Return to Trek books in Czech!

Regular readers will know I like to keep an international flavour to things here, especially when it involves new cover art, so I regularly report on new editions of Star Trek stuff in other languages. Most commonly Cross Cult's German translations (as they have the most active publishing program at the moment), but I've also previously found new titles in French, Spanish and Portuguese. Over at the 8of5 Archives I've also explored some of past foreign language titles, so far looking at French comics and prose and comics published in Hebrew.

I have yet to do a piece on Star Trek published in the Czech Republic, and you might be surprised to know that over the years there have been quite a few published there! There had been a bit of a lull in recent years, but it seems now, under a new editor, Albert Balatka, that things are getting going again at Laser Books. Last year saw the publication of Fusion (Fúze), book two in the Voyager: String Theory trilogy - Book one, Cohesion (Koheze) was translated back in 2008. They seem to have a growing schedule for this year, with Alan Dean Fosters movie novelization already out, and the second Titan book The Red King (Černý král) out about now (following from Taking Wing (Mezi dvěma světy) back in 2007), which has had the cover subtly altered to reflect the slightly changed title to Black King:

 

There's a new cover on the way for what will be Laser's first Enterprise book, Kobayashi Maru, expected in August:

Also planned for this year (September) is the second book in the Crucible trilogy, Spock: The Fire and the Rose (Oheň i růže), which again follows from the first book, McCoy: Provenance of Shadows (Odkud přicházejí stíny), coming out back in 2008.

If a Czech forum I found is reliable, also currently in development are The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing (Romulanská válka: Pod křídlem dravce), in October; Death in Winter (Smrt v zimě) appropriately in December; String Theory: Evolution (Teorie strun: Evoluce), in January; and later in 2013, Articles of the Federation (Zákony Federace), Resistance (Odpor), Q and A (Q: otázky a odpovědi), Before Dishonor (Před zněuctěním), The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm (Romulanská válka: Odvážně vstříc bouři), and Orion's Hounds (Orionovi psi).

Perhaps the most interesting of all though is Star Trek: Kusy (Pieces), which appears to be a Strange New Worlds-like writing contest, which like several of series launched years back by Laser was begun in 2007. According to the competition website, three stories were to be chosen, each to also have an accompanying illustration. This book is finally expected some time this year.

Interesting Laser has previously published two original Star Trek novels in Czech; Q alternativa and Zrcadla, in 2002 and 2004 respectively. These don't seem to be licensed however, while one cover depicts the Enterprise-D neither of them actually have Star Trek in the title and some websites seem to to refer to them as being based on a "modified version of the series". Hopefully this new anthology is a bit more official and a bit more likely to get translated into other languages.

Cross Cult's Worlds of DS9

Cross Cult have announced they will be releasing their German translation for the Worlds of Deep Space Nine series as six individual novels, rather than three anthologies of two, like the original English versions. All six are currently scheduled for release from July to November this year (with two volumes coming in October). They have so far released two new Martin Frei covers for the series, Book One: Cardassia - Die Lotusblüte (Cardassia: The Lotus Flower), and Book Three: Trill - Unvereinigt (Trill: Unjoined).

 

UPDATE: Book Five: Ferenginar - Zufriedenheit wird nicht garantiert (Ferenginar: Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed) cover too:

UPDATE 2: Book six: Dominion (Dominion: Olympus Descending):

Meanwhile Cross Cult have also revealed the final format for their Crucible poster, which they will be giving away with orders of their books:

Posters from Cross Cult

Remember a little while ago Cross Cult floated the idea of producing a poster of the cover art from the Crucible trilogy? Well it looks like they're going forward with it, and will even offer it for free to customers who buy a Trek book directly from their online shop. They posted this version on their Facebook page to get some feedback on whether or not to include text, and it seems they're leaning towards not at the moment:

And it also seems they're thinking about doing the same for their Destiny covers. They posted this mock-up, the actual poster would blend the three covers better:

Cross Cult to publish Double Helix, and other Cross Cult news

2002 English omnibus

Cross Cult has announced it plans to publish German translations of the 1999 crossover series Double Helix, with their version of the six book series starting in February next year. The scheduling falls in line with their release of New Frontier books, as the fifth book in the miniseries will also be the sixth of their New Frontier ones, following on from their latest, Gebranntes Kind (Once Burned).

UPDATE: My German correspondent, Jens Deffner (of Unreality SF), as informed me of some other Cross Cult news:

The Double Helix release will (thankfully!) feature new cover art

Cross Cult have announced they will be slowing down their releases, as the sales have not be able to support the current output. There will now be one novel a month (with possible occasional exceptions). This has affected the schedule: Feuertaufe: McCoy - Die Herkunft der Schatten (Crucible: McCoy - Provenance of Shadows) has been pushed back to October, rather than being released alongside this month's McCoy (Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor) comic release. The next Vanguard book, What Judgments Come, also will no longer be released simultaneously with the US publication, and has for the moment been removed from the schedule all together; but will apparently be released in a timely manner.

New cover artwork for Cross Cult's editions of the Starfleet Academy books was rejected; on the grounds it was too realistic:

The Cross Cult Star Trek website is currently using the original American covers, which I do prefer the more painterly covers of, but it’s a shame they don’t have the additions of the Star Trek title and author name on the cover proposed on the above image.

And finally, the first book in the Destiny trilogy Götter der Nacht (Gods of Night) has done well enough to warrant a second printing!

Cross Cult update

Cross Cult have released their latest new New Frontier cover, this one is for Fire on High:

They have also released the German version of the cover for John Byrne's Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor, retitled simply to McCoy. According to my German correspondent, UnrealitySF's Jens Deffner, this comic release will be a something of a tester for future releases; unlike Cross Cult's previous comics this one will only be available in paperback, and its success will determine the future of Cross Cult's Trek-comics line. Jens also points out a cunning bit of marketing, with this release coming alongside the Cross Cult edition of the McCoy book in the Crucible trilogy.

Jens also reports that the Cross Cult translation of Vanguard: Declassified is being targeted for simultaneous release with the English edition!