Will Trek Lit continuity go past the year 2400

[Gotham Central]

I know that it is currently 2381 in most of the novels now, but I was wondering if there are any limits to how far in the future stories can go.

I know that Trek online has set itself in the early 25th century. Are there any restrictions on writers drifting into their turf?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I know that Trek online has set itself in the early 25th century. Are there any restrictions on writers drifting into their turf?

ST Online is incompatible with Treklit continuity anyway, so I doubt anyone will care. They seem to be free to step on each other's toes, so to speak.

 

[Gotham Central]

I know that Trek online has set itself in the early 25th century. Are there any restrictions on writers drifting into their turf?

ST Online is incompatible with Treklit continuity anyway, so I doubt anyone will care. They seem to be free to step on each other's toes, so to speak.

For awhile there it did seem that they tried to have some link to the books. Destiny, seems to have changed the game. Their Road to 2409 seemd to have quite a few elements from the relaunch novels up until Destiny.

 

[Christopher]

I know that it is currently 2381 in most of the novels now, but I was wondering if there are any limits to how far in the future stories can go.

I know that Trek online has set itself in the early 25th century. Are there any restrictions on writers drifting into their turf?

Not at all. Different Trek licensors have always been free to approach the franchise independently of one another. After all, a line of novels and an online adventure game are two very different entities with different audiences and different creative needs.

Anyway, the book continuity has already touched on the 25th century. The frame sequence of The Good That Men Do depicts Jake and Nog sometime in the first half of the century (I place it in the 2440s, but it could be sooner).

ST Online is incompatible with Treklit continuity anyway, so I doubt anyone will care. They seem to be free to step on each other's toes, so to speak.

For awhile there it did seem that they tried to have some link to the books. Destiny, seems to have changed the game. Their Road to 2409 seemd to have quite a few elements from the relaunch novels up until Destiny.

I think they've been drawing on whatever's available, given how much material they have to assemble to fill in the intervening history year-by-year. But there was never a real effort to be consistent with the book continuity; even when the "Path to 2409" stuff referenced Romulan politics from the book continuity, its portrayal of Bajoran affairs heavily contradicted the DS9 books, and some story elements were added anachronistically. So if it's an "alternate timeline," it's one that diverged well before Destiny.

 

[Gotham Central]

I know that it is currently 2381 in most of the novels now, but I was wondering if there are any limits to how far in the future stories can go.

I know that Trek online has set itself in the early 25th century. Are there any restrictions on writers drifting into their turf?

Not at all. Different Trek licensors have always been free to approach the franchise independently of one another. After all, a line of novels and an online adventure game are two very different entities with different audiences and different creative needs.

Anyway, the book continuity has already touched on the 25th century. The frame sequence of The Good That Men Do depicts Jake and Nog sometime in the first half of the century (I place it in the 2440s, but it could be sooner).

ST Online is incompatible with Treklit continuity anyway, so I doubt anyone will care. They seem to be free to step on each other's toes, so to speak.

For awhile there it did seem that they tried to have some link to the books. Destiny, seems to have changed the game. Their Road to 2409 seemd to have quite a few elements from the relaunch novels up until Destiny.

I think they've been drawing on whatever's available, given how much material they have to assemble to fill in the intervening history year-by-year. But there was never a real effort to be consistent with the book continuity; even when the "Path to 2409" stuff referenced Romulan politics from the book continuity, its portrayal of Bajoran affairs heavily contradicted the DS9 books, and some story elements were added anachronistically. So if it's an "alternate timeline," it's one that diverged well before Destiny.

As a side note, would they have to pay for the right to use any of the Treklit characters? I'm fairly sure that they mentioned President Bacco somewhere in there.

 

[TigerBait]

One of the Mellinnium books for DS9 took place in the 25th century. I would hope with all hopes that our stories will carry that far and much further. With another series we may jump to the 26th century, or maybe the 50th, or 101st.

 

[Therin of Andor]

As a side note, would they have to pay for the right to use any of the Treklit characters? I'm fairly sure that they mentioned President Bacco somewhere in there.

They're already paying a license fee to CBS Consumer Products, which holds the full ownership of any original ST character or tech created by the Pocket or IDW writers.

 

[Sci]

As a side note, would they have to pay for the right to use any of the Treklit characters? I'm fairly sure that they mentioned President Bacco somewhere in there.

Nope. All characters in any Trek novel, comic, game, or what-have-you are owned by CBS and/or Paramount, and therefore any licensed storyteller needs only pay for whatever license they already have (Star Trek, nuTrek, TNG, DS9, etc.) to use them.

 

[shivkala]

Well if the books are centered in the early 2380's, I'd say that it might be some time before they get to the 25th Century, but I see no reason why they wouldn't tell stories that took place in the 25th Century. Since I am enjoying the current Trek books, I'd say I'd love it if they eventually got to the year 2400 (2401 for you purists!) and beyond, as it would probably be a long time before they got there.

 

[Rush Limborg]

My $0.02:

One of the things I've noticed--and I'm sure many other fans have picked up on this, too--is that in Trek Lit, the stories of our heros, in theory, never end. One only needs to come up with a new good story to continue the action--continue with the characters' lives.

Which basically means that...in theory...one could follow the adventures of our characters until they eventually all die off.

Peter David touched on this point in a scene in The Captain's Daughter. Sulu explains to Chekov that, in theory, all stories would actually have sad endings, if you continue them long enough, to the end of the characters' lives. The trick, he continues, is to find a good high point (a last, great triumph)--and then end the tale, so it will be simultaneously happy and fulfilling.


So...how would you all think, for example, the TNG series would best end? Would it end with death...or retirement...or would it just go on and on, with all new characters, ad infinitum?

 

[Sci]

My $0.02:

One of the things I've noticed--and I'm sure many other fans have picked up on this, too--is that in Trek Lit, the stories of our heros, in theory, never end. One only needs to come up with a new good story to continue the action--continue with the characters' lives.

Which basically means that...in theory...one could follow the adventures of our characters until they eventually all die off.

Peter David touched on this point in a scene in The Captain's Daughter. Sulu explains to Chekov that, in theory, all stories would actually have sad endings, if you continue them long enough, to the end of the characters' lives. The trick, he continues, is to find a good high point (a last, great triumph)--and then end the tale, so it will be simultaneously happy and fulfilling.


So...how would you all think, for example, the TNG series would best end? Would it end with death...or retirement...or would it just go on and on, with all new characters, ad infinitum?

I think it's pretty clear that The Next Generation ends when Jean-Luc Picard dies. He's the heart and soul of the series and always has been. As long as Picard's around, then it's Next Generation; once Picard's gone, it's just not TNG anymore.

 

[Smiley]

I think it's pretty clear that The Next Generation ends when Jean-Luc Picard dies. He's the heart and soul of the series and always has been. As long as Picard's around, then it's Next Generation; once Picard's gone, it's just not TNG anymore.

That statement is quite amusing, especially considering the fallout in this forum from the Janeway decision.

I'd say that "All Good Things..." makes a pretty good "high point" ending for our TNG characters. There are some great stories afterward, but there are none that feel like an ending to the overall story.

 

[Sci]

I think it's pretty clear that The Next Generation ends when Jean-Luc Picard dies. He's the heart and soul of the series and always has been. As long as Picard's around, then it's Next Generation; once Picard's gone, it's just not TNG anymore.

That statement is quite amusing, especially considering the fallout in this forum from the Janeway decision.

*shrugs* I don't think Janeway was the heart and soul of Voyager in the same way that Picard was for The Next Generation. Voyager, to me, was more about the journey through the Delta Quadrant than about the people actually making the journey -- it was an intensely plot-oriented program, and characterization was always secondary. Further, we've already seen a continuation of Voyager without Janeway but with most of the TV cast -- whereas with the Next Generation novels, half the TNG cast is gone, and Picard is one of the few real points of continuity with the original TNG cast (and, really, the only essential point of continuity with the TNG cast).

 

[Hartzilla2007]

My $0.02:

One of the things I've noticed--and I'm sure many other fans have picked up on this, too--is that in Trek Lit, the stories of our heros, in theory, never end. One only needs to come up with a new good story to continue the action--continue with the characters' lives.

Which basically means that...in theory...one could follow the adventures of our characters until they eventually all die off.

Peter David touched on this point in a scene in The Captain's Daughter. Sulu explains to Chekov that, in theory, all stories would actually have sad endings, if you continue them long enough, to the end of the characters' lives. The trick, he continues, is to find a good high point (a last, great triumph)--and then end the tale, so it will be simultaneously happy and fulfilling.


So...how would you all think, for example, the TNG series would best end? Would it end with death...or retirement...or would it just go on and on, with all new characters, ad infinitum?

I think it's pretty clear that The Next Generation ends when Jean-Luc Picard dies. He's the heart and soul of the series and always has been. As long as Picard's around, then it's Next Generation; once Picard's gone, it's just not TNG anymore.

Techincally it would then be The Next Next Generation or TNNG.

 

[Elemental]

My $0.02:

One of the things I've noticed--and I'm sure many other fans have picked up on this, too--is that in Trek Lit, the stories of our heros, in theory, never end. One only needs to come up with a new good story to continue the action--continue with the characters' lives.

Which basically means that...in theory...one could follow the adventures of our characters until they eventually all die off.

Peter David touched on this point in a scene in The Captain's Daughter. Sulu explains to Chekov that, in theory, all stories would actually have sad endings, if you continue them long enough, to the end of the characters' lives.

A bit off topic but this is something I've often thought about with shows like 24. No one ever "lives happily ever after", the only time any character leaves is if they die which becomes quite depressing.


As for the 25th century, I'm very interested in seeing the next generation of The Next Generation. People like Picard and Riker's children and what happens with them. There's also been a great deal of foreshadowing with B'Elanna Torres' child which I really hope has some form of payoff. Throw in Jake Sisko and Nog and we're getting close to a full cast of characters!

 

[Rush Limborg]

I don't think Janeway was the heart and soul of Voyager in the same way that Picard was for The Next Generation. Voyager, to me, was more about the journey through the Delta Quadrant than about the people actually making the journey -- it was an intensely plot-oriented program, and characterization was always secondary. Further, we've already seen a continuation of Voyager without Janeway but with most of the TV cast -- whereas with the Next Generation novels, half the TNG cast is gone, and Picard is one of the few real points of continuity with the original TNG cast (and, really, the only essential point of continuity with the TNG cast).

Noted.

So...if Picard dies or retires...then we can safely assume that TNG is over, then?

So...what about DS9 or VOY? Should we expect them to last so long as any of the original characters stay on...or will they just go on and on with new characters?

 

[Sci]

I don't think Janeway was the heart and soul of Voyager in the same way that Picard was for The Next Generation. Voyager, to me, was more about the journey through the Delta Quadrant than about the people actually making the journey -- it was an intensely plot-oriented program, and characterization was always secondary. Further, we've already seen a continuation of Voyager without Janeway but with most of the TV cast -- whereas with the Next Generation novels, half the TNG cast is gone, and Picard is one of the few real points of continuity with the original TNG cast (and, really, the only essential point of continuity with the TNG cast).

Noted.

So...if Picard dies or retires...then we can safely assume that TNG is over, then?

*shrugs* I dunno. I'm not a Pocket Books person. I suppose they could try to do the continuing adventures of Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge of the U.S.S. Enterprise under the command of Captain Whosits and Commander Someguy and call it The Next Generation. But I would certainly hope that if they ever get to the point where Picard is gone, they would just end the TNG line (or start setting TNG stories back during the series and between movies).

So...what about DS9 or VOY? Should we expect them to last so long as any of the original characters stay on...or will they just go on and on with new characters?

I would argue that DS9 was much more of an ensemble piece with no one character dominating it -- giving it the opportunity to constantly add and subtract characters without losing its essential DS9-ness.

VOY, I've already argued, was more of a plot-oriented piece about the Delta Quadrant journey than a character one -- the characters aboard Voyager were really almost besides the point. This gives VOY novels the opportunity to also introduce new characters, and even to make a new effort to emphasize characterization, also without losing its VOY-ness. (Really, having Voyager return to the Delta Quadrant in Full Circle was the best thing they could have done for the VOY novels.)

 

[Rush Limborg]

Well, at any rate...my problem is with the possibility of all the characters being all used up until they bite the dust.

If a character retires, somehow, you just KNOW that someone will make stories to bring them back. And then finally...the character dies.

I mean what are the odds that a Happily Ever After ending will actually be left as an ending, and not get "picked up" later to continue the tale?

Oy....

 

[JD]

I really think that if any of the series got to the point where the original cast members are all gone, then they would have to at least abandon the title. Now I'm not necessarily saying that the series would have to end, I just think that the editors or authors would need to find a way to differentiate the stories with the new characters from the stories featuring the TV characters.

 

[Andy Mangels]

Anyway, the book continuity has already touched on the 25th century. The frame sequence of The Good That Men Do depicts Jake and Nog sometime in the first half of the century (I place it in the 2440s, but it could be sooner).

I believe that at the time we wrote this book, it was established that this was the furthest ahead that continuity of any major characters was being established. Yes, it's "just" Jake & Nog, but there were hints of other things, events, and people, sprinkled throughout.