New Frontier: Where do I start if...

[Deranged Nasat]

I had some problems with certain characters. I didn't like the way Robin Lefler was written and couldn't imagine it being the same character, even though she was only in 2 Next Gen episodes.

I didn't realize it until I reread them a few years ago, but up until 'After The Fall,' I really agree with this statement - PD's characterization of Robin doesn't sit well up until recently. Personally, I think it's the fact that she almostly instantly becomes smitten with Si Cwan and most of her thoughts and characterization seem to revolve around him -

Spoiler: Later NF spoilers

now that he's been removed from the equation, she's got a little more personality because she has to develop without him. Now, if her child becomes the entire universe to her, again I'm going to have a problem with her.

It's one of the reasons I like the fanseries Hidden Frontier's take on the character, since she's got a character separate from someone else.

I think the problem is that Peter David gave her character what I like to think of as "the Edge", as he gives all his characters. This isn't to suggest Peter David writes bad characters- far from it- but they do all have the Edge. I'm reminded of Terry Pratchet's Discworld books, where every female character has the Edge (and quite a pronounded Edge it is), because Pratchet by his own admission can't write "soft" female characters. This means his male characters tend to be varied and complex, while his female ones all come from the same cookie cutter. As fascinating as Peter David's take on his characters (either his own or TV-borrowed) is, Lefler on TV simply did not possess the Edge and so when written by David she comes across differently. Contrast Shelby, who did have the Edge and thus is written truthfully and well by Peter David.

 

[Stevil2001]

Except for the bit where TV-Shelby was willing to break rules and step on toes to get the job done, and book-Shelby is a stickler and can't even contemplate ever breaking the rules ever, sure.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Except for the bit where TV-Shelby was willing to break rules and step on toes to get the job done, and book-Shelby is a stickler and can't even contemplate ever breaking the rules ever, sure.

I think they go into that in the TNG/NF Double Helix novel - IIRC, Riker gets placed in command of the Excelsior for a time and he plays things pretty much by the book, given that he's playing it safe and trying not to step on the toes of the rather strange bunch that is the Excelsior's crew, and Shelby goes back to the TV-style charactization - At some point she realizes this and comes to the conclusion that she serves under someone who is by-the-book, she starts bending the rules and stepping on the toes of the superiors, but when she serves under someone who plays fast and loose with the regs, she's suddenly the model officer.

 

[Paris]

Because of you guys I've been driven. Driven to acquire these books. I've finally made headway. I just picked up Martyr to Restoration for $6 on Ebay!

Awesome dude! This is exactly how I built my collection up after being away for a few years. I've found some ridiculous deals on ebay for multiple books.

I had to tell somebody and no one I know could or would possibly care. Since this forum is responsible for my current preoccupation, I've come here to thank you!

This is pretty much my life . I recently got my wife interested in a little treklit (the last three A Time To... books followed by the Full Circle and Before Dishonor...Destiny is next hopefully), but she can only listen to me talk about it for so long. This board has become a sort of neccesity .

Now if only Once Burned would arrive already, I'd have something to get me started.

Amen. We'll discuss that one for sure when you've read it .

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Except for the bit where TV-Shelby was willing to break rules and step on toes to get the job done, and book-Shelby is a stickler and can't even contemplate ever breaking the rules ever, sure.

Hmmm, you have a point, but I suppose Shelby needs to be more of a stickler for the rules now she has Calhoun to deal with.

Oh, DGCatAniSiri beat me to it.

 

[Manisphere]

And I think you can just jump in. I recommend starting with "After the Fall" (#15) if possible, as the NF timeline jumps three years. It's almost like a new start. Almost. You can just find out the basic's from Steve Roby's site or even Memory Beta.

If you really can't or don't want to get the first books off amazon or ebay, then After the Fall would probably a good starting point. Like Paris said, it was a jump ahead, so it reintroduces alot of the characters, and starts new story arcs.

I had to ask. I know the answer but I had to ask so be patient with me.

I'd forgot I'd requested an interlibrary loan for After the Fall and Missing in Action weeks ago and they came in today. Since it skips ahead could I read both and then double back to Martyr or does that plain blow the whole thing for me? I'm just so tempted!

 

[JD]

It should. Just keep in mind that Martyr is like 3 or 4 years before After The Fall.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

It should. Just keep in mind that Martyr is like 3 or 4 years before After The Fall.

Spoiler: Actually JD

After The Fall takes place 6 years after Martyr, you forgot to count the time the Excalibur missed after their little time travel trip

 

[Manisphere]

It should. Just keep in mind that Martyr is like 3 or 4 years before After The Fall.

It should blow the whole thing? Or it should be fine? I'm assuming you meant the former.

 

[JD]

Sorry, you should be fine.

 

[Manisphere]

Beautiful! Thanks so much!

 

[Manisphere]

Patience was never a strong suit with me. I put down After the Fall about 70 pages in when I realized I was committing spoiler suicide .

Spoiler: Things that happened

Robin marries Cwan, Calhoun marries Shelby, Xyon is still alive (and didn't die in some dark energy) and Robin's mother is a program aboard Calhoun's new ship.

Yeah. I shouldn't have done that.

 

[captcalhoun]

well, i did warn you...

 

[Paris]

Patience was never a strong suit with me. I put down After the Fall about 70 pages in when I realized I was committing spoiler suicide .

Spoiler: Things that happened

Robin marries Cwan, Calhoun marries Shelby, Xyon is still alive (and didn't die in some dark energy) and Robin's mother is a program aboard Calhoun's new ship.

Yeah. I shouldn't have done that.

Shitty dude . Since you already know these things, you may as well continue reading from there. You can go back and read the tales from 2373-76 later on.

 

[Manisphere]

Patience was never a strong suit with me. I put down After the Fall about 70 pages in when I realized I was committing spoiler suicide .

Spoiler: Things that happened

Robin marries Cwan, Calhoun marries Shelby, Xyon is still alive (and didn't die in some dark energy) and Robin's mother is a program aboard Calhoun's new ship.

Yeah. I shouldn't have done that.

Shitty dude . Since you already know these things, you may as well continue reading from there. You can go back and read the tales from 2373-76 later on.

Well, of course my Martyr to Restoration and Twice Burned ebay package came in the mail yesterday. So, I still don't know what happened to Selar, Burgoyne, the rest, or the details of the spoilers. What the Dark Energy is, or how Lefler's Mom ends up in the computer. And the rather than run into more spoilers through AtF, I went back and devoured Martyr in a day. Awesome!

I might just continue from Fire on High. NF aren't Agatha Christie novels. A couple spoilers can't ruin the series. (I hope?) At least it didn't impede my enjoyment of Martyr. David is just too good.

 

[Paris]

^I pretty much always get through PAD's New Frontier books in a day or two. There's a pretty decent flow in PAD books . Glad you liked Martyr so much. I almost picked up Once Burned for a re-read last night after I finished The Buried Age, but as I have over two dozen unread treklit books in my queue, I couldn't justify a re-read quite yet . Hope you like Fire on High