Canonizing Litverse Trek

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

To what extent do you think they will try deliberately to canonize aspects of litverse Trek, as Star Trek: Enterprise did with the animated series?

EDIT: I wonder if Memory Alpha will be consulted for advice

Spoiler: Beyond

like they did for the material Uhura's necklace was made of in Beyond,

or maybe even frequent users will get an Okudagram homage. This would excite me, as I am a user of MA.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Could someone post a redirect in Trek Literature? This topic kind of straddles both boards.

 

[Kor]

Since there are various conflicting continuities within the big wide world of TrekLit, I'm not sure how it could all be canonized.

The writers of ST09 definitely drew from the Litverse in coming up with Kirk's background. And I think that's the most we can hope for; bits and pieces.

Kor

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Since there are various conflicting continuities within the big wide world of TrekLit, I'm not sure how it could all be canonized.

The writers of ST09 definitely drew from the Litverse in coming up with Kirk's background. And I think that's the most we can hope for; bits and pieces.

Kor

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I did mean some of the little things.

 

[F. King Daniel]

They may pluck a few names from the novels (like George and Winona Kirk, or Hikaru and Nyota Uhura), or some concepts here and there (Klingon Day of Honor)

I'd love for Discovery to feature Diane Carey's version of Robert April from Final Frontier and Best Destiny. A fuddy-duddy pacifist British captain who wears a sweater over his uniform because he's always cold, and has to turn command over to someone else when it comes time to fire the phasers because he abhors violence. While it's extremely unlikely someone like that would ever make it through Starfleet Academy, I loved his characterisation.

Also the word "Khest" from John M. Ford's The Final Reflection. Trek's "frak!"

 

[The Wormhole]

Andorian Ice Powers!

Hmm, that's strange. I swear I meant to type "four genders."

 

[Jedi Marso]

Here's the question I have: Who exactly would get to wave their magic wand and make the claim that 'such and such a novel' is now considered canon?

2nd question: Why would they even want to?

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Here's the question I have: Who exactly would get to wave their magic wand and make the claim that 'such and such a novel' is now considered canon?

I meant, canonizing, say, an alien race or a type of food or even an incident invented for a novel, not the whole novel per se.

2nd question: Why would they even want to?

To make the novel authors smile?

 

[Jedi Marso]

I meant, canonizing, say, an alien race or a type of food or even an incident invented for a novel, not the whole novel per se.

I think the way you do that is by creating something popular enough that other authors pick up on it and use it. Then it may creep into a TV episode or a movie, and voila! The cleanest example I can think of in Trek is given names for Uhura and Sulu. I think Vonda N. McIntyre wrote them into her Trek novels, and over time they just came to be accepted and used by other authors in other material.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

And having central databases of such names and things used in Trek lit certainly helps.

EDIT: Can someone change the title of this thread to: "Canonizing Aspects of Litverse Trek"? That should make it less confusing.

 

[Tenacity]

Thing is, only a tiny fraction of the fans read the novels, the majority certainly don't really follow them (i've only read a few).

From what I understand the novels exist basically in their own unique universe and have for some time now.

 

[JD]

I could maybe see a few small things being brought in from the books, but I doubt there will be much.

 

[The Wormhole]

From what I understand the novels exist basically in their own unique universe and have for some time now.

Well, yeah, but then for the past eleven years the novels have been the only ongoing contributions in the Prime Universe, and with the exception of Nemesis the only contributions in the 24th century for the past fifteen years.

But even then, why are we singling out the novels as existing in "their own unique universe." Doesn't all fiction period exist basically in its own unique universe?

 

[RJDiogenes]

I'd love for Discovery to feature Diane Carey's version of Robert April from Final Frontier and Best Destiny. A fuddy-duddy pacifist British captain who wears a sweater over his uniform because he's always cold, and has to turn command over to someone else when it comes time to fire the phasers because he abhors violence. While it's extremely unlikely someone like that would ever make it through Starfleet Academy, I loved his characterisation.

I read Final Frontier and I loved his characterization, too. I'd love to see him show up on Discovery.

 

[Tenacity]

Well, yeah, but then for the past eleven years the novels have been the only ongoing contributions in the Prime Universe

No, there's STO too, and aren't there comic books too? If we're going to turn some of the fiction into canon, I'd rather see the FASA materials instead of the novels.

 

[Dukhat]

No, there's STO too, and aren't there comic books too? If we're going to turn some of the fiction into canon, I'd rather see the FASA materials instead of the novels.

I'd guess that about 1% of Star Trek fans (or anyone else for that matter) actually play STO or read the comics.

The most we can hope for is that Bryan Fuller is a FASA fan.

 

[Jedi Marso]

I'd guess that about 1% of Star Trek fans (or anyone else for that matter) actually play STO or read the comics.

The most we can hope for is that Bryan Fuller is a FASA fan.

Or at least a John M. Ford fan!!!!

 

[Dukhat]

Or at least a John M. Ford fan!!!!

Wholeheartedly agreed.

 

[The Wormhole]

Honestly, The Final Reflection is overrated.

There, I said it.

 

[Tenacity]

I'd guess that about 1% of Star Trek fans (or anyone else for that matter) actually play STO or read the comics.

So about the same as the novels?