Star Trek Lives!

Originally published in 1975, "Star Trek Lives!" is a significant historical document of the world of "Star Trek" fandom. Co-authors Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Sondra Marshak, and Joan Winston all demonstrate a palpable affection for "Star Trek," the classic science fiction television series of the late 1960s. This book is both an analysis and account of some of the currents in "Trek" fandom up to the mid-70s.Although some of the pop psychoanalysis strikes me as a little overdone, the book is, in general, a serious and intelligent account of "Star Trek" and its fans. The authors analyze various elements of the show, and discuss such fan activities as the legendary "Star Trek" conventions. Interspersed throughout the book are fascinating snippets of interviews with some of the creative people behind the series itself: producer Gene Roddenberry (who also contributes a foreword to the book), writer Dorothy Fontana, actor Leonard Nimoy, and others. I found the most fascinating part of the book to be the overview of the fiction written and distributed by the fans themselves. Long before Captain Janeway took command of the Federation starship "Voyager," "Trek" fans were writing tales about such female Starfleet captains as Morrow Akal Damion and T'Pelle of Vulcan. A number of writers explored the unknown pre-history of Spock's interspecies parents, Sarek and Amanda. And Jacqueline Lichtenberg's own "Kraith" series became its own sub-genre of "Trek" fan fiction, with more than 40 other writers contributing stories! The authors include short excerpts from many of the various fan creations.It's amazing to read this 1975 book and think of how the "Star Trek" universe has expanded since it was published: the feature films, "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," "Voyager," several comic book series, and the ever-expanding series of novels published by Pocket Books. Lichtenberg, Marshak, and Winston were true "Trek" pioneers, and this book deserves serious attention.