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Technical Manual
The Star Trek: The Next Generation® Technical Manual, written by Rick Sternbach and Michael Okuda, the technical advisors to Star Trek: The Next Generation, provides a comprehensive schematization of a Galaxy-class starship. From the bridge to the shuttlebays, from the transporter room to crews' quarters, this book provides a never-before-seen glimpse at the inner, intricate workings of the most incredible starship ever conceived.
Full of diagrams, technical schematics, and ship's plans, the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual also takes a detailed look at the principles behind Star Trek®'s awesome technology -- from phasers to warp drive to the incredible holodeck.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1991
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876 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
June 14, 2012
Heh, this was my Bible back in the day before Pocket Books stopped accepting TNG manuscripts. Ask me about Heisenberg compensators. Go on, ask me.
August 30, 2016
This thing is too geeked out even for my geekiness, but it is what it says it is, a technical manual. And for that I give it 5-stars for detail and thoroughness. An entire book of this:
"At Warp factors 1-4 the injectors fire a low frequencies, between 30 Hz and 40 Hz, and remain open for short periods, between 25 ns and 30 ns." and so on.
There are sporadic anecdotes that are interesting. Patrick Stewart asked how a warp drive worked. He was told such a device was beyond known physics. He said "Nonsense, all you have to do is say 'Engage.'"
"At Warp factors 1-4 the injectors fire a low frequencies, between 30 Hz and 40 Hz, and remain open for short periods, between 25 ns and 30 ns." and so on.
There are sporadic anecdotes that are interesting. Patrick Stewart asked how a warp drive worked. He was told such a device was beyond known physics. He said "Nonsense, all you have to do is say 'Engage.'"
February 5, 2011
Althought a few later tech manuals would supercede it, this remains the book that blew open the doors on behind-the-scene verisimilitude. If Star Trek's Enterprise-D was real, this would be THE cadet's guide to the ship.
April 3, 2015
Worth picking up even now!
December 28, 2019
This is quite possibly my favorite book. I’ve read it countless times. Got my recent copy off of eBay. It’s such a dorky book and a great piece of technical fiction.
February 2, 2018
As a fan of TNG, I am so happy this book exists so that not all of the books are about TOS. It really reminds you how HUGE the 1701-D was compared to the 1701, and illustrates its longer-term mission with thousands of people living on the ship for an extended period of time. In fact, you could say that Starfleet's greatest accomplishment was not scientific or tactical, but one of management. How else could you get a crew of hundreds or thousands together on a ship for months or years, not always in contact with HQ, and have them all performing near 100%, and not have a disaster? The part about how the ship was built was fascinating. It took 20 years from the Galaxy Class Project's approval in 2343, to the extensive testing starting in 2357 once hull integrity was complete, to the Enterprise's official commission at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yard on October 4 2363. I also liked the descriptions of how the transporter and phasers work, though the replicators could use some more detail. It can be hard to tell how much of it is real and how much is fantasy. It is a joy to read this; it reads like a textbook except there is proper spelling and grammar, a simpler sentence structure, and the subject matter is actually interesting. The pictures and diagrams are in black and white but they are so clear you won't mind.
December 29, 2009
A must own for the Trek Geek. Mine has been on the bookshelf for the longest time.
October 3, 2019
this was a childhood treasure for me, I pored over every page of it, and wanted more. the interesting designs coming up. how it all worked. I should get a new copy
March 20, 2019
I am writing a novel. In my novel, I have a starship crashing. I totally wrote it wrong. The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual solved that problem for me.
May 22, 2017
I think I got this book as a teenager, but in a move I lost it and didn't know until much later when I watched all of the Star Trek shows and wanted to dig up the book. I wound up compelled to buy it from a bookstore.
It's kinda cool to see all the thought that went into creating this fictional star ship and all the fluff for it, especially after watching the show. Kind of a cool way to continue enjoying the franchise again without repeat watching.
It's kinda cool to see all the thought that went into creating this fictional star ship and all the fluff for it, especially after watching the show. Kind of a cool way to continue enjoying the franchise again without repeat watching.
July 9, 2017
Along with the philosophy the technology of Star Trek is one of the best parts. I have always loved how Star Trek attempts to illustrate the application of scientific theories to really awesome technology. This book explains how these things work, how they fit, and make one understand the significance of some of the mundane comments and discussions on the show. If only writers would read this before writing....
December 12, 2018
I’ll admit, I didn’t read every single word, due to the fact that this technical manual went to such a crazy level of detail. I don’t really need to know every statistic on every moment of a transport cycle, or the exact alignment of the warp core of the Enterprise-D, but I’m extremely happy to own the book that can tell me that and more. I love world building and learning how fictional technologies work, and this book is that to the extreme.
March 9, 2020
Not Bad But a Bit Damaged
Good translation overall but note that almost all of the pictures are incorrectly labeled. Egregious example is a PADD showing up as a shunt and an isolinear chip showing up as a PADD. However, if you really enjoy TNG, this is worth a read. It’s written as if it really is the 24th century and someone is reading up on the Enterprise’s technical specifications.
Good translation overall but note that almost all of the pictures are incorrectly labeled. Egregious example is a PADD showing up as a shunt and an isolinear chip showing up as a PADD. However, if you really enjoy TNG, this is worth a read. It’s written as if it really is the 24th century and someone is reading up on the Enterprise’s technical specifications.
October 24, 2021
Great and fun read. Even has some technical info I needed. The only downside is that it's old and so it's printed on old paper with an old binding and is not like the shiny new glossy illustrated books you tend to find nowadays (like all the "Art of" this movie or that...)
I loved it so much I bought a copy to re-read !
I loved it so much I bought a copy to re-read !
April 13, 2022
Imaginatively written, I enjoyed turning the pages, reading more closely here and there, but overall this is definitely a book for skimming, except for the true Trekker (Trekkie?). I liked that the authors spoke out directly to the reader here and there to explain matters to those not fully initiated.
April 11, 2025
The amazing world of Star Trek: The Next Generation comes alive in this book that takes you deep into the heart of the USS Enterprise-D.
There are many decks and parts of the ship to explore. And this book gives you command.
There are many decks and parts of the ship to explore. And this book gives you command.
March 5, 2019
For what it is, it's all but perfect.
July 6, 2019
Yes I read this many years ago, and yes it was amazing. Would read again.
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July 17, 2020Undated 11th printing by numberline.
October 23, 2022
Loved this as kid when I got it, still love it now going back through it. Really interesting mix of in-universe write-ups of things and asides from the production of the TV show.
January 27, 2025
Great overview of the TNG ship
June 27, 2025
This is a fun distillation of the science-fiction behind the Star Trek TNG universe and all the thought they put into something that worked well on television while also being internally consistent.
March 23, 2017
An absolute delight of my childhood, I would pour over the diagrams and descriptions and dream of the stars
December 21, 2019
A treasure trove of information for any Star Trek enthusiast, I've had this copy for over 25 years, and still check it out on a regular basis
January 11, 2017
The best Star Trek technical manual ever made from the source himself. Incredibly detailed, covers everything you 'd want and then more. Especially loved all the projected USS-1701-E designs!!
All other technical manuals that came after this unfortunately paled in comparison - they got dumber, with just way more pictures.
All other technical manuals that came after this unfortunately paled in comparison - they got dumber, with just way more pictures.
Read
November 10, 2015This book really confused me when I was younger-- it was like a D&D sourcebook, for a television show? It spawned an interest in all kinds of apocryphal writing; I can't get enough of these kinds of coffee table books, even as an adult. --MK
February 23, 2007
Yes, I'm a geek.
May 5, 2007
Interesting book.
May 14, 2008
Good resource on TNG Treknology.
July 18, 2008
Amusing at the time I first saw it, but since then I've come to the realization that even I am not so much of a nerd to truly appreciate the time and effort required for a book of this type.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews