Post by Lynx on Apr 22, 2007 4:43:08 GMT -5
Homecoming and The Farther Shore-a critical review
I read "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" when they were published some years ago but I must admit that they gave me mixed emotions.
Let's take the good things first: The books are very well-written. Christie Golden is an good author and she clearly have an affection and understanding for the Voyager characters.
It was nice to read about how the old favorites finally arrived home and were received. There were also some things in the story that could develop into some interesting future plots, like Montgomery's scemes.
That was the good side, now here comes the bad side:
Kes is missing! There! I've said it! I don't think that I will ever appreciate or like a Voyager book where The Golden Lady Of Voyager isn't present.
The Borg plague was utterly silly. It reminded me of a Monty Python sketch.
I do hope that this Phytonesque attempt to conquer the Earth will be the last we will see of The Borg, at least for the coming ten years. They were great back in the early TNG days but now they are only silly.
But my main impression of "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" are more like.......well, this is going to be one of my usual parables but this will explain my feelings about "Homecoming", "The Farther Shore" and the Relaunch:
A relative of mine is an ardent fan of a certain rock band which had some international success in the end of the 60:s and beginning of the 70:s. My relative is a collector of things related to the band, albums, bootlegs from different concerts, videos, posters, books. But he steadily refuses to buy any of the solo albums the leading band members have done in recent years because he finds their current music lightweighted, adapted and too far away from the magic that the band members created together back in the good, old days. The magic isn't there anymore.
I get a similar feeling when I read "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" . As I've said before, they are well-written and there will probably be some interesting things in future Voyager stories but it will never be the same as when they were together in the Delta Quadrant, alone, facing unknown dangers and wonder if they ever would return to Earth. The magic just isn't there anymore!
I do find it hard to see how it will be possible to come up with good stories about the crewmembers when Janeway has been promoted to a desk-clerk, when Paris and Torres have been ruined as great action characters by becoming "Married With Children", when Tuvok is a teacher, when The Doctor has been reduced to Barclay's house pet and when Kes and Neelix are missing. I'm afraid that the "relaunch" in the long run will be focused on one or two characters while the others will be shoved in the background.
I have all the Voyager seasons 1-3 on DVD, I have the episodes taped up to "Worst Case Scenario", I have all the books up to "Pathways" and I still get a kick from reading and watching some old episodes. I have re-read books like "The Black Shore", "Marooned" and "Caretaker" from time to time but I'm not sure if I will re-read "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" in the coming future.
I will stick around and read some of the upcoming books to see if the "relaunch" will turn into something better than expected but I'm afraid that I will continue to lose interest in the future events of my old favorites if not something happens that will give me the interest back again.
I read "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" when they were published some years ago but I must admit that they gave me mixed emotions.
Let's take the good things first: The books are very well-written. Christie Golden is an good author and she clearly have an affection and understanding for the Voyager characters.
It was nice to read about how the old favorites finally arrived home and were received. There were also some things in the story that could develop into some interesting future plots, like Montgomery's scemes.
That was the good side, now here comes the bad side:
Kes is missing! There! I've said it! I don't think that I will ever appreciate or like a Voyager book where The Golden Lady Of Voyager isn't present.
The Borg plague was utterly silly. It reminded me of a Monty Python sketch.
I do hope that this Phytonesque attempt to conquer the Earth will be the last we will see of The Borg, at least for the coming ten years. They were great back in the early TNG days but now they are only silly.
But my main impression of "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" are more like.......well, this is going to be one of my usual parables but this will explain my feelings about "Homecoming", "The Farther Shore" and the Relaunch:
A relative of mine is an ardent fan of a certain rock band which had some international success in the end of the 60:s and beginning of the 70:s. My relative is a collector of things related to the band, albums, bootlegs from different concerts, videos, posters, books. But he steadily refuses to buy any of the solo albums the leading band members have done in recent years because he finds their current music lightweighted, adapted and too far away from the magic that the band members created together back in the good, old days. The magic isn't there anymore.
I get a similar feeling when I read "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" . As I've said before, they are well-written and there will probably be some interesting things in future Voyager stories but it will never be the same as when they were together in the Delta Quadrant, alone, facing unknown dangers and wonder if they ever would return to Earth. The magic just isn't there anymore!
I do find it hard to see how it will be possible to come up with good stories about the crewmembers when Janeway has been promoted to a desk-clerk, when Paris and Torres have been ruined as great action characters by becoming "Married With Children", when Tuvok is a teacher, when The Doctor has been reduced to Barclay's house pet and when Kes and Neelix are missing. I'm afraid that the "relaunch" in the long run will be focused on one or two characters while the others will be shoved in the background.
I have all the Voyager seasons 1-3 on DVD, I have the episodes taped up to "Worst Case Scenario", I have all the books up to "Pathways" and I still get a kick from reading and watching some old episodes. I have re-read books like "The Black Shore", "Marooned" and "Caretaker" from time to time but I'm not sure if I will re-read "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" in the coming future.
I will stick around and read some of the upcoming books to see if the "relaunch" will turn into something better than expected but I'm afraid that I will continue to lose interest in the future events of my old favorites if not something happens that will give me the interest back again.
As crazy as these two books sound described by y'all, I have to admit they've been sitting on my bookshelf for a loooong time, unread. I'm off to read them now, just so I can know what y'all are talking about!
