Star Trek Books - Reading Order

[Athos]

"Star Trek" to me translates to TOS, TAS, TNG, DS9, VOY, and ENT or what is also known as the original license Trek.  Though those TV series and related movies ended quite some time ago (wow, I feel old), to me, their stories continued in novels.  Ever wondered what happened after the Enterprise D was destroyed but before Star Trek First Contact?  How about what happened after Voyager returned home?  What ever happened to the crew of DS9 after What You Leave Behind?  Did Ben Sisko ever return from the Celestial Temple? 

I've been reading Star Trek since middle school (~1993), starting with Star Trek TNG #1: Ghost Ship, and almost 30 years later through Star Trek Coda Book 3.  Unfortunately, the original license Trek universe in novels is ending (hence the title "Coda") due to the alternate-license Trek (a.k.a. Discovery, Picard).  The publishing company would rather keep novels aligned with what is on TV than continue the incredibly rich universe that the various authors have created moving forward of the end of Star Trek Enterprise, Star Trek TNG, DS9, and Voyager.  Personally, I have no intent to read any Discovery or Picard books as those shows directly conflict with the original license Trek universe (or the quality of the writing of those shows is so poor that I can't stand it).  So, instead, I will likely go back and re-read the books to pick up after the TV series ended and between the TNG movies.  But where to start?

I conducted my own research using Wikipedia (for lists of novels), Memory Alpha (for in-universe dates), and this other website (https://www.shastrix.com/books/star-trek-reading-order.php) which I found incredibly helpful, to put together a chronological reading order.  This list does not contain all potential books (such as the DTI books), but does list most, if not all, relevant Trek Novels written post-All Good Things (last TNG episode), post-What You Leave Behind (last DS9 episode), and post-Endgame (Voyager).  I've also included post-These Are The Voyages (Enterprise) books as there are not many, and the second novel ties into the Star Trek Destiny mini-series.

I will, of course, continue to refine the order as I read and acquire stardates.  The years listed are accurate and the order within each year is close if not completely correct.  So enjoy.  Please let me know if this list has helped you.  Please comment if you too read Star Trek books!

2155

• Star Trek Enterprise: The Good That Men Do
• Star Trek Enterprise: Kobayashi Maru

2156

• Star Trek Enterprise: The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor’s Wing

2157-2161

• Star Trek Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm

2162-2163

• Star Trek Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures

2164

• Star Trek Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Tower of Babel

2165

• Star Trek Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Uncertain Logic
• Star Trek Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Live by the Code

2166

• Star Trek Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Patterns of Interference

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2371

• Star Trek Generations (2371 – 48632.4) (TNG Movie)

2372

• Star Trek TNG: Slings and Arrows: A Seas of Troubles
• Star Trek TNG: Slings and Arrows: The Oppressor’s Wrong
• Star Trek TNG: Slings and Arrows: The Insolence of Office
• Star Trek TNG: Slings and Arrows: That Sleep of Death
• Star Trek TNG: Slings and Arrows: A Weary Life

2373

• Star Trek TNG: Slings and Arrows: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment
• Star Trek TNG: Section 31: Rogue
• Star Trek First Contact (2373 – 50893.5) (TNG Movie)

2374

• Star Trek DS9: Hollow Men

2375

• Star Trek Insurrection (TNG Movie)
• Star Trek DS9: What You Leave Behind (DS9 final episode)
• Star Trek Voyager: Section 31: Shadow
• Star Trek: Section 31: Cloak (2268 – Order of Print)

2376

• Star Trek DS9: Avatar Book 1
• Star Trek DS9: Avatar Book 2
• Star Trek DS9: Rising Son
• Star Trek DS9: Section 31: Abyss
• Star Trek DS9: Mission Gamma Book 1: Twilight
• Star Trek DS9: Mission Gamma Book 2: This Gray Spirit
• Star Trek DS9: Mission Gamma Book 3: Cathedral
• Star Trek DS9: Mission Gamma Book 4: Lesser Evil
• Star Trek DS9: The Left Hand of Destiny Book 1
• Star Trek DS9: The Left Hand of Destiny Book 2
• Star Trek DS9: Unity 

2377

• Star Trek DS9: Warpath
• Star Trek DS9: Fearful Symmetry
• Star Trek DS9: The Soul Key

 
2378

• Star Trek DS9: The Never-Ending Sacrifice (2370-2378)
• Star Trek Voyager: Endgame (54973.4) (Voyager final episode)
• Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming
• Star Trek Voyager: The Farther Shore
• Star Trek Voyager: Old Wounds
• Star Trek Voyager: Enemy of my Enemy
• Star Trek TNG: A Time to Be Born
• Star Trek TNG: A Time to Die
• Star Trek TNG: A Time to Sow
• Star Trek TNG: A Time to Harvest

2379

• Star Trek TNG: A Time to Love
• Star Trek TNG: A Time to Hate
• Star Trek TNG: A Time to Kill
• Star Trek TNG: A Time to Heal
• Star Trek TNG: A Time for War, A Time for Peace
• Star Trek Nemesis (56844.9) (TNG Movie)
• Star Trek TNG: Death in Winter
• Star Trek Titan: Taking Wing

2380

• Star Trek Titan: The Red King
• Star Trek TNG: Resistance
• Star Trek TNG: Q&A
• Star Trek TNG: Before Dishonor
• Star Trek: Articles of Federation
• Star Trek Titan: Orion’s Hound
• Star Trek Titan: Sword of Damocles
• Star Trek TNG: Greater Than the Sum

2381

• Star Trek Destiny: Gods of Night
• Star Trek Destiny: Mere Mortals
• Star Trek Destiny: Lost Souls
• Star Trek Titan: Over a Torrent Sea
• Star Trek TNG: Losing the Peace
• Star Trek Voyager: Full Circle
• Star Trek Voyager: Unworthy
• Star Trek Voyager: Children of the Storm
• Star Trek Titan: Synthesis
• Star Trek: A Singular Destiny
• Star Trek Voyager: The Eternal Tide

2382

• Star Trek Voyager: Protectors
• Star Trek Voyager: Atonement
• Star Trek Typhon Pact: Zero Sum Game
• Star Trek Typhon Pact: Seize the Fire
• Star Trek Typhon Pact: Rough Beasts of Empire
• Star Trek Typhon Pact: Paths of Disharmony
• Star Trek Typhon Pact: The Struggle Within
• Star Trek Voyager: A Pocket Full of Lies
• Star Trek Voyager: Architects of Infinity
• Star Trek Voyager: To Lose Earth
• Star Trek Titan: Fallen Gods
• Star Trek Typhon Pact: Plagues of Night

2383

• Star Trek TNG: Indistinguishable from Magic
• Star Trek Typhon Pact: Raise the Dawn
• Star Trek Typhon Pact: Brinkmanship

2384

• Star Trek TNG: Cold Equations Book 1 The Persistence of Memory
• Star Trek TNG: Cold Equations Book 2 Silent Weapons
• Star Trek TNG: Cold Equations Book 3 The Body Electric
• Star Trek TNG: The Stuff of Dreams

2385

• Star Trek the Fall: Revelation and Dust
• Star Trek the Fall: The Crimson Shadow
• Star Trek the Fall: A Ceremony of Losses
• Star Trek the Fall: The Poisoned Chalice
• Star Trek the Fall: Peaceable Kingdoms
• Star Trek TNG: The Light Fantastic
• Star Trek TNG: Q Are Cordially Uninvited
• Star Trek Titan: Absent Enemies
• Star Trek TNG: Takedown
• Star Trek DS9: Lust’s Latinum Lost (and Found)
• Star Trek DS9: The Missing
• Star Trek DS9: Rules of Accusation
• Star Trek DS9: Sacraments of Fire

2386

• Star Trek TNG: Armageddon’s Arrow
• Star Trek Titan: Sight Unseen
• Star Trek Section 31: Disavowed
• Star Trek DS9: Ascendance
• Star Trek DS9: Force and Motion
• Star Trek Prey: Book 1 Hell’s Heart
• Star Trek Prey: Book 2 The Jackal’s Trick
• Star Trek Prey: Book 3 The Hall of Heroes
• Star Trek DS9: The Long Mirage
• Star Trek DS9: I, The Constable
• Star Trek Section 31: Control
• Star Trek DS9: Enigma Tales
• Star Trek DS9: Original Sin
• Star Trek TNG: Headlong Flight
• Star Trek TNG: Hearts and Minds
• Star Trek TNG: Available Light
• Star Trek Titan: Fortune of War

2387

• Star Trek TNG: Collateral Damage
• Star Trek Coda: Book 1 Moments Asunder
• Star Trek Coda: Book 2 The Ashes of Tomorrow
• Star Trek Coda: Book 3 Oblivion’s Gate

[Jureth]

Well done Athos! I've read many of these but its probably been years. No doubt I could get on my Kindle so maybe its time to go back and read them again.

[Athos]

Thanks Jureth!  Good to hear that you're a fellow Trek reader!  I went back through and conducted an inventory of physical books that I have compared to the electronic (Kindle) copies.

Out of the 126 novels listed, I had:

• 56 via hard copy (44%)
• 54 via Kindle (43%)
• 16 that I have not yet read (13%)

All of the listed novels, and all Star Trek novels not listed, are available via Amazon Kindle.  I was shocked to find out that I had missed the TNG Slings and Arrows mini-series and several DS9 novels, so definitely looking forward to reading those. 

There is also the novel "Ship of the Line" which is supposedly the first mission of the Enterprise-E.  I hesitate to add that novel in until I read Slings and Arrows as I'll bet that the first novel in that series is also the first mission of the Enterprise-E. 

[Jeff T]

Speaking of books... here is one bookcase, situated by our bed, filled with Star Trek Books and such.

Ironically, that's merely a small segment of all the Star Trek paraphernalia I have gathered for over half a century located throughout my house (along with all of the miscellaneous mess lurking throughout those shelves- lol). 

[Jeff T]

It looks like I have some books in that bookshelf that aren't in your collection list.
How many can you spot?

[Athos]

To clarify, that is NOT my book collection list...not by a long shot.  The list that I provided is a chronological order reading list of what occurred in-universe after the last episode of TNG, DS9, and VOY.  The TNG movies and DS9 & VOY episodes are included in that timeline as reference points.  The ENT books are there as the first two books tie in to the overall late 24th century story...specifically the Destiny mini-series.


Thanks for sharing that pic Jeff.  It's nice to know others who also enjoy reading in the Star Trek universe.  I also spotted a picture of you in the center seat at Star Trek The Experience.  I too have one of those!  It's incredibly sad that we no longer have The Experience, but I very much understand why it had to close down and am consoled that The Experience lasted way longer than the vast majority of shows in Vegas. 

[Jeff T]

What's interesting is that back in February 1967, 55 years ago, the episode Court Martial aired.

In the episode, Samuel T. Cogley, Kirk's attorney takes over Kirk's room on Starbase 11 and fills it full of books.

Kirk questions why he uses these books when all books are now stored in computers which take up less space; ironically similar to what we are already experiencing today.

Samuel explains that he has a computer that contains the precedence’s, a synthesis of all the great legal decisions made throughout time, but he never uses it. He explains that he has his own system:

“Books young man, books. Thousands of them….”
“This is where the laws is... not in that homogenized, pasteurized, synthesized…”
“Do you want to know the law?  The ancient concepts in their own language? Learn the intent of the men who wrote them? From Moses to the Tribunal of Alpha 3?  Books!”

For some reason, that scene has always resonated with me. I have three Kindles, laptops, PCs, etc… containing books, but despite the convenience and the storage savings, I too still prefer reading with a book in hand. It is a different experience than on a tablet… at least to me. To this day, I still buy hardcovers over digital.

I guess that I too am old-fashioned in this respect,  similar to the character of Samuel T. Cogley. 

[Athos]

I've got to admit that I thoroughly enjoy my Kindle e-reader; the white pages one that looks like paper and not the glossy screen.  Obviously I grew up with traditional books and resisted switching to the Kindle, but ultimately found it easier, especially with moving around due to the military.  In fact, I think it was my 6-month deployment that made me switch to the Kindle.  But sincerely, to each their own.  There is no right or wrong here; just personal preferences.  Both have advantages and disadvantages.  While I do like my printed books, they wear out with use.  Pages get creased or torn; the binding loses its attachment to the outer cover.  The Kindle reader can run out of power at an inopportune time and only displays black and white (which really only impacts the viewing of the pretty cover artwork). 

But thank you for bringing up Court Martial and what was stated.  That IS interesting and quite appropriate for this conversation. 

[Kheren]

I'm long overdue for getting myself one. You're giving me good incentive to, thanks!