Book publisher Coscom Entertainment has announced that it is re-releasing a science fiction book by Walter Koenig ("Chekov") titled "Buck Alice and the Actor-Robot." Originally published in 1988, the novel follows a small group of human survivors in the aftermath of an apocalyptic alien invasion. The book features an introduction by George Clayton Johnson, writer of the first aired Star Trek episode, "The Man Trap" (and also co-author of the novel "Logan's Run").

"Buck Alice" is available at the publisher's Web site in paperback for $11.99, or as an ebook for $4.99. Visit CoscomEntertainment.com for more.

Kristanna Loken in Sci-Fi Channel Miniseries

Tonight, the Sci-Fi Channel premieres "Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King," a two-part, four-hour miniseries co-starring Kristanna Loken as the warrior queen "Brunhild." Loken played "Malia" in Star Trek: Voyager's "Favorite Son," but is most famous as the antagonist in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." "Dark Kingdom" re-tells a popular German myth about a blacksmith who discovers he is heir to an ancient kingdom, and in pursuit of his destiny battles a fearsome dragon and falls in love with Brunhild.

In an article at The Columbus Dispatch, Loken talks about how she is a natural fit for science fiction and fantasy roles. "I'm very tall and very athletic, so I think you are drawn to things that lend themselves to your physicality," the actress said. "But I also think that — because I grew up having a very vivid imagination and I loved medieval princess-dragon-fantasy pieces — maybe somewhere in my subconscious, that played a role."

The home page at SciFi.com currently features a video interview with Loken about the project.

Part 1 of "Dark Kingdom," which runs 123 minutes, premieres at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT tonight (Monday) on the Sci-Fi Channel, then immediately repeats twice afterwards. Tuesday night, Part 1 airs again at 6:56 p.m., followed by the premiere of Part 2 at 9:00 (which also repeats twice afterwards). The whole 4-hour-3-minute saga airs again Sunday, April 2, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Be sure to consult your local listings.

Ryan, Blalock, Park Get New Roles

It's been a good week for the women of Star Trek. Last week it was announced that Jeri Ryan ("Seven of Nine") has been cast in a drama pilot for CBS called Shark. She will co-star with James Woods, playing a district attorney and the new boss of Woods' character, a celebrity attorney-turned-prosecutor.

Linda Park ("Hoshi Sato") has also been cast in a drama pilot, this one for NBC, called Raines, according to TheFutonCritic.com. The show stars Jeff Goldblum as an eccentric police officer who talks to dead victims to help him find their murderers. Park will play a character named "Sally Lance."

Jolene Blalock ("T'Pol") last week went up to Alberta, Canada, to start filming a TV movie called "Dream Me a Murder," according to The Calgary Sun. Production will run two weeks, through April 6. "Dream" is scheduled to air in June on Lifetime in the U.S., and on Movie Central in Canada.

Trek Heavies in the News

William Sadler, who played "Luther Sloan" in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has just joined the cast of "August Rush," a feature film from Warner Bros. described as "a drama with fairy tale elements." Sadler plays the father of lead actress Keri Russell; the movie also stars Robin Williams.

Malcolm McDowell, "Dr. Soran" in "Star Trek Generations," will appear one night only this Saturday in Ojai, Calif., at the U.S. premiere of his one-man stage show "Never Apologize: A Personal Remembrance of Lindsay Anderson." The April 1 performance at the Matilija Auditorium is a fund-raiser for the Ojai Film Festival. In the show, which earned rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival last year, McDowell draws from his personal experience to celebrate British director Lindsay Anderson, for whom McDowell starred in such films as "If..." and "O Lucky Man!"