There are a lot of Star Trek novels out there. Something in the region of eight hundred, the last time I checked. Most of these books are in some way an expansion or continuation of the stories told on television. The Latter Fire, by James Swallow is a bridge between the original series and its animated successor. Avatar, by S. D. Perry continues the saga of Deep Space Nine. The Good That Men Do, by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin rewrites the final ever episode of Enterprise. Along the way there are crossover events aplenty, and side characters being given their own spin-offs.

Amid all of this, Peter David’s New Frontier remains something special. It’s protagonist, Mackenzie Calhoun, is an original literary character. Joining him on the U.S.S Excalibur are a collection of very minor Next Generation characters like Robin Lefler, Doctor Selar, and Elizabeth Shelby, but also more characters from David’s own imagination. A few familiar antagonists (notably Q and the Romulans) make an appearance, but much of the action takes place in a specially-crafted corner of the galaxy, with original power dynamics, threats, and a full roster of supporting players.

Though the series runs to fourteen full novels, the New Frontier series is broken up into several distinct arcs. The first four in the series are little more than novellas, but represent the strongest arc. It’s a serialised approach to storytelling that relies on cliff-hangers and constant tension, but which pays off despite the sprawling cast. After this, the books become longer, but not necessarily better.

Following on from that initial arc we have a pair of two parters that represent the first stumbling block of the series. With the initial conflicts resolved, the massive cast quickly becomes a mess. Problems arise and fail to go anywhere, and the ongoing plotlines frequently crowd out one another. It becomes so severe that the Excalibur blows up with no obvious reason, presumably killing everyone onboard.

Except everyone survives, and makes their way into the Excalibur trilogy. It’s the first, but not the last, reset button David will hit with this series this trilogy is an absolute mess, bringing together a crew who had no organic reason to separate, while also relying heavily on events that happened in books from other series. Oddly, the final book in this mini-trilogy is the pinnacle of the New Frontier series. It turns out that Calhoun is far more interesting as a stranded stranger than as a commanding officer.

The next few books are an intriguing mix of standalone stories and cliff-hanger endings. These include a murder mystery surrounding the death of the world’s least likable character, and the return of literal Gods as seen in the Original Series episode ‘Who Mourns for Adonais?’ The latter also includes the single worst moment in all of Trek literature, as the day is saved by Santa Claus, who, and here I wish I was joking, is revealed to be the father of one of the main characters.

After the Fall represents another reset for the series, throwing away several books of character arcs and narrative in favour of throwing the characters into a new mess. Missing in Action and Treason mark a return to form, but the final novel, Blind Man’s Bluff, represents a regression to the worst aspects of the series, ending on a sour note that was never resolved in print.

As you can tell, New Frontier is an absolute rollercoaster of a series. There are peaks, and there are troughs. the only consistent element is David’s writing. His prose is unlike anything else in Trek literature, often hewing closer to the the warmly comedic Strange New Worlds than to the staid and proper Next Generation. he has a fantastic ear for dialogue, and indulges in frequent wordplay that, while it sometimes goes too far from a realistic perspective, is never less than amusing.

Where David falls short is in the characters. There are some great arcs in here. Soleta’s, for example, and even McHenry’s dubious origins are written wonderfully. And yet, that sparkling dialogue is shared by everyone. Literally everyone in this series is constantly cracking jokes like they live in a Marvel movie, even in tense situations with lives on the line. If that’s not annoying enough, there’s also the rampant libido of the crew. Seriously. everyone in this series is constantly trying to have sex with someone. It’s almost funny, but more often it comes across as the crew being a marauding band of sex-hungry maniacs with no moral core. Characters are written to be charming, but have the feel of serial rapists. Loved ones are kidnapped, abused, and ravaged with alarming regularity. We can at least be thankful that some of them are killed off, but this feels like an odd blindspot for an author who is otherwise so well versed in character dynamics.

New Frontier is a fascinating look into the Litverse. Never quite joining up with the rest of the continuity, but always running alongside. It’s definitely worth taking a look if you’ve already read the other series, but overall I’m afraid it just can’t compare to those with the advantage of a hundred-plus Tv episodes to support them on their journey.