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The recently released S02E03 of Star Trek: Discovery showed operations of Section 31, a secret defence organization of Starfleet. Section 31 was also mentioned in Star Trek Into Darkness movie. Some Star Trek TV series like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine have also mentioned/ shown it. We've also got a question about it.

While exploring more about Section 31, I came to know about Star Trek: Section 31 book series. Before I read it, I want to know whether it is canon.

Are Star Trek: Section 31 books canon?

  • afaik - only the new Discovery books are considered 'canon' - any of the Simon and Schuster / Pocket books post Nemesis and prior to Disco are 'consistent' within each other and the past film / tv and across other book series (DS9 books, Temporal Investigations, Fall, Prey, etc..) but are not 'canon' in the sense that anything in them needs / will be respected by any film / tv show that is set after those stories. TBD what the new Picard show will entail. The books are generally really good though (especially Destiny and Cold Equations trilogies), so I personally integrate them into head canon – NKCampbell Feb 1 '19 at 18:25
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Generally speaking none of the Star Trek books are considered to officially be canon. The only material considered 100% canon to Star Trek are the television series (except the Animated Series) and the feature films, though there have been many statements acknowledging that it is fluid and no one has a definitive answer to what is truly Star Trek. In a post from 2003 on the official Star Trek web site they outright stated:

As a rule of thumb, the events that take place within the live-action episodes and movies are canon, or official Star Trek facts. Story lines, characters, events, stardates, etc. that take place within the fictional novels, video games, the Animated Series, and the various comic lines have traditionally not been considered part of the canon. But canon is not something set in stone; even events in some of the movies have been called into question as to whether they should be considered canon! Ultimately, the fans, the writers and the producers may all differ on what is considered canon and the very idea of what is canon has become more fluid, especially as there isn't a single voice or arbiter to decide. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was accustomed to making statements about canon, but even he was known to change his mind.

  • Not just 'generally speaking'. Without exception the novels are non-canon. – Valorum Feb 1 '19 at 22:24
  • That being said, the licensed factbooks (especially the Star Trek Encyclopedia and TNG Technical Manual) are explicitly stated to be at the same canon level as the shows. – Valorum Feb 1 '19 at 22:25
  • So, that was just made up, and I-Chaya isn't really dead? – JTP - Apologise to Monica Apr 11 '19 at 1:37

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