Star Trek: The New Voyages

Title:	Star Trek: The New Voyages
Creator:	Sondra Marshak & Myrna Culbreath
Date(s):	1976, 1978
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Star Trek TOS
Language:	English
External Links:
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Star Trek: The New Voyages was a two-volume series of fan fiction anthologies published commercially by Bantam Books, and is noteworthy on several grounds -- not only did the fanfic appearing therein receive professional publication, but many of the stories in the first volume were accompanied by introductions written by members of the original Star Trek cast, and Nichelle Nichols, originator of the role of Uhura, contributed a story to the second volume.

As per the review of issue #1 below, not all fans were happy with this book, however, citing alterations to the fiction and neglect in mentioning their original sources.

Volume 1

cover of Star Trek: The New Voyages 1

Star Trek: The New Voyages appeared in March 1976, with the following table of contents. Most of these stories had been selected by the editors from a variety of fannish sources.

• Foreword (Gene Roddenberry)
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction (Marshak & Culbreath)
• Ni Var (story by Claire Gabriel; introduction by Leonard Nimoy) (earlier version published in Quartet)
• Intersection Point (story by Juanita Coulson; introduction by James Doohan)
• The Enchanted Pool (story by Marcia Ericson; introduction by Nichelle Nichols)
• Visit to a Weird Planet Revisited here (story by Ruth Berman, introduction by Majel Barrett Roddenberry) (very early RPF and a sequel to Visit to a Weird Planet in Spockanalia #3)
• The Face on the Barroom Floor (story by Eleanor Arnason & Ruth Berman, introduction by George Takei) (previously published in T-Negative 18, according to Boldly Writing)
• The Hunting (story by Doris Beetem, introduction by Marshak & Culbreath)
• The Winged Dreamers (story by Jennifer Guttridge, introduction by DeForest Kelley) (also in Tricorder Readings)
• Mind-Sifter (story by Shirley S. Maiewski, introduction by William Shatner) (revised from a story in Showcase #2)
• Sonnet from the Vulcan: Omicron Ceti Three (poem by Shirley Meech)

Reactions and Reviews: Volume 1

See reactions and reviews for Ni Var.

See reactions and reviews for The Mind-Sifter.

See reactions and reviews for The Winged Dreamers.

[zine]: In our February issue, we mentioned STAR TREK: THE NEW VOYAGES, a new Bantam paperback containing eight pieces of fan fiction, edited by Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath. We now feel obliged to point out that the fan authors and publishers in whose fanzines the stories originally appeared are very unhappy. In at least two cases, the stories were changed a great deal. In fact one of the stories was not only altered greatly, but additional characters and situations, belonging to an entirely different (professional) author were introduced — making both the pro and the fan author extremely unhappy. We hasten to point out that this is not illegal if the rights have been signed over, but it is customary to let an author know that his story is being altered before publication. However, in the case of this book, the first inkling the authors had of any changes in their stories were when they found the paperback on sale. They were not given any chance to approve or make their own alterations. Another serious issue is that none of the authors with whom we have spoken had a copy of their signed contract before the book appeared on the stands, nor did they at the time that the alterations were made in their stories. Further, none of the material submitted — whether used or unused — has been returned. In addition, the fan publishers are very unhappy because the original [copyright] publication of these stories in their respective fanzines are neither credited nor even noted. And as one fanzine editor points out "both covers of the book state clearly 'first time published' and 'never before published', and the introduction states that 'for seven lean years there was no new Star Trek fiction published' which is certainly not the case. All of these stories have been previously published in [copyrighted] fanzines." And the STW Directory carries listing of over 300 fanzines, all crammed wlth_new Star Trek fiction. Of course what the covers and introduction of STAR TREK: THE NEW VOYAGES ran was professional publication — but they did not say professional — they only said publication — which makes the claim of "first publication" untrue.

[zine]: Ni Var by Claire Gabriel is one of those which has been printed before. I hadn't read it although I'd read a lot about how good it was. On the first reading, I was slightly disappointed, but on rereading it a couple of times I found it had grown on me, and I would in fact agree that it is extremely good. Intersection Point by Juanita Coulson I had already read. I don't dislike it, but neither do I like it. I don't fault the writing or the development of the story, I just can't accept a story in which the Enterprise is seriously damaged by colliding with 'nothing.' The Enchanted Pool by Marcia Ericson. This is another one that does nothing for me. Objectively, I can say, nicely written, well worth inclusion on several counts - but it doesn't turn me on. Visit to a Weird Planet Revisited by Ruth Berman I had also read before. This story is fantasy in that Messrs. Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley are accidentally beamed aboard the Enterprise and have to act as Kirk, Spock and McCoy - rather successfully, too. It definitely appeals to me. The Face on the Barroom Floor by Ruth Berman end Eleanor Arnason is another one I had read. I can't really believe that Kirk would ever get involved in a barroom brawl... but again, I like it. The Hunting by Doris Beetam I did not like, and for the same reason that Amok Time isn't one of my favourite episodes. I can't believe the Vulcans would do anything so illogical as maintain ancient traditions. I think they would be one of the most up-to-date races in the Galaxy. Even though Spock finds a reason for maintaining this tradition, I don't even find the story very well developed. Sorry, Doris, but...not for me. The Winger Dreamers by Jennifer Guttridge is the last of the ones I'd already read. I like it although it isn't my favourite of Jennifer's stories. Nicely thought out, nicely developed, well worth including - but I still prefer her 'In the Maze.' Mind Sifter by Shirley Maiewski. Shirley likes to separate Kirk from the others and then put him in a terrible psychological position to bring out his strength of character, and this story is no exception. It is a marvellous story - though I was left with one unanswered question. For two years, Spock was in command of the Enterprise - but there was no mention of his having a First Officer... The book finishes with Sonnet from the Vulcan - Omicrom Ceti III by Shirley Meech. A very moving little poem. My three favourite stories are Ni Var, Winged Dreamers, and Mind Sifter, with Ruth Berman's two not far behind.

[zine]: This was the last original ST book I read before discovering fandom and thus fanzines. At the time, I found the departure from the series style quite alarming and difficult to adjust to, though I read and reread it simply from Trek starvation. This was ST going in an entirely new direction. I could just about relate ST:TMP to the original series, but the stories in New Voyages were a revelation! From knowledge gained later, I can note some names among the various authors which are very well-known now. not to mention introductions to the stories personally written by George Takei, Leonard Nimoy, Jimmy Doohan, Majel Barrett. Nichelle Nichols, DeForest Kelley and William Shatner; Gene Roddenberry wrote the overall introduction. Although this is fantasy, it is all of top quality and very readable: the stories are good, the characters believable and, for the most part, the situations would fit in with, or carry on from, the series itself quite well. But in these short stories, ideas are intriguingly taken one step further than on television; for example, what does the Klingon mind-sifter do exactly? What happens when Spock really does meet his true love? How does Kirk really cope with being trapped in the body form of a woman? In their later novels, the editors took their own way with Kirk and Spock in danger stories, and also worked on Shatner s biography with him and his wife Marcy. There is -also a sequel to this book, New Voyages 2, in which they work with Nichelle Nichols on a story. Sondra Marshak has also collaborated with another noted ST writer Jacqueline Lichtenberg and with Joan Winston (organiser of the first ever ST convention) to write a book about the effect of Star Trek on people's everyday lives.

Volume 2

cover of Star Trek: The New Voyages 2

Star Trek: The New Voyages 2 appeared in January 1978, with the following table of contents. In this volume, all story introductions and editorial matter were written by Marshak & Culbreath unless otherwise noted.

• Editors' Preface: The Once and Future Voyages 2 -- The Camelot Connection
• Introduction (Jesco von Puttkamer)
• Editors' Introduction
• Surprise! (Nichelle Nichols)
• Snake Pit! (Connie Faddis) (also in the zines Rigel and Universal Translator)
• The Patient Parasites (Russell Bates; includes bio-introductory notes by Bates)
• In the Maze (Jennifer Guttridge)
• Cave-In (Jane Peyton)
• Marginal Existence (Connie Faddis)
• The Procrustean Petard (Marshak & Culbreath)
• The Sleeping God (Jesco von Puttkamer)
• Elegy for Charlie (poem, Antonia Vallario)
• Soliloquy (sonnet, Marguerite B. Thompson)
• Epilogue (Nichelle Nichols)
• Acknowledgments