Star Trek Reads discussion

Bookworm wrote: "Ok, now onto the nerdy questions you can only ask other trekkies...

Who is your favourite Captain to read?

I only ask because I like reading about Kirk more than say Picard, yet, when I watch Star Trek I like Picard more than Kirk.
If asked in general who my fav captain was, I'd say Jean Luc!, then Janeway, then...maybe Kirk?

I'm not 100% sure why this is, maybe because all of the books I've read with Kirk have lots of action; shooting phasers and vulcan chopping people in the neck, that kinda thing. It's funny, I like reading books full of action but don't really enjoy similar movies or TV. I've been reading a lot of Westerns lately, which are sometimes just a bloodbath full of violence and death. But, I avoid watching things full of violence. Guess, seeing is different than imagining?

It's also strange that I would consider myself more like Picard, I love tea (not earl grey, yuck)...yet, feel very little connection to him when reading?

Anybody else find a similar disconnect? "

I would say my favourite captain to read is Ezri Dax. She's strong and decisive and not afraid to take a risk, yet she can still be feminine and fun. She's by no means a "perfect captain", as sometimes her crew calls her decisions into question, so it makes her interesting to read. I also like that she's a younger woman (if you discount the symbiont aspect), since personally I have more connect with that.

Previously it would have been Picard, because there's just so much depth and history to his character. I'm always surprised that the authors can keep him true to his screen version given how much we already know about him, all the while keeping him fresh and interesting.

My favourite screen captain is Archer. He was so optimistic at the beginning of the series, breaking new trails in space. Reminded me of the pioneers of the space age of years gone by. It was definitely interesting to see how much his personality changed over the seasons as his experiences with other species and space itself impacted him.

Difficult question. Lately, I've been enjoying the road Picard has been on in the later novels, dealing with his family situation. Plus, no one can give a speech like him!

I think for me it has to be Janeway. I admire her tenacious spirit in getting her crew back to the Alpha Quadrant, all the time fighting against her inner turmoil, her doubts & her fears. No other captain quite comes across like her. I like how she takes on all comers & how she is justified in the end - even when all the odds are stacked up against her she hangs on with sheer grit & determination, (rather like the British Bulldog is characterized!),but, perhaps because I'm almost the opposite to her, I feel strongly attracted to her.

David - That is what I like about Janeway too. I like a feisty Captain sometimes.

I'm glad somebody else agrees with me! :)

I've really only read the TOS characters, so I like Kirk.

My wife also likes Kirk! But then she only likes TOS, she says the other series seem cold to her!

I would always said Kirk till the movie...good movie, it was fun. But no way Kirk saves the day and Starfleet makes him a captain. Too crazy even for movie world...

It will always be Captain James T. Kirk but for my brother it is Captain Janeway.

Cyl wrote: "For me, it will always be Captain James T. Kirk but for my brother it is Captain Janeway."

The other day I had an earl grey tea and thought of Jean Luc...he just seemed so sophisticated.

Was it hot the way he likes it?

That's a tough one. I enjoy the no-nonsense of Kirk, but I eat up some well crafted Picard dialouge like candy.

I know i am going to take some flak for this, but i always preferred Sisko.

How DARE you have an opinion other than the ones we have?!? BLASPHEMY!

Seriously though, I love Sisko. No flak headed your way from me!

Sisko is pretty good as a captain really!

Oh good, i get so much crap for my love of "Deep Space 9"

I'm right there with you. DS9 is my favourite.

DS9 > Other Star Treks. While I say TNG is my favorite, I consider DS9 to be the best - if that makes sense.

Still, I've often found that authors struggle to get Sisko quite right. I think it's because Avery Brooks had such an unusual cadence in the way he spoke, but I've never really felt, reading a DS9 novel, that it was quite the same.

I loved TNG but like TAS the show at least is really showing it's age. And I don't mean in terms of effects or tech.

In some respects; a lot of the clothing and hairstyles are pretty terrible. But the scripts are still mostly fantastic, and the show looks practically brand new on the excellent blu-ray sets.

Agreed. I just watched the episode "Sarek" and it looks like it was filmed yesterday.

Stats wise, I've read a lot more TOS (40) books than any other series (vs 6 Enterprise, 8 Voyager, 10 TNG, and 21 DS9). Not all of those books had Kirk as Captain (most recent one I read had a Captain Spock). So going by stats will be deceptive. Still, it must mean something that I've read so many more TOS books.

Taking a step back from that, and I can't really say that I specifically like reading any of them more than another. If I had to put them in a list, I would tentatively say: Kirk, Sisko, Janeway, Picard, Archer.

Nothing really about how good or bad I think the captains are, just based on past reading stats. It's more the world and stories around them, than specifically them that I find interesting.

It is always Pickard!

While I've read just about all of the captains, Kirk is always my fav. Probably because I grew up with TOS before there was ay other iteration of Trek.

I've got a very short list of captains, since I think I've only /read/ books from the Original Series. That said, I think I had a lot of fun reading Lt.Comdr. Piper's two books-- Battlestations! and Dreadnought, by Diane Carey.

Piper was forever trying to keep up with the legendary Kirk, and he was often one step ahead of her, but that helped make it a light, easy, read. I could overlook the well-used plot of an admiral gone rogue.

Spock lol just kidding though that would be fun I haven't read any books with him as captain I think it would be a great read. I'll have to go with Picard even though in the series I'm reading we don't see much of him I am on A Time to Sow.

I read TrekLit from different periods, so I don't have and don't really "want" to have a favourite captain.

Currently, I'm reading Enterprise-B adventures with Captain Harriman, and it's a nice story!

Besides, the "best" captain can be written poorly by not-so-good author, so I'd rather choose by stories/authors than captains :)

I'd have to go with Kirk then Jane though they are the ones I prefer to watch.

Favorite Captain? Mackenzie Calhoun!

Captain ("now" Admiral) Janeway by a mile, then Picard, then "now" Captain Ro, then "now" Admiral Riker, then Kirk, then Sisko, then Archer, lol. And Captain Dax is ok, in small doses.

Kirk then Janeway, but that is because I prefer those two treks over the rest, be it in books or on the screen. Some authors don't write the characters as well as others. I have watched every episode of all the series. I don't like the reinvention of the original in the alternate timeline of these latest movies, but still appreciate that it is providing Star Trek to the masses.

I have a limited budget so I haven't read TNG books since 2007. Before that, I read all TNG, but DS9 only when it was part of a series of books like Captain's Table or Gateways.

Since they first started putting out Star Trek books through the present I have read all books for the original series, Voyager, Enterprise, and Section 31. In general the old books weren't the best written. There wasn't that much Star Trek history to use, unlike today's authors where there is so much more raw material from the series, movies, and prior books.

Dan wrote: "Difficult question. Lately, I've been enjoying the road Picard has been on in the later novels, dealing with his family situation. Plus, no one can give a speech like him!"

Oh! What novels does he deal with family in?

absolutely Kirk , i also try to read some enterprise novels but there were not so enjoyable...

Picard and then Sisko and then Kirk. I loved DS9, but find that the books aren't as fully fleshed out as the series. Janeway and the others as fine, and I'm liking the New Frontiers stuff, etc, but for me Picard opens up the most interesting stories.

I have to say Picard also. With 7 seasons and four movies, there's certainly a lot to talk about. At a point, Kirk and Picard become historical figures in the ST universe which makes their backstories all that much more compelling (I'm about to start the Stargazer series by Michael Jan Friedman). When we look at their backstories and the moments that take place in between the big events, we know that nothing can happen to cause them to die -but that's not the point. The point is that these characters have a depth and they can ultimately teach us some things about wisdom, leadership, courage and just about being human. (And you don't expect that out of lot of pulp fiction). And that reminds us that science fiction (good science fiction) isn't really about space. It's about people in space.

For those who list Picard as their favorite, now is a good time to read "The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard."

Yes,Picard of course,followed by Janeway and Kirk.

I'd say Picard and Janeway... but I'm curious about Captain Dax, you know? And Captain Ro, at the moment Commanding Officer of the new DS9... at least for me XD

I would say my favorite captain to read would be Picard and Janeway. Both are interesting characters that have been developed over the years in the novels.

Kirk, hands down, every time, all the time. Book, t.v., or film, haha! He doesn’t like to lose! Looking up from my Trek pocket book to watch CNN show Shatner step off a spaceship and into the arms of champagne-spraying Jeff Bezos was a surreal experience!

Richard wrote: "Kirk, hands down, every time, all the time. Book, t.v., or film, haha! He doesn’t like to lose! Looking up from my Trek pocket book to watch CNN show Shatner step off a spaceship and into the arms ..."

Totally with you. I love all the captains, but for me Kirk wins by a mile :)