Real world article
(written from a production point of view)
Do Comets Dream? is a Pocket TNG novel written by S.P. Somtow. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in July 2003.
Summary[]
- From the book jacket
- Every five thousand years, or so the people of Thanet believe, the world ends in fire and a new cycle of creation begins. Now the Last Days are once again upon them, and a fiery star draws near. This is the Death-Bringer, the Eater of the World, whose coming heralds the end of all things…
- But to Captain Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise, the Death-Bringer appears to be nothing more than a rogue comet, easily destroyed. Picard faces a difficult dilemma: how can he save the Thanetian's rich and intricate civilization without destroying the very beliefs upon which their culture is based?
- The quandary is challenge enough, yet the captain's position is even more complicated when Deanna Troi discovers that, incredibly, the comet is alive!
- Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.
Background information[]
- This is the first and, to date, only Star Trek novel written by S.P. Somtow.
Characters[]
- Canon characters listed below are linked to the main article about them. Non-canon characters are not linked, but those that recurred, appearing or being mentioned in more than one story, are defined further in Pocket TNG characters.
Regular and recurring characters[]
- Jean-Luc Picard
- Starfleet captain, CO of USS Enterprise-D. Picard was obligated to make first contact with the Thanetians.
- William T. Riker
- Starfleet commander, first officer of Enterprise-D.
- Data
- Android Starfleet lieutenant commander, operations officer of the Enterprise-D. Data was capable of interfacing with the Dailong and providing useful information about Thanets's past with Thanith.
- Beverly Crusher
- Starfleet commander, CMO of Enterprise-D.
- Worf
- Klingon Starfleet lieutenant who was assigned as Enterprise-D security chief.
- Deanna Troi
- Half-Betazoid Starfleet commander assigned as Enterprise-D counselor. She was able to directly communicate with Artas via telepathy.
- Geordi La Forge
- VISOR-sighted Starfleet lieutenant commander assigned as Enterprise-D chief engineer.
- Simon Tarses
- Human/Romulan Starfleet officer who falls head-over-heels in love with Kio.
Other characters[]
- Artas
- Child chosen to become the Thanopstru, or Death-bringer, who longs for a mother.
- Kio
- Teenage daughter of Straun who rebels against her teachings and longs to explore the universe.
- Straun
- Kio's father, puppet ambassador to the Federation who is conservative about his religious beliefs.
- Halliday
- Human professor studying Thanet up until the days of its destruction.
- Adam Halliday
- Human/Betazoid boy raised on Thanet with high intellect.
- Engvig
- Norwegian ensign who is assigned to the Enterprise and eagerly awaits adventure.
- Indhoun
- Artas' brother.
- Shivantak
- Leader of all the people of Thanet, he interprets the Panvivlion and is of the highest caste.
References[]
first contact; caste; prime directive; comet
- Dailong
- A biological engineered machine large enough that whole cities can be built upon it.
- Panvivlion
- Holy book of the Thanetians that dictates everything from what one may eat to how the world will end.
- Thanet
- The setting for much of the story, Thanet is a planet with a five-thousand-year-old society with a rigid caste system.
- Thanetians
- Identical to Humans except for webbing between their fingers, which they paint.
- Thanith
- A planet destroyed long ago. It has a society nearly identical to that of Thanet, with which it is at war.
- Thanopstru
- The Death-Bringer, a weapon deployed by Thanith to destroy Thanet.
External link[]
- Do Comets Dream? at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
| Previous novel: | Series | Next novel: |
| The Battle of Betazed | Pocket TNG Unnumbered novels |
The Genesis Wave: Genesis Force |