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"Crossroads" sequel
Apr. 27th, 2006 08:55 amI finally got around to translate the Prologue to "The Joy Machine", the first part of my Original Trek/Original Battlestar Galactica crossover. "Crossroads" was just the pilot to this series that has some 30+ parts planned at the moment.
This is a story that requires an incredible amount of research. And I don't mean Trek trivia research. According to the best Trek tradition, I gave the characters multicultural backgrounds. There's a group of practicing Muslims aboard, a Chinese Taoist, some Japanese I haven't decided yet whether to make them Shinto or Buddhist, two Hindus, at least one Jew, and those are just the human characters.
Actually, aliens are easier to write. You don't have to take cultural and religious sensitivities into consideration. This is a complicated topic, especially where Muslims are considered. I don't want to step on any toes. Is it perhaps because Christianity is so fragmented that most Christians (aside from brickheaded, right-wing fundamentalists) are easier to deal with? Or do I just believe so because I know so little about the other religions?
And religion is just one aspect of this complex problem. There are all the little details of daily life and customs and superstitions and whatnot. I've wrtitten the original (German/Hungarian) version back in the mid-90s when I had no idea that one day I'll publish it and for how many things you can get bashed on the Net.
But it's not the possible reactions only why I care. I really want to write a good story, with believable people who have believable backgrounds. Characters with whom the readers can identify. I know that many readers don't care for these little details, but for me, it has to do something with self-respect and respect for my own work.
I only hope I'll find some people on Memory Alpha who can help me.
This is a story that requires an incredible amount of research. And I don't mean Trek trivia research. According to the best Trek tradition, I gave the characters multicultural backgrounds. There's a group of practicing Muslims aboard, a Chinese Taoist, some Japanese I haven't decided yet whether to make them Shinto or Buddhist, two Hindus, at least one Jew, and those are just the human characters.
Actually, aliens are easier to write. You don't have to take cultural and religious sensitivities into consideration. This is a complicated topic, especially where Muslims are considered. I don't want to step on any toes. Is it perhaps because Christianity is so fragmented that most Christians (aside from brickheaded, right-wing fundamentalists) are easier to deal with? Or do I just believe so because I know so little about the other religions?
And religion is just one aspect of this complex problem. There are all the little details of daily life and customs and superstitions and whatnot. I've wrtitten the original (German/Hungarian) version back in the mid-90s when I had no idea that one day I'll publish it and for how many things you can get bashed on the Net.
But it's not the possible reactions only why I care. I really want to write a good story, with believable people who have believable backgrounds. Characters with whom the readers can identify. I know that many readers don't care for these little details, but for me, it has to do something with self-respect and respect for my own work.
I only hope I'll find some people on Memory Alpha who can help me.
