So What Are you Reading?: Generations

[Sci]

Did a re-read on David Mack's excellent Mirror Universe: Rise Like Lions. Currently skimming through Andrew J. Robinson's A Stitch in Time and reading a few short stories from Joyce Carol Oates.

I settled on proceeding with le Carré, and I'm currently waiting for a used copy of the Karla trilogy -- consisting of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy, and Smiley's People -- to arrive so I can dig in.

 

[kirk55555]

my library doesn't have books 1-3 or 5, so its not like I had a choice

Erm, you could buy the books?

There are no bookstores near where I live, I could only get them from Amazon. I won't pay more than about $5 for a paperback book (or any book, with the exception of things like tech books like Mr. Scott's guide to the Enterprise, which I got for less than $5 with shipping but probably would have shelled out a few more dollars for if I had been forced to), and to get me to pay $3-5 those have to be great books. Amazon charges $4 in shipping, so a book would have to be amazing, and about $1 used for me to consider buying it from them (I never buy new, unless its a great deal compared to the used copies of something, which it almost never is). Since the stuff about the Typhon Pact really isn't hard to follow or get caught up on by reading the other books, I would never even consider buying the older TP books.

I probably have almost 100 ST books, but I didn't pay over $2 for any of them. Second hand stores and other sales have been very good to me, and I've gotten great deals (like getting the first Star Trek Encyclopedia and the hardcover Updated and expanded edition at different times for $1 each). I've bought one paperback novel from Amazon, book 2 of the Star Wars Republic Commando series. Its my favorite SW book series, and the library has lost 4 of the books and never replaced them. Its probably in my top 5 book series ever, so the book warrented the price (as will books 3-5 when I buy them). Off the top of my head, as much as I love ST, there is no book the library or I don't have that I want to read so badly I'd pay $5+ for (although if the library lost them I'd definately buy the Department of Temporal Investigations books and Q-Squared, in fact they may get purchased eventually anyway) atleast as long as the Library is still buying most of the newer books. I would like to read a lot of the newer Voyager books, which the library doesn't have, but I'm not willing to pay what they cost at this point. I know I'm missing some interesting stuff, like the last Borg invasion that keeps getting mentioned and why they aren't around anymore, or why a trill counselour is in command of a starship (Seriously, Ezri gets a ship? Who gets one next, Bashir? Nog? Are they just handing them out now?) but paying more than $1-2 for a book just isn't something I like doing unless I absolutely have to. Thats not to say there aren't some awesome Star Trek books out there that I don't own and that the library doesn't have. I just have a certain price I'm willing to pay for books, and since I don't have a lot of money I have to ge selective with what I buy.

As for what I'm reading, I finished book 2 of ST - Cold Equations. I'm reading book 3, then I'll go on to Brinkmanship, then Star Wars - Scoundrels or Star trek - Allegiance in Exile, depending on which one I get from the library first.

 

[Greg Cox]

Working my way through a stack of manuscripts I need to write jacket copy for.

 

[Endgame]

There must be a Ferengi rule of acquisition that covers the purchase of Star Trek books. I do admit that seeing such books at thrift stores is always nice. But it is just sooooo easy to click buy on the book reader website... often paying more than the hardcopy price. Then who can resist entering a real bookstore even if the markup is almost automatically 10 to 20 percent over the online price. Perhaps I need to develop the thrill of purchasing a book from an author's website -- that would be really really nice. Then there is the uncommon pleasure of going to a dedicated science fiction bookstore. Is there a Star Trek Captain who collects science fiction ... or, only real books??? Would a science fiction literature specialist have a place as part of a team of specialists on board a starship? Not technical enough? Too much dilletantism? More of the autodidact? Does everyone have to go to Starfleet Acacemy to be an expert about space? I guess there is Jake Sisko.

 

[Patrick O'Brien]

Finished The Red King the other day, sadly not my favorite Trek book. I am staying with Science Fiction but taking a break from Trek books. I am now reading Wool, by Hugh C. Howey. It has gotten great reviews on Amazon and they just released an Omnibus with the first five parts. Anyone else read this book yet?

 

[C. Cole-Chakotay]

Wool is great! I've read them all and have really enjoyed them. Right now, I'm reading Beautiful Darkness, the second book in the Beautiful Creatures series.

 

[Sakrysta]

^ I considered popping on the Beautiful Creatures series yesterday when the Kindle editions were on sale on Amazon. But I tried the sample of the first book and decided not to commit to another series right now.

I just finished Typhon Pact: Brinkmanship and loved it. Next up is the first Cold Equations novel.

 

[Garrovick]

Currently reading:
Typhon Pact: Raise the Dawn by David R. George III
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Best Destiny by Diane Carey
Home is the Hunter (TOS #52) by Dana Kramer-Rolls

Over the last week, I finished:
Immortal Coil by Jeffrey Lang (loved it!)
Imzadi by Peter David
New Frontier #1: House of Cards by Peter David
Doomsday World (TNG #12) by Carter/David/Friedman/Greenberger
The Eyes of the Beholders (TNG #13) by A. C. Crispin
Exiles (TNG #14) by Howard Weinstein

 

[TJ Sinclair]

Well, I've had a busy month with fixing up the house and freelancing/job hunting, so I'm still working on Open Secrets. Almost done. I gotta say this one has been a bit of a chore. Normally I rocket through Dayton's books, and there's certainly nothing wrong with this one. It's just striking me as a very talky, middle-of-the-story type book, which is making it a little tough to read at the moment. Nothing's really grabbed me, except parts of the T'Prynn subplot. I guess I'm just not in the right mood for it. But I'm almost done, and then I'm not sure what I'm going to tackle next.

 

[Use of Time]

Just finished Q-Squared, Dreadnought! and a novelization of Star Trek IV: TVH. Working my way through Marshak/Culbreth's Triangle right now.

 

[Patrick O'Brien]

Wool is great! I've read them all and have really enjoyed them. Right now, I'm reading Beautiful Darkness, the second book in the Beautiful Creatures series.

That's great news. I am 25%(kindle) into the book and am enjoying it so far. Very well written

 

[Markonian]

I would like to read a lot of the newer Voyager books, which the library doesn't have, but I'm not willing to pay what they cost at this point. I know I'm missing some interesting stuff, like the last Borg invasion that keeps getting mentioned and why they aren't around anymore, or why a Trill counselor is in command of a starship (Seriously, Ezri gets a ship? Who gets one next, Bashir? Nog? Are they just handing them out now?) but paying more than $1-2 for a book just isn't something I like doing unless I absolutely have to.

If you want to read a book, can you request the library orders it? That would enable you to read e.g. VOY without paying more than $2. There's also always Kindle - no shipping costs, no shelves filled to the brim with murdered trees.

Concerning Ezri, Bashir, Nog and Co.: Ezri moved to command track and earned her ship. Bashir is a Commander and technically only one pip away from command, though I think he would have to serve as executive officer first. With everyone except people on the Enterprise (and Voyager in the 70s) receiving promotions more or less regularly, it is only a question of time until everyone ends up as captain. Unless, of course, they desert Starfleet or die.

 

[Reanok]

I finally found a copy of Brinkmanship.I definitely will be reading this book next.I've read alot of positive reviews here for this book.I also found Chlidren of the storm.I really both authors and look forward to reading these books when I finally finish the last Errand of fury novel.

 

[kirk55555]

I've finished the Cold Equations Trilogy, and it was awesome. I'm reading Allegiance in Exile. Its ok, but its not great. I have a Star Trek question I think fits in here.

Should I read the Eugenics Wars books?

I really like most of the stuff I've read written by Greg Cox (the Q-Continuum trilogy was amazing, some of my favorite Trek books ever) but I HATED Assignment: Eternity. I only made it half way. Its probably at least partially because I have no interest in Gary Seven (his episode in TOS being firmly in the meh category) but its still one of the only ST books I've quit reading halfway. Looking on wikipedia, the Eugenics Wars books are apparently told from the percepctive of gary Seven. Like I said, I'm not a fan of Seven and I couldn't finish Cox's other book with him. But, the concept of the book seems interesting.

 

[Thrawn]

(This might not be the place for this but here goes anyway...)

Dresden Files fans - I'm pondering reading this series next, after I finish Vorkosigan. Is it worth tracking down any of the assorted short stories or graphic novels not included in Side Jobs? My current plan would be all of the novels + Side Job stories in series-internal chronological order.

 

[JD]

I don't know if he's said when yet, but I read on his official site that Jim Butcher does plan on eventually releasing the rest of the shorts and novellas not in Side Jobs in another collection.

 

[Greg Cox]

I've finished the Cold Equations Trilogy, and it was awesome. I'm reading Allegiance in Exile. Its ok, but its not great. I have a Star Trek question I think fits in here.

Should I read the Eugenics Wars books?

I really like most of the stuff I've read written by Greg Cox (the Q-Continuum trilogy was amazing, some of my favorite Trek books ever) but I HATED Assignment: Eternity. I only made it half way. Its probably at least partially because I have no interest in Gary Seven (his episode in TOS being firmly in the meh category) but its still one of the only ST books I've quit reading halfway. Looking on wikipedia, the Eugenics Wars books are apparently told from the percepctive of gary Seven. Like I said, I'm not a fan of Seven and I couldn't finish Cox's other book with him. But, the concept of the book seems interesting.

I cannot tell a lie. Gary and Roberta are all over my first two Khan books. They do not, however, appear in the third one, which take place during Khan's exile on Ceti Alpha V.

 

[Spocky8492]

Talking about Khan's exile on Ceti Alpha V, what is the link or the difference between the book To Reign in Hell: The Exile of Khan Noonien Singh and the comics Khan: Ruling in Hell? Ok, you will tell me that one is a book and the other one is a comics, but except that. They seems to happen during the same period on Ceti Alpha V. Do they detail different period? Are they redundant or it can be interesting to read both? Or on the contrary they contain discrepancies?

 

[Greg Cox]

Talking about Khan's exile on Ceti Alpha V, what is the link or the difference between the book To Reign in Hell: The Exile of Khan Noonien Singh and the comics Khan: Ruling in Hell? Ok, you will tell me that one is a book and the other one is a comics, but except that. They seems to happen during the same period on Ceti Alpha V. Do they detail different period? Are they redundant or it can be interesting to read both? Or on the contrary they contain discrepancies?

I've only read a couple issues of the comic, but my impression is that the book and the comic are two completely different takes on that period of Khan's life. I told my version in the novel, and IDW came up with their own version a few years later. Certainly, the comics are in no way based on the book.

Which is cool. Neither of us invented Khan, so I can hardly get territorial here. We both started from the same place, with the facts established in "Space Seed" and Wrath of Khan, then went off in different directions.

Is the IDW version available as a graphic novel yet? I keep meaning to pick that up for my Khan collection

 

[Christopher]

Or on the contrary they contain discrepancies?

Not discrepancies, just different suggestions of what might have happened. Over the decades, Trek tie-in literature has presented multiple alternative versions of many key events in Trek history. Pocket Books and DC Comics published distinct versions of Kirk's first mission as Enterprise captain within a year of each other back in the '80s. To date there are at least seven distinct versions of the end of the TOS 5-year mission. There have been a few different interpretations of McCoy's divorce and even the names of his wife and daughter. There have been two or three different versions of Kirk's Kobayashi Maru test, not counting the alternate-reality version in the '09 movie. There have been a few different versions of the Earth-Romulan War. There have been multiple different theories about the Mirror Universe's origin and history. And so on. While there are ongoing tie-in continuities here and there, it has never been a requirement that all tie-ins interpret offscreen events in the same way. There have always been multiple options available to the readers.

I like to say that if you treat screen canon as Trek "history," then tie-ins are historical fiction. They're conjectural works, positing how unseen events might have happened. And different writers of historical fiction can come up with different conjectures.