Audio Trek?

[Neutral Zone]

I love reading but have to confess that I can be lazy when it comes too books at times. I usually read a book once but for those that I like to read again I try to get them on CD, for example I recently bought the Lord of the Rings (a lot easier way of reading!!!).

So are there any Trek books out on audio yet?

 

[Thrawn]

Tons, but most of them are abridged.

 

[Therin of Andor]

So are there any Trek books out on audio yet?

Simon & Schuster Audioworks started the audios around the time of "ST IV: The Voyage Home" 1986), and did a new audio every few months. However, interest fell off and they hadn't done a new one since Shatner's "Captain's Glory" in 2006, and they only ever concentrated on abridgements.

However, Alan Dean Foster's novelization of the JJ Abrams' movie got the unabridged treatment. Margaret Clark said, last July, that it sold well and they are "interested" in doing more.

The complete list:

http://therinofandor.blogspot.com.au/2007/05/i-hear-star-trek.html

Note that the list also mentions four unabridged titles by other publishers.

 

[Neutral Zone]

Great, thanks for the help, I'll look in to it, hoping to find unabridged if possible, people edit books for the audio market are usually butchers.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Great, thanks for the help, I'll look in to it, hoping to find unabridged if possible, people edit books for the audio market are usually butchers.

As you'll have noticed, many of the early Star Trek audios were abridged by the authors themselves. In later years, the job fell, more and more, to George Truett. Very few could be described as hatchet jobs, unless you know the book intimately and expect to hear every scene.

If you only want unabridged, you're left with five titles:

"Star Trek Nemesis" by J.M. Dillard, read by Grover Gardner, Sound Library/BBC Audiobooks America, 2002, 347 min.
"Vulcan's Soul, Book 1: Exodus" by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz, read by Richard Poe, Recorded Books, 2004, 510 min.
"Vulcan's Soul, Book 2: Exiles" by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz, read by Richard Poe, Recorded Books, 2006, 630 min.
"Vulcan's Soul, Book 3: Epiphany" by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz, read by Richard Poe, Recorded Books, 2007, 694 min.
"Star Trek" by Alan Dean Foster, read by Zachary Quinto, Simon & Schuster Audioworks, 2009, approx. 480 min.

 

[bbailey861]

Tons, but most of them are abridged.

Yep, and that is really too bad because I think that a great market has been left untapped. I like audiobooks for long drives and after one abridged Trek Book I left he others alone.

If you only want unabridged, you're left with five titles:

"Star Trek Nemesis" by J.M. Dillard, read by Grover Gardner, Sound Library/BBC Audiobooks America, 2002, 347 min.
"Vulcan's Soul, Book 1: Exodus" by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz, read by Richard Poe, Recorded Books, 2004, 510 min.
"Vulcan's Soul, Book 2: Exiles" by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz, read by Richard Poe, Recorded Books, 2006, 630 min.
"Vulcan's Soul, Book 3: Epiphany" by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz, read by Richard Poe, Recorded Books, 2007, 694 min.
"Star Trek" by Alan Dean Foster, read by Zachary Quinto, Simon & Schuster Audioworks, 2009, approx. 480 min.

Thanks for that. I didn't know that so I'm going to look for the Vulcan's Soul Trilogy.

Byron

 

[Therin of Andor]

Yep, and that is really too bad because I think that a great market has been left untapped.

There were very few unabridged audio novels - of any genre - way back in 1986, unless you were hearing impaired, with access to such libraries.

The commercial market expectations have changed gradually. But the market for Star Trek audios was already too small for S&S to keep making them, so you can see why they waited until JJ's blockbuster to try the unabridged format.

I like audiobooks for long drives and after one abridged Trek Book I left he others alone.

Sure, but what's the problem with taking more than one title. Then you get to hear numerous stories in one trip.

The strength of the very early ones, despite being much shorter, was the contribution of Leonard Nimoy doing "the voice of Spock". Spock's science officer logs, interpersed with the main narrator's pieces, summarized some of the action that a 90 min. audio abridgment had to skip. And, IIRC, the addition of a newly-orchestrated soundtrack for each ST title was quite unique for the day.

Some of the shorter productions remain some of my favourites. "Strangers From the Sky" is a masterpiece.

 

[tmclough]

How independent is the Vulcan's Soul trilogy from Vulcan's Forge and Vulcan's Heart? Or, to put it another way, is there anything in Forge or Heart that would be helpful in any way to understanding Soul?

Either way, I plan to order the trilogy someday in unabridged audio format, in part as a way of saying "Thanks. We need more unabridged audio books, and not abridged audio books."

ETA: That is, if I can find a copy that will work on my Linux computer.

 

[Therin of Andor]

How independent is the Vulcan's Soul trilogy from Vulcan's Forge and Vulcan's Heart? Or, to put it another way, is there anything in Forge or Heart that would be helpful in any way to understanding Soul?

You shouldn't have any problems. Those first two books cover Spock and Saavik's changing relationship and eventual marriage.

I seem to recall "Vulcan's Soul" was originally mentioned as on book, making the first two a trilogy. Then, suddenly it was a trilogy of its own. The authors delayed one of the instalments, at Marco's recommendation, to incorporate some stuff revealed about Romulus and Remus by "Nemesis" and they did a great job!

 

[seigezunt]

How independent is the Vulcan's Soul trilogy from Vulcan's Forge and Vulcan's Heart? Or, to put it another way, is there anything in Forge or Heart that would be helpful in any way to understanding Soul?

You shouldn't have any problems. Those first two books cover Spock and Saavik's changing relationship and eventual marriage.

I seem to recall "Vulcan's Soul" was originally mentioned as on book, making the first two a trilogy. Then, suddenly it was a trilogy of its own. The authors delayed one of the instalments, at Marco's recommendation, to incorporate some stuff revealed about Romulus and Remus by "Nemesis" and they did a great job!

I'd still read Vulcan's Forge, not to help understand, but because it's a good book. I didn't like Vulcan's Heart at all, though. I've only got through the first V's Soul book, but it's much better. I might do the tapes for the other two as well, as I'm reading reading other stuff.

 

[Dayton Ward]

I loves me some Trek audiobooks. Always have.

In addition to the various musical selections, my mp3 player is stuffed with everything from Trek and other audiobooks to Twilight Zone radio plays to Doctor Who and assorted new-school audio dramas and podcasts galore.

While listening to an abridged version of a favorite novel can be a bit jarring, I still love listening to a gifted performer delivering the story. Mark Lenard's turn as narrator for Federation and Anthony Stewart Head's performance of the first Eugenics War books are particular favorites, but I still love the early offerings when Leonard Nimoy provided Spock's POV to accompany the narrator (usually George Takei).

I thought Zachary Quinto did a nice job with the recent audio version of the Trek09 novelization, and I hope the title sold well enough to prompt future Trek offerings. One of my "wish list" items is to have one of my books (Trek or otherwise) translated for audio

 

[Paris]

I've been a fan of trek audiobooks for as long as I can remember, and my iPod has been stuffed with them since day one. I always liked Mark Lenard (Federation, Sarek), Anthony Head (Valiant) and James Doohan. I liked George Takei just fine, but whenever he used that horrific Scottish brouge (sp?), it would make me want to turn it off. It was just terrible . Zachary Quinto did a great job on nuTrek. Hopefully more are on the way in the future. I'd love to listen to the three Destiny books unabridged .

 

[Christopher]

^Brogue. Same as rogue (not rouge). (Since you asked.)

 

[Paris]

^Thanks . I knew you'd let me know .

 

[Defcon]

Not that it is doing any good for many here, but starting next January there will be audio books of the German versions of the Star Trek Books, starting with the first Titan book, read by Detlef Bierstedt who was the German voice of Will Riker during the TV series and Generations.

As far as I understood it there will be both abridged and unabridged versions.

 

[Dayton Ward]

^ That's very cool!

 

[seigezunt]

I'll have to refresh my German!


oh, and re the music, I liked the music on the audiobooks at first, but grew annoyed because they never seemed to use any new music. It got to be the same over and over and over.

 

[JD]

One of my "wish list" items is to have one of my books (Trek or otherwise) translated for audio

We need a Vanguard audio book read by Edward James Olmos.

 

[James Swallow]

In addition to the various musical selections, my mp3 player is stuffed with everything from Trek and other audiobooks to Twilight Zone radio plays to Doctor Who and assorted new-school audio dramas and podcasts galore.

Me too, although in my case less Trek and more Doctor Who, Blake's 7 etc. I love audio drama (as a listener and a writer) because it's such a great medium for SF... And I still cling to the hope of working on a full-cast Star Trek audio some day...

 

[Therin of Andor]

I liked George Takei just fine, but whenever he used that horrific Scottish brouge (sp?), it would make me want to turn it off.

I loved his Southern accent for Melody Sawyer in "Strangers from the Sky".