Your Star Trek Reading List for July 2020

Summer hopefully means at least a little more time available for catching up on our leisure reading. While we all wait for new episodes of Star Trek: Discovery and the premiere of Star Trek: Lower Decks to hit our television screens, perhaps these adventures from the realms of prose and comics can help fans scratch that Star Trek itch.

We begin withDie Standing, the latest Star Trek: Discovery novel from Simon & Schuster and its Gallery Books imprint. Empress Philippa Georgiou of the Terran Empire and fugitive from the Mirror Universe is the newest member of Section 31, the renegade intelligence agency operating at the periphery of Starfleet regulations and Federation law. Georgiou has no interest in serving anyone, of course. Instead, she plans to bide her time until she finds a means of escape. However, the discovery of a superweapon – one she tried and failed to seize in her own universe – sends Georgiou to region forbidden to all visitors. What she finds there may neutralize the threat…or allow her to create a new empire to rule. John Jackson Miller's book will go on sale on July 14; the trade paperback will be $16.00, the eBook will be $11.99, and the unabridged audio download will be $23.99.

In the realm of comics, IDW Publishing is continuing its return to a normal release schedule, and we start with the launch of a new four-issue adventure at the edge of the final frontier. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Too Long A Sacrifice #1 sees death cast its shadow across the edge of the final frontier as Constable Odo finds himself investigating a murder where seemingly everyone on the Promenade has a motive. Vengeance, justice, or old-fashioned greed spin a web of treachery and lies Odo must navigate if he hopes to find the truth. From writers Scott Tipton and David Tipton and artist Greg Scott, you can pick up an issue for $3.99.

Also out from IDW is Star Trek: Year Five #12, with the Starship Enterprise is entering the final months of its legendary mission of exploration in Star Trek: Year Five #12. Picking up where the previous issue left off, a villain is revealed and faces off against Captain Kirk while his crew is stranded on a desolate planet and the Enterprise is on a collision course with certain destruction. To save his ship and his people, Kirk will have to face the biggest challenge of his career! Written by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly, with art from Stephen Thompson, the issue will go on sale this month for $3.99.

Wrapping up IDW’s offerings for the month is The Wine-Dark Deep, which collects Star Trek: Year Five issues 7-12 for those who prefer their comics in a format suited for their bookshelves. Step aboard the Enterprise with Captain Kirk and his crew as the end of their five-year mission means boldly going into an uncertain future while facing off against their greatest adversary. Written by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Jim McCann, with art from Stephen Thompson, Angel Hernandez, and Silvia Califano, the collection comes out on July 21 for $19.99

From Hero Collector and helping to celebrate Star Trek: Voyager’s 25th anniversary comes The U.S.S. Voyager Illustrated Handbook. For the first time, lavish technical illustrations, diagrams, and information about the famous starship are pulled together into a beautiful oversized hardcover tome. All of the technology found aboard the ship is detailed here, including the modifications made by Voyager’s crew during its journey home through the Delta Quadrant. The book also contains information on Captain Kathryn Janeway and her crew, including the passengers they picked up along the way – Neelix, Kes, and Seven of Nine – as well as insights into the friends and enemies they encountered during those seven tumultuous years. The book is written by Ben Robinson and will go on sale on July 14 for $29.95.

Finally, there’s something for budding Trekkies! A is for “Alien,” B is for “Borg,” and C is for “Captain.” Even the youngest Star Trek fans can boldly go into the universe as they learn the alphabet as used by the humans of Earth! The Star Trek Alphabet Book from the classic Little Golden Book line includes examples from across the final frontier from the original Star Trek to Star Trek: Discovery, each helping guide boys and girls through their ABCs. It’s perfect for young readers ages 2-5, and a cute collectible no matter how old you are! Written by Dennis R. Shealy with art from Ethen Beavers, the book is on sale now for $4.99.

Dayton Ward (he/him) is a New York Times bestselling author or co-author of numerous novels and short stories, including a whole bunch of stuff set in the Star Trek universe, and often working with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore. As he’s still a big ol' geek at heart, Dayton is known to wax nostalgic about all manner of Star Trek topics over on his own blog, The Fog of Ward.

Star Trek: Discovery streams exclusively on CBS All Access in the United States and is distributed concurrently by CBS Studios International on Netflix in 188 countries and in Canada on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and OTT service Crave.