2 TOS books called "Probe"?

[Claudia]

I'm a bit confused as to the existence of a novel called "Probe" by Michael Jan Friedman.

I know that there's one by Margaret Wander Bonanno with the same title - but google keeps refering me to one by MJF, even to online-shops that sell it... but I can't find it on any TrekLit-listing, neither in any bibliography of MJF's books. But still, as I said, online shops appear to have this book in stock...

So, are there 2 TOS novels with the same title? Or was MJF planned to write "Probe", but it ended up being written by MWB instead?

Thanks.

 

[Stevil2001]

There's no Michael Jan Friedman novel called Probe, nor was he even slated to write it at one point.

 

[Therin of Andor]

So, are there 2 TOS novels with the same title? Or was MJF planned to write "Probe", but it ended up being written by MWB instead?

It's just an online error. Michael Jan Friedman's abandoned ST hardcover was "The God-Thing" (with Gene Roddenberry), which was given an ISBN, cover art and even an audio version, also with ISBN and cover art. The products were listed in the Diamond catalog, shops ordered them, but they never came.

"Probe" was delayed twelve months, with its completed dustjackets sitting in a warehouse all that time. "The God-Thing" was similarly put on hiatus at the last minute, but was ultimately canceled. I know people have cover slicks of both this and the infamous Susan Sackett coffee table book in their collection, but I don't know if a full run of covers was ever printed.

Okay, just did some quick research and found this:

• Probe, (Apr 1992, Margaret Wander Bonanno, Pocket, 0-671-72420-7, $18.95, 345pp, hc) Cover: Keith Birdsong
• Probe, (Jul 1992, Margaret Wander Bonanno, Pocket / SFBC, #05966, $8.98, 247pp, hc) Cover: Keith Birdsong
• Probe, (Jan 1993, Margaret Wander Bonanno, Pocket, 0-671-79065-X, $5.99, 344pp, pb) - [VERIFIED]
• Probe, (Jun 1993, Margaret Wander Bonanno, Pocket UK, 0-671-71573-9, £4.50, 344pp, pb)

"0-671-71573-9" is the ISBN for the UK MMPB reprint of "Probe", and that's the one sometimes attributed, by online sellers, to MJF instead of MWB.

 

[Steve Roby]

Yep. There are a lot of websites out there that are basically recycling Amazon information, so when Amazon gets something wrong, dozens of websites will have it online for years even if Amazon gets around to fixing it.

 

[William Leisner]

^ Truth. As of at least a couple of weeks ago, both B&N and Borders were using the same "Kindle edition" description of Slings & Arrows: The Insolence of Office as the description for Losing the Peace.

 

[Claudia]

Thanks to all of you for clearing that up.

I hate it when I'm led around on a wild goose chase.

 

[KRAD]

Even if it was a repeat title, it's no big deal, considering that the titles Kobayashi Maru, Requiem, Enterprise, Triangle, and Honor Bound have all been recycled.

 

[Claudia]

@ KRAD,

that wasn't the reason I was looking for "Probe". I specifically wanted to know whether Probe by MWB was still available somewhere... and when I found the MJF-reference, I, of course, hesitated to actually order the book. *g*

Of course, there are novels with the same title, but at least they differ in their publishing date.

 

[KRAD]

^ Fair point.