TOS movie era Novels?

[Christopher]

Jsplinis wrote:

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I was just reading about the Star Trek: Legacy video game that was co-written by DC Fontana. Apparently one of the things it deals with is the Vulcan/ Romulan split which is referred to as the Sundering.

I am curious where this term originated from. Does it come from the TV shows because I don't remember it. Does it come from DC Fontana's other works? Does it come from Diane Duane's Rihannsu stories or does it originate somewhere else? If it does come from Diane Duane's works, does this mean Duane's and Fontana's works coincide on Vulcan/ Romulan history?

It's not from the shows. I believe Duane originated it, though it may have come from fan fiction. And no, using the same word doesn't necessarily mean the continuity is the same; it's just an homage. "Sundering" seems to be a fairly common word in fantasy fiction; in addition to the Warhammer reference mentioned above, there's a Jacqueline Carey fantasy duology called The Sundering (and an SF novel of the same name by Walter Jon Williams). Like most things in high fantasy, it originates in Tolkien, which contains references to "the Sundering of the North" and "the Sundering Seas." "Sunder" is simply an old-fashioned English word meaning to split, separate, or divide (as in the Biblical "let not man put asunder" -- it's also related to "sundry," meaning various or diverse).

Duane has written a lot of fantasy, so she probably introduced the term "Sundering" into Trek, and others followed her lead.

[Therin of Andor]

Mirak wrote:

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made up powerful alien races which are supposedly major players in alpha quadrant, but just in a single novel

When first publicized, the alien felinoids in "The Captains' Honor", the M'doc, were the kzinti from "The Slaver Weapon".

[Jsplinis]

Was just wondering what your opinions might be about Kirk's rank in the Five Year Mission after TMP. I've noticed some novels and comics have him as a Captain and some have him as an Admiral. Which do you think it should be?

Some examples are Marvel's ongoing and Untold Voyages have him as a Captain, while DC vol.1 #19 and IDW's Star Trek: Infestation have him as an Admiral.

Also, it's not always consistent amongst an individual writer's works. For example, Howard Weinstein's Covenant of the Crown and Better Man have the Captain's rank but Deep Domain which was written between has the Admiral's rank.

Thanks and have fun,
Jsplinis

[Christopher]

Strictly speaking, if he's the commander of the ship, he should be addressed as "Captain" regardless of his rank -- although this has rarely been acknowledged in onscreen Trek. However, in TMP, once he changed out of his dress uniform into a standard duty uniform, he had captain's braid on his sleeves. In Ex Machina I interpreted his demotion as the price Nogura exacted in exchange for giving him the Enterprise back.

[Jsplinis]

Thanks Chris. I always appreciate your well informed answers and insights.

Why do you think that he is addressed as Admiral in Deep Domain. I read this when it came out many moons ago, but I seem to recall that this was the final mission of the Second Five Year Mission. Would he have been given his Admiral Rank back because he's about to assume desk duties again? Was any of this addressed in the book?

[Christopher]

^As you said, there was no consensus at the time on whether he was a captain or an admiral in that period. Maybe Howie made him an admiral in Deep Domain because the editor at the time felt he should be.