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AndrewLyon

Live and Learn...

Back in High School when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, and we connected with 14K modems, one of my goals was to collect all the Star Trek novels ever printed (gave up on Voyager).

 

Recently with the addition of another book case I spent sometime on Amazon, and ordered some novels that were missing from my collection, and I hit a problem. I went to place the novel in order, but a book was already in it's spot, and it left me a bit confused.

 

I checked inside the cover, and found out the book was printed in the UK. Seems the UK printed the novels in a different order than the Star Trek novels in North America were printed in. Well live and learn, live and learn.

 

On a closing note, I have almost a complete set of every Star Trek (TNG, D.S.9, and NF) printed before the reboot of all three series a few years ago.

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A formidable goal, Mr. Lyon. Will you be collecting each new one as it comes out as well?

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With all honesty I am on the fence beyond the original pocket book run. Yes I have picked up a few novels from that era, the problem is understanding things in the long term.

 

Much like the old Star Wars expanded universe, Star Trek EU has grown, and it's hard to pick up a novel sometimes and know where things are. Unlike the old novels they are rarely numbered. Which makes it hard for me as a reader & a collector to want to go out and buy them.

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I would think that sorting through them all to find a good author would also be quite a task. A pile of words thrown together does not a novel make. However, given that they must be approved by "the powers that be" - whoever they are - would lead one to believe that the bad ones would be weeded out. On the other hand, the more books purchased, the more $ comes in, so it's a catch-22 situation.

 

I wish you luck on your quest.

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Chirakis,

Truer words were never written, in regards to the questionable quality of some novels.

 

I remember when I read Gene Roddenberry's authorized Autobiography, he tried to get approval right to all the Star Trek novels at the time, and have the right to also demand rewrites. The powers that be rejected his request (I need to re-read that book). Back then it would be hard, now it would be a daunting task with 2-3 new novels a month, and who know how many eBooks being green lighted.

 

 

I feel there is nothing wrong in me saying more than a few novels I own, I have to ask who thought this was worthy of the Star Trek name. A good example would be Star Trek Deep Space Nine: #12 "The Laertian Gamble." The book is 273 pages long, and has 73 chapters in it. The core concept is weak (Dr. Bashir agrees to gamble for a woman Quark forbids to gamble, then her race's fleet show up and forces him to gamble under punishment of destroying D.S.9) to top it off the author brings in concepts that have no business being in Star Trek like a Ferengi priest that Quark borrows money from, and the priest does it without charging Quark interest! I felt the author had no business writing this novel in the first place, and lo and behold he is used to writing short stories, and never touched Star Trek before this novel.

 

There are a few Trek authors who are regulars who I feel earn my hard earned dollars. Peter David (wishing him a speedy recovery), Michael Jan Friedman, L.A Graff to name a few. Actually disappointed to find out the New Frontier series went to eBook only status, need to find a place to print it up so I can read those novels.

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Agreed on all counts.

 

David and Friedman are two of my favorite authors. A.C. Crispin's Sarek, I keep as an illustration of Vulcan culture, not to mention an excellent read. Peter David's Imzadi, I enjoyed immensely. Both he and Crispin have an exceptional way of capturing intimacy at its core and portraying it to the reader. I had the exceptional honor of sitting with Majel Barrett just after her husband died, and during our conversation she intimated that, in general, she did not read Star Trek novels, but she especially could not bring herself to read Imzadi, though she had heard many good comments about it. Her problem was the death of Lwaxana Troi, whose role was explicitly written for her. I could sense her pain in her expression while she talked. My favorite novel by Peter David, however, has nothing to do with Star Trek. Howling Mad gives me stitches every time I read it.

 

Michael Jan Friedman is a child in adult's clothing. He loves writing, he writes for the pure enjoyment of it, and literally beams with enthusiasm when he talks about his books or characters. His Kahless I keep as a reference on Klingon culture - one of the few comprehensive ones I have found. I have yet to read The Hand of Kahless, and I must one day.

 

eBooks? They cannot be signed, they cannot be held, caressed, or smelled for the pure enjoyment of the paper on which it is printed, nor can they be kept for mementos of an era that will soon pass away. Anything electronic will succumb to the scythe of the change in technological advances. As a wise man once told me, "These letters you see here are hundreds of years old. The technology we have today will change tomorrow. Always trust the written word above the digital simile, otherwise what you write today will be gone tomorrow."

 

And you never have to turn a book off until the plane is in the air.

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Sadly due to this evil thing called work and "we need you to do triple OT" some things fell off my radar, but now that things are slowing down I can sit down and play catch up.

 

Funny thing Chirakis even as I was working so hard I found a used bookstore that called to me like a siren to a sailor, where I found a used copy of Kahless, hard covered! Little over priced in my opinion for the book, but in excellent condition!

 

As RPGers with our own characters we do have some idea of how hard professional authors have it. Since when we look at that blank screen we face the same questions they face when they start a novel. Yes I know there is a difference between a sim and a novel, but logs could be considered mini-novels. I hope like them when the story is right before us how good it feels, they have that same joy. To this day I wish I could recapture that magic I had when writing The Hunter Trilogy years ago.

 

As an aspiring author, I'm not afraid to admit having taken ideas/character names from previous fan works of mine to help build a living breathing universe. Trust me on this one, as hard as it is to sim, to create a whole universe from the ground up is all the harder. Also hard when your flash drive doesn't save 10 pages of work when the juice is hot!

 

One novel I failed to mention before that I do feel deserve mentioning is Star Trek #20: The Vulcan Academy Murders. Since usually we associate Star Trek with action/adventure, not mystery and romance. Jean Lorarrah without making it feel like a stretch or gaudy. She doesn't feel a need to play with all the characters of TOS crew, just three once they get past the main introduction.

 

As a fan I find it interesting how the earlier novels seemed physically smaller, but still told a good story, while some of the later ones seemed to drag on too much for my tastes.

 

One of Peter David's first book series I found to be his best is the Knight series which documents the problems of one Author Pendragon as he tries to handle the modern world where the world needs him, but has out grown him in a sense.

 

Chirakis, I'll take your advantages of real books and raise you one. Power goes out, batteries drain away, but as long as there is light, and you have your sight, you can read any day.

 

It shocks me in a sense how many people are illiterate in the western world today. To me it's as basic a skill as being able to walk, or feed yourself. Yes Google has audio input, and there are countless how to videos, but to truly work within the western world, to truly be understood, you need to be able to read and write, otherwise in a sense you are someone who is self crippled.

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Andrew,

 

Good to see you posting again. I had nearly forgotten our idea exchange, and am glad you continued the conversation.

 

I recently literally dusted off one of my many bookshelves and reacquainted myself with many of my Star Trek novels. Next to them are several volumes of Shore Leave mementos and images, taken long ago in another lifetime.I would like to think that I have matured past that, but alas. Even my children call me "nerdly", but I digress....

 

I am glad to hear you are writing. Aspiring? I would venture to say that there is no such thing as an "aspiring" writer. Unpublished, perhaps, but all those who put pen to paper are writers, regardless of age or ability. Keep that in mind when you write. Ditch the "aspiring" part and you will have a totally different perspective on your own creations.

 

Most of my writing these days is non-fiction. Though it is rewarding in its own way, it is the exact opposite of creativity. As for creative writing beyond STSF Star Trek, I have a few chapters in a universe of my own creation. I find it much easier to create my own universe and characters because I do not have to bend to the will of someone else's creation, especially Star Trek and Star Wars. That is one reason I enjoy Aegis.

 

That said, I would like to encourage you in your creation. I find that the tribes of the South Pacific islands are rich with tradition and folklore that, when modified, are a good stepping stone to character creation. For me, an excellent source has been National Geographic Magazine, whose writers are in a class of their own regarding technique, and well worth emulating.

 

Peter David's Arthur series? Hilarious. When last I saw him (decades ago), he was working on The Woad to Wuin with Sir Apropos of Nothing. Yes, I am going to have to revisit these total breaks in reality.

 

Illiteracy in the western world - or the world in general - is a great concern. However, when you consider that for many the main concern is survival, illiteracy becomes a minor consideration. A good measure of my non-fiction writing is oral history. Recording the wisdom of elders who are no longer able to write but who are more than willing to share their stories has become a passion. It is at least a step forward in preserving history.

 

And it seems that I have wandered quite far afield. Until next time,

 

Chirakis

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Chirakis,

You are not the only one dusting off old books literally and figuratively. Now that I have ample shelf space (for now). I am reading my way though the Battletech universe, from the Forth Succession War to the end of the FedCom Civil war.

 

When I have kids they will wonder what kind of man daddy is. He rides a mountain bike, reviews old games and toys, and knows how to repair almost anything. I mean the later part, fixed my cycling shoes, computer, and kitchen inside 24 hours.

 

For all the faults of the 21st century, one thing I've got to approve of is the fact Amazon let's people self publish novels. Don't get wrong they all won't be good, they all won't make a lot of money, and odds are a load of them need editing, but with the software out there the editing can't be that bad. Anyone with a sharp eye has spotted plot holes, typos, and spelling errors in printed novels. It will also give those who dream a way to get out there and get noticed where before the door was closed because they didn't know the right people.

 

I do write some fan stories and game reviews when I get the time as a chance to practise new methods of writing. I've come to realize after all these years if some kid wanted to skip doing his/her homework and had to do a writing assignment they might steal one of my stories.

 

The story I am writing (when I get time) is a fantasy/fiction story, set in two worlds, one of which is Earth, Florida 1980s in a fictional city. I am touching up on several ideas like honor, and MAD. I mean Mutually Assured Destruction. Since the end of the cold war, not many people remember that little turn of phrase.

I've seen two sides of the coin when it comes to reading and writing. In some parts of society its seen as an ancient skill, not one really required for the 21st century, soon to be cast aside like driving. While others are expecting it from our youngest members.

 

I am one to believe that the demand for skill will only rise as does our technology, and our society evolves. In the western world the idea of earning a degree, and it being good for the length of 25 years in that role is dead. Only by self-educating ourselves can we keep pace, and to do that we need to know how to read, and by extension write.

 

That's it for now, somehow I got a 5 page piece of fan fiction out before Legion launched, despite 60 hour work weeks. Got the genesis of the story in the shower, where else.;) Now a 20+ year old game is crying for me to review it.

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