Review: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Illustrated Handbook

February 15, 2021

Another entry into the Hero Collector recent publications, following on from the recent releases of ‘Mr Spocks Little Book of Mindfulness’ and ‘Star Trek Cocktails – A Stellar Compendium’, comes ‘Deep Space Nines Illustrated Handbook’. Our resident DS9 expert Vedran takes a look.

February is an exciting month for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fandom. After a long wait, we got an excellent IDW noir-comic set in the DS9 setting: ‘Too Long a Sacrifice.‘ The collectors of the Hero Collector starship series can get the DS9 XL model. And now, Hero Collector has given us a lavishly illustrated DS9 handbook.

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Illustrated Handbook’ is the fourth in a line of Star Trek Illustrated Handbooks published by HeroCollector. Edited by Ben Robinson and Simon Hugo, the DS9 Handbook is an in-universe guide of the tech behind one of the most beloved Trek shows. Long-time fans might find some of the art familiar as part of the content comes from ‘Star Trek: Fact Files’, the monthly publication from the 90s. The book presents this material in a more modern way.

Page from Deep Space Nine Illustrated Handbook

The handbook looks at the history and operation of the iconic space station, providing technical information, annotated exterior views, and isometric illustrations of key locations. It also takes readers aboard the USS Defiant and the small multipurpose Danube-class runabouts. A short section covers details such as weapons, equipment, and uniforms.

The core part of the Illustrated Handbook is devoted to the former Cardassian station. After a brief segment of a station’s construction, refit and operation. The reader is given an in-depth look at the station tech and then taken on a tour through the iconic locations seen in the show. The text is accompanied by detailed artwork and images from the TV series. The list is comprehensive, ranging from the EPS network or Subspace relays to the well-known locales like the Promenade and Ops. The runabouts are likewise described and shown in detail, while the USS Defiant got its own section. The book even covers the USS Chafee, the small shuttle that we have seen merely once!

The ‘Deep Space Nine Illustrated Handbook’ is filled with valuable and interesting content. Detailed isometric drawings are a joy to look upon. However, if you are a longtime fan, you probably know it all. There is new information, which was not covered in the old technical manuals. Deep Space Nine is a large space station, and the TV series has covered only a small portion of it. It would be nice to get at least a glimpse of the places we have heard about but have never seen. That said, for those who are just getting into the series, or for those who want to have all the info in one place, the DS9 Handbook is a perfect choice.

Deep Space Nine is not only an iconic space station. It is probably the most elegant science fiction construct ever made. Both its design and history are nothing short of spectacular. Now we have one book that covers it all. If you want a comprehensive, in-depth overview of the space station accompanied by beautiful cross-sections and images, the ‘Deep Space 9 Illustrated Handbook’ is the right choice for you.

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel on Tuesday 16th February for an exclusive interview with the ‘Deep Space Nine Illustrated Handbook’ author and Editorial Manager of Global Developments at Hero Collector, Ben Robinson.