Star Trek: Discovery‘s ongoing tie-in novel series, which began in September with Desperate Hours and continues in February’s Drastic Measures, has been extended to a third entry — author James Swallow will bring fans the Saru-centric Fear Itself, headed for bookstores in June.

There’s no cover art or preorder links yet available — we’ll certainly update you when they arrive — but the official synopsis was revealed today, thanks to StarTrek.com.

Lieutenant Saru is a Kelpien, a member of a prey species born on a world overrun by monstrous predators…and a being who very intimately understands the nature of fear.

Challenged on all sides, he is determined to surpass his origins and succeed as a Starfleet officer aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou. But when Saru breaks protocol in order to prove himself to his crewmates, what begins as a vital rescue mission to save a vessel in distress soon escalates out of control. Forced into a command role he may not be ready for, Saru is caught between his duty and the conflicting agendas of two antagonistic alien races.

To survive, he will need to seek a path of peace against all odds, and risk compromising the very ideals he has sworn to uphold….

On his blog, Swallow revealed that the book will be set chronologically between the first to Discovery novels:

“Fear Itself” follows on from “Desperate Hours” and “Drastic Measures” by m’colleagues David Mack and Dayton Ward and continues the theme of the Discovery novels by unfolding some more of the backstory of the show’s main characters – in my case, I’ve written a story that centres around the Kelpien science officer Saru.

The story is set after the events of Dayton’s book but before Dave’s (and also the events of the show itself), while Saru is a lieutenant serving with Michael Burnham under Captain Phillippa Georgiou aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou.

Watch for our review of Dayton Ward’s Drastic Measures this Spring, and for more updates on the Star Trek publishing world here at TrekCore!

Novel #4: "The Way to the Stars"

Novel #5: "The Enterprise War"

Novel #6: "Dead Endless"