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Star Trek: Discovery #5
Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War
A shattered ship, a divided crew - trapped in the infernal nightmare of conflict!
Hearing of the outbreak of hostilities between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire, Captain Christopher Pike attempts to bring the U.S.S. Enterprise home to join in the fight. But in the hellish nebula known as the Pergamum, the stalwart commander instead finds an epic battle of his own, pitting ancient enemies against one another - with not just the Enterprise, but her crew as the spoils of war.
Lost and out of contact with Earth for an entire year, Pike and his trusted first officer, Number One, struggle to find and reunite the ship’s crew - all while Science Officer Spock confronts a mystery that puts even his exceptional skills to the test...with more than their own survival possibly riding on the outcome....
Hearing of the outbreak of hostilities between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire, Captain Christopher Pike attempts to bring the U.S.S. Enterprise home to join in the fight. But in the hellish nebula known as the Pergamum, the stalwart commander instead finds an epic battle of his own, pitting ancient enemies against one another - with not just the Enterprise, but her crew as the spoils of war.
Lost and out of contact with Earth for an entire year, Pike and his trusted first officer, Number One, struggle to find and reunite the ship’s crew - all while Science Officer Spock confronts a mystery that puts even his exceptional skills to the test...with more than their own survival possibly riding on the outcome....
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First published July 1, 2019
320 people are currently reading
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About the author
John Jackson Miller
344 books986 followersNew York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller has spent a lifetime immersed in science fiction. His Star Trek novels include the Discovery – Die Standing, the acclaimed novel Discovery — The Enterprise War, the Prey trilogy, and Takedown. His Star Wars novels include A New Dawn, Kenobi, Knight Errant, Lost Tribe of the Sith, and the Knights of the Old Republic comics, available from Marvel as Legends: The Old Republic.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
August 23, 2019
I was so disappointed at the lacklustre and thoroughly unimaginative Drastic Measures by Dayton Ward (Desperate Hours by David Mack was just on the right side of ‘meh’ as well, to be honest) that I thought I’d never read a Discovery novel again.
(Having said that, the lowest bar ever for a tie-in series has to be the three Star Wars novels penned by Chuck Wendig, which managed the impossible feat of having no plot, and being as boring as a Jar Jar Binks talk show at the same time.)
But I digress. What intrigued me about The Enterprise War is that it genuinely seems to plug a gap between seasons one and two of Star Trek Discovery: What the heck happened to the Enterprise during the Battle of the Binary Stars?
John Jackson Miller’s concept of the Boundless is probably one of my favourite alien entities in any incarnation of Star Trek to date. The author has great fun with the fact that, as a warrior race, they come across as gormless and dim-witted Klingons … and then he redeems them at the end in a truly wonderful example of Spielbergian transcendence.
The characterisation here is spot-on: Pike is, well, Pike. This is a very funny book, with lots of banter between the large cast. JJM has clearly earned his stripes as a Star Trek fan, and does not overwhelm his narrative with excessive geekiness. There is a wonderful knowingness and edge to the writing.
I think the great thing about Discovery the television show is that it has freed Star Trek from the stifling confines of Roddenberry’s fishbowl prescriptiveness (hence Tilly’s f-bomb, the first gay couple, etc.)
JJM captures this spirit with The Enterprise War, with a lot of debate about why the Enterprise is so heavily weaponised for a science vessel. And why there are no stepladders onboard to reach the upper bulkheads when the artificial gravity fails.
(Having said that, the lowest bar ever for a tie-in series has to be the three Star Wars novels penned by Chuck Wendig, which managed the impossible feat of having no plot, and being as boring as a Jar Jar Binks talk show at the same time.)
But I digress. What intrigued me about The Enterprise War is that it genuinely seems to plug a gap between seasons one and two of Star Trek Discovery: What the heck happened to the Enterprise during the Battle of the Binary Stars?
John Jackson Miller’s concept of the Boundless is probably one of my favourite alien entities in any incarnation of Star Trek to date. The author has great fun with the fact that, as a warrior race, they come across as gormless and dim-witted Klingons … and then he redeems them at the end in a truly wonderful example of Spielbergian transcendence.
The characterisation here is spot-on: Pike is, well, Pike. This is a very funny book, with lots of banter between the large cast. JJM has clearly earned his stripes as a Star Trek fan, and does not overwhelm his narrative with excessive geekiness. There is a wonderful knowingness and edge to the writing.
I think the great thing about Discovery the television show is that it has freed Star Trek from the stifling confines of Roddenberry’s fishbowl prescriptiveness (hence Tilly’s f-bomb, the first gay couple, etc.)
JJM captures this spirit with The Enterprise War, with a lot of debate about why the Enterprise is so heavily weaponised for a science vessel. And why there are no stepladders onboard to reach the upper bulkheads when the artificial gravity fails.
January 4, 2020
This was an enjoyable read with a genuine TOS vibe. Miller did a great job making Pike sound like the Pike we know from Discovery, he’s extremely likeable and has fun banter with his crew members. The best Discovery tie-in I’ve read to date.
November 6, 2022
Where was Pike’s Enterprise and crew during the great Klingon-Federation War? Now we know. While on an exploratory mission, Enterprise and her crew become embroiled in another war in a mysterious nebula. For over a year the crew members are captured, battered and pushed to their limits attempting to survive. Well written, the characterizations are excellent and the story draws the reader in from the very beginning.
October 21, 2019
This is somewhere between a 2,5 and a 3 for me.
For what I wanted - a fairly easy read/listen (I switched to audio about halfway through) that was less intense than some of the things I'm currently reading for work - it worked well.
The author has managed to capture the (known) characters' voices and it was interesting to see how this links up with the larger plot of the series.
What I especially liked was Captain Pike's
However, I also felt that several of the plot developments in this novel were quite predictable. Additionally
The ending also felt somewhat rushed and not one-hundred percent satisfactory.
For what I wanted - a fairly easy read/listen (I switched to audio about halfway through) that was less intense than some of the things I'm currently reading for work - it worked well.
The author has managed to capture the (known) characters' voices and it was interesting to see how this links up with the larger plot of the series.
What I especially liked was Captain Pike's
However, I also felt that several of the plot developments in this novel were quite predictable. Additionally
The ending also felt somewhat rushed and not one-hundred percent satisfactory.
October 29, 2019
THE ENTERPRISE WAR is a prequel to the second season of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. What was the Starship Enterprise up to during the Klingon War during the first season? What happened between the events of "The Cage" and "Brother."
John Jackson Miller does an impressive job of both creating an intriguing adventure as well explaining the discrepancies between "Desperate Hours" by David Mack and the second season. While it's handled subtlety, it's implied that the acrimonious relationship between Michael Burnham and Spock is the result of the latter's emotional breakdown. I really liked that. The rest of the story deals with a pair of alien races locked in a life-or-death struggle that the Enterprise has unwittingly wandered into it.
I really appreciate the use of the Star Trek Pilot's cast with Una ("Number One"), Colt, Pike, and Spock plus a number of original characters. JJM does an excellent job with them and while they feel a bit dated, that's deliberate. The ending was a bit too pat for me but I feel it was still in the Star Trek theme.
8/10
John Jackson Miller does an impressive job of both creating an intriguing adventure as well explaining the discrepancies between "Desperate Hours" by David Mack and the second season. While it's handled subtlety, it's implied that the acrimonious relationship between Michael Burnham and Spock is the result of the latter's emotional breakdown. I really liked that. The rest of the story deals with a pair of alien races locked in a life-or-death struggle that the Enterprise has unwittingly wandered into it.
I really appreciate the use of the Star Trek Pilot's cast with Una ("Number One"), Colt, Pike, and Spock plus a number of original characters. JJM does an excellent job with them and while they feel a bit dated, that's deliberate. The ending was a bit too pat for me but I feel it was still in the Star Trek theme.
8/10
May 7, 2021
The U.S.S. Enterprise is on a yearlong mission to chart the Pergamum Nebula when they receive word that the Federation is at war with the Klingon Empire. Yet despite commanding one of the most powerful vessels in Starfleet, Captain Christopher Pike is ordered to continue with his mission. While exploring an M-class would within the nebula, however, the Enterprise is drawn into another and very different conflict when an unknown group abducts the survey teams on its surface. As the Enterprise searches the nebula for them, the kidnapped crewmembers find themselves impressed into an ongoing conflict against an alien foe – a conflict that threatens to draw in the Enterprise at the cost of their ship and their lives.
While the Star Trek franchise has spawned an enormous number of television shows, novels, short stories, and comics, the material that served as the genesis of it all – the adventures of the Christopher Pike-captained Enterprise – remain surprisingly under-explored. While the original series that it helped spawned was what captured the imagination of viewers and provided the source material for everything that followed, the diversity of works in the decades since have largely bypassed the material that Gene Roddenberry originally developed. With the Star Trek: Discovery series this has begun to change, while the announced Strange New Worlds series promises to take these elements further still. In this respect John Jackson Miller’s novel offers a glimpse of what that will look like, with a distinctly different captain and crew of the Enterprise in a universe that fans have come to love.
There’s a lot to like about what Miller does in the novel, as his setting is an imaginative one and his characters well-developed and nicely realized. His story suffers somewhat with the requirements to conform to the plot elements in ST:D’s second season, but fortunately this is a minor aspect of the book and doesn’t inhibit him from entertaining the reader. A far greater problem, though, is with the novel’s antagonists. To develop them, Miller reaches from outside the Star Trek franchise, bringing in elements from such classic works as Heinlein’s Starship Troopers and Steakley’s Armor to depict his war within the Pergamum Nebula. Not only does this feel derivative, it introduces technology wholly lacking from the franchise, requiring some effort on his part to explain why it never reappears. In the process, the work feels less like a true Star Trek novel and more of a non-franchise story adapted for it. The overall result makes for an entertaining read, but it’s not something that coheres into something that feels like an adventure that’s true to the franchise as a whole.
While the Star Trek franchise has spawned an enormous number of television shows, novels, short stories, and comics, the material that served as the genesis of it all – the adventures of the Christopher Pike-captained Enterprise – remain surprisingly under-explored. While the original series that it helped spawned was what captured the imagination of viewers and provided the source material for everything that followed, the diversity of works in the decades since have largely bypassed the material that Gene Roddenberry originally developed. With the Star Trek: Discovery series this has begun to change, while the announced Strange New Worlds series promises to take these elements further still. In this respect John Jackson Miller’s novel offers a glimpse of what that will look like, with a distinctly different captain and crew of the Enterprise in a universe that fans have come to love.
There’s a lot to like about what Miller does in the novel, as his setting is an imaginative one and his characters well-developed and nicely realized. His story suffers somewhat with the requirements to conform to the plot elements in ST:D’s second season, but fortunately this is a minor aspect of the book and doesn’t inhibit him from entertaining the reader. A far greater problem, though, is with the novel’s antagonists. To develop them, Miller reaches from outside the Star Trek franchise, bringing in elements from such classic works as Heinlein’s Starship Troopers and Steakley’s Armor to depict his war within the Pergamum Nebula. Not only does this feel derivative, it introduces technology wholly lacking from the franchise, requiring some effort on his part to explain why it never reappears. In the process, the work feels less like a true Star Trek novel and more of a non-franchise story adapted for it. The overall result makes for an entertaining read, but it’s not something that coheres into something that feels like an adventure that’s true to the franchise as a whole.
June 9, 2024
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Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War is set in the same period as Star Discoveries first season and shows us what Pike and the Enterprise crew were up to during the Klingon War in that season and explains there absence. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War really shows what the kind of wringers the crew of the Enterprise were put through during this time, from being 'recruited' by The Boundless to having the ship literally in pieces and having 'to work the problem' to get themselves out which makes for excellent going on. The book piles on the great events and the book delights in throwing spanner after spanner into the works for the crew keeping them on there feet. Throughout from the start you are kept on your feet guessing at how they are going to get themselves out of the positions they find themselves in and with plot twists abounding all over the place. This makes for a tense but brilliantly handled situation by the crew showing what stuff they are made of and really gets a great introduction to the crew and what they are made of. This really shows their personalities and how they manage to work together as a team right from the start.
We get to see right from the start the desire of the crew to be back in Federation space. This creates great tension that works really well as the crew realise that they are going to have to stay where they are and deal with the Boundless! The Pergamum Nebula and the cultures in it are brought vividly to life and the the differing motivations are all there leaving the crew no choice but to deal with it. The decision not to go back to the Federation is cleverly handled and captures there choice on moral grounds brilliantly. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War doesn't flinch about how the characters feel but it brilliantly shows what makes them tick and how they will always try to make the right choices when they are confronted with it. This creates epic scenes from the outset that will keep you on your toes. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War really delights in throwing a spanner in the works of what you reckon is going to happen. This makes for a book full of characterisation, moral choices, epic decisions, high stakes etc right from the beginning and will keep you up late to see what happens. Brace yourselves as you will be from the outset wanting to see what things are going to happen as things are continuously going crazy.
Miller put his characters through the wringer. But the characters going through this really shows their personality traits and this ties in neatly with the character development we see in the Second Season of Discovery showing the characters and how they have become the people they are. There are Easter Eggs throughout as well from the outset that will have you spotting them as they are dropped in, from humorous Spock, Number One and her viewpoints through to character like Dr Boyce and the tradition of secret 'medical supplies' of an alcoholic nature. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War packs out the background and engages in epic world building as we encounter different races and planets with their own motivations and ambitions. We are introduced to the Pergamum which is dense nebula that in need of exploring. Naturally the crew of the Enterprise go for it. At the same time the mysteries of the nebula and the full scale war going on it inevitably draws the crew and Enterprise in. This of course has the ability to swing the balance of power In this area so diplomacy plays its way as well which makes for a great mixture of approaches to the issues in the book as well. This of course prevents Pike from disobeying orders when he finds out about the Klingon war and at every turn after as the ship is already committed to the situation and Pike and Number One agree that they can't leave. This neatly explains while Enterprise was not on the frontline in the war as it had found another situation to be embroiled up their neck in. It also shows that inspite of everything they really had infinite reasons not to there and were tied up flying the Federation flag there instead. There actions stabilise the area and the way they go about is cleverly handled and in a way that is inventive but you can see them doing it in hindsight as it really works.
Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War does a brilliant job of showing us what our characters are made of. The observations of the the various Crew members, from Spock, Pike, Number one, Baladon, Connolly etc works brilliantly really giving a great look at what makes them tick. This serves as a great way to get to see what motivates their actions. This marries up perfectly with the script really showing us why they are doing what they are doing. At the same time though we also get to see what events are driving their opposition and they are not neglected in anyway from Kormagan, Quadeo, Barson etc and you can see why they are doing what they are doing. This results in great three-dimensional characters who can never guess what they might do to achieve what they are after.
The solution with The Boundless and the Rengru is cleverly handled with a neat twist which you won't see coming. John Jackson Miller puts the characters through the wringer but this gets us clear insights into what they are made of that pays real dividends with the characters and how different that they all are to each other and the people they come across and the issues they are dealing with as well as all the other events that are taking place. This leads things open-ended for for follow ups with these races as well as things are not all put to bed as the crew only manages to get the process going which leads to the classic idea about people helping themselves which really ties the diplomatic side of Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War in nicely. At the same time this frees the Enterprise up for it's return. All the cast are up here, from Pike, Number One, Spock etc and are used to great effect. The book has elements of the aftermath of Talos IV which add a great touches to the book and at the same time we are introduced to a host of cameos and new characters such as Baladon, a pirate who secretly want to set up shop on a planet, Vina mind flashes, keeping Pike on his toes, Kormagan a leader of The Boundless etc Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War operates on a palimpsest of levels and fires on all cylinders right from the beginning and will keep you guessing as to what the peoples motivations are. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War is full of daring do, moral quandaries, edge of the seat situation, dramatic grandstanding, crew camaraderie, incredible edge of the seat adventure set with a epic and vast political background and with relentless action. Brilliant crisp high five! Get it if you can!
Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War is set in the same period as Star Discoveries first season and shows us what Pike and the Enterprise crew were up to during the Klingon War in that season and explains there absence. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War really shows what the kind of wringers the crew of the Enterprise were put through during this time, from being 'recruited' by The Boundless to having the ship literally in pieces and having 'to work the problem' to get themselves out which makes for excellent going on. The book piles on the great events and the book delights in throwing spanner after spanner into the works for the crew keeping them on there feet. Throughout from the start you are kept on your feet guessing at how they are going to get themselves out of the positions they find themselves in and with plot twists abounding all over the place. This makes for a tense but brilliantly handled situation by the crew showing what stuff they are made of and really gets a great introduction to the crew and what they are made of. This really shows their personalities and how they manage to work together as a team right from the start.
We get to see right from the start the desire of the crew to be back in Federation space. This creates great tension that works really well as the crew realise that they are going to have to stay where they are and deal with the Boundless! The Pergamum Nebula and the cultures in it are brought vividly to life and the the differing motivations are all there leaving the crew no choice but to deal with it. The decision not to go back to the Federation is cleverly handled and captures there choice on moral grounds brilliantly. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War doesn't flinch about how the characters feel but it brilliantly shows what makes them tick and how they will always try to make the right choices when they are confronted with it. This creates epic scenes from the outset that will keep you on your toes. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War really delights in throwing a spanner in the works of what you reckon is going to happen. This makes for a book full of characterisation, moral choices, epic decisions, high stakes etc right from the beginning and will keep you up late to see what happens. Brace yourselves as you will be from the outset wanting to see what things are going to happen as things are continuously going crazy.
Miller put his characters through the wringer. But the characters going through this really shows their personality traits and this ties in neatly with the character development we see in the Second Season of Discovery showing the characters and how they have become the people they are. There are Easter Eggs throughout as well from the outset that will have you spotting them as they are dropped in, from humorous Spock, Number One and her viewpoints through to character like Dr Boyce and the tradition of secret 'medical supplies' of an alcoholic nature. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War packs out the background and engages in epic world building as we encounter different races and planets with their own motivations and ambitions. We are introduced to the Pergamum which is dense nebula that in need of exploring. Naturally the crew of the Enterprise go for it. At the same time the mysteries of the nebula and the full scale war going on it inevitably draws the crew and Enterprise in. This of course has the ability to swing the balance of power In this area so diplomacy plays its way as well which makes for a great mixture of approaches to the issues in the book as well. This of course prevents Pike from disobeying orders when he finds out about the Klingon war and at every turn after as the ship is already committed to the situation and Pike and Number One agree that they can't leave. This neatly explains while Enterprise was not on the frontline in the war as it had found another situation to be embroiled up their neck in. It also shows that inspite of everything they really had infinite reasons not to there and were tied up flying the Federation flag there instead. There actions stabilise the area and the way they go about is cleverly handled and in a way that is inventive but you can see them doing it in hindsight as it really works.
Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War does a brilliant job of showing us what our characters are made of. The observations of the the various Crew members, from Spock, Pike, Number one, Baladon, Connolly etc works brilliantly really giving a great look at what makes them tick. This serves as a great way to get to see what motivates their actions. This marries up perfectly with the script really showing us why they are doing what they are doing. At the same time though we also get to see what events are driving their opposition and they are not neglected in anyway from Kormagan, Quadeo, Barson etc and you can see why they are doing what they are doing. This results in great three-dimensional characters who can never guess what they might do to achieve what they are after.
The solution with The Boundless and the Rengru is cleverly handled with a neat twist which you won't see coming. John Jackson Miller puts the characters through the wringer but this gets us clear insights into what they are made of that pays real dividends with the characters and how different that they all are to each other and the people they come across and the issues they are dealing with as well as all the other events that are taking place. This leads things open-ended for for follow ups with these races as well as things are not all put to bed as the crew only manages to get the process going which leads to the classic idea about people helping themselves which really ties the diplomatic side of Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War in nicely. At the same time this frees the Enterprise up for it's return. All the cast are up here, from Pike, Number One, Spock etc and are used to great effect. The book has elements of the aftermath of Talos IV which add a great touches to the book and at the same time we are introduced to a host of cameos and new characters such as Baladon, a pirate who secretly want to set up shop on a planet, Vina mind flashes, keeping Pike on his toes, Kormagan a leader of The Boundless etc Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War operates on a palimpsest of levels and fires on all cylinders right from the beginning and will keep you guessing as to what the peoples motivations are. Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War is full of daring do, moral quandaries, edge of the seat situation, dramatic grandstanding, crew camaraderie, incredible edge of the seat adventure set with a epic and vast political background and with relentless action. Brilliant crisp high five! Get it if you can!
August 28, 2019
With The Enterprise War, the Star Trek: Discovery novels are five for five! John Jackson Miller has crafted an excellent story that fills in the gaps in the Discovery television series. It was fun to follow the adventures of the Enterprise for the year before season 2 and discover new insights into that season's storyline. Jackson nails the delivery of the characters, especially Captain Pike and Number One. The actors' voices are clearly heard when reading this novel. Top marks, definitely looking forward to Miller's next contribution to the Star Trek litverse!
Full review (video): https://youtu.be/GkO8Sx8eoBo
Full review (video): https://youtu.be/GkO8Sx8eoBo
June 7, 2021
Wow, this was a great one.
I think the Discovery novels had a little bit of a rough start, which probably can be attributable to the behind-the-scenes chaos of the first season. The show was still trying to find its space legs, and the tie-in authors (some of my favorite Trek authors) had the unenviable task of making a new kind of foray into the novelverse.
I think with the show having found more of a sense of itself, and with the second season tying in with character we've known a long time, Miller had a better sandbox to play in.
And it shows! I really loved how this story tied into existing continuity (Lurian pirates!) and also provided a wonderful bridge into the second season of Disco, tying things back to the Red Angel towards the end.
The concept of the aliens kidnapping people and stuffing them into battle suits that literally force them to fight was a chilling one, and makes for a great explanation as to what kept Pike occupied while the Federation fought the Klingons.
I just loved the feel and the tone of this vision of Pike's Enterprise. If Strange New Worlds is even a little bit like this, people are going to be very happy.
I think the Discovery novels had a little bit of a rough start, which probably can be attributable to the behind-the-scenes chaos of the first season. The show was still trying to find its space legs, and the tie-in authors (some of my favorite Trek authors) had the unenviable task of making a new kind of foray into the novelverse.
I think with the show having found more of a sense of itself, and with the second season tying in with character we've known a long time, Miller had a better sandbox to play in.
And it shows! I really loved how this story tied into existing continuity (Lurian pirates!) and also provided a wonderful bridge into the second season of Disco, tying things back to the Red Angel towards the end.
The concept of the aliens kidnapping people and stuffing them into battle suits that literally force them to fight was a chilling one, and makes for a great explanation as to what kept Pike occupied while the Federation fought the Klingons.
I just loved the feel and the tone of this vision of Pike's Enterprise. If Strange New Worlds is even a little bit like this, people are going to be very happy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2019
Set during the first season of the TV series Star Trek: Discovery, this novel tells what the Starship Enterprise was up to during the Klingon War. Overall, it was a great novel for people like me who have fond memories of the original series "The Menagerie" and wished we could have gotten to know characters like Captain Pike, Doctor Boyce, and Number One better. It also provides some setup for the second season of the Discovery. My only real problem with the novel was near the beginning when we meet a ship of Lurian pirates and most seem quite idiotic. I didn't watch enough Deep Space Nine to know how they were portrayed there, but it felt over the top in a Star Trek novel.
August 1, 2019
On a deep space exploratory assignment at the outbreak of the Battle of the Binary Stars, the 'U.S.S. Enterprise' is ordered to stay away from the war. When Spock and ten per cent of the crew are captured by slavers, Captain Pike finds himself in his own private war.
A prelude to the second season of 'Star Trek: Discovery', 'The Enterprise War' fills in the gaps well and Miller has managed to write a novel which is faithful to both versions of Pike's crew.
A prelude to the second season of 'Star Trek: Discovery', 'The Enterprise War' fills in the gaps well and Miller has managed to write a novel which is faithful to both versions of Pike's crew.
August 9, 2019
Listened to the audiobook-
September 22, 2020
If I'm honest, probably a weak 3* by the usual standards and even my tolerance for media tie-in novels, which can be a crapshoot. I will gladly admit I have zero objectivity where the subject matter's concerned, though, so let's round up to 4* for continual gleeful flailing while reading. The writing's serviceable, if lacking in character interiority, but that's a style preference (I read professional fanfic for FEELS, give me FEELS, damn it), and honestly the plot could have been just about anything because all I really wanted was Pike getting whumped and it delivered. The aliens and whatever was, you know, signal noise for me, even if it fleshed out other crew members that I am now sad we didn't get more TV canon time with, and the resolution felt satisfyingly Star Trek-y.
I'm not sure how valid any of this extraneous canon is—is this really what happened to the Enterprise or can it get jossed later on?—but I really liked how seamlessly it blended into Season Two events, via Spock. And Una was great, my girl forever, and oh my god the epilogue. Stick a fork in me and call me done, those were the feels I was looking for.
I'm not sure how valid any of this extraneous canon is—is this really what happened to the Enterprise or can it get jossed later on?—but I really liked how seamlessly it blended into Season Two events, via Spock. And Una was great, my girl forever, and oh my god the epilogue. Stick a fork in me and call me done, those were the feels I was looking for.
August 18, 2024
FRIENDSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love u pike. i love u spock. i love u una not-yet-chin-riley/loml number one. 100 billion stars
May 10, 2020
John Jackson Miller kehrt mit diesem Roman, nach seiner Star Trek: Prey-Trilogie im Jahre 2016, zu Star Trek zurück, um hier den 4., auf deutsch erschienenen, Star Trek Discovery-Roman zu schreiben.
Im "Der Enterprise-Krieg" geht es darum zu erzählen, was mit der ENTERPRISE unter Captain Pike während des Klingonischen-Krieges (1. Staffel Star Trek: Discovery) passiert ist und warum die Sternenflotte der Besatzung der Enterprise befohlen hatte, sich vom Krieg fernzuhalten. Und warum die Enterprise in einem so ramponierten Zustand war, als sie zu Beginn der 2. Staffel Star Trek: Discovery auf der Bühne erschien. Der Stil des Romans fand ich sehr interessant. Während er sich dem ernsten Thema und der starken Botschaft über die Sinnlosigkeit des Krieges und die Bedeutung von Dialog und Kommunikation beschäftigt, enthält er aber auch immer wieder kleine humorvolle Episoden.
Miller hat es m.E. auch geschafft, die Figur des Vorgängers von Captain Kirk als Captain der Enterprise; Captain Pike; von seiner Darstellung in der Star Trek Classic-Folge "Der Käfig" bis zu seiner Erscheinung in der 2. Staffel von Star Trek: Discovery zu transformieren, einerseits hat man das Bild von Jeffrey Hunter in "Der Käfig" im Kopf, aber auch die Darstellung von Anson Mount in "Star Trek Discovery" vor dem geistigen Auge. Das gleiche gilt für den Spock-Charakter; Beim Lesen fand ich, dass sich meine geistige Vorstellung des Charakters von Ethan Peck (STD) zu Leonard Nimoy (TOS) zu wechseln beginnt, was das beste Zeichen dafür ist, dass Miller den Charakter unabhängig von der Leistung eines Schauspielers interpretiert hat.
Wer sich für Star Trek: Discovery interessiert, dürfte an diesem Roman nicht herumkommen, denn Miller schafft es in unnachahmlicher Weise viele Lücken ohne Anschlussfehler zu schließen, ohne dass das Gesamtkomplex des Star Trek Kanons beschädigt wird, das haben die Filmemacher der Star Trek Discovery-Serie ganz alleine geschafft...
Im "Der Enterprise-Krieg" geht es darum zu erzählen, was mit der ENTERPRISE unter Captain Pike während des Klingonischen-Krieges (1. Staffel Star Trek: Discovery) passiert ist und warum die Sternenflotte der Besatzung der Enterprise befohlen hatte, sich vom Krieg fernzuhalten. Und warum die Enterprise in einem so ramponierten Zustand war, als sie zu Beginn der 2. Staffel Star Trek: Discovery auf der Bühne erschien. Der Stil des Romans fand ich sehr interessant. Während er sich dem ernsten Thema und der starken Botschaft über die Sinnlosigkeit des Krieges und die Bedeutung von Dialog und Kommunikation beschäftigt, enthält er aber auch immer wieder kleine humorvolle Episoden.
Miller hat es m.E. auch geschafft, die Figur des Vorgängers von Captain Kirk als Captain der Enterprise; Captain Pike; von seiner Darstellung in der Star Trek Classic-Folge "Der Käfig" bis zu seiner Erscheinung in der 2. Staffel von Star Trek: Discovery zu transformieren, einerseits hat man das Bild von Jeffrey Hunter in "Der Käfig" im Kopf, aber auch die Darstellung von Anson Mount in "Star Trek Discovery" vor dem geistigen Auge. Das gleiche gilt für den Spock-Charakter; Beim Lesen fand ich, dass sich meine geistige Vorstellung des Charakters von Ethan Peck (STD) zu Leonard Nimoy (TOS) zu wechseln beginnt, was das beste Zeichen dafür ist, dass Miller den Charakter unabhängig von der Leistung eines Schauspielers interpretiert hat.
Wer sich für Star Trek: Discovery interessiert, dürfte an diesem Roman nicht herumkommen, denn Miller schafft es in unnachahmlicher Weise viele Lücken ohne Anschlussfehler zu schließen, ohne dass das Gesamtkomplex des Star Trek Kanons beschädigt wird, das haben die Filmemacher der Star Trek Discovery-Serie ganz alleine geschafft...
August 16, 2019
A great yarn
Enjoyed this bit of storytelling filling us in on what happened before and the impact it had on beloved characters that TIL now we’re just brief mentions and asides. A great addition to world-building in the trek universe and an introduction to worlds and species that surprise and astonish as well as entertain.
Enjoyed this bit of storytelling filling us in on what happened before and the impact it had on beloved characters that TIL now we’re just brief mentions and asides. A great addition to world-building in the trek universe and an introduction to worlds and species that surprise and astonish as well as entertain.
October 15, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, its filled in a block of time not fully explained in the tv series, but also dives deep into characters that we know very little about. I started this book with no expectations as I didn't know what to expect. But leave fully satisfied by it.
August 16, 2019
An excellent and well-done tie-in placed squarely between seasons 1 and 2 of Star Trek: Discovery!
July 25, 2019
Gripping from the jump, paced just like the best episodes of Star Trek, and a twist I didn’t see coming that subverts your expectations but is Trek to the core.
August 6, 2019
Filling in the blanks of Pike’s _Enterprise_ up to the start of season two of ST: DIS. Not a bad romp, and helps to flesh out some of the secondary characters we see in Pike’s crew.
September 1, 2019
There are times when I just want to read an adventure story, something that is familiar and fast paced, and this book is one of those.
If you've watched Discovery Series 1 and 2, you'll know the basic idea; where was the Enterprise during the Klingon War... well, this book explains it all and gives a fine adventure to boot. There is also, as there should be, the morals of the Federation under-pinning it all and the final resolution, if not unexpected, was interesting!
A lot of time passes in this book, over a year, and sometimes I am not sure the true effects of isolation were ever really explored - however, that's a minor, minor thing compared the story of six civilisations locked into war!
If you've watched Discovery Series 1 and 2, you'll know the basic idea; where was the Enterprise during the Klingon War... well, this book explains it all and gives a fine adventure to boot. There is also, as there should be, the morals of the Federation under-pinning it all and the final resolution, if not unexpected, was interesting!
A lot of time passes in this book, over a year, and sometimes I am not sure the true effects of isolation were ever really explored - however, that's a minor, minor thing compared the story of six civilisations locked into war!
August 1, 2019
It's a bit of style over substance -- the overall plot is fairly serviceable, although it drags ever so slightly. But the style is truly a triumph: an exercise in building characters and relationships, as well as continuing to showcase the awesomeness of Christopher Pike. It's a beautiful accompaniment to the events of the first two seasons of "Star Trek Discovery". Bonus points for the extra development given to Connolly, considering his fate in the TV series.
August 27, 2019
You’ve Got to Communicate: The Enterprise War
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader’s copy of this book. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as noted.
I found this book an intricate blend of physical action and personal, interpersonal and poitical struggles. It’s filled with a universe of characters but focused on no more than ten. With a Whovian panoply of species from bipedal lizards to beings with faces resembling dried fruit, and another, carapaced, insect-like species with high scientific achievement but an inability to communicate with other species without physically joining. This seems like a bit of a play on the whole “problems arise when you don’t communicate” trope. This particular species reminded me of a couple of episodes in the Stargate: Atlantis T.V. series. There were a couple of other ideas that seemed based in the Stargate franchise. This remind me that science fiction as a genre shares ideas and themes.
However it is also complex, thrilling, suspenseful and tightly plotted. The Starfleet characters are interesting, heroic and imperfect. Captain Pike is certainly heroic, but emotionally reeling from losses. Spock is all kinds of screwed up, but another officer, a baseball-loving human from Florida shows his true colors and shows signs of a diplomatic nature. No romance is in the offing which is different from the stories I usually read. Without the foil of romance, the plot and characters, especially their internal struggles, take center stage and while the Star Trek Discovery program has offered some information on Spock’s mental health issues, this gives us background that gives more depth to the most recent season of the show. It is a very interesting marriage of TV and book.
The writing is decent and the plotting intricate and inventive. There are some story arcs that telegraph the story. But I love how faced with an issue of potential injury Captain Pike and his crew resolve the problem in a decidedly low-tech way. There’s also a tension as Star Fleet seems obsessed with keeping Enterprise away from the war that starts with the Battle of the Binary Stars. And, yet , they end up in the middle of a centuries-long war between species which, long ago, shared a planet. Unable to reproduce quickly enough the alliance of species presses unwilling captors into service.
Petkoff does a great job with his no-nonsense narration and pleasant voice. He uses subtle differences in voice to like cadence and light accenting to give a diversity of characters without going over the top. This is a great read for fans of Star Trek who don;t mind the way the movies anad series seem to offer a varieties of realities and timelines. If you have no idea of the franchise (where have you been for the last 50 years?) it is not a good place to start. Like all Star Trek story lines, this on e offers a message of discovery and science being more important than combat, and of the wastefulness of war and conflict.
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader’s copy of this book. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as noted.
I found this book an intricate blend of physical action and personal, interpersonal and poitical struggles. It’s filled with a universe of characters but focused on no more than ten. With a Whovian panoply of species from bipedal lizards to beings with faces resembling dried fruit, and another, carapaced, insect-like species with high scientific achievement but an inability to communicate with other species without physically joining. This seems like a bit of a play on the whole “problems arise when you don’t communicate” trope. This particular species reminded me of a couple of episodes in the Stargate: Atlantis T.V. series. There were a couple of other ideas that seemed based in the Stargate franchise. This remind me that science fiction as a genre shares ideas and themes.
However it is also complex, thrilling, suspenseful and tightly plotted. The Starfleet characters are interesting, heroic and imperfect. Captain Pike is certainly heroic, but emotionally reeling from losses. Spock is all kinds of screwed up, but another officer, a baseball-loving human from Florida shows his true colors and shows signs of a diplomatic nature. No romance is in the offing which is different from the stories I usually read. Without the foil of romance, the plot and characters, especially their internal struggles, take center stage and while the Star Trek Discovery program has offered some information on Spock’s mental health issues, this gives us background that gives more depth to the most recent season of the show. It is a very interesting marriage of TV and book.
The writing is decent and the plotting intricate and inventive. There are some story arcs that telegraph the story. But I love how faced with an issue of potential injury Captain Pike and his crew resolve the problem in a decidedly low-tech way. There’s also a tension as Star Fleet seems obsessed with keeping Enterprise away from the war that starts with the Battle of the Binary Stars. And, yet , they end up in the middle of a centuries-long war between species which, long ago, shared a planet. Unable to reproduce quickly enough the alliance of species presses unwilling captors into service.
Petkoff does a great job with his no-nonsense narration and pleasant voice. He uses subtle differences in voice to like cadence and light accenting to give a diversity of characters without going over the top. This is a great read for fans of Star Trek who don;t mind the way the movies anad series seem to offer a varieties of realities and timelines. If you have no idea of the franchise (where have you been for the last 50 years?) it is not a good place to start. Like all Star Trek story lines, this on e offers a message of discovery and science being more important than combat, and of the wastefulness of war and conflict.
April 11, 2022
Star Trek: The Enterprise War, By John Jackson Miller is a media tie-in novel acting as a prequel to the Paramount+ original TV show “Star Trek: Discovery”.
This book answers the question – what happened to Captain Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise when they were away from the Federation-Klingon war. The events of this book lead right into Star Trek: Discovery: Season Two.
The year-long exploration of the Pergamum Nebula is anything but peaceful, as the U.S.S. Enterprise has to fight off one enemy raider only to be faced with another, The Boundless. Pike must take steps to survive and deal with the fact that again, something bad has happened to some of his crew, making him again ponder retirement when…if…they get out of their situation.
Those crewmembers have to face their own problem, and they have to decide what they should do now that they are in a situation out of their control. Do they stay true to Federation values or do they compromise in order to survive in their new roles? The reader is shown how select individuals, including Spock and Connolly deal with and adapt to their circumstances.
The Boundless have their own enemy, the Rengru. The Enterprise and their crewmembers, present from the ship or absent, have been dragged into both sides of the battle, and it’s up to them to find a way to end an ancient war, reunite their people and their ship, and get back home.
There is some resemblance to the situation in A Taste of Armageddon, with people having fought for so long, that the war is normal to them. How does the crew of the Enterprise convince two different alien races that the time for peace has come?
Miller brings the characters alive and the new characters are quite compelling; from Dr. Galadjian, the chief engineer of the Enterprise, to Baladon, a Lurian raider. Under Miller’s skillful pen, they come alive and enrich the story. Fans of Number One (aka Una) will also be pleased by more insight into what makes her tick. Spock’s journey to temporary madness is also shown and again, this leads into the events of Star Trek: Discovery‘s Second Season.
Then there are The Boundless and the Rengru. The story of their lengthy war and the six races that originally populated their home planet explains their actions against the Enterprise and as often the case, things weren’t as it seemed, to both sides.
The book is an easy read, and a quick read. Give yourself a decent block of time when reading The Enterprise War, because once you start reading, you won’t want to put it down until the end. I had read about twenty pages and then got busy with other stuff. Picking it up to resume reading, I shot through the rest of the book, staying up late, because it was so good. This is a true Star Trek story – filled with compelling characters, mysteries, and fascinating aliens. Discovery fans will especially enjoy the story.
This book answers the question – what happened to Captain Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise when they were away from the Federation-Klingon war. The events of this book lead right into Star Trek: Discovery: Season Two.
The year-long exploration of the Pergamum Nebula is anything but peaceful, as the U.S.S. Enterprise has to fight off one enemy raider only to be faced with another, The Boundless. Pike must take steps to survive and deal with the fact that again, something bad has happened to some of his crew, making him again ponder retirement when…if…they get out of their situation.
Those crewmembers have to face their own problem, and they have to decide what they should do now that they are in a situation out of their control. Do they stay true to Federation values or do they compromise in order to survive in their new roles? The reader is shown how select individuals, including Spock and Connolly deal with and adapt to their circumstances.
The Boundless have their own enemy, the Rengru. The Enterprise and their crewmembers, present from the ship or absent, have been dragged into both sides of the battle, and it’s up to them to find a way to end an ancient war, reunite their people and their ship, and get back home.
There is some resemblance to the situation in A Taste of Armageddon, with people having fought for so long, that the war is normal to them. How does the crew of the Enterprise convince two different alien races that the time for peace has come?
Miller brings the characters alive and the new characters are quite compelling; from Dr. Galadjian, the chief engineer of the Enterprise, to Baladon, a Lurian raider. Under Miller’s skillful pen, they come alive and enrich the story. Fans of Number One (aka Una) will also be pleased by more insight into what makes her tick. Spock’s journey to temporary madness is also shown and again, this leads into the events of Star Trek: Discovery‘s Second Season.
Then there are The Boundless and the Rengru. The story of their lengthy war and the six races that originally populated their home planet explains their actions against the Enterprise and as often the case, things weren’t as it seemed, to both sides.
The book is an easy read, and a quick read. Give yourself a decent block of time when reading The Enterprise War, because once you start reading, you won’t want to put it down until the end. I had read about twenty pages and then got busy with other stuff. Picking it up to resume reading, I shot through the rest of the book, staying up late, because it was so good. This is a true Star Trek story – filled with compelling characters, mysteries, and fascinating aliens. Discovery fans will especially enjoy the story.
August 2, 2019
If there was one thing that the second season of Star Trek: Discovery left us hungry for, it was the further adventures of Captain Pike and his Enterprise crew. Where the main show has boldly gone where Trek hasn’t gone before, it was hard to deny the giddy thrill of seeing that group of people in those uniforms mixing it up on a bridge that felt comfortably familiar.
John Jackson Miller, who is primarily known for his prolific work in the Star Wars expanded universe, takes inspiration from a few key moments in Trek history that were referenced in the last season. Set after the Talos IV incident (showcased in the first TOS pilot The Cage and later The Menagerie), and concurrent with the Klingon War and fallout from the Battle of the Binary Stars, Miller writes a character-based piece that gives us a fresh perspective on an excellent season.
Out charting a region of space known as the Pergamum, Miller spilt the narrative into three distinct sections. Following the abduction of several other officers by space pirates/mercenaries, Spock and some Enterprise crewmen are indentured into serving in a multi-generational war inside self-sustaining battle suits for the Boundless. Back on the ship, Pike and his trusted Number One attempt to rescue the crew while literally working upside down. Then there’s Baladon, a kind of space pirate who attacks and scavenges tech and people on behalf of the Boundless. Cutting back and forth between the perspectives heightens the momentum, but also ensures that this is never just another Starfleet-centric view of the galaxy.
Using this technique, Miller’s book feels like an episode of the show, which is unquestionably intended as a compliment. It does what the best episodes do so well: it takes a sci-fi concept, uses it to test the fundamental principles of Gene Roddenberry’s utopian vision, and gives us a chance to explore something new about the characters in the process. Without giving away too much, the narrative takes place over the better part of a year – something the show would struggle with in a single episode – and Spock’s control is pushed to its absolute limits.
Miller’s doesn’t just show Spock’s fragile state through inner monologue, but rather through the tell-tale signs that Pike notices. Similarly, the baseball obsessed Enterprise officer Connolly, captured by the Boundless, who is so well rounded as a character that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d been watching him this whole time.
While Roddenberry always envisaged a future where human frailty was a thing of the past, that approach tend to suck the drama out of the room. Thankfully Miller ignores that edict, depicting a group of flawed people who work together because of those differences. There’s chief engineer Galadjian (nicknamed “Doctor Oh”), for example, a reasonably green and aloof Starfleet officer who Pike must confront about not applying his theoretical knowledge in a demonstrative fashion to the crew. (He calls the iconic Jefferies’ Tubes “Joshua Tubes.”) As a people leader for the last decade or so, it’s nice to see performance management represented in the Trek universe. Meanwhile, Pike is still haunted by his encounter with Vina and the Talosians. Or as Baladon puts it: “What is it with you Federation people, always courting misery.”
One of the most fascinating (as Spock might put it) outcomes of the novel is the new information we get in relation to Spock’s encounter with the “Red Angel” that served as the catalyst for Season 2. Like the show, it provides fertile ground for further exploration of pre-TOS concepts, but proof positive that a Pike-led series is something that the world needs right now.
John Jackson Miller, who is primarily known for his prolific work in the Star Wars expanded universe, takes inspiration from a few key moments in Trek history that were referenced in the last season. Set after the Talos IV incident (showcased in the first TOS pilot The Cage and later The Menagerie), and concurrent with the Klingon War and fallout from the Battle of the Binary Stars, Miller writes a character-based piece that gives us a fresh perspective on an excellent season.
Out charting a region of space known as the Pergamum, Miller spilt the narrative into three distinct sections. Following the abduction of several other officers by space pirates/mercenaries, Spock and some Enterprise crewmen are indentured into serving in a multi-generational war inside self-sustaining battle suits for the Boundless. Back on the ship, Pike and his trusted Number One attempt to rescue the crew while literally working upside down. Then there’s Baladon, a kind of space pirate who attacks and scavenges tech and people on behalf of the Boundless. Cutting back and forth between the perspectives heightens the momentum, but also ensures that this is never just another Starfleet-centric view of the galaxy.
Using this technique, Miller’s book feels like an episode of the show, which is unquestionably intended as a compliment. It does what the best episodes do so well: it takes a sci-fi concept, uses it to test the fundamental principles of Gene Roddenberry’s utopian vision, and gives us a chance to explore something new about the characters in the process. Without giving away too much, the narrative takes place over the better part of a year – something the show would struggle with in a single episode – and Spock’s control is pushed to its absolute limits.
Miller’s doesn’t just show Spock’s fragile state through inner monologue, but rather through the tell-tale signs that Pike notices. Similarly, the baseball obsessed Enterprise officer Connolly, captured by the Boundless, who is so well rounded as a character that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d been watching him this whole time.
While Roddenberry always envisaged a future where human frailty was a thing of the past, that approach tend to suck the drama out of the room. Thankfully Miller ignores that edict, depicting a group of flawed people who work together because of those differences. There’s chief engineer Galadjian (nicknamed “Doctor Oh”), for example, a reasonably green and aloof Starfleet officer who Pike must confront about not applying his theoretical knowledge in a demonstrative fashion to the crew. (He calls the iconic Jefferies’ Tubes “Joshua Tubes.”) As a people leader for the last decade or so, it’s nice to see performance management represented in the Trek universe. Meanwhile, Pike is still haunted by his encounter with Vina and the Talosians. Or as Baladon puts it: “What is it with you Federation people, always courting misery.”
One of the most fascinating (as Spock might put it) outcomes of the novel is the new information we get in relation to Spock’s encounter with the “Red Angel” that served as the catalyst for Season 2. Like the show, it provides fertile ground for further exploration of pre-TOS concepts, but proof positive that a Pike-led series is something that the world needs right now.
December 31, 2023
Star Trek (or is it Robotech?) novel starring Christopher Pike and the Enterprise between seasons 1 and 2 of Discovery. I didn't know the war was that long...
The characters are great, both Una and Pike are dead ringers for what we saw briefly in Discovery and even more so in Strange New Worlds. The beginning and end of the novel fit the television series more than the plot of the book, including Spock's visions. The backstory for Pike was a nice fit (recently watched a youtuber go through that same tunnel). Who can't appreciate a baseball loving officer Connolly in the cast?
That said, I'm not sure mecha suits belong on Star Trek. This novel covered a LONG time, and the Enterprise will be in refit long after that (which is why Pike captained Discovery). There was a thread about old earth expressions - had the Boundless captured an earth ship? - which seems to have been dropped. The resolution of the story was convenient, and suitably Trekky, but also a little strange -
A solid effort, and glad I read it - will have to go back and rewatch parts of Discovery.
The characters are great, both Una and Pike are dead ringers for what we saw briefly in Discovery and even more so in Strange New Worlds. The beginning and end of the novel fit the television series more than the plot of the book, including Spock's visions. The backstory for Pike was a nice fit (recently watched a youtuber go through that same tunnel). Who can't appreciate a baseball loving officer Connolly in the cast?
That said, I'm not sure mecha suits belong on Star Trek. This novel covered a LONG time, and the Enterprise will be in refit long after that (which is why Pike captained Discovery). There was a thread about old earth expressions - had the Boundless captured an earth ship? - which seems to have been dropped. The resolution of the story was convenient, and suitably Trekky, but also a little strange -
A solid effort, and glad I read it - will have to go back and rewatch parts of Discovery.
October 28, 2019
Great Addition to Star Trek Lore
As an old hand at Star Trek novels from way back in the Bantam days, it takes a lot to impress me. I read the Kindle sample and was hooked. Miller's narrative style is engrossing and easy to read. His familiarity with Trek lore is effortless and extensive. So often when trying out a new ST novel, I stumble over clunky writing or an even clunkier lack of familiarity with Trek. Neither of those were a problem here. While the ending was evident from a mile away, it reflected a comfortable expectation of how I'd want a ST novel to end rather than lack of creativity on the author's part. On the contrary, Miller managed to surprise me AND meet my old hand expectations at the same time. Highly recommend, whether you're a new Discovery fan or an old Classic Trek fan like me.
As an old hand at Star Trek novels from way back in the Bantam days, it takes a lot to impress me. I read the Kindle sample and was hooked. Miller's narrative style is engrossing and easy to read. His familiarity with Trek lore is effortless and extensive. So often when trying out a new ST novel, I stumble over clunky writing or an even clunkier lack of familiarity with Trek. Neither of those were a problem here. While the ending was evident from a mile away, it reflected a comfortable expectation of how I'd want a ST novel to end rather than lack of creativity on the author's part. On the contrary, Miller managed to surprise me AND meet my old hand expectations at the same time. Highly recommend, whether you're a new Discovery fan or an old Classic Trek fan like me.
May 23, 2020
Unlike David Mack's Desperate Hours, I will not return to this action-packed Discovery Era novel. Once again, if felt like a situation where the writer had a contract to write a ST novel, but he wanted to write something very different -in this case something along the lines of Robotech. Sorry but it's not my cup of tea. Modern fandom has many takes on Trek; I don't mean to disparage what other people like. Yes, the title of the book has the word 'war' in it, and I knew to expect fighting. A spoiler told me this also involved the Enterprise being away in another war during the first season of Discovery. This was more war than discovery. I thought the resolution of the war was weak: "Why didn't you just TELL us that we were mistaken about the reason for the war for the past several centuries?" -"We couldn't leave the planet because it was too much trouble."
August 16, 2019
Wow! I loved reading every last page of this novel. J.J. Miller wrote a fantastic story that contained so much heart, which greatly aided me in visualizing Ethan Peck and Anson Mount as Spock and Pike. The book was expertly paced--it was able to be action packed, contemplative, and science based without it ever feeling forced or overdone. The book beautifully answered the question that I had so often during DSC season 1--where the heck is the Enterprise during the war??? I'm sure everyone is saying this already but it really made me want a Mount/Peck/Romjin series/movie even more.
I've read J.J. Miller's Prey trilogy and quite enjoyed it but this was easily my favorite book of his that I have read. In fact, both recent 2019 releases, "The Enterprise War" and Christopher L. Bennett's "The Captain's Oath" have been excellent books that rank among my favorites I've read in Trek Lit. What a time to be alive (and reading)!
I've read J.J. Miller's Prey trilogy and quite enjoyed it but this was easily my favorite book of his that I have read. In fact, both recent 2019 releases, "The Enterprise War" and Christopher L. Bennett's "The Captain's Oath" have been excellent books that rank among my favorites I've read in Trek Lit. What a time to be alive (and reading)!
August 17, 2019
John Jackson Miller had the unenviable (at first) task of chronicling the voyages of the Enterprise during his absence in Star Trek Discovery's first season.
Stuck in a remote nebula where travel is difficult, the Enterprise and its crew find themselves in the middle of a devastating war that has been going on for centuries, and all kind of separations and encounters prevent them from returning to the galaxy at large to participate in the Klingon war.
While the novel starts slow, building up the premises of all the parties, it picks up quickly and goes wild until the climax and the reason of why Spock is in a catatonic state that gets him committed to the mental facility.
The novel finishes right before the start of the second season of Discovery.
Recommended!
Stuck in a remote nebula where travel is difficult, the Enterprise and its crew find themselves in the middle of a devastating war that has been going on for centuries, and all kind of separations and encounters prevent them from returning to the galaxy at large to participate in the Klingon war.
While the novel starts slow, building up the premises of all the parties, it picks up quickly and goes wild until the climax and the reason of why Spock is in a catatonic state that gets him committed to the mental facility.
The novel finishes right before the start of the second season of Discovery.
Recommended!
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