archer is an Admiral now, the resurrected Trip Tucker has become a member of Section 31, and the other characters have all hit their strides.
However, the newly formed Federation is in something of a confused area as everyone agrees they need to join together but what they want to make is not as clear. Well, actually, it's very clear but it's not what Archer wants. Archer wants to found a United Nations in Space (the idealized one meant to prevent war and promote humanitarian relief--which it sometimes achieves in RL) while everyone else is thinking NATO. We know Archer will win but finding out how it happens is the interesting case.
I actually like the RISE OF THE FEDERATION BOOKS because they really are incredibly different from what you normally get in Star Trek fiction. They're effectively political novels that happen to have some boots on the ground action. The importance of ACOF isn't whether or not the phaser hits the bad guy but how Archer can bring together all these disparate factions into one singular vision of peace. The fact this comes from a man who started profoundly racist against Vulcans makes it all the more interesting as Christopher Bennett brings Archer's story to the point of seeming like natural character development versus overwriting bad writing.
The "enemies" in the book are an interesting one as the Federation is all gung ho to do some military adventurism against what they presume to be a bunch of pirates. Archer, by contrast, wants to find out what they want. Mind you, Archer stupidly believed this about a bunch of ACTUAL pirates in "Fortunate Son." It also solves the mystery of just who the hell the bad guys were in "Silent Enemy."
In conclusion, this is a book which is technically the sixteenth or so in the Enterprise spin-offs but an excellent "jumping on" point as nothing is hurt by my not having read the previous volumes. I will say, though, you probably won't get much out of this book unless you've actually seen Enterprise, though. But then, why would you be buying the books which spin off from them?
8.5/10
January 3, 2020
This book essentially starts the Enterprise relaunch series afresh with a new author, new fictional era and new storytelling approach. While the five previous relaunch installments by Martin and Mangles were based on material that could have conceivably been covered in the TV series had it continued for a few more years, this book felt like the first true Enterprise relaunch novel; it takes the premise of the series and follows each of the show's main characters as their Starfleet careers and personal lives progress.
The story begins with the signing of the Federation charter and decommissioning of the NX-01 in 2161, consistent with the final episode of the TV series. Archer is promoted to Admiral, and T'Pol is made captain of what is essentially another NX-Class ship with some minor modifications (it's quite obvious the author would have preferred to continue using the NX-01, but thanks to Brannon and Braga that wasn't possible). Half of the existing Enterprise crew joins T'Pol, and the other half are elected to serve on the brand new USS Pioneer - both ships of which are under the supervision of Admiral Archer. While this 'split' seems implausibly convenient, it nicely complements the book's fresh-but-familiar plotlines and adds enough change without alienating itself from the TV series. Additionally, the way The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm ended also made me worried that Trip may not appear in the relaunch again, but much to my relief he showed up early on and played a part in the story.
As far as the plot goes, the novel follows the crews of the two ships (plus Archer and Trip) as they attempt to combat a force that is determined to undermine the newly formed Federation - a story that is simple enough to be easily followed, but complicated enough to keep those pages turning. More hardcore Trek fans will also appreciate the book's vast references to people, species and planets from TOS, TAS, and the other Trek spin-offs - but even though the references are not always subtle, you don't necessarily need to recognise or understand them to follow the story.
Bennett's pace and style was also a welcome change. While Martin and Mangles spent most of their books slowly building up to a massive, page-turning climax, this book was much more evenly paced. It was much easier to understand and follow, and although it wasn't quite as exciting as it's predecessors it was still a consistently good read. The novel also spent a lot of time carefully laying the groundwork for the rest of the Rise of the Federation series, so it's understandable that it didn't have a large buildup and climax.
All in all, this book was nothing super special, but it was definitely an easy, enjoyable read that set up - and made me excited for - the rest of the series.
The story begins with the signing of the Federation charter and decommissioning of the NX-01 in 2161, consistent with the final episode of the TV series. Archer is promoted to Admiral, and T'Pol is made captain of what is essentially another NX-Class ship with some minor modifications (it's quite obvious the author would have preferred to continue using the NX-01, but thanks to Brannon and Braga that wasn't possible). Half of the existing Enterprise crew joins T'Pol, and the other half are elected to serve on the brand new USS Pioneer - both ships of which are under the supervision of Admiral Archer. While this 'split' seems implausibly convenient, it nicely complements the book's fresh-but-familiar plotlines and adds enough change without alienating itself from the TV series. Additionally, the way The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm ended also made me worried that Trip may not appear in the relaunch again, but much to my relief he showed up early on and played a part in the story.
As far as the plot goes, the novel follows the crews of the two ships (plus Archer and Trip) as they attempt to combat a force that is determined to undermine the newly formed Federation - a story that is simple enough to be easily followed, but complicated enough to keep those pages turning. More hardcore Trek fans will also appreciate the book's vast references to people, species and planets from TOS, TAS, and the other Trek spin-offs - but even though the references are not always subtle, you don't necessarily need to recognise or understand them to follow the story.
Bennett's pace and style was also a welcome change. While Martin and Mangles spent most of their books slowly building up to a massive, page-turning climax, this book was much more evenly paced. It was much easier to understand and follow, and although it wasn't quite as exciting as it's predecessors it was still a consistently good read. The novel also spent a lot of time carefully laying the groundwork for the rest of the Rise of the Federation series, so it's understandable that it didn't have a large buildup and climax.
All in all, this book was nothing super special, but it was definitely an easy, enjoyable read that set up - and made me excited for - the rest of the series.
June 27, 2013
The universe of "Star Trek: Enterprise" has always been a complicated one with the fact that the show was tasked with filling in the major gaps between First Contact & Kirk's Enterprise with the primary focus on being eventually the building blocks of the Federation. In "Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures", Christopher L. Bennett takes the first major step in the post-Romulan War era with a book that takes place across almost a year. The story itself is a three-fold plot that involves the negotiations with the Saurians to bring them into the Federation, the USS Endeavour under the command of Captain T'Pol which is responsible for helping to solve a mysterious alien attack by a group called the Mutes, & the U.S.S. Pioneer captained by Malcolm Reed which in trying to help out with meshing of technology gets caught in an unusual spot. Bennett shows a mastery of the characters as he weaves each individual plot separately with care in a way that advances the stories of all the characters (including Trip Tucker's exploits in Section 31) in a way that feels natural for the development of this era in time. The plots themselves despite the intertwining of things from time-to-time is done in a way that allows for growth within the characters & shows a maturity in them in this early Federation era. Also the introduction of Samuel Kirk & Tobin Dax are nice as well since those are names that come into play much later on down the line.
As a whole, the book moves swiftly & is easy to read. It's also a very nice addition to this ever evolving cast of characters in this time frame. There is still a lot of room for shorter individual stories to come out of this series since that may eventually happen again, but if not, this reader is happy to continue reading each connecting piece of a lost era in the Star Trek universe as the blanks keep filling in.
As a whole, the book moves swiftly & is easy to read. It's also a very nice addition to this ever evolving cast of characters in this time frame. There is still a lot of room for shorter individual stories to come out of this series since that may eventually happen again, but if not, this reader is happy to continue reading each connecting piece of a lost era in the Star Trek universe as the blanks keep filling in.
July 20, 2025
In Star Trek: Enterprise, there is a certain vibe to the show that I can only describe as a marriage of optimism and fallibility. It's hard to explain but the characters are optimistic about their journey with the knowledge that they will make mistakes, and they often do. They are seen as the new kids on the block.
A Choice of Futures recreates these feelings, with the fledgling Federation instead of the Vulcan overseen space program from the beginning of the series. I hadn't noticed until reading it how absent those were in the Mangels and Martin novels, although I did enjoy them for the most part and never used that against them. I will use it as pro for the pilot for this soft reboot of Enterprise. Most of the running plot threads from those books are not continued, as the Romulans only play a role in shaping the minds of the post-war Federation. It would not be necessary for one to read those in order to read this.
Trip and T'Pol's relationship is done well, and Trip's lack of presence in the book accentuates the proverbial distance between him and Archer, which I am interested in following. This is the first Enterprise book I read where Reed had anything to do. Bennett makes up for five books of a lack of development and significance with the newly christened captain, with a whole arc. Hoshi gets some as well, although much of it is confined to her relationship, (which doesn't count in my eyes, as a relationship seems like a cheat code for plot and development. That is neither here nor there). Shran and Soval are as good as ever, Tobin Dax and Dr. Liao are compelling, and Phlox is consistent with his previous appearances.
Bennett is much more technical with his writing, so I was smiling and nodding while he was describing the parts of the Endeavor and Pioneer (Am I a fake fan)? I thought that his description of the new uniforms and how they draw their lineage from each of the species was cool.
It seems we are off to a good start, with a very different tone and pace, but still pursuing the fundamental values of the franchise and the unique opportunities that are the worlds and inhabitants of its universe.
A Choice of Futures recreates these feelings, with the fledgling Federation instead of the Vulcan overseen space program from the beginning of the series. I hadn't noticed until reading it how absent those were in the Mangels and Martin novels, although I did enjoy them for the most part and never used that against them. I will use it as pro for the pilot for this soft reboot of Enterprise. Most of the running plot threads from those books are not continued, as the Romulans only play a role in shaping the minds of the post-war Federation. It would not be necessary for one to read those in order to read this.
Trip and T'Pol's relationship is done well, and Trip's lack of presence in the book accentuates the proverbial distance between him and Archer, which I am interested in following. This is the first Enterprise book I read where Reed had anything to do. Bennett makes up for five books of a lack of development and significance with the newly christened captain, with a whole arc. Hoshi gets some as well, although much of it is confined to her relationship, (which doesn't count in my eyes, as a relationship seems like a cheat code for plot and development. That is neither here nor there). Shran and Soval are as good as ever, Tobin Dax and Dr. Liao are compelling, and Phlox is consistent with his previous appearances.
Bennett is much more technical with his writing, so I was smiling and nodding while he was describing the parts of the Endeavor and Pioneer (Am I a fake fan)? I thought that his description of the new uniforms and how they draw their lineage from each of the species was cool.
It seems we are off to a good start, with a very different tone and pace, but still pursuing the fundamental values of the franchise and the unique opportunities that are the worlds and inhabitants of its universe.
July 7, 2025
I popped back in time to finally catch up with the very first post-Romulan War/Birth of the Federation novel...and I'm pleased to report it's better than most of the four seasons of Enterprise on TV (as are the remaining volumes in this series). This is how you construct a prequel: situations that explore the emotional depths of our main characters while simultaneously juggling the long-simmering issues that needed to be dealt with in order to cement an epic alliance. You can see the track being laid for Jonathan Archer to becoming President of the United Federation of Planets, and it's a hell of start to this journey.
October 20, 2013
My initial review of this book was all of four words: "Bring back Michael Martin!" However, since I'm well aware that doesn't do the book justice, I will make an attempt to throw a few sentences together in a way that best describes my experience. But where to begin? Should I cover the extra-long descriptions of things that were totally unnecessary, or should I mention how I covered my face with embarrassment as certain characters went well beyond their norm and did things that were totally against their character, such as making ship-wide advertisements of their physical ailments?
If you are a fan of Enterprise and devoured Michael Martin's books on the Romulan War, then rushed out to pick up Choice of Futures, thinking it was going to continue from where the others left off, you're rushing out for the wrong reasons. This series needed more on the War and less of a jump from the Romulans into ... whatever this was. Don't get me wrong, A Choice of Futures is full of memorable moments from the series that fans will enjoy, but that is basically the entire premise of the book. It was like the author was given a challenge: How many scenes from the TV show can you throw into one 336 page novel and still manage a pinch of plot? I was eager to settle down with my favorite series, not relive episodes I could watch on DVD.
What little bit of a new plot that was there, scattered among the lengthy, useless uniform and ship descriptions (Who's going to pick up this book and not already know enough about Star Trek to know that stuff?) was all right and somewhat interesting. I couldn't say that the character development went too far, in fact, it might have gone backwards, but at least said characters are recognizable and somewhat back together again. I did like that they had moved on in their careers, even if it does seem a little soon for some. As a work of fanfiction, this wouldn't have been too disappointing, as a novel, it made me wish I wasn't so addicted to the series that I was literally desperate for anything "official."
My heart rose when I saw the note at the end "will continue Spring 2014." It sank when I realized who the author would be. At this point, my only hope for enjoyment of the rest of the series is that someone will study the previous books a little more to find out what works and remember that the readers picking up any Enterprise novels are already fans of the series. We don't need hand holding, we just need a visit with our favorite characters and another great story.
If you are a fan of Enterprise and devoured Michael Martin's books on the Romulan War, then rushed out to pick up Choice of Futures, thinking it was going to continue from where the others left off, you're rushing out for the wrong reasons. This series needed more on the War and less of a jump from the Romulans into ... whatever this was. Don't get me wrong, A Choice of Futures is full of memorable moments from the series that fans will enjoy, but that is basically the entire premise of the book. It was like the author was given a challenge: How many scenes from the TV show can you throw into one 336 page novel and still manage a pinch of plot? I was eager to settle down with my favorite series, not relive episodes I could watch on DVD.
What little bit of a new plot that was there, scattered among the lengthy, useless uniform and ship descriptions (Who's going to pick up this book and not already know enough about Star Trek to know that stuff?) was all right and somewhat interesting. I couldn't say that the character development went too far, in fact, it might have gone backwards, but at least said characters are recognizable and somewhat back together again. I did like that they had moved on in their careers, even if it does seem a little soon for some. As a work of fanfiction, this wouldn't have been too disappointing, as a novel, it made me wish I wasn't so addicted to the series that I was literally desperate for anything "official."
My heart rose when I saw the note at the end "will continue Spring 2014." It sank when I realized who the author would be. At this point, my only hope for enjoyment of the rest of the series is that someone will study the previous books a little more to find out what works and remember that the readers picking up any Enterprise novels are already fans of the series. We don't need hand holding, we just need a visit with our favorite characters and another great story.
May 16, 2016
Though Star Trek Enterprise is not my favorite of the television series, I found myself easily sucked into these tales that follow the on-screen adventures. The first four books made for great vacation reading, and I anxiously waited for my turn to read them since my husband had laid dibs first. (Star Trek Enterprise is definitely his favorite of the television series, which always makes for lively debates in our household.)
To be honest, I thought I wasn't going to get into these books at all. It seemed a bit silly to be reading a book labeled "Enterprise" when the ship itself is a museum piece that's not going anywhere. However, Bennett quickly picks out what makes every Star Trek title so engaging and focuses on that: It's the characters, not the ship itself, that drives the story. And in a way, having these particular characters so spread out only adds to the scope of the tale being told.
I'm a sucker for the politics of any universe, and there are plenty of those to go around in the beginning of this new adventure. Bennett does a fantastic job of capturing the tension that a many of the characters face, especially Archer and Reed, as they embark on new stages in their lives. Ultimately, having the characters so spread out across multiple ships allowed for a broader scope in story. However, I never felt lost or that I was unable to keep track of who was where or doing what.
Readers who are interested in both the continuing adventures of this Enterprise crew, along with their new friends and enemies, and the early political and military landscape of the United Federation of Planets should not miss this series. Readers who want a single familiar crew exploring the universe together should probably focus more on books that take place "during" the television show run.
My first forays into reading "adult" science-fiction novels in late elementary/early middle school were media tie-in books based on Star Trek: The Original Series. Decades later, Bennett has captured that same quality of excitement and adventure that keeps bringing me back for more.
To be honest, I thought I wasn't going to get into these books at all. It seemed a bit silly to be reading a book labeled "Enterprise" when the ship itself is a museum piece that's not going anywhere. However, Bennett quickly picks out what makes every Star Trek title so engaging and focuses on that: It's the characters, not the ship itself, that drives the story. And in a way, having these particular characters so spread out only adds to the scope of the tale being told.
I'm a sucker for the politics of any universe, and there are plenty of those to go around in the beginning of this new adventure. Bennett does a fantastic job of capturing the tension that a many of the characters face, especially Archer and Reed, as they embark on new stages in their lives. Ultimately, having the characters so spread out across multiple ships allowed for a broader scope in story. However, I never felt lost or that I was unable to keep track of who was where or doing what.
Readers who are interested in both the continuing adventures of this Enterprise crew, along with their new friends and enemies, and the early political and military landscape of the United Federation of Planets should not miss this series. Readers who want a single familiar crew exploring the universe together should probably focus more on books that take place "during" the television show run.
My first forays into reading "adult" science-fiction novels in late elementary/early middle school were media tie-in books based on Star Trek: The Original Series. Decades later, Bennett has captured that same quality of excitement and adventure that keeps bringing me back for more.
December 9, 2014
Eagerly awaiting this release.. Update 25 Jun - Have picked this up!!! Someone else will have to make dinner I AM BUSY.
Further comments may contain spoilers - I'll resist as best I can.
Nice to see T'pol , Career shifts for everyone mentioned so far, and interesting introspection for Jonathan and what he's been through that have put him with his rank. Yes! They brought *censored for spoilerage* into the story! *HAPPY HAPPY BOUNCE* Poor Malcolm, wonderful news followed by something potentially sad in a personal vein. I think that is beautifully handled by the characters involved.
ok I'm done. Well written, nicely plotted and paced. I really like the interweaving of characters along with the mentions of some of the antecedents of some of the better known later characters. I am really looking forward to the next novel!
Further comments may contain spoilers - I'll resist as best I can.
Nice to see T'pol , Career shifts for everyone mentioned so far, and interesting introspection for Jonathan and what he's been through that have put him with his rank. Yes! They brought *censored for spoilerage* into the story! *HAPPY HAPPY BOUNCE* Poor Malcolm, wonderful news followed by something potentially sad in a personal vein. I think that is beautifully handled by the characters involved.
ok I'm done. Well written, nicely plotted and paced. I really like the interweaving of characters along with the mentions of some of the antecedents of some of the better known later characters. I am really looking forward to the next novel!
June 30, 2013
Unlike many of my fellow Star Trek fans, I rather enjoyed the television series Enterprise. The early days of Earth's interstellar space exploration always fascinated me, and these early days of the Federation are even more exciting. I believe that many people who didn't enjoy Enterprise would be hard-pressed to not love what Mr. Bennett offers in A Choice of Futures. Much like Kirsten Beyer's revitalization of the Voyager series, Christopher L. Bennett's take on the Star Trek universe post-Enterprise promises to be an excellent continuation and improvement upon what came before. I can't recommend this novel enough, and I very much look forward to next year's followup, Rise of the Federation: Tower of Babel.
Full review: http://treklit.blogspot.com/2013/06/a...
Full review: http://treklit.blogspot.com/2013/06/a...
June 27, 2013
Started it after it was delivered to my kindle. So glad they continue the series after the Romulan war arc. So much untapped history there to touch on.
This was very good. I am not quite sold on the three Orion females from the on shoot enterprise episode being the big baddies that are trying the destroy the new Federation.
I really enjoyed the adjustment that Thanien, T'Pol's first officer, goes through in order to work with his new Vulcan captain.
I liked how they continue to get Trip in the stories and how he is still working with Section 31. I am not sure the original creators of the secret group realized how big 31 would become. Including being mentioned in the new movie.
Overall a great book looking at the formative years of the Federation we all love and thought we knew
This was very good. I am not quite sold on the three Orion females from the on shoot enterprise episode being the big baddies that are trying the destroy the new Federation.
I really enjoyed the adjustment that Thanien, T'Pol's first officer, goes through in order to work with his new Vulcan captain.
I liked how they continue to get Trip in the stories and how he is still working with Section 31. I am not sure the original creators of the secret group realized how big 31 would become. Including being mentioned in the new movie.
Overall a great book looking at the formative years of the Federation we all love and thought we knew
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2013
Bennett does not handle the characters as well as Mangels and Martin did in their Enterprise books. Regardless this is an enjoyable foray into the early days of the Federation with plenty of nods to other Trek incarnations. If you are either a closeted or outed Star Trek: Enterprise fan this is worth a read.
March 17, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this Enterprise novel. The characters were better defined and felt more like their TV counterparts than they did in the previous 2 Romulan war novels. The story covers the first years of the Federation and its members start to define what it is. The events in this book feel very much like classic trek
December 5, 2015
Really good, CLB is one of fav ST authors. He did a great job with the characters & the multiple plot lines were fun & interesting. I'm looking forward to the next installment, & I'm glad CLB's at the helm.
September 3, 2013
Very well done continuation of the "Enterprise" story. It gets a little preachy in parts, losing the subtle nuance that made "Star Trek" great, but on the whole it's a great book.
September 17, 2021
I've finally read all the books in this series; strangely enough ending on the first one, and I can easily say these are the best Enterprise novels have to offer, and quite possibly my favorite book series in Trek. Reading Rise of the Federation (ROTF) almost entirely in reverse order made for an odd perspective of the overall narrative, but it wasn't difficult to understand or delve into the overlapping storylines. All I can say for reading A Choice of Futures (ACOF) last however, is that for some reason it was harder to find and far more expensive than the others; not to mention published in a different sized novel.
ACOF sets the series off nicely by showing some of the challenges the fledgling Federation has to deal with, both with the mixing of cultures and their technology, but what really stood out to me was the harkening back to episodes of the show. I was familiar with the character Garos from the other books, but when a past experience with him was referenced in ACOF I found he was in a first season episode titled "Civilization". I had no memory of that ep, so I tracked it down and watched it. Another reference to the show I remembered quite well; the newly named Mutes from "Silent Enemy", as well as the structure of the Orions established in the forth season. Building upon parts of the show is a reoccurring theme in this series, and I enjoyed nearly every moment of it. The subplot with the Pioneer crew however, started to become a bit tedious, with a couple excellent emotional moments, but the resolution of their dire situation bordered far too close to being a deus ex machina for my taste. They got into those circumstances because their multicultural tech weren't integrating, so it made more sense to me that the solution would be related to that issue.
I also wasn't crazy about some of the redundancy present in all of ROTF, and pointing out obvious points in the plot, as if it wasn't clear enough through its own natural progression. I would get more detailed, but I don't want to give too much away. I'm well aware that authors need to write for a wider audience; in case potential readers may not be as familiar as fans who watched the show, though up until... 2009 I'll say, ST fans were a very wide yet niche group. It's doubtful someone would pick up a book of any large franchise out of the blue and expect to fully grasp what was going on.
Having said all that, I can't recommend the Rise of the Federation series enough, though it's probably best to start it from the beginning, unlike how I approached it. Chris Bennett really knows his Trek, so it was a bummer to learn that there were no plans to continue this series at the moment. Perhaps ST publishing will one day allow for more side stories to be released in the Enterprise series. We can only hope!
ACOF sets the series off nicely by showing some of the challenges the fledgling Federation has to deal with, both with the mixing of cultures and their technology, but what really stood out to me was the harkening back to episodes of the show. I was familiar with the character Garos from the other books, but when a past experience with him was referenced in ACOF I found he was in a first season episode titled "Civilization". I had no memory of that ep, so I tracked it down and watched it. Another reference to the show I remembered quite well; the newly named Mutes from "Silent Enemy", as well as the structure of the Orions established in the forth season. Building upon parts of the show is a reoccurring theme in this series, and I enjoyed nearly every moment of it. The subplot with the Pioneer crew however, started to become a bit tedious, with a couple excellent emotional moments, but the resolution of their dire situation bordered far too close to being a deus ex machina for my taste. They got into those circumstances because their multicultural tech weren't integrating, so it made more sense to me that the solution would be related to that issue.
I also wasn't crazy about some of the redundancy present in all of ROTF, and pointing out obvious points in the plot, as if it wasn't clear enough through its own natural progression. I would get more detailed, but I don't want to give too much away. I'm well aware that authors need to write for a wider audience; in case potential readers may not be as familiar as fans who watched the show, though up until... 2009 I'll say, ST fans were a very wide yet niche group. It's doubtful someone would pick up a book of any large franchise out of the blue and expect to fully grasp what was going on.
Having said all that, I can't recommend the Rise of the Federation series enough, though it's probably best to start it from the beginning, unlike how I approached it. Chris Bennett really knows his Trek, so it was a bummer to learn that there were no plans to continue this series at the moment. Perhaps ST publishing will one day allow for more side stories to be released in the Enterprise series. We can only hope!
December 3, 2019
It's the early days of the Federation, but still they have made other powers nervous. Nervous enough to join forces to try and dismantle this new government. Archer and the crew of the Enterprise have been promoted and moved on to other ships - T'Pol now commands the Endeavor and Malcolm Reed is Captain of the Pioneer, but their crews still hold to the ideals of their original ship and mission. But can they face the new challenges ahead of them?
This book is a much-needed expansion to the Enterprise era. We finally get to see the characters growing beyond their original outlines, but staying true to who they are. New challenges in command, as well as the situations they face are welcome additions to the tapestry. T'Pol and Reed each face different challenges to their new captaincies and that makes their stories all that much more compelling. Archer's arc has is more focused on being out of the "big chair" and into the Admiralty. We've seen Kirk deal with this in the movies to some degree, but Archer seems to handle it better! The other characters have more traditional story arcs (and Travis gets sidelined again halfway through the book, as usual!), with Phlox really having the least to do.
For fans of the show, there are many elements pulled forward from several episodes of the series. The antagonists are ones we've seen before, but it's nice to see them develop new plots and get a bit deeper in character. There a few overall Trek Easter Eggs throughout the book as well, that keeps it feeling like part of the greater whole. Really just fan service in these, but then it's always fun to know how these things will develop in the future.
An enjoyable read that sets up further books in the series. I would say a solid 3.5, but I'll round up for review purposes!
This book is a much-needed expansion to the Enterprise era. We finally get to see the characters growing beyond their original outlines, but staying true to who they are. New challenges in command, as well as the situations they face are welcome additions to the tapestry. T'Pol and Reed each face different challenges to their new captaincies and that makes their stories all that much more compelling. Archer's arc has is more focused on being out of the "big chair" and into the Admiralty. We've seen Kirk deal with this in the movies to some degree, but Archer seems to handle it better! The other characters have more traditional story arcs (and Travis gets sidelined again halfway through the book, as usual!), with Phlox really having the least to do.
For fans of the show, there are many elements pulled forward from several episodes of the series. The antagonists are ones we've seen before, but it's nice to see them develop new plots and get a bit deeper in character. There a few overall Trek Easter Eggs throughout the book as well, that keeps it feeling like part of the greater whole. Really just fan service in these, but then it's always fun to know how these things will develop in the future.
An enjoyable read that sets up further books in the series. I would say a solid 3.5, but I'll round up for review purposes!
June 28, 2025
Again, this is a book that will appeal most to Star Trek fans. I'm not sure it will really capture other people. It helps to have read at least the four books that precede it, although it does catch up on the facts with subtle previously-ons. So, start with The Good That Men Do then Kobayashi Maru then the two books about The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing and To Brave the Storm. Considering this book alone, there are a lot of different groups to keep track of. The book is not really centred on any one ship. That allows a broader view of what is happening but it can also be harder to find an emotional connection to the material. It seems that the writers are providing prequels to all the Star Trek that followed: names like Paris and Kirk appear and Dax reappears. It is rather lovely. The book continues the stories of the Enterprise crew - all of them, even those once thought dead - and it shows more natural growth and progression that you often get in TV shows where the production team want to keep the old gang together. Throughout the book, there is a theme of enemies who don't want regulation and peace trying to break up the Federation. And, an exploring, curious mindset compared to an aggressive warlike stance. "If you go looking for a fight, you tend to find it." It seems unlikely that it was written with the current (2025) global situation but the messages of calm analysis and compassion are very apposite now.
June 19, 2017
Der Beginn der Staffel "Star Trek ENTERPRISE - Rise of the Federation" führt die Handlung der Besatzung der ehemaligen Enterprise NX-1 unter Captain Archer fort. Nach dem Ende des romulanischen Krieges wird Archer zum Admiral befördert, T'Pol und Malcolm Reed bekommen eigene Commandos auf bedeutende Schiffen, Trip Tucker ist immer noch bei der mysteriösen Sektion 31 und hat eine telepathische Verbindung mit T'Pol etabliert. Die neu gegründete Förderation steht vor großen Herausforderungen im Innern und auch von Außen, das fragile Gebilde gefällt nicht jedem und Archers Lebensaufgabe, die Schaffung der Förderation steht in Gefahr. In diesem Band wird eine fremde Spezies von einiger Untergrundorganisation mißbraucht, um einen Krieg zwischen einigen Völkern anzuzetteln, auch um zu zeigen, dass die Förderation nicht in der Lage ist, den Frieden zu gewährleisten. Im Roman gelingt es den Besatzungen der beiden Schiffe, der Endeavour unter T'Pol und der Pioneer unter Reed, die offensichtliche Verschwörung aufzudecken, der auch einige Förderationspolitiker angehörten. Allerdings endet der Roman mit einem Cliffhanger, die eigentliche Verschwörung wurde mit diesem Geschehen getarnt und es sind einige alte Bekannte am Werk....
Wer ENTERPRISE mag und die Serie um Jonathan Archer und seine Leute mitfiebert, kommt um diese neue Serie nicht herum...
Wer ENTERPRISE mag und die Serie um Jonathan Archer und seine Leute mitfiebert, kommt um diese neue Serie nicht herum...
September 4, 2017
I enjoyed this Trek novel. It uses the characters from the "Enterprise" series (Archer, etc.) and takes place a number of years after that series (and after a handful of other post-Enterprise novels). The author is clearly a huge Trek fan/scholar/nerd (take your pick). He has a list of annotations for the novel on his blog that are quite impressive (and maybe a little scary).
There are a lot of obscure references in this book, but I think it holds together reasonably well, even if you don't know (or care) about most of them. It does help to be reasonably familiar with the original Enterprise series. (I started re-watching season 1 on Netflix to refresh my memory, after I started reading this book.) And an occasional check of Memory Beta comes in handy too.
This definitely isn't a good book to read if you're not already a Star Trek fan. And if you're a Trek fan who didn't care much for Enterprise, this also probably isn't for you. But if you're a fan of Trek in general, liked the Enterprise characters (at least), and don't mind doing a little side-research to keep up, then you'd probably enjoy this book.
There are a lot of obscure references in this book, but I think it holds together reasonably well, even if you don't know (or care) about most of them. It does help to be reasonably familiar with the original Enterprise series. (I started re-watching season 1 on Netflix to refresh my memory, after I started reading this book.) And an occasional check of Memory Beta comes in handy too.
This definitely isn't a good book to read if you're not already a Star Trek fan. And if you're a Trek fan who didn't care much for Enterprise, this also probably isn't for you. But if you're a fan of Trek in general, liked the Enterprise characters (at least), and don't mind doing a little side-research to keep up, then you'd probably enjoy this book.
September 12, 2023
Challenging, hopeful, informative, inspiring,
mysterious, reflective, and tense.
Slow-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75 ⭐
This is a set of books (five last ones in the Enterprise time period) that have shifted from War to political intrigue and shinanigans. All our favourites...in different roles, and new characters to push them.
This is actually where I believe Admiral Archer would've flourished on screen. Scott Bakula would have chewed up these scenes.
Also, having Captain T'Pol and Sato on the same ship. Yes! AND...Captain Reed with his #1 being Merryweather. Love these pairings. Also, having Trip still in Section 31. You can see that it is wearing on him, but how much a "good person" is needed in an organization that does SO many shady things.
I will probably pick up the sequel...in a day or two. I think I'm going to head back over to the Odyssey One series by Evan Currie.
#SpaceOperaSeptember2023
mysterious, reflective, and tense.
Slow-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75 ⭐
This is a set of books (five last ones in the Enterprise time period) that have shifted from War to political intrigue and shinanigans. All our favourites...in different roles, and new characters to push them.
This is actually where I believe Admiral Archer would've flourished on screen. Scott Bakula would have chewed up these scenes.
Also, having Captain T'Pol and Sato on the same ship. Yes! AND...Captain Reed with his #1 being Merryweather. Love these pairings. Also, having Trip still in Section 31. You can see that it is wearing on him, but how much a "good person" is needed in an organization that does SO many shady things.
I will probably pick up the sequel...in a day or two. I think I'm going to head back over to the Odyssey One series by Evan Currie.
#SpaceOperaSeptember2023
April 20, 2022
I enjoyed the story with the 'Mutes' but there were all these subplots that it all seemed bit of a mess. As if the writer couldn't decide which story he wanted to go with so mushed them all in to the one book.
Something else that's been bothering me with the books, which really got to me with this one, is what's been done with Trip's character. Yes, going through awful things can have an affect on people but it's like he's a completely different person now. With the TV show, Trip was one of my favourite characters but the books have made him nearly unlikeable.
Another thing is Archer. I LOVE Archer but considering the cover has him on it, you'd thing he'd be in the book a lot. He was basically a side character, watching from the sidelines with the occasional input.
Maybe my main issue is that it's not the Enterprise crew all together anymore but it just irks me how it's been written after the series.
Something else that's been bothering me with the books, which really got to me with this one, is what's been done with Trip's character. Yes, going through awful things can have an affect on people but it's like he's a completely different person now. With the TV show, Trip was one of my favourite characters but the books have made him nearly unlikeable.
Another thing is Archer. I LOVE Archer but considering the cover has him on it, you'd thing he'd be in the book a lot. He was basically a side character, watching from the sidelines with the occasional input.
Maybe my main issue is that it's not the Enterprise crew all together anymore but it just irks me how it's been written after the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2021
Pretty good. Still a little scattershot and unfocused, but much better than the Romulan War books in that sense. Sending Reed and Mayweather off on the Pioneer is a neat choice, and giving T'Pol captaincy is an unironic girlboss moment.
That said, there were a few weird bits. There's a random conversation where two characters talk about how they wouldn't live in a futuristic space utopia if it weren't for the founding of the United States, which is wild and felt a little like country felatio. The ending was also a little odd, with T'Pol and Hoshi going through some pretty intense trauma that gets skipped over quickly and doesn't seem to leave a lasting impact.
Overall, though, a definite improvement in quality for the Enterprise Relaunch (although I wonder if they can even call it Enterprise now that the ship itself has been mothballed, but whatever).
That said, there were a few weird bits. There's a random conversation where two characters talk about how they wouldn't live in a futuristic space utopia if it weren't for the founding of the United States, which is wild and felt a little like country felatio. The ending was also a little odd, with T'Pol and Hoshi going through some pretty intense trauma that gets skipped over quickly and doesn't seem to leave a lasting impact.
Overall, though, a definite improvement in quality for the Enterprise Relaunch (although I wonder if they can even call it Enterprise now that the ship itself has been mothballed, but whatever).
May 16, 2022
It has been a while since I read the Romulan War duology, and I figured it would be nice to go back to Star Trek books with the Rise of the Federation titles. And while one can argue that none of this "matters" with respect to what might be considered to be "canon", it's still very fun reading. I appreciate the challenges of keeping this early Federation together because they no longer have the pressure of a war to help keep things together. And things literally aren't working perfectly together down to the very starships of this early Starfleet.
I didn't imagine that their biggest threat would be pirates and criminals in the area, but it's a plausible enough antagonist since they can't use the bigger guns like the Klingons and the Romulans - originally because of the constraints of what is actually canon.
Pretty solid stuff all around, but what I'm more curious about is what they're going to do with Trip. Clearly, him being a part of Section 31 can't work out for him for much longer, but he also can't just "come back to life" without consequences.
I didn't imagine that their biggest threat would be pirates and criminals in the area, but it's a plausible enough antagonist since they can't use the bigger guns like the Klingons and the Romulans - originally because of the constraints of what is actually canon.
Pretty solid stuff all around, but what I'm more curious about is what they're going to do with Trip. Clearly, him being a part of Section 31 can't work out for him for much longer, but he also can't just "come back to life" without consequences.
January 4, 2023
This is probably my 4th or 5th Star Trek book and I’ve sadly not read the books that chronologically played before this one. I still think tho that this was definitely nothing I needed and as I have nothing really to compare this book with I think it’s 5 stars. I personally loved the way politics was brought into it and I especially loved the way the conflict of the starting federation was shown.
The way the prime directive was discussed or the issues we as a human race have to suffer from right now was brought to a point made me think a lot.
And yes I do think this should be read carefully. It is pretty political. But especially in the beginning of the federation this must be discussed. And the title is literally “Rise of the Federation”!
I’m excited to see what comes next!
The way the prime directive was discussed or the issues we as a human race have to suffer from right now was brought to a point made me think a lot.
And yes I do think this should be read carefully. It is pretty political. But especially in the beginning of the federation this must be discussed. And the title is literally “Rise of the Federation”!
I’m excited to see what comes next!
September 17, 2022
Beyond Enterprise
This is still the Enterprise series, but, ironically, the Enterprise is no longer in active service, as we learned from the previous book. Chris Bennett takes over the story in this volume, bringing some much needed order to the series, while, at the same time, moving the story and characters along. With the Enterprise gone, all these folks had to go somewhere, and Bennett does a good job sorting that out without it getting boring and introducing new characters as well. He also does a good job keeping the story organized as to the where and when events transpire. Did we get a peek at an ancestor or two of some later very familiar characters?
This is still the Enterprise series, but, ironically, the Enterprise is no longer in active service, as we learned from the previous book. Chris Bennett takes over the story in this volume, bringing some much needed order to the series, while, at the same time, moving the story and characters along. With the Enterprise gone, all these folks had to go somewhere, and Bennett does a good job sorting that out without it getting boring and introducing new characters as well. He also does a good job keeping the story organized as to the where and when events transpire. Did we get a peek at an ancestor or two of some later very familiar characters?
February 8, 2023
I’m really enjoying the post-series Enterprise novels, but this one felt a little disjointed to me. The disparate stories never really came together although the author tried at the very end. I did enjoy seeing our characters out of the element of Enterprise though. Seeing Reed, Sato, and even Mayweather become more fully developed characters with interesting stories is a real treat! One thing I’m not really looking forward to though is more Orions. That said, I know Bennett’s other work so I have high hopes for the other Rise of the Federation novels.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews