Thank you to Netgalley and IDW Publishing for an ARC of this book.
The IDW Star Trek comic book series has been a dream-come-true for Star Trek fans. Pulling together a disparate group of Trek characters from across the franchise—plus, a few original characters—the series has gone places no fan thought Trek could go. In the final instalment, Star Trek: Lore War, the android Lore has become a literal god, and remade the universe. Now, the central band of heroes are up against more than just a mad god. They’re up against each other.
The volume contains Star Trek: Lore War #1, Star Trek issues #31 to 32, Star Trek: Defiant issues #26 and #27, Star Trek: Lore War—Shaxs’ Worst Day, and Star Trek: Omega. The story follows Benjamin Sisko, Spock, Tom Paris, Worf, Beverly Crusher, Data, and Shaxs. But are they the same people you remember them as?
What is Star Trek: Lore War about?
The story began with Sisko. More specifically, it began when he was finally returned by The Prophets, bringing closure to one of Star Trek’s saddest endings. Sisko’s return should have been a time to rejoice, but way back in Star Trek: Day of Blood, he found himself hurtled into a new battle, with a crew he hadn’t worked with before. Without spoiling anything, Sisko and crew’s fight against one mad god was nothing compared to what they face in Star Trek: Lore War.
In this final volume, the entire universe has been changed to worship and obey the rule of one being, Lore. The rules are strict, and the enforcement, stricter. Characters we’ve known act most unlike themselves, but then again, they don’t know any better. Until they do.
When an unusual savior joins the fray and gives Sisko his memories back, the possibility of righting Lore’s great wrong gets ever closer. If only fixing a universe were that easy.
Star Trek: Lore War embraces the fan-favorite franchise conceit of an alternative universe where beloved characters are written anew. The premise allows for hi-jinks, unusual pairings, shocking deaths, and plenty of emotional drama.
A fantasy that reflects our reality
Star Trek: Lore War combines some of the best elements of the franchise to make a compelling story. The core of the narrative is that the Lore universe is a fascist regime, under which everyone is oppressed, but worse still, many celebrate and perpetrate their own oppression. This is hardly escapist fare, given the world we live in currently. But Star Trek has always been a reflection of the real world, with the difference being that the Trek universe runs on the hope and optimism of humanity being better than we actually are.
And so, Star Trek: Lore War keeps you reeled in. The characters we’re following are flawed, and hurt, but they’ve got hearts of gold that are bound to their duty to saving the world. Plus, they’re literally being led by Benjamin Sisko, Emissary of The Prophets, half-human/half-godlike being himself. If you can’t believe in them, who can you believe in?
It helps that the characters are captivating. Whether you’re familiar with each one or not, what works is that their motivations are truly human. Bringing loved ones back, allowing a loved one to be their true self, being a good human, not being a fascist, these are just some of the reasons why the heroes attempt their deadly crusade against an unstoppable tyrant.
In the end, do the heroes win? It depends on how one views a ‘win’. The story is set before the happenings of Star Trek: Picard, and that show shone a light on the dystopian aspects of the Trek utopia. Bad things are coming, but at the very least, this conclusion to the ultimate Star Trek crossover fantasy ties up a few loose ends from the shows while carrying on the stories of our favorite characters.
Star Trek: Lore War will be out on January 13, 2026.