One of the remarkable things about the Star Trek universe is that it's grown far beyond any one series and into a full-blown mythology. Universities could offer entire degrees in the Star Trek history, given the depth of televised and written material devoted to Gene Roddenberry's brainchild.

A perfect example of this notion comes in Pocket Books' two-book set "The Genesis Wave," by veteran Star Trek novel author John Vornholt ("Gemworld," "Double Helix"). Taking place in the Star Trek: The Next Generation timeline, the novels cleverly join together characters and situations from the era of James T. Kirk and the "present" Federation of Jean-Luc Picard, without the heavy-handed cliche of time travel.

Book One of the set begins with the kidnapping of a 130-year old Dr. Carol Marcus, who has been living a secluded life under Starfleet protection, as she knows the deadly secrets of Genesis (the project she undertook nearly a century ago in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"). While the Federation suspended all research into Genesis due to its instability as a creative force and its catastrophic potential as a weapon, an unknown enemy uses Marcus to develop a carrier wave for the Genesis effect, which is then unleashed on an unsuspecting galaxy.

Narrowly escaping as the first of many planets dies horribly is researcher Dr. Leah Brahms (seen in the TNG episodes "Booby Trap" and "Galaxy's Child"), who manages to stay one step ahead of the deadly wave, trying to warn planets in its path of the oncoming doom.

Another familiar Star Trek character appears on an isolated, backwater planet in the path of the wave. An old Klingon named Maltz spends his days in a drunken stupor due to his disgraced past- he was the sole survivor when a renegade batch of Starfleet officers commandeered his ship and killed his fellow crew ("Star Trek III: The Search for Spock"). When Brahms arrives with her warning, he sees an opportunity to clear his name and ends up joining forces.

All of this takes place away from the U.S.S. Enterprise-E and her crew, but not for long, as the Genesis Wave cuts a horrific swath towards Earth, and eventually, towards the Romulan Star Empire. As all friendly hands attempt to protect the billions of lives in the path of the destructive wave, Vornholt manages to inject a personal touch to the adventure, with a personal story arc for Geordi La Forge, as his feelings for Brahms are always on the periphery.

Vornholt manages to logically and convincingly connect the dots in the Star Trek lore. For example, after the events surrounding the first Genesis experiments are revealed to the Federation and her allies, foes and other non-aligned parties, the Klingon Empire sees this as a paradigm in weapons advancement, with the Klingons lagging behind in this new arms race. When they can't get their hands on the technology, the Klingons triple their energy production in preparation for possible war, hence the destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis that spurs the story of "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country." While the original authors may or may not have connected these events, Vornholt makes a convincing argument that Genesis led to the destruction of Praxis.

While "The Genesis Wave" contains plenty of action, humor and intrigue to be an enjoyable read for a Star Trek novice, it's the hardcore fans that will get the most from it.