Mark Martinez
The saga of DS9 continues in this first volume of a series set on the homeworlds of various characters. Una McCormack follows the new careers of Garak and the O'Briens on Cardassia while Heather Jarman takes us to Andor where we learn more about Shar and Prynn Tenmei. Both are satisfying reads and I look forward to new volumes.
Published in paperback by Pocket Books.
Detective Annette Trieri takes a leave of absence from the Durango PD to work for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on a series of murders targeting environmental activists. Meanwhile, her husband, Dean Hal Weathers deals with the usual summer headaches at Fremont State University. HP Hanson takes readers on a rollercoaster ride all over the Four Corners region.
Published in trade paperback by 1stBooks Library.
I picked up this short story collection by Elmore Leonard because it contains Karen Makes Out, featuring Karen Sisco, from Out of Sight. The script for the first episode of the television series introduces viewers to Karen with this story too. As a bonus, Mr. Leonard's other stories are equally intriguing, none of them winding up where you expect.
Published in trade paperback by HarperCollins Publishers.
In spite of the long title, I enjoyed this novel by Keith R. A. DeCandido. Falling loosely under the mantel of the Deep Space Nine relaunch, we meet several familiar characters from the DS9 and TNG sagas, along with Worf's parents, assorted Klingons, Cardassians, and Romulans. The Lost Era mini-series offers a unique perspective on Trek history. Take a look at it.
Published in paperback by Pocket Books.
Elmore Leonard can always be counted on for a taut, no-nonsense thriller. U.S. Marshal Karen Sisco and escaped bank robber Jack Foley find themselves as interested in each other as they are in their respective careers. The story begins in Florida and plays out its conclusion in Detroit.
The novel was made into the 1998 film starring Jennifer Lopez as Karen Sisco and George Clooney. The success of the film spawned a television series titled Karen Sisco starring Carla Gugino, recently cancelled.
Published in paperback by Dell.
Captain Benjamin Sisko experiences a vision of life as Benny Russell, a struggling science fiction writer in 1950s Harlem. Benny dreams of a space station, hundreds of years in the future, where a man is judged on his words and deeds, not the color of his skin. But is it really a dream?
Steven Barnes authored this adaptation of one of the best DS9 episodes, Far Beyond the Stars, which was written by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler, based on a story by Marc Scott Zicree.
Published in paperback by Pocket.
Writer Pari Noskin Taichert has crafted a breezy, fast-paced, slightly odd tale of a publicist looking for a job with the Chamber of Commerce in Clovis, NM. Murder, ghosts, a talking cat, and alien abductions ensue. First in a planned series of mystery novels set in New Mexico locales.
Published in hardcover by University of New Mexico Press.
Timothy Zahn lit a fire in the Star Wars universe several years ago when he authored the Thrawn trilogy, beginning with Heir to the Empire. He resumes telling the story of Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade Skywalker in Survivor's Quest, sort of a mystery, which also explores Mara's doubts about her chosen path. An entertaining read. Zahn is also working on a followup to this novel.
Published in hardcover by Del Rey.
It's pretty clear that Judith Van Gieson knows and loves the state of New Mexico. Claire Reynier, in her fifth appearance, travels through northern New Mexico and her own memories as she tries to learn the identity of a homeless woman found dead in the basement of the UNM library.
Published in paperback by Signet.
Deadly Morsels contains four mystery novellas with food themes. I picked up this book because it has Red or Green?, a Posadas County story by Steven F. Havill. An old friend of retired sheriff Bill Gastner dies of an apparent heart attack while eating a Burrito Grande from his favorite restaurant. The green chile is a suspect.
Published in paperback by Worldwide.
I read this years ago and reread it recently after channel-surfing into the 1965 film starring George Maharis and Anne Francis. The movie is entertaining, but Alistair MacClean's book is far more visceral and fast-paced. Maybe transplanting the plot from the cold, wet UK to sunny Southern California is part of the problem. In any event, read the book if you like a good thriller.
Originally published in 1962 under the pseudonym of Ian Stuart.
Undersherriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman has her hands full when the investigation of an insurance agent's death leads close to home. While trying to piece together a puzzle, she also has to deal with the accidental death of a young woman with two children and two men who might be their father.
Set in fictional Posadas County, New Mexico, Steven F. Havill's mysteries are always a satisfying read. Mr. Havill's storytelling skills have made his characters old friends and I usually pick up his books and don't put them down until I'm done. Highly recommended.
Published by St. Martin's Minotaur in hardcover.
Beautiful intelligence analyst discovers a fake meteorite, falls off a glacier only to be rescued by a US Navy sub, worries about bloodthirsty hammerhead sharks, and might topple a presidency, meanwhile finding a new love as a special ops Delta team tries to kill her.
The second novel by Dan Brown is a much better effort than Digital Fortress. The plot runs along at breakneck pace, as it does in all of his novels, and the characters don't do too many stupid things. Pick up this book if you need to kill a few hours.
The mass-market paperback edition of this book is published by Pocket Books.
James Luceno authors the final chapter to the New Jedi Order series, and given his flair for drama and action, he was a good choice to bring this long tale to an exciting conclusion. As expected, our familiar heroes, Luke, Han, Leia, Mara and others, acquire a new understanding of the Force and bring an end to the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. Ok. Now what? Will anyone get to take a vacation now?
Published in hardcover by Del Rey. The hardcover comes with a bonus CD-ROM containing the first New Jedi Order novel, Vector Prime by R. A. Salvatore, in eBook format.
It's too bad that Margaret Wander Bonanno hasn't written a few more Star Trek novels. Her Star Trek characters are familiar and her secondary characters are well drawn. This tale takes place near the end of Admiral Uhura's Starfleet career and also features characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The inclusion of a young Ben Sisko is very well done.
The Lost Era series illuminates events that take place prior to and between Star Trek television series. Published in paperback by Pocket Books.
Previously, the New Frontier saga was penned entirely by Peter David. Now, a legion of Star Trek writers can say that they've played in his Trek sandbox.
These tales of the U.S.S. Excalibur crew complement the novels by telling us more about their past history. All of the short stories in this collection blend well with what we already know about the New Frontier characters. I find it difficult to choose a favorite. They're all entertaining. In addition to a story, Keith R. A. DeCandido also contributed a New Frontier timeline.
No Limits was edited by Mr. David and published in trade paperback by Pocket Books.
Beautiful NSA cryptographer and her boyfriend save the NSA's classified data from a fate worse than deletion. Mostly, I wanted to smack the main characters upside the head and get to the end of the book.
The author, Dan Brown, also wrote The Da Vinci Code, which I found entertaining for the historical references. Mr. Brown's rollercoaster ride narrative style seems to be his trademark, but the ride is a little rough in Digital Fortress, his first thriller.
The mass-market paperback edition was published by St. Martin's Paperbacks.
Ensign Janos is the prime suspect in the murder of an officer aboard the U.S.S. Trident. The investigation stirs up old memories for Captains Elizabeth Shelby and MacKenzie Calhoun. Of course, there's also another pesky threat to the Federation and a sad goodbye.
Peter David is one of the most prolific and consistently entertaining Star Trek writers. Some Trekkies may find fault with his occasionally irreverant view of the Trek universe. I like his stuff.
Stone and Anvil was published simultaneously in hardcover by Pocket Books and as an eBook. The hardcover comes with a CD-ROM containing eBook versions of Mr. David's previous New Frontier novels and short stories. The eBook I read came from Palm Digital Media. I admit to purchasing the eBook because it was much, much cheaper than the hardcover.
Samuel T. Cogley defends a Klingon accused of killing the Federation administrator of a mining colony. Lt. Areel Shaw is the prosecutor, eager for a rematch with Cogley. Both originally appeared in TOS episode “Court Martial”. This is a well-paced and entertaining courtroom mystery, as well as a tribute to Earl Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason, down to the book's design and red-dyed edges. Sam Cogley is familiar enough after more than 35 years of reruns that I can easily see him in a series of mystery novels. The authors also effectively use TOS and Enterprise tube history to paint the background.
I got the impression that authors Bob Ingersoll and Tony Isabella, both veterans of Star Trek comics and novels, have something more in mind for Lt. Areel Shaw in a future story.
Published in paperback by Pocket Books.
Author S. D. Perry has crafted a terrific conclusion to the opening chapter of Pocket Books continuation of the DS9 saga. At least, I hope it's just the opening chapter. In this novel, we get a summary of the DS9 relaunch, and many loose ends are tied up. While there is sort of a whirlwind feel to the entire narrative, I was left wanting to know what happens next. That's good, right?
This book was published in hardcover by Pocket Books.
Of the various Star Trek television series that have aired over the years, my favorite is Deep Space Nine. Unlike the rest, this series had an engaging backstory, intrigue, and a little mysticism thrown in for good measure. I was disappointed when the series ended, but evidently others feel the same way. A host of authors have continued the DS9 saga in print and this collection of short stories features their work. Read it.
Of particular interest are the stories by Andrew J. Robinson, the actor who plays Garak, Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels, and Jeffrey Lang.
This book, part of the tenth-anniversary DS9 celebration, was edited by Marco Palmieri and published in trade paperback by Pocket Books.
An elderly Elvis is barely living in an East Texas nursing home where Bubba Ho-Tep, an evil, soul-sucking mummy feasts on the residents. Elvis gets his mojo back, and with the help of a fellow resident who believes himself to be JFK, takes care of Bubba. Thank you very much.
Joe Lansdale's short story has been made into a film by Don Coscarelli which I'd like to see. The only thing more frightening than losing one's soul to a mummy is growing old and forgetting that you've got a soul.
This is a signed limited edition featuring the short story by Joe R. Lansdale and the screenplay of the film by Don Coscarelli. Published by Night Shade Books.
Gave up on this odd book, but the cover art by Hector Garrido is sensational.