Coming Soon: Firewall, a Star Trek: Picard prequel novel

By John Freeman on December 15, 2023

Due for release on 27th February 2024, Firewall by David Mack is a thrilling prequel adventure based on the acclaimed TV series Star Trek: Picard. If you’ve been enjoying David’s various short stories for Star Trek Explorer magazine as I have as his editor, then I’m sure you’re looking forward to this…

When ex-Borg drone Seven of Nine returns home with the crew of the Starship Voyager, she trusts Kathryn Janeway’s promise that there will be a new life for her in the Federation, and a place for her in Starfleet.

But even in the twenty-fourth century, fear and prejudice are hard to overcome. Despite having Admiral Janeway’s support, Seven’s application to Starfleet is rejected, and the Federation won’t even acknowledge her citizenship.

Humiliated and alone as her Voyager shipmates scatter to new assignments, Seven risks leaving Earth to venture alone into the galaxy, to build a life she can call her own.

Seven’s idealism leads her to join the rogue interstellar patrol known as the Fenris Rangers, to help bring a brutal warlord to justice. But this new calling pushes Seven to her limits, and it also might cost her the most precious thing in her life: her friendship with Kathryn Janeway.

David Mack is the award-winning and The New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-six novels and numerous short works of science-fiction, fantasy, and adventure, including the Star Trek Destiny and Cold Equations trilogies.

Mack’s writing credits span television (for episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), film, and comic books. He also has worked as a consultant on the animated television series Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy. In June 2022, the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers honoured him as a Grandmaster with its Faust Award.

His most recent publications include the short story “Fiasco” in the pulp-homage anthology Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2021, and a novel, Star Trek: Coda, Book III: Oblivion’s Gate. His upcoming works include Harm’s Way, a Star Trek: Vanguard / Star Trek: The Original Series crossover novel scheduled for release on December 13, 2022.

• Star Trek: Picard – Firewall by David Mack is on sale from 27th February 2024 | Pre-Order in Hardcover, eBook & Audiobook (AmazonUK Affiliate Link) | ISBN-13: 978-1668046357

For a preview of the tone of the novel, and a peek at the music that inspired this deep dive into the soul of Seven of Nine, you can check out David’s public playlist Firewall | Musical Inspirations on Spotify. (A full guide to the playlist and its connections to the story will be made available after the book is released)

• David is online at davidmack.pro | Follow him on Twitter and Facebook

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.