Books Most Like TMP

[Desert Kris]

I think they did start using the British cover eventually, but with the American title. I've never understood why they changed the title either, I know a while ago you could try to justify it by saying Americans wouldn't read something about London, but after Harry Potter and Dr. Who I don't think that would be the case any more.

I'm happy to say that they did (my copy is a newer one, original cover art but with the American title, so almost right), and the other books in that series are using their original cover and title. I think I would be okay with them not changing anything, and just leaving punctuation and alternative spellings intact. At this point I've read enough Doctor Who novels...other adult readers should be able to cope, one would hope.

Maybe they were afraid people would think it was a geography book?

I wish I could get paid to make decisions like this. I would love to get paid lotsa money to make completely mental, insane, baffling marketing choices. I believe I would be ace at it; I'm already mental, so I'm halfway there.

 

[James Swallow]

I'm happy to say that they did (my copy is a newer one, original cover art but with the American title, so almost right), and the other books in that series are using their original cover and title. I think I would be okay with them not changing anything, and just leaving punctuation and alternative spellings intact.

On behalf of my pal Ben Aaronovitch, I'd note that the UK editions are freely available to purchase online, should you wish to have the "proper" versions...

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

And there are worse forms of cover inaccuracy. Look at the re-release cover for David Gerrold's Bantam Trek novel The Galactic Whirlpool. The woman rendered as a pale, Nordic blonde on the cover is clearly described in the book as having skin of "a deep chocolate color." The same kind of whitewashing was done with the African-American protagonists of Gerrold's Dingilliad trilogy decades later, and to many other characters of color on young-adult book covers today and many other book covers for generations before.

And that whitewashing still occurs, as Hugo-winning author Nnedi Okorafor recently pointed out.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Back in the 80s when I was reading them, I rationalized that all ST novels could be movie era by simply replacing ranks in my head. So, instead of "Captain Kirk", I would read it as "Admiral Kirk", etc... I also had a Trek "choose your own adventure" style book, in which I redrew all the artwork to match the movie era, including refit Enterprise interiors and exteriors, Klingon appearances, and all uniforms (although in this case it was post-TWOK, since I liked the uniforms better than TMP).

Edit to add: here's the book: http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Which_Way_Books

 

[Christopher]

Back in the 80s when I was reading them, I rationalized that all ST novels could be movie era by simply replacing ranks in my head. So, instead of "Captain Kirk", I would read it as "Admiral Kirk", etc...

I used to do that, but I eventually gave it up. Once I got more selective about which books I counted in my personal continuity, it left more room in the 5-year mission. Also, TOS-era books don't really map perfectly onto the post-TMP era. Chekov should be security chief rather than navigator in that period, Chapel should be a doctor, Spock should be more at ease with his emotions, there should be a more multispecies crew, etc. Changing the ranks isn't enough.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Maybe they were afraid people would think it was a geography book?

Sounds like my uncle who, the first time he picked up a Bible, thought The Book of Numbers was a mathematical treatise.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

I used to do that, but I eventually gave it up. Once I got more selective about which books I counted in my personal continuity, it left more room in the 5-year mission. Also, TOS-era books don't really map perfectly onto the post-TMP era. Chekov should be security chief rather than navigator in that period, Chapel should be a doctor, Spock should be more at ease with his emotions, there should be a more multispecies crew, etc. Changing the ranks isn't enough.

I totally agree, but as a teenager it was good enough for me. Remember (as I'm sure you do) this was in the age when new Trek came out every 2-3 years in the theatres (TNG was still a couple years away), so I was happy to imagine these as "new" adventures.