Summary
Just like the universe itself, theStar Trekfranchise is huge and far-reaching, encompassing several television shows, and numerous video games, movies, and books. While many ofStar Trek’s most iconic characters appear in various series and films, there are many other great characters who only feature in alternative media sources. For instance, the final frontier has spawned somememorable video game-based characters.
Yet perhaps the richest source of characters is the now questionably canon series of books that take place followingThe Next GenerationandDeep Space Nine. From fresh takes on classic species like the Andorians and Orions, to some of Starfleet’s finest officers, theStar Treknovels are a treasure trove of notable figures.
8Leonard James Akaar
First Appearence:Star Trek Mission Gamma Book One: Twilight
Leonard James Akaaris unique among novel-only characters in that he does, in fact, make a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance on televisedTrek. “Friday’s Child,” an episode ofThe Original Series, ends with his birth; however, the Capellan royal would not be seriously fleshed out until 2002’sMission Gamma: Twilight. By the time of theDeep Space 9novels, Akaar had risen through the ranks of Starfleet to become an influential admiral with the ear of the Federation president.
Akaar’s strategic mindset and steely resolve proved essential in preserving the Federation through some of its darkest periods, including the Borg invasion depicted in theStar Trek: Destinyseries. The Starfleet legend may have been born inThe Original Series, buttheStar Treknovelswere where he made his name.
7Treir
First Appearence:Star Trek: Demons of Air and Darkness
Star Trekfeatures many inspirational female characters, from Kira Nerys to Katherine Janeway. However, few are as resourceful or as motivated asTreir,an Orion Dabo girlwho transformed Quark’s Bar into a highly successful business during the post-DS9novels. Following her escape from Orion servitude, Treir earned her place as Quark’s right-hand woman by implementing a series of radical reforms, including hiring a Dabo boy to attract more customers.
Treir may not play a significant role in the canon-shattering events depicted in theDeep Space 9novels, but this ruthless businesswoman helped to makeStar Trek’s prose universe feel like a living, breathing place. If anyone is capable of giving Quark a run for his latinum, it’s her.
6Nick Keller
First Appearence:Star Trek New Earth: Challenger
New Earth, a series of six novels that take place betweenStar Trek: The Motion PictureandThe Wrath of Khan, was intended to act as a backdoor pilot for a new narrative focusing onCommander Nick Keller. In the final novel, Keller takes command of a makeshift starship in order to defend the human colony of Belle Terre from alien attack. Keller was conflicted between overthrowing his inept captain and preserving the lives of his comrades, and it’s a great shame that a full series based on the space cowboy’s adventures never emerged.
Interestingly, author Diane Carey based Keller’s appearance on Scott Bakula, who would go on to playCaptain Jonathan ArcherinStar Trek: Enterprise. Keller, however, would make only two more appearances in theStar Trekuniverse, with both being part of the multi-seriesGatewayscrossover event.
5Elias Vaughn
First Appearence:Star Trek: Avatar (Book One)
Elias Vaughnwas a Starfleet officer and intelligence operative who joined Deep Space 9’s command staff followingthe end of the Dominion War. Despite only holding the rank of commander, Vaughn’s expertise proved a boon to the Federation outpost, and he played a role in several key events, including the USSDefiant’s post-war exploration of the Gamma Quadrant (depicted in theMission Gammasub-series).
Vaughn was haunted by the death of his wife, Ruriko, and his troubled relationship with his estranged daughter, Prynn. This relationship was complicated by the fact that Prynn was also assigned to Deep Space 9. However, father and daughter were eventually able to reconcile–but not without some bumps along the way.
4Christine Vale
First Appearence:Star Trek: The Belly of the Beast
While William Riker’s USSTitanhas made notable appearances inStar Trek: Lower Decks, the starship’s adventures were originally chronicled in a series of spin-off novels. These books featuredChristine Vale, a former detective turned Starfleet officer, as Riker’s second-in-command. Vale was initially unwilling to take the post, as she disliked the idea of Riker working so closely with his wife, Deanna Troi.
Luckily, Vale took the post, which allowed her to act as a counterweight to any of Riker’s Troi-related biases. During her time aboard the USSTitan, she helped toexplore the Beta Quadrantand fend off a Borg invasion. Indeed, her record was so good that, following Riker’s promotion to admiral, she took command of theLuna-class starship.
3Thirishar ch’Thane
From their initial appearance in 1967’s “Journey to Babel” and 2001’s “The Andorian Incident,” references toStar Trek’s Andorians were true and far between. One important detail was disclosed inThe Next Generation, however:Andorians have four sexes, with all four required for successful reproduction.
The character ofThirishar ch’Thane(or “Shar”) was a response to this premise. Shar served as Deep Space Nine’s science officer following the end of the Dominion War, but was torn between his commitments to Starfleet and to his mating group, who wished him to return to Andor. This dilemma was further complicated by a dangerous decline in Andorian fertility, which threatened to cause the Andorians' extinction in the long term. Shar was eventually able to use his scientific knowledge to help solve the Andorian fertility crisis.
2Taran’atar
The Jem’Hadar are one ofStar Trek’smost iconic creations, a powerful race of warriors motivated by their addiction to the chemical ketracel-white. During the Dominion War of 2373–2375, the Jem’Hadar were central to the Dominion assaults which nearly overwhelmed the Federation Alliance.
After the war’s conclusion,Taran’atar, a Jem’Hadar without a ketracel-white dependency, was sent to Deep Space Nine as a cultural observer. Taran’atar’s struggle to adjust to the Alpha Quadrant during peacetime makes for fascinating reading, as does seeing the fearsome warrior growing closer to his former enemies. Taran’atar’s story takes some strange twists and turns, but he remains a fascinating character.
1Mackenzie Calhoun
First Appearence:Star Trek New Frontier: House of Cards
In 1997, Pocket Books published the first of Peter David’sNew Frontierbooks. While these novels included several characters from TVTrek(mostly notably Commander Shelby from"The Best of Both Worlds"), they focused on a new hero ship, the USSExcalibur, and a new captain:Mackenzie Calhoun. Calhoun, an alien warrior modeled after Mel Gibson, was depicted as a tactical genius capable of beating Starfleet’s toughest challenges–including the infamous Kobayashi Maru test.
Calhoun soon became a fan-favorite, with hisNew Frontierseries including over 20 volumes. The Xenanian captain was even popular enough to be made into an action figure, the only example of this honor being bestowed on a character originating from any ofStar Trek’s novels.
