In the seemingly male-dominated world of Star Trek and sci-fi, this volume makes a convincing argument for the female gothic in the television series Star Trek Discovery. Drawing on the works of Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Brontë, and Mary Shelley, Millsap-Spears demonstrates how Discovery embraces the female gothic tropes of adventure, explained supernatural, escape narratives, heroines, villains, and ineffective heroes. She furthers shows that while the female gothic is present in earlier Star Trek episodes, the traditional gothic heroine is not fully realized until the arrival of the strong central figure of Michael Burnham, the courageous, first female captain of color in the Star Trek franchise. Instead of a gloomy abbey or castle, Burnham finds danger and love on a dark planet while using her bravery and intelligence to repeatedly save herself and her crew. Fans will appreciate this fresh take on Discovery. And while the multiple references to the gothic and scholarly works may initially put off general readers, the specific examples from various episodes quickly bring balance and draw readers in. This heavily researched volume is a valuable resource for scholars across multiple fields.Highly recommended. General readers through faculty.
