All Photos Courtesy Simon & Schuster
Bryan Fuller may no longer be involved in CBS’ Star Trek: Discovery, but his legacy in building the series can still be found, even in the most unexpected ways. This includes the topic of its first tie-in novel.
At the Star Trek Las Vegas convention, publisher Simon & Schuster unveiled the cover and plot details for Desperate Hours, the first in a series of novels and comic books set in Discovery‘s universe. The novel is set one year before the events of Discovery, diving into Lieutenant Michael Burnham’s work on the Shenzou and her growing relationship with Captain Philippa Georgiou.
So, why is the first book a prequel to the prequel, instead of expanding the universe with stories about less-explored characters? You can thank Fuller for that. Author David Mack revealed that he worked extensively with Discovery‘s writers and story developers while developing Desperate Hours, and the topic of the book came from Fuller himself — most likely before he left the project.
“They have kept me in the loop throughout the season with all the scripts and the story development. There were a few false starts, but eventually it allowed us to collaboratively create this story, which by the way sprung from a direct request by Bryan Fuller,” Mack said. “He basically asked that we write a book on this basic premise.”
Desperate Hours comes out September 26, two days after Discovery premieres. You can read the book synopsis below.
Aboard the Starship Shenzhou, Lieutenant Michael Burnham, a human woman raised and educated among Vulcans, is promoted to acting first officer. But if she wants to keep the job, she must prove to Captain Philippa Georgiou that she deserves to have it.
She gets her chance when the Shenzhou must protect a Federation colony that is under attack by an ancient alien vessel that has surfaced from the deepest fathoms of the planet’s dark, uncharted sea.
As the menace from this mysterious vessel grows stronger, Starfleet declares the colony expendable in the name of halting the threat. To save thousands of innocent lives, Burnham must infiltrate the alien ship. But to do so she needs to face the truth of her troubled past, and seek the aid of a man she has tried to avoid her entire life — until now.