A Dangerous Trade

Star Trek: Prodigy #1

by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Star Trek: Prodigy is a brand-new animated series streaming on Paramount+ and airing on Nickelodeon! Don’t miss this thrilling, all-new original middle grade novel starring Dal, Gwyn, and the rest of the Protostar crew.

While traveling through the Delta Quadrant, the Protostar crew discovers a worn transporter coil on their ship. Despite Janeway’s misgivings, the crew decides to trade a Starfleet-issued battery for new transporter parts at a market on a distant planet. Little do they know that a group of rogue traders are intent on getting their hands on something much bigger: the Protostar ! Will the crew be able to defend their ship and stay out of trouble? Star Trek fans will love this brand-new, original story featuring all the heart, humor, and action of the Prodigy series.

TM & © 2022 CBS Studios Inc. Star Trek and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fiction

139 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Cassandra Rose Clarke is a speculative fiction writer living amongst the beige stucco and overgrown pecan trees of Houston, Texas. She graduated in 2006 from The University of St. Thomas with a bachelor’s degree in English, and in 2008 she completed her master’s degree in creative writing at The University of Texas at Austin. Both of these degrees have served her surprisingly well.

During the summer of 2010, she attended the Clarion West Writers Workshop in Seattle, where she enjoyed sixty-degree summer days. Having been born and raised in Texas, this was something of a big deal. She was also a recipient of the 2010 Susan C. Petrey Clarion Scholarship Fund.

Reviews

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! With the drought of Star Trek publishing recently, I was excited to find this book and "Supernova" releasing this month. I'm not a huge Middle Grade/Young Reader fan, and I am also not necessarily a fan of Prodigy (I haven't watched it yet), but I am a Star Trek fan and I wanted Star Trek publishing to do well so we'd get more books. So I picked this book up and read it in about an hour and half. It was such a blast!

If you've never watched the Prodigy show, I can confidently tell you that you can still read this book. In fact, this book makes me want to go and watch Prodigy (exactly what it is meant to do). The first chapter is a little confusing as the author introduces all the main cast and throws a bunch of terms and backstory around. However, by Chapter 2 I completely understood everything and was hooked.

This is a middle grade/Young Reader book, and is only 139 pages long. As a result, Cassandra Rose Clarke did not have a lot of time to mess with. She utilizes the whole book, and none of the scenes feel unecessary. I would say that Clarke did an excellent job of foreshadowing, setting up ideas, and also introducing themes early in the story. Being a kids book, at the end of the story it hits you over the head with the theme. But Clarke set it up so perfectly that it doesn't need to be explained.

The author is effectively put the characters into peril. The crux of the story is that the crew of the Protostar needs a part for their ship and decides to go to a market to bargain for one (Phantom Menace anybody?). However, the deal goes awry, risking everything for the crew.

The only complaint I have about the story is that Gwyn leaves the ship too easily, and the Janeway hologram lets her go too easily as well. Had Janeway argued a bit more, or had Gwyn left against Janeway's wishes, I think it would have worked better.

I think a kid in the appropriate age range and reading level could certainly read this book, and it might be a lot of fun. As I said earlier, you won't even need to be a Star Trek fan or a Prodigy fan! It works well on its own, but if you are a Trek or Prodigy fan, you'll find great easter eggs anyway. That's where the adult audience will probably come in.

Overall, its a fun book that was a quick blast to read. Had a few minor issues, but nothing major here. 9 out of 10!

[Chris Townsend · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the Prodigy show, so I decided to read this even though it's a children's book. The lower reading level didn't bother me, and the story was fairly entertaining. It was a simple plot about going to a planet to trade for a transporter coil. The characters also felt true to their screen versions.

One annoyance I had was Zero. Medusans had gender in the original series, so it's always puzzled me why they changed this with Prodigy. Referring to Zero as a they instead of an it kind of works in speech, but is quite off-putting in written form. As a reader, it makes you pause to make the correction in your head. It's also very easy to mistakenly think the author was referring to the group instead of Zero.

3.5/5

[Taaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Around 3,5 stars, really. The characterisation seemed ... not off, as such, but as if it would rather belong to the crew before the Zero incident with both the Diviner and Gwen. Less mature than they were afterwards - even considering that they're kids.

(Also, hadn't they already decided, at that point, to try to reach Starfleet? So why didn't they go for the outpost?)

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

[From the 6th grader in the house]

Super fun, not boring book with lots of really unique characters. I don't know much Star Trek stuff but the story was easy to follow and I like all the trouble they got into. When your parents make you read more chapter books, get this one!

[Thaddeus Tuffentsamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun read. The characters are exactly portrayed as they are on screen.

Believable dialogue and a story that fits exactly with the series.

I won’t spoil the story, but though it’s meant for a younger demographic, I found it a fun afternoon read.

Highly recommend.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite the Pickle

Cassandra Rose Clarke introduces a new generation to the wonders of Star Trek, in an original tie in novel. The crew of the Protostar find they need to replace their phase coils immediately or they will be unable to use their transporter safely. Except they need funds to buy a new one. The crew work together to find a solution, with plenty of hijinks and lessons in morality.

Cassandra Rose Clarke introduces all the characters of the show. During a routine check Engineer Jankom Pog finds their problem immediately, and Linguist Gwyndala’s (Gwyn) is quick to help out. The easygoing Captain Dal R’El finds it is important to ask the opinions of his crew on their mission, though his impulsive leadership leads them into trouble. Holographic Training Advisor Janeway advises them to be careful when making their decision. This crew also consists of the strong but anxious Security Officer Rok-Tahk, the very cautious Pilot Zero, and the cute mascot Murf.

All the crew’s disunified choices all fit within their histories, and personal feelings. Dal’s need to appear confident, Gwyn’s desire to experience new places, Jankom Pog’s boisterous curiosity, Rok-Tahk’s anxiety of the unknown, Zero’s fear of doing wrong, and Murf is just hungry. These all create quite a problem, which they need to work as a team to fix with a little trickery. In the end, the different crew member’s strengths balance each other’s weaknesses. Together they learn the importance of respecting each other’s wishes.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike other Star Trek books written for children, this series does not have any illustrations, other than the picture on the cover of the book. It also doesn’t take the time to explain who the characters are or describe them, choosing instead to throw the reader right into the middle of a problem and assuming that they understand everything that is going on. Thinking that their readers are familiar with all of the aliens mentioned, Starfleet protocol about the sharing of technology and exactly what it means when Janeway takes a long sip of coffee before answering a question seems like a big ask for kids. If one assumes that the readers have that level of familiarity with the topic, then the flaws in the storyline quickly become apparent. Why did the crew land the ship on the planet, something that adults in Starfleet try to avoid doing at all costs, instead of taking a shuttle? If they don’t have one, why didn’t they use the vehicle replicator to create one? Could they have modified one of the escape pods to travel in? (By the way, if they have a full compliment of escape pods, what did Chakotay and his crew use to evacuate the Protostar?)
The excerpt of first few pages of the second book seem to imply that the switch in authors smooths some these concerns over, as there is a clear summarization there of how exactly Dal ended up where he is and who holo-Janeway is.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really cute!

I love Star Trek, I love Star Trek Prodigy, and I love Star Trek novels. You should probably know all of those things going into this.

That being said, I was excited to see that they were starting a novel series for Prodigy. The books are geared toward young readers (because the show is geared toward young viewers) and I fully support that. The books claim to be for ages 8-12. I think the new series is a wonderful idea for bringing new people into the world of Star Trek. Star Trek also has a great message for children, so it's excellent to bring them into the Star Trek universe with something that's geared toward them.

In addition, I really think that Prodigy has something for everyone (especially Trek fans of any age), if they're able to get past the fact that it's geared toward children.

All of that being said, I really loved the little book. It had all the charm of a full-fledged episode, and it would definitely be something that I would recommend reading with children.

I've already got the second one to read!

[Paul Lunger · Rating 2 out of 5]

For what is technically the first book written for the universe of "Star Trek: Prodigy", Cassandra Rose Clarke's "A Dangerous Trade" is not the way to start out. The concept is relatively simple in that the Protostar crew needs a new transporter coil since one theirs is wearing out & they will have to trade for the item since they have no chimerium left to trade with. The ship is directed toward a local marketplace on a close-by world where the hunt begins. In the course of things, the majority of the away team save Gwyn & Murf who are tasked with staying aboard the ship are captured by locals. The story is almost at times too convenient in how it is written as well as its ultimate solution on Odaru. With this series geared towards children depending on the age level who would read this the book may or may not bore them to tears or discourage them from reading anything further. Overall, a huge disappointment in the start of the novels for this series.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've ever dabbled in anime, you are probably familiar with OVA's. Essentially, they are short movies that are little more than a longer episode with a self-contained story that doesn't fall any specific place in the timeline and can be watched whenever, because none of it really matters or is ever brought up again. These Prodigy novels are like that. A Dangerous Trade is a half-baked filler episode that ends with our crew and their situation exactly the same as when it began. If you've seen any of the show, this offers no further character development and only minor world building. If you haven't watched the show, they make no effort to explain these characters to you, so good luck keeping up. The story is okay and the writing is simple, but still compelling. It's rushed and nothing to different from what we've already seen in the show. This is a bland story that allows us more time with these characters, but doesn't really serve a purpose beyond that.

[Andrew Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the drought of Star Trek publishing recently, I was excited to find this book and "Supernova" releasing this month. I'm not a huge Middle Grade/Young Reader fan, and I am also not necessarily a fan of Prodigy (I haven't watched it yet), but I am a Star Trek fan and I wanted Star Trek publishing to do well so we'd get more books. So I picked this book up and read it in about an hour and half. It was such a blast!

If you've never watched the Prodigy show, I can confidently tell you that you can still read this book. In fact, this book makes me want to go and watch Prodigy (exactly what it is meant to do). The first chapter is a little confusing as the author introduces all the main cast and throws a bunch of terms and backstory around. However, by Chapter 2 I completely understood everything and was hooked.

[Frank Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice, very nice. I liked this one much more than I liked book two, which I'd accidentally read first. Note that reading this book first is not crucial, but that book two references this story in a few ways that might be a bit more pleasing if you have read this one first. It's cool that a randomly placed and seemingly insignificant moment from this story goes on to sprout the next story - it makes me wonder what small moment that I've probably missed in book two will bounce into the story of book three.

I liked this story quite a lot, although I had some reservations about one of Hologram Janeway's decisions, I thought everyone else was very in character. The comedy of the show came through and so did some of the really important emotions for individual characters - I'm thinking specifically of Rok-Tahk but there were others.

It's time for me to go order book three!

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is such a thrill to finally have a "Star Trek" novel which is specifically geared for children. If I had been able to read this as a child, I would have been hooked on "Star Trek" a lot sooner than I was. The story is a wild ride, which will keep you turning each and every page to find out what happens next. That being said, this is a book written and marketed for children, so read it in the spirit in which it was intended.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish the target audience was a little older. But a good, quick story utilizing the best of new trek.

[Scott Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly what you want it to be. It’s a great little adventure that’s very much in the spirit of the TV series, and it includes a valuable lesson for kids.

[Aaron Eichler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story, I could imagine it as and episode.

[Donavon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable short novel. Feels like episode of show, so fits perfectly in Star Trek expanded universe lore.

[Kari Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book to get kids into Star Trek, it moved at a nice pace and the characterization was very on point to the TV show.

[Tanya Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I want from any Star Trek book is a self contained story and characters who sound and act in character. This short, middle grade novel delivered both so it gets four stars.

[Rei Smoak · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short little book aimed at the 9-12 crowd, but the writing was good all the same. And since we're apparently not getting any more Prodigy, it's the closest alternative.

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

They captured all the characters perfectly. I loved this little story, the ending was perfect.

[Kyle West · Rating 2 out of 5]

A YA book, so I wasn’t expecting anything too deep. All in all, it was a fun read, and a quick one, too. All the character voices were captured perfectly, and it was very easy to visualise what was happening in the story.

Brave new territory for Trek, pumping out YA novels, but very on brand for what they’re doing with Prodigy. A good start. Hopefully, later stories will be a little less straightforward though!

[B.J. Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a latecomer to Star Trek: Prodigy. I thought the trailers were a little goofy, but after hearing some good things from Trekkies, I watched the series and enjoyed it. A Dangerous Trade and Supernova were both released simultaneously, and I made the error of reading the latter first, which takes place after the former. The Dal and his crew try to arrange a transaction in return for a new transporter coil, only to find out the rogue merchants want to steal the Protostar. The story works well within the context of the series. Let's say that the bad guys don't win.

Overall, Star Trek: Prodigy: A Dangerous Trade is a lighthearted little book that should appeal to younger readers or anybody who enjoys the animated series.

[Ernest · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Dangerous Trade is a RYA (really young adult) novel, the first media tie-in to Star Trek Prodigy. We’re seeing a resurgence of excellent Star Trek led by Strange New Worlds, which reframes classic Trek for contemporary audiences. Prodigy, on the other hand, does an excellent job of introducing the next generation to Trek, mining everything that’s come before for tie-ins. And speaking of tie-ins, Simon Spotlight tapped Cassandra Rose Clarke, a solid speculative fiction author, for the first standalone Prodigy novel, which reads very much like an episode, only lacking the overarching storyline that drives the series.

A Dangerous Trade is written for very young readers, and I’m putting it in here in the hopes that it will be a gateway drug to Trek novels and the rest of SF. The story takes place as the ProtoStar skips around the Delta Quadrant in need of repairs and the crew makes a questionable trade for a faulty transporter component. There’s probably a teachable moment in there about plugging things into your system, but I’m happy it’s just a fun read.

Posted on Amazing Stories: 01/31/2023: Science Fiction to Look For - January 2023

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as an ARC at NYCC. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the copy.

We’re huge fans of Star Trek: Prodigy in this house. This book reads just like an episode of the show. The adventure is inline with the show’s plot. And the characters read just like their animated counterparts. You can hear the actors’ voices saying the dialog as it's written here.

Plot wise, it’s not entirely clear where this sits in the timeline other than the middle-of-season-1. It happens some time after things settle into regular adventures and before things really kick off at the end. Since it needs to exist within another story structure without changing things, this technically qualifies as filler. But like the best filler arcs (and some are quite good), this book understands this and doesn’t pretend it’s going to push things. Instead, it makes for an honest good time.

So if you or your young ones are eagerly awaiting season two of Prodigy, this book will do well to hold you over until it releases.