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As far as Chase’s thoughts go, it’s obvious that they’ve read [b]SM[/b] fairly closely and assembled some thoughts. I’m a bit under the weather at the moment otherwise I’d follow up those comments; maybe tomorrow.
I guess the thing is that we all have different ideas of how the series should have gone, and it really does become a matter of taste. It seems to me that Chase doesn’t like going outside the timeline which was explored on Moonbase Alpha, so would prefer stories set between Breakaway and The Dorcons? Am I right here? I sympathise because that would have been my own view a long time ago. Now I tend to think that there is a whole universe out there to be explored. But – others prefer a narrower and more defined timeline and that’s a valid point of view.
I’m not sure though that I’d just stop reading a book because one element of that book wasn’t in accordance with the direction in which I myself imagined (or wished) the series to go. But again, we’re all different.
As I said, I have one or two minor niggles with some of the stories but as I’m a bit unwell at the moment I’ll follow up here at another time.
One question, Chase – do you write any fan fiction (eg Space:1999) yourself?
– Simon
I am quite surprised that more people aren’t impressed by the ‘awesomeness’ of one of [b]Space:1999[/b]’s most revered writers (Chris Penfold) writing the foreword myself.
Ah well . Must be me.
– Simon
It always used to be the case (in the days before DVDs and video recorders etc) that people bought the novelisations as ‘reminders’ or ‘souvenirs’ of the episodes (no matter how far from the transmitted version novelisations sometimes can be). In a sense, now the episodes are easily available on DVD, there may be less call for novelisations.
Personally I see novelisations as an essential part of enjoying a particular series, regardless of whether I already have them on DVD or not. It’s just a matter of taste. If you like novels then buy them, and if you don’t – or think they’re superfluous – then don’t.
However, I don’t think Powys would really be best serving themselves (in a business sense) by revealing the ‘revised’ plot details from the Omnibus for people who choose not to buy it. And in any case, it’s tantamount to a pretty big ‘spoiler’, surely.
Just my opinion.
– Simon
[b]Papillon wrote:[/b]
[quote]The alien life force that was introduced in The Immunity Syndrome does not die. As a matter of fact, “SPOILER ALERT” it actually helps the Alphans in the end, once John, Helena, Maya, Alan, Alibe, and Jerry Travis find a way to establish contact and communication with it.This is one of my favorite episodes from the series. Definately well written, well directed, and well acted out by the cast and guest artists.
:)[/quote]
Really? My impression was that the life force [i]does[/i] actually die after it has established contact with the Alphans – simply because it cannot deal with the grief having found out it has been unwittingly responsible for death?
Agreed – I like the episode, which is far superior to [b]The Dorcons[/b] 😀
– Simon
I wouldn’t have thought anyone on the forum – or indeed anyone from Powys – would have any problem at all with constructive (spoiler free) criticism – I have one or two very minor niggles myself, but I suppose in a way if I revealed them at this stage some people might construe them as spoilers….. 😉
So post away. After all, it’s a learning curve for everyone…!
As far as Steve’s comments go, I hadn’t really noted any major grammatical faux pas – at least those that spoiled my enjoyment anyway! I’ve read worse in some other sci-fi novels, and even some of the (very few) [b]Doctor Who[/b] novels that I’ve read have occasionally contained some howlers 😀
– Simon
[b]admin wrote:[/b]
[quote]Check the Omega page for Ken Scott goodness.[/quote]I am on my sickbed at present, but this news did give me something of a lift 🙂
The cover is great – possibly Ken’s most ambitious yet – but there is more awesomeness if you look at the cover:
[b]Foreword by Christopher Penfold[/b] (!!!)
Maybe this had been announced elsewhere on this forum; if that’s the case, I can’t recall it. But then again, I [i]am[/i] on my sickbed….
This is great news.
– Simon
ps (And [b]Born for Adversity[/b] also arrived today…. 🙂 )
Yes, I personally don’t see any specific need for the Pocket Books (Futura Books here in the UK) to be part of the Powys timeline either.
I really enjoyed the original novels published back in the 70’s – mainly the two John Rankine ones (although I thought PHOENIX OF MEGARON was a lot weaker than ANDROID PLANET, which was my favourite). I think Rankine did quite well at capturing the characters, although they were a bit ‘Year 2-ish’ in their portrayal (before Year 2 had even aired!) – as indeed were the stories themselves.
I remember seeing EARTHFALL on the shelves and being shell-shocked at the release of a big meaty Space:1999 book that had a completely different design to the previous Futura Space:1999 novels. I bought it immediately. These days I find the book hard to get through – Tubb really only had time for Koenig, Bergman and Russell (plus Carter on the edges), and I was never fully convinced that his characterisations were really that spot on. That said, I am very pleased that Fanderson re-issued the book a few years back in a version that was of far superior quality, with all the spelling mistakes of the original corrected. I also welcomed their release of EARTHBOUND, although again I do have some quibbles about Tubb’s characterisations.
Saying all that, I really enjoyed his story in SHEPHERD MOON, whereas Brian Ball’s was a bit ‘blah’. I’ve read that one twice and still don’t really understand what the point of it all was. Perhaps it’s just me.
– Simon
[b]mateo wrote:[/b]
[quote]And thank you for that! I appreciate it!Mateo[/quote]
So do I.
Sorry about that Ultra – I was afraid you were going to spill the beans in your excitement (or that someone was going to ask you to…). Glad you didn’t (and that nobody did….)
😉
Well, I have been waiting for [b]Omega[/b] for a [i]long[/i] time……….. 😀
Not much longer now.
– Simon
[b]Ultra wrote:[/b]
[quote]errr, well myself, I couldn’t hold off and I read the foreword and some prologue on the preview pages now up at lulu.com….[/quote]
Well, keep it to yourself, eh?
I’m enjoying the book too, but I’m going rather more slowly. I’m just halfway through [i]Futility[/i], which is building into a splendid story. In fact, all the stories so far have made an impact on me – although I must say I felt the Brian Ball offering was a little weak; compared to the others, it didn’t really go anywhere.
I have some very minor nitpicking concerning continuity with the series in a couple of stories which I shall raise here eventually, but in no way has my enjoyment been impaired. This is a great book.
[b]Lonemagpie wrote:[/b]
[quote]From the quoted guidelines I think he’s referring to the annual Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies that Pocket ran for about ten or twelve years, from the mid-90s to the mid-noughties.[/quote]
Ah – I used to see them racked up on shelves in the Andromeda Bookshop and the like in Birmingham, but never really knew what they were, not being a huge Star Trek fan….
Perhaps you could elaborate on the publication that you were talking about – I thought you might be referring to the two [i]STAR TREK – The New Voyages[/i] books that were published years ago by Bantam (Corgi here in the UK) and edited by Marshak and Culbreath. But thinking about what they wrote in their intros to those books, I don’t think they specifically set guidelines as to what could and couldn’t be written about. So I assume you are referring to something else.
From the sort of restrictions and guidelines which you mentioned. they were trying to encourage fan fiction writers to submit stories (so they didn’t have to pay them maybe?) but trying to block out the sort of elements that fan fiction can sometimes feature – wish fulfilment, the author projecting themselves through ‘new’ characters which become the focus of stories, exaggerated romances and ‘relationship’ stories, and so on.
(I’m not suggesting that there isn’t also a lot of extremely well written and very intelligent fan fiction too, because there certainly is, and there certainly has been for [b]Space:1999[/b]…).
I don’t know how Powys would produce a book like that without imposing a whole set of similar conditions – and if they did, then what’s the point in writing something in the first place?
I certainly hope Powys publish another anthology along the lines of [b]Shepherd Moon[/b], but I’m not really in favour myself of the sort of book which I think you are talking about. There is a definite direction in which all the Powys Books are going in as far as I can see, there is a unified sense of purpose amongst the writers and editors, and yet within that, there is the opportunity for writers to come up with some new ideas, some of which I suspect are going to be quite radical (witness what William Latham has said in advance about [b]Omega[/b] here: http://www.williamlatham.net/diaryhome.html …)
There is [i]structure[/i] – or a strategy – to it all; which is different to saying [i]”Space:1999 fans! Send us your stories and as long as they’re written well enough and don’t come over as ‘fannish’, we’ll put them all in a book…”[/i]
I think there are other avenues for that sort of collection, and personally I don’t think it’s a road Powys should be taking.
Apologies if what I’m trying to say – which is of course my own personal opinion! – isn’t clear enough.
– Simon
Couldn’t agree more with the comment about Ken Scott’s covers. They are superb.
I particularly like the [b]Born for Adversity[/b] cover, and can’t wait to see what Ken comes up with for [b]Omega[/b].
The images are striking, yet uncluttered, colourful and yet not too garish. A real step forward for the book series in my opinion.
[b]Dexlabboy wrote:[/b]
[quote]I have noticed the shop is down. 🙁
When will this be corrected so that I may order?
Or is there any other place to make the order?Dex[/quote]
Click on “Space:1999 Books” on the sidebar to the left (maked ‘Main menu’)
Then click on Shepherd Moon. The ‘buy now’ button, which links to the Lulu website, is at the top of the page.
I just tried it now and it works fine.
The direct link to the page:
http://www.captphilonline.com/powys/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=59
Hope that helps
– Simon
