Ford wrote Final Reflection, serious and good writing about Klingons, all blood and history, and also How Much for Just the Planet, a sort of Gilbert&Sullivan-Rube Goldberg comedy romp for starship crew, planetary government, and star-crossed lovers. The guy had an awesome range. Either stands as a book without the ST references, but is more fun (for fans of course) with them.

Early K/S was astonishing, all right, for both the highs and lows.