The trouble with William Shatner is...

[The Laughing Vulcan]

... that he is still synonymous with Star Trek.

When it's a fan looking to buy Trek Lit, he can at least make an informed decision. But for your everyday librarian, he/she will just look at the obvious. William Shatner = James T Kirk. William Shatner Star Trek novel must be definitive work.

There are more Shatnerverse novels in my library than all other Trek Lit combined.

It also means that my first new Trek novel read in over a year, turns out to be Star Trek Academy: Collision Course.

So once again, it's a few hours of WTF! You can't do that to the characters, bloody ENT references! The ego has landed! And left an impact crater! Aaargh!

Of course once you get past that. If you can get past that, it turns out to be an enjoyable, if predictable ride.

And then I turned the last page and felt vaguely dirty. Soiled. Used. Guilty.

The Reeves-Stevens wrote Prime Directive, Federation, Memory Prime. Now they churn out Shatnerverse. It's like Robert De Niro starring in Police Academy 7

 

[Dayton Ward]

...and felt vaguely dirty. Soiled. Used. Guilty.

Sounds like a typical Friday night for me.

 

[cardinal biggles]

My library hasn't bought Trek in years, but I've gotten them to pick up the four TNG Relaunch titles and Forged in Fire since I started working there. Of course, this has landed me the distinction of being our staff sci-fi/fantasy buff, which I'm really not.

 

[Christopher]

Of course, this has landed me the distinction of being our staff sci-fi/fantasy buff, which I'm really not.

Says the guy with an avatar of an obscure Doctor Who villain from the '70s...

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

The Reeves-Stevens wrote Prime Directive, Federation, Memory Prime. Now they churn out Shatnerverse. It's like Robert De Niro starring in Police Academy 7

I think thats mighty unfair. Are the Shatner novels that bad?

I just can't see that.

 

[trampledamage]

I was in my local library this morning - it had two of the IKS Gorkon books, one of the New Frontier books, two of the Time to series, Buried Age (which I took out) and one of the Vanguard series (which I forced myself to leave behind because I've just ordered it from Amazon!)

I realise now how special my library is

 

[elaithin]

I think thats mighty unfair. Are the Shatner novels that bad?

Yes.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I think thats mighty unfair. Are the Shatner novels that bad?

Yes.

Now you're just being rude. Can any novel with even the most participation of Judith and Garfield Reeves Stevens be bad?

I just think you're biased, thats all.

 

[Defcon]

Can any novel with even the most participation of Judith and Garfield Reeves Stevens be bad?

Sure. Why not? But I don't understand the whole Reeves-Stevens admiration anyway, I personally think most most of their stuff is only average.

Having said that, I have to agree, not all of Shatner's novel are bad. 2/3 of the first trilogy are actually quite good, especially The Ashes of Eden, but after that Shtnerverse never was able to even remotely reach that quality again IMO.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I love Ashes of Eden, The Return, Spectre and Captain's Glory, liked Avenger, Dark Victory and Captain's Peril, and wasn't crazy about Preserver and Captain's Blood.

They make for a good reading, and were quite precious stories for me, during the VOY and ENT times, aka, "Dull Trek" times.

 

[William Leisner]

I think thats mighty unfair. Are the Shatner novels that bad?

Yes.

Now you're just being rude.

Dude, you asked a yes-or-no question, and you got one of the options back as an answer. That ain't rude; that's expected. If you have problems with people expressing opinions, then maybe the internet isn't the best place for you to hang out..

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Thats a silly thing to say. This forum has repeatedly mocked Shatner for the sake of it - which is fine, btw. But I don't get the mocking of the books as being "cool", which is clearly the notion around here, as the novels, aside from the emphasis on Kirk (which is to expected), don't really share the said mocking comments.

I really haven't seen any discussion on the Shatnerverse (a ridiculous title, IMO), that didn't resolve to mocking for... What, again? Who knows..

 

[KRAD]

^ Yeah, and every time a thread starts about the eBook line, it degenerates into a bitch-fest about the format, and very rarely does anybody actually talk about the content. Welcome to the Internet. *shrug*

 

[Scott Pearson]

The real trouble with Shatner is that he never comes by my house for a drink. You know, just to hang out. Watch some TV. Maybe heat up a big plate of nachos.

Come on, Bill, you and Len are always welcome.

 

[Smiley]

Most of the Shatner Trek books fall into the "love them or hate them" category. Those who prefer the newer series to TOS are less likely to share Shatner's view that Kirk is the ultimate hero of the galaxy.

Of his first two trilogies, I liked the first two stories quite a bit, but the third book was something of a letdown. Captain's Peril was decent, but I haven't been able to motivate myself to check out the last two. Since E-T speaks so highly of the finale of Captain's Glory, I've got more reason to hunt them down. Both the reviews and the concept of Collision Course turn me off, so I probably won't check out any of the "young Kirk" novels by Shatner & Co.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

^ Yeah, and every time a thread starts about the eBook line, it degenerates into a bitch-fest about the format, and very rarely does anybody actually talk about the content. Welcome to the Internet. *shrug*

Amen!

Also, I've bought "Articles of the Federation", after your suggestion. I was mighty impressed by your Lost Era story, and I hope AOTF will be just as good... Which means awesome!

 

[ATimson]

Most of the Shatner Trek books fall into the "love them or hate them" category. Those who prefer the newer series to TOS are less likely to share Shatner's view that Kirk is the ultimate hero of the galaxy.

I can certainly see that. But at the same time, I have to wonder just how readable they are to people who aren't familiar with the newer series, though.

 

[EliyahuQeoni]

Those who prefer the newer series to TOS are less likely to share Shatner's view that Kirk is the ultimate hero of the galaxy.

That is certainly true, especially as Picard is reduced to being Kirk's sidekick, but speaking as a lifelong TOS fan, who still considers it the best Star Trek series made, I found the uber-Kirk of Shatner's books a bit hard to swallow.

 

[elaithin]

Sorry Emperor-Tiberius, but I wasn't being rude. You did ask a yes-or-no question, and that's the answer you got.

Put plainly, the 'Shatnerverse' books are badly written, badly plotted, and are probably the worst exercise in egotistic indulgence I've ever seen in my life. The addition of the Reeves-Stevenses is the only thing that saves them from a well-deserved spot as kindling.

I say this as a fan of Shatner. I think his rendition of 'Rocket Man' is hi-larious. I love TOS. I love the movies. I love Boston Public. I love the way he makes fun of himself. I love the character of James Kirk, and I'm eager to see a new actor take that role and see what he does with it.

I do not like the Star Trek novels with his name on them. Putting it simply, they're crap. And if you'd like to be down on me for my opinion... well, *shrug*... you asked.

 

[Defcon]

I say this as a fan of Shatner. I think his rendition of 'Rocket Man' is hi-larious. I love TOS. I love the movies. I love Boston Public.

I think you mean Boston Legal, or was he on Boston Public, too? I know Jeri Ryan was a regular there starting with the second or third season, but I don't remember seeing Shatner in the episodes I have seen.