Star Trek

I am not one to read books based off movies. However, my friend really wanted this audiobook, so we took turns listening to it. Wow! I am shocked I got into the book as much as I did. Its a great listen while driving. For those going into it hesitantly (you liked the movie, but really, books based on movies can be cheesy), have no fear, this is a good one.

Having seen the movie, I listened to the book and was very pleased. Some movie tie-ins merely recount the movie in the most basic manner and give us little extra information and background. Alan Dean Foster has managed to be faithful to the movie while adding to it. (Or, perhaps the extra dialog and scenes will show up as deleted scenes when the DVD is released. One can only hope.) I imagine few who read this will be unfamiliar with Star Trek and the characters. For someone new to the world of Star Trek, the book gives enough for the book to be understandable, but there is no in depth explanations about Vulcans, their history, the Federation, etc. While it does explain a few plot holes, it is more about the characters than the action, as well it should be. After listening to it, I saw the movie again and found my new insights made the movie even more enjoyable. I agree with an above reviewer that you should see the movie first. Zachary Quinto, the actor who capably played Spock, does a terrific job of reading the book. His pronunciation is clear and unhurried with appropriate emphasis and feeling. He differentiates the characters well with slight modifications of his voice, but not in a cartoonish or exaggerated manner. He does struggle a bit with Scotty's brogue, however. Also, there are no distracting sounds such as noisy breaths or nose hairs whistling. (No joke- I've come across that before in an audiobook!) Overall, the audiobook is worth buying and adding to your summer listening lineup.

I've been a "Star Trek" fan since the debut of the original series. Still have fond memories of turning the elementary school jungle gym into "The Enterprise" and playing ST at recess. When I heard there was going to be a prequel, my husband and I were in line for the first showing. I loved the movie and plan on buying the DVD. The novelization follows the script fairly well as I recall it with a few exceptions. The story begins with Spock's birth on Vulcan. Next, we go to the "U.S.S. Kelvin", which is under attack. Field promoted Captain George Kirk loses his life to save the crew from an attack by a Romulan ship from the future crewed by Captain Nero, who's seeking vengeance on the Ambassador Spock and the Federation for destroying his world in the future. Next, we follow the lives of Spock and Jim Kirk as they move through their early years prior to Starfleet, then the Academy, and finally their assignments to "Enterprise." Of course, we see the famed Kobayashi Maru incident. The cadets are called from training early when a surprise attack at a Klingon prison camp causes the Fleet to go on red alert. The ship's crew must face Captain Nero again, because now it's time for him to destroy both Vulcan and Earth. Alan Dean Foster is one of my favorite writers. He's got a strong flair for describing details and making characters come to life. As I said earlier, the book fairly follows the film with some stronger explanation and deepening of the story. You see a bit more of Spock and Sarek, plus more at Kirk and Scotty's meeting. Two questions you're probably going to ask: Is the book better than the movie? No. Unquestionably not. You've got to see this film to really capture the story as it should be told. Should I see the film first or read the book? I watched the film first and while I think you could take this in either order, I preferred seeing the film first and then getting a deeper explanation. Rebecca Kyle, May 2009

I am an extremly devoted Trekker going on 30+ years now, I have seen every Trek series and all the movies so I have my opinion on what the best of the franchise is. And I have grown weary of the prequel theory (If it don't work right, go to the far beginning and start over and everything will be all better) believing that starting a series over will 'fix' or make a series more exciting does not work as proven time and time again. With everything in the Star Trek universe, all we've seen and all that has been done, how do you start over the greatest sci fi series ever and still stay true to the reason geeks like me fell in love with it oh so long ago? Easy - Star Trek - thats how. First off, it establishes that this story is set in an alternate time line (So this is just ONE of many many ways the classic series COULD have wound up and is going on in another reality) (I just gave myself a headache) All of which is explained in great detail by OUR Spock. Yes, time travel is the main plot in this as many of the other movies, and if you are a stickler for details, yes things are shaken up in the universe of Trek, but in a good way. Rodenberry wanted someone to come along one day and make his creation bigger and better. I think someone has. A page turner from start to finish, you get to whitness the birth of Kirk and Spock and they grow with you the same way you grew with them. Hats off to Mr Foster for making a book that I could not put down, literally, i read the entire thing in about 2 hours, it draws you in and makes you want to get to know your 'old friends' all over again. The pages spout off classic lines from the show used in an updated way that makes us 'Nerds' cool again, and gives new life to characters that are old and constantly done the same way over and over again. But at the same time it does not take itself seriously, joking all through out and helping answer some long wondered questions about the show. The same old Kirk, Bones and Spock - but new suprises that has even the most devoted of Trekker wanting more. With this 'new timline' the possibilities are endless, the bar has been risen, lets see whats new in the Final Frontier.... FINALLY - Being a nerd is cool.