Our next Bantam Books Star Trek novel is our first sequel novel, as the writing team of Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreth literally bring Omne back from the dead to once again challenge Kirk and Spock in their follow-up novel, "The Fate of the Phoenix," published in May of 1979.

When last we checked in with our heroes in the earlier novel (The Price of the Phoenix, Bantam Book #3, for those playing at home), they believed they had finally defeated the dangerous madman, and also had figured out what to do with a spare James Kirk that was left after that adventure. Turns out "James" was surgically altered to become the Romulan Commander's consort in the Empire. Now, if you have a hard time believing that, hold on to your cufflinks, because THIS novel gets REALLY crazy.

But just in case you're a fan of the Phoenix novels, there is good news and bad news for you - first the good news, which is that Marshak and Culbreth come back for THREE novels in the Pocket Books series... the bad news is that none of them feature Omne.

You MUST admit you are at least a LITTLE curious as to whether Butch and Lord Rob will like this one more or less than its predecessor - click PLAY and find out!

The ninth Bantam novel excursion will take us to yet another "world" in the title, and brings us the second of two novels by Joe Haldeman (the first having been Planet of Judgment) -- but don't fear, because while this is Joe's last Bantam novel, his older brother Jack Haldeman II will bringing us another one not too long from now!

"World Without End" was published in January 1979 and takes us to something that will feel familiar to TOS fans - an artificial planet that sort of resembles a starship in some ways. However, what you WILL get from this novel is vibes from Star Trek the Animated Series, as winged creatures and semi-impossible environments will be heavily featured here. That is always one of the great benefits of the written word, however, as it requires no bigger budget to print stories of impossible places than it does to print stories of the same old places.

Hop on board for a chance to hear Butch and Rob's opinion's about "World Without End."

For our eighth Bantam mission, we get even more evidence about just how small and insulated the Star Trek novelist community was in the early years. "Trek to Madworld" was published January 1979, and is author Stephen Goldin's only Trek adventure for Bantam books, though years later he would write the TNG novel A Final Unity. However, Goldin is ALSO connected to Bantam through his wife, Kathleen Sky, who wrote Vulcan! and one we will see later, Death's Angel.

Trek to Madworld is a novel that introduces a concept that was at least passingly familiar to kids of that era - a mysterious and seemingly all-powerful entity known as Enowil interrupts a rescue mission and leads the ship and crew on seemingly nonsensical adventures and side projects - if you are a fan of the Flinstones you'll see the Great Gazoo, while DC comics fans will see Mr, Mxyzptlk, and Marvel comics fans will see The Impossible Man. If you have ever watched/read any of those and thought those characters were a laugh riot, congratulations, this is the Star Trek novel for you!

But what do Rob and Butch think? You know what to do...

Just to spice things up a bit, for our first bonus episode we bring you our movie review and retrospective of what we collectively consider the most underappreciated of the Star Trek movies, the original - Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Released on December 7, 1979 (a release date it shared with another unfairly dismissed sci-fi movie, "The Black Hole", a coincidence of some scale as they are the last two big-budget movies ever to open with an overture), TMP was one of the most expensive movies ever made when it debuted, as the show was going to be brought back to television as part of a planned Paramount TV Network. However, for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the meteoric arrival of Star Wars two years earlier, the studio pivoted and turned what was to be a TV show into a costly adventure.

For a show famous for its low budget science fiction a decade before, in 1979 TMP was truly a spectacle to behold on the big screen, featuring special effects that still hold up today. And yet, despite large numbers of ravenous Trek fans showing up to see it, the overall impression fell a bit flat, which would lead to a second cinematic adventure three years later that would make its mark in history as well.

Directed by Robert Wise, and featuring a fairly strong fingerprint of Roddenberry himself (though not as much as the aborted TV show would have) TMP features what is almost certainly Star Trek's most sci-fi movie concept, one borrowing heavily from the TOS episode "The Changeling" but building on it greatly. It explores artificial intelligence, logic, humanity, and includes a pivotal set of scenes that helped Leonard Nimoy redefine the character of Spock.

It is not a spoiler to say we love this movie, because (spoilers) we love ALL of the six TOS movies. But both Rob and I have TMP as our second favorite of the films. Give us an hour of your time and find out why as we discuss!

For our seventh Bantam adventure, we join the Enterprise as it explores one of science fiction's most interesting concepts - one that on-screen Star Trek would eventually bring out during the run of Star Trek: The Next Generation, ironically in an episode featuring a TOS character. It also introduces another author who will pen a pair of the Bantam novels.

"The Starless World" was penned by Gordon Eklund, and published in November 1978. Eklund will write one more Trek novel, also in the Bantam series, "Devil World" - yes, in addition to exclamation points, the Bantam authors liked to include the word "world" in their book titles. Eklund would eventually win a Nebula award for a non-Trek novel in 1974, after losing on his first nomination to fellow Trek writer alum Theodore Sturgeon.

The high sci-fi concept is, of course, a Dyson Sphere - a construct so large that it creates a sphere the size of a planetary orbit around a star, so that the entire interior surface of the structure is inhabitable and perpetual daylight. It seems, after reading this, that the TNG writers did not borrow much from this story except the concept.

Push play and see what Rob and Butch have to say about "The Starless World!"

If we here at CineMcCollough have learned one thing about the Bantam Books Star Trek novels so far, they really, really like their exclamation points in book titles.

Published in September 1978, Kathleen Sky's first Trek novel continues the OTHER strong theme of Bantam Books Trek novels by focusing on our favorite Vulcan... but this time is going to take us TO Vulcan. Give the people what they want, of course! We will see her again once more in the Bantam collection with "Death's Angel."

Fun note, the author actually appears on-screen in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" as a member of the crew on the recreation deck scene. Makes sense, since this novel was published while the movie was likely being filmed.

The book itself deals with galactic weather conditions creating a need to alter the border between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire. This involves bringing aboard an expert who, ironically, has issues with Vulcans. Should make for some uncomfortable conversations. Turns out that an affected planet is home to some sentient spiders, so trigger warning for those who are arachnophobes.

Give us a listen to hear with Butch and Rob think about the book!

OK - truth in advertising time. Today's Star Trek novel is NOT a "Bantam Books" novel per se - nor is it the fifth novel in the line of Star Trek novels in history... in that, today's book "Mission to Horatius" is, by most reckonings, the FIRST Star Trek novel, except that it is ostensibly a children's novel.

Published while the original Star Trek series was still on the air in 1968 (!!!), Mission to Horatius was written by Mack Reynolds and put out by Whitman Publishing before being re-released decades later in 1996 by Pocket Books.

While considered a children's book, Rob and Butch will compare it to the 'adult' novels released so far - and, from our eyes, it represents a legitimate Star Trek adventure where Enterprise is sent to mitigate a conflict between three planets of differing technology in a solar system... is there a mouse hunt aboard Enterprise? Sure. Are they worried they're going to get plague? Okay, fine. But will the novel hold up? Join us and find out!

Published just a month after its predecessor novel, "Planet of Judgment" is the first of two novels within the Bantam series by established sci-fi writer Joe Haldeman, best known for his Forever War series for which he won both a Nebula and a Hugo award. As such, the Bantam publishers approached him for a two-novel deal, with the second coming two years later.

In this book our good ship and crew encounter an 'anomaly' - a rogue planet that is orbited by a miniature black hole that is either a trap, or a first strike in an imminent invasion, or a traditional Trek series of tests... or all of the above. It goes without saying that the future of the Federation may be on the line.

But what do Butch and Lord Rob think about it? Tune in, listen to their review, and find out!

Our third mission among the Bantam Books Star Trek novels is brought to us by Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreth, their first of two efforts for Bantam, AND they will be back for Three Pocket Books novels. It is a book that is far more complex, dense, and finely written than the two we have done so far, and also is the one that has a direct sequel within the Bantam Books line - "The Price of the Phoenix" published in July 1977.

This novel once again is going to focus heavily upon Spock - only natural, given how big of an icon Leonard Nimoy's character had become - but it also explores the relationship between Spock and Captain Kirk. And boy, let's just say that Marshak and Culbreth 'explore the space' of their relationship. Mystical, psychological, and latently homoerotic are all in the crossword for this one. It also introduces a villain, Omne, who purports to be the most dangerous man in the galaxy, or at least the quadrant, and it also brings in the Romulans - specifically the Romulan Commander from TOS' "The Enterprise Incident" for a bit of a romantic quadrilateral.

This book is, in my mind, the first REALLY adult Star Trek novel (though there was a fair share of violence in "Messian" last time) - and in many ways is a perfect snapshot for Star Trek in the mid-1970s, an era seething with fan fiction of all shapes and sizes. Make no mistake, it is VERY highly written, especially compared to what has come before... but Rob and Butch will ask the vital question - is it GOOD?

The second Star Trek novel for an adult audience was, not surprisingly, also a Spock-centric story entitled "Spock, Messiah!" Co-authored by Theodore R. Cogswell and Charles A. Spano, Jr, the book was once again capitalizing off of Star Trek's iconic alien first officer. It was published over SIX YEARS after the first Bantam novel, so the fandom had only continued to grow and was eagerly awaiting more stories. Is Spock leading a double life as a planetary despot? Join Rob and Butch as they investigate.