Peter David, well-known as a prolific writer of comic books and Star Trek novels, has passed away at the age of 68.
My favorite Trek books of his are the New Frontier books starring Captain Mackenzie Calhoun of the USS Excalibur, as well as Imzadi and Vendetta. He also penned a book called Q-in-Law in which Lwaxana Troi, of all people, becomes a Q. I’m told it’s hilarious.
RIP. I enjoyed his Star Trek novels years ago.
I was a fan of his genre work, and enjoyed the extremely dark humor of the Sir Apropos of Nothing novels, which would be a good fit for the recent anti-trope thread. I hadn’t been aware of just how many, and how serious his health challenges had been (according to the limited details in the cite).
He was a great talent and will be missed. It’s also another industry tragedy that a guy who made his bones during a time when creators could make a living at the “big two” and have a successful writing career outside of comics…and still struggle financially at the end of their life.
I got to see him at an “author appearance” at a local book shop, but that’s not the fun part of this story…
I think his run on Supergirl was some of the cleverest writing in comics, and I really wanted to have him sign a copy. Also took a copy of Spider-Man 2099 along (but that’s not the fun part either).
The fun part was that the event was Peter David AND Harlan Ellison (who assumed HE was the only reason for the signing), and was flabbergasted that I didn’t want HIS autograph:
What are you doing? Just grab a Star Trek script and have me sign it.
Whaddya mean NO? Are you CRAZY? Look how old I am! I could keel over in the next two minutes and you’d have Harlan Ellison’s Last Autograph!
Put that up on eBay and you can retire early!
I liked his Q-Squared too.
Yes, I’d say this sounds very much like old Harlan.
RIP to a favorite writer.
It is, in fact. He could be a pretty funny writer when he wanted.
I remember a New Frontier novel in which the Vulcan Soleta’s brother stops by the home of Burgoyne 172, the dual-sexed Hermat. At the time, Burgoyne is walking around completely naked.
“One of us is improperly dressed. If it were up to me, I would suggest you acquire clothing rather than I divest myself of mine. But it is your house, and I will follow your rules.”
I haven’t read a Star Trek novel in ages, but I read a ton of them back when I was in middle school and high school. Peter David was by far my favorite Star Trek novel author.