Another "What should I read first?" post

[casey]

I know that people are always asking if they need to read x before they read y, and that the standard answer is that the books are designed so that you can read them without being lost.

But, I want to ask this anyway. I was in the book store and almost bought Wounds. I have never yet read any of the SCE books. I am sure I can read Wounds anyway, but would I be doing myself a disservice if I did? Do all of the books flow into each other, or is this something I can jump right into and then pick up the other books when I can find them.

I don't want to read Wounds and have all of the other books spoiled for me. So if the other books are always building up some mystery I don't want to read them. That would be like reading the last Vanguard books before the first. What is the point if you already know what is going on??

Any thoughts?????

 

[tranya]

As a relative n00b to the post-series continuities (just learning what, say, the da Vinci and Aventine even were...), I've gotta say I find the repeated nature of these kinds of questions a little disheartening. I've felt like posting something similar about Destiny and the recent books, but was a bit sheepish.

I know there's a high proportion of editors and writers on this board, so no offense intended whatsoever ... but the sheer amount of continuity makes it extremely daunting for even a long time Trek fan like myself to jump into these series and feel like I'm getting the full experience. I'm not sure I have the time or energy to track down all the books that are relevant to something like Destiny, and everything I've read about it makes it sound like it's the Trek book event of the past few years, at least for 24th c. stories.

I read the first few books of the DS9 relaunch and didn't feel terribly compelled to continue (partially because I didn't much like the new characterization of Ro Laren, didn't find Vaughn nor the new Jem'Hadar dude to be terribly interesting). I feel the same way about New Frontier -- I read the first few, got bored, and didn't continue. And now feel like I've missed something genuinely interesting.

Writers: How do you factor this kind of reaction into what you do? Or do you? Or should you even care? I genuinely don't know.

 

[MMCL]

I found some of the earlier books relied on and recapped on earlier SCE moments/adventures. Wounds did not do this as much however there were mentions of previous encounters.

Personally having read them all (and in order) I would recommend doing the same because the narrative does flow from one to the next and although each story is essentially stand-alone the continuity and 'flavour' are lost.

Wounds is fantastic but even better if enjoyed as the continuing adventures of Starfleet's 'can-do' engineers.

 

[JD]

As a relative n00b to the post-series continuities (just learning what, say, the da Vinci and Aventine even were...), I've gotta say I find the repeated nature of these kinds of questions a little disheartening. I've felt like posting something similar about Destiny and the recent books, but was a bit sheepish.

I know there's a high proportion of editors and writers on this board, so no offense intended whatsoever ... but the sheer amount of continuity makes it extremely daunting for even a long time Trek fan like myself to jump into these series and feel like I'm getting the full experience. I'm not sure I have the time or energy to track down all the books that are relevant to something like Destiny, and everything I've read about it makes it sound like it's the Trek book event of the past few years, at least for 24th c. stories.

I read the first few books of the DS9 relaunch and didn't feel terribly compelled to continue (partially because I didn't much like the new characterization of Ro Laren, didn't find Vaughn nor the new Jem'Hadar dude to be terribly interesting). I feel the same way about New Frontier -- I read the first few, got bored, and didn't continue. And now feel like I've missed something genuinely interesting.

Writers: How do you factor this kind of reaction into what you do? Or do you? Or should you even care? I genuinely don't know.

The DS9R and New Frontier don't really have anything to do with Destiny, so if you're worried about those series there's no need to. The only series that are really important are the TNGR and the Titan books, and those two series haven't had a ton of books in them yet, so if you want to read them it shouldn't take that long.

 

[Marie1]

Maybe at first... but Taran'atar, I thought, later becomes complex, interesting... and central... But, everyone knew I'd say that... (You're missing out immensely if you haven't read Warpath... everyone should read Warpath... Its just that cool.)

OT- I've been under the impression from talking to various people that you can read Wounds just fine being new to the series, inevitably you're going to get hints of what has happened in prior books- if it didn't happen, that would be weird... or nothing was happening. But it should be okay... or I'll try to buy it this weekend and let you know.

 

[tranya]

The DS9R and New Frontier don't really have anything to do with Destiny, so if you're worried about those series there's no need to. The only series that are really important are the TNGR and the Titan books, and those two series haven't had a ton of books in them yet, so if you want to read them it shouldn't take that long.

Yeah, I know those don't have anything to do with Destiny (well, actually, not so sure -- I have no idea how in the world a character like Ezri Dax ended up in command of a starship). But, I was simply mentioning those as two that I'd tried reading a bit of.

 

[KRAD]

The SCE books are a series of standalone adventures that have continuity between them. So if something happens in one book, it affects things in later books, and the characters develop over the course of the series.

As it happens, the books in Wounds work very nicely as a set. The adventures are related and happen relatively close to each other.

All this is by way of saying that you really don't need to have read the other ones. Whatever you need to know will be filled in. This, by the way, is also true for the Destiny trilogy. This notion of "having" to read other books is silly. If you start in the middle, so be it. You're still getting a good story, and if you want to track down the older books, you can do so. But it isn't required.

I can't begin to count the number of series, in several genres of both prose and comic books, that I picked up in the middle. If it interested me, then I tracked down the previous installments. If it didn't, then I didn't. And in some cases, I just picked up the train en route and continued on the journey without looking back.

I have no idea how in the world a character like Ezri Dax ended up in command of a starship

If you'd watched only the first two seasons of DS9, you'd also have no idea how in the world a character like Nog ended up a junior-grade lieutenant in Starfleet. But a lot can happen in a few years. The last time we saw Ezri on screen was in "What You Leave Behind." Destiny takes place five years later, or the same amount of time that Nog went from a sneak-thief being arrested by Odo to a Starfleet ensign.

 

[William Leisner]

I can't begin to count the number of series, in several genres of both prose and comic books, that I picked up in the middle. If it interested me, then I tracked down the previous installments. If it didn't, then I didn't. And in some cases, I just picked up the train en route and continued on the journey without looking back.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

 

[Space Lemur X]

The only way any Star Trek novel can possibly be enjoyed is to read everything that came before, starting with the Bantam series from the 70s and then reading all the Pocket novels in publication order, except for Triangle, which should be read every 3 months just to savor it. Also, if you lose track of what happened back in #57, for example, I suggest you read it twice. Otherwise Destiny or Q&A just don't make sense, dammit!!!1!

 

[Geoff Thorne]

Writers: How do you factor this kind of reaction into what you do? Or do you? Or should you even care? I genuinely don't know.

I'll let you know. The answer's contingent on getting to do another novel.

 

[casey]

My question wasn't so much "will it make sense" as will I ruin any awesome surprises.

Anyhow it looks like I have good answers on either side of starting from the beginning or starting with Wounds. I think I will pick up Wounds since it is easier to get and if I like it I will go back to the first.

Thinking back on it, I almost did buy Have Tech Will Travel but--and I am embarrassed to admit this--I didn't like the cover so I didn't buy it (no offense to anyone involved in the creating of the cover. And no, I am not usually that shallow. Just a new graduate student working three or for jobs with a lot of other things I needed to read!).

 

[KRAD]

Cool! Please do let us know what you think of Wounds.

I can tell you that my story, Security resolves a couple of plot lines that date back to the early days of the series. I say that not to tease you, but I'm curious to know, down the road, if you decide to pick up the earlier stories, what you think of that plotline knowing the end to it.

 

[Ktrek]

Thinking back on it, I almost did buy Have Tech Will Travel but--and I am embarrassed to admit this--I didn't like the cover so I didn't buy it (no offense to anyone involved in the creating of the cover. And no, I am not usually that shallow. Just a new graduate student working three or for jobs with a lot of other things I needed to read!).

I wouldn't worry about it! If I was not a collector I never would have bought the first few SCE books based on the covers! They are cheap and too cartoonish to be taken seriously. Thankfully things have changed. At least on most Trek titles.

I am not exactly sure why people feel it is a problem to read a book that they think is interesting even if it is in the middle of a series? If you happened upon TNG in episode 76 and liked it would it have stopped you from watching the next weeks episode? Or even stopped you from watching previous episodes if they aired? Not likely! So why hesitate when it comes to the printed page? These are Star Trek stories and if you are a fan you will certainly pick up on it soon enough. Will there be little nuances that would be more fully appreciated by having read the earlier entries? Of course! But the same could be said of the TV series. It just gives you more reason to go back and revisit them again. Buy the book and enjoy the ride. Wounds has some great stories!

Kevin

 

[casey]

I wouldn't worry about it! If I was not a collector I never would have bought the first few SCE books based on the covers! They are cheap and too cartoonish to be taken seriously. Thankfully things have changed. At least on most Trek titles.

I am glad to hear I am not the only one who thought that!

I think you make a good point about the episodes. Especially with TNG, but to be honest I would rather watch DS9 from beginning to end. Which isn't to say I wouldn't enjoy it starting from the sixth season, but getting the entire picture makes it so much more enjoyable.

Cool! Please do let us know what you think of Wounds.

I can tell you that my story, Security resolves a couple of plot lines that date back to the early days of the series. I say that not to tease you, but I'm curious to know, down the road, if you decide to pick up the earlier stories, what you think of that plotline knowing the end to it.

Oh I will definitely be back to report on it.
I don't think I will have the time to get through it as fast as I did with Lost Souls, but it will be on the top of my list.

 

[-Brett-]

The only way any Star Trek novel can possibly be enjoyed is to read everything that came before, starting with the Bantam series from the 70s and then reading all the Pocket novels in publication order, except for Triangle, which should be read every 3 months just to savor it. Also, if you lose track of what happened back in #57, for example, I suggest you read it twice. Otherwise Destiny or Q&A just don't make sense, dammit!!!1!

I used to think this kind of post was an exagerration, but after trying to read Destiny 1 before Greater Than the Sum, I'm not so sure.

I remember an entire chapter focusing on some character that (I guess) was introduced in GTtS. The author gives absolutely no indication of who this character is or why he's in the scene. After that, he just vanishes from the rest of the book leaving the reader thinking "WTF mate?". I wonder how many more such moments there would have been if I hadn't followed Titan and the DS9 relaunch. I know without the DS9 relaunch, "Captain Ezri Dax" would be a big WTF moment.

 

[PaulSimpson]

I used to think this kind of post was an exagerration, but after trying to read Destiny 1 before Greater Than the Sum, I'm not so sure.

OK, quick show of "hands" here folks. How many people, hand on heart, have read every Star Trek novel - starting from Mission to Horatius right the way through to Destiny III? Doesn't matter if you've not read them in order...

Paul

 

[Space Lemur X]

Oh man I'm sure nobody here will ever take me seriously now, but I actually was joking about reading them all (though I did try when I was 16-17ish). According to its cover, Voyages of Imagination references "the first forty years of professionally published Star Trek fiction... nearly six hundred books"... I don't know about you but that's at least 2-3 days reading for me ; who has the time for that?

But really, along the lines of what KRAD was saying, I think the best way is often just to pop into the middle and realize that, as in real life, you are going to encounter characters whose backstories are unfamiliar, and there's nothing wrong with that. If anything, the mystery can add some texture to your reading experience that might otherwise not be there. No need to ruin your enjoyment by stressing about not being omnipotent.

 

[DimesDan]

But really, along the lines of what KRAD was saying, I think the best way is often just to pop into the middle and realize that, as in real life, you are going to encounter characters whose backstories are unfamiliar, and there's nothing wrong with that. If anything, the mystery can add some texture to your reading experience that might otherwise not be there. No need to ruin your enjoyment by stressing about not being omnipotent.

I've done this a few times with book lines, just jumping in in the middle and then finding out about the back story by tracking down the previous books.

Also, after sitting down and watching some later episodes of NCIS with my bro and Dad I've been downloading it from the beginning and I'm really liking it and because I've never watched the earlier episodes, I'd never met Kate who is a really hottie

 

[JD]

Yeah, NCIS is great, although I prefer Ziva to Kate myself.
As for jumping into the middle of a series I've just done that twice in the last year, with Dark Order (the third(?) Sigma Force book) and The Legacy (The 7th book in the Legends of Drizzt series). WHen I do this it's usually just to get a feel for the series, and if I do like it I will usually look for the other books in the series. Which I did for both series, although I picked up the next books instead of going back to the beginning.

 

[casey]

I had forgotten that I bought Unity when if first came out, and I found the first few chapters boring and an uninteresting and gave up.

Until several months later when I decided to read the DS9 relaunch and got to it again, this time it was incredible. So certainly in that case of the DS9 relaunch I think reading order is very important.


But--as far as jumping in at the middle and then catching up with what came before, I guess that is what Enterprise and the new movie are all about, so if I can't handle it with Wounds I guess I shouldn't expect to be at theaters in may!