The Face of the Unknown

Star Trek: The Original Series

by Christopher L. Bennett

Continuing the milestone 50th anniversary celebration of Star Trek —a brand-new novel of The Original Series featuring James T. Kirk, Spock, and the crew of the USS Enterprise !

Investigating a series of violent raids by a mysterious predatory species, Captain James T. Kirk discovers that these events share a startling connection with the First Federation, a friendly but secretive civilization contacted early in the USS Enterprise ’s five-year mission. Traveling to the First Federation in search of answers, the Enterprise suddenly comes under attack from these strange marauders. Seeking refuge, the starship finds its way to the true home of the First Federation, an astonishing collection of worlds hidden from the galaxy beyond. The inhabitants of this isolated realm are wary of outsiders, and some accuse Kirk and his crew for bringing the wrath of their ancient enemy down upon them. When an attempt to stave off disaster goes tragically wrong, Kirk is held fully accountable, and Commander Spock learns there are even deeper forces that threaten this civilization. If Kirk and Spock cannot convince the First Federation's leaders to overcome their fears, the resulting catastrophe could doom them all!

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fiction, Star Trek Original Series, Audiobook, Ebooks, Adult Fiction

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 27, 2016

About the author

Christopher L. Bennett is a lifelong resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, with a B.S. in Physics and a B.A. in History from the University of Cincinnati. A fan of science and science fiction since age five, he has spent the past two decades selling original short fiction to magazines such as Analog Science Fiction and Fact (home of his "Hub" series of comedy adventures), BuzzyMag, and Galaxy's Edge. Since 2003, he has been one of Pocket Books' most prolific and popular authors of Star Trek tie-in fiction, including the epic Next Generation prequel The Buried Age, the Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations series, and the Star Trek: Enterprise -- Rise of the Federation series. He has also written two Marvel Comics novels, X-Men: Watchers on the Walls and Spider-Man: Drowned in Thunder. His original novel Only Superhuman, perhaps the first hard science fiction superhero novel, was voted Library Journal's SF/Fantasy Debut of the Month for October 2012. Other tales in the same universe can be found in Among the Wild Cybers and the upcoming Arachne's Crime, both from eSpec Books. His Hub stories are available in two collections from Mystique Press.
Christopher's homepage, fiction annotations, and blog can be found at christopherlbennett.wordpress.com. His Patreon page with original fiction and reviews is at https://www.patreon.com/christopherlb..., and his Facebook author page is at www.facebook.com/ChristopherLBennettA....

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Bennett's vision here building off the TOS episode The Corbomite Maneuver, exploring the mysteries of the First Federation, the highly insular civilization that fell for the "Corbomite" self destruction bluff that Kirk used to get the Enterprise out of a sticky situation. He creates a fascinating depiction of their hidden world and the species that make up its myriad and diverse societies, as well as it's intriguing and highly secretive origins millennia ago. As the story develops, the Enterprise becomes entangled in the First Federation's struggle against two imminent and potentially devastating threats, one internal, and one external. The pace never abates, with plenty of action and the crew frequently under pressure to avert disaster.

As one would expect, Kirk and Spock play large roles, though the rest of the senior officers get their moments, most notably Uhura. Spock manifests some novel abilities that I don't recall ever being attributed to Vulcans, i.e. an invisibility mind trick, as well as the ability to extract specific information from unconscious alien minds. Since when are Vulcans so telepathically astute? That aside, the characterizations and technical details were all very well in keeping with Trek canon and tradition.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit worried by the time I got to the middle of this novel; the amount of action mixed with TNG levels of techno-babble was doing my head in. It felt at times as if the novel was going to crumble under the weight of this titanic combination, and I had to pause on more than one occasion, to stop from feeling frazzled. By the final act, the novel settles down into what I believe to be one of the finest explorations of the themes that "Star Trek" stands for...while managing to mix in a successful amount of fanwank as a bonus. "The Corbomite Maneuver" is far from my favourite episode of the Original Series, but this is definitely a superior sequel.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a sequel to TOS episode "The Corbomite Maneuver" and takes place about three years later. We get to learn more about the First Federation and find out the origin's to Commander Balok's "puppet." Lt. Bailey also returns and we see how taking the role of an ambassador has been working for him and the Federation.

I recommend this book if you are a TOS fan and especially if you like "The Corbomite Maneuver." I rewatched the episode after reading this book and it brings more depth into the story and the Balok character. I will never look at his puppet the same way again.

This book will be covered in Literary Treks episode 175 releasing January 8, 2017.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual from Christopher Bennett, we get top-notch storytelling with a compelling link to current-day events. Revisiting the First Federation was fun, and Bennett has succeeded in his mission to create the definitive story about that civilization. The tranya-loving Balok is a fun character, and it was terrific to get a follow-up to Bailey's mission from "The Corbomite Maneuver."

Full video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrE31...

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really interested in this because I've always been a fan of Star Trek politics and was fascinated by the concept of THE FIRST FEDERATION as introduced in "The Corbomite Manuever." I was a bit surprised to realize no one had ever picked up that angle before and was mostly only remembered by me because it's located in Star Trek: Online. So I assumed there would have been more follow-up that never happened despite it being in the credits of Star Trek: TOS forever.

I have to say that this is probably one of my favorite Star Trek "exploration" storylines as Christopher creates an entire mythology around the First Federation that make them a full galactic power and something that could have become an enormous influence in the galaxy but just...didn't.

Well, more precisely, it expanded to a point where it probably was the biggest power in the galaxy and then stopped. I'm reminded a bit of classical China and wonder if this would be a possible fate of the Federation. They become a home for thousands of races, become complacent, and then become vulnerable.

The continuity in this book is not quite as heavy as with Christopher Bennett's other books but it is still well-researched with plenty of homages. I was mostly interested in the politics of the book that feel more relevant than ever despite it being written before 2016's elections were resolved. There's a massive amount of science denial, climate change denial, and lying directly to the public's face that feels all too relevant.

I also give this book kudos for being one of the works that contains a space super-structure. I've always loved space super-structures and things like Dyson Spheres. This is one of the more imaginative ones. While we can't speculate on the future of the setting, I could easily see the First Federation spreading far across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants using their technology. Why settle worlds when you can settle space?

If I had any complaints, it's the fact the Dassik were a bit too overthetop in their evil. They had a good reason for it but kind of reminded me a bit of the Hiromi from the old Marvel Star Wars games that were a parody of the Galactic Empire. They're primitive, evil, and cruel for 90% of the book until we discover their reasons and that didn't entirely affect my original negative opinion. Even so, I really liked the twist they were only the "enemy" to be feared because of the gross incompetence of the government.

[Christopher Backa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent Star Trek audiobook. I hope we continue to see these being produced. The story brings back Balok from The Corbomite Maneuver. Kirk and the crew must help Balok's people overcome generations of fear of an ancient adversary who has found them once more. The story is a fast paced action adventure, with a Star Trek message at its core. If you are new to Star Trek via the new films, you should find this book entertaining.

[Natira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5
Ich fand das Wiedertreffen mit der Ersten Förderation spannend, nur das Ende zog sich für mein Empfinden ein wenig. Der Sprecher Robert Petkoff war hervorragend und hat selbst Technikalien aufbereiten können. Sehr gut ist es im gelungen, die Stimmen der Enterprise-Crew zu channeln.

[Luke Sims-Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two things excited me about this book. One that it's a sequel to one of my favourite TOS episodes and Two, that it was being written by Christopher L. Bennett. One of my first Trek lit books was his wonderful TNG prequel the Buried Age and like that novel this one didn't disappoint.

I'm not going to say too much about the story since I don't wish to spoil anything, but Bennett does some wonderful world building for the First Federation. The concepts and the ideas presented here were clever and enhanced my enjoyment of the Corbomite Manoeuvre.

Bennett is also bridging some gaps with FotU in ways I didn't expect. The main TOS characters all get to shine and there is a great look inside Spock's inner conflict about his future.

If you liked the Corbomite Manoeuver and wanted more, then this is the book for you. It's action packed, hopeful and a joy to read.

[Jimyanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is based on the original series episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver", in which the enterprise meets with a representative of an alien race which is technologically somewhat more advanced than the Federation, befriends them, and who are then never referred back to in the rest of the series. This book purports to tell the story of the next meeting between the two cultures, to explain why the First Federation has remained so quiet, and to fill in a bit more background on them, as well as to tell an exciting and interesting story. This isn't how I would have envisioned the First Federation, but given that disclaimer, the story works well and is quite interesting. There are a few points at which it becomes difficult to suspend disbelief sufficiently to accept the Enterprise's successful solution to the problems it faces, but all in all the story is well worth reading.

[Aron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! This was a really imaginative follow up to one of my favorite episodes, The Corbomite Maneuver. I thought it's was really cool how CLB made a great story revolving around the Dasik, which was the alien race that Enterprise was tricked into believing was the race that crewed the orb ship in the original episode. Pretty much the whole crew gets some attention & I thought Spock especially had some truly great character moments. It's a great time to be a ST lit fan as there are so many fantastic writers writing ST stories right now, but CLB is one if the best & definitely skilled at correcting & making good sense out of inconsistencies in the Trek cannon. Highly recommend!

[Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what? I liked it. Revisiting the characters from the Corbomite Maneuver was a gamble that paid off. It provided background not seen in the episode and really fleshed out a whole world. Very good bit of Trek lit.

Also, the nods to the Animated Series were a nice touch.

We discussed this book a little more on a special episode of the All the Books Show:
https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/of...

[Tim Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Star Trek novel I have read in a number of years, I wanted some fun, light reading after and before some planned reading on some heavy nonfiction subjects. Also I missed Star Trek too, I won’t lie about that. Star Trek the Original Series has always been my favorite (though I am a big Next Generation fan as well). This was an enjoyable, fast-paced read with some really good world building and a sense of wonder, doing what the Original Series could never do (this book, if filmed, would easily require the budget of a major motion picture) all while solidly grounding the series in established Star Trek lore from the TV series (and from reading the acknowledgments, from other Star Trek novels as well).

The lore the novel builds on is primarily the Original Series episode “The Corbomite Maneuver,” as this novel is a sequel to that episode and while not perhaps required viewing before reading this book would definitely make it a more understandable and enjoyable experience. The novel focuses on the Enterprises investigating a series of raids by some unknown predatory species using starships that are unknown to the Federation, Kirk’s, Spock’s, and the others investigation leading them back to the First Federation, the secretive interstellar government introduced in the episode “The Corbomite Maneuver.” I don’t want to say a lot about the plot, but author Christopher L. Bennett showed an admirable command of the episode and using that (and other Star Trek lore) created an impressive civilization that is the setting for most of the novel.

Overall, I think the characterization of the main characters was quite good and I could easily read their lines in the voices of the original actors. As other reviewers noted, Uhura gets some impressive “screen time” though Kirk and Spock are the main Enterprise characters. Several new characters, both from the mysterious raiders and from the First Federation, are also major characters. There is some exciting action and once the things fall apart so to speak, the pacing was excellent, a real page turner. There was some technobabble but not overly much and I could recognize nods several times to science that would not have been known even in time of the Next Generation, certainly during the Original Series years. I liked the Original Series trope of making the occasional analogy or comparison with 20th century technology or culture, that to me was part of the feel of the Original Series and was handled well. Once the reader is treated to some of the hidden wonders of the First Federation it was Golden Age of Science Fiction impressive, something I have very much missed from reading or viewing so many gritty, dystopian science fiction stories that are so often focused on grand failures, apocalypses, and flawed characters rather than on grand successes and wonderous achievements with characters who grow and become better versions of themselves, even altruistic; that more than anything is perhaps the legacy of the Original Series, of the Enterprise’s crew leaving a situation better than they found it and showing what is possible if one dreams big.

One of the bad guys was a little one note, shallow, but sadly believable, that would be about my only complaint. Otherwise this novel gave me everything I wanted in a Star Trek novel. It read like a big budget Star Trek the Original Series episode, updated just a bit to reflect some more recent scientific advancements and was maybe a little more diverse.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Star Trek adventure complete with a strange new world, new revelations about a familiar alien race, social commentary and shades of grey between "good" and "evil". The entire original cast also get thier time to shine. It's nice to see prime universe Uhura presented here with (at least) equal strength to her Kelvin universe counterpart.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh: I always wanted to know more about the history of Balok but this book didn't really go into the history of his people very much. It seems like this novel tried to accomplish too much without really developing a story I cared about. The villains seemed to get more fleshed out than the hero's. There are many favorable reviews here but I think maybe more because the story is a continuation of the Corbomite episode that people like it so much. Worth a read but not my favorite Star Trek novel. The final message was pretty heavy handed and repeated over and over so much I got tired of it.

[Andrew Beet · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it the author knows star trek inside out lots of speeches from Kirk saying to the different alien races seen in this book we can help you and then you get a character like tirak who says no we don't want your help leave us but then the alien race that tirak belongs to in the end needs the Enterprise's help after all the author knows the characters very well and you can see that in the book very good

[Ken Gulick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing my quest to read every Star Trek novel. Another good read from Bennet. Although not his greatest the characters are written pitch perfect and I enjoyed seeing the return and further exploration of the First Federation.

[David Palazzolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some thoughts on The Face of the Unknown by Christopher L Bennett

A direct sequel to The Original Series episode “Corbormite Maneuver”. It is some years later (though still within the original Five Year Mission) and a rash of attacks on numerous starships have gained the attention of the Enterprise crew. Upon investigation it is revealed that there is a connection to the civilization called the First Federation that was encountered said TOS episode. Naturally the crew decide to try to reach out to the First Federation and that’s where things start to get interesting

I had always hoped someone would take an interest in the First Federation and write the sequel “Corbormite” had been begging for and so far Bennett has not disappointed. We have the return of Lt Bailey, who stayed with Balok at the end of the episode—he has become the official (Starfleet) Federation ambassador to the First Federation and has grown in the intervening years, but still remains a little overeager. Balok also returns.

Bennett takes the opportunity he was given to expand on this older culture and runs with it. While I’m reticent on detailing his ideas, it shouldn’t be a spoiler to reveal that the First Federation is not a homogeneous collection of planets. There are at least as many different species that claim membership as the Starfleet Federation.

Bennett continues having a solid grasp on the Enterprise bridge crew and separates them out in their own subplots to give them a time to shine. One of my favorite two is Spock’s, where we see him perhaps starting on the path that leads him to studying the discipline of Kolinarh, then with the other we get scenes of the Eternal Bromance of Sulu and Chekov as they get an opportunity to briefly treat their landing party mission like a shore leave

The best part of the novel is the feel of a lived in universe Bennett has created for the First Federation (and he even gives an in universe explanation for their name). The cherry on top of all this lore is the revelation that some First Federation members were not always on the side of the angels, which makes all the problems and pitfalls encountered throughout seem very plausible and compelling.






Spock furrowed his brow. “The guards appear to make their rounds once every forty-seven minutes.”

Koust stared. “How can you know that without a chronometer?”

“You get used to it,” Kirk told [him]

—Christopher L Bennett

[Chris Friend · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only thing that didn’t impress me about this book was how deliberative, explicit, and extensive the review of moral standards was. It seemed too many characters monologued/preached about the ethical optimism quintessential to classic/original Star Trek stories.

But the one the I found unimpressive is merely a symptom of the overwhelming strength of this book: The author *gets* the original Trek formula, and he plays off it with sophistication and skill. All the usual elements of character interactions common to this series appear in the story and almost always help more the story ahead (rather than being gratuitous). The author’s wry humor makes a couple well-timed appearances, too. But everything from Spock & Uhura professionally impressing each other, to Sulu & Chekhov off playing around while investigating things, to Bones & Spock dueling with words, to Scotty’s pride being used against him to motivate him toward greater fame—all the stuff we rely on to make the characters do their things—is all used strategically here.

The author even got the final trademark pose to work out: In your mind’s eye, the screen will go dim with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy standing just so. If you’ve watched an original-series episode, you know this pose. When the last of the three takes his place in this story, you’ll smile to yourself because you know the end credits are about to roll.

The plot here is fun and intriguing, don’t get me wrong. But when it’s delivered with so much attention to tradition/standards, you’ve got to give the author credit. The story is strong enough that the details can shine through and impress.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another superb novel by Bennett. He loves and understands the Trek 'verse and it shows. The plot, a conflict between politics and reality reminds me of the current day struggle between those who only want what's best for themselves and those who recognize the urgent need to recognize the problems caused by pollution, climate change, and other unwanted side effects of modern society. The book has plenty of action, and even Kirk-Fu for the reader to admire. Complex physics are made accessible to the reader but if you like a challenge, there is plenty of sophisticated vocabulary for you to enjoy. One tiny nitpick: the book is a bit long. I got the urgency of the story and didn't need several chapters detailing the struggle to manage when worlds are literally collapsing around you. The ending was satisfying: once again our heroes save the day, despite their own personal demons (Spock's conflicts and angst are especially well-drawn) and because of their own personal gifts and talents.

[Oleta Blaylock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. I love reading stories about the original Star Trek series. I loved the characters and the concept. I have never lost that love. I am not sure about this story. It seems to be very chaotic. Jumping around and there are so many different characters to keep track of. I did enjoy learning more about the aliens from the Corbomite Maneuver. I think that the problem is that there are so many characters and so much going on that the story gets lost in the chaos.

I don't get me wrong this is a good story and a good addition to the Star Trek universe. I also think that the story would have been easier to read if I had had more time to devote to reading it. I think this books needs to be read with very few breaks. Unfortunately I wasn't able to devote the time to doing so.

[Leah Hester · Rating 5 out of 5]

An AMAZING read. I literally spent the last about 3 hours finishing the last half of this book. Even if you're not a Star Trek superfan or expert, neither of which I can claim to be, if you enjoy scifi, action, and a dash of some serious fun, then this is a wonderful choice. It does help to have some knowledge of this particular brand of scifi- meaning the futuristic space travel and alien species bit, as it helps with general understanding. Despite my limited knowledge, I found it to be an exhilarating read and it's definitely made me want to read more of the series- or at least watch more of the original show. I read this specifically for a reading challenge, which the indomitable Capt. Kirk fulfilled to a T. I highly recommend.

[Lance Schonberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Trek TOS has a special place in my heart. My earliest discovered SF and something I shared with my father when I was small. It's been with me my whole life as a result, which makes TOS novels comfort reading for me. Visiting with old friends and slipping back into a familiar universe for new adventures.

This one was fun, bringing back the First Federation and young Bailey (a little less young now) and taking it in a surprising direction or two.

It's also, sadly, the last of the TOS books in my house that I haven't read yet, a small batch of which picked up on a not-too recent bookstore run. There are a couple of TNG books waiting in the pile, though, so I may get to those sooner rather than later.

[Stardreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent followup to the Corbomite Maneuver. The author manages to bring the 1st Federation down to a believable and logical size. It has always been a curiosity why if the 1st Federation was as powerful as we are left thinking at the end of the TOS episode why no one has sought their aid against the Borg and other major threats.

The major story plot of the 1st Federation's massive home located in the atmosphere of gas giant facing imminent destruction because they inhabitants refuse to face the instabilities that their own technology is creating is a wonderful metaphor for our own climate change problems.

[Kristina Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good idea and well crafted but somehow it didn't grab me. Perhaps because it resembled 'Shocks of Adversity' that I read recently. The focus is primarily on Spock's character and his inner questions over his past with T'Pring and his future path. He gets rather emotionally involved during this. Uhura gets given more to do but McCoy and Scotty felt somewhat sidelined with only brief moments to shine.
Of course with such a wealth of characters its impossible to give them all space. Its only my preference that left me disappointed.

[Ron Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sequel to the Star Trek episode "The Corbomite Maneuver." It was okay. I got a kick out of seeing Kirk chewed out for leaving a mentally ill crew member with aliens. It was nice seeing colorful Balok again and to have the First Federation explained. However I would have preferred something a little grander. I think it would have been interesting if the First Federation was founded by refugees from Borg assimilated worlds in the Delta Quadrant. It would explain their paranoia and advanced technology.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the Enterprise approaches the end of their 5-year mission they are sent to investigate attacks on outlying stations which appear related to the First Federation (see episode The Corbomite Maneuver). Lt. David Bailey who was left on the Fesarius at the end of the original meeting is the unofficial ambassador to the First Federation and assists Balok. Unfortunately they have been keeping information about their home world secret. Balok is now missing and is the key to the mystery of the attacks by the Grun now made on the First Federation.

[Eric Troup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although a bit longer than I think it needed to be, this book felt like an episode of the original series–with a much larger budget. We even get fist fights and prison breaks! There's even an attempt to bridge the original and animated series. All in all, an entertaining read, with excellent characterization of the original crew, and a message we could all stand to heed in this current political climate.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an excellent sequel to the episode "Corbomite Manuever" We learn that the puppet that Balok used to 'scare' the Enterprise was fashioned after real people. And we also learn more about the First Federation and a dark secret that Balok's people have been keeping. it is a great read, I couldn't put it down, my only complaint was the story wasn't longer and we didn't see more interaction between the two females that Kirk and Spock met and interacted with.

[Ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

listened to this one on audiobook. I thought the narrator was quite good; his voices were distinct and he had a pleasant voice. honestly his voice was too nice lol cause every time he spoke I was lulled to sleep within ten minutes. it’s part of why this took so long to finish.

the story itself was meh. I didn’t really care about the other characters or their issues. also the romances (if you can call them that) were dull.

[Frank Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. I liked this story a lot. The characters are spot on and the whole adventure fits in with the spirit of TOS perfectly.

The author is a genius at bringing together pieces of TOS into a completely new story and it makes you feel very familiar without being obvious at all.

Get ready to learn a whole lot more about the First Federation and to hear from some perhaps nearly forgotten characters all while following the progress of a bold new adventure.