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Invasion! Time's Enemy. With the first two books setting up an epic new enemy, maybe it’s time for a side quest with the crew of Deep Space Nine. Something that’s Fury-adjacent and chock-full of technobabble. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan discuss the book, Time’s Enemy, book three and DS9’s entry in the Invasion! saga. They discuss the connections to the other books in the series, the mystery that kicks off the novel, hard sci-fi vs political sci-fi, a new alien threat, and much more! And most importantly, they ponder on where the Furies are. Feature: Time's Enemy Connections to the Other Books (4:05) Technobabble (9:41) Character Voices (13:19) Writing Team (17:40) The Mystery, the Symbiont, and the Science (19:04) Kira and the Hard Suit (24:10) Hard Sci-Fi vs Political Sci-Fi (26:32) The Vulcan Captain (31:49) A New Alien Threat (33:58) Back in Time (38:28) Spin-Off Novel (42:58) Final Thoughts (44:41) Closing (47:29) Hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan Production Matthew Rushing (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Editor and Associate Producer)

Invasion! The Soldiers of Fear. What is your greatest fear? What if your enemy could trigger that fear to use it against you? Well just think about gargoyles, touch a batleth, or whatever else you can think of to overcome your fears, because there's Furies to vanquish. Again. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan discuss the second book in the Invasion! saga, The Soldiers of Fear - a Next Generation adventure written by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. They discuss fear weapons, redshirts, the need for crossover characters between the books, and so much more. In the news section, there's a new book! Star Trek: Picard: Rebuilding the Bridge, by Liz Kloczkowski and published by Master Replicas. Coming out in September 2026. News Rebuilding the Bridge (3:27) Feature: The Soldiers of Fear Recap and First Impressions (6:44) Timeline and Set Inconsistencies (15:55) Fear as a Weapon (19:01) Redshirt Redbay (22:31) Should Have Crossover Characters (27:32) Guinan's Gargoyles (31:46) Worf's Batleth (34:35) Data's Invulnerability (36:07) Tragic or Pathetic? (37:57) Final Thoughts and Ratings (42:38) Closing (44:03) Hosts Jonathan Koan and Casey Pettitt Production Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Dayton Ward: To Defy Fate. Wesley Crusher has always been a polarizing figure in Trek fandom — TNG's boy genius, adored by some and a source of groaning for others. But his arc from teenage prodigy to full-fledged Traveler is one of the franchise's more underappreciated journeys, and Picard season 3's finale left a perfect opening: what exactly was Wesley up to in the weeks following the Borg crisis? Dayton Ward answers that question with To Defy Fate, a novel that puts the former wunderkind squarely at the center of a sprawling story touching timelines, civilizations, and the nature of fate itself. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan sit down with Dayton Ward, author of Star Trek: Picard: To Defy Fate. We discuss the choice to lead with Wesley, the novel's driving antagonist and what makes her such a compelling character, mysterious figures like Kovich and what their presence means for Trek's larger tapestry, the complex web of timelines the book navigates, and what it ultimately means — and costs — to defy fate. Check out cover artist Callum Seymour on Instragram - @seymourdraws News Cover Reveal (2:55) Feature: Dayton Ward Dayton 400 (5:42) Why Wesley? (6:36) Journey's End Prologue (11:39) Kovich (12:59) Writing a Hardcover (16:38) Bookend with The Last Best Hope (19:02) Likara's Convictions (22:22) The Metron Kid (28:26) Timelines (31:36) Quintessential DS9 Theme (36:13) The Picard-Crusher Guy (39:56) Last Things First (45:27) The Narada Incursion (47:00) Defying Fate (49:01) Margaret's Fingerprints (51:23) Cover Art (54:38) Dayton's Future (56:16) Closing (58:13) Hosts Jonathan Koan and Casey Pettitt Guest Dayton Ward Production Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Invasion!: First Strike. Back in the heyday of Star Trek publishing, writers had four golden-era series to write in. Generally, the books stood apart from each other as stand-alones within their own series. But in 1996, Pocket Books published something unprecedented: a four-book crossover featuring each of the televised series to date. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan dive into the first Invasion! book, First Strike - an Original Series entry, written by prolific Trek author Diane Carey. Casey and Jonathan discuss the propulsiveness of the story, zealots and agnostics, and the newest threat in this part of the galaxy - the Furies! Feature: First Strike The First True Crossover Series (3:23) Naval Tradition (5:24) Propulsiveness (8:30) Movie References (12:12) Kellen the Klingon (14:32) Kirk's Tactic (19:26) Spock Incapacitated (22:54) The Federation Way (27:18) The Gnostic and the Zealot (28:26) Who are the Furies? (30:33) Empathizing with Zennor (32:51) Kellen the Zealot (38:13) Their Souls (40:06) Playing Favorites (41:33) Holding Positions (44:32) Scotty (46:39) Perfectly Balanced (48:15) Final Thoughts (52:28) Closing (59:22) Hosts Jonathan Koan and Casey Pettitt Production Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Another Comics Catch-up. IDW has been pumping out new comics faster than you can name any of the red shirts that died. And dang! Many red shirts were harmed in the making of these comics. And we have been remiss in showing our respects. Today, we're here to remedy that oversight. Again. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan discuss several IDW releases from recent months including Lower Decks, Red Shirts, Strange New Worlds, Voyager, and the new series, The Last Starship. In the news segment, we get excited for the new coffee table book from John and Maria Jose Tenuto, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: The Making of the Classic Film. News Making of Star Trek IV (3:08) Feature: Comics Catch-up Lower Decks (6:34) Red Shirts (12:57) SNW: The Seeds of Salvation (16:52) VOY: Homecoming (18:31) The Last Starship (29:33) Next Time on Literary Treks (39:52) Closing (42:28) Hosts Jonathan Koan and Casey Pettitt Production Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Pathways. Every now and then a Star Trek book comes along that gives readers a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the characters we've grown to love on screen. Done well, these kinds of books can give you a great appreciation for characters you once thought were underdeveloped. Done poorly, these kinds of books can be extremely frustrating. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan discuss Pathways, the Star Trek: Voyager novel by none other than series co-creator, Jeri Taylor. They discuss each of the characters' stories and whether the book stands up. In the news section, there's a lot of new comics coming out from IDW. And we've got a new book announcement! News New comics (3:56) New novel (8:10) Feature: Pathways Our Excitement Was Premature (14:28) Macro Level Thoughts (17:32) Chakotay (28:27) Harry (32:32) B'Elanna (34:39) Tom (38:33) Neelix (40:29) Kes (44:16) Tuvok (45:26) Cast Photo (47:39) Overall Thoughts (50:43) Closing (56:08) Hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan Production Matthew Rushing (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Editor and Associate Producer)

Scott Pearson. It takes more than just an author to produce a book. In fact, there's a whole team of people that bring any given book to fruition. It's no different in tie-in fiction like Star Trek. We don't often branch out to talk to anyone but the authors of the new books, and that's an oversight we intend to remedy. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan talk with editor Scott Pearson, who recently took on a more hands-on role after the passing of beloved editor, Margaret Clarke. They discuss Scott's work as both an author and an editor, what the editing process looks like, the enjoyable challenge of producing a Star Trek book while a show is still running and much, much more! In the news segment, we talk about Robb Pearlman's new book of fairy tales from the final frontier. Find out more about Scott at scott-pearson.com News New Book from Robb Pearlman (4:01) Feature: Scott Pearson Lifelong Rabid Star Trek Fan (7:02) Never Wanted to Be an Editor (10:01) An Author and an Editor (12:47) A Hands-On Position (13:59) There the Entire Time (15:29) A High Bar (19:56) Publishing is a Crazy Business (22:13) I Would Like More Books (25:46) New Authors (27:00) I Don't Want to Get in Trouble (28:39) An Enjoyable Challenge (29:28) Required Reading (33:26) Editing Different Genres (41:01) Character Motivation (44:02) Check the Quote (47:31) I Have Ideas (51:50) Scott, the Writer (55:20) Closing (1:00:58) Hosts Jonathan Koan and Casey Pettitt Guest Scott Pearson Production Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Greg Cox: Identity Theft. Pavel Chekov is a reminder that some Star Trek characters do their most interesting growing just outside the spotlight. Known for his youthful enthusiasm, sharp wit, and loyalty to the Enterprise, much of Chekov’s development is implied rather than shown on screen. That makes tie-in novels an ideal space to explore characters like him in greater depth, filling in the moments between episodes and missions. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan are joined once again by author Greg Cox to discuss his new Original Series novel, Identity Theft. Mostly taking place in the movie-era, we finally get Chekov in the spotlight. We discuss Chekov's identity crisis, getting off the bridge, how this is absolutely not a sequel, and much more! In the news segment we discuss a new book announcement as well as some Lower Decks comics from IDW. NEWSNew Book Announcement (03:28) Lower Decks Comics (09:45) FEATURE: GREG COXGreg's Star Trek (18:49) About the Cover (23:20) Strange Unfamiliar Aliens (26:09) Pretending to Be Chekov (31:00) Chekov's Love Interest (34:02) Writing Chekov Played by a Different Character (36:49) Getting Off the Bridge (39:33) Breezier and Funnier (42:18) The Exiles (49:14) The Audiobook (56:21) Sulu (59:25) Not a Sequel (1:02:47) Remembering Margaret (1:09:57) What's Next for Greg? (1:13:25) Closing (1:19:01) HOSTSCasey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan GUESTGreg Cox PRODUCTIONMatthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

David Mack: Ring of Fire. With fewer Star Trek series currently on TV, it’s the novels that keep us boldly going. These stories bridge the gaps between episodes and explore what happens when the cameras aren’t rolling — deepening our connection to the characters and giving us new adventures to imagine. It’s an exciting time to see how writers expand the universe we know and love. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan chat with author David Mack about his Strange New Worlds novel, Ring of Fire. They dive into the book's ensemble of characters, high-action set pieces, Spock delivering a memorable beatdown, and Pike's continued growth as a captain. In the news segment, the hosts judge a book by its cover and share their thoughts on two new-ish comics. NEWSJudge a Book by its Cover (03:15) Omega Comic (10:19) Section 31 Comic (12:52) FEATURE: DAVID MACKRemembering Margaret (18:30) Within the Confines (28:06) Project Azorian (31:13) An Ensemble Story (36:10) Crafting the Mystery (42:35) Pike's Lesson (48:50) Set Pieces (53:51) Spock Gives a Beatdown (1:01:26) Pelia and Scotty (1:04:26) Ortegas as Number One (1:10:05) Wrapping Up with David (1:14:55) Closing (1:19:12) HOSTSCasey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan GUESTDavid Mack PRODUCTIONMatthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Gateways: What Lay Beyond. Back in late 2001, Pocket Books published the most epic crossover event to date: Gateways. With six novels spanning the eras from The Original Series to Voyager, the series brought together multiple authors to tell stories utilizing the gateways created by the mysterious Iconians. And the hook for the series was that each story was to end with a cliffhanger, culminating in one giant hardcover with six short stories to conclude the series. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan discuss the final book, What Lay Beyond. They discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly, and talk about their vision for the series were it to be written today. Also covered is The Lore War comics, the concluding crossover between the Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant comics from IDW. NEWSThe Lore War Comics (03:24) FEATURE: WHAT LAY BEYONDA TOS Story (19:03) Casey Rambles About Challenger (25:45) Jonathan is Angry About DS9... (29:43) ...but a Happy Camper with Voyager (37:14) Jonathan Blows Casey's Mind (42:25) New Frontier Character Work (43:31) TNG Tying Everything Up (49:28) Can We Cut Gateways Some Slack? (56:17) A Little Too Much Freedom (01:00:11) Star Trek Timeline (01:04:57) Goofy Corps of Engineers Story (01:06:20) Final Thoughts (01:09:27) Wrap Up (01:13:54) HOSTSJonathan Koan and Casey Pettitt PRODUCTIONMatthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Interview with Star Trek: Khan writers Kirsten Beyer and David Mack. Legacy isn't reserved for heroes. Some characters leave a mark not through their nobility, but through the incredible shadow they cast. Few exemplify this better than Khan Noonien Singh. Decades after his first appearance, Khan continues to shape the Star Trek universe - his presence echoing through generations of stories, creators, and fans alike. His legacy raises a fascinating question: what happens when a villain becomes just as iconic, just as influential, as the heroes they oppose? In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Jonathan Koan and Casey Pettitt speak with Star Trek: Khanwriters Kirsten Beyer and David Mack. They talk about the writing process, casting and recording, making it sound like Star Trek, allegory, the mind of a villain, and much more! FEATURE: KIRSTEN BEYER AND DAVID MACKGenesis of Khan Podcast (02:58) Writing for Audio (05:29) Collaboration (06:47) Nick's Vision (07:41) Late Night Episode Breaks (09:50) Podcast vs Audiobook (12:00) Production Involvement (14:40) Nick's Vision (again) and Canon (15:56) Sounds Like Star Trek, Sounds Like Khan (17:00) Recording and Casting Marla (19:46) Allegory and Villains (21:23) Just Trying to Tell a Good Story (28:30) A Contained Narrative (33:09) Give Us More Stories! (33:58) Wrap-up (36:11) Closing (38:59) HOSTSJonathan Koan and Casey Pettitt GUESTKirsten Beyer and David Mack PRODUCTIONMatthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

In 1997, Pocket Books began releasing novels in a new series - one not based on a Star Trek television series. The brainchild of then-editor John J. Ordover and author Peter David, Star Trek: New Frontierwas a way to have a series of novels with its own continuity, independent of the shows still on the air. Spanning over 20 novels, numerous short stories, and even some graphic novels, the series lasted until 2015. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan discuss 2001's Cold Wars, the sixth book in the Gateways saga. We discuss the New Frontier series and characters, the overall plot, growing up too fast, a clean ending, and more! In the news, we talk about a new coffee table book and discuss the Star Trek: Defiant comic arc, No Old Warriors. NEWSNew Books (00:02:41) Comic review (00:05:17) FEATURE: COLD WARSNew Frontier (00:11:24) Post-Coital Opening (00:14:43) The Characters (00:15:16) The Plot (00:19:39) The Mystery of "Smyt" (00:24:27) A Holo Ruse (00:26:36) She Had to Grow Up Very Fast (00:29:53) A Little Too Clean (00:34:15) The Gateways (00:38:44) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:40:11) HOSTSCasey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan PRODUCTIONMatthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Gateways: No Man's Land At one time, Christie Golden was the preeminent author in the Star Trek: Voyager novel line with 13 of her 16 Star Trek stories being with the crew of Voyager. In fact, even Kirsten Beyer hasn't surpassed Golden's contributions to the series. In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan discuss No Man's Land. Topics include characterizations, Janeway-Chakotay shipping, Seven instigating a slave uprising, not one but two murder mysteries, and, oh yeah, the gateways. Plus, we ask a very important question: What happens to Fluffy? In our comics discussion, we talk about IDW's Star Trek issues 25-30, When the Walls Fell (not to be confused with the Tamarian legend of Shaka). NEWS Star Trek 25-30 (00:04:12) FEATURE: NO MAN'S LAND Classic Voyager (00:16:55) Gateway Issues (00:21:43) Continuity (00:24:30) Something Fun (00:27:59) Meat of the Story (00:31:33) The Weirdest Part (00:35:46) What Holds it Back (00:37:05) Seven’s Story (00:40:41) Arkathi (00:44:20) Ratings (00:51:14) Final Thoughts (00:53:54). HOSTS Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan PRODUCTION Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

Star Trek literature’s mission was to expand the universe of the series beyond what was seen on screen, so in doing that the books continued series that had ended as well as created characters to follow; the Gateway series brought all of those together in one massive crossover. In this episode of Literary Trek's hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan talk about Demons of Air and Darkness. We discuss title questions, the opening, the treat of the book, Kira’s leadership, the “threat”, Shar and Nog, Quark, Ro, the reveal, the same scene, our ratings and final thoughts. For the news we discuss the upcoming novel in the Picard line! News New Picard Novel Coming (00:02:58) Feature: Demons of Air and Darkness Title Questions (00:05:52) The Opening Chapter (00:10:28) The Threat of the Book (00:12:55) Kira’s Leadership (00:17:32) “Threat” (00:19:35) Shar and Nog (00:23:55) New Recurring Characters (00:29:33) Quark (00:32:47) Ro (00:34:36) Finally Revealed (00:38:12) The Same Scene (00:40:15) Ratings (00:43:24) Final Thoughts (00:46:13) Hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan Production Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

James Swallow: Toward the Night. One of the beauties of tie-in fiction is to do exactly what the name implies, to tie in to the show or universe and add details that the films or shows just don’t have time to do. In this episode of Literary Treks hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan welcome author James Swallow to talk about his Star Trek: Strange New Worlds novel, Toward the Night. We discuss the genesis of the book, the focus, introductions, dynamics, La’An, the Klingons, the planet, in the future, coming soon and our final thoughts. In the news we have an in memoriam for some losses in the Star Trek literary world. News Sad News (00:02:53) Feature: James Swallow The Genesis of the Book (00:06:44) The Focus (00:13:25) Introductions (00:16:52) Dynamics (00:23:04) La’An (00:26:58) The Klingons (00:30:09) The Planet (00:35:37) In the Future (00:41:30) Coming Soon (00:44:19) Final Thoughts (00:47:20) Hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan Guest James Swallow Production Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)