I have a partial quote floating around in my head, something along the lines of "They taught me how to fix an engine, then they gave me Scotty who could rebulid it while asleep, with one arm tied behind his back" The speech had mentions of how much better Spock and Bones were too I think. Now it might easily not have been Kirk, but I'm sure it was Scotty. It might even have been from TV, but a brief googling couldn't reveal the quote so I suspect it was from a pre-2002 trek book. Anyone got any ideas? Ta
^Shatner writing about how other characters are better than Kirk in any way, shape, or form? That doesn't sound like The Shat we all know and love...
I could name at least a dozen novelists and two screenplay writers who could write such a thing for Kirk and have their readers believe it to be true. Some of them hang out here.
Google Books agrees with you. Specifically, Spectre, page 268. I chopped up the quote, and the part "gave me Scotty" got a result. Paul Weaver, you didn't have it quite right, which is probably why you couldn't find it. Here it is: "In engineering classes, they taught me how to build a starship, if I had to, with my own two hands. And then they gave me Scotty. He could build the same starship in his sleep, with one hand, in a third the time, with fifty percent fewer pieces, and it would run more efficiently too."
Thanks chaps, haven't read that book for over a decade If I recall correctly Spectre really annoyed me, more than the previous ones. I don't know why. Strange that phrase should have stuck in my mind.
Memory can be a strange thing. Know I remember fragments of things from books I haven't read in years, too.
My favorite Kirk line came from DC Comics shortly after The Voyage Home. It was at a diplomatic reception. Klingon Ambassador: "They demoted you? A Klingon would sooner die then be reduced in rank!" Kirk: "In my case, it was a commendation for a job well done."