"Star Trek" Book Comments...SPOILERS!

[Bryancd]

As some of us have read or are reading the book, I thought it would be fun to discuss away from the Movie thread where we started talking about it. I am up to the Kobyashi Maru test scene. The initial Kelvin attack and young Spock sequences were almost exactly like the movie in terms of content and dialogue. The additional scene with young Kirk waxing the Corvette and Sam running away I though was a nice addition and really gave some teeth to his motivation for stealing the car. Since then, however, the book has followed the movie scene for scene and almost line for line. I was very disappointed that they didn't include the Nero capture by the Klingons at all. They also skipped the brief scene at Starfleet where Kirk and McCoy discuss the Kobyashi test. I am surprised that there wasn't a bit more to the book up to this point that wasn't in the film, an opportunity missed as some of this had to have been written.

[X]

there were the extended scenes with Spock's parents that gave more depth to the story as well. I think the scene with the vulcan council is far better because we get a hint at what he was thinking and his father's opinion of that.

[Bryancd]

there were the extended scenes with Spock's parents that gave more depth to the story as well. I think the scene with the vulcan council is far better because we get a hint at what he was thinking and his father's opinion of that.

That's right, that was good.

[Rico]

Moving this over to the Book section.

[X]

I think the book reads damned good and it does well to keep with the TOS feel of character development while extending the movie experience. It was like reading a longer directors cut that gave me more of the character moments that weren't seen in the movie. It provided me with better clarity of the explanations of some things.

As a book, I liked it and as the director's cut to the movie, I loved it. There are scenes in the book that I would have liked to see in the movie, but I realize if I got my way it would be a 3+ hour movie.

[Bryancd]

I haven't gottent hat far, but I find it inexplicable that they didn't include the Rua Penthe stuff as it was filmed.

[Feathers]

As a book, I liked it and as the director's cut to the movie, I loved it. There are scenes in the book that I would have liked to see in the movie, but I realize if I got my way it would be a 3+ hour movie.

And the problem with that would be what???
;)

[X]

As a book, I liked it and as the director's cut to the movie, I loved it. There are scenes in the book that I would have liked to see in the movie, but I realize if I got my way it would be a 3+ hour movie.

And the problem with that would be what???
;)

It wouldn't be making the money that it is now and would probably be a box office failure. Other than that, nothing.

[Scott]

Maybe they can add some of the cut stuff that was in the book into the DVD release of the movie.

[Bryancd]

Maybe they can add some of the cut stuff that was in the book into the DVD release of the movie.

The Rua Penthe stuff was filmed but it's NOT in the book. Wierd. I am up to McCoy sneaking Kirk on the Enterprise. Still almost a scene by scene to the film progression with some additional dialogue.

[wraith1701]

Maybe they can add some of the cut stuff that was in the book into the DVD release of the movie.

The book was great, but there wasn't really all that much in it that wasn't in the movie.  In fact, some key moments from the movie are left out of the book.  The one that springs to mind right now is McCoy's statement about his ex-wife leaving him with "just his bones".

The added background on Kirk stealing the car and his brother running away from home was a cool addition, though. The book explains why he takes the car.

[X]

Maybe they can add some of the cut stuff that was in the book into the DVD release of the movie.

The book was great, but there wasn't really all that much in it that wasn't in the movie.  In fact, some key moments from the movie are left out of the book.  The one that springs to mind right now is McCoy's statement about his ex-wife leaving him with "just his bones".

The added background on Kirk stealing the car and his brother running away from home was a cool addition, though. The book explains why he takes the car.

It was there, but the dialog was changed to skeleton. I think he was working off an earlier draft of the script.

[Ktrek]

Maybe they can add some of the cut stuff that was in the book into the DVD release of the movie.

The book was great, but there wasn't really all that much in it that wasn't in the movie.  In fact, some key moments from the movie are left out of the book.  The one that springs to mind right now is McCoy's statement about his ex-wife leaving him with "just his bones".

The added background on Kirk stealing the car and his brother running away from home was a cool addition, though. The book explains why he takes the car.

It was there, but the dialog was changed to skeleton. I think he was working off an earlier draft of the script.

I'm not sure how he could have been working off an early draft. The movie was already finished and in the can (so to speak) when he was given the writing assignment.

I think the novel, compared to current Trek offerings, is pretty second rate. I have said it before and I'll say it again. A fourteen year old could have written a better novel. I suppose I have gotten pretty spoiled with all the well written Star Trek novels over the last two years but with a author who has a known reputation this novel was way below parr. In fact I can almost say I hated it and I much prefer the movie. Unlike most of the other movies I much prefer the novels (not at all saying I didn't like the movies too).

Kevin

[Bryancd]

I am liking it well enough, but you do have a point, Kevin. I was hoping for something more along the novelization of Revenge of the Sith which really fleshed out Anakin's fall much better than what we saw on screen. I thought this book would be filled with some great character development and so far it's just so-so.

[X]

I think the novel, compared to current Trek offerings, is pretty second rate. I have said it before and I'll say it again. A fourteen year old could have written a better novel. I suppose I have gotten pretty spoiled with all the well written Star Trek novels over the last two years but with a author who has a known reputation this novel was way below parr. In fact I can almost say I hated it and I much prefer the movie. Unlike most of the other movies I much prefer the novels (not at all saying I didn't like the movies too).

Kevin

I disagree. I also think that you give 14 year-olds a little to much credit in the writing department. If a 14 year-old could write that well, they'd probally have a career and contract. The same goes to any 30+ year old. there was absolutely nothing wrong with the book and when working on an adapatation, the writer has to use the actual events in the movie and it's plot. They can add a little more here and there, but do more and you get people complain about how WHOLE scenes didn't happen in the movie.

The man had his hands tied. He could only write based on the script they gave him. He didn't have the liberty to use his own creativity.