Book bits: Voyager covers, new releases, and annotations

A few bits of books news today, starting with some new cover art from German publisher Cross Cult. Posting on the German Star Trek books Facebook page, they revealed the artwork for Kirsten Beyer's third Voyager relaunch book, Children of the Storm, aka Kinder des Sturms. The ship staring on this cover is the USS Curie, as designed by Mark Rademaker:

Kinder des Sturms is due out in August. Cross Cult also released an updated version of another of their covers. Continue after the jump to check that out, plus a few other Star trek book updates:

Books bits: Shadows of the Machine blurb, and hints at future works

Lots of books news today, starting with a shiny new blurb for the next ebook novella, Shadow of the Machine, a post-The Motion Picture story from Star Trek first timer, Scott Harrison. which will be out in March:

An all-new original e-novella set in the Original Series universe—taking place immediately after the events of the 1979 film Star Trek: The Motion Picture!

After its recent encounter with V’ger, the U.S.S. Enterprise has returned to dry dock to finish its refit before commencing its second five-year mission. The crew has been granted a two-week period of shore leave before preparations for their next voyage begins. Shaken by their encounter with V’ger, Kirk, Spock, and Sulu travel to their respective homes and must reflect upon their lives—now forever changed.

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Star Trek podcasts have been keeping Star Trek authors busy lately, with discussion of many works, and a few teases of things to come. Continue after the jump for news about a Quark ebook, DS9 and TOS novels, the US release of Star Trek Pop-Ups, a new book about costumes, and more!

Review: Star Trek Pop-Ups

I love pop-up books. I only own a few, but they are probably the most frequently visited in my library, and the ones I like to show to friends. So I was delighted to learn I would be able to enjoy another thing I love in pop-up form, with the release of the new Star Trek Pop-Ups book. Continue below for my thoughts on this newly released book.

The book is huge, the largest Star Trek book I own, at 31x34cm. It also has a curious padded cover, which makes it a bit squishy to hold. Inside there are seven two-page spreads of pop-ups, designed by Courtney Watson McCarthy, plus another pop-up-free pair of pages providing an introduction. The book covers all the prime universe live action series, with ships and characters representing ordinary and extraordinary takes on Star Trek. The text of the book by Paula Block and Terry Erdmann (not credited in the actual book, but widely listed by online book sellers), is written from a real world perspective, with the introduction giving an overview of Star Trek, and each page then giving behind the scenes stories that led to the creation of the particular scene being brought to life in the pop-up.

The first spread in the book is a celebration of the original USS Enterprise, based on The Corbomite Maneuver, which means the beautiful remastered version of the First Federation ship Fesarius gets to feature as the bright yellow backdrop. A couple of the Fesarius' orbs also pop out with the Enterprise. The Enterprise is boldly presented as a fully 3D model, rather than just a flat image standing up-right - an ambitious decision given all the rounded shapes on that ship. Some of the pop-ups work from all viewing angles, some are better off seen just from the designed viewing angle of the book - The latter is true of this spread, but it looks fantastic from that angle, and the way it unfurls as you open the pages is quite delightful; it makes the Enterprise seem so alive.

The next spread is also TOS based, giving us the Kirk in a pile of tribbles scenes from The Trouble with Tribbles. This is technically the simplest pop-up in the book, made from several layered images that are made 3D with a single fold. But it's also one of the most effective renditions; the layers of tribbles give a really nice sense of their abundance.

The third pop-up takes us into the movie era, and is probably my favourite of the book, featuring the Klingon Bird of Prey swooping under the Golden Gate Bridge, from the end of The Voyage Home. Like the Enterprise, this has a very satisfying animation as you open the pages, and works even better here, as it seems the Bird of Prey is flying towards you, with its wings adjusting as you open. The delicate layers of detail in the background bridge make the whole scene seem very real too.

Books bits: Lust's blurb, pop-ups, and latest book updates. UPDATE: Titan news too!

Paula Block's suggested temp cover

Books news! Starting with a new blurb for Paula Block and Terry Erdmann's Quark ebook, Lust's Latinum Lost (and Found), which was added to Amazon's listing. The novella is due out September, and this is what we have to look forward to:

Business is down at Quark’s Public House, Café, Gaming Emporium, Holosuite Arcade, and Ferengi Embassy to Bajor. Way down. Lower level of hell down. The station is bustling, but residents and visitors are spending more time (and latinum) at the new Deep Space 9's park, sports fields, theater, swimming complex, and who knows what else, than they are at Quark’s establishment. All of Quark's misfortunes just could be reversed, however, when he finds out that one of the steamiest holonovels to hit the Alpha Quadrant in years is up for grabs. And he has an inroad to acquiring it before anyone else. Or does he?

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp, iTunes.

The image above was tweeted by Paula Block as a suggested temp cover, until the real one is revealed. The image itself is from 16bit.com's surprisingly thorough review of Playmate's Quark action figure.

Amazon have also updated their listing for another of the forthcoming ebooks. They now suggest Scott Harrison's post-The Motion Picture novella, Shadow of the Machine, will be coming in March 2015. This is the fourth change in publication date for this one, but at least this time it's been brought forward (the most recent previous change had it coming in October 2015), hopefully this time the date will stick!

Back with Block on Erdmann, also coming from them later this year is Star Trek Pop-Ups. Amazon have updated their listing for this as well, now showing the following good pictures of four of the pop-up spreads, created by paper-artist Courtney Watson McCarthy.

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Continue after the jump for the latest snippets from recent author interviews, including details of the next Titan novel, and news of a possible new DS9 novel:

Star Trek Pop-Ups preview

Due out later this year is another in the recent run of quirky Star Trek books, and one I am quite excited about, Star Trek Pop-Ups.

The book will feature seven pop-up Star Trek scenes, spanning the entire prime timeline: The USS Enterprise NCC-1701, the icon tribble pile scene from The Trouble with Tribbles, a Klingon Bird of Prey, a Borg Cube, Deep Space 9, Captain Proton's Bride of Chaotica, and the Enterprise NX-01. These have been designed by Courtney Watson McCarthy, whose previous publications have brought to life the buildings of Antoni Gaudi, and impossible images of M.C. Escher. Amazon have now released the back cover image of the Star Trek book, giving us the first look at four of her new Trek creations:

Text in the book comes from experienced Trek non-fiction writing team of Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann. If Amazons are accurate, then it will first be out in France in September, with the rest of Europe seeing it in October, and finally North America getting it in November!

Book bits: Aventine novel titled, pop-ups, New Visions, Klingons, and German dates

A few bits of book news starting with the title of John Jackson Miller's first Star Trek novel (following his first entry in the Trekverse this year, his Titan ebook, Absent Enemies). Simon and Schuster now list a TNG novel, Takedown, set for release in January next year. No other details are listed there, but if we assume this is the novel expected from Miller, then the USS Aventine crew, and Admiral William Riker, will also be appearing in this tale, alongside the USS Enterprise-E crew.

Due out in November this year is Star Trek Pop-Ups, set to feature pop-art art from across the prime timeline designed by Courtney Watson McCarthy, with text from Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann. An updated version of the cover for this one has now been released, a more refined version of the previously revealed cover.

Recently released was the first issue in John Byrne's new photo-comic series, New Visions, and Amazon now have a listing up for the first omnibus from the series, which will include the first two issues, as well as the one-off annual that kicked the whole idea off. Amazon have this description up:

John Byrne presents all-new Star Trek: The Original Series episodes like you've never seen them before! Including the 2013 Photonovel Annual as well as the one-shots "Core" and "Cry Vengeance" - done in the fumetti-style by one of the greatest living comic book artists!

I believe this needs an update though, as the first issue in the series was The Mirror, Cracked (perhaps Cry Vengeance was a working title for this, it would certainly fit the story), and the second issue will be Time's Echo (which definitely did have Core as a working title).

Already out is The Klingon Art of War, Keith R.A. DeCandido's new Klingon philosophy/self help/history book. DeCandido was recently interviewed by TrekFM's Literary Treks podcast, and gave this summary of breadth of the material he has created for the book:

...there are examples from the time and Kahless, that illustrate each of the precepts. Involving Kahless, involving Kahless' mate, Kahless' family, Kahless' friends, people Kahless encountered over the years and such. And going into the origins of things like the first bat'leth and mok'bara, and I got my John M. Ford on and also included the game of klin zha which John M. Ford introduced in the novel The Final Reflection, and some other stuff as well.

Then in addition to that, the modern commentary includes stuff that's more recent; things that are both familiar and not, but things that the modern Klingon would understand. There are anecdotes involving characters that we know like Kor, and Kang, and Koloth, and Worf, and Martok, and so on, Gowron, Chang, all those guys. And there's also new examples of stuff from other Klingons, both ones we've seen before, and one's I made up for the book. I got to come up with all sorts of interesting things, including explaining where the term dahar master came from, and who the first dahar master was. And how the system of emperors worked in the old empire, and how things changed eventually to a chancellor...

Talking about future Star Trek projects DeCandido had nothing to report right now, but did seem to suggest potential in other species, particularly picking out the Vulcans, for a similar book treatment.

Finally a little updated from Cross Cult, the recently announced German translation's of Greg Cox's Eugenics Wars duology now have a release date; you can expect them in December and January.

Book bits: Ships of the Line 2, and pop-ups!

It's an all "non-fiction" books news today. Starting with exciting news that there's a second Ships of the Line book on the way! StarTrek.com have announced a new hardcover book will collect just about all the images from the Ships of the Line calendar series, including al those previously published in the first Ships of the Line book back in 2006, plus an additional seventy-five images from calendars since then. Doug Drexler and Margaret Clark will be returning to edit, with text commentary from Michael Okuda.

The newly expanded book is due out in October, which I think makes it very likely this is the recent mysterious Untitled Star Trek book which has appeared in listings.

If pages and pages of pretty starships in plain old 2D just aren't exciting enough for you, then you'll be pleased to know the new Star Trek Pop-Ups book will be following in November. The book will be written by Star Trek regulars Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann, with pop-up art by Courtney Watson McCarthy. Amazon have now released a cover for this one, which features the TOS movie-era Enterprise. But fear not, the book is set to feature pop-ups from across the franchise, including Borg, Klingons, and Captain Proton!

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Book bits: Covers, pop-ups, and more Voyager!

A smattering of books news, starting with new covers! First up, with just a couple of weeks until publication, Simon and Schuster have finally released the cover for John Jackson Miller's post-The Fall Titan ebook, Absent Enemies:

Pre-order:  Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

There's also a new cover from German publisher Cross Cult (posted on Facebook). The new Uhura cover, by regular Cross Cult artist Martin Frei is for their third standalone TOS novel, which will be James Gunn and Theodore Sturgeon's only Star Trek novel, The Joy Machine. It will be released as Die Glückmaschine in Germany. Thanks to Jens Deffner for confirming the translation.

I've also got news of a new book. If you are, like me, a fan of pop-up books, then a very exciting new book indeed! Coming in November from Star Trek regulars Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann, with art by experienced pop-upper Courtney Watson McCarthy, is Star Trek Pop-Ups. Amazon describe the pan-prime universe book, to be published by Thames and Hudson, like this:

A legendary sci-fi epic as you’ve never seen it before—including the Klingon Bird of Prey, the Bride of Chaotica, and the Enterprise herself, all literally bursting off the page.

Star Trek is one of the most enduring franchises in Hollywood entertainment history. Part of the public consciousness since 1966, it spans the worlds of television and the movies and counts millions of fans worldwide. Now Star Trek Pop-Ups delivers seven iconic Star Trek moments in a new way—popping off the page in three dimensions. From the original USS Enterprise in flight to the dreaded Borg cube from The Next Generation and beyond, here is an unforgettable series of alien encounters and thrilling action scenes, featuring memorable moments from Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise. Bursting with energy and ingenuity, Star Trek Pop-Ups will capture the imaginations of fans young and old. 7 pop-ups and 25 illustrations, all in color.

Arise Chaotica! And speaking of Voyager... The latest episode of TrekFM's Literary Treks featured an interview with Kirsten Beyer, discussing her latest Voyager novel, Protectors. As ever they analyse the book in great detail, so it works as a great "extra feature", but perhaps best left until after you read the book if you want to remain spoiler free. Beyer did touch upon the future of her books. Protectors is the first book in a trilogy, and while it will advance the Voyager story, it wont see the series catch-up with the other 24th century books chronologically, as Beyer noted:

This trilogy will take us through the end of Voyager's first year of their planned three year mission. So it will end like, May 2382. 

Acts of Contrition, the second book in the trilogy, was recently announced for publication this October, and Beyer confirmed in the interview the final book will have a similarly short wait, anticipating its release in mid-2015. Beyer also revealed she is already discussing the next book in the series after this trilogy!