Star Trek by J. M. Dillard (1990, Paperback, Reprint)

Have you ever wondered what events transpired between the end of the Enterprise’s five-year mission and Star Trek: The Motion Picture? These questions are answered in J.N. Dillard’s Star Trek: The Lost Years. Published in 1989, Star Trek: The Lost Years is the first of four books which focuses on the two-and-a-half year period between the end of the first five-year mission and the events chronicled in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. J.M. Dillard book focuses (roughly) on the first seven months the Enterprise crews’ transition to their new assignments. Dillard touches on several crucial points in the lives of the main characters such as Kirk’s appointment to Rear Admiral, the reason behind McCoy’s eventual resignation from Starfleet, and Spock’s wish to be a postulant of the Kolinahr rather than taking on a wife.

The book also brings to life characters such as Fleet Admiral Heihachiro Nogura (who is mentioned briefly at the start of Star Trek: The Motion Picture), Vice Admiral Lori Ciana (who according to one source was the other figure who perished along with the Vulcan science officer at the transporter malfunction in the aforementioned movie), and lastly, fan favorite Kevin Thomas Riley who from his days in the enterprise, is promoted to be Rear Admiral Kirk’s Chief of Staff in Starfleet Headquarters.

Dillard also gives some insightful information on characters such as Spock (who has roots in Minnesota) and McCoy (who’s first wife is named Jocelyn and that Dr. McCoy spend his early years in Georgia). Lastly, the book left probably the best Bones McCoy thought ever when he described someone as having “lost their shields. Took a spacewalk in the asteroid belt without his helmet. And beamed down one too many times.”

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