Just finished reading Full Circle...

[Kataaran]

Finally picked up some second hand copies of Full Circle and Unworthy. I'm a Janeway fan who doesn't like that she got killed off and blah, blah, blah but that's not really why I wanted to post this. I've been ploughing my way through all the Star Trek relaunch books in order, there's no skipping over anything. I wanted to read the Voyager relaunch post BD so I could form my own opinion rather than going on the jacket blurb.

I've just finished reading Full Circle and was really surprised by how much of a page-turner I found it. I hesitate to say I enjoyed it (see above) but since I read it in one weekend I must conclude it had me hooked. The one thing that did annoy me was the sweeping away of all the new characters setup from previous Voyager relaunch books, it smacked of 'Not invented here' syndrome. I'm not a writer but I can see this book is better written than the previous Voyager relaunch titles.

I understand an author can only write a Star Trek book within the constraints of the project but ultimately it doesn't feel like Voyager to me, Star Trek definitely, but not Voyager. That makes me sad.

Going to start reading Unworthy next.

 

[AuntKate]

It doesn't feel like Voyager?

 

[shanejayell]

It does not star Janeway, therefore it is not Voyager.

Though I may be putting words in Kataaran's mouth. If so, I apologize. *shrug*

Personally, I liked it and to be honest I found it and Unworthy more in the spirit of Voyager and some of it's best episodes.

 

[BillJ]

Both are well written, fun reads.

 

[Kataaran]

It doesn't feel like Voyager?

Voyager's my favourite Star Trek series, this felt more like when I read a TNG book. I happily read TNG books, but I used to look forward more to a new Voyager book. I don't think that will be the case now, I'll still be reading Children of the Storm though.

It does not star Janeway, therefore it is not Voyager.

Though I may be putting words in Kataaran's mouth. If so, I apologize. *shrug*

Yep, I think for me no Janeway = not Voyager for me. I would stress the 'for me' part though as I know this isn't the case for a lot of Voyager fans.

 

[captcalhoun]

thank you for putting your feelings in such a polite manner without much antagonism, screaming, wailing, gnashing of teeth and mass hysteria.

 

[T'Ressa Dax]

I'm a Janway fan too, but I'm adaptable. I found the stories enjoyable on their own merits. Would have read them even without Voyager in the title.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

I'm a Janway fan too, but I'm adaptable. I found the stories enjoyable on their own merits. Would have read them even without Voyager in the title.

That's pretty much my opinion as well.

 

[ryan123450]

For me Voyager has to include...the U.S.S. Voyager. Janeway can have nothing to do with it and it's still Voyager.

 

[Turtletrekker]

IMHO, Full Circle and Unworthy are just about the best Janeway stories ever told, despite the fact that she is not present. Her presence is felt in every scene by every character. Every characters thought, decision and action was based on Janeway's memory and influence.

 

[DigificWriter]

Janeway is in half of Full Circle, but, if sentiment(s) expressed in another thread related to the topic (in the Voyager forum) is any indication, there's a section of the Voyager fandom that are diametrically opposed to the Voyager 'relaunch' fiction because, in order to conform with Nemesis, it changed the status quo of Voyager and relegated Janeway to a supporting role for the period of time between the start of said fiction and her death.

I expressed this in the other thread, but I really don't understand this whole 'Voyager isn't Voyager without Janeway' sentiment, because it's complely anamalous and organic to the Voyager fandom (I haven't come across a single fan of DS9 - the first series to go forward in literary form without its on-screen captain/commanding officer - who is opposed to the DS9 post-finale fiction because it doesn't include Sisko), and haven't yet been given any form of explanation for why the sentiment exists.

 

[HoneyBLilly]

I understand an author can only write a Star Trek book within the constraints of the project but ultimately it doesn't feel like Voyager to me, Star Trek definitely, but not Voyager. That makes me sad.

Going to start reading Unworthy next.

It's almost as if Voyager is catatonic.


The lights are on, but no one's home.

Which is heartbreaking, Voyager was the first Trek I watched from beginning to end and it isn't the same without her.

 

[JD]

^What about Chakotay, Seven, B'Ellana, Tom, Vorik, and the Doctor?

 

[HoneyBLilly]

Love them all, except for Seven, however Janeway was the heart of the show.


I'm still going to read the books. It just doesn't have the same heart.

 

[JB2005]

Janeway being the heart of the show is the problem. It wasn't Star Trek: Janeway, it was Voyager. The creators of Voyager (particularly Jeri Taylor) seemed to base the whole premise of Voyager around the fact that Janeway was mama bear and it all came back to her. We never really saw Chakotay call Janeway out and the end result be a clear "Chakotay was right Janeway was wrong" (the closest we got was Equinox but even that was a cop-out as far as Chakotay was concerned)

I think one of the strengths of the Voyager re-Relaunch is that it allows the premise to be truely ensemble for the first time.

 

[Kataaran]

Love them all, except for Seven, however Janeway was the heart of the show.


I'm still going to read the books. It just doesn't have the same heart.

I think that's the key difference for a fair few Voyager fans, part of what drew me to Voyager was that it had a strong, intelligent, female character, with that potentially gone (haven't formed an opinion about Eden yet) what made Voyager stand out for me is also gone.

 

[AuntKate]

Janeway is in half of Full Circle, but, if sentiment(s) expressed in another thread related to the topic (in the Voyager forum) is any indication, there's a section of the Voyager fandom that are diametrically opposed to the Voyager 'relaunch' fiction because, in order to conform with Nemesis, it changed the status quo of Voyager and relegated Janeway to a supporting role for the period of time between the start of said fiction and her death.

I expressed this in the other thread, but I really don't understand this whole 'Voyager isn't Voyager without Janeway' sentiment, because it's complely anamalous and organic to the Voyager fandom (I haven't come across a single fan of DS9 - the first series to go forward in literary form without its on-screen captain/commanding officer - who is opposed to the DS9 post-finale fiction because it doesn't include Sisko), and haven't yet been given any form of explanation for why the sentiment exists.

Well, I'll try. Sisko was "disappeared" from DS9 in canon. Even so, Sisko was eventually restored to the novels. I suppose it was a necessity for the DS9 fans to accept that Sisko was absent for awhile (I'm not saying he was dead), and yet the editors/writers eventually restored him. Sisko's "death" in the finale was also respectful and even heroic, and, more importantly, it was the end of a long arc for him as the emissary. It was part of who he was and totally in character.

By contrast, Janeway was "killed" in the novels, and actually in a TNG novel, and was totally out of character as she "died" (yes, I have read portions of PD's novel). She was unrecognizable to me as the Janeway I'd watched for seven years on the screen, and I felt that the way she was treated was wrong for the captain and main character of the Voyager series. Add to that the paucity of Voyager novels over the years, and you might understand that I want to continue to read about her exploits because I like her and find her to be an essential element to Voyager.

Now, I'm not sure what you mean when you say that you don't understand "this whole 'Voyager isn't Voyager without Janeway' sentiment, because it's complely anamalous and organic to the Voyager fandom." How is that so? There was a terrible outcry when Spock died in the movies, so much so that he was immediately restored. Sisko was missed by the fans and returned to the novels. Trip was missed and almost immediately restored to the novels. Data has been restored to the comic books through B4. I don't understand what you mean by "anamalous and organic." Maybe you could explain that to me?

Finally, I think with Janeway's "death" there is an element of "gotcha" on the part of some fans that is very unseemly. They don't like Janeway and they enjoy turning the knife in the sides of the fans who do. To me, that's just unfair. No one gloated when Jadzia or Tasha died--"haha, she's dead, live with it." No one was happy when Sisko "died" or Data was destroyed. Everyone mourned Spock's death. Perhaps you can explain this "gotcha" reaction as well?

 

[BillJ]

Perhaps you can explain this "gotcha" reaction as well?

I honestly don't see that at all. No character is universally loved or hated. The Janeway fans seem to have a hard time with the fact that not everyone loves the character and there are people that have no issues with Voyager going on without her.

 

[label]

I think one of the strengths of the Voyager re-Relaunch is that it allows the premise to be truely ensemble for the first time.

This was one of the reasons I couldn't stick with Voyager while it was on air. There were other reasons, most of which had to do with the writing, but if the show had been more of a true ensemble piece and the first officer would have been played by someone more dynamic and challenging to Janeway (like Kira was in the first several seasons) I think I could have lived with the show.

 

[Kataaran]

^ It would be interesting to see what percentage of Voyager relaunch fans liked the original show. Also, fans of the show from the outset and how they get on with the relaunch.