A Question about New Earth/Ex Machina era...

[Paris]

I'm just over half way through Christopher's Ex Machina, and I'm wondering if the New Earth/Challenger books work well with this story. Do they contradict each other at all? Which happens first? As far as I know, both EM and the New Earth arc occur after TMP but before TWOK...

 

[DimesDan]

I'm just over half way through Christopher's Ex Machina, and I'm wondering if the New Earth/Challenger books work well with this story. Do they contradict each other at all? Which happens first? As far as I know, both EM and the New Earth arc occur after TMP but before TWOK...

I'm sure you've already asked this already today

 

[ClayinCA]

Isn't Ex Machina set more or less immediately after Star Trek: The Motion Picture (or more precisely, immediately after the shakedown cruise Kirk and Scotty talk about in the final scene)? I've never read the New Earth/Challenger books, so I can't speak to that....

 

[Thrawn]

yeah; Ex Machina happens immediately post-TMP; New Earth is some time later, and covers (IIRC) Chekov leaving and the uniform change.

 

[Paris]

I'm just over half way through Christopher's Ex Machina, and I'm wondering if the New Earth/Challenger books work well with this story. Do they contradict each other at all? Which happens first? As far as I know, both EM and the New Earth arc occur after TMP but before TWOK...

I'm sure you've already asked this already today

I asked it in another thread and figured since I hadn't received an answer over there I would start a new thread. I'll delete it from the other thread...

p.s.-Thanks for monitoring my movements. I thought those other footprints behind me were Jesus, but it's just you

 

[Paris]

yeah; Ex Machina happens immediately post-TMP; New Earth is some time later, and covers (IIRC) Chekov leaving and the uniform change.

Thanks That's exactly what I was wondering.

 

[Christopher]

I didn't take New Earth into account in any way when I wrote Ex Machina. As others have said, ExM begins less than 2 weeks after TMP, and thus comes before any other post-TMP stories.

 

[DimesDan]

I'm just over half way through Christopher's Ex Machina, and I'm wondering if the New Earth/Challenger books work well with this story. Do they contradict each other at all? Which happens first? As far as I know, both EM and the New Earth arc occur after TMP but before TWOK...

I'm sure you've already asked this already today

I asked it in another thread and figured since I hadn't received an answer over there I would start a new thread. I'll delete it from the other thread...

p.s.-Thanks for monitoring my movements. I thought those other footprints behind me were Jesus, but it's just you

And given time, maybe someone would have answered.

 

[ronny]

p.s.-Thanks for monitoring my movements. I thought those other footprints behind me were Jesus, but it's just you

need to stop reading this board at work. almost got caught laughing out loud when boss walked by while reading that.

 

[ClayinCA]

yeah; Ex Machina happens immediately post-TMP; New Earth is some time later, and covers (IIRC) Chekov leaving and the uniform change.

Interesting. Thrawn, you and I seem to be on the same wavelength a lot of the time: did you like the New Earth books?

 

[Paris]

I'm sure you've already asked this already today

I asked it in another thread and figured since I hadn't received an answer over there I would start a new thread. I'll delete it from the other thread...

p.s.-Thanks for monitoring my movements. I thought those other footprints behind me were Jesus, but it's just you

And given time, maybe someone would have answered.

Maybe i'm just a little impatient. Have you (Dimesdan) read the books in question? We seem to be of like minds on various things...what did you think of them?

 

[DimesDan]

Maybe i'm just a little impatient. Have you read the books in question? We seem to be of like minds on various things...what did you think of them?

I've read the New Earth books when they came out - the first one was free with Star Trek Monthly and although repetitive in the middle volumes, I rather enjoyed them. As for Ex Machina, nope, I havn't read it, not sure if I will either.

 

[Paris]

Maybe i'm just a little impatient. Have you read the books in question? We seem to be of like minds on various things...what did you think of them?

I've read the New Earth books when they came out - the first one was free with Star Trek Monthly and although repetitive in the middle volumes, I rather enjoyed them. As for Ex Machina, nope, I havn't read it, not sure if I will either.

I'm about 230 pages in and i'm enjoying it quite a bit. It's not my favorite book by Christopher, that was GTTS, but it's been a pretty good read so far. The characters are spot-on and the story moves rather well.

 

[Therin of Andor]

As for Ex Machina, nope, I havn't read it, not sure if I will either.

Paris, just jump over this post please...

it is for Dimesdan...








Best TOS movie novel ever! I hung on ever word, including a character death I realized was inevitable, but absolutely essential to the story.

(The novel continues to clash in my head with a decade of lovingly written personal fanfic.)

 

[Thrawn]

yeah; Ex Machina happens immediately post-TMP; New Earth is some time later, and covers (IIRC) Chekov leaving and the uniform change.

Interesting. Thrawn, you and I seem to be on the same wavelength a lot of the time: did you like the New Earth books?

One and six I liked a lot, and I loved the new Challenger crew that Carey created, but I've always thought Carey was a pretty quirky, interesting writer. A few missteps, but generally I like her a lot. I know others don't.

And either way, the middle four are just the pits. Repetitive and boring; a total chore to get through.

I adored Ex Machina, though

 

[Claudia]

One and six I liked a lot, and I loved the new Challenger crew that Carey created, but I've always thought Carey was a pretty quirky, interesting writer. A few missteps, but generally I like her a lot. I know others don't.

I absolutely agree with you on the Challenger characters. I absolutely loved them, some of the most interesting characters (and settings) ever created IMO...

About New Earth in general: I just didn't care too much about book 3 (the one that focuses on Uhura, Chekov and Sulu), and I think it was number 5 that was more or less a repetition of part 2... *g*

 

[Therin of Andor]

About New Earth in general: I just didn't care too much about book 3 (the one that focuses on Uhura, Chekov and Sulu), and I think it was number 5 that was more or less a repetition of part 2... *g*

It was a great idea for a mini-seris of novels, but mismanaged in that none of the authors ended up agreeing what magical powers olivium had, and how many colony ships had already been disassembled to create ground habitats, and how many times a planet needed evacuation, and the personality of the colony's leader, etc.

"Challenger", the final book, was excellent, though. And the "Gateways: Chainmail" sequel.

 

[Claudia]

"Challenger", the final book, was excellent, though. And the "Gateways: Chainmail" sequel.

QFT.

And I still keep my fingers crossed that the day will come that we get to see a continuation... So much potential for exciting stories wasted...

BTW, was it ever considered to just continue with Challenger, even without Diane Carey? Or was that always supposed to be her "baby" (similar to the NF and Peter David)? Or did Chainmail in particular sell so badly that it was considered easier and better to create another series within the TOS-timeframe with Vanguard?

 

[Therin of Andor]

BTW, was it ever considered to just continue with Challenger, even without Diane Carey? Or was that always supposed to be her "baby" (similar to the NF and Peter David)? Or did Chainmail in particular sell so badly that it was considered easier and better to create another series within the TOS-timeframe with Vanguard?

I guess for where "Chainmail" deliberately left some of its characters it would have been rude to get someone else to come along and make assumptions of what Diane Carey had in her head, especially if her no-ST-for-a-while sabbatical ended and she wanted to pick up the story again.

Had "Chainmail" sold gangbusters, history would be different. Either fans would be demanding a new instalment from Carey, and she'd have complied, or other authors would be pitching their own proposals for what happens next.

 

[Paris]

So, from what people are saying...books one and six are good and the ones in the middle aren't. If I read the first one and then the last one, will I be hopelessly lost? I've already wasted time reading some novels that weren't up to snuff (like Catalyst of Sorrows IMO).