It looks like Graeme and I share a similar sensibility when it comes to Star Trek and its novels. That feeling of 'fun' is exactly what I love about Peter David's novels. That sense where I can read one in an afternoon and just enjoy myself. That's going to be a fun, entertaining afternoon! They're the sort of books you read in between others...
Just like I've long wondered why Q-Squared wasn't made into a movie, I've wondered why New Frontier wasn't made into a TV series. When Enterprise debuted, I was pissed that they would make THAT and not New Frontier. It seems like a no-brainer. How do you not want to put Mackenzie Calhoun on screen as the newest Star Trek captain? It would settle that old Kirk/Picard debate pretty damn quickly -- the answer is Calhoun, dammit!
Those first four New Frontier books are slight, quick reads. Slimmer than normal books, they're really just one big books divided up into bite-size chunks. And Calhoun is a complete badass. I never tire of retelling the part with the hostages and the quantum torpedos. It's something you've never seen on Star Trek and that felt important to me. New Frontier is funny and touching and adult. More than anything else from that franchise, it seems like it takes itself seriously as adult fare. Not in the way Graeme talks about towards the end of the book series. It just doesn't shy away from adult subjects like sex, death, and intimacy the way the rest of the franchise seemed to. Star Trek always seemed content to spend its time with kids playing as adults to a degree. Very high-minded and serious with no room for the messy subjects of life except in the odd moment. David put those subjects at the forefront and it was much more engaging. It didn't seem like utopia in space, it seemed like people in the future. What humanity would become. The few moments when Star Trek shows would cast off the limitations imposed on them by narrow-minded creator and strive for more.
It's also a book series that's a bit of a treat for longtime fans as David never passes up an opportunity to bring back old character. Half of the cast are pre-existing characters that showed up in the background or for a couple of episodes in a guest role. Calhoun has a feud with Admiral Jelicho that mirrors how everyone else hates that guy. It's a book series that isn't afraid to embrace where it comes from while being completely open. Part of that is that David takes such minor characters that their previous appearances don't really matter. Part of that is that he is so good at developing characters and making them seem more than they are that, again, their previous appearances don't matter. They become his as he created them himself.
Unlike Graeme, I've never really gotten into David's comic writing. I've enjoyed what I've read -- it's just never grabbed me too tightly. I've always preferred his novels -- like the Star Trek stuff or his Babylon 5 ones. I like his prose style. Graeme was entirely right. It's light, 'throwaway' stuff and that's not an insult. You don't want everything to be heavy and Important and all of that. Sometimes, you want to spend an afternoon reading something that seems to turn its own pages, because it's just so much fun. I'm told that's what reading should be like and Peter David is a master of it.
In 30 minutes, we jump to Graeme's Wait, What? co-host Jeff Lester as I kick off our discussion of Dreadstar #1-12.
The 'best of 2012' has continued over at Comics Should be Good!
As well, we're now up to $694.95!
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Hero Initiative (Details in this post)! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Showing posts with label graeme mcmillan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graeme mcmillan. Show all posts
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Blogathon 12: Favourite Peter David Star Trek Novels (Graeme McMillan Guest Post)
To all intents and purposes, the Star Trek: New Frontier series are the most "Peter David-y" of all of Peter David's Star Trek novels. That only makes sense, when you think about it; he created the majority of the characters, he's the dominant writer of the series - He's written the entire series, outside of some short stories for an anthology… that he edited - and the stories take place off in their own corner of the Trek universe (Specifically, the Next Generation-era Trek universe). The format of the series - controlled by one writer, with characters and situations that have the ability to evolve through the series, but taking place in a shared universe - is pretty close to a comic book set-up, and that's part of what attracted me to the books in the first place, when I was dipping my toes back into the murky and socially-shameful world of Trek novels. Well, that and Peter David.
I have this ridiculous belief, you see, that Peter David's Trek novels are somehow "better" than anyone else's. I know that it's irrational, because it's not based on a comprehensive reading of every single Trek novel ever, nor are David's Trek novels even necessarily outstanding works in and of themselves. And yet, it's still there in my head, an opinion that I hold even though I don't even agree with it half the time. But Peter David was what brought me to Star Trek prose, when I was a teenager and a massive fan of his Incredible Hulk run, and Peter David wrote all of the Trek books that I liked best back then; that kind of thing sticks with you, no matter how much logic and facts stand in opposition.
There was something about his Next Generation novels in particular that worked for me even more than the show did, at the time; I'm tempted to put it down to the sense of humor that was on display in David's books, which humanized the characters in a way that the series itself - which never passed up a chance to be self-important and po-faced whenever possible, as if to reinforce the idea that this show was serious science fiction - could never quite manage. The me I was then thought that David "got" Trek on some level that others didn't, although, looking back, I recognize my own prejudices in that; David's Trek, in whatever incarnation he wrote it, in whatever medium, always felt to be primarily influenced by the dynamic of the original series: a belief that the science fiction and social commentary being offered should always be balanced with lighter moments and some kind of reminder that these people were friends as well as colleagues, and I found myself appreciating that a lot at the time. Hence my excitement for the New Frontier books when they were announced. Finally, I thought, Peter David Trek unbound!*
And for, what, maybe just over two thirds of the series, it completely lived up to my expectations. The books were as funny as I wanted them to be, and as… "thrilling" feels curiously old-fashioned a term, but one that still feels appropriate. From House of Cards through Stone and Anvil, there's a really enjoyable, very throwaway pulpy feel to the series; each novel was a self-aware (but not overly-so, with the exception of David's tendency to always go one pun or joke too far at one point each novel) smart-enough read that was completely entertaining, but not too troubling, if that makes sense. You could read and enjoy them for what they were, but also put them down and walk away without too many questions weighing on your mind afterwards. Perfect popcorn literature, if you will.
Then, something happened. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's what happened to David on X-Factor, too, as well as his Hulk run way back when. It's as if he gets bored of his own formula, or decides that it's time that he took the whole thing more seriously, and suddenly there's a tonal shift and - for New Frontier, at least - a time jump, and the series is noticeably not what it was before. For New Frontier, it was the beginning of the end. As the novels became more irregular - and the scale of each one grew, as if David felt the compulsion to make the stories "count" more - everything falls out of balance, somehow, and the books became less fun to read: Characters died, went insane and had to be dealt with. Everything became less fun.
I'm kind of embarrassed to write that, to be honest; I feel as if I'm whining or something similar, complaining that I don't want to read something because it's not "fun." But… that was always the selling point for me on Peter David's Star Trek, and maybe even Star Trek in general. I want it to be enjoyable, I want it to be fun. I'm uncertain about whether there's enough heft to the concept/series in general for it to be "dark" or heavy in any real way, and just as I get bored of people trying to find "meaning" and "depth" in kids' comic characters that was never really supposed to be there because they don't want to deal with them any other way, attempts to turn Star Trek into something dark and troubled and full of grimacing just feel false and unnecessary to me. (Which means, yes, I'm desperately hoping that the new movie isn't going to be the dark thing that everyone keeps talking about. Please have a swerve in there, JJ!)
It sounds like damning with faint praise to say that the strength of Peter David's Trek - And, I'd argue, his writing in general - is the throwaway, pop quality of it, the "fun." It's not meant to be; I think it's far more difficult than it seems to get that kind of thing right, and far more valuable a skill to have than just being able to write sturm-und-drang all the time. Despite how New Frontier has ended up - and the series does appear to have ended, with the last book a couple of years old and nothing new on the horizon - David's Trek, when he's on, when he's firing on all cylinders, still feels like Star Trek at its best to me. But maybe I just like popcorn a little too much.
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Hero Initiative (Details in this post)! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
I have this ridiculous belief, you see, that Peter David's Trek novels are somehow "better" than anyone else's. I know that it's irrational, because it's not based on a comprehensive reading of every single Trek novel ever, nor are David's Trek novels even necessarily outstanding works in and of themselves. And yet, it's still there in my head, an opinion that I hold even though I don't even agree with it half the time. But Peter David was what brought me to Star Trek prose, when I was a teenager and a massive fan of his Incredible Hulk run, and Peter David wrote all of the Trek books that I liked best back then; that kind of thing sticks with you, no matter how much logic and facts stand in opposition.
There was something about his Next Generation novels in particular that worked for me even more than the show did, at the time; I'm tempted to put it down to the sense of humor that was on display in David's books, which humanized the characters in a way that the series itself - which never passed up a chance to be self-important and po-faced whenever possible, as if to reinforce the idea that this show was serious science fiction - could never quite manage. The me I was then thought that David "got" Trek on some level that others didn't, although, looking back, I recognize my own prejudices in that; David's Trek, in whatever incarnation he wrote it, in whatever medium, always felt to be primarily influenced by the dynamic of the original series: a belief that the science fiction and social commentary being offered should always be balanced with lighter moments and some kind of reminder that these people were friends as well as colleagues, and I found myself appreciating that a lot at the time. Hence my excitement for the New Frontier books when they were announced. Finally, I thought, Peter David Trek unbound!*
And for, what, maybe just over two thirds of the series, it completely lived up to my expectations. The books were as funny as I wanted them to be, and as… "thrilling" feels curiously old-fashioned a term, but one that still feels appropriate. From House of Cards through Stone and Anvil, there's a really enjoyable, very throwaway pulpy feel to the series; each novel was a self-aware (but not overly-so, with the exception of David's tendency to always go one pun or joke too far at one point each novel) smart-enough read that was completely entertaining, but not too troubling, if that makes sense. You could read and enjoy them for what they were, but also put them down and walk away without too many questions weighing on your mind afterwards. Perfect popcorn literature, if you will.
Then, something happened. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's what happened to David on X-Factor, too, as well as his Hulk run way back when. It's as if he gets bored of his own formula, or decides that it's time that he took the whole thing more seriously, and suddenly there's a tonal shift and - for New Frontier, at least - a time jump, and the series is noticeably not what it was before. For New Frontier, it was the beginning of the end. As the novels became more irregular - and the scale of each one grew, as if David felt the compulsion to make the stories "count" more - everything falls out of balance, somehow, and the books became less fun to read: Characters died, went insane and had to be dealt with. Everything became less fun.
I'm kind of embarrassed to write that, to be honest; I feel as if I'm whining or something similar, complaining that I don't want to read something because it's not "fun." But… that was always the selling point for me on Peter David's Star Trek, and maybe even Star Trek in general. I want it to be enjoyable, I want it to be fun. I'm uncertain about whether there's enough heft to the concept/series in general for it to be "dark" or heavy in any real way, and just as I get bored of people trying to find "meaning" and "depth" in kids' comic characters that was never really supposed to be there because they don't want to deal with them any other way, attempts to turn Star Trek into something dark and troubled and full of grimacing just feel false and unnecessary to me. (Which means, yes, I'm desperately hoping that the new movie isn't going to be the dark thing that everyone keeps talking about. Please have a swerve in there, JJ!)
It sounds like damning with faint praise to say that the strength of Peter David's Trek - And, I'd argue, his writing in general - is the throwaway, pop quality of it, the "fun." It's not meant to be; I think it's far more difficult than it seems to get that kind of thing right, and far more valuable a skill to have than just being able to write sturm-und-drang all the time. Despite how New Frontier has ended up - and the series does appear to have ended, with the last book a couple of years old and nothing new on the horizon - David's Trek, when he's on, when he's firing on all cylinders, still feels like Star Trek at its best to me. But maybe I just like popcorn a little too much.
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Hero Initiative (Details in this post)! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 11: Favourite Peter David Star Trek Novels (Part 1)
We depart from comics for 90 minutes to talk about Peter David's Star Trek novels. Originally, Graeme McMillan and I were going to discuss why we take superhero comics so seriously, but the Hero Initiative raising money for David after he suffered a stroke was something I wanted to include. And both Graeme and I are fans of his Trek novels...
My favourite Peter David Star Trek novel is Q-Squared. I like it even more than the entire run of New Frontier (which I am woefully behind on...). Before they stopped making Next Generation movies, I always wondered why they didn't simply adapt Q-Squared. It's got the series' first villain (Q), alternate timelines, Jack Crusher, ties to the original series, a story that's big as big gets, and it ends with a solution to the "Data problem" (how to get around Brent Spiner aging and makeup not covering that as well anymore). It seemed like the perfect Star Trek: The Next Generation movie.
For those unaware, Q-Squared is based around the idea that Trelane (a one-episode bad guy from the original series) is actually a Q -- and the Q we know is his godfather. He begins messing around with alternate realities, going to the lone alternate reality where Jack Crusher did not die (Wesley died instead) and begins manipulating things to the point where realities begin crashing into each other, things get mixed up, and the whole thing ends with him and Picard fencing (with Q as Picard epee!). There are three realities shown: the regular one, the 'at war with the Klingons' one from Yesterday's Enterprise, and the Jack Crusher one.
For a fan of alternate realities, this was right up my alley. The new reality that David creates is really engaging with the twists he has on characters. My favourite is that Data is a human with a positronic brain (and he's involved in a secret affair with Tasha Yar). At the end of the novel, he's left stranded in another reality and that always seemed like a way to get around Brent Spiner's makeup issues: simply switch our Data for that one. Boom. Done. Problem solved, make more movies. Beyond that, the story is just entertaining as hell. The Jack/Beverly/Jean-Luc love triangle in that reality is engaging and another way of 'having your cake and eating it too' that David engages in.
David (co-)wrote two other Q novels that I really liked. One was Q-in-Law where he brings together Q and Lwaxana Troi... I can't remember the 'main plot' of that one. Just that you don't need a main plot when you're bringing together two characters like that. Of course, they become romantically involved! Of course, Q gives her Q powers! Of course, she kicks his ass! Awesome.
The other is I, Q, which he co-wrote with John de Lancie, the actor who plays Q. It's an unusual novel (unusual for Star Trek novels, because it's written in the first-person) and one of the few audiobooks I really enjoyed, because de Lancie does that, too. Plus, it's got Data and Picard fishing.
What always impresses me about David's prose is how light and engaging it is. He keeps it very simple and lively. He can do big time drama and mix it with moments of very funny humour with seeming ease. Beyond these books, his Star Trek novels were always my favourite. Hell, they may be my favourite Star Trek stuff period.
I need to reread these books, I think. It's been too long...
In 30 minutes, Graeme McMillan shares his views on the subject.
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Hero Initiative (Details in this post)! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
My favourite Peter David Star Trek novel is Q-Squared. I like it even more than the entire run of New Frontier (which I am woefully behind on...). Before they stopped making Next Generation movies, I always wondered why they didn't simply adapt Q-Squared. It's got the series' first villain (Q), alternate timelines, Jack Crusher, ties to the original series, a story that's big as big gets, and it ends with a solution to the "Data problem" (how to get around Brent Spiner aging and makeup not covering that as well anymore). It seemed like the perfect Star Trek: The Next Generation movie.
For those unaware, Q-Squared is based around the idea that Trelane (a one-episode bad guy from the original series) is actually a Q -- and the Q we know is his godfather. He begins messing around with alternate realities, going to the lone alternate reality where Jack Crusher did not die (Wesley died instead) and begins manipulating things to the point where realities begin crashing into each other, things get mixed up, and the whole thing ends with him and Picard fencing (with Q as Picard epee!). There are three realities shown: the regular one, the 'at war with the Klingons' one from Yesterday's Enterprise, and the Jack Crusher one.
For a fan of alternate realities, this was right up my alley. The new reality that David creates is really engaging with the twists he has on characters. My favourite is that Data is a human with a positronic brain (and he's involved in a secret affair with Tasha Yar). At the end of the novel, he's left stranded in another reality and that always seemed like a way to get around Brent Spiner's makeup issues: simply switch our Data for that one. Boom. Done. Problem solved, make more movies. Beyond that, the story is just entertaining as hell. The Jack/Beverly/Jean-Luc love triangle in that reality is engaging and another way of 'having your cake and eating it too' that David engages in.
David (co-)wrote two other Q novels that I really liked. One was Q-in-Law where he brings together Q and Lwaxana Troi... I can't remember the 'main plot' of that one. Just that you don't need a main plot when you're bringing together two characters like that. Of course, they become romantically involved! Of course, Q gives her Q powers! Of course, she kicks his ass! Awesome.
The other is I, Q, which he co-wrote with John de Lancie, the actor who plays Q. It's an unusual novel (unusual for Star Trek novels, because it's written in the first-person) and one of the few audiobooks I really enjoyed, because de Lancie does that, too. Plus, it's got Data and Picard fishing.
What always impresses me about David's prose is how light and engaging it is. He keeps it very simple and lively. He can do big time drama and mix it with moments of very funny humour with seeming ease. Beyond these books, his Star Trek novels were always my favourite. Hell, they may be my favourite Star Trek stuff period.
I need to reread these books, I think. It's been too long...
In 30 minutes, Graeme McMillan shares his views on the subject.
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Hero Initiative (Details in this post)! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
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