Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (short story collection)
| Company type | Book series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Dean Wesley Smith (editor), John J. Ordover, Paula M. Block |
| Defunct | 2007 (original run) |
| Fate | Ended original run; revived in 2016 as ebook |
Key people | Dean Wesley Smith (editor), John J. Ordover, Paula M. Block |
| Products | Science fiction anthology collections of Star Trek fan fiction |
| Parent | Simon & Schuster |
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a science fiction anthology collection comprising licensed, fan-created short stories inspired by Star Trek and its related series. Published by Simon & Schuster between 1996 and 2016, the series was overseen by editor Dean Wesley Smith, with support from John J. Ordover and Paula M. Block. The narratives originated from submissions by non-professional writers.
The publication run ended in 2007. However, a new edition was announced in 2015 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek.
Production
The initiative for the series was conceived by John J. Ordover to create publishing opportunities for amateur authors, echoing the spirit of the New Voyages anthologies from the late 1970s. Alongside Paula M. Block, who managed Star Trek licensing at Paramount Pictures, they formulated submission protocols that addressed legal requirements. Block had previously attempted to revive the New Voyages concept but achieved success only through collaboration with Ordover.
To motivate submissions, a contest-based approach was adopted. Block and Ordover enlisted seasoned anthology editor Dean Wesley Smith to evaluate and select entries. Eligibility was limited to residents of the United States and Canada (excluding Quebec), who could submit original stories featuring canonical Star Trek characters from either films or television series.
Among the distinguished winners were Dayton Ward, Ilsa J. Bick, and Geoffrey Thorne, all of whom went on to author official Star Trek novels. The fourth volume included "jubHa'," a story written in the Klingon language by Lawrence M. Schoen, who also contributed to The Klingon Hamlet, reissued by Pocket Books in the same year.
In January 2007, Smith announced the conclusion of the series after a decade-long run. The tenth volume was published in July 2007.
Simon & Schuster and CBS later revived the anthology for the franchise's 50th Anniversary without Smith's participation; he advised against amateur submissions due to CBS's stringent licensing policies. The final installment was released exclusively as an ebook on October 3, 2016. Since then, ViacomCBS and Simon & Schuster have not announced any further editions.
Reception
The 1998 release of Strange New Worlds received criticism for its perceived lack of originality, with some commentators noting that other fan publications showcased more daring and speculative tales. While contributions by Alara Rogers and Kathy Oltion were described as "fairly entertaining," the collection was not considered a worthwhile purchase for devoted Voyager fans.
Publishers Weekly commended Strange New Worlds IV for maintaining reader interest despite predictable plotlines, emphasizing how the stories effectively tested characters within the established boundaries of Star Trek canon.
Volumes
| Title | Editor | Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strange New Worlds | Dean Wesley Smith | July 1998 | Template:ISBNT |
| Strange New Worlds II | May 1999 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds III | May 2000 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds IV | May 8, 2001 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds V | May 28, 2002 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds VI | June 17, 2003 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds VII | June 29, 2004 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds 8 | July 19, 2005 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds 9 | August 22, 2006 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds 10 | July 10, 2007 | Template:ISBNT | |
| Strange New Worlds 2016 (ebook) | (No editor credited) | October 3, 2016 | Template:ISBNT |