Pocket's 2010 Schedule Announced on TrekMovie.com

[Claudia]

And then I really agree with what you say about nuTrek. The movie was so rapidfire that it didn't give much chance for us to get to know the characters, but still presented them with such strong voices that I can't wait to see it all fleshed out more. Even if the next movie straight up nullifies these completely, I'm just really looking forward to the different interpretations of these characters. nuTrek is like a shiny new toy; I really want to play with it

Yes, that's exactly it. I'm looking forward to reading what different spin the authors are going to give nuSpock in contrast to Spock Prime, or in what way Kirk's difficult upbringing is going to influence his portrayal etc. I don't need earth shattering events, just a little glimpse into intriguing old/new characters.

It's admittedly unfortunate that a huge run of nuTrek immediately follows a huge run of TOS, and I'll be missing all the wonderful development of this year as much as everyone else. I already can't wait for the Typhon Pact.

I agree with some of what Defcon said in his posts - the mass of TOS and nuTrek seems a little like an overcompensation for the little TOS we got this year despite the movie's release. I know, I know: bad economy, vendors not taking a risk etc etc I understand these arguments, but still it would definitely look better if there had been at least some kind of celebration for TOS this year as well (save for Troublesome Minds), leading into next year's feast. Right now, it could really be interpreted as trying to catch up and ride on the movie's success. Which, of course, is economically speaking a good decision - but I'd have hoped for a bit of a more daring approach before the Trek movie.

As for the post Destiny-universe... I'm not too fond of that interconnection between all the different series. And I wonder whether Clark's emphasis on "every book can be read on its own" doesn't reflect the general readership's wariness about buying a novel that's part of an ongoing series. I don't mind a crossover-event like Destiny every now and again, but creating a mystery like the Typhon Pact where the pieces of the puzzle are spread over multiple series (Titan, TNG, the upcoming Aventine, DS9)... I'm not too sure of that development because at least I don't like the feeling of being manipulated into reading books of series I definitely don't enjoy as much only to get the whole picture. Add to that the fact that I'm reading TrekLit for the established characters of the TV-series, my interest in post TNG-lit has dwindled a little, given the way the characters were spread over different series and the newly introduced ones don't quite interest me as much. Oh, there're exceptions, of course, but especially the TNG-relaunch seems a bit bland so far, not yet having read LtP. Therefore, I can't quite join in the praise of Destiny and post-Destiny and the anticipation for the TP...

 

[David R. George III]

BTW, is that really 'Rough Bests'? Should it be 'Rough Beasts'?

Yeah, as you surmised, Trent, my Typhon Pact/Deep Space Nine novel will be entitled The Rough Beasts of Empire. At least, that's my working title. I may yet change it.

 

[Defcon]

^ That's certainly all true, or close to it, but it's also true that we've had very little TOS for a really long time. And of course a bunch of nuTrek books is a great idea to capitalize on the success of the film. I think the only problem is that the two are put right next to each other, and I'll admit I'm a little annoyed about that too. I wonder if it would've really made much difference to swap the Typhon Pact and nuTrek placement, or maybe reduce the TOS or nuTrek schedules by one or two and fit a couple more books in between.

But like I said, for me at least, that's largely mollified by the fact that the books themselves sound fantastic, and I'd wager that the number of fans giving up on the post-Nemesis timeline due to the 9-month gap is going to be more or less equivalent to the people that may decide to try them if the nuTrek books are really good. I don't think it's all that much of an economical risk, assuming the books don't suck.

I think we tend to overreact, in general, to gaps in publishing schedules. Most book series have gaps of at least a year between books, usually longer, and certainly huge gaps in NF, Voyager and DS9 don't seem to have done much to stunt the popularity of those books. It's also often been shown that multi-novel Events sell much better than individual novels, and the Typhon Pact being so damn cool sounding as an Event will probably compensate for that gap a lot.

Ah, well we'll see.

Being the sheep I am I most likely will end up buying all (or most) of them, but here's a little rundown on my opinions on the individual books:

January
"Sorrows of Empire" by David Mack

Not sure about that one yet, I like the novella but I'm not sure how another 50000 words will alter the flow of the story.

February
"Inception" by S.D. Perry

Anything bringing S.D. Perry back is a good thing. As for the topic, I'm not fully convinced.

March
"Treason" by Peter David (mass market reprint)

I already have the TPB, so I'll pass on this.


April
"The Children of Kings" by Dave Stern

Pike's turn in the chair of the Enterprise hasn't been used often, so I'm certainly intrigued by this one. I liked the majority of Stern's Enterprise novels, so this actually will be an insta-buy I think.

May
"Unspoken Truth" by Margaret Wander Bonanno

It's a Margaret Wander Bonanno book - that's enough for me to buy it unseen.

June (possibly July)
Untitled New Frontier by Peter David [trade paperback]

While there most likely will be a reprint in 2011, I'll get that rather soon after release, since I need my steady NF fix.

June
"Refugees" by Alan Dean Foster

Was unimpressed by the novelisation, so I have rather mixed feelings about Foster writing another nuTrek novel, btu maybe this one will be better when he doesn't have to work with other persons stories.

July
"Seek a Newer World" by Christopher Bennett

I don't think Bennett's style really fits nuTrek, which seems to me like a more action oriented series. And Bennett and action doesn't really mesh up well IMO.

August
"More Beautiful than Death" by David Mack
I have faith in Mack, so of thea announce nuTrek novels at the moment that is the one I look forward to the most.

September
Untitled 4th New Star Trek Movie era book

That better be a Ward/Dilmore novel, because I think there's no writer/duo out there who would be a better fit to anything 23rd Century related.

October
"Seize the Fire" (TITAN) by Michael Martin
That's the spot that I would have given to Bennett. Can't really comment on this since I haven't seen anything by Martin alone yet.

November
"Zero Sum Game" (AVENTINE) by David Mack

Seems to be a book right up his alley, so that should be a good one.


December
"The Rough Bests of Empire" (DS9) by David R. George III

DS9 jumping forward is the worst thing about the whole schedule IMO. And while I'm a huge fan of DRG III, I'm not so sure that it really fits his strength to write a novel which will have to bring a whole series forward three years.

January 2011
"Path of Disharmony" (TNG) by Dayton Ward

I hope that is a working title, it just sounds weird to me. Other than that I'm looking forward to this one.

Spring 2010
"Seven Deadly Sins"

That's a title already announced for quite a while, but strangely I still haven't been able totally decide what to think about it.



Summer 2010? (date not finalized)
"Myriad Universes: Shattered Light"

Looking forward to this one.

​

2011?
"Out of the Cocoon"

So the Corps of Engineers reprint is delayed again?

Me not a happy camper.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Right now, it could really be interpreted as trying to catch up and ride on the movie's success.

Too much TOS: it'll be interpreted as over compensating.

Not enough TOS: it'll be interpreted as lazy editors.

Too much JJ ST: it's interpreted as pandering to new fans.

Not enough JJ ST: it's interpreted as ignoring new fans.

Too much TNG: it'll be interpreted as something else...

Margaret Clark and the market department spend considerable time debating these issues and mapping out the best way to secure a solid year of ST publishing. Fans thumb their noses at such decisions at their whim, and offer opinions based on... no facts whatsoever. Luckily for us - and Pocket - Margaret's the one being paid for her opinions.

Oh yeah:

January 2011: "Path of Disharmony"(TNG) by Dayton Ward
Picard’s Enterprise is assigned to the least glamorous mission, babysitting a conference on Andor *, but it is here that the Typhon Pact will show their strength by daring to reach into the heart of the Federation to raise their standard as the pre-eminent power. This book will also focus on the Tholians.

* Yeeeeeeeeha!!!!!!!

 

[Lonemagpie]

While I expected it would happen eventually, I hadn't thought Margaret Clark's run as single editor would run the line into the ground that fast.

Well, I suppose the thread had gone a remarkably long time without the obligatory hysterical "they're destroying the franchise" fanboy over-reaction.

Reading this thread, it feels like Outpost Gallifrey at its most sourpussed.

 

[Lonemagpie]

BTW, is that really 'Rough Bests'? Should it be 'Rough Beasts'?

Yeah, as you surmised, Trent, my Typhon Pact/Deep Space Nine novel will be entitled The Rough Beasts of Empire. At least, that's my working title. I may yet change it.

Rough Breasts might have appealed to a wider market...

 

[nickyboy]

well at least there is no long wait for the next installment of NF! shame there is no Vanguard!

I will be on board for the new NF book, David Mack's JJ-verse book, the typhon pact books and Myriad Universe 3

 

[Sci]

BTW, is that really 'Rough Bests'? Should it be 'Rough Beasts'?

Yeah, as you surmised, Trent, my Typhon Pact/Deep Space Nine novel will be entitled The Rough Beasts of Empire. At least, that's my working title. I may yet change it.

Rough Breasts might have appealed to a wider market...

Eewww. Who wants rough breasts on their women? I sure don't.

 

[MNM]

Yay an Aventine book, I shall be buying that. The Typhon Pact stuff as a whole sounds good, but I'll be disappointed if this DS9 book signals a permanent skip forward without any focus on the interveening years.

Way too much TOS and NuTrek stuff for me though, I shall not be buying any of that, so there is nothing out next year that I will get until october. For some reason that disappoints me.

 

[Idoliside]

I'll probably get the new frontier novel then nothing till october. I do like the new film and tos, but not really a TOS-lit fan. I def like the Titan story idea though and all the relaunch books after!

 

[DS9forever]

There really only is one series I really care about (no prizes for guessing) but "The Rough Beasts of Empire" sounds excellent and it is in the hands of a writer who really knows DS9 and its characters.

The only thing that disappoints me is that the DS9 omnibus reprints seem as dead as we've heard.

 

[RikerLover]

The line up sounds intriguing. I'm definitely looking forward to The Typon Pact miniseries but some of the others look good so far.

I would have loved another Titan novel but one is better than none and we did (or will) get 2 this year.

 

[Rosalind]

The more I think about it, the more I'm wondering if perhaps the Typhon Pact will simply be a chance for us to see what the DS9 characters are up to in the post Destiny time period, and not an actual permanent jump. With the way things are working out, I think this would probably make the most sense. Plus, it could be a cool way to give some fun little sneak peeks of what is coming up in the 2377 storyline.

I believe the whole Typhon Pact idea was thought of before Marco left, so he might have had some input in jumping DS9 forever with this book. I, too, hope we'll get later books filling in all the stories in the years between.

Ah, well we'll see.

hope you don't mind me using your list, make things easier.

January
"Sorrows of Empire" by David Mack

Probably won't be getting this one, MU doesn't interest me, I got the anthology because there were so many good review, but it's still on the bottom of my to read list.

February
"Inception" by S.D. Perry

sounds interesting, and I liked Perry's books so far, so I might end up buying this.

March
"Treason" by Peter David (mass market reprint)

lost interest in NF years ago, so that's a free month for me. though I can't help but thinking about the big discussion we had no more than a week ago about trade and Pocket isn't going to reprint this one, etc. etc.

April
"The Children of Kings" by Dave Stern

I'm not so sure about this. The new movie made me really like Pike, but I haven't really liked any of Stern's books that I really liked. So, another wait and see.

May
"Unspoken Truth" by Margaret Wander Bonanno

written by MWB, enough said.

June (possibly July)
Untitled New Frontier by Peter David [trade paperback]
skip.

June "Refugees" by Alan Dean Foster
July "Seek a Newer World" by Christopher Bennett
August"More Beautiful than Death" by David Mack
SeptemberUntitled 4th New Star Trek Movie era book

hmmm..... I don't know what to think of these, on the one hand, some of my favourite authors and I like the new movie, on the other hand, it's the new movie's continuum. I'll probably buy these in the end.

October"Seize the Fire" (TITAN) by Michael Martin

it's a Titan book, enough said.

November
"Zero Sum Game" (AVENTINE) by David Mack

Mack + Aventine = here's my cash.

December
"The Rough Beasts of Empire" (DS9) by David R. George III

my favourite author and DS9.

January 2011
"Path of Disharmony" (TNG) by Dayton Ward

Ward and TNG? is that a new combination? again, this is a definite buy.

Spring 2010 "Seven Deadly Sins"
Summer 2010? (date not finalized) "Myriad Universes: Shattered Light"

definitely getting these.

2011?"Out of the Cocoon"

damn, more delays for CoE.

All in all, par for the course, some definite buys, some maybes, and a couple of nopes.

 

[Julio Angel Ortiz]

^Stop playing with the space-time continuum!

Julio started it.

Thanks both of you for the good laugh this morning!

While I expected it would happen eventually, I hadn't thought Margaret Clark's run as single editor would run the line into the ground that fast.

I think this statement is unwarranted as of yet. All we have is a schedule; no assessments can be made until the end of 2010 after the books have been released and read.

 

[Defcon]

Ah, well we'll see.

hope you don't mind me using your list, make things easier.

Not at all, I just used a condensed version of the Trekmovie article anyway.

I think this statement is unwarranted as of yet. All we have is a schedule; no assessments can be made until the end of 2010 after the books have been released and read.

I hope you have read my subsequent posts also.

 

[Saul]

Firstly I am disappointed with the possiblity of no new Enterprise Novel for next year and yet again no new Shatnerverse novel. You'd think after the movie came out that pocket might want to capitalise on that one since these books DO sell well. Enterprise and Shatnerverse are must buy books for me.

The TOS line is interesting. I'd buy the Captain Pike Novel. (Wasn't there going to be a Captain April Novel?).
I have zero interest in NuStar Trek books.

I feel bad for the Voyager and Vanguard fans. DS9 seems to have gotten a bit of a short change too.

 

[Steve Roby]

On a book by book basis there's a lot of stuff worth getting excited about, and I'm glad to see a lot of good writers represented in the list. And I will of course buy all of it except the Treason reprint, because I already have Treason.

Not sure yet what I think of it as a statement of Pocket's editorial vision, though. I'm definitely concerned about DS9 jumping forward. But it's worth remembering that this, like every other schedule, is tentative and subject to change. There may yet be some surprises.

 

[DarKush]

Looking forward to the Typhon Pact novels. Not sure about the DS9 time jump though. I agree with many that there are a lot of storylines that haven't been resolved and if they jump so far ahead I wonder if the upcoming 2009 books will try to wrap them up too quickly.

I don't have a problem with the Abramsverse Trek novels though I doubt I'll pick them up unless I read good reviews on this forum or others. It makes good business sense to put them out, but I personally think the universe is still a bit too new and fresh and I want to see Abrams, etc. establish it a bit more before reading novels set in the alternate reality. I've been wringing my hands about buying the NF novel so I'm glad they are re-releasing it.

For the Prime TOS books coming up, they didn't particularly catch my fancy (though the Pike and Saavik novels do seem intriguing). I'm a little disappointed that the Lost Era Tzenkethi War book seems to be shelved, perhaps for good, but hopefully The Rough Beasts of Empire will make up for that loss. Also a little disappointed that there are no upcoming ENT novels for the new year. Of course if the Romulan War book is a one-shot which covers the whole war then I'll be less disappointed, but if ends on a cliffhanger, man I'll be sorely pissed.

 

[Broccoli]

Right now, it could really be interpreted as trying to catch up and ride on the movie's success.

Too much TOS: it'll be interpreted as over compensating.

Not enough TOS: it'll be interpreted as lazy editors.

Too much JJ ST: it's interpreted as pandering to new fans.

Not enough JJ ST: it's interpreted as ignoring new fans.

Too much TNG: it'll be interpreted as something else...

Margaret Clark and the market department spend considerable time debating these issues and mapping out the best way to secure a solid year of ST publishing. Fans thumb their noses at such decisions at their whim, and offer opinions based on... no facts whatsoever. Luckily for us - and Pocket - Margaret's the one being paid for her opinions.

It sounds like the people at Pocket are getting the same sort of heat from fans (warranted or not) the producers of televised Trek got. I can live with that.

 

[Ayelbourne]

Yay on all the Typhon Pact stuff, especially the Aventine entry. It's gonna be a blast, I'm sure.

Meh on all the TOS and NuTrek books. Never cared much about TOS novels and I think having 4 books in a row, set in the Abramsverse, is too soon and also overkill.
Not to mention the whole Arnoldesque "Put everything back the way it was at the end"-credo.

I'm gonna save a lot of money during the first half of the year, which I'm perfectly fine with.