Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Obverse Books have marked Star Trek Day with the announcement of The Gold Archive, a series of monographs on Star Trek.

In common with the other Archive books, these will be monographs about individual stories in the entire Star Trek canon – from the first pilot The Cage to the most recent episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks – looking in detail at particular aspects of each story and how they relate to the whole saga, both in front of and behind the camera.

The range is edited by former Star Trek Magazine editor (and Sci-Fi Bulletin managing editor) Paul Simpson. “The aim of the Gold Archive books, like their companion series, is to provide the reader with alternate ways of looking at the story in question so when they next watch it, it’s with fresh eyes,” he explains.

Obverse Books publisher Stuart Douglas adds, “This is the obvious next series for us to put under the microscope. We’re all huge fans of the series, and we will apply the same rigorous yet entertaining treatment to Star Trek that has been so well-received for Doctor Who, Sapphire and Steel, Dark Skies and many others.”

The range will begin later this year with two releases, from opposite ends of the Star Trek production timeline. Another former Star Trek Magazine editor, and co-founder of SFB, Brian J. Robb, examines the 1967 story The Return of the Archons, while Hugo Award-nominated podcaster and SFB lead writer Alasdair Stuart digs deep into the 2019 Star Trek: Discovery episode Through the Valley of Shadows.

Future releases will continue to demonstrate the breadth of the range. They start with SFB lead writer Nick Joy’s look at the infamous original series third season opener Spock’s Brain, followed at bimonthly intervals throughout 2022 by Keith R.A. DeCandido’s discussion of the Star Trek: The Next Generation sixth season tale Birthright; David A. McIntee’s interrogation of Star Trek: Voyager’s Living Witness; Ina Rae Hark on the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine two-parter from 1995 Improbable Cause / The Die is Cast; David R. George III visiting the original series’ The City on the Edge of Forever; Ed Fortune meeting DS9’s Little Green Men; and Dave Probert finding new life in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Covers – again created by graphic artist Cody Schell – and a full schedule will be released nearer the time. The books will cost £7.99 in paperback (discounted for orders placed directly via the Obverse website) and £3.99 as ebooks, and the first three will be available to pre-order from October 1, 2021.