Customer Reviews

Worlds of the Federation (Star Trek)

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There are tons of aliens and planets out there in the Star Trek universe that are hardly touched upon by the official resources like the ST Encyclopedia and such. With this book you get details on lots of the more notable races from the original series and the first few seasons of The Next Generation as well. Now the author, Shane Johnson, got as much details as he could from official sources. The thing is there are questions that just aren't answered in other sources that Shane tries to fill the gaps in. How accurate that information is yet to be confirmed (then again ST has a tendency to rewrite its own universe from time to time so will anything ever be canon?).

The book has dozens of entries. There is background on racial traits, culture and even a geographical view of their home planet. The information seems solid, and I haven't found any real contradictions to official sources. Then again I'm not a hard-core Trekker. So take that with the appropriate grain of salt.

The thing is you don't get detailed alien information from other sources. Sure the major races like Vulcans, Romulans and Klingons are covered in great detail elsewhere, but what about the Gorn, Andorians, Binars, Horta and others? That's what this book fills the blanks in. Same goes for various creatures mentioned or shown like tribbles, the mugato and even details on the Denbian slime devil. I think there is also info on various flora from visited planets too.

Alas, until you can get confirmed information on this stuff this book is the only place you can speculate. If you are a do-or-die Star Trek fan that must have canon or nothing I really don't know what to say about this book. The author done his homework, but unless Universal signs off on it who knows? However if you are willing to take the information without Paramount's stamp of approval (and you never know... it might end up accurate in the end) and can find the book at a good price then go for it.

Really the first of the trade paperbacks published in a TNG world. Covers TNG, original series, and movies. Some of the info is now dated or inaccurate as more Trek has come out in the last 20 years, but still a good read, and especially good for those "completists" out there.

Funny that there are two listings for the same softcover book (and two listings for the same hard cover version). Oh well...

Lets cut to the chase. This book isn't canon. There is even a disclaimer in the front publishing credits that say the book is an interpretation of the Star Trek universe by the author. Now the author, Shane Johnson, did get as much details as he could from official sources. The thing is there are questions that just aren't answered in other sources that Shane tries to fill the gaps in. Unfortunately Paramount doesn't count that official.

What this book has is details on the various races that have appeared on the Star Trek original series and The Next Generation. There is background on racial traits, culture and even a geographical view of their home planet. The information seems solid, and I haven't found any real contradictions to official sources. Then again I'm not a hard-core Trekker. So take that with the appropriate grain of salt.

The thing is you don't get detailed alien information from other sources. Sure the major races like Vulcans, Romulans and Klingons are covered in great detail elsewhere, but what about the Gorn, Andorians, Binars, Horta and others? That's what this book fills the blanks in. Same goes for various creatures mentioned or shown like tribbles, the mugato and even details on the Denbian slime devil. I think there is also info on various flora from visited planets too.

Alas, until you can get OFFICIAL information on this stuff this book is the only place you can speculate. If you are a do-or-die Star Trek fan that must have canon or nothing obviously this book isn't for you. However if you are willing to take the information without Paramount's stamp of approval (and you never know... it might end up accurate in the end) and can find the book at a pretty cheap price then go for it.