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pcro99's review against another edition
3.0
Fairly run of the mill showbiz memoir. A few interesting behind the scenes stories, especially if you are a fan of the Star Trek films. Nothing special but passes the time.
ayaktruk's review against another edition
3.0
The Book Warehouse was going out of business at the OKC Outlet Mall and was blowing out what looked to be their final inventory for $1 a book.
I stumbled across this book which had all the trappings of my reading interests...Star Trek, filmmaking, making it in Hollywood.
It took me awhile to get through it even though it's a short book, but I enjoyed it none-the-less and have a new found respect for Nick Meyer.
If I ever see his 7 Percent Solution on sale, I'll definitely pick it up.
I stumbled across this book which had all the trappings of my reading interests...Star Trek, filmmaking, making it in Hollywood.
It took me awhile to get through it even though it's a short book, but I enjoyed it none-the-less and have a new found respect for Nick Meyer.
If I ever see his 7 Percent Solution on sale, I'll definitely pick it up.
jhouses's review against another edition
3.0
Nicholas Meyer es el autor de uno de los más reputados pastiches Holmesianos, The Seven Percent Solution. Cuando supe que además estaba detrás de dos de las mejores películas de Star Trek, la ira de Khan y Aquel país desconocido, el frikómetro ya estaba saturado. Que encima sea del director de esa maravillosa película llamada los Pasajeros del tiempo lo coloca en mis altares personales.
El libro es una recolección de las anécdotas e historias de los distintos rodajes en los que ha participado que se lee con gusto e interés.
El libro es una recolección de las anécdotas e historias de los distintos rodajes en los que ha participado que se lee con gusto e interés.
phamnewan's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting read from the director of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn. He deals mainly with his life in show business and breaks the book up into periods of his life based on books he wrote, screenplays he wrote, and films he directed. I was most interested in the Star Trek references and found it most informative on the author's take on Star Trek II, which he directed, Star Trek IV, that he wrote much of the screenplay for, and Star Trek VI, which he also directed. The books shows that what has come down to us as Star Trek "canon" isn't the monolithic idea that many seem to think but brings with it a lot of the people involved. In this case Nicholas Meyer admits to not being a fan, no liking many of the shows and how he was more concerned with the message to today than he was with a story that fit in the Star Trek universe.
gmvader's review against another edition
5.0
I’m going to start out with a confession that will surprise almost everybody who has never met me or read anything I write.
I am pretty much the biggest nerd there is.
That said many of my heroes are nerd heroes. Nicholas Meyer is one of them.
For the uninitiated Nicholas Meyer is the one responsible for making Star Trek good again, or maybe making it good enough to keep going? He wrote and directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan where, famously, Spock dies. He co-wrote Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and returned to write and direct in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. He is arguably the reason why the ‘every even number Star Trek is awesome’ mantra started (or conversely ‘every odd numbered Star Trek sucks’).
When I heard he had written memoirs I bought the book without reading anything else about it.
Nicholas Meyer is not the most prolific writer, he’s written a few novels and a handful of screenplays, but he makes up for it in quality of story. Not only are his scripts fun, but they also mean something.
Star Trek, at it’s heart is about something (forgive me if this descends into a rant about the new movies, I’ll try to keep it under check) and, like all good science fiction, can give a message about social, political, economic, and even literary upheaval with power and conviction that is simply not possible in other genre. Throughout its convoluted history many writers have forgotten that but the general sense of Star Trek is a story that is fun and entertaining but also about change, race, slavery, political and religious freedom, equality, justice, etc.
What Nicholas Meyer brought back to Star Trek was that aspect. He turned it into a movie about people aging together, dealing with being obsolete, and in the middle of it he also taught us about revenge, creation, death, sacrifice, and life.
And that was only one movie.
Meyer writes with an easy, friendly voice that made me sad this book wasn’t longer. I would have gladly read three hundred more pages of his stories and memories, even if they didn’t talk about Star Trek. Which is a good thing because there are only three chapters about Star Trek, because Meyer has done other things and he has had other experiences.
This is one of my favorite books. Probably I am biased because he is one of my heroes, but it is also a touching look at the life of a man who has tried to do his job the best he can and the struggles, successes, and downright heartaches that he has had along the way.
Read this if you are a fan of Star Trek, or movies, or writers, or Meyer himself. If you are none of those things then you should read it anyway. It will be worth it.
I am pretty much the biggest nerd there is.
That said many of my heroes are nerd heroes. Nicholas Meyer is one of them.
For the uninitiated Nicholas Meyer is the one responsible for making Star Trek good again, or maybe making it good enough to keep going? He wrote and directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan where, famously, Spock dies. He co-wrote Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and returned to write and direct in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. He is arguably the reason why the ‘every even number Star Trek is awesome’ mantra started (or conversely ‘every odd numbered Star Trek sucks’).
When I heard he had written memoirs I bought the book without reading anything else about it.
Nicholas Meyer is not the most prolific writer, he’s written a few novels and a handful of screenplays, but he makes up for it in quality of story. Not only are his scripts fun, but they also mean something.
Star Trek, at it’s heart is about something (forgive me if this descends into a rant about the new movies, I’ll try to keep it under check) and, like all good science fiction, can give a message about social, political, economic, and even literary upheaval with power and conviction that is simply not possible in other genre. Throughout its convoluted history many writers have forgotten that but the general sense of Star Trek is a story that is fun and entertaining but also about change, race, slavery, political and religious freedom, equality, justice, etc.
What Nicholas Meyer brought back to Star Trek was that aspect. He turned it into a movie about people aging together, dealing with being obsolete, and in the middle of it he also taught us about revenge, creation, death, sacrifice, and life.
And that was only one movie.
Meyer writes with an easy, friendly voice that made me sad this book wasn’t longer. I would have gladly read three hundred more pages of his stories and memories, even if they didn’t talk about Star Trek. Which is a good thing because there are only three chapters about Star Trek, because Meyer has done other things and he has had other experiences.
This is one of my favorite books. Probably I am biased because he is one of my heroes, but it is also a touching look at the life of a man who has tried to do his job the best he can and the struggles, successes, and downright heartaches that he has had along the way.
Read this if you are a fan of Star Trek, or movies, or writers, or Meyer himself. If you are none of those things then you should read it anyway. It will be worth it.
jcarter's review against another edition
5.0
Maybe a quarter of the book is about Star Trek. I appreciate this book more for Meyer's musings on movies as art and how difficult it was and still is to make them. His thoughts about going to the movies as a community experience sheds light on my continual irritation with people who use their cell phones. When you turn that damned thing on, you separate yourself from the group, breaking the unwritten pact. Anyway, the book is a quick read and worth your time if you like Hollywood memoirs that don't sink to gossip.
kmg365's review against another edition
3.0
If you have an interest in ClassicTrek, you'll probably enjoy this book.
If you don't, you'll no doubt wonder "Who the heck is Nicholas Meyer, and why is he writing his memoirs?"
*************************************************************
The above text is what I wrote when I read the book in 2010, shortly after it was published. Imagine my surprise when I went to add the title to Goodreads as “currently reading”, and discovered I'd already read it. I have no memory of doing so. Since I had a milestone birthday yesterday, I find this more worrying than I normally would...
This time I listened to the book on audio. It only recently became available in that format, and I was especially eager to hear it because it was read by the author. The book annoyed me so much that I started a review when I was only about 30% in. The primary trigger for my anger was his complete disregard/disdain for television, even as he lionized movies and moviemaking. And where did he start learning about movies? By watching them on television, of course.
By the end, he's not quite apologetic about his initial disrespect for Star Trek: TOS, but he is at least making the right noises and showing some respect, even if he's only pandering to the fans.
Still not sure why it annoyed me so much on this read, when it didn't seem to in 2010. Or perhaps it did, but I didn't want to trash a generally beloved figure in Trek fan circles in public. Getting older has its advantages, one of them is total candor in book reviews. I left the three star rating from 2010 alone.
If you don't, you'll no doubt wonder "Who the heck is Nicholas Meyer, and why is he writing his memoirs?"
*************************************************************
The above text is what I wrote when I read the book in 2010, shortly after it was published. Imagine my surprise when I went to add the title to Goodreads as “currently reading”, and discovered I'd already read it. I have no memory of doing so. Since I had a milestone birthday yesterday, I find this more worrying than I normally would...
This time I listened to the book on audio. It only recently became available in that format, and I was especially eager to hear it because it was read by the author. The book annoyed me so much that I started a review when I was only about 30% in. The primary trigger for my anger was his complete disregard/disdain for television, even as he lionized movies and moviemaking. And where did he start learning about movies? By watching them on television, of course.
By the end, he's not quite apologetic about his initial disrespect for Star Trek: TOS, but he is at least making the right noises and showing some respect, even if he's only pandering to the fans.
Still not sure why it annoyed me so much on this read, when it didn't seem to in 2010. Or perhaps it did, but I didn't want to trash a generally beloved figure in Trek fan circles in public. Getting older has its advantages, one of them is total candor in book reviews. I left the three star rating from 2010 alone.
fancypython's review against another edition
4.0
An entertaining show-biz memoir. If you're not in the industry, you don't necessarily think about all the work that goes in to getting a movie made; Meyer goes into just enough detail to keep it interesting without going too far "inside baseball." I enjoyed learning about his writing process, especially in the context of some of the best Star Trek movies.
neoteotihuacan's review against another edition
4.0
This was an insightful, fun read. Meyer has his own distinct voice, and maybe he downplays his skills too much. However, filmmaking is hard, yo. When it works, it is usually down to luck, despite all the hard work that is required. Meyer has had a lot of luck, to be sure. But he put in the work and held fast to his creative convictions.
I assert that Meyer has been the single best influence on Trek, since its inception by Gene Roddenberry. This book illuminates clearly why this is the case.
I assert that Meyer has been the single best influence on Trek, since its inception by Gene Roddenberry. This book illuminates clearly why this is the case.
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