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Star Trek Autobiographies
The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway: Captain Janeway of the USS Voyager tells the story of her life in Starfleet, for fans of Star Trek
Captain Janeway of the USS Voyager tells the story of her life in Starfleet, for fans of Star Trek. Kathryn Janeway reveals her career in Starfleet, from her first command to her epic journey through the Delta Quadrant leading to her rise to the top as vice-admiral in Starfleet Command. Discover the story of the woman who travelled further than any human ever had before, stranded decades from home, encountering new worlds and species. Explore how she brought together Starfleet and the Maquis as part of her crew, forged new alliances with species across the galaxy and overcame one of Starfleet's greatest threats - the Borg - on their own remote and hostile territory. Get Janeway's personal take on key characters such as Seven of Nine, her trusted friend Tuvok, new arrivals like Neelix and her second-in-command, Chakotay.
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2020
229 people are currently reading
1071 people want to read
About the author
Una McCormack
103 books358 followersUna McCormack is a British writer and the author of several Star Trek novels and stories.
Ms. McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written four Doctor Who novels: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods (featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory); Royal Blood (featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Clara), and Molten Heart (featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham). She is also the author of numerous audio dramas for Big Finish Productions.
Ms. McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written four Doctor Who novels: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods (featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory); Royal Blood (featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Clara), and Molten Heart (featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham). She is also the author of numerous audio dramas for Big Finish Productions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
October 27, 2025
Beyond the Voyager
I really enjoyed this book. I have to admit I came a little late to the Voyager series. I think it was already on series 3 before I saw a single episode. After that, I went back and watched it from beginning to end.
As much as I loved the Voyager series, I am glad that this book is not just repeating a bit of the series. In fact, Voyager and the Delta Quadrant do not appear well past halfway through this book. Una McCormack does a great job as the voice of Captain Janeway. Her early life and her trails tribulations before and during Starfleet.
For fans of the Voyager series, this is a great way to see how Janeway's influences and early experiences shaped her decisions in the series. Also, even though this book does not just rehash the series. The part to do with the Voyager series is a great trip down memory lane. It was also great me for me to see what happened to the crew after their return.
If I do have one reservation it is, there is not much info on Janeway's career after Voyager it is really summed up in the line, "I am an Admiral now." With the detail that was put into her early life or life before Starfleet, I thought there would be more after her return. However, I can understand why the secrets act mentioned earlier in the book talking about Admiral level decisions might not be possible for a still serving Admiral in their memoirs.
This is a great book I would recommend to any fan of the Star Trek Voyager series. It definitely did not disappoint me anyway.
I really enjoyed this book. I have to admit I came a little late to the Voyager series. I think it was already on series 3 before I saw a single episode. After that, I went back and watched it from beginning to end.
As much as I loved the Voyager series, I am glad that this book is not just repeating a bit of the series. In fact, Voyager and the Delta Quadrant do not appear well past halfway through this book. Una McCormack does a great job as the voice of Captain Janeway. Her early life and her trails tribulations before and during Starfleet.
For fans of the Voyager series, this is a great way to see how Janeway's influences and early experiences shaped her decisions in the series. Also, even though this book does not just rehash the series. The part to do with the Voyager series is a great trip down memory lane. It was also great me for me to see what happened to the crew after their return.
If I do have one reservation it is, there is not much info on Janeway's career after Voyager it is really summed up in the line, "I am an Admiral now." With the detail that was put into her early life or life before Starfleet, I thought there would be more after her return. However, I can understand why the secrets act mentioned earlier in the book talking about Admiral level decisions might not be possible for a still serving Admiral in their memoirs.
This is a great book I would recommend to any fan of the Star Trek Voyager series. It definitely did not disappoint me anyway.
January 31, 2021
I gotta be honest. This was disappointing.
I grew up with Janeway and devoured every one of the Voyager books. I reread Jeri Taylor’s books, Mosaic first and foremost, countless times, so discovering that the image I have of Kathryn Janeway’s pre-Voyager life doesn’t correlate with this “autobiography” is something I couldn’t quite reconcile with while reading. And I’m not quite sure why her past got changed considering that her pre-Voyager life now is extremely...eventless all of a sudden, to put it kindly.
Furthermore, the Janeway in this here book seems oddly lifeless. When she recounts her life on Voyager it feels more like episode summaries and less like someone trying to explain how the events on Voyager shaped her going forward. Janeway’s personal logs were always filled to the brim with her feelings, worries, doubts. But here we get no new insights into what she thought of the events that made up those 7 years in the Delta Quadrant (how does her emotional state in “Night” not even get a mention?), or the years afterwards (I get that the latest Voyager books don’t seem to be canon, much to my JC shipper heart’s disappointment, but the fact that Nemesis and the events afterwards don’t even get a mention in her post-Voyager reflection is odd).
On top of all that, there are some little details that don’t really fit the show (she suddenly has nieces? Chakotay calls her Kathryn at the very beginning of their journey? Her constant agonising over not having children? Gretchen wrote the Flotter stories??? You’d think she’d mention that to Naomi).
All in all disappointing to me personally but I do see the 5 star reviews so it seems to hit the mark with some people, therefore I highly recommend getting the audiobook read by Kate Mulgrew if you want to check out the book for yourself. While the Janeway in this book doesn’t have much in common with the Janeway I know and love, I still at least got to listen to Kathryn Janeway’s voice and that helped a lot (it’s also the reason I bumped up my rating from 2 to 3; well done, Kate).
P.S. I hate that “twist” at the end of the book with a passion. Just...why??
P.P.S. Read Mosaic by Jeri Taylor. All the autobiographical facts you need about Kathryn’s pre-Voyager life and a great insight into Kathryn’s character and what makes her tick.
I grew up with Janeway and devoured every one of the Voyager books. I reread Jeri Taylor’s books, Mosaic first and foremost, countless times, so discovering that the image I have of Kathryn Janeway’s pre-Voyager life doesn’t correlate with this “autobiography” is something I couldn’t quite reconcile with while reading. And I’m not quite sure why her past got changed considering that her pre-Voyager life now is extremely...eventless all of a sudden, to put it kindly.
Furthermore, the Janeway in this here book seems oddly lifeless. When she recounts her life on Voyager it feels more like episode summaries and less like someone trying to explain how the events on Voyager shaped her going forward. Janeway’s personal logs were always filled to the brim with her feelings, worries, doubts. But here we get no new insights into what she thought of the events that made up those 7 years in the Delta Quadrant (how does her emotional state in “Night” not even get a mention?), or the years afterwards (I get that the latest Voyager books don’t seem to be canon, much to my JC shipper heart’s disappointment, but the fact that Nemesis and the events afterwards don’t even get a mention in her post-Voyager reflection is odd).
On top of all that, there are some little details that don’t really fit the show (she suddenly has nieces? Chakotay calls her Kathryn at the very beginning of their journey? Her constant agonising over not having children? Gretchen wrote the Flotter stories??? You’d think she’d mention that to Naomi).
All in all disappointing to me personally but I do see the 5 star reviews so it seems to hit the mark with some people, therefore I highly recommend getting the audiobook read by Kate Mulgrew if you want to check out the book for yourself. While the Janeway in this book doesn’t have much in common with the Janeway I know and love, I still at least got to listen to Kathryn Janeway’s voice and that helped a lot (it’s also the reason I bumped up my rating from 2 to 3; well done, Kate).
P.S. I hate that “twist” at the end of the book with a passion. Just...why??
P.P.S. Read Mosaic by Jeri Taylor. All the autobiographical facts you need about Kathryn’s pre-Voyager life and a great insight into Kathryn’s character and what makes her tick.
June 24, 2021
If you love Star Trek and have seen all of ST: Voyager, you will enjoy this diverting “memoir”. I especially enjoyed the “original” portion of the book, before Janeway and the crews of the Voyager and the Valjean were whisked to the Delta quadrant, although, don’t get me wrong, to hear Janeway’s thoughts on some of the key events of that era was also interesting. Well written, I’ve been enjoying Una McCormack’s other Star Trek novels lately and of course, Kate Mulgrew’s narration fully embodied the character. There even seemed to be some true emotional moments you could hear in her rough voice in the moment.
Very enjoyable indeed!
Very enjoyable indeed!
May 30, 2021
I found the second half of this covering Janeway's time on Voyager and the period following, of much greater interest than the first half covering the earlier periods of her life. Although there are no shocking or juicy revelations (no surprise there), it was interesting to hear her recount many of the major events and crises from Voyager's journey through the delta quadrant, giving additional insight into the critical decisions she made along the way, particularly those with significant ethical or moral dimensions or those requiring great sacrifice from the crew. Of course, she also gives ample color on her relationships with all the key crew members, the ups and downs, and reveals in the final chapter the course each of their lives took after returning home. Overall, the narrative voice should ring true for Voyager fans, as McCormack does a fantastic job channeling Janeway's sentiments and intrepid spirit.
December 1, 2021
As books go, this is a weird one.
I find the premise of this book - the autobiography of a fictional character - very fascinating. (Obviously, fictional autobiographies aren’t a new thing, but it still feels….like an odd blend of the supposed “factual” autobiography and the fictional Star Trek universe. I have plans to dig into this more fully for an essay in the upcoming months, so that’s gonna be fun!) And it’s very much one of those things that are produced purely for fan enjoyment. Which is not to say that you couldn’t read this as a non-fan, but most of the reading pleasure comes from re-encountering familiar characters. (The first meeting with Tuvok is one of my favorite bits of this book.)
I was honestly not prepared for how emotional this book would make me - I teared up more than once, especially during the final chapter. What can I say, I love Voyager, its Captain, and its crew (despite the show’s flaws) and it was good to “see” them again in this form.
I find the premise of this book - the autobiography of a fictional character - very fascinating. (Obviously, fictional autobiographies aren’t a new thing, but it still feels….like an odd blend of the supposed “factual” autobiography and the fictional Star Trek universe. I have plans to dig into this more fully for an essay in the upcoming months, so that’s gonna be fun!) And it’s very much one of those things that are produced purely for fan enjoyment. Which is not to say that you couldn’t read this as a non-fan, but most of the reading pleasure comes from re-encountering familiar characters. (The first meeting with Tuvok is one of my favorite bits of this book.)
I was honestly not prepared for how emotional this book would make me - I teared up more than once, especially during the final chapter. What can I say, I love Voyager, its Captain, and its crew (despite the show’s flaws) and it was good to “see” them again in this form.
January 15, 2025
5 Stars for The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway (audiobook) by Una McCormack read by Kate Mulgrew.
This was a wonderful way to revisit one of my favorite Star Trek series. I really enjoyed hearing all about Janeway’s childhood and how she made it into Starfleet. I especially liked the story of when she was a teenager and took a trip with her father to Flagstaff Az and then went camping at the north rim of the Grand Canyon. For some reason it’s fun to think that one of my favorite Starfleet Captains went on the same trip that I took. It was also great to hear how all of the crew settled back into life in the Alpha Quadrant.
This was a wonderful way to revisit one of my favorite Star Trek series. I really enjoyed hearing all about Janeway’s childhood and how she made it into Starfleet. I especially liked the story of when she was a teenager and took a trip with her father to Flagstaff Az and then went camping at the north rim of the Grand Canyon. For some reason it’s fun to think that one of my favorite Starfleet Captains went on the same trip that I took. It was also great to hear how all of the crew settled back into life in the Alpha Quadrant.
November 3, 2020
The first two books in this series, the "autobiographies" of Kirk and Picard, are at once faithful and transformative accounts of those characters' lives. So I was very much looking forward to reading this one, about the captain of perhaps my favorite crew in Trek.
This "autobiography," though, relied much more on nostalgia to carry the book than to set a course for the book's own story to play out. It gives a remarkable tour of Janeway's pre-"Caretaker" life, with insights and introspection aplenty; but once we join the story of the ill-fated Voyager as told in the TV show, much of the juiciest and most interesting thoughts and insights a real Janeway might've been able to bring to the story are glossed over, ignored completely, or dismissed behind an "it's classified" or "it's personal." It seems to have been written from a perspective a decade or two after "Endgame," yet offers nothing in the way of reflection upon her role in the events of Star Trek: Nemesis or what happened to a couple of her notable crew members before the events of Star Trek: Picard, or indeed the change in Starfleet culture that precede that show. The Kirk and Picard "autobiographies" fill in the gaps between what we saw on screen, in addition to giving some pre- and post-series context that this book was lacking a bit.
The book certainly isn't bad, by any stretch of the imagination; but having read McCormack's fantastic Picard prequel novel "The Last Best Hope," I was hoping to see more of Janeway's life laid bare. The book is certainly what a real Janeway would've written, but I was hoping for a bit more than that.
This "autobiography," though, relied much more on nostalgia to carry the book than to set a course for the book's own story to play out. It gives a remarkable tour of Janeway's pre-"Caretaker" life, with insights and introspection aplenty; but once we join the story of the ill-fated Voyager as told in the TV show, much of the juiciest and most interesting thoughts and insights a real Janeway might've been able to bring to the story are glossed over, ignored completely, or dismissed behind an "it's classified" or "it's personal." It seems to have been written from a perspective a decade or two after "Endgame," yet offers nothing in the way of reflection upon her role in the events of Star Trek: Nemesis or what happened to a couple of her notable crew members before the events of Star Trek: Picard, or indeed the change in Starfleet culture that precede that show. The Kirk and Picard "autobiographies" fill in the gaps between what we saw on screen, in addition to giving some pre- and post-series context that this book was lacking a bit.
The book certainly isn't bad, by any stretch of the imagination; but having read McCormack's fantastic Picard prequel novel "The Last Best Hope," I was hoping to see more of Janeway's life laid bare. The book is certainly what a real Janeway would've written, but I was hoping for a bit more than that.
October 13, 2020
This is one sad excuse for a book. Kathryn Janeway is one of the most interesting Star Trek characters and deserved a lot better than this sanitized, shallow fluff. The 'voice' doesn't sound like hers, her life story sails along with only the barest conflict to make it interesting, at least until her father's death, and she doesn't come across as at all prepared for the delta quadrant experience. The 'facts' don't match established TV canon, let alone beta-canon (the author seems to have picked a few bits from the Mosaic grab bag, shaken them up and let them scatter as she likes, with no regard for what these changes do to Janeway's character). Worst of all, it's not engaging or well-written. A huge disappointment all around, and compared to Kate Mulgrew's own autobiographical novels, this is just not a good story. A waste of money. Here's hoping the final Kirsten Beyer Voyager novel is better.
Oh, and for those who want to know:
- There's no Justin Tighe
- There's no Cardassian capture
- Mark Johnson bears little resemblance to the Mark in Mosaic or on TV
- There's not even the slightest hint of J/C
- The recountings of episodes like Scorpion, Equinox and Repression, which should have been traumatic and fascinating, are like Golden Books versions of themselves
- The final twist at the end is like the worst fanfiction trope you've ever read
Sorry Una. Epic fail on this one. I won't be rushing to buy your next book.
Oh, and for those who want to know:
- There's no Justin Tighe
- There's no Cardassian capture
- Mark Johnson bears little resemblance to the Mark in Mosaic or on TV
- There's not even the slightest hint of J/C
- The recountings of episodes like Scorpion, Equinox and Repression, which should have been traumatic and fascinating, are like Golden Books versions of themselves
- The final twist at the end is like the worst fanfiction trope you've ever read
Sorry Una. Epic fail on this one. I won't be rushing to buy your next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2020
Dont waste your time. I LOVE Captain Janeway,favorite all time character, and this book is horrible! Slap in the face to who this character really is! It basically gets rid of anything that has been established has her past, present, or future. The person who wrote this book apparently has never even read the DOZENS of books that has been written about her since leaving the delta quadrant. It was all "fluff". I can overlook the first 140 pages where they tell a completely different story about her childhood, teen years, academy days, earlier postings, whatever but the parts I was really looking forward too was the last third of the book where she "talked" about how she "felt" during the 7 years in the delta quadrant. I was really hoping for the nitty gritty feels of what it felt like to have people die under her command, to watch as her crew struggled for basic things like food, but this was all done with a smile on her face! It was TERRIBLE! The ONLY reason why I gave it two stars and not one is because it gave a tiny bit (literally like three pages) as to what was going on now with the crew, which by the way is completely different from everything already written. Serioulsy the person who wrote this book needs to READ up on who she is writing about.
October 19, 2020
Such a disappointment! Una writes really good characters in the Star Trek universe, bur here Janeway is boring and mono-dimensional. The only interesting and exciting development of this entire book happens on the last page.
September 7, 2021
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF KATHRYN JANEWAY is a book I preordered but I also was back and forth by. Janeway is a character I deeply enjoy but she often played the role of the straight woman on Voyager with Kate Mulgrew focused on making her a role model versus the darker backstories of Kirk (Kodos the Executioner) or Picard (with his Stargazer/hellraiser past). I also admit to wishing we'd gotten a Ben Sisko Autobiography first.
The problem with the book is, and this is not on the writer, but she is incredibly boring as a person. The first 1/5th of the book is her talking about how she used to play tennis but was a bad sport and that her mother wrote children's books. Indeed, a large portion of the book has very little to do with the Delta Quadrant but is a "slice of life" of the Federation with how she dumped her first serious boyfriend because he wanted to have kids (with her raising them) and that she really disliked her XO on her first major assignment.
I really liked her love of Amelia Earhart and how that relatively minor incident was one of the major ones that stuck with her. Also, the fact that Tuvix is one of her biggest regrets. Strangely, no Chakotay romance and that was a shame. Still, I give props to Una McCormack to livening up someone you'd want to avoid at a party.
The problem with the book is, and this is not on the writer, but she is incredibly boring as a person. The first 1/5th of the book is her talking about how she used to play tennis but was a bad sport and that her mother wrote children's books. Indeed, a large portion of the book has very little to do with the Delta Quadrant but is a "slice of life" of the Federation with how she dumped her first serious boyfriend because he wanted to have kids (with her raising them) and that she really disliked her XO on her first major assignment.
I really liked her love of Amelia Earhart and how that relatively minor incident was one of the major ones that stuck with her. Also, the fact that Tuvix is one of her biggest regrets. Strangely, no Chakotay romance and that was a shame. Still, I give props to Una McCormack to livening up someone you'd want to avoid at a party.
September 20, 2025
Review 24. The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway by Una McCormack narrated by Kate Mulgrew
Duration : 8 hours 20 minutes
The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway is my favourite of these books that I have read or listened to so far.
Narrated by Captain/Admiral Janeway herself (Kate Mulgrew), this book is simply amazing.
The amount of humour and emotion in Kate's voice had me either smiling or almost crying as some of the events she describe's were absolutely heartbreaking but also happy.
Kate Mulgrew does such an amazing job with the narration of this book.
This was the 2nd shorter audiobook I decided to listen before going into a longer audio book and I am so glad I listened to it again.
I never get bored of listening to Kathryn Janeway's story and love the differences between this book and the previously published version of Kathryn Janeway's story, Mosaic by Jeri Taylor.
I will look forward to read this book again in the future eagerly.
5*
*****
Duration : 8 hours 20 minutes
The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway is my favourite of these books that I have read or listened to so far.
Narrated by Captain/Admiral Janeway herself (Kate Mulgrew), this book is simply amazing.
The amount of humour and emotion in Kate's voice had me either smiling or almost crying as some of the events she describe's were absolutely heartbreaking but also happy.
Kate Mulgrew does such an amazing job with the narration of this book.
This was the 2nd shorter audiobook I decided to listen before going into a longer audio book and I am so glad I listened to it again.
I never get bored of listening to Kathryn Janeway's story and love the differences between this book and the previously published version of Kathryn Janeway's story, Mosaic by Jeri Taylor.
I will look forward to read this book again in the future eagerly.
5*
*****
August 4, 2024
For years, I have held Jeri Taylor's books Mosaic and Pathways as my go-to resource for the backstories of the main cast of Star Trek: Voyager. I have treasured both of those books for over twenty years, and they still sit proudly amid my book collection (though Mosaic, being a mass market paperback, has seen better days). So when I learned that this book was coming out, I admit that I was both confused and excited. Janeway's story had already been told and explored very well. What more needed to be said? Still, I am always up for just about anything involving the starship captain that became one of my childhood heroes.
Una McCormack's treatment of Janeway's life was... a bit of a mixed bag for me. I did enjoy the refreshing of Janeway's family, providing further details about her parents (particularly Gretchen Williams Janeway), showing the involvement of both sets of grandparents, and giving little sister Phoebe a new backstory and life. A great touch, giving Janeway several nieces, even if they were never mentioned once in the show. I also liked that the whole tennis match incident made the crossover from Mosaic, even if some of the details changed a bit.
I also enjoyed the story surrounding Janeway's time on the U.S.S. Billings. Tuvok told Chakkotay the story of what happened when Janeway was a commander on that ship in the fifth season premiere, Night, but here we get Janeway's perspective of that particular incident. It doesn't surprise me that Janeway recalls the incident and the reasons behind it much differently than Tuvok. She was there for it, was dealing with her asshole, misogynistic commanding officer, so of course she'd see it differently than the person who only heard about it later on. From the way Janeway describes it, I don't see any measure of the whole idea that she was 'seeking redemption'. Yes, there was some element of her not wanting the injuries that the crew members suffered to have been for nothing, but I never got the feeling that there was any sense of guilt about what happened (as opposed to the guilt she suffered from later on in regards to stranding Voyager in the Delta Quadrant).
All of this aside, I still had some issues with how this new version of Janeway's backstory. Reshuffling of how and when she met Tuvok was just weird. While technically it still fits with how Janeway described their first meeting in the fourth season episode Revulsion, it's a much more awkward fit than how it was previously framed in Mosaic and Pathways (namely, that Tuvok was an observer of how Janeway handled her first mission as a captain and then handed his report over to a board of admirals for their review, which included Tuvok's "dressing down" of Janeway for failing to observe certain procedures). Instead having them meet when Janeway was a slightly cocky but stressed out ensign and having them serve together on the Al-Batani under Owen Paris just made things weird. Plus, it completely messes with Tuvok's own ranking. He gets promoted in Revulsion from Lieutenant to Lieutenant Commander, and yet McCormack makes a point of referring to Tuvok as a Lieutenant Commander well before Janeway ever makes Commander herself.
What's more, I never bought into the idea that Janeway's mission to the Badlands to find the Val Jean was her first command. Again, this diverges from previously written material, and it just seems kind of strange. This doesn't seem like the kind of mission that you send a rookie captain on.
Then we come to the Voyager years of the autobiography. I was disappointed to find them almost completely sanitized of any of the emotions that the show portrayed. This section includes mentions of what happened in episodes like Resolutions, when Janeway and Chakotay were stranded on a planet when they were infected with a virus. That episode is practically the bible for just about any J/C 'shipper, and a person has to be blind to miss the growing attraction between the two characters, an attraction that was present in some form for much of the series afterward, even as the characters settled into a deep and abiding friendship. But really, overall, this whole section is pretty much devoid of the emotions that made Janeway so relatable in the show. It's just a skeletal recitation of what happened, which made it perhaps the most disappointing part of the book.
And as for the whole 'Amelia Janeway' bombshell dropped in the final pages, I could take it or leave it. It felt like it was just kind of dropped in there, a way to make Janeway a parent without having to answer the question of who fathered the child (and thus riling up the 'shippers from their deep slumber).
So, overall, the book was an okay read, but it really could not hold a candle to Jeri Taylor's previous efforts over two decades ago.
Una McCormack's treatment of Janeway's life was... a bit of a mixed bag for me. I did enjoy the refreshing of Janeway's family, providing further details about her parents (particularly Gretchen Williams Janeway), showing the involvement of both sets of grandparents, and giving little sister Phoebe a new backstory and life. A great touch, giving Janeway several nieces, even if they were never mentioned once in the show. I also liked that the whole tennis match incident made the crossover from Mosaic, even if some of the details changed a bit.
I also enjoyed the story surrounding Janeway's time on the U.S.S. Billings. Tuvok told Chakkotay the story of what happened when Janeway was a commander on that ship in the fifth season premiere, Night, but here we get Janeway's perspective of that particular incident. It doesn't surprise me that Janeway recalls the incident and the reasons behind it much differently than Tuvok. She was there for it, was dealing with her asshole, misogynistic commanding officer, so of course she'd see it differently than the person who only heard about it later on. From the way Janeway describes it, I don't see any measure of the whole idea that she was 'seeking redemption'. Yes, there was some element of her not wanting the injuries that the crew members suffered to have been for nothing, but I never got the feeling that there was any sense of guilt about what happened (as opposed to the guilt she suffered from later on in regards to stranding Voyager in the Delta Quadrant).
All of this aside, I still had some issues with how this new version of Janeway's backstory. Reshuffling of how and when she met Tuvok was just weird. While technically it still fits with how Janeway described their first meeting in the fourth season episode Revulsion, it's a much more awkward fit than how it was previously framed in Mosaic and Pathways (namely, that Tuvok was an observer of how Janeway handled her first mission as a captain and then handed his report over to a board of admirals for their review, which included Tuvok's "dressing down" of Janeway for failing to observe certain procedures). Instead having them meet when Janeway was a slightly cocky but stressed out ensign and having them serve together on the Al-Batani under Owen Paris just made things weird. Plus, it completely messes with Tuvok's own ranking. He gets promoted in Revulsion from Lieutenant to Lieutenant Commander, and yet McCormack makes a point of referring to Tuvok as a Lieutenant Commander well before Janeway ever makes Commander herself.
What's more, I never bought into the idea that Janeway's mission to the Badlands to find the Val Jean was her first command. Again, this diverges from previously written material, and it just seems kind of strange. This doesn't seem like the kind of mission that you send a rookie captain on.
Then we come to the Voyager years of the autobiography. I was disappointed to find them almost completely sanitized of any of the emotions that the show portrayed. This section includes mentions of what happened in episodes like Resolutions, when Janeway and Chakotay were stranded on a planet when they were infected with a virus. That episode is practically the bible for just about any J/C 'shipper, and a person has to be blind to miss the growing attraction between the two characters, an attraction that was present in some form for much of the series afterward, even as the characters settled into a deep and abiding friendship. But really, overall, this whole section is pretty much devoid of the emotions that made Janeway so relatable in the show. It's just a skeletal recitation of what happened, which made it perhaps the most disappointing part of the book.
And as for the whole 'Amelia Janeway' bombshell dropped in the final pages, I could take it or leave it. It felt like it was just kind of dropped in there, a way to make Janeway a parent without having to answer the question of who fathered the child (and thus riling up the 'shippers from their deep slumber).
So, overall, the book was an okay read, but it really could not hold a candle to Jeri Taylor's previous efforts over two decades ago.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2020
Admiral Kathryn Janeway's autobiography details her childhood and development as a Starfleet officer, through the tumultuous seven year odyssey through the Delta Quadrant as the Captain of the 'U.S.S. Voyager', a ship and crew whose record for first contacts will surely go unbroken for decades to come.
McCormack's novel hits some notes from both of Jeri Taylor's novels, 'Mosaic' and 'Pathways', but is unafraid to drive its own path to advance the story.
McCormack's novel hits some notes from both of Jeri Taylor's novels, 'Mosaic' and 'Pathways', but is unafraid to drive its own path to advance the story.
March 23, 2021
I was disappointed as to the content. Unlike the Kirk and Picard autobiographies, Janeway's really didn't tell us much more than we already knew. We watched her voyage through the Delta quandrant on TV. I wanted more real moments of her early career and the after-Voyager portions of her life. I wish this had been done by the same "editor" as Kirk and Picard were - I suspect the story would have been more innovative.
December 17, 2020
didn't add as much to the character or events from the show as I would have liked
August 29, 2025
If you're not a Star Trek fan, no need to bother with this. If you've not seen Voyager, ditto.
Otherwise, this is actually quite an entertaining fake autobiography, a lot of which would be "new" to fans, but which ends with fun remeniscences of the show.
I recommend the audio as read by Janeway herself, Kate Mulgrew.
Otherwise, this is actually quite an entertaining fake autobiography, a lot of which would be "new" to fans, but which ends with fun remeniscences of the show.
I recommend the audio as read by Janeway herself, Kate Mulgrew.
July 9, 2024
Janeway is best starfleet captain
September 3, 2024
Is it wrong to admire/love/worship a fictional character so much?!
Possibly the nerdiest book I have ever read. WORTH IT.
10/10 - even despite not having nearly enough Chakotway material
Possibly the nerdiest book I have ever read. WORTH IT.
10/10 - even despite not having nearly enough Chakotway material
January 28, 2021
I absolutely loved listening to Kate Mulgrew bring Kathryn Janeway to life again after recently watching the Star Trek Voyager series for the first time.
Una McCormack deserves big kudos for this as she captures this well-beloved character and captain with crystal clear accuracy, first with the account of Janeway's home and family life, later extending into her experiences at the Star Fleet Academy and her first commissions about star ships before she took up her position of Captain aboard Voyager.
In this autobiography one learns about Kathryn Janeway not only as one of Star Trek's best known and best loved characters, but also as a daughter, sister, aunt, partner, friend, mentor and leader. She is human, first and foremost, and with all her admirable qualities that mark her as exceptional she is also prone to weaknesses and imperfections and a number of regrets along the way.
Fans will probably love this, and I know I will most probably go back for another listen before too much time has passed. An excellent, compelling, addictive listen - I can't recommend this highly enough to fans of Star Trek in general, or Voyager in particular.
Una McCormack deserves big kudos for this as she captures this well-beloved character and captain with crystal clear accuracy, first with the account of Janeway's home and family life, later extending into her experiences at the Star Fleet Academy and her first commissions about star ships before she took up her position of Captain aboard Voyager.
In this autobiography one learns about Kathryn Janeway not only as one of Star Trek's best known and best loved characters, but also as a daughter, sister, aunt, partner, friend, mentor and leader. She is human, first and foremost, and with all her admirable qualities that mark her as exceptional she is also prone to weaknesses and imperfections and a number of regrets along the way.
Fans will probably love this, and I know I will most probably go back for another listen before too much time has passed. An excellent, compelling, addictive listen - I can't recommend this highly enough to fans of Star Trek in general, or Voyager in particular.
January 23, 2021
I wanted to like this more, but several plot points disappointed. Departures from Mosaic and the show, and a twist that I felt was implausible ultimately disappointed. Nevertheless, despite a kind of slow start, the author definitely captured Janeway's voice. Unfortunately, I don't think it did my favorite character justice.
January 20, 2021
I was super excited when I heard this book was going to be coming out. When I finally got it I put down the other book I was reading to read this one because I was so excited and couldn’t wait to read. I am really sad that I found it to be disappointing and very anticlimactic compared to my expectations for it. I definitely enjoyed some parts and I heavily disliked other parts. I felt that the pictures in the middle of the book definitely spoil the ending, which in my opinion was a little weird and seem to come out of nowhere. Like who is this Amelia? I was really hoping that it would go along and play in the timeline in Mosaic by Jeri Taylor but it doesn’t. And I felt as though the parts about voyagers journey were just summaries of a few episodes here and there and it didn’t really add much of Janeway’s personal feelings about what happened. And I had hoped it would’ve been longer, it felt a little short for an autobiography. I definitely liked how it did give more of a backstory to her mom and sister and it was definitely an easy read once I starts to get into it.
October 16, 2020
Ok, this is one of my favorite “Captains”. Picard and Janeway are the best…no discussion on it.
The first part childhood and Starfleet Academy is good, even if a few things are not exactly as you can imagine and you can read in the other novels (Mosaic for example). Honestly this is better. No stupid love stories or other stupid teenagers things. The problem is in the second part of the book. The Delta Quadrant stuff. A big summary of the seven Voyager seasons without any good addition. The final …well ….something good and a point that I cannot say here because it’s a big spoiler…this is not what I wanted to read about Admiral Janeway…Came on Kathy you are the best captain ever! Then , the final page. Amelia what??? Nooo way!
The first part childhood and Starfleet Academy is good, even if a few things are not exactly as you can imagine and you can read in the other novels (Mosaic for example). Honestly this is better. No stupid love stories or other stupid teenagers things. The problem is in the second part of the book. The Delta Quadrant stuff. A big summary of the seven Voyager seasons without any good addition. The final …well ….something good and a point that I cannot say here because it’s a big spoiler…this is not what I wanted to read about Admiral Janeway…Came on Kathy you are the best captain ever! Then , the final page. Amelia what??? Nooo way!
April 3, 2021
What can I say? Star Trek Voyager was always my favourite Star Trek franchise, and I freaking love Janeway. It was really cool to read about her childhood and as a young student. I wish there were more chapters devoted to her time at Starfleet Academy. I am so fascinated by this, and wish that Star Trek would make a series about Starfleet.
It was also awesome reading about her time before she became captain. Working with Captain Paris, it explained a lot about why she fought so hard for Tom Paris to join her crew when he was in that New Zealand jail in the Pilot episode. Also, about her time on a ship where her captain did not like her and how she had to decided whether to quit and take a demotion, or swallow her pride, do the best damn job she was capable of and just grit her teeth. That kind of perseverance and drive is great to read about, whether it is about a favourite TV character, or any character.
In her chapters specifically about Voyager we get to expand on certain episodes and decisions that she made and why she stuck to her guns. Everything from the very first choice that ended up stranding her and her crew 70,000 light years from home, to her relationships with the crew and her morals. She even made a comment on that ***ahem*** Warp 10! fiasco. That made me giggle.
If you watched Endgame and was left wanting more, (hi, I'd take 10 more seasons no questions!) this would be an interesting read. She talks about life in the limelight for not only herself and her family but her crew as well, and the toll it took on them. She talks a little bit about each member of the main crew and my fangirl heart was just soooo happy.
And seriously what could make this book even better? How about the audiobook being narrated by Kate Mulgrew herself. Worth every penny spent. I loved this book, and I know when I need a comfort read I will be turning to this book often.
It was also awesome reading about her time before she became captain. Working with Captain Paris, it explained a lot about why she fought so hard for Tom Paris to join her crew when he was in that New Zealand jail in the Pilot episode. Also, about her time on a ship where her captain did not like her and how she had to decided whether to quit and take a demotion, or swallow her pride, do the best damn job she was capable of and just grit her teeth. That kind of perseverance and drive is great to read about, whether it is about a favourite TV character, or any character.
In her chapters specifically about Voyager we get to expand on certain episodes and decisions that she made and why she stuck to her guns. Everything from the very first choice that ended up stranding her and her crew 70,000 light years from home, to her relationships with the crew and her morals. She even made a comment on that ***ahem*** Warp 10! fiasco. That made me giggle.
If you watched Endgame and was left wanting more, (hi, I'd take 10 more seasons no questions!) this would be an interesting read. She talks about life in the limelight for not only herself and her family but her crew as well, and the toll it took on them. She talks a little bit about each member of the main crew and my fangirl heart was just soooo happy.
And seriously what could make this book even better? How about the audiobook being narrated by Kate Mulgrew herself. Worth every penny spent. I loved this book, and I know when I need a comfort read I will be turning to this book often.
May 18, 2023
Franchise tie-in novels are strange beasts. In the case of Star Trek, my understanding is they are essentially officially endorsed fanfiction in the sense they don’t actually count as part of the canon. But at the same time, because they have the official stamp of the franchise on them and are aimed at a wider audience than true fanfiction, they have a general remit of mass appeal and no boat-rocking. Thus it is with The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway, a tepid interpretation of a character that deserves more.
My ultimate question is, who is this book actually for? It’s not for super fans. It’s too surface level for that. I don’t think there’s a single bit of actually interesting fleshing out of Janeway’s character. And anyone really invested in Voyager is unlikely to be satisfied with the top-speed skimming of the entire 7-year period the show covers. But neither is the book for casual fans to pick up during the heat of a TV show’s time in the sun, either, since the last episode of Voyager aired a sweet 19 years before this book was published. So is it just pulp merch pumped out because Trek fans will buy anything? Well, yeah, probably. Guess I answered my own question there. Hm.
Last thing I want to say, the twist at the end?
My ultimate question is, who is this book actually for? It’s not for super fans. It’s too surface level for that. I don’t think there’s a single bit of actually interesting fleshing out of Janeway’s character. And anyone really invested in Voyager is unlikely to be satisfied with the top-speed skimming of the entire 7-year period the show covers. But neither is the book for casual fans to pick up during the heat of a TV show’s time in the sun, either, since the last episode of Voyager aired a sweet 19 years before this book was published. So is it just pulp merch pumped out because Trek fans will buy anything? Well, yeah, probably. Guess I answered my own question there. Hm.
Last thing I want to say, the twist at the end?
March 10, 2021
Don't tell me that it's fictional so it doesn't count as memoir! ;)
As an artefact of the Star Trek universe, I really love this book. The whole thing is put together with delightful attention to detail; like the introduction by (now commander) Naomi Wildman and the folio of full-colour family and career photos in the centre. Janeway's voice is clear and familiar throughout, but I definitely wanted a bit more from the story. It feels a little overly simple and brief (and sometimes perhaps uninterestingly perfect?), particularly her training and early professional career.
The brevity and contemplative tone do come into their own in the chapters covering her time on Voyager though. Instead of a summarised text of the series, her thoughtful and sometimes thematically organized reflections of crew members or incidences on board were fun to read.
As an aside, is Janeway my favourite Star Trek character? Almost, but no. She is my favourite captain though!
As an artefact of the Star Trek universe, I really love this book. The whole thing is put together with delightful attention to detail; like the introduction by (now commander) Naomi Wildman and the folio of full-colour family and career photos in the centre. Janeway's voice is clear and familiar throughout, but I definitely wanted a bit more from the story. It feels a little overly simple and brief (and sometimes perhaps uninterestingly perfect?), particularly her training and early professional career.
The brevity and contemplative tone do come into their own in the chapters covering her time on Voyager though. Instead of a summarised text of the series, her thoughtful and sometimes thematically organized reflections of crew members or incidences on board were fun to read.
As an aside, is Janeway my favourite Star Trek character? Almost, but no. She is my favourite captain though!
February 13, 2025
I stumbled across this one on audible, while searching for my next audio book. And I thought, why not?
I've been a huge Star Trek Voyager fan when the series aired in the 90s. It was, besides Stargate SG1, the first "grown up" series I was allowed to watch and actually followed week by week. I loved Captain Janeway and I think I had a brief phase of wanting to become a pilot.
I've not kept in touch with the franchise afterwards so I can't judge, how accurate this book is. I can't remember every detail of the series, so this book felt cozy and welcoming and stirred some memories. It also sent me down hunting for more information.
I can recommend this book for fans, who just want to revisit old friends. This book might not be for you, if you're deep into the Star Trek universe.
I've been a huge Star Trek Voyager fan when the series aired in the 90s. It was, besides Stargate SG1, the first "grown up" series I was allowed to watch and actually followed week by week. I loved Captain Janeway and I think I had a brief phase of wanting to become a pilot.
I've not kept in touch with the franchise afterwards so I can't judge, how accurate this book is. I can't remember every detail of the series, so this book felt cozy and welcoming and stirred some memories. It also sent me down hunting for more information.
I can recommend this book for fans, who just want to revisit old friends. This book might not be for you, if you're deep into the Star Trek universe.
March 6, 2022
How much did I love this? So much so that I am actually sad to have finished reading it.
What better way to relive moments of Voyager and learn more about our beloved Captain Janeway than by reading her autobiography. Insightful and just a way to get to know her as intimately as she would allow. Such a wonderful experience, with a few unexpected surprises that I will read it many more times because it is just such a inspirational but comforting read.
My only wish was that is was longer but in fact, it was just perfect the way it is anyway.
Most recommended and just wonderful.
What better way to relive moments of Voyager and learn more about our beloved Captain Janeway than by reading her autobiography. Insightful and just a way to get to know her as intimately as she would allow. Such a wonderful experience, with a few unexpected surprises that I will read it many more times because it is just such a inspirational but comforting read.
My only wish was that is was longer but in fact, it was just perfect the way it is anyway.
Most recommended and just wonderful.
August 23, 2025
Surprisingly good and thoroughly enjoyable! This fictional memoir dives deep into the life of a Starfleet captain, offering insight into Janeway’s childhood, career, and time aboard Voyager. Una McCormack captures Janeway’s voice beautifully, making it feel like she’s speaking directly to the reader. The book fills in emotional gaps the series left untouched - especially her relationships and inner conflicts, and adds depth to her legacy. A must-read for Star Trek fans and anyone curious about the woman behind the command chair.
March 3, 2023
Rating: 3.5 stars
The first half was great because it was like a prequel to the Voyager series, and talked about Janeway’s life before she took command. Her relationship with Mark was especially fleshed out which was good considering we only really saw him in Voyager's pilot. The second half however was more of a quick summary of the main points of Voyager's seven seasons. I get this is meant to be an “auto”biography and in one you would not leave this kind of thing out, but still it was a bit of a let down considering how good the first half was. That being said Una McCormack was aware that 99% of her readers will have also watched the series, so she was less detailed in these sections, which I appreciated.
Also why aren’t there any more audiobooks of the rest of the series? Come on, Shatner’s already 90+ so someone needs to get on this.
The first half was great because it was like a prequel to the Voyager series, and talked about Janeway’s life before she took command. Her relationship with Mark was especially fleshed out which was good considering we only really saw him in Voyager's pilot. The second half however was more of a quick summary of the main points of Voyager's seven seasons. I get this is meant to be an “auto”biography and in one you would not leave this kind of thing out, but still it was a bit of a let down considering how good the first half was. That being said Una McCormack was aware that 99% of her readers will have also watched the series, so she was less detailed in these sections, which I appreciated.
Also why aren’t there any more audiobooks of the rest of the series? Come on, Shatner’s already 90+ so someone needs to get on this.
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