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Starfleet Year One
Tells the fan-requested story of the foundation of Starfleet!
Earth Command defeated the Romulans with the help of other races across the galaxy, and the Neutral Zone was established. Out of that necessary and uneasy collaboration came the United Federation of Planets and its combined forces, Starfleet. But the close quarters of a starship among so many races and personalities is discomforting to all the ranks. Control of what could grow to be the greatest power in the galaxy is at stake and no one is taking it lightly. A powerful new class of starship, the Daedalus, the flagship of the new Federation fleet, is up for grabs among the six new Starfleet captains. Admiral Ed Walker is determined to keep this jewel, and all of Starfleet, under military command and away from the scientists. He chooses Captain Aaron Stiles as his protege in the endeavour. Stiles, bent on avenging the death of his brother Jake, faces stiff resistance from Walker's rebellious space jock nephew Dane and scientist Capt. Bryce Shumar. But they face their biggest threat of all in an unknown alien race destroying the bases of the Oreias system. Can brains and brawn combine to win without killing each other in the process.
Earth Command defeated the Romulans with the help of other races across the galaxy, and the Neutral Zone was established. Out of that necessary and uneasy collaboration came the United Federation of Planets and its combined forces, Starfleet. But the close quarters of a starship among so many races and personalities is discomforting to all the ranks. Control of what could grow to be the greatest power in the galaxy is at stake and no one is taking it lightly. A powerful new class of starship, the Daedalus, the flagship of the new Federation fleet, is up for grabs among the six new Starfleet captains. Admiral Ed Walker is determined to keep this jewel, and all of Starfleet, under military command and away from the scientists. He chooses Captain Aaron Stiles as his protege in the endeavour. Stiles, bent on avenging the death of his brother Jake, faces stiff resistance from Walker's rebellious space jock nephew Dane and scientist Capt. Bryce Shumar. But they face their biggest threat of all in an unknown alien race destroying the bases of the Oreias system. Can brains and brawn combine to win without killing each other in the process.
287 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2002
53 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Michael Jan Friedman
374 books205 followersMichael Jan Friedman is an author of more than seventy books of fiction and nonfiction, half of which are in the Star Trek universe. Eleven of his titles have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. Friedman has also written for network and cable television and radio, and scripted nearly 200 comic books, including his original DC superhero series, the Darkstars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 24, 2015
I'm not impressed. It was competent and interesting enough that I wanted to keep reading (which is why it gets 3 stars instead of 2), but it's not a strong work. The story follows the paths of 6 captains vying for control of the newest starship in Starfleet. The 6 are split in two factions (military and science), and each of the 6 have their own agendas, history and moments. Then there are the patrons behind the 6, and the people who the patrons coerce into their efforts. For example, the patron of the diplomatic/science faction recruits both a Vulcan and an Earthling to help found the Federation and lead the negotiations. However, both of these two get about 6 pages total (of a 277-page book) and then are never heard from again.* And what happens to the security officer who flirts with one of the captain, serves under another, and then totally disappears? Why are we suddenly being introduced the the names of the respective ships that the captains have offhandedly? All of this adds up to a messy and ultimately disorganized story that bites off more than it can chew and only swallows a little. The rest comes out as a half-finished garble.
*Correction: The diplomat who recruits these people and the patron of the science faction are two different people. I didn't even notice until I turned to a random page on an unrelated matter.
What makes it worse is that it's not even that the military is arrogant and the diplomats/scientists are the the true successors to Rodenberry's vision: here everyone turns out to be strutting and unlikeable. For some reason, only the scientists are somewhat reasonable (2 of them are, the other is a chronic loner star pilot who magically turns into a great captain when the story calls on him to save someone else). And the military? All doctrinaire, strutting, arrogant, my-way-or-we-get-into-fistfights-with-you. Sloppy.
The book does have its moments, such as the first line of the book: "Commander Bryce Shumar couldn't believe his turbolift had gotten stuck again." This line works because turbolifts almost never break down in Star Trek media unless there's an attack. Here, it just breaks down because it's old - a little bit of the messy reality intruding on the supposed utopia that is the Star Trek universe.
*Correction: The diplomat who recruits these people and the patron of the science faction are two different people. I didn't even notice until I turned to a random page on an unrelated matter.
What makes it worse is that it's not even that the military is arrogant and the diplomats/scientists are the the true successors to Rodenberry's vision: here everyone turns out to be strutting and unlikeable. For some reason, only the scientists are somewhat reasonable (2 of them are, the other is a chronic loner star pilot who magically turns into a great captain when the story calls on him to save someone else). And the military? All doctrinaire, strutting, arrogant, my-way-or-we-get-into-fistfights-with-you. Sloppy.
The book does have its moments, such as the first line of the book: "Commander Bryce Shumar couldn't believe his turbolift had gotten stuck again." This line works because turbolifts almost never break down in Star Trek media unless there's an attack. Here, it just breaks down because it's old - a little bit of the messy reality intruding on the supposed utopia that is the Star Trek universe.
April 1, 2019
The begining of the The United Federation of Planets. How did it happen? Who was there? Who were the heroes? These were the questions I wanted answers to when I picked up this book. I think a lot of Star Trek fans want answers to these questions. There is an entire TV series devoted to these questions. For me this book was a whole lot better at it then the show. But that is a whole different topic. This book got my attention immediately with an epic space battle during the Romulan War. I really want a good Romulan War book but, that's a different topic, too. The middle of the book was kind of slow for me. The characters didn't seem completely fleshed out and the dialog was pretty superficial. My favorite character was the Rigelian Captain Alonis Cobaryn. The story picked up speed about 3/4 of the way into it. And the end, because I am a big sap, made me tear up a little. All in all a solid book and I think one any Star Trek fan would enjoy.
August 26, 2021
In the aftermath of the brutal Earth-Romulan war, a decision is made that Earth needs to form a coalition of planets with its near neighbours and allies for mutual protection and to consolidate diplomatic relations.
As part of this newly formed Federation, the Earth Command is reformed into a Star Fleet, but the balance between exploration and militarism rests in the hands of the six assigned captains, three soldiers and three scientists.
Friedman's (now alternate universe) account of the foundation of the Federation is well conceived, though its origins as a chapter novel provided monthly at the end of other 'Star Trek' novels is easy to spot. In keeping with the best traditions of 'Star Trek', obviously exploration triumphs over fear and defence. Characters are well drawn and names dropped throughout the novel are well used.
As part of this newly formed Federation, the Earth Command is reformed into a Star Fleet, but the balance between exploration and militarism rests in the hands of the six assigned captains, three soldiers and three scientists.
Friedman's (now alternate universe) account of the foundation of the Federation is well conceived, though its origins as a chapter novel provided monthly at the end of other 'Star Trek' novels is easy to spot. In keeping with the best traditions of 'Star Trek', obviously exploration triumphs over fear and defence. Characters are well drawn and names dropped throughout the novel are well used.
October 22, 2020
There was a time when the period between First Contact and Captain Kirk was terra incognita for Star Trek fandom. That began to change in 1999 when Pocket Books began running a serialized tale of Starfleet's earliest days. Entitled Starfleet: Year One, it was to be collected into paperback form in 2001, which has I (and suspect many others) have come to it in years since.
Penned by Trek scribe Michael Jan Friedman, here was a tale set in the closing days of the Romulan War and the founding of the Federation. One set around six captains, competing for command of the next generation (if you'll pardon the expression) of starship, and defining Starfleet's future in the process. It was a rich vein worth tapping, one would think.
Yes and no. Friedman's tale evokes many of the classic Trek tropes, and that is one of its biggest problems. For a story meant to be featuring characters covering new territory, there's a sense of overfamiliarity as the tropes get brought out one by one. The technology also feels a little too advanced, from transporters in regular use to shields and deflectors, rather than something perhaps more in-development. That it also employs a large cast, with six main characters and dozens of supporting ones who often appear for a matter of paragraphs only to disappear from the narrative, isn't in its favor either. Perhaps because of its serialized origins (though Friedman expanded it for this collected edition), it never quite gels into a cohesive narrative. Instead, it feels like an entire season of a Trek TV series, one given a brief novelization.
Yet when it works, it works. The space battles Friedman writes come across well, thrilling action set pieces set in prose. The opening ones during the Romulan War, in particular, are perhaps the stand out sections of the book. There are also moments when, despite how many of them there are, the six captains get to shine. A little character moment, or realization of how to change their approach, something that makes them more discernable from the other five. In reading that Friedman had plans for a series covering the first seven years of the Federation and Starfleet, the large cast makes more sense, especially with some of the supporting cast. Clearly, there was potential here.
Of course, by the time this collected edition hit shelves, however, Enterprise had put paid to plans for future installments. Being a fan of Enterprise, for all of its faults, I can't say that I'm sorry for that to be the case. Enterprise suffered some of the same problems, to be sure, but ultimately felt more cohesive by the time it reached what turned out to be its final season and started from a lower baseline technology-wise that felt more in keeping with an early Starfleet. It also, without a doubt, overrode virtually everything Friedman put in here.
In the final analysis, Starfleet: Year One was doomed to be a literary culdesac, a pilot that would go nowhere and overtaken by events onscreen. An interesting one, to be sure, though. As a curiosity and a vision of what might have been, it remains worth reading for Trek fans of a literary leaning. Just don't expect it to be entirely fulfilling as a result.
Penned by Trek scribe Michael Jan Friedman, here was a tale set in the closing days of the Romulan War and the founding of the Federation. One set around six captains, competing for command of the next generation (if you'll pardon the expression) of starship, and defining Starfleet's future in the process. It was a rich vein worth tapping, one would think.
Yes and no. Friedman's tale evokes many of the classic Trek tropes, and that is one of its biggest problems. For a story meant to be featuring characters covering new territory, there's a sense of overfamiliarity as the tropes get brought out one by one. The technology also feels a little too advanced, from transporters in regular use to shields and deflectors, rather than something perhaps more in-development. That it also employs a large cast, with six main characters and dozens of supporting ones who often appear for a matter of paragraphs only to disappear from the narrative, isn't in its favor either. Perhaps because of its serialized origins (though Friedman expanded it for this collected edition), it never quite gels into a cohesive narrative. Instead, it feels like an entire season of a Trek TV series, one given a brief novelization.
Yet when it works, it works. The space battles Friedman writes come across well, thrilling action set pieces set in prose. The opening ones during the Romulan War, in particular, are perhaps the stand out sections of the book. There are also moments when, despite how many of them there are, the six captains get to shine. A little character moment, or realization of how to change their approach, something that makes them more discernable from the other five. In reading that Friedman had plans for a series covering the first seven years of the Federation and Starfleet, the large cast makes more sense, especially with some of the supporting cast. Clearly, there was potential here.
Of course, by the time this collected edition hit shelves, however, Enterprise had put paid to plans for future installments. Being a fan of Enterprise, for all of its faults, I can't say that I'm sorry for that to be the case. Enterprise suffered some of the same problems, to be sure, but ultimately felt more cohesive by the time it reached what turned out to be its final season and started from a lower baseline technology-wise that felt more in keeping with an early Starfleet. It also, without a doubt, overrode virtually everything Friedman put in here.
In the final analysis, Starfleet: Year One was doomed to be a literary culdesac, a pilot that would go nowhere and overtaken by events onscreen. An interesting one, to be sure, though. As a curiosity and a vision of what might have been, it remains worth reading for Trek fans of a literary leaning. Just don't expect it to be entirely fulfilling as a result.
August 17, 2023
This is an unusual book in the Star Trek literary pantheon, as it has nothing to do with any of the established TV show characters and, as far as I know, never gets mentioned in any other Star Trek property. And, aside from a cameo by T'Pau and a mentioning of Sarek's birth, we don't see any characters that we'll come to be familiar with.
So the timing is a little off on this one, as it begins with the final battle of the war with the Romulans, which hasn't happened yet in the Archer timeline. Starfleet is in its infancy and the Federation is only an idea at this point. In other words, the era of Star Trek I'm most fascinated by. Six separate captains are sent to explore the farthest reaches of space to see which approach to space exploration the up-and-coming Federation will adopt. The winner gets to pilot the flagship deep space explorer, Daedalus (not to be confused with every other Daedalus in Star Trek.)
Anyway, this is a decent read. It's fun watching things you don't even think about come together (e.g. Space Law.) Since this was written in a serialized format on a blog in the early 2000s, the overarching story has a vignette feel that lends itself well to the premise's episodic nature. Ironic given the lack of a tv show to use as a foundation.
I like Friedman's approach to the early days of Starfleet; whether it's going to be primarily a military or a scientific/research entity. Obviously, the answer is somewhere in between, but it's interesting to watch "the the Starfleet that might have been." This approach to Starfleet also makes a bit more sense than Enterprise's. As much as I love Jonathan Archer and the crew of the NX-01, it makes more sense to send a half-dozen captains and see which approach works best, rather than putting all your eggs into one proverbial basket.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I recommendim any lover of space exploration and pilot machismo to pick it up, even if the ending is a bit goofy. What are they going to do? Switch up the captain of the Daedalus every day? Who gets Sunday?
Up next: Daedalus's Children!
So the timing is a little off on this one, as it begins with the final battle of the war with the Romulans, which hasn't happened yet in the Archer timeline. Starfleet is in its infancy and the Federation is only an idea at this point. In other words, the era of Star Trek I'm most fascinated by. Six separate captains are sent to explore the farthest reaches of space to see which approach to space exploration the up-and-coming Federation will adopt. The winner gets to pilot the flagship deep space explorer, Daedalus (not to be confused with every other Daedalus in Star Trek.)
Anyway, this is a decent read. It's fun watching things you don't even think about come together (e.g. Space Law.) Since this was written in a serialized format on a blog in the early 2000s, the overarching story has a vignette feel that lends itself well to the premise's episodic nature. Ironic given the lack of a tv show to use as a foundation.
I like Friedman's approach to the early days of Starfleet; whether it's going to be primarily a military or a scientific/research entity. Obviously, the answer is somewhere in between, but it's interesting to watch "the the Starfleet that might have been." This approach to Starfleet also makes a bit more sense than Enterprise's. As much as I love Jonathan Archer and the crew of the NX-01, it makes more sense to send a half-dozen captains and see which approach works best, rather than putting all your eggs into one proverbial basket.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I recommendim any lover of space exploration and pilot machismo to pick it up, even if the ending is a bit goofy. What are they going to do? Switch up the captain of the Daedalus every day? Who gets Sunday?
Up next: Daedalus's Children!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2014
This is ok but not very Starfleet / Star Trek. It also ignores several important factors. One of these is that ST:Enterprise (TV) had gone at warp 5 already, another is that the option to just attack instead of trying to be diplomatic was one of the prime reactions of several characters here. The author is versed in the genre so I really can't understand what happened with this plot / writing. 1.2 stars
December 15, 2023
I got this at the same time as the two Enterprise Romulan War novels, but it was written noticeably before those. Those were done in 2009-11, after Star Trek: Enterprise was off the air and a lot more had been established. This was published as the series was getting going, and was written before that, and isn't directly tied to it at all.
Apparently, it began as a serial, apparently appearing in the backs of the then-monthly publishing of Star Trek books at Pocket. So, the chapters are almost a sequence of short stories (the plot unifies as it goes on), that have been collected together. It also has its own cast of characters, and doesn't lean on existing ones at all other than Dax.
As such, it has been somewhat overcome by events, though the concept is still a sound one, and you can change some details to save the general plot. The book covers the end of the Earth-Romulan war (which looks a lot different than in the later novels). Earth remains committed to strengthening ties to its other neighbors after the war (this is consistent), and wants to found a new fleet that everyone will be part of. Naturally, lead by humans, because it's all their idea, but they're trying to get as many aliens into the Federation and Starfleet as possible.
The real plot begins about a third of the way through with the idea that Starfleet is beginning with six ships taken from Earth Command, and soon, the first ship of a brand-new class, USS Daedalus (that's her on the cover), will be commissioned and given to one of those six. These six captains fall into two rough camps, with external champions of each faction wanting to decide the direction of the new organization.
On one side are people from Earth Command, who see it purely as a regular military defense fleet, dedicated to nothing more or less than the defense of the new Federation. They derisively call the other captains 'butterfly catchers', who are backed by people who want to take the opportunity to explore, chart dangerous anomalies, and make scientific discoveries.
The bulk of the novel deals with the internal tensions of the new Starfleet from the point of view of the captains. It's a good enough premise, and decently done in classic Star Trek action format. There were originally plans to do seven years of the beginnings of Starfleet, and I think with Enterprise to build off of now, it could still be a good idea to return to.
Apparently, it began as a serial, apparently appearing in the backs of the then-monthly publishing of Star Trek books at Pocket. So, the chapters are almost a sequence of short stories (the plot unifies as it goes on), that have been collected together. It also has its own cast of characters, and doesn't lean on existing ones at all other than Dax.
As such, it has been somewhat overcome by events, though the concept is still a sound one, and you can change some details to save the general plot. The book covers the end of the Earth-Romulan war (which looks a lot different than in the later novels). Earth remains committed to strengthening ties to its other neighbors after the war (this is consistent), and wants to found a new fleet that everyone will be part of. Naturally, lead by humans, because it's all their idea, but they're trying to get as many aliens into the Federation and Starfleet as possible.
The real plot begins about a third of the way through with the idea that Starfleet is beginning with six ships taken from Earth Command, and soon, the first ship of a brand-new class, USS Daedalus (that's her on the cover), will be commissioned and given to one of those six. These six captains fall into two rough camps, with external champions of each faction wanting to decide the direction of the new organization.
On one side are people from Earth Command, who see it purely as a regular military defense fleet, dedicated to nothing more or less than the defense of the new Federation. They derisively call the other captains 'butterfly catchers', who are backed by people who want to take the opportunity to explore, chart dangerous anomalies, and make scientific discoveries.
The bulk of the novel deals with the internal tensions of the new Starfleet from the point of view of the captains. It's a good enough premise, and decently done in classic Star Trek action format. There were originally plans to do seven years of the beginnings of Starfleet, and I think with Enterprise to build off of now, it could still be a good idea to return to.
November 16, 2019
With the founding of the Federation, a combined forces Starfleet must be designed, assembled and deployed. Humans and their alien allies must now determine how to work together and how they will face the rest of the galaxy. The first six starship Captains are assembled from military services as well as independent sources. Now they must face challenges together, in spite of their differences.
The early months of the new Federation and Starfleet are covered in this book. It's interesting to see how politics influences the selection of early captains and colors the missions the take on. The six captains begin the book as kind of stereotypical and flat, but Friedman does manage to develop them a bit over the course of the book. Most fans will probably see where the plot is going and how it will resolve in a general way, but the final mission is kind of interesting on it's own and how the captains have to work together to solve the problem of colonies being attacked by unknown aliens is interesting. Interesting, but ultimately not exceptional.
This book was written and conceived before the Enterprise TV show, and was intended to be the beginning of a series. Once Enterprise was green-lit to production, plans for that series fell through. Because of that, readers will see a lot of discrepancies and major differences between things portrayed here and on the series or even in the Enterprise novels. Some of these characters and situations were actually "adopted" by future authors and merged into some of the later novels. I kind of look at this as a story that happened "off-screen" of the TV show and perhaps told second-hand.
Overall, this was an decent read and take on those first few months of the Federation. Devoted fans will get more out of it than more casual fans - especially with so many differences between this book and established TV continuity.
The early months of the new Federation and Starfleet are covered in this book. It's interesting to see how politics influences the selection of early captains and colors the missions the take on. The six captains begin the book as kind of stereotypical and flat, but Friedman does manage to develop them a bit over the course of the book. Most fans will probably see where the plot is going and how it will resolve in a general way, but the final mission is kind of interesting on it's own and how the captains have to work together to solve the problem of colonies being attacked by unknown aliens is interesting. Interesting, but ultimately not exceptional.
This book was written and conceived before the Enterprise TV show, and was intended to be the beginning of a series. Once Enterprise was green-lit to production, plans for that series fell through. Because of that, readers will see a lot of discrepancies and major differences between things portrayed here and on the series or even in the Enterprise novels. Some of these characters and situations were actually "adopted" by future authors and merged into some of the later novels. I kind of look at this as a story that happened "off-screen" of the TV show and perhaps told second-hand.
Overall, this was an decent read and take on those first few months of the Federation. Devoted fans will get more out of it than more casual fans - especially with so many differences between this book and established TV continuity.
November 13, 2023
This is a 287 page paperback by Michael Jan Friedman.
Immediately the first page says “STARFLEET: YEAR ONE is unrelated to the events depicted in the television series Enterprise.”
So like most Star Trek fans we can just pretend Enterprise never existed.
Because unlike Enterprise this book stays within the Star Trek history already established before the show Enterprise.
It stars near the end of the Romulan war where we meet several war-worn pilots of the “Christopher” class starships (I’d love to see what they looked like).
This story tells of the decisive victory over the Romulans where at attack force headed towards the Romulan’s starship deployment planet for a surprise attack closer to the Romulan’s home than they were expecting.
Of course, this leaves starbases nearer earth all but defenseless and the ramifications of this are told as well.
We meet a bunch of pilots including the hot shot who prefers to work alone and a rather interesting. Rigellian trader who accidentally gets dragged into this war. And of course, you’re usually by-the-book military officers.
This is where they discuss creating a ‘starfleet’ using the resources of all the newly created Federation’s member worlds.
And how there is some opposition to it being a purely ‘military’ fleet.
It tells the story of the negotiations with the Romulans and how the Neutral Zone came about.
It also discusses the Vulcan’s part in that war.
It also discusses the creation of the Starfleet’s primary spacecraft, the Daedalus and who will be the first officer to command it.
All told this was a wonderful book that looked at the beginning of Starfleet and what it took to come about. Of course, it’s also a great adventure as well.
It has a wonderful quality of actually sounding like something from the past, a kind of quaint machismo that feels perfect for Star Trek.
I’m giving this a strong 4 stars and keeping it.
Immediately the first page says “STARFLEET: YEAR ONE is unrelated to the events depicted in the television series Enterprise.”
So like most Star Trek fans we can just pretend Enterprise never existed.
Because unlike Enterprise this book stays within the Star Trek history already established before the show Enterprise.
It stars near the end of the Romulan war where we meet several war-worn pilots of the “Christopher” class starships (I’d love to see what they looked like).
This story tells of the decisive victory over the Romulans where at attack force headed towards the Romulan’s starship deployment planet for a surprise attack closer to the Romulan’s home than they were expecting.
Of course, this leaves starbases nearer earth all but defenseless and the ramifications of this are told as well.
We meet a bunch of pilots including the hot shot who prefers to work alone and a rather interesting. Rigellian trader who accidentally gets dragged into this war. And of course, you’re usually by-the-book military officers.
This is where they discuss creating a ‘starfleet’ using the resources of all the newly created Federation’s member worlds.
And how there is some opposition to it being a purely ‘military’ fleet.
It tells the story of the negotiations with the Romulans and how the Neutral Zone came about.
It also discusses the Vulcan’s part in that war.
It also discusses the creation of the Starfleet’s primary spacecraft, the Daedalus and who will be the first officer to command it.
All told this was a wonderful book that looked at the beginning of Starfleet and what it took to come about. Of course, it’s also a great adventure as well.
It has a wonderful quality of actually sounding like something from the past, a kind of quaint machismo that feels perfect for Star Trek.
I’m giving this a strong 4 stars and keeping it.
October 2, 2023
Review 58. Star Trek Starfleet Year One by Michael Jan Friedman
Page Count : 287
I haven't read this book for a very long time so decided that I would read it again and refresh my memory.
The first thing that I noticed is that there is a page at the beginning of the book before the story even begins that says "Starfleet Year One is unrelated to the events depicted in the television series Enterprise".
This book is a very different version of the founding of Starfleet from the story told in Star Trek Enterprise.
In this book, the Romulan War is over and Earth and it's allies see the need for a new organisation to defend it's new Federation territories.
This is a very interesting story introducing the earliest principles of Starfleet with a completely different cast of characters.
This definitely a book I will reread in the future and if you want to read a different version of the Federation setup, then this book will be for you.
5*
*****
Page Count : 287
I haven't read this book for a very long time so decided that I would read it again and refresh my memory.
The first thing that I noticed is that there is a page at the beginning of the book before the story even begins that says "Starfleet Year One is unrelated to the events depicted in the television series Enterprise".
This book is a very different version of the founding of Starfleet from the story told in Star Trek Enterprise.
In this book, the Romulan War is over and Earth and it's allies see the need for a new organisation to defend it's new Federation territories.
This is a very interesting story introducing the earliest principles of Starfleet with a completely different cast of characters.
This definitely a book I will reread in the future and if you want to read a different version of the Federation setup, then this book will be for you.
5*
*****
February 2, 2019
Not bad, but not great either. What really stands out - and not in a good way - are the several instances where there's a buildup to an event, but then there's a time jump and the event itself is passed over. Maybe the author was trying to include too much in the book, or maybe he took too much time with the battle scenes (which are very detailed and well-thought out). This story is one that could have used a hundred or so more pages. Also, the ending was just plain odd, and could very well have been written differently to obtain the same conclusion. Basically, there are worse ST books out there, but I wouldn't put this on any must-read lists.
March 2, 2024
Interesting to see what was speculated before the start of Enterprise. I enjoyed the fact that the formation of the Federation was tied to the Romulan War in both versions (in a sense) but it seemed odd to have so few of the aliens and other members of the Federation seemed like such an afterthought in ways. This was due to the story focusing on the 6 Starfleet captains - one being a Rigelian. Due to the story trying to balance these 6 characters over six ships- it was a little muddled and hard to keep straight at times. I think there were some neat ideas here, it just wasn't executed as good as it could have been.
November 12, 2020
So not one of my favorite Star Trek books but it was decent. So this book is setting up the beginning of Star fleet which used to be Earth Command. It follows six Captains set to command the Daedalus ships the Federation was building. Three of the captains have a military background and three of the captains have a science background. The whole plot is these captains getting used to each other and being able to use each other’s talent for good.
March 10, 2024
Felt somewhat dry to me. This was originally published in a serialized format, and you can kind of feel that. This was also written not too long before Enterprise the TV show premiered. So I was ready to delve into another alternate history/origin story, but the characters didn’t really pop out to me. Granted, Enterprise didn’t start on the best footing, but even still I thought that was better overall even when it was still figuring out its identity.
July 2, 2021
This book wasn’t great. The characters were really underdeveloped and it reads like something written much earlier than 2001 in terms of gender issues. The entire middle section of the book was just interviews with potential crew members (boring). The beginning and final chunk were decent in terms of plot, which is why I gave it three stars.
December 4, 2017
although a dated document, it was fun to look at the early years of the federation.
hardcore will love it,
new fans will find it lackluster because the stories are no that moving, or interesting.
it was nice to read but not brilliant
hardcore will love it,
new fans will find it lackluster because the stories are no that moving, or interesting.
it was nice to read but not brilliant
September 16, 2020
I loved it. I was hooked on the characters and engaged with the plot right away which is a bit rare with new characters for me.
I liked the military vs science competition, vying to dominate the fledgling Starfleet organisation and the final outcome was great.
I liked the military vs science competition, vying to dominate the fledgling Starfleet organisation and the final outcome was great.
December 2, 2022
I had not read this before acquiring this book, but this story is NOT part of the established Star Trek canon. It is basically a standalone book. That said, it is still an entertaining story and well worth the read.
June 22, 2023
I hadn't cared for the other Romulan War books that much. Despite being new characters, I really enjoyed and connected with this book. The pace of this story was excellent. It wasn't overly complicated, but it had enough depth to feel worthwhile. A good, fun read.
April 3, 2025
michael jan friedman knows how to write a competent story. i didn't much care for the stark lines drawn between the two factions the six captains are stuck in, and the ending was a bit saccharine, but otherwise it was an enjoyable story.
February 21, 2020
Not bad. Decent writing, excellent ending.
Read
November 18, 2022An excellent introduction to how Star fleet command started
November 9, 2023
Worth reading
I enjoyed the story. There were a few problems I had with the plot, but I still believe that it was worth my time.
I enjoyed the story. There were a few problems I had with the plot, but I still believe that it was worth my time.
May 10, 2024
Not really what I was looking for. Too many characters and a disparate series of plots make for a lackluster reading experience.
January 1, 2025
This was… ok.
I like the dynamic between all the captains but it didn’t really do much for the universe and the last 50 pages were ridiculously rushed.
I like the dynamic between all the captains but it didn’t really do much for the universe and the last 50 pages were ridiculously rushed.
April 15, 2024
Warning!! This book was written before Star Trek Enterprise became a show. It’s a good read, be warned that it is no longer canonical.
as a stand alone story set in the Star Trek universe it is a fun read, and has some interesting ideas about how Starfleet began and the issues that arose as this is set just after the Romulan war.
as a stand alone story set in the Star Trek universe it is a fun read, and has some interesting ideas about how Starfleet began and the issues that arose as this is set just after the Romulan war.
August 25, 2012
"Starfleet Year One" by Michael Jan Friedman is the first book I have read that sits outside recognized canon. It really should be appreciated that this book was written prior to the launch of the Enterprise TV series and takes an alternative look at the formative years of the Federation. Therefore, I tried to read and review this book on its own merits rather than trying to compare it to continuity developments that occurred later.
The plot is focused around the formation of the United Federation of Planets and the direction that its newly formed Starfleet will take. The reader gets to follows the actions of two distinct groups, the first group wants Starfleet to be dedicated to military strength whilst the other groups is pushing for exploration and science to be the prime focus. The first six captains exemplify one side or the other of this debate or the other which pushes them into competing against each other to try and ensure that Starfleet evolves along the lines they want it too.
The story itself is actually quite interesting and has a style and pacing that makes it nice and easy to read. I also enjoyed seeing an alternative look at the foundation of Star Trek and it was good to see Friedman cleverly utilize what he knew about from the TV episode "Balance of Terror" to create what was a perfectly plausible origin story of the Federation and Starfleet.
However, there are quite a few issues as well with the novel, some of this is actually linked to how light and easy the story is to read. There is no real complexity or depth to what goes on throughout many of the plotlines. For example, the formation of the Federation is conducted over a couple of pages as a few ambassadors approach various species and then some other diplomats get together in a room. I just found things like this incredibly weak and lacking in any tension or interesting development.
The other main issue resulted from the decision to focus on the six separate captains. This resulted in every one of them getting only a little bit of coverage in the novel so that there was no real characterization, development or back story generated. There were all so bland and thinly constructed beyond a basic premise such as a loner captain, an alien captain, a scientific captain and three military captains.
Overall, this is a very middle of the road Star Trek novel that I think was more focused on trying to introduce a new franchise than to actually provide an enjoyable standalone story with interesting characters. It is a shame really as Friedman's writing is not bad per say, I just think he took on way to much to cover in one novel. However, it is still a nice and easy read for anyone interested in seeing a different take on the formation of the Federation.
The plot is focused around the formation of the United Federation of Planets and the direction that its newly formed Starfleet will take. The reader gets to follows the actions of two distinct groups, the first group wants Starfleet to be dedicated to military strength whilst the other groups is pushing for exploration and science to be the prime focus. The first six captains exemplify one side or the other of this debate or the other which pushes them into competing against each other to try and ensure that Starfleet evolves along the lines they want it too.
The story itself is actually quite interesting and has a style and pacing that makes it nice and easy to read. I also enjoyed seeing an alternative look at the foundation of Star Trek and it was good to see Friedman cleverly utilize what he knew about from the TV episode "Balance of Terror" to create what was a perfectly plausible origin story of the Federation and Starfleet.
However, there are quite a few issues as well with the novel, some of this is actually linked to how light and easy the story is to read. There is no real complexity or depth to what goes on throughout many of the plotlines. For example, the formation of the Federation is conducted over a couple of pages as a few ambassadors approach various species and then some other diplomats get together in a room. I just found things like this incredibly weak and lacking in any tension or interesting development.
The other main issue resulted from the decision to focus on the six separate captains. This resulted in every one of them getting only a little bit of coverage in the novel so that there was no real characterization, development or back story generated. There were all so bland and thinly constructed beyond a basic premise such as a loner captain, an alien captain, a scientific captain and three military captains.
Overall, this is a very middle of the road Star Trek novel that I think was more focused on trying to introduce a new franchise than to actually provide an enjoyable standalone story with interesting characters. It is a shame really as Friedman's writing is not bad per say, I just think he took on way to much to cover in one novel. However, it is still a nice and easy read for anyone interested in seeing a different take on the formation of the Federation.
November 28, 2024
An earlier take on the origin of the Federation
Starfleet: Year One was originally published serially from 1999 to 2000 and was collected in this omnibus edition in 2002. The novel covers the end of the Earth-Romulan War and the founding of Starfleet. The main characters are a group of six captains, all competing to become the captain of the new Daedalus-class vessel. Only one character in the novel had a prior appearance, and I really enjoyed seeing a completely original group of characters in this time period.
If you’re familiar with all the Star Trek shows, you might be wondering how this book is related to the Enterprise tv series. The short answer is that the novel is completely unrelated since it was released two years before the show came out. The book takes place 6 years after season 4, roughly around the same time as the series finale. The biggest changes between the novel and series are that Starfleet was established much earlier in the show and that the Daedalus-class was in use long before the Romulan War. The book has been retconned so that the Federation is formed in this point instead of Starfleet and that the new Daedalus-class vessel was actually a new refit of the class.
Starfleet: Year One was an extremely quick read, and I was surprised at how well it fit in my reading schedule right after the Romulan War duology. At the time of writing this review, I have already read the next Star Trek Enterprise novel, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the main captain of this novel make some brief appearances in A Choice of Futures.
Starfleet: Year One was originally published serially from 1999 to 2000 and was collected in this omnibus edition in 2002. The novel covers the end of the Earth-Romulan War and the founding of Starfleet. The main characters are a group of six captains, all competing to become the captain of the new Daedalus-class vessel. Only one character in the novel had a prior appearance, and I really enjoyed seeing a completely original group of characters in this time period.
If you’re familiar with all the Star Trek shows, you might be wondering how this book is related to the Enterprise tv series. The short answer is that the novel is completely unrelated since it was released two years before the show came out. The book takes place 6 years after season 4, roughly around the same time as the series finale. The biggest changes between the novel and series are that Starfleet was established much earlier in the show and that the Daedalus-class was in use long before the Romulan War. The book has been retconned so that the Federation is formed in this point instead of Starfleet and that the new Daedalus-class vessel was actually a new refit of the class.
Starfleet: Year One was an extremely quick read, and I was surprised at how well it fit in my reading schedule right after the Romulan War duology. At the time of writing this review, I have already read the next Star Trek Enterprise novel, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the main captain of this novel make some brief appearances in A Choice of Futures.
June 20, 2024
After having watched all the shows and movies from The Original Series to Enterprise, I decided to jump into the Star Trek book world.
Starfleet Year One happened to be the first one I got ahold of. It is standalone, non-canonical, and gives a new version of how Starfleet was created after the Romulan War. The main conflict in the story is whether Starfleet should lean more toward a scientific, exploratory focus - or a militaristic, defensive one.
You have three main characters on each side, generally being narrow-minded and stubborn - but also likeable. As anyone who has watched the show knows, Starfleet isn't that black-and-white. The ending is disney-esque, let's put it like that.
The book is very easy to read with quick action, short paragraphs and kind of stereotypical characters. It is very close to what I was expecting and was hoping for. I liked it a lot, and am excited to dive into the next novel.
I am also excited to check out Michael Jan Friedman's other work in the Star Trek universe. I like his writing most of the time in the book, but would guess it isn't his best work. It feels like a good enough book from a good writer who wanted to move on to the next project and finish this thing. Still good though.
The book doesn't feature any characters from the show, not even as a cameo (as far as I know). I don't know whether that is a good or bad thing, but from what I've read it is pretty unique.
Starfleet Year One happened to be the first one I got ahold of. It is standalone, non-canonical, and gives a new version of how Starfleet was created after the Romulan War. The main conflict in the story is whether Starfleet should lean more toward a scientific, exploratory focus - or a militaristic, defensive one.
You have three main characters on each side, generally being narrow-minded and stubborn - but also likeable. As anyone who has watched the show knows, Starfleet isn't that black-and-white. The ending is disney-esque, let's put it like that.
The book is very easy to read with quick action, short paragraphs and kind of stereotypical characters. It is very close to what I was expecting and was hoping for. I liked it a lot, and am excited to dive into the next novel.
I am also excited to check out Michael Jan Friedman's other work in the Star Trek universe. I like his writing most of the time in the book, but would guess it isn't his best work. It feels like a good enough book from a good writer who wanted to move on to the next project and finish this thing. Still good though.
The book doesn't feature any characters from the show, not even as a cameo (as far as I know). I don't know whether that is a good or bad thing, but from what I've read it is pretty unique.
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