The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books?

[Bashir Trikona]

Can avoid reading the Neelix story and not miss out on anything?

Talking about these:

http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_Mirror_Universe

 

[Elias Vaughn]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

In theory, you could avoid reading any one book and not be confused when you read later ones, with the exception of some multi-part stories. They all do a pretty good job at telling you what you need to know.

 

[Christopher]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

The Mirror-Scaled Serpent isn't a "Neelix story." It's about the Mirror-Universe versions of pretty much all the Voyager characters, and a lot of what it establishes is followed up on in Shards and Shadows (specifically "Bitter Fruit" and "Empathy") and Rise Like Lions. So I'd say it's pretty essential.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

And really, Neelix is only important in this story and the Mirror Universe arc in general due to his relationship with Kes - she's the one we're following.

Also, if you don't like Neelix, how do you know that MU Neelix isn't completely different?

 

[Enterprise1701]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

Well Kes, Neelix, Tuvok, Seska, and Miral do feature in Rise Like Lions but since tons of other Geronimo crewmembers die in the novella, I don't think The Mirror-Scaled Serpent is that vital towards understanding the whole MU story.

 

[Christopher]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

There's more to fiction than just understanding the facts. You can understand The Empire Strikes Back without seeing Star Wars (aka "A New Hope"), but that doesn't mean you should skip it. I can't see any good reason to skip TMSS. I mean, heck, if you want to read Cutting Ties or Saturn's Children, then you'll have the book it's in anyway.

 

[JD]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

Even if you don't like Neelix, there's still a lot to enjoy with the other characters. As long as you enjoy the Voyager TV show, and MU stories you'll probably enjoy TMSS.

 

[Bashir Trikona]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

I hate large chunks of Voyager. I will be skipping it, thanks for the advice.

 

[JD]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

Just be aware that you are missing stuff that does come into play in later stories.

 

[KRAD]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

Calling The Mirror-Scaled Serpent a Neelix story is like calling The Wrath of Khan a Chekov story.

Also no stories are essential. It's fiction. It's a luxury item.

But hey, by all means, skip my story.......

 

[David Mack]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

^ Don't listen to him, folks. He's punchy after a long delay in Atlanta's airport.

To the original poster, I'd suggest you not skip The Mirror-Scaled Serpent, because its plot threads are all revisited in my novel Rise Like Lions, and will continue to be referenced in future Mirror Universe tales.

 

[Christopher]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

...in future Mirror Universe tales.

That sound you hear is the fans' collective jaws hitting the floor...

 

[Defcon]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

...in future Mirror Universe tales.

That sound you hear is the fans' collective jaws hitting the floor...

We already knew the MU would be involved in his S31 novel from the blurb on his website (which was discussed a while ago here IIRC):

Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, and answerable to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group committed to safeguarding the Federation at any cost.

Doctor Julian Bashir sacrificed his career for a chance to infiltrate Section 31 and destroy it from within. Now it's asking him to help it stop the Breen from stealing a dangerous new technology from the Mirror Universe — one that could give the Breen control over the galaxy.

It's a mission Bashir can't refuse, but is it really the shot he's been waiting for? Or is it a trap from which even his genetically enhanced intellect can't escape?

 

[Markonian]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

David wrote "tales", as in plural.

Is Star Trek: Mirror Universe going to be revived as a series? With Mack at its helm?

 

[Defcon]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

Still wouldn't say it is jaw-dropping news, especially since the end of Rise Like Lions kept the door for more MU stories wide open.

(Just to be clear: I 'm looking forward to more MU from David Mack, just found Christopher's post to be somewhat hyperbolic.)

 

[Markonian]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

It's not just the ending of Rise Like Lions. The 22nd century is still wide open, too. The actual founding and rise of the Terran Empire has not been depicted yet, for once; and there's Archer's rebellion, the Empress's interest in contacting the Romulans, and how the Defiant returns interphase.

 

[Enterprise1701]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

Don't forget how the "Terran Rebellion" circa the 2330s and 2340s in Three and Shards and Shadows - "The Traitor" failed.

 

[Sci]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

It's not just the ending of Rise Like Lions. The 22nd century is still wide open, too. The actual founding and rise of the Terran Empire has not been depicted yet,

I've always wondered about that. It was a bit of a stretch to imagine that United Earth would be able to establish itself as militarily-powerful enough to win the Earth-Romulan War when their extra-solar fleet basically boiled down to the NX-01 as of only 2151, and its ascension to prominence in founding the Federation only comes from its status as the "neutral broker."

It's really hard to imagine a scenario where an Earth at similar technological development levels in 2063 manages to overpower the two local hegemons and establish itself as a large-scale imperial power.... but that doesn't mean I wouldn't pay good money to see someone else do it!

and how the Defiant returns interphase.

I'm not entirely convinced that the Defiant ever returned to interphase, or that SCE: Interphase, Parts I & II should be regarded as still being in continuity.

 

[Christopher]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

I'm not entirely convinced that the Defiant ever returned to interphase, or that SCE: Interphase, Parts I & II should be regarded as still being in continuity.

Ahh, but note that the insignias of the Defiant crew in "In a Mirror, Darkly" are based on the Starfleet Command "boomerang" insignia from TOS (as seen on the "racing stripes" on the side of the Enterprise and its shuttlecraft), whereas the insignias on the Defiant crew in "The Tholian Web" are the same arrowhead insignia the Enterprise used. Mirror-Archer was right that the Defiant came from the future of a parallel timeline -- but that doesn't mean it was from the Prime timeline. Maybe it was from a very similar parallel reality.

 

[Sci]

Re: The Mirror-Scaled Serpent necessary for the new Mirrorverse books

I'm not entirely convinced that the Defiant ever returned to interphase, or that SCE: Interphase, Parts I & II should be regarded as still being in continuity.

Ahh, but note that the insignias of the Defiant crew in "In a Mirror, Darkly" are based on the Starfleet Command "boomerang" insignia from TOS (as seen on the "racing stripes" on the side of the Enterprise and its shuttlecraft), whereas the insignias on the Defiant crew in "The Tholian Web" are the same arrowhead insignia the Enterprise used. Mirror-Archer was right that the Defiant came from the future of a parallel timeline -- but that doesn't mean it was from the Prime timeline. Maybe it was from a very similar parallel reality.

That's certainly a valid interpretation, but I'm inclined to go with Mike Sussman's apparent creative intent that it is indeed the Defiant from the Prime Timeline, and so to just take the differing insignia as a retcon.

Of course, the nice thing for now is that both our interpretations are equally valid, and there's no need for future novels to pick and choose.