Star Trek Discovery: Wonderlands by Una McCormack (Review)

Wonderlands by Una McCormack

Blurb

In a desperate attempt to prevent the artificial intelligence known as Control from seizing crucial information that could destroy all sentient life, Commander Michael Burnham donned the “Red Angel” time-travel suit and guided the USS Discovery into the future and out of harm’s way. But something has gone terribly wrong, and Burnham has somehow arrived in a place far different from anything she could have imagined—more than nine hundred years out of her time, with Discovery nowhere to be found, and where the mysterious and cataclysmic event known as “the Burn” has utterly decimated Starfleet and, with it, the United Federation of Planets. How then can she possibly exist day-to-day in this strange place? What worlds are out there waiting to be discovered? Do any remnants of Starfleet and the Federation possibly endure? With more questions than answers, Burnham must nevertheless forge new friendships and new alliances if she hopes to survive this future long enough for the Discovery crew to find her….

Review

I do love a Star Trek novel by Una McCormack but I must admit I struggled to get into this one to start with but once I got used to the characters I really enjoyed it. 

Burnham is now alone in the future and it is very different to what she imagined or hoped for. Everything is terribly wrong and this future she finds herself in is full of people who can’t be trusted and who will betray you for their own gain without a thought. The remnant of Starfleet Burnham finds is one lone man called Sahid who is holding together a damaged space station. Sahid is a valuable friend to Burnham who helps her when she is most in need and is a comfort to her when she needs a friend, he is also someone she can trust completely. 

Book is Burnham’s main friend though and he teaches her everything she needs to know to survive this new and harsh future but sadly Book is very anti Starfleet and does not have the same drive like Burnham to try and find Starfleet. Book’s cat Grudge is also one of my favourite characters of the book and it was nice for her to appear quite often in the storyline. 

I did find this book rather melancholy at times, poor Burnham is clearly struggling. When she tries to move forward with her life something always pulls her back and quite often it is Sahid with another link from the past to do with Starfleet. Burnham knows that in order to make any sort of life for herself she will have to let go of her past and her friends on Discovery but she doesn’t want to. Burnham is essentially grieving but there are bright spots in the story for her. She makes new friends and starts to build a life for herself but at times it is very sad. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book but I did miss the other characters from the Discovery and the  banter between friends that occurs and I think that is what I struggled with when I first began reading the book. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons and I can’t wait for the next book.

Purchase Links

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(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Una McCormack is the author of seven previous Star Trek novels and four Doctor Who novels. She has also written numerous short stories and audio dramas. She lives in Cambridge, England, with her partner of many years and their daughter.

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Star Trek Discovery: The Book of Grudge by Robb Pearlman (Review)

Star Trek Discovery: The Book of Grudge by Robb Pearlman

Blurb

New York Times bestselling author Robb Pearlman focuses on STAR TREK: DISCOVERY’s breakout star, Grudge the cat. Full of cat photos and whimsical illustrations!

Sharper than a claw and more stunning than a phaser blast, The Book of Grudge’s Prime Directive features her take on everything from space travel to the proper care and training of an array of alien species, STAR TREK-inspired quotes, and haiku meditations on Grudge’s most favourite things, including napping and people (as long as they’re far enough away).

Make no mistake, Cleveland Booker’s massive – and massively cool – cat, Grudge is no mundane mouser. This taciturn tabby is, in fact, “a Queen.” She knows it, and everyone aboard the Discovery knows it, too… though some realise it just a bit too late!

Review

This book was my cat’s chosen Christmas present for my husband but sadly it did not arrive till late January. It was ok though as the cat got my husband another present and my husband ended up with an extra present. This also meant I had to be patient and wait for my husband to read it first. Thankfully this little book was worth the wait. 

Grudge was a firm favourite of mine whilst watching Star Trek Discovery and I must admit I had hoped to have seen more of her on screen. You can imagine my excitement when I heard she had a book! 

The book is made up of photos and illustrations of Grudge on her own and with members of the crew of Discovery and most importantly Grudge’s views and opinions which have kindly been written down by Robb Pearlman.  Grudge gives her opinions on certain members of the Discovery drew, space travel, alien species and much more. Grudge has even composed little haikus for us. 

This wonderful little book is funny and shows Grudge to be the true Queen that she is. It takes less than twenty minutes to read but is totally worth it. I highly recommend this book to all cat lovers and Star Trek fans and give this book a massive 5 out of 5 Dragons. I end my review with a quote from Grudge “Cat’ plah!!!”

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Purchase Links

Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Robb Pearlman is a pop culturalist and a #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 35 books for grown-ups and kids.

Grudge is the feline companion of Cleveland Booker and a Queen among cats.

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Die Standing by John Jackson Miller (Review)

Die Standing by John Jackson Miller

Blurb

No one in the history of histories has lost more than Philippa Georgiou, ruler of the Terran Empire. Forced to take refuge in the Federation’s universe, she bides her time until Section 31, a rogue spy force within Starfleet, offers her a chance to work as their agent. She has no intention of serving under anyone else, of course; her only interest is escape.

But when a young Trill, Emony Dax, discovers a powerful interstellar menace, Georgiou recognises it as a super-weapon that escaped her grasp in her own universe. Escorted by a team sent by an untrusting Federation to watch over her, the emperor journeys to a region forbidden to travellers. But will what she finds there end the threat—or give “Agent Georgiou” the means to create her old empire anew? 

Review

This is the latest book in the Star Trek Discovery series and I must admit I was a bit hesitant to read it at first because I was worried about whether Emperor Georgiou would annoy me or not. Thankfully I did read it and was mistaken.

It has been a long time since I have read a book that has made me laugh so much. Georgiou is hilarious and very dangerous. Georgiou the emperor is a ruthless woman who has lost it all but is determined to make the best of the situations she finds herself in by any means necessary. Georgiou delights in causing chaos and the things she says are hilarious but one thing is for sure she is a lethal weapon. Georgiou is an expert killer, tactician and spy and this is all shown in the book.

In this book we also meet Finnegan. Georgiou knows Finnegan as Blackjack in her universe and by sheer coincidence she meets Finnegan in the current universe. Finnegan loves a good brawl and definitely loves a drink. You can happily imagine him getting drunk in a pub and starting a fight for fun. However, Finnegan does not agree with killing or enjoy it and that is where he differs from Blackjack. I really enjoyed the relationship that developed through the book between Georgiou and Finnegan and found it very funny how Finnegan was quite happy annoying Georgiou.

Emony Dax was an interesting character and one who wasn’t daunted by the scary things Georgiou kept coming out with. I felt quite sorry for Emony at times as people did not take her seriously and just ignored her opinions and ideas. Emony is an interesting character and I really enjoyed seeing how Finnegan took her under his wing and taught her how to fly a shuttle craft and even Georgiou at times looked after her and taught her things. 

I loved this book, the storyline was excellent but the main thing that really made this book was Georgiou, Finnegan and Emony and how they interacted with each other. A big 5 out 5 Dragons from me.

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Purchase Links

Amazon | Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

New York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller has spent a lifetime immersed in science fiction. His Star Trek novels include the Discovery – Die Standing, the acclaimed novel Discovery — The Enterprise War, the Prey trilogy, and Takedown. His Star Wars novels include A New Dawn, Kenobi, Knight Errant, Lost Tribe of the Sith, and the Knights of the Old Republic comics, available from Marvel as Legends: The Old Republic.

He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site. 

He is also a comics industry historian, specialising in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.