Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion

by Jeff Ayers

Through four decades, five television series comprising over seven hundred episodes, ten feature films, and an animated series, fandom's thirst for more Star Trek stories has been unquenchable.

From the earliest short-story adaptations by James Blish in the 1960s, followed by the first original Star Trek novels during the seventies, and on throughout the eighties, nineties, and into the twenty-first century, fiction has offered an unparalleled expansion of the rich Star Trek tapestry. But what is it that makes these books such a powerfully attractive creative outlet to some and a compelling way to experience the Star Trek mythos anew to others?

Voyages of Imagination takes a look back on the first forty years of professionally published Star Trek fiction, revealing the personalities and sensibilities of many of the novels' imaginative contributors and offering an unprecedented glimpse into the creative processes, the growing pains, the risks, the innovations, the missteps, and the great strides taken in the books.

Author Jeff Ayers has immersed himself in nearly six hundred books and interviewed more than three hundred authors and editors in order to compile this definitive guide to the history and evolution of an incomparable publishing phenomenon. Fully illustrated with the covers of every book included herein, Voyages of Imagination is indexed by title and author, features a comprehensive timeline, and is a must-have for every fan.

Genres: Star Trek, Nonfiction, Reference, Science, Pop Culture, Anthologies, Tv

800 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read the novels, any of them, then this companion and guide will be very helpful.
Frankly it's helpful even if you haven't read many, and will encourage you to read more.

If you're like me though, and just haven't re-read some of the older novels recently, then this will help paint a picture of the timelines and continuing stories between the various novels, short stories and other related books.

I find SFTC invaluable when picking up a storyline thread after a few years away from an author or planet.

Many book were enjoyable as stand alone stories, and yet the ST Fiction Companion will help you put them into meaningful arcs, and lovingly interwoven histories.

Also, for newer fans of written Star Trek, this volume will help you choose which novels to add to your collection or just read.

Bottom Line: If you are a trek fan and read, this is one MUST HAVE reference.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 2 out of 5]

What could have been the definitive history of Pocket Books brilliant Star Trek range of books is hampered by self-congratualtory, non-critical writing style, and HUGE gaps...courtesy of some of the most successful authors either declining to comment on their books, or offering only the most perfunctory statements. One wonders if they knew ahead of time that this book would be less-than-satisfying...

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion” was published in 2006 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Star Trek. I love the shows and movies but have never read the books (but I want to). I really enjoyed reading this book a lot! All of the fiction books published from the very first book through October 2006 were included. The different authors and editors who were still living as of 2006 (and were willing) were interviewed by the author of this book Jeff Ayers. I loved reading about the different authors’ and editors’ memories of all the different books and loved hearing about what inspired them to write the books and short stories. Some of the nonfiction books were mentioned too by some of the authors. I highly recommend this book for any fan of the Star Trek shows and movies who are also interested in reading the books.

[Trevor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the sort of book that doesn't really need to exist in the internet era. I guess it's a decent reference book for what it is, but this would be much better if there was any sort of critical analysis of the books, or even just more overall discussion of their plots. Instead, we get tons of authors telling us how they got into Star Trek in the first place, and honestly all those stories just start kind of blending together after you've read five or six of them (and then you still have like over a hundred more to go).

[Melvin Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an excellent reference book of Trek-related fiction and materials. I hope someone will update it since my version is about 15 years old.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.starbaseandromeda.com/Revi... I also reviewed this one for my local library -- here's the link and the full text: This book is a massive trade-paperback volume that chronicles all of the professionally published Star Trek fiction from the very earliest novels (put out in the late 1960s) through 2004. Each book gets its own page, with a detailed plot description, and often interviews with the author, who recollects the experience of writing in the Star Trek universe. The depth of information here is impressive, but this book will primarily appeal to Star Trek collectors and Trek fans who are completists or continuity buffs. The behind-the-scenes interviews or author commentaries are priceless. A lot of readers probably look down on media tie-in novels as substandard, but you'll be astonished to see how many respected and established authors have contributed to make the pantheon of Star Trek fiction fairly high-class. Authors such as Greg Bear, Lee Correy, James Blish, Diane Duane, Vonda McIntyre and many more have gone on to become award-winning authors in the genre field -- some of these got their starts writing Star Trek novels, and some did Star Trek out of a love for the source material. Personally, I own a copy of this one, and take it with me to conventions, trying to collect as many signatures in it as possible. I consider this an absolutely essential reference work for Star Trek fiction fans! http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts...

[Marcello Tarot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un utile archivio

Un libro che raccoglie e cataloga – spesso con dei riassunti correlati – tutti i romanzi basati su Star Trek che sono usciti fino al momento della sua pubblicazione. Utile per chi vuole orientarsi nel vasto panorama delle pubblicazioni che, soprattutto negli ultimi anni, sono proliferate.
Recensione originariamente pubblicata su http://www.libreriauniversitaria.it/ nell’estate del 2010.

[Noah Soudrette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything you ever wanted to know about Star Trek original fiction, in an easy to read layout and format. Also contains some great essays, and author's comments.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to read what some of my favorite Star Trek writers thought about writing in the Star Trek universe. I mainly bought this for Fiction Timeline at the back of the book.

[Richard Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great look back at Trek literature though I did get tired of reading the same stories over and over about how writers got the gig. Probably best as a reference book and not as a cover-to-cover read.