Phil Farrand: The Nitpicker's Guides.
Running Time: 1 hour 42 minutes 59 seconds
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Many people think of nitpicking as a disrespectful act. If you enjoy a show, why pick it apart? I, however, would contend that if you love someone, it is actually a compassionate act to tell them about the dab of mustard on their upper lip! Such is the idea behind the Nitpicker's Guides, books that attempted to catalog and describe each and every error in a number of Star Trek series, be they continuity errors, equipment oddities, changed premises, or just general goofs.
In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson sit down with Phil Farrand, author of The Nitpicker's Guide for Next Generation Trekkers volumes one and two, The Nitpicker's Guide for Classic Trekkers, and The Nitpicker's Guide for Deep Space Nine Trekkers. We discuss the origin of the guides, the process of writing them, the community of nitpickers called The Nitpicker's Guild, positive nitpicking versus negativity and toxic fandom, and what Phil is currently working on and where you can find him online.
In the news segment, we talk about Big Finish and their Prometheus audiobooks, and review two new comics: what looks to be the final issue of New Visions, and Star Trek: Discovery: Succession #3.
News
Prometheus Audiobooks (00:03:31)
New Visions #22 (00:06:21)
Succession #3 (00:23:27)
Feature: Phil Farrand
Origin of the Guides (00:28:39)
Fan Reaction (00:37:13)
Nitpicking In Good Cheer (00:38:32)
Fostering the Nitpickers Guild (00:41:10)
Fine Line Between Fun and Complaining (00:47:26)
Hollywood Double Standards (00:52:35)
Publishing More Guides (00:59:18)
Becoming A Writer (01:20:09)
Final Thoughts (01:33:03)
Hosts
Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson
Guest
Phil Farrand
Production
Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager) Ken Tripp (Associate Producer) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Associate Producer) Bruce Gibson (Associate Producer) Justin Oser (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Jeffery Harlan (Associate Producer)
Triangle: Imzadi II. We discuss Worf's lack of luck in love, the triangle between Worf, Troi, and Riker, Romulan Commander Sela and her convoluted plan, Riker's inability to make progress with Troi, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
A Burning House. We talk about life on a Klingon farm during yopta' yupma', Toq's tale of intrigue when he returns to his birthplace of Carraya IV, Rodek coming to terms with revelations about his past, B'Oraq and her attempts to bring modern medicine to the Empire, G'Joth and an opera that bears little resemblance to the truth, other bits we liked about the novel, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
Una McCormack: The Way to the Stars. We talk about the process of writing this novel, Tilly's relationship with her mother, her experiences in school, Tilly as a runaway, her impressions of Starfleet, the poor communication she experiences, and wrap up the discussion with where you can find Una online and what she is working on now.
Imzadi. We discuss how we first read Imzadi, Riker's life without Deanna, Will's behavior as a young man, how Will and Deanna first got together, the Guardian of Forever, temporal shenanigans, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
Enemy Territory. We discuss the Elabrej Hegemony, Kurak's crippling alcoholism, a mutiny forming aboard the Gorkon, Leader Wol, Rodek's identity crisis, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
Michael Jan Friedman. Brandon and Michael discuss his start in writing, how he got involved in writing Star Trek novels, the Star Trek: The Next Generation / X-Men crossover, his experience in writing Star Trek comics, the Star Trek: Stargazer series, and wrap up with what he is working on now and where listeners can find him online.
Christian Humberg: In the Heart of Chaos. We discuss the origin of their Trek fandom, how the Prometheus series came about, the ship and crew at the heart of the story, the Son of the Ancient Reds, innocent lives affected by the events of the novel, Raspin and the crew of the I.K.S. Bortas, the Old Ones and their role in ending the crisis, and wrap up with what the authors are currently working on and where you can find them online.
Keith R.A. DeCandido: A Time for War, A Time for Peace. We discuss the series as a whole, Die Hard at the Federation embassy, Worf's son Alexander, Nan Bacco, the politics of the Federation, linking this story to Star Trek Nemesis, the theme of moving on, and wrap up by discussing what's coming up from Keith as well as where you can find him online.
Honor Bound. We discuss The Order of the Bat'leth, Leader Wol, Klag as the Klingon Kirk, Klingon duplicity, the San-Tarah and their role in the Empire, some hanging threads for future novels, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
David Mack: A Time to Heal. We discuss the difference between this book and A Time to Kill, what Starfleet at war is really like, the effect of war on the people involved, Troi's anger, Riker's experiences as a prisoner of Kinchawn, and wrap up with a surprise announcement from David Mack about an upcoming project, as well as where you can find him online!
David Tilotta & Curt McAloney: Lost Scenes. We discuss how the authors became fans of Star Trek, the origin of the book, their website startrekhistory.com, the process of researching the material, behind the scenes, deleted scenes, and bloopers from The Original Series, and wrap up with what they have planned for the future and where you can find them online.
Inferno. We talk about the crew's individual personal hells, a paradox-filled time-twisting storyline, some lingering mysteries in the story, Arla Ries's surprising arc, Sisko's role as the Emissary, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
A Time to Kill. We talk about the fast-paced nature of the novel, conspiracies in the Tezwan and Federation governments, the special ops mission to destroy the weapons, Ambassador Worf's role in the story, a cliffhanger ending, a tragic tale of an android and his emotions, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
A Good Day to Die. We talk about what makes this book different from other Star Trek novels, cultures in transition, lower decks crewmembers, strong female Klingon characters, an enemy worthy of respect, the dilemma faced by Captain Klag at the end of the novel, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
The War of the Prophets. We talk about the events that led us to this point, an alternate future, Weyoun and the Pah-Wraiths, the mysterious Grigari, the mirror universe tactic, Starfleet's desperate "Project Phoenix," and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
Robert Greenberger: A Time to Hate. We discuss the situation on Delta Sigma IV, the supposed cure, bridging the gap between Insurrection and Nemesis, Riker and Troi's relationship, Riker's relationship with his father, a dark secret revealed at the end of the novel, and wrap up with what Bob is currently working on and where you can find him online.
The Fall of Terok Nor. We talk about the periods of time the book covers, a somewhat confusing but compelling plot, some fun elements of the story, the varied cast of villains, questions we're left with at the end of the novel, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
Diplomatic Implausibility. We talk about Worf's new role, the crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon, the aliens of the week, Federation/Klingon relations, the oddity of this being a TNG novel, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
A Time to Love. We discuss the Enterprise's damaged reputation, Troi's efforts to deal with a despondent crew, Kyle Riker's role in a unfolding planetary crisis, a particularly bad case of gas, changes on the horizon for the command crew of the Enterprise, a strange b-plot that has Geordi trading with the Ferengi, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
The Farther Shore. We talk about B'Elanna's quest to find her mother, the ultimate badmiral Brenna Covington, Oliver Baines and his holographic revolution, Data's role in the story, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings for the novel.
Homecoming. We discuss a troubling account of abuse, fixing "Endgame," wrapping things up too quickly, a holographic uprising, the return of the Borg, and finish by sharing our final thoughts and ratings.
A Time to Harvest. We discuss the situation so far, an ill-advised plan to help the Dokallans, the familiar enemy the crew faces, Starfleet and Federation principles, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
Surak's Soul. We discuss medical mysteries, T'Pol's dilemma, similarities to the Enterprise episode "The Seventh," T'Pol's youth on Vulcan, the mysterious Wanderer, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
Phil Farrand: The Nitpicker's Guides. We discuss the origin of the guides, the process of writing them, The Nitpicker's Guild, positive nitpicking versus negativity and toxic fandom, and what Phil is currently working on and where you can find him online.
A Time to Sow. We talk about a surprise visit to the time period of Star Trek: Enterprise, Starfleet "milk runs," Data's emotions (or lack thereof), an act of sabotage, the Dokallan civilization, an outside threat, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
James Swallow: Fear Itself. We discuss the process of writing the novel, getting inside Saru's head, the various species involved in the story, Saru and Burnham's relationship, Captain Georgiou's leadership style, overcoming fear, and what other projects James has on the horizon. We also briefly talk about the current troubled state of Pocket Books' Star Trek line, and what might be in store for its future.
The Root of All Rage. We discuss the delicate relationship between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, bigotry and hate, mistreatment of people who are different, the situation back on Earth, Lwaxana Troi's role, Renao mythology, a surprise tie to a TOS episode, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
Through the Mirror. We discuss each issue of this comic series, which features two stories running in tandem: story A, in which our heroes must thwart an attempt by the mirror crew to steal resources from our universe, and story B, in which the mirror Commander Data attempts to track down former Emperor Spock and learn the secrets of the prime universe.
A Time to Die. We discuss Wesley's abilities as a Traveler, the character of Colleen Cabot and her relationship with Wesley, Picard's role in the story, the "Demon Flyer" that threatens our heroes, the Ontailians, answer some questions from our listeners, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.
How Much for Just the Planet? We discuss the plot of the novel, the instances of very broad comedy, the characters who populate this colorful tale, artistic flourishes by the author including some surprise cameo appearances, and wrap up with our final thoughts and ratings.