Okay, a confession: (if you don't already know that is)
Love me or hate me for it, I'm Trekkie. Was hooked when my family first starting watching Next Generation been so ever since. Yes, I watched the show (and the following incarnations) religiously. And read the books. Now that there are no more shows on, they have taken all the "present-time" story lines and converged them into one big storyboarded soap opera in the books. It's freakin' cool to read all the different characters interact. It's a little harmless escapism.
Or so I thought.
The one thing about Star Trek that most non-lovers don't realize is that it takes our own reality and shows you how it might play out in the future. They tackle real issues and the characters have real problems just like everyone else today. And in the recent book I'm reading, their problems hit too close to home.
There's a couple from the Next Gen series that have moved on with their lives, and (finally) got married. They're older. They wanted to start a family. Then they discovered they had a genetic incompatibility (she's only half-human you see) and had to do fertility treatments. These treatments had some pretty significant side-effects and created a lot of stress for the couple (anybody out there relate?). THEN, as I'm reading this newest set of books, get this, they managed to get pregnant and are experiencing their SECOND miscarriage. Her Dr wants to do surgery to remove the fetus. She's in shock and couldn't bear to have it happen any other way but naturally, and he's a wreck over her physical and emotional pain, feeling lost and helpless. And this is as far into the book as I've gotten.
Excuse my language here, but holy sh*t! Even in a science fiction novel I can't escape miscarriage? I was in tears as I was reading the chapters. They're charaters in a fiction novel and I was deeply feeling their agony and frustration. I had to put it down for awhile. I'll be reading again shortly now that I can deal with it.
No breaks here, eh? Will be interesting to see how things play out...
3 comments:
Oh good god! What are the chances?
I am rereading Mission Gamma...
Thanks for reading & commenting over at my blog. I am a Trekkie too! I always enjoyed the original series, but TNG was (and is) my absolute favourite. I haven't seen all the episodes, though, and haven't started on the books. (I've been needing escapism in my life lately, so that sounds like a great place to start. Library, here I come!)
I'd like to know the title of the book you refer to in this post, if you don't mind letting me know.
I am so sorry to hear of your struggles w/ recurring m/c. I can't imagine how difficult that must be. I hope you find your way through all of this soon.
I used to read Nora Roberts romance books for escapism during the years of IF, until it struck me one day that 2 series I read had this pattern of the couple finally getting together in the first book, and boom - pg and usually giving birth in the 2nd book (when new characters were doing the romance thing). I have rarely read any of her books since that hit me right between the eyes.
Here's to hoping for dreams come true in 2009 ...
It's the first one in the new Star Trek Destiny trio. They're a good read, once you get over the smack-you-in-the-face-with-reality part. Have fun at the library! :)
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