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From: knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: The World of Startrek--David Gerrold
Message-ID: <755@ihwpt.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Mar-86 14:32:50 EST
Article-I.D.: ihwpt.755
Posted: Thu Mar  6 14:32:50 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Mar-86 07:33:56 EST
References: <65@utecfc.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 41

> I have been reading the book "The World of Startrek" by David Gerrold and I
> OPEN QUOTE
> A "formula" story is the pat story, the easy story, the one that gets written
> by the book.  It's a compilation of all the tried and true tricks.  It's six

> With Startrek, it might work something like this:
[the story]
> END QUOTE
> 
> I thought that this was really funny and I hope that everyone else did.  I 
> suppose having been a fan for so long, I never really looked at ST in this
> way...I was too busy enjoying myself.
> 
> Sorry it anyone didn't agree or objected to me posting this.  Just to be safe
> I will again mention that the above quote is from:
>         "The World of Star Trek" by David Gerrold (DelRey/Ballantine)
> 
> I think the book is out of print but if it is not someone let me know.  Also,
> 
> Jordan Kalpin
> kalpin@utecfc.UUCP

Well, I laughed out loud the first time I read that in the
book.  It's just a few months since I got the book (paperback)
in a local bookstore chain (Crown Books), so I bet it's still
in print.  Gerrold points out that alost every episode has to
provide an excuse why the transporter can't be used to just
beam Kirk et al out of danger; loss of communicators is
the most overworked method.

Gerrold makes some more controversial points: that much of the
special effects could have been replaced by better writing,
that less violent solutions could have been found in many
episodes, etc.  Lots of top-class literary criticism.

This book is well worth its price.  A chapter is devoted to each
of the first three movies, and the analysis of the first film
is especially sensitive (but then I'm one of the minority who
think the first movie is great).

mike k