Synopses & Reviews
Following a rocky start as a 1960s TV series canceled after just three seasons, Star Trek experienced multiple reinventions driven by a growing legion of fans—including author Robert Greenberger, who attended the very first convention. From syndicated reruns to a Saturday morning cartoon to a leap to the big screen and several new series and movies featuring an ever-expanding cast, Star Trek became a franchise juggernaut. Star Trek: The Complete Unauthorized History is a loving and candid review of the fifty-year franchise, a story as full of plot twists as its hundreds of episodes and films. Greenberger, author of over a dozen Trek novels and short stories, tells this fascinating tale as only an expert and longtime fan could. He examines the behind-the-scenes saga—from the struggles of Trek’s enthusiastic creator, Gene Roddenberry, to realize his vision on the small screen, to the franchise’s latest cinematic reinvention from J. J. Abrams—as well as the devoted fans who support its continuing growth. Featuring sidebars by Star Trek authorities such as Michael and Denise Okuda as well as contributions from notable fans including astronauts Thomas D. Jones and Mario Runco Jr. (who logged over seventy-five days in space between them), Star Trek: The Complete Unauthorized History captures the long and bumpy road to becoming an international, groundbreaking phenomenon. Greenberger explores all the ways Star Trek has earned its enduring place in pop culture, evidenced by myriad comic books, audio dramas, software, board games, short stories, novels, Saturday Night Live sketches, elaborate fan productions, and well-known catch phrases. More than two hundred photos of conventions, T-shirts, buttons, toys, books, and other memorabilia prove—as if there were any logical doubt—that Star Trek lives!
Review
“Taking an expansive view of the "Star Trek" cosmos, the book combines an authoritative history of the 46-year-old franchise -- including all six television series and 11 feature films -- with anecdotes from fans. Graphic designer Mike Okuda and his wife, Denise, and astronauts Thomas D. Jones and Mario Runco Jr., are among the trekkies who share their memories, along with several of the show's writers and producers.” -
Connecticut PostReview
"For fans of any of the Star Trek series…this is a splendid book to have in one’s collection.” -
TrekToday.comReview
“With all five TV series now streaming on Netflix, and the latest movie due in May (2013), this is the perfect gift for indomitable Trekker – and the more casual fan” - Grand Rapids Press
Synopsis
Star Trek: The Complete Unauthorized History combines an authoritative history of the franchise—including all television series and feature films—with stories from the fans who helped shape the show.
Synopsis
This is the first book to combine an authoritative history of the
Star Trek franchise—including all six television series and eleven feature films—with anecdotes about the show from those who helped shape it from the outside in: the fans.
Star Trek expert Robert Greenberger covers everything from show creator Gene Roddenberry’s initial plans for a series combining science-fiction and Western elements, the premiere of the original series in 1966, its cancellation, the franchise’s return in an animated series, and its subsequent history on television and film, up to expectations for the 2013 J.J. Abrams film. Along the way, Greenberger analyzes
Star Trek’s unique cultural impact and tremendous cult following, including the famous (and first ever) save-the-show mail campaign. But this isn't a sugarcoated history; this book chronicles the missteps as well as the achievements of Roddenberry and others behind the franchise. Approximately two dozen sidebars provide personal experiences of dedicated Trekkies who influenced or became a part of the franchise.
Star Trek fandom is unparalleled in the effects it has had on the franchise itself. The book is illustrated with a large collection of photographs of memorabilia, many of which have never been seen before in print.
About the Author
Robert Greenberger has long worked in the pop-culture field, including tenures at Starlog Press, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Weekly World News. His most recent works include The Essential Batman Encyclopedia, Spider-Man Vault (co-written with Peter David), and Stan Lee's How to Write Comics (co-written with Stan Lee). He has over a dozen Star Trek books to his credit in addition to editing the comic book adaptations for eight years. For more information, see his website, www.bobgreenberger.com.
Table of Contents
CONTENTSForeword1 Gene Roddenberry’s Dream 2 The Pilots3
Star Trek: The First Season4
Star Trek: The Second Season5
Star Trek: The Third Season6 The Animated Series7 The Fans Take Ownership8 Going to the Movies9
The Motion Picture10 The Spock Trilogy11 In Search of God12 Creating
The Next Generation13 The New Frontier14
The Next Generation Goes to the Movies15
Deep Space Nine16
Voyager17
Enterprise18
Star Trek Rebooted19
Star Trek’s Place in History20
Star Trek’s FutureAcknowledgmentsBibliographyIndex