The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing - Discuss (SPOILERS)

[DarkHorizon]

The latest Enterprise novel is out now - I should know, it was on my doormat when I arrived home.

At the start of the twenty-first century, unconditional war swept across the Earth. A war that engulfed the great and the small, the rich and the poor, giving no quarter. Each side strove for unconditional victory, and as battle built upon battle the living began to envy the dead.

Chastised by the cataclysm that they had unleashed, the governments of Earth banded together. Humanity vowed to put an end to war, and to strive for the betterment of every living creature. A united Earth created Starfleet, an interstellar agency, whose mission was to explore the cosmos, to come in peace for all mankind. It was a naïve wish that was battered by interstellar realities, yet man persists in the belief that peace is the way. Banding together with other powers to form a Coalition of Planets, humanity hopes that the strength each can offer the other, will allow for peaceful exploration.

However, the rise of the Coalition strikes dread within the Romulan Star Empire. They feel its growing reach will cut them off from what is rightfully theirs. The Romulans know that the alliance is fragile, that the correct strategy could turn allies into foes. Perfecting a way of remotely controlling Coalition ships and using them as weapons against each other, the Romulans hope to drive a wedge of suspicion and mistrust between these new allies.

One Starfleet captain uncovers this insidious plot, Jonathan Archer of the Enterprise. Determined not to lose what they have gained, outmanned and outgunned, the captains of Starfleet stand tall vowing to defend every inch of Coalition space. The tide begins to turn.

The Romulans now plan to strike at what they see as the heart of their problem. With nothing left to lose, the Romulan Star Empire engages in all out war against humanity, determined once and for all to stop the human menace from spreading across the galaxy.

I haven't had a chance to start it just yet, but my initial impression on receiving it was "wow! That's a hefty book!". It's bigger than previous Trek trade paperbacks from Pocket, and at 450-odd pages, it's reasonably heavy, too:

[Ronald Held]

I just got it yesterday, so I have not come close to finishing it.

[Thrawn]

Out of curiosity, do we know the wordcount for this, or any other measure that would let us know how it stacks up in relation to (say) Full Circle, or DRG3's books?

Just out of curiosity. I mean, I have no problem putting Big Event / High Profile stories in trade even if they're the same length as the shorter ones (still don't get the big hoopla over Treason), but I'm curious if this was primarily a "this story is important" choice or actually a "this is a long-ass book" choice.

[Man of Steel]

Thrawn wrote:

---

Just out of curiosity. I mean, I have no problem putting Big Event / High Profile stories in trade even if they're the same length as the shorter ones (still don't get the big hoopla over Treason), but I'm curious if this was primarily a "this story is important" choice or actually a "this is a long-ass book" choice.

Probably a long ass book but not as long as DRG's first Crucible book and that was a mass and if we are lucky, what's happening with Treason will happen for this as well so we can shelve next to other ENT books.

[JD]

Thrawn wrote:

---

... (still don't get the big hoopla over Treason), ...

I think the only reason it was released as a TPB was because it was a new New Frontier book.

[Thrawn]

Right. And what I'm saying is, I don't care. That seems like as good a reason as any.

[Man of Steel]

JD wrote:

---

I think the only reason it was released as a TPB was because it was a new New Frontier book.

But now it's being released again as a mass market.

I just hope Pocket decides not to release Trek books in the new Premium editions which cell for $9.99 as the new format is horrible. You can't fit into your pocket anymore. Why publishers decided on this new format is beyond me. Simply, simply horrendous.

[Daddy Todd]

Man of Steel wrote:

---

I just hope Pocket decides not to release Trek books in the new Premium editions which cell for $9.99 as the new format is horrible. You can't fit into your pocket anymore. Why publishers decided on this new format is beyond me. Simply, simply horrendous.

There are two reasons publishers are moving towards the new format: First, the book-buying crowd is getting older. Older people start to appreciate bigger type, so the impetus for taller books is to use a larger typeface for us old-timers, who are the ones who still buy books. The reason the books are no wider, and only taller, is that publishers and distributors don't want to have to replace the hundreds of thousands of paperback book racks already installed at grocery & drug store checkstands across the US and Canada. These racks can accomodate taller books, but not wider books.

Thus, the ugly new format was born out of cheapness coupled with our vain reluctance to buy reading glasses...

[Man of Steel]

Daddy Todd wrote:

---

Thus, the ugly new format was born out of cheapness coupled with our vain reluctance to buy reading glasses...

That's what the large print editions are for and the price went up by 2 bucks. I just hope Trek books don't go that way.

[Daddy Todd]

Man of Steel wrote:

---

That's what the large print editions are for and the price went up by 2 bucks. I just hope Trek books don't go that way.

As long as the Trek readership continues to skew somewhat younger then the Danielle Steel readership, the books should be safe from that ugly format.

So, try and get more kids reading Trek books

[Thrawn]

Just in case anyone's curious, like me, in terms of how long it takes to page through what my Kindle calls 1% of the text, it's about 10-20% longer than The 34th Rule, which was something like 100,000 words, iirc.

So, it's long.

[CaptainDonovin]

Picked up mine today, none of the three closest Boarders had any, either they hadn't arrived or weren't unpacked but they did say they "should" be out by the weekend. Luckily Barnes & Noble had three, can't wait to dive into it. I like how it starts ot like a tv show where you see something that has happened (like a murder on CSI) then you see the events that lead to it.

[MNM]

Thrawn wrote:

---

So, it's long.

I hope it is. I like the setting of this era, the pre-Federation galatic politics and landscape etc, and I am looking forward to the Romulan War specifically, and with no Enterprise book following this one on the schedule until at least 2011, I would be disappointed if this was a short read.

Now I just need my copy to be sent out!

[Procutus]

Planning to pick up my copy tomorrow, I've got a 30% off coupon from Borders. This works out nicely, as I just finished my current read today.

[Man of Steel]

Just be prepared because the book has 85 chapters.