VOY: Protectors by Kirsten Beyer Review Thread (Spoilers!)

[star trek]

I hope Beyer doesn't end the new voyager books with Voyager being the only remaining ship of the Delta quadrant fleet. It seems too cheesy to me.

I was hoping to look forward to seeing them encounter the Kazon or Devore. How would they react when they encounter a small fleet of Federation ships instead of the one science vessel. It's a shame the ships are getting destroyed left and right.

As good as Beyer's books are I wish she wrote more about the races and civilizations Voyager encountered in the episodes. The Videans what are they like now?, What happened to the Borg rebellion led by Korok (unimatrix zero and Axom), What about the human transplanted colony?, or the world populated by groups of severed borg? There's so many obvious good and interesting things to draw on I don't know why she doesn't use it. Maybe possibly in a few years time.

I'm going to have to eat my own words I said before the book came out. Beyer REALLY hit all the points I wanted in a Voyager book. I wanted more ships in the Full Circle fleet and I got that, I wanted to see some of the more interesting Delta quadrant species returning and I really got that.

I gave it an outstanding mark. This book had everything I wanted in a Trek book. Exploration, discovery, politics, some action and most of all it really made use of the Trek universe. One of my major gripes about some Trek books is they don't make full use of the rich and full lore of Star Trek. Beyer did. She went to the Beta, Alpha, and Delta quadrants, we even learn of the fates of the Naomi Wildman and Echip.

Beyer really knows how to write what characters are feeling. I really like that about Beyer. That scene with Janeway and the older counselor was really well done.

One of the few things I didn't enjoy was when she focuses a bit too much and long on a relationship and how they feeling. But, when it's just getting stale it turns and a new plot development occurs.

I wasn't too fond of how it ended, with a mystery. Maybe it's just because I want more now, but I guess we'll have to wait. Although, overall, the book left me with a satisfied positive ending.

One thing I didn't understand was why Vorik and Tuvok were withdrawn, almost bitter? Its been a while since I read the last books but is it because they thought she was dead and now she's back? and they don't know how to deal with it since they accepted her death?.

 

[TerraUnam]

What is the expected timeline for a blurb on Acts of Contrition?

 

[JoeZhang]

I quite liked this although thoroughly bored of intrigue in Starfleet at this stage - especially six (?) books in a row. Wasn't keen on the wooly new aged nonsense moment with Janeway either. Still better than a lot of Trek I've read recently.

 

[rfmcdpei]

I got the feeling, that too many of Starfleet Command officers has become what Oliver Queen of Smallville said "Generation of Critics instead of Leaders" for judging selfishly what late Future Admiral Janeway did by changing the Timeline. It's so annoying to see such a Commanding Officers could do that... It's remind me of those stupid Captains who shot at the Aventine on The Falls: 4, so stupid and narrow minded.

I wouldn't think they're selfish. The book begins just over a year after a Borg invasion triggered by Janeway's actions killed 61 billion people. it's nmot at all unreasonable to question if it was worth it, especially if the evidence that it may have been is not generally available. Even Janeway herself acknowledges to Farkas that she miscalculated.

 

[Reanok]

I like how the character of Captain Farkas is starting to change her views about Admiral

Spoiler: Protector spoilers

One thing I wonder about finishing the latest chapter in this book the Starfleet doctors why do they want with Axum and the research about the Catons from Seven of Nine?Doctor Mai can't be trusted.

Janeway.I hope she'll be appearing future Voyager books.Belanna seems to acting totally out of character due to her pregnancy .She's making some unwise decisions that could've endangered the crews on the ark planet.

 

[Enterpriserules]

I voted Outstanding because of the Janeway character growth! Looking forward to talking to Kirsten tonight for LT!

 

[Thrawn]

Looking forward to talking to Kirsten tonight for LT!

Cool!

 

[Starbreaker]

Really enjoyed the last KB podcast. I can't wait to hear this one after I finish Protectors.

 

[Reanok]

Looking forward to hearing another interview with Kirsten.

 

[tomswift2002]

Is it just me, or does it seem like Captain Farkas is being modeled on Genevieve Bujold's brief-portrayal of Captain Janeway. Every time that the character appears in the book, I seem to imagine that it is Bujold who is playing the part.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Is it just me, or does it seem like Captain Farkas is being modeled on Genevieve Bujold's brief-portrayal of Captain Janeway. Every time that the character appears in the book, I seem to imagine that it is Bujold who is playing the part.

Hmmm. I hadn't thought of it that way, but now that you mention it...

 

[Enterpriserules]

Looking forward to talking to Kirsten tonight for LT!

Cool!

Really enjoyed the last KB podcast. I can't wait to hear this one after I finish Protectors.

Looking forward to hearing another interview with Kirsten.

Thanks! Y'all have any questions? I can try and squeeze some in!

 

[Patrick O'Brien]

I voted Outstanding because of the Janeway character growth! Looking forward to talking to Kirsten tonight for LT!

Just what I had hoped for

 

[JoeZhang]

Is it just me, or does it seem like Captain Farkas is being modeled on Genevieve Bujold's brief-portrayal of Captain Janeway. Every time that the character appears in the book, I seem to imagine that it is Bujold who is playing the part.

Speaking of that sort of thing (and maybe someone has mentioned this) but isn't there also a sly nod to Nicholas Locarno in there as well?

 

[Zedferret]

Loved the book. Can't quite get a handle on the chronology, and I didn't like Paris's story but an otherwise excellent instalment by Kirsten Beyer. Up there with McCormack, Mack and Bennett for consistently good books.

 

[Stoek]

"The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself." Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” Bene Gesserit litany from Dune

I'm afraid. All of the time. I know how that sounds, like I'm trying to come up with something catchy to start this little post of mine off with. But it's true. I'm afraid of pain. I'm afraid of being a nobody my whole life. I'm afraid of losing my crappy (although slightly less crappy now) job. I'm afraid of being homeless. I'm afraid of the very few beings I've allowed myself to really become attached to suffering because I've failed them in some way. I could go on. At great length. But I won't. The bottom line is that you can trust me when I say that I know all about fear. I also know about fighting it. Because that's what I do every single moment of every single day. This I feel qualifies me to say with some authority that fear and fighting fear is pretty much the central theme to Kirsten Beyer's latest Voyager novel.

There's Chakotay who is so afraid of failing Janeway and the fleet that he's in danger of letting that fear turn him into a narrow minded results obsessed martinet.

There's Janeway who's afraid of turning into her worst self.

Hugh Cambridge is so afraid of love that he's already foredoomed his relationship with Seven before it starts.

Barclay is afraid of his creation hurting people.

Torres is afraid of not being able to make room both literally and figuratively in her and Tom's lives for their impending new arrival.

Fear after fear after fear.

I loved every minute of it. This is why I read and watch and eat and breathe Star Trek. Don't get me wrong. I love all the future stuff, and the space stuff. But what I love most is getting to see people whom I can relate to struggling and triumphing over fear, and anger, and all sorts of other emotions.

There quite frankly was nothing that I didn't like about this book.

I loved Janeway's introspection. This person finally feels like someone I might actually want to be in the same room with.

I loved seeing Paris and Torres relationship grow. As someone who shares his life with a strong willed and sometimes emotionally volatile person, I see a lot of what I've been through in their relationship. Both the good and the challenging.

I also love the way that the EU specific characters are given as much time and attention as the ones from the TV show.

I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Before I go, a couple of questions...

1: Lt. Commander Fife with his "...eyes that seemed to take up altogether too much of his face." Is he meant to be based loosely on Don Knotts?

2: Is there any chance that Commander O'Donnel is distantly related to Captain Janeway?

Anway I could go on. I could talk about how as a Pagan and someone with a belief in the idea of the possibility of continuity of our essence beyond death I found the treatment of O'donnel's relationship with his wife as wonderfully nuanced and respectful. Sure it could just be his imagination, but we are not told what to believe and instead allowed to reach our own conclusions.

So much to love. Truly.

 

[Kirsten Beyer]

Good Evening Everybody...

It is, as always, wonderful to hear that so many of you enjoyed at least some, if not all of Protectors. Most of you seem excited to continue the story in a few months, so I'm calling that a win.

Some interesting thoughts have popped up...

I'm wondering at the notion some seem to have that everything my characters go through must be done in the most painful way imaginable. I swear, it's not intentional on my part. I was never one of those children who enjoyed breaking my toys. This particular set was pretty banged up when it was given to me. I just sort of see myself tending to them now with as much care as I can.

I laughed my ass off at the description somewhere back there of someone reading the Janeway sections of the book with a bar of chocolate at the ready. I must really make my readers nervous.

As to the Farkas/Bujold thing...no, that's just you. Or two of you maybe. There is no one individual I can point you two that is a boilerplate for my Farkas....she has become her own person on the page each time I write her and is very much leading me where she wants to go. But there is nothing in the essence of Bujold, particularly as she tried to portray Janeway that resonates with me at all or applies here. At least for me.

And I didn't understand the Nick Locarno reference...everybody knows that Tom Paris was created in the mold of that character by Jeri Taylor, right? I know I read that somewhere they considered just putting Locarno on Voyager but there was some rights reason they couldn't do it.

I hadn't thought of this story until now as having so much to do with fear. Very interesting. And as usual, when you comment, Stoek, I feel like something that should have been conscious and incredibly obvious because clearly it's there, happened entirely by accident.

And no, O'Donnell was never written or intended to be related to Janeway, though I get why you'd ask.

And yes, the Fife/Don Knotts relationship is there, but not for any reason you could imagine. I've wanted for years to pay a little homage to one of my dearest and oldest friends, and that's where Fife started out. And as it happens, that friend was a nephew of the great Don Knotts. They physical resemblance was not that pronounced, but it was definitely there.

But I actually dropped by tonight to share something else with you guys. I started the acknowledgements of this book by thanking my readers and noting that your enthusiasm for these books can be credited with their continuation.

Now, that enthusiasm has given me even more than as sense of personal fulfillment and the satisfaction of knowing that what I'm writing really connects with many of my readers.

Because tonight, my full name just got a little longer.

It's not Kirsten Mother Fucking Beyer anymore.

Going forward, its New York Times Bestselling Author, Kirsten Mother Fucking Beyer.

You guys did this. I still can't believe it. All I really wanted to say tonight was thank you.

So...thank you, one and all.

As you were.

Best,
Kirsten

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Congratulations, Kirsten Beyer! Well deserved.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Qapla', Kirsten!

 

[JoeZhang]

And I didn't understand the Nick Locarno reference...everybody knows that Tom Paris was created in the mold of that character by Jeri Taylor, right? I know I read that somewhere they considered just putting Locarno on Voyager but there was some rights reason they couldn't do it.

Yes I was aware of that but I meant that you injected a reference to a flight accident in the Academy that he tried to cover up into his back history making the linkages more explicit.