Description
This article is from the Star Trek Tech
FAQ, by Joshua Bell inexorabletash@hotmail.com with numerous
contributions by others.
37 Official Technical Manuals p1 (rec.arts.startrek.tech reading list)
These are generally accepted by the .tech community as being fairly
definitive sources, although not perfect by any means. Since they are
written and illustrated by those involved in the production of the
television and movie series they are more likely to be used as
reference and agree with future aired material than other
publications. But even these have been contradicted repeatedly by
on-air material. At the very least, these give a great insight into
what the production team was thinking (how big was that ship supposed
to be? what's behind that door?) in a way that even the best fan
produced materials can't touch.
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STAR TREK CHRONOLOGY: THE HISTORY OF THE FUTURE
Michael and Denise Okuda.
First Edition: Pocket Books, 1993. ISBN 0-671-79611-9
Second (?) Edition: Pocket Books, November 1996. ISBN 0-671-53619-9.
In print. US$25
A comprehensive look at the timeline of Star Trek, from the distant
past through both generations to the future. It is based on "official
canon" with the occasional speculation from episode scripts,
Roddenberry's own writing and TAS episodes, but on the whole, it is
derived from the show with few assumptions.
The second edition is full color, and covers DS9 seasons 1-4 and
Voyager seasons 1-2, as well as some notes on First Contact.
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THE STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE TECHNICAL MANUAL
Rick Sternbach, Doug Drexler, and Herman Zimmerman
Pocket Books, 1998. ISBN 0-671-01563-X
Includes blueprints of the station, over 200 color illustrations, and
information about the Defiant and Runabouts as well as DS9 itself. Not
as textually reliable as the TNG Technical Manual, especially when it
comes to the Defiant, because its writer Rick Sternbach did not work
on the show for the full seven seasons like he did on TNG. It's
excellent in terms of graphics, done by Doug Drexler who worked on the
show full-time as scenic artist, as well as input by DS9's production
designer Herman Zimmerman who (in his words) is responsible for
everything we see on-screen except for the actors.
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THE STAR TREK ENCYCLOPEDIA: A REFERENCE GUIDE TO THE FUTURE
Michael Okuda, Denise Okuda, and Debbie Mirek
Pocket Books, 1994. ISBN 0-671-86905-1 (trade paperback) ISBN
0-671-88684-3 (hardcover)
2nd Edition: Pocket Books, 1997. ISBN 0-671-53607-9 (hardcover)
3rd Edition: Pocket Books, 1999. ISBN: 0-671-53609-5 (soft cover)
In print. US$27.95 (3rd edition soft cover).
Get it. Not much more needs to be said about this reference. 630 pages
of references and cross-references, definitions and citations. From
"'audet IX" to "Zytchin III", with a mini-chronology, and a "Ships of
the Galaxy" chart - very nice color renditions of almost all
Federation and other starship classes (including those from Star Trek:
First Contact).
Some mistakes have already been found and are being tallied up in the
newsgroup, and there is always the debate about what material should/
shouldn't be included (as usual, TAS is out but Okuda/Jein/Sternbach
registry numbers are in, etc.) But it is still a wonderful volume.
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STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION TECHNICAL MANUAL
Rick Sternbach and Michael Okuda.
Pocket Books, 1991. ISBN 0-671-70427-3
In print. US$13.00.
The authors are the Technical Advisors for both TNG and DS9 (as well
as designers and graphic artists). It is an in-depth look at the
workings of the Galaxy Class starship, specifically the Enterprise. It
offers a lot of information that would be too boring to present on the
show, and has occasional conflicts (mainly when writers "cheat" with
technology), but as a whole, a must-read.
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STAR TREK OMNIPEDIA
Michael and Denise Okuda.
Simon and Schuster Interactive, 1995. ISBN 0-671-52889-0
In print. US$49.95.
"This is a CD-ROM version of the encyclopedia and the chronology. It
is a must have. It does not contain Generations or Voyager, but it
does the first two years of DS9. It allows you to search for
information, view by category, view by episode (and it allows you to
specify which groups: TNG, DS9, etc) and it also allows you to view by
timeline. Very well done. A lot of video clips were added to just
about every entry. (If not, then it seems that way.) Even the Wolf 359
scene from DS9 'Emissary' was included. It is suppose to have voice
recognition, but I have not tried that." [Frank W. Patnaude Jr.]
Adam Wells points out that the update service means that the Omnipedia
will never be too obsolete: "The one sold now includes all of TNG
(though some season 7 stuff is incomplete), DS9 1-2, and no Voyager.
However, when you buy it (and register), you get one free update, and
subsequent updates for a discounted price." He notes that the rate of
updates isn't specified, but "the first update will go out in January,
and it will include DS9 season 3 and VOY season 1."
In December 1997 a new version of the Omnipedia was released; it has
the same cover art as the updated Encyclopedia. "[It] has a lot more
pictures and includes Voyager info, up to and including Seven of Nine.
The episode guide and the references are now on separate CD's. It's
titled "Star Trek Encyclopedia", presumably to tie-in with the paper
version." [Kasey Chang]
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