The Best of Trek

Title:	The Best of Trek
Creator:	published by G.B. Love and Walter Irwin
Date(s):	1978-1996
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:
External Links:
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The Best of Trek is a series of 18 books, published by Signet Books (later Roc and Penguin), compiled from Trek, a magazine created by G.B. Love and Walter Irwin.

The content of these books straddled the line between "professional", "for-profit", and fannish writing. A number of the authors of the articles were also print zine fanfic writers and editors, including Pamela Rose, Kendra Hunter, Linda Frankel, Rebecca Hoffman, Joyce Tullock, Gloria-Ann Rovelstad, Rowena Warner, Beth Carlson, Yvette Harley, and more.

The books contained con reports, meta, and various non-fiction fan topics. A fan in 2012 wrote: ""Best of Trek" trod carefully: no copyright infringements in the cover art, articles were either reviews or scholarly papers by fans and fans-turning-pro, within "fair use", and the only fiction was parody."

Two trade-sized omnibuses were "The Best of the Best of Trek" (July 1990) and "The Best of the Best of Trek II" (June 1992).

Issue 1

The Best of Trek 1 - April 1978 (256 pages)

See Best of Trek #1.

The Best of Trek #1 contained more of a real-world perspective than many other Best of Trek volumes, with several articles focusing on Star Trek behind the scenes, featuring interviews with TOS cast members, among them two by eminent Star Trek reference book author James Van Hise.

The volume was also notable for suggesting histories of the Romulans and Klingons, releasing the popular fanon name "Kazh" in the case of the latter.

• Star Trek: Then and Now by by G.B. Love
• The Klingons: Their History and Empire by Leslie Thompson
• Star Trek Miniatures: The Starship Enterprise by Richard G. Van Treuren
• Trek Interview: Walter Koenig
• Mr. Spock: A Personal Memoir by Leslie Thompson
• The Monsters of Star Trek by Winslow Leach
• Star Trek and Me by Fern Lynch and Isobel Real
• A Look at Leonard McCoy by Walter Irwin
• Chicago Con: A $100,000 Fan Ripoff? by Janet Smith-Bozarth
• An Evening with Gene Roddenberry, 1974 by James Van Hise
• Shortcuts Through Space in Star Trek by Mark Andrew Golding
• Trek Interview: James Doohan
• The Animated Star Trek: An Analysis by Bill Norton
• The Animated Star Trek Index by by the Trek staff
• A Sampling of Trek Roundtable
• The Psychology of Mr. Spock's Popularity by Gloria-Ann Rovelstad
• The Star Trek Comic Books by Leslie Thompson and Walter Irwin
• The Trek Fan of the Month
• Gene Roddenberry: A Short Profile by Adam Eisenberg
• An Evening with Gene Roddenberry, 1977 by G.B. Love
• A Look at Star Trek Fandom by Janet Smith-Bozarth
• An Evening with George Takei by Walter Irwin
• The Romulans by Leslie Thompson
• Trek Interview: Grace Lee Whitney
• Star Trek Time Travels by James Houston (with rebuttal by Walter Irwin)
• A Sampling of Trek Trivia
• An Evening with Leonard Nimoy by James Van Hise
• Star Trek Miniatures: The Other Space Ships by Richard G. Van Treuren
• Star Trek Mysteries–Solved! by Leslie Thompson
• How the Time Warp Drive Works by Mark Andrew Golding
• Trek Fan Poll Results by Walter Irwin and G.B. Love

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

BEST OF TREK is probably the best zine on the market dealing with STAR TREK. To see for yourself how valid this statement is, go down to your nearest bookstore and check out a 239 page paperback with red lettering that reads The Best of Trek. This book has everything, I mean everything that has to do with STAR TREK -- from the comic books, to TREK trivia, to a complete animated episode guide, end beyond.

Now to get down to the meat of TREK. The zine -- and this excerpted book -- feature technical articles about such things as the time-warp process, detailed pieces on STAR TREK miniatures, and articles on how created.

If you have ever had any questions about the Romulan or Klingon empires (and I'm sure many TREK fans have often wondered about their evolution, etc.), it's all here -- a complete extrapolation of the evolution, philosophy, and culture of the Klingons and the Romulans.

Scattered throughout the book are interviews with the stars— James Dooan, Walter Koenig, Gene Roddenberry, Grace Lee Whitney, etc. And of course, no STAR TREK book is complete without an article on "The Psychology of Mr. Spock's Popularity."

Since this book was produced to give readers an idea of what the zine TREK is like, it highlights many of the regular features: letter sof comment, a "fan of the month" spotlight, articles examining the gaps and/or inconsistencies in episodes, etc. The result? A nicely rounded book that should appeal to all ST fans -- and I'm subscribing to TREK today!

Issue 2

The Best of Trek 2 - March 1980 (208 pages)

• Klingon Update by Leslie Thompson
• "Just" a Simple Country Doctor? by Joyce Tullock
• Subspace Radio and Space Warps by Mark Andrew Golding
• The Romulan/Klingon Alliance by Patrick R. Wilson
• The Fall of the Federation by Phillip Carpenter
• Women in the Federation by Pamela Rose
• On Ship-to-Surface Transportation by Richard G. Van Treuren
• I Love Spock by Beverly Wood
• Characterization Rape by Kendra Hunter
• A Sampling of Trek Roundtable
• A New Year's Revolution by Mary Jo Lawrence
• Captain Kirk's Duties by G.B. Love
• A Star Trek Needlepoint Design byBeverly Wood
• "A Brief Look at Kirk's Career by Leslie Thompson
• More Time Travels in Star Trek by Mark Andrew Golding
• Another View of the Psychology of Mr. Spock's Popularity by Jack Lenburg
• Kirk and Hornblower by G.B. Love
• The Rise of the Federation by Jim Houston
• Speculations on Spock's Past by Pamela Rose
• Bill Shatner: An Acting Critique by Mark Schooney
• Jim's Little Black Book by Walter Irwin

Issue 3

The Best of Trek 3 - January 1981 (208 pages)

• More Star Trek mysteries solved by Leslie Thompson and our readers
• Command decision crisis : a Star Trek fan fiction parody by Walter Irwin
• The Star Trek movie novel and comics adaptations by Jame Van Hise
• The Klingons (?) in Star Trek : the motion picture by Leslie Thompson
• Walter Koenig: an interview
• Parallels in Star Trek : the motion picture vs. the series by Lynn Adams
• A sampling of Trek roundtable -- A letter from Judith Wolper
• Bridging the gap : the Promethean Star Trek by Joyce Tullock
• Sulu's profile by Colleen Arima
• A brief look at Spock's career by Leslie Thompson
• Star Trek: the motion picture -- a review by Walter Irwin
• The psychology of captain Kirk's popularity by Gloria-Ann Rovelstad
• Changes in Star Trek : the motion picture by G.B. Love
• The other federation forces by Walter Irwin
• Vulcan as a patriarchy by Rebecca Hoffman
• A Trek into genealogy by Linda Frankel
• Alternate universes in Star Trek by Mark Andrew Golding

Issue 4

The Best of Trek 4 - December 1981 (224 pages)

• Immortality by Mark Andrew Golding
• Friendship -- in the balance by Joyce Tullock
• A woman looks at "Jim's little black book" by Beth Carlson
• The beginning of a new human adventure by Eleanor LaBerge
• A sampling of Trek roundtable
• The preservers by Steven Satterfield
• Fear, fun, and the masque of death by Joyce Tullock
• Star Trek : the motion picture -- a year later by Deanna Rafferty
• The crew in Star Trek : the motion picture by Walter Irwin
• Alternate universes in Star Trek by Rebecca Hoffman
• She walks in beauty ... by G.B. Love
• Short Treks -- The villains of Star Trek by Leslie Thompson
• Empires, Gods, and other interested parties by Walter Irwin
• Requiem for a hack by Kiel Stuart

Issue 5

The Best of Trek 5 - August 1982 (208 pages)

Issue 6

The Best of Trek 6 - September 1983 (192 pages)

• New life, New Creation: Star Trek as Modern Myth by Barbara Devereaux
• Star Trek Mysteries Solved -- One More Time! by Leslie Thompson
• The Wrath of Khan: In Print/On Screen by Diane Rosenfeldt
• Fathers and Sons and the "No-Win Scenario" by Larry Sisson
• Spock...Meet Spock by Rowena G. Warner
• The Wrath of Khan -- Review and Commentary by Walter Irwin
• "He's Dead Jim": On Spock's Demise by Mark Alfred
• Not a Eulogy for Spock by Matt G. Leger
• A Star Trek Chronology by Jeffery W. Mason
• Plausibility of the Star Trek Universe and Technology by Rowena G. Warner
• Beyond the Final Frontier by Eleanor LaBerge
• A Sampling of Trek Roundtable by Letters from Our Readers
• Spock Resurrectus -- or, now that they've killed him, how do we get him back? by Pat Mooney
• The Alien Question by Joyce Tullock
• Space Weeds by Kiel Stuart

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6

I'm growing a little weary of reviewing the Best of Trek books, if only because they are of such uniform quality that I find myself repeating past superlatives. The first five volumes of the series received favorable reviews, and the tradition continues with #6. What sets this one apart is that it is the first to include articles on "The Wrath of Khan." In fact, almost the entire book is devoted to that movie, and this is not necessarily a positive attribute. There is quite a bit of of overlap among the commentaries, and certain points are reiterated far too often. But, as with previous volumes, #6 does have its bright spots.

Leslie Thompson's "Star Trek Mysteries Solved" are always entertaining and thought-provoking. Rowena Warner is back to pay a loving tribute to Spock. Joyce Tullock points out that Star Trek wasn't as magnanimous in its portrayal of aliens as we would like to believe. Jeffrey Nason attempts to wed the events in all of filmed Star Trek to events in our past as well as future history, to create a plausible "Star Trek Chronology".

As usual, I loved the "Trek Roundtable" chapter. (I am addicted to letter columns; the first feature I turn to in any magazine is the "letters to the editor".) I was impressed by how many of the correspondents had been only "closet Trekkers" until ST:TWOK lured them into fandom.

The editors saved the best for last, giving us a real treat - another Kiel Stuart parody. This one's called "Space Weeds" (guess which episode it spoofs). If it doesn't have you laughing out loud, you must be either a Vulcan or a network executive.

All this fun can be yours for a mere $2.25 from your local bookstore. But, before I leave this subject, I have a personal request to make of editors Walter Irwin and G. B. Love: please, please get rid of those hideous cover paintings and find one that is remotely related to Star Trek.

Issue 7

The Best of Trek 7 - June 1984 (208 pages)

• James Horner -- Who's He? by Eleanor LaBerge
• Star Trek Jokes? by Valerie Parv
• More Star Trek Jokes? by Jeff Thorpe
• Answer Your Beeper, You Dreamer!? by Jacqueline Gilkey
• A linguistic Analysis of Vulcan? by Katherine D. Wolterink
• Star Trek Lives in German? by Charlotte Davis
• In Search of Star Trek Giction? by Barbara Devereaux
• Star Trek: a Philosophical View? by Michael Constantino
• Three by Diane Webster
• Indiana Skywalker Meets the Son of Star Trek by Kyle Holland
• The Truth about Tribbles by J. Matthew Kennedy
• Why Spock Ran Amok by Kyle Holland
• A Sampling of "Trek Roundtable" -- letters from our readers
• Biaxial Warp Pods -- the "new" warp drive by Philip Davies
• Another Look at Captain Kirk's Personality by Deanna Rafferty
• Secrets of Star Trek by Richard Mangus
• Love in Star Trek -- part two by Walter Irwin

Issue 8

The Best of Trek 8 - March 1985 (224 pages)

• Introduction (9)
• Nimoy's The Search for Spock: Unrepentant by Kyle Holland (11)
• Beneath the Surface: The Surrealistic Star Trek by James H. Devon (24)
• Some Thoughts by C.J. Nicastro (35)
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Review and Commentary by Walter Irwin and G.B. Love (47)
• Kirk and Duty by William Trigg and Dawson "Hank" Hawes (an expansion of G.B. Love's article "Captain Kirk's Duties" in issue #2) (62)
• A Discussion on Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by Rita D. Clay (84)
• The Black and White Cookie Episode, fiction by Kiel Stuart (90)
• Star Trek Mysteries Solved... Again! by Leslie Thompson (99)
• The Trek "Fan on the Street" Poll (127)
• Wither Star Trek? On Possibilities Past and Future by Barbara Devereaux (147)
• A Letter from Peggy Greenstreet (153)
• Mythology and the Bible in Star Trek, part one by Mary Hamburger and Sarah Schaper (163)
• Trek Roundtable, Letters from our readers (187)
• Star Trek III: A Return to the Big Story by Joyce Tullock (213)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 8

Like its predecessors, this is a compilation of articles from one of the semi-pro zines (TREK is not quite a fanzine because it is printed on glossy paper and accepts paid advertising). Most of the material is writ-ten by and for Star Trek fans, and all of it is fascinating!

This edition contains a lot of material on the three movies, especially "The Search for Spock". Various articles deal with Leonard Nimoy's direction; the script and its ramifications; character development and the actor's ability to portray it; and readers' reactions to the three films.

There is a short parody of one of the original Star Trek episodes (("Let That Be Your Last Battlefield")), and there is a long discussion of mythological and Biblical references in both the televised episodes and the movies.

In short, there is something here for everybody to chew on. Highly recommended for Star Trek fans, film buffs, and just plain science fiction fans.

Issue 9

The Best of Trek 9 - September 1985 (208 pages)

• A Speculation on Star Trek IV by Tom Lalli
• Star Trek Fans -- The Blind Spot by Janeen S. DeBoard
• Brother, My Soul: Spock, McCoy, and the Man in the Mirror by Joyce Tullock
• And the Children Shall Sue by Kiel Stuart
• Star Trek in the Classroom by Jeffery H. Mills
• Star Trek in Comic Books -- Another Look by Walter Irwin
• All About Chapel by T.A. Morris
• Speculation: On power, Politics, and Personal Integrity by Sharon Crowson
• "Approaching Evil" and "Love in Star Trek" -- a rebuttal by Philip Carpenter
• Thoughts on The Search for Spock by Arden Lowe
• Mythology and the Bible in Star Trek -- part II by Sarah Schaper and Mary Hamburger
• Trek Roundtable -- letters from our readers
• Out of the Womb by Joyce Tullock
• The Three-Foot Pit and Other Stories by Ingrid Cross
• In Search of Spock: A Psychoanalytical Inquiry by Harvey R. Greenberg

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 9

This volume continues the tradition of the long-running series, offering something for everyone.

First things first-yes, there is a Kiel Stuart parody! This one is called "And the Children Shall Sue". It's hard to ridicule what was already one of the most ridiculous episodes of all time, but Kiel pulls it off.

Other features in the book include: part 2 of the "The Bible and Mythology in Star Trek" (well- researched); "Star Trek in the Classroom" (Dr. Bensman should be interested in that one); "Star Trek in Comic Books" (I bet Jeanne Powers would like this); "The Three-Foot Pit and Other Stories" (practical advice on how to write fan fiction. Melissa Lee, this is for you.); "In Search of Spock: A Psychoanalytic Inquiry" by Dr. Harvey Greenberg, M.D. (uses a lot of psychiatric jargon, which rather endeared it to me, since in my "real" life I have a degree in psychology); plus character analyses (this time Chapel's under scrutiny), political and philosophical discourses, and the good old friendly "Trek Roundtable." Never pass up a TREK book. You can't go wrong.

Issue 10

The Best of Trek 10 - June 1986 (208 pages)

• Diversity in combination by Alan Manning
• The brilliant door by Joyce Tullock
• Boots and starships by Walter Irwin
• The naming game by Nicky Jill Nicholson
• One more time: time travel in Star Trek by Kay Kelly
• Star Trek and me by G.B. Love
• Vulcan as a meritocracy by Carmin Carter
• The search for Spock: film vs. novelization by Bill Abelson
• Trek roundtable: letters from our readers
• Why Kirk will remain an admiral by Joseph Rochford
• The American ideal in Star Trek by Lisa Kenas
• A lexicon of Vulcan by Katherine D. Wolterink
• Memories of Star Trek by Colleen Arima
• How Star Trek affected Me by Colleen Arima
• The neglected whole by Elizabeth Rigel
• The Star Trek films: variations and vexations by Mark Alfred
• Star Trek chronology, part II by Jeffrey W. Mason
• A letter from Terence Bowden
• The second Star Trek fan poll results compiled by G.B. Love
• Best of Trek author index, volumes 1-10 compiled by Deanna Rafferty

Issue 11

The Best of Trek 11 - November 1986 (208 pages)

• Will the real Lieutenant Saavik please stand up? by Nancy Buchhorn
• The search for Vulcan by D. Jarvis Smith
• Inserting imagination by Bobby Bryant
• A star for Vulcan by Ann B. Collins
• A problem of identity : was Holmes a Vulcan? by Patricia Dunn
• The twenty-third-century woman by Patricia Lee Johnson
• Star Trek : the new arthuriad by Lynette Muir
• Why did David have to die? by Gail Eppers
• The serving of revenge by Janeen S. DeBoard
• A chain is only as strong by Rowena Warner
• The blind spot- a rebuttal by Jody A. Morse
• Will the real captain Kirk stand up! by Shirley R. Gibbons
• Star Trek episode guide by compiled by the editors
• The neglected whole -- or, "never heard of you" -- part II by Elizabeth Rigel
• Speculation : on relationships, responsibililties, and risk by Sharron Crowson
• The classic Star Trek by Linda M. Johnston
• The journey to -- and beyond -- the search for Spock by Hazel Ann Williams
• Three by Debbie Gilbert
• Road to the enterprise (and beyond) by David Gardner
• Mind Trek by M.H. Lewis
• Star Trek : odyssey of salvation by Sister Mary William David, S.N.D.
• In defense of pon farr by Katherine D. Wolterink

Issue 12

The Best of Trek 12 - August 1987 (208 pages)

• Star Trek the twentieth anniversary convention : a short review by Jay Jengo
• My life in the twenty-third century by Madeliene Merritt
• A reply to Mark Golding by Tom Lalli
• Star Trek lives in my life by Jacqueline A. Long
• The Vulcan heart, the Vulcan soul by Nancy Hardenberg
• Tomorrow man by Joyce Tullock
• Keeping the faith, or how to live through a Star Trek convention by Ingrid Cross
• You could go home again : Star Trek sequels / John Wicklund and Walter Irwin
• After Kyle : the forgotten heroes of the enterprise by Greg Gildersleeve
• Ishmael in space: literary allusions in the wrath of Khan by Marc Swanson
• Walking on water and other things James Kirk can't do by James H. Devon
• Trek roundtable : letters from our readers
• The neglected whole, part III : the engineer and the doctor by Elizabeth Rigel
• Cheaters and katras : a short discussion of death by Douglas Blake
• The Star Trek book list by Nicky Jill with Stan Campbell and Sue Keenan
• Star trip III : in search of taxi -- a Star Trek parody by Kiel Stuart

Issue 13

The Best of Trek 13 - May 1988 (208 pages)

• Medical practice in Star Trek : cures and catcalls by Sharron Crowson
• Star Trek fandom in Austria by Karen Embacher
• The One Who is Spock by Joyce Tullock
• Pon Farr and the search for identity by Kyle Holland
• A comprehensive look at the Klingons : their history and their empire by Adam G. Alsop
• Permission to come aboard : an enterprise crew roster and biography by Jonathan Bell
• Love and death in the Star Trek universe by Janeen DeBoard
• More than you ever wanted to know about Star Trek books, or what Uhura's first name really is by William Rotsler
• Monsters in Star Trek -- a different perspective by Miriam Ruff
• Dateline -- starfleet by R.L. Bryant
• Stalking the wild Star Trek collectible, or in search of lost treasures by Mark Alfred
• Star Trek episode titles and their meanings by Tom Lalli
• Special section #1 : Star Trek IV: the voyage home -- A flight of fancy, a voyage home by Hazel Ann Williams
• The initiation of Spock by T.C. Johns
• Star Trek IV -- first impressions by Les Leist
• Special section #2 : the starship Enterprise
• The once and future starship by David Gardner
• A history of the starship Enterprise -- a new examination by Jeffrey Heine
• You will not believe a starship can fly! by Maurice Molyneaux

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 13

On a more pleasant tone, I find I’m enjoying the BEST OF TREK series more with each issue. I’ve discovered the trick is to read these essays only one at a time (they're great bathroom library books), enabling you to ponder and consider some of the intriguing theories proposed by the writers.

The current volume, #13 (May 1988) even has an article that touches on K/S ("The One Who Is Spock" by Joyce Tullock). I disagree with her premise that K/S is a theme attempted by writers who can't otherwise come up with original storylines of their own. To quote the appropriate passages:

[pp 39-411 "Those who spend any great amount of time with STAR TREK, either as fans or professional writers, sooner or later find themselves embroiled with someone over the "K/S" syndrome in amateur fan writing. K/S, or "slash" writing as it is sometimes affectionately called, is based upon the theory that Kirk and Spock are lovers. It has become a popular theme with amateur writers because the theory alone presents the author with a storyline. The plot can simply evolve around proving that the concept is plausible. So for nearly ten years, K/S writers have been providing fandom with a steady stream of "apology" stories. The conditions and situations of the stories vary, of course, but the theme is always the same. They are always about how or why Spock and Kirk could become lovers.

"K/S writing, from the perspective of Spock the Alien, is very interesting for what it says about humans. Or, more appropriatly, what it says about our Western society and its Judeo-Christian ethics. The theory rests, of course, on Spock's isolation and Kirk's vulnerability. But this writer has yet to read a K/S story that is about Kirk and Spock. Generally, one or both of the characters is forced to change his basic nature due to some extenuating circumstance (usually some horrible, at least partially sadistic experience). Perhaps Kirk becomes injured and Spock, stoic though he has always been, must dig deep into his "human" emotions and find the means to comfort Kirk. (McCoy is generally dead by this point in the story, or in any case certainly out of the picture — often relegated to the status of a minor character.) However the plot works,it is designed to force Spock to reach deep into his heart and dramatically rip away the icy, logical, Vulcan exterior to show that he is a "real human" underneath.

"At best, the K/S concept is intellectually naive; at worst, it is bigoted. For it assumes that Spock can only be happy if he is totally, passionately, humanly emotional. It also displays prejudice by implying that the heterosexual but stoic Spock of the series and movies lacks the basic ability to express love. And finally, it makes the grand, western mistake of equating love with sex. This is ultimately where it fails, for it lacks the kind of painstaking honesty, intellectual depth, and objectivity that are necessary for the honest interpretation of literature. It ignores or rationalizes away the evidence of the characters of both Kirk and Spock In the episodes and movies. It is a prejudiced approach to the alien Spock, striving desperately to give human sexuaIity and human personality to an alien being. The K/S concept is of more interest for what it says about the human need to homogenize and anthropomorphize the behavior of life forms we do not understand. And by such means, K/S commits the primary mistake — it sells the complex Kirk/Spock/McCoy relationship short by looking for easy explanations for the phenomenon of friendship.

"Even Captain Kirk has something to say about the concept, as we see in the second chapter of Gene Roddenberry's novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture: "...although I have no moral or other objections to physical love in any of its many Earlthy, alien, and mixed forms, I have always found my best gratification in that creature, woman." The suggestion here is that Kirk very possibly has experienced many forms of lovemaking, but evidently not with his Vulcan friend. If we interpret Kirk’s statement within the framework of the K/S theory, we must draw a very uncomplimentary conclusion as far as Spock's sexual talents are concerned. That is, if they were lovers, Spock did not provide Kirk "best gratification." Of course, some claim that Kirk was simply trying to "cover" for Spock here, but that would seem an even greater insult. Kirk would certainly never insult Spock, especially over a matter that must be of only passing interest to those of the reputedly enlightened twenty-third century. Maybe it’s time to take the admiral at his word."

Issue 14

The Best of Trek 14 - November 1988 (224 pages)

Issue 15

The Best of Trek 15 - June 1990 (208 pages)

Issue 16

The Best of Trek 16 - March 1991 (208 pages)

Issue 17

The Best of Trek 17 was published in December 1994 and has 224 pages. (This volume attempted to restart the series and was not numbered on cover or spine.)

• Introduction (ix)
• The Star Trek Movies: A Literary Perspective by Rosa M. Mitzerski (11)
• Penda? Uhura by Mark Golding (21)
• Spock: A New Light by Steve Waller ("Spock could be considered as representative, or a literary type, of Christ.") (25)
• The Star Trek Novels: Are They Good Enough? by Debora Bucci (the focus is Star Trek: TNG novels) (31)
• Thoughts on Vulcan by Tom Lalli (37)
• Spock and Uhura by Ruth Barker (Written in response to "The Neglected Whole" in issue #10, an article that suggests that Christine Chapel is the right woman for Spock. This author argues that Uhura is much more compatible with Spock. ) (45)
• A Sampling of Trek Roundtable Letters from Our Readers (56)
• The Gates of Death by Katherine Wolterink (article about Spock's movie death and resurrection) (83)
• Vulcan -- Philosophies in Conflict by Penny Paludan (92)
• What is an Alien? by Miriam Ruff (102)
• My Brother-in-Law was a Star Trek Alien by Stephen Barrington (The author's brother-in-law was Jerry Maren, born Gerard Marenghi, who played a character in "Journey to Babel.") (113)
• Chart Trek -- Star Trek's TV and Film Soundtracks by Mark Alfred (118)
• A World of Time by Kenneth Reeler (134)
• The Romulan Commander: The Great Reappearing Woman by Michelle Kusik (151)
• A Look at the Romulan Commander by Dan Day (158)
• Past, Present, and Future Tense: A Speculative Commentary on Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher by E.A. Lowe (167)
• Desirable Unemotionals (Or, "Could You Fall in Love with a Toaster"?) by Dale Kesterton (188)
• Starship America: Politics and the Star Trek Films by Tom Lalli (Viewing "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" through the political lens of its time.) (197)
• A Positive Example of Violation of the Prime Directive: Earth's History of Revealed Religions by Pierre C. Dubreull (209)
• The Long Trek by Karen Sullivan (a fan's account of her first Star Trek convention, this one in Scranton, Pennsylvania) (217)

Issue 18

The Best of Trek 18 - February 1996 (219 pages). (This volume returned to numbering on the cover.)

The Best of the Best of Trek

A trade-sized omnibus of selected reprinted articles from volumes of "The Best of Trek" - July 1990.

The Best of the Best of Trek II

A trade-sized omnibus of selected reprinted articles from volumes of "The Best of Trek" - June 1992.

Fan Comments

2017

One of the most influential of these fan magazines was Trek, published for two decades beginning with its first 1974 issue. Known for its quality articles and fan submissions, Trek was a place for debate, discussion and exploration.

The quality of the writing was so good that beginning in 1978, the best articles from the fanzine were collected in books published first by Signet and then ROC Books, appropriately named “The Best of Trek.” Running 18 books, this series remains a significant resource for charting the fan experiences of the 1970s to the 1990s. Additional to the regular books, there were four “Best of The Best of Trek” compilations.

[...]

Many of the book’s contributions dealt with the alien cultures, especially the Vulcans. Delving into Vulcan language, familial relationships, politics, and history, these writings are certainly not cannon, yet they provide a clear picture of the affinity and creativity of fans for Mr. Spock and his heritage. More real-world experiences like Star Trek convention reports, which are fascinating to compare to today’s cons, contributions about how educators were beginning to use Star Trek in the classroom, and also making-of articles about everything from special effects to cinematography, also were a consideration. There were, of course, parodies of the TV shows and films included to add to the fun.

Of special note was the “Trek Roundtable,” where fans would write in, discussing and debating everything from story points to the newest film – a precursor to the Internet bulletin boards and Facebook. The “Star Trek Mysteries Solved” series was also fascinating, with fans submitting questions about inconsistencies between or within episodes and these mysteries being solved and explained by Leslie Thompson, a frequent contributor. The published fan polls give researchers today an idea of what fan favorites and feelings were during the past.

“The Best of Trek” books were never Pollyannaish. There were thought-provoking criticisms sometimes proffered by the fan writers, especially evident as Star Trek began to return during the late 1970s and early 1980s as films. The commentaries about the introduction of The Next Generation and subsequent sequel shows are also worth reading for their historic value in detailing how some fans perceived the shows at their inception, for both the good and the bad. What was great about “The Best of Trek” was that even while reading contributions whose thesis one may disagree with, the work was usually such that it was a worthwhile and reasoned argument nonetheless. It was IDIC on the page.

By reproducing the best articles in book form, Irwin and Love were able to bring these quality writings to a larger audience than the niche fanzine market. The role the books played in helping keep Star Trek in the public eye cannot be exaggerated. The articles that were reprinted in “The Best of Trek” series are a delight to read again and are often available at online and brick-and-mortar used-book stores for today’s fans who wish to check them out.