Book continuity: what now?
- Thread starter Warped9
- Start date
I'd say since the TOS book line is one of the biggest sellers, it won't be dropped.
So my guess is both.
So my guess is both.
There are already several more TOS-era books in the original continuity that are on the schedule for 2009-10. One, Troublesome Minds by Dave Galanter, has just hit the shelves within the past week or two. Books for 2010 include one focusing on Saavik, one focusing on Robert April, and one reportedly focusing on Carol Marcus and Leila Kalomi. And of course there are still 22nd- and 24th-century books in the original continuity still on the schedule.
Nothing has been announced to date about books set in the Abrams continuity, but then, we're only five weeks from the annual Shore Leave convention, which is when Pocket makes most of its big announcements.
As for distinguishing books in the two continuities, it seems that it would be done quite easily by using the original logo, cast and ship on the covers of original-timeline books and the new logo, cast and ship on the covers of Abrams-timeline books.
Nothing has been announced to date about books set in the Abrams continuity, but then, we're only five weeks from the annual Shore Leave convention, which is when Pocket makes most of its big announcements.
As for distinguishing books in the two continuities, it seems that it would be done quite easily by using the original logo, cast and ship on the covers of original-timeline books and the new logo, cast and ship on the covers of Abrams-timeline books.
There are differences in the characters, especially Kirk, Spock, and Uhura. Pike may be a more prominent player, if Bruce Greenwood's comments about possible sequel appearances amount to anything. The new Enterprise is enormous compared to its predecessor, even larger than a Galaxy-class starship, and has significant technological and architectural differences. And anything set prior to the next film, as any tie-in would be required to be, would be in the 2250s, nearly a decade before the TOS timeframe. The characters would be younger, less experienced, and would probably behave differently as a result.
Also, I'd think that novels based on the Abrams continuity would also try for the style and attitude of the movie. The idea of the reboot was to draw in a new audience, and presumably an Abrams-continuity book line would be aiming for that same audience.
Also, I'd think that novels based on the Abrams continuity would also try for the style and attitude of the movie. The idea of the reboot was to draw in a new audience, and presumably an Abrams-continuity book line would be aiming for that same audience.
I feel sorry for any authors that came home from seeing STXI and tore up any stories they were working on...
Unless they were working on stories set in the Abrams continuity, or ones set in the 2230s or dealing with Kirk's parents, there'd be no reason to tear anything up. Since this is an alternate timeline, it doesn't change anything in the original continuity. Indeed, the book continuity is now in something of a state of grace compared to the past. It used to be that new episodes and movies contradicted books and comics all the time. Now that it's a fresh start in a parallel history, there's very little chance of any future contradiction.
Besides, Pocket made a point of avoiding 23rd-century fiction in 2008 precisely because we didn't know what the movie might do and the editors wanted to avoid having to "tear up" any stories in progress. Once it became clear it was an alternate timeline and there was no such concern, new TOS-era stories such as Troublesome Minds got commissioned again.
If anything, I'd think that more authors would've come home from the movie and started writing down the new story ideas it inspired.
Hey Christopher what ever happened to other authors (or yourself) continuing the adventures of the refit Enterprise in the period after Ex-Machina and up to TWOK? Or was that just wishfull thinking on my part? 
^There was never any plan for an ongoing series in the post-TMP era, just a wish in my own wee little head. I wrote Ex Machina as a sort of "backdoor pilot" for such a series, hoping that it would do well enough that I'd be allowed to do followups, but its sales weren't strong enough to justify that.
I did revisit the era between TMP and TWOK in my installment of the Mere Anarchy miniseries, six e-books covering the TOS era from shortly before the second pilot to shortly after the Generations prologue. Mine was the fourth installment, The Darkness Drops Again, and it spanned most of the intermovie period, though not in exhaustive detail, of course.
If I ever do get an opportunity to revisit the post-TMP era again, I do have some ideas in mind.
I did revisit the era between TMP and TWOK in my installment of the Mere Anarchy miniseries, six e-books covering the TOS era from shortly before the second pilot to shortly after the Generations prologue. Mine was the fourth installment, The Darkness Drops Again, and it spanned most of the intermovie period, though not in exhaustive detail, of course.
If I ever do get an opportunity to revisit the post-TMP era again, I do have some ideas in mind.
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