The Letters to the Editor department is intended to be a forum for our readers to express their own opinions and ideas. While we appreciate the many complimentary letters we receive each day, you won't find them on this page. Instead, you will find letters that go beyond or even contradict what we have written, letters that offer a different perspective and provide a different view of science fiction. If you would like to submit a letter, please use our feedback form or send a message to scifiweekly@scifi.com.
-- Craig E. Engler, Editor
Star Wars Stories Don't Have To Be Mythic
've read through a fair share of Star Wars books (more than
necessary I think sometimes), but with the mass media it's something that's
going to happen. I too wish that someone had restrained Lucasfilm and the
publishers they work with from releasing the mediocre books that have been
released, but they're still part of the universe of Star Wars, and for some
writers it's more important and interesting to expand upon the universe
than continue playing with themes of mythology.
A writer's best works are the ones he truly cares about or
knows he/she has a large amount of responsibility to the fans to deliver
quality work and not just throw-away material, which is why the Timothy Zahn novels
continue to be the finest Star Wars novels published to this day. I've also
been told that the Terry Brooks' Episode I adaptation is quite nice.
Ilya Popov
wot@3dgaming.net
Star Wars Novels Make A Tasty Garnish
don't believe that Star Wars novels at all take away
from
the story. I think they add a considerable amount to them. It's like a
condiment: some people enjoy using them, others don't. You don't suffer by
not reading the books, but you just might enjoy the Star Wars universe
more.
I didn't enjoy Shadows of the Empire either, but it did add a bit more
flavor
to some Imperial lifestyle.
Now if only the people making the movies would read the books for some of
the
interesting ideas, we wouldn't have cheesy "There can be only one" plots
and
scientific explanations of the universe's grand mysteries.
Sarah Colgan
IdleSatire@aol.com
New Glass Score Adds Fat To Dracula
he newly scored version of Dracula falls greatly short of the mark. While the music of Philip
Glass is exceptionally beautiful, there is a reason Tod Browning, the director of this classic
horror film, limited the background music to the opening and closing credits. The lack of a score
throughout the movie creates an ethereal quality similar to our scariest nightmares. Dracula is,
after all, a frightening, evil being attempting to claim our immortal souls. What better way to
portray him than as a silent image from the darkest of nights?
There are also technical difficulties with the score itself. Miscues and inappropriate pacing are
common throughout this revised version of the film. Simply stated: the music does not always
match the action on the screen. It is apparent it came much later, more like an additional layer of
unneeded fat than part of a lean and tight film.
Despite its shortcomings, the scored version does not ruin the movie as some purists may claim.
It simply distracts the viewer from the mood Browning intended to create for his audience.
Instead of becoming an enhanced version of a wonderfully creepy movie, it becomes an entirely
different film altogether--one that is inferior to the original. My suggestion is to watch it once,
then buy the original version and a copy of the music CD. You will enjoy them both a lot more
as two different works of art.
Joe Romano
romano@westol.com
Carter Didn't Try With Harsh Realm
arsh Realm might have made a good episode of The X-Files, but it was clear to me, and from
what I can tell, almost everyone else, that there was never really a series' worth of stories here. I
felt profound relief when I heard of Harsh Realm's cancellation because it meant that Chris
Carter would have to get involved with something else (maybe, gasp, putting his heart back into
The X-Files)--hopefully something with a little more potential.
To accuse Fox of mishandling the series sounds remarkably like sour grapes. I watched two of
the three episodes (I couldn't bear to watch after that) and it was obvious to me that Carter
mishandled the show. In a year where it seemed that every other movie had to do with a virtual
world as real as our own, he should have tried a little harder to produce something that would
stand out.
Sean Ellis
sellis@spiretech.com
Did Harsh Realm Copy Tad Williams?
arsh Realm was an interesting addition to a boring Friday night program lineup. It is too bad
that it was canceled.
I can't help wondering though, if the plot too closely copied the great Tad Williams' [Otherland novel series about] virtual reality. Perhaps Williams should try a TV series.
Rita Vex
vexme@aol.com
Crichton's Track Record Proves His Worth
heldon Ehli's Issue No. 133 letter "What Makes Crichton So Special?" says that other than Jurassic Park and The Lost World, Michael Crichton's
adaptations do horribly at the box office. I suggest he look up his information before he
comments on it. Congo did very good at the box office. The 13th Warrior did well compared to its cost,
as did Sphere (a movie I thought was terrible). These were not huge hits, but they did make the studios
money. Combine this with his involvement
with the hit TV show E.R. and you can see why he thought so much of his script. I'm not saying
he is right or wrong in this, but his track record is very good.
Keith Rowland
rowboat@netsync.net
Crichton Believes In Timeline
n response to Sheldon Ehli's Issue No. 133 letter "What Makes Crichton So Special?" I
would think Michael Crichton's name would be enough to get what he wants in a movie deal
for Timeline. Nearly every fictional novel he has penned has become a movie. And while I
have been disappointed in many big screen adaptations of his work (especially Congo,
Sphere, and The Lost World), not all of his books have turned into bad movies. While it was
severely toned down from the book, Jurassic Park was still a good movie. Disclosure was
well-done. And The Andromeda Strain remains a classic.
Michael Crichton is up there with Stephen King and John Grisham in book-to-movie percentages. With that kind of reputation, it's no wonder he wants to have
his say in a screen version of Timeline. And to sell a story for nothing, only to make money
if the movie makes money, tells me that Crichton believes in this one.
Patrick Haden
phaden@mindspring.com
SF Should Enrich Our Lives
t's always interesting to see the range of views expressed by SF fans: they love this, they hate
that. What we must not forget is that science fiction feeds our desire to be "out there" ourselves.
We shouldn't be concerned about this character not sounding right, or that character being
one-dimensional.
Instead, we should be reveling in the experiences they are having, the things they are seeing. The
real-life future space explorers will not be chosen for their voices or mien, they will simply be
exploring and discovering the universe in the best way possible. Let's forget the soap opera
pettiness of the "normal" shows and let our science fiction enrich our own journeys.
Dillon Cocks
dilloncocks@bigpond.com
Voyager Is Rife With Wasted Potential
he problem with Star Trek: Voyager is that there is nothing to distinguish it from the other [Star Trek] series. Forget
the kooky characters (the Doctor, the Borg, the silly alien in the kitchen). There is so much
potential being wasted on what could become a stand-out series.
Here is a quick list of items:
1) The Lord of the Flies factor. The overall premise is failing in its execution. From what I
remember, the show is supposed to be about a group of renegade Maquis terrorists mixed together
with a Starfleet crew aboard a ship that is hurtled across the galaxy. Now regardless of how
philosophically advanced future generations are, there should be mass chaos aboard that ship.
Starfleet regulations wouldn't hold much sway over the Maquis or even the original crew when
you take into account the danger that they get into every week with no backup whatsoever. The
longer they are away from home the harder it should be for Janeway to keep discipline. If that
were not the case then why have the Maquis on board at all?
2) An ever-changing crew. People die on board. People come on board. There should be new and
interesting characters every season. How interesting it would be to have new aliens on board
either as guides or requesting asylum. Neelix is just not enough. The ship is in a section of space
we've never seen. Take advantage of it.
3) Prison factor. Due to the small size of the crew there should be more familiarity
among them. People that see each other every day for five years should be calling each other on a
first name basis. There should many affairs happening all the time. People should be irritated by
seeing the same faces every day. Boredom should be a major factor.
4) The last of the V-8's. The wear and tear that the ship goes through, and with the additional alien
technology that they pick up, the ship should evolve and change from season to season. After a
battle, the materials needed for repairs will not meet Starfleet specs. Therefore Voyager should
have a Road Warrior look about it. Constantly patched together from whatever they find. It
should not enter the Alpha quadrant looking like it warped off the assembly line.
5) Janeway has to bend. She cannot remain as a by-the-book captain. The situation Voyager is in
has to reflect that. She needs to consistently adapt or lose confidence in a crew that should be a
bit more upset with their situation than they appear.
6) The biggest problem with any Star Trek series: No episode should seem interchangeable with
any series. A Voyager script should be uniquely suited to that show. All the above points fall
under this heading. Without that simple guideline, Star Trek will just lumber on as the Fat Elvis
of SF TV. Trying to relive glory days but failing to see what made it stand out in the first
place.
And isn't that the issue of any franchise? When the trademark becomes larger than the content
that brought it there? Twin Peaks, Star Wars, The X-Files, all were different in their inception, a fresh
twist in their genres. And over time, a gradual filtering down of the elements that made them
interesting have led to disappointment in their later years. Not to incite any debates about the
above, but have any lived up to their beginnings?
James Babbo
Max_Meanie@yahoo.com
Every New Trek Is Castigated
nce again I am encountering this need for putting down whatever new Star Trek is being produced.
It started back when Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted. People were closed to the idea of
replacing their much beloved classic crew with these "fakers" to the Trek mythos. Again when
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine debuted the closed response to it came from the Next Generation fans. And now after five
remarkable seasons of adventure, action, romance, drama, and humor as well as characters that have
grown and thrived and make me want to continue to watch new Trek stories, there are still closed
opinions to Star Trek: Voyager. I have had a love for all the series as well as the films. This is all part of a
shared universe concept. It is not just a lifeless franchise. The Star Trek series have had some of
the most talented artists (cast and crew) to grace the screens (small and large). Star Trek may not
be strict science fiction, but you know what? It is more. It takes the best elements from other
genres as well as socio-political issues of the time and creates some of the best family-viewing in
contemporary times.
To conclude, Voyager is a worthy successor to the Trek mythology and as such will stand on
its own along side the previous series.
Rik Deskin
rik11@hotmail.com
Voyager Has Few Quality Episodes
oming from a fan like myself, who enjoyed first Star Trek: The Next Generation, and then Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,
this may seem like one large complaint; but it isn't. I saw the first episode of Star Trek: Voyager a few
years ago, in the midst of the developing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine storyline, and dismissed it like dirty laundry. I
actually enjoyed the basis behind DS9 where the setting was known, and it wasn't one big "Lewis
and Clark" river ride each episode. I was disappointed, yet satisfied to see DS9 end, and for lack
of anything else to fill the void, I turned to Voyager. Now, I have to give the writers some credit,
they make interesting plots; at least at the start. Then the episode carries out just like every
other episode of Voyager. At that point, I had become dis-enamored with Voyager. The only
thing that saved its reputation in my mind were episodes like "Distant Origin," "The Gift," and
"Message in a Bottle," when the writers actually came up with a good idea, and the characters
played their parts to perfection. I must agree with a previous letter writer, who commented that
more attention is paid to the story when Janeway is out of the action, and Chakotay takes
command.
Nate Richards
nateric@iastate.edu
