To New Frontier or not?

[Paris]

The whole Pheytus thing was just a joke that ran through one book. I don't see how it brought the quality of the entire story down to "Star Trek: Middle School" with just one joke . This series is known for its humor and outrageousness (just look at some of the plot points and characters), and it has been since the series came out in 1997. It's not like it's Arthur C. Clarke or anything.

It's not just that it's a joke, it's an inept joke. It's a pun that only works if you pronounce it fee-tus, but it's spelled in such a way that a lot of people are going to read it as fay-tus. I did. Not to mention that Starfleet personnel making fun of another person's name strikes me as implausibly juvenile on the characters' part and self-indulgent on the author's. And it's not just one joke, it's just the most extreme example (fortunately, the notorious "21 bun salute" scene was removed from one of the NF books by its editor before publication).

I also originally read it as "fay-tus". If someone didn't get it, then it was no big deal. It didn't play into the story that much, did it?

To say that Starfleet personel wouldn't make fun of someone's name is rather naive. They are people, not gods. They do and say the same things as everyone else. We like to think that they should be beyond reproach, but if they can be traitorous (Capt.Tracey) break the prime directive (every Captain at some point) and even shoot another member of the fleet in the foot (one of the MACO's in Destiny), then making fun of someones name can be considered rather tame. And as for self indulgence on the writer's behalf...have you ever read any of PAD's other comics or books?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Not to mention that Starfleet personnel making fun of another person's name strikes me as implausibly juvenile on the characters' part

Whatever you say, Mr Broccoli.

 

[Paris]

In Spirit Walk Part 1, the whole senior staff of Voyager was calling Andrew Ellis "Priggy", and he was the first officer

 

[-Brett-]

Not to mention that Starfleet personnel making fun of another person's name strikes me as implausibly juvenile on the characters' part

Whatever you say, Mr Broccoli.

As I recall, wasn't that nickname cooked up by, literally, a middle school kid? And comparing Barcley to a vegetable has some merit, as it refers to his apparent lack of intelligence not just to the pronunciation of his name.

I've got no problem with Starfleet people making fun of someones name, but I at least expect it to be funny. Barring that, not take up a full third of the fricken book.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Hey, I was just wondering if people think I'd like Star Trek: New Frontier.. I've not read Peter David before, but I like KRA DeCandido's IKS Gorkon/Star Trek Klingon Empire and I also like the Deep Space Nine relaunch.. I have a question though, is NF in a serial format like DS9-Relaunch, with developing character arcs, and realistic characters?

Thanks for any help...

Joseph Berte

It is in a serial format and does have developing character arcs.

However, "realistic" is definitely not a term I would use. I would say it's more like Monty Python or something equally absurd plus Trek. I find it more a parody of the show than anything actually worthy of the Star Trek name. In fact, I think the NF series marks the very point at which PAD's writing took a serious nosedive.

 

[Steve Roby]

And as for self indulgence on the writer's behalf...have you ever read any of PAD's other comics or books?

Yep. All of his Star Trek novels, all of his Star Trek comics, and one or two of his non-Trek novels. When either he or his editor keeps his goofy side in check, he writes some of the best Star Trek you can find. Like Imzadi and The Captain's Daughter, to name a couple of classics. IMHO, he's been indulged/indulgent too often, to the detriment of his books.

 

[Paris]

Not to mention that Starfleet personnel making fun of another person's name strikes me as implausibly juvenile on the characters' part

Whatever you say, Mr Broccoli.

As I recall, wasn't that nickname cooked up by, literally, a middle school kid? And comparing Barcley to a vegetable has some merit, as it refers to his apparent lack of intelligence not just to the pronunciation of his name.

I've got no problem with Starfleet people making fun of someones name, but I at least expect it to be funny. Barring that, not take up a full third of the fricken book.

At the time Wesley was an acting ensign and a full member of the bridge crew. Middle school is age is 12-14. He was older than that in Farpoint. If you recall, Geordi and others egged him on by adopting the nickname. Even Picard used it

 

[ClayinCA]

This is the same author who (I think it was in Q-Squared) kept making "jokes" about Worf's name sounding like the word "Wharf." Not only was it not particularly funny, it took me out of the scene every time he did it (and this was during a pretty good book, too).

 

[thirteenth]

Well, I've decided not to NF for two reasons, 1-I have enough ST series books to go get books for, and adding NF would not ease things at all, and 2-Plus, I don't particularly like 'comic book' characters, but anyway, thanks everyone for your input..

 

[Paris]

Well, I've decided not to NF for two reasons, 1-I have enough ST series books to go get books for, and adding NF would not ease things at all, and 2-Plus, I don't particularly like 'comic book' characters, but anyway, thanks everyone for your input..

That's to bad. Your loss dude...

 

[donners22]

This is the same author who (I think it was in Q-Squared) kept making "jokes" about Worf's name sounding like the word "Wharf." Not only was it not particularly funny, it took me out of the scene every time he did it (and this was during a pretty good book, too).

Didn't Lwaxana call him "Woof" repeatedly?

 

[Turtletrekker]

Well, I've decided not to NF for two reasons, 1-I have enough ST series books to go get books for, and adding NF would not ease things at all, and 2-Plus, I don't particularly like 'comic book' characters, but anyway, thanks everyone for your input..

That's to bad. Your loss dude...

Well, New Frontier definitely isn't for everyone. As much as I have enjoyed the series for the most part, sometimes it can make me cringe with some of the humor and comic-book like situations. And I like comic-books!

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

This is the same author who (I think it was in Q-Squared) kept making "jokes" about Worf's name sounding like the word "Wharf." Not only was it not particularly funny, it took me out of the scene every time he did it (and this was during a pretty good book, too).

Didn't Lwaxana call him "Woof" repeatedly?

Mister Woof.

 

[LutherSloan]

I liked the earlier NF books more. However, I lost interest once PAD jumped forward 3 years in 'After the Fall'.

 

[Thrawn]

I liked the earlier NF books more. However, I lost interest once PAD jumped forward 3 years in 'After the Fall'.

It's funny how opinions vary on this. I agree that the earliest stories were better than the middle ones (particularly the exceedingly dull Excalibur trilogy), but I've found all three of the recent hardcovers (Stone & Anvil, After The Fall, Missing In Action) to all be just outstanding.

IDIC, I guess.

 

[RonG]

I actually loved the first books - up to and including the Excalibur trilogy
(including the Double Time GN).

The following novels (including the Gateways novel - which I didn't like from the get go, on account of being book X of 7 AND being continued in an "anthology") were weaker IMHO.

The novels set after the 3 year jump were a bit too "comic-booky" for my taste, and were the weakest yet.

Still, NF is enjoyable for what it is - a different (almost creator-owned)take on 24th Century Trek.

 

[captcalhoun]

i'm mystified as to how you can criticise Cold Wars for being a miniseries book when (from what i can tell) it's actually completely seperate and unrelated to the rest of the 24C Gateways series...

 

[Claudia]

i'm mystified as to how you can criticise Cold Wars for being a miniseries book when (from what i can tell) it's actually completely seperate and unrelated to the rest of the 24C Gateways series...

I'd say the problem is rather that it's finished/continued in a hardcover-anthology - and to be required to buy a hc for only 1 short story out of 7 wasn't everybody's cup of tea, I guess.

 

[captcalhoun]

yeah, well I'll agree on that point, but it's a seperate point. RonG makes 2 disticnt points: the fact that it's book 6 of 7 in a miniseries AND it was concluded in a seperate volume. i don't question his disliking the continuation in another book, i didn't and didn't actually buy it until about 3 years later. it's his complaints about it being a miiniseries book i find baffling.

 

[RonG]

From a collector POV, when I buy some parts of a miniseries, I usually go for a complete set- It's the same thing with comics for me.
And just like in comics, I don't like a storyline/run "interrupted" by crossovers.

Now, in the case of Gateways - while each book CAN be read alone (at least along with its concluding part in What Lay Beyond, but let's not go there ), the core of the miniseries \ event were (IMO) the 3 books set in the AQ (the TNG, DS9 and NF entries). These books were very much parts of the same story (again, IMO).