Real world article
(written from a production point of view)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Illustrated Handbook, subtitled Featuring the Space Station Deep Space 9 and the U.S.S. Defiant, is a hardcover reference book that was edited by Simon Hugo and series editor Ben Robinson.
The fourth volume in the Illustrated Handbook mass-market book series, it was published by Eaglemoss Collections through Penguin Random House's Publisher Services division on 9 February 2021, under the former company's Hero Collector imprint.
Through illustrations and text, this volume explores the Deep Space 9 space station, the USS Defiant, and the Danube-class runabouts from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
A considerable amount of content that was previously published in the Star Trek Fact Files has been updated and incorporated into the book, alongside entirely new material.
Summary[]
- Solicitation blurb
- Fourth in the series of STAR TREK ILLUSTRATED HANDBOOKS, this guide takes an in-depth look at the space station Deep Space 9 and the starship U.S.S. Defiant.
- Exploring the former Cardassian space station in detail, this volume looks at Deep Space 9's history and operation under the command of Captain Benjamin Sisko of the United Federation of Planets.
- With technical information from official sources, annotated exterior views and isometric illustrations of key locations, this volume provides an extraordinary reference guide to 24th century Federation life on the diplomatic outpost.
- Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.
Contents[]
- Chapter 1: Deep Space 9
- Construction and Refit, p. 10
- Operational History, p. 12
- Annotated Exterior Views, p. 18
- The Bajoran Wormhole, p. 22
- Fusion Power Generation, p. 24
- The EPS Network, p. 26
- The RCS Thrusters, p. 28
- Tactical Systems, p. 30
- Counterinsurgency Program, p. 32
- Defensive Shields, p. 34
- Auto-Destruct Systems, p. 36
- Communications and Sensors, p. 38
- Subspace Relays, p. 40
- Operation Center, p. 42
- Operations Table, p. 44
- Cardassian Isolinear Rods, p. 46
- Cardassian Viewscreens, p. 48
- Command Office, p. 50
- Transporter Systems, p. 52
- Turbolift Network, p. 54
- Quark's Bar, p. 58
- The Game of Dabo, p. 60
- Quark's Holosuites, p. 62
- Morn the Barfly, p. 64
- Bajoran Springball, p. 66
- Garak's Clothiers, p. 68
- Dining Facilities, p. 70
- Security Office, p. 72
- Holding Cells, p. 74
- The Bajoran Temple, p. 76
- Orbs of the Prophets, p. 78
- The Infirmary, p. 80
- Infirmary Biobeds, p. 82
- Neurocortical Probe, p. 84
- Dermal Regenerators, p. 86
- The Science Laboratories, p. 88
- The Wardroom, p. 90
- Residential Quarters, p. 92
- Odo's Quarters, p. 94
- Replicator Systems, p. 96
- Zek's Call Center, p. 98
- Cargo Bays, p. 100
- Security Gates and Airlocks, p. 102
- Docking At Deep Space 9, p. 104
- Chapter 2: The Runabouts
- Annotated Exterior Views, p. 108
- Multirole Ships, p. 114
- The Cockpit, p. 118
- Habitat Module, p. 120
- Distress Beacon, p. 122
- Chapter 3: The Defiant
- Operational History, p. 126
- Annotated Exterior Views, p. 130
- Key Locations, p. 136
- Weapons and Defense Systems, p. 140
- Main Bridge, p. 142
- Holographic Systems, p. 144
- Transport Systems, p. 146
- Main Engineering, p. 148
- Crew Quarters, p. 150
- Mess Hall, p. 152
- The Sickbay, p. 154
- Launching A Shuttle, p. 156
- The Shuttlepod, p. 158
- Shuttlecraft Chaffee, p. 160
- USS Sao Paulo, p. 162
- Hand Phasers: 2371, p. 164
- Starfleet TR-116 Rifle, p. 166
- Bajoran Energy Weapons, p. 168
- Bajoran Tricorder, p. 170
- Anti-Changeling Devices, p. 172
- Modified Polaron Emitters, p. 174
- Quantum Stasis Box, p. 176
- Self-replicating Mines, p. 178
- Remote Transporter, p. 180
- Uniforms and Rank Insignia, p. 182
- Desert Uniforms, p. 188
- Combat Uniforms, p. 190
- Index, p. 192
Background information[]
- While Ben Robinson has been credited as a primary author of this book series, most of the writing and illustrative work was created by the Fact Files editorial staff for that publication, for which Robinson had served as one of its editors-in-chief. While not officially credited, Robinson acknowledged these staff contributions as well as his memory allowed, and included their names in the foreword/acknowledgements section of each book. Newer additional material originated from later GE Fabbri (the direct predecessor to Eaglemoss)-affiliated publications, Star Trek: The Magazine in particular, and for which Robert Bonchune had contributed much CG imagery.
- Robinson brought this series to fruition, feeling that there was an eagerness within the fanbase to access this material more easily, and offered, "The thing about the Fact Files, as you say, they’re massive and unwieldy and 18 binders long. I always wanted to take the best material from the Fact Files of those incredible illustrations and put it out in book form. Those illustrated handbooks are really the most thorough attempt to document the ships as they appeared upon screen with illustrations of pretty much every room that you saw on the screen." [1]
- Simon Hugo commented:"The Fact Files started in 1997, before DS9 finished airing, so there was stuff in there that just wasn’t accurate because it had been guessed for The Fact Files and then contradicted on screen. There’s a lot of places where you’ve got the same information coming up again and again because originally it wasn’t presented in one go. There’s a lot of taking out of duplication and then thinking ‘Right, I’ve got a big gap now where I had duplication, I’d better think of something interesting to say.’ So it’s information there just wasn’t room for the first time around. There’s quite a lot new – nothing earth shatteringly new but there is plenty that’s written from scratch. This should be the only DS9 reference book you’ll ever need. The Fact Files were sufficiently in depth the first time round so I didn’t actually have to go back that much other than just confirming where things sounded dodgy (laughs). There’s not a huge amount of actual new information in there; it’s just now presented in maybe a more concise clear way whereas with The Fact Files because it was on the schedule that it was on, there wasn’t time to go back and cross reference with what came. Hopefully it’s a bit more coherent but I didn’t do a big archive trawl". [2]
- On 9 February 2021, Eaglemoss Collections released a promotional video to support the book's launch, showing off the CGI model of the Defiant and showcasing the book's content. [3] [4]
- The concept for the book is very similar in nature to its 1998 predecessor, the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual. Acutely aware of this, the authors richly and appropriately credited the Manual in the Acknowledgements on page 6, specifically mentioning the "massive debt" owed to it and its authors.
- The 1998 title was compiled by actual Star Trek: Deep Space Nine production staff (including the station designers) however, who for the most part strictly kept themselves to what was seen or referenced in canon onscreen. It is therefore the reason why the Star Trek franchise officially considers the 1991 title, as one of the very few, "quasi-canon" – a status not accorded to the Eaglemoss title which therefore remains considered apocrypha. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 11, p. 71)
Gallery
Solicitation cover
pp. 18-19 spread
pp. 58-59 spread
pp. 126-127 spread
External link[]
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