🚀 go-pugleaf

Baerbel Haddrell
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Dies ist die Besprechung von "Full Circle" von Kirsten Beyer. Das Buch 
ist ein neuer Versuch, die Serie Voyager weiterzufuehren. Es ist als 
Einsteigerbuch gedacht und der Anfang einer neuen Story. Das Buch baut 
aber auch auf fruehere Buecher auf.



S P O I L E R

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Voyager wasn`t very lucky in book form. Christie Golden`s Voyager 
Relaunch ended after four books although not because they were 
commercially unsuccessful. New plans needed to be made. During the 
writing of originally two Voyager books it was decided to combine both 
stories into one. On top of that editor Marco Palmieri lost his job and 
author Kirsten Beyer had to work with a different editor.

If you would call it a problem or an interesting challenge is open to 
debate but fact is that the author had to work with the fact that 
Admiral Janeway died in book form. She died in the TNG novel �Before 
Dishonor� by Peter David but I want to point out again that killing her 
was not his decision. As least at present day there are no plans to 
bring her back: Janeway`s death is supposed to be permanent with no 
resurrection story or other tricks in sight

My opinion is that you should not kill off �canon� main characters in 
book form but on the other hand I thought, better her than somebody 
else. I don`t like Janeway but I know that also this character has her 
fans and I feel bad for them. My favourite Star Trek character is 
Captain Calhoun of the New Frontier series and I know how I would feel 
if that character dies for good. I don`t like this decision at all and 
for some time I was tempted not to continue buying Voyager books.

One reason for this decision was that Janeway`s death supposedly opened 
the door to new story ideas. (Author`s quote from the Trek BBS: �You 
keep thinking that if we'd just thought harder about it, we would never 
have chosen to go down this road. But we weren't looking for reasons not 
to. The choice was made...we're going to allow a major character to die 
and we're going to deal with the reality of that death and we're going 
to move on from there. Say what you will about death and resurrection in 
Trek, this is one we haven't done before. And the editors felt the time 
had come to explore this story. There is simply no connection in time or 
reality between the throught process that resulted in Before Dishonor 
and the birth of Admiral Willem Batiste.�)

It certainly caused a lot of controversy and passionate discussions 
during which it was mentioned that killing off such a major main Star 
Trek character is making the books more realistic and thrilling for some 
fans. And there were arguments that it is much less attractive to write 
for Janeway the Admiral.

Voyager has been a most frustrating Star Trek series: There is so much 
potential in it and that also applies to the characters but 
unfortunately a lot was wasted and twisted in ways that spoiled what 
could have been a brilliant series. In spite of Voyager`s flaws, a lot 
of these characters are very interesting and in spite of my strong 
misgivings about Janeway`s death, I was curious what this Voyager 
relaunch of a relaunch will offer. What finally got me to buy the book 
are the positive comments I have read so far and the thoughtful and 
interesting interaction of Kirsten Beyer with her readers as well as 
people who decided not to try this new direction of Voyager because of 
Janeway`s death. I wanted to find out myself what I will think.

I read that the author thought very thoroughly about what elements 
Christie Golden introduced in her books. I must admit, I only remember 
two of these new characters: Counsellor Astall because she is most 
definitely the most annoying character I ever met in any form and the 
Trill, Dr. Kaz, the only one I actually liked and cared about. Me 
personally, I would have done it the other way round: Kill off Astall 
and send Kaz on an open ended leave of absence. I understand that 
especially now with Captain Dax being more prominent that another joined 
Trill might be limiting but I would have liked it to be able to meet him 
one day as a guest appearance. I certainly have no desire to ever meet 
or even hear from Astall again!

I think it is a shame that Kim and Libby separated. I know that I am in 
a minority here but I liked how Christie Golden handled that couple in 
her books. At least it was well written and they separated as friends. 
That is at least something.

I like Tuvok where he is: On the Titan where he has been allowed to 
develop into a very interesting complex character I enjoy reading about. 
I am glad that Kirsten Beyer did not mess with that and allowed Tuvok to 
be a guest character doing Janeway and the Paris family an important 
favour. What he did was thought provoking but not shocking to me. First 
of all, a large part of his action was self defense and at the end his 
mission was not just about saving a little girl but the future of the 
Klingon species could depend on the outcome. I liked that part very much.

The first part of the book deals with the Paris family and the Klingon 
prophecy concerning Miral. I think Cambridge, the new counsellor, nailed 
down precisely what the problem between Tom and B`Elanna is and I 
quickly warmed up to that character. His knowledge about Klingons and 
their history is impressive and I am looking forward to learn more about 
him. I have a weakness for smart rebels who keep testing the boundaries 
and found him to be very likeable.

It helps that I never developed much of a respect for Chakotay on TV. He 
quickly degenerated in my eyes to Janeway`s faithful yes-man and 
assistant, someone lacking the strong back bone that was needed to keep 
Janeway in line sometimes. Chakotay immediately dismissed Cambridge 
because of appearances and his outspoken manner without ever finding out 
about what he has to offer, what his strengths are. I am sure, Cambridge 
was testing his captain this way and in my opinion Chakotay failed 
miserably. I was left with the feeling Cambridge also wanted to find out 
if Chakotay is a captain he would feel comfortable working with and the 
answer is obvious. This was a classic personality clash and from early 
on I was curious if Cambridge will really leave the series pretty 
quickly. But I hoped at the same time that he will stay, that some kind 
of compromise will be possible between Chakotay and Cambridge.

For a long time I was torn: I could understand Chakotay to a certain 
degree but I often lost patience with him, thinking, come on � get your 
act together! It took time but I am pleased that he finally got up again 
after having fallen so badly. I am also glad that Chakotay and Cambridge 
came indeed to an understanding. He is the only new character I am very 
much looking forward to meet again.

I like it that Chakotay left Starfleet not because he is weak but from a 
perspective of strength. I think he took what Cambridge said to heart 
and wants to find his own path, moving out of the shadow of Voyager and 
Janeway. I am glad that he also did this so that he can help Seven who 
really needs a friend right now. I am looking forward to the next book 
that will develop their stories further.

I can`t say yet that I grew attached to any other new character in the 
new Voyager relaunch which are mainly Captain Eden and Admiral Batiste 
but that will hopefully change.

I very much liked B`Elanna in this book. She is still a hothead but I 
could see that she grew as a person. Tom, on the other hand, is a 
different matter and I very much agreed with Counsellor Cambrdige`s 
opinion. What B`Elanna did in order to protect her child was 
understandable and her emotional struggle was well written and touching. 
I am a mother myself and there is very little I wouldn`t do in order to 
protect my daughter from harm.

But in the second part of the book things changed and I found that very 
interesting. The worse Chakotay got, the more Tom Paris gained. I think 
he matured a lot in the second part of the book and it made a lot of 
sense to me.

After having finished the book my opinion still is that killing off 
Janeway was a mistake but I think killing off any Star Trek �canon� main 
character is a mistake. I am kind of lucky because I have never been a 
Janeway fan and have no emotional attachments to her character 
whatsoever. I would even go so far and admit that I don`t see her as a 
good role model for my young daughter. Other fans, of course, think 
differently and I can understand that very well.

At this moment in time I find Captain Eden completely uninteresting and 
bland. Janeway certainly had flaws but at least she was interesting. I 
still have to be convinced that Eden is indeed a good replacement for 
Janeway as the captain of the Voyager and probably the lead character of 
these new Voyager books in general.

Nevertheless, I liked the book and I am curious enough to read more.

Baerbel Haddrell