Star Trek 2 (Star Trek: The Original Series) (1968)

by James Blish

The second adaptation of Star Trek original series episodes.

 

The syndicated Star Trek was omnipresent throughout my childhood, as it was for many of my generation. 

Huddled in front of the TV at 6:00 on a weekday evening, my friends and I would compete to identify an episode by title as fast as possible. 

A musical cue and the particular coloring of the planet that the Enterprise was orbiting was often enough to provide the answer. 

"Enterprise 2" (German)

Being so familiar with the texture of the show, it is difficult to evaluate these books purely as literary exercises. 

"The Duel" (French)

James Blish had a significant challenge. 

James Blish

He was writing from the scripts and had not, I believe, even seen the show at this point. He was also tasked with adapting eight episodes into a slim volume. This required him to cut to the conflict and use a lot of exposition. The result is not quite satisfying as a book and definitely not satisfying as a showcase for Star Trek at its best. Nevertheless, it satisfies as a nostalgic artifact from childhood because every paragraph and line of dialogue sparks vivid memories of the show. I do not recommend it otherwise.