Fan Fiction: A Mem-Noir: Inspired by True Events by Brent Spiner

​      I’m not a Trekkie. I do have a fine appreciation of Star Trek, though, and so I’ve seen a lot of the movies and somehow a bunch of STTNG or Star Trek The Next generation for the uninitiated and Data has always been my favorite character. There’s just something about that golden android that has always spoken to the on the spectrum aspects of my psyche.
    And of course, it’s impossible to separate Brent Spiner from his most famous character. Funny how that works, the man is now pushing seventy and has been acting for decades, TNG was only on for seven years or so and yet to me and I’m sure millions of others he will always just be Data. It’s a signature role and (pun intended) a pure gold as far as those go.
   And so how awesome is it that Spiner wrote a book and it’s just as much of a delight, albeit a tonally and otherwise different one, from his most iconic role. Don’t know what kind of a book data would write, but Spiner stuck with the good ole’ write what you know and produced this MemNoir (how cute is that) of autobiography mixed in with thriller elements from his years on Start Trek. Because truth is subversive under the best of circumstances and fan fiction takes that and subverts it even further by its nature, you can technically take this pretty far. And Spiner does. Outlandishly, outrageously so. Casting himself as a victim of a mysterious obsessive fan who ends up with two gorgeous female twin protectors (indistinguishable but for their coiffure).
      There are, of course, all sorts of other shenanigans, including hilariously rendered real life cast of the show. It’s a proper treasure trove of a book for Trekkie, but it’s also an absolute highhearted comedic delight for all other readers. It’s a quick, cute and charming read that cleverly interweaved facts and fiction until you’re not quite what’s what and find it no longer matters because you’re having so much fun with it.
    Randomly…turns out Data’s back on Star Trek Picard. I didn’t even know that. Guess with enough golden pancake make up you can get something like tv immortality. Excellent. Data lives on. And not just in the memories of fan and in syndication, but live (as it were) for the next generation in real life. Awesomeness.
    So yeah, whatever your thoughts (but they should be all positive, really) on androids, this charming take on the high cost of fame is sure to delight and entertain. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.