Star Trek: Discovery: Somewhere to Belong

Star Trek: Discovery #9

by Dayton Ward

An all-new audiobook based upon the acclaimed Star Trek TV series!

Captain Michael Burnham and the crew of the USS Discovery are finding that each day is a critical adjustment to their new lives and new missions in an Alpha Quadrant more than nine hundred years in the future. It’s here that Discovery is reconnecting with various worlds where the cataclysmic event known as “the Burn” has decimated Starfleet and, with it, the United Federation of Planets. There’s been precious little time for the crew to truly come to terms with their present reality, as their devotion to duty hides the emotional stress that could impact their effectiveness, and even threaten themselves or others.

After a successful journey to yet another planet cut off from the Federation, Discovery picks up a distress signal located in a nearby star system—a plea that harbors roots from their past lives in the 23rd century, and which may now lead to an entirely new crisis, plunging them all into mortal danger…

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Media Tie In, Fiction, Ebooks

Audible Audio

First published May 30, 2023

About the author

Dayton is a software developer, having become a slave to Corporate America after spending eleven years in the U.S. Marine Corps. When asked, he’ll tell you that he left home and joined the military soon after high school because he’d grown tired of people telling him what to do all the time.

Ask him sometime how well that worked out.

In addition to the numerous credits he shares with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore, he is the author of the Star Trek novels In the Name of Honor and Open Secrets, the science fiction novels The Last World War and The Genesis Protocol, and short stories which have appeared in the first three Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies, the Yard Dog Press anthology Houston, We’ve Got Bubbas, Kansas City Voices Magazine and the Star Trek: New Frontier anthology No Limits. Though he currently lives in Kansas City with wife Michi and daughters Addison and Erin, Dayton is a Florida native and still maintains a torrid long-distance romance with his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Reviews

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to be candid at the beginning of the review. I am not a fan of the Star Trek Discovery TV series and only made it 3 ⁄ 4 through the first season before I stopped watching. It simply wasn’t a series for me to enjoy. I have kept up with the major events and characters and major plot points, so I am somewhat familiar with what has happened in the intervening seasons.

As someone who is not a huge Discovery fan and hasn’t watched the recent episodes, I can attest that this book is extremely readable to casual fans. Dayton Ward does a good job of playing catchup with information.

Oftentimes, Star Trek books will work even better for their series for me, and sometimes will give me new appreciation for the series. For example, I have read John Jackson Miller’s The Enterprise War and Die Standing, and I thought those books were great and gave Discovery a new outlet for me to enjoy. Likewise, Una McCormack’s The Last Best Hope gave me greater appreciation for season 1 of Star Trek Picard. This book follows that pattern and gave me greater appreciation for the characters of Discovery.

Where this book really shines is in its plot and its writing style. Dayton Ward is no stranger to Star Trek, as he has written around 30 Star Trek novels. As such, he has really developed a style that feels indelibly Star Trek, and his style shines here. This book actually feels very much like a Star Trek book from any of the other series.

The story here likewise is both very Star Trek in design and also is very engaging. The crew of the Discovery answer a distress call from a species they previously encountered 900 years ago. Helping with this distress signal gives the crew an opportunity to mend a broken relationship this species has with Starfleet. Unfortunately, there are those who do not want that relationship restored, and thus work to thwart the progress the Discovery makes.

The biggest issue with this book comes in the first 50 pages. Dayton Ward spends a lot of time dealing with the mental health of the crew, especially with the fact that they have jumped 900 years into the future and are grappling with issues like not having friends or family outside the ship. It is totally understandable that Dayton Ward would include such a focus on mental health, as the tv show also makes that an element of paramount importance. However, in the story, it makes everything feel bleak, boring, and unappealing to large quadrants of audiences. I felt nervous reading the book, fearing that if the rest of the book continued down that path I would hate it. Thankfully, the mental health discussions are minimal and are only brief parts of the story later on, but the opening 50ish pages are a struggle to get through.

I really liked the species that the book dealt with: The Xaheans. Their worldbuilding makes total sense in the Discovery universe, and their struggles are very relatable. I thought that the way they adapted to a “post-burn” society was intriguing and I really wanted to see how their plights would get solved. And Dayton Ward set off a complex enough plot that there wasn’t a single answer to solve all of the problems.

I felt conflicted about the new character Doctor Arbusala. He actually was funny and brought an interesting dynamic in a few of his scenes. However, the majority of his appearance brought back up the ideas of mental health, which made the story slow down too much for me.

Overall, this is a good book. I enjoyed the overall process, especially after I got past the first 50 pages. However, it doesn’t necessarily stand among the upper echelons of Trek novels. Nonetheless, my bar to pass is if it is overall an entertaining experience, and I would posit that this is a fairly entertaining experience. I’ll give the book a 3.5 out of 5.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Emerald Chain has been defeated, the source of the Burn has been identified and dilithium has been rendered safe once more. The crew of the 'Discovery' must now come to terms with their new place in the galaxy, stranded over nine centuries from home. However, a distress call leads them into a rescue mission with immediate connections to their past and Captain Burnham must rally her crew once more.

Ward's novel works wonderfully. The characters are true to themselves, the plot balances a story about separatists straining against an oppressive regime with one about the characters struggling to reconcile just how alone they are. 'Somewhere to Belong' is the perfect title in so many levels.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This can be a very slow burn at times...but it's worth the effort, as this is trying to be the archetypal, contemplative Trek story. A story where compassion, intelligence, compromise, and ingenuity combines to solve problems. It also deals with a few outstanding issues in the gap between seasons 3 & 4 of Discovery...and does so with panache. A solid piece of storytelling.

[Russell Thiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last in the 8 book series on Discovery series. I enjoyed them all. I hope they continue writing new stories....

[Chris The Lizard from Planet X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dayton Ward’s Star Trek: Discovery: Somewhere to Belong is a heartfelt and thought-provoking addition to the Star Trek: Discovery universe. With his signature blend of introspection and action, Ward crafts a narrative that explores the enduring themes of identity, purpose, and belonging while staying true to the spirit of Star Trek.

Set after the events of Star Trek: Discovery Season 4, the novel focuses on the crew’s ongoing mission to rebuild connections and trust in a galaxy still reeling from the Burn. Ward expertly balances ensemble storytelling with deep dives into character development, giving every major player a moment to shine. However, the spotlight belongs to Michael Burnham and an enigmatic character whose personal struggles mirror the wider questions facing the Federation.

Ward’s writing excels at capturing the emotional weight of the characters’ journeys, particularly Burnham’s. Her unwavering commitment to the ideals of Starfleet is tested against seemingly insurmountable odds, and Ward portrays her resilience and vulnerability with equal care. The addition of the new character—a refugee grappling with a lost home and fractured identity—creates a compelling parallel that highlights the broader struggle of rebuilding community in a fractured galaxy.

The novel’s pacing is deliberate, allowing for quieter, introspective moments that deepen the emotional stakes. That said, action-packed sequences are interspersed throughout, from tense diplomatic standoffs to thrilling space-bound encounters, ensuring the story retains the excitement fans expect from the franchise.

Where Ward truly shines is in his ability to weave Star Trek’s core ethos into the narrative. The story examines what it means to belong—not just to a crew or a cause but to a vision of a better future. It’s a message that feels both timeless and timely, resonating with the challenges of unity and diversity in our own world.

If there’s a critique to be made, it’s that some secondary plotlines feel slightly rushed or overshadowed by the central narrative. However, this doesn’t detract significantly from the overall experience, as the novel’s emotional core remains strong.

Star Trek: Discovery: Somewhere to Belong is a standout installment in the Discovery novel series. Dayton Ward delivers a story that will satisfy longtime fans with its rich character work and thematic depth while offering newcomers a compelling gateway into the Star Trek universe.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
A touching exploration of what it means to find—and fight for—where you belong in an ever-changing universe.

[Bradon Jurn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Somewhere To Belong" we find our Disco crew enjoying some well earned Shore Leave after defeating Osyraa and The Emrald Chain. But it isn't long before Admiral Vance recalls the 23rd century crew for a simple mission to deliver a dilithium consignment. Along the way Discovery answers a distress call and ends up in the middle of an intergalactic quagmire that places the crew in a dangerous situation.
One of the things this book does great from the get go is catch the reader up with the 'who, what, when, and where's' of the show at the end of it's third season. These thorough recaps saved me from having to go back and rewatch a bunch of episodes to know what was going on.
The crew of the USS Discovery still haven't had a chance to fully process their intergration into the thirty-second century. The consequences of this drastic change are addressed with many of the various characters, all of whom are written spot on. I particularly liked the writng of Engineer Jett Reno. I love this character, and it's obvious the author does too. She reminds me alot of Hawkeye from Mash: someone who sarcasms thier way through every crisis-no matter how much is at stake.
The author's knowledge of computers and software is evident in parts of this adventure. But it's written in an understandable way so that a computer illiterate guy like me can understand it. I liked this element of the story, as it gave Discovery's sentient A.I., Zora, a chance to shine.
The alien race at the center of this story is fleshed out exceedingly well. Great depth and detail are given to thier history and overall place in the universe. The internal crisis plaguing this race is very similar to things going on in our own society, and makes for a very relevant allegory.
So what you get with "Somewhere To Belong" is a compelling Discovery adventure staggered with great character moments and intrigue. I had mentioned how I was grateful for the 'thorough recaps' as they saved me from having to do rewatches, but by the end of this book I was ready to give season 3 another viewing. Because, more than anything, "Somewhere To Belong" reminded me 'why' I love this show and it's characters so much to begin with.

[Joel Jorden · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Star Trek Discovery novels have often been interesting, compelling, and memorable, focusing on characters to explore them and dive deep into their histories and personalities in ways that the show didn't. (Sometimes, they even get overwritten by later onscreen stories.) Or, the novels have focused on events or backstories not shown onscreen.

The first four novels focused on the USS Discovery's interactions with Captain Pike and Lieutenant Spock before Discovery Season Two explored these dynamics; the intersecting histories of Captains Georgiou and Lorca; Saru's species and personality; and Tilly's personal history.

Book five answered the question "Where were Captain Pike and the USS Enterprise during the Federation-Klingon War?", and book six explored Culber's time in the Mycelial Network before his resurrection/restoration. Book seven gave us Mirror Georgiou working for Section 31 (a far, far more interesting story than the abysmal television movie that eventually happened) and the eighth book gave us the untold story of Burnham's first year in the 32nd century before the USS Discovery caught up to her.

This last (to date) Discovery novel chooses to explore the gap between Seasons Three and Four, with an eye for the crew coming to terms with their temporal displacement as well as helping the civilization of Xahea (first seen in Season Two). By rights, I should have enjoyed this novel as much as I've enjoyed the previous eight, as it is doing much of the same interesting character/plot exploration that the rest of the series has done. And yet this novel... it's fine. It wasn't compelling, but it wasn't boring. It was just average; forgettable. Nothing felt interesting, nothing felt like a deep look into a character or a must-read untold adventure. It just was.

It could have been worse. But it really should have been better.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 Review 81. Star Trek Discovery #9 Somewhere to Belong by Dayton Ward

Page Count : 336

I absolutely loved this book.

Dayton Ward has done a fantastic job of getting the feel of the Discovery crew and I could hear the voice of each character when reading their dialogue.

I loved the way the author set the Discovery crew up and explained how they were still settling into their roles and place in the future they find themselves in.

This book is linked to the final episodes of season 2 of Star Trek Discovery and brings the Xaheans from those episodes into the future with them.

During a mission to bring dilithium to a planet which was cut off after the Burn event, the USS Discovery receives a distress call which has a link to their past.

Answering this distress call, will plunge the Discovery into another crisis bringing them close to mortal danger.

On the first day I started this book I read over 100 pages (80 of which were read in one stint).

There were several other things that really grabbed my attention :

1) The author name dropped 2 other Star Trek authors in this book as security personnel on the USS Discovery. (Derek Attico and Kelli Fitzgerald)

2) The crew of Discovery have regular movie nights in the ships shuttlebay and one of the movies the crew selected during this book is a science fiction movie about a group of actors who are mistaken for space adventurers by a group of aliens as they starred in a science fiction series in the past.

This is definitely a book that I will read again in the future and I can't wait to read any future Star Trek Dayton Ward writes.

This is my 11th book finished during the #greatspaceread and the 11th Star Trek book by Dayton Ward that I have read.

5*
*****

[Paul Lunger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 9th novel based on "Star Trek: Discovery", "Somewhere to Belong" by Dayton Ward is a book that means well & then decides to go off the rails for reasons it doesn't need to. The book itself starts off with Captain Pike letting Queen Po know that Discovery has successfully made it to where they intended to in the 23rd century before jumping into the 32nd century. From there, we have what appears to be a relatively simple distress call that the ship answers en route to another mission. That distress call ends up being from a Xahean ship which is harboring a secret of its own. Ward does a good job sticking with the characters in series as well as introducing a Denobulan doctor named Arbusala who is a counselor tasked with making sure Discovery's crew is handling the transition to the 32nd century without issues. The characters themselves work fine but once the crew reach where the Xaheans are at now things get so far-fetched that at times Ward is stretching for an answer to this story he created. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually glad to have Trek novels back in general since the release schedule as of late has been rather thin, but this is not Ward's best work even though it does fill a void we the readers need.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this is a very well plotted, engaging novel that takes place between seasons 3 and 4. There are two approaches to media tie in books: write an episode in prose, or take advantage of the different medium to do a deep dive into characterization and the relationships you don't see on screen. This is the former, where I was hoping for the latter. This is somewhat an expectations mismatch.

There was also a lot of data dumping, as if Mr. Ward expected someone reading this to not have seen the show, or missed certain episodes; this seems weird for a streaming show?

I also wonder when this was written? To be blunt, the relationships between Paul Stamets, Hugh Culber, and Adira Tal feel a little weird, kind of awkward and not quite right (also, everyone else is referred to by last name, except Adira. I know this is somewhat to be precise to deambiguate between Adira and Gray, but since Adira is the only one who can see Gray at this point...

I don't know, it felt off. Solid book, but not quite what I was hoping for.

[B.J. Burgess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listen, Dayton Ward is an incredible writer, but he could only do so much with Star Trek: Discovery's problems, and by that, I mean its unlikeable characters, which he does his best to add some much-needed depth to, and for the most part, he does succeed in that aspect. Somewhere to Belong is a drawn-out drama; some might call it a slow-burner. Usually, I like these types of stories, but I tuned out after Captain Pike left in the first chapter. Didn't I mention that I dislike the Discovery crew? If I can't connect with a character or characters, I lose interest in the story; unfortunately, that happened here. It took me over two weeks to read the novel because I didn't care about the characters. Sure, the story was interesting, thanks to Dayton Ward's writing talents, but it wasn't enough to keep me invested. ╌★★½✰✰

[Chris Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was okay. Ward is typically among the strongest Trek writers, so a moderate success feels a bit like a let-down from him.

But I do want to compliment the audiobook narrator. She does amazing work, capturing nuances of expression and speech patterns, particularly for Zora, Burnham, and Culber. LaVoy brings each of those characters to life with delicacy and honesty. Yes, Ward created the right lines for each character to stay believably true-to-form, but LaVoy’s performance really shines, presenting a full cast represented through a single voice. It’s impressive work, skillfully delivered.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this overall, but I don't think it quite hung together. It starts off like the Discovery crew is going to initiate a color revolution on a non-Federation world and there's some interesting political twists and turns. But most of that isn't followed through on and instead everything wraps up for pretty vague reasons. Also, there's a pretty pointless plot thread where a Denobulan therapist shows up to make Culber feel better and then leaves. I guess that's in keeping with Discovery's vibe.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. I had coincidentally (and randomly) just re-watched the appropriate Short Trek within a week of reading this book having absolutely no idea there would be a direct tie-in. The episode is Runaway (the first Short Trek, from 2018).. if you are able to, watch this before beginning to read this novel!

This was a good story and I enjoyed it. I agree with others that it would have made an excellent episode. I sincerely hope there are going to more Discovery Books in the future. I miss the show already!

[Jim Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a slow start to a decent story. It's almost like the author wanted to focus on the DSC crew needing to take care of their mental health, but had to throw in another plot line to satisfy the publishers. Having said that, the author balanced the two well. DSC has always been good at remembering to address the ramifications to the crew after a traumatic event. The other plot line was thankfully not "galaxy threatening".

[Rafaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. The characters are perfectly portrayed and every single one of them has an arc that fits well with their own struggles and the story told by the author. It serves well as a reminder of the order events of the previous seasons and it’s packed with easter eggs. Really fun reading and easy to go by.

[Jennifer Baratta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you January LaVoy for narrating this story and book.
Galaxy Quest and Star Trek Voyager are mentioned in this book and viewed by the Discovery crew. Nora protects the crew and ship.Read and or listen to this book.

[Jason Barney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading....

[Peter G · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice follow up on a season 2 and short treks, and wards writing is stellar as usual, but the lack of Saru dampens the book overall for me.

[Shane DiGiovanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Really Good Discovery Episode

Of all the Discovery novels, this one nails the feel of the show in a way the others haven’t. This book reads like a good episode of Discovery. I believe Discovery’s strength is in its focus on interpersonal relationships and communication, and this novel understands that.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit surprised that this book was set between seasons 3 and 4 rather than between 4 and 5. But perhaps there's some background being saved for when people watch season 5. It definitely feels like being with the Discovery characters, right down to the story acknowledging the mental health of the crew who have jumped nine centuries into the future.

[John Keegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set between the third and fourth seasons of the show, this is a solid adventure with some surprising and rewarding connections to the second season. And along the way, there is an exploration of the psychological state of the characters, which makes sense, given the enormous changes they have dealt with. A solid read for Discovery fans!

[Christopher Leto · Rating 5 out of 5]

great addition to the show.

A fun read. Previous novels have not been able to show the crew inserted in the series. The novels have been prequels or alternate universe takes. This one felt like the first real disco novel and it doesn’t disappoint.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably an unpopular opinion but...

Finally! I'm finished. This was one of my least favorite Star Trek books ever. Plodding events, some characters I thought were not well crafted or not true to character, and kind of cheesy resolution. Not at all what I usually expect from Dayton Ward!

[Nabil Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and Wonderful Star Trek Tale.

This book was well written and the story proceeded at a lively pace. It was composed in a fine manner. It was exciting to read.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great three-dimensional characters, epic world building, full of edge of the seat plot twists from the beginning and daring do right from the start! :D

[Pers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.