📖 Overview
J.M. Dillard is the pen name of Jeanne Kalogridis, an American author primarily known for writing Star Trek novels and novelizations in the 1980s and 1990s. She has written over a dozen Star Trek books, including film novelizations and original stories set in the Star Trek universe.
Under the name J.M. Dillard, she notably authored the novelizations of several Star Trek films including Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and Star Trek: First Contact. Her original Star Trek works include The Lost Years series and standalone novels like Mindshadow and Demons.
Outside of the Star Trek franchise, writing as Jeanne Kalogridis, she has authored historical fiction novels focusing on Renaissance Italy and other European historical periods. Her work in this genre includes The Borgia Bride, I, Mona Lisa, and The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici.
The author holds degrees in Russian and microcomputing from the University of South Florida, and has taught both writing and technical courses. She has lived in various locations including the Pacific Northwest and Virginia.
👀 Reviews
Readers praise Dillard's ability to expand on Star Trek film plots with additional character development and scenes not shown on screen. Her novelizations add depth while maintaining consistency with the source material. Several Amazon reviewers note her skill at capturing characters' voices and personalities.
Her original Star Trek novels receive more mixed feedback. The Lost Years series earns praise for exploring the gap between The Original Series and Motion Picture. However, some readers find the plots overly complex and pacing uneven.
Common criticisms include:
- Too much focus on new characters instead of established ones
- Dense technical descriptions that slow the narrative
- Occasional departures from established Star Trek canon
Average ratings across platforms:
Goodreads: 3.7/5 (across all Star Trek works)
Amazon: 4.1/5 (film novelizations)
Amazon: 3.8/5 (original novels)
Most highly rated works are her film adaptations, particularly Star Trek VI and First Contact. Her original novel Mindshadow receives the lowest average scores at 3.4/5.
📚 Books by J.M. Dillard
Bloodthirst - A Star Trek novel following Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew as they investigate mysterious deaths on a remote Federation colony.
Demons - A Star Trek adventure where the Enterprise encounters an ancient alien force that threatens the fabric of reality itself.
Mindshadow - A Star Trek story centered on Spock's struggle with memory loss after a dangerous diplomatic mission goes wrong.
Resistance - A Star Trek: The Next Generation novel where Captain Picard faces his past trauma with the Borg while confronting a new cybernetic threat.
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier - The official novelization of the fifth Star Trek film, expanding on Sybok's quest to find God at the center of the galaxy.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - A novelization of the sixth Star Trek film detailing the historic peace negotiations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.
Star Trek: First Contact - The novelization of the film chronicling the Enterprise-E's battle against the Borg while protecting Earth's first warp flight.
The Lost Years - First book in a series exploring the period between the original Star Trek series and the first motion picture.
Demons - A Star Trek adventure where the Enterprise encounters an ancient alien force that threatens the fabric of reality itself.
Mindshadow - A Star Trek story centered on Spock's struggle with memory loss after a dangerous diplomatic mission goes wrong.
Resistance - A Star Trek: The Next Generation novel where Captain Picard faces his past trauma with the Borg while confronting a new cybernetic threat.
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier - The official novelization of the fifth Star Trek film, expanding on Sybok's quest to find God at the center of the galaxy.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - A novelization of the sixth Star Trek film detailing the historic peace negotiations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.
Star Trek: First Contact - The novelization of the film chronicling the Enterprise-E's battle against the Borg while protecting Earth's first warp flight.
The Lost Years - First book in a series exploring the period between the original Star Trek series and the first motion picture.
👥 Similar authors
Peter David wrote over 50 Star Trek novels plus comics and other media tie-in fiction with similar pacing and characterization to Dillard's work. His blend of action and character development matches her narrative style in the Trek universe.
Katherine Kurtz creates detailed historical fantasy that incorporates medieval European settings and political intrigue similar to Kalogridis's historical fiction. Her Deryni series demonstrates comparable attention to historical accuracy and complex character relationships.
Diane Duane combines science fiction with elements of mythology and produces Star Trek novels focusing on world-building and crew dynamics like Dillard's work. Her Star Trek novels share similar themes about cultural exploration and diplomatic challenges.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro writes historical novels with supernatural elements and deep research into European history comparable to Kalogridis's Renaissance-era works. Her Saint-Germain series demonstrates similar attention to historical detail and political machinations.
Josepha Sherman authored both Star Trek novels and historical fantasy works that bridge similar genres to Dillard/Kalogridis's dual writing careers. Her work shows comparable skill in both media tie-in writing and independent historical fiction.
Katherine Kurtz creates detailed historical fantasy that incorporates medieval European settings and political intrigue similar to Kalogridis's historical fiction. Her Deryni series demonstrates comparable attention to historical accuracy and complex character relationships.
Diane Duane combines science fiction with elements of mythology and produces Star Trek novels focusing on world-building and crew dynamics like Dillard's work. Her Star Trek novels share similar themes about cultural exploration and diplomatic challenges.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro writes historical novels with supernatural elements and deep research into European history comparable to Kalogridis's Renaissance-era works. Her Saint-Germain series demonstrates similar attention to historical detail and political machinations.
Josepha Sherman authored both Star Trek novels and historical fantasy works that bridge similar genres to Dillard/Kalogridis's dual writing careers. Her work shows comparable skill in both media tie-in writing and independent historical fiction.