Shatner Writing "Academy" books!
By DarlingGirl
@DarlingGirl (745)
United States
April 27, 2007 12:47am CST
OKkkkay, I flipped through my issue of "Best of Times", (the William Shatner Fan club newsletter) and found a story on the last page that announced that he's been working with two other authors on a series of "Academy" books, to feature young Kirk and Spock before they join and possibly during their academy days. The first of the books is to center around young Kirk, who has run away from home (presumably still affected and upset by the Kodos massacre on Deneb 5)to his brother Sam's (George Samuel Kirk's) house, only to discover that Sam is involved with some covert ops on a far away planet. Cut to Spock, who is hot on the trail of figuring out that his father (Ambassador Sarek) is involved in some deep hush hush ops on Earth. Continue to the eventuality - Kirk and Spock meet and work together to solve the mystery, which will of course link them together in the years to come.
Ugghh! I don't know what to say - I love Bill, but this seems to be taking advantage of all the Trek fans who sorely would like a new "Academy" movie to come out (as discussed by Paramount and still in negotiations). So he's going to rake in a few more hundred thousand dollars on these books, and I for one will probably buy them out of curiosity. I just want to cram my fist into my mouth, though, when I realise that I could have begun writing a non-canonical book along similar plot-lines over a year ago. Not that I'd be taken for real in a publisher's office- they'd want a tried and true writer to do it, and tacking William Shatner's name on it would no doubt bring in more readers.
Ah well, now we get to wait - the first book is due out in September, if I remember correctly.
So what do you have to say about this? Are you happy, reluctant, or angry over it? Will you buy them?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@Wanderlaugh (1622)
• Australia
28 Apr 07
These prequels are becoming monotonous. "Enterprise" was supposed to be a prequel, fortunately they managed to turn it into something decent.
Shatner has been involved in some other ST books, and they were OK. There's not really a lot wrong with the Academy idea, although I think trying to tie it on to existing characters is a bit limiting in some ways. "To boldly go where everybody else has already been" isn't my preferred view of ST.
I'm a Spock fan, part of the Vulcan audience. Really, I think they could go nuts and put together story lines which open up the Vulcan side of the equation more, like Diane Duane's books, and flesh out the history and culture. Kirk and Spock didn't just happen. They were products of their point in history, too.
ST has always been best served by good ideas, the real SF characteristics. I think Roddenberry's original concept was the best possible vehicle for exploring new ideas, aka new worlds, and that's where all this scripted stuff derails. The original series was to some extent written by the best SF authors around at the time, and just sticking to character development hasn't been such a great shot since.
If Academy is going to be Kiddies Hour at ST, get some real kids to have a look at it, before adding more soap to something that doesn't need it. I can see Academy-TNG in the wings, followed by...
You're a writer, so am I. My view is that no set of characters, however talented, can be expected to work well with nothing but two dimensional story lines, particularly tacked on to a predetermined future continuity, as in this case. ST started as a very 3D idea, and to me it's getting channeled. "The Boldly And The Beautiful" is just a step away at this rate.
@DarlingGirl (745)
• United States
28 Apr 07
What a wonderful response you've written, Wanderlaugh!
Thank you very much!
I'm what you might call a Kirk/Spock fan. No, not slash!
Never slash. I live for those tiny little two minute private conversations between Kirk and Spock - the ones where they examine themselves and do a little bouncing off one-another.
I'm virtually addicted to them.
Oh, yes...By now you've picked me apart. Yes, I was a Spock fan from the very beginning. I later turned to Kirk/Spock after realising that Spock needed a sidekick to fully express himself.
Not that Spock isn't a great character in himself! Oh, I could go on and on about him. I just couldn't live with the lack of info (that has since been remedied by some wonderful authors!) at that time, and had to turn Kirk/Spock to fulfill my character-building lust.
Again, so glad that you responded to this discussion!
See you 'round the site. :)
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
27 Apr 07
I doubt I'll buy them but I might read them. Might be intersting to see how they do it. I am worried they might do something that isn't correct with the time line that was set in Star Trek but that is about it. I think though with Shatner being a part of it they will make sure not to mess that up. I wonder how far they would take them. There has been a lot hinted at about prior to Enterprise days but nothing really much stated from the series. Just bits and pieaces. Filling in the holes would be good.
@Adrenochrome (1653)
•
2 May 07
I shouldn't really regard myself as a Trekkie, because I enjoy the repeats for their comedy value, rather than their influence on tv sci-fi, which was immense. I am, though, very fond of William Shatner. He has managed to carve a niche for himself in a variety of the arts, whilst actually seeming to have no genuine talent, just a wonderful belief in himself, and an ability to 'large it up'. His 'no more than 3 words at a time, then breath' delivery of scripts is unique. His tearful empassioned wailing over music, is reminiscent of a Beatnik being tortured in the Bastille. And his loss of wives reminds me of Henry VIII.
Recently, in the UK, we saw a programme where he had gone to some MidWest town, and conned them into being a party to a show, which was not really beingmade. This was a wonderful example of Will being able to take the mickey out of himself, as well as others, and was very enjoyable.
I doubt I would buy these books, but am probably not the target audience. I just had to say how much fun William has brought to my life. May he roll on forever.
(Have you heard his version of Pulps 'Disco 2000'? Pure gold!)
