[Xaila]

I'll equate this to the way I changed how I think about the Star Wars novels after Disney gutted the Expanded Universe from canon:

Everything is canon, just not necessarily to each other, and not necessarily within the same universe.

So there are, in my headcanon at least, three "main" universes to the Prime-Timeline as it exists within itself.

Prime-A: the canon-timeline/events as shown on screen by the various series and movies. (TAS notwithstanding maybe depending on who you are)

Prime-B: the timeline as expressed in the novels, that take place after each series ends. As stated above by Mark Okuda there are novels that take place within the timeframe of an established series, but contradict later events. So for me the "Novel Canon" timeline is the canon series + each of the relaunch novel series that take place/were written after the end of DS9/VOY/Nemesis. These being Deep Space Nine "Season 8", The TNG/Destiny novels post the "A Time To..." series, the Voyager Relaunch, The Lost Era, and the various subseries and other things that I've left out because I haven't read them yet. So where DS9's "Avatar Book 1 and 2" are canon to this timeline, the DS9 novel "Antimatter", which takes place in 2370, wouldn't be if events contained within contradict later series/Relaunch-Novel's events.

Prime-C: This is the universe of STO, where some novel events are directly referenced, like Ezri Dax having captained the USS Aventine, but some things that happen in the novels, like Deep Space Nine being destroyed in 2383, are not canon to this timeline.

Of course this would then be true of any of the other timelines. The 2009-Reboot series (Kelvin Timeline) would have a Kelvin-A and a Kelvin-B, being the movies, and then movies+novels respectively. The same would be true for the Mirror Universe, as the universe of the TV series differ widely from those of the novels, which differ widely from those of STO.

I hope this makes any kind of sense...

[Allan Hood]

I'll equate this to the way I changed how I think about the Star Wars novels after Disney gutted the Expanded Universe from canon:

Everything is canon, just not necessarily to each other, and not necessarily within the same universe.

So there are, in my headcanon at least, three "main" universes to the Prime-Timeline as it exists within itself.

Prime-A: the canon-timeline/events as shown on screen by the various series and movies. (TAS notwithstanding maybe depending on who you are)

Prime-B: the timeline as expressed in the novels, that take place after each series ends. As stated above by Mark Okuda there are novels that take place within the timeframe of an established series, but contradict later events. So for me the "Novel Canon" timeline is the canon series + each of the relaunch novel series that take place/were written after the end of DS9/VOY/Nemesis. These being Deep Space Nine "Season 8", The TNG/Destiny novels post the "A Time To..." series, the Voyager Relaunch, The Lost Era, and the various subseries and other things that I've left out because I haven't read them yet. So where DS9's "Avatar Book 1 and 2" are canon to this timeline, the DS9 novel "Antimatter", which takes place in 2370, wouldn't be if events contained within contradict later series/Relaunch-Novel's events.

Prime-C: This is the universe of STO, where some novel events are directly referenced, like Ezri Dax having captained the USS Aventine, but some things that happen in the novels, like Deep Space Nine being destroyed in 2383, are not canon to this timeline.

Of course this would then be true of any of the other timelines. The 2009-Reboot series (Kelvin Timeline) would have a Kelvin-A and a Kelvin-B, being the movies, and then movies+novels respectively. The same would be true for the Mirror Universe, as the universe of the TV series differ widely from those of the novels, which differ widely from those of STO.

I hope this makes any kind of sense...

I think what the original poster is asking is should your Prime-B be connected with Prime-A. The novels already have their own canon that they aren't supposed to violate and STO made its own canon that it won't violate.

[Scarlett]

Yes. BUT, that means authors would need a tight leash on ideas so that whatever they have jives with the other works, not to mention the shows/movies.

[Allan Hood]

Yes. BUT, that means authors would need a tight leash on ideas so that whatever they have jives with the other works, not to mention the shows/movies.

Exactly the case if they wanted to make the novels added to the already established canon. BUT, that's what anyone's going to face anywhere.

[merTYol]

Yes. BUT, that means authors would need a tight leash on ideas so that whatever they have jives with the other works, not to mention the shows/movies.

This is exactly what Lucasfilms/Disney is doing with Star Wars. they tossed out all of the old Expanded Universe (they are re-using some of the works as it makes sense. like return of Grand Admiral Thrawn for example.) and started anew. and now all content goes thru the Lucasfilms Story Group. Movies. TV, Novels, Comics, the whole lot.

[Raz Beraht]

No, they should not.

My reason is that I once read a star trek novel written by William Shatner himself. It was hilarious.... very memorable, but hilarious. Nobody but Shatner would want it to be cannon.

[Elnith]

I really don't have an opinion on this one way or the other, but I suppose technically it'd be a "no". Mostly because I haven't read many Star Trek novels, and it's been at least 15 years since I have. I'm probably way behind, in a weird way.

There is this TNG/Doctor Who (11th Doctor, for those in the know) crossover comic that I really want to get my hands on. My fanfiction staple is the crossover, and seeing an "official" crossover makes me giddy. It's definitely a piece of work I dream about being "canon".

[KaiserKirk]

A lot of ST books are really cool but some are really out there, like the Doctor Who crossover where the Borg and Cybermen team up. Or the Green Lantern Crossover. I am happy to treat them just like Star Wars does with its Expanded Universe.

[Arno12]

I am happy to treat them just like Star Wars does with its Expanded Universe.

I miss the old star wars expanded universe, I miss it so much

As for the topic, a firm no, poor handling of characters, unnecessary deaths and the "new" DS9 design, no just no. But I will give credit where credit is due, I was intrigued by the idea of the Typhon Pact as well as the war with the borg in the novels but overall no.

[aceman67]

No, they should not.

My reason is that I once read a star trek novel written by William Shatner himself. It was hilarious.... very memorable, but hilarious. Nobody but Shatner would want it to be cannon.

Even in the Star Trek Pocket Book novel continuity, Shatner's novels (and to a lesser extent, Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens' novels) are totally ignored, collectivly refered to as 'The Shatnerverse'. I've read a few of his books and stopped after he ressurrected Kirk with Romulan/Borg hybrid technology (keep in mind that this was in 1996, years before the Kelvin Timeline movies, and only 2 years after Generations).

As for making the PocketBook novel series canon, I do think they should, but they won't, especially with plans to possibly bring TNG era back to the small screen. There's just way too much lore that's been added in the novels that they would have to adhere too and it would confuse the hell out of everyone who hasn't read the novels (The Borg, Typhon Pact, Janeway

dying and being ressurrected

).

[Raz Beraht]

I've read a few of his books and stopped after he ressurrected Kirk with Romulan/Borg hybrid technology

That's the one I read lol.

He was seducing all the young Romulan women and outclassing Worf in Klingon martial arts.

I'm a huge TOS/Kirk fan myself but it couldn't be taken very seriously.

[Rellimie]

What does it take to be considered canon anyway?

The rule of thumb is it needs to appear on TV or in theater or be a companion to something released on TV or theater. The example to the latter are the prelude comics that tie into the recent movies.

[Arno12]

If I recall I read somewhere that the Andromeda Cruiser in STO was Ok'd by CBS which meant CBS could use it in a future series. Truth be told it would be clever if CBS used some elements from the novels and STO in a subtle way in any series set in any post-tng era series just to throw a bone to the fans of either.

[WelshAvenger]

Speaking of crossovers, I remember reading a TNG/X-Men novel (Planet X IIRC) that I thought was pretty good at the time. There's a TOS novel called "How much for just the planet" that's a brilliant read and genuinely funny. It had me giggling to myself.

[Allan Hood]

Speaking of crossovers, I remember reading a TNG/X-Men novel (Planet X IIRC) that I thought was pretty good at the time. There's a TOS novel called "How much for just the planet" that's a brilliant read and genuinely funny. It had me giggling to myself.

Dude, I use to play with my Star Trek and X-Men figures like X-Men travelled to a parallel future universe to meet up with ST. I loved playing like that cause I could also get my little brother to go along with me...he hates Star Trek haha except for Picard's speeches.

I see Worf and Wolverine clashing heads a lot and use to play it that way. I got to check that out.