Identity Theft

Star Trek: The Original Series

by Greg Cox

This all-new Star Trek novel celebrates the 60th anniversary of Star The Original Series—continuing the legacy of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise.

2269: The prospect of peace had seemed unattainable until the assistance of the Federation. Finally, countless ancient enemies have stopped their conflicts simply by listening to one another. On the planet Voyzr, Captain James T. Kirk and his crew aided the planet to realize peace.

2289: Invited to celebrate twenty years of peace, the crew of the USS Enterprise-A is returning to Voyzr as honored guests. Security Chief Pavel Chekov remembers his visit to the planet as a green ensign. He has always believed the negotiations were too easy, and he wondered if there are people on the planet who still long for war—and have been waiting for just the right moment to upend the peace. Unfortunately, Chekov discovers he is right when he finds himself in the middle of a dangerous ploy.

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Media Tie In

1 pages, Audio CD

First published December 2, 2025

Reviews

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun and excellent book by Greg Cox. Recently he's been allowed to write some of the more light hearted and fun Trek books (compared with what the other Trek writers are putting out). As such, his books don't feel like they have the stakes or scope of traditional Star Trek reads, but man is it an enjoyable ride nonetheless.

First of all, this is clearly, CLEARLY, a Chekov book, to the point I'm frustrated that he's not the only one on the cover. The book is really Freaky Friday meets The Undiscovered Country, and Chekov is the one who is body-swapped. Only this time, he's swapped with an alien spy.

Reading about the spy having to pretend to be Chekov, and then not knowing about Chekov's romance was just delightful. And Chekov running around an alien planet and not knowing protocols and not knowing how he'll possibly warn the Enterprise was also hilarious. Greg Cox did a great job making sure all the internal logic fits well here.

Overall, I really loved this book. It is mostly a fun ride, but it has a few heartfelt moments and just makes the book really memorable. 9 out of 10!

[Vladimir Ghinculov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Identity Theft is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel set in the movie era. The premise is interesting but I don't want to go into spoilers. The characters are credible and the action keeps you hooked and generally the book is well written and the style is pleasant. So, not another flop like the last two books in the Star Trek literary universe.

[Casey Pettitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Minor spoilers ahead)

Identity Theft is an excellent premise for a Star Trek: The Original Series novel, and Greg Cox executes it with confidence, strong pacing, and a deep understanding of the characters. Set almost entirely in the narrow window between Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, the story moves quickly — and it has to — thanks to a metaphorical ticking clock that keeps the tension high throughout.

One thing I want to make very clear: this is not a sequel to "Turnabout Intruder." Cox has been adamant about that, and I agree with him. Instead, this novel works far better as a follow-on — a clever re-engagement with the technology introduced in that famously divisive (and yes, probably more universally panned than divisive) episode. The concept is rooted firmly in classic sci-fi, but what really makes it work here is the character focus. The story never forgets that Star Trek lives and dies by its people.

At its heart, this is a Chekov story, and that alone makes it something of a treat. Chekov has often been undeserved in TOS-era storytelling, and Identity Theft finally gives him the spotlight. Cox absolutely nails his voice and characterization. Just as impressive is Ryjo, the alien antagonist — though "antagonist" feels insufficient. Ryjo almost functions as a second protagonist, especially in how he impersonates Chekov. We also get a welcome amount of Sulu, which only strengthens the story given their established friendship.

The rest of the Enterprise-A crew is used effectively, and the balance between Chekov's storyline and the ship-wide stakes feels just right. The action scenes — both on the ground and aboard the Enterprise — are tense and exciting without becoming overblown. The book never drags, and the plotting feels deliberate and economical. By the time the story concludes, the resolution is satisfying and unmistakably Star Trek in spirit.

What ultimately kept this from being a full five stars for me was my desire for a bit more context from the past. The novel opens with peace talks during the five-year mission, and when we jump forward, I didn't feel like the Exiles or their political situation were quite as fully fleshed out as they could have been. It may be intentional — after all, these Exiles are removed by a generation from the original events, and perhaps they don't fully understand their own motivations — but an additional chapter or two exploring the planet's politics and the origins of the conflict would have added extra depth.

That said, this is a strong entry in the TOS novel lineup. Longtime Star Trek fans, especially those who feel Chekov has never quite had his due, will find a lot to love here. While it's always tricky to judge whether a Trek novel is a good starting point for newcomers, Identity Theft does a solid job conveying the moral core of Starfleet and Kirk's leadership style. The ending, in particular, delivers some quietly powerful Star Trek moments that reminded me why these characters continue to endure.

In the end, I'm giving Identity Theft 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's fast paced, thoughtful, character-driven, and deeply respectful of TOS continuity — everything I want from modern Trek tie-in fiction.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2269, Kirk, Sulu and Chekov were instrumental in bringing peace to the planet Voyzr. Now, twenty years later, they are invited back to celebrate a new phase in the Voyzri government.

An interesting anniversary story, with ties and callbacks into the original series, as well as hints of the future to come. Cox's writing is lively as usual and he really brings the characters to life.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid that, for a 60th anniversary tale, I found this to be underwhelming and engaging. It hurts to write that line, as I love the Original Series movie-era, and Greg Cox usually has a great handle on this period

[Christopher Lutz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5.

If you’re looking for a great way to honor Star Trek’s looming 60th anniversary this book isn’t it. There’s a lot to enjoy and the characters are written well, but there is a body swapping element to the story taken from season three’s “Turnabout Intruder” that takes the plot to some ridiculous places. Unfortunately that soured this read for me. This is a Chekov story and I am left feeling the character got shortchanged a bit.

[Frank Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed as always, although I felt that some plot points were awkward and that some of the dialogue was not great, both features that are extremely atypical of the author's catalogue. I actually hate mentioning that because Cox is not just one of my fave writers but also a really decent human being.

I'd tried to think of a spoiler-free example of the above but failed to come up with one, so I'm going to skip that. However, I need to make it clear that I had a lot of fun catching up with the crew and I stayed engaged with the story all the way through. And I'm very glad that this story exists! Did someone say 60 years of Trek? Hell yeah 🖖 LLAP to the Star Trek lit-verse.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid stand alone Star Trek novel that focused on Chekov with some interesting connections to original series episodes. But there were a little bit too many references that didn’t fit in smoothly. 9/10

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun novel starring Chekov as he is now a middle aged man and still having strange hijinks. In this case, they use the body possession device from "Turnabout Intruder" to insert a Klingon-allied agent into the Enterprise as part of an assassination plot. The agent and Chekov have more wacky adventures than any general threat, though.

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chekov must fight with “himself”!


This book is a tie-in original prose novel of “Star Trek: The Original Series”. Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the TV series (and thefefore the franchise).


CELEBRATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY? REALLY?!

I have mixed feelings about this novel.

If this novel at hand could be just another “numbered” prose novel in the book series, it could a wonderful abd very enjoyable book…

…BUT…

…it wasn’t just another “numbered” prose novel!

It was marketed as a product to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Star Trek: The Original Series (for not saying the entire franchise!) and in that case, this a terrible choice for that.

The adventure is focused in Pavel Chekov (that he’s a great character and certainly it was about time to have a novel focused on him, but not this one for Christ’s sake! When you do an anniversary celebration product of Star Trek: The Original Series for better or worse it should be focused on Kirk or Spock. Period. It’s not fair, I know, but that how the things are.

Even worse, when you have a cool cover (I loved that they put again actors’ faces instead of just starships to spend less in likeness’ fees) but even that it was poorly done since you have a tiny face of Chekov sharing space with Sulu and McCoy and A PRETY BIG FACE OF KIRK, that if the book would be focused on Kirk, it wouldn’t be any problem but this is Chekov’s dance, he should be even alone in the cover (and for that matter (again!) it should be a “numbered” aventure and not an anniversary celebration.

For not saying that the cover shows the original USS Enterprise, which just appeared in one chapter, and the rest of the story is with the USS Enterprise-A.


CHEKOV V. CHEKOV: DAWN OF RUSSIAN ACCENT

The adventures begins in 2269 (Stardate 5839.7), during the original 5-year exploration mission, on the planet Voyzr, where Kirk, Chekov, Sulu and a female crewman intervene to stop a civil war which it was secretly assisted on both sides by the Klingon Empire.

The action changes to 2289 (Stardate 8676.3), twenty years later, the planet Voyzr is celebrating 20 years of peace and also the first authorized Federation embassy in that world, and for that matter, the Prime Minister asked for the Enterprise and crew as honored guests and offering additional security to the event.

Everything is going smoothly until a hired assassin using a machine previously introduced in an episode of the TOS interchanges personalities with Pavel Chekov, which is the best option since he’s now Chief Security Officer of The Enterprise-A.

From that moment, Chekov is incarcerated and his starship leaving without him.

I won’t spoil anything else, and as I was saying, the novel is pretty good, and if you’re fan of the character of Pavel Chekov, you won’t find a better novel to read about…

…BUT…

…I still don’t think that it was the better choice for being THE prose novel to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Original Series.

[Solitairerose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Identity Theft is what I look for in a media tie-in novel. It lets the reader know when it is set in the show’s continuity, has a story that couldn't be done for a TV episode for one reason or another but still FEEL like an episode of the series, and entertains all along the way.

The story focuses on Pavel Chekov, and puts him in the body of an alien using the device from the final episode of the Original series, so we have an alien in Chekov’s body and Chekov in an alien’s body so that a long simmering revenge plot can go into effect. The novel is split between the two, using Trek’s core idea of understanding coming from interaction. The alien learns about Starfleet and Chekov learns about the struggles of the alien race.

The novel is face paced, has a lot of action sequences, and keeps the reader racing along toward the conclusion. Cox’s prose is deft, he knows the Trek universe and shows it without it dragging down the story, and manages to throw in philosophical aides that work with the characters and the story. It’s all done as if it was a screenplay with everything converging in the shadow of a ticking clock.

While the ending seemed a bit circumstantial for me, it fits with what the book is: A tie-in to give fans a bit more of the characters and light entertainment for a few hours.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final Star Trek novel of 2025 is a milestone for its author Greg Cox who with "Identity Theft" has now written 20 novels and this one is one of his best. The book itself begins with a mission in 2269 with a mission to the planet Voyzr which ends up eventually ending a war on that planet. 2 decades later the Enterprise-A is returning there to help open a Federation Embassy. Pavel Chekov is the main focus on this novel who has his identity stolen by a group of Voyzr known as the Exiles using a technique last seen in "Turnabout Intruder". Cox plays out the story involving the imposter and real Chekov in a way that is beyond plausible and is full of twists and turns which will have we the reader all over the place with emotions up until the final pages which go far enough along to provide a satisfying ending. It's also nice to see Chekov get a love interest as well something not seen often for this character. Overall as Star Trek heads into year 60, this book is a good way to finish off the 59th year of Star Trek history as we the reader see just what happens next from a novel perspective in a 2026 that may have very few offerings.

[Edwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't say I have read every Star Trek book that Greg Cox has written, but I've read quite a few. Not one of them was disappointing. Cox has a wonderful grip on the characters and his novels feel like what could be episodes. Having said that, I don't think Greg Cox has written his 'Imzadi' or 'Federation' yet. I'm sure, though, he has a similar epic novel in him. Maybe the next one?

'Identity Theft' is special in that it has Chekov as the main character, which is quite unusual in the book series. Practically all of the story is told from the point of view of either this underused character or his imposter. Yes, this story is all about a body swap in which Chekov's body is taken over by one Ryjo and his own mind ends up in that character's body. I am normally not really in favour of this overused plot device, but because I really enjoyed this book, I will give Greg Cox a big thumbs up anyway.

Now, Greg, how about that epic?

[Daniel Pitterman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considering the mediocrity of most of the Star Trek literary universe the past decade, I have to say that I found this one to be very enjoyable. Lighthearted but interesting enough to keep me reading. As is often the case, it suffers a bit from the constant references to previous episodes and movies.

[Dusty Huntley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The transference

I never was a fan of the original episode with Janice Lester and really not into stories of the like. With that being said, Greg Cox made this story bearable to read without taking it to extremes like most writers would. It was suspenseful kept you hanging on, but no surprises there it's Greg Cox. Well in all it was a great read

[Scott Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 20th Trek novel by Greg Cox! I’ve been reading and enjoying his work since the 90s. I love that he’s been able to go back to the standalone storytelling that I got used to in Trek novels as a kid.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book overall, even though I was unsure about the story and writing style after the first few chapters. The plot took a moment to unfold, but the tension built up nicely. I would generally recommend it if you’re a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series.

[Matthew Rushing · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 of 5

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the very least, a nice change-up doing a Chekov-focused story.

[Kathy Roginski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book, but it's mostly about Chekov. Also, I couldn't figure out the timing of it all

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[John Neylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Click here to read my review: https://greatbooksguy.com/2025/12/16/...

[Jason Fawkes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Above average "bottle" story, focusing on Chekhov. A nice selection of new aliens.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun and, in audio, so well acted. I am so glad we're still getting some Trek novels unrelated to the new series. ❤️