Star Trek Federation: The First 150 Years

[Gotham Central]

So I've been reading the book since it arrived. Its not bad, but there are several things about it that bug me:

For starters was Cochrane supposed to be 30 in First Contact ?

The Earth/American centric nature of the storytelling is starting to bug me a bit. Written Trek is usually much more diverse than this.

[Sci]

Gotham Central wrote:

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So I've been reading the book since it arrived. Its not bad, but there are several things about it that bug me:

For starters was Cochrane supposed to be 30 in First Contact ?

That's a function of Cochrane's first appearance in TOS, where his birth in the 2130s was established. So, yeah, we just have to squint a bit and accept that he's somewhere in his 30s during ST:FC. (Must have been all that hard drinking!)

The Earth/American centric nature of the storytelling is starting to bug me a bit. Written Trek is usually much more diverse than this.

Agreed.

[mb22]

I haven't seen this book yet. Is the Animated series considered canon in it, or is it still shut out as it was in the Okuda books?

[Tommunist]

Gotham Central wrote:

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So I've been reading the book since it arrived. Its not bad, but there are several things about it that bug me:

For starters was Cochrane supposed to be 30 in First Contact ?

The Earth/American centric nature of the storytelling is starting to bug me a bit. Written Trek is usually much more diverse than this.

Yes. I beleieve the Chronology and/or Encyclopedia also alluded to radiation poisoning from WWIII contributed to his appearance. So when the companion restored his youth, it gives you an idea of whta he may have been like if he was raised in a better time. Not a bad explanation in the grand scheme of Trek retcon.

As far as the Earth-centric viewpoint; I agree. But I will also accept that Humanity was the prime mover of the events leading to the formation of the Federation, and was the pioneer of it's Starfleet. Perhaps a second volume will reflect the increasing solidification of the union, as it better integrates into the lives of the member planet's citizens. I always got the impression that the Federation of the TNG era was a much stronger organization than the TOS days.

Still, I wonder how the Tellerites would feel being referred to as a "pig-like" humanoid race. They may just take it in stride, or even as a badge of honor!

[Tommunist]

mb22 wrote:

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I haven't seen this book yet. Is the Animated series considered canon in it, or is it still shut out as it was in the Okuda books?

I did not see any overt references to TAS in the book. But you have to understand that it's not like the Trek Chronology book. This offers the broad stroke of history from First Contact to the end of the TOS-era movies. Kirk and Co. get their dues, but the specifics are condensed.

In short: it doesn't neccessarily confirm or deny TAS. But I will give this another read, because some of the references are more subtle!

[DavidAGoodman]

Tommunist wrote:

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I did not see any overt references to TAS in the book. But you have to understand that it's not like the Trek Chronology book. This offers the broad stroke of history from First Contact to the end of the TOS-era movies. Kirk and Co. get their dues, but the specifics are condensed.

In short: it doesn't neccessarily confirm or deny TAS. But I will give this another read, because some of the references are more subtle!

There are overt references to TAS - Robert April being the first Captain of the Enterprise was a fact established in TAS, as well as the fact that he married his chief medical officer. Also, I refer to the historian Aleek Om, a character from TAS. But keep taking apart the book, this is what I was looking forward to

[DavidAGoodman]

Sci wrote:

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That's a function of Cochrane's first appearance in TOS, where his birth in the 2130s was established. So, yeah, we just have to squint a bit and accept that he's somewhere in his 30s during ST:FC. (Must have been all that hard drinking!)

Yes, it was a tough decision deciding on how old Cochrane was in First Contact - certainly James Cromwell couldn't easily be seen as 30, but I felt Metamorphosis (and the Okuda's chronology) had established his year of birth, and since First Contact did nothing to contradict this in dialogue (except in casting an actor clearly not 30) I decided to defer to Mike and Denise's calculation based on Metamorphosis.

[DavidAGoodman]

Gotham Central wrote:

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There is also a reference to Space 1999

And there are several more references to other TV shows, both scifi and not, for the discerning reader.

[Therin of Andor]

Gotham Central wrote:

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The Earth/American centric nature of the storytelling is starting to bug me a bit. Written Trek is usually much more diverse than this.

I seem to recall that books like the old "Technical Manual" and "Star Trek Maps" were quite Earth-centric in scope. Even the Goldstein's "Spaceflight Chronology", which helped to inspire this new book.

[Christopher]

Well, then I'm definitely taking a different approach in Rise of the Federation. I put a lot of emphasis on the founder races other than humanity, and on human populations beyond Earth, and try to explain why the UFP ends up seeming so overwhelmingly human-centered (and why that might be somewhat illusory).

[Markonian]

Christopher wrote:

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and try to explain why the UFP ends up seeming so overwhelmingly human-centered (and why that might be somewhat illusory).

That always bugged me. Humans are always shown to be special (e.g. the word Human is not capitalised, the worst offender of all).

I know they have the cheapest make-up but the problem is: every Human-looking Starfleet officer is Human (or Betazoid, and one Iotian from SCE). Why not take more of the Human-lookalikes (the Angels of Angel 1, or the Ardanans?) already established?

Topic change: I've come across rumour that the Kelvin-type is referred to as Einstein-class in the book. Is that true?

[Christopher]

^Betazoids don't look entirely human. They have black irises.

[Markonian]

Christopher wrote:

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^Betazoids don't look entirely human. They have black irises.

Right. You could put the Xenexians in the same category.

Different question: Does The First 150 Years assign a class designation to the Kelvin-type?

Edit: I know it's not a novel but shouldn't this book - as a piece of fiction - have its own poll (or even review thread) by courtesy of Sho? So far, we have an out-of-universe perspective in this thead, but what about the (hi)stories the book tells, the characters, ships, etc.?

[sulfur]

Kelvin type->Einstein-class. Yes.

[DavidAGoodman]

Markonian wrote:

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That always bugged me. Humans are always shown to be special (e.g. the word Human is not capitalised, the worst offender of all).

I know they have the cheapest make-up but the problem is: every Human-looking Starfleet officer is Human (or Betazoid, and one Iotian from SCE). Why not take more of the Human-lookalikes (the Angels of Angel 1, or the Ardanans?) already established?

Topic change: I've come across rumour that the Kelvin-type is referred to as Einstein-class in the book. Is that true?

Markonian - I think my decision to make the book Earth centric came from two sources - the original series and Star Trek: Enterprise. In the original series it was clear that Roddenberry was emphasizing Earth - everybody on the bridge save Spock was from Earth, first season there was the reference to the "United Earth Space Probe Agency" - the Romulan War was specifically described in Balance of Terror as the Earth-Romulan conflict. All the ships of Starfleet we encountered in the original series are named after Earth warships. Even though once we reach the next generation era, it seemed to me canon that the early years of the development of the Federation were Earth centric. Whether you like Star Trek: Enterprise or not, that trend continued (influenced somewhat by me) that these other Aliens all knew each other but it wasn't until Earth was involved that they came together.