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The Far Frontier: Story of a Star Voyager Out Where No One Had Gone Before!
THE HUGO & NEBULA FINALIST & ST: TOS WRITER WHO CHRONICLED THE “FINAL FRONTIER” IN FIVE BESTSELLING BOOKS ... AN ENTHRALLING NOVEL OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FAR FRONTIER!
"Quintessential space opera. Gets better and better." -Analog
From the authorized Star Trek TOS biographer who gave Uhura her official first name (Nyota, Swahili for “star”) comes this thought-provoking tale of a weary star voyager who finds Paradise, only to discover a nest of vipers planning its destruction. Using the classic TOS trope of a planet with parallels to Earth history, the late William Rotsler makes sharply observed comments on human proclivities and foibles. A novel sure to please all science fiction fans, and especially Star Trek enthusiasts.
“A vivid, fast-paced story, rich with color, insight and passion.” —Robert Silverberg
Raider had wandered for years from world to world through the voids of the final frontier. Now, at last, in its farthest realms, he had found a world he wanted to call home. To a war-weary starman like Rader, the planet Zikkala was paradise. Unfortunately, Zikkala had two drawbacks: The indigenous stone age level population had a long tradition of proving their mettle by attacking each other in duels to the death; and with the arrival of Terrans, they had transferred that tradition to attacking outworlders. Meanwhile, a megacorporation from the Earth had targeted Zikkala for acquisition. They had their own army — and if they couldn't buy they planet, they planned to conquer it. And, if that weren't bad enough, Alena, the one woman he cared for, ran the best cathouse in town, and the megacorp had targeted it for a take over. Raider wanted to help, but he was outnumbered, out gunned — and on the wrong side of the law. Failure meant a quick trip to an interplanetary boothill!
“Rotsler takes that idea and runs with it ... A lot of fun. Rotsler was a fine writer.” —Randy Johnson
“Good, fast space opera. What science fiction is supposed to do.” —Larry Niven
Plus special bonus: An insightful interview with the author, who talks candidly about writing his five TOS Star Trek books, the extra effort he put into his book of crew biographies due to his love of the show, other movie, tv and comic book tie-ins he wrote, including Dr. Strange, Blackhawk and Buffy, his own science fiction novels, and favorite writers.
"Quintessential space opera. Gets better and better." -Analog
From the authorized Star Trek TOS biographer who gave Uhura her official first name (Nyota, Swahili for “star”) comes this thought-provoking tale of a weary star voyager who finds Paradise, only to discover a nest of vipers planning its destruction. Using the classic TOS trope of a planet with parallels to Earth history, the late William Rotsler makes sharply observed comments on human proclivities and foibles. A novel sure to please all science fiction fans, and especially Star Trek enthusiasts.
“A vivid, fast-paced story, rich with color, insight and passion.” —Robert Silverberg
Raider had wandered for years from world to world through the voids of the final frontier. Now, at last, in its farthest realms, he had found a world he wanted to call home. To a war-weary starman like Rader, the planet Zikkala was paradise. Unfortunately, Zikkala had two drawbacks: The indigenous stone age level population had a long tradition of proving their mettle by attacking each other in duels to the death; and with the arrival of Terrans, they had transferred that tradition to attacking outworlders. Meanwhile, a megacorporation from the Earth had targeted Zikkala for acquisition. They had their own army — and if they couldn't buy they planet, they planned to conquer it. And, if that weren't bad enough, Alena, the one woman he cared for, ran the best cathouse in town, and the megacorp had targeted it for a take over. Raider wanted to help, but he was outnumbered, out gunned — and on the wrong side of the law. Failure meant a quick trip to an interplanetary boothill!
“Rotsler takes that idea and runs with it ... A lot of fun. Rotsler was a fine writer.” —Randy Johnson
“Good, fast space opera. What science fiction is supposed to do.” —Larry Niven
Plus special bonus: An insightful interview with the author, who talks candidly about writing his five TOS Star Trek books, the extra effort he put into his book of crew biographies due to his love of the show, other movie, tv and comic book tie-ins he wrote, including Dr. Strange, Blackhawk and Buffy, his own science fiction novels, and favorite writers.
- GenresFictionScience Fiction
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2015
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
William Rotsler
80 books8 followersWilliam "Bill" Rotsler was an American cartoonist and graphic artist; author of several science fiction novels and short stories, and television and film novelizations, and non-fiction works on a variety of topics, ranging from Star Trek to pornography; a prominent member of science fiction fandom; and a sculptor, primarily in metal, who contributed to the art at the entrance to the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters.
Pseudonyms:
Victor W. II Appleton, William Arrow, Andrew Garth, John Ryder Hall, Cord Heller, Latham Hilliard, Linda Holland, Harmony Holt, Lothar Korda, Honey Malcom, Hord Markham, Clay McCord, Howard Scott Miles, Clint Randall, Beverly Sorenson, Beth Waring, Fletcher Westflag.
Pseudonyms:
Victor W. II Appleton, William Arrow, Andrew Garth, John Ryder Hall, Cord Heller, Latham Hilliard, Linda Holland, Harmony Holt, Lothar Korda, Honey Malcom, Hord Markham, Clay McCord, Howard Scott Miles, Clint Randall, Beverly Sorenson, Beth Waring, Fletcher Westflag.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 22, 2026
This is a fun shoot-'em-up Western horse opera set on the frontier world of Zikkala in Rotsler's far future Zandra sequence. There are claim jumpers and ambushing natives and a pretty lady who runs the best saloon in town and smart horses and all such brickabrackery of the genre. It's not great literature, but it's entertaining fun, published by Playboy Press with a cool Gino D'Achille cover. Recommended for Firefly fans.
Displaying 1 of 1 review