Fan Fiction, the Novel, by Brent Spiner, the Actor

by Theresa Gauthier

In a real life twist that should blow your mind, an actor from a well loved science fiction show—to which the origins of the concept of Fan Fiction can be traced—writes a novel called Fan Fiction! 

Star Trek actor and fan favorite is the author of a book with a bevy of characters Trekkies and Trekkes alike will find familiar. Sharing a perspective of fan obsession from the Point of View of the obsessee rather than the obsessor, Spiner deals up a book full of emotions his on-screen counterpart rarely experienced: paranoia, fear, surprise, irritation, lust, frustration—all because he finds himself the object of a fan’s obsessive devotion.

Spiner’s fictional counterpart in the story begins receiving letters from a fan signed Lal, a name familiar to Star Trek: The Next Generation Fans from the episode “The Offspring” as the name of the daughter Lt. Commander Data constructs. The book features cameos from Trek actors including Hallie Todd who portrayed Lal, the cast of Next Gen, Majel Barrett and Gene Roddenberry.

Once these familiar names started to pop up it was obvious they’re based on perceptions rather than on who these people really are. Exaggerated with broad strokes and only in the tale for as long as they were needed to add to the verisimilitude, these characters were probably neither true to life nor precisely as fans might imagine them, but still, seeing the familiar names and imagining these familiar people interacting with each other brings with it a joy unique to fan fiction.

Spiner isn’t the first Trek actor to dive into fiction. 

Aside from his many non-fiction books and memoirs, William Shatner wrote several fiction series separate fromStar Trek (Tek War, Zero-G), but also wrote books that brought his Captain Kirk back from the dead once the film franchise killed him off in the film Generations.

Next Gen actor and SF mainstay John DeLancie (newer fans will know him from the latest season of Picard) co-wrote the Next Gen novel I, Q detailing Q’s attempt to rescue his own wife and child from the end of the multi-verse.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Andrew J. Robinson wrote a a book in the DS9 Universe called A Stitch in Time, which delved into his fan favorite Cardassian character Garak to positive reviews.

Armin Shimmerman, also of DS9, wrote a novel about Quark called The 34^th Rule. Popular among fans, it’s w good read and worth a search.

The actor who brought life to the Klingon character Martok, J. G. Hertzler, wrote The Left Hand of Destiny—also worth finding.

Fans of the franchise will find it impossible to resist Spiner’s world and the tale takes on enough of a surreal aspect that it feels real enough to entice you to read and strange enough that you can’t imagine it being true. 

True is a matter of degrees, of course, as the book’s cover informs the reader that it was based on true events.

I couldn’t help but wonder which events were true and which were exaggerated for effect. Wherever that truth lies, Spiner has created a gem of a tale here that includes things we know happened in the real world but spiced up with things that really cannot be true.

The story walks the line between fan fiction and detective story and mash up admirably, and as it drew to a close I found myself wondering how he might write a follow up. I wouldn’t expect a follow up in the same universe, but if he chose to put his hand to another fictional tale, I would be in line to buy a copy.