There are any number of reasons I don’t generally do book reviews on the blog. For one, I’ve been in the writing scam^h^h^h business for a while, so now I have a metric buttload of friends who write books, and reviewing all their books would be overwhelming. Plus, what do you do if their book sucks?
But I make an exception when the book itself is exceptional. Such is the case for Memories of the Future, a review of the first few episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation told from Wil Wheaton’s unique viewpoint (full disclosure: Wil is a friend and I may have just a wee lingering bit of a mancrush on him). If you don’t know — and really, why the heck are you reading my blog if you don’t — Wil played Wesley Crusher on TNG. Since then he’s made a name for himself as a writer, and it’s deserved. He’s really good at it, drawing the reader in with very personal stories and a wicked sense of humor laced with snark and webby goodness.
That all comes into play here. In Memories, he writes blow-by-blow reviews of TNG episodes that are alternately hilarious and thoughtful (the reviews, not so much the episodes). He writes both as a fan of the show, an actor on the show, and a man who is trying to honestly discuss the pros and cons of each episode. Especially cool are the times Wesley Crusher is an annoying weenie, because Wil lets it all out — excoriating the writers when called for but also admitting when he felt that his acting was still immature. It’s a refreshing honesty.
Here’s a random quote I got by opening the book at, um, random. It’s from Datalore:
After a brief encounter with soon-to-be-ex Chief Engineer Argyle, Dr. Crusher promises Data that she’ll keep the existence of his mysterious off switch to herself. Data asks her if she would want people to know about her off switch, if she had one. She laughs nervously, and we get a quick look at a bottle of Jägermeister in her office.
The absolute best part of the book is in his review of "The Naked Now", a poorly conceived story idea early in the show’s history where the writers entirely failed to build on the legacy of the original series to help smooth the way for the new one. So why is this the best?
Because months ago Wil emailed me, asking a question about supernova astrophysics that was relevant to the show. I sent him a few paragraphs of expository hilariousness, and he stuck it right in the book! It’s right there on page 27:
Wait. Stars have cores? I always thought they were balls of gas undergoing constant nuclear reactions. Man I wish I was as smart as Wesley, so I knew for sure! Luckily for us, I know someone who is as smart as Wesley, so I asked him. Ladies and gentlemen, my friend Phil Plait.
If you want to know what I wrote you’ll just have to buy the book, but I’ll note that it’s brilliant and rumors (started by me and listened to attentively by my dog) have already started buzzing about a Pulitzer. And I hate to disagree with Wil, but I’m not as smart as Wesley — I’m just written better. And don’t let him fool you: Wil knows a lot about warp travel.
Seriously though, if you are a fan of TNG then this book will make you laugh a lot. If you’re a fan of Wil’s then you probably already bought it. But while I was reading it I had a lot of fond memories jogged; I remember avidly watching the show when it aired in my first year of grad school. I’d sit with friends every week, enjoying the show immensely, in between making fun of it when needed. And as painful as some of those episodes were, because of this book — and Wil’s writing in general — some good has come of it.
Oh– Wil has put selected audio readings from the book online, so if you’re like Comic Book Guy (Worst. Analogy. Ever.) and too lazy to hold a book up, you can still listen to him reading it.
And, of course, you should read his blog. That’s how I first found him; a dear friend years ago told me I should look into this Wil Wheaton guy. I was skeptical at first, but within a few paragraphs of the first blog entry I read I was hooked. Our senses of humor are very similar, so if you like my blog you’ll like his as well.
OK, enough gushing! Stop reading this and go buy his book. And the good news? The book is only Part 1 (season 1 episodes 1 – 13). Wil, I know you’re reading this, because all you Hollywood types are vain and shallow and self-absorbed, so when does Part 2 come out? Huh? Huh?
October 28th, 2009 at 8:38 am
I will concur with every point made here. I’ve been LOL’ing (IRL!) on almost every page of the book. Obvioiusly, it’s especially hilarious if you’re a Star Trek:TNG fan and know the scenes being described, but Wil has a great talent for story telling and puts it to terrific use in this book.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Wil Wheaton wrote a book?
October 28th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Wil Wheaton who?
October 28th, 2009 at 8:50 am
I have been enjoying it very much. I have not seen Star Trek Next gen in a while, but this brings the stories to life. It also provides humor and behind the scenes memories at the same time. I liken it to a shorthand DVD commentary track for 13 episodes.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:07 am
I take it if one was a former fan who now finds ninety-odd percent of the episodes unwatchable without a hefty dose of misting, who finds Edward “Get it done Will” Jellico to be the finest starfleet captain since Kirk, prefers the backup Riker to the real deal and who’s dearest wish is to see Beverly Crusher beamed into a bulkhead… it’ll still be a fun read?
October 28th, 2009 at 9:36 am
WWWHHEEEEEEAAAAATOOOOOOOOOONNnnnn……
October 28th, 2009 at 9:49 am
My copy should be here by the end of the week. SQUEE!
October 28th, 2009 at 9:50 am
So “studpuppy” wrote a book. That was the nickname my house gave to Wesley Crusher when TNG was on.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Actually you would find Heigl saying it as she is often honest to a fault..but her acting is not immature. Two Golden Globe nominations and an Emmy Award and the best part of a 20 year career testify to that.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Doesn’t sound like a compliment to me.
I think I had a mancrush on Wesley before I knew what it was – or that I was bi (hmmm – my mispent youth would have been so much better if I’d known – or not …)
Meh – who cares about TOS – it’s hammy. Crusheriana is where it’s at.
(Yeah, I was never more than a casual viewer, I think.)
October 28th, 2009 at 10:17 am
What’s up with all the Josh Wheedon pics? And why couldn’t you rate a pose with Katee Sackhoff?
Thanks for the rec on Wil’s book.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:24 am
So the books scores 7 out of 9?
October 28th, 2009 at 10:26 am
It really is a hilarious book! I read the whole thing in two evenings and had an uproarious time. You should buy it just for Phil’s contribution. Seriously.
Well, no, you should buy it for EVERYTHING in it. Wil’s a great writer with a wicked sense of humor and a nice touch of humility too. A++++, would read again.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Katherine Heigl wrote a book? She can write?
October 28th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Wil should do an audio book version of this…
October 28th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Before i rush out to buy this book, i need to know if it contains anything more than the few episodes he’s already reviewed on http://www.tvsquad.com/bloggers/wil-wheaton/
October 28th, 2009 at 11:09 am
I’ll tell you right now that refreshing honesty is not what I would ever want from Katherine Heigl…
October 28th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Dang! Now I’ll have to add another book to the pile of 24 books I have yet to read. This is SO mucking with my writing schedule.
Gary 7
October 28th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Not one “curse you Wil Wheaton!” in that entire entry. I think Phil is going soft.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Got the PDF version last week, just in time for an annoying train journey. Note to self: reading 100 pages of a PDF on an iPhone will run down battery. Giggling on trains may generate funny looks.
Loved it. Seriously funny, looking forward to the next one.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Is there an amazon link that will give the jref a cut?
October 28th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I too found Wesley Crusher an unmitigated wheenie but after following your suggestion, Phil I read his blog and find him to be quite entertaining. I may grab that book of his.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Wil Wheaton is living in the past.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I was totally with you reading this, until you talked about being in grad school when these episodes aired! I think I was just exiting elementary school. o.o;;
October 28th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Why do all nerds care about this guy and what he thinks? I’m sure he’s nice in person, but out of all the people out there in the blogging world, why does EVERYONE like this guy? I’m not trying to be a jerk here — I honestly, really do not get it, like a robot that can’t understand human emotions. No explanation makes any sense to me.
October 28th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I still don’t get the Katherine Heigl reference. I guess I need to get out more…or is it stay in more?
October 28th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I’m curious as to whether the price of $19.87 was chosen intentionally. (It was the year TNG began).
October 28th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
I had a fun time explaining to my wife why Wil’s shirt totally cracked me up on the TBBT episode he was in. I guess the FruitF***er is still sort of an inernet only phenomenon?
October 28th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I”m really glad you’re helping these guys out, first felicia day, now wil wheaton. They really could use a kick start to internet fame
October 28th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
I find it ironic that Wil Wheaton’s blog is called “Don’t Be a Dick”, because that’s precisely what Wesley Crusher was. How did Wesley never get beat up by his peers for being a smarmy git?
October 28th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Just purchased this as a pdf and read it in a 4 hour sitting. Was very enjoyable(and yes your contribution was excellent). Now I would actually like to read not just the next one, but similar books from the rest of the cast
October 28th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I liked star trek the next generation as munch as I liked star trek the neat thing in star trek was the transpoter in the next generation it was the holodeck I thought the naked now was funny the episode I did’nt like was the one about the creatures that took over the bodies of star fleet comand officers I thought is was a rip off of Alien ask Will if he will be involved in future star trek projects or how about star wars projects
October 28th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
I changed the line about Katherine Heigl. I misremembered what happened; her problem was a bit too much honestly, saying what she thought about the writers on her show.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Phil, you’d better see if you can get your boy Wil to appeal to Brent Spiner’s Data-logic re: his apparent anti-vax views.
I love Wil’s blog, and I’ll definitely be checking out the book.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:02 am
Brent Spiner… anti-vax… NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
October 29th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Gotta be honest I couldn’t stand Wil “Wesly Crusher” in Star TRek TNG. I thought he was just very annoying and boring.
That said, if you really reckon his book is okay I might be tempted to check it out.
I know you’re okay with teh gayz but Wil .. “man” crush? *shudder*
October 29th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Data was one of my fav. all time STNG characters. But it’s just a character. I expect Brent has the same problem as any other huumon, he’s really not Vulcan.
Do Pham. Corps sometimes try to cover their butts because, like all human endeavors, they’re susceptible to error? Well, DUH! That’s why the scientific method works as well as it does; to compensate for the very human propensity to lie, cheat, steal and cover our butts. It’s about transparency and the ability to replicate what someone else claims as fact(anyone remember the cold fusion debacle?).
OK! SO? What do we say to mr Spinner? READ the FRAKING research, Brent!!! Quit listening to news pundits(unless it’s Jon Stewart and/or Stephen Colbert).
As anyone should be able to figure out, pharmaceutical companies have a great deal more to gain by NOT producing/manufacturing vaccines than by just supplying the drugs to cure people after the fact, yet they keep trying to keep people healthy. Ya think they might be in cahoots with insurance companies(who also have a bottom line desire to keep people from getting sick)?
Arg! Paranoid folk are essential to keeping an eye on other people and their propensity to be merely human but they’re so darn illogical.
Oh well, back to the METHOD.
Gary 7
October 29th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Unfortunately, Mr. Spiner seems parroting (or, I guess ‘tweeting’) the antivax equivalent of ‘teach the controversy’; to wit, he’s just encouraging people to ‘do the research’ and ‘educate themselves’. Just like ‘ttc’ sounds like a perfectly reasonable thing to do unless you know the intent behind all that openmindedness. Brent is (reportedly) turning to Dr. Jay Gordon for his vaccine ‘education’, which is a very bad sign indeed.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Q was right, a dangerous savage child-race.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
ThePirateGuy@#21 is wondering if there’s a JREF Amazon link… I’m wondering if it’s on Amazon at all, as I can’t find it. (I did find Just a Geek.)
October 31st, 2009 at 11:15 am
This is a great read. I do have a small pedantic nit to pick though Phil since I think this one’s probably your fault. It’s in your blog post and in Wil’s book, at least the PDF version. If you’re going to do the geeky ctrl^h^h^h^hbackspace thing at least get it right and show the correct number of ^hs.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I bought this book based on this blog entry, and it IS hilarious, but I have to say I’m a bit disappointed that Wil doesn’t seem to have anything nice to say about his female co-workers except with regard to their primary sexual characteristics. The lone exception (so far – I’m not quite done with it) is to say he really like Majel Barrett and so he can’t objectively judge her acting.
He seems to fault Denise Crosby for her decision to quit – which frankly makes complete sense and anyone who had anything else going on or any self-respect ought to have at least seriously considered the same thing. I don’t know the story, but perhaps her quitting was needed to shine a light on how utterly blinkard the episodes were, and how shallow the characters were being written.
It’s especially ironic that on page 60 Wil objectifies women not just once, but twice in a single paragraph, while on page 61 he complains that most of the directors didn’t treat him as a human professional, just a bit of set decoration to move around.
Otherwise, the book IS hilarious and many of the comments that I’m complaining about are funny in and of themselves. Rowdy comments and boob jokes make the world go around. I only wish there was some professional respect shown. I really did enjoy the synopsises, especially where they called out how atrocious the plots and scenes were.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
[...] just behind the glass wall of the tiny reception area. A gray replica of a transporter from the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series hangs from the room’s ceiling, making the wait for an appointment seem more [...]