The State of Star Trek Literature

[Brendan Moody]

1. How do you feel the Trek book line has done in the last 12-15 months?

Fairly well. I no longer feel that Trek books are in a "golden age" as I did from about 2003 to 2006, but I still think that most of the books I choose to read are successful, and the ones that strike me as failures almost always fail in interesting ways. Given Sturgeon's Law, I think the Trek line's performance is very solid.

4. Were there any trends or recurring themes emergent in the last 12 months or so that you liked?

The Destiny follow-ups have done a generally excellent job of exploring the effects of that storyline on the characters and situations of the Trek universe.

After a 28 month gap, the DS9 relaunch returned with a book that, despite the paucity of narrative movement, brought back the balance of elements that had made the series so impressive in its early years and had been absent in the last few installments.

5. What trends or recurring themes evident in the last year did you dislike and why?

While the Destiny follow-ups were good, the trilogy itself didn't do all that much for me. It had a lot of good ideas, but I thought that for a heavily promoted epic crossover trilogy it had too little plot, not enough involvement from the main characters in what plot there was, and didn't do enough to make its major changes to the milieu feel real and significant.

The TNG relaunch, in both Greater than the Sum and the relevant portions of Destiny, continues to feel underdeveloped and awkwardly lacking in continuity.

6. What changes or additions to the Trek book line have you liked editorial-wise (i.e. ebook mini-series, focus on one series over another)?

I like that Myriad Universes finally saw the light of day, and that its initial installments did a great job of exploring the different kinds of alternate universe stories that could be told. And I'm glad to see new post-series Voyager books.

7. What editorial decisions from the last 12-15 months have you not liked?

The post-Destiny books are interesting, as I've said, but I'm still not sure that shake-up was necessary, and in any case I'm not wild about the return of big crossover storylines, which are hard to do credibly in the Trek milieu.

8. What changes would you like to see in the Trek book line? Be it production choices or story editorial decisions?

As I've mentioned in an earlier incarnation of this thread and in other similar discussions, I'd like to see some increase in the number of standalone novels set within the timelines of the various television series. I love the current continuity that the novels have established and I wouldn't change it for anything, but good old-fashioned planet/alien of the week storytelling (reconceived to make for proper novels, of course) has some life in it yet.

 

[Enterpriserules]

I like that we are getting more DS9, but I want to see more of the main characters, not very small side characters. There is so much story for DS9 to tell without looking backwards! Come on!

What? Deep Space Nine had as well as the main cast, had shed loads of other minor characters populating the series which added to the greatness of the series and something I am in favour of in the books as well.

And who said anything about going backwards?

I am talking about Never Ending Sacrifice going back to tell the story of Cardassia from another persons perspective. Yeah, it might be ending in the relaunch era, but I just feel like there is so much in the present DS9 line to tell without looking back, that is what Terok Nor did and it was great, but I still would rather see the current timeline.

 

[Thrawn]

As I've mentioned in an earlier incarnation of this thread and in other similar discussions, I'd like to see some increase in the number of standalone novels set within the timelines of the various television series.

I just feel like there is so much in the present DS9 line to tell without looking back, that is what Terok Nor did and it was great, but I still would rather see the current timeline.

And in two consecutive posts, no less.

Just goes to show, once again, that you can't please everyone.

 

[DarKush]

Darkush, if you want more post-DW Cardassia, then you'll probably want to check out The Never Ending Sacrifice, although it actually begins in the second season of the series, and covers the rest of it up through Relaunch

Thanks JD.

KRAD, what I liked about Warpath was the cat and mouse game between Taran'atar and Vaughn. But I'll take your word that Fearful Symmetry doesn't have much to do with the MU. You haven't steered me wrong yet. Also, I enjoyed the Kang comic.

 

[Brendan Moody]

Just goes to show, once again, that you can't please everyone.

Well, you can't please everyone all the time. You can, of course, please different people at different times, by, say, striking a reasonable balance among different approaches.

 

[KRAD]

KRAD, what I liked about Warpath was the cat and mouse game between Taran'atar and Vaughn. But I'll take your word that Fearful Symmetry doesn't have much to do with the MU. You haven't steered me wrong yet.

Fearful Symmetry is primarily a followup to "Second Skin." The MU is simply a plot device. (Hell, when I was doing the MU timeline for the magazine a while back, the events of Warpath and FS were a minor and inconsequential part of that timeline.)

Also, I enjoyed the Kang comic.

Thanks!

Just goes to show, once again, that you can't please everyone.

Well, you can't please everyone all the time. You can, of course, please different people at different times, by, say, striking a reasonable balance among different approaches.

Now that's just crazy talk!!!!!!

 

[donners22]

5. What trends or recurring themes evident in the last year did you dislike and why?

That Star Trek seems to be about violence and war in the first place these days. Always trying with a big action-laden BANG to catch the audience (that's my main problem with Destiny, only gunning for the big shock in the audience to get attention, like kill everybody, destroy everything....only for the effect IMHO...this is entirely not nessecary to tell a good story, these extremes don't catch my interest at least, it only turns me away from it.)
And this doesn't feel like Trek that way...it's like Newspaper in Trek medium

I haven't read enough of the recent Trek novels to fully respond to the questions in the OP, but it is for the very reason you describe that I have not read a great number.

I said some time ago that it felt like Trek was following the Dragonlance universe - there seemed to be so many grand-scale wars, disasters and the like that they became old hat, and each one had to try to top the other.

Even where the violence is on a smaller scale, seeing it in book after book becomes very tiresome, and the impact is diminished.

That's part of the reason I liked Q & A so much - it was such a remarkable change of pace from many of the modern books I've read. That's also at least part of the reason I disliked the Mirror Universe stories so much.

I don't doubt the quality of some of the authors, because many of them have written stories I've liked, and even in the things I dislike, I can see some positive features. It is the themes that put me off.

 

[Sxottlan]

I'm realizing I never got around to replying to my own thread.

1. How do you feel the Trek book line has done in the last 12-15 months?

I'm generally enjoying the direction of the majority of the main story lines. While I liked the Destiny trilogy, I also found it a bit uneven. And more than anything, it was more the fallout than the actual event that I was interested in.

The direction the Voyager Re-Relaunch is going is also a fascinating idea.

2. What specifically have you liked in regards to the entire Trek book line in that time?

I liked the general building up toward the Destiny trilogy. It really helped create a sense of excitement at something that really had not been attempted before. I don't believe there were any books in that time period that I flat out hated. The worst book I've read in awhile was just recently. Otherwise, mediocre was about as low as it got.

3. And what specifically have you disliked in regards to the Trek book line of the last year or so?

The road to Destiny was a rocky one. The TNG-Relaunch has been problematic with unlikeable or dull new characters. Before Dishonor was a train wreck and then turns out, all that effort to keep the Borg from contacting themselves in the Delta Quadrant didn't matter because they were coming anyway. Wha? What the point of establishing that? Didn't much care for the Caeliar either and the Borg's origin I could kind of take or leave. It's also a shame DS9 couldn't have played more of a role in the trilogy and conversely, I thought it a shame to get rid of the Columbia before the Earth-Romulan War.

Also, wouldn't it have been courteous to at least ask the Voyager crew individually if they wanted to return to the Delta Quadrant?

4. Were there any trends or recurring themes emergent in the last 12 months or so that you liked?

The idea of 'what now?' in the wake of the Borg's defeat.

5. What trends or recurring themes evident in the last year did you dislike and why?

The idea of relying on a higher power to save them was not something I was too keen on. The team work and creative thinking that has gotten them that far I would have hoped would have finally finished the Borg.

6. What changes or additions to the Trek book line have you liked editorial-wise (i.e. ebook mini-series, focus on one series over another)?

Most of my approval comes at what is coming up rather than what has gone before: multiple Vanguard and DS9 mainly.

I also like the prospect of further political intrigue with the Typhon Pact.

I love the idea of Voyager being a series set in a fleet.

7. What editorial decisions from the last 12-15 months have you not liked?

A.) A number of storylines and themes appeared to unnecessarily repeat themselves across a number of lines. For instance, the creation of families. Really did not need it in both TNG-R and Titan. It hammered home the point, intended or not, that the only way to happiness was to start a family. Coupled with some hysteria over childbirth in a number of books, most recently the irksome Treason (I kept waiting for someone to scream, "Mmyyyyyy Baabbbbbyyyy!"), it grew downright obnoxious.

B.) Another thing, and understand this is something I thought I'd never say, the number of ships and crews out there is just becoming too much for me. It's getting to the point where I can no longer remember all the details. The addition of the Aventine seems like one too many. We'll see how Voyager handles its fleet and the apparent addition of more ships to Vanguard. A spin off of this is the shifting and moving around of characters. I'm actually getting nostalgic for when a crew was just the same seven over and over with the changes more the oddity than the norm.

C.) I know the Gorkon series wasn't selling, but A Burning House really didn't seem like the kind of reboot that would suddenly get people interested. Sorry, but after decades of Klingons just being warriors, even I wasn't that interested in seeing Klingon opera singers and farmers.

D.) I don't recall if the decision to nix the SCE was in this last 18 months now, but it was a shame.

8. What changes would you like to see in the Trek book line? Be it production choices or story editorial decisions?

See if they can capitalize in any way on the resurgence of Trek popularity. I'm getting the impression that there was frustration on the part of Pocket Book that the books couldn't have taken more of a part in the recent Trek reboot and it's a frustration that I share.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

This isn't very useful, I know, but I'm a little tired after travelling and so don't feel like writing out anything of length : My take on the state of Trek literature is that it's, on the whole, brilliant. A great balance between the various series- relaunch, mid-series, lit-only series-and engaging story lines. I love the masses of continuity and the efforts taken to keep the Trek universe unified and self-referential without stifling imagination or story-telling. There is a good mix of drama, science, exploration stories, action stories, fascinating character interactions. Most importantly, they are usually thought provoking- proper novels rather than cheap churn-them-out stories. There have been stumbles, of course, but when I pick up the latest Trek book, there is probably a 9 out of 10 chance I'll enjoy it. It's been this way since I began picking up each month's book (or books) in 2002. I think its fantastic the editors and writers have kept Trek lit functioning to a high standard for so long.

 

[Julio Angel Ortiz]

1. How do you feel the Trek book line has done in the last 12-15 months?

I think it's done extremely well. The game-changing Destiny and the fallout is some of the most exciting stuff TrekLit has done in, well, ever.

2. What specifically have you liked in regards to the entire Trek book line in that time?

The diversity of projects in the book range; the Terok Nor, Myriad Universes, and the (thank God) lack of anniversaries has allowed a strong (and again, diverse) output over this time period.

3. And what specifically have you disliked in regards to the Trek book line of the last year or so?

Marco getting laid off.

4. Were there any trends or recurring themes emergent in the last 12 months or so that you liked?

The Typhon Pact and all it represents. This could get real interesting.

5. What trends or recurring themes evident in the last year did you dislike and why?

They got rid of the Borg, so they made up for the glut of Borg (which the Destiny trilogy accounted for in spades).

6. What changes or additions to the Trek book line have you liked editorial-wise (i.e. ebook mini-series, focus on one series over another)?

Myriad Universes is a concept with a lot of legs used properly and not overdone. Getting rid of the Borg, and the emergence of the Typhon Pact, as mentioned above.

7. What editorial decisions from the last 12-15 months have you not liked?

Canceling the Crucible hardcover collection. Please put this out in trade paperback!

8. What changes would you like to see in the Trek book line? Be it production choices or story editorial decisions?

I don't think any real changes are needed; things have been going pretty well recently.

 

[Christopher]

^Well, there is one anniversary this year: the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Unfortunately, it's an anniversary that doesn't seem to be getting a lot of attention, perhaps due to a certain other movie...

(It's also the 40th anniversary of the end of TOS, for what that's worth.)

 

[DS9Continuing]

I'd like to weigh on on all this dislike I'm hearing for the Mirror Universe aspect of the DS9-R series.

To me, it seems like a sensible approach to dealing with the topic - and in fact, it's the exact same approach that the TNG-R took to the Borg. They brought back a recurring villain that had started as very interesting and threatening but had become distinctly less so through overuse and some less-than-successful ideas, and made us take it seriously again. And they did it to put a fork in the subject once and for all.

TNG-R's "first year" arc was big on Borg with the goal of finishing them off.

DS9-R's "second year" arc has been big on the MU, with what I believe to be the goal of finishing that off once and for all too. And it did it before TNG did it.

And it's a subject that couldn't be ignored. It was an integral part of DS9 on TV since the second season, and even if it did become somewhat laughable by the seventh season, it deserves its chance to be taken seriously once again and be given a good, strong, exciting send-off as a story.

And yet the books have proved that there is life and creativity in the concept yet.

Spoiler: Fearful Symmetry - just in case

When I first read the opening section of Fearful Symmetry - the section where Sisko contacts numerous alternate-universe versions of himself, who tell him that all Siskos are the Emissary, and that's why the Prophets have been trying to keep the MU and our U connected - I just sat there for a while, thinking, "That is a BRILLIANT idea. That just turns the whole series on its head again. God, I wish I'd come up with that idea."

Not to mention, of course, the irony of the fact that the MU isn't even really the villain in this story - it's just a tool that Iliana Ghemor uses in her own villainy.

 

[JD]

You know that is a pretty interesting idea. It might explain why all of the MU stories we've been getting have taken place before Warpath.

 

[Julio Angel Ortiz]

^Well, there is one anniversary this year: the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Unfortunately, it's an anniversary that doesn't seem to be getting a lot of attention, perhaps due to a certain other movie...

(It's also the 40th anniversary of the end of TOS, for what that's worth.)

True, but I was thinking more of an anniversary year like in 2006 and 2007, where a chunk of the fiction was devoted to the series, either directly or thematically.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

I'd like to weigh on on all this dislike I'm hearing for the Mirror Universe aspect of the DS9-R series.

To me, it seems like a sensible approach to dealing with the topic - and in fact, it's the exact same approach that the TNG-R took to the Borg. They brought back a recurring villain that had started as very interesting and threatening but had become distinctly less so through overuse and some less-than-successful ideas, and made us take it seriously again. And they did it to put a fork in the subject once and for all.

TNG-R's "first year" arc was big on Borg with the goal of finishing them off.

DS9-R's "second year" arc has been big on the MU, with what I believe to be the goal of finishing that off once and for all too. And it did it before TNG did it.

And it's a subject that couldn't be ignored. It was an integral part of DS9 on TV since the second season, and even if it did become somewhat laughable by the seventh season, it deserves its chance to be taken seriously once again and be given a good, strong, exciting send-off as a story.

And yet the books have proved that there is life and creativity in the concept yet.

Spoiler: Fearful Symmetry - just in case

When I first read the opening section of Fearful Symmetry - the section where Sisko contacts numerous alternate-universe versions of himself, who tell him that all Siskos are the Emissary, and that's why the Prophets have been trying to keep the MU and our U connected - I just sat there for a while, thinking, "That is a BRILLIANT idea. That just turns the whole series on its head again. God, I wish I'd come up with that idea."

Not to mention, of course, the irony of the fact that the MU isn't even really the villain in this story - it's just a tool that Iliana Ghemor uses in her own villainy.

I agree entirely. The Mirror Universe, sadly, became increasingly silly over DS9's run, but the relaunch series' current story arc appears to be an interesting attempt at redeeming it. Now those frequent and largely pointless crossovers have been given new significance by a story that has made the ease of journeying between the two universes an essential plot point in itself. The continuity with the Mirror Universe book series has also brought new significance to the MU in DS9. This is what the relaunch novels do best: taking poorly developed or ill-used elements of the TV show and incorporating them into the overarching story, making the TV show tighter and stronger even as they move beyond it.

 

[LutherSloan]

1. How do you feel the Trek book line has done in the last 12-15 months?

A: Overall I would say it has been good to great at points.

2. What specifically have you liked in regards to the entire Trek book line in that time?

A: The Destiny trilogy was great, as have been the books so far dealing with the aftermath. The Voyager Re-Relaunch's first book was excellent, and the Myriad Universes books have been good. Same goes for the MU stories.

3. And what specifically have you disliked in regards to the Trek book line of the last year or so?

A: Fearful Symmetry was a disappointment after the long wait, coupled with the fact that the next book was more than a year away. The fact that the DS9 novels are also years behind the rest of 24th century Trek Lit is another problem.

4. Were there any trends or recurring themes emergent in the last 12 months or so that you liked?

A: The concept of the Typhon Pact and the new ideas that this can create for the Trek universe.

5. What trends or recurring themes evident in the last year did you dislike and why?

A: I personally would have found some way to not kill the Borg entirely, but I can live with them going away for now.The revolving door of the Enterprise-E's bridge crew got tiring as well, but that seems to be over.
6. What changes or additions to the Trek book line have you liked editorial-wise (i.e. ebook mini-series, focus on one series over another)?

A: I enjoy the increased connections between various 24th century novels, where events from other books are mentioned or have an impact on others. This did not seem to be as noticeable in the past.

7. What editorial decisions from the last 12-15 months have you not liked?

A: I guess this is out of their control, but I wish more books were being published now like they were previously. Unfortunately due to sales and the economy this is probably the best we're going to get.

8. What changes would you like to see in the Trek book line? Be it production choices or story editorial decisions?

A: I wish that the DS9-R series could pick up some speed from where we are now, even if it means delaying another series for a bit.

 

[Marie1]

Reply to Sxottlan in bold.

It's been more than a year now since the last thread, but now that we're fully in the post-Destiny era, it seemed like a good time. Although I know someone posted these questions in another similar thread a few months ago and there were no bites. Some of the questions have some overlap, but feel free to delete the repeaters for you.

1. How do you feel the Trek book line has done in the last 12-15 months?

I like it, it's getting better and better, quality wise etc. The delay between Warpath and FS sucked, but it's happened before, it'll happen again. Happened with VOY too, life is unpredictable. Overall = great.

2. What specifically have you liked in regards to the entire Trek book line in that time?

Good continuity, interesting stories, good handle on the characters, they match or are in some cases better than the series. I never have nothing to read, and am getting interested in new things, series I've never touched before, because of the good work.

3. And what specifically have you disliked in regards to the Trek book line of the last year or so?

Big delay to get FS, though I totally understand it and will keep reading. I disliked the cancellation of the Crucible book. And I wish they'd do another DS9PF omnibus, $ or not, stopping in the middle of Mission Gamma? Booo!

4. Were there any trends or recurring themes emergent in the last 12 months or so that you liked?

Tackling tough and controversial themes I won't mention so as not to hijack the thread. Also, death, it's sad, but people die in real life, so no one is out of bounds. Do we miss certain characters? Yes, but people die.

5. What trends or recurring themes evident in the last year did you dislike and why?

Too many children! Can't you tell I'm maternal? Umm... nothing is flying to mind...

6. What changes or additions to the Trek book line have you liked editorial-wise (i.e. ebook mini-series, focus on one series over another)?

I like the W->FS->TSK line, and the fact they're doing some followup on Cardassia with TN-ES. All needed. I'm glad they're at least getting into one of the lost threads of DS9, even if it isn't everyone's cup of tea. The Destiny tril. was a good idea, something most people seemed to have enjoyed- despite the economy problems, and maybe got some people reading again.

7. What editorial decisions from the last 12-15 months have you not liked?

I'm not sure I would have done a flip book for FS... don't mind it, it was just new and strange to me. SCE/CoE fills in the gaps I think, so I can't be too whiny for that... umm... I did have another issue, I'll have to remember it.

8. What changes would you like to see in the Trek book line? Be it production choices or story editorial decisions?

More DS9!!
I want follow up to the Worlds books!
I will say I'm not so sure about some of the novel covers lately. Some of have been good, some iffy. I like good covers!

As long as ST continues to be ST, people being tolerant = good.


Dimesdan- I think he means the Never-ending Story, which covers Cardassia during the series as well as moving forward to the PF time.

 

[Christopher]

^It's The Never-Ending Sacrifice. The Neverending Story is a children's book by Michael Ende, and a film based on same directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

^It's The Never-Ending Sacrifice. The Neverending Story is a children's book by Michael Ende, and a film based on same directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

Now I'm imagining "The Neverending Story" with Cardassians in it. This is amusing me no end, for some reason.

 

[Steve Roby]

The fact that the DS9 novels are also years behind the rest of 24th century Trek Lit is another problem.

Why is it a problem? Sure, I think the increased continuity between books is great. That doesn't mean I want to go back to the era of contrived annual galactic disaster crossovers. It's a good thing that Destiny didn't involve every single Trek character we've ever seen on TV. It's more believable that way.