Should they bring back Janeway?

[Thrawn]

In response to a few other posters a page or so back, I realize that some of the old timers on this forum resent the sudden influx of Voyager and Janeway fans. That is obvious. Perhaps you do look forward to the day when it is just the "good old boys" here once again. That's fine and dandy for the TrekBBS. But it isn't so fine and dandy for PB if only the "old faithful" bunch buy their books. No matter how well the current novels are selling, they would love to sell more. That's the nature of the business. They are looking to expand their market into new areas and to new readers.

Bringing Janeway back in the Voyager relaunch would mean that the "good old boys" will buy the books (because they buy everything), and that a whole new, very interested audience will start buying them, too. The same rationale is true for branching out from the Destiny story line. Why have three series caught up in one plot?

I invoke the 45th Rule of Acquisition: Expand, or die!

I like how you're ignoring the many posts in this very thread where people say that they weren't interested in Voyager before but are now. Seems like "a whole new, very interested audience" HAS started buying them, and it's the "good old boys [girls]" that have stopped.

Hell, me alone - as I mentioned before, the death of Janeway prompted me to pick up Trek novels again (after I'd abandoned the hobby and sold all of mine from when I was a kid many years earlier), and has lead to my buying over 170 novels since then!

 

[Steve Roby]

In response to a few other posters a page or so back, I realize that some of the old timers on this forum resent the sudden influx of Voyager and Janeway fans. That is obvious. Perhaps you do look forward to the day when it is just the "good old boys" here once again.

What I look forward to -- what I come here for -- is to discuss Star Trek books with people who read (and/or write or edit) Star Trek books and like to discuss them.

The Janeway people aren't popping up in other TrekLit discussions to talk about their favourite old Voyager novels, or to ask about the various Voyager comics that have been published, much less talking about their favourite TNG or DS9 or whatever other Trek series novels. They're here to complain about a decision made in a series that few of them show any sign of having ever read.

Bringing Janeway back in the Voyager relaunch would mean that the "good old boys" will buy the books (because they buy everything), and that a whole new, very interested audience will start buying them, too.

If this new audience wasn't buying Voyager books before Janeway was killed, why would they start if she's brought back?

 

[seigezunt]

I suspect many of those newly-registered Janeway-loving people are actually all the same person.

I'm not fooled, whoever you are!

That's not quite true.

They got their cats to register.

 

[kchemlab]

Please bring her back!

 

[Therin of Andor]

Star Trek is a more interesting place with her about.

I'd say "Full Circle" and its sequel have been just as interesting with her being talked about and remembered by the other characters, though.

But, yeah, just because Janeway annoys you as a character doesn't mean you "dislike" her.

 

[kimc]

I like how you're ignoring the many posts in this very thread where people say that they weren't interested in Voyager before but are now. Seems like "a whole new, very interested audience" HAS started buying them, and it's the "good old boys [girls]" that have stopped.

Hell, me alone - as I mentioned before, the death of Janeway prompted me to pick up Trek novels again (after I'd abandoned the hobby and sold all of mine from when I was a kid many years earlier), and has lead to my buying over 170 novels since then!

Doesn't that have more to do with the quality of writing in Beyer's books rather than Janeway's death? As you yourself mentioned several posts back Pocket hasn't had much to offer Janeway fans for several years.

 

[AuntKate]

In response to a few other posters a page or so back, I realize that some of the old timers on this forum resent the sudden influx of Voyager and Janeway fans. That is obvious. Perhaps you do look forward to the day when it is just the "good old boys" here once again.

What I look forward to -- what I come here for -- is to discuss Star Trek books with people who read (and/or write or edit) Star Trek books and like to discuss them.

I can understand how you feel. We all enjoy finding a spot on the internet where we can talk to people who share our obsession—in this case Trek “literature.” You are naturally peeved to have less dedicated readers come here and complain when they haven’t earned their stripes by reading it all. I would just remind you that we all start by reading and enjoying one novel or comic and go from there. Who’s to say that some of these newbies might grow into a fantastic commentator once they get hooked?

I think, too, that this board is a bit arrogant because some writers and editors visit here, at times. Why wouldn’t they visit? What an ego trip it must be to come here and find people falling all over themselves to discuss the minutiae of their novels. Who can blame them for that?

The Janeway people aren't popping up in other TrekLit discussions to talk about their favourite old Voyager novels, or to ask about the various Voyager comics that have been published, much less talking about their favourite TNG or DS9 or whatever other Trek series novels. They're here to complain about a decision made in a series that few of them show any sign of having ever read.

I’d think you would be grateful that they keep themselves sequestered in the Janeway threads where you can easily avoid them.

What favorite Voyager novels are we to discuss? The Relaunch was abandoned in 2004. String Theory, the last in-series offering, came out in 2006 and was uneven at best, descending into the unreadable in the third book. The anthology of stories came out for the tenth anniversary in 2005! Voyager characters started showing up in TNG books, not terribly interesting to VOY fans, and then Voyager was wrapped into Destiny series, a very long story arc of marginal interest to anyone who prefers Voyager. That’s what we’re complaining about!

Bringing Janeway back in the Voyager relaunch would mean that the "good old boys" will buy the books (because they buy everything), and that a whole new, very interested audience will start buying them, too.

If this new audience wasn't buying Voyager books before Janeway was killed, why would they start if she's brought back?

They weren’t buying Voyager books before Janeway was killed because, quite simply, there weren’t many good novels to buy. And I can promise you that they won’t start buying novels if she doesn’t come back.

To find a new audience, you have to target a new audience. Clearly, the interest shown here indicates that there are hungry Voyager fans out there. Voyager has always been a unique series and was never really caught up in the AQ milieu. Now that it is back out there in the hinterlands, albeit in a fleet of ships, the former crew can return and we can have Voyager stories in the old style once again. That’s when we fans can return and talk about our “favorites” again.

 

[chelly]

In response to a few other posters a page or so back, I realize that some of the old timers on this forum resent the sudden influx of Voyager and Janeway fans. That is obvious. Perhaps you do look forward to the day when it is just the "good old boys" here once again.

What I look forward to -- what I come here for -- is to discuss Star Trek books with people who read (and/or write or edit) Star Trek books and like to discuss them.

I can understand how you feel. We all enjoy finding a spot on the internet where we can talk to people who share our obsession—in this case Trek “literature.” You are naturally peeved to have less dedicated readers come here and complain when they haven’t earned their stripes by reading it all. I would just remind you that we all start by reading and enjoying one novel or comic and go from there. Who’s to say that some of these newbies might grow into a fantastic commentator once they get hooked?

I think, too, that this board is a bit arrogant because some writers and editors visit here, at times. Why wouldn’t they visit? What an ego trip it must be to come here and find people falling all over themselves to discuss the minutiae of their novels. Who can blame them for that?



I’d think you would be grateful that they keep themselves sequestered in the Janeway threads where you can easily avoid them.

What favorite Voyager novels are we to discuss? The Relaunch was abandoned in 2004. String Theory, the last in-series offering, came out in 2006 and was uneven at best, descending into the unreadable in the third book. The anthology of stories came out for the tenth anniversary in 2005! Voyager characters started showing up in TNG books, not terribly interesting to VOY fans, and then Voyager was wrapped into Destiny series, a very long story arc of marginal interest to anyone who prefers Voyager. That’s what we’re complaining about!

Bringing Janeway back in the Voyager relaunch would mean that the "good old boys" will buy the books (because they buy everything), and that a whole new, very interested audience will start buying them, too.

If this new audience wasn't buying Voyager books before Janeway was killed, why would they start if she's brought back?

They weren’t buying Voyager books before Janeway was killed because, quite simply, there weren’t many good novels to buy. And I can promise you that they won’t start buying novels if she doesn’t come back.


To find a new audience, you have to target a new audience. Clearly, the interest shown here indicates that there are hungry Voyager fans out there. Voyager has always been a unique series and was never really caught up in the AQ milieu. Now that it is back out there in the hinterlands, albeit in a fleet of ships, the former crew can return and we can have Voyager stories in the old style once again. That’s when we fans can return and talk about our “favorites” again.

I don't know but I have mentioned voyager being one of my favorite shows and I was buying them before and after she died. Of course you will ignore that because I choose to keep reading even though she died.

I remembering reading several fans of voyager enjoying all the new books. It is interesting that you choose to ignore those people.

I don't know but it seems to me that there are alot more Voyager fans now then there was when the show was on. I don't remember ever leaving the star trek fandom, and I would never do that because a character died.

I didn't stop reading when Worf was not on Enterprise and he is one of my favorite TNG characters nor did I stop when Riker and Troi left. I also kept reading TNG novels when Data died.

 

[Harmakis7]

I own, as far as i can tell, every Star Trek voyager book written, along with a very large selection of books from all of the different shows. I have read books about the Corps of Engineering, and the titian crew as well.

Some of my favorite voyager books were Pathfinder and Mosaic, when the developed the history of the characters.

I will continue to support Voyager and all of Trek *except Enterprise* regardless if they bring Janeway back or not, and that is because I am a Trek fan. I love Star Trek.

However, I do think that Killing Janeway was a very stupid move to make. I am biased to this side of the argument. Like I stated before Janeway was/IS a very inspirational character to me. And I am not ashamed to say I cried my eyes out when I read Full Circle, and realized that what happened in Before Dishonor was going to stick. That she was "dead."

I would also dare to say though, that If they want to keep her dead, then do so....Cant they Keep writing books about the crew while still in the Delta Quadrant, before they came home- the Chronicles of the Delta Quadrant - or something? That would please both sides, would it not? Janeway fans could have more of our beloved captain and crew.... and everyone else can read the continuation of the messed up story line.

Would something like that even be possible?

 

[Defcon]

^ Sure.

While books set during the different series have become rarer, some pop up from time to time. Granted the last Voyager books set during the series were 4 or 5 years ago (String Theory), but I doubt Jamie Costas would turn down an interesting pitch for a book set during the time frame of the series if she receives one.

 

[ProtoAvatar]

Please bring her back!

As far as aruments for bringing Janeway back, this is the BEST I've ever heard.
It's honest, polite.

Unlike the vast majority of the pro-bring-back Janeway arguments, who use convoluted logic and reek of agresivity.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Doesn't that have more to do with the quality of writing in Beyer's books rather than Janeway's death?

The controversy of Janeway's death has no doubt helped Beyer's sales, and the word of mouth re the quality of her writing would have carried that momentum, and ensured the two sequels. But unless Pocket surveys the readership, they're not going to have a clue about why one particular ST book sells and others don't. Mind you, it was the old numbered VOY books that weren't selling as strongly as Pocket would have liked. All four Golden post-series books went into multiple reprints, exceeding expectations.

... Pocket hasn't had much to offer Janeway fans for several years.

Well, they were stymied by canonical ST. "Nemesis" featured a promoted Janeway in a TNG movie, so the books were able to reflect that change and explore it a little.

 

[William Leisner]

If this new audience wasn't buying Voyager books before Janeway was killed, why would they start if she's brought back?

They weren’t buying Voyager books before Janeway was killed because, quite simply, there weren’t many good novels to buy. And I can promise you that they won’t start buying novels if she doesn’t come back.

To sum up:
a) we didn't buy books before now, when Janeway was alive
b) we aren't currently buying books, when Janeway is dead
c) we won't buy books in the future if Janeway remains dead
d) we're not going to promise to buy books in the future even if Janeway comes back to life

Golly, I just can't understand why marketing declines to take your views into consideration!!

 

[Therin of Andor]

I realize that some of the old timers on this forum resent the sudden influx of Voyager and Janeway fans. That is obvious. Perhaps you do look forward to the day when it is just the "good old boys" here once again.

Sigh. Your presence is not necessarily resented at all!

I can't speak for everyone, only myself, but it seems to me that, sadly and frustratingly, many of the new VOY and Janeway visitors to the TrekLit section of TrekBBS only ever visit this thread - they won't have any sense of belonging until they participate in the general ST book discussions. And that's only likely to happen if they are (or become) regular readers of ST tie-ins. Without that insight, they'll come across - to many people - as angry, drive-by, one-trick ponies.

I'm sure you've seen the same thing happen over in the VOY thread. A TOS fan, or a TNG/DS9 fan will lob in, say that they don't like or appreciate VOY, but have never watched it, or gave up watching after the first season - and they eventually leave the VOY section altogether, because they simply have little else to contribute to the ongoing discussions.

To find a new audience, you have to target a new audience.

They did!

VOY novels are selling well again, so it has worked. Some people are just miffed that Pocket's marketing people decided not to attempt to target one particular group that seems impossible to please: VOY and Janeway fans who never read VOY licensed fiction and prefer reading free amateur fanfic, and who want Janeway - and the whole of VOY - returned to a status quo that reflects the TV series exactly, and where Janeway is granted immortality.

 

[JarodRussell]

LOL, I find that Janeway fan bashing that's going on here pretty funny. People who love a certain character and are angry and sad that the character was officially killed off with no return option anywhere in sight, and they get smacked from all sides, both from other fans and the official writers. Hilarious!

 

[Therin of Andor]

I own, as far as i can tell, every Star Trek voyager book written, along with a very large selection of books from all of the different shows. I have read books about the Corps of Engineering, and the titian crew as well.

Exactly, which is why you've had interesting comments to make in a TrekLit thread, even though you're new. Because you actually read TrekLit!

 

[flemm]

I have to say I really enjoy these threads for whatever reason. Keep up the good work everyone

 

[Therin of Andor]

LOL, I find that Janeway fan bashing that's going on here pretty funny. People who love a certain character and are angry and sad that the character was officially killed off with no return option anywhere in sight, and they get smacked from all sides, both from other fans and the official writers. Hilarious!

I'm a Data fan, and am angry and sad that he's been killed off (in a not very popular movie) and he's not coming back in the regular literature. He was killed off canonically, too! Not just in the fiction tie-ins. The current stable of authors have made it very clear they have no interest in resurrecting Data through the B-4 (although that seems to have happened in the "Countdown" comic - and ST Online?) But no one has ever bashed me for being a Data fan.

But I also don't go into TrekLit TNG Relaunch threads demanding or pleading for the return of Data. Neither have I blackbanned reading all post-"Nemesis" ST fiction.

What else can we say to Janeway fans? We don't happen to agree with them that killing Janeway was a bad move, and are reluctant to witness yet another rising-from-the-dead retcon, but everything we say about their opinions is labeled as "bashing". Or is "sexist".

 

[JarodRussell]

What else can we say to Janeway fans? We don't happen to agree with them that killing Janeway was a bad move, and are reluctant to witness yet another rising-from-the-dead retcon, but everything we say about their opinions is labeled as "bashing".

What can I say, I absolutely hated that character, and yet I still think it's bashing, lol.

 

[Therin of Andor]

What can I say, I absolutely hated that character, and yet I still think it's bashing, lol.

What else can we say?

"Janeway fans, I empathize with you, but I'm not game to say anything else, because I'll probably be misinterpreted."