Task Force: Gamma

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:05 am Post subject: Star Trek Novels

I'm curious how many of you out there have read the Star Trek Novels. There are a lot of them and many of them are kind of crap, but every so often (more so with the later novels) you find some gems. What books have you read and what ones are you interested in reading?

I have all of the novels in .txt format so I could send an E-Mail filled with Star Treky goodness to those interested.

As for me, I recently finished the Next Generation novel Losing the Peace. Set in the Post-Destiny book series, Losing the Peace deals with the fallout from the massive Borg attack on the Federation (See the Star Trek: Destiny series). It shows the Federation in a new light and deals with issues that the people of Star Trek have never had to face in their own homes.

I'm also looking over some of the New Frontier books, just for fun seeing as our crew kind of reminds me of the crew of the Excalibur. I'm also going over A Fearful Symmetry, getting ready for the next DS9 Relaunch book later this month.

How about you guys?

uvek · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:10 am Post subject: Our leader

Wow. That is why you are the captain, no doubt. I have only read a handful of books, including Sarek, the Romulan Prize, Enterprise - the first mission.

I have primarily been an original series and TNG fan. I was not so deep into DS9, though I did watch every episode, even the finale. Voyager lost me, but then I was traveling a lot then. I hope I have not overwhelmed the site here, nor appeared to be trying to push too hard, but I am excited to be releasing some of this juice finally, in a forum that will accept it.

Thank you captain, for the chance.

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:23 am Post subject:

I'm going to let you guys in on a little secret, ok?

I'm a Star Trek NUT! Fanatic, obsessed isn't all that far off actually. I own almost every episode of Star Trek ever produced, even the Animated Series from the 70's. I've seen every movie and read many of the books. I have even looked into the Fan Made web series like Phase II (not the derailed proposed series from the 70's, the fan made one) and Children of the Gods.

I'm not the kind of person who wears a uniform or trek insignia around, but I do have it going in my mind a lot, and it has helped to form a lot of my thinking over the years.

Oh yeah... and I started this game.

In the end, that is why I'm the Captain, I'm the nut who started this. Simming is fun and I've been doing it off and on since the late 90's. It's just another form of Role Playing I feel, just in a universe I love.

uvek · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:28 am Post subject: here's a another little secret

I currently own an original Franklin mint 3d chess set, complete with Kirk and Spock playing on a gloss, and a certificate of authenticity for the gold and platinum pieces. I also own a Star Trek Trivia game and the blueprints for the galaxy class enterprise. before I moved I owned a full Franklin Mint cup and saucer set, a hand-painted and numbered micro machine set with all the ships (even the new sovereign class), and all the movies, the boxes of which formed a series pic on the sleeves. HOWEVER, my ex conveniently lost all but the first two pieces and now I am reduced to holding onto them.

I wish I could have kept up with it all, and I will be looking to you, captain, for guidance just about every week.

Yours in service,

Uvek Suran

ArjimCalodan · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 4:25 pm Post subject:

I actually have all the novels up through 2006 or something close to that in several different formats on my machine. Well worth having. I just recently finished rereading the Double Helix series which was enjoyable.

Movie wise, I only have Nemesis on DVD at the moment. I have First Contact and the Abram's Star Trek digitally. I had all of the movies, but most were on VHS and I left them with my parents when I moved. I don't have a VHS player and they do. I am slowly but surely repurchasing them all in HighDef.

As for the series, I have Enterprise, DS9, and Voyager on my harddrive. TNG and TOS are in the process of being "acquired". I am sure that I have seen every episode of Star Trek from TNG until ENT, and I am beginning to catch up on TOS and TAS in my spare time.

I have a box of the Playmates Star Trek figures in storage. They were my action figures as a kid. While other kids were playing with GiJoes, I was playing with Picard and Data. I also have several of the "life sized" props they built for kids. When I was a youngun I also dressed up in a uniform for a Halloween or two...and my parents found it funny to include a photo of that in my senior yearbook..much to my chagrin.

Star Trek to me is a method of expanding my imagination. I've often used it to help me think outside the box to get around a particular problem. Simming is just another way of doing this...keeping me imagining new possibilities.
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Mehvra-Kuplo · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:11 pm Post subject:

I would love to have some suggestions on what to read to expand my Trek Universe knowledge. The best I can claim is purchasing and reading the TNG Enterprise Technical manual. I'll have to see if I can dig that up again. I know I stashed it in a box somewhere.

T'Cor · Guest

I am reading an excellent Star Trek book right now ... first one I've touched since I was about 15 or 16 (I am now 2 Cool

. It is Star Trek Destiny (book 1). Very good, very well written.

I've been reading it in between open photography sessions at Green Bay Packers practice (I am a member of the press). It's funny how many players have actually said they enjoy Star Trek. It's neat.

- Cory (T'Cor)

ArjimCalodan · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:09 am Post subject: Re: Books

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:51 pm Post subject:

Destiny is a great trilogy and sets up some great events for the future of Trek. I personally think that the future of the Prime Trek Universe (the one unsullied by Abrams' Trek) is in the novels.

I would recommend reading over the Deep Space Nine relaunch novels, starting with Avatar and ending with the latest book The Soul Key. I loved the whole series from start to current end (the series is scheduled to continue however).

All of the Relaunch books are a treat, continuing the stories of each series long after the shows ended. I can't say that there was a single one I didn't enjoy.

I recently finished rereading Articles of the Federation, a political story set in the Office of the President of the Federation... it kind of riffs The West Wing but I still liked it.

I also would suggest the Star Trek: Titan series, Will Riker as a Captain... oh yes, it was fun.
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Ludwigsen · Guest

One of these days, I'm gonna sneak that nice TNG-style commbadge onto one of my uniforms. The ass-chewing will be worth it...

I'm open to any suggestions for books!

Mehvra-Kuplo · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:21 am Post subject: Re: Books

ArjimCalodan · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:20 am Post subject:

You just let me know which ones you'd like and I'll see what I can do about getting them to ya.

EDIT: Actually, because I am a total pie rat (YARRR!) and gigantic nerd, I've gone ahead and posted everything I have to the internets.

Hit up http://aherrington.homeunix.org/ebooks Be gentle, this is hosted at my home on my little old home server. If you want them all, lemme know and I'll organize a higher bandwidth way for you to get to them.
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kantubyron · Task Force Crewman Joined: 11 Jul 2009 Posts: 76

Remember the PC game Star Trek: Armada?
I have an ISO file I could send to you to put up on that site if people would be interested.

kantubyron · Task Force Crewman Joined: 11 Jul 2009 Posts: 76

also, if you can't open the .lit files, here's a free program.

http://www.microsoft.com/reader/

Download links are at the bottom of the page.

You need to have a Microsoft Passport (hotmail or msn account) to activate.

ArjimCalodan · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:12 pm Post subject:

I have a bunch of games too...but I'm trying to minimize illegality Smile

Microsoft Reader sucks, but will open the LITs. Most of them have a TXT or HTML version too. I use Calibre to manage my ebook library, it helps convert them into any format you want.

My blog (blog.dumpsterdivinggeek.com) also has links to how to read them on an Android phone.
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