Over the summer we provided a preview of Pocket Books plans for Star Trek books in 2010, which included four books for Summer 2010 set in the alternative timeline of JJ Abrams Star Trek movie. We now have the first (brief) details on those four books, plus the announcement of a novel tied to the Star Trek Online game coming in early 2010.
The Summer of the JJ-verse
In our earlier preview (and at the Pocket Books announcement at the Shore Leave Convention) in July, we only knew there would be four books and only had titles and authors for three of them. Now Amazon is listing brief summaries for each, including a title and author for the fourth book. (click links to pre-order)
"Star Trek: Refugees
Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise must decide if a group of refugees are a menace or misunderstood.
"Star Trek: Seek a Newer World
Enterprise under attack escapes and discovers an entire civilization also hiding as is the ship. Kirk decides to find out what are they hiding from.
"Star Trek: More Beautiful Than Death
Kirk leads a mission to Akiron, a dilithium rich world. Aboard is Spock’s father, Ambassador Sarek, who is hoping to broker a Federation trade agreement.
"Star Trek: The Hazard of Concealing
When the elder Spock surfaces from the future, will he be able to escape a sinister plan wrought by the enemies of the Federation, or will their quest to exploit Spock’s knowledge succeed, with disastrous consequences?
These four books will be the first stories set in the new Star Trek universe, after the events of the 2009 Star Trek film. Although IDW have already done two comics tied to the film ("Countdown" and "Nero") and plan an adaptation, they have not yet announced any plans to do any ‘sequel’ comics. However, the Pocket Books Star Trek ‘sequels’ are being done under strict rules. These books will be stand-alone episode-like stories. The four books will not tie-in to each other and no changes will be made to the characters. There will also not be any ‘retconning’ to events during the film itself.
When more info (and covers) are available, TrekMovie will do another update on these first Star Trek alternative movie universe stories.
For Pocket books, the only title they have related to the movie so far is the adaptation, by Alan Dean Foster, available in multiple formats:
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Hardcover (Amazon) & Signed Hardcover (Premiere Collectibles)
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Audio book: Download: iTunes ($17.95) or Audible ($20.99)
New Star Trek Online book
There is also one additional book now being listed at Amazon. There isn’t any info beyond the title "Star Trek Online: The Needs of the Many
When more info on this book is available, we will provide an update.
Huh, am I really first? Well, maybe I’m the only one here besides you this early.
This sounds awesome. I can’t wait. I hope they show up at my library.
*sighs heavily*
Why do they have to bring back Spock? Can the not just leave him be in his own corner of this reality?
And to be honest, the other three books don’t really set my heart racing.
Ditto the ST: O novel.
It’s back to the old days of the TOS novel. Introduce new characters, give them arcs, kill ’em off, don’t touch the principals and let everything end up the way it started. Ironically, some of the best TOS classic novels were produced with similar restrictions.
I would like to see the completed compendiums of the existing series and a “final” Encyclopedia and Timeline for the ‘old’ timeline. Today, with the web, they may be redundant, but man, are they fun to read.
By any other name: Isn’t the novel “More Beautiful Than Death” basically TOS “Journey to Babel” and half as sweet?
Why retread in this vast new universe? I haven’t really read any Trek novels for eons, but I hope they continue the arc from the movie and develop the Kirk-Spock-McCoy relationship instead of taking it as a given. Kirk and Spock especially have a long way to go to become the characters we know and love from TOS.
Well, i only buy Star Trek books, so i guss i am not going to buy thouse Trek Wars books. Ive seen this caming, the real Star Trek books are going to be subtitude by this Trek Wars books… just to said that this year we only have one (1) TNG book.. yes, just ONE!
thebiggfrogg, the JJ Kirk and Spock are not the Spock and Kirk we knew!! They didnt save earth from the alien prob, they didnt kill the planet killer, and probably they never will. If you want to knew about OUR Kirk and Spock, i recomend you to buy the Star Trek DVDs, if you are a child and dont like the effect, there are a Remaster TOS that you can buy.
Face it, we knew all we have to knew about ours Kirk and Spock, the JJTrek thing are not our Kirk and Spock.
Well, whether Kirk and crew are there in the JJverse, the probe is coming. If Kirk isn’t there, Earth is screwed.
As for these novels, the only one that has any interest at all is the one that involves Spock Prime. Other than that, no interest.
I am looking forward to reading the upcoming novels featuring the new crew. I like the fact that these novels are stand-alones like the old TOS novelisations. I plan to pre-order them from Amazon.
It’ll be interesting to see how these novels turn out. It’s been a long time since we’ve had Trek novels that might be contradicted by the next bit of filmed Trek, so chances are there won’t be any significant character development or changes to what we know of the Abrams version of the Star Trek universe. I’m also curious about is how well the writers will be able to capture the feel of the new movie and the new cast, so the books don’t feel like they could as easily have been published with Shatner and Nimoy’s faces on the cover.
Meanwhile, there’ll be some interesting books for old school TOS fans, too, including a Saavik novel and one featuring Leila Kalomi and Carol Marcus.
#7 – Kirk & Co. Saved Earth from the probe in the “original timeline. The probe is still coming in the new timeline, but there’s nothing to say somebody else couldn’t stop it instead. There’s no need to retread that plot with the crew of the Enterprise — hell, the probe could have encountered the Nerada during the missing 25 years, and been destroyed as target practice.
To say “someone else could have done it” ignores the fact that on a planet where the HQ of the Federation is, and some of the most brilliant minds in the universe were, NO ONE figured it out.
Kirk and crew were not a dime a dozen crew like say, Archer’s or Janeway’s crew. They were the best and brightest. They were humanity at its finest. And they happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Many things will happen identical as in the prime universe. That doesn’t mean they need to do remakes of stories, but it doesn’t diminish the accomplishments of prime Kirk and crew either.
Ummm the probe, although still coming, may not even be relevant anymore; I read a recent report saying they might take humpback whales off the endangered species list… Which means they might still be around in the JJverse 23rd Century, which would make The Voyage Home unneccessary… The probe would come, talk to the whales, and leave…
I have read tons of Trek over the years, from the James Blish novels, to DC Comics, and now the current Typhon Pact TNG series. So, am I just being curmudgeonly when I think that I will be disappointed in Foster’s novelization? I haven’t read it yet, mainly because I have a sinking feeling I will be let down.
Will someone clue me in? Thanks.
But…hasn’t Kirk & Co. Prime already exist in the 80s from when they went back there to get the whales? Because that event already happened? But, now, theres no Kirk and Crew that go back….is there? So, what becomes of George and Gracie?
#2 *sighs heavily*
quote “Why do they have to bring back Spock? Can the not just leave him be in his own corner of this reality?
I don’t get this minority attitude about Spock Prime. Why wouldn’t you want Nimoy’s version of Spock involved? I want that version of Spock included as much as possible.
¿and who said that the Earth its going to be save from the probe? For all we knew, the Cadet Kirk screw it and started a war with the Romulans that destroy the earth long before the proble visit the planet.
JJ Kirk its not our Kirk, he does not have the expirience of Kirk, and he lives a complet diferent life from our Kirk. The only thing in comun its the genetics, and that dont make two ppl the same. Kirk Prime and JJ Kirk are not the same person.
And remember, Vulcan its gone, so IF history repeat and Spock get kill, he its just gone, there is no Seleya monastery to transfers his Katra, so Kirk and cia could not save earth from the probe.
Sorry for bad ealish, its not mi original lenguage.
Anthony,
Nice to see you adding so much more coverage to Trekmovie. You are providing an easily accessible source of good news and information.
Wishing you continued success and growth!
Ever think of carrying stories about Trek in nonUS countries and cultures? I think it would bring new readers. There are some serious Trekkers, in significant numbers, in Great Britain, Australia, Germany, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, and elsewhere around the globe.
Remember,nearly one-third of ST: XI movie box office gross was from nonUS fans!
Gary Evans
@ 15,
“Why wouldn’t you want Nimoy’s version of Spock involved? I want that version of Spock included as much as possible.”
Because we have had his story and his death and his rebirth and his story again. Whether or not you liked the new movie with the redone characters, it is time to tell their story, not Original Spock’s.
@ 13.
Yes it is some what of a let down due to it being based on the original script before the film edits. That being said, if you want to see what the movie would have been with the deleted scenes in it, the book is good.
#13 Foster’s novelizations of ST: The Animated Series were some of the best Trek books available in the early days. I’m going to pick up his novelization of the movie eventually. I still have a stack of books acquired over the last few years that I have yet to finish though.
15. VOODOO
Yeah, books are the obvious place to continue his adventures. I still reckon Spock Prime will have to disclose what he knows to somebody. I mean, if there was a way to stop Vejur early and save the staff on Epsilon and the Klingon ships, save the crews of the Constellation and the Exeter, quell the Whalesong Probe and prevent Khan running riot, who wouldn’t give that information over? Also, the Hobus Star would need urgent study!
3. AJ: ‘It’s back to the old days of the TOS novel. Introduce new characters, give them arcs, kill ‘em off, don’t touch the principals and let everything end up the way it started.’
Kind of looking forward to that! I can’t keep up with all these modern series of books that cross over the generations! For a start, they have to assume that people care about all of the generations equally. In my case, I’m only really bothered with the new and original Kirks, Spocks and McCoys!
Hopefully, the JJ-verse will collapse upon it’s self and his whole “alternare universe” will cease to exist!
That’s the BEST thing that could happen to this upside down, retarded kiddie crap-fest!
“alternate.”
#21, yes, thats all i hope..
21. Just curious… How would you have felt if Star Trek 2009 had just not explained the differences? Not spent a second explaining the different look of the ship or the sets, or the cast? Pretended that’s the way it always was?
14–If Kirk and crew’s history is altered to the point where it doesn’t travel back to the 1980s and grab George and Gracie, then how could they be in the 1980s? Ultimately, if Post-Nero Kirk and crew don’t make that trip when the probe comes, George and Gracie will be hunted by whale hunters, and will die before Kirk and crew save them. Earth will be doomed.
OR, events somehow lead post-Nero Kirk to the same place and they take care of it.
Hey–if Vulcan could be destroyed, so could Earth.
Either way, in the 1980s, Kirk Prime isn’t there.
#21, 23: your positveness (if there is such a word) is overwhelming.
May the alternate stories begin !
Maybe a alternate TNG set of stores, set after 150 years after the JJ TOS ?
26. I believe the word you’re looking for is optimism or positivity.
#26 I believe a better phrase would be, “Your open-mindedness and willingness to accept new ideas is overwhelming.”
#25
Who says the Probe will even make it to Earth in the new timeline? Maybe the Federation will clone humpback whales with some of that advanced tech they gleaned from those scans of Nero’s ship. It’s completely up in the air. But I’d just as soon they not revisit old stories, unless they find a new and interesting way to spin it.
The only way we’ll know this is set in the JJ-verse is if the author also writes about the lens flares in every paragraph.
well at least the prime universe novels will still be continuing along side these new universe ones.
In these new universe the one thing I think should be dealt with would be jealousy amongst Starfleet officers who are probabley angry at how unrealisticly Kirk was promoted from Cadet to Captain. To me it makes sense to explore this in the new universe.
But I am happy that both universes will continue in novel form
I don’t understand the bitterness some people have for this new alternate version of Star Trek created by J.J. Abrams. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. You can continue to enjoy your TOS movies and DVDs and pretend it never happened. It seems rather petty to hope that future stories and movies set in this alternate setting fail just because you dislike it.
I enjoyed the movie a lot, but I’m not really a fan of the Star Trek novels in general. I’ll probably check out the one about Spock Prime though, since I’d love to read about what happens to him as it’s doubtful the next movie will give us closure about that. I’m also eager to learn about how Vulcans settle on the new colony and rebuild their culture, and I hope some books will touch on that too.
sounds good
I’ve been reading a lot of the Post-NEM books, which are absolutely phenomenal. For once, Trek actually has a grande story arc. Everything flows seamlessly from one book into the next. And now to have another group of stories that are going to be stand-alone episodes is somewhat irritating. No plot development, no character development, and no interaction with other books is something of a kick in the groin to the canon of the books.
But somehow, I think I’ll enjoy them all the same.
That’s great. Loved the new movie. Now I can get more stories about them. Cool.
I’m seeing a lot of venom for the Alternate Reality created by the movie.
Perhaps this venom would be better targetted at a franchise yo actually want, rather than complaining about the one you obviously don’t.
the two univeres are co existing in novel form right?
If you don’t like the alternate universe then there will still be prime universe novels
The blurb for “The Hazards of Concealing” is kind of anti-climactic knowing that all characters return to status quo at the end. Of course the “enemies” won’t get anything out of Spock Prime because of the inherent plot constraints of the format.
I’m very interested in this new series.
It has a bunch of potential to succeed
where the other novels have (sadly)
failed.
30–While I agree that retelling old stories is not the best way to go, there is absolutely no evidence that the probe will be stopped now. Unlike things that affect one individual or even a group, there is nothing about the probe that could have been affected by Nero. Could it be encountered earlier? Maybe, but ultimately, the thing just shuts out federation technology anyway, and there wouldn’t be a thing to do to stop it.
Keep in mind that the probe is a good 25 years or so years away, so they don’t have to deal with it unless Chris Pine will play the role in his 50s.
As for the bitterness toward Abrams’ universe, while I don’t necessarily agree with it, I understand it. Despite comments to the contrary, there is no evidence IN CANON that the prime universe still exists. Abrams purposefully chose to NOT establish that the prime universe still exists, and instead, tried to use some off camera interview comments to placate the long time fans. Some buy that, but others don’t. After all, all previous treatments of time travel are clear that if you change history, you wipe out the timeline.
So prime universe novels don’t matter. Of course, at any time in a movie, Abrams can put some words into the characters’ mouths that DO establish the prime universe exists, but until that happens, there is no canon evidence that the prime universe wasn’t wiped out. Hence, you have bitterness.
#4 – “By any other name: Isn’t the novel “More Beautiful Than Death” basically TOS “Journey to Babel” and half as sweet?”
In a word, no. The actual plot of my novel More Beautiful Than Death (as opposed to Amazon’s pathetically uninformative blurb) bears no similarity to the TOS episode “Journey to Babel” beyond the presence of Ambassador Sarek.
#13, #19: While I loved the movie, Foster’s adaptation was, in my opinion, surprisingly poor. Plenty of other people disagree with me, though, so as always, your mileage may vary.
41 – Actually, the Laternate Reality is about as established as it possibly could be.
1. Spock talks about the fact that Nero has already changed the past, stating that future events can no longer be predicted by either party. Uhura: “An Alternate Reality.” Spock: “Precisely.”
2. Spock Prime tells Kirk about his father being present when he took command of the Enterprise, and being an influence for him joining Starfleet.
3. Since Spock Prime remembers a clearly different set of events, and that there is no reset or “Fix” for these events, it is clear that a Paradox has not destroyed existence, therefore leaving the Alternate Reality postulated by Spock and Uhura as the only logical explanation.
Therefore, the Alternate Reality is canon by the events depicted in the movie.
There may be nothing in the canon of the movie to say definitely that the prime universe exists, but I don’t see anything said in the movie that indicates it was wiped out entirely. If that is the source of the bitterness, that seems rather odd to me. If anything from a money stand point, they’ll keep both universes going so they can still write books and make video games (see the upcoming Star Trek Online MMO) set in Prime universe and the new alternate one.
Anthony,
This site appears to attract a lot of the bigger names in Star Trek.
Roberto Orci,
JJ Abrams,
James Cowley,
Chris Doohan,
many others.
and now David Mack?
Very, very cool of your guests and yourself.
Any news on continuing the Romulan War books?
@41 Mitch
You must be new here.
Actually it still exists.
https://trekmovie.com/2008/12/11/bob-orci-explains-how-the-new-star-trek-movie-fits-with-trek-canon-and-real-science/
Well, we can now clearly see the JJverse developing. But this is a version of Trek which I will thoroughly ignore, just like I did with seven seasons of Voyager, Nemesis, and ENT: These are the voyages
47–have you ever watched an episode or movie of Star Trek, where time travel is involved? That article you quoted is meaningless because first, Star Trek doesn’t work that way, and second, only what is shown on screen is canon.
Star Trek is not reality, and even so, given that no one has ever time travelled into the past and changed anything, thus creating a real new universe, trying to use so called real science to sidestep the destruction of the prime universe is very weak. It doesn’t matter anyway, because there was absolutely NO MENTION of these theories in the actual movie.
Moving to #43–no it wasn’t established in the movie. The line you mention about an alternate reality does not in any way, shape or form, show that the original reality still exists. In any time travel where the past is changed, there is an alternate reality. That was never the issue. The issue is that the alternate reality took the PLACE of the original one, which has not been contradicted in any way. As for Spock Prime’s ability to remember the original universe, that is to be expected, and does not contradict anything, as in pretty much every time travel case, the guy doing the time traveling remembers is unaffected.
At any point, the writers can re-establish the continuing existence of the prime universe. But an interview isn’t canon. Nothing in this movie definitively proves the prime universe is still kicking, and Trek science is not something they can change since they CHOSE to follow canon. They changed events, but that’s all.
Ultimately, if you want to understand bitterness behind the whole double universe issue, there it is. Those that will buy into anything they say will be happy, those that don’t will not.