Full Circle Review Thread (Spoilers)

[kimc]

Please don't tell us you have an opinion of the forum without posting there.

Now that's an open invitation if I've ever seen one.

Of course it is. All I ask is no mud-slinging. I don't want any to get into my coffee.

I've posted there. It's a wacky place. More posts regarding the romance between J and C than can be counted, which amazes me because there was no on-screen romance between them at all. The things fans make up and then believe are real...

Are you basing that on the one J/C thread going on right now? The forum can go months without one of those and this one will last as long as it lasts. As for J/C there was plenty of chemistry and teasing but unfortunately fans of the pair never got a payoff in the show. The fact that they didn't has fueled quite the large fanfiction movement. Really when you think about it it's pretty amazing that so many years after the show's run people will like to write about these characters. It will be interesting if the Adama/Roslin pairing gets as much written about them.

 

[Kirsten Beyer]

Please don't tell us you have an opinion of the forum without posting there.

I though all I had to do to have an opinion was read the threads.

And for the record, I was teasing, as were you, I'm assuming from your winking smiley.

 

[Dark Gilligan]

It will be interesting if the Adama/Roslin pairing gets as much written about them.

Probably not since Adama and Roslin actually had a relationship, sexual as well as emotional. They were married in every way but the ceremony, and through them the audience got the payoff that Janeway/Chakotay fans never did. One could even argue that VOY had more on-screen subtext at a J/7 pairing than J/C. Not my personal choice but I wasn't the only one who perceived it that way.

 

[AuntKate]

Please don't tell us you have an opinion of the forum without posting there.

Now that's an open invitation if I've ever seen one. I've posted there. It's a wacky place. More posts regarding the romance between J and C than can be counted, which amazes me because there was no on-screen romance between them at all. The things fans make up and then believe are real...

That's what I enjoy about Full Circle. The characters actually behave they way they did as presented on television and not in some bodice-busting wet dream. Kirsten nailed it.

Interesting comment, DG. As KimC said, there is one J/C thread right now, not more posts "than can be counted" (unless you have trouble getting to two).

Spoiler alert for "Full Circle."

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I find that last paragraph of yours a bit inconsistent with the first one. If there was "no on-screen romance" between Janeway and Chakotay, then how could Kirsten have "nailed" them if she has them in a romance in "Full Circle"? Just curious.

 

[Dark Gilligan]

Interesting comment, DG. As KimC said, there is one J/C thread right now, not more posts "than can be counted" (unless you have trouble getting to two).

You do know the difference between 'threads' and 'posts', yes? One thread = many posts. If you look at it cumulatively over the years the posts regarding this subject are indeed uncountable.

I find that last paragraph of yours a bit inconsistent with the first one. If there was "no on-screen romance" between Janeway and Chakotay, then how could Kirsten have "nailed" them if she has them in a romance in "Full Circle"? Just curious.

You've not read the previews, have you. Chakotay finally musters up the courage to commit to a romance with Janeway only to find out that she's been killed. He's too late. After all those years of doing zip about his feelings on Voyager (to the point where said feelings were all but nonexistant) he still ends up with nothing. So yes, Kirsten's been quite consistant with what's come before. Can't have a romance if one of the people in question is, like, dead, you know?

 

[ClayinCA]

^^ Well, you can, but it's pretty gross...

 

[Dark Gilligan]

^^ Images of Janeway's re-animated corpse in full Borg Queen regalia and sexy stiletto heels. Hoo-ya!

 

[AuntKate]

You've not read the previews, have you. Chakotay finally musters up the courage to commit to a romance with Janeway only to find out that she's been killed. He's too late. After all those years of doing zip about his feelings on Voyager(to the point where said feelings were all but nonexistant) he still ends up with nothing. So yes, Kirsten's been quite consistant with what's come before. Can't have a romance if one of the people in question is, like, dead, you know?

I've talked to people about what's in the book. They claim that there is, indeed, consummation of the relationship in the book. I can get the page number if you'd like!

 

[Dark Gilligan]

^^ We're talking big-picture themes here, not one boink. Get your mind out of the gutter.

 

[AuntKate]

^^Who's in the gutter?

You say that the author is true to the characters, which you claim includes "no romance" between Janeway and Chakotay, yet there is "mutual romance" between them in the novel, whether it is short-term or not. If the author is true to the characters, then there must have been hints of romance earlier. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Dark Gilligan]

I claim no on-screen romance, which is absolutely true to canon. Hints do not a romance make (nor do stoic Victorian yearnings), certainly not to the degree that dabblers of fanfic would have us believe. Hints merely suggest the possibility. Kirsten very aptly builds upon that possibility, but unfortunately Janeway dies before a true full-bodied relationship that stands the test of time can go forward.

 

[joyofvgr]

You've not read the previews, have you. Chakotay finally musters up the courage to commit to a romance with Janeway only to find out that she's been killed. He's too late. After all those years of doing zip about his feelings on Voyager(to the point where said feelings were all but nonexistant) he still ends up with nothing. So yes, Kirsten's been quite consistant with what's come before. Can't have a romance if one of the people in question is, like, dead, you know?

I've talked to people about what's in the book. They claim that there is, indeed, consummation of the relationship in the book. I can get the page number if you'd like!

Yeah. We all know the page number.

 

[kimc]

Please don't tell us you have an opinion of the forum without posting there.

I though all I had to do to have an opinion was read the threads.

And for the record, I was teasing, as were you, I'm assuming from your winking smiley.

You are the correct. For the record when someone gives me an opening I usually go for it. I'm pretty weak-willed that way.

 

[kimc]

It will be interesting if the Adama/Roslin pairing gets as much written about them.

Probably not since Adama and Roslin actually had a relationship, sexual as well as emotional. They were married in every way but the ceremony, and through them the audience got the payoff that Janeway/Chakotay fans never did.

That's my point exactly. I believe one of the reasons J/C fanfic is STILL so popular all these years later is that the fans NEVER got the payoff either in the show or in the books. So the writing continues...

 

[AuntKate]

It will be interesting if the Adama/Roslin pairing gets as much written about them.

Probably not since Adama and Roslin actually had a relationship, sexual as well as emotional. They were married in every way but the ceremony, and through them the audience got the payoff that Janeway/Chakotay fans never did.

That's my point exactly. I believe one of the reasons J/C fanfic is STILL so popular all these years later is that the fans NEVER got the payoff either in the show or in the books. So the writing continues...

The strange thing is that the J/C fans never seem to tire of Post Endgame Fix-ups. I've lost count of how many have been written over the last eight years. That's a nice thing about fanfic--myriad story lines, ad nauseum.

 

[MNM]

I have just finished reading it and...hmm...honestly, I didnt like it.

I found the B'Elanna/Miral/Klingon stuff to be uninteresting and dull, I also found B'Elanna's reaction to that situation and how to deal with the consequences to be over the top and not really necessary.

I cant say that Chakotay's problems were all that enjoyable to read, but then I have never cared for him as a character so that doesn taint my impression, and the counselor character, Cambridge, annoyed me to no end, and not in an "he's supposed to be annoying and I love it" way, just an a "this guys an abrasive dick" kind of way.

I am interested in the idea of the Federation sending an exploration fleet to the Delta Quadrant though. However I didnt find the Admiral character (the one joining the fleet) to be likeable, and the "revelation" of Captain Eden at the end seemed a bit of a forced for want of a better word.

All in all, I am afraid the book just bored me and I found it a hard slog to get to the end. On more than one occasion I nearly just put it on the shelf to forget about.

 

[Enterpriserules]

Kirsten,first off, thank you for making it one book. It was great to not have to wait!

I really enjoyed the book. I thought that the Voy characters all felt so three dimensional and alive. I actually liked Chakotay for the first time (and I have never, ever liked him). I am interested to see how his story and Seven's will play out, since they are not going back to the DQ. I am not sure how that will work. I was kind of sad not to see Seven go with Voyager , she seems like she is poised to really grow as a human and having her chase perfection again, seems odd.

I love to see Tom becoming the character I always wanted to see. He is loyal and hotheaded, all at the same time. He is also becoming a fine officer that will make a great captain. I was almost hoping that he was going to be the choice (I mean, if Ezri can be captain). I was mad at Torres for not keeping Tom in the loop. In the end, it was good to see them strong and about to be reunited.

Kirsten, you did a great job in making Afsarah a character that I can root for as the series goes on. I think that I am going to enjoy her as much as Janeway. I am also glad to see another women get to be Voyager's captain.

This book made Voyager good. It's characters real and that is not the easiest thing to do. Cannot wait for Unworthy! Thanks Kristen for making me enjoy VOY!

 

[aelius]

First. Loved the book. Kirsten you continue the run of excellent books that have been coming out lately.
Second. Who do I have to kill to get an early copy of Unworthy. Just name 'em and they're history.

 

[neogothboy74]

Kristen,first off, thank you for making it one book. It was great to not have to wait!

Kristen, you did a great job in making Afsarah a character that I can root for as the series goes on.

^ the author's name is Kirsten. I'm sure it was an honest mistake, but I have a friend named Kirsten and people call her Kristen all the time and it drives her crazy, so I've become overly sensitive to this over the years.

Very nice review though. All these positive reviews are really making me rethink my decision to put this one off for a bit - but I've got SO MUCH to read! I guess that's better than having nothing to read though.

 

[Astraea]

I finally got my hands on a copy of Full Circle yesterday (I'm going to have to return the copy that Amazon still hasn't shipped; they won't let me cancel the stupid order, yet are saying it's still going to be another week or two before it ships. I couldn't wait that long!)

I cant say that Chakotay's problems were all that enjoyable to read, but then I have never cared for him as a character so that doesn taint my impression, and the counselor character, Cambridge, annoyed me to no end, and not in an "he's supposed to be annoying and I love it" way, just an a "this guys an abrasive dick" kind of way.

I have to say, I actually enjoyed the Chakotay sections of the book (and that's saying something, as I've never actually found him to be either likable or interesting. That's always something that impresses me with an author, when they can take a character I've never liked or had any interest in and make them more than tolerable.

...I didn't find the Admiral character (the one joining the fleet) to be likeable...

I didn't get the sense that he was supposed to be likeable. Conflict generates drama; we've got to have some abrasive characters, don't we? Same goes for Cambridge; I'm actually interested to see where this character is going.

What I didn't like about this novel has actually mostly already been addressed by Kirsten, and a lot of it is inevitable:

-After the TNG revolving-door cast during the Borg arc, it's really tiring to go through another round of this with Golden's VOY characters. I know it's coming to an end, and that both cast changes weren't really intended, but it's still frustrating. (And, granted, I figured that Destiny was going to take out a lot of people anyway, but...still tired of it!)

-This does feel like two books smushed into one, the first being wrap-up of old storylines, the second being coverage of Destiny and set-up for the next novels. I know that this was initially a larger MS meant to be two novels that did get merged; if they only wanted one book out instead of two, why didn't they just release both books as a ginormous hardcover?

-And it does feel like ASD in that, "okay, I've got to wrap up these stories and provide enough setup so we can get on with the good stuff." Which means that I want Unworthy ASAP, because I think it's going to be even better. I didn't mind this story; it certainly kept me reading. But it did feel like a "I need to get there from here, let's get it done," sort of thing.

Errata:

-I do like the "upcoming novels" schedule that's now on the back cover of the book. When did it start? I hadn't noticed it before.

-When does Unworthy come out again?