''TekWar'' is a series of

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself ...

s created by Canadian actor

William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship ''Enterpris ...

and

ghost-written A ghostwriter is hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often h ...

by American writer

Ron Goulart Ronald Joseph Goulart (; January 13, 1933 – January 14, 2022) was an American popular culture historian and mystery, fantasy, and science fiction author. He published novelizations and other work under various pseudonyms: Kenneth Robeson, Co ...

, published by Putnam beginning in October 1989. The novels gave rise to a

comic book series a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedba ...

, and later TV movies and a series, both of the latter featuring Shatner.

Premise

The 22nd century universe is centered on "Tek"—an illegal, addictive, mind-altering digital

drug A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhala ...

in the form of a

microchip An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Large numbers of tiny ...

. The drug creates a

simulated reality The simulation theory is the hypothesis that reality could be simulated—for example by quantum computer simulation—to a degree indistinguishable from "true" reality. It could contain conscious minds that may or may not know that they live i ...

(and in the films and TV series taps into "the matrix" hyperspace). In the later novels, a new version called "SuperTek" has improved efficiency, is less likely to cause brain damage in users, and features a shared reality, similar to the TV versions "matrix". The

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

, Jake Cardigan, is a former police officer framed for dealing the drug four years prior to the start of the first novel. Having been sentenced to 15 years' cryo-imprisonment, his release is brought forward by Walt Bascom, the head of private investigation agency Cosmos, who has uncovered the framed charges and exonerates him. In return Bascom wishes to employ him as an expert in a series of Tek-related crimes, mostly in

Greater Los Angeles Greater Los Angeles is the second-largest metropolitan region in the United States with a population of 18.5 million in 2021, encompassing five counties in Southern California extending from Ventura County in the west to San Bernardino Co ...

, referred to as "GLA". In the first few novels Cardigan is portrayed as a recovering Tek-user with several lapses, but this aspect diminishes as the novels progress - it is implied in later novels that to break the addiction for even a light user is impossible. Partnered with the good-natured and charismatic Mexican Sid Gomez, the two make up a good cop/bad cop partnership with Cardigan's past continually being brought up as a foil for his new career - most honest people he meets distrust him, and most dishonest people attempt to kill him for perceived slights in the drug trade. However, the two prove an effective team and stay a core duo throughout the series, with input from a comprehensive list of informants, employees of both Cosmos, other detective agencies and Cardigan's son Dan and his girlfriend Molly - both of whom are enrolled in the GLA police academy and as such have access through their own informant to police files. The 22nd century is populated with artificial intelligence such as integrated computer systems and "andies" which range from obvious metal robots to highly sophisticated simulacrums, some of which are accurate enough to deceive an observer into thinking they are human. Each novel covers a specific case, all are Tek-related, but most include sub-plots which involve non-Tek issues and travel out of the GLA, occasionally to other countries or as far as orbiting satellites. A shadowy government agency known as OCO - the Office of Clandestine Operations - is a frequent antagonist in the novels, albeit usually keeping to the background and supporting the particular novel's villain.

Background

Shatner began to write notes that would become the novels on the set of '' Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'', and has been quoted as saying that the original book was an attempt to blend elements from ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'' and '' T. J. Hooker''.

Novels

#'' TekWar'' (1989) #''TekLords'' (1991) #''TekLab'' (1991) #''Tek Vengeance'' (1993) #''Tek Secret'' (1993) #''Tek Power'' (1994) #''Tek Money'' (1995) #''Tek Kill'' (1996) #''Tek Net'' (1997)

Comic book series

In 1992, ''Tekwar'' was adapted in to a

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

series. A new ''Tekwar'' comic book adaptation, entitled ''The Tek War Chronicles'', by Shatner and comic book writer Scott Davis with art by Erich Owen and colors by Michelle Davies, was released by

Bluewater Productions TidalWave Productions (previously known as Bluewater Productions, StormFront Media/Publishing & Storm Entertainment) is an independent production studio of comic books and graphic novels. Based in Portland, Oregon, United States, Bluewater publis ...

on June 24, 2009. As of 2010, ''Tek War Chronicles'' is available digitally exclusively through Devil's Due Digital.

Trading cards

Trading card A trading card (or collectible card) is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing (fictional or real) and a short description of the picture, along with other ...

s with comic book artwork were published by Cardz in 1993.

Television films and series

The ''TekWar'' novels became a

television franchise A media franchise, also known as a multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or ...

with TV films in 1994, then a series. The first three were adaptations of the books, while ''TekJustice'' was an original movie.

Adult animated adaptation

An adult animated adaptation/reboot of ''TekWar'' was announced in September 2021. The project will be developed and written by Matt Michnovetz and produced by Pure Imagination Studios with Shatner's Shatner Universe.

Video game

''Tekwar'' was also made into a 1995 computer game by Capstone Software using the

Build engine Build Engine is a first-person shooter engine created by Ken Silverman, author of '' Ken's Labyrinth'', for 3D Realms. Like the ''Doom'' engine, the Build Engine represents its world on a two-dimensional grid using closed 2D shapes called secto ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tekwar 1989 novels Science fiction book series Novels by William Shatner Science fiction franchises Novels set in the 22nd century American novels adapted into films Novels adapted into comics American novels adapted into television shows Novels adapted into video games Novels about drugs Novels about technology