It feels like we just finished the last reading experience from Stainless Steel Droppings (because we did!) but it’s already time to start thinking about the Sci Fi Experience (not that I’m complaining…)  The Experience runs from December to the end of January, a low-pressure, high-fun invitation to enjoy some science fiction.

Sci Fi is a genre I love more than I actually read, so I always value the push to pick up something with phasers or hyperdrive in it!

I didn’t intend this, but my plans this year all center around rereads, as I have quite a few sci fi books I’ve been itching to revisit.  I’ve been meaning to reread The Masterharper of Pern by Anne McCaffrey ever since our Dragonflight group read for the last Sci Fi Experience.  Masterharper Robinton is one of my very favorite characters, yet I barely remember the book centered around him!

I also plan to reread the Timothy Zahn Thrawn Trilogy, landmark books in the Star Wars universe that I have not read recently enough.  If I feel particularly inspired, I might go on to the two follow-up books, which I haven’t read before.

My biggest planned event for the Experience this year centers around my favorite sci fi franchise of all–Star Trek.  I’m going to take this opportunity to finally make an attempt at a reading and viewing experience I’ve been thinking about doing for a long time.

I’m calling this (tongue in cheek!) The Great Khan Adventure.  Likely you’ve heard of Khan Noonien Singh, arguably the greatest villain of The Original Series.  There is a wonderful, meticulously researched trilogy of books by Greg Cox centered around Khan, presenting an alternate history of the 1960s through 1990s, and then exploring Khan’s time in exile.  I’ve watched or read all the pieces of the story at different times–but I want to attempt to put it all together.

Cox ties together several episodes and characters from different strands of Star Trek, so I plan to start by watching those as base material: Spaceseed, Operation: Earth, Tomorrow Is Yesterday, Requiem for Methuselah, and DS9: Little Green Men.  Those are the episodes I remember as relevant from my last reading; I’ll add others on if I find more relating as I go through the books.  Next of course, a reread of the Cox trilogy, wrapped-up by The Wrath of Khan (which may lead me to The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home, just because).  Then I’ll probably throw in Star Trek Into Darkness as a why-not add-on.

So–Pern, Star Wars and Star Trek.  I’m looking forward to visiting some of my very favorite science fiction universes, and I hope you’ll come along for the voyage!