Crucible reading order
- Thread starter Sky
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There's no strictly essential reading order for these, but it's generally safest to assume that the order of publication is the optimal order. I think publication order (McCoy, Spock, Kirk) is best here, because certain questions are raised in the first one or two and not really answered until the third.
I wrote the three Crucible novels as standalone works, so that they could be read in any order. Pocket published them in the sequence I wrote them, though, so that might end up being the "best" way to read them: Provenance of Shadows first, then The Fire and the Rose, and finally The Star to Every Wandering.
In that case, I will wait a bit for Provenance of Shadows to arrive, and because I am not the most patient person on the planet, will start on The Fire and the Rose if it hasn't arrived by late next week. The original plan was to save them all for christmas vacation but I am unable to wait for that long when I have an unread book on my hands.
Thanks!
I'm going to be the odd man out, and suggest reading Spock before McCoy. There's a question that Spock raises that's answered in McCoy. (The question is also present in McCoy, but the impact is lessened in Spock if you've read McCoy first.) Without going into spoilers, I don't want to say anything more than that.
Kirk, in any event, has to go last.
My suggested order, then, is Spock, then McCoy, and finally Kirk.
Kirk, in any event, has to go last.
My suggested order, then, is Spock, then McCoy, and finally Kirk.
^ Good point, Allyn. It's been difficult for me to objectively decide on a preferred reading order, since I read them in the order I wrote them. I'm interested to hear the opinions of people who read them in a different order, or who suggest a different order. Thanks for the comments.
<petulant=ON>
I want that Crucible trade paperback with all the new material!
</petulant>
I want that Crucible trade paperback with all the new material!
</petulant>
I really loved your books, I have all three of them. I read both Spock and Kirk and now reading the McCoy one. I really loved how you tied in the episode "The City of the Edge Of Forever" into all three of the books, that episode is actually one of my favorite episodes of The Orginal Series. I think you are a very good writter.
As do I, Julio, as do I.
I like this idea even better!
Thanks for the kind words. As the trilogy was intended to help celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the premiere of the series, I wanted both to ground it deeply within the show itself, and to draw upon one of the more popular episodes. I'm glad my efforts worked for you.
It's been awhile since I've read them so I don't remember the question you're talking about. Could you please put it in a spoiler comment?
It's McCoy's dreams of the alternate timeline. It's a recurring thing in Provenance of Shadows, and then McCoy gets closure on the dreams at the climax of the book. (I have my own theory about what happens after that point; I imagine that McCoy actually goes and looks for the graves of his "friends" in South Carolina, just so that he can know that it wasn't a dream.) The same question is raised in The Fire and the Rose, but it's a dangling point in the book, because there's no need for closure of it there as it's not something that affects Spock in any way. So, I think it's more effective to read Spock first, then McCoy for that reason; the issue gets raised in Spock, and then it's dealt with fully in McCoy.
It also occurs to me that reading Spock first makes sense because that book deals more extensively with the canonical events of "City" than the others. So even if you didn't remember all the intricacies of "City," Spock would give you what you need for Provenance to have more impact.
That's my thinking.
Guess I don't need to wait until I find my copy of the McCoy book to finally start in on the trilogy. The Spock book was on the floor under the desk (and under one of the cats). I have no idea where my Kirk book is. Somewhere in this mess of a computer room, I think.
*sigh* I need a librarian.
Karen
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I'm currently re-reading this series. I'm in such a TOS mood at the moment, since i finally bought the remastered series and the new movie on dvd. This is such an incredible series, a very well done celebration of the orginal series.
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