Any Trek authors pitched a post Romulus story to Pocketbooks yet?
- Thread starter ConRefit79
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kkozoriz1
Fleet Captain
Being so angry at someone who tried to help you but failed is bad enough. Killing everyone on his planet based on him failing to prevent someone else from destroying your planet is amazingly stupid. Having the "supernova" be caused by someone just makes Nero's revenge against Spock look even more absurd.
kkozoriz1
Fleet Captain
I'm not disputing that Romulus Prime's days are numbered. Having Nero as a tragic character who's lashing out over the loss of his family and his would is one thing. Making him an idiot over it would be another.
I suppose it could be shown that he was not aware that the "supernova" (I wish they had used a different word for it) was caused by another but we'd know it.
I suppose it could be shown that he was not aware that the "supernova" (I wish they had used a different word for it) was caused by another but we'd know it.
I knew you weren't gonna be able to write a STXI novel without trying to "fix" all the dodgy science!
Maybe there was another Q civil war going on in 2387.
I'm sorry milord, I hadn't realized I needed your special dispensation to engage in discussion on a discussion board. In the future, I'll be sure to solicit your permission before doing anything so impudent as putting forth my opinion.
I think there's some confusion. I have no problem with elements of the film adding to the overall mythos. There are a number of aspects which one can expect to be applicable to both timelines, such as alien species like Scotty's diminutive sidekick, which the books can expand upon (and, indeed, the books would have to be the place for it, since the filmmakers showed no interest in exploring these things beyond providing some sight gags.) Although the claim that the timeline was supposed to be the same as ours prior to Nero's arrival is spurious, there's no real reason why the Primeverse shouldn't have had a Kelvin or its crew. The point of all this is simply that the premise of the film is such that we needn't be bound by the filmwriters' ham-fisted, ill-considered and generally dumb depictions of events in the 24th century.
What would you call off-hand planetary annihilation of a major element of the franchise then? Thoughtful and nuanced?
Far too late for that.
Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman
Dramatic? Eventful? Something important enough for a major relaunch of the series?
Blowing up some generic planet we've never heard of before wouldn't have had nearly the same oomph!
Look at GENERATIONS, where Kirk dies to save some unknown planet we never even see. Kind of anti-climatic.
Plus, of course, there's the whole Romulus/Spock connection, which ties in nicely with his last known appearance on TNG. The last time we saw Spock he was mixed up with Romulus . . . so why drag in some other planet instead?
As Spock himself might say: Romulus was the logical choice.
(And, of course, we still have a Romulus in the new timeline, so it's still available for any new movies.)
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^I do believe I was beaten to it... 
Frankly I thought it was refreshing to see this movie actually taking some risks and not being afraid of alienating some of its viewers. Given how things turned out (i.e. the actual alienated viewers being a small percentage of the total) I'd say it was the right call.
Had I more of a brain presently, I might try to make some sort of comment on the symmetry of Romulus being destroyed in one 'verse and Vulcan in the other, but I leave that in the care of more gifted literary critics.
Frankly I thought it was refreshing to see this movie actually taking some risks and not being afraid of alienating some of its viewers. Given how things turned out (i.e. the actual alienated viewers being a small percentage of the total) I'd say it was the right call.
Had I more of a brain presently, I might try to make some sort of comment on the symmetry of Romulus being destroyed in one 'verse and Vulcan in the other, but I leave that in the care of more gifted literary critics.
I don't know about STO, but I know that in Countdown nobody seemed to know why the supernova happened. All we got from that is Nerada mining in the Hobus system when the star started acting up, and Spock telling the Romulan senate that it was gonna go "BOOM!" like nothing before (and them not believing him until it's too late). It was treated like an unusual natural disaster, not some alien plot.
Nero tells Spock, point blank, that if anything happens to his family and his world he's gonna make him pay. And he does.
Yeah... but wasn't the idea to introduce the franchise to those who weren't fans to begin with? To expand the fan-base?
So it shouldn't have really mattered whether it was Romulus or some random planet. The idea was that Spock had failed to save the people of the stories central villain.
99% of the people who made it so popular don't give a rat's ass whether the TNG books are going to stay true to the movie or not. Most of them have already forgotten the specifics of the movie, having moved on to the next shiny object Hollywood has chosen to rattle in front of their eyes; they'll probably have forgotten the entire franchise by the time it even becomes an issue in 2015 or so.
Speaking as someone who's already had to write a post-apocalyptic Trek novel, I'd be more than happy -- I think "fucking overjoyed" would be a more apt description -- if Pocket and CBS Consumer Products decided to declare the 24th century bits of JJ's thing just as alternate timeliney as the 23rd century part.
That is probably off limits too. They'll want to be able to do JJ's 24th century when people are burned out on his 23rd century.
kkozoriz1
Fleet Captain
The destruction of Romulus also makes Spock's story tragic. All his work on reunification was for nothing. None of it mattered. No matter how hard he tried to being his people together, the Romulans are doomed.
And then he gets to see Vulcan destroyed in the NuUniverse, ending any possibility of reunification there. A major part of his life, from Khitomer where he met Pardek, to the latest movie is ultimately wasted.
You also wanted to get the attention of people who used to enjoy STAR TREK, but had lost interest over the years. The sort of casual tv viewer who knew Spock and Kirk and "Beam me up, Scotty," and who had maybe watched TNG in its prime, but whom had drifted away during the post-TNG years . . . like pretty everyone except a dwindling cadre of fans. (And a few aging authors!)
General audiences were more likely to have heard of Vulcan and maybe even Romulus and the Klingons than Beta Maximus Obscurus. Plus, like I said, it followed logically from Spock's onscreen appearance.
"It was only logical, captain. The needs of the franchise outweigh the needs of a single planet . . .."
"But what of Vulcan, Spock? And Romulus!"
"That is an emotional response, Captain. Not a logical one. Romulus still exists--in every timeline that is still empirically relevant . . . ."
Hardly. The destruction of Romulus was presented as fait accomplit during Spock's expository mindmeld. There was no action, no suspense, and no reason (within the film) to care. What's exciting about that?
That just makes matters worse. Spock worked for years on reunification--on bringing about peace between Romulus and the Federation. Now there's no Romulus, and all of the efforts and stories to that effect have been in vain. It's a rather sordid epithat for the 'Primeverse,' really, when one thinks about it: it goes out with a physical bang that's otherwise a whimper, signaling the abject failure of those in this time, a final flicker of contempt for the franchise's past. Or perhaps Abrams & Co. just have odd notions of heroism, considering their cast begins in abject failure as well.
Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman
Come now, the planet's destruction is what sets everything in motion. Its why Spock and Nero are in the 23rd Century. Its why the Kelvin is attacked and Kirk loses his father. Its why Vulcan is attacked and Amanda dies. Its why Earth is attacked. Other than nostalgia why should any planet or character introduced in Star Trek always be "safe"? What is this suddend attraction to the "status quo" after years of complaining nothing ever changes? And what the special attraction to the Romulans who have sadly been an also ran when it come to Trek races? (Most of their best "parts" have been co-opted by the Klingons and Cardassians)This might be the best thing that ever happened to the Romulans in both Universes. Something that actually makes them "interesting"?
And Khan spent fifteen years of hell on Ceta Alpha V. And Kirk's son died just as he was getting to know him. And Data's daughter died. And Kirk pushed Edith Keeler in front of truck . . . .
Tragedy has always been part of STAR TREK. Often in its finest moments . . ..
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