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'''''Down Among the Dead Men''''' was Professor [[Bernice Summerfield]]'s first published book. It detailed the young archaeologist's experiences excavating an [[Ice Warrior]] site at [[Mare Sirenum]] on [[Mars]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Theatre of War (novel)}}, {{cs|The Dying Days (novel)}}) Though it was a best seller, and was a great help to her in obtaining employment at [[St Oscar's University]] on [[Dellah]], Benny sometimes had mixed feelings about it — describing it, at one point, as a book that "everyone bought, but no one read." ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Oh No It Isn't! (novel)}}) Other readers were kinder: [[St Oscar's University|St Oscar's]] student [[Theo Tamlyn]] thought it was "one of the few readable textbooks he'd encountered". ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Dry Pilgrimage (novel)}}) | |||
A revised edition was published in [[2593]] by [[St | Whilst some accounts indicated that the book was published in [[2466]], ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Theatre of War (novel)}}) another indicated that it was published in [[2566]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Many Happy Returns (audio story)}}) | ||
A revised edition was published in [[2593]] by [[St Oscar's University]] Press, [[Dellah]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Walking to Babylon (novel)}}) This revised edition was called ''Down Among the Dead Men Again''. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Seeing I (novel)}}, [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Buried Treasures (audio anthology)}}) | |||
After the novel became a best-seller, Benny's publishers wanted her to write a sequel. She kept on putting it off, for instance by spending her time writing an essay entitled "[[Devil Gate Drive: The Influence of The Descent of Inanna on Twentieth-Century Popular Culture|Devil Gate Drive: The Influence of ''The Descent of Inanna'' on Twentieth-Century Popular Culture]]". ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Walking to Babylon (novel)}}) | |||
The [[Eighth Doctor]] once asked [[Compassion]] if she had ever read ''Down Among the Dead Men''. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Coldheart (novel)}}) | |||
[[Lynton Jellis]] had a copy, which he asked Bernice to sign. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Silver Lining (audio story)}}) | |||
[[Professor Altazar]] possessed a copy, which Bernice was initially pleased to see, before finding, upon flicking through, that he had made many notes in the book, many "quite angry". Trying to hide her disappointment, she noted that it ''had'' been her first book, and hoped that she had improved since, at which Altazar commented that he had also made extensive notes in her other books. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Rhubarb (audio story)|minute=7|second=20}}) | |||
== Behind the scenes == | |||
===Notes=== | |||
First detailed in ''[[Theatre of War (novel)|Theatre of War]]'', the initial date of publishing was given as 2466. This was at odds with [[Paul Cornell]]'s established backstory for [[Bernice Summerfield]], placing her date of birth as 21st June 2472 (and thereby dating ''[[Love and War]]'', her first appearance, 21st - 23rd June 2502). However, as the document detailing Benny's early life - included in Cornell's initial pitch to [[Peter Darvill-Evans]] - was not immediately accessible to other writers, many subsequent novels muddied the water concerning her native time period until the matter was cleared up in ''[[Just War (novel)|Just War]]'', placing Benny's date of birth as 21st June 2540 (in order to better fit ''Love and War'' into the time period of the Human-Draconian conflict as explored in ''[[Frontier in Space]]''). | |||
Despite this obvious contradiction, the publishing date of 2466 has been quoted many times in the ''[[Bernice Summerfield (series)|Bernice Summerfield]]'' series, most notably in the ''Welcome to the Braxiatel Collection'' section at the beginning of novels and anthologies, and remains unexplained to this day. ''[[Many Happy Returns (audio story)|Many Happy Returns]]'' had [[Curator (Many Happy Returns)|the Curator]] date the book's initial publication instead to [[2566]]. | |||
[[Category:Non-fiction books]] | [[Category:Non-fiction books]] | ||
[[Category:Works written by Bernice Summerfield]] | [[Category:Works written by Bernice Summerfield]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:24, 29 October 2024
Down Among the Dead Men was Professor Bernice Summerfield's first published book. It detailed the young archaeologist's experiences excavating an Ice Warrior site at Mare Sirenum on Mars. (PROSE: Theatre of War [+]Loading...["Theatre of War (novel)"], The Dying Days [+]Loading...["The Dying Days (novel)"]) Though it was a best seller, and was a great help to her in obtaining employment at St Oscar's University on Dellah, Benny sometimes had mixed feelings about it — describing it, at one point, as a book that "everyone bought, but no one read." (PROSE: Oh No It Isn't! [+]Loading...["Oh No It Isn't! (novel)"]) Other readers were kinder: St Oscar's student Theo Tamlyn thought it was "one of the few readable textbooks he'd encountered". (PROSE: Dry Pilgrimage [+]Loading...["Dry Pilgrimage (novel)"])
Whilst some accounts indicated that the book was published in 2466, (PROSE: Theatre of War [+]Loading...["Theatre of War (novel)"]) another indicated that it was published in 2566. (AUDIO: Many Happy Returns [+]Loading...["Many Happy Returns (audio story)"])
A revised edition was published in 2593 by St Oscar's University Press, Dellah. (PROSE: Walking to Babylon [+]Loading...["Walking to Babylon (novel)"]) This revised edition was called Down Among the Dead Men Again. (PROSE: Seeing I [+]Loading...["Seeing I (novel)"], AUDIO: Buried Treasures [+]Loading...["Buried Treasures (audio anthology)"])
After the novel became a best-seller, Benny's publishers wanted her to write a sequel. She kept on putting it off, for instance by spending her time writing an essay entitled "Devil Gate Drive: The Influence of The Descent of Inanna on Twentieth-Century Popular Culture". (PROSE: Walking to Babylon [+]Loading...["Walking to Babylon (novel)"])
The Eighth Doctor once asked Compassion if she had ever read Down Among the Dead Men. (PROSE: Coldheart [+]Loading...["Coldheart (novel)"])
Lynton Jellis had a copy, which he asked Bernice to sign. (AUDIO: Silver Lining [+]Loading...["Silver Lining (audio story)"])
Professor Altazar possessed a copy, which Bernice was initially pleased to see, before finding, upon flicking through, that he had made many notes in the book, many "quite angry". Trying to hide her disappointment, she noted that it had been her first book, and hoped that she had improved since, at which Altazar commented that he had also made extensive notes in her other books. (AUDIO: Rhubarb [+]Loading...{"minute":"7","second":"20","1":"Rhubarb (audio story)"})
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
First detailed in Theatre of War, the initial date of publishing was given as 2466. This was at odds with Paul Cornell's established backstory for Bernice Summerfield, placing her date of birth as 21st June 2472 (and thereby dating Love and War, her first appearance, 21st - 23rd June 2502). However, as the document detailing Benny's early life - included in Cornell's initial pitch to Peter Darvill-Evans - was not immediately accessible to other writers, many subsequent novels muddied the water concerning her native time period until the matter was cleared up in Just War, placing Benny's date of birth as 21st June 2540 (in order to better fit Love and War into the time period of the Human-Draconian conflict as explored in Frontier in Space).
Despite this obvious contradiction, the publishing date of 2466 has been quoted many times in the Bernice Summerfield series, most notably in the Welcome to the Braxiatel Collection section at the beginning of novels and anthologies, and remains unexplained to this day. Many Happy Returns had the Curator date the book's initial publication instead to 2566.
