Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: A Stitch in Time Brings Back Andrew J. Robinson as Elim Garak

Andrew J. Robinson is returning to his beloved character, Elim Garak, from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Robinson reads the new audiobook edition of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: A Stitch in Time, the Star Trek novel that Robinson wrote and that Simon & Schuster's first published via its Pocket Books imprint in 2000. Since A Stich in Time was written by a Star Trek actor from the point of view of the character they played, Star Trek fans have longed clamored for an audiobook edition read by Robinson, even launching a Change.org petition requesting it in 2020. Simon & Schuster seems to have decided that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's 30th anniversary in 2023 is the perfect time to do as fans have asked.

"Narrating the book for the audio version and revisiting Garak and his story was a true labor of love," Andrew J. Robinson said n a statement to StarTrek.com. "It made me realize just how much I miss the rascal (but not the make-up!). I hope that people, including those who have read the book, enjoy listening to Garak's remarkable journey as much as I enjoyed taking it again."

"A Stitch in Time audiobook has long been near the top of many Star Trek fans' wish lists," added Chris Lynch, President & Publisher, Simon & Schuster Audio. "We are thrilled that Andrew J. Robinson will fulfill those wishes and give voice to his classic Deep Space Nine tale."

This isn't the first time Simon & Schuster Audio has recruited Star Trek television stars. Jeri Ryan and Michelle Hurd reprised their roles as Seven of Nine and Raffi Musikar, respectively, in the original Star Trek: Picard audiobook No Man's Land.

What is Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: A Stitch in Time?

Released as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's 27th Pocket Book and as part of the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine relaunch" series, set after the show's television finale, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: A Stitch in Time came out of Robinson's background work on Garak while filming Star Trek: Dee Space Nine. Robinson began writing Garak's journal to help get into the alien character's head. Robinson later entertained fans at conventions by reading excerpts from it. He then pitched the idea of a novel in the same format to Simon & Schuster, who accepted and published the novel. Here's the official synopsis for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: A Stitch in Time:

"In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: A Stitch in Time, for nearly a decade Garak has longed for just one thing — to go home. Exiled on a space station, surrounded by aliens who loathe and distrust him, going back to Cardassia has been Garak's one dream. Now, finally, he is home. But home is a world whose landscape is filled with death and destruction. Desperation and dust are constant companions and luxury is a glass of clean water and a warm place to sleep.

Ironically, it is a letter from one of the aliens on that space station, Dr. Julian Bashir, that inspires Garak to look at the fabric of his life. Elim Garak has been a student, a gardener, a spy, an exile, a tailor, even a liberator. It is a life that was charted by the forces of Cardassian society with very little understanding of the person, and even less compassion.

But it is the tailor that understands who Elim Garak was, and what he could be. It is the tailor who sees the ruined fabric of Cardassia, and who knows how to bring this ravaged society back together. This is strange, because a tailor is the one thing Garak never wanted to be. But it is the tailor whom both Cardassia and Elim Garak need. It is the tailor who can put the pieces together, who can take a stitch in time."

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: A Stitch in Time's audiobook, read by Robinson, releases on August 1st. The ebook edition of A Stich in Time is already available. The original paperback release of the novel, thanks to its popularity and relatively small print run, is harder to find and will cost collectors quite a bit of extra latinum on the secondary market.