Spoilers Hidden Universe Travel Guide: Star Trek: Vulcan by Dayton Ward Review Thread

[Idran]

Didn't see a review thread go up for this yet, so I figured I ought to put one up myself!

Blurb:

Set in the Star Trek universe, this Hidden Universe travel guide explores all that Vulcan—Spock’s home planet—has to offer in an interactive guidebook.

Plan your next trip to the planet Vulcan! Find restaurants that serve the best fried sandworms and Vulcan port. Take a trip to the Fire Plains or experience spring break at the Voroth Sea. Learn all about the native Vulcan people and their unusual customs. Discover how to correctly perform the traditional Vulcan salutation (you really don’t want to get this wrong). Learn key Vulcan phrases such as Nam-tor puyan-tvi-shal wilat: “Where is your restroom?” Find out what to do if you suddenly find yourself host to a katra—a Vulcan’s living spirit—at an inconvenient moment. All this and more can be found within the pages of this essential travel guide to one of the most popular—and logical—destinations in the known universe.

This Hidden Universe travel guide draws on 50 years of Star Trek TV shows, films, and novels to present a comprehensive guide to Spock’s iconic home world. Modeled after real-world travel guides, the book will explore every significant region on Vulcan with fascinating historical, geographical, and cultural insights that bring the planet to life like never before. Also featuring a dynamic mixture of classic Star Trek imagery and original illustrations created exclusively for the book, Hidden Universe Travel Guide: Star Trek: Vulcan is the perfect way to celebrate 50 years of Star Trek and will thrill pop culture fans and hardcore Star Trek fans alike.

About the Creators:

Dayton Ward is the New York Times best-selling author or coauthor of numerous novels and short stories, including a whole bunch of stuff set in the Star Trek universe, often writing with friend and co-author Kevin Dilmore. He lives with his wife and daughters in Kansas City.

Livio Ramondelli has illustrated several major Transformers comics projects for IDW Publishing. Other credits include Battlestar Galactica for Dynamite, Star Wars for Dark Horse Comics, and Pacific Rim for Legendary Comics. He previously worked as a concept artist on DC Universe Online for Sony/DC Comics. More of his work can be seen at LivioRamondelli.com as well as on Instagram at LivioRamondelli.

Peter Markowski is a Los Angeles–based illustrator who currently works in Visual Development at DreamWorks TV. He has worked for Warner Bros. Animation and LEGO, as well as on various commercials, animated shorts, and several pitches, including one for an animated Star Trek series.is the New York Times best-selling author or coauthor of numerous novels and short stories, including a whole bunch of stuff set in the Star Trek universe, often writing with friend and co-author Kevin Dilmore. He lives with his wife and daughters in Kansas City.

 

[Bibliomike]

I haven't read it cover to cover yet (my pre-ordered copy arrived in yesterday's mail), but have enjoyed what I have read so far. I am especially amused by the touches of levity regarding tourism that caters to non-Vulcans.

I was surprised at the use of painted art rather than images from the series and films. It does give the book a more unified look, I guess, since some of the sites were sets, others animated (anything established in "Yesteryear"), others CGI (ST09 Vulcan locales, I'm guessing, at least partially digital; ditto, the director's cut Kolinhar site), and others have never been seen outside of tie-in prose.

 

[Tuskin38]

Ohh Dayton Ward had a hand in this, may have to pick it up.

 

[Ronald Held]

Mine still has not shipped from Amazon.

 

[Radu Molasar]

Picked mine up. Well done.

 

[Dayton Ward]

I haven't read it cover to cover yet (my pre-ordered copy arrived in yesterday's mail), but have enjoyed what I have read so far. I am especially amused by the touches of levity regarding tourism that caters to non-Vulcans.

I was surprised at the use of painted art rather than images from the series and films. It does give the book a more unified look, I guess, since some of the sites were sets, others animated (anything established in "Yesteryear"), others CGI (ST09 Vulcan locales, I'm guessing, at least partially digital; ditto, the director's cut Kolinhar site), and others have never been seen outside of tie-in prose.

It became apparent rather quickly that there simply wouldn't be enough in the way of pictures/etc. to fill out the book. Given a choice between a mix of pics and art or straight art, the editor (wisely, IMHO) chose to go with the art option. I think the entire book looks fantastic as a result.

 

[Ronald Held]

Hopefully I will find out before your panel.

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

My favorite bit: Okona's Outrageous Emporium.

 

[Ronald Held]

I just received my copy. So far the tone is satisfactory. Why is the sun yellow in the few images I saw? Also for Pre First Contact why not have mentioned Mestral since he is canonical while Strangers.. Is not.

 

[Dayton Ward]

According to all official accounts, there were only two survivors from the Vulcan ship that crashed on Earth in 1957, not three

Also, the book draws on a number of sources, including film/TV, novels and other books, RPG and other game materials, and the dark corners of my own diseased mind. It's not intended to be any sort of distillation of "canonical material."

Spoiler: Spoilers about the book

As for the story about the ship crashing on Earth, that was from "Carbon Creek," as that vessel crashed in North America. The ship from Strangers crashed in the Pacific Ocean.

 

[Ronald Held]

If you say so, Dayton. Expecting to bring it to the LV Con and maybe you will be able to sign it.

 

[Plaristes]

I just finished reading it. I enjoyed it, although I'm surprised how many night clubs are on Vulcan. :-P

I was a little confused by the claim that one of the locations described was purchased by a Ferengi over a century earlier. When is the "present" of this book? I thought it was supposed to be 2387, but how could Ferengi be active on Vulcan in 2287 but Picard and crew not know much of anything about the Ferengi?

 

[Christopher]

I was a little confused by the claim that one of the locations described was purchased by a Ferengi over a century earlier. When is the "present" of this book? I thought it was supposed to be 2387, but how could Ferengi be active on Vulcan in 2287 but Picard and crew not know much of anything about the Ferengi?

Maybe he bought it anonymously through a proxy?

 

[Ronald Held]

Still at it. Quite surprised at the number of outworld establishments outside of ShiKahr

 

[Markonian]

Wanted to wait for an eBook release, but this thread and the Amazon preview wetted my appetite. Ordered it is.

 

[Markonian]

Got it, read. It's a livy dive into the universe. The planet comes to life, and the touristy descriptions hint of adventures that could be told in these settings. It made the Trek universe more tangible, because I can relate to the descriptions through my own trips.

Fingers crossed the idea does not die with the book, and spawns additions.

In terms of chronology, I'd say that Captain T'Pol's interview was recorded August - October 2165, between ROTF books 3 and 4.

 

[JD]

^ I was just about the ask if we've heard yet whether or not there will be more Hidden Universe guides. I think they might have also mentioned a Qo'noS one when they first announced the Vulcan one, but I don't think it's been mentioned since then.

 

[Defcon]

^ I was just about the ask if we've heard yet whether or not there will be more Hidden Universe guides. I think they might have also mentioned a Qo'noS one when they first announced the Vulcan one, but I don't think it's been mentioned since then.

Well, it is listed on Simon&Schuster's site for August 2017:
https://catalog.simonandschuster.com/TitleDetails/TitleDetails.aspx?cid=12937&isbn=9781608875191&a=

 

[JD]

Cool, thanks. I'm glad to see I wasn't mistaken.

 

[ronny]

That's cool news on the Qo'noS book. I'm enjoying the Vulcan book now. It will take me a bit to finish though. It's the kind of book I read in fits and spurts. The business with mentioning the 2 Vulcans who lated made me smile as I remembered the episode and why 3 weren't mentioned. The artwork is fun too.