Kate Mulgrew Narrates Captain Janeway's Autobiography Plus More
Titan Books released the in-universe autobiography of Captain Katherine Janeway of the U.S.S. Voyager in October 2020. The only thing that could improve Una McCormack's novel arrived last week.
Captain Janeway herself, Kate Mulgrew, narrated the audiobook version of the novel. It is available from Audible, Google, Apple iTunes, libro.fm, audiobooks.com, and Kobo.
The autobiography's title is itself a brilliant play on the world's most famous split infinitive, The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway: The History of the Captain Who Went Further Than Any Had Before. In it, Janeway takes us through her life story. Mulgrew lends her distinctive voice to McCormack's story, creating a truly immersive experience.
Janeway talks about her career in Starfleet, providing deeper insights into how she led the U.S.S. Voyager back to Federation space from the Delta Quadrant. It does not stop there; McCormack reveals that Janeway rose to the rank of Vice-Admiral within Starfleet Command.
The memoir starts at the beginning of her story. To some, this may feel a bit exhaustive. However, this detail helps us understand how she developed her ethical code. Her fateful decision, which trapped the crew in the Delta Quadrant, appears more transparent than what the Star Trek: Voyager (S.T.: V.O.Y.) series was able to convey.
She was stranded far from Federation space and needed to create a blended Starfleet and Maquis crew that functioned as one. She accomplished so much on the journey home. Janeway represented Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets (U.F.P.), serving as impromptu ambassador to every new species encountered along their journey home. The crew's first contact helped create alliances with new species and cultures. We catch glimpses of the rewards of these relationships in the far future in Star Trek: Discovery. She defeated the galaxy's greatest enemy, the Borg, on their ground.
She provides us a more personal take on several characters from the S.T.: V.O.Y. franchise. We get to understand her relationships with Tuvok, Seven of Nine, Neelix, and Chakotay. Her choice of bringing in a Maquis rebel as her second-in-command may have rubbed her Starfleet crew the wrong way, but it was the right decision. While this all feels like familiar ground, the novel goes into other details about Janeway's life, such as when she first fell in love.
Star Trek: Prodigy
Mulgrew continues her voicework as Janeway in the upcoming animated series, Star Trek: Prodigy. This new show will air on Nickelodeon. She stated:
"I have invested every scintilla of my being in Captain Janeway, and I can't wait to endow her with nuance that I never did before in Star Trek: Prodigy. How thrilling to be able to introduce to these young minds an idea that has elevated the world for decades. To be at the helm again is going to be deeply gratifying in a new way for me."
While the autobiography tells us more about Janeway, Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman sheds further insight into the cultural significance of Captain Janeway and why she is the perfect choice for the Prodigy project.
"Captain Janeway was held to a different standard than her predecessors. She was asked to embody an inhuman level of perfection in order to be accepted as 'good enough' by the doubters but showed them all what it means to be truly outstanding. We can think of no better captain to inspire the next generation of dreamers on Nickelodeon than she."
Ramsey Naito, President of Nickelodeon Animation, concurs:
"Kate's portrayal of Captain Janeway is truly iconic and has resonated with a global audience for many years. We can't wait to see her bring this character to life in a whole new way while continuing to be an inspiration for both new and loyal fans."
Though the exact release date is not yet known, Star Trek: Prodigy will premiere on Nickelodeon in 2021.
Source(s): ComicBook.com, StarTrek.com