New Books- Avatar

[Cmdr Powers]

Most Star Trek novels are crap.

Avatar is not. I finished both volumes of Avatar just in time to download and read the Dominion War Sourcebook and I highly recommend both of them to you all. Avatar picks up the DS9 story shortly after the end of the war and gives you plenty of fine detail about the lives of our folks on the frontier. A bit of lagniappe comes with the inclusion of the USS Enterprise-E and her crew as part of the story.

Without spoiling the story, the main question is if the Dominion War is really over and can the Alpha Quadrant stand any more war. After reading the Dominion War Sourcebook, I have to say I hope to God not!

Another major element is DS9's new science officer- an Andorian 'male' (I think) named Shar. The Andorians of Avatar seem to be somewhat different from those we see in Among the Clans, but since the Andorians were never nailed down anywhere officially, it's anyone's game.

Read them and the DWS. I think you'll enjoy them.


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"The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank" -Montgomery Scott

[Eric R.]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cmdr Powers:


Another major element is DS9's new science officer- an Andorian 'male' (I think) named Shar.

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I hope to god not! Or else I am totally misreading that picture in the new June issue of Star trek magazine. I believe that Thirishar ch'Thane or Shar is female.



[This message has been edited by Eric R. (edited 05-08-2001).]

[AslanC]

There is a sort of hermaphroditic implication by the writers on some webpage or another, the link is floating around.

How much detail do they go into about Andorians in this book?

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Aslan Collas
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Star Trek:Strange New Worlds;
http://www.geocities.com/aslan_collas/
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Ferengi Rule Of Acquisition #76: Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.

[Cmdr Powers]

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There's not a lot of detail about Shar in the two books. Essentially- Andorians have 4 sexes. Shar is not necessarily male, but the books refer to him as male mostly, though it is implied that this isn't necessarily so. Shar's 'mother' is the Andorian representative to the Federation Council- something he would rather everyone didn't know. It is also implied (and stated) that Andorians and Bolians find DS9 to be quite cold and damp compared to their homeworlds. Throughout the books, Shar is quiet and unassuming- except when a communique from his mother angers him enough to do damage in his quarters. Shar appears to be developing affection for a couple of his fellow crew- and won't they be surprised?

See? I tried not to reveal much, while letting you know a little bit.

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"The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank" -Montgomery Scott

[This message has been edited by Cmdr Powers (edited 05-08-2001).]

[Cmdr Powers]

A further note:

You know, its interesting that so many important people find their way to DS9.

Let see: Worf is the Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire and Alexander is his son. Rom is the Grand Nagus and Nog is his son. Jake is the son of the Bajoran's beloved Emissary. Shar is the son/daughter of the Andorian representative to the UFP council. They ought to form a rat pack! Alexander, Nog, Jake, and Shar.

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"The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank" -Montgomery Scott

[Don Mappin]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cmdr Powers:
Shar appears to be developing affection for a couple of his fellow crew- and won't they be surprised?</font>

Sounds like another Peter David author: Star Trek turns into “Sex Trek” torrid affair. (Wouldn’t happen to be written by Peter David, would it?)

At first I thought “Imzadi” and “Imzadi II” were cool for developing the Troi/Riker relationship further, then as I read more of his novels (including the absolutely stinking festering pile that is “New Frontier”) I realized he just needs to get laid.



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Don
trekrpg@trekrpg.net

[AslanC]

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Arrrggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate that...4 Sexes...how the hell can you have four sexes? I mean you can, but then the traditional defination of Male and Female become harder to apply! Grrr... science fiction writers who forget the who science part of it... makes me wanna... grumble... bell tower... grumble... mumble...

I turn now to my friend who was a biochemistry major...perhaps he can help. Science Lad what do you think?

Science Lad says...

Make imprinting and order important in sex determination.

XX is female, YY is male, XY is something, YX is something (the idea being whether you got your X chromosome from the father or mother matters.)

Then XX having kids with YY produces all XY
XX with XY can produce XX or XY
XX with YX can produce XX or XY
YY with YX can produce YY or YX, etc.

It means that male and female as we refer to it gets pretty f*cked.

The other way would be to go the insect route and make them X, Y, and O (a sort of neutral, inactive one). You get XO, XX, XY, YO

XY male, XX female, XO a special kind of female, YO a special male.

You make it that only XY males are fertile, and either of the females can bear young, and then you get all 4 genders possible.

Actually, the other way to do the last one is to make YO males also fertile, but make OO babies non-viable. You still only get 4.

(or, OO babies are really rare and either considered disgraceful or lucky.)

Thank you Science Lad...you may return to your work with the Science Police.

Well this hopefully clears this 4 gender mess up a bit more.

So what would they be called the XO/YO babies...and in the rare cases the OO babies? Male and female apply, but the new genders need names...

Any ideas?

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Aslan Collas
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Star Trek:Strange New Worlds;
http://www.geocities.com/aslan_collas/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ferengi Rule Of Acquisition #76: Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.

[This message has been edited by AslanC (edited 05-08-2001).]

[qerlin]

Goin' with you on this one, Aslan. Dumb.

[First of Two]

But doesn't that only apply if you need only two chromosomes for a gender? Aren't we being earthlife-centric?

What if aliens need 4 chromosomes, XYOA?

[AslanC]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by First of Two:
But doesn't that only apply if you need only two chromosomes for a gender? Aren't we being earthlife-centric?

What if aliens need 4 chromosomes, XYOA?</font>

Well I convinced Science Boy to sign up on the discussion boards, so I will let him handle that one

As yes Qerlin, it is very dumb, but wen they give you eggs...make omlets Juicy XYO Omelletes




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Aslan Collas
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Star Trek:Strange New Worlds;
http://www.geocities.com/aslan_collas/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ferengi Rule Of Acquisition #76: Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.

[Dan Stack]

I generally avoid Star Trek novels - I like it on the screen, but the books I usually find lacking...

However, I've started reading Avatar, based mainly off of my love of DS9 - quite good so far, though I'm only halfway through book one (it is admittedly a fast read). The author seems to have captured that certain "feel" of Deep Space Nine - you could almost see the scenes on your television.

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U.S.S. Icarus

[Erik Filean]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Eric R.:
I hope to god not! Or else I am totally misreading that picture in the new June issue of Star trek magazine. I believe that Thirishar ch'Thane or Shar is female.

[This message has been edited by Eric R. (edited 05-08-2001).]</font>

Shar is referred to as "he" throughout the books.

However, the "DS9 Novel Andorians" are also described as having four distinct sexes, and there is a point where Bashir corrects himself on thinking of Shar as strictly "male."

[Erik Filean]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Don:
Sounds like another Peter David author: Star Trek turns into “Sex Trek” torrid affair. (Wouldn’t happen to be written by Peter David, would it?)

At first I thought “Imzadi” and “Imzadi II” were cool for developing the Troi/Riker relationship further, then as I read more of his novels (including the absolutely stinking festering pile that is “New Frontier”) I realized he just needs to get laid.

</font>

Nope, no Peter David. And thank God for that, too.

Frankly, I got no particularly sexual impressions from any of Shar's interactions with others. He's presented as curious about others and as generally good-natured; that's about all I saw in it.

I was actually rather pleased with these books: there is a strong character development element that Trek novels usually aren't permitted to emphasize, and I found the "old friends" pretty well presented and the new characters interesting. A big shock next to the run-of-the-mill. Of course, whether another author can manage the same is another question entirely.

[Cmdr Powers]

Well, the two books do not go specifically into any detail concerning Andorian biology, but the four 'sexes' might be referring to the four persons that are normally required for an Andorian marriage- as described in Among the Clans. However, there is an undercurrent in the novels that people are assuming Shar to be male and that they might not necessarily be right.

My guess (and it is just a guess) is that Shar is at a juncture in his life where he will decide what sex he will be. There are plenty of precedents for this in terrestrial biology, specifically among certain fish and lizards that adapt their gender to meet the spawning needs of the group they are in (biochemically stimulated to be sure). Maybe the Andorians have a bit more control over this effect. But, I'm just speculating here.

The author is S.D. Perry. The same lady who wrote one of the better Predator/Alien books and some other adaptations.

I don't know who will write the next volume, but I'm hoping that they can keep up the current standard of writing. Its too bad there won't be a DS9 movie or further series, because this new group of characters and character interactions would sure make it interesting. Of course, that doesn't mean we can't use these folks in one of our games...

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"The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank" -Montgomery Scott

[Greg Smith]

SD Perry wrote the excellent Resident Evil novels. She gets my vote as best novelisation writer since Alan Dean Foster. I'm going to Buy the Avatar books on the strength of that alone.

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Greg

"Calm may work for Locutus of Borg here, but I'm freaked and intend to stay that way."
Xander, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Prophecy Girl.