What are the chances of Corps of Engineers returning?

[Sho]

I've been a big fan of the Corps of Engineers ebooks, reading through the entire set of 74 stories over the last year and a half. As an engineer myself, and a fan of TNG (which it seems most similar to in tone), it caters to my taste and interests like no other Trek lit series and I'm left still wanting more .

From those in the know, are there any chances of a continuation of the series? Perhaps in novel form? I've heard that KRAD's "A Singular Destiny" features some of the SCE characters, but I assume that's just a minor aspect of that story?

 

[JB2005]

Not exactly, they play a fairly major role in the book (without giving anything away)

 

[JD]

They're one of several crews that the book jumps between.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

From those in the know, are there any chances of a continuation of the series? Perhaps in novel form?

I'm not "in the know," but I can tell you what Keith would say --

Keep buying the collections as they come out. If the sales on the collections have been strong enough, showing that the demand is there, when they run out of material to reprint, Pocket may see some value in relaunching the series.

 

[Ktrek]

I'm not "in the know," but I can tell you what Keith would say --

Keep buying the collections as they come out. If the sales on the collections have been strong enough, showing that the demand is there, when they run out of material to reprint, Pocket may see some value in relaunching the series.

It's quite obvious that Pocket already sees little or no value in the series. The next installment has already been delayed what? twice now? At this rate it will be ten years before the whole series sees book form.

Kevin

 

[captcalhoun]

it's been delayed due to the changes in editors, not for fiscal reasons.

 

[Deano2099]

The next volume is going to have the new mini-pedia in though, isn't it? Which is the sort of thing that could easily fall through the cracks with the changes of editors.

 

[Christopher]

It's quite obvious that Pocket already sees little or no value in the series. The next installment has already been delayed what? twice now?

You're jumping to an erroneous conclusion. The CoE collections have been delayed due to the editorial upheavals at Pocket. Margaret Clark had her workload suddenly doubled when Marco Palmieri was laid off, and something had to give. Given the choice between a new book and a trade-paperback reprint of books that are already available by other means, naturally new material would take precedence. So the reprints weren't delayed because they're CoE, but because they're reprints, period. Keep in mind that other reprints have been delayed or even cancelled (the Crucible omnibus) in the wake of the editorial shakeup.

 

[Man of Steel]

It's quite obvious that Pocket already sees little or no value in the series. The next installment has already been delayed what? twice now?

Keep in mind that other reprints have been delayed or even cancelled (the Crucible omnibus) in the wake of the editorial shakeup.

I'm glad the Crucible Omnibus was canceled. IMO, there was no reason for a reprint let alone in hardcover. Sure, more money for the company but... that slot could go to something else (something did I just don't remember what).

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I'm glad the Crucible Omnibus was canceled. IMO, there was no reason for a reprint let alone in hardcover. Sure, more money for the company but... that slot could go to something else (something did I just don't remember what).

As Crucible would have been Pocket's first Trek hardcover in several years, and there wasn't a hardcover in the spring to take its place, I feel confident in telling you, Marc, that you're completely wrong -- Crucible wasn't taking any book's "slot," and nothing took its place.

I, for one, am not glad that the Crucible hardcover was cancelled. Yes, I have the three paperbacks, but I was looking forward to having a snazzy hardcover compilation, complete with additional story material.

And, honestly, I hoped that if the Crucible hardcover did well, then we might've seen a Destiny omnibus hardcover next year. There's nothing to say that such a book won't happen, but a track record with Crucible might've helped to grease the wheels.

 

[Man of Steel]

I'm glad the Crucible Omnibus was canceled. IMO, there was no reason for a reprint let alone in hardcover. Sure, more money for the company but... that slot could go to something else (something did I just don't remember what).

As Crucible would have been Pocket's first Trek hardcover in several years, and there wasn't a hardcover in the spring to take its place, I feel confident in telling you, Marc, that you're completely wrong -- Crucible wasn't taking any book's "slot," and nothing took its place.

I, for one, am not glad that the Crucible hardcover was cancelled. Yes, I have the three paperbacks, but I was looking forward to having a snazzy hardcover compilation, complete with additional story material.

And, honestly, I hoped that if the Crucible hardcover did well, then we might've seen a Destiny omnibus hardcover next year. There's nothing to say that such a book won't happen, but a track record with Crucible might've helped to grease the wheels.

Okay, maybe yoiu have a point. And whoever the new editor maybe, they may decide to resurrect that omnibus.. But why can't we get the extra materiel in the paperback version?(wonder what that was anyway)

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The extra material was five short stories and additional essays.

 

[Man of Steel]

The extra material was five short stories and additional essays.

So wouldn't it make more sense to publish it as a separate thing like say an anthology or something?

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Marc, I don't know if that would make sense at all.

Without reading the material, I don't know how the stories and essays related back to the novels. I've no doubt that they would make sense in context. But would they stand alone? That I don't know.

 

[Ktrek]

You're jumping to an erroneous conclusion. The CoE collections have been delayed due to the editorial upheavals at Pocket. Margaret Clark had her workload suddenly doubled when Marco Palmieri was laid off, and something had to give. Given the choice between a new book and a trade-paperback reprint of books that are already available by other means, naturally new material would take precedence. So the reprints weren't delayed because they're CoE, but because they're reprints, period. Keep in mind that other reprints have been delayed or even cancelled (the Crucible omnibus) in the wake of the editorial shakeup.

Well Chris, it still doesn't make sense to me. What editorial work would need to have been done on books already finished besides approving artwork and backcover? None. It could not have been that much of an extra load. The longer between releases the less interest and fewer customers there might be.

Kevin

 

[Scout101]

^ That was going to be my question as well. Yes, makes sense to focus on getting new material out first, as there's more money to be made there, but how much editing can an omnibus edition really take? They were edited previously, when they were released individually, so i'd think the rework would be minimal, so from a business standpoint, it wouldn't take much effort to create, but would still yield new sales $$$, so worth the effort unless they didn't think the collection would sell very well...

 

[William Leisner]

Guys, what exactly does it matter how much extra work it would be? Fact remains, it is extra work, and it was extra work that was pretty far down the list of the tie-in office's priorities. As opposed to the metric shitload of extra work Margaret inherited from Marco, that had to stay on a set monthly schedule.

Keep in mind, I want Out of the Cocoon printed a lot more than you do, and I'm disappointed that it's been put off time and again. But this falls under the category of "shit happens; suck it up and deal with it."

 

[Christopher]

Well Chris, it still doesn't make sense to me. What editorial work would need to have been done on books already finished besides approving artwork and backcover? None.

That's not true. It still has to go through the full review process. There's a lot of redundancy in this business -- you don't just assume a manuscript is okay, but you carefully error-check it at every stage of the process. And any time it's retyped or reformatted, new errors will be introduced. Sometimes even the error-checking itself introduces errors. So there has to be more error-checking.

I'm sure I'm oversimplifying, but there's always a need for supervision of the publication of any book, even a compilation of previously published material. Maybe it seems redundant to the outsider, but that redundancy serves a purpose.

True, it's not as great a workload as making a whole new book, but it's still extra work, as Bill says, and it's a lower priority than new books -- not because it's CoE, but because it's a reprint. The belief that Pocket somehow has it in for CoE is totally false. The cutbacks are due to bigger issues.

 

[Sci]

Well Chris, it still doesn't make sense to me. What editorial work would need to have been done on books already finished besides approving artwork and backcover? None.

That's not true. It still has to go through the full review process. There's a lot of redundancy in this business -- you don't just assume a manuscript is okay, but you carefully error-check it at every stage of the process. And any time it's retyped or reformatted, new errors will be introduced. Sometimes even the error-checking itself introduces errors. So there has to be more error-checking.

I'm sure I'm oversimplifying, but there's always a need for supervision of the publication of any book, even a compilation of previously published material. Maybe it seems redundant to the outsider, but that redundancy serves a purpose.

True, it's not as great a workload as making a whole new book, but it's still extra work, as Bill says, and it's a lower priority than new books -- not because it's CoE, but because it's a reprint. The belief that Pocket somehow has it in for CoE is totally false. The cutbacks are due to bigger issues.

Don't be silly, Christopher. Everyone knows that Pocket has it out for Star Trek and want to see it fail and won't invest in it. After all, it's only been one of their consistent money-makers for thirty years!

 

[Man of Steel]

Marc, I don't know if that would make sense at all.

Without reading the material, I don't know how the stories and essays related back to the novels. I've no doubt that they would make sense in context. But would they stand alone? That I don't know.

Go straight to the source. Ask David George directly..

David, are you with us to answer this?