The Star Trek Compendium

by Allan Asherman

"Space . . . the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations - to boldly go where no man has gone before. . ."

On September 8, 1966, those now-familiar words first introduced an entire generation of television viewers to STAR TREK. Over the course of its three-year network run, the show developed a fan following unprecedented in entertainment history - a following that is still growing with the release of each new STAR TREK motion picture.

Much of the show's appeal came from its blueprint for the future - a future where man had put aside his differences to reach the stars. STAR TREK gave us a Russian and an American working side-by-side, television's first interracial kiss, the name for America's first space shuttle - Enterprise - and a host of unforgettable characters: the unflappable Captain Kirk, his half-human science officer Spock, the irascible Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, and ever-resourceful engineer Montgomery Scott, to name but a few.

THE STAR TREK COMPENDIUM is your official guidebook to the STAR TREK universe. Relive the voyages of the Starship Enterprise with a complete show-by-show guide to the series (as well as the Emmy Award-winning animated shows and the STAR TREK movies), including plot summaries, fascinating behind-the-scenes production information, and credits for each. Follow the creation of Gene Roddenberry's series step-by-step - and STAR TREK's road to the big screen. Illustrated with over 125 specially selected photographs - including at least one from each episode - and fully indexed, this is the indispensable reference work to one of the most memorable television shows of all time - STAR TREK.

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Reference, Tv, Fiction, Pop Culture, Science Fiction Fantasy

182 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Allan Asherman is an author and researcher of several genre-related projects. His Star Trek-related projects include The Star Trek Compendium, The Star Trek Interview Book and The Making of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

He has also authored dozens of magazine and newspaper articles on films and television. An authority on the classic TV series The Adventures of Superman, he has worked in several capacities at DC Comics, was a film booker for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and taught homebound students in the New York City school system.

His other interests include studying music written for TV and movies; researching his favorite TV series (including The Lone Ranger, The Untouchables, Science Fiction Theatre, Rocky Jones, Space Ranger and Men into Space), and uncovering new information on his favorite films (including The Day the Earth Stood Still, Things to Come, This Island Earth', Jason and the Argonauts, the 1959 version of Ben Hur, and various sound serials). He provided the supplementary material for the Criterion Collection's special Forbidden Planet laser disc (and subsequent DVD), and the Topps Official Collectors' Magazine for Batman Returns. Allan and his wife, Arlene Lo (the proofreader at DC Comics), live on Long Island, NY.

Reviews

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic compendium that's loaded with tons of little known facts about the greatest TV show of all time.

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool reference book that gives a mini-summary of each (original series) Star Trek episode, plus a little bit of trivia about each. There are nice black and white photos posted throughout.

A wonderful addition to any Star Trek library.

[Ian Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

(This is a review of the 1983 edition) I’m what you might call a bit of a “sleeper” fan of Star Trek: I quite liked the movies, then I really enjoyed the series they were based on (which I first saw after I’d watched a couple of the movies), then I became a huge fan of TNG and DS9 but my fannishness waned after that simply because I lacked the time to devote anything more than casual interest in anything. But I recently got back into Trek in a big way and this book seemed like a great way to recapture that interest. It’s a really informative book that tells a lot of the stories from behind the scenes and from reliable sources as well. It’s authoritative and entertaining, which a lot of media books can’t boast.

But it’s let down simply because of the time it was written. There’s no mention in this edition of the animated series from the 70s, which was seen as an embarrassing bastard offspring of the original series; nor is there much talk beyond speculation on the planned tv series of the 70s which was replaced by the movie series; and there’s a lot of stuff that is left out or alluded to (Grace Lee Whitney’s departure from the series is but one thing) simply because the events were too recent or litigious to be spoken about (honestly, I really can’t believe that Gene Roddenberry has escaped the (justified) hounding that has befallen the likes of Weinstein and Whedon in this day and age). There’s also a fair amount of repetition of information across several chapters which detracts from the flow of your reading (or mine, at any rate).

Aside from these minor faults this is a lavishly illustrated book that explains a lot about the series and the love that fans have for it.

[Phil Giunta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt like reminiscing about my early days in Trek fandom, so I read through my 1986 edition of the Star Trek Compendium signed by Allan Asherman at Farpoint SF convention in October 1995. It's an excellent reference book, summarizing the classic episodes, the animated series, and the first three films. It's a book that takes me back to a simpler time in fandom... and in life!

[Mj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this in the 80’s, my college roomies and I watched reruns on late Sunday nights previous to this publication and had fun because of the futuristic plots! I pulled my copy out today because we watched some episodes on a rainy afternoon. Have shared my copy with others who like the original Star Trek best! Still a classic.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this overall look at the original Star Trek series! With all episodes listed with short reviews, plus info on the original ideas, how they came to fruition, all the characters, etc. It's a great look at how Star Trek began!

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good solid book about the making of a legendary series, there are probably more in depth books out there, but, when my mum was a teenager, this was bee's knees, good fun...

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is everything a fan wants in an episode guide. Well-written, comprehensive, adoring, but still critical when appropriate. I purchased this while I was "collecting" episodes from The Original Series (TOS) by taping them on VHS from broadcast television. I needed a complete list of episodes, and there was no Internet in those days, for you young folks' information. This book provided that. But, it also provided informative and thoughtful write-ups, insider information, and discussion of the importance of the series which made it worth reading on its own merit. Asherman had been around since the early days; he remembered seeing props from the show at cons even before the series itself aired. He's a die-hard fan, but he's not so blinded that he won't poke fun at "Spock's Brain" or express disappointment with the handling of important issues in "Patterns of Force" (if you knew which episodes those were without using the Internet - you need to get a life, like me). The main listing is by episode number, but this is cross-indexed by title and characters, and the appearance of stills from each episode on the appropriate pages make it simple to track them down even without a name. It includes discussion of the animated series, the first five movies (his critical acumen fails him with ST V - we'll assume it had put him temporarily in a coma), and the "new" series, or The Next Generation. It is not useful as an episode guide to TNG, and was written before the existence of any further spinoffs. Again, it is extremely useful for what it is, but I suppose anyone doing a high-tech equivalent to what I did in the 90s would simply use wikipedia, and thus miss out on this resource.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

2021 update -- We are watching the Original Series, and I'm keeping this close at hand as we watch each episode. Just excellent. Really enjoying this again!!

*****************
Being a Trekkie, I just enjoyed EVERYTHING about the Compendium! It is a season by season, episode by episode account of the entire Original Series for Star Trek. Pictures of the actors on the set, tidbits about actors and scenes abound for those who like to know the behind the scenes stuff. ("What actor has played both a Romulan and a Vulcan?" type of trivia)

If you don't like Star Trek? Don't bother, this book will bore you. Love TOS? Then you'll enjoy this greatly!

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first behind-the-scenes book I ever read that covered classic Star Trek. It hold a nostalgic place in my heart, although it's not the most informative book. It's certainly enthusiastic (perhaps sycophantically so) and full of interesting facts I wasn't aware of at the time. However, as a record of the development of the series and its individual episodes & movies, it pales next to the more straightforward & well-researched chronicles found in similar books covering TNG and DS9.

In spite of its drawbacks, I find that I can't be too hard on it. It's suffused with too much of the rosy glow associated with first-time discoveries.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 3 out of 5]

A major flaw: no list of guest stars with each episode. The book definitely could've benefited from a design featuring sidebars (to handle the "story outline" versions of episodes, for example).

There is the occasional (all too rare) flash of humor ("Mr Spock was certainly the character who had the most exposure during Trek's third season. The evidence would indicate, however, that Dr McCoy's operation to restore the Vulcan's brain in the season opener was not entirely successful"). For the most part though it reads like somebody's book report. The mindset of the Trekkie prevails throughout.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

not enough cool pics of sets and/or costumes...but there is a lot of cool trivia and info about the production, e.g. same set as used in another episode though they made it look different with colored lights. I feel like I'm learning some production tips from it.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good guide to the original series, with episode synopses, lots of interesting notes and anecdotes about the making of each individual episode, animated episode, and movie, and other "backstage" stories such as the casting process that brought the classic crew together.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why go elsewhere, this is the holy grail of classic Star Trek. Although one can differ with some of the opinions here, it is a fine reference work for fans. It stays away from too much pop culture kitsch, instead covering all the bases, for the hardcore and casual fans.

[Darrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an episode by episode look at the Star Trek phenomenon. This was written as the various shows were still on the air which gives it a dated feel. But it does answer a few questions. This is more for the blossoming fan - - if that is a good phrase to describe it.

[Curtiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written by Allan Asherman, but covers only the Original Series; the revised edition includes the first three Star Trek movies.

[Keith Bowerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

My version only goes up to STAR TREK V. Nice bit of background information on each episode.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of behind the scenes stuff and a listing of all the episodes with plenty of information and trivia.