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mynameiskate's review
4.0
Update: The publisher just added a "look inside" feature where you can see the Table of Contents for the book. If you're on the fence about this book, check it out - a lot of great content! http://www.halleonardbooks.com/viewcloserlook.do?id=00314874
Recently Netflix Canada starting carrying the entire Star Trek TNG series and we've been binge watching the series. We're about 5 episodes from the 7th season and series finale. And I wish I would have had Mark Clark's Star Trek FAQ 2.0 (Unofficial and Unauthorized): Everything Left to Know about the Next Generation, the Movies, and Beyond when we started.
I was never really a fan of Star Trek the original series and not the movies either, until Generations (the crossover movie), so that definitely colours my review of this book. I skimmed the bits about the movies (and I felt there was a little too much Shatner bashing). BUT, overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am glad I have it as I finish my STTNG odyssey.
Specifically, I enjoyed:
- the history of how the series management evolved, from the gradual removal of Gene Roddenberry and the heavy reliance on Rick Berman throughout the rest of the franchise. I also enjoyed the stories about the writer challenges on the series.
- the bios of the cast and the mentions of them throughout, particularly the focus on those who directed StarTrek (TNG or other) episodes or movies. I didn't really have an appreciation of how much Jonathan Frakes evolved as a director on TNG and what he went on to direct.
- the chapters on StarTrek heroes, aliens and villains. I thought this was a good way to organize this material and really let you see who had guest starred on the show.
- the episode synopses - they, of course, don't have the detail that say, Wil Wheaton included in his recap book Memories of the Future, Volume 1 - but they are handy and snappy.
- all the production details of the series.
- the bibliography - I LOVE a good bibliography!
I did not enjoy:
- so many allusions to ST Original episodes, particularly in the synopses of Season 1 STTNG. I understand why you might want to make the comparison, but having it interspersed and interwoven with the individual episode recaps made me not want to read those recaps because they were essentially meaningless. This was mainly for the recaps of Season 1.
- there are "Shining Moments" chapters for Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner and Michael Dorn - these feel a bit recycled/repetitive from other parts of the book.
Stuff I was intellectually happy that Clark included but don't personally care about:
- anything to do with the movies. I'm glad he included it because I think having it in there is an interesting foil to STTNG, particularly since they were happening at the same time. But I don't really care about the movies :)
So, all in all, I liked this book. I'm not one to go around the internet and find all the things about something. This is why I read the Panem Companion for The Hunger Games movie and this is why I really liked this book. If you are a hard core INTENSE Trekker, you will probably know all of this. But for people like me who are rediscovering the series, this is a perfect companion.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Hal Leonard Books for the advance review copy!
Recently Netflix Canada starting carrying the entire Star Trek TNG series and we've been binge watching the series. We're about 5 episodes from the 7th season and series finale. And I wish I would have had Mark Clark's Star Trek FAQ 2.0 (Unofficial and Unauthorized): Everything Left to Know about the Next Generation, the Movies, and Beyond when we started.
I was never really a fan of Star Trek the original series and not the movies either, until Generations (the crossover movie), so that definitely colours my review of this book. I skimmed the bits about the movies (and I felt there was a little too much Shatner bashing). BUT, overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am glad I have it as I finish my STTNG odyssey.
Specifically, I enjoyed:
- the history of how the series management evolved, from the gradual removal of Gene Roddenberry and the heavy reliance on Rick Berman throughout the rest of the franchise. I also enjoyed the stories about the writer challenges on the series.
- the bios of the cast and the mentions of them throughout, particularly the focus on those who directed StarTrek (TNG or other) episodes or movies. I didn't really have an appreciation of how much Jonathan Frakes evolved as a director on TNG and what he went on to direct.
- the chapters on StarTrek heroes, aliens and villains. I thought this was a good way to organize this material and really let you see who had guest starred on the show.
- the episode synopses - they, of course, don't have the detail that say, Wil Wheaton included in his recap book Memories of the Future, Volume 1 - but they are handy and snappy.
- all the production details of the series.
- the bibliography - I LOVE a good bibliography!
I did not enjoy:
- so many allusions to ST Original episodes, particularly in the synopses of Season 1 STTNG. I understand why you might want to make the comparison, but having it interspersed and interwoven with the individual episode recaps made me not want to read those recaps because they were essentially meaningless. This was mainly for the recaps of Season 1.
- there are "Shining Moments" chapters for Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner and Michael Dorn - these feel a bit recycled/repetitive from other parts of the book.
Stuff I was intellectually happy that Clark included but don't personally care about:
- anything to do with the movies. I'm glad he included it because I think having it in there is an interesting foil to STTNG, particularly since they were happening at the same time. But I don't really care about the movies :)
So, all in all, I liked this book. I'm not one to go around the internet and find all the things about something. This is why I read the Panem Companion for The Hunger Games movie and this is why I really liked this book. If you are a hard core INTENSE Trekker, you will probably know all of this. But for people like me who are rediscovering the series, this is a perfect companion.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Hal Leonard Books for the advance review copy!
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