Nimavenl - Nicole's Random Ramblings

I know, I know... It's been around for quite some time and I'm only discovering it now... I'm late to the party! But... That doesn't mean I can't gush about it! Retro Phase Shift is a science fiction blog with lots of posts about (just to name a few shows) Doctor Who, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, Defiance, Babylon 5 and Torchwood. Just reading the names of some of my favourite shows and knowing that others enjoy them too, makes me happy. Yes, really. (Is this a good moment to insert an "oh, the feels" comment? No? Ah, okay...) Reading some of the posts on this blog is even better than just reading about the blog's existence. Take for instance 4 Good Entry Points to Big Franchises - Friday Four which lists good episodes for first-time viewers watching Stargate, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who. Seeing these are all shows I watch(ed) and enjoy, this post makes me happy. I may not agree with all the choices for first episo...

The Struggle Within by Christopher L. Bennett My rating: 5 of 5 stars Very much enjoyed this story. My only complaint is that it was not nearly long enough! Found the Kinshaya story fascinating, the Talarian story a little less so, although equally interesting. View all my reviews

  If you've not read this book yet, you may want to read a spoiler-free review first! You have been warned! Paths of Disharmony by Dayton Ward My rating: 4 of 5 stars I enjoyed reading this book, however have a few things I would have liked to change, if I could. While I understand that making me 'happy' with the book would require it to be changed into something it's not (a novel that's a lot longer and a whole lot more detailed than this book is), I'm still going to write some of those thoughts dow. I felt it was a pity that we didn't learn more details about the Andorian reproductive crisis itself. Learning about an alien race that has four genders instead of two is fascinating however being me, I would have liked to read more about the way they reproduce - which gender does / contributes what and why / how. The sentence "And that, my friends, is where baby Andorians come from" would have been perfect at the end of a looooot of detail...

Rough Beasts of Empire by David R. George III My rating: 4 of 5 stars Third Typhon Pact book focusing on Spock on Romulus, the Romulan people, Benjamin Sisko and the Tzenkethi. I enjoyed the Spock part of the story and loved reading about the Romulans - they're always interesting. Scheming, devious, always several steps ahead and never disclosing all they know. Would have liked more Donatra time, though. Bringing the Vulcans and Romulans closer feels logical and sensible (in general, not just in this book) as they're basically 'cousins' who chose different paths in life, yet this book left me thinking that perhaps reunification wasn't all that necessary or even desirable. If the idea was to convey the (general?) Romulan view of possible reunification - why would we, we're fine as we are - then bravo and well done, I agree with the Romulans. Missed getting into Spock's head and really understanding what motivates him to be where he is. Found the Sisko part o...

Today's Random Act of Wildness: Reading a book in the sunshine.  Not very wild, nor all that random. Still, I enjoyed myself and was happy to feel the warmth of the sun shining down on me. I'm reading (well, re-reading) Seize the Fire by Michael A. Martin, the second book in the Star Trek: Typhon Pact series. Not a book about nature or animals, although it does include an interesting alien race called the Gorn who have claws and scales. Perhaps tomorrow I'll hug that tree , although the forecast says it's supposed to rain, so splashing through puddles might be lots more fun!

“It isn't all over; everything has not been invented; the human adventure is just beginning.” “The Strength of a civilization is not measured by its ability to fight wars, but rather by its ability to prevent them.” “If man is to survive, he will have learned to take a delight in the essential differences between men and between cultures. He will learn that differences in ideas and attitudes are a delight, part of life's exciting variety, not something to fear.” “Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. […] If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.” “Reality is incredibly larger, infin...

Love this! Happy First Contact Day indeed! In the Star Trek universe, first contact between humans and aliens (Vulcans, who look like Leonard Nimoy's Spock) happens after said aliens realise that humans have managed to achieve faster than light travel. Or rather - it will happen, forty-eight years from now. The story of humanity's first warp-speed journey is told in the movie Star Trek: First Contact (1996). Happy First Contact Day! http://t.co/dUUOoeMfKA #StarTrek #FirstContact pic.twitter.com/YhDrVZutnT — Star Trek (@StarTrek) April 5, 2015 On a related note, today's Star Trek.com poll asks: If YOU could make First Contact with a Star Trek alien species, which of the following would it be? Andorian Bajoran Borg Ferengi Klingon Romulan Vulcan Personally, I would love to meet a joined Trill. How amazing and fascinating would it be to actually meet someone who can remember multiple lifetimes as different people?! As for the aliens from the above list - ...

I'm getting old! My favourite Star Trek show :-) Worth celebrating! MT @DavidLoConto : Twenty-two years ago today, DS9 premiered. Best of the bunch. @reneauberjonois #StarTrek — Marguerite Krause (@markrause) January 3, 2015

Happy 82nd Birthday to actress Nichelle Nichols. May you enjoy peace and prosperity! Thank you for appearing in Star Trek; your portrayal of commander Uhura helped me realise that women really can do everything and is one of the main reasons I've been a fan of Star Trek for over 20 years! "Her role as Uhura on Star Trek was one of the first times that an African-American actress portrayed a non-stereotypical role on television. Previously, most African-American female characters on American television were depicted as maids or housekeepers, and Nichols' role helped break that barrier."  Nichelle Nichols article; Memory Alpha Nyota Uhura wasn't just the one with the pretty legs, she wasn't just the token female on a science-fiction show or an example of equality for both women and African Americans in a time when equality was sorely lacking. She wasn't just a woman on the bridge of a starship, heck, she was THE communications officer of THE Federation...

I absolutely LOVE love LOVE this Star Trek-themed hooded sweater. Resembling Worf's The Next Generation uniform, the zip-up hoodie looks awesome front and back. Photo Source: Star Trek official website Head over to Think Geek to buy this awesome hooded sweater! Here's some info about the hoodie from their product description: "This is the Star Trek: The Next Generation Worf Costume Hoodie! Modeled on the two-piece, Robert Blackman uniforms from seasons 3 forward (and the Klingon warrior's sash redesign by Durinda Rice Wood), these hoodies are a ThinkGeek creation and exclusive.  The hood features piping along the edge. When the hood is up, it's a hoodie. When the hood is down, it mimics the collar of the uniform. We made these without pips so that you can add your own, appropriate to your rank. And we assumed many of you already had a working combadge. If not, you can pick one up from us to wear with this."  Star Trek TNG Worf Costume Hoodie | T...

I'm a Very Happy Trekkie !!! Took a bit of searching online but finally managed to find a few new (to me) Star Trek books that I've been lusting after for ages! To celebrate that I woke up from open heart surgery a month ago today, I figured I deserved a present. And what better present for a Star Trek fan than four new books. I'm super happy! Finding the next four books looks to be a bit of a mission - the online bookstore I got the first four at was the fourth store I visited, however that's a mission for next month. For now I'm just hoping my books will get here soon! Want to know what I'll be reading - Check out these Star Trek : Typhon Pact books here!

Found a link to this extremely HUGE list of Star Trek books on Wikipedia. As Wikipedia can be changed quite easily, why not visit Memory Alpha as well, which has been a favourite go-to website of mine for years and years when it comes to Star Trek books!

Star Trek celebrates 46 years of daring to dream of boldly going where none had gone before. The first Star Trek episode aired on 08 September 1966. To commemorate that, Google created a Google Doodle with characters from The Original Series on it. How totally awesome!!! Congratulations, Star Trek! " Celebrating 46 years with a Google Doodle " | Star Trek.com (Photo was added later)

Simply HAD to share this link. Love the "Chakotay", the "Dax" and the "McCoy". Find the Star Trek Dictionary at aaaugh.com  and see what your favourite new definitions are!

Having just watched Season 4 of Primeval and Season 2 of The Vampire Diaries , I'm now wondering what show to watch next. Doctor Who 's adventures with Amy Pond and Rory are up to date. So is Torchwood . Star Trek Enterprise and Stargate: Atlantis I watch on TV. The X-Files was awesome, but not something I'm keen to watch again right now. I watched Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles about two months ago, can pretty much dream every episode of Star Trek: Deep Space 9 and Voyager , am up to date on True Blood ... Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are shows I still quote from and know near off by heart. Charmed finished so long ago that I've seen basically every episode at least three times by now. Really, I'm looking to get stuck into a show with plot-lines that develop over an entire season or series - complex and intricate stories that take time to understand. Stand-alone episodes are great, however I'm more of a Big Picture girl. Think ...

This week was a lot of things all in one. Hectic, fun, relaxing, enjoyable, busy, quiet, and best of all, it ended really, really well! Watched the second part of two-part TV series Alice last night. I love the story of Alice in Wonderland , found the books to be some of the most amazing I've ever read, and enjoyed this version of the story immensely. Andrew-Lee Potts plays the Hatter in Alice, and seeing this brilliant actor play a lovable clown like the Hatter reminded me of another lovable clown slash geek role of his - that of Connor Temple in Primeval . Realising I hadn't yet seen any Season 4 episodes of Primeval, I browsed the Net and found some very helpful websites :-) Just finished watching Episode 4 of Season 4 and while Primeval's changed again as it does every season, I'm still loving it a lot.The new characters seem interesting, the new sets are amazing, and seeing " Doctor Bashir " (the role Alexander Siddig played on Star Trek: Dee...

I'm a big sci-fi and fantasy nutter really - as long as a story involves aliens, magic, time travel, strange creatures, vampires, werewolves, dinosaurs, or really anything paranormal or supernatural - count me in. Think I've watched pretty much every episode of oh let me think... Star Trek (all series), Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Tru Calling, Dollhouse, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Primeval, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, Torchwood, Supernatural, Earth: Final Conflict, Babylon 5... I'm sure the list is longer than this, but hey, you get the message. I'm a Trekkie, Trekker, Star-Trek nutter, call it what you will. And I'm proud of it! Deep Space 9 is my favourite series, however I also enjoyed Enterprise a lot. And Voyager. And The Next Generation. And the DS9 relaunch books. And the books set after The Original Series. And... Well, you get the point. Supernatural is currently in it's 4th season on TV over here, and while I read episode des...

Being a huge fan of just about every sci-fi TV show I've ever come across, I've now become addicted to British show Primeval as well. Read recently that they'll be making a 4th and 5th series, and am over the moon! Almost through watching the 3rd series... Two episodes to go. Am hoping I'll stumble across another awesome tv show soon to fill Primeval's shoes... Now just really, really, really want there to be more Torchwood episodes some time soonish !!! Watching Doctor Who is awesome too of course and am catching up on episodes I've missed and enjoying that, however I do miss Torchwood just a bit! Might just end up re-watching more old Enterprise episodes, which, even though it's American, is still pretty good. And yes - it's Star Trek which makes it "pretty darn awesome" really !!! OK - rant over - back to watching Primeval !