Vonda McIntyre

[EnriqueH]

I was flipping through Voyages of the Imagination and noticed she declined to be interviewed for the book.

Why?

And why did she stop writing Trek books when she seemed to be praised by Roddenberry and seemed prolific?

Trek burnout?

I have to imagine something deeper if she didn't want to be interviewed about her Trek books?

 

[Christopher]

Star Trek was only ever a small part of Vonda McIntyre's writing career.

http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?423

She already had over half a dozen novels and a bunch of short fiction to her credit when she did her first Trek book, continued to do other fiction during her Trek tenure, and has done a number of novels and stories since, though her last published novel (The Moon and the Sun, which beat A Game of Thrones for the Nebula Award) was in 1997.

So it's possible that she just wasn't interested in being interviewed about Trek, or it's possible that her reasons had nothing to do with Trek.

 

[EnriqueH]

Thanks for the information.

I'm well aware that she has moved on and done her own work.

I guess reading that she "declined to be interviewed" implied some sort of fall out or that something negative happened.

I similarly wondered why DC Fontana never wrote another Trek novel.

Did anyone here like her Trek books?

I last read her Trek books back in 7th-8th grade, (1989-1990), and wasn't a huge fan of her novelizations, but that's my grade school self talking.

I've been meaning to read them again.

 

[Christopher]

I guess reading that she "declined to be interviewed" implied some sort of fall out or that something negative happened.

A number of authors declined to be interviewed for the book. Maybe they just couldn't find time in their schedules. There are any number of possible reasons behind it, so it's probably best not to jump to any conclusions.

 

[EnriqueH]

I guess reading that she "declined to be interviewed" implied some sort of fall out or that something negative happened.

so it's probably best not to jump to any conclusions.

I agree, which is why I was asking.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Did anyone here like her Trek books?

I last read her Trek books back in 7th-8th grade, (1989-1990), and wasn't a huge fan of her novelizations, but that's my grade school self talking.

Vonda McIntyre had an essay on her webpage discussing Trek novels. Her Trek stuff was hugely popular, especially the ST II and ST III novelizations. KRAD is a big fan of the ST III novelization.

IIRC, her ST IV novelization fell foul of some tricky memos. I think it was the first manuscript to be vetted by Richard Arnold (for Gene Roddenberry) and he was never a fan of authors adding their own material.

Ah, here's her 2009 blog entry:
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2009/02/15/writing-star-trek-novels/

 

[EnriqueH]

Did anyone here like her Trek books?

I last read her Trek books back in 7th-8th grade, (1989-1990), and wasn't a huge fan of her novelizations, but that's my grade school self talking.

Vonda McIntyre had an essay on her webpage discussing Trek novels. Her Trek stuff was hugely popular, especially the ST II and ST III novelizations. KRAD is a big fan of the ST III novelization.

IIRC, her ST IV novelization fell foul of some tricky memos. I think it was the first manuscript to be vetted by Richard Arnold (for Gene Roddenberry) and he was never a fan of authors adding their own material.

Ah, here's her 2009 blog entry:
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2009/02/15/writing-star-trek-novels/

Makes sense because I remember her STIII novel had a TON of stuff not in the film.

Spock's wake, a love scene between David and Saavik.

That's what I remember and found interesting.

I remember liking the Trek III novelization more than the one for II or IV, (again, based on junior high memories).

 

[Avro Arrow]

I similarly wondered why DC Fontana never wrote another Trek novel.

Did anyone here like her Trek books?

I last read her Trek books back in 7th-8th grade, (1989-1990), and wasn't a huge fan of her novelizations, but that's my grade school self talking.

I've been meaning to read them again.

Books, plural? I thought the only ST novel she wrote was Vulcan's Glory... were there more? I seem to recall liking that one, but in all honesty it's been a long time since I've read it. She also wrote a TOS comic for IDW a few years ago, which I also recall liking.

I just really wish she'd be offered the opportunity to write the novelization of her story for The Secret of Vulcan Fury. Last I heard she was willing to do it, and I'd really like to see that story see the light of day in some form. (Comic form would be OK too!)

(Arg, in reading your post, maybe your comment about D.C. Fontana was just a brief segue, and the rest of your post was back to talking about Vonda McIntyre? I originally interpreted it as everything in the part I quoted was related to D.C. Fontana; now I'm not sure what you meant! )

 

[Therin of Andor]

Arg, in reading your post, maybe your comment about D.C. Fontana was just a brief segue, and the rest of your post was back to talking about Vonda McIntyre?

Yes, the OP was mainly asking about VMc.

DC did do a slightly Trek-related novelization: "The Questor Tapes". It perhaps become more relevant after Jeff Lang wrote "TNG: Immortal Coil".

 

[publiusr]

I remember her STIII novel had a TON of stuff not in the film.

There was always a sense of sadness in her work--DC comics picked up on that very well early on. She defined the Spock trilogy every bit as well as the movies themselves.

 

[Corran Horn]

Did anyone here like her Trek books?

I last read her Trek books back in 7th-8th grade, (1989-1990), and wasn't a huge fan of her novelizations, but that's my grade school self talking.

Vonda McIntyre had an essay on her webpage discussing Trek novels. Her Trek stuff was hugely popular, especially the ST II and ST III novelizations. KRAD is a big fan of the ST III novelization.

IIRC, her ST IV novelization fell foul of some tricky memos. I think it was the first manuscript to be vetted by Richard Arnold (for Gene Roddenberry) and he was never a fan of authors adding their own material.

Ah, here's her 2009 blog entry:
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2009/02/15/writing-star-trek-novels/

Thanks for sharing! I'd never read that before. Seems to me good ground is covered on her ST works such that it was just like reading what the VoI entries might have been.

 

[Tarheel]

I have a sentimental attachment to her books, as the novelizations of II-IV were the first TrekLit that I read back in 1986-87. I tore throughout that trilogy and loved how it fleshed out so much that wasn't on screen. I remember that IV had a lot less "extra", but I didn't realize that was because of licensor crack-down. I recently picked up a used copy of the Duty, Honor, & Redemption omnibus with the intention if rereading almost 30 years later.

 

[EnriqueH]

I seem to remember the TWOK reading a bit like an "easy, kids book".

Things like: "Spock was in the officer's mess eating a salad." "Joachim beamed aboard the Reliant, ran to his quarters, picked up the thing, and ran back to the transporter to beam down." There was something about her writing in that first novelization that I remember lacking in terms of her writing and descriptions.

I also remember being kinda annoyed with, in Trek IV, Gillian and Bob barefoot in the whale tank, and the waiter saying "Big appetite." when Kirk ordered "the same".

But then I remember all this almost 25 years after I read it! So maybe she did something right! (If you're just joining this conversation, I last read these novelizations back in 7th and 8th grade in 1989-1990).

All that "extra" in the Trek III novelization, was that from the script/screenplay? Or did she make it up? Anybody know?

 

[Leto_II]

I have a sentimental attachment to her books, as the novelizations of II-IV were the first TrekLit that I read back in 1986-87. I tore throughout that trilogy and loved how it fleshed out so much that wasn't on screen. I remember that IV had a lot less "extra", but I didn't realize that was because of licensor crack-down. I recently picked up a used copy of the Duty, Honor, & Redemption omnibus with the intention if rereading almost 30 years later.

From what I recall, the Duty, Honor, Redemption omnibus updates/alters several plot-elements from the original printings to fit retroactive continuity, such as Sulu's rank getting changed from "captain" to "commander," etc. (Not unlike the updating of Diane Duane's Rihannsu novels in The Bloodwing Voyages collection.)

All that "extra" in the Trek III novelization, was that from the script/screenplay? Or did she make it up? Anybody know?

Apart from Saavik being half-Romulan (which comes from material actually filmed for Star Trek II, but deleted) and all of that backstory, the majority of the "new" expansionary content seen in the Search for Spock novelization was entirely Vonda, IIRC.

The screenplay for that movie is actually quite tight, with very little filler; probably the leanest of the first six movies. What you see used onscreen is pretty much exactly what was shot -- comparatively very little was trimmed out, versus other movies' editing processes.

All of the material with Scotty returning home to bury his nephew, Sulu getting "demoted" by Admiral Morrow, the crew-situation aboard the Merchantman vessel, Saavik and David's sexual relationship aboard USS Grissom and Enterprise, the crystalline alien in the Grissom science-lab...largely all of this was created by McIntyre for the novel, not Harve Bennett.

 

[Tarheel]

I think the "extra" in II was from early versions of the script, such as Saavik's backstory and Sulu's promotion. But I think a lot of the "extra" in III was solely from McIntyre. As I recall, the first three chapters were devoted to time between the films, including the wake and the Saavik/David relationship.

I had heard that the omnibus changed a few minor things, but I've wondered how much? As I recall, Sulu's storyline was that he was set to be promoted to the captain of the Excelsior, but he gave it up to travel back to Genesis with Kirk. I think that works well as he eventually got that post a few years later. Does anyone know what exactly was updated?

 

[Leto_II]

To be sure, Saavik's half-Romulan backstory actually derives from filmed material (and expanded upon by McIntyre later):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rKw66EU5Fc

The line about Sulu taking command of the USS Excelsior was probably filmed, but cut -- in the movie, you'll notice right when George Takei says, "I'm delighted...any chance to go aboard Enterprise," his mouth starts to open again, as if to add something to that remark, but then the movie quickly cuts away to an establishing shot of the starship in the orbital dockyards.

In the screenplay, the exchange looks like this:

Kirk looks up from his book as Sulu sits next to him.

KIRK
I really must thank you.

SULU
(embarrassed)
I am delighted; any chance to go aboard Enterprise, however briefly, is always an excuse for nostalgia.

KIRK
I cut your new orders personally. By the end of the month, you'll have your first command: USS EXCELSIOR.

SULU
Thank you, sir. I've looked forward to this for a long time.

KIRK
You've earned it. But I'm still grateful to have you at the helm for three weeks. I don't believe these kids can steer.

Sulu laughs.

I'd have to locate and pull out my copy of the omnibus to check out specific changes; it's still currently packed away somewhere from having moved this past summer.

 

[Christopher]

I think McIntyre expanded on the half-Romulan thing for Saavik for the same reason the filmmakers cut it: Because it makes no sense by itself as an explanation for Saavik's more emotional behavior. Vulcan emotional control is learned, not genetic, and they're biologically the same species as Romulans anyway. McIntyre realized that the explanation would have to be one of Saavik's upbringing -- her nurture, not her nature -- but instead of abandoning the half-Romulan thing as the filmmakers did, she used it to explain why Saavik's upbringing was so un-Vulcan.

 

[Therin of Andor]

The unfortunate thing about switching "Captain" to "Commander" throughout for Sulu, in the omnibus, is that now it seems that Chekov has risen faster through the ranks than Sulu and Uhura. In TOS they were lieutenants to his ensign. In TMP, they were lieutenant commanders to his lieutenant and, in the original printings of the ST II novelization, Sulu was a captain to Uhura and Chekov's commanders. Now Sulu only gets his commander rank from Kirk after Chekov has been offship on Reliant as a commander for some time.

Other changes were also quite minor. Finally they corrected Marla's surname to "McGivers", not "McGiver".

Update: Just checked my old blog post on the Signature Editions. Can't see I listed any other changes for that volume.
http://therinofandor.blogspot.com.au/2008/04/star-trek-signature-editions-if-i-ever.html

 

[ATimson]

From what I recall, the Duty, Honor, Redemption omnibus updates/alters several plot-elements from the original printings to fit retroactive continuity, such as Sulu's rank getting changed from "captain" to "commander," etc. (Not unlike the updating of Diane Duane's Rihannsu novels in The Bloodwing Voyages collection.)

Except that they did a better - or at least more consistent - job than The Bloodwing Voyages did IIRC.

 

[vegaslover62]

VMc's TWOK was the very first Trek novel I ever read. It was the perfect thing to whittle away the numerous hours I spent in high school detention.