A review by creativelifeofliz
Phasers on Stun!: How the Making--And Remaking--Of Star Trek Changed the World by Ryan Britt
5.0
A delightful peek into what makes Star Trek so enduring and endearing.
Ryan Britt explores the 5+ decades of Star Trek history, including the risks the show took and the overall progressive approach to storytelling. He interviewed many people involved with Star Trek throughout the years and we get an inside look at the behind-the-scenes drama and challenges. The book also explores the choices made in each series and movie that shaped the show, pop culture opinion, and ultimately all of the Star Trek universe. Plus there's a handy guide at the end to all Star Trek iterations and the timeline for how they relate to one another.
Right off the bat, I feel it's important to mention that I'm a casual Star Trek fan. I grew up with my dad being a pretty big fan and now my husband is just as obsessed, but I watch much more irregularly and without as much dedication. However, I still absolutely enjoyed this book. I loved getting the history of the show and how it has impacted pop culture and science and how those parts of society have impacted the shows as well. It was interesting to see how actors used their (sometimes unexpected) fame from the show to make real-world impact. Plus, who can resist hearing about the drama going on during planning and production from the very beginning?
Overall, I definitely recommend this book if you're a fan of Star Trek, science fiction in general, or really any major fandom (Star Trek directly influenced most major film franchises since). It was very easy to read and had many moments that were funny, heartbreaking, or both. I definitely will be encouraging other people in my life to read this book soon.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Ryan Britt explores the 5+ decades of Star Trek history, including the risks the show took and the overall progressive approach to storytelling. He interviewed many people involved with Star Trek throughout the years and we get an inside look at the behind-the-scenes drama and challenges. The book also explores the choices made in each series and movie that shaped the show, pop culture opinion, and ultimately all of the Star Trek universe. Plus there's a handy guide at the end to all Star Trek iterations and the timeline for how they relate to one another.
Right off the bat, I feel it's important to mention that I'm a casual Star Trek fan. I grew up with my dad being a pretty big fan and now my husband is just as obsessed, but I watch much more irregularly and without as much dedication. However, I still absolutely enjoyed this book. I loved getting the history of the show and how it has impacted pop culture and science and how those parts of society have impacted the shows as well. It was interesting to see how actors used their (sometimes unexpected) fame from the show to make real-world impact. Plus, who can resist hearing about the drama going on during planning and production from the very beginning?
Overall, I definitely recommend this book if you're a fan of Star Trek, science fiction in general, or really any major fandom (Star Trek directly influenced most major film franchises since). It was very easy to read and had many moments that were funny, heartbreaking, or both. I definitely will be encouraging other people in my life to read this book soon.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.