“Star Trek Star Charts: The Complete Atlas of Star Trek,” Review by: Lieutenant Commander Devar, XO, USS Wallace/Deep Space 17 This full color, paperback atlas takes an interesting look at the Star Trek universe in a great deal of detail. Not only does the author try to map out each quadrant with its appropriate planets, but Mr. Mandel also goes into the classifications of planets. The book analyses the components that make each planetary class extraordinary (why a Class M Planet is habitable whereas a Class Y is definitely not), and goes into some length describing what makes them so unique.
Mr. Mandel also briefly touches the break down of quadrants in the Milky Way Galaxy, as well as sector grids using a light year scale. Also explained are the spectral classes of stars from the composition of each individual star class, to temperature. There are brief synopses of each Star Trek world/species and their civilizations prior to the maps given for their quadrant. These include what class world the civilization in question lives on, the official name of the planet, the political system and capital, as well as dominant species, population, warp capable dates, points of interest and, occasionally, a historical note.
The maps are given with keys so you know how many light years the planets are presumed apart. A huge, detachable map of the Star Trek interstellar world is included in the back, though it is not as descriptive as the pages in the book.
Retails $17.95
Written and Illustrated by Geoffrey Mandel.
Contributors: Doug Dexler, Tim Earls, Larry Nemecek, and Christian Ruhl
Technical Advisors: Andre Bormanis, Michael Okuda, Timo Saloniemi, and Rich Sternbach
Published by Pocket Books, 2002