Poll: Future of DS9 (unofficial fellow reader/writer opinions)

[JD]

With all of the stuff going on with DS9 I thought it might be interesting to see where other readers and the writers would like to see the series go. Personally, my choice would be to see a ill in the gaps novel/trilogy/whatever and then continue with the Avatar-The Soul Key cast.

[Thrawn]

I just want to know what happened with the Ascendants. That was the best buildup I've ever seen in a book series, and it stopped RIGHT BEFORE THE BOOK THAT WOULD PAY IT ALL OFF. Grr.

Other than that, I don't really care, I just want good stories. If they start a series about Sisko on his new ship, and the stories are good, I'll happily read them.

[C.E. Evans]

My bet is for two or more tightly connected DS9 books in 2013, but otherwise one "done-in-one" standalone book per year that may see a gradual progression of characters and events with each release.

[DeVario]

I'd like to see DS9's story move forward from ZSG/RBoE, plus either an anthology or trilogy that fills in the 2377-2382 gap. Occasional appearances by the Aventine and Robinson crews would be cool too. But really whichever direction DS9 goes from here, I'll be reading it regardless.

[Kestrel]

I want to see what happened with the Ascendants, but I don't think it has to be told with the timeline returning there (although that's what I voted for). The problem with trying to continue from the current time frame with the old crew is that, well, they're so scattered now it would be difficult and maybe even unnatural to bring them back together I'd think.

[shanejayell]

Move forward from Typhon Pact, with flashbacks and stories filling in the gap as we go. I think it's the only way if editorial is determined to synch the series to current trek.

I almost hope we see something like VAnguard... start with Captain Ro & Doc Bashir, introduce the new cast & go forward from there. (In fact just like in Avatar!)

[DeVario]

I concur. Ever since reading ZSG I've been wanting to know what DS9's crew is like in 2382. We already know Ro, Bashir and Quark (and Prynn I think?) are there. Now we need to meet the rest of them.

[popsicle]

Thrawn wrote:

---

I just want to know what happened with the Ascendants. That was the best buildup I've ever seen in a book series, and it stopped RIGHT BEFORE THE BOOK THAT WOULD PAY IT ALL OFF. Grr.

Other than that, I don't really care, I just want good stories. If they start a series about Sisko on his new ship, and the stories are good, I'll happily read them.

I don't even remember what the ascendents were, let alone what happened in the Soul Key. It's been aaaaages. But I dont want them to just drop that storyline. I'd like to see it brought to a satisfying conclusion. Then they can do whatever.

[LutherSloan]

I'd really like a conclusion to that whole Dominion cliffhanger from however many years ago that was now...

[Warp Coil]

I would like the series to pick up where "The Soul Key" left off, and spend at least 3 books moving the Ascendants story forward while also helping to fill in the gaps the lead up to the Destiny timeframe. By reading the other novels, it has become quite clear that the DS9 landscape has changed dramatically (and not necessarily for the better):

*POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW*

- Sisko is no longer in communication with the Prophets, feels lost, and has abandoned pretty much everything in order to return to Starfleet
- Kira left the station and left her military career to become a Vedek
- Ro is now the Captain of DS9
- Bashir is still the station's CMO but apparently has no friends left on the station
- Ezri is now Captain of the Aventine
- Bowers is the XO of the Aventine
- Shar never returns to the station, and ultimately resigns his Starfleet commission
- Vaughn is critically injured during the Borg invasion and is comatose
- Prynn remains on DS9 and tends to her father's bed side
- Nog leaves DS9 to become a tactical/security officer on the Challenger

I'm really not happy with the creative direction taken with Sisko, Kira and Vaughn. Kinda bummed about Nog leaving the station, too. There are so many new gaps to be filled in the crew yet again. Part of me wonders if the books would even be able to capture the magic that the DS9 relaunch series had when it began.

[DigificWriter]

I think Pocket ought to approach DS9 the way that they're approaching Vanguard; release a DS9 equivalent to "Declassified" (with novellas/stories that both fill in the gaps between The Soul Key and Destiny and move things forward from RBoE and ZSG) and then go back to the full-length novel format with an ongoing narrative that references and is set after RBoE, ZSG, and the post-Destiny material from the preceding novella/story compilation.

[Rush Limborg]

It took me a while to understand what the choices in the poll really were. Ah, well....

Anyway, I'd prefer a novel/trilogy/whatever basically paying off the Ascendents build-up.

Hey--I guraran-darn-tee you it's going to happen eventually. It took years for Pocket to FINALLY give Diane Duane the go-ahead for the last Rihannsu novel--but they did deliver. And sooner or later, when Pocket gets back in shape...we'll see the conclusion.

A novel or miniseries with Odo and Laas as the new, superior rulers of the Dominion would be great, too. With Odo in particular...I can easily see a new and lasting friendship with the Federation.

Hmm...should help a bit with the Typhon Pact, should the Breen and Tholians start to get pushy....


Now, as to "new cast or old"...really--unless the Ascendents-conclusion introduces some new, superb, dynamic characters to take the reins--unlikely--than I'd say the cow's been milked, and we can go back to the novels' "present" without any complaints.

[flemm]

Well, first and foremost, I would like to see the DS9 saga move forward. As an avid reader of the original relaunch, I was of course disappointed that storylines such as the Ascendants arc were not brought to fulfillment. But, having jumped forward, I figure we might as well not jump right back again. Some information could, of course, be provided in the form of memories or what have you, but I would like to see the DS9-R gain some momentum and be exciting again. For that to happen, it needs to advance, not retreat.

Secondly, we have seen that most of the original cast of the show, with the exception of Quark, are no longer on the station. I can only guess that this was done for a specific reason, I suppose either to allow the DS9 novels to follow their stories wherever they may lead, or to allow the series to become primarily focused on a mostly new cast of characters, headed by Captain Ro. Personally, I hope it's option one: I do like to see a mix of old and new characters, as was the case in the original relaunch, but I would prefer to see Kira, Sisko, Odo, Bashir and the others remain involved (or most of them in any event).

I do like the idea of seeing them off the station, though, so I'm personally hoping David Mack plans on using Ro (and probably Dax) in his TNG-oriented trilogy, and that DGRIII (or whoever is charged with furthering the DS9 saga) takes Sisko, Kira and the others off on adventures elsewhere, perhaps on Cardassia, as the potential is virtually limitless in that direction. And a story of that kind would inevitably lead to appearances by Garak

[ICW]

I would like an omnibus of stories to fill in the gaps. It doesn't have to be full blown novels to explain what happend. I want to know what happend with Odo, what happend after Taran'atar recieved the distress call from The Even Odds, etc...

[JD]

Thinking this over some more, and reading the other posts on here, have made me change my mind about this. The more I think about it the more I realize that trying to bring back all of the first relaunch cast probably wouldn't work. It probably would be best for the series to continue forward with new characters, and maybe have the others pop up in supporting roles occasionally. I have faith in that authors and editors will be able to come up with new characters just as interesting as the old ones.