2020 titles announced

[Christopher]

The cover of Christopher's The Higher Frontier has also been revealed:

https://catalog.simonandschuster.co...l=&ob=0&pn=1&ed=&showcart=&camefrom=&find=&a=

Spoiler

I got my first look at the cover a couple of weeks ago. I like it a lot. It's a very striking and distinctive approach, a lovely piece of art (it's actually a full wraparound image), and along with the font, it has a retro feel that's very interesting. I would've rather had the TMP-era logo, ideally, but the TOS logo works aesthetically with the rest.

 

[tomswift2002]

So, speaking of covers, and of The Last Best Hope...

https://catalog.simonandschuster.co...=&ob=0&pn=1&ed=&showcart=N&camefrom=&find=&a=

Spoiler

The cover of Christopher's The Higher Frontier has also been revealed:

https://catalog.simonandschuster.co...l=&ob=0&pn=1&ed=&showcart=&camefrom=&find=&a=

Spoiler

“The Last Best Hope” cover looks like one of those boring pre-release theatrical covers that gets released like 5 years before the film is actually released just to say its coming.

But on CLB’s cover, is that an Andorian ship?

 

[Christopher]

But on CLB’s cover, is that an Andorian ship?

Yup, and an Andorian landscape.

 

[Damian]

I really liked the cover to Christopher's book. I'm partial to pictures featuring space, planets and ships.

I suspected the Picard book would feature Captain Picard, since that show is going to be much more focused on Picard as opposed to a ship. I am a bit disappointed though. As tomswift noted above it feels more like a teaser poster to an upcoming film. I kind of wished it featured some scenery around him. I suspect there's significance involved with him holding out his Starfleet insignia.

I would've rather had the TMP-era logo, ideally, but the TOS logo works aesthetically with the rest.

Yeah, that'd probably be more accurate. It seems S&S has grouped movie era books under the original series logo now. I remember the same thing with Greg Cox's "Foul Deeds Will Rise" which took place even farther down the road.

But I imagine the book will include a historical note making clear it's post-TMP. That should eliminate any potential confusion (in fact, I may be wrong but it seems all Star Trek books include a historical note these days).

Cover or no, I'm looking forward to both books. I always love movie era books and I'm glad S&S commissioned one (it probably helps that we just passed TMP's 40th Anniversary---BTW, hugely disappointed Paramount didn't give us that 40th Anniversary Blu-Ray Director's Edition---I've held out purchasing a Blu-Ray of TMP even though it's my favorite Trek film hoping for a DE version----but I digress).

And the Picard book as well. I won't see the show until it comes out on Blu-Ray probably next year but like Discovery I plan on reading any books as they come out. I'll be a bit curious to see if there are any links or ties to the relaunch book series as well. Perhaps that will clue us on two things---does any element of the novelverse survive into Picard (a character, a plot thread, anything at all) and whether there is any truth to the plan David Mack tweeted out some time ago or was he just messing with us. Or perhaps it doesn't do anything at all on that front? (though the absence of such doesn't eliminate the possibility of either down the road--just something I'll be curious to see)

I have to admit I was kind of disappointed Collateral Damage didn't give us any hints, since David Mack wrote it. I didn't expect anything earth shattering, just a nugget, a hint. I can't help but feel that may have been the last TNG-tie in book

Of course it's possible that nothing can be done. Perhaps Picard is so different from the novelverse that nothing can be salvaged, plan or no (outside an isolated character/plot thread).

 

[Christopher]

But I imagine the book will include a historical note making clear it's post-TMP. That should eliminate any potential confusion (in fact, I may be wrong but it seems all Star Trek books include a historical note these days).

Yes, and it's also specified on the back cover blurb.

 

[tomswift2002]

Yeah, that'd probably be more accurate. It seems S&S has grouped movie era books under the original series logo now.

That’s not exactly new. I was just looking at trekkieguy.ca where he has all the covers, and it appears that S&S has used the movie font more for the books that cover various parts of the Trek universe, like Shatner’s books and the Martin/Mangels “Excelsior” novel or CLB’s “Ex Machina” or the 80’s “Giant Novel” ‘Enterprise’. S&S also used a variant of the movie logo on the 80’s”Giant Novels” ‘Strangers From The Sky’ and ‘The Final Frontier’ (those novels in their original 80’s style are designed to look like a theatrical poster from the era or earlier).

Otherwise, TOS-centered novels tend to use the 60’s TV logo whether they are set before the TV series (Inception) or way out between Star Trek VI & Generations (Shadows On The Sun).

 

[Reanok]

I really like the cover art that's really cool it's Andorian space they're in . I 'm looking forward to getting this book. I really TOS stories that place during the the time of the TOS era movies

 

[JD]

The Last Best Hope cover is pretty boring, but this kind of cover seems to be pretty standard for a first tie-in novel.
Love The Higher Frontier cover, that is gorgeous. That is a really different cover style, is it going to be the new standard now?

 

[Thrawn]

That's a spiffy new cover design for The Higher Frontier.

 

[Thrawn]

Yes, and it's also specified on the back cover blurb.

Christopher, apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, but I'm a few years behind on TrekLit and planning to catch up soon so I'm wondering if you could help me with my list. Does this book carry on plot threads or make important references to other works of yours? Would it be worth reading or re-reading any particular novels (like, I imagine Ex Machina) or, for instance, any storylines from Rise of the Federation?

Thanks.

 

[Damian]

That’s not exactly new. I was just looking at trekkieguy.ca where he has all the covers, and it appears that S&S has used the movie font more for the books that cover various parts of the Trek universe,

I should have said the last 10 years or so. It seems for about the last decade for any book involving the original series crew they use the original series type, including those during the movie era.

But yeah, prior to that it wasn't always consistent. They sometimes used TV series font for movie era books, sometimes movie font. It varied quite a bit.

Would it be worth reading or re-reading any particular novels (like, I imagine Ex Machina) or, for instance, any storylines from Rise of the Federation?

I do believe Christopher had said in the past this follows at least in part after Ex Machina....which as you indicated makes sense since he wrote that and this is the same time frame. And that was a great book so I'd recommend it regardless if you haven't read it recently. In fact, other than Dead Endless, which I still have to get, I'm caught up on the current novels and am considering re-reading that one in the interim at some point just to refresh my memory.

IIRC the e-book "The More Things Change", which also takes place after TMP, makes reference to Ex Machina as well. Though I don't know if Christopher considered that story in his upcoming novel in any fashion. Thinking about it I'm curious now if he threw a mention to that story at all, like they sometimes do even if it's just an Easter egg or something. That was a pretty good short story as well. It focused on Spock and Chapel on a mission together and the author, Scott Pearson, depicts a more matured Chapel who had long ago come to terms with her feelings for Spock and now looks at him as a valued friend and colleague. I liked that a lot about that story.

 

[Christopher]

Does this book carry on plot threads or make important references to other works of yours?

Its plot can stand on its own, and the threads it builds on are mainly from TV episodes. But it carries forward the character continuity from my previous post-TMP fiction -- Ex Machina, Mere Anarchy: The Darkness Drops Again, and DTI: Forgotten History. There are also some resonances with The Captain's Oath, since I wrote them consecutively. In a way, there's one thread that felt to me like a chance to tie off a loose end from Oath. It's more in terms of character than plot, and it's nothing essential to either book, but I feel they sort of bookend each other in that one respect.

IIRC the e-book "The More Things Change", which also takes place after TMP, makes reference to Ex Machina as well. Though I don't know if Christopher considered that story in his upcoming novel in any fashion. Thinking about it I'm curious now if he threw a mention to that story at all, like they sometimes do even if it's just an Easter egg or something.

Luckily I was able to read The More Things Change during rewrites on THF, and I did incorporate a reference to it, to pay Scott back for referencing ExM. As for Easter eggs, there are some brief nods to several other TMP-era stories.

 

[Thrawn]

Thanks for the replies. I'm excited that you've finally gotten to write another straight up post-TMP novel. Feels like that has been a LONG time coming!

 

[The Wormhole]

Perhaps that will clue us on two things---does any element of the novelverse survive into Picard (a character, a plot thread, anything at all) and whether there is any truth to the plan David Mack tweeted out some time ago or was he just messing with us. Or perhaps it doesn't do anything at all on that front? (though the absence of such doesn't eliminate the possibility of either down the road--just something I'll be curious to see)

Aside from a vague easter egg or two, I don't expect this Picard novel to be connected to the Litverse, nor do I expect David Mack's plan to be in evidence here. As a direct tie-in to a TV show currently in production and indeed part of that TV show's premiere hoopla, the fact the book will be very likely to be picked up by casual Trek readers will be taken into account, as will the fact this could very likely be the first Trek book many read. Therefore it's going to be made as accessible as possible, with any reference to other novels at a minimum if they're even included at all.

 

[David cgc]

The Last Best Hope cover is pretty boring, but this kind of cover seems to be pretty standard for a first tie-in novel.

I think it's pretty good for a portrait-cover. Much better than the first four DSC novels that were straight-up advertising key-art. Doesn't feel so much like it was a trick to get a poster advertising the show into bookstores.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

The writers did their homework and ditched the stupid and wrong "erased timeline" model in favor of the more scientifically credible parallel-timeline model (just as Avengers: Endgame did), not only because it's more plausible but because they didn't want to erase the original franchise, just to have the freedom to go their own way with it.

From what I've seen, I don't think that the Bad Robot team does anything because it's scientifically credible.

The cover of Christopher's The Higher Frontier has also been revealed:

https://catalog.simonandschuster.co...l=&ob=0&pn=1&ed=&showcart=&camefrom=&find=&a=

Spoiler

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I really like the logo treatment & graphic design on that cover. Extremely striking. Amazing that the TOS logo still works so beautifully.

 

[Damian]

Aside from a vague easter egg or two, I don't expect this Picard novel to be connected to the Litverse, nor do I expect David Mack's plan to be in evidence here. As a direct tie-in to a TV show currently in production and indeed part of that TV show's premiere hoopla, the fact the book will be very likely to be picked up by casual Trek readers will be taken into account, as will the fact this could very likely be the first Trek book many read. Therefore it's going to be made as accessible as possible, with any reference to other novels at a minimum if they're even included at all.

I don't expect it to any way be a significant tie in. The blurb for the book basically makes it sound like it's setting up where the show is now.

If there were any references to the prior litverse I'd expect it to be more Easter eggy in scope. Something avid readers like us would pick up on but nothing that require reading those stories or anything like that, and that would have zero effect on the story. Though if there is anything between whether we see some minor reference to the relaunches vs. the plan David Mack hinted at, I'd think it more likely to be the former. Some token mention of something or someone from the relaunches. Though I wouldn't rule anything out....including there being nothing at all. I have to admit I do hope she throws in something in the novel, even if it's just an Easter egg. It could be something as simple as mentioning a character unique to the litverse like Chen or Elfiki, or recalling some minor plotpoint from a former mission, or mentioning a place they visited at some point in the litverse. It's something I hope the show might do as well.

Frankly, I thought we might have seen something in Collateral Damage that might have indicated the future of the relaunches in light of the new Picard show. But if there was anything I missed it. It ended in such a way that if Picard wasn't coming out I'd be waiting to see where the Enterprise is heading next in the relaunches.

I was really hoping to at least get to the destruction of Romulus in the relaunches and it's affect on the Typhon Pact and Khitomer Accords. I'm sure at this point S&S at the very least will want to see how it's depicted in Picard. The showrunners have said this has a significant impact on Picard so I'd expect it to be fleshed out more. I can't blame S&S for wanting to at least see how that plays out first before deciding how to move forward. But unless the Picard show retains the Typhon Pact angle even if the novels get to cover it, it likely won't be in the relaunches current form.

The only other possibility is for the relaunches to continue as an alternate universe, but honestly I'd be totally shocked if they were to do that. Other than an occasional exception (the RIhannsu novels come to mind---and even in that case Diane Duane did incorporate some elements of TNG Romulan universe in her later books), that's pretty rare in the Star Trek universe.

 

[F. King Daniel]

The writers did their homework and ditched the stupid and wrong "erased timeline" model in favor of the more scientifically credible parallel-timeline model

I'm pretty sure they only went with it because it suited their purposes at that exact moment. Remember this is the same cowriter/coproducer Alex Kurtzman who was showrunner for Discovery season 2 which went back to the old model of one timeline being altered.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Yup, and an Andorian landscape.

Woo hoo! That's Andorian for "Woo hoo!"

 

[Christopher]

I'm pretty sure they only went with it because it suited their purposes at that exact moment.

Of course it did. That's my whole point. Their main purpose was to create a new Trek timeline without altering or erasing the old one. They never had any intention of replacing the Prime timeline, just creating something that could exist alongside it as a parallel continuity. After all, Paramount and Bad Robot were just leasing the property from CBS, essentially, so they didn't have any right to eradicate the original continuity even if they'd wanted to. So their purpose was to create a coexisting parallel, and the more scientifically plausible timeline model served that purpose well (just as it served the purpose of Avengers: Endgame's writers). The point is that there's no need to "restore" the original timeline because it didn't go anywhere.

Remember this is the same cowriter/coproducer Alex Kurtzman who was showrunner for Discovery season 2 which went back to the old model of one timeline being altered.

The very fact that Discovery exists at all (along with Picard and the other upcoming shows) proves my point that the Prime timeline was not erased by the creation of Kelvin, and therefore does not need to be "restored."