Traveller Novels and Fiction
- Thread starter Avery
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ImperialOne
SOC-6
Novels would be nice, and if engaging/well-written, it wouldn't matter what setting these books would be in.
One of the best ways to do this would be to have a recurring character that the reader could identify with./ What about a "time traveller" who goes into cold sleep only to reawaken every couple hundred of years (like one of those exotic societies/clubs of the Third Imperium).
One of the best ways to do this would be to have a recurring character that the reader could identify with./ What about a "time traveller" who goes into cold sleep only to reawaken every couple hundred of years (like one of those exotic societies/clubs of the Third Imperium).
Published Traveller Novels
Not only TNE was represented in the form of novels. There was one official one for T4 (pretty bad...but had some merit). My favorite Traveller author whose alternative Milieu could easily be a pocket empire somewhere. Jefferson P. Swycaffer. He was an active member of HIWG and wrote some things for Dragon and JTAS. His campaign was recognized by Marc as an alternative milieu and was recommended by JTAS. He uses all the Traveller concepts well, save, having an object protrude outside a Jump field.
For Classic Traveller
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. Not In Our Stars [Avon Books]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. Become the Hunted [Avon Books]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. The Universal Prey [Avon Books]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. The Praesidium of Archive [Avon Books]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. The Empire’s Legacy [New Infinities Productions Inc]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. Voyage of the Planetslayer [New Infinities Productions Inc]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. Revolt and Rebirth [New Infinities Productions Inc]
For Traveller: The New Era
Brunelle, Paul. The Death of Wisdom [GDW]
Brunelle, Paul. To Dream of Chaos [GDW]
Brunelle, Paul. The Backwards Mask [GDW unpublished]
For MegaTraveller
[none]
For Traveller 4th edition
Askegren, Pierce. Gateway to the Stars [Byron Press]
Not only TNE was represented in the form of novels. There was one official one for T4 (pretty bad...but had some merit). My favorite Traveller author whose alternative Milieu could easily be a pocket empire somewhere. Jefferson P. Swycaffer. He was an active member of HIWG and wrote some things for Dragon and JTAS. His campaign was recognized by Marc as an alternative milieu and was recommended by JTAS. He uses all the Traveller concepts well, save, having an object protrude outside a Jump field.
For Classic Traveller
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. Not In Our Stars [Avon Books]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. Become the Hunted [Avon Books]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. The Universal Prey [Avon Books]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. The Praesidium of Archive [Avon Books]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. The Empire’s Legacy [New Infinities Productions Inc]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. Voyage of the Planetslayer [New Infinities Productions Inc]
Swycaffer, Jefferson P. Revolt and Rebirth [New Infinities Productions Inc]
For Traveller: The New Era
Brunelle, Paul. The Death of Wisdom [GDW]
Brunelle, Paul. To Dream of Chaos [GDW]
Brunelle, Paul. The Backwards Mask [GDW unpublished]
For MegaTraveller
[none]
For Traveller 4th edition
Askegren, Pierce. Gateway to the Stars [Byron Press]
12 Traveller Novel (or Series) Plot Lines
First Contact. In the Solar System of the 22nd Century, the stars are out of reach… until an amateur physicist asks “stupid” questions that don’t have answers. The story of the discovery of the jump drive by the Terrans and of their meeting the long-established First Imperium.
The Interstellar Wars. The story of the desperate centuries in which the plucky Terran Confederation fights war after war to fend off the Vilani Empire.
The Rule of Man. The Vilani Empire surrenders to Terra, and instantly Earth is ruler of 10,000 star systems and billions of people. Explorations of the Vilani Empire by its Terran conquerors.
Nail Mission. Travels through the rebellion-ravaged Imperium in search of vital parts for the Spinward Marches Fleet in its fight against the Vargr.
Invalid Truths. The story of Duke Norris of Regina and the emergence of the Spinward Marches in the aftermath of the Rebellion.
The Warrant. The true story of the Fifth Frontier War.
Grandfather’s Children. Newly uplifted human slaves of the Droyne cross the spiral arm on incomprehensible missions for the super-genius Ancients.
Fast Forward. A Terran ship crew chooses cold sleep rather than lingering death after a disastrous battle, emerging from time to time in search of a cure, and encountering key points in history.
Barracks Emperors. The story of the Regent Arbellatra and the end of the Civil War.
First Survey. Encounters with the worlds of the Third Imperium. Or Maybe Second Survey. Encounters with the worlds of the Third Imperium (checking old data against new data).
Year Zero. The emergence of Sylea and the establishment of the Cleon’s Third Imperium.
Pocket Empires. In the decades after the Long Night, the Imperium issues charters to individuals (plus access to the Fusion Plus secret to cheap power) and sends them out to re-colonize the worlds of the First Empire. Third rate adventurers set out to create their own empire.
The Border. A 100 parsec long line rimward from the Rift separates two vastly different cultures:
First Contact. In the Solar System of the 22nd Century, the stars are out of reach… until an amateur physicist asks “stupid” questions that don’t have answers. The story of the discovery of the jump drive by the Terrans and of their meeting the long-established First Imperium.
The Interstellar Wars. The story of the desperate centuries in which the plucky Terran Confederation fights war after war to fend off the Vilani Empire.
The Rule of Man. The Vilani Empire surrenders to Terra, and instantly Earth is ruler of 10,000 star systems and billions of people. Explorations of the Vilani Empire by its Terran conquerors.
Nail Mission. Travels through the rebellion-ravaged Imperium in search of vital parts for the Spinward Marches Fleet in its fight against the Vargr.
Invalid Truths. The story of Duke Norris of Regina and the emergence of the Spinward Marches in the aftermath of the Rebellion.
The Warrant. The true story of the Fifth Frontier War.
Grandfather’s Children. Newly uplifted human slaves of the Droyne cross the spiral arm on incomprehensible missions for the super-genius Ancients.
Fast Forward. A Terran ship crew chooses cold sleep rather than lingering death after a disastrous battle, emerging from time to time in search of a cure, and encountering key points in history.
Barracks Emperors. The story of the Regent Arbellatra and the end of the Civil War.
First Survey. Encounters with the worlds of the Third Imperium. Or Maybe Second Survey. Encounters with the worlds of the Third Imperium (checking old data against new data).
Year Zero. The emergence of Sylea and the establishment of the Cleon’s Third Imperium.
Pocket Empires. In the decades after the Long Night, the Imperium issues charters to individuals (plus access to the Fusion Plus secret to cheap power) and sends them out to re-colonize the worlds of the First Empire. Third rate adventurers set out to create their own empire.
The Border. A 100 parsec long line rimward from the Rift separates two vastly different cultures:
DaveShayne
SOC-12
DaveShayne
SOC-12
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bloo:
Hmm. At first, I thought Avery was Marc M. But that doesn't seem to be the case, given Avery's post above that mentions Marc.
So, I must ask again, who is Avery?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Somebody else from the old days of GDW perhaps? Or Marc/Avery could just be refering to himself in the third person to throw people off the scent.
David Shayne
Hmm. At first, I thought Avery was Marc M. But that doesn't seem to be the case, given Avery's post above that mentions Marc.
So, I must ask again, who is Avery?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Somebody else from the old days of GDW perhaps? Or Marc/Avery could just be refering to himself in the third person to throw people off the scent.
David Shayne
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MJD:
I suspect I may be that novelist.... My own feeling is that there are 3 really strong themes: Starmercs, Free Trader and Noble. These seem to be the most popular Traveller games, so perhaps novels should match that.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
As mjd knows i think its time that Nobles got the coverage they deserve.Any setting could show the good the bad of Nobles in Traveller.
I suspect I may be that novelist.... My own feeling is that there are 3 really strong themes: Starmercs, Free Trader and Noble. These seem to be the most popular Traveller games, so perhaps novels should match that.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
As mjd knows i think its time that Nobles got the coverage they deserve.Any setting could show the good the bad of Nobles in Traveller.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MJD:
I suspect I may be that novelist.... My own feeling is that there are 3 really strong themes: Starmercs, Free Trader and Noble.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hunter:
I'd like to see some stuff set in Milieu 0, tell the story of the birth of the Third Imperium. Cleon's story or perhaps the story of a third person caught up in the events of that time.
Hunter<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
These combined sound good to me. All 3 of the themes listed would be interesting stories in Milieu 0. Others have posted on the other boards that the Imperium in Milieu 0 appears evil, I would like to see stories showing that this era was a mixture of good and evil on all sides.
Also I have bought all Traveller fiction that I have found to date. Someeone please write more.
Charles H
I suspect I may be that novelist.... My own feeling is that there are 3 really strong themes: Starmercs, Free Trader and Noble.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hunter:
I'd like to see some stuff set in Milieu 0, tell the story of the birth of the Third Imperium. Cleon's story or perhaps the story of a third person caught up in the events of that time.
Hunter<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
These combined sound good to me. All 3 of the themes listed would be interesting stories in Milieu 0. Others have posted on the other boards that the Imperium in Milieu 0 appears evil, I would like to see stories showing that this era was a mixture of good and evil on all sides.
Also I have bought all Traveller fiction that I have found to date. Someeone please write more.
Charles H
First Contact would be interesting to me for filling in gaps in canonical history. Terran invention of jump drives, and all the early encounters between Terrans and the Vilani empire.
The Invalid Truths and The Warrant ideas both sounds really interesting. I'd like to see a lot more material about how nobles as individuals fit into society, for one thing. And it always seemed like there was a hidden story behind the beginning of the FFW that would be tons of fun to learn.
But all the story suggestions sound very interesting really.
--Laning
The Invalid Truths and The Warrant ideas both sounds really interesting. I'd like to see a lot more material about how nobles as individuals fit into society, for one thing. And it always seemed like there was a hidden story behind the beginning of the FFW that would be tons of fun to learn.
But all the story suggestions sound very interesting really.
--Laning
Marc,
The great strength of Classic Traveller is its relative simplicity and its sound technical core. But these do not make a great story. They only create the background.
If you want someone to write great Traveller stories, make sure they write great stories! Dramatic tension, strong characterization, and fast paced plots are the key. The simplest far trader (Beowulf, perhaps?) and his crew encountering the normal trials and tribulations of the Regina subsector in 1105 will bring you the most bang for the buck...if the story is well written.
Suck the audience into your mainstream and they are yours. Rule number one for a great referee (or writer) is "spin a great story."
Warm regards,
Capt Ron (yours since 1977)
The great strength of Classic Traveller is its relative simplicity and its sound technical core. But these do not make a great story. They only create the background.
If you want someone to write great Traveller stories, make sure they write great stories! Dramatic tension, strong characterization, and fast paced plots are the key. The simplest far trader (Beowulf, perhaps?) and his crew encountering the normal trials and tribulations of the Regina subsector in 1105 will bring you the most bang for the buck...if the story is well written.
Suck the audience into your mainstream and they are yours. Rule number one for a great referee (or writer) is "spin a great story."
Warm regards,
Capt Ron (yours since 1977)
