JJ Abrams’ “Star Trek” reboot is warping fans into a certain future of fresh adventures for the gallant crew of the Starship Enterprise. Filming on “Star Trek 2″ is well underway and will no doubt leave fans clamoring for more from Kirk and company when it boldly takes the franchise into the mainstream galaxy that no other Trek film could have hoped before.

With writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman having stated that they read many of the Trek universe books when creating the alternate timeline reboot, here are 5 Original Series (Kirk & Spock) novels that we’d like to see adapted to film in this new franchise.

Consider these our 4 plot lines for “Star Trek 3″…

4. The Yesterday Saga by A.C. Crispin

Everyone knows that Kirk had a bastard son—brilliant scientist David Marcus—and everyone is equally aware of his fate. In the Yesterday Saga—spanning the books Yesterday’s Son and Time for Yesterday—author A.C. Crispin explores the aftermath of the original series episode All Our Yesterdays. In brief, the episode hurls Kirk, Spock and McCoy into the history of a planet doomed to be consumed by a supernova and while there, Spock—having reverted to the emotional state of Vulcans from 5,000 years in the past—has a liaison with a woman exiled to an ice age.

Why we want to see it:

Part One of A.C. Crispin’s story, Yesterday’s Son, sees Kirk, Spock and McCoy return to the past to rescue Spock’s son through the Guardian of Forever. After returning with Spock’s son (Zar) to the present the young Vulcan’s story of culture shock is interspersed with a Romulan Attack on the Guardian itself. It provides drama, excitement and a look into an aspect of Vulcan custom and Spock himself which is something fans have demanded since 1966.

Part Two sees the trio enlist Zar’s help when the Guardian itself seems to have malfunctioned and put the Galaxy on a path to destruction. Zar, being the only person to ever establish a telepathic connection with the guardian, must aid the crew in repairing the time portal and saving the Galaxy. Though with the story taking place in a pre-industrial, Messopotamian civilization, what we really want to see is the inevitable Star Trek/Braveheart mashup.

What’s Problematic about it:

The story relies on events that are no longer canon in the J.J. Abrams reboot. The events of All Our Yesterdays as well as City on the Edge of Forever have not happened to these characters or at best have yet to happen in the current reality—and both of those stories are integral to the groundwork of the Yesterday Saga. This isn’t to say the writing team of Orci and Kurtzman still couldn’t adapt this story into a great film; though if done properly it would need to be no less than two films. Cramming two books into one movie is never going to work (Queen of the Damned, anyone?).

 

3. Prime Directive by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens

The Prime Directive is the Federation’s General Order Number One. The rule of Non-Interference in “primitive cultures” provided a cornerstone for many moral dilemmas faced by the various Captains of the Starship Enterprise over the years and in episodic Television the story unfolds and generally allows the crew to come through unscathed. In Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens Prime Directive the consequences of violating that directive are explored for both the officers and Crew of the Enterprise and the culture that was destroyed by their alleged interference.

Why we want to see it:

Weaving the story in true flashback fashion, the Reeves-Stevens team shows us what each member of the crew would be doing if they weren’t on the bridge of the Enterprise. The grounding backstory is dark and gritty up to and including a post-nuclear world. Not only would this provide an almost dystopian feel to Star Trek (think Ridley Scott to direct, with Abrams producing) it creates a backdrop rarely seen in Star Trek.

It would work great as a film for the simple reason that it gets the main characters away from what we’re used to seeing them do while simultaneously causing us to root for them to clear their collective names and get back to the business of exploring the galaxy. Not to mention that with characters like Lawrence Styles and Carolyn Palamas the “rebooted” franchise would once again be able to pay homage to the “Prime” Universe, satisfying us picky fans.

What’s problematic about it:

The buildup is fantastic.  The main bridge crew stripped of rank and drummed out of the fleet and each trying to solve the mystery of what landed them in the boat they’re in. The problem is that they payoff is rather  . . . undramatic. Without completely spoiling it for those of you that haven’t read it let’s just say that the resolution to the story was all of the great things that Star Trek is; and also all of the great things that caused NBC to reject the first pilot; it is very cerebral. Given the job that was done on 2009′s Star Trek, however, we think that this could be adapted into an amazingly dark Star Trek movie and would like to see it happen.

 

2. Strangers From the Sky by Margaret Wander Bonnanno

The second film in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Film series tackled the story of first contact complete with a Borg invasion. This novel, from Margaret Wander Bonanno tells the story from a slightly different perspective, giving us a crashed Vulcan survey ship and the “actual” first contact with an Alien species . . . and of course how the crew of the Enterprise ended up in the middle of it.

Why we want to see it:

This book is perfect for JJ Abrams ‘alternate reality. The core story takes place at the beginning of the Enterprise’s five year mission with Kirk and Spock at odds with each other; it’s a natural continuation of the story begun in Star Trek and (presumably) continued in the upcoming Star Trek 2. The time travel aspect might be overdone in Star Trek or even just sci-fi in general, but we think it works in this instance and the creative team that rebooted the Star Trek universe have already proven they can handle themselves with time travel.

What’s problematic about it:

The book contains a lot of buildup for a Wrath of Khan era Kirk and Spock and all of these elements would have to be scrapped. The core story’s characters are James T. Kirk, Spock, Gary Mitchell, Lee Kelso and Elizabeth Dehner. This means that as a movie, Uhura, Chekov, Scott, Sulu and McCoy would have to be written out or the story would have to be retconned to include them. At this point we’d end up with a story that is based on or influenced by Strangers from the Sky while not being the same thing. Margaret Wander Bonnano’s story is strong enough, however, that we’re still willing to give it a chance.

 

1. The Entropy Effect by Vonda N. McIntyre

Another story dealing with Time Travel, though this time we’re dealing with a criminal mastermind and murderer of James Kirk. The Enterprise is transporting alleged criminal, Dr. Georges Mordreaux, to a rehabilitation center when he bursts onto the bridge and kills the Captain of the Enterprise. Mordreaux’s guard, Ian Brathwaite, is not surprised in the least as the brilliant physicist is accused of murder in the first place, having promised to send people back in time to live out their greatest fantasies but killing them instead.

Spock must journey back in time to avert not only Kirk’s death but the time travel experiments of Doctor Mordreaux before they occur.

Why we want to see it:

A perfect stand alone story that relies not at all on previously established canon. In The Entropy Effect Vonda N. McIntyre gives a great “whodunit.” And, let’s face it, everyone loves a great “whodunit.” The added element of the murder of James Kirk gives this a dramatic spin that we can’t pass up.

What’s problematic about it:

Not much actually. As near as we can tell the only concern is that the story is a little light on action. Other than that there isn’t a reason in the world this wouldn’t fit nicely into Abrams’ rebooted franchise.

Runners Up:

Spock’s World by Diane Duane.

When Vulcan plans to secede from the Federation, the Enterprise is sent to attend the planet’s political Referendum and it is up to Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise to convince the Vulcan government to halt their plans. This story would stick it to George Lucas’ prequel trilogy in the best way by showing how politics and science fiction really mix.  bviously with Vulcan’s fate retconned in Abrams’ reboot, a story told largely on Vulcan would present too many problems to overcome.

The Lost Years by J.M. Dillard. 

The historic five year mission comes to an end and the crew go their separate ways. But when McCoy is kidnapped by a demented Vulcan, Kirk and Spock rush to his rescue. Honestly, this would still be a great one if the bulk of the story didn’t take place on a planet Abrams destroyed.

Crossover by Michael Jan Friedman. 

As a Next Generation Novel that includes Spock, McCoy and Scotty, this would be a great way to include the Next Generation crew in the alternate reality started by Abrams. Unfortunately, this is also the problem.

Q Squared by Peter David. 

Another Next Generation Novel, this one includes fan favorite Q and the original series’ Trelane as another member of the Q Continuum at odds with the Enterprise Crew. While we think this could be reworked as a vehicle to introduce Q and Trelane to Abrams’ franchise it seems silly to write out the Next Generation crew.

What Star Trek books have you read?  Which ones would make great movie adaptations, or are you hoping that the franchise will continue boldy going on its own and leave the books alone?

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