Crystal Singer Question

[Critteranne]

First, I’m glad to find a forum dedicated just to the Crystal Singer and Brain Ship books!

Also, I was today old when I learned that the first Crystal Singer book is categorized as a young adult book by Wikipedia. It was published as a young adult book in the UK (hardcover by Severn House). I’ve always associated it with the Michael Whelan cover, but I think that was used starting from the first paperback edition.

I know the young adult field was different back in 1982, but that seems an unusual categorization for the book. Killashandra was young, but she wasn’t “young adult book” young. I can see that the book could be considered suitable for teenaged readers who are SF fans, but it seems aimed more at adults.

What do you think?

Also, can the original short stories be found in anthologies?

[Cheryl]

Did YA really exist as a marketing category when the Crystal Singer books were published? I feel like they predate it.

I agree that it seems an odd fit for CS - while they're fine for teens to read, the main character is older than the typical age range for YA, and it's not really a coming-of-age story, which are what I expect of a YA book (along with age-appropriateness and perhaps less complex plot and grammar/language, and often on the shorter side of novels).

The original shorts can be found in anthologies. There were four short stories published in Continuum 1 through 4, edited by Roger Elwood. There was also a graphic novel adaptation of the first short story in Starstream #3, also edited by Elwood. There some interesting differences between the shorts and the first book, the most notable (and only one I recall offhand) is that Killashandra dies in the final short.

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

Did YA really exist as a marketing category when the Crystal Singer books were published? I feel like they predate it.

I think YA existed more as a concept rather than a marketing category. While industry insiders used the term, no one else knew what it meant. When I was young, my library had a separate section for books for older readers (like House of Stairs and Lisa, Bright and Dark), but I don't remember what they called it. Most stores didn't have a separate YA section or even a "Teens" section. That probably led to some interesting purchases...

Originally Posted by Cheryl

I agree that it seems an odd fit for CS - while they're fine for teens to read, the main character is older than the typical age range for YA, and it's not really a coming-of-age story, which are what I expect of a YA book (along with age-appropriateness and perhaps less complex plot and grammar/language, and often on the shorter side of novels).

Although Killashandra is sort of right out of college, it's not even a "new adult" novel. But then, people had different ideas of "teen" and "YA" books then (and "new adult" didn't exist as a concept yet). Beyond the "problem novels," there were books like the Cherry Ames series, written for teens but starting adults who had just started an exciting career. Those books were easier reads than adult books. With today's young adult books, it depends. Some are short and simple, some are really long, and some even use more experimental writing styles (like blank verse).

Originally Posted by Cheryl

The original shorts can be found in anthologies. There were four short stories published in Continuum 1 through 4, edited by Roger Elwood. There was also a graphic novel adaptation of the first short story in Starstream #3, also edited by Elwood. There some interesting differences between the shorts and the first book, the most notable (and only one I recall offhand) is that Killashandra dies in the final short.

Eek! Still, I'll have to look for those at the used bookstore. They have a lot of anthologies.

[Hans]

I have the original shorts in soft and hardcover I'd be willing to sell Critteranne. You are in the UK, right? I am in the Netherlands. Maybe postage might be affordable... Let me know if you are interested and I will try to find what I have.



And there's also a (much altered) comic book version of the story. Not sure but you might find a Collector's Highlight about that here. If I remember correctly it's in Starstream.

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by Hans

I have the original shorts in soft and hardcover I'd be willing to sell Critteranne. You are in the UK, right? I am in the Netherlands. Maybe postage might be affordable... Let me know if you are interested and I will try to find what I have.

I'm in Maryland, so I'm sure the postage would be awful. And still "constrained," from what I can tell.

Originally Posted by Hans

And there's also a (much altered) comic book version of the story. Not sure but you might find a Collector's Highlight about that here. If I remember correctly it's in Starstream.

I'll look into it. I noticed it was from Whitman Publishing. I loved their reprint comics, but I'm wondering what their SF comics would be like. They were the publishers of the Gold Key Star Trek comics (the first Star Trek comics), and many ST fans don't like them except as a curiosity. They're not really "canon." (It turns out that many of the artists and writers for the comics had been given publicity stills and basic information but had not seen the show!)

[GinnyStar]

Well I don't recall how much bbooks ran me postabe and ship and hndling, from many year back, when I got hold of two non Pern Anne NcCaffrey book, - their dustjackets, I have order stuff offline but its been a while, I am following this thread,, bother Star Trek and Anne McCaffrey, and a reminder, taht I need to find new copy of a few softcovers in this book, Crystal Singer is the one I am looking for, but with out my sight, I like the cover, and I do loan out some of my books to friends, I have to ttwo in hardback just not the first one, and also the DShip that Sang also, if someone wat to post me a link in the right way, I be greatful. Sorry for my ranbling, but I am still learning how use both JJAWS and Google together for let me post new stuff, and ansanswer old ones too.

[Bristol]

Originally Posted by GinnyStar

Well I don't recall how much bbooks ran me postabe and ship and hndling, from many year back, when I got hold of two non Pern Anne NcCaffrey book, - their dustjackets, I have order stuff offline but its been a while, I am following this thread,, bother Star Trek and Anne McCaffrey, and a reminder, taht I need to find new copy of a few softcovers in this book, Crystal Singer is the one I am looking for, but with out my sight, I like the cover, and I do loan out some of my books to friends, I have to ttwo in hardback just not the first one, and also the DShip that Sang also, if someone wat to post me a link in the right way, I be greatful. Sorry for my ranbling, but I am still learning how use both JJAWS and Google together for let me post new stuff, and ansanswer old ones too.

Not to worry. It is doing a better job than most voicemail transcribing services.

[BD1]

I once read that in a version of the story, Lars Dahl was hired by the Heptite Guild to kill Killashandra Ree!

[GinnyStar]

Originally Posted by Bristol

Not to worry. It is doing a better job than most voicemail transcribing services.

That is was the comment a non AMC friend was telling me, bought some of them at a second hand bookshop that is no longer in business, I have only read one smsa few of the e-books, before my sight is now gone, working to see if I can gget a different short story collection read by a AI voice, she who won't be spoken so I don't loose my recording of my show tbhat I am listening to.

My memory works funny, I can understand a lot of differnt things just tryhing to put then step to step together is when I loose a step in tthe order. More later

[Cheryl]

Originally Posted by BD1

I once read that in a version of the story, Lars Dahl was hired by the Heptite Guild to kill Killashandra Ree!

I recall that Lars was hired by Optheria (not the Heptite guild) to injure her, to prove the rumored fast-healing possessed by crystal singers (and thereby prove her to be a true singer as well). It wouldn't make sense for him to have been hired to kill her, because they needed her to repair their organ before the big festival. Which is why Lars then kidnapped her for political reasons to delay the fixing of the organ.

The Heptite Guild has never wanted her dead, singers are too rare and valuable to them!

[GinnyStar]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

I recall that Lars was hired by Optheria (not the Heptite guild) to injure her, to prove the rumored fast-healing possessed by crystal singers (and thereby prove her to be a true singer as well). It wouldn't make sense for him to have been hired to kill her, because they needed her to repair their organ before the big festival. Which is why Lars then kidnapped her for political reasons to delay the fixing of the organ.

The Heptite Guild has never wanted her dead, singers are too rare and valuable to them!

That is right, his 'original' work, was lovely to his folks in the Islands, not on the Mainland,

Also the organ 'was' the insterment that was their, His sound ed good on a 22 string, insterment, I think or something like that,,

His group was trieing to stop the 'brainwashing' along with the senserary program. even with a smaller one, which , they where abel to fix so it sstop, on the main one, but left the main other and the broken crystals were used to help get passed the gard that tested for a tttrace mineral that a BB ship was not able to used. I am just saying, that Lar's folks in the group used the broken ones to good useto help change their 'wanted to stay their, and help out. which was KKher second job from the FSP just saying mmy mind is adding odds and ends, and I hope to be able to listen /read more soon, working on ggetting a differnt reader/player to listen to more.