Spoilers TNG: A Singular Destiny by Keith R.A. DeCandido review thread

[Christopher]

Christopher, I think you're being a little intentionally dense on this one. I wasn't concentrating on the metatextual part of the story, I was using the references that I caught to add depth to motivation, etc, within the story. That's why they're there, after all - to refer to earlier events that then inform the events we're seeing in the book.

But that's just it. I was responding specifically to your statement that "The problem was that the book had so many of those cute little references in it that it became hard to tell what was new and what was winking at past stories." But references to past stories and to newly invented backstory both serve the same in-story purpose to inform the events of the book and add depth to motivation etc. So if that's what you're concentrating on, then why do you consider it a problem that you can't tell the difference?

I love KRAD, and think Articles is one of the four or five best Trek books I've ever read. But in this particular case, I think the continuity references were often for their own sake rather than for the sake of the story. It made me feel as though I was missing something, even when I wasn't.

Ahh, I think this clarifies what you were saying. It's not that you couldn't tell which references were original and which were to past episodes, it was that you couldn't tell whether the references were plot-significant or merely continuity nods for their own sake. The problems wasn't confusion over the source of the refs, but confusion over their meaning. Is that about right?

 

[Thrawn]

Christopher, I think you're being a little intentionally dense on this one. I wasn't concentrating on the metatextual part of the story, I was using the references that I caught to add depth to motivation, etc, within the story. That's why they're there, after all - to refer to earlier events that then inform the events we're seeing in the book.

But that's just it. I was responding specifically to your statement that "The problem was that the book had so many of those cute little references in it that it became hard to tell what was new and what was winking at past stories." But references to past stories and to newly invented backstory both serve the same in-story purpose to inform the events of the book and add depth to motivation etc. So if that's what you're concentrating on, then why do you consider it a problem that you can't tell the difference?

I love KRAD, and think Articles is one of the four or five best Trek books I've ever read. But in this particular case, I think the continuity references were often for their own sake rather than for the sake of the story. It made me feel as though I was missing something, even when I wasn't.

Ahh, I think this clarifies what you were saying. It's not that you couldn't tell which references were original and which were to past episodes, it was that you couldn't tell whether the references were plot-significant or merely continuity nods for their own sake. The problems wasn't confusion over the source of the refs, but confusion over their meaning. Is that about right?

Right. Or, more accurately, with any given continuity nod, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to care about: its meaning or its source. So I started feeling like I had to find the sources, just to be sure.

 

[Stephen!]

And as for the SCE crew, it seemed like the only way in which Stevens's backstory was at all important to the story was in the fact of the magic paint, which it seems to me could've been gotten pretty quickly without the backstory dump there, too.

magic paint?

 

[DimesDan]

And as for the SCE crew, it seemed like the only way in which Stevens's backstory was at all important to the story was in the fact of the magic paint, which it seems to me could've been gotten pretty quickly without the backstory dump there, too.

magic paint?

I'm guessing it's paint that has magical powers

Maybe someone should use it for a Turner Prize entry; would be better than an unmade bed, a shed that was built from a boat (or was it a boat built out of a shed) and a painting made out of Elephant dung

 

[Thrawn]

And as for the SCE crew, it seemed like the only way in which Stevens's backstory was at all important to the story was in the fact of the magic paint, which it seems to me could've been gotten pretty quickly without the backstory dump there, too.

magic paint?

A quick way to refer to something that makes more sense within the context of the story; I promise when you read it you'll know what I'm talking about

 

[William Leisner]

And as for the SCE crew, it seemed like the only way in which Stevens's backstory was at all important to the story was in the fact of the magic paint, which it seems to me could've been gotten pretty quickly without the backstory dump there, too.

magic paint?

I'm guessing it's paint that has magical powers

As Arthur C. Clarke stated, any sufficiently advanced paint is indistinguishable from magic.

 

[fleetcaptain]

Ok since i haven't been on here all weekend, I finally caught up w/ this post. I have the same problem like w/ the others, w/ Borders too. I was just up there on thursday and noticed they didn't have a single copy for Shards and Shadows. I don't really go there as much anymore, mainly cause there is only like 2 stores in the area and not many Walden's around either, so that don't help. I'm kind of pissed off at both Books a Million and B&N through. I still haven't received an email about the book being out yet. I just checked one B&N this morning and they didn't have a copy, but hopefully the one closer to me will soon.
I'm going to start just orderin the books online since it seems everyone gets them faster that way.

 

[ClayinCA]

To further compound the Borders ridiculousness, I happened to be in my local store in New Jersey last night, and despite the fact that a check I'd done earlier that day indicated that this particular store had no copies in stock (and indeed, the "Not Available In Stores" was still clearly indicated), the store had two or three copies of A Singular Destiny on the shelf. Not being a fool, I bought one!

I'll now quit clogging up this thread with my tales of woe in trying to find a copy of the book, and come back when I've finished it. Can't wait can't wait can't wait....

 

[David Mack]

As Arthur C. Clarke stated, any sufficiently advanced paint is indistinguishable from magic.

Actually, what he said was, "Any sufficiently advanced paint is indistinguishable from magic marker."

 

[Thrawn]

As Arthur C. Clarke stated, any sufficiently advanced paint is indistinguishable from magic.

Actually, what he said was, "Any sufficiently advanced paint is indistinguishable from magic marker."

Terrible, sir. Terrible.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Curse you, KRAD, and your increasingly evil laugh!

 

[DimesDan]

Curse you, KRAD, and your increasingly evil laugh!

But does he like playing with toy Dinosaurs?

 

[Turtletrekker]

Frak and Frell, I'm actually in shock after reading that tit bit of information.

Spoiler: The casualty report

Actually, Frak is said to have died in the same casualty report that mentioned B'Elanna. Frell, OTOH, seems to have made through just fine.

 

[Idoliside]

This just dropped through my door! God bless The Book Depository!

 

[Aaron McGuire]

I just finished the book (ok I finished it three days ago) and I loved it. Nice set up for the political changes going on in the trek universe.

But I have to ask: What species are the individuals H'a'e'd't'd'o'i'r and B'w'e'd'l'e'r (as well as other similarly named beings that show up in the book) supposed to be?

Aaron McGuire

 

[KRAD]

I just finished the book (ok I finished it three days ago) and I loved it. Nice set up for the political changes going on in the trek universe.

Thanks!

But I have to ask: What species are the individuals H'a'e'd't'd'o'i'r and B'w'e'd'l'e'r (as well as other similarly named beings that show up in the book) supposed to be?

A species I haven't gotten around to naming yet. I've used that naming convention elsewhere. Really do need to name those buggers.............................

 

[LightningStorm]

But I have to ask: What species are the individuals H'a'e'd't'd'o'i'r and B'w'e'd'l'e'r (as well as other similarly named beings that show up in the book) supposed to be?

In addition to that question, I was wondering a couple of things. How are they pronounced. I know the apostrophes are stops and such but if we were to force them into an English pronunciation what would they sound like? Reason I ask is because they both appear (to me) like somewhat joke type names because I see them as "head into door" and "bewilder." But, maybe I was feeling wacky at the time I read them.

 

[Stevil2001]

But I have to ask: What species are the individuals H'a'e'd't'd'o'i'r and B'w'e'd'l'e'r (as well as other similarly named beings that show up in the book) supposed to be?

A species I haven't gotten around to naming yet. I've used that naming convention elsewhere. Really do need to name those buggers.............................

I had assumed that they were Hamalki. Though I guess we never saw a Hamalki whose name had vowels in it. (Actually, were there any named Hamalki beyond K't'lk/K's't'lk?)

It also occurs to me that the name fits Xenexian conventions, as in M'k'n'zy of Calhoun. (Though no other Xenexian ever seemed to need that many glottal stops. No wonder he changed his name to "Mackenzie".)

 

[DEWLine]

I haven't run the idea past Diane Duane just yet, but surely Hamalki have their own ethnic group-equivalents with their own naming practices? And Peter David could confirm/debunk for Xenexians on the same question, right?

 

[Corran Horn]

Curse you, KRAD, and your increasingly evil laugh!

Why? He's pretty much confirmed that the issue in question isn't as dire as it seems at all.