From: pat@berry.Cary.NC.US (Pat Berry)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Subject: Re: Can you name this book?
Date: Sat, 09 Jan 93 18:06:44 EST
Organization: Berry Communications

kehandle@unix.amherst.edu (KEITH EDWARD HANDLEY) writes:

> gary l. schroeder (schroede@bnlux1.bnl.gov) wrote:
> : Yep.  This book was called the "Spaceflight Chronology" and was authored
> : in part by our good friend rick Sternbach, with some other guy who's
> : name I can't remember. 
> : 
> : The book was somewhat interesting as I recall.  Lots of diagrams of
> : starships that never actually appeared in TOS, but were referred to.
> : STjunkies and fanatics who have a burning _lust_ for thorough fictitious
> : histories of StarFleet will probably love it.  I know I enjoyed it when
> : I was 13 or so.
> 
> It sounds like gary is about the same age as I.  I, too, enjoyed it, but
> in a huge way.  I still have mine (not for sale) and it is very well-
> read.  I probably read every word of that book about 5 times, the cool
> parts a dozen or more.  Get it if you can find it.

I have my copy right here (and I wouldn't sell it, either).  For anyone
who's interested, here's a complete citation:

Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology
Written by Stan Goldstein and Fred Goldstein
Illustrated by Rick Sternbach
Published in 1980 by Pocket Books
ISBN: 0-671-79089-7

As the publication date indicates, this book predates all of the movies
except the first one.  So the history related in it ends with the refit
of the Enterprise preceding ST:TMP.  But what a history!  The original
series contained numerous hints and tidbits about 21st- and 22nd-century
history.  The Goldsteins grab these and run with them.  Among the events
chronicled by the "log entries" in this book are:

* The launch of Khan's sleeper ship in 1996
* The exploration of Saturn by the UNSS Lewis and Clark, commanded by
  Colonel Shaun Jeoffrey Christopher
* The first contact with the Alpha Centaurians
* The development of warp drive
* The USS Bonaventure, first manned ship with warp drive (mentioned only
  in the Animated Series!)
* First contact with Vulcans
* The founding of the Federation
* The chartering of Starfleet Academy
* War with the Romulans, and the subsequent peace treaty
* Development of subspace radio and the tricorder
* First contact with Klingons
* Development of duotronics, the transporter, dilithium power, and the
  phaser

This version of history was incorporated into several Star Trek novels.
Most notably, the historical account of the first meeting with Vulcans
is in integral part of *Strangers From The Sky*, which suggested that an
earlier encounter took place, but was kept secret from the public.  And
*The Final Reflection*, which takes place some forty years before the
original series, is absolutely *loaded* with references to the
Spaceflight Chronology's version of history, from the Back To Earth
movement and the first experimental transporters to the classes, names,
and top warp speeds of the Starfleet vessels of that time.

The Chronology's timeline was still defensible until last season, but it
was unequivocally contradicted when ST:TNG established 2161 as the date
of the founding of the Federation and the chartering of Starfleet
Academy.  It's still fun to read, but (for those who care about such
things) it can't really be considered a part of the canon any more.

However, I have high hopes for the new chronology book that will
reportedly be published in March.  If it's done right, it can recapture
the richness and believability of the 1980 Spaceflight Chronology, while
incorporating information from the movies, TNG, and perhaps DS9.  I
can't wait to see it.

-- 
Pat Berry - Cary, North Carolina, USA   |  "At least that's what *I* thought.
pat@berry.Cary.NC.US                    |  But I have a history of missing the
**** Happy user of OS/2 2.0 ****        |  point of stuff like this."
                                        |  -- Homer Simpson
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