About Christopher L. Bennett
I am a science fiction author (novels and short fiction) living in Cincinnati, Ohio. I attended Walnut Hills High School and the University of Cincinnati. My original fiction includes the novel Only Superhuman from Tor Books, the Arachne duology from eSpec Books, the “Hub” series of comedy stories in Analog Science Fiction and Fact (available in collected editions from Crossroad Press), and the original audio novel series Tangent Knights from GraphicAudio. My media tie-in fiction includes multiple Star Trek novels and shorter works including Ex Machina, Orion’s Hounds, The Buried Age, Over a Torrent Sea, the Department of Temporal Investigations series, and the Enterprise: Rise of the Federation series, as well as the Marvel superhero novels X-Men: Watchers on the Walls and Spider-Man: Drowned in Thunder.
My online footprint includes:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/christopherlbennett
Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/ChristopherLBennettAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLBennettAuthor
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For a list of all my published works: Bibliography
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Recent Releases
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- “Aleyara’s Descent” in ANALOG
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- Tangent Knights 1: Caprice of Fate
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- Tangent Knights 2: Tempest Tossed
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- Tangent Knights 3: Gemini Ascendant
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- Arachne’s Crime
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- Arachne’s Exile
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- Star Trek: Living Memory
Christopher L. Bennett: Written Worlds 
Hey Christopher, glad to find your Written Worlds site! Thanks for the link re the Alpha Centauri story as well. I’ll link to you from Centauri Dreams right away.
I love the Typhon PAct series and the evolving Trek-universe past the post-Dominion era. Im a little annoyed that Im sitting in Norway right now, and dont seem to be able to buy a download for the new typhon book…
Sincerly,
TIP
is there gonna be a time when the new typhon pact book you wrote is going to be in mass market paperback?
Mass-market format is unlikely, since it’s only novella-length. If they do more e-books, then maybe it’ll be included in a trade paperback collection several years down the road, but there’s no way of knowing at this point.
Hello Mr. Bennett,
I really liked Your Star Trek DTI books and just ordered Rise of the Federation. As I see it already has a few very positive reviews.
The reason why I write to you is not only to give praise, but also to ask you if you’re allowed to finish this series. I couldn’t bear another Michael A. Martin book, especially with this important time period of the Star Trek universe. It would really be nice to know.
Best Regards,
Thomas Bahr
I’m currently working on the second book in the series; beyond that, nothing’s been decided yet, but I do hope to continue.
Good for you! As well as for us readers I believe. I’m still waiting for “A choice of futures” to be shipped. I live in Germany and apparently amazon didn’t have it in stock here. Looking forward to read it and for the ENT legacy to continue! My favorite series with VOY actually.
Wishing inspiration and a steady wordflow!
Mr. Bennett I’m currently going through “A Choice Of Futures”. I like it so far but I do have a quibble. In Naval tradition a ship class is named after the 1st ship of the class to be launched. In that tradition the refit NX-class would be called the Endeavour-class, not Columbia since there is currently no Columbia in service, let alone being the 1st out of the dock with the refit.
I am, of course, aware of that custom, which is why I specified that it was given that name at Archer’s insistence in order to honor Erika Hernandez’s lost ship. I thought that made it clear enough that it was an exception to the rule.
Then again, if that rule were applied diligently in this timeframe, then NX-01 would’ve itself been called Enterprise class rather than NX class, wouldn’t it? So that does suggest that naming a class for the first ship in service is not a universal rule at this point in history.
Love your Star Trek: DTI series. Quite excellent stories. Different from the norm, which i like.
Hi, sorry to intrude, but I just finished X-Men: Watchers on the Walls, and I just wanted to say I loved it! The story was creative and compelling, and the characters captured perfectly in their essence. I’m a huge fan of all things Marvel (and, well, just books in general – I have more books than I can fit on my bookshelves) and I will definitely be on the look out for more of your works!
Regarding your Star Trek Enterprise Rise Of The Federation Books, why did you go against Doug Drexler’s name for the Enterprise-class for the NX-class Refit and call it the Columbia-class when the Enterprise-class was the official name given to the class by Doug and would be used for the class if and when it would be appearing onscreen as the Enterprise-class? I’ve heard that you actually got in trouble for calling the class the Columbia-class instead of the Enterprise-class.
Okay, you’re operating under several misapprehensions:
1) At the time I wrote the novel, I was unaware that Doug had called the NX refit the Enterprise-class.
2) There’s no reason to assume it would be called that onscreen. All due respect to Doug, but the design he came up with was conjectural; my understanding is that he did it on his own time rather than on behalf of CBS Studios. It’s something he had to do as a personal project because the producers of ENT would never have approved it, preferring a design based on the Akira class. While it’s been used in the Ships of the Line calendars, that makes it the same kind of apocryphal creation as novel-exclusive ship designs like Titan and Aventine. If any film or television producer decided to bring back Enterprise, they’d be free to use or ignore Doug’s redesign as they saw fit, and if they did use it, they could call it whatever they wanted.
3) The previous Pocket novels in the Enterprise series, the Romulan War duology, did not use Doug’s conjecture that the ship was refitted to the new design during the war. The cover to the second Romulan War book, which Doug himself created, depicted the standard, unmodified TV version of NX-01. My introduction of the refit into the Rise of the Federation era was my own choice because I liked the redesign, but I was under no obligation to use it at all.
4) I did not “get in trouble.” Everything that tie-in novelists do has to be approved by the licensor before publication. If anyone at CBS or Pocket had objected to the name “Columbia class,” I would’ve been informed and it would’ve been fixed in editing well before the book came out. But CBS was perfectly fine with it.
5) Different tie-in works and fan works are in different continuities. Doug’s ideas about the redesign, and Mike Okuda’s text from the Ships of the Line calendar, are based on one conjectural continuity, but the Pocket novels are set in a different continuity. In the novel continuity, the Columbia disappeared under mysterious circumstances early in the Romulan War (with its fate revealed in the Destiny trilogy by David Mack). Thus, it seemed fitting to me to name the class in its honor. Under normal circumstances, a class would be named for its first ship, true, but given the events of the novel continuity, an exception to the rule seemed meaningful and appropriate.
I just reread Star Trek DTI Forgotten History. I loved how Spock and the Alternate T’Pring dealt with their Pon Farr. And while it is clear that led to T’Pring disseminating Surak’s Kir’Shara amongst the Vulcan Protectorate and is most likely what you refer to in the line “Although what she had gained from Spock could prove far more meaningful.” I can’t help but wonder if there is another meaning there.
Was T’Pring pregnant with Spock’s child when she returned to her reality?
I wasn’t thinking in those terms. You were right the first time. Although I suppose it’s not impossible.
I found the Vulcan Protectorate reality quite fascinating in that Vulcans are the dominant species in the galaxy with the absence of humans. I would love to see another story featuring their reality in much the same way we have had several Mirror Universe stories.in Star Trek literature. Maybe we could find out if Spock did leave T’Pring with progeny.
Well, not the whole galaxy, but this region of it. It’s basically a continuation of their status in Enterprise.
I just discovered that you have made Eberswalde a part of Star Trek history by bringing the name into “Uncertain Logic” (p. 25). That’s truly amazing for all us Star Trek fans in and around Eberswalde (close to Berlin) in Germany, because since 2009 we are producing an audio drama called “Starship Eberswalde” and also in Eberswalde is the supposedly smallest Star Trek museum on Earth, on 17,01 m². And now Eberswalde is in a book, too 🙂 Thanks, Mr. Bennett!
Umm, actually I named the ship after the river delta of that name on Mars. But I figure that’s probably named after the place in Germany.
So it is! Eberswalde on Mars is named after Eberswade in Germany and was considered as a landing site for NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission, but it lost to another area. Back in 2009 we were hoping for the NASA mission to Eberswalde. Inspired by the ancient river delta we even produced “Mars water from Eberswalde crater” (red soft drink) – as part of a special Star Trek exhibition, launching the “Starship Eberswalde” (Raumschiff Eberswalde) audio drama, featuring many of the german Star Trek voice actors. Now you can imagine our surprise discovering the name Eberswalde in an official book. That’s an really amazing coincidence, because on saturday we celebrate the 6th anniversary of the museum and the audio drama. What a great birthday present 😉
Robert Thomas, Star Trek books aren’t official whatsoever. Only anything that is said in any episode and movie is official. No matter how much you want anything in a book to be official to Star Trek it isn’t.
That includes all the hoax around Commander Tucker (Trip) faking his death since he really died in the Star Trek Enterprise Series Finale “These Are The Voyages…” set in 2161 and the founding of the United Federation of Planets, the hoax is the books that said his death was faked and happened in 2155. The books that have him in it and say his death happened in 2155 and that he and T’Pol are still together (which they mutually ended it after the events caused by Terra Prime are as unofficial as any other Star Trek books after all books aren’t canon.
So I’d suggest Robert Thomas that you watch what you call official and what you don’t because Star Trek books, games,, etc arent official. Only the television shows and movies are official.
James, you’re confusing “official” and “canonical.” “Official” does not mean “the events in this story really happened.” It just means “the publication of this story is done with the copyright owner’s approval and cooperation.” All licensed tie-ins are official in that sense. Basically, tie-ins are merchandise. Official merchandise is that whose sale is authorized by the rights holder and that they get a cut of the profits from. That’s as distinct from unofficial, bootleg merchandise, or in the case of tie-in literature, as distinct from fanfiction. (Not to equate fanfiction with bootlegging, of course, since fanfiction is considered legally okay as long as the makers don’t attempt to profit from it.) It’s got nothing to do with the “reality” of the contents of the story, any more than the official Hallmark ornaments mean that the starships in question canonically hung on a Christmas tree.
Greetings Mr. Bennett,
I am a big fan of your work, and I especially like your Rise of the Federation novels. Having said that, a question has been nagging at me since I read them concerning a subject from one of the episodes of the Enterprise t.v. series, and that subject is the Triglobulin harvesters who were harvesting the Axanar in the episode “Fight or Flight.” Whoever they were, to me they are one of the mysteries of the Star Trek universe. And as a lover of aliens in science fiction, I was excited to see the cool looking giant crab-like starship in the episode and hoped to see a new alien race. You can imagine my disappointment when nothing became of them, and no other Star Trek source (that I know of) seems to cover them. Seeing as how you delved in the topics of the Vertians and the Ware (which I had questions about until you covered them), I was wondering if you were ever going to include the harvesters in one of your future books, because to me a race that hunts other races for their valuable biological processes would be a problem for a young Federation.
I’ve wondered about them, but whether I come up with a reason to use them remains to be seen. Anyway, it seems fitting that not every loose end should get tied off.
While I respectfully disagree with your view on the subject (I personally feel that loose ends like this should get tied off, and I really want to know more about them after all this time), I nevertheless respect your decision. And at least I put the idea out for you to think about. Whether or not you want to use it along the line, I will still support your work because it is getting even more exciting.
I should make it very clear: I can’t accept unsolicited story ideas. No professional writer can, for legal reasons. Your suggestion here is too vague to constitute an actual story, but if it had been, I would’ve had to avoid doing anything like it. I appreciate your support, but please do not attempt to suggest any specific ideas to me or any other fiction author.
I very much enjoyed your first two DTI works. In paperback! What’s the reason the following two are only in e-book(yuck) format?
Considering that Star Trek began as a TV series, my books wouldn’t exist at all if they weren’t willing to try new formats. ST has been done in TV, movies, animation, novels, comics, audiobooks, record/comic combos, filmstrips… they even considered doing an opera at one point. So why not e-books too?
The DTI books are too much of a niche product to keep doing as novels, so e-books are a better fit. And I think the novella length has worked quite well for The Collectors and Time Lock.
??? That reply seemed somewhat defensive. Which is strange as I’m writing as someone who very much likes your writing.
New format? None of what you mentioned is or was new at the time it was done. Trek books have been around since 1967. And nowadays almost everything is published in ebook format. Your response seems to ignore that most books start off digital so outputting to ebook or print isn’t much different. And DTI is no more of a niche than Enterprise.
Perhaps I’m one of only a few people who like your DTI work but don’t enjoy ebooks. But I doubt it.
There’s nothing to defend, because there’s nothing wrong with e-books as a format. Sure, there are people who don’t like e-books, but there are also people who have given up print books altogether and read e-books exclusively. And a lot of my books sell better in e-book form than in print form. This is just where publishing is now.
And yes, I’m well aware of how books are made, but marketing is a different matter. For a long time, there’s been no market for novella-length fiction in print form, because novel-length tomes were more profitable for brick-and-mortar vendors. The rise of e-book-exclusive publishing has led to a renaissance in the novella form, and that has been to the benefit of the Trek publishing line.
And not just Trek. Last year I published an e-book collection of my three Analog “Hub” stories to date, a novella-length collection that there would have been no market for in print. I’d originally planned on waiting until I had maybe 9-10 stories, enough to collect in a novel-length collection, but e-book exclusives gave me the option to collect them sooner. Anything that gives authors more opportunities to get their work published is a good thing.
And trust me, DTI is definitely more of a niche than ENT. The proof is that Pocket keeps hiring me to do ENT novels but only DTI novellas. The folks at Pocket like DTI. They’re the ones who initially picked DTI out of a list of proposals I sent them, and they’re the ones who’ve kept inviting me to do more when I never originally planned to do more than one. If it were economically feasible for them to publish DTI in novel form, I’m sure they would ask me for novels. But they ask me for novellas instead, so that’s what I give them.
Overall print still outsells e-books. And e-book sales are slowing while print is picking up. And I’m not at all suggesting that you *release* anything in print-only. I am stating that e-book only is a “tell thousands of readers to go get screwed” approach. That the approach is driven by the publisher doesn’t change it.
A short-run could be done easily and inexpensively. Heck, even a non-distributed print run where it’s only available online.
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Not at all. Nobody’s telling you that you can’t read these except yourself. It’s your own choice not to read e-books. The fact that you’re able to read my blog means that you’re able to read e-books, because there’s free e-reader software available for every electronic device and every format. And e-novellas cost less money to buy than paperback novels.
And the point I was trying to make is that it’s not driven by the publisher, but by the market. I’m sure Pocket would ask me to do more DTI novels if they thought enough people would buy them. But the sales figures don’t justify it. They do justify e-books. It’s as simple as that.
On a totally different note. I was very moved by Iloja’s speech and as I listen to President Obama’s speech tonight I’m reminded of it. Whatever my thoughts about e-books only, you’re an excellent, and often inspired, writer.
Thank you. Iloja’s speech meant a lot to me.
Just discovered the DTI stories (very fun, delightful expansion of those two characters) and will look into your Rise of the Fed. stories soon. I really appreciate the intellectual direction you take your writing, demonstrating that speculative ST fiction can be sophisticated and fun at the same time.
Finally got around to finding this site, so I can say something I’ve wanted to say for around four years now.
On some very deep, very fundamental level, Mr. Bennett, you *get* Star Trek, something I realized when I first read Orion’s Hounds (still my favorite Trek book) but which every subsequent work of yours I’ve read in the setting has only confirmed. If CBS or Pocket Books or whoever doesn’t contact you to in some way work with the new TV series being developed, even to just write tie-in novels, then that’s their immense loss.
And the fact that you are writing Enterprise books – my favorite of the Trek series, the cancellation of which broke my heart – is just plain icing on the cake. The Rise of the Federation series is everything that I could hope it to be; not just the strange new worlds and the neat plots and arcs, but the little things, like Dax describing why Starfleet ships look the way they do, or the frequent discussions about what the Federation IS or SHOULD BE, the balance on the edge of the pragmatism and realism of today verses the idealism and noble intentions of Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future. I’m watching the Federation *become* the Federation, step by step, and it simply a joy to see.
Thanks, Mr. Bennett. I’d ask you to keep up the good work, but I you don’t need me to.
– Christopher Flynn
Hello,
I enjoy your brilliant Mission: Impossible reviews.
Do you know of anyone with good reviews of the Mod Squad, 1966-1973?
I cannot find any.
Although a different type, than M:I, I find the Mod Squad to be excellent.
Sincerely,
Daniel
loved Face of the Unknown! finally a First Federation novel!
Hello….Im looking to purchase 3 paperback books but I am unable to find them online. I am only finding NOOK versions. The books are by Christopher L Bennett. The Collectors, Time Lock, and Shields of the Gods. Please let me know where I can find these.
Sorry, those are novellas available only in e-book form at present.
I have been reading your ‘Rise of the Federation’ books and am continually amazed at the level of detail and knowledge that clearly underpins your writing. It really feels based in the Star Trek universe. Not to mention the gripping nature of the plots themselves and the clear development of not only the regular characters but the supporting cast. I’m currently looking forward to diving into book 4: Live By The Code.
One thing doesn’t make sense to me though and I hope you can explain. In “These Are The Voyages…” T’Pol says she and Trip have not had a relationship in six years. Then, in the period being shown, we see Trip supposedly die. I understand this is when he starts his undercover work for Section 31 but at what point do he and T’Pol start up their relations as indicated in “Choice of Futures” and “Tower of Babel”? Is this explained in another book?
The Good That Men Do by Andy Mangels & Mike Martin explains how the version of history presented in the holoprogram seen in “These Are the Voyages” was largely fictionalized. The years between “Terra Prime” and the founding of the Federation are depicted in that book and Kobayashi Maru by Mangels & Martin, and in the duology The Romulan War by Martin.
Mr Bennett,
It is 11.02am, July 22nd, 2018. I have just completed The Buried Age, circa 2007.
I am 63, and have been a Sci Fi lover since age 10. Books, movies, magazines – its all good. About this book, my all-encompassing comment would be ‘DAMN’. And thank you. I will persue more of your work.
Kind regards,
Ric Bennet
South Bend Indiana
Mr. Bennet,
First off, I wanted to thank you for the Space:1999 character references in Uncertain Logic.
It’s always been my favorite series, and its always nice to see a mention of it anywhere.
When it came to Trek, I was just a fan of TOS and the animated series.
I had given up on ST after three series of what I call “nuTrek:” The run of NG/DS9/Voyager.
So by the time Enterprise came along, I had absolutely no interest left.
But just recently this year, on a recommendation, I started watching Enterprise on the HEROES & ICONS tv channel.
And came to like it so much that I went rapidly from tv, to streaming on Amazon, to buying the blu rays on Amazon!
I was disappointed to learn that it only had four seasons, so was eager for more stories with this crew in this time period.
Luckily I discovered that the story was continuing in novel form.
Based on the storyline and reviews I picked up Rise of the Federation: Uncertain Logic first.
So far I am really enjoying the Ware storyline and the significant presence of Malcolm Reed in this one.
Again, thanks for the S:99 nods!
Gg
I have read nearly 80 Star Trek books over the last 25 years or so (not enough, I know). Picking up your new book out 5/28 and very much looking forward to it. Good to know Trek has a consistently great author putting out new stories. Continue the good work. Live long and prosper!
Just wanted to say “THANK YOU!” for your annotations. My favorite part of finishing one of your books is visiting here to read the notes!
I’m glad to know my alma mater Heidelberg will be around in the 23rd century. We’re known for our water quality lab and archaeology today, most students were music and education majors when I was there
I just read “Captain’s Oath,” the first Star Trek novel I’ve read in years. I thought it was marvelous, it captured the spirit of TOS Trek while doing significantly better in terms of getting the science right. I was particularly enthused with the character of Sherev, and was glad that she was still alive at the end of the novel. In addition to all the other things I like about her, I was pleased to see a character in Trek who is happily married. Given that the vast majority of Trek characters are either (a) never married (too many to name but especially Kirk, Pike, and Picard), (b) unhappily married/divorced (McCoy, Spock), or (c) widowed (Crusher), it’s nice to see some representation of the category of happily married (to three other Andorians, which is cool).
I am behind on my Trek reading so forgive me. I just finished Captains Oath. That was a GREAT novel my friend, it makes me really wish they finished that 5 year mission. I’d like to think you could have written this book after the show was canceled because your written was so in tune with the characters. Keep that pen to paper my friend!
THANK YOU for the references to “forced [“Standard”] orbits” in “The Higher Frontier.” (how in HELL did you get that past the Canon Police?). Having done that (not to mention the frackin’ miracle of “Ex Machina”–what’s next, Spock’s Brain? or Melvin Belli’s?), you, Sir, are Duane & the Reeves-Stevenses amalgamated for a new generation!
Decades ago, when all of fandom was feverish over the question of whether or not shuttlecraft were ftl, a friend and I wrote and submitted “Scotty’s Book” to Pocket. “Of too little interest to large enough readership” was what they said of an alphabetical collection of essays from Artificial Gravity to Warp Factors (+ 50 pg. footnotes), each of which applied something like the scientific method to TOS, TAS, TMP & WoK. I do NOT cite this to claim precedence; far from it. “Deep” canon (the real sort) was there to be found from 1966 onward, and doubtless was by one or another member of ST 1st Fandom…God rest (most of their) (now much-maligned by kids today) souls.
Hi Christopher!
Kris Nelson here, huge Star Trek fan and have enjoyed your Enterprise novels. In one, you mention one of the things Earth did to unite after its nuclear conflagration was to ban political parties. I personally think this is a wonderful idea. What led you to include this idea? It seems rather sad that it would take nuclear conflict to shake humanity out of its current shared nightmare. But it doesn’t feel so untrue. I think I can see political careers living and dying by group appraisal of individual platforms without the party structure.
Thank you!
– Kris
I think the absence of political parties in the Federation was previously established in Keith R.A. DeCandido’s ARTICLES OF THE FEDERATION. But it’s long seemed to me that having political parties — or at least having just two significant ones — tends to degenerate into partisan fighting at the expense of serving the good of the country. I believe George Washington was against having political parties in the US, out of similar concerns.
Yes, that’s true, Washington foresaw that way back then!