Greg Bear Libri

Undici maestri della fantascienza guidati da Robert Silverberg, , ci conducono in altrettanti mondi leggendari; ritornano nei luoghi e nei temi dei loro cicli più famosi aggiungendo delle perle negli universi immaginari più famosi di sempre: Ursula LeGuin nell'Ecumenia (l'Universo de "La Mano Sinistra delle Tenebre"), Haldeman e La Guerra Eterna, O.S.Card e Ender, David Brin torna nei mondi di Uplift, Silverberg e Roma Eterna (un mondo alternativo dove l'Impero Romano non è caduto sotto le scorrerie barbariche), Dan Simmons ed Hyperion, Namcy Kress ed i Non Dormienti "Mendicanti" , F. Pohl e gli Heechee, Il Centro Gallattico di Benford, La Nave che Cantava della McCaffrey (onore alla Grande Signora che ci ha lasciati da poco), La Via di Greg Bear. Un compendio essenziale ai grandi cicli della Fantascienza.

For over four decades, the demand for Star Trek stories has led to five television series, over seven hundred episodes, ten feature films, and an animated series. From the early short-story adaptations by James Blish in the 1960s to the original novels of the 1970s and beyond, fiction has significantly expanded the Star Trek universe. This exploration delves into why these books serve as a powerful creative outlet for some and a fresh way to engage with the Star Trek mythos for others. The work reflects on the first forty years of professionally published Star Trek fiction, showcasing the personalities and creative sensibilities of its contributors. It provides an insightful look into the creative processes, challenges, innovations, and progress within this literary landscape. Author Jeff Ayers has engaged with nearly six hundred books and interviewed over three hundred authors and editors to create a comprehensive guide to this unique publishing phenomenon. Fully illustrated with book covers, the work includes an index by title and author, as well as a detailed timeline, making it an essential resource for every fan.

In the last years of the Forerunner empire, chaos rules. The Flood—a horrifying shape-changing parasite—has arrived in force, aided by unexpected allies. Internal strife within the ecumene has desperately weakened Forerunner defenses.Too little, too late, the legal rate of Juridicals is only now investigating possible crimes by the Master Builder and others. Evidence-gathering agents known collectively as Catalog have been dispatched to collect testimony from the Librarian and both Didacts: the Ur-Didact, treacherously abandoned in a Flood-infested system, and the Bornstellar Didact, who accompanies the Librarian as she preserves specimens against the dire possibility of Halo extermination.Facing the imminent collapse of their civilization, the Librarian and the Ur-Didact reveal what they know about the relationship between the long-vanished Precursors and the Flood.The Precursors created many technological species, including humanity and the Forerunners. But the roots of the Flood may be found in an act of enormous barbarity, carried out beyond our galaxy ten million years before...Because of that barbarism, a greater evil looms. Only the Ur-Didact and the Librarian--husband and wife pushed into desperate conflict--hold the keys to a solution.Facing the consequences of a mythic tragedy, one of them must now commit the greatest atrocity of all time—to prevent an insane evil from dominating the entire universe.

The final novel of the Forerunner Saga trilogy by science fiction legend Greg Bear—set in the Halo universe and based on the New York Times bestselling video game series! One hundred thousand years ago. Chaos rules the final days of the Forerunner empire. The Flood—a horrifying, shape-changing, and unstoppable parasite—has arrived in force, aided by unexpected allies, and internal strife has desperately weakened Forerunner defenses. Facing the imminent collapse of their civilization, the Forerunners known as the Ur-Didact and the Librarian reveal what they know about the relationship between the long-vanished race of the Precursors and the Flood. While the Precursors created many technological species, including those of the Forerunners and humanity itself, the roots of the Flood may be found in an act of enormous barbarity, carried out beyond our galaxy ten million years before. Because of that savagery, a greater evil looms. Only the Ur-Didact and the Librarian—husband and wife pushed into desperate conflict—hold the keys to a solution. As they face the consequences of a mythic tragedy, one of them must now commit the greatest atrocity of all time—a shocking act designed to prevent an insane abomination from dominating the entire galaxy…

"The Song of Power" opened the gateway to the Realm of the Sidhe, allowing young Michael Perrin to slip through. Now Michael faces years of captivity and deadly struggles for the future of the Realm and of Earth--leading finally to a terrible confrontation on the streets of Los Angeles, with the soul of humanity at stake. Weaving the power of music, poetry, and myth into a headlong narrative of nearly overwhelming intensity, "Song of Earth and Power" is one of the most original fantasy epics of our time, a vast tapestry of relentless suspense, terrible beauty, and brilliant imagination. Originally published years ago in two parts, it now returns in a new edition rewritten by the author and published in a single volume as he originally intended. Wrote" Analog" on its original appearance: "A delight....A vision of Faery that may owe a bit to a wish to do it right. Read it."

In Eternity, multiple Nebula and Hugo Award-winner Greg Bear returns to the Earth of his acclaimed novel Eon--a world devastated by nuclear war. The crew of the asteroid-starship Thistledown has thwarted an attack by the Jarts by severing their link to the Way, an endless corridor that spans universes. The asteroid settled into orbit around Earth and the tunnel snaked away, forming a contained universe of its own. Forty years later, on Gaia, Rhita Vaskayza recklessly pursues her legacy, seeking an Earth once again threatened by forces from within and without. For physicist Konrad Korzenowski, murdered for creating The Way, and resurrected, is compelled by a faction determined to see it opened once more. And humankind will discover just how entirely they have underestimated their ancient adversaries.

The 21st century was on the brink of nuclear confrontation when the 300 kilometer-long stone flashed out of nothingness and into Earth's orbit. NASA, NATO, and the UN sent explorers to the asteroid's surface...and discovered marvels and mysteries to drive researchers mad. For the Stone was from space--but perhaps not our space; it came from the future--but perhaps not our future; and within the hollowed asteroid was Thistledown. The remains of a vanished civilization. A human--English, Russian, and Chinese-speaking--civilization. Seven vast chambers containing forests, lakes, rivers, hanging cities... And museums describing the Death; the catastrophic war that was about to occur; the horror and the long winter that would follow. But while scientists and politicians bickered about how to use the information to stop the Death, the Stone yielded a secret that made even Earth's survival pale into insignificance.

In a gripping tale of cosmic confrontation, humanity faces an impending alien invasion as mysterious objects approach Earth. Scientists and ordinary people grapple with the implications of these extraterrestrial forces, leading to a race against time to understand their purpose. Themes of survival, the fragility of civilization, and the essence of humanity are explored through a diverse cast of characters, each responding differently to the looming threat. The narrative weaves together suspense and philosophical questions, making it a thought-provoking science fiction experience.

She is a daughter of one of Mars's oldest, most conservative Binding Multiples--the extended family syndicates that colonized the red planet. But Casseia Majumdar has a dream of an independent Mars, born in the student protests of 2171. During those brief days of idealism she forged bonds of friendship and hatred that set the stage for an astonishing war or revolution on Mars.

In the wake of the apparent self-destruction of the Forerunner empire, two humans âe" Chakas and Riser âe" are like flotsam washed up on very strange shores indeed. They find themselves on an inverted world where horizons rise into the sky and where humans of all kinds are trapped in a perilous cycle of neglect. They have become strategic pawns in a cosmic game whose madness knows no end âe" a game of ancient vengeance between the powers who seeded the galaxy with life, and the Forerunners. In the company of a young girl and an old man, Chakas begins an epic journey across a lost and damaged Halo in search of a way home, an explanation for the warrior spirits rising up within, and for the Librarianâe(tm)s tampering with human destiny. This journey will take them into the domain of a powerful and monstrous intelligence who claims to be the Last Precursor, and who now has control of both this Halo and the fate of Forerunners and humans alike. Called the Primordial by ancient human warriors, this intelligence may control the fate of not only Chakas, Riser, and the rest of humanity, but all of sentient life.

The survivors are sent on a quest by the Benefactors to find and destroy the race that destroyed the Earth.

Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting is a young rebellious Forerunner who seeks out the marvelous artifacts left behind by the Precursors --long-vanished superbeings of unknowable power and intent -- an act that forces his father's hand and forever changes Bornstellar's destiny ... and the fate of the entire galaxy.

Same war. Different enemy. First it was Mars, then Titan - the battlefield changed but the war remained the same. Until now. Master Sergeant Michael Venn and his soldiers now know the truth about what the supposedly benevolent Gurus are really doing in our solar system. A truth both Earth and the alien Antagonists are intent on wiping out. The soldiers must forget their training, forget what they know, and journey to Planet X - infamous home of the Antagonists. Hunted by friend and foe alike and desperate for answers, they will do anything to survive. Even team up with their greatest enemy.

A collection of short stories by the bestselling author of "Eon", "Eternity", "Blood Music", "The Forge of God", "Hegira", "Strength of Stones", "Beyond Heaven's River" and "Psychlone", including two stories which have won both Hugo and Nebula Awards.

The award winning tale of the inevitable take-over of our society by a benign, intelligent scientific experiment gone awry. In the tradition of the greatest cyberpunk novels, Blood Music explores the imminent destruction of mankind and the fear of mass destruction by technological advancements. Blood Music follows present-day events in which the fears concerning the nuclear annihilation of the world subsided after the Cold War and the fear of chemical warfare spilled over into the empty void of nuclear fear. An amazing breakthrough in genetic engineering made by Vergil Ulam is considered too dangerous for further research, but rather than destroy his work, he injects himself with his creation and walks out of his lab, unaware of just quite how his actions will change the world. Author Greg Bear¿s treatment of the traditional tale of scientific hubris is both suspenseful and a compelling portrait of a new intelligence emerging amongst us, irrevocably changing our world.

A new planet. A new battle. The same war. The new hard SF novel from a master of the genre.

This is the first published collection of short stories by one of the foremost voices in science fiction today. This significant volume contains many characters and situations that later evolved into their own novels. "Mandala" features technologically perfect cities that eject their sinful human occupants, a premise that can be found at the root of Bear's later novel, Strength of Stones. In "Hardfought", Bear brilliantly handles the classic science fiction dilemma of human communication with aliens. Other stories include "The Wind From a Burning Woman" in which a woman holds the world hostage by controlling a giant asteroid; "Scattershot", in which the inhabitants of many universes meet in an undefined limbo space; and "Petra", a story of a world where chaos rules, stone moves and the mind controls reality. Hailed by readers and critics alike, The Venging has been described as "an excellent collection" and its author praised as "one of the freshest writers to break into the science fiction field in many a year"

The discovery of a mass grave of mutated villagers in the Caucasus; a mummified prehistoric family revealed by ice-thaw high in the Alps; a mysterious new disease that strikes only pregnant women, resulting in miscarriage - three disparate facts that will converge into one science-shattering truth. So-called junk genes that have slept in our DNA for millions of years are waking up; the women who miscarry become spontaneously pregnant again without sexual activity. The new babies are not normal. Governments enact emergency measures: segregation of the sexes, abortion of all foetuses. Only three scientists in the world believe it isn't a plague: famous biologist Kaye Lang, disgraced paleontologist Mitch Rafelson and the government's 'virus hunter' Christopher Dicken. Can their leap of faith overcome mass panic and superstition?

In the sixth decade of the 21st century, the world has been transformed. Nanotechnology has been perfected, giving humans the ability to change their environment and themselves on the cellular level. And the study of the mind has brought about a revolution in both human psychotherapy and artificial intelligence.It's a sane and perfect world. Almost.A man called Jack Giffey is planning to break into the Omphalos, the most secure building in all of separatist Green Idaho. Rumor says that the Omphalos houses the not-quite-dead, the very wealthy deceased who are still alive, their brains connected directly into Thinkers, Artificial Intelligences that provide a virtual reality. Data is the great treasure of the new millennium, and Giffey plans to tap into the Omphalos datastream, to steal the knowledge gathered by the inhabitants of the Omphalos. In the offices of Mind Design, Inc., the most advanced Artificial Intelligence in the world has had a unique experience. She has received a request for contact from a new AI, one she does not know and did not help to design. Jill has never met a stranger of her own kind before; is it an alien Thinker, or the offspring of some vast conspiracy?Slant is set in Bear's Queen of Angels universe, and is one of the great science fiction novels of the 1990s.

A conflict breaks out between humans and humanform robots on the planets of the Galactic Empire. The conflict leads to the empire's founder, psychohistorian Hari Seldon, being put on trial for treason

Focuses on the aftermath of the world-shattering Mongolian invasion of 1241 and the difficult paths undertaken by its resilient survivors.

Eleven years after the discovery of SHEVA, an ancient retrovirus that caused mutations in human DNA, a new generation of genetically enhanced youths has emerged. As these children reach adolescence, they confront a world that fears and despises their existence. Possessing remarkable traits, they are also potential carriers of viruses that threaten the survival of the "old" human race. This fear has led to their persecution, with the government quarantining them in special "schools" and targeting them with bounty hunters, while segments of society demonize them. In response, pockets of resistance have formed, opposing the inhumane treatment of these children and fearing the consequences of extreme government actions. Among this determined minority are scientists Kaye Lang and Mitch Rafelson, who once led the study of the SHEVA outbreak. Now living as exiles in Virginia with their daughter Stella—a bright virus child eager to connect with others like her—they struggle to protect her from the oppressive regime. Despite their efforts, they remain under the watchful eye of government agencies intent on controlling the new generation, poised to escalate their war against these children in the name of preserving "humankind."

A new world has been discovered via a time tunnel. It is called Lamarckia and it is home to novel forms of life, among them hybrids of plants and animals. But access is restricted and the story concerns an agent investigating illegal immigration to this new world.

NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Greg Bear returns with a new pulse-pounding, adrenaline-fueled military space adventure set on Mars.

WHY? That crime and that question lead a biotransformed policewoman to a jungle of torture and forgotten gods; a writer to the Bohemian shadows of a vast city; and a scientist directly into the mind - into the nightmare soul - of the psychopath himself. This is science fiction at its best: a detective story, a story of virtual reality entrapments and the coming to consciousness of an Artificial Intelligence . . .

Three FBI agents. One armageddon. It's the near future - sooner than you might hope - and the war against terrorism is almost lost.

Do you dream of a city at the end of time? In a time like the present, on a world that may or may not be our own, three young people-Ginny, Jack, and Daniel-dream of a fabulous, decadent city in the distant future: the Kalpa. The dreams of Ginny and Jack overtake them without warning, leaving their bodies behind while carrying their consciousnesses forward, into the minds of two inhabitants of the Kalpa-a would-be warrior, Jebrassy, and an inquisitive explorer, Tiadba-who have been genetically retroengineered to possess qualities of ancient humanity. In turn, the dreams of Tiadba and Jebrassy carry them back, into the minds of Jack and Ginny. As for Daniel: he dreams of an empty darkness--all his future holds. But more than dreams link Ginny, Jack, and Daniel. They are fate-shifters, born with the ability to skip like stones across the surface of the fifth dimension, inhabiting alternate versions of themselves. And they are each guardians of an object whose origins and purpose are unknown, a gnarled, stony artifact called a sum-runner that persists unchanged through all versions of time. They can save the future, but they are being hunted down.

The planet Hegira is the universe's melting pot. Hundreds of tribes in dozens of cities intermingle in the vast uncharted territory. The only thing holding the people together are the massive Obelisks, the chronicles of all the truths and falsehoods each tribe has brought to Hegira. Young Bar-Woten is in search of knowledge and he knows the key to the truth about his homeland is contained in the writings of the Obelisks. With his fellow companions, Bar-Woten must travel through Hegira's exotic cities to discover the lies within the words of thousands. Greg Bear, author of more than twenty-five books that have been translated into seventeen languages, has won science fiction's highest honors and is considered the natural heir to Arthur C. Clarke. The recipient of two Hugos and four Nebulas for his fiction, he has been called "the best working writer of hard science fiction" by The Science Fiction Encyclopedia. Many of his novels, such as Darwin's Radio, are considered to be this generations' classics. Bear is married to Astrid Anderson, daughter of science fiction great Poul Anderson, and they are the parents of two children, Erik and Alexandria. His recent thriller novel, Quantico, was published in 2007 and the sequel, Mariposa, followed in 2009. He has since published a new, epic science fiction novel, City at the End of Time and a generation starship novel, Hull Zero Three.

Trapped on a mysterious spaceship, the only way to escape is to survive. A thrilling novel from the Hugo and Nebula award-winning Greg Bear. A starship hurtles through the emptiness of space. Its destination - unknown. Its purpose? A mystery. Its history? Lost. Now, one man wakes up. Ripped from a dream of a new home, a new planet and the woman he was meant to love in his arms, he finds himself wet, naked, and freezing to death. The dark halls are full of monsters but trusting other survivors he meets might be the greater danger. All he has are questions: Who is he? Where are they going? What happened to the dream of a new life? What happened to the woman he loved? What happened to Hull 03? All will be answered, if he can survive. Uncover the mystery. Fix the ship. Find a way home. HULL ZERO THREE is an edge of your seat thrill-ride through the darkest reaches of space, from one of the genre's biggest names. Perfect for fans of Arthur C. Clarke's RAMA or the film EVENT HORIZON.

Blending fast-paced plots with vivid characters and thought-provoking ideas, Greg Bear excels in creating gripping thrillers. His latest novel begins with a harrowing descent to the ocean's depths and escalates into sheer terror. Hal Cousins, a scientist on the brink of a groundbreaking discovery to halt aging, is fueled by research, self-confidence, and wealthy patrons. As he experiments with organisms in the ocean's thermal plumes, chaos unfolds above. Mysterious murders of scientists, including Hal's identical twin, threaten his progress. After narrowly escaping an attack at sea, Hal returns to Seattle, only to find himself in an eerie world where he hears voices from the dead. A once-brilliant historian now leads him into a deadly game, while his twin's beautiful widow complicates his life further. Hal becomes ensnared in a web of shocking revelations, realizing he is not the first to seek immortality. Those who came before him will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden, putting every person on Earth at risk. From Russia's Lake Baikal to a billionaire's cliffside home, the narrative weaves through historical events and modern capitalism, revealing the unimaginable scientific secrets exposed by the quest for eternal life.

Jedi Knight Obi-Wan and his twelve-year-old apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, are sent to the planet Zonoma Sekot to protect the secret of the superfast spaceships which are built there

A sweeping Elizabethan historical fantasy from an internationally renowned author that evokes the seafaring adventures of Robert Louis Stevenson and the magic of The Bear and the Nightingale Reynard, a young apprentice, seeks release from the drudgery of working for his fisherman uncle in the English village of Southwold. His rare days off lead him to strange encounters--not just with press gangs hoping to fill English ships to fight the coming Spanish Armada, but with strangers who seem to know him, one of whom casts a peculiar shadow. The village's ships are commandeered, and after a fierce battle at sea, Reynard finds himself the sole survivor of his uncle's devastated boat. For days he drifts, starving and dying of thirst, until he is rescued by a galleon, also lost--and both are propelled by a strange current to an unknown northern island. Here, Reynard must meet his destiny in a violent clash between humans and gods.

Ich ließ den Blick über das Deck des Sternenschiffes§zum Didaktiker schweifen, einem gewaltigen§grauschwarzen Schatten mit dem Antlitz§eines Kriegsgottes. Er zeigte keinerlei Emotionen,§wie immer. Tief unter ihnen, im Herzen einer von§zahllosen Schiffen erfüllten Nacht lag ein belagerter§Planet: die unter Quarantäne gestellte Gefängniswelt§der San'Shyuum.§'Was wird mit uns geschehen?', fragte ich.§'Sie werden uns bestrafen, sagte Morgenwächter§düster. 'Wir sollten nicht hier sein!'§Ich drehte mich zu meinem kleinwüchsigen§Begleiter um und berührte die langen, trockenen§Finger seiner ausgestreckten Hand, dann warf§ich Sterngeborener, dem jungen Manipular, den§Morgenwächter und ich zum Djamonkin-Krater§geführt hatten, einen wütenden Blick zu. Doch er§hielt die Augen weiter auf den Boden gerichtet.§Eine Sekunde später trieb uns etwas Kaltes§und Helles und schrecklich Hartes auseinander,§schweigendes Blauweiß, schneller als jeder Reflex.§Die Kriegssphinxe hoben uns mit toten Gesichtern§in die Höhe und hüllten uns in durchsichtige§Sphären. Ich konnte sehen, wie sie auch den§Didaktiker und Sterngeborener in diese Blasen§steckten, als wären sie Trophäen ...§Der Didaktiker machte einen gefassten Eindruck§- Sterngeborener schien dagegen ebenso§verängstigt wie ich.§Die Blase zog sich um mich zusammen, und§mit einem Mal konnte ich mich nicht mehr bewegen,§konnte nicht mehr hören, nicht mehr sehen.§So muss sich ein Toter fühlen.

bevat: Robert A. Heinlein - Aan zijn veters omhoog (by his bootstraps, 1941)Jack Vance - De wereld tussenin (The world between, 1963)Larrry Niven - Neutronster (Neutron star, 1968)Peter Cuijpers - God op aardeWim Gijsen- Hoedt u voor protocollen!Tanith Lee - De ring vaarwel (Perfidious amber, 1979)Orson Scott Card - De porseleinen salamander (The porcelain salamander, 1981)Greg Bear- Rotssteen (Petra, 1982)Peter Schaap - De markt van MendesarchBruce Sterling & William Gibson - Rode ster, winterse omloopbaan (Red star, winter orbit, 1985)

Znovu jsou tady – autoři a jejich světy, jež si získávají miliony dychtivých čtenářů. Opět přicházejí ve dvou svazcích a vracejí se do zvláštních a podmanivých míst, do nichž je zasazen nový příběh, jenž doplňuje a dokresluje jejich nejslavnější díla. Mnoho příběhů se odvíjí v dřívější minulosti těchto scifi světů a vrhá nové světlo na příběhy již proslavené. Jiné sledují známé dějové linie, ale odehrávají se stranou hlavních událostí. Všechny do jednoho jsou však nepostradatelné pro miliony fanoušků těchto autorů a jejich světů, které již hluboce uvízly v myslích a srdcích čtenářů. Joe Haldeman v povídce Rozdělená válka dokresluje příběhy z knihy Věčná válka. Všemi oblíbený Enderův cyklus doplňuje Orson Scott Card v povídce Investiční poradce o tu část, v níž se dozvíme, kterak Ender k Jane přišel. David Brin v příběhu Pokušení vysvětluje, jak se mladá rasa, v tomto případě delfíni, vyrovnává s nabídkou, kterou nelze na první pohled odmítnout… Nancy Kressová nás uvádí do své slavné ságy o Nespavých povídkou Spící psi. Greg Bear, autor nesmrtelných románů o světě Cesty a asteroidu Thistledownu, znovu vyvolává Olmyho na Cestu všech duchů.

El joven Anakin Skywalker ha sido admitido en el Templo Jedi de Coruscant, donde es el padawano del Maestro Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, y continúa reparando androides averiados. El recuerdo de su madre, aún esclava en Tatooine, es lo único que ensombrece su vida. Obi-Wan es consciente de las increíbles dotes de su discípulo Anakin. Ambos acogen con entusiasmo la importante misión que les encomienda el Consejo Jedi: ir a un misterioso planeta perdido en la periferia galáctica para averiguar qué ha sido de una joven Jedi enviada allí. Este enigmático planeta, a pesar de su escaso desarrollo tecnológico, cuenta con unas naves increíblemente veloces y sofisticadas que están vivas y se encuentran unidas a su dueño por un vínculo telepático que sólo la muerte puede romper. Anakin siempre ha deseado viajar por la galaxia y por fin podrá ser el piloto legendario de sus fantasías infantiles. Pero el secreto del planeta resulta más oscuro de lo esperado. Un gran cambio está a punto de sacudir la Fuerza y los destinos de la galaxia y del joven Anakin. Esta novela se sitúa entre La Amenaza Fantasma y el Episodio II.

V románu Grega Beara se čtenáři poprvé setkávají s planetou, jež bude o mnoho let později hrát významnou roli ve válce proti Yuuzhan Vongům, vetřelcům z jiné galaxie. Mladý Anakin Skywalker je už několik let učněm Jedi na Coruscantu, ale místo aby veškeré své schopnosti věnoval výcviku, tajně utíká z chrámu Jediů a věnuje se nebezpečným adrenalinovým zábavám. Aby obrátila Anakinovu energii žádoucím směrem, zorganizuje Rada Jediů misi na Zonamu Sekot. Zde, na planetě podivuhodných technologií, má Anakin se svým mistrem Obi-Wanem Kenobim pátrat po stopách ztracené Jedi. Oba Jediové brzy zjistí, že Zonamu Sekot obklopuje mnoho tajemství, a také že ji před nedávnem navštívili jacísi Cizinci z daleka, kteří se ji neúspěšně pokusili ovládnout.

Im Black Box-Nebel beobachtet ein vulkanisches Forschungsteam den Entstehungsprozess dreier Protosterne. Durch die starke Ybakra-Strahlung treten irreparable Nervenschädigungen bei den in Kältetruhen schlafenden Teammitgliedern auf. Der Hilferuf des Vulkaniers Grake erreicht die Enterprise erst nach zehn Jahren. Auf dem Forschungsasteroiden im Black Box-Nebel muss Captain Kirk dann feststellen, dass sich das Bewusstsein der seit zehn Jahren dort arbeitenden Vulkanier dramatisch verändert hat. Ihr Wille wird von einer fremden Macht gelähmt, die die Forscher zur Durchsetzung ihrer eigenen Ziele missbraucht. Die Vulkanier nennen diese Macht Corona. Sie stammt aus der Anfangszeit des Universums und hat nur einen Wunsch: die chaotische Energieverhältnisse aus der Periode kurz nach dem Urknall wiederherzustellen. Als auch noch Spock und eine junge Reporterin, die an Bord der Enterprise an der Mission teilnimmt, unter den Einfluss Coronas geraten und das Raum-Zeit-Kontinuum sich zu verändern beginnt, übernimmt das neue elektronische Überwachungssystem für Notfälle die Enterprise. Ohnmächtig muss Captain Kirk mit ansehen, wie sein Schiff einen eigenen Willen entwickelt und sich selbständig macht.

Trans, die Revolution in der Telekommunikation, verbreitet Informationen rund um die Welt schneller als das Licht. Doch das hochmoderne Telefonnetz, verpackt in Designer-Handys, erweist sich auch in anderer Hinsicht als bahnbrechend: Jeder, der Trans benutzt, muss feststellen, dass in seinem Umfeld unerklärliche Dinge geschehen, dass er mit Stimmen von Menschen konfrontiert wird, die eigentlich schon lange tot sind …