Dafydd ab Hugh

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by James T. Vader, Mar 28, 2013.

  1. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Yes, the news was never supposed to break that he ghostwrote "Star Wars" for Lucas. But the incorrect attribution to the first French edition of the TMP novelization had people connecting the dots.
     
  2. Daddy Todd

    Daddy Todd Commodore Commodore

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    And yet, I seem to remember that ADF's ghost-authorship of the Star Wars novelization was alluded to pretty heavily back around the time Splinter of the Mind's Eye was published. I could get up off my butt and go look through the relevant issues of Starlog, but...

    Anyhow, I was aware at least by February of 1986, when I had ADF autograph my first-printing copy (the one with the RMcQ cover and no photo insert) of Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker (as it was originally titled.)
     
  3. shanejayell

    shanejayell Captain Captain

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    Getting back on topic...

    What's the 'window' for writing a trillogy like Rebels anyway? Was it approved and mostly written before the final season showed how bad Kai Wynn was?
     
  4. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

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    There's usually a considerable lead time, except for "rush" projects like movie novelizations.

    Just for example, I wrote The Weight of Worlds (which went on sale this week) last summer during a heat wave . . . and the outline had been approved weeks or months before I started writing the book. (I had a few other projects I needed to finish up first.)
     
  5. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Who's disagreeing? I said, "the news was never supposed to break".
     
  6. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    ^You don't see a disagreement there? It sounds to me like it wasn't much of a secret.
     
  7. Daddy Todd

    Daddy Todd Commodore Commodore

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    Christopher has grasped my point. I was kind of surprised when ADF's involvement was OFFICIALLY revealed in a book called "Skywalking", IIRC, published in 1983-ish. Not that it was new information, but that it was being acknowledged in a Lucasfilm-approved book. I'd already known for several years, as I recall.

    But no worries, Therin, it's probably just my reading more into what you said than you meant.
     
  8. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I'm kind of surprised they didn't add something about ADF on the covers of some of the newer versions, since it seems to be pretty much common knowledge that he wrote it, and not George Lucas. But I guess there would be legal issues that might cause problems.
     
  9. donners22

    donners22 Commodore Commodore

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    I think Vengeance is one of the better Trek books, actually. I wasn't a fan of Rebels, and I still have no idea who is actually depicted on the cover.
     
  10. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    I read an interview with ADF, IIRC, where he said he finally admitted publicly to being the ghostwriter, even though the original agreement with the publisher was that the story would not be revealed. "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" was essentially his compensation for not revealing himself as the author of the novelization.

    So it was fan rumour for quite awhile, but eventually confirmed by ADF.

    Yes, I think ADF signed his contract knowing he would not ever receive a credit. And that's why he fought to get the original novel to be released about the same time.
     
  11. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I believe it is acknowledged in Lucas's introduction to a later edition of the novel that Foster was the real author.
     
  12. NightJim

    NightJim Captain Captain

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    I'm almost certain it is. I think the copy I read in the 90s had the acknowledgement.
     
  13. PKS8304

    PKS8304 Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I had a friend in High School that was convinced that Dafydd Ab Hugh was a pen name for Peter David as the humor and some of the style of writing was similar.

    I hadnt heard or read that but then I hadnt heard or read anything discounting that either so I didnt disagree with him as he was the only other person in school reading the books with me lol.
     
  14. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

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    I have met Peter David. I have met Dafydd ab Hugh.

    Trust me, they're not the same person. :)
     
  15. DS9forever

    DS9forever Commodore Commodore

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    Fallen Heroes is brilliant, Vengeance and The Final Fury are good, I've never read his TNG novel. Rebels should probably have been a single novel. The only thing I remember are the alien Defiant crewmembers Hugh created - like N'Kduk-Thag and Virjaaj Aaastaak.
     
  16. DorkBoy [TM]

    DorkBoy [TM] Captain Captain

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    I wondered that too when I read Fallen Heroes. The name similarity (Dafydd vs David) and writing style were sort of similar. Apparently a lot of people did because ab Hugh actually denied he was a pen name for Peter David in the Foreword of his next book.

    :)

    Having read more of his books now though, its clear they are quite different.

    Fallen Heroes really was his best book, I remember loving that one. I wasn't all that impressed by the rest of them.
     
  17. PKS8304

    PKS8304 Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I remember showing that foreward to my friend and he responded with a laugh like "oh that Peter is such a kidder" lol, too funny.

    That was before one of his TNG books I think.

    I only read Fallen Heroes once but remember enjoying it.
     
  18. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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    Wasn't Dafydd ab Hugh in the old animated PBS program CASTLE
     
  19. DCR

    DCR Commander Red Shirt

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    While I'm not a fan of the man's work, I do think this is going too far, especially as he did not make a mistake.

    The convention in Welsh patronymics is to use "ap" when the father's name starts with a consonant, and "ab" when it starts with a vowel sound. However, even that's not a hard and fast rule, as there are plenty of exceptions going both ways if you look. H isn't a vowel, but the sound is soft enough that "ab" makes sense. Besides, it's his name, his choice.

    As for the book where his name was misspelled Daffyd, all I can say is that one of the reasons I was named David rather than Dafydd is because no one who isn't Welsh can ever seem to spell it correctly on a consistent basis.
     
  20. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Daffy Duck had the same problem. ;)