To mark Star Trek’s 55th anniversary, Obverse Books announce The Gold Archive!
On the 55th anniversary of the first broadcast of ‘The Man Trap’, the opening episode of the original series of Star Trek, we are delighted to announce the imminent arrival of The Gold Archive.
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 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 apply the same rigorous treatment to that has been so well-received for Doctor Who, Sapphire and Steel, Dark Skies and 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, Brian J. Robb, examines the 1967 story ‘The Return of the Archons’, while Hugo Award-nominated podcaster 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 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 Next Generation sixth season tale ‘Birthright’; David McIntee’s interrogation of Star Trek: Voyager’s ‘Living Witness’; Ina Rae Hark on the 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.
