Do Comets Dream?
Do Comets Dream? is a Pocket TNG novel written by S.P. Somtow. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in .

Summary 
From the book jacket
Every five thousand years, or so the people of Thanet believe, the world ends in fire and a new cycle of creation begins. Now the Last Days are once again upon them, and a fiery star draws near. This is the Death-Bringer, the Eater of the World, whose coming heralds the end of all things…

But to Captain Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise, the Death-Bringer appears to be nothing more than a rogue comet, easily destroyed. Picard faces a difficult dilemma: how can he save the Thanetian's rich and intricate civilization without destroying the very beliefs upon which their culture is based?

The quandary is challenge enough, yet the captain's position is even more complicated when Deanna Troi discovers that, incredibly, the comet is alive!

Background information 
 This is the first and, to date, only Star Trek novel written by S.P. Somtow.

Characters

Regular and recurring characters 
Jean-Luc Picard  Starfleet captain, CO of . Picard was obligated to make first contact with the Thanetians.
William T. Riker  Starfleet commander, first officer of Enterprise-D.
Data  Android Starfleet lieutenant commander, operations officer of the Enterprise-D. Data was capable of interfacing with the Dailong and providing useful information about Thanets's past with Thanith.
Beverly Crusher  Starfleet commander, CMO of Enterprise-D.
Worf  Klingon Starfleet lieutenant who was assigned as Enterprise-D security chief.
Deanna Troi  Half-Betazoid Starfleet commander assigned as Enterprise-D counselor. She was able to directly communicate with Artas via telepathy.
Geordi La Forge  VISOR-sighted Starfleet lieutenant commander assigned as Enterprise-D  chief engineer.
Simon Tarses Human/Romulan Starfleet officer who falls head-over-heels in love with Kio.

Other characters 
Artas Child chosen to become the Thanopstru, or Death-bringer, who longs for a mother.
Kio Teenage daughter of Straun who rebels against her teachings and longs to explore the universe.
Straun Kio's father, puppet ambassador to the Federation who is conservative about his religious beliefs.
Halliday Human professor studying Thanet up until the days of its destruction.
Adam Halliday Human/Betazoid boy raised on Thanet with high intellect.
 Engvig  Norwegian ensign who is assigned to the Enterprise and eagerly awaits adventure.
Indhoun Artas' brother.
Shivantak  Leader of all the people of Thanet, he interprets the Panvivlion and is of the highest caste.

References 
first contact; caste; prime directive; comet
Dailong A biological engineered machine large enough that whole cities can be built upon it.
PanvivlionHoly book of the Thanetians that dictates everything from what one may eat to how the world will end.
Thanet The setting for much of the story, Thanet is a planet with a five-thousand-year-old society with a rigid caste system.
ThanetiansIdentical to Humans except for webbing between their fingers, which they paint.
Thanith A planet destroyed long ago. It has a society nearly identical to that of Thanet, with which it is at war.
Thanopstru The Death-Bringer, a weapon deployed by Thanith to destroy Thanet.

External link 
 

cs:Do Comets Dream?
de:Träumen Kometen?
Novels