STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES - AUGUST 18, 2025 - FIRST PAGE OF BARBARA HAMBLY'S NOVEL, "ISHMAEL."
"Ishmael," was Barbara Hambly's first Star Trek novel, published in 1985. That very same year, she was a guest at Westercon, a scifi convention that is held only on the west coast. In '85, it was in Sacramento, CA (where I live), so I went.
I had read the book and thoroughly enjoyed her discussion of the development of the novel. It was written while she was in high school, while both "Star Trek" and "Here Come the Brides" were airing on TV.
The novel is a blend of both series. Spock is kidnapped by Klingons, tortured, and sent back in time, to Earth, to the time period of "Here Come The Brides."
He's found and taken in by Aaron Stemple (Mark Lenard).
Meanwhile, the characters in Star Trek are trying to find Spock.
Barbara had though that "Here Come the Brides" was also a Paramount production (it wasn't - Columbia Studios), so when the book was picked up, there was a flurry of activity to get a release from Columbia.
Also included in the novel, are guest stars from OTHER western and scifi TV series.
Barbara Hambly was also written "Ghostwalker," and "Crossroad," in the Star Trek universe; several fantasy series; and some novels in the Star Wars universe.
I re-read this book at least once a year.
