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Is INTO DARKNESS better than STAR TREK (2009)?. Is INTO DARKNESS better than STAR TREK (2009)?
By BWilliams / 15:48, 31 March 2004 / Reviews - Books
Synopsis: "There are five stories, spanning 30 years, between these covers. Some of them are funny, one is very sad, one is pretty damn sentimental, but they are all true. I wrote them shortly after my 30th birthday, as I looked to my past in an attempt to understand my present, and not fear my future."
Review: During and after his stint as 'Wesley Crusher' on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, Wil Wheaton received flak from a number of fans for being the boy genius of the show, the kid who was allowed on the bridge of the Enterprise against the captain's standing orders, the resident geeky know-it-all. In real life, Wheaton was a little bit like Wesley, a self-professed STAR TREK fan and geek. Leaving behind the trappings of Hollywood, Wheaton became a computer programmer in Topeka, Kansas and re-emerged as a self-professed computer geek and humorist. His "weblog" site, wilwheaton.net, showcased some of Wheaton's open, frank, and often hilarious thoughts on life and acting, becoming one of the most visited celebrity web sites in 2002 and 2003.
Now comes DANCING BAREFOOT, a compilation of some of Wheaton's thoughts that originally appeared on his web site. First published in a limited edition publication from Monolith Press in April 2003, this collection has been revised and released in paperback format from O'Reilly and Associates. In this slim volume, only 116 pages long, Wheaton spans the gamut from humor to sadness to sentiment and reveals some of the downfalls of being associated with STAR TREK. Like his "weblog" site, DANCING BAREFOOT is candid, honest, at times poignant, but infused with humor that could only come from Wil Wheaton.
The first tale, "Houses in Motion", is the most poignant of the stories in this collection, as Wheaton looks back on the memories of his late aunt Valerie Jeffers, in whose memory he dedicates the book, and of the childhood he left behind. Wheaton juxtaposes the empty house and his aunt's passing with the childhood memories of his past and the time he has with his stepsons, tapping into that universal feeling we all experience in our lives. It's one of the most innately personal and moving stories of the collection.
"Ready or Not Here I Come" is a celebration of life, as Wheaton discusses taking a break from writing his first book JUST A GEEK to play hide-and-seek with his stepsons Ryan and Nolan. Looking at the responsibilities of his adulthood as husband, stepfather, actor, writer, and "weblogger", he looks at what is most important in his life and basks in the sheer fun of it all.
"Inferno" is another juxtaposition between past and present events. As Wheaton braves the effects of a brushfire on his way to an audition, he is taken back to a time at 15 when he meets the girl of his dreams. Like two ships passing in the night, he reflects on what might have been. Who among us cannot relate to that?
"We Close Our Eyes" is the shortest of the five tales in this collection, only three pages long, but it's an emotional and introspective moment into Wheaton's marriage with his wife Anne. If the magic of a romantic moment could be preserved in thought and on paper, this is it.
Wheaton saves the majority of DANCING BAREFOOT for his final tale, "The Saga of SpongeBob Vegas Pants, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Star Trek". This is where Wheaton candidly comments on the series that brought him to the dance, offering up many frank and honest thoughts along the way. He relates an infamous encounter with Original Series star William Shatner on the set of STAR TREK V, his thoughts of Gene Roddenberry, and encounters with a myriad of fans dealing with teenage giddiness to outright hatred at the 35th anniversary convention in September 2001. Wheaton also reflects on conversing before live audiences and performing sketch comedy with his acting troupe.
The first four tales tap into the funny, sad, emotional, but nevertheless moving experiences of life itself. Wheaton never pulls any punches, as he relates each moment vividly on paper. The words come to life in these first four stories, showing Wil Wheaton as he sees himself, like we all see ourselves, from youth to teenager to adult, learning about what is important in life. Wheaton takes a page from humorists such as Lewis Grizzard, Bob Greene, and Mark Twain, and offers up a sense of nostalgia laced with humor.
It's only in the final account, "The Saga of SpongeBob Vegas Pants", that Wheaton really reveals some of the dirt on the STAR TREK universe, the behind-the-scenes stories, the fandom in general, and Shatner and Roddenberry in particular. Wheaton's up front and honest about Shatner, pulling no punches in what he thinks about him, as have many of Shatner's co-stars in their respective autobiographies. But Wheaton avoids biting the hands that feed him, the fans, and is careful in giving them their proper credit. Ultimately, he reflects on the entire dizzying journey from self-professed fan boy to working alongside Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, and the NEXT GENERATION cast, his thoughts on Roddenberry's passing in 1991, and the eventual reality that hits him when all is said and done.
Accompanying Wheaton's book are illustrations by Ben Claassen III. Like Wheaton's tales, each illustration is a story unto itself that serve well in accompanying the stories. If I could visualize what Wheaton is thinking along the way, these illustrations would be among those thoughts.
With DANCING BAREFOOT, Wil Wheaton scores a hit that is touching, nostalgic, introspective, and above all laced with the humor that only he can bring to the table. He well represents those of us who, even in our everyday lives, are secretly geeks and fans at heart.
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