Struggling to read Homecoming

[Candlelight]

I like much of what I've read so far (about a quarter of the way through) but I can't help feel like it's piece of fan fiction. I really enjoyed it until I got to the part where Picard and Troi showed up, then later Barclay. Up until them it was Voyager's novel, but already it's a crossover. Why couldn't they have been left out of it? I know Troi and Barclay appeared in the show, but Picard?

I'm also half reading Death of a Neutron Star at the same time, which is good as well by very heavy on the technobabble!

 

[AuntKate]

It's been a long time since I read the novel, but I remember that it didn't exactly catch my imagination. I haven't tried to pin down what it was about the plot that bored me, but I think it might have been the lack of any real conflict or the very linear way the story evolved. There is a reason that the series ended when it did--the gradual revelation of what happens to each person on the crew is just boring. I'd much prefer a story that skips ahead and lets the reader figure things out as they go along.

I'm not sure what you mean by calling it "fanfiction." I have hard time generalizing about fanfiction because it can range from awful to fantastic. What does the label "fanfiction" imply to you? What, exactly, about Homecoming reminds you of fanfiction?

Just curious.

 

[jgdst]

I'd imagine the use of 'fanfiction' would mean it seems a bit fanwankish like

Spoiler: Homecoming

"ooooh wouldn't it be good if the Borg came back (again!) and took over Earth" and "ooooh wouldn't it be great if the holograms went beserk" and finally "oooooh let's get Data and Picard in on the action too!"

I kinda know what Candlelight means, I've had that feeling a couple of times myself.

I've actually read Homecoming for the first time this weekend, and I'm nearly finished with The Farther Shore. The pace is excellent, and there's enough action and enough story threads to keep me interested, but there's something I can't quite put my finger on as to why it isn't hooking me in like the DS9 relaunch did. I do like the way every character is involved though.

It is a good easy read, and I thought Janeway's speech to the crew in the cargo bay before they arrived on Earth was a really powerful emotional scene - I'm almost glad Endgame didn't do this as it would've been too final for my tender emotional state I'm hoping the Spirit Walk novels bring the crew back in one place (including the redshirts) and it feels a bit more like the Family is back on Voyager together again.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Homecoming and The Farther Shore are right up there with my favorite Treklit. As you say jongredic the pace is excellent. Christie Golden is a very tight writer and you are carried along in the story rapidly. I liked the direction of all the characters and the way they dealt with 7's difficulties on earth. I don't recall the crossover elements but I'm sure I forgave them because of the pace of the books, lol (and yes I agree such things are unnecessary--except in the case of Barclay who is already a VOY character).

I could not stomach the Spirit Walk books, could not finish the first one. They were hugely disappointing to me and they DID seem very fanwankish because of the

Spoiler: Spirt Walk

ridiculous Klingon Messiah wankery and endless relationship angst between Tom and B'Ellana.

No it wasn't as good as DS9 relaunch. DS9 relaunch was the first Treklit I read and it spoiled me forever. I'm a big ENT fan and it pains me how badly written and excuted ENT relaunch is compared to DS9.. yet I would have probably enjoyed it more had I not read DS9 first.

Christie Golden has a light but zippy style that sucks you in.. I bought a World of Warcraft book by her as my first Warcraft novel to read purely because of reading the first two VOY books.

 

[Candlelight]

I'm not sure what you mean by calling it "fanfiction." I have hard time generalizing about fanfiction because it can range from awful to fantastic. What does the label "fanfiction" imply to you? What, exactly, about Homecoming reminds you of fanfiction?

To me, the generalised term fanfiction normally means including favourite characters, storylines, sometimes dialogue, obvious references to past events, crossovers and anything that prevents the natural progression of the story and/or characters OR retells a past story for the sake of enjoyment.

I had hoped Janeway and crew would be alone, save for Admiral Paris, Libby and other family characters created in the Voyager universe, and not include characters from other Trek incarnations.

 

[jgdst]

Homecoming and The Farther Shore are right up there with my favorite Treklit. As you say jongredic the pace is excellent. Christie Golden is a very tight writer and you are carried along in the story rapidly. I liked the direction of all the characters and the way they dealt with 7's difficulties on earth. I don't recall the crossover elements but I'm sure I forgave them because of the pace of the books, lol (and yes I agree such things are unnecessary--except in the case of Barclay who is already a VOY character).

I could not stomach the Spirit Walk books, could not finish the first one. They were hugely disappointing to me and they DID seem very fanwankish because of the

Spoiler: Spirt Walk

ridiculous Klingon Messiah wankery and endless relationship angst between Tom and B'Ellana.

No it wasn't as good as DS9 relaunch. DS9 relaunch was the first Treklit I read and it spoiled me forever. I'm a big ENT fan and it pains me how badly written and excuted ENT relaunch is compared to DS9.. yet I would have probably enjoyed it more had I not read DS9 first.

Christie Golden has a light but zippy style that sucks you in.. I bought a World of Warcraft book by her as my first Warcraft novel to read purely because of reading the first two VOY books.

I started Spirit Walk part I last night, and it's taking all my effort not to click that spoiler I'm not enjoying this one for a couple of reasons - I felt like I was ploughing through it for hours, when I found out I'd only got as far as Chapter 5... Not as easy a read as Homecoming, but I'm hoping it picks up soon.

 

[AuntKate]

I'm not sure what you mean by calling it "fanfiction." I have hard time generalizing about fanfiction because it can range from awful to fantastic. What does the label "fanfiction" imply to you? What, exactly, about Homecoming reminds you of fanfiction?

To me, the generalised term fanfiction normally means including favourite characters, storylines, sometimes dialogue, obvious references to past events, crossovers and anything that prevents the natural progression of the story and/or characters OR retells a past story for the sake of enjoyment.

I had hoped Janeway and crew would be alone, save for Admiral Paris, Libby and other family characters created in the Voyager universe, and not include characters from other Trek incarnations.

Hmmm. Not sure I can go with your definition here. I'm assuming that the episodes on TV are NOT fanfiction, yet they have many of the elements that you designate as common to that kind of writing, including reusing favorite characters and story lines, obvious references to past events, and crossovers--even retelling for the sake of enjoyment.

Just a few for your consideration: TNG's "The Naked Now," "Sarek," "Unification," and "Relics"; DS9's "Defiant," "Trials and Tribble-ations," and the three episodes with Lwaxana Troi; VOY's "Death Wish," all of the Q episodes, "Fair Trade," and "Flashback." I know there are a lot from ENT, too, but I really am not that familiar with the series.

So, I'm still not clear on what makes "fanfiction" different. Can you clarify?

 

[Orac Zen]

I do like the way every character is involved though.

One of my problems with Ms Golden's writing is that every character is not involved. She definitely has her favourites (as do we all, of course), but Tuvok, particularly, is almost invisible in her books. But I've ranted about that before.

She also makes it pretty clear that she's a Janeway / Chuckles 'shipper and is in the "they should be living happily ever after" camp. I can't speak for Candlelight but it's that aspect of her writing that gives me the fanfic vibe more than anything else. There's apparently a tonne of fanfic out there that depicts those characters living happily ever after. That's fair enough; to each their own. But for mine it makes Ms Golden's books difficult to take seriously. That's my "bias" (for lack of a better word) and I know not everyone shares it.

Frankly and IMO, Homecoming and The Farther Shore are two of the poorest, most boring Trek novels I've ever slogged through. I haven't bothered with the other two books Ms Golden authored in the Voyager "relaunch" and I'll be skipping any further Trek books she writes. But again, to each their own.

[/ 2 cents]

 

[Candlelight]

I'm not sure what you mean by calling it "fanfiction." I have hard time generalizing about fanfiction because it can range from awful to fantastic. What does the label "fanfiction" imply to you? What, exactly, about Homecoming reminds you of fanfiction?

To me, the generalised term fanfiction normally means including favourite characters, storylines, sometimes dialogue, obvious references to past events, crossovers and anything that prevents the natural progression of the story and/or characters OR retells a past story for the sake of enjoyment.

I had hoped Janeway and crew would be alone, save for Admiral Paris, Libby and other family characters created in the Voyager universe, and not include characters from other Trek incarnations.

Hmmm. Not sure I can go with your definition here. I'm assuming that the episodes on TV are NOT fanfiction, yet they have many of the elements that you designate as common to that kind of writing, including reusing favorite characters and story lines, obvious references to past events, and crossovers--even retelling for the sake of enjoyment.

Just a few for your consideration: TNG's "The Naked Now," "Sarek," "Unification," and "Relics"; DS9's "Defiant," "Trials and Tribble-ations," and the three episodes with Lwaxana Troi; VOY's "Death Wish," all of the Q episodes, "Fair Trade," and "Flashback." I know there are a lot from ENT, too, but I really am not that familiar with the series.

So, I'm still not clear on what makes "fanfiction" different. Can you clarify?

Those episodes you mention I would call fanfiction. I would prefer if Trek avoided crossovers at all costs.

Maybe it's just crossovers that I hate.

Voyager's own "fanfiction" within itself (Relativity, Fury, The Voyager Conspiracy, Shattered), while entertaining, fall into this category as well.

 

[Dukhat]

No it wasn't as good as DS9 relaunch. DS9 relaunch was the first Treklit I read and it spoiled me forever. I'm a big ENT fan and it pains me how badly written and excuted ENT relaunch is compared to DS9.. yet I would have probably enjoyed it more had I not read DS9 first.

To be fair, the people writing the ENT relaunch books had the disadvantage of trying to explain away the horrible series finale. If that finale never existed, their jobs would have been far, far easier.

Plus, DS9 had the advantage of being a well-written series to begin with. ENT was poorly conceived and written, and thus much harder to follow without just calling the entire four years a figment of Will Riker's holodeck-infused imagination, and starting from scratch.

 

[Jeri]

I loved ENT; I bought the books and am looking forward to them. I have a back log of VOY books I need to get to, as well.

 

[kimc]

She also makes it pretty clear that she's a Janeway / Chuckles 'shipper and is in the "they should be living happily ever after" camp.

Even so she never actually gets them together but just continues the tease from the televised show so in that respect her writing is not like fanfiction. Hey, love or hate J/C I think most would love to see it resolved one way or the other.

As for the lack of Tuvok "quel dommage" - what a drag!

 

[jgdst]

She also makes it pretty clear that she's a Janeway / Chuckles 'shipper and is in the "they should be living happily ever after" camp.

Even so she never actually gets them together but just continues the tease from the televised show so in that respect her writing is not like fanfiction. Hey, love or hate J/C I think most would love to see it resolved one way or the other.

As for the lack of Tuvok "quel dommage" - what a drag!

The lack of Tuvok is a bit of a shame, I agree (as he's my favourite Voyager character), but I read the Titan novels about 2 years before I picked up the VOY relaunch, so I'm happy thinking he's having some down-time with his teaching before going back to serve on another starship.

I'm hoping Candlelight sticks with it though. I've really started getting into Spirit Walk, and despite some minor complaints, I'm actually quite enjoying it - and relieved that most of the original crew still have something to do, despite being so far apart.

The reviews I've read have almost universally panned the Spirit Walk books, but I don't think they're that terrible to be honest. I could do with fewer in-depth descriptions of every meal the crew is eating, has eaten or thinks about eating one day though.

 

[nx1701g]

I'm sorry to say that the Voyager Relaunch was very hard for me to make it through. I read the first book, but it didn't keep my interest I'm afraid. The second I never even finished (believe it or not my puppy ate it).

 

[Orac Zen]

Hey, love or hate J/C I think most would love to see it resolved one way or the other.

For mine, it was resolved. But let's not go there again.

 

[AuntKate]

Hey, love or hate J/C I think most would love to see it resolved one way or the other.

For mine, it was resolved. But let's not go there again.

It's been resolved for me, too.

 

[Lucy of Nine]

I was so excited when I found a copy of Homecoming. Sadly, the feeling went as I started reading it... It lacked everything. Even the way she ended the C7 thing was stupid, and the fact that the whole book was about Libby... arghhhh. I was SO disappointed after I read it. Is there any good fanfic stuff about their return home?

 

[B_L_T]

I not like Homecoming books so much.

 

[jgdst]

I was so excited when I found a copy of Homecoming. Sadly, the feeling went as I started reading it... It lacked everything. Even the way she ended the C7 thing was stupid, and the fact that the whole book was about Libby... arghhhh. I was SO disappointed after I read it. Is there any good fanfic stuff about their return home?

I remember reading something in the way back when called Voyager Virtual Season 8, but doing a quick search for it now, all the links look to be dead If I'm remembering it correctly they also killed the C/7 thing dead, and the actual homecoming was a little more like I'd imagined.

If I'm not mistaken, Voyager actually got mothballed in the end and the crew got transferred to Voyager-A. I might be wrong though, I never managed to read the whole thing.

I know 5 Minute Voyager was doing short parodies of these stories, so it might be worth checking that out: http://www.fiveminute.net/voyager/season.php?s=8.

I finished Enemy of My Enemy last night - I thought it did a better job than The Farther Shore or Old Wounds. I like that there's a couple of stories going on at once, though some are a little more interesting than others. I'm feeling a little more hopeful for Full Circle when it comes out

 

[AuntKate]

A couple of fanfiction collections that I have enjoyed (by multiple authors) are below.

"Tying the Threads"
http://koffeeklub.net/threads/tyingthethreads.htm


Voyager Virtual Season 7.5
http://www.season7-5.com/schedule1.html

There are many, many others, of course, but these are good!




And, most post-Endgame Voyager stories ditch C/7. I wonder why?