<waves hand> I'm not the Jedi Ben you're looking for! Oh wait, it's Trek, that don't work and it's too late to do a Spock. Yes, I am, been lurking here for years. Back to the topic, from his SW work JJM's best ability is to tell a dark story but level it out with active and likeable characters with a good dollop of humour. I hope he brings that to his Trek work too.
Seems like the novel will be labeled The Next Generation and has the name Takedown. JJM talked about it on the Visonary Trek Captain's Table podcast: http://www.visionarytrek.com/the-captains-table-chapter-16-john-jackson-miller/ Haven't listened to it yet, so no idea how much they talk about it.
And the blurb is now up for Star Trek: The Next Generation - Takedown, which is now set for a Jan. 27 release: http://bit.ly/STTakedown I finished it a few weeks back and it's with CBS now -- and I have to say I have rarely had so much fun writing. The book is the sort of naval SF story I've always wanted to write; and it is absolutely steeped in Trek lore. Really looking forward to talking more about this one, as the release approaches!
Jan 27 is much too far away. Very excited to see where this story goes following the events of The Fall!
I see the marketing department couldn't help including the standard "Only our heroes can prevent an all-out war!" at the end there.
It sounds interesting. Also, a bit confusing as I understood the focus of 24th century novels would be a bit more towards the older 'planet of the week' adventure style, and less political drama and novels that bring our heroes to the cusp of war. Mind you, not that I mind the occasional novel like that.
This is far more action than politics, I think you'll find; but we can see how there would be broader implications to events. The starships and their crews are the ones at the scene, so I tried to keep a laser focus on them. I really approached it as a film or two-parter TV story; able to stand alone, as this book does.
By the way, I will be at San Diego Comic Con this week, signing all four days at the Lucasfilm pavilion, where Del Rey is giving out special advance copies of my next novel. If you're there, be sure to drop by and say hi. (That's another reason I'm looking forward to Takedown coming out, so there's a physical Trek book to sign!)
Whoa! I'd heard in the other thread this book was going to feature tensions between Picard and Riker, but I never guessed it would go that far. Now this book really has my interest.
I would be annoyed if it was a mirror-Universe/myirad Universe Riker or Picard against regular Riker or Picard. Ain't saying it is....but I would be psyched if it truly was this universe Riker vs Picard....yeah....a little fan-boyish....but I'd read it!
No mirror universe involved. And that's all I can say this side of San Diego Comic-Con. I won't be at Shore Leave this year, but presuming San Diego's dates don't shift into August, I will do my best to make next year's. I'm off...