Alas poor Warped! K.W. Jeter’s novel goes in for a lot of abuse within fandom–the story was inaccessible, the writing was bizarre, the take on the Star Trek universe was unbelievable, the book sold so poorly that Pocket wouldn’t think of doing another DS9 hardcover for a decade. I’ve heard all of these arguments, I’veContinue reading “Warped and Deep Space Nine Hardcovers”
Who!
My final three entries for this year’s Strange New Worlds contest went in the mail this morning. All of this year’s entries reflect a certain ethos, the “are you out of your frelling mind?!?” viewpoint. Why not? Life’s too short not to mess with other people’s sanity. And now, the important stuff. Doctor Who isContinue reading “Who!”
On Underworld
I went last night to see Underworld. I thought the film had a lot going for it, just off the premise. It’s the execution that needed some injection of life. The film’s direction is competent, but unexciting. One review said that Len Wiseman was trying to make his future fiancee look good, and there areContinue reading “On Underworld”
Return of the King: A Preview
Yesterday I got back from the company’s annual manager meeting/trade show. (I’ll tell the story of the trip back another time; needless to say, it wasn’t fun getting from Charlotte to Raleigh in the middle of a hurricane, and there are other managers who I know had a much worse time of it.) Well, EAContinue reading “Return of the King: A Preview”
The Lucas Law of Planetary Development
I know the Lucas Law of Planetary Development states that ice planets are only ice planets, jungle planets are only jungle planets, desert planets are only desert planets, and planetwide cities are big freaking cities, but the Lucas Law of Planetary Development forgets one very important fact. Earth isn’t one climate. And for the LucasContinue reading “The Lucas Law of Planetary Development”
Allyn's Crackpot Theory: The New Frontier Chronology
A slightly heretical thought here. Is “Double Time” even necessary in Star Trek: New Frontier continuity anymore? If you ignore the reference in Double or Nothing to the Dominion War being over, and treat that novel as following immediately on the heels of Once Burned‘s framing story, then New Frontier continuity lines up roughly whereContinue reading “Allyn's Crackpot Theory: The New Frontier Chronology”
Attack of the Clones and Star Trek: Nemesis
Here’s a question. Why aren’t Star Trek films an event the way summer and Christmas blockbusters are? Is it because they don’t get the coverage in the media–Premiere, Variety, Entertainment Weekly, and that ilk? Is it because a film about Jean-Luc Picard and his gang of goons is basically the same thing as the otherContinue reading “Attack of the Clones and Star Trek: Nemesis”
Half-way Through August
We’re halfway through August. How did that happen? Seems like just yesterday it was mid-May. Down here in North Carolina school has started back–none of that progressive after-Labor Day stuff like you find in the civilized portions of the world–and I think we’ve had rain every day since mid-March. It’s all really quite depressing. Well,Continue reading “Half-way Through August”
Valeyard of the Daleks
May 1997 saw the release of Virgin Publishing’s final Doctor Who novel — Lance Parkin’s eighth Doctor novel The Dying Days. Admittedly I don’t have much to go by way of comparison with the New Adventures as I’ve read only about a dozen or so of the sixty published, but it’s one of the bestContinue reading “Valeyard of the Daleks”
Allyn's Crackpot Theory: Docile Klingons
Time for a crackpot theory! In many ways, the Dominion War was a godsend for the Federation/Klingon alliance. The Klingons, steeped as they are in warrior nobility and all that rot, sent their finest warriors, the angriest, the ones with the greatest bloodlust, to the frontlines. And like the fields of Flanders, the battlefields ofContinue reading “Allyn's Crackpot Theory: Docile Klingons”