Question: how many TMP era stories?

[Captaindemotion]

^Good catch. I guess the artist grabbed whatever reference was available.

Although it's not as bad as the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Vipers chasing McCoy and Arrhae on the cover of The Romulan Way, or the upside-down Galactica itself on the TNG: Ghost Ship cover.

CANON VIOLATION!!!! CROSSOVER!! MIRROR UNIVERSE!!! MY HEAD IS MELTING!!!!!

 

[Daddy Todd]

[T]he image of Spock used on the Yesterday's Son cover is an identical pose to the one used on the TWOK novelization cover! I can't find out whether that cover was by Vallejo too, but clearly both covers used the same reference photo.

I can't find any artist reference on any of the multiple copies of McIntyre's Wrath of Khan novelization in my collection (Pocket 1st, later Pocket, Gregg Press, Macdonald, SFBC...) but I'm pretty sure the cover art is by Boris. The style seems pretty unmistakable. I sent Vallejo a message on his website, asking if he painted it. I'll report back when (if?) he responds.

Received this email today from Julie Bell:

Yes, that was painted by Boris! Thank you for asking.

Best wishes to you,

Julie and Boris

Sent from my iPhone


I responded with some fannish squeeing -- I've been a fan of Vallejo's work since I was in high school, when he did a series of covers for Philip Jose Farmer's World of Tiers paperbacks from Ace Books.

 

[Christopher]

So I guess Vallejo only had the one photo of Spock to work from c. 1982-3...

 

[Jsplinis]

My version of the post-TMP continuity includes Ex Machina, Mere Anarchy: The Darkness Drops Again, and parts 2-3 of DTI: Forgotten History. It is compatible with or makes reference to The Covenant of the Crown and The Better Man by Howard Weinstein, The Kobayashi Maru by Julia Ecklar, and The Captain's Daughter by Peter David (which is mostly post-TUC but includes portions set in the pre- and post-TMP eras). So you can treat those as a more-or-less consistent post-TMP continuity if you like.

I've scanned your annotations for you TOS novels and shorts and noticed that you make some continuity set-ups/fixes for stories like the Vulcan's series while making strong references to stories like Assignment Eternity, Unspoken Truth, Night Whispers, The TOS Section 31 novel, Home is the Hunter, First Frontier, The Rings of Time and various LA Graf novels. I was just wondering what you include in your Personal canon for the entire TOS era? In no way is this a question about your opinion of quality towards other writer's works. I'm just curious what you view as your TOS universe and what stories (in whole/ not peace parted) inform your past and future writings?

Thanks and have fun,
jsplinis

 

[ryan123450]

That's a very interesting question.

 

[Christopher]

^I don't recall referencing Home is the Hunter in my books. I don't count it as part of the continuity, because it kills off Mr. Garrovick, who's still alive years later in In the Name of Honor.

I think the references in my books and annotations pretty much answer your question, Jsplinis. I don't really want to give an exhaustive list of what I do and don't count, since my references cover the most relevant ones, and otherwise it's the sort of thing where my choices and opinions can change over time.

 

[Jsplinis]

I understand your reasons for not wanting to list your canon. But let me just say how great it is that you take the time to respond to a very inquisitive fan like myself. Thanks.

About the Home is the Hunter reference, in your annotations for DTI #2 you wrote,


"43 Bonnie Prince Charlie is a hero from Scottish history, and Scott actually joins his rebellion in the time-travel novel Home is the Hunter by Dana Kramer-Rolls (set in the post-TMP era, so it would come after this novel). Isambard Kingdom Brunel was a great engineer of the Victorian era, and I'm aware of him mainly through the delightful alternate-history webcomic 2D Goggles."

I wasn't sure if that was just a nod to a fact in that novel or if it was an inclusion in your personal canon because of the way you mentioned its time placement relative to your book. Sorry I interpreted it wrong.

Thanks again,
Jsplinis

 

[Christopher]

Maybe this is a losing battle, but the term is personal continuity. Canon, by definition, means the official version as opposed to alternative interpretations, so "personal canon" is an oxymoron.

 

[Jsplinis]

Maybe this is a losing battle, but the term is personal continuity. Canon, by definition, means the official version as opposed to alternative interpretations, so "personal canon" is an oxymoron.

Sorry, hope I didn't offend

 

[Christopher]

Nothing personal, just trying to clarify the word usage.

And no, acknowledging that Home is the Hunter used Bonnie Prince Charlie had nothing to do with personal continuity or anything of the sort. It was just a bit of trivia that I thought I'd mention. And while I personally don't count the novel, I don't want to dictate to anyone else what books they can or can't count.

 

[Garrovick]

^Good catch. I guess the artist grabbed whatever reference was available.

Although it's not as bad as the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Vipers chasing McCoy and Arrhae on the cover of The Romulan Way, or the upside-down Galactica itself on the TNG: Ghost Ship cover.

CANON VIOLATION!!!! CROSSOVER!! MIRROR UNIVERSE!!! MY HEAD IS MELTING!!!!!

At least J. J. Abrams didn't reimagine Spock as a woman

 

[Therin of Andor]

At least J. J. Abrams didn't reimagine Spock as a woman

No, that's why Harve Bennett and Nick Meyer came up with Saavik for ST II, 'cos Nimoy really, really, really meant it when he said he wasn't coming back.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I think Enterprise's T'pol counts as a female Spock clone.

 

[Christopher]

^No, because T'Pol isn't half-human. She has her own distinct journey as a character.

 

[Jeyl]

^No, because T'Pol isn't half-human. She has her own distinct journey as a character.

Learning to be the punching bag to Archer's bigotry?

 

[Christopher]

^No, because T'Pol isn't half-human. She has her own distinct journey as a character.

Learning to be the punching bag to Archer's bigotry?

If that's what you think happened, you ought to rewatch the show. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

[JWolf]

A lot of the numbers TOS books have something off on them. It's usually the way the characters are drawn. It usually something off about the faces.

 

[Jeyl]

^No, because T'Pol isn't half-human. She has her own distinct journey as a character.

Learning to be the punching bag to Archer's bigotry?

If that's what you think happened, you ought to rewatch the show. Nothing could be further from the truth.

There are so many examples I can think of, but I don't want to derail the topic more than I have. But I know what I'm talking about and I can certainly list examples. They are the very reason I quit the show.