abstract
| - Otherwise known as Therin of Andor, Ian McLean has had an active association with Star Trek and science fiction media fandom in Australia since the beginning of 1980. He was president of Astrex Star Trek Fan Club of New South Wales (1984 - 1992), and a frequent master of ceremonies and/or panelist at science fiction media conventions, including Queensland's annual Conquest. Before then he was an avid fan of the Batman TV series (1960s) and an Australian TV classic, the prime time soap opera, Number 96 (1970s). McLean maintains The Andor Files, a comprehensive online fan reference to Andorians and other information in Star Trek. He is the author of an interview with actor Leonard John Crofoot for Starlog, and was a regular contributor to the letters page of DC Comics' Star Trek titles. He was a regular contributor to Astrex's Data newsletter, the New Zealand fanzine series Katra, and was the editor/publisher of the U.S.S Hood Orientation Manual series (including Races of the Federation and Enemies of the Federation), the fanzine series Kiron III, and (with New Zealand fan, Lana Pennington-Brown), Androidz. He appeared as Therin at science fiction media conventions, and in numerous Australian fan films and live game shows made in the 1980s. Despite living in Australia, McLean appeared as that character's father, Senator Therin ae Shefareth of Andor, in the Starship Exeter episode "The Savage Empire". The footage was filmed in Sydney and posted off to the filmmakers to be added as a special effect. A park on Andor was named in Therin's honor in the novel, Andor: Paradigm by Heather Jarman (in Worlds of Deep Space Nine, Book 1). The park was further referenced in the eBook Starfleet Corps of Engineers: Remembrance of Things Past, Book 1, Pocket, 2007, by Terri Osborne, and Destiny Book 3, Lost Souls by David Mack, Pocket, 2008. The character of Andorian Starfleet crewman Shantherin th'Clane was named for McLean and his alter ego in the novels, Ex Machina, Pocket, 2004, and Department of Temporal Investigations: Forgotten History by Christopher L. Bennett, Pocket, 2012. He is referenced as a past hero in the novel Typhon Pact: Paths of Disharmony by Dayton Ward, Pocket, 2011, and (as namesake of an Andorian warship) in Titan: Fallen Gods by Michael A Martin, Pocket, 2012. The character of Andorian Starfleet crewman Veldaclien ch'Gorin, aka "Clien", was named for McLean in the novel, Allegiance in Exile by David R George III, Pocket, 2013. New Therin Park was established on Andor during a rebuilding program, in the novel Typhon Pact: Paths of Disharmony. McLean is credited as the "beta reader" for this novel, advising author Dayton Ward on aspects of Andorian culture. McLean provided research on Andorians to the Art Asylum sculptors for Playmates Toys. In 1999, he conceived of the winning figure, "Captain Kathryn Janeway as seen in the Star Trek: Voyager episode Flashback", for a competition held by the Star Trek action figure collecting listserv, Playtrek, and online seller, NewForce Comics. In 2008, he wrote the obituary for Uhura's Song novelist Janet Kagan, which appeared in Titan Magazines' Star Trek monthly magazine (#11, May/Jun US issue).
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