Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the books?

[Thrawn]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

True that, whether it's an episode or another novel.

Exactly. If I'm going to be picking up on something from, say, "Conscience of the King," I'll certainly going to take the time to remind the reader who Lenore Karidian is or whatever.

I'm not going to assume that every reader has an encyclopedic knowledge of every Trek movie and book.

(Ditto for most any other tie-in novel, btw.)

Case in point, Una's Never Ending Sacrifice. Spun off from a character from a single episode. My recollections of the episode were slightly less than 'custody dispute over Cardassian child raised by Bajorans'.

I loved the novel, and although I would like to see the episode again, it wasn't necessary.

I never even saw the episode in the first place, and that novel was still absolutely killer.

 

[JD]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I've been working on a massive franchise rewatch over the last few years, and a lot of that was because the books have made me want to see the episodes and movies again. My rewatch has really picked up lately now that all of the episodes of all of the series, all of the TOS movies, Generations, and Into Darkess are all streaming on Netflix.

 

[Paris]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I do loose rewatches all the time. I'm currently on the seventh season of DS9, having ploughed through the series again, only skipping a few here and there. I recently finished a TOS Movie rewatch and an Enterprise rewatch. I read all the novels that are not TOS 5YM stories. It seems that I love the trek

 

[Relayer1]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

Exactly. If I'm going to be picking up on something from, say, "Conscience of the King," I'll certainly going to take the time to remind the reader who Lenore Karidian is or whatever.

I'm not going to assume that every reader has an encyclopedic knowledge of every Trek movie and book.

(Ditto for most any other tie-in novel, btw.)

Case in point, Una's Never Ending Sacrifice. Spun off from a character from a single episode. My recollections of the episode were slightly less than 'custody dispute over Cardassian child raised by Bajorans'.

I loved the novel, and although I would like to see the episode again, it wasn't necessary.

I never even saw the episode in the first place, and that novel was still absolutely killer.

It was indeed. All the more surprising to me as I had put off reading it for a while as the subject matter didn't really appeal.

I've snapped up Una's other Trek novels as soon as they came out...

 

[Thrawn]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

Yeah, she's a must buy for sure. On my imaginary TrekLit wishlist every year is a space for "Una McCormack - whatever the hell she wants to write".

 

[Markonian]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I'm watching and rewatching all series and movies, and gradually collecting them.

Better yet, I can watch two versions of each ep/movie - German and the original English. It's the same dialog but still a different flavor.

 

[Commishsleer]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I stopped reading TOS books in the 80s, but still watch the series. Have never been interested in the 24th century enough to want to read about it, but still watch those series.

This was largely me until the talk of the 2009 movie got me onto the internet and all the fan fiction there. Reading the fan fiction led me back into the novels.

I read the TOS novels as they came out in my country and was largely disappointed in the original novels. They didn't get the characters right. I felt they were authors who just took the assignment to earn a living (not that I begrudge them that). Occasionally there was a gem here or there.
I feel modern authors have a better understanding of the characters and the standard of TOS novels is better (but there are still a lot of stinkers out there IMO).

However I'm not a big fan of DS9. I watched the first two seasons and last season but I missed a lot of the Federation political bits. I feel confident that I could pick up a TOS, ENT, TNG or VOY novel and understand them. But I think a DS9 novel would be beyond me. Am I correct? Would I need to watch Seasons 3-6 to understand them or would it be explained in the novel.

 

[Thrawn]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

Avatar Book 1, the beginning of the post-finale DS9 novels, has a timeline in it of all the major DS9 events from the series. I picked that novel up having only ever seen 5 or 6 DS9 episodes ever and absolutely loved it.

There are definitely references I missed, stuff I had to Memory Alpha a lot, but I totally read the books without watching the show and adored them. And you've seen way more than I did.

 

[Sci]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I've never stopped watching the films or TV episodes, but I've long since come to the conclusion that TrekLit is often far superior to the canon upon which it is based.

 

[Paris]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I've never stopped watching the films or TV episodes, but I've long since come to the conclusion that TrekLit is often far superior to the canon upon which it is based.

Agreed. Perfectly said.

 

[Thrawn]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I've never stopped watching the films or TV episodes, but I've long since come to the conclusion that TrekLit is often far superior to the canon upon which it is based.

This describes my position perfectly as well.

 

[Etoile]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I read TrekLit when I want something new, when I'm craving new stories in the universe I know and love. I rewatch when I want something familiar and friendly.

Right now I'm tagging along with KRAD's rewatch of DS9 for Tor.com, and that's pretty much enough for me, but I do occasionally watch other single episodes if they come to mind for some reason. Perhaps once the DS9 rewatch is done I'll change my viewing habits and rewatch TAS, for kicks...

 

[Markonian]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I've never stopped watching the films or TV episodes, but I've long since come to the conclusion that TrekLit is often far superior to the canon upon which it is based.

This describes my position perfectly as well.

Naturally, because books can spare room for all sorts of explanations that a TV show has to skip. E.g. Alan Dean Foster's explanations for "What the heck?" moments in STID. It's all about the limitations of the medium.

 

[Idran]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I've never stopped watching the films or TV episodes, but I've long since come to the conclusion that TrekLit is often far superior to the canon upon which it is based.

This describes my position perfectly as well.

Naturally, because books can spare room for all sorts of explanations that a TV show has to skip. E.g. Alan Dean Foster's explanations for "What the heck?" moments in STID. It's all about the limitations of the medium.

I dunno, it's not about consistancy or lack of plot holes to me. From my point of view, the quality of writing and narrative as a whole is just generally better in Treklit. A good narrative can avoid those things regardless of length, but that's not really what it is that makes me rank the current-day novels on the same level as or above the TV stuff.

 

[Relayer1]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

^ Strange as it may sound to the majority of Trek fans, I'm pretty certain I'd rather stick with the relaunch novels than have Trek back on the T.V. or have more movies.

 

[Thrawn]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

^ Strange as it may sound to the majority of Trek fans, I'm pretty certain I'd rather stick with the relaunch novels than have Trek back on the T.V. or have more movies.

Oh hell yes. Completely agree.

 

[Gul Re'jal]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

^ Strange as it may sound to the majority of Trek fans, I'm pretty certain I'd rather stick with the relaunch novels than have Trek back on the T.V. or have more movies.

I wouldn't mind a show too But if I had to choose either or, novels would win for me too. Not only they give more in-depth stories, but also take longer to get through (days, instead of 46 mins). The downside is we don't get a new one each week

 

[Markonian]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

For me, the quality of storytelling is equal regardless of medium. TV-Trek brought us gems like "Year of Hell", "Yesterday's Enterprise", "Mirror Mirror", for example.

The bonus of written works are in-depth storytelling and explanation. The advantage of shows are it being visual. There's nothing like seeing a brand-new Federation starship swooshing across the screen and piercing evil aliens with colorful beams and sparkling torpedos. *sigh*

Plus, there are games, which have a visual element and let you take part in the action. #Armada #Armada II #STO

 

[Thrawn]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I get the visual appeal, I really do, and there are TV shows / movies that I think are as good as TrekLit, but I honestly don't think any specifically Trek TV shows / movies are as good as TrekLit. I would take any of Beyer's relaunch over any of the show's episodes, for instance.

 

[Relayer1]

Re: Anybody else stopped watching the series and keeps reading the boo

I would take any of Beyer's relaunch over any of the show's episodes, for instance.

Same here. I actually LIKE some of the characters in her hands.

I'm first and foremost a 'Niner', and I'd happily settle for stuff from Una McCormack and DRG III for, well, ever...