The Three Main Paths of Star Trek Fiction
Before launching into the books, you need to choose your flight path. Star Trek novels generally fall into three distinct eras, each with its own narrative style, level of continuity, and reading requirements.
1. Classic Standalones (The Episode-of-the-Week Era)
For decades, publishers like Bantam and Pocket Books released numbered novels matching the airing television shows (The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager). These books are largely self-contained adventures. If a character dies or the Enterprise is damaged, everything resets by the final page—just like a classic television episode. You can read these in almost any order.
2. The Relaunch Continuity (The "Litverse")
Starting around the year 2000 and running until 2021, Pocket Books did something revolutionary: they stopped resetting the status quo. Following the series finales of Deep Space Nine and Voyager, and the feature film Star Trek: Nemesis, authors collaborated on a massive, shared, chronological universe. In this "Litverse," characters aged, changed assignments, got married, and died. Crossover events reshaped the political map of the Alpha Quadrant. This continuity is highly rewarding but requires a guided reading path, culminating in the Coda trilogy which formally wrapped up the timeline.
3. Modern TV Tie-Ins (Discovery, Picard, and Beyond)
With the return of live-action Star Trek to television, the old Litverse became incompatible with new canon (specifically the events of Star Trek: Picard). Modern tie-in novels are written in close coordination with show producers. They act as prequels or mid-season bridges. Unlike the Litverse, they do not build their own independent, sprawling future; they are subordinate to the on-screen canon.
Where Should You Start?
Because the library is so vast, your starting point depends entirely on what kind of reader you are:
- For the classic episode feel: Start with acclaimed standalones like My Enemy, My Ally by Diane Duane or Bloodthirst by J.M. Dillard.
- For the grand Litverse soap opera: Start with the DS9 Relaunch. The two-part novel Avatar by S.D. Perry is widely considered the definitive gateway to the post-series continuity.
- For high-stakes crossovers: Start with the Destiny trilogy by David Mack. While it occurs midway through the Litverse, it is the central hub that unites TNG, DS9, Voyager, and the spin-off series Titan and Vanguard.
- For political intrigue: Start with Articles of the Federation by Keith R.A. DeCandido, which reads like "The West Wing in space" and establishes the political landscape of the 24th century.
The Post-Nemesis Litverse Reading Order
If you want to experience the legendary Litverse, reading in strict publication order is not recommended because books in different subseries (like Star Trek: Titan and Deep Space Nine) were published concurrently. Instead, follow the major chronological milestones:
Phase 1: The Post-Finale Beginnings (Approx. 2376–2379)
This phase picks up immediately where the television shows left off, charting the immediate aftermath of the Dominion War and Voyager's return home.
- Deep Space Nine Relaunch: Starts with Avatar, Book 1 & 2, followed by Section 31: Abyss and Gateways: Demons of Air and Darkness. It focuses on the rebuilding of Bajor and new exploration of the Gamma Quadrant.
- Voyager Relaunch: Starts with Homecoming and The Farther Shore by Christie Golden, dealing with the crew's return to Earth and the political fallout of their long absence.
- Enterprise-E Adventures: Read A Time to..., a nine-book miniseries beginning with A Time to Born by Allyn Gibson, which bridges the gap between Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis.
Phase 2: The New Frontiers (Approx. 2379–2381)
Following the events of the movie Star Trek: Nemesis, the timeline expands with new crews and ships designed to explore the galaxy under new leadership.
- The Next Generation Relaunch: Begins with Death in Winter by Michael Jan Friedman, exploring Jean-Luc Picard's new status quo and his relationship with Beverly Crusher.
- Star Trek: Titan: Begins with Taking Wing by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels. This series follows William Riker as Captain of the USS Titan, leading a highly diverse, non-human-majority crew on a mission of deep-space exploration.
- Star Trek: Vanguard: Beginning with Harbinger by David Mack, this highly acclaimed series is set during the Original Series era but features a serialized, gritty narrative that directly lays the groundwork for 24th-century Litverse mysteries.
Phase 3: The Destiny Epoch and Crossovers (Approx. 2381–2387)
The Litverse reaches its zenith with massive crossover trilogies that force all the separate crews to work together against existential threats.
- The Destiny Trilogy: Comprising Gods of Night, Mere Mortals, and Lost Souls by David Mack. This trilogy depicts a final, devastating Borg invasion and completely rewrites the status quo of the Star Trek universe.
- Typhon Pact: A multi-author series starting with Empire Blues, exploring the cold war between the Federation and a newly formed coalition of rival powers (including the Romulans, Breen, and Gorn).
- The Fall: A five-book crossover starting with Revelation and Dust by David R. George III, centering on a political crisis and assassination at the newly constructed Deep Space 9.
Phase 4: The Coda Finale (2021 Publishing Event)
Because live-action Star Trek returned to television and established a different path for Picard and the Federation in the late 24th century, Pocket Books wrapped up the 21-year Litverse continuity with a definitive, universe-ending crossover event. Do not read these until you have read the major preceding Relaunch titles:
- Coda: Book 1: Moments Asunder by Dayton Ward
- Coda: Book 2: The Ashes of Tomorrow by James Swallow
- Coda: Book 3: Oblivion's Gate by David Mack
Classic Standalone Gems to Interleave
If you need a break from heavy continuity, these highly recommended classics can be read at any time:
- My Enemy, My Ally (Diane Duane): The definitive Romulan culture novel, capturing a fascinating alliance between Kirk and a Romulan commander.
- How Much for Just the Planet? (John M. Ford): A hilarious, musical-comedy-infused clash between the Enterprise crew and the Klingons.
- Yesterday's Son (A.C. Crispin): A direct sequel to the classic TOS episode "All Our Yesterdays," focusing on Spock's son.
- Bloodthirst (J.M. Dillard): A self-contained, atmospheric thriller that plays like a classic space-horror episode.
What to Know Before You Start
The Canon Question: In Star Trek, only what appears on screen (TV and movies) is considered official canon. Novels are technically non-canon, meaning a television show can—and frequently does—contradict the events of the books. Enjoy the Litverse as an alternate, masterfully written parallel timeline.
The Flowchart is Your Friend: The fan community regularly updates the "Trek-Lit Reading Order Flowchart" (originally created by fan-illustrator Thrawn and hosted on sites like The Trek Collective). Referencing this chart is highly recommended to visually track how different series split and rejoin before major crossovers.