Oh my God, how time had flown. I remember when this movie came out, and it ended up being my second favorite Star Trek film ever. I adored it. A lot of people consider this movie to be transitional, and not as important as films such as "First Contact," but I think it is amazing. That said, the book is possibly the best novelization of any movie I have seen so far.
If you take the movie as is and then add many other layers and dimensions to it, that's what this book is. It enhances the experience tenfold. The story itself is still there, but there is so much more to learn and love by reading the book.
For one thing, the entire section with Kirk at the beginning was expanded broadly without missing any of the main beats seen in the film. Also, all of the characters of the original crew showed up in it. It was so much more limited in the film, not that it was done poorly. The Kirk section was just sort of its own short story in the book, and it lasts a long time, giving you enough time to properly digest it and prepare yourself to transition to the "Next Generation" part of the story.
Here, too, things are enhanced so much that it makes the entire experience sparkle with meaning and nuance. You will get a better understanding of why the characters are acting the way they are. You no longer have to infer stuff from the subtle expressions made in the film. J.M. Dillard gives you everyone's thoughts. You get into their minds and can see why they are acting the way they are. It's a much more visceral and personal experience.
I've read a lot of novelizations, but this one really takes the cake. It brought everything to life as if you were there, and I actually do think it is better than the movie. It shouldn't be, but it is. I guess sometimes it works out that way. I've never read a novelization where that happened. Usually, they have fun little extras that may have been removed from the original script, but "Star Trek Generations" is an outright enhancement of what was already there. Although I should still say that the movie is worth your time. They are both excellent, but the novel is just a little bit better.
The book also comes with a full and comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie. I loved reading this too! It was a look at how movies were made in the 90's. It also pointed out that some of the shots, mostly involving the nexus, had to be done with the CGI of the time. I was sighing as I was remembering a time when CGI was so sparingly used. Now, it's all over the place and everything looks so unrealistic. Oh, and did you know this movie was going to be called "Star Trek The Next Generation: The Feature?" Yuck!
If you enjoy the movie, you'll adore the book. I recommend reading it even if you have seen the film and especially if you loved it. It's wonderfully written. J.M. Dillard knows her Star Trek lore and used it handily to craft this tale. Great job!
This blog was written on February 23, 2026.
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