Contents and Cover for Shards and Shadows?
- Thread starter Kopernikus
- Start date
EJA said:
Urge to kill...rising!
There's not trouble brewing in the industry, I hope.
That sounds like too many delays to be a coincidence. All those delays, and it's supposed to be something that "happens"?
No one said it was a "coincidence." That would imply that such things are rare, but a few instances (purportedly) just happened to coincide purely by chance.That sounds like too many delays to be a coincidence. All those delays, and it's supposed to be something that "happens"?
On the contrary, what KRAD is saying is that such things are quite common and perfectly normal in the publishing industry. And his examples bear that out.
You make it sound like the Star Trek publishing line is like All-Star Batman and Robin.That sounds like too many delays to be a coincidence. All those delays, and it's supposed to be something that "happens"?
Over the span of ten years, that list amounts to what? Maybe one book a year? But that doesn't even look at the reasons.
Some books, like Engines of Destiny, were never even placed on the schedule. Other books, like Forged in Fire were shunted aside when Pocket had other, more urgent projects for the authors to work on. Sometimes writers blow deadlines. Sometimes the cogs don't quite mesh.
But I wouldn't say there's an epidemic of delayed books. Delays happen in video games. Delays happen in movies. Delays happen in books. It happens.
Unity was delayed cuz SD Perry was having a kid.
Fearful Symmetry was/is delayed cuz they changed authors.
Kevin Ryan's Errand of... book's been delayed cuz his mom died.
one and three are real-life-shit-happens type scenarios that can't be avoided. well, getting pregnant can, but you know what i mean...
Fearful Symmetry was/is delayed cuz they changed authors.
Kevin Ryan's Errand of... book's been delayed cuz his mom died.
one and three are real-life-shit-happens type scenarios that can't be avoided. well, getting pregnant can, but you know what i mean...
Spoken like a man who's never changed a diaper...I know what you mean, but I'm not sure Mrs. Perry would call having a kid shit happens.
That sounds like too many delays to be a coincidence. All those delays, and it's supposed to be something that "happens"?
In the old days, not that long ago, fans never had access to a list of the next 18 months worth of releases, and two or three per month at that. The early novels were often eight months apart and no lists existed, even for the published ones! We never knew when books were late, or had switched places on the schedule to accomodate hundreds of variables. I used to snatch a quick look in "Locus" and "Space Age Books Catalogue" every issue, which often gave me a title and sometimes an author for an "upcoming" ST title, and hopefully the month in which to expect it to materialize.
But titles often changed, or were delayed and/or cancelled outright. ie. "The War Virus" by Irene Kress", "The Uhura Connection!", and "Mr. Spock's Guide to the Planet Vulcan" by Marshak & Culbreath (which was promoted as "coming soon" for both Bantam and then Pocket). My favourite surprise - that had to wait till the book finally came out - was the novelization of "TNG: Encounter at Farpoint" by Godonly Nose. The "Locus" editor must have been having a bad day...
That sounds like too many delays to be a coincidence. All those delays, and it's supposed to be something that "happens"?
Ever looked at my Lost Books page? Lots of books don't come out exactly as planned, for lots of different reasons. No conspiracy theories needed.
There's also the fact that every single time Pocket announces an upcoming schedule, it's explicitly stated that the schedule is tentative and subject to change. Everyone has always been told outright that release dates are not guaranteed, that any book could be rescheduled for any reason. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the occasional book does, in fact, get postponed.
Man, I'm itching for another return visit to the Mirror Universe. I liked nearly all of the last two MU books. (BTW, what are the best abbreviations to distinguish between the Mirror University and Myriad Universes?)
Speaking about books that were delayed, I had great hopes for "Dyson Sphere." It seemed like it was put off for a couple of years.
It's been a while, but I recall being disappointed at the end result.
ETA: Oh, it was also TNG's book #50. I was looking for something special for #50, especially because I enjoyed TOS #50 "Doctor's Orders."
Maybe that's why they got rid of the numbering system -- so we wouldn't get our hopes up for "milestone books."
Speaking about books that were delayed, I had great hopes for "Dyson Sphere." It seemed like it was put off for a couple of years.
It's been a while, but I recall being disappointed at the end result.
ETA: Oh, it was also TNG's book #50. I was looking for something special for #50, especially because I enjoyed TOS #50 "Doctor's Orders."
Maybe that's why they got rid of the numbering system -- so we wouldn't get our hopes up for "milestone books."
Last edited:
I've seen MyrU being tossed about on the board as shorthard for Myriad Universes.
I'm down with MyrU, which somehow seems cooler than the "MyU" that I was thinking about.
I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote "Mirror University" in my last post. Although a story set at the Mirror Starfleet Academy would be interesting (or else turn into Cruel Intentions: 2365). Go MU!
I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote "Mirror University" in my last post. Although a story set at the Mirror Starfleet Academy would be interesting (or else turn into Cruel Intentions: 2365). Go MU!
Last edited:
Similar threads
