"Star Trek" Book Comments...SPOILERS!

Bryancd · May 22, 2009, 08:45:18 PM

BUT the screenplay had more content. It was filmed, Chris, not a fanciful imagining of Alan Dean Foster. So where is it? I like Alan Dean Foster, loved his original ALIEN story. I don't blame him, but this book as a project of the film is not as good as it could have been.

X · May 22, 2009, 08:52:15 PM

Quote from: Bryancd on May 22, 2009, 08:45:18 PM
BUT the screenplay had more content. It was filmed, Chris, not a fanciful imagining of Alan Dean Foster. So where is it? I like Alan Dean Foster, loved his original ALIEN story. I don't blame him, but this book as a project of the film is not as good as it could have been.

It had more content? I only saw the movie once so far and read the book in a few hours. I might have missed some things. I was only looking for the changes and not the parts missing from the movie.

I really liked how they explained Nero's name and some of the other added content that I might have missed the basic content. I will defer to you on that, but I still don't see the book as poorly written. Then again, I'm looking at it from the standpoint of a writer and not just reading it for pleasure. From a writing standpoint it is very well written, perhaps it's missing some things, but I do enjoy the things that it adds. I haven't seen the movie a second time or done a second read of the book, but I'll do that and see if it revises my opinion.

Also, this is the first book that I've read that was a movie adaptation. I've read books that have become movies, but this is the first time that I've done the reverse. I don't have another book to compare it to to determine if it's a great adaptation. I do know that it entertained me and the money wasn't wasted because I enjoyed the new insights.

Ktrek · May 22, 2009, 08:58:42 PM

Quote from: Just X on May 22, 2009, 08:21:06 PM

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.

That's funny! I guess every other Star Trek author who wrote a novelization just took advantage!

Look...I read and have read almost every Star Trek novel to come out in the last ten years and trust me when I say this was an amateurish output! I know I'm spoiled but that's what GOOD writing will do for you!

Kevin

X · May 22, 2009, 09:15:52 PM

Quote from: Ktrek on May 22, 2009, 08:58:42 PM
Quote from: Just X on May 22, 2009, 08:21:06 PM

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.

That's funny! I guess every other Star Trek author who wrote a novelization just took advantage!

Look...I read and have read almost every Star Trek novel to come out in the last ten years and trust me when I say this was an amateurish output! I know I'm spoiled but that's what GOOD writing will do for you!

Kevin

Every other trek movie novel also didn't have to deal with both Paramount and Bad Robot in coming up with an approved story. While I haven't read any of the film adaptations, I'm pretty caught up with the trek novels. I respect your opinion, but I just can't be that negative about the book. The bottom line is that I enjoyed it. I read pretty much a novel or two a week. something has to capture my attention for me to continue. It did that. It was entertaining.

We just have different tastes in books it seems. I think Wheel of time was FAR better than LOTR (I liked Song of Fire and Ice better than them both). I read books one through six of Wheel of time in a week and a half. I had to FORCE myself to finish LOTR over several months. That was the only book that I've EVER read that I didn't finish in a max of three days. So I guess it's just different tastes.

Bryancd · May 23, 2009, 05:22:07 AM

Quote from: Just X on May 22, 2009, 08:52:15 PM
Quote from: Bryancd on May 22, 2009, 08:45:18 PM
BUT the screenplay had more content. It was filmed, Chris, not a fanciful imagining of Alan Dean Foster. So where is it? I like Alan Dean Foster, loved his original ALIEN story. I don't blame him, but this book as a project of the film is not as good as it could have been.
It had more content? I only saw the movie once so far and read the book in a few hours. I might have missed some things. I was only looking for the changes and not the parts missing from the movie.

Hello....tap,tap...is this thing on? ;) Yes, it had more content, the entire Rua Penthe scene! At the very least it should have been included in the book as it was written for the screenplay AND filmed even though it was cut from the movie.

Dan M · May 23, 2009, 05:31:45 AM

I guess if Mr. Foster was working from an early draft, that can mean that he would both have unused or unfilmed scenes to include and also not have scenes that were added to later versions of the script (even if they didn't make the final cut).

I have a hard time understanding why the novelist's job for this film was any more complicated than for previous films .

As a kid, I loved the ST3 novelization by Vonda McIntyre. It seemed like the reader is 1/3 through the book before the events of the movie begins.

Bryancd · May 26, 2009, 05:07:50 AM

Some nice additional content surrounding the destruction of Vulcan and the rescue of the "elders". Gives Kirk a chance to show a more sympathetic side. Also some good stuff with Spock and his girlfriend. :)

X · June 02, 2009, 08:41:12 PM

Listened to the audio book a few days ago and Quinto does a fantastic job at bringing everything to life.