The possible (temporary) end of Star Trek novels in Germany?

[StefanM]

For 13 years, Cross Cult has been the german publisher of Star Trek novels in Germany.
Starting in 2008 (with Vanguard, then Titan), they brought us the german translation of 169 books (plus 34 ebooks), after Heyne had stopped the series in 2007 (with 256 books since 1982).

Now, in December 2020 this might come to an end with the trillogy Legacies.
The three Legacies-novels were announced in early 2020, since then, there was nothing new.
With Legacies coming out these days, and nothing new announced for 2021, there were many questions by readers to Cross Cult.

During the last few weeks, Cross Cult told their fans about licensing problems with CBS (not Simon&Schuster). They are trying to negotiate since almost a year ago, but not much is coming back from CBS.
Cross Cult has declared, they don't want to stop Star Trek, and there is no other competitor in Germany for the licenses, and they are hoping for new books.
But at the moment, we have to expect, there will be no more Star Trek novels in Germany soon.

A few quotes from Cross Cult on this topic from the German Comic Forum and Facebook:
https://comicforum.de/showthread.php?91798-STAR-TREK-Romane/page318
https://www.facebook.com/startrekromane/posts/10157956458923231
https://www.facebook.com/startrekromane/posts/10157954087143231

"Tatsächlich sind keine weiteren Titel für 2021 vorgesehen. Seit über einem Jahr verhandeln wir. Viel Hoffnung haben wir da nicht mehr." [No more titles are plannes for 2021. We are negotiating for a year. We don't have much hope.]
"Derzeit sieht es danach aus, dass es nicht weitergeht." "Derzeit sieht es nicht so aus, als könnten wir weitere Romane bringen." [It doesn't seem to continue.]
"Die Verkaufszahlen sind zwar extrem gesunken, es liegt aber an Lizenzgründen. Seit genau einem Jahr verhandeln wir ..." [The sales numbers have declined extremely, but the reason ist licenses. We are negotiating for exacly a year]
"Es geht um die Lizenzen. Ob das auf der Seite von CBS durch die aktuelle Lage stockt, wissen wir leider nicht." [It's because of licenses. We don't know, if the delay on behalf of CBS is because of the current situation (covid).]

 

[David Mack]

Well, this sucks.

 

[Kilana2]

Well, then I have to read the books in the Original Klingon again

 

[Avro Arrow]

I don't read or speak German, so I've never actually bought one of Cross Cult's books, but I have enjoyed seeing the alternate covers they've released over the years.

Hopefully this is only a temporary thing, and soon German speakers will be able to go back to reading the novels in their native language.

IIRC, the last S&S license renewal took longer than usual, so I guess CC is in good company!

 

[Therin of Andor]

I don't read or speak German, so I've never actually bought one of Cross Cult's books, but I have enjoyed seeing the alternate covers they've released over the years.

The completist in me - and despite not knowing how to read German - saw me buying the translations with cover and/or spine art of Janos (x2), Arex, M'Ress, Shar, Pava and the Andorian warship, Therin.

 

[JD]

Even though I don't read or speak German, I'm still disappointed, just because I hate to see anyone lose access to the Trek books.

 

[Una McCormack]

What a shame. These are beautiful books.

 

[Jinn]

Not sure of how indicative this is for anything, but two new Trek books, set for release in 2021 have appeared on Cross Cult's website. The Illustrated Handbook for the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D and an original book called "Die Literatur in Star Trek" by Klaus and Olivia Vieweg.

ETA: Cross Cult confirmed on facebook, that non-fiction stuff is under a different license than the novels, so that's that.

 

[StefanM]

Today, Cross Cult gave us a big YEEEAAAAAHHHHH on Facebook.
That's always a sign for good news. And their comments indicate some success in the negotiations with CBS.
Maybe tomorrow they will announce the next Trek novels for Germany.

 

[StefanM]

Here the original Post from Cross Cult:

=/\= Heiliger Großer Vogel der Galaxis! =/\=
Das gestrige "YEAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" kündigte es an.
Nach monatelangen Verhandlungen ... Es geht ab Oktober weiter mit den Star-Trek-Romanen bei uns (Cross Cult).
Und nein, wir machen mit so was keine (April-)Scherze!

It means:
More German Star Trek Novels beginning in October 2021.

 

[JWolf]

The translation of Cross Cult's message is...

= / \ = Holy Great Bird of the Galaxy! = / \ =
Yesterday's "YEAAAHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" announced it. After months of negotiations ... The Star Trek novels will continue with us from October (Cross Cult).
And no, we don't joke (April) with something like that!

 

[Kilana2]

I hope the Great Bird of the Galaxy brings us the books soon.....

 

[Jinn]

Cross Cult posted part of the To Lose The Earth cover on facebook.

 

[Kilana2]

Cross Cult posted part of the To Lose The Earth cover on facebook.

Yes. And they prefer to be cruel. There will obviously be a character as well on the cover. They just don't want to reveal who it'll be. Let's get started with the speculations...

 

[Jinn]

Yes. And they prefer to be cruel. There will obviously be a character as well on the cover. They just don't want to reveal who it'll be. Let's get started with the speculations...

Rank-wise the person on the right could be Atlee Fife, but I don't recall him being all that important to the story. It would certainly be cool to have a face for a book-only character. I could also imagine Clarissa Glenn, and that the third pin isn't "full" is a mistake. Using the search function, the only other person explicitely identified as a Lieutenant Commander is Torres, but I think we can rule her out.

The person above could be Harry Kim. The uniform color would fit and he's certainly important to the story.

As for general speculation on what Cross Cult will put out, here are my predictions:

• The Foundations collection is set, and I hope that they will also do the same for the other translated SCE stories.
• Discovery novels are unlikely, unless CBS explicitely made it a requirement for them to translate them. Cross Cult basically already canceled the line twice.
• The first Picard novel sold good, so we'll most likely get The Dark Veil, Rogue Elements and any future PIC novel.
• Voyager is probably done for, they already said that it didn't sell well and it seems like we won't get any more VGR novels in the current continuity, after To Lose the Earth.
• Coda seems very likely too.
• The new TNG and DS9 novels set during the series are a bit of a wildcard, as Cross Cult has pretty much only done relaunch stuff, or stories related to the reaunches. The TOS novels however have sold poorly. I think they're gonna at least publish those two, to see if people buy those.
• As much as I'd love to get a translation for the remaining SCE, Seekers and NF stuff I think that's unlikely, due to bad sales.

So my completely fictional 11-book schedule for October 2021-October 2022 is as follows:
Oct: To Lose the Earth Part I
Nov: The Dark Veil
Dec: Foundations
Jan: To Lose the Earth Part II
Feb:Shadows Have Offended
Mar: [Collection of eBook-only stories]
Apr: Revenant
Mai: Rogue Elements
Aug: Coda I
Sep: Coda II
Oct: Coda III

My reasoning being that To Lose the Earth would be first because it's the first one announced, then The Dark Veil because Picard makes money, then Foundations because it is aready translated and should give them more time to work on future releases, then the second half of To Lose the Earth because they usually have two or three months between the first and second part of Voyager books. Then the two TV era books, with a collection of eBook stories in-between (either SCE, or In Tempest's Wake, The Struggle Within and Q Are Cordially Uninvited as these are the remaining three eBook-only stories, that aren't SCE. Would be a bit weird to have these random stories together, especially with the first two tying into Vanguard and Typhon Pact) And then basically the rest, with the presumably well-selling Rogue Elemts, immediately proceeding Coda, which may not sell all that wel, due to being the finale of a 20-year long web of stories that's not all that accessible as new Picard novels are.

 

[Smiley]

Have there been any experiments or research at using a similar cover art approach for any US Trek releases as they are doing in Germany? Personally and anecdotally, the only reaction I ever see to those covers is "Wow!"

 

[StefanM]

So my completely fictional 11-book schedule for October 2021-October 2022 is as follows:
Oct: To Lose the Earth Part I
Nov: The Dark Veil
Dec: Foundations
Jan: To Lose the Earth Part II
Feb:Shadows Have Offended
Mar: [Collection of eBook-only stories]
Apr: Revenant
Mai: Rogue Elements
Aug: Coda I
Sep: Coda II
Oct: Coda III

Sounds VERY realistic. I'm surprised, that they will start with Voyager. I would have expected The Dark Veil (should be most profitable) or Foundations (already translated). Maybe the work on To Lose The Earth was already in progress (so they can already present us a cover), so they will first print this one.

I don't expect Revenant & Shadows so soon, rather we might get something from Discovery or the Kelvin-Timeline.

 

[Stevil2001]

Rank-wise the person on the right could be Atlee Fife, but I don't recall him being all that important to the story. It would certainly be cool to have a face for a book-only character. I could also imagine Clarissa Glenn, and that the third pin isn't "full" is a mistake. Using the search function, the only other person explicitely identified as a Lieutenant Commander is Torres, but I think we can rule her out.

The person above could be Harry Kim. The uniform color would fit and he's certainly important to the story.

As for general speculation on what Cross Cult will put out, here are my predictions:

• The Foundations collection is set, and I hope that they will also do the same for the other translated SCE stories.
• Discovery novels are unlikely, unless CBS explicitely made it a requirement for them to translate them. Cross Cult basically already canceled the line twice.
• The first Picard novel sold good, so we'll most likely get The Dark Veil, Rogue Elements and any future PIC novel.
• Voyager is probably done for, they already said that it didn't sell well and it seems like we won't get any more VGR novels in the current continuity, after To Lose the Earth.
• Coda seems very likely too.
• The new TNG and DS9 novels set during the series are a bit of a wildcard, as Cross Cult has pretty much only done relaunch stuff, or stories related to the reaunches. The TOS novels however have sold poorly. I think they're gonna at least publish those two, to see if people buy those.
• As much as I'd love to get a translation for the remaining SCE, Seekers and NF stuff I think that's unlikely, due to bad sales.

So my completely fictional 11-book schedule for October 2021-October 2022 is as follows:
Oct: To Lose the Earth Part I
Nov: The Dark Veil
Dec: Foundations
Jan: To Lose the Earth Part II
Feb:Shadows Have Offended
Mar: [Collection of eBook-only stories]
Apr: Revenant
Mai: Rogue Elements
Aug: Coda I
Sep: Coda II
Oct: Coda III

My reasoning being that To Lose the Earth would be first because it's the first one announced, then The Dark Veil because Picard makes money, then Foundations because it is aready translated and should give them more time to work on future releases, then the second half of To Lose the Earth because they usually have two or three months between the first and second part of Voyager books. Then the two TV era books, with a collection of eBook stories in-between (either SCE, or In Tempest's Wake, The Struggle Within and Q Are Cordially Uninvited as these are the remaining three eBook-only stories, that aren't SCE. Would be a bit weird to have these random stories together, especially with the first two tying into Vanguard and Typhon Pact) And then basically the rest, with the presumably well-selling Rogue Elemts, immediately proceeding Coda, which may not sell all that wel, due to being the finale of a 20-year long web of stories that's not all that accessible as new Picard novels are.

Do Germans not like Discovery?

 

[Kilana2]

Do Germans not like Discovery?

It depends. 4 novels have been translated. The show is just not my cup of tea. Obviously Picard sells better than Discovery.

http://www.startrekromane.de/romane/star_trek_-_discovery.html

 

[Jinn]

Maybe the work on To Lose The Earth was already in progress (so they can already present us a cover), so they will first print this one.

Oh yeah, that makes a lot of sense!

I don't expect Revenant & Shadows so soon, rather we might get something from Discovery or the Kelvin-Timeline.

I had completely forgotten about the Kelvin timeline novels

Do Germans not like Discovery?

I actually know quite a few number of people who watch it, including people who haven't watched Trek previously. But that's obviously not representative of the entire population.

In other news, To Lose the Earth I is officially scheduled for October on StarTrekRomane.de, and a translated summary for The Dark Veil, as well as a title, Der Dunkle Schleier has appeared on Cross Cult's Trek page:

"Der Alpha-Quadrant steckt in einer Krise.
Ein Terroranschlag auf die Schiffswerft des Mars hat in der Vereinten Föderation der Planeten zur Einstellung sämtlicher Hilfsmaßnahmen für die Millionen von Romulanern geführt, denen durch eine bevorstehende Supernova der sichere Untergang droht.
Doch als die U.S.S. Titan in einen katastrophalen Zwischenfall an der Grenze zwischen dem Romulanischen Sternenimperium und der Föderation verwickelt wird, finden sich Captain William Riker, seine Familie und seine Besatzung plötzlich zwischen den schockierenden Geheimnissen einer mysteriösen außerirdischen Rasse und der tödlichen Agenda eines skrupellosen Tal-Shiar-Agenten wieder.
Zu einer einer widerwilligen Allianz mit dem Kommandanten eines romulanischen Raumschiffs gezwungen, müssen Riker und die Besatzung der Titan die Wahrheit aufdecken, um einen verheerenden Angriff zu verhindern – doch ein falscher Zug könnte den gesamten Sektor in einen offenen Konflikt stürzen!"