Also at Flashbak this
week, I recalled the golden age of the Signet Best of Trek Compilation Books.
Here’s a snippet and the
url: (http://flashbak.com/remembering-signets-best-trek-compilation-books-1979-1990-57379/
)
“This week, as part of
my continuing celebration of Star Trek’s 50th
anniversary, I want to remember another tradition in print from the series
history: Signet’s “Best of Trek” compilations.
For those who may not
recall it, Trek was a long-running Star Trek fan magazine edited by
Walter Irwin and G.B. Love. Each magazine issue featured interviews, episode
retrospectives, speculative articles about the Trek Universe, and even critical
analyses of stories.
The Best of Trek compilations were actually truth in advertising. They included --
between covers -- some of the finest pieces featured in the magazine’s run. And the cover art, as you can see from the
illustrations accompanying this article, were glorious. They weren’t exactly Star Trek but more like a
coherent variation on Star Trek, featuring
amazing-looking, highly-detailed space craft and planets.
I still own many of my Best
of Trek compilations, and still pull them out, occasionally, for a
re-read. "The Klingons: Their History and Empire" (Best of Trek
1), is one piece that I really enjoy, though its speculation doesn’t
track (or trek?) with modern continuity about this warrior race.
Also, I remember very
fondly reading Best of Trek 3, which was the first
compilation book following the release of Star Trek: The Motion
Picture. I remember reading "Parallels in Star
Trek: The Motion Picture vs. The Series" and fan reviews of
the divisive film. Some fans loved it and some hated it.
I guess that hasn’t
changed, even today.”
By the time of Best
of Trek #15 in 1990, The Next Generation --
the first and still most popular of the spin-offs -- was being debated in
essays such as "Same Sexism, Different Generation."
Please continue reading at
Flashbak.
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