Fan Fiction by Brent Spiner with Jamie Durst
A Mem-Noir: Inspired by True Events
As a Star Trek fan old enough to remember the syndication of TOS fondly, I was one of those viewers when Encounter at Far Point aired. It seemed impossible that a new crew would come to matter to me as much as Kirk and Spock did. It took a few seasons for TNG to get its legs under itself, but one of the first scenes to really work was the passing of the torch from Deforest Kelly playing a hundred plus old McCoy, and Lt. Commander Data played by Brent Spiner.
Spiner always had one of the toughest jobs in that series. Playing an android and often straight-man must have been a serious challenge for a funny dude like Spiner. Because the Star Trek fandom and internal families of casts are unique things, we fans feel like know the stars. Lots of Star Trek actors have written books because frankly, people want to read them.
Spiner has written my favorite so far. Leonard Nimoy gave us a candid look at his life, Shatner a window into his ID, Nichelle Nichols a view of her powerful work off-screen. Spiner gave me several laughs. I only learned after finishing the book, that he read the audiobook, at some point, I will have to return to that.
Spiner has called this a Mem-noir, which already gave me a chuckle. Sure he gives insight into his life on the set, his back story going back to his childhood in Houston. Instead of giving us an accounting of his life Spiner and his co-author gave us a murder mystery tied directly to the show and the character he is most famous for.
It was an interesting choice for a memoir, and certainly made the difference in why I sought it out right away. Another autobiography might have gotten my attention had I seen it at the library, but I have lots to read. The fact that Spiner was clearly having fun doing added to it. It just so happened that I sponsored the episode of Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy he was on to promote my novel (Goddamn Killing Machines – Clash books) and he really sold me. Spiner didn’t have any interest in just another Trek actor blah blah.
So Fan Fiction tells the story of a Brent Spiner stalker, who claims to be Data’s daughter during the filming of the series 4th season. The Spiner of the book becomes worried that he will be murdered. So in true Noir mystery fashion, there is a femme fatale, well two, I don’t want to give it away. The mystery is not exactly Anthony Boucher worthy but that is not the point. The humorous observations and anecdotes about the actor’s life and fandom is like the crème filling in an oreo, The mystery is like the hard cookie part.
Because it is fictionalized Spiner gets to be extra playful with his castmates with really funny moments for all of them. It is clear onscreen and off this cast is a family and Spiner has fun with them. Franks and Dorn get the funniest needling in my opinion. It makes you wish you could see more of these moments as a fan.
A moment in Spiner’s real-life retold here that was important for him, and me too was recalled in the most powerful moment of the book. A famous doctor had visited the set and asked to talk to him.
“Mr.Spiner I have many patients with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. They often have extreme difficulties with basic social interaction. For many of them, you or rather Data is their icon. Their hero.”
I am momentarily speechless, taking this in. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“You see Mr. Spiner- the inner world of a person of a person with autism or Asperger’s syndrome is very much like the feeling of being an emotionless android in a society of emotional humans.”
I have worked for two decades with persons with autism, it is not just Data, but Spock, and Seven of Nine who served as icons of neurodivergent persons. The doctor was right though Data most of all. Spiner pointed out that it was good he didn’t think about that as he was developing the character. It was clearly important to the actor as it is to those of us who work with or live with autism.
Lastly, I want to say part of what makes this book sing is that Spiner fills the book with moments like this one.
“They are qualities of a fictional character who is very different from me. This is a mirage called acting. Surrounded by another mirage called celebrity.”
The young woman speaks again.
“I thought this wasn’t about you?” She challenges.
An interesting look not just at the life behind the curtain, but an insightful self-reflection that managed to also be funny and move the story forward. The book is filled with moments like this. Spiner is not a novelist so I am not going to say it was the best-written noir I ever read, but there were enough moments like these that no other human being could have written. That is a very cool thing with a book. A singular voice and point of view that no one else can bring to the table. Most important of all – I had fun reading it. That makes up for anything lacking in skill. I would read a sequel in heartbeat. Make it so.
No comments:
Post a Comment