The Best Star Trek Books Ever Should Have Been Adapted Into A TV Series

The 1990s were a great time to be a Trekkie. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was riding high in 1993 when "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" debuted, and the two shows ran concurrently for a spell. "Next Generation" had its seventh season finale in May of 1994 before moving to the big screen with "Star Trek: Generations" the following November. In January of 1995, "Star Trek: Voyager" premiered, and in 1996 and 1998, there were two more "Next Generation"-based movies. "Deep Space Nine" and "Voyager" ran for a crackerjack seven seasons apiece, leaving the air in 1999 and 2001, respectively. The air was thick with Trek, and the possibilities seemed endless. 

In the middle of all this, in 1997, there was even a "Star Trek" spinoff that few people — other than the staunchest of Trekkies — really took notice of. The legendary Marvel comic book author and widely celebrated "Star Trek" tie-in novelist Peter David invented an entirely new "Star Trek" ship, stocked it with its own raft of characters, and sent it on its own continuing mission, all to be experienced in a long-running series of books called "Star Trek: New Frontier."  

The premise of "New Frontier" was so strong, and the "cast" so impressive, it could have easily made for an actual televised spinoff. It bore a lot of similarities to "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," in that it was about the shaky reconstruction of a fallen world, but placed its central Starfleet vessel, the USS Excalibur, into a largely unexplored region of space, borrowing some of its premise from "Voyager" as well. The first four novels in the "New Frontier" series serve as an ersatz "pilot episode" for the series, and Peter David established a rich world full of new stories. 

"Star Trek: New Frontier" brought a good mix of original characters and supporting players from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The USS Excalibur was captained by a Xenexian named Mackenzie Calhoun, who Anglicized his name from its original M'k'n'zy. As a teenager, Calhoun was a freedom fighter on his native Xenex, resisting the vicious Danteri Empire's military occupation. He had grown up knowing nothing but violence, so when he finally won freedom for Xenex, he was at a loss for what to do with his life. He tried a career in Starfleet, but was too hot-headed for most missions, and was sent on an extended sabbatical. 

The story of "New Frontier" begins when the vicious totalitarian Thallonian Empire, which borders Danteri space, collapses under its own weight. Both the Thallonians and the Danteri are xenophobes, and Federation vessels haven't ever interfered with their dealings. There is now a power vacuum in the wake of both empires, and the Federation sees fit to send a single vessel into Thallonian/Danteri space to help with reconstruction and ensure that a military dictatorship is not reestablished on either world. They send the USS Excalibur and enlist Captain Calhoun to lead the mission because of his past in the region.

Calhoun's first officer is Commander Shelby, the character played by Elizabeth Dennehy in the "Next Generation" episode "The Best of Both Worlds." She and Calhoun once had an affair in this universe, so it's awkward as well. Also present are Robin Lefler, the character played by Ashley Judd in two "NextGen" episodes, and Dr. Selar, the Vulcan doctor played by Susie Plakson, who vanished from the show for no reason. 

The rest of the "New Frontier" characters are wholly Peter David's inventions, and some of them are enticing and creative. The security officer on the USS Excalibur is named Zak Kebron, and he is a Brikar, an enormous humanoid species with rock-like skin. Most "Star Trek" novels are not considered canonical, but a Brikar eventually made their way into "Star Trek" canon in the form of Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui) on "Star Trek: Prodigy." A Brikar also turned up on "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy," so Peter David's books are lent some legitimacy in retrospect. 

The ship's engineer is Burgoyne 172, from a species called the Hermat, all of whom are intersex. Burgoyne has special pronouns that s/he uses for hirself, and s/he is always "switched on" in the libido department. Everyone is distracted by how attractive s/he is. There is also Soleta, a half-Vulcan-half-Romulan character, and a savant human pilot named Lieutenant McHenry. Along for the ride is a former member of the Thallonian royalty named Si Cwan, a tragic Gul Dukat-like character, but with ethics.

Trekkies will also love that the USS Excalibur is an Ambassador-class starship, the same as the USS Enterprise-C in the episode "Yesterday's Enterprise." "New Frontier" allows Trekkies to vicariously picture the Enterprise-C out in space, getting in on the action. 

For those who miss the complexity, diplomacy, and politics of 1990s "Star Trek," "New Frontier" will definitely scratch that itch. David penned 23 "New Frontier" novels from 1997 through 2015, making for what might have been a full season of adventures on TV. I suppose media saturation and budget kept something like "New Frontier" from becoming a show, but in book form it will still satisfy most Trekkies.