The book you're waiting for...

[Warped9]

Over the years we've gotten some fine books about Star Trek. The very first was the fascinating The Making Of Star Trek published in 1968 during the summer hiatus between TOS' 2nd and 3rd seasons. For years this work stood as almost the definitive work about the making of the original series.

Flash forward several years later and we finally got other respectable works.

The Star Trek Concordance - an encyclopedia to the original series and its universe.
The Star Trek Compendium - a reference guide to the original episodes and subsequent feature films spun off TOS.
Inside Star Trek - a more factual and candid look at TOS in development and production.
The Star Trek Sketchbook - a look at the art and creativity of the original series.

There have also been bios from or about every original cast member as well as the creator, Gene Roddenberry, although I don't know if any of those might be considered required reading.

And now we have the first Volume of These Are The Voyages - a look at the development and production of each original episode based on interviews and archival references.

It would seem Star Trek has been pretty exhaustively covered and with very little left to say.

But maybe not...


Can anyone think of some aspect of Star Trek that has't been covered? Is there some element, angle or subject you think could be deserving of a book?

 

[Myko]

I would like to see all the material in the UCLA published so I could read it without it being filtered through an author.

Probably a pipe dream, but that's pretty much what's left at this point.

 

[Mysterion]

Still waiting for the novel of The God Thing.

 

[BillJ]

Still waiting for the novel of The God Thing.

I'd like to see someone tackle Planet of the Titans!

 

[Mysterion]

Still waiting for the novel of The God Thing.

I'd like to see someone tackle Planet of the Titans!

That'd be interesting.

I'd also be interested in seeing an anthology of stories written from the Phase II scripts that were written/outlined back in the '70s. Do it as a "myriad universe" book.

 

[Warped9]

Still waiting for the novel of The God Thing.

I'd like to see someone tackle Planet of the Titans!

That'd be interesting.

I'd also be interested in seeing an anthology of stories written from the Phase II scripts that were written/outlined back in the '70s. Do it as a "myriad universe" book.

Picking up on this idea would be a series of stories adapting those unused scripts but picking up where TMP left off.

I, too, would like to have seen materiel in regard to de Forest Research and feedback.

 

[Mysterion]

Picking up on this idea would be a series of stories adapting those unused scripts but picking up where TMP left off.

Maybe, but I think it'd be more interesting to see a pice of that alternate continuity that we never got on-screen, rather than shoehorning them into the "real" continuity. I want to see Decker as XO, and Ilia and Xon as on-going members of the crew. And the take on Klingons we see in Kitumba (although back then, it really didn't clash with what had been established to that point too badly).

 

[BillJ]

I'd like to see someone tackle Planet of the Titans!

That'd be interesting.

I'd also be interested in seeing an anthology of stories written from the Phase II scripts that were written/outlined back in the '70s. Do it as a "myriad universe" book.

Picking up on this idea would be a series of stories adapting those unused scripts but picking up where TMP left off.

I, too, would like to have seen materiel in regard to de Kellum research and feedback.

I'd rather they use the Phase II stories as a continuation of In thy Image as opposed to spinning off of TMP.

 

[Mysterion]

That'd be interesting.

I'd also be interested in seeing an anthology of stories written from the Phase II scripts that were written/outlined back in the '70s. Do it as a "myriad universe" book.

Picking up on this idea would be a series of stories adapting those unused scripts but picking up where TMP left off.

I, too, would like to have seen materiel in regard to de Kellum research and feedback.

I'd rather they use the Phase II stories as a continuation of In thy Image as opposed to spinning off of TMP.

Yes! Use that as the first story in the anthology.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Over the years we've gotten some fine books about Star Trek. The very first was the fascinating The Making Of Star Trek published in 1968 during the summer hiatus between TOS' 2nd and 3rd seasons. For years this work stood as almost the definitive work about the making of the original series.

Flash forward several years later and we finally got other respectable works.

The Star Trek Concordance - an encyclopedia to the original series and its universe.
The Star Trek Compendium - a reference guide to the original episodes and subsequent feature films spun off TOS.
Inside Star Trek - a more factual and candid look at TOS in development and production.
The Star Trek Sketchbook - a look at the art and creativity of the original series.

Essential list, although I would add The World of Star Trek & The Trouble with Tribbles behind the scenes books, as both opened up another great view of "life on the inside" from one who was actually there.

Can anyone think of some aspect of Star Trek that has't been covered? Is there some element, angle or subject you think could be deserving of a book?

How about a special effects book---just the efx of TOS. I know some are thinking, "well, there's not that much, so much was recycled, and had budget limitations," but i've seen magazine-length studies of the RKO King Kong numerous times, and TOS certianly had more going on in the efx department than that one film.

Over the decades, many a book or magazine covered the EFX of TOS, but have we been exposed to everything? All surviving produtction house notes, photos, unused film clips, etc.?

 

[Warped9]

How about a special effects book---just the efx of TOS. I know some are thinking, "well, there's not that much, so much was recycled, and had budget limitations," but i've seen magazine-length studies of the RKO King Kong numerous times, and TOS certianly had more going on in the efx department than that one film.

Over the decades, many a book or magazine covered the EFX of TOS, but have we been exposed to everything? All surviving produtction house notes, photos, unused film clips, etc.?

Excellent idea! Yep, I'd LOVE a book like that. And it's gotta have some nice big glossy pics to go with it. And get permission to use some of the pics from startrekhistory.com.

 

[davejames]

I know we already got one "Art of Star Trek" book, but the section devoted to TOS is pretty skimpy, and I'd love to see a much more extensive one for TOS, with many more pictures of props, sets, costumes, etc (although I realize most of that stuff has been sold off by now so it would probably be difficult to do).

 

[Joe_Atari]

I'd love to see a direct follow up to the Reeves-Stevens Phase II book. Similar format (chronological with specific dates and rare BTS photos, but perhaps more detailed with internal memos, etc.) documenting the transition of the project to TMP and the chaotic production of TMP itself (including a definitive telling of the Abel and Associates affair), all the way up through its release, reception (critical and box office), and perhaps the decision-making process behind the later "lean-and-mean" approach to TWOK.

 

[RAMA]

Most of those Phase II stories were terrible.

 

[Harvey]

I'd like to see a detailed, multi-volume production history of the movies. Given the lack of public documents (there's the Meyer papers covering II, IV, and VI) and the Ronald D. Moore papers covering, in part GEN and FC, I sort of doubt it will happen, but I'd read that book.

(Heck, if I had the material, I'd write that book).

 

[Warped9]

Most of those Phase II stories were terrible.

As presented I'm inclined to agree. Maybe one or two of the stories has potential. "Kitumba" is the one I thought the most of. Still, some of them might have been salvaged with decent rewriting.

 

[Harvey]

All of them had already gone to teleplay, though, hadn't they? If most of them were still crummy at that point, it's not a great sign.

 

[Mario de Monti]

I´d love to have a book with lots of high quality pictures of all the filming miniatures of starships and shuttlecraft, along with props and sets. Something like the Trek version of the Star Wars Chronicles. And I wouldn´t mind, if they´d put the emphasis on TOS and the first six movies

 

[Gecko of Gorn]

I wouldn't mind a book on rejected storylines, just to see what ideas were out there.

 

[jpv2000]

I wouldn't mind a book on rejected storylines, just to see what ideas were out there.

I would like this as well. I've read a couple in the old Star Trek: The New Voyages books and some were quite good.