Hello, I'm Saito S. You may remember me from that other thread that also mentioned a violent collision between my jaw and the floor.
This is purely a shout-out post. There may or may not be much discussion to be had here, but I felt compelled to say this.
It's one in the morning here, and I should be in bed, since I need to get up in about six hours. I just finished "Losing the Peace", about twenty minutes ago, and looking back on how good it was made me think of this more broad sentiment.
For most of us Trek fans, there is a favorite show or two. And within that, favorite episodes, and then moments. The things that - when someone asks you "What IS Star Trek to you? Which of the many branches of this franchise is just THE BEST part of it?" - you point and say "This."
My main interest within Trek has always been in 24th century stuff. Mainly, TNG and DS9. TOS... I respect it, and it certainly had some great episodes, but if TNG and DS9 are like my life as I live it, TOS is like a history class. (Note: That's JUST an analogy. I don't actually consider any part of Trek to be "my life." I'm a huge geek, but not THAT huge). Voyager was a little bit better than okay, which is a shame because it could have been great. Enterprise... *shrug*
But since the day DS9 went off the air, that question has been an easy one for me. What IS Trek to me? What is the very best of the franchise, the stuff that just defines it? The very best of DS9, followed closely by the very best of TNG. When these two shows are in top form, it's like nothing else. Now, I was aware of the books that came out in the 90's, and I read a few of them... there were some good ones, there were some not so good ones, but honestly, I just could not get into them. I dunno how much of it was the writing and how much of it was a feeling that I was just reading stories that (intentionally so; this was how they were intended to be taken, as far as I know) "could have just been another episode." Except they can't since books aren't canon. Is this unfair? Am I missing out on some great stories (and I didn't read very many of these books... just a handful)? Maybe. I'll never know, since I'm not going to go hunt down books that are no doubt LONG since out of print, that I wouldn't really have time to read anyway. So the books, to me, were "that other thing" that were fun to read at times, but really, it's all about the SHOWS. Specifically, those two shows. No other part of Trek can top that.
Until now.
I have been absolutely floored by the post-DS9 and post-Nemesis novel continuity. After YEARS of not paying much attention to Trek books, I became interested after stumbling across some details on something called the "Destiny trilogy", which apparently was causing quite a stir among those who had been paying attention. I started looking up other stuff, became more and more curious... and then there I was, reading Avatar and The Lives of Dax. Based on how little I'd been able to get into Trek books in the past, I was surprised at how certain I was after finishing them that I wanted to read more. That's when my jaw began to suffer.
I will always love DS9 and TNG, of course, and the best eps of those two shows remain my favorite Trek among that which is presented in a visual medium. But - after having read almost twenty books from this post-DS9 timeline, from the DS9 relaunch, to the TNG relaunch, to Destiny and the stories that follow in its literal wake... These books, now, ARE Trek, for me. They define it. They are the best. There is nothing in any Trek show or movie, purely in terms of awesome, moving, "HOLY SHIT" level writing, that can top these novels. Not even in TNG or DS9.
Reading all these books has re-sparked my interest in my own Trek story ideas, as well, which I had all but abandoned for quite a while.
So, for that, and for simply providing the most amazing stories I have ever experienced in my favorite sci-fi universe, massive kudos and thank yous to the authors behind those novels (or "stories", since a couple are here purely because of their contributions to the amazing "Lives of Dax") that I consider my favorites. In no particular order:
Christopher L. Bennett
S.D. Perry
David R. George III
Heather Jarman
Michael A. Martin
Andy Mangels
Robert Simpson
Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
David Mack
William Leisner
Keith R.A. DeCandido
I almost didn't do "The List." I know it would be easy to look at this and say I snubbed other authors by doing this. But this is why I identified only authors, and not actual novels, nor do I identify who's not here because I didn't like their books quite as much, vs. who's not here because I've never READ anything they've written. I've been so amazed at just how much I've loved these books that I wanted to acknowledge these authors in this way. Hopefully I haven't offended anyone.
This is purely a shout-out post. There may or may not be much discussion to be had here, but I felt compelled to say this.
It's one in the morning here, and I should be in bed, since I need to get up in about six hours. I just finished "Losing the Peace", about twenty minutes ago, and looking back on how good it was made me think of this more broad sentiment.
For most of us Trek fans, there is a favorite show or two. And within that, favorite episodes, and then moments. The things that - when someone asks you "What IS Star Trek to you? Which of the many branches of this franchise is just THE BEST part of it?" - you point and say "This."
My main interest within Trek has always been in 24th century stuff. Mainly, TNG and DS9. TOS... I respect it, and it certainly had some great episodes, but if TNG and DS9 are like my life as I live it, TOS is like a history class. (Note: That's JUST an analogy. I don't actually consider any part of Trek to be "my life." I'm a huge geek, but not THAT huge). Voyager was a little bit better than okay, which is a shame because it could have been great. Enterprise... *shrug*
But since the day DS9 went off the air, that question has been an easy one for me. What IS Trek to me? What is the very best of the franchise, the stuff that just defines it? The very best of DS9, followed closely by the very best of TNG. When these two shows are in top form, it's like nothing else. Now, I was aware of the books that came out in the 90's, and I read a few of them... there were some good ones, there were some not so good ones, but honestly, I just could not get into them. I dunno how much of it was the writing and how much of it was a feeling that I was just reading stories that (intentionally so; this was how they were intended to be taken, as far as I know) "could have just been another episode." Except they can't since books aren't canon. Is this unfair? Am I missing out on some great stories (and I didn't read very many of these books... just a handful)? Maybe. I'll never know, since I'm not going to go hunt down books that are no doubt LONG since out of print, that I wouldn't really have time to read anyway. So the books, to me, were "that other thing" that were fun to read at times, but really, it's all about the SHOWS. Specifically, those two shows. No other part of Trek can top that.
Until now.
I have been absolutely floored by the post-DS9 and post-Nemesis novel continuity. After YEARS of not paying much attention to Trek books, I became interested after stumbling across some details on something called the "Destiny trilogy", which apparently was causing quite a stir among those who had been paying attention. I started looking up other stuff, became more and more curious... and then there I was, reading Avatar and The Lives of Dax. Based on how little I'd been able to get into Trek books in the past, I was surprised at how certain I was after finishing them that I wanted to read more. That's when my jaw began to suffer.
I will always love DS9 and TNG, of course, and the best eps of those two shows remain my favorite Trek among that which is presented in a visual medium. But - after having read almost twenty books from this post-DS9 timeline, from the DS9 relaunch, to the TNG relaunch, to Destiny and the stories that follow in its literal wake... These books, now, ARE Trek, for me. They define it. They are the best. There is nothing in any Trek show or movie, purely in terms of awesome, moving, "HOLY SHIT" level writing, that can top these novels. Not even in TNG or DS9.
Reading all these books has re-sparked my interest in my own Trek story ideas, as well, which I had all but abandoned for quite a while.
So, for that, and for simply providing the most amazing stories I have ever experienced in my favorite sci-fi universe, massive kudos and thank yous to the authors behind those novels (or "stories", since a couple are here purely because of their contributions to the amazing "Lives of Dax") that I consider my favorites. In no particular order:
Christopher L. Bennett
S.D. Perry
David R. George III
Heather Jarman
Michael A. Martin
Andy Mangels
Robert Simpson
Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
David Mack
William Leisner
Keith R.A. DeCandido
I almost didn't do "The List." I know it would be easy to look at this and say I snubbed other authors by doing this. But this is why I identified only authors, and not actual novels, nor do I identify who's not here because I didn't like their books quite as much, vs. who's not here because I've never READ anything they've written. I've been so amazed at just how much I've loved these books that I wanted to acknowledge these authors in this way. Hopefully I haven't offended anyone.
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