Vanguard - any good?

[jgdst]

Hello I've just migrated here from the ST.com boards, so apologies if I'm asking a question someone else has asked elsewhere.

I've been getting into most of the new and relaunch series, and catching up on years worth of books, but I was wondering if anyone had any particular opinion one way or the other about Vanguard?

I tend to shy away from TOS stuff because the author has to be a lot more careful with canon, and am I mistaken or do Vanguard books seem to have longer waits between books?

Thanks in advance

 

[Lindley]

I've enjoyed it.

 

[David Mack]

I was wondering if anyone had any particular opinion one way or the other about Vanguard?

Personally, I think it rocks and kicks ass. But then, I might be biased.

I tend to shy away from TOS stuff because the author has to be a lot more careful with canon, and am I mistaken or do Vanguard books seem to have longer waits between books?

We're no more or less careful with canon in the Vanguard books than in any other TrekLit series. Part of the goal for the Vanguard books is to add new perspectives on the events of the TOS era — to show that things the Enterprise crew did had repercussions elsewhere, and that events in other parts of the galaxy led to events seen in canon TOS.

As for the wait times, it only seems that way because there was a delay in getting book four scheduled. The fourth Vanguard book, whose title will be announced at Shore Leave tomorrow night, will be published in May 2009; Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore will be writing it. There might also be a forthcoming announcement about book five of the series...

Seriously, take a chance. Grab all three books and dive in.

 

[jgdst]

Awesome! That's all the seal of approval I need. Thanks for the nudge in the right direction Just ordered all three off amazon, so that should keep me occupied for a fair few nights

 

[David Mack]

My work here is done.

 

[JD]

IMO Vanguard is one of the best Trek series in any medium.

 

[Lindley]

Seriously, take a chance.

Ack! A Silicate!

 

[Nerdius Maximus]

They sound interesting. I may just have to check 'em out.

 

[Maestro]

Last summer, a poster here professed to returning the books because of "homosexual elements" in them. There was a lot of arguing back and forth about the books and their return. I was curious what all the excitement was over, so I picked up a copy of Harbinger (I had been pretty sour on Trek books for quite some time...).

I really liked it. Good, flawed characters. Realism. There was change and character development, in fact, I wouldn't expect any character to survive -- At any time, any character could end up killed in action.

I've just finished reading Reap The Whirlwind. Great series. Ties-in well to the world of TOS.

One of the things, however, that I noticed that I think is positive, is that it requires a touch of suspension of disbelief. This series is clearly set in the mid-23rd Century, but it's not the Gene Roddenberry/NBC/1960s mid-23rd Century. It fits perfectly, but it's far more diverse, and the technology is better in-line with developments in the last 40 years. Yet, this "update" isn't obtrusive, doesn't take away from the story, and doesn't take away from the time period. It's almost what TOS could have been with modern FX and technology. Very well done.

Oh, and a parting comment.... The Titan series is always on about "look at how diverse the Titan is." Bullocks. Vanguard is just as diverse, but they don't go about patting themselves on the back for it (the writers or the characters).

A job well done.

 

[Deano2099]

We're no more or less careful with canon in the Vanguard books than in any other TrekLit series. Part of the goal for the Vanguard books is to add new perspectives on the events of the TOS era — to show that things the Enterprise crew did had repercussions elsewhere, and that events in other parts of the galaxy led to events seen in canon TOS.

Hoping to start Vanguard soon, but I saw TOS a long, long time ago and don't think I ever caught every episode, but haven't got the time at the moment to re-watch them all - I'm curious if there's any specific episodes that Vanguard really deals with the repercussions of?

I mean I know everything you need to to know is in the books as you guys aren't idiots but I'm getting into the habit of watching one or two related episodes before starting each Star Trek book as it's sort of fun, eg. going to have a Mirror Universe marathon before reading those two!

 

[captcalhoun]

only "Where No Man Has Gone Before" so far, which 'Harbinger' takes palce shortly after.

Vanguard - any good?

no, fucking BRILLIANT.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

only "Where No Man Has Gone Before" so far, which 'Harbinger' takes palce shortly after.

Vanguard - any good?

no, fucking BRILLIANT.

I couldn't have said it better myself. When I read the last book and got to the end, I felt as if I'd just watched an entire seasons worth of episodes.

 

[flandry84]

Imagine Star Trek being done by HBO and you've got Vanguard.
I'm really looking forward to the next outing for the characters,who with their flaws and foibles are IMO the most believable in the treklit universe.

 

[Maestro]

I'm a bit let down that the fourth book isn't out yet. I've never been hungry for more! in a Trek series like this before. About the only novel series I'm into more is Repairman Jack, and that's pretty high praise from me.

 

[Dayton Ward]

^ Considering the company you'd have us keep, it is indeed very high praise. Thanks very much.

 

[Maestro]

You're welcome.

There are a lot of things that make Vanguard a good series. It ties-in to the TOS universe so well. There are just so many TOS nuances that are wonderful, but without it seeming "dated" in the pejorative sense that TOS has.

There's a great sense of tension, as we don't know where this is going, and things don't have to return to the status quo at the end like TOS books set on the Enterprise would have to. This, in-and-of-itself makes it rise above the rest of Trek Lit.

You've got the diversity of Star Trek that Gene was going for. The aliens in the books reflect humanity, just like they did on Star Trek. You've even created ways around the sexism of the 1960s, which doesn't require that much suspension of disbelief. It feels like that era, only being written and "filmed," if you will, in the early 21st Century. That's a major feather in your caps.

You've created characters that we care about, be they heroes or anti-heroes. I care about Cervantes Quinn and what happens to him as much as I care about Repairman Jack's brother Tom. They're flawed, real people.

It's also nice to see this series have some other characters from Star Trek appear, although I'm not going to spoil them here. And it is a small universe. Occasionally, there will be complaints about cameos or appearances in books/movies by other characters, but if one picks up a book like David McCullough's 1776, one can easily see that a small world is the norm. You guys have brought in these appearances in a way that is appropriate and true to such norm.

This is good fiction, and worthy of praise.

 

[foravalon]

Seriously, take a chance.

Ack! A Silicate!

And the random, out-of-the-black, Space Above and Beyond Reference Award goes to...

wait for it...

Moderator Lindley!

Well played, with this and the new X-Files flick everything's coming up Duchovny!

Oh, yeah and Vanguard's awesome.

 

[Lindley]

Sometimes these things just pop into my head.

 

[foravalon]

You're in good company, I was watching "The Happening" (ug) the other week and I got all excited when I saw Joel "Lt. Paul Wang" de la Fuente in it. I wanted to shout out to my associates but then I realized no one would have a clue what I was talking about.

 

[Geoff Thorne]

One word:

AWESOME!!!!