Star Trek: The New Frontier–The Returned

So fans have been asking me for years when STAR TREK: NEW FRONTIER was going to return.

Well, finally the answer is: Now. If you go to Amazon right now, you can buy the first of three ebook novellas that will be coming out this year.

And when it’s done, naturally the follow-up question will be, When is the next one?

The answer to that is: If the novellas sell well, there will be more. If they don’t, there won’t be.

And of course, now will come the excuses. “It’s not available in (whatever format I read.)” “Sorry, I only buy paperbacks.” “Sorry, I only buy hardcovers.” “I’ll put it on my wish list.”

To which there is a simple response: If enough people don’t buy it for whatever reason, then this is the end of NEW FRONTIER.

Up to you.

And to those who have already bought it: Much thanks. I hope you like it. If you do, please post a review and let everyone know.

PAD

66 comments on “Star Trek: The New Frontier–The Returned

  1. Done. Book One purchased, books 2 and 3 preordered… so excited for new New Frontier.

  2. Sorry, Peter, I only buy ebooks….

    Drat, pleasantly trapped by a standard excuse.

    I’ll go buy it now 🙂

  3. Had them prerordered for months, about half way through readingpart 1 on the commute this evening. Loving it so far. It’s great to be back with these characters after so long.

    I hope these sell well!

  4. ordered the first Part and went ahead and preordered part 2 & 3! Love the New Frontier series

  5. Bought this once I saw your post on Facebook and read it and LOVED it! Preordered II and III! I’m glad you were able to do this and hope we are able to help you keep on doing New Frontiers!

  6. Had it preordered, and finished it at lunch today.

    I wish that I’d reread Blind Man’s Bluff beforehand, but The Returned did a good enough job of reminding me what had happened.

    I’m not sure that I can judge it quite yet; it doesn’t really stand alone. But it definitely has me hooked and intrigued to see what happens in parts 2 and 3.

  7. Just to be clear, is there a collected physical book planned, and when will it be out? I’ll buy the ebook as you ask, but I do want a physical copy to go with my complete New Frontier first printing physical collection.

  8. Peter, you might want to edit this post and put up a big, bold notice mention that you can order all three from Amazon right now, and get the others as they come out. It could encourage sales, and make a wave at your publisher.

  9. >> To which there is a simple response: If enough people don’t buy it for whatever reason, then this is the end of NEW FRONTIER.

    Why is it that the (presumably) continuing sales of the 15+ New Frontier books on Kindle don’t also help the series’ continuation?

    I’ve also pre-ordered all 3 books, and am really enjoying the 1st so far – thank you!

    S.

      1. >> Because in publishing the typical refrain is, “What have you done for me lately?”

        That’s sad. I bet they still take the royalties on the stuff you haven’t done lately.

        I hope they’ve at least set clear targets that need to be met so we know if you’re green lit for future books.

        S.

  10. I’m glad to see New Frontier continue.

    This pricing model might actually help sales. Instead of those monster paperbacks running for $20 (here in Canada, at least), the first volume is in the Kobo store for $3.99, which is what people will pay for a single issue of a comic book series. Not only is it a better value for the complete story, but people on the fence about continuing with New Frontier are more likely to buy the first installment and decide from there.

  11. Peter,

    Just ordered/pre-ordered the trilogy. One suggestion, you might want to edit your original post to include the title of these e-books in the post. That way, people looking for it could do a quick title search on STAR TREK: THE NEW FRONTIER THE RETURNED instead of just looking for STAR TREK: THE NEW FRONTIER and having to browse through all the other books to find the new ones.

    1. I just searched under Peter David New Frontier and it was the first result. Hope that helps.

    2. I actually had some trouble tracking it down on Apple’s iBooks store, as the three titles are just listed as “The Returned,” Parts 1, 2, and 3, and I had been searching for “New Frontier” and “Star Trek.” It’s unusual for a Trek eBook not to include the series title in the listing.

      1. Odd, because on Amazon just entering “Star Trek New Frontier” takes you right to it. This isn’t the first complaint I’ve heard about the Apple store.

        PAD

      2. And now my wife entered “Star Trek: New Frontier” on Apple and “The Returned ” came right up as the third book, so I’m not sure what your problem was.

        PAD

  12. I will be buying it once my wife and I have our job situations sorted out (it’s kinda weird right now). And I’m going to post about it on Facebook right now.

  13. Well, at the risk of sounding like one of the excuses that you pre-gave, I don’t read e-books, so I fear I shall have to just hope that if these sell well enough, eventually there may be some sort of print version.

    I may be a bit behind on New Frontier to be honest, anyway. Let me see… Oh, yes. The last one on my shelf is Being Human, and looking on Wikipedia, it seems that I’ve missed much past that. So I suppose that could keep me busy for a while.

    And now, if you’ll pardon a complete tangent… After tracking it down on eBay, I just finished reading something I’ve been curious to for a long time: the original version of Knight Life. Some of the little differences were quite interesting! And some of the additions to the newer version were keenly missed. Gwen is definitely much improved in the revision. And I really missed the part in the debate when Arthur was incredulous over the other candidates’ non-answer answers!

    Still, it was fun to finally get to experience the original version. It was still a good book, even if you later made it even better!

    1. It isn’t an excuse, it is a valid reason. I, too, do not do the e-book thing. The other chap’s comment about batteries giving out on his i-thingie being just one of the reasons why. I do look forward to adding to my stack of physical NEW FRONTIER novels, though.

      As for the KNIGHT LIFE comments, I’ll stop grumbling about all the Hollywood remakes when they begin churning out more original material, beginning with a good film adaptation of that one – and others of Davids’ works. Still annoyed the optioned HOWLING MAD never went anywhere.

      1. I bought my first ever e-book a couple years ago when Neil Gaiman did a story for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary celebration, because c’mon, it’s Neil frikkin’ Gaiman. The Returned parts 1, 2 and 3 will be my second, third and fourth ever. I plan to stick with print for the most part, but when it’s a gotta-have item only available in digital, then I’m going for digital.

      2. You do realize that you can read ebooks on your computer, yes? You don’t have to have a Kindle or iPad or any other handheld device, including your phone.

  14. Exciting news! I’ve just bought the first one and pre-ordered the other two. I would prefer ‘real’ books but for more New Frontier stories from you I will buy in any format – and it’s no hardship either at these prices.

  15. I reread Treason and Blind Man’s Bluff last week, and I just finished reading Part 1 of The Returned yesterday. Parts 2 and 3 are already pre-ordered. Part 1 was fantastic: I’m eagerly awaiting the next 2 parts, and I hope they sell enough to justify more New Frontier novels.

    I frankly figured that the series was done after Blind Man’s Bluff, despite the cliffhanger that book ends on, due to your contract being completed and then your subsequent stroke. Even if we hadn’t gotten The Returned, I would have been deeply grateful to you for giving us so many wonderfully written books. To quote the Passover seder, dayenu: it would have been enough. To get The Returned is an unexpected treat: thank you.

  16. Done and done (and done). Glad I thought to check in, this was not even on my radar!

  17. Bought – and preordered the other 2. A very pleasant read so far. Your touch for all the characters is amazing like always. And it feels like you enjoyed writing New Frontier again. Hope this will not be the final chapter of my favourite book series. Thx Peter…

  18. I’m excited but sad. I have no iPad or other technological equipment to read this on so I do hope it comes out in physical form.

    Alan

    1. Not an ideal solution, but if you have a smart phone you can download the Kindle app and read it there.

    2. Alan, unless you’re using the public library for posting, you have the technology at your fingertips.

  19. I don’t want to worry you PAD but I just got an email from Amazon saying “The release of the item in the order below has been canceled by the publisher and we have canceled your pre-order”.

    Maybe it’s just a one-off glitch but if sales of this trilogy are important then I hope this isn’t happening to other people. If I hadn’t known about your site and come here to find out what was going on I might have just assumed the book had been cancelled. Anyway, I’ve bought and downloaded the book now (and confirmed my preorders for the other two are still valid) so I’ll be looking forward to reading it tonight!

    1. That’s absurd. The release hasn’t been cancelled. As a matter of fact, I preordered it myself just to set the system and I’ve received no such email. I suggest you do the order again. If you receive a second such email, forward it to me at padguy@aol.com and I will immediately bring in Pocket Books to investigate.

      PAD

    2. For whatever it’s worth, no emails, and my pre-orders show up just fine on my home page.

  20. Part I purchased, parts II and III pre-ordered. Can’t wait to read them. I love everything you do, but your Star Trek stuff is my favorite. Could be because Star Trek has always been my favorite show and you’re my favorite author. Putting the two together is like combining chocolate and peanut butter. Heavenly!

  21. I bought all three New Frontier stories for download. Can’t wait to start reading part one today. However I have to ask why isn’t the popular Knight Life series and the Sir Apropos series available for Kindle? I just finished Knight Life and want to get the rest of the books for my Kindle. They were so good and I can’t understand why such popular books are available for the Kindle format.

      1. What about Howling Mad and the Psi-Man books? I’d love to have Kindle copies of those, too.

      2. Just having got of out the hospital from an asthma incident………. I am all for the e books. I have so many books that my shelves are in overload mode. I have to decide what to keep and what to sell or give away. Because I am allergic to dust, pollen, rag weed and more, keeping books that can collect dust and dirt and not good for me.

        But I digress:

        I love the e book formats and have a friend that gave me his old Amazon Kindle and I can tell you I will never go back to books. I love the portability and the convenience too much. And the fact that I don’t have to build another house to collect the books that I love. Since obtaining my Kindle I’ve got over 1600 short stories and Science Fiction books on it after one month.

  22. Is there any chance of your 12 year run of the Incredible Hulk being available in multiple Omnibus Editions? It would take more than one Marvel Omnibus to fit the entire run.

    1. There’s another softcover collection coming out this fall that picks up where the Visionaries series left off. I doubt a full Omnibus collection is likely, though, simply because it would have to run for more volumes than the Omnibuses tend to run for. (Those things apparently hit the point of diminishing returns really quick.)

      1. Thanks for the info because when ever I go on Amazon I like to purchase graphic novels of Peter David’s Marvel work. Sometimes I can find something I’ve never seen before. I love the Future Imperfect book and must have read it five times over the past decade. That and the Hulk novel from 1995, “What Savage Beast”.

  23. I have another question for anyone out there that can answer. What is the best type of Kindle to have to read graphic novels? Not all of them are designed for that purpose. The older model I have is in black and white and somehow doesn’t pick up the format of the book. I think it was manufactured way before graphic novels were available on the newer Kindles.

    1. I’d imagine the only good option for graphic novels would be the Kindle Fire, which is basically Amazon’s idea of a tablet. It has a traditional screen rather than eInk, and can thus display full color.

  24. Ðámņ you technology! I need a real book for my book case.

    I’ll buy the ebook and print it.

  25. I bought it on 7/7 and read it in the next 48 hours.

    I also pre-ordered the next two….

    I will post a review soon.

    Thanks for the headsup and I am so happy this series returned.

    Matt

  26. After reading this first entry I want to get all my Trek novels on Kindle. Perhaps there should be a contest to win a Kindle with all the Star Trek novels published loaded on the device. That’s be quite a thing to win. That would be a dream come true to have access to every one of them.

    But I digress…the first part of this book was terrific…I can’t wait for the other two parts. Does IDW have a New Frontier comic series? I was doing a search and came upon some covers that look like they were comics…

  27. That’s great news. I didn’t expect to see any more New Frontier stories. Much as I like having little “trophies” on my bookshelves, I’ll happily buy an electronic copy to support the project.

  28. Forgot I already pre-ordered it on BN.com, so when I went to buy it, the store was like “you dork, turn on your nook.” Can’t wait to read them.

  29. Just ordered my copies from Amazon. I’m glad it’s back. It’s like hanging out with old friends again. Thanks!

  30. Bought it. Haven’t started it – have to finish re-reading one of my brother’s older books i picked up.

  31. I pre-ordered all three a few days before the first became available. I am behind in my Star Trek reading so it will be a while before I read them. When one of the last few New Frontier Books made reference to a PAD TNG book I stopped reading and dig information on that book. Since then I went back to re-read the relaunch novels of DS9/Voyager and read for the first time the TNG relaunch (from where PAD’s TNG novel is a part of) and the Titan books.

    It has been fun reading these books back to back. It feels like when there was new Star Trek in TV. But there are a lot of them. I am on book 14 and I am not even halfway through. I am looking forward to reach PAD’s book. I really want to read the last two New Frontier books plus these three new ones. In the meantime I’ll keep buying them as soon as they come out.

  32. Prefer a paperback back this is some of my favorite Star Trek stories ever so went ahead and got the digital copy.

  33. Just bought all three! This is the series that made me fall in love with reading all those years ago! Thank you PAD!

  34. Just had part two delivered to my phone. it’s late at night here but I’ll hopefully get a few pages read!

  35. Just read part 2 and it was great and I can’t wait for part 3! I’d say more but I’m afraid I would give away too much!

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