What do you think?
Rate this book
Star Trek Autobiographies
The Autobiography of Mr. Spock: The Life of a Federation Legend
The iconic Star Trek character’s lifestory appears for the first time in his own words; perfect for fans of the upcoming Star Strange New Words .
One of Starfleet’s finest officers and the Federation’s most celebrated citizens reveals his life story. Mr Spock explores his difficult childhood on Vulcan with Michael Burnham, his controversial enrolment at Starfleet Academy, his time on the Enterprise with both Kirk and Pike, and his moves to his diplomatic and ambassadorial roles, including his clandestine mission to Romulus.
Brand-new details of his life on Vulcan and the Enterprise are revealed, along with never-before-seen insights into Spock’s relationships with the most important figures in his life, including Sarek, Michael Burnham, Christopher Pike, Kirk, McCoy and more, all told in his own distinctive voice.
One of Starfleet’s finest officers and the Federation’s most celebrated citizens reveals his life story. Mr Spock explores his difficult childhood on Vulcan with Michael Burnham, his controversial enrolment at Starfleet Academy, his time on the Enterprise with both Kirk and Pike, and his moves to his diplomatic and ambassadorial roles, including his clandestine mission to Romulus.
Brand-new details of his life on Vulcan and the Enterprise are revealed, along with never-before-seen insights into Spock’s relationships with the most important figures in his life, including Sarek, Michael Burnham, Christopher Pike, Kirk, McCoy and more, all told in his own distinctive voice.
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2021
114 people are currently reading
1004 people want to read
About the author
Una McCormack
103 books358 followersUna McCormack is a British writer and the author of several Star Trek novels and stories.
Ms. McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written four Doctor Who novels: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods (featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory); Royal Blood (featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Clara), and Molten Heart (featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham). She is also the author of numerous audio dramas for Big Finish Productions.
Ms. McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written four Doctor Who novels: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods (featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory); Royal Blood (featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Clara), and Molten Heart (featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham). She is also the author of numerous audio dramas for Big Finish Productions.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
October 8, 2023
Anyone who knows me knows that I was first a Star Trek fan and then a Star Wars fan. Even though I saw the first Star Wars movie at about the same time I saw reruns of Star Trek - TOS, Star Trek has always appealed to me more. And of course one of my favorite characters is Spock.
In recent years I’ve read Star Trek books as well as watched the shows and movies. Una McCormack has quickly become one of my favorite authors of Star Trek. She has a knack for capturing the actors’ voices so that you have no trouble at all hearing them in your head as you read.
She is also supremely talented at showing us the inner lives of these characters we love on our screens. This is where novels like this can really add depth to these stories we love. And this “Autobiography” is no exception. Theoretically having seen everything that Spock has been involved in on the screen, the events were mostly familiar, but now we know how Spock felt about all these events. Yes, felt, because as we have discovered over the course of time Vulcans are not devoid of emotion or feelings. No, they may have very rich, even turbulent emotional lives, but they cultivate strict control of them.
I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by McCormack.
Thanks to Una McCormack, TitanBooks and Netgalley for providing this ARC. My apologies for the delay in reading and reviewing it.
In recent years I’ve read Star Trek books as well as watched the shows and movies. Una McCormack has quickly become one of my favorite authors of Star Trek. She has a knack for capturing the actors’ voices so that you have no trouble at all hearing them in your head as you read.
She is also supremely talented at showing us the inner lives of these characters we love on our screens. This is where novels like this can really add depth to these stories we love. And this “Autobiography” is no exception. Theoretically having seen everything that Spock has been involved in on the screen, the events were mostly familiar, but now we know how Spock felt about all these events. Yes, felt, because as we have discovered over the course of time Vulcans are not devoid of emotion or feelings. No, they may have very rich, even turbulent emotional lives, but they cultivate strict control of them.
I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by McCormack.
Thanks to Una McCormack, TitanBooks and Netgalley for providing this ARC. My apologies for the delay in reading and reviewing it.
Read
December 30, 2021man i love this gay alien 😭😭😭 everyone rating this one star i’m sorry that you Do Not Get It, but i do!
September 14, 2021
I’m not a Trekkie by any means, but I do appreciate Star Trek. It’s a terrific fictional creation, but fiction so often blurs lines with reality for fans and novices and it is out of that intersectionality that this autobiography is born. So let’s refer to it as the real thing (and not a creation of a Star trek novelization expert), because it was intended as such.
Spock (along with Data) has always been my favorite Star Trek character. A man of logic, calm and patience, a moral and intelligent man, just the light you need amid the chaos.
But because Spock is a very much a creature of the mind, his memoirs read accordingly. Which is to say these are not the juiciest of memoirs. They are as sedate, pensive and measured as the man who wrote them. In fact, those who mostly know Spock from the recent movies would be disappointed to find out that the romance with the beguiling Nyota isn’t anywhere to be found within these pages since that was a creation of the alternate star Trek universe.
In this timeline Spock has never had a romantic interest. A devoted son, a dedicated friend and occasionally a caring mentor, but never a lover…nor a fighter. Spock’s life as he describes it was a long and difficult struggle with the duality of his nature (Mom’s from Earth, Dad’s from Vulcan) and then subsequently finding his place in the world and righting whatever great injustices he found to right, always in a peaceable manner.
In every possible way Mr. Spock is an admirable character and his intelligent humane presence comes through in his words, in his life. This is exactly the kind of person who should write a memoir, someone who has lived a long and remarkable life and has lessons to impart and knowledge to pass on.
And sure, it’s fictional, but a good fictional memoir still beats the whiny, maudlin, overshare driven crap out there that rules the modern memoir market. The exact same way good fiction often beats underwhelming reality.
For Star Trek fans this’ll surely be a delight. For the rest, it is a charming read in its own way, but possibly not for everyone. It isn’t fast paced or salacious or boombastic in any way. Just a fictional life lived well.
The author (or as she prefers to maintain the novelty, the editor) did a perfectly good job. From her bio it seems that she has certainly had plenty of experience writing within the Star Trek universe as if gearing up for this endeavor. Not to be outdone or accused of preferentiality, Titan books is publishing the autobiography of other Star Trek’s greats, if you’re into that sort of thing. For me, Mr. Spock is perfectly enough. I enjoyed his story. Live long and prosper. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Spock (along with Data) has always been my favorite Star Trek character. A man of logic, calm and patience, a moral and intelligent man, just the light you need amid the chaos.
But because Spock is a very much a creature of the mind, his memoirs read accordingly. Which is to say these are not the juiciest of memoirs. They are as sedate, pensive and measured as the man who wrote them. In fact, those who mostly know Spock from the recent movies would be disappointed to find out that the romance with the beguiling Nyota isn’t anywhere to be found within these pages since that was a creation of the alternate star Trek universe.
In this timeline Spock has never had a romantic interest. A devoted son, a dedicated friend and occasionally a caring mentor, but never a lover…nor a fighter. Spock’s life as he describes it was a long and difficult struggle with the duality of his nature (Mom’s from Earth, Dad’s from Vulcan) and then subsequently finding his place in the world and righting whatever great injustices he found to right, always in a peaceable manner.
In every possible way Mr. Spock is an admirable character and his intelligent humane presence comes through in his words, in his life. This is exactly the kind of person who should write a memoir, someone who has lived a long and remarkable life and has lessons to impart and knowledge to pass on.
And sure, it’s fictional, but a good fictional memoir still beats the whiny, maudlin, overshare driven crap out there that rules the modern memoir market. The exact same way good fiction often beats underwhelming reality.
For Star Trek fans this’ll surely be a delight. For the rest, it is a charming read in its own way, but possibly not for everyone. It isn’t fast paced or salacious or boombastic in any way. Just a fictional life lived well.
The author (or as she prefers to maintain the novelty, the editor) did a perfectly good job. From her bio it seems that she has certainly had plenty of experience writing within the Star Trek universe as if gearing up for this endeavor. Not to be outdone or accused of preferentiality, Titan books is publishing the autobiography of other Star Trek’s greats, if you’re into that sort of thing. For me, Mr. Spock is perfectly enough. I enjoyed his story. Live long and prosper. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
September 15, 2021
It was ok, however…
I started off mostly enjoying this book until they had to include Discovery. I am no fan of Discovery and to me it threw the whole tone of the book off. I do no recommend this book.
I started off mostly enjoying this book until they had to include Discovery. I am no fan of Discovery and to me it threw the whole tone of the book off. I do no recommend this book.
September 9, 2021
Spock's voice comes through beautifully in this.
September 15, 2021
4.5/5
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MR. SPOCK by Una McCormack is going to be something that I suspect will be controversial and yet rewarding for all of those audience members who choose to enjoy it. It is a book that is heavily tied to STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and if you have not experienced all three seasons of that show then you will miss out on a large number of details that may or may not make maximum sense.
This includes the attempts on Sarek's life by "Logic Extremists", the 'Red Angel' plotline, and the ultimate fate of the Romulans and Vulcans as revealed in the episode "Unification III." The "Romulan Warrior Nuns" from Picard (forgive me, I'm terrible with Trek names) also play an exceptional role. Those who restrict themselves to only TOS and the TNG era will find much of the book mystifying. Given that I am a die-hard DISCO and NuTrek fan, I have little problem here and think one of the best Star Trek books of all time was STAR TREK: DISCOVERY: THE WAY TO THE STARS by the same author.
The premise is that Mr. Spock is writing his memoirs (using a Vulcan word for them) in the last days before he takes off in the Jellyfish to attempt his plan to save Romulus from a destructive supernova. The result of this event was detailed in the also-controversial (but very popular) Star Trek (2009). Basically, this is a book that homages and celebrates the past two decades as much as the previous thirty before that.
As I've mentioned before, I think Una McCormack is someone who is able to provide depth and context to characters as well as situations that might otherwise lack it. THE LAST BEST HOPE is something that I have repeatedly said should have been the first two episodes or pilot of Picard. Here, she provides a fascinating (no pun intended) look at Spock's childhood relationship with Michael Burnham and even incorporates the much-maligned Sybok into the narrative in a way that is organic to making the universe's most famous Vulcan into the man he became.
Much of this book is devoted to Spock's childhood on Vulcan and his unhappy relationship with his father Sarek that provides much of the narrative. I suspect this will provide most old school Trek fans their favorite parts of the story as well. In simple terms, Spock never gets on with his dad and even when they make up, they never make it last.
One of the funniest in a black comedy sort of way scenes is where Spock talks at great length of how making peace with Cardassia was a fool's errand, that they were a brutal dictatorship, and they would never honor any treaties. His father was disgusted and it became the second great fight of their lives. This despite the fact that Spock was working on his Reunification movement (with Sarek's disapproval) and both of them had worked to make a lasting peace with the Klingons.
Another thing to note is that this novel retcons the retcon of The Autobiography of James T. Kirk that postulated Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was an in-universe movie created by the people of the Roman planet in "Bread and Circuses." Here, the events of the film obviously happened and, furthermore, Una McCormack is able to salvage a coherent (even tragic) narrative from the underdeveloped Sybok's story.
In simple terms, Spock and his elder "know him in a Vulcan Christmas Card sort of way" half-brother were both outcasts unfulfilled by Vulcan society. Whereas Spock was psychically contacted by V'Ger and developed a profound insight into the nature of the unievrse, Sybok ended up making contact with the "God" entity who misused his trust and led him down a dark path that resulted in his death. I've always believed TFF was a bunch of good ideas executed badly and the author shows how they might have played them.
I do think there's some areas that could have gotten much attention like what happened to T'Prynn after the events of "Amock Time" and the fact that Spock is portrayed as never marrying despite the fact Picard met Sarek at his son's wedding (and Sybok presumably died on Sha'Ka'Ree). Still, she manages to fill in a lot of narrative holes. I was particularly impressed by her incorporation of Saavik's backstory as well as expansion on the character of Valeris. The latter isn't sympathetic at all but impressive in displaying all the nastiness that Spock admits underlies the Vulcan character.
In conclusion, this is a great book but if you're not up on DISCOVERY and PICARD then you will miss out on a lot. Fans of the old-school Trek will possibly even think that Captain Kirk and McCoy were short changed as the book glosses over the TOS period. I don't think that's the case and we have massive amounts of information on their relationship from other sources but those looking for that may leave disappointed. I, however, salute her ability to tie classic Trek in with the new.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MR. SPOCK by Una McCormack is going to be something that I suspect will be controversial and yet rewarding for all of those audience members who choose to enjoy it. It is a book that is heavily tied to STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and if you have not experienced all three seasons of that show then you will miss out on a large number of details that may or may not make maximum sense.
This includes the attempts on Sarek's life by "Logic Extremists", the 'Red Angel' plotline, and the ultimate fate of the Romulans and Vulcans as revealed in the episode "Unification III." The "Romulan Warrior Nuns" from Picard (forgive me, I'm terrible with Trek names) also play an exceptional role. Those who restrict themselves to only TOS and the TNG era will find much of the book mystifying. Given that I am a die-hard DISCO and NuTrek fan, I have little problem here and think one of the best Star Trek books of all time was STAR TREK: DISCOVERY: THE WAY TO THE STARS by the same author.
The premise is that Mr. Spock is writing his memoirs (using a Vulcan word for them) in the last days before he takes off in the Jellyfish to attempt his plan to save Romulus from a destructive supernova. The result of this event was detailed in the also-controversial (but very popular) Star Trek (2009). Basically, this is a book that homages and celebrates the past two decades as much as the previous thirty before that.
As I've mentioned before, I think Una McCormack is someone who is able to provide depth and context to characters as well as situations that might otherwise lack it. THE LAST BEST HOPE is something that I have repeatedly said should have been the first two episodes or pilot of Picard. Here, she provides a fascinating (no pun intended) look at Spock's childhood relationship with Michael Burnham and even incorporates the much-maligned Sybok into the narrative in a way that is organic to making the universe's most famous Vulcan into the man he became.
Much of this book is devoted to Spock's childhood on Vulcan and his unhappy relationship with his father Sarek that provides much of the narrative. I suspect this will provide most old school Trek fans their favorite parts of the story as well. In simple terms, Spock never gets on with his dad and even when they make up, they never make it last.
One of the funniest in a black comedy sort of way scenes is where Spock talks at great length of how making peace with Cardassia was a fool's errand, that they were a brutal dictatorship, and they would never honor any treaties. His father was disgusted and it became the second great fight of their lives. This despite the fact that Spock was working on his Reunification movement (with Sarek's disapproval) and both of them had worked to make a lasting peace with the Klingons.
Another thing to note is that this novel retcons the retcon of The Autobiography of James T. Kirk that postulated Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was an in-universe movie created by the people of the Roman planet in "Bread and Circuses." Here, the events of the film obviously happened and, furthermore, Una McCormack is able to salvage a coherent (even tragic) narrative from the underdeveloped Sybok's story.
In simple terms, Spock and his elder "know him in a Vulcan Christmas Card sort of way" half-brother were both outcasts unfulfilled by Vulcan society. Whereas Spock was psychically contacted by V'Ger and developed a profound insight into the nature of the unievrse, Sybok ended up making contact with the "God" entity who misused his trust and led him down a dark path that resulted in his death. I've always believed TFF was a bunch of good ideas executed badly and the author shows how they might have played them.
I do think there's some areas that could have gotten much attention like what happened to T'Prynn after the events of "Amock Time" and the fact that Spock is portrayed as never marrying despite the fact Picard met Sarek at his son's wedding (and Sybok presumably died on Sha'Ka'Ree). Still, she manages to fill in a lot of narrative holes. I was particularly impressed by her incorporation of Saavik's backstory as well as expansion on the character of Valeris. The latter isn't sympathetic at all but impressive in displaying all the nastiness that Spock admits underlies the Vulcan character.
In conclusion, this is a great book but if you're not up on DISCOVERY and PICARD then you will miss out on a lot. Fans of the old-school Trek will possibly even think that Captain Kirk and McCoy were short changed as the book glosses over the TOS period. I don't think that's the case and we have massive amounts of information on their relationship from other sources but those looking for that may leave disappointed. I, however, salute her ability to tie classic Trek in with the new.
September 23, 2021
If you are eagerly awaiting the long anticipated The Autobiography of Mr. Spock, may I suggest you save your money and take it out of the library when it lands there.
I pre-ordered the book from Amazon three years ago. The publication date was pushed back and pushed back until 2021. I now know why. The author and publisher needed to watch all the variations of Star Trek so they could be included in this text.
True, Spock has been the anchor pin for all the incarnations of TOS. Unfortunately, the editor/author, in my humble opinion selected the wrong genre for Spock's story. This 98% narrative would have been better served as a nonfiction analysis such as comprise our tech manuals and concordances. To my mind, it has failed as an autobiography, and not because it clashes in so many places with my personal interpretation of this character. To my mind, and I'm prepared to be corrected, an autobiography is a chronological series of stories about one's life. Each story should contain all the elements of stories: characters, setting, conflict, theme, dialogue, etc.
This book is divided not chronologically but by individual characters that supposedly had an effect on Spock. It is all tell and virtually no show. It is in fact, a rehash of everything we've seen on the screen since Trek aired. And somehow, still, it managed to miss capturing Spock's voice. Spock does not usually make grammatical errors, for one thing and if Spock had proofread his own work, he would have corrected the multiple typos in the Kindle edition. (I know, I know. I'm one to talk, especially about my first earliest attempts at stories. But these things kept throwing me out of the book when I came across them.)
To its credit, I managed to read the book through. This is unusual for me because if a story doesn't capture me in the first page, I'm likely to put it to the side and never get back to it. But… Spock. I kept reading and hoping that I would learn something new about my beloved character. It never happened. An author intrusion on the next to the last page in which Spock writes about an event that is not yet happened, sounded the death knell for this manuscript. For me, that is.
A suspicion that had been growing within me was confirmed at the very end of the book. The author/editor, Una McCormack, borrowed liberally from pro novels and some fanzines, most notably Jean Lorrah's Amanda, in that Spock's mom had become an adept. She also included as an addendum, McCoy's recipe for beans, sans the special ingredient, and his recipe for a mint julep.
What? Why?
Which is exactly what I asked myself when I closed my Kindle on this two out of five stars book.
(The above is my opinion. You are at liberty to disagree with me."
Please note: Writing as Leslye Lilker, I have been a fan of Star Trek since Sept. 1966 and am the creator of the recntly-revived Sahaj Universe, as well as an author, editor, and publisher of the fanzine IDIC. Currently, I am a retired HS English/ESL teacher.
.
I pre-ordered the book from Amazon three years ago. The publication date was pushed back and pushed back until 2021. I now know why. The author and publisher needed to watch all the variations of Star Trek so they could be included in this text.
True, Spock has been the anchor pin for all the incarnations of TOS. Unfortunately, the editor/author, in my humble opinion selected the wrong genre for Spock's story. This 98% narrative would have been better served as a nonfiction analysis such as comprise our tech manuals and concordances. To my mind, it has failed as an autobiography, and not because it clashes in so many places with my personal interpretation of this character. To my mind, and I'm prepared to be corrected, an autobiography is a chronological series of stories about one's life. Each story should contain all the elements of stories: characters, setting, conflict, theme, dialogue, etc.
This book is divided not chronologically but by individual characters that supposedly had an effect on Spock. It is all tell and virtually no show. It is in fact, a rehash of everything we've seen on the screen since Trek aired. And somehow, still, it managed to miss capturing Spock's voice. Spock does not usually make grammatical errors, for one thing and if Spock had proofread his own work, he would have corrected the multiple typos in the Kindle edition. (I know, I know. I'm one to talk, especially about my first earliest attempts at stories. But these things kept throwing me out of the book when I came across them.)
To its credit, I managed to read the book through. This is unusual for me because if a story doesn't capture me in the first page, I'm likely to put it to the side and never get back to it. But… Spock. I kept reading and hoping that I would learn something new about my beloved character. It never happened. An author intrusion on the next to the last page in which Spock writes about an event that is not yet happened, sounded the death knell for this manuscript. For me, that is.
A suspicion that had been growing within me was confirmed at the very end of the book. The author/editor, Una McCormack, borrowed liberally from pro novels and some fanzines, most notably Jean Lorrah's Amanda, in that Spock's mom had become an adept. She also included as an addendum, McCoy's recipe for beans, sans the special ingredient, and his recipe for a mint julep.
What? Why?
Which is exactly what I asked myself when I closed my Kindle on this two out of five stars book.
(The above is my opinion. You are at liberty to disagree with me."
Please note: Writing as Leslye Lilker, I have been a fan of Star Trek since Sept. 1966 and am the creator of the recntly-revived Sahaj Universe, as well as an author, editor, and publisher of the fanzine IDIC. Currently, I am a retired HS English/ESL teacher.
.
September 5, 2021
I am a massive Star Trek fan. It’s one of my favourite things in life. I’m a fan of new trek, old trek and everything in-between. My favourite is the original series. I could go off on about why I think it’s so good, but I’ll save that for another time. My favourite character is Spock. When I found out this book was being published, as the next instalment to the fantastic Star Trek autobiography series, I was excited.
The book lives up to my expectations. Since it’s from Spock viewpoint it’s not told as a typical autobiography but instead in the format of the t’san a’lat, a traditional Vulcan text that Vulcans would write towards the end of their lives to detail the wisdom they have gained over their lives. The book is written as if it was just before the events of the 2009 film, detailing Spock’s life up that point through a series of chapters, each one dedicated to someone important in Spock’s life.
When I first started this book, I thought it was going to be something like a greatest hits tour, where it would go through the memorable episodes and films in the Star Trek universe. It doesn’t do this at all, in fact it barely mentions the 5 year mission and the events of Wrath of Kahn take up about two pages.
I wouldn’t recommend this for anybody other than big-time Star Trek fans. It’s not for people who haven’t seen at least the original series, the accompanying films and Star Trek Discovery: Season 2. It brushes over a lot of details and assumes you already know those details. For example, the chapter about Captain Kirk is very brief and he is barely mentioned in the book, even though he is an important person to Spock in the universe. The reason for this is explained and it makes sense, but this is an add-on to everything else that has come before.
It also touches on some non-canon books, such as The Pandora Principle, which I haven’t read but will be soon. It’s a really in-depth character study and is enjoyable to read. There is a lot of detail in sections of Spock’s life, especially his time on Romulus that is touched upon in Next Generation. It also feels like a prequel to Star Trek: Picard, with the events at the end of the book directly leading into that show. Spock is also writing this to Picard as the person who will deal with his legacy after death.
I really enjoyed this book. It feels like Spock and you can almost hear it in Leonard Nimoy’s voice when reading. There are moments when the voice is lost and it doesn’t feel like the character at all but for the most part Uma McCormack does a really good job and it’s made me want to revisit my favourite episodes and films all over again.
The book lives up to my expectations. Since it’s from Spock viewpoint it’s not told as a typical autobiography but instead in the format of the t’san a’lat, a traditional Vulcan text that Vulcans would write towards the end of their lives to detail the wisdom they have gained over their lives. The book is written as if it was just before the events of the 2009 film, detailing Spock’s life up that point through a series of chapters, each one dedicated to someone important in Spock’s life.
When I first started this book, I thought it was going to be something like a greatest hits tour, where it would go through the memorable episodes and films in the Star Trek universe. It doesn’t do this at all, in fact it barely mentions the 5 year mission and the events of Wrath of Kahn take up about two pages.
I wouldn’t recommend this for anybody other than big-time Star Trek fans. It’s not for people who haven’t seen at least the original series, the accompanying films and Star Trek Discovery: Season 2. It brushes over a lot of details and assumes you already know those details. For example, the chapter about Captain Kirk is very brief and he is barely mentioned in the book, even though he is an important person to Spock in the universe. The reason for this is explained and it makes sense, but this is an add-on to everything else that has come before.
It also touches on some non-canon books, such as The Pandora Principle, which I haven’t read but will be soon. It’s a really in-depth character study and is enjoyable to read. There is a lot of detail in sections of Spock’s life, especially his time on Romulus that is touched upon in Next Generation. It also feels like a prequel to Star Trek: Picard, with the events at the end of the book directly leading into that show. Spock is also writing this to Picard as the person who will deal with his legacy after death.
I really enjoyed this book. It feels like Spock and you can almost hear it in Leonard Nimoy’s voice when reading. There are moments when the voice is lost and it doesn’t feel like the character at all but for the most part Uma McCormack does a really good job and it’s made me want to revisit my favourite episodes and films all over again.
September 17, 2021
The life of Spock of Vulcan has perhaps been overshadowed by that of his contemporary, James T. Kirk, but Spock has a unique and fascinating life story which has many lessons to teach potential students. From his Starfleet career to his later life of service in diplomacy, Spock has helped to define the Federation's golden era.
McCormack's editorial notes say that she hopes she has captured Spock's voice and, in many respects, she has done just done that. While reading this book, it is difficult not to hear Nimoy's measured baritone as Spock outlines the lessons he has learned throughout his long life.
McCormack's editorial notes say that she hopes she has captured Spock's voice and, in many respects, she has done just done that. While reading this book, it is difficult not to hear Nimoy's measured baritone as Spock outlines the lessons he has learned throughout his long life.
March 9, 2022
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This certainly did not read as the Spock I knew from television and film.
I was do disappointed as it was like reading about a stranger with very little reference to his time on the Enterprise with Kirk..
I would recommend giving this a miss.
This certainly did not read as the Spock I knew from television and film.
I was do disappointed as it was like reading about a stranger with very little reference to his time on the Enterprise with Kirk..
I would recommend giving this a miss.
March 10, 2024
I hardly read fiction any longer, but when I heard of this mock-autobiography of my favorite character, I decided to give it a try, all the more so as the author is also a fan of one of my cult novels, Katharine Burdekin's Proud Man.
My main problem with the book was its focus on the new backstory introduced in Star Trek Discovery, which, in addition to the brother we had never heard of, gave Spock a sister that we had never heard of. McCormack also references events from the Picard TV series in an attempt to be as fresh as possible, but I fear the new developments in Spock's pre-Kirk adventures will soon make part of the book obsolete.
So the "five-year mission" of the Original Series is virtually ignored, and the reader is left with the painful task of mentally patching together images of Leonard Nimoy's Spock with Ethan Peck's jarring and deliberately farcical interpretation of the character. I must admit I could not perform that feat, and the two Spocks never jelled into one literary character.
My other problem with the book is that you get a Spock who is very much "done with logic" (one of his ultimate pearls of wisdom is that "Logic without emotion is a dead end"); a Spock that concludes his book with a recipe containing "smoked pork belly, diced" (with, admittedly, a vegetarian alternative "to satisfy Vulcan tastes", but what about their moral principles?) and yet another recipe for an alcoholic beverage; and a Spock whose Vulcan persona, as known to TOS audiences, is dismissed as something of a youthful phase, a "mask", a mere "part" he played for a while.
McCormack also describes Dayton Ward's "Vulcan Travel Guide" as "delightful", but for me, the book almost spoiled the planet (which, as I picture it, I would leave mine for without a moment's hesitation.)
What I did like about the book is that Saavik gets a significant role to play (even though I was not too keen on her joining a Romulan fighting order invented for the Discovery and Picard series). In my opinion, Robin Curtis gave the second best interpretation of a Vulcan to date, and she has been an inspiration to me for decades. I just wish I had been this anonymous human mentioned on page 124 who, together with his Vulcan wife, fostered Saavik, and helped her become the woman portrayed in Star Trek III. Just marrying a Vulcan would have been my dream life, let alone adopting one in addition (but unfortunately, even if I lived to April 5, 2063, I would be much too old for the marital opportunities the momentous event will open. Not to mention the fact that we obviously live in an alternate timeline.)
I also liked the references to non-canon sources, including Jean Lorrah's and Barbara Hambly's novels, though I cannot help thinking how the whole Vulcan civilisation would have turned out if Theodore Sturgeon's script for Amok Time had been rejected for the simple reason that a peaceful, logical species would not solve their marital disputes with duels to the death more worthy of Klingons.
My main disagreement with the negative reviews of this book is with the readers who found it "too philosophical". As for me, I would gladly read a thousand volumes of Vulcan philosophy, so I was rather frustrated on that front.
My main problem with the book was its focus on the new backstory introduced in Star Trek Discovery, which, in addition to the brother we had never heard of, gave Spock a sister that we had never heard of. McCormack also references events from the Picard TV series in an attempt to be as fresh as possible, but I fear the new developments in Spock's pre-Kirk adventures will soon make part of the book obsolete.
So the "five-year mission" of the Original Series is virtually ignored, and the reader is left with the painful task of mentally patching together images of Leonard Nimoy's Spock with Ethan Peck's jarring and deliberately farcical interpretation of the character. I must admit I could not perform that feat, and the two Spocks never jelled into one literary character.
My other problem with the book is that you get a Spock who is very much "done with logic" (one of his ultimate pearls of wisdom is that "Logic without emotion is a dead end"); a Spock that concludes his book with a recipe containing "smoked pork belly, diced" (with, admittedly, a vegetarian alternative "to satisfy Vulcan tastes", but what about their moral principles?) and yet another recipe for an alcoholic beverage; and a Spock whose Vulcan persona, as known to TOS audiences, is dismissed as something of a youthful phase, a "mask", a mere "part" he played for a while.
McCormack also describes Dayton Ward's "Vulcan Travel Guide" as "delightful", but for me, the book almost spoiled the planet (which, as I picture it, I would leave mine for without a moment's hesitation.)
What I did like about the book is that Saavik gets a significant role to play (even though I was not too keen on her joining a Romulan fighting order invented for the Discovery and Picard series). In my opinion, Robin Curtis gave the second best interpretation of a Vulcan to date, and she has been an inspiration to me for decades. I just wish I had been this anonymous human mentioned on page 124 who, together with his Vulcan wife, fostered Saavik, and helped her become the woman portrayed in Star Trek III. Just marrying a Vulcan would have been my dream life, let alone adopting one in addition (but unfortunately, even if I lived to April 5, 2063, I would be much too old for the marital opportunities the momentous event will open. Not to mention the fact that we obviously live in an alternate timeline.)
I also liked the references to non-canon sources, including Jean Lorrah's and Barbara Hambly's novels, though I cannot help thinking how the whole Vulcan civilisation would have turned out if Theodore Sturgeon's script for Amok Time had been rejected for the simple reason that a peaceful, logical species would not solve their marital disputes with duels to the death more worthy of Klingons.
My main disagreement with the negative reviews of this book is with the readers who found it "too philosophical". As for me, I would gladly read a thousand volumes of Vulcan philosophy, so I was rather frustrated on that front.
November 11, 2023
The Autobiography of Mr. Spock by Una McCormack
Emotional, funny, hopeful, informative, inspiring, and reflective.
Medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25 ⭐
This is an autobiography, written by Spock...to everyone who'll read it, but he sent it to Jean Luc Picard, which I found refreshing.
It isn't linear in the sense that he wrote from birth to death, but it IS linear, that he wrote about certain profound influences within his life at each portion of his life. For example, the first part has the following people has profoundly changing his life: Amanda (his mother), Michael (his adopted sister), T'Pring (his intended/betrothed), Sybok (his half-brother) and Surak (the greatest philosopher in Spock's life, and the life of all Vulcans).
Within that portion of this life, we weave in and out of different perspectives...in the very Spock way. Love his directness, and his unique view of how these people molded and shaped him...into the person that we all love...I'm speaking for everyone, for we all DO love him.
The second part has the following people: The Angel (red, that he saw as a child - ie. Star Trek: Discovery), Captain Christopher Pike (who we also ALL love), the Enterprise (for this ship was his home for MANY years...under many notable captains and even some admirals), "Bones" (Dr. Leonard McCoy, his cantankerous friend, that he left his Katra in), and Saavik (who he took on as a refugee, and molded into a unique and strong friend for his entire life...loved this portion of the story).
...and the last part, which deals with a number of his failures and ultimate successes: Valeris (the traitor to the Federation, but she never waivered within herself), Sarek (his contentious relationship with his father...and how, eventually he followed after his father into the area of Diplomacy), Captain Jean Luc Picard (who he only met ONCE, but what a POWERFUL meeting/experience it was, and one that no other could have supplied/shared), and lastly [I am tearing up on this one] Captain James T. Kirk (oh what a life they shared...and how much they meant to each other, in life, death, resurrection, and life and death of the other, again).
I really loved this book. Spock has always been my favourite character within Star Trek (in all his iterations, Leonard Nimoy, Zachary Quinto, and currently Ethan Peck).
If you haven't read this book, please pick it up and I feel you will devour it...like I did.
#BucketListathon2023
Emotional, funny, hopeful, informative, inspiring, and reflective.
Medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25 ⭐
This is an autobiography, written by Spock...to everyone who'll read it, but he sent it to Jean Luc Picard, which I found refreshing.
It isn't linear in the sense that he wrote from birth to death, but it IS linear, that he wrote about certain profound influences within his life at each portion of his life. For example, the first part has the following people has profoundly changing his life: Amanda (his mother), Michael (his adopted sister), T'Pring (his intended/betrothed), Sybok (his half-brother) and Surak (the greatest philosopher in Spock's life, and the life of all Vulcans).
Within that portion of this life, we weave in and out of different perspectives...in the very Spock way. Love his directness, and his unique view of how these people molded and shaped him...into the person that we all love...I'm speaking for everyone, for we all DO love him.
The second part has the following people: The Angel (red, that he saw as a child - ie. Star Trek: Discovery), Captain Christopher Pike (who we also ALL love), the Enterprise (for this ship was his home for MANY years...under many notable captains and even some admirals), "Bones" (Dr. Leonard McCoy, his cantankerous friend, that he left his Katra in), and Saavik (who he took on as a refugee, and molded into a unique and strong friend for his entire life...loved this portion of the story).
...and the last part, which deals with a number of his failures and ultimate successes: Valeris (the traitor to the Federation, but she never waivered within herself), Sarek (his contentious relationship with his father...and how, eventually he followed after his father into the area of Diplomacy), Captain Jean Luc Picard (who he only met ONCE, but what a POWERFUL meeting/experience it was, and one that no other could have supplied/shared), and lastly [I am tearing up on this one] Captain James T. Kirk (oh what a life they shared...and how much they meant to each other, in life, death, resurrection, and life and death of the other, again).
I really loved this book. Spock has always been my favourite character within Star Trek (in all his iterations, Leonard Nimoy, Zachary Quinto, and currently Ethan Peck).
If you haven't read this book, please pick it up and I feel you will devour it...like I did.
#BucketListathon2023
April 2, 2022
I’d previously read The Autobiography Of James T. Kirk and wondered how this, a companion book about Spock, could avoid repetition. The answer is surprisingly obvious: there’s plenty about Spock’s life that did not take place during the TV series. The Enterprise, and notably Kirk, greatly inform the story of his life but do not appear in it much. Instead there is great insight about Spock’s emotionality and relationships.
The book - a Vulcan “wisdom book” as opposed to a straightforward memoir - is broken up into people and things that meant a lot to him, and it ties together his life through the lens of each one. This allows Una McCormack to skilfully weave together all sorts of continuity from over the years: Star Trek, the animated series, the films, TNG, DS9, then latterly the Abrams film, Discovery and Picard all factor into it. I’m not a fan of some of the minutiae, but had to admire the way it was done. The whole thing underlines what a subtly emotional character he is, and as is customary with this series, fashions disparate sources into a believable narrative. It’s often thoughtful and an enjoyable read.
The book - a Vulcan “wisdom book” as opposed to a straightforward memoir - is broken up into people and things that meant a lot to him, and it ties together his life through the lens of each one. This allows Una McCormack to skilfully weave together all sorts of continuity from over the years: Star Trek, the animated series, the films, TNG, DS9, then latterly the Abrams film, Discovery and Picard all factor into it. I’m not a fan of some of the minutiae, but had to admire the way it was done. The whole thing underlines what a subtly emotional character he is, and as is customary with this series, fashions disparate sources into a believable narrative. It’s often thoughtful and an enjoyable read.
November 11, 2025
As the title suggests, this book treads the intersection between autobiography, and Star Trek pulp fiction. Therefore, there are exactly two people on Earth that I know that I can recommend this book to. Don't worry, I already have. You, dear reader, are almost surely not one of those people (unless this is Kyle reading this). Fear not, I won't think less of you for not being able to comprehend McCormack's pitch perfect capturing of Leonard Nimoy's voice, her masterful storytelling, or her ability to weave together some sixty years of Star Trek lore into a single coherent volume on one of the most unique characters ever invented. Alas, I digress. If you are a Trek fan, this is a must-read. As I expand my list of Trek fiction (at the time of this review, I'm up to four or five), this entry immediately and obviously jumps up to number one. Live long and prosper, nerds!
August 2, 2023
Fantastic read. I will say if you've seen everything Star Trek there is little to no new information. However, this is very well written and feels like you're reading an intimate account of Spock's life. It has many interesting anecdotes that make it feel like you got to know him a little better. I love, love, love the pictures included from various points in his life. Also, really appreciate the recipes at the end, thought that was a nice treat. Also, if it wasn't obvious this book is up to date with the newest series so if you haven't seen everything wait to read this to avoid spoilers. Definitely recommend if you're a trekkie. 😊
January 22, 2022
a perfectly fine and good book, i think the voice of spock was wonderfully captured. however, about two thirds into the book i belately realized my mistake - so far I've watched maybe half a season of tos and remember next to nothing of the movies, so quite a lot of characters and events described in this book were unfamiliar to me and left me not really caring all that much??? im hoping to reread the book at some point in the future with a better understanding 😅
September 23, 2021
This book purports to be Spock’s examination of his life as he nears death. It’s divided into sections which are each identified by an important person in that period of Spock’s life: Michael, T’pring, Sybok, Surak, Pike, Bones, etc. The book is mostly narration, with only its most important moments rendered in scenes. Also Spock spends a substantial amount of space examining his life in philosophical terms. I suspect that someone whose not already familiar with the character will find the book hard going, but if you’re a Spock fan, you should enjoy this close look at him and the people who mattered to him.
April 2, 2022
I loved the text and it resonated with my understanding of Spock, and I recommend it heartily for those interested in Star Trek and Spock.
I could only give 4 of 5 stars, however, because it lacked a few editing touches. This may have been an editorial choice, to make it "sound" like a memoir, but the errors were distracting.
I could only give 4 of 5 stars, however, because it lacked a few editing touches. This may have been an editorial choice, to make it "sound" like a memoir, but the errors were distracting.
January 17, 2022
“Looking back now I see that whenever I have experienced resolution in my life, some kind of certainty, it has been through an acceptance of variety, hybridity, and diversity. Through accepting the simple fact that we can be many things, all at once.”
December 24, 2022
To write in the voice of Mr Spock must have been super daunting. The author nails it. Even though it's in a dry Vulcan style it is very interesting. I was surprised how emotional it was. Considering his age and all that is packed in here (including Discovery and Picard TV series), the breath of Star Trek knowledge here is outstanding. Really impressed.
Read
November 30, 2022This took me a while to read. It's dense and packed with a lot of star trek good info. I hope they develop some AI that will read books to us in the voice of Leonard Nimoy, because that would be great.
I'd say if you love star trek then you'll get a kick out of this. If you're a casual fan then this probably isn't your thing.
I'd say if you love star trek then you'll get a kick out of this. If you're a casual fan then this probably isn't your thing.
September 11, 2021
I don't remember ever not being a Trekkie. First run Next Gen and, later, Voyager were always my shows...I was too young for TOS and too easily bored for DS9, although I later went back to, and enjoyed very much, both of them. Like a lot of people, the outsider characters Data, Odo and Spock were the ones who fascinated me, and I jumped at the chance to read this autobiography of Spock.
This isn't a book for someone who's not at least vaguely familiar with the original series, the movies, and Discovery, one of the newer series. It references all of those, but only in passing, so if you don't already know the background, you're likely to be very confused. You should also be at least a little familiar with the first of the three most recent movies, as this is written just before that and makes reference to it.
I did love the touch of this being written to Captain Picard, the man who probably now knows Spock better than anyone else alive. It's so clever and perfect, although it did lead to a couple of "As you know, (explanation of something Picard knows but we the readers don't)" moments. I can forgive that, though, because it's such an inspired idea overall. (Also for the image of Spock and Picard sitting in the vineyard at La Barre, which I adore.)
The tone is firmly Spockian throughout, not surprising as this is an older Spock looking back, not an accumulation of then-current writings. I was surprised that he mentioned Jim Kirk so very little, but Jim does better than most of the other original crew. Only McCoy is mentioned in any kind of detail, and I was a little sad about that. However, from Spock's perspective, those were crewmates for a very small portion of his life, so I can understand it a bit.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this; it's clever, it's fun, and it gave Saavik an ending to her story, which I thought was fantastic. I'm off to look for more from the same series now!
This isn't a book for someone who's not at least vaguely familiar with the original series, the movies, and Discovery, one of the newer series. It references all of those, but only in passing, so if you don't already know the background, you're likely to be very confused. You should also be at least a little familiar with the first of the three most recent movies, as this is written just before that and makes reference to it.
I did love the touch of this being written to Captain Picard, the man who probably now knows Spock better than anyone else alive. It's so clever and perfect, although it did lead to a couple of "As you know, (explanation of something Picard knows but we the readers don't)" moments. I can forgive that, though, because it's such an inspired idea overall. (Also for the image of Spock and Picard sitting in the vineyard at La Barre, which I adore.)
The tone is firmly Spockian throughout, not surprising as this is an older Spock looking back, not an accumulation of then-current writings. I was surprised that he mentioned Jim Kirk so very little, but Jim does better than most of the other original crew. Only McCoy is mentioned in any kind of detail, and I was a little sad about that. However, from Spock's perspective, those were crewmates for a very small portion of his life, so I can understand it a bit.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this; it's clever, it's fun, and it gave Saavik an ending to her story, which I thought was fantastic. I'm off to look for more from the same series now!
April 11, 2023
I got this book in my Trek collective Secret Santa and I am so happy for it and it makes the perfect capper for my 2022 Book Challenge.
Spock is one of my favourite characters in Star Trek and this book absolutely captures everything I love about him. His devotion to his friends and family. In particular, the deep affection for Michael Burnham that is clear throughout the whole thing brought a tear to my eye. I enjoyed that Dr McCormack didn't dwell on things we already knew too much-- such as the actual events of TOS or the movie series-- but instead focused in on the private issues of Spock's life, surrounding the people who were closest to him.
Spock is one of my favourite characters in Star Trek and this book absolutely captures everything I love about him. His devotion to his friends and family. In particular, the deep affection for Michael Burnham that is clear throughout the whole thing brought a tear to my eye. I enjoyed that Dr McCormack didn't dwell on things we already knew too much-- such as the actual events of TOS or the movie series-- but instead focused in on the private issues of Spock's life, surrounding the people who were closest to him.
December 30, 2021
NO.
Spock was an only child. Fuck the new canon.
Spock was an only child. Fuck the new canon.
October 27, 2021
This is the fourth volume in this series of Star Trek Autobiographies. To date they have only done captains. The first two written by David A. Goodman were on Kirk (2015) and Picard (2017). And in 2021 two more have been released a few weeks apart by Una McCormack on Janeway and the first volume not on a captain Mr. Spock. And I jumped the Janeway one to get right to the volume on Mr. Spock. I thoroughly enjoyed the volume on Kirk, and was surprised by the volume on Picard. And I eagerly await volumes on Sisko, Archer, even Worf, Riker or Data who all became captains in their own right. And would love for them to go back and do a volume on Pike. But I come away from this one with mixed feelings. Thios book begins with these words:
“It has long been my custom, before embarking upon a great voyage, to set my affairs in order. I am motivated, in part, by a desire to make this as straightforward and painless as possible for the executors of my will. But the practice is also—perhaps substantially—for my own benefit, providing an opportunity to reflect upon what has gone before. Nevertheless, although i began writing the story of my life once before, this was never completed, and i find that i contemplate resuming work on this with some trepidation. To revisit years and people long gone, to reflect upon what has been learned—who among us, even the most ascetic, after a long life filled with incident, would not find this task a challenge? Still, i leave very soon upon an uncertain mission, and i cannot leave this book unwritten.”
The writings is well done. And it is presented as am “t’san a’lat, which translates (I give a rough translation here; certain nuances are, necessarily, lost) a “wisdom book”. It is the physical manifestation of the lifelong practice of t’san s’at, the intellectual deconstruction of emotional patterns in which every Vulcan engages in order to turn impulse into considered action.”
It is written to and left to Picard. And there are many personal notes to Picard along the way. But overall I was underwhelmed by this volume over all. Maybe it was because it was written as a t’san a’lat. Maybe it was trying to be too Vulcan. And maybe it was just so Spock, but not the Spock I was expecting. The chapters and sections in the volume are:
Point Of Entry—2387: Shikahr, Vulcan
Part One
Ro’fori—Information—2230 –2254: Amanda
Michael
T’pring
Sybok
Surak
Part Two
Fai-Tukh—Knowledge—2254—2293: Angel
Pike
Enterprise
“Bones”
Saavik
Part Three
Kau—Wisdom—2293—2387: Valeris
Pardek
Sarek
Picard
Jim
Point Of Exit—2387: Approaching The Romulan Border
Leonard Mccoy’s Bean Stew
Leonard Mccoy’s Mint Julep
Editorial Note
Both the recipes at the end look really good. I think for me the hardest part of this book was that there was so little about James T. Kirk, and that there was so much about Bones. I am glad that I read it. But of the three in the series to date it is my least favourite, and overall left me feeling underwhelmed an somewhat disappointed.
“It has long been my custom, before embarking upon a great voyage, to set my affairs in order. I am motivated, in part, by a desire to make this as straightforward and painless as possible for the executors of my will. But the practice is also—perhaps substantially—for my own benefit, providing an opportunity to reflect upon what has gone before. Nevertheless, although i began writing the story of my life once before, this was never completed, and i find that i contemplate resuming work on this with some trepidation. To revisit years and people long gone, to reflect upon what has been learned—who among us, even the most ascetic, after a long life filled with incident, would not find this task a challenge? Still, i leave very soon upon an uncertain mission, and i cannot leave this book unwritten.”
The writings is well done. And it is presented as am “t’san a’lat, which translates (I give a rough translation here; certain nuances are, necessarily, lost) a “wisdom book”. It is the physical manifestation of the lifelong practice of t’san s’at, the intellectual deconstruction of emotional patterns in which every Vulcan engages in order to turn impulse into considered action.”
It is written to and left to Picard. And there are many personal notes to Picard along the way. But overall I was underwhelmed by this volume over all. Maybe it was because it was written as a t’san a’lat. Maybe it was trying to be too Vulcan. And maybe it was just so Spock, but not the Spock I was expecting. The chapters and sections in the volume are:
Point Of Entry—2387: Shikahr, Vulcan
Part One
Ro’fori—Information—2230 –2254: Amanda
Michael
T’pring
Sybok
Surak
Part Two
Fai-Tukh—Knowledge—2254—2293: Angel
Pike
Enterprise
“Bones”
Saavik
Part Three
Kau—Wisdom—2293—2387: Valeris
Pardek
Sarek
Picard
Jim
Point Of Exit—2387: Approaching The Romulan Border
Leonard Mccoy’s Bean Stew
Leonard Mccoy’s Mint Julep
Editorial Note
Both the recipes at the end look really good. I think for me the hardest part of this book was that there was so little about James T. Kirk, and that there was so much about Bones. I am glad that I read it. But of the three in the series to date it is my least favourite, and overall left me feeling underwhelmed an somewhat disappointed.
April 15, 2022
"People from our past become suddenly significant once again; we must confront old versions of ourselves to forge the new self that can move forward. The dead, sometimes, do not remain dead, and the stories of our lives, despite our best efforts to shape them into simple and satisfactory wholes, with straightforward narratives and linear progression, sometimes defy these efforts."
Be still my eternally geeky heart.
It has been a few years since I read The Autobiography of James T. Kirk and although I had faithfully preordered this book and Kathryn Janeway's autobiography they remained untouched for way too long after being placed on my shelf as is the fate of most of my books.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. Star Trek was a big part of my childhood and continues to stay in my life even now. Reading books about my favorite characters and learning about their lives is something that has been so amazing. I laughed and cried my way through this book as I read about situations I watched on the screen as well as others I didn't even know about or remembered. My favorite chapters were obviously the ones surrounding Bones and Kirk--they are the ones who I know the best and whose friendship with Spock has become one of my favorite on screen friendships ever. Also I loved that it was addressed to Captain Picard, it made it more personal and made me love it even more.
I'm really hoping the authors will do an autobiography for Bones because it would be HYSTERICAL. "My friend Admiral Leonard H. McCoy, MD (I shall simply refer to him as "Bones" from here on) was born in Georgia at the age of forty-five as an old country doctor." Spock describing Bones is seriously making me laugh so hard.
This is a MUST READ for Star Trek fans and I cannot wait to see what more are being released in the future!
"'Watch out for this one, Jim' said Bones, over my shoulder. 'He's trouble.'
'How curious, Dr. McCoy,' I reply, without a pause, 'I was about to offer the captain the same advice about you.'
I recall that Jim's face lit up, with a smile like the sun. 'I think,' he said, 'that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.'
He was not wrong."
Content: violence, minor language used sparingly
Be still my eternally geeky heart.
It has been a few years since I read The Autobiography of James T. Kirk and although I had faithfully preordered this book and Kathryn Janeway's autobiography they remained untouched for way too long after being placed on my shelf as is the fate of most of my books.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. Star Trek was a big part of my childhood and continues to stay in my life even now. Reading books about my favorite characters and learning about their lives is something that has been so amazing. I laughed and cried my way through this book as I read about situations I watched on the screen as well as others I didn't even know about or remembered. My favorite chapters were obviously the ones surrounding Bones and Kirk--they are the ones who I know the best and whose friendship with Spock has become one of my favorite on screen friendships ever. Also I loved that it was addressed to Captain Picard, it made it more personal and made me love it even more.
I'm really hoping the authors will do an autobiography for Bones because it would be HYSTERICAL. "My friend Admiral Leonard H. McCoy, MD (I shall simply refer to him as "Bones" from here on) was born in Georgia at the age of forty-five as an old country doctor." Spock describing Bones is seriously making me laugh so hard.
This is a MUST READ for Star Trek fans and I cannot wait to see what more are being released in the future!
"'Watch out for this one, Jim' said Bones, over my shoulder. 'He's trouble.'
'How curious, Dr. McCoy,' I reply, without a pause, 'I was about to offer the captain the same advice about you.'
I recall that Jim's face lit up, with a smile like the sun. 'I think,' he said, 'that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.'
He was not wrong."
Content: violence, minor language used sparingly
October 6, 2021
I'll begin by saying that I enjoyed this book. But I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped to.
For some background, I picked up the autobiographies of Kirk and Picard as soon as they were available. Those were written by a different author. I enjoyed both immensely and have re-read them each a couple of times since. I've been eagerly anticipating the Mr. Spock edition since it was announced and subsequently delayed, and then switched from one author to Ms. McCormack.
When I finally got my hands on this book I found it was just... ok. At no point in the book was I able to clearly "hear" Mr. Spock. I tried imagining the words in the voice of young Leonard Nimoy, old Leonard Nimoy, Ethan Peck... none of it worked and the words did not feel like they had been spoken by the character. This was somewhat of an issue with the Janeway book but not an issue in the least with the autobiographies of either Kirk or Picard. That, more than anything, diminished my enjoyment of this piece.
The writing is quite good, except that the author has a tendency to repeat words often. Alacrity, for example. I didn't count but I suspect that the phrase, "with alacrity" is used nearly ten times. After a while, you tire of reading it. Sort of like when Tom Clancy became obsessed with the word "gaggle" and it appeared all over the place.
What I DO like is how Ms. McCormack handled the various "sources" for Mr. Spock's life. She weaved the new material from Discovery into the book which I very much appreciated. This is tough for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that we are about to have a whole new series showing new adventures with Spock. Similarly, I feel like the events we see in all other aspects of Spock's life have been weaved together very well.
Overall, I am happy with this purchase and it is a fine addition to my collection. Just not my favorite,
For some background, I picked up the autobiographies of Kirk and Picard as soon as they were available. Those were written by a different author. I enjoyed both immensely and have re-read them each a couple of times since. I've been eagerly anticipating the Mr. Spock edition since it was announced and subsequently delayed, and then switched from one author to Ms. McCormack.
When I finally got my hands on this book I found it was just... ok. At no point in the book was I able to clearly "hear" Mr. Spock. I tried imagining the words in the voice of young Leonard Nimoy, old Leonard Nimoy, Ethan Peck... none of it worked and the words did not feel like they had been spoken by the character. This was somewhat of an issue with the Janeway book but not an issue in the least with the autobiographies of either Kirk or Picard. That, more than anything, diminished my enjoyment of this piece.
The writing is quite good, except that the author has a tendency to repeat words often. Alacrity, for example. I didn't count but I suspect that the phrase, "with alacrity" is used nearly ten times. After a while, you tire of reading it. Sort of like when Tom Clancy became obsessed with the word "gaggle" and it appeared all over the place.
What I DO like is how Ms. McCormack handled the various "sources" for Mr. Spock's life. She weaved the new material from Discovery into the book which I very much appreciated. This is tough for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that we are about to have a whole new series showing new adventures with Spock. Similarly, I feel like the events we see in all other aspects of Spock's life have been weaved together very well.
Overall, I am happy with this purchase and it is a fine addition to my collection. Just not my favorite,
September 25, 2021
I have waited years for this book, and the publication date just kept getting pushed back. After having now finished it, I can say unequivocally that the wait was worth it. Spock has always been one of my favorite characters, and this book was thoroughly enjoyable.
Infinite diversity in infinite combinations. It was how this book started, and in a way how it ended, and it summed up not only Spock's life portrayed in this book, but also how the book was put together. Many different versions of Spock's story, that have been shown on TV and in film came together to weave his life. We began with his childhood, a childhood that included Michael Burnham. We then saw him progress to joining Starfleet, assisting Captain Pike to Talos IV and serving with Captain Kirk. Then the story progressed to include several moments from the various Original series films. In addition, we saw his experience with Jean Luc on Romulus, as well as a reference to the synth war that influenced the Picard series. The book ended with Spock's journey to set off the Red Matter, as we saw in the Star Trek reboot.
In between, and at the heart of this book was family. Not only his flesh and blood family, but also others who came to fill that role over time. Other such as Jim, Bones and Saavik. Intermingled with this was Vulcan philosophy and history, and how much of that shaped Spock's life.
I will say, I found it a little odd that, overall throughout the novel, Jim Kirk did not have nearly as big a presence as I had anticipated. He spoke more to Jean Luc than he did to Jim, though that is due to Jean Luc's connection to the book. Only at the end was a chapter devoted to Jim Kirk.
This book was not fast paced, or exciting, but then it's "author" was neither of those things. It was written in such a way to really evoke Spock. The man, and the Vulcan.
Infinite diversity in infinite combinations. It was how this book started, and in a way how it ended, and it summed up not only Spock's life portrayed in this book, but also how the book was put together. Many different versions of Spock's story, that have been shown on TV and in film came together to weave his life. We began with his childhood, a childhood that included Michael Burnham. We then saw him progress to joining Starfleet, assisting Captain Pike to Talos IV and serving with Captain Kirk. Then the story progressed to include several moments from the various Original series films. In addition, we saw his experience with Jean Luc on Romulus, as well as a reference to the synth war that influenced the Picard series. The book ended with Spock's journey to set off the Red Matter, as we saw in the Star Trek reboot.
In between, and at the heart of this book was family. Not only his flesh and blood family, but also others who came to fill that role over time. Other such as Jim, Bones and Saavik. Intermingled with this was Vulcan philosophy and history, and how much of that shaped Spock's life.
I will say, I found it a little odd that, overall throughout the novel, Jim Kirk did not have nearly as big a presence as I had anticipated. He spoke more to Jean Luc than he did to Jim, though that is due to Jean Luc's connection to the book. Only at the end was a chapter devoted to Jim Kirk.
This book was not fast paced, or exciting, but then it's "author" was neither of those things. It was written in such a way to really evoke Spock. The man, and the Vulcan.
October 6, 2021
I'll start with the negative and end with the positive. The book is cheaply bound. The paper is thin and the book feels like the cheap binding they used to use with the book of the month club selections. (Remember those?)
The writing: oh, gosh. Was the author paid by the comma? I've never seen so many run-on sentences in my life! It reminded me of Arthur Conan Doyle's writing: the stories he wrote that were from the point of view of Holmes himself. That writing was typical of the Victorian era. But, we live in the 21st century and the story takes place 200 years in the future. So, the writing style is frankly too verbose for an ascetic Vulcan. Honestly, I got impatient and skipped parts of the book.
Additionally, way too much TNG and not enough TOS. The book goes on endlessly about Romulans and whatever...enough already! And Spock has an adopted sister? No. Nope. Nada. Bad idea.
Here's what I considered good about the book: McCoy is written perfectly. The book captures his bad temper, harsh candor, love of his family, medical talents, and loyalty to his friends. Kirk is also well described and the book clears up misconceptions about him. This was a good idea since some of this is discussed on social media and this book handles it very well. But there is only one short chapter about Kirk, which is ridiculous. Kirk was one of Spock's most important friends and he only gets one short chapter? I did like the idea that Spock has never visited his grave, the book suggesting it's simply too painful. And Amanda's death is also well described, moving and totally believable.
In summary:
I've read ALOT of ST books in my life. Some are outstanding, such as the Alan Dean Foster adaptions. Some are okay, such as some of the movie novelizations. This one is okay but not good and I doubt I'll re-read it as I do my favorites.
The writing: oh, gosh. Was the author paid by the comma? I've never seen so many run-on sentences in my life! It reminded me of Arthur Conan Doyle's writing: the stories he wrote that were from the point of view of Holmes himself. That writing was typical of the Victorian era. But, we live in the 21st century and the story takes place 200 years in the future. So, the writing style is frankly too verbose for an ascetic Vulcan. Honestly, I got impatient and skipped parts of the book.
Additionally, way too much TNG and not enough TOS. The book goes on endlessly about Romulans and whatever...enough already! And Spock has an adopted sister? No. Nope. Nada. Bad idea.
Here's what I considered good about the book: McCoy is written perfectly. The book captures his bad temper, harsh candor, love of his family, medical talents, and loyalty to his friends. Kirk is also well described and the book clears up misconceptions about him. This was a good idea since some of this is discussed on social media and this book handles it very well. But there is only one short chapter about Kirk, which is ridiculous. Kirk was one of Spock's most important friends and he only gets one short chapter? I did like the idea that Spock has never visited his grave, the book suggesting it's simply too painful. And Amanda's death is also well described, moving and totally believable.
In summary:
I've read ALOT of ST books in my life. Some are outstanding, such as the Alan Dean Foster adaptions. Some are okay, such as some of the movie novelizations. This one is okay but not good and I doubt I'll re-read it as I do my favorites.
January 29, 2023
Fictional Character 'Autobiography'?
This is a book ghost written by Una McCormack, as if it were written by the legendary fictional character Mr. Spock. It functions like a summary of everything we know about Spock, taken straight from the movies and series. So, its a 'let's pretend' book to collect everything about a character in one place, and it does fill the character out for the reader, filling in anything you may have missed in the Trek Universe.
It is definitely an enjoyable concept for the die-hard Star Trek fan. Most Trekkies often binge-watch series and the Trek Universe is a limited cannon. I've noticed, but not yet tried, some of the alternate video sets available on Amazon, not in series order. For example, there is a set that includes many of Worf's key episodes. Worf is cool, so I would totally watch that... though not pay for a separate collection when I have all those episodes in the series already. The same principle applies here, I believe. While it is a perfectly fine book, I won't be buying the rest of the set myself.
This book, and the whole series on different Star Trek characters would be appropriate for both the Die-Hard fan who wants to collect all the things, and for the fan who may have missed various episodes and wants to fill in the gaps. The author has done a nice job of putting it all together in one place at your fingertips in a nice little hardback. For some reason, I find the autobiographies of the actors who played these characters much more informative... probably because they tell you what you don't already know. I still have a number of those on my to-be-read pile.
This is a book ghost written by Una McCormack, as if it were written by the legendary fictional character Mr. Spock. It functions like a summary of everything we know about Spock, taken straight from the movies and series. So, its a 'let's pretend' book to collect everything about a character in one place, and it does fill the character out for the reader, filling in anything you may have missed in the Trek Universe.
It is definitely an enjoyable concept for the die-hard Star Trek fan. Most Trekkies often binge-watch series and the Trek Universe is a limited cannon. I've noticed, but not yet tried, some of the alternate video sets available on Amazon, not in series order. For example, there is a set that includes many of Worf's key episodes. Worf is cool, so I would totally watch that... though not pay for a separate collection when I have all those episodes in the series already. The same principle applies here, I believe. While it is a perfectly fine book, I won't be buying the rest of the set myself.
This book, and the whole series on different Star Trek characters would be appropriate for both the Die-Hard fan who wants to collect all the things, and for the fan who may have missed various episodes and wants to fill in the gaps. The author has done a nice job of putting it all together in one place at your fingertips in a nice little hardback. For some reason, I find the autobiographies of the actors who played these characters much more informative... probably because they tell you what you don't already know. I still have a number of those on my to-be-read pile.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews