Star Trek Voyager: The Eternal Tide by Kirsten Beyer

[timothy]

It could be the Borg "returning". Lol

 

[rfmcdpei]

I think Beyer will do a great job of bringing Janeway back into the DQ universe. If there are some who will not buy the books, that's fine--they can stay in the AQ with the rest of the Destiny story line. I, and many others, are more than ready to go back to the DQ and see Janeway and her crew frolic amongst aliens she dealt with before and will meet in the future!

What Destiny storyline?

You're also making the assumption that if Janeway comes back permanently she'll be rejoining her crew. Why? Death changes people, after all ...

 

[Sci]

It will be interesting to see how this subforum will react - considering the endless discussions on Janeway's death that took place here.
Nobody likes to be proven wrong - and, apparently, the 'don't bring back Janeway' crowd WILL BE proven wrong.

I'm aware of no one in the "don't bring Janeway back" crowd who asserted that they couldn't bring Janeway back; obviously, it's fiction, so they could. Nor anyone who asserted that they wouldn't; creative directions and ideas change, and in point of fact Janeway was already "brought back" in the Star Trek Online novel. The assertion that I'm aware of most "don't bring back Janeway" folks making was that they shouldn't -- and saying they shouldn't isn't "proven wrong" just because it happens.

I think Beyer will do a great job of bringing Janeway back into the DQ universe. If there are some who will not buy the books, that's fine--they can stay in the AQ with the rest of the Destiny story line. I, and many others, are more than ready to go back to the DQ and see Janeway and her crew frolic amongst aliens she dealt with before and will meet in the future!

What Destiny storyline?

I've heard that phrase before. I think AuntKate is unaware, and/or does not care, that Star Trek: Destiny was a three-book miniseries that ended in 2008 rather than an ongoing series that remains in production.

 

[Ood Sigma]

(Do we even know that Janeway's coming back from the dead?)

No. The only thing that's actually known is that Janeway's face is on the cover of The Eternal Tide, and that a preliminary and possibly unofficial blurb mentions that some Starfleet officer is "returning," a word that could have a variety of meanings. It's understandable that one could jump to a certain conclusion based on those two things, but that's certainly not the same thing as knowing.

While that's all true, if it's not Janeway returning, that's a pretty big "bait and switch" that would probably turn off a lot of people - on either side of the debate.

 

[Violet.Phoenix]

I'm very interested to see if Janeway does indeed return in this novel, because if anyone can do a great job with something like this, it's Kirsten Beyer.

While the cover and blurb may only hint at Janeway's potential return, I'd love to see that happen. I honestly wasn't happy with her end in Before Dishonor and still feel like there are many more Janeway stories to be told. Also, I think that this could be a fascinating arc not only for her character but for the other Voyager characters as well.

I just hope that if this is Janeway's return that it is done in an interesting way, though seeing Janeway as a Q would be rather cool in my opinion.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

This thread has been every bit the heated discussion I was expecting since I saw the book's cover.

I am not a Janeway fan but do feel Janeway belongs in this series. That said I think the 2 best statements so far have been by Christopher and Thrawn.

I agree with Christopher that Janeway's presence or affect has been felt on this entire series.

I STRONGLY agree with Thrawn that this book will be written by Kristen F'n Beyer! She has done amazing work with Voyager, far better than was done on televsion. No matter if Janeway returns or not, the book will be incredible as Beyer has proven her abilities with this series.

 

[Thestral]

While that's all true, if it's not Janeway returning, that's a pretty big "bait and switch" that would probably turn off a lot of people - on either side of the debate.

To be fair, it's not like the authors necessarily have much input on covers, do they? So blame marketing if it turns out to be lies, damned lies.

 

[JD]

And while the people at PB might want to believe that they are writing some great saga or epic that is not just comprehensive, but complies with the poetics of the ages, they might as well get over it. It's Science Fiction, and it's supposed to break the rules.

Are you under the impression that you are more likely to persuade the authors to write the kind of stories you want to see by ascribing ego to their efforts at writing a quality story, and then insulting the genre by implying that science fiction has no verisimilitude and anyone expecting such is expecting more from the genre than it possesses?

I'm not trying to persuade the writers to do anything. I'm here to discuss things, not feed anyone's ego.

There is great literature out there that is science fiction based; I just haven't read much great literature in the Star Trek novels. It is what it is, and it has a healthy market, apparently, but it isn't rocket science ( ) or brain surgery or "literature" in the larger sense of the word (I doubt anyone is going to be reading it in a century or so).

I've never understood this attitude when it comes to Scifi and tie-ins in particular. I've read "literature" and I really didn't notice any particular difference between it and the tie-ins that I've read. They're both made up of words on a page that tell a story with characters, actions, and dialogue. I've read tie-ins that handle themes and messages just as well as "literature" and I've read "literature" that handled those themes and messages worse than tie-ins. And I think it's worth noting that a lot of "literature" and classics were just as much pop culture in their day as things like Trek are in ours. And in general I've gotten a lot more enjoyment out of the tie-ins that I've read, than I have the "literature" that I've read.

 

[Saumer]

I'm looking forward to this book even more now that I've read all the comments in this thread.

At first I was very pro-Return of Janeway, but now I'm not so sure having read some other people's points. There have been some really good characters introduced in the Beyer-era Voyager novels, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Afsarah Eden as I don't really know her yet.

Regardless of what happens, I'm looking forward The Eternal Tide coming out. Kirsten Beyer has done a great job on this franchise and will continue to do so whether or not Janeway is resurrected.

I'm just glad to be along for the ride.

 

[ToddCam]

video

I have watched that video, and while funny, it is fairly inaccurate. In addition, it makes a claim about the sales of Action Comics declining and never recovering, ignoring that this was also the time of the end of the absurd speculators' boom at the time, and the general decline in comics readership that has continued to this day.

 

[Relayer1]

I've never understood this attitude when it comes to Scifi and tie-ins in particular. I've read "literature" and I really didn't notice any particular difference between it and the tie-ins that I've read. They're both made up of words on a page that tell a story with characters, actions, and dialogue. I've read tie-ins that handle themes and messages just as well as "literature" and I've read "literature" that handled those themes and messages worse than tie-ins.

True - I've read some great sci-fi and space opera. Some of it has been Treklit. The biggest difference is often the lack of worldbuilding required in Trek, but that's not always the case - we do sometimes visit strange new worlds where we have not gone before...

 

[Jarrod]

Regardless of what happens, I'm looking forward The Eternal Tide coming out. Kirsten Beyer has done a great job on this franchise and will continue to do so whether or not Janeway is resurrected.

I'm just glad to be along for the ride.

Here Here!!

 

[Smitty]

The Star Trek: Voyager novels set after the series basically come in two waves.

The first consists of four novels written by Christie Golden:

• Homecoming (2003)
• The Farther Shore (2003)
• Spirit Walk, Book One: Old Wounds (2004)
• Spirit Walk, Book Two: Enemy of My Enemy (2004)

.
.
.
...Before Dishonor featured (as you can infer from this thread) the death of Kathryn Janeway...

...both to explore regions formerly controlled by the Borg, and to generally explore and establish relations with cultures in the Delta Quadrant. Unlike the series, however, Voyager and her taskforce are not lost, and remain in contact with the Federation, though they are on their own. Beyer's cycle consists of:

• Full Circle (2009)
• Unworthy (2009)
• Children of the Storm (2011)
• The Eternal Tide (upcoming)

I have read the Destiny series but none of the others. Is it required to read the first wave before embarking on the second wave? I have another Voyager question too but will do a seperate post for that one.

 

[Christopher]

It doesn't hurt, but it's not required. Full Circle works as a jumping-on point and fills in what you need to know.

 

[Sci]

The Star Trek: Voyager novels set after the series basically come in two waves.

The first consists of four novels written by Christie Golden:

• Homecoming (2003)
• The Farther Shore (2003)
• Spirit Walk, Book One: Old Wounds (2004)
• Spirit Walk, Book Two: Enemy of My Enemy (2004)

.
.
.
...Before Dishonor featured (as you can infer from this thread) the death of Kathryn Janeway...

...both to explore regions formerly controlled by the Borg, and to generally explore and establish relations with cultures in the Delta Quadrant. Unlike the series, however, Voyager and her taskforce are not lost, and remain in contact with the Federation, though they are on their own. Beyer's cycle consists of:

• Full Circle (2009)
• Unworthy (2009)
• Children of the Storm (2011)
• The Eternal Tide (upcoming)

I have read the Destiny series but none of the others. Is it required to read the first wave before embarking on the second wave? I have another Voyager question too but will do a seperate post for that one.

Let me put it this way:

I read and enjoyed Full Circle. I never read Spirit Walk and have to this day no idea what happened in those books. I read Homecoming and The Farther Shore in 2003 and haven't touched them since, and couldn't really tell you what happened in them beyond Voyager coming home and Admiral Janeway saving the day from something or other.

 

[Thrawn]

I've read all of Golden's relaunch, right before reading Full Circle actually, and I have to say that in my opinion it makes literally no difference whatsoever, reading them or not.

They're not great, but they're ok, and they're short. Reading them gives you some nice little bits of backstory, but it takes a little while. The time you spend reading fairly lame books is almost exactly balanced out by the slight benefits of backstory. I think my overall levels of enjoyment would've been identical, doing them or skipping them. I really don't think it matters at all.

 

[JD]

^And most of the information you get from reading them can also be acquired by doing some research on Memory Beta. That's what I did.

I've never understood this attitude when it comes to Scifi and tie-ins in particular. I've read "literature" and I really didn't notice any particular difference between it and the tie-ins that I've read. They're both made up of words on a page that tell a story with characters, actions, and dialogue. I've read tie-ins that handle themes and messages just as well as "literature" and I've read "literature" that handled those themes and messages worse than tie-ins.

True - I've read some great sci-fi and space opera. Some of it has been Treklit. The biggest difference is often the lack of worldbuilding required in Trek, but that's not always the case - we do sometimes visit strange new worlds where we have not gone before...

I think anyone who questions what tie-ins can be needs to read A Stitch in Time, Orion's Hounds, the Destiny trilogy or The Sorrows of Empire. Those books are truly amazing, and I would easily say they could compete with most "literature" out there.

EDIT: I just watched Favorite Son (S3, E19), and now I'm starting to wonder if perhaps Eden is a Taresian.

 

[Ktrek]

I have to say that I would be really REALLY disappointed if Kirsten brings back Janeway for good. I think the Voyager story has been much more complex and interesting without Janeway. I just don't find Janeway a very interesting character. She is a little two dimensional, and none of the authors have ever been able to correct the shortcomings of the TV show when it comes to Janeway as a character. That said though, it would not stop me from reading further or future Voyager novels. I think Kirsten is a fine author, and I hope she gets the opportunity to write more Voyager. It would be nice to see some other authors jump into the relaunch as well, but so far I can't complain about the direction, or the quality of the story writing. It has been fun, entertaining, and at times thought provoking and I couldn't ask for more from any Star Trek author.

Kevin

 

[Cybersnark]

I've read "literature" and I really didn't notice any particular difference between it and the tie-ins that I've read. They're both made up of words on a page that tell a story with characters, actions, and dialogue. I've read tie-ins that handle themes and messages just as well as "literature" and I've read "literature" that handled those themes and messages worse than tie-ins. And I think it's worth noting that a lot of "literature" and classics were just as much pop culture in their day as things like Trek are in ours. And in general I've gotten a lot more enjoyment out of the tie-ins that I've read, than I have the "literature" that I've read.

Indeed.

In fact (having been on a bit of a "classic" SF kick lately), I've noticed how a lot of "literary" books try so hard to be "critically respectable" and dignified that they just come across as defensive and self-conscious.

Tie-in books, meanwhile, are fun.

 

[tomswift2002]

so, I have read any of the voyager stuff after the series. When does this story arc begin (which book)?
Thanks

The Star Trek: Voyager novels set after the series basically come in two waves.

The first consists of four novels written by Christie Golden:

• Homecoming (2003)
• The Farther Shore (2003)
• Spirit Walk, Book One: Old Wounds (2004)
• Spirit Walk, Book Two: Enemy of My Enemy (2004)

After that, Golden was tied up and no new VOY novels came out for a while. VOY characters, as a result, began appearing in other series -- most notably, Tuvok became a main character in the Star Trek: Titan book series, and Admiral Janeway appeared in the TNG novel Before Dishonor by Peter David (2007). Before Dishonor featured (as you can infer from this thread) the death of Kathryn Janeway.

You forgot that Janeway and the Doctor also made an appearance in William Shatner's Captain's Blood (2003) and Captain's Glory (2006) during the Totality incident.

But with Janeway's return I'm not too sure if I want it this soon after she was killed. I remember thinking when I read Death In Winter and how Dr. Crusher returned from Starfleet Academy for the second time that it was too soon after Nemesis for her too return (I realize that she wasn't dead, but it would've been interesting to have seen Picard running the Enterprise with just Worf and Geordi left from the show, and had Wesley even been there, it would've made for some interesting stories where Picard is learning to work with essential a whole new crew. Instead I felt that Micheal Jan Friedman kind of took the easy way out on that one and redid the Riker-story and his commands, but this time with Dr. Crusher).

Of course with the Voyager Season 11 books it'll be interesting to see if Voyager also revisits races that were encountered in the novels. Currently I'm re-reading Violations (similar story too Season 4's Concerning Flight but set during Voyager's first season) and I would love to see Voyager and the fleet encounter the Cartel again sometime down the road (and it's funny, with Violations, even though it was, according to Susan Wright in Voyages of Imagination, written just prior to Caretaker being aired and then being fixed up after the first couple of episodes were aired, the novel doesn't seem to have aged as badly as some of the early novels in the TOS, TNG or DS9 series, and with CF I just watched it within the past two weeks and there was nothing in that episode saying that that was the first time that Voyager's computer had been hijacked!) along with some of the other species (like that alien thing and Daphne Mandel from Cybersong).