Full Circle Review Thread (Spoilers)
- Thread starter Kirsten Beyer
- Start date
The only thing that I think that has been said to date (and with the caveat about Margaret's exit, and the tentative nature of publishing schedules) is that the plans for future Voyager tales precluded its inclusion in the Typhon Pact miniseries.
Thanks and not that I'm aware of. That doesn't mean there aren't plans, just none that have been shared with me.
Alright, thanks. I really do hope you get to write more. I loved Full Circle and am very much looking forward to Unworthy.
I know I'm late to the party, but I just reread Full Circle in preparation for Unworthy and realised that I never posted my thoughts on here in the first place, so here we go:
The first half of the book was a mixed bag for me. While I wasn't overly keen on the storyline of the Kuvah'magh and the other Klingon sects, I loved the interaction of the core characters. Everyone was spot on, and the nuances of each were just right; for example, Kirsten managed to make Janeway authoritative and submissive to Chakotay's command of Voyager at the same time, and nailed Tom and B'Elanna's relationship troubles perfectly. It all felt like an actual, solid VOY story, a feel that the previous relaunch books lacked in my opinion. It also helped that everyone was worked into the plot without it becoming forced. I agree with the overall consensus that the killing of Christie Golden's seemed excessive and hasty, but I understand the creative need for a fresh inflow of new characters.
The second half of the book was damn near flawless for me. I enjoyed the slower pace and the more laidback style; everything still felt important, but it wasn't so frantic. It's unusual for me to prefer such scenes to action, so that's a testament to how good the second half was. Once again, characterisation was spot on and some compelling groundwork was laid (particularly with Chakotay and Seven).
The best part of this book for me, though, was the introduction of the new characters. While it was a pleasure to see the classics - Janeway, Chakotay, Paris, Kim, etc - get treated so well, I couldn't help but appreciate the way Kirsten introduced her creations so smoothly. Afsarah Eden and Hugh Cambridge were the standouts, with the former being a perfect choice for Voyager's new captain and the latter turning my opinion on him with every appearance. Excellent character work here.
Overall, I'd give it an even four out of five, with the missing point being due to the juggling timeline, which confused me a little at times.
The first half of the book was a mixed bag for me. While I wasn't overly keen on the storyline of the Kuvah'magh and the other Klingon sects, I loved the interaction of the core characters. Everyone was spot on, and the nuances of each were just right; for example, Kirsten managed to make Janeway authoritative and submissive to Chakotay's command of Voyager at the same time, and nailed Tom and B'Elanna's relationship troubles perfectly. It all felt like an actual, solid VOY story, a feel that the previous relaunch books lacked in my opinion. It also helped that everyone was worked into the plot without it becoming forced. I agree with the overall consensus that the killing of Christie Golden's seemed excessive and hasty, but I understand the creative need for a fresh inflow of new characters.
The second half of the book was damn near flawless for me. I enjoyed the slower pace and the more laidback style; everything still felt important, but it wasn't so frantic. It's unusual for me to prefer such scenes to action, so that's a testament to how good the second half was. Once again, characterisation was spot on and some compelling groundwork was laid (particularly with Chakotay and Seven).
The best part of this book for me, though, was the introduction of the new characters. While it was a pleasure to see the classics - Janeway, Chakotay, Paris, Kim, etc - get treated so well, I couldn't help but appreciate the way Kirsten introduced her creations so smoothly. Afsarah Eden and Hugh Cambridge were the standouts, with the former being a perfect choice for Voyager's new captain and the latter turning my opinion on him with every appearance. Excellent character work here.
Overall, I'd give it an even four out of five, with the missing point being due to the juggling timeline, which confused me a little at times.
I hope there are plans, Kirsten. It would be ridiculous to fire up a whole new story line, put out a novel that most people rave about, follow it with a second novel, and then just let the whole thing languish. It would, however, be typical of PB's treatment of Voyager to wait another three or four years to publish the next novel. While I'm unhappy with what has happened to the captain and crew, I would hate to lose the interest and momentum that Kirsten's novels have created. I'm hoping to see a third, fourth, fifth novel in the works soon.
!
I thought it was a good book.
I just finished "Full circle". I hadn't expected to like it. I moved to another country in Voyager's second season, and missed almost all of the show. I only bought the book because I buy almost all of the new ST books I can find when I visit the States.
Having said that, I though it was wonderful, and I look forward to seeing what comes next. I read it just after I read "Losing the Peace", which I also thought was excellent. The future of Trek Lit is bright, at least from my point of view.
Having said that, I though it was wonderful, and I look forward to seeing what comes next. I read it just after I read "Losing the Peace", which I also thought was excellent. The future of Trek Lit is bright, at least from my point of view.
Sorry to bring up a pretty old topic. I just finished Full Circle though, and loved it. I slowly but surely read through this whole thread, and have loved hearing from the author about so much.
Oddly the one thing that struck me the most about the novel was only half mentioned once in passing in this thread. This struck me a little ways into the second half.
A group of people are stranded somewhere for an extended amount of time. After returning home, time passes and we are shown many changes that have taken place unexpectantly. Flashbacks fill in the missing time slowly, answering our questions as to how the characters came to these new places in their now ruined lives. One person, however, is adamant about one thing: They must all reunite to return to the place they fought so hard to leave for so long. And in doing so, the peices of their shattered lives will somehow be mended.
Full Circle? Or Season 5 of Lost? Did this framework have anything to do with the writing of the book?
Oddly the one thing that struck me the most about the novel was only half mentioned once in passing in this thread. This struck me a little ways into the second half.
A group of people are stranded somewhere for an extended amount of time. After returning home, time passes and we are shown many changes that have taken place unexpectantly. Flashbacks fill in the missing time slowly, answering our questions as to how the characters came to these new places in their now ruined lives. One person, however, is adamant about one thing: They must all reunite to return to the place they fought so hard to leave for so long. And in doing so, the peices of their shattered lives will somehow be mended.
Full Circle? Or Season 5 of Lost? Did this framework have anything to do with the writing of the book?
Nope. Full Circle was done long before I watched season 5. It was one of many DVR'd shows that I caught up on later.
Wow. Just a weird coincidence then. Thanks for your reply Kirsten.
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It's not at all weird for two stories to have a similar structure. There are only so many ways you can tell a story. It's like music -- some patterns of sound and rhythm work as music while others are just noise, so there are motifs and structures that recur in many different musical works. By the same token, there are patterns of events and actions and characterizations and choices that work as coherent stories and others that are just random, so there's not an infinite variety of different story structures. Pick any story, boil it down to the core of its plot structure, and you'll end up with a description that can be applied to many different stories.
Also, it's very easy to construct a description of a series in a way that deliberately plays up the similarities to another series while glossing over the differences, thus creating the deceptive impression that they're more similar than they actually are. You can use that method to claim that virtually any two shows are "amazingly" or "suspiciously" similar, but it's really just a rhetorical trick.
Also, it's very easy to construct a description of a series in a way that deliberately plays up the similarities to another series while glossing over the differences, thus creating the deceptive impression that they're more similar than they actually are. You can use that method to claim that virtually any two shows are "amazingly" or "suspiciously" similar, but it's really just a rhetorical trick.
*** ventures into old stamping ground and dredges thread up from forum depths ***
(Just to give Rosalind and LS something to read.
)
I finished Full Circle a couple of days ago and have only now gotten around to posting a few thoughts. But before I do that, I'll add my congratulations to Kirsten Beyer. Your daughter is gorgeous.
Now for the few thoughts.
* I approached this book with an open mind. As someone who was...shall we say less than impressed with the decision to kill off Janeway (not to open that utterly ridiculous can of worms again) and as someone who didn't care for the first two Voyager relaunch novels at all (to put it very politely), I hadn't expected to find myself reading any further Voyager books. However, in the course of reading this thread and a corresponding one in the Voy forum a few months ago, I found myself both dismayed with the reactions of some people to the book's mere existence and impressed with the class and grace with which Kirsten Beyer conducted herself in the face of some really juvenile behaviour. I was thus determined to read the book for myself.
* In all honesty the book felt somewhat disjointed to me - more like a series of vignettes than a coherent whole - and it seemed like setup (for the forthcoming Unworthy, presumably) rather than a stand-alone book. (Of course, this is one of my gripes with Trek novels generally these days, so it's not a particular criticism of this book alone.) I'm assuming the whole Klingon apect will pay off at some stage; at this point, Miral's kidnapping and her subsequent recovery leaves me with a sense of "so what?" or "what's the point?" rather than anything else.
* As has been the case with so many Voyager novels, Tuvok is highly conspicuous by his near-absence. As a big fan of the character, I'm not impressed by this. It's common to all the Voyager novels I've read and it's annoying. At least he was "in character" but I'd prefer more Tuvok in these books.
* As someone who never saw anything more than friendship between Janeway and chuckles, I could have done without that aspect of the book. It wasn't a deal breaker or anything (the fact it wasn't made into a huge deal helped), but it didn't do anything whatsoever for me, either. To each their own, as always.
* I liked the book once I got into it (which for various reasons took a while). The characters were "in character" - always my first concern with any Trek novel - and behaved as I'd expect them to behave. This is a Good Thing.
I liked the "new" characters (bear in mind that I've pretty much given up on the Trek novels for various reasons, so "new" to me may well be very familiar to others) and enjoyed their interactions with those familiar to me.
Bottom line is pretty simple: I enjoyed the book enough that I'll be picking up Unworthy at the first available opportunity. I want to know what happens next, which is something the Voyager relaunch books didn't do for me at all. That alone puts Full Circle on something of a Trek novel plane for me.
(Just to give Rosalind and LS something to read.
)I finished Full Circle a couple of days ago and have only now gotten around to posting a few thoughts. But before I do that, I'll add my congratulations to Kirsten Beyer. Your daughter is gorgeous.
Now for the few thoughts.
* I approached this book with an open mind. As someone who was...shall we say less than impressed with the decision to kill off Janeway (not to open that utterly ridiculous can of worms again) and as someone who didn't care for the first two Voyager relaunch novels at all (to put it very politely), I hadn't expected to find myself reading any further Voyager books. However, in the course of reading this thread and a corresponding one in the Voy forum a few months ago, I found myself both dismayed with the reactions of some people to the book's mere existence and impressed with the class and grace with which Kirsten Beyer conducted herself in the face of some really juvenile behaviour. I was thus determined to read the book for myself.
* In all honesty the book felt somewhat disjointed to me - more like a series of vignettes than a coherent whole - and it seemed like setup (for the forthcoming Unworthy, presumably) rather than a stand-alone book. (Of course, this is one of my gripes with Trek novels generally these days, so it's not a particular criticism of this book alone.) I'm assuming the whole Klingon apect will pay off at some stage; at this point, Miral's kidnapping and her subsequent recovery leaves me with a sense of "so what?" or "what's the point?" rather than anything else.
* As has been the case with so many Voyager novels, Tuvok is highly conspicuous by his near-absence. As a big fan of the character, I'm not impressed by this. It's common to all the Voyager novels I've read and it's annoying. At least he was "in character" but I'd prefer more Tuvok in these books.
* As someone who never saw anything more than friendship between Janeway and chuckles, I could have done without that aspect of the book. It wasn't a deal breaker or anything (the fact it wasn't made into a huge deal helped), but it didn't do anything whatsoever for me, either. To each their own, as always.
* I liked the book once I got into it (which for various reasons took a while). The characters were "in character" - always my first concern with any Trek novel - and behaved as I'd expect them to behave. This is a Good Thing.
I liked the "new" characters (bear in mind that I've pretty much given up on the Trek novels for various reasons, so "new" to me may well be very familiar to others) and enjoyed their interactions with those familiar to me. Bottom line is pretty simple: I enjoyed the book enough that I'll be picking up Unworthy at the first available opportunity. I want to know what happens next, which is something the Voyager relaunch books didn't do for me at all. That alone puts Full Circle on something of a Trek novel plane for me.
Just to be sure I put this in Spoiler Code:
Tuvok is now a permanent Crew member of Titan, so it's highly unlikely he will play much of a role in any future post-Endgame Voyager novels, since those two ships are in totally different parts of the galaxy.
If you want alot of really good Tuvok material you should check out the Titan books. In the post-Nemesis books he's the Tactical Officer for Riker's USS Titan, and he plays a pretty big role in most of the books, especially the third one Orions Hounds, which is actually one of my favorite books.
I finished Full Circle a couple of days ago and have only now gotten around to posting a few thoughts. But before I do that, I'll add my congratulations to Kirsten Beyer. Your daughter is gorgeous.
Many thanks. It's been almost eleven weeks now and we have definitely decided to keep her.
And thanks for this as well.
Fair criticism and one that is as much a result of the story of this novel originally having been meant as two novels, as its need to fill-in gaps from other recent works without completely re-telling those stories. It did occur to me along the way that if you haven't read Destiny, for instance, the second section of the book might feel more than disjointed due to the structure and plain old lack of information. Not that you should ever have to read any other book to enjoy this one. It's a difficult balance to strike but one we struggle with daily.
Bottom line is pretty simple: I enjoyed the book enough that I'll be picking up Unworthy at the first available opportunity. I want to know what happens next, which is something the Voyager relaunch books didn't do for me at all. That alone puts Full Circle on something of a Trek novel plane for me.
I'm pleased that on the whole it worked for you. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about Unworthy.
Best,
Kirsten
Yeah, I'm aware of that.
Even so it's been a long-term gripe for me. Not a huge deal - there are bigger things in life than whether or not a character is in a Trek book, after all - but given my liking for the character I'd rather see him in the environment with which I'm most familiar. I'm picky like that. At least I didn't start a whole new thread. Then you'd have actually had to do something.
Probably a good idea. I don't think they're returnable.Many thanks. It's been almost eleven weeks now and we have definitely decided to keep her.I finished Full Circle a couple of days ago and have only now gotten around to posting a few thoughts. But before I do that, I'll add my congratulations to Kirsten Beyer. Your daughter is gorgeous.
That makes sense. As I mentioned, I've basically stopped reading the Trek novels (for several reasons), but plenty of people haven't. Plenty of people may well read every Trek novel that's published. Catering to readers with that spread of experiences is no simple task. I'll look forward to Unworthy filling in the gaps for me.
I'll be sure to offer some thoughts.I'm pleased that on the whole it worked for you. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about Unworthy.Bottom line is pretty simple: I enjoyed the book enough that I'll be picking up Unworthy at the first available opportunity. I want to know what happens next, which is something the Voyager relaunch books didn't do for me at all. That alone puts Full Circle on something of a Trek novel plane for me.
Best,
Kirsten
I just need to find a copy of it first - it can be a bit of a trial getting hold of Trek books these days in my particular part of Australia, but I intend to make it happen.
