what?

[archersangel]

i decided to see if that library in the east (sounds like something in a fantasy story) has any star trek novels, because it's been awhile since i read any. they have like 37 in ebook form, which is surprising. i think of ST novels as kind of not very popular in libraries (don't know why).

so i decide to google them to see if they're anything i'd want to read & to see if they're part of a multi-book series.

title #1: "this is part of the novel series relaunch & is set in an alternative timeline after [event]." me: *flat* what. (there are 2 ST book series like that)
title #2: "This is set [number of] years after [huge event in a previous novel]." me: *flat* what.
title #3: "this is a follow up to the novels ABC & DEF." (that i haven't read) me: well, so much for that.

i did find 3 set in the TOS tv series era that i hope are stand-alone ones. they also has some from the new tv series, but i do not acknowledge those am not interested in them.

years ago ST novels were numbered, i guess so you'd know that if you had 1-28 & you could look at the number to know if you had it or not. but the publisher stopped that because people thought you had to read them in numbered order to understand what was going on*. but now it seems that you have to read them in publication order anyway.


*the only time you really have to do that if it says book 1 of 4 (but i wonder if they do that any more).

Comments

[sixbeforelunch]

i decided to see if that library in the east (sounds like something in a fantasy story) has any star trek novels, because it's been awhile since i read any. they have like 37 in ebook form, which is surprising. i think of ST novels as kind of not very popular in libraries

They used to be much more available in libraries, at least in my experience. I remember my library having entire shelves of them when I was a teenager. I guess they've fallen out of fashion among library purchasers.

It is ironic that the numbered novels were almost all stand-alone and the newer stuff has much more continuity. There are some stand-alone newer novels, but many of them are part of larger stories. I've read very little of the relaunch stuff. I keep looking at some of the TNG stuff. It looks vaguely interesting, but I just find a lot of the newer stuff very flat when compared to the older novels.

I hope you enjoy the ones you did find :)

[kathleen_dailey]

I just find a lot of the newer stuff very flat when compared to the older novels.

Agreed. Many of the earlier novelists seemed to write more nuanced characterizations, settings, and events. Gar and Judy Reeves-Stevens, Carolyn Clowes, Diane Duane and Peter Morwood, Janet Kagan, and Vonda McIntyre come to mind.

That's not to say that the early stuff represented a golden age. Lots of drivel was published back in the day--works by Marshak and Culbreath, Sonni Cooper, Della Van Hise, Diane Carey, etc., etc.

For a long time, I tried to keep up with new Trek novels. But the current list and the backlist are now so unwieldy (and, to me, so unappealing) that I've pretty much given up. I rely on fan writers for my Trek reading pleasure these days. ;-)

[sixbeforelunch]

For a long time, I tried to keep up with new Trek novels. But the current list and the backlist are now so unwieldy (and, to me, so unappealing) that I've pretty much given up. I rely on fan writers for my Trek reading pleasure these days. ;-)

Pretty much same here. I still pick up the older Trek novels at used book stores, and I will occasionally buy new ones when the ebooks go on sale for a few dollars on Kobo, but I mostly stick with fic.

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I remember enjoying OS ST novels! Now there are far too many, and they do weird, complicated stuff as you describe.

I read a Discovery novel after hearing that some of those were good (I watch the show), but I was very disappointed in it.