TNG Companion

[tomalak301]

Mods,

Could you bend the rules a little bit and not move this into Trek lit. I never go to that forum and this book is more based on what is canon anyway. Thanks.

I was in Borders tonight and they had two copies of the TNG companion. I got the DS9 companion maybe 2 or 3 years ago (Same time the DVDs came out) and it was a great book. I know they had a TNG companion, but I didn't know it was up to date to include Nemesis. Of all the things that we know are never updated in the Trek verse (Encycolopida anyone?) it was great that they still had the TNG companion updated and looking really nice. I was with my roommate, but I almost had a feeling of staying there all night just looking at that book and loving the detail. I'm almost considering even getting it.

Does anyone have this book. If you do, and you also have the DS9 companion, which one do you think is better. Granted the DS9 one is filled with so much detail, but the TNG one doesn't do a bad job. I'm thinking with me rewatching the series from episode 1 to 176 and maybe the movies (Including Nemesis even though it leaves a bad taste in my mouth), I am really thinking I should have this book.

 

[WillsBabe]

I have the original TNG companion and I bought the updated one when it came out because I was so taken with the cover! I have the DS9 companion, too. It's a while since I've read either of them and I'd say, off hand, that the DS9 one is probably more detailed. But, on the other hand, I love TNG far more than DS9 so my preferance is for the TNG book. If this is the book I'm thinking of, I like the review comments and the trivia.

 

[Spider]

I didn't even know there was such a thing. I'll have to get one.

As far as moving the thread, as long as the central discussion stays on TNG somehow, I think it's fine here.

 

[J47]

There's really no comparison between the TNG and DS9 companions. DS9's is far more focused on the creative aspect, where TNG, while often discussing some of the process of making the story, is far more concerned with more technical things such as things that have been referenced in other episodes (it pretty much devolves into a long list by the end of every entry). Much like TNG itself, it's slightly bland and entirely devoid of conflict (in that you don't having anyone admitting to an episode being weak).

 

[The Old Mixer]

I have the original edition that only goes up through Season 5--maybe when I get to revisiting Season 6 on DVD, it'll be time to update!

It is pretty light on the details. I don't have the DS9 Companion yet, either, but it sounds like it'd be more rewarding to go through while watching the episodes.

 

[JayTheTrekkie]

I have the Voyager Companion book but haven't the the TNG companion book (the new version back in 2002 after Nemesis). I meant to put that on my christmas list lol I'll put that on my birthday list

 

[Smiley]

The Next Generation Companion is an average reference book. It's got a lot of trivia, continuity notes, and focus on original conceptions of the episodes, but it pretty much ignores the actors and the actual making of the show. It's far better than the Voyager Companion, which deals solely with the show content itself, and far worse than the Deep Space Nine Companion, which details almost every important aspect of making each episode.

I read it after going through the series again earlier this year. It was a fun read, but I wish there were more information, especially about the four movies. Taken in conjunction with the DVDs, however, you get a pretty good (albeit spin-doctored) feel for how TNG was made.

 

[Doug Otte]

I agree with others here. The DS9 Companion is much more interesting and detailed. For TNG, I much prefer The Continuing Mission above the TNG Companion. TCM has more unusual and interesting pictures, as well as more interesting background info than the Companion. However, I do remember TCM petering out around season 5, when the production was more routine and interesting anecdotes were more scarce.

Doug

 

[Mott the barber]

I've got 2 copies of the original blue TNG Companion through season 5.

I've also got about every unauthorized "large-style" TNG book that Borders ever sold before Paramount clamped down on unauthorized publishing. "Trek: The Next Generation Tribute Book" or "Next Generation vs. Trek" ring a bell for anyone?

 

[WillsBabe]

^ The Tribute Book rings a bell, and maybe the other one. I bought a few of those large format books, too. Some of them were really quite good at the time, others were really crappy. I think there was one that was so unauthorised that it was called something like "New Trek". A lot of them didn't even have the cast in their character roles in the photos.

 

[RandyS]

Not to throw ice water on everybody's good time, but The TNG companion with the crew shot from Nemesis on the cover is actually five years old (Same time as the film). It's not a new release at all.

Other fans have been wondering for years about the possiblity of an ENTERPRISE companion, but somebody (I think it was over at Psi Phi posted that they emailed Pocket Books about this, and were told that an ENTERPRISE companion was not feasable due to poor sales for those type of books.

 

[Smiley]

Who said it was a new release? It's newer than the previous two versions, which went up to Season 5 and Generations.

I would enjoy an ENT retrospective, but it will be a long time before that is a possibility.

 

[The Old Mixer]

RandyS said:
Not to throw ice water on everybody's good time, but The TNG companion with the crew shot from Nemesis on the cover is actually five years old (Same time as the film). It's not a new release at all.

Someday you'll be old enough to think of something five years old as "new". [Smacks gums.]

 

[Spider]

^

 

[tomalak301]

RandyS said:
Not to throw ice water on everybody's good time, but The TNG companion with the crew shot from Nemesis on the cover is actually five years old (Same time as the film). It's not a new release at all.

I never said it was new. I said it was updated, which I hadn't known before. Either that or time just flies by to the extent of it's felt like a long time ago since I last saw the book. Who knows, but I know it wasn't new.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Sgt. Scrooge said:
^

At this very moment, I'm wearing a sweater that's older than some of the posters around here. 1988, was it? Hmm, maybe it's back in style....

 

[RandyS]

The Old Mixer said:

RandyS said:
Not to throw ice water on everybody's good time, but The TNG companion with the crew shot from Nemesis on the cover is actually five years old (Same time as the film). It's not a new release at all.

Someday you'll be old enough to think of something five years old as "new". [Smacks gums.]

Okay. I didn;t know that 37 years old made me "not old enough", but whatever.

 

[RandyS]

JingleBellRok301 said:

RandyS said:
Not to throw ice water on everybody's good time, but The TNG companion with the crew shot from Nemesis on the cover is actually five years old (Same time as the film). It's not a new release at all.

I never said it was new. I said it was updated, which I hadn't known before. Either that or time just flies by to the extent of it's felt like a long time ago since I last saw the book. Who knows, but I know it wasn't new.

I know you didn't use those words, but the tone of your post indicated that you did.

I was just trying to be helpful. Guess I fell on my face.

 

[The Old Mixer]

38. Kid, when you get to be my age, you'll know....

 

[Spider]

The Old Mixer said:
38. Kid, when you get to be my age, you'll know....

56. Kid, when you get to be my age, you'll know....