TOS: Child of Two Worlds - Pre-Release Discussion

[Saga]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

...and as my mention of that novel (and posts in other recent threads) suggest, I'd recommend putting some effort into incorporating information from other novels and comics about this time period, if you can.

For what it's worth, I've read all the previous Pike novels and the Early Voyages comics in prep for this book. They're not entirely consistent with each other, but I'm keeping them in mind.

i loved Early Voyages. will you be using any characters from that series? i know Moves-With-Burning-Grace appeared in Burning Dreams.

 

[Christopher]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

^Also a member of the Lirin species appears in Seekers. And my portrayal of Rigel VII in Tower of Babel is consistent with the Early Voyages version.

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

Is there any impetus to have a series of Pike novels starting with this one? A Spock centered plot could be anywhere from fascinating to disapproving depending on plot details.

I'm not aware of any plans for an ongoing Pike series. I certainly wouldn't mind writing these characters again, but at the moment I'm not thinking past this book.

 

[Saga]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

^Also a member of the Lirin species appears in Seekers. And my portrayal of Rigel VII in Tower of Babel is consistent with the Early Voyages version.

neat. i only recently finished To Brave the Storm. i plan on reading your Enterprise novels soon.

 

[Desert Kris]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

I love all those new characters that were introduced in The Early Voyages comic. Pike's earlier yeoman really grabbed my attention, from a dramatic standpoint. I'd love to see them appear if there's room for them in the story (it's not a deal breaker if not). I enjoy the occasional Pike novel, too.

 

[tomswift2002]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

I just hope that the story is better than The Children Of Kings from a few years ago. That Pike story was just weird.

 

[Idran]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

I just hope that the story is better than The Children Of Kings from a few years ago. That Pike story was just weird.

That's probably because, from what the author's notes at the end sound like, I think it was meant to be an Abramsverse Pike story but that was never made explicit. That's the best I can guess from that, at least; otherwise it just doesn't make sense with even just The Cage alone.

 

[tomswift2002]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

I just hope that the story is better than The Children Of Kings from a few years ago. That Pike story was just weird.

That's probably because, from what the author's notes at the end sound like, I think it was meant to be an Abramsverse Pike story but that was never made explicit. That's the best I can guess from that, at least; otherwise it just doesn't make sense with even just The Cage alone.

While the ship felt like the Abramsverse ship, the characters felt more like the Roddenberry versions of the characters.

 

[Idran]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

Maybe, but Colt's history in the book doesn't work with anything we knew about her, even limiting just to what little was said in The Cage.

I really feel like it was a planned Abramsverse book that got rewritten or re-editted after the plans for Abramsverse novels got cut.

 

[Enterprise1701]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

Did Pocket Books know back in 2010 that IDW would introduce a pre-2258 U.S.S. Enterprise under Robert April's command in 2013's Countdown to Darkness?

 

[Christopher]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

I really feel like it was a planned Abramsverse book that got rewritten or re-editted after the plans for Abramsverse novels got cut.

No, it can't have been, because I was in touch with the other authors who were doing Abramsverse books, and I know there were only four of us -- Alan Dean Foster, myself, Dave Mack, and Greg Cox. Also, The Children of Kings came out a month before Foster's novel would've come out, which means it was presumably commissioned and written ahead of ours -- and I know that I was the first person hired to do an Abramsverse novel (though once Foster was brought on board, it was wisely decided to lead off with him since he's far more famous than I am).

I figure TCoK was commissioned at the early stage when Pocket's editors weren't yet sure what the new universe was going to be like or whether they'd be doing books set in it, and thus were trying to keep their options open. In this case, they did that with a novel that was intentionally betwixt and between, not quite in either universe but evoking both.

Did Pocket Books know back in 2010 that IDW would introduce a pre-2258 U.S.S. Enterprise under Robert April's command in 2013's Countdown to Darkness?

Presumably not. I doubt even IDW knew it yet at the time.

And if you're thinking of The Children of Kings, it came out early in 2010, which means it would've been outlined early in '09 or late in '08. So it's even less likely that they would've known about IDW's plans for 2013.

 

[Stevil2001]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

I really liked The Children of Kings. Like Stern's What Price Honor? it has a really neat, evocative, morose tone. Not depressing, but contemplative in the darkness on the edge of space.

All Pike is good news!

 

[Idran]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

I really feel like it was a planned Abramsverse book that got rewritten or re-editted after the plans for Abramsverse novels got cut.

No, it can't have been, because I was in touch with the other authors who were doing Abramsverse books, and I know there were only four of us -- Alan Dean Foster, myself, Dave Mack, and Greg Cox. Also, The Children of Kings came out a month before Foster's novel would've come out, which means it was presumably commissioned and written ahead of ours -- and I know that I was the first person hired to do an Abramsverse novel (though once Foster was brought on board, it was wisely decided to lead off with him since he's far more famous than I am).

I figure TCoK was commissioned at the early stage when Pocket's editors weren't yet sure what the new universe was going to be like or whether they'd be doing books set in it, and thus were trying to keep their options open. In this case, they did that with a novel that was intentionally betwixt and between, not quite in either universe but evoking both.

Aha; that makes more sense, then. The whole time I was reading it, I knew something was different about the feel of it, and when I saw the note crediting the first Abrams movie for inspiration I figured that had to have been it. But what you present does seem a lot more likely, then.

 

[Enterprise1701]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

The blurb for Child of Two Worlds is now up.

The year is 2255, not long after the events of the Original Series episode “The Cage.” A young Spock is science officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Captain Christopher Pike, when an outbreak of deadly Rigelian fever threatens the crew. Reviewing the Starfleet medical database, Dr. Phillip Boyce comes up with a highly experimental and untested new treatment that might save the crew. Just one problem: it requires a rare mineral substance, ryetalyn, which is not easily obtained…except on a remote alien colony near the Klingon border. But borders are somewhat blurry in this part of galaxy. Pike will need to tread carefully in order to avoid provoking an armed conflict with the Klingons—or starting an all-out war.

 

[Kilana2]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

Sounds interesting. And I liked Children of Kings either. Another novel with Pike, Boyce and a young Spock. I want to be in on it .

 

[Reanok]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

I just read the synopses for this upcoming novel and other 8of 5 posted on his site.I can't wait to get all of thse upcoming books!

 

[Ronald Held]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

Might be interesting as long as they are written as the Prime versions.

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

Might be interesting as long as they are written as the Prime versions.

These are definitely the Prime versions. Think Jeffrey Hunter, Majel Barrett, a young Nimoy, etc.

Not to mention Dr. Boyce, Yeoman Colt, etc.

 

[Kilana2]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

Might be interesting as long as they are written as the Prime versions.

These are definitely the Prime versions. Think Jeffrey Hunter, Majel Barrett, a young Nimoy, etc.

Not to mention Dr. Boyce, Yeoman Colt, etc.

It´s practically bought. I never saw much of Jeffrey Hunter.

Are there any other Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) era novels except Children of Kings?

 

[BillJ]

Re: TOS: A Child of Two Worlds - Discussion

Might be interesting as long as they are written as the Prime versions.

What does it really matter as long as the story is good?