The Kelvin Universe Reading List is centered around the IDW Comics series, which chronicles events before, during, and after the three Kelvin Universe films. The majority of these stories are standalone, and only require knowledge of the films themselves. Accordingly there are no obvious "jumping on points" which the other series can be said to have.

Besides the IDW Comics series and related miniseries, several additional novels and comics are connected due to recurring characters and various references in other books, or to other books. These references are mentioned in the notes.  

One comic arc already connected to the Lit-verse crosses over with the Kelvin Universe: Theseus: When the Walls Fell. Various references in parts of Star Trek #400 connect the Kelvin Universe story in that publication.

Since the Kelvin Universe Reading List does not have a main storyline, as many of the other series do, light blue denotes the expanded storyline of the films. Read any or all of these to go a bit deeper.

As always, not every reference to every other story is mentioned, just the one I chose as most important to show the expanding Lit-verse web.

CLICK HERE FOR A SIMPLE SUGGESTED READING LIST.

  • Countdown
    • IDW Comics miniseries.
    • Narada's Borg technology referenced in BOLDLY GO.
    • Takes place just before STAR TREK (2009).
  • Nero, Part One
    • Part 1 of the IDW Comics miniseries.
    • Kor featured in THE KHITOMER CONFLICT.
    • Takes place during STAR TREK (2009).
  • Starfleet Academy: The Delta Anomaly
    • Young adult series, Book 1.
    • Xanno referenced in DIS: FEAR ITSELF.
    • Takes place during STAR TREK (2009).
  • Starfleet Academy: The Gemini Agent
    • Young adult series, Book 3.
    • Features Viktor Tikhonov from STARFLEET ACADEMY: THE DELTA ANOMALY.
  • Starfleet Academy: The Assassination Game
    • Young adult series, Book 4.
    • References Jocelyn McCoy, named in TOS: ENTERPRISE- THE FIRST ADVENTURE.
    • Takes place during STAR TREK (2009).
  • The Voice of a Falling Star
    • Issue #18 of the IDW Comics ongoing series.
    • Raheem referenced in TOS: LIVING MEMORY.
    • Takes place during STAR TREK (2009).
  • Nero, Part Two
    • Part 2 of the IDW Comics miniseries.
    • Quocch featured in VULCAN'S VENGEANCE.
    • Takes place during STAR TREK (2009).
  • Nero, Part Three
    • Part 3 of the IDW Comics miniseries.
    • Takes place during STAR TREK (2009).
  • Nero, Part Four
    • Part 4 of the IDW Comics miniseries.
    • Takes place during STAR TREK (2009).
  • Legacy of Spock
    • Issues #55-58 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Appex Winds class featured in BOLDLY GO.
    • Takes place just after STAR TREK (2009).
  • Where No Man Has Gone Before
    • Issues #1-2 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Events referenced in BOLDLY GO: IDIC.
  • The Galileo Seven
    • Issues #2-4 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Boma's presence aboard the Enterprise referenced in VULCAN'S VENGEANCE.
  • Operation: Annihilate
    • Issues #5-6 of the IDW Comics series.
    • References the crash on Makus III from THE GALILEO SEVEN.
  • Mirrored
    • Issues #15-16 of the IDW Comics series.
    • McCoy and Scotty's multiverse conversation referenced in PARALLEL LIVES.
  • Vulcan's Vengeance
    • Issues #7-8 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Near destruction of Romulus referenced in AFTER DARKNESS.
  • More Beautiful Than Death
    • References the Lit-verse Andorian naming system.
  • The Return of the Archons
    • Issues #9-10 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Archons referenced in COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS.
  • The Truth About Tribbles
    • Issues #11-12 of the IDW Comics series.
    • References the presence of Janice Rand aboard the Enterprise from THE GALILEO SEVEN.
  • Hendorff
    • Issue #13 of the IDW Comics series.
    • References the presence of Janice Rand aboard the Enterprise from THE GALILEO SEVEN.
  • Countdown to Darkness
    • IDW Comics miniseries.
    • Events continue in AFTER DARKNESS.
    • Takes place just before STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
  • Khan
    • Features Yuki Sulu from THE KHITOMER CONFLICT.
    • Takes place just after STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
  • After Darkness
    • Issues #21-23 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Kai featured in MANIFEST DESTINY.
  • Predatory
    • Issue #24 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Features Kai from AFTER DARKNESS.
  • The Khitomer Conflict
    • Issues #25-28 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Features Kai from AFTER DARKNESS.
  • Parallel Lives
    • Issues #29-30 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Jane Kirk featured in BOLDLY GO: IDIC.
  • I, Enterprise
    • Issues #31-32 of the IDW Comics series.
    • References Captain April's visit to the Enterprise from COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS.
  • Lost Apollo
    • Issue #33-34 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Features Kai from AFTER DARKNESS.
  • The Q Gambit
    • Issues #35-40 of the IDW Comics series.
    • A sequel to COUNTDOWN.
  • Behemoth
    • Issues #41-42 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Events continue in EURYDICE.
  • Eurydice
    • Issues #43-45 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Features Kai from AFTER DARKNESS.
  • The Tholian Webs
    • Issues #46-47 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Features O'Neill from THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS.
  • Deity
    • Issue #48-49 of the IDW Comics series.
    • References the presence of Zahra aboard the Enterprise from OPERATION: ANNIHILATE.
  • Live Evil
    • Issues #50-52 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Continues the events of DEITY.
  • Starfleet Academy
    • IDW Comics miniseries.
    • T'Laan featured in BOLDLY GO.
  • Green Lantern: The Spectrum War
    • IDW Comics miniseries.
    • Features Decius from THE KHITOMER CONFLICT.
  • Reunion
    • Issues #54-55 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Features Kai from AFTER DARKNESS.
  • Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds
    • IDW Comics miniseries.
    • A sequel to GREEN LANTERN: THE SPECTRUM WAR.
  • Connection
    • Issues #59-60 of the IDW Comics series.
    • References the encounter with Q from THE Q GAMBIT.
  • Manifest Destiny
    • IDW Comics miniseries.
    • Soh'Tokh featured in BOLDLY GO: IDIC.
    • Takes place just before STAR TREK BEYOND.
  • Boldly Go
    • Issues #1-6 of the IDW Comics series.
    • USS Endeavour featured in BOLDLY GO: IDIC.
    • Takes place just after STAR TREK BEYOND.
  • Boldly Go: Murder at Babel
    • Issues #7-8 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Continues the events of BOLDLY GO.
  • Boldly Go: Welcome to New Vulcan
    • Issue #9 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Features Raheem from THE VOICE OF A FALLING STAR.
  • Boldly Go: Scotty
    • Issue #10 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Features T'Laan from BOLDLY GO.
  • Boldly Go: Whom God Destroys
    • Issues #11-12 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Continues the events of BOLDLY GO: MURDER AT BABEL.
    • A sequel to EURYDICE.
  • Boldly Go: IDIC
    • Issues #13-18 of the IDW Comics series.
    • Continues the events of BOLDLY GO: WELCOME TO NEW VULCAN.
  • Meanwhile...
    • Kelvin Universe story in STAR TREK #400.
  • Theseus: When the Walls Fell
    • Issues #25-30 of the IDW Comics series titled STAR TREK.
    • Features the Kelvin Universe crew.