Should they bring back Janeway?

[Thestral]

This isn't "Literature" with a capital "L," folks. This is scifi fiction, escapist fiction at its best, IMHO. These books are for fast consumption, not for lasting popularity and dozens of reprints. Let's not try to make Trek novels into something they aren't.

Whatever.

You know a guy, British playwright, Willie I think was his name? Yeah, his stuff was "low-class" "escapist" "fast consumption" stuff too. And somebody named Charlie, wrote something about a kid named Oliver.

Trek novels can be whatever the authors decide to make them, and this "oh, it shouldn't be stuff that LASTS" attitude is ridiculous.

 

[Thrawn]

Yes. Well put.

I mean, if you only WANT non-challenging, escapist, standalone, fast consumption reading that doesn't aspire to anything interesting, then I suppose the current Trek line is probably disappointing in the extreme. But boo hoo for you, I actually want good stories.

 

[Kataaran]

...I actually want good stories

As do I but because of the amount of interconnectedness in all of the recent books there's no avoiding the IMHO crap decision made with Before Dishonor, it's all Borg, Borg, blah, blah, blah.

I've been reading the some of these later books but there's no way I'm handing over my cash to Pocket, I buy them second hand. It's my small way of registering my discontent even though I know it won't be noticed.

 

[Technobuilder]

I'm honestly enjoying the Voyager series much more without her.

I say, leave her "dead" or wherever Lady Q took her to.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Bring her back: 76, keep her dead: 74.

We know the poll is skewed because of the double or triple votes by the "MJF" faction, but are the Anti-Janeway faction perhaps spamming the poll too?

I really should have added a "don't mind either way" option.

...and perhaps a "I don't and won't buy the books but still THEY MUST BRING HER BACK!!!" one too

 

[elaithin]

[
Man, I didn't realize the TOS and TNG fans had is so badly what with their 40+ and 20+ years worth of non growth boring, museum piece captains, whose drama-free adventures were like watching paint dry.

Which is not what I said at all. If you look back, you'll see I said the same thing as you - that all of these are elements of a good story. My contention is that condemning Janeway's death just because she died, rather than having specific issues with the way she died, is simply pointless. I see no value in wanting stories and characters to remain static and never grow and change. (Although it's true that TOS and TNG were almost, but not quite as bad as Voyager about the 'reset button', but that's another debate.)

We don't always get what we want in fiction. I hate the way Data died, for example. I think it was one of the worst thought-out scenes in all of Star Trek. And again, in Data's case, they provided an 'out' should they ever want to. I would love to see some sort of reverse-'Flowers for Algernon' where B-4 develops into Data. The authors/editors disagree. Okay, fair enough. I still enjoy the books.

I say again, the current books are interesting and well-written. If they can turn someone like me who wanted to like Voyager but was massively disappointed in all it's wasted potential into a fan.. that should be considered a good thing.

 

[LightningStorm]

Man, I didn't realize the TOS and TNG fans had is so badly what with their 40+ and 20+ years worth of non growth boring, museum piece captains, whose drama-free adventures were like watching paint dry.

Which is not what I said at all. If you look back, you'll see I said the same thing as you - that all of these are elements of a good story.

Yes the rest of my post did agree with your basic point. However the purpose of that specific highly sarcastic sentence was to contest the specific argument that you and Deranged Nasat made about the idea that older stories set during the series where they are doing the same-old same-old is somehow not good or boring. Which I found particularly ironic given this thread.

 

[elaithin]

I'm not saying that stories taking place in those time frame ARE old or boring. I'm merely saying those shouldn't be the only stories. Hence my statements in the other thread that I'd be perfectly happy to see them.

 

[seigezunt]

It's a challenge to make the 5YM stories with the TOS crew, where you know they will be OK. And they have compelling characters.

 

[Harmakis7]

You have to bring Janeway back!

Janeway is one of the most influential characters for young women out there. She represents being strong and being female.... she shows young girls that they can be in charge, that they can be smart, and that they can be respected as a person and NOT a SEX object.

I idolized Janeway as a young teen on the show, she is part of the reason that I am now in grad school to be a rocket scientist... seriously...

I love to share Janeway with my little 8 year old sister, because i know that the Janeway character empowers women. IMO, No other female character in star trek can offer that kind of idol. No other character can show young girls out there to that they can be everything they want. In charge, respected, and education... and still be a female....

Janeway is Amazing... Star Trek would be smart to bring her back...

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

^ That's wonderful. I've always hated Janeway and Voyager. I looked at those seven seasons of Voyager as a waste of my time and Paramount's money. I've always thought the celluloid they wasted on that show could have gone to better use. Now after I read your posting I'm realizing that it wasn't a waste. It didn't meet my needs but it did what Trek so often does. It inspired! Because of Voyager the world is getting someone who is sure to help advance science a hundredfold. And you're passing it forward to your little sister. I hope she's every bit as inspired as yourself. The world needs more people who want to better it. Your posting has made me smile. See?

 

[Athena28]

What's Voyager without her? Nothing I want to read.

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

What's Voyager without her? Nothing I want to read.

I'm curious. Would Voyager fans have been as upset if it had been Seven or the Doctor or Tuvok who had been killed? What about Tom or Chakotay or... Harry?

 

[Hamilton]

You have to bring Janeway back!

Janeway is one of the most influential characters for young women out there. She represents being strong and being female.... she shows young girls that they can be in charge, that they can be smart, and that they can be respected as a person and NOT a SEX object.

I idolized Janeway as a young teen on the show, she is part of the reason that I am now in grad school to be a rocket scientist... seriously...

I love to share Janeway with my little 8 year old sister, because i know that the Janeway character empowers women. IMO, No other female character in star trek can offer that kind of idol. No other character can show young girls out there to that they can be everything they want. In charge, respected, and education... and still be a female....

Janeway is Amazing... Star Trek would be smart to bring her back...

I have to disagree with you on Janeway being the only female character in Trek that offers that kind of empowerment.

In fact, I find that statement offensive. Star Trek has offered strong female characters over the years, both on TV and in the books. What about Uhura or Dax or Shelby? Are they not strong characters who empowered women, who showed that women can be strong, feminine, educated, and in charge? I think those characters are just as capable, if not more so, than Janeway in providing a positive role model for girls.

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

^ But Janeway is the character who inspired her.

 

[Thrawn]

So? Martin Luther King is pretty damn inspiring to me, and he's dead.

 

[Hamilton]

It's offensive because she said Janeway was the ONLY female character in ST who could be that kind of idol to young girls. I have no problem with Janeway inspiring her, but her statement means that no other female character could serve as an idol.

 

[chelly]

Don't forget Dr. Crusher, Dr. Selar, B'elanna, Deanna Troi, Kira, Shelby (though I didn't like her untill the New Frontier books), various female admirals or ambassadors, any of the women on the daVinci.

I agree with Hamilton there are other very strong females in the trek universe. Some I listed I feel are much stronger because of all they have been through and have been able to achieve.

 

[Mriana]

Trek had it's dying and resurrecting Kirk, now it is time to have a dying and resurrecting Janeway. Kirk has had more resurrections than JC and I think it's only fair that the only Trek series that was very much like Gene's original idea (The Cage) only with the female as captain, instead of #1 bring back the captain.

These flashback things, such as Enterprise and the newest movie are not Trek IMO, so such stories are not good enough, as Brit said many pages back. So, yes, I voted to resurrect Janeway, just as Kirk was many times over. Even Spock was resurrected again too, so I think Voyager fans are entitled to have Janeway back, just as TOS fans got their favourites back. Kirk being dead now, is one thing, because he's had his turn many times over, now it's time for "The Next Generation" to have it's turn, even if it is Voyager and not TNG- it is the same timeline. Besides, if I recall, Janeway lived to go on and bring Voyager home as an older woman, so why mess with that time line? Actually, that story wasn't so well liked among many fans either, but still, IMO we should not have a whole series of stories that Voyager fans are not fond of having. Let us have one we do want.

 

[Thrawn]

Plenty of Voyager fans ARE fond of it, and plenty of people around here have said that they weren't fans until they read it.

Plus: you aren't "entitled" to shit. Period. You paid for or enjoyed all the Voyager stuff you did, and if you don't like what comes next, you don't have to buy it. But they don't owe you a thing.