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Warped Factors: A Neurotic's Guide to the Universe

Average customer rating:

see me after class
Neurotic is the word
Well written and insightful!
This is NOT a Star Trek book
Great book

Warped Factors: A Neurotic's Guide to the Universe
Walter Koenig
Manufacturer: Taylor Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0878339914

Customer Reviews:

see me after class.......2006-08-24

I don't think I've ever read a memoir or autobiography that didn't shine most in its early pages, when recounting the author's childhood. It's certainly true of this one, though perhaps I'm biased, because I too grew up in NYC, attending public schools that, even 15 years after Mr. Koenig's experience, bore a spooky resemblance to his, down to the sadistic second-grade and mannish fifth-grade teachers. On the other hand, I'm not sure I've read another autobiography that began to fray quite as quickly as this one did. My complaints, briefly:

1) The edition of Warped Factors I read was published in 1997 by Taylor Publishing Company. Let's hope Taylor has a fantastic distribution system; that, or it took absolutely no cut from the income on this book other than printing costs--because I can't see that it did anything else that publishers ordinarily do, such as discuss coherence and continuity with the author, correct errors in grammar and vocabulary, or even read through page proofs. (There are lines in the book which lose their flush right margin all of a sudden, for no reason that I can see.) While the jumpy margins are just a strange printing phenomenon that might cause a reader to question an author's judgment but not literacy, literacy does become an issue over things like misspellings ("wildlife," not "wild life"), word choice ("formidable," not "formative," personality) and misquotes (I won't embarrass anyone here because I'm sure both the author and the publisher have had it pointed out already; if not: it's the quote that starts out Shakespeare and ends Robert Burns, and if that's still not enough, see me after class). Is it Los Angeles (see more below)? Is it that on The Coast, away from New York's literary elite, Mr. Koenig could not find anyone--a writer for the Simpson's, maybe?--who'd zip through his oeuvre and point out errors and awkwardness? Or, a more ominous thought, did he just want to do it his own way?

2) This leads to the more dismaying point--the author himself. And here I have to confess to being one of those 12-year-old girls who thought Mr. Chekov was the cutest thing since Davy Jones. I continue to be impressed with his wit and humor. However, I am left with the strong impression that he is too smart for Hollywood, and his book--deliberately, I think--gives no clues to why he stayed, except to keep insisting that he's neurotic and loves the craft of acting. Another reviewer made a comparison of Mr. Koenig to Woody Allen, and there's some truth there. I grew up with boys like Woody and Walter in the back of my classroom (that would be PS 169); they were kids who'd today be zonked out on ritalin or the equivalent; they were funny (to the kind of girl who appreciated the Three Stooges) and smart, even if they were underachievers--Bart Simpson with brains. Of course they were neurotic kids; the world and their mothers didn't know what to do with them. But most of them figured things out. By high school they were hitting their stride and maturing. That's what it boils down to: A 6-year-old boy is cute; a 46-year-old boy is . . . not cute. I read the autobiography of Grace Lee Whitney, who played Yeoman Janice Rand; she had bigger problems and fewer advantages, and yet she seems to have made some forward motion towards growing up. (Yes, I know Woody Allen's line: "I used to be a heroin addict; now I'm a methadone addict.")

I'm going to give Mr. Koenig the benefit of the doubt here. I'm going to assume that in private he's just as thoughtful, solid, grounded, and wise as any other man nearing retirement age. He made a decision in writing this book to eliminate information that would embarrass his family and friends but that might give the reader a clue to his personality and motivation as an adult. The result is a frolic of wacky anecdotes about a hapless, non-observant Jewish actor from New York who finds himself in Hollywood and who just never learns his lesson.

It sounds like a life in sitcom form. Maybe it's time for the Koenigs to relocate somewhere where if life is going to imitate anything, it will be art, not TV.

Neurotic is the word.......2005-06-24

Everybody knows that all the actors in Star Trek did their autobiographies, so , I thought, why not read this one? I was in for a surprise! I usually don't comment a book I didn't finish but maybe Mr Koenig should have seen a psychiatrist longer than in his youth. Why write something like that? Jokes are cheap, writing is erring at best, thoughts are at random (an editor,please!!!!) not much to say, really... He does have an interesting career but must he explain all his doubts and neuroses too? It is honest , I know, but I prefer to read about Career & Life...
I got fed up ... I would have read DeForrest Kelley instead...
If you want something really interesting to read about the less "principal" characters in Star Trek OS, go to Takei's or Nichols books: THAT is worth it!

Well written and insightful!.......2005-02-26

Walter Koenig writes candidly about his experiences with Star Trek and many other topics regarding his career as an actor and writer. His recollections of his years on the TOS is quite interesting and provides quite a bit of "behind the scene" glimpses of certain episodes..Being a die hard Trekkie, I found this book to be a very enjoyable read! I have also read the other supporting cast member's books and feel that Walter's is one of the most articulate and amusing..some of his recollections of his "life on the road" with James Doohan and George Takei making video store appearances are hilarious!

Walter also write deeply about his feelings toward William Shatner and reveals how hurt he felt on a couple of occasions..
After reading the other cast member's books you can't help but feel that there was "something" going on there...It's kind of like if you worked for a company for many years and are treated as if you were "nothing" and just a body to kick around..

I'm sure in life there are many who are placed into this role who feel extremely stressed and down..it's no different with actors I'm sure..However, Walter seemed to maintain his dignity throughout..sometimes in life you just have to live by "the golden rule"..Treat others as you would like to be treated.." I think if everyone followed this simple principle life would be grand!

Star Trek has given pleasure to many fans around the world and it is quite interesting to read the memoirs of cast members to truly see how the show has affected their lives and to laugh at their interesting anecdotes! There are plenty to be found in this book and asides from talking about Star Trek, Walter talks about his career as a struggling actor in the beginning and his later career as a writer. Walter writes very well and I feel he should write more books on other topics! He definitely has a talent in this area!

I've never watched Babylon 5 so I'm not familiar with his role as Alfred Bester but I have seen all 79 TOS episodes and all 6 of the films so I am quite aware of his work as Chekhov..It would be interesting to see Walter in some of his other work..As an example..I recently saw George Takei in "The Encounter"..a classic Twilite Zone spisode and was blown away by his acting! George's role was very powerful however, you were never really able to witness it much in Star Trek..I think that's why some of the other supporting cast members held some resentment towards Shatner because they felt that he was trying to minimize their contributions..hearing Shatner's take on it in the wonderful documentary, "Mind Meld" with Leonard Nimoy..you feel as if Shatner felt these claims were trivial and that he truly did not understand what these actors were going through..I really have a hard time believing that...Walter, although hurt by Shatner's behavior over the years still has a begrudging respect for him as do the others with the exception of perhaps..James Doohan.

Anyways, if you are a Trekkie this book is a must read and an important one to have in your collection! It's very entertaining and insightful!

This is NOT a Star Trek book.......2004-03-07

While a decent portion of the book focuses on Star Trek, most of it does not. This is a book about Walter Koenig, a self-admittedly neurotic actor. For me, this difference made the book very enjoyable. Here you will get a humorous look into the actor's life, complete with looking for work, working as a hotel package boy, dealing with agent's lies, and more. This book was a lot of fun.

Great book.......2002-12-10

I've just got into Star Trek and decided to read some of the books the cast wrote. The first book I read was Walter's book. He told some hilarious stories, but yet he told about the serious stuff too.

I've heard that some, if not all of the cast had issues with William Shatner. Walter could've made this a dirt book and tell about every dirty thing Shatner ever did to him. Walter didn't do that. He let it be known that he wasn't happy with some of the things Shatner did it on the set, but the whole book wasn't about that. I've read other books where stars and costars just let out all the bad feelings and the book turns out negative because it turns into 'I hate him because he did this and that, this and that, this and that- etc' I repeat that Walter's book ISN'T like that. It's worth a read if you are a Star Trek fan.

Star Wreck III: Time Warped : A Parody-Then, Now and Forever

Average customer rating:

Star Wreck III: Time Warped : A Parody-Then, Now and Forever
Leah Rewolinski
Manufacturer: St Martins Mass Market Paper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Star Warped: Once Upon A Time In A Galaxy Nowhere Near Far Enough Away (Gollancz)

Average customer rating:

very funny

Star Warped: Once Upon A Time In A Galaxy Nowhere Near Far Enough Away (Gollancz)
A.R.R.R. Roberts
Manufacturer: Gollancz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0575076887

Book Description

The Soddit, The McAtrix Derided, and the aptly titled The Sellamillion:
The parodies are hilarious, but the numbers are serious, with millions of copies sold. And now, in our very own time and galaxy, Star Wars finally gets its comeuppance-just in time to coincide with the release of the 6th and final film. The force is with us!

This is a satire well and truly earned: with the last chapters in the Star Wars' saga reaching new lows, the movies that have dominated popular culture for more than three decades deserve a little tweaking. Oh, sure, a long time ago, in what seems like a galaxy far, far away, there was a very good and thoroughly entertaining SF film. But that's long gone. So here it comes, a six-part mock-epic that begins in the middle of the action, pits good against evil, and features hairy co-pilots, green gurus, bizarre hairdos, steel bras, and campy robots.

In addition to his bestselling parodies, Adam Roberts has written a SF novel, Salt, which was nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, as well as a number of academic works.

Customer Reviews:

very funny.......2006-03-02

A.R.R.R. Roberts always writes funny parodies, but this one is especually good. and as always, its very clever without being too crude.
jim

Average customer rating:

Space...the boring frontier........
Who are you? And what have you done with the real Sisko?
DS9 Warped - Poorly written and executed!
Not for everyone.
A little warped, but overall not bad

Warped (Star Trek Deep Space Nine)
K. W. Jeter
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671872524

Book Description

Odo traces the murders to a bizarre and dangerous new form of holosuite technology, a technology that turns its users into insane killers, and now threatens Sisko's son, Jake. As the situation on Bajor deteriorates, Sisko learns that the political conflict and the new holosuites are connected, and part of the plan of a dangerous madman.

Download Description

Political tensions on Bajor are once again on the rise, and the various factions may soon come to open conflict. In addition, a series of murders has shaken everyone on board the station. While Security Chief Odo investiages the murders, Commander Sisko finds himself butting up against a new religious faction that plans to take over Bajor and force the Federation to leave "Deep Space Nine" TM. Odo traces the murders to a bizarre and dangerous new form of holosuite technology, a technology that turns its users into insane killers, and now threatens Sisko's son, Jake. As the situation on Bajor deteriorates, Sisko learns that the political conflict and the new holosuites are connected, and part of the plan of a dangerous madman.

Customer Reviews:

Space...the boring frontier...............2005-12-29

One has to be warped to read this boring wordy hardcover. I'm glad I only paid $3 bucks for it (2.99 too much in my opinion). The only good parts were the moments with Odo and Quark. Other than that it was a waste!! zzzzzzz..thats all you will do if you read this tedious, wordy novel. Boring boring boring !!!!!! No wonder it's thrown in discount bins around the galaxy. Live long and prosper but dont read this book!!

Who are you? And what have you done with the real Sisko?.......2005-01-28

Believe the title. The reason "Warped" didn't sell very well was that the author fundamentally misread the DS9 characters and feel. If you want to see stronger work from K. W. Jeter, read the Boba Fett books. The same cynical, violent outlook that works so well in that Star Wars story just seems creepy here. It's like all the Star Trek characters you know and care about have been replaced with twisted dopplegangers of themselves.

This is a paranoid book. Corridors are dark and oppressively silent. Much of the action takes place at night. A string of bizarre and violent murders upset the calm of the station. Political unrest stirs Bajor. There is even a ghost! Oh, and somebody's been tinkering with the holosuites, which now twist their users into violent and sociopathic behavior. It's a premise that deserves a stand-alone novel instead of trying to squeeze it into the rubber suit of DS9.

If you like dark books, and can avoid plot holes without mental distress, this is a decently-written story. However, big DS9 fans should avoid this one.

DS9 Warped - Poorly written and executed!.......2003-11-02

As a general rule I do not normally like to completely run an author's work into the ground, so in this case my intent is to be as fair as possible with reference to this title. It was not thoroughly surprising to see "Warped" be the second and final Star Trek novel by KW Jeter, who I know to be a very popular author in other genres. Between this and his first DS9 novel "Bloodletter," an astute fan of the series can quickly catch on that the author just didn't seem to grasp the characters or the overall theme of the series very well.

Although no one but those at Pocket Books can say for certain, I believe that the reason that this was the only hardback Star Trek Deep Space Nine release up until DS9's "Unity," which is due out this year, is because "Warped" did so poorly in sales due to it's slow pace and lack of familiarity to the actual series. I find this to be a sad fact as well, considering the novels that came out later that so richly deserved a hardback release!

The cover art for this novel is standard fare for the time it was published, not exceptionally imaginative.

The premise:

Attempting to capitalize on the outstanding second season trilogy episodes of "The Homecoming," "The Circle" and "The Siege," the author brings into play these aspects, playing on the political strife in the newly formed Bajoran provisional government. A series of murders occurs on the station and Commander Sisko finds himself dealing with a new religious faction that wishes to force the Federation away from Bajor.

Odo soon traces the mysterious murders on the station to a dangerous new form of holosuite technology which has also affected Commander Sisko's son, Jake. Sisko must now deal with this new religious faction and the very real possibility of murder coming his way from any direction, to include his own son.

I've also owned the audio tape for this novel for several years; read by Rene Auberjonois, it can be an "okay" distraction for three hours while driving down the highway. Of course, Rene Auberjonois' reading is excellent for what he was reading.

Overall, the premise to this story is an extraordinarily intriguing one; it's in the execution of the story where it falls flat. I would only recommend this title as a collectors or completist's type find. {ssintrepid}

Not for everyone........2003-05-15

If you're one of those fans of Deep Space Nine who enjoy that series' tendancy to supply a healthy dollop of psuedo-mysticism along with the usual Star Trek psuedoscience, you'll doubtless love this book. It was well-written, the characters were handled well, the plot moved nicely, and so forth.

If, on the other hand, (like me) you find the credibility granted the Bajoran mysticism and mumbo-jumbo (including Sisko's status as the "Emissary") to be at best minorly irritating, then this is definitely NOT the book for you. The basic concept was just a little too silly for words.

A little warped, but overall not bad.......2002-08-09

I don't understand why everyone keeps saying that this book is so bad. I picked it up, and couldn't put it down. Sure, it got a little overinvolved with some technological details at points, but it's not bad.

The only reason I will give it only four stars is because the author made one slight mistake. As I am writing a book about Federation starships, the author used both the runabouts Mekong and Ganges. Well, during my research, I learned that the Mekong is the runabout that was assigned to Deep Space 9 after the Ganges was destroyed. Just a little annoyance with me that the author did not research the information first.

Overall, a good pick. I highly recommend you pick it up to read.

Average customer rating:

Warped, Star Trek Deep Space Nine
K. W. Jeter
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Star Wreck 3 Time Warped
Leah Rewolinski
Manufacturer: Boxtree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000G9Q2YS

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Star Warped
Adam Roberts
Manufacturer: GOLLANCZ (ORIO)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:

Warped, Star Trek Deep Space Nine
K. W. Jeter
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Star Trek Deep Space Nine Warped
Jeter K W
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Warped (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
K.W. Jeter
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0671856847

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