Star Trek: The Higher Frontier
Star Trek: The Original Series
Paperback | Kindle | Audiobook
By Christopher L. Bennett
Publisher: Star Trek/Pocket Books
Release date: March 10, 2020

After the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, James T. Kirk retained command of the U.S.S. Enterprise and he and his trusty crew were assigned a second 5-year mission to explore new worlds. In Star Trek: The Higher Frontier, a new story in The Original Series timeline, Christopher L. Bennett weaves of tale of hatred, destruction, and betrayal, as a group of peaceful telepaths are hunted to near extinction by phantom killers and it’s up to the Enterprise crew to figure out who’s behind these attacks and how to stop them.

Star Trek: Picard Movie & TV Collection
Blu-ray
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, William Shatner, Malcolm McDowell, Alice Krige, James Cromwell, Alfre Woodard, F. Murray Abraham, Anthony Zerbe, Tom Hardy, Ron Perlman
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 15, 2019

CBS is readying to launch in January a new streaming series, Star Trek: Picard, featuring Patrick Stewart‘s famed Starfleet officer Jean-Luc Picard. The actor led the cast of TV’s Star Trek: The Next Generation as the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise for 7 seasons beginning in 1987 and then in 4 theatrical films, the final being in 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis. To familiarize viewers with Jean-Luc Picard and the Star Trek: The Next Generation universe, CBS and Paramount have released Star Trek: Picard Movie & TV Collection, a new Blu-ray box set centering around the character.

The 6-disc Blu-ray set includes all four feature films starring TNG cast — Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek: Nemesis — as well as the scifi television show’s 2-part episode “The Best of Both Worlds.” If you don’t already own one of the previously released movie Blu-ray box sets, then this new Picard-centric package is the way to go as far as what you get for the price — and you get a lot.

Star Trek: The Antares Maelstrom
Star Trek: The Original Series
Paperback | Kindle | Audiobook
By Greg Cox
Publisher: Pocket Books | Gallery Books | Simon & Schuster
Release date: August 13, 2019

He tasks me. He tasks me, and I shall have him. I’ll chase him “˜round the Moons of Nibia and “˜round the Antares Maelstrom and “˜round Perdition’s flames before I give him up! – Khan Noonien Singh, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

When Khan said he’d chase Captain James T. Kirk “”˜round the Antares Maelstrom” in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, audiences knew nothing about this galactic whirlpool. Presumably, it was a dangerous area to circumnavigate if the genetically enhanced supervillain name-checked it like that, but that’s all anyone has had to go by for the last 37 years. Now, we’re finally getting a look at the famed location in The Antares Maelstrom, a new Star Trek: The Original Series novel from Greg Cox.

Grace Lee Whitney, best known to generations of Trekkies around the globe for her performance as Yeoman Janice Rand on the original NBC TV series Star Trek, died on May 1, 2015 in the small town of Coarsegold, California. She was 85. At press time, no cause of death has been released.

During Star Trek‘s first season in 1966, Whitney starred as Captain Kirk’s personal assistant, with her short skirt, intricate blonde beehive, and space-age clipboard in tow, before she was let go, but she did return for the motion pictures. While during its original run the TV show struggled somewhat in the ratings, its afterlife in syndication strengthened and the series soon become one of the most popular, iconic, and profitable programs in television history, a fever pitch of success and adoration which continues to this day. The success was a catalyst of the transition of bringing the franchise and the characters to the silver screen in 1979, and Whitney’s portrayal of Rand saw her promoted to Chief Petty Officer. She had become a lieutenant by the time she made her last appearance in a Star Trek film, in the sixth installment, The Undiscovered Country, released in 1991.

The Gold Box Spotlight deal of the day over at Amazon today is sale on the Star Trek film collections (66%-80% off the original prices):

– Star Trek: Stardate Collection Blu-ray Box Set – $47.99
– Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection Blu-ray Box Set – $28.49
– Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection Blu-ray Box Set – $18.99

Also, the Blu-ray deal of the week over Amazon this week is sale on Star Trek: The Complete Original Series Blu-ray box set for $59.99 (that’s 81% off the list price of $321.99).