Oh, the books are wonderful. I can't recommend them highly enough. Or, if you want a sneak peek, I also highly recommend the TV Tropes pages for them.

Oh, yes. I'm eagerly awaiting the Avengers movie myself, and after seeing your Pike, maybe I ought to give Bruce a second look the next time he shows up on SWS! Don't be hard on yourself with Horatio - new muses are always the hardest, and I'm sure you've got a great handle on him.