Star Trek 365....

[Warped9]

I've finally finished going through this and my final assessment is a shrug. IF you've never read ANY background on the original series then you'll get something out of this book. But if you've been following Star Trek since at least the '70s if not when the show was actually in production then there will be next to nothing new to be learned in this book.

In regards to the photos there are a few genuinely rare shots that I'm not at all familiar with seeing before. But that's it. Most everything else I'd already seen displayed somewhere else before.

The title Star Trek 365 has no more import than there are 365 pages covering the original series and some background info related to the show or the fandom it spawned. Actually there are more than 365 pages if you count the index pages.

Candidly I'm still critical of the book's format in that there is a lot of wasted page space in using this unusually sized, chunky format. I still think they would have done better to have used a more familiar trade size hardcover.

Overall I think previous publications have covered this materiel better even if they didn't have some of the nice pictures included here. I'm thinking of Alan Asherman's Star Trek Compendium, Stephen E. Whitfield's The Making Of Star Trek, Herb Solow's and Robert Justman's Inside Star Trek, Bjo Trimble's Star Trek Concordance and David Gerrold's The World Of Star Trek.

 

[Therin of Andor]

The title Star Trek 365 has no more import than there are 365 pages ...

Candidly I'm still critical of the book's format in that there is a lot of wasted page space in using this unusually sized, chunky format. I still think they would have done better to have used a more familiar trade size hardcover.

Except that the format is a proven, bestselling series of Abrams' "365" books on all manner of popular culture. The idea is not just that it's yet another ST factual coffee table book, it's part of the bestselling "365" series and it has proven current appeal with casual and dedicated book buyers. The older style ST trade coffee table books haven't been bestsellers for decades now, and shops refuse to stock them.

 

[Warped9]

The title Star Trek 365 has no more import than there are 365 pages ...

Candidly I'm still critical of the book's format in that there is a lot of wasted page space in using this unusually sized, chunky format. I still think they would have done better to have used a more familiar trade size hardcover.

Except that the format is a proven, bestselling series of Abrams' "365" books on all manner of popular culture. The idea is not just that it's yet another ST factual coffee table book, it's part of the bestselling "365" series.

Well goody for them. I still think it's a silly format no matter how popular it is.

 

[cmdr_forst]

A friend of mine bought me this book for Christmas. It is certainly hefty and a little unwieldy at times. I have read a good number of non-fiction/behind-the-scenes books about Star Trek, including all of the titles Warped9 mentioned but I am still enjoying this one. I am sure I have seen a good number of the photographs before and read many of the behind-the-scenes tidbits.

My two complaints are the strange page numbers (two numbers on each page?) and the lack of air dates for the episodes. I also find it strange that stills from the remastered episodes are included.

 

[Warped9]

I also find it strange that stills from the remastered episodes are included.

That's a good point and I also found it a little odd. The system of page numbering was a bit weird, but I got used to that quickly enough.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I also find it strange that stills from the remastered episodes are included.

A clever way of drawing the attention of more casual TOS fans to the fact that the episodes are now available in a different form.

Had paulablock ignored the newly-CGIed episodes, some people would be bitching about that.

 

[Saxman1]

I'm looking forward to 2011 with a page a day with TOS! What fun!

 

[Captain Robert April]

Let's just say I'm more interested in getting a copy of this book than in getting that Haynes Manual.

 

[Ssosmcin]

I also find it strange that stills from the remastered episodes are included.

A clever way of drawing the attention of more casual TOS fans to the fact that the episodes are now available in a different form.

Had paulablock ignored the newly-CGIed episodes, some people would be bitching about that.

I agree. Like it or not, the new effects are as much a part of viewing the series as the originals. The book was correct in including them, and anyone who started watching the series either based on the new versions or the 2009 movie would be more familiar with the updated effects. There's no reason to exclude those fans, as these will be the people to keep Trek alive long after we're gone.

We old school fans have pretty much "learned all that is learnable" when it comes to the original series. It's a 45 year old TV show and many of the people invloved with it behind the scenes have passed on. There's little reason to expect the discovery of awesome new facts at this stage of the game. However, what these books can do (if done correctly) is reinforce the corrections to some of the myths given solidity over the years. Although, the next book needs to mention Frieberger. Just sayin'.

I enjoy any well put together book on Trek. It shows that there is still an interest and more people will read about the details. Don't deprive new additions to the group their chance to discover what we've already learned. The other books are not necessarily in print anymore, so it makes sense to put out need text. Besides, the Star Trek Compendium's revisions were watered down (the original 1979 edition was great though), The Making Of Star Trek isn't comprehensive beyond the initial origins and it can be some pretty dull reading if you don't want the details on how to make a pilot. The World Of Star Trek is David Gerrold's spin doctored version of Trek's history. Herb Solow's and Robert Justman's Inside Star Trek is probably the best bet for accuracy, but it too has its flaws and Bjo Trimble's revised Star Trek Concordance is nothing amazing, to be honest. Although, I did really like the original edition.

 

[Decker]

I'm seriously considering getting this. Not for the information really (i read "The Making of..." before) but it looks pretty
A coffee table book on TOS. Why not. Could be something nice to flip through once in a while.