Star Trek: Discovery: Die Standing - John Jackson Miller

Title: Die Standing
Author: John Jackson Miller
Published: 2020
Chronological Period: 2257 (Overture: 2233 / 2255)

Available at:
Amazon

Review:

“Die Standing” by John Jackson Miller is a Star Trek Discovery novel which picks up just after the ending of the show’s first season. The novel follows the exploits of Emperor Philippa Georgiou, former ruler of the Terran Empire, from the mirror universe who has been stranded in the prime universe. In particular it showcases the various events which transpired from her being trapped on the Klingon home world of Qo’noS to her joining the ranks of Section 31. Her initial test run with Section 31 is chaotic as she uses it as an opportunity to escape, but due to an issue on the USS Farragut she gets a second chance on a mission to investigate a possible biological weapon, that will lead her to a pocket of the galaxy surrounded by mystery, where a trio of very different alien species trade internally via the help of a rather flamboyant human, who had a relationship with the now deceased prime Universe’s Captain Georgiou.

This was another enjoyable Discovery novel from Miller who manages to weave together a rather complicated and entertaining plot which pulls on events and characters from the Original Series, Discovery and DS9. What was interesting to me was that using an "anti-hero" protagonist like Phillipa Georgiou gave the novel a much darker vibe than Trek literature is normally known for and whilst some people may dislike this, I found it refreshingly different. My one word of caution about the novel’s plot however is that having a sound understanding of Star Trek’s various shows is required to fully appreciating the story and character work included within the novel. Yes, you can enjoy the novel without this as Miller makes sure that all the key elements are explained in sufficient detail to follow and enjoy the story, but when he starts throwing in the characters of Emony Dax and Sean Finnegan or shout outs to the USS Farragut incident then you know that this novel is most suitable for established Star Trek fans.

I have already touched on the novel’s protagonist being Phillipa Georgiou but I want to highlight how good a job Miller has done in capturing her and the arrogant, cunning and sarcastic personality seen on the show. It is important to note that Miller has done more than this, he has also tried to delve deeper into the character. The reader really gets to see how self-serving and twisted her motives and thought process actually are, but we also get to see some of her own self-examination as the story progresses. This helps in making Georgiou a much more compelling and intriguing character, taking her beyond a character that is just being seen as simply evil and ruthless.

Overall, this is another well written and entertaining novel from John Jackson Miller which features some interesting character-based elements, primarily focussed around the Mirror Universe version of  Georgiou. It is a wonderful piece of fiction which nicely ties up her story between Season One and Season Two of Discovery and leave's the reader hoping there might be more stories out there in the future showing her time in Section 31.

Star Trek: Discovery: The Enterprise War - John Jackson Miller

Title: The Enterprise War 
Author: John Jackson Miller
Published: 2019
Chronological Period: 2256 - 2257 (Prologue: 2236)

Available at:
Amazon

Review:

"The Enterprise War" by John Jackson Miller is Star Trek Discovery novel that pretty much has nothing to do with the USS Discovery itself. It provides the reader with an insight into the Starship Enterprise was up to during the Klingon War that occurred during the show's first season. The Enterprise has been sent to a remote nebula where travel is difficult and various other ships have vanished without a trace over the years. Despite war breaking out with the Klingons, Starfleet order the Enterprise to remain and continue exploring the nebula. Before long the Enterprise soon discovers there is a multi-generational war ongoing within the nebula which may turn out to be more dangerous than the one Starfleet is keeping them out of.

This was a fun book that started pretty slowly but once you have read through the first 100 pages or so it picks up quickly. John Jackson Miller has a writing style which was easy to read, intricate and has pulled together and interesting plot which includes a good mix of action, mystery and character interaction. The characters are realistically portrayed with flaws and doubts clearly visible to the reader which made it all the more enthralling to see them push past these issues in order to do their duty.

Personally speaking, it was nice to get an explanation of where the Enterprise was during the Klingon War although to be honest I am not sure I believe that Starfleet would have left the Enterprise out there exploring the nebula. In addition, the climax of the novel also gives a nice segue into season 2 of Discovery and shows how Spock ends up in the state that gets him committed to the mental facility. 

Overall this is a great read for all Star Trek fans and it shows that Pike's time on the Enterprise provides a lot of scope for some potential entertaining and engaging stories. It has made me look forward to seeing the new "Strange New Worlds" TV series even more now and hopefully we will get novels released in the future which give us more Pike Enterprise stories in line with this.

Star Trek: Discovery: The Way To The Stars - Una McCormack

Title: The Way To The Stars
Author: Una McCormack
Published: 2019
Chronological Period: 2249 - 2250 (Framing Story: 2257)

Available at:
Amazon

Review: 

The Way to the Stars by Una McCormack is Star Trek Discovery novel which includes a brief framing story set in 2257 as Sylvia Tilly prepares to enter the Command Training Programme.  The main element of the novel however is a coming-of-age story which takes the reader back to 2249 as Tilly turns sixteen and tries to deal with growing up and finding her way in life whilst also navigating the pressures faced from her powerful, domineering and successful mother. 

I have to say that at times the novel felt like something you would find on your bookstores YA shelves which probably isn’t surprising as most YA novels tend to focus as this one does on characters in their late teens undertaking some form of personal growth as they transition into adulthood. However, don’t let this put you off if your usual view on a YA book is to assume it will be to juvenile for an adult reader as McCormack writing is of a high standard. In addition, her character portrayal of Tilly was top notch and the way she interreacted and acted felt 100% on the button. The story is set mainly from Tilly’s point of view which really helps the reader emphasise with her and understand why the wishes of others have in part driven her to be the way she is.

One warning I want to give to anyone who plans to pick this up is that it is very much a character-driven story with a light hearted plot and relatively low stakes. Don’t pick this up looking for a pulpy star trek action adventure as you will be disappointed. In fact, the parts of the book where McCormack tried to include a bit of danger and action felt rushed and a bit out of place to me.

Overall, this novel works in relation to it being a good quality coming-of-age story that whilst being best suited for a YA audience, it is written to such a high standard that adults should find it enjoyable as well. If you a fan of the character Tilly then I think you will love this book as McCormack has captured her expertly and this book is without doubt an excellent tribute to her.