Book Review: Frank Herbert's 'Dune'

Poster art from the 1984 film adaptation of 'Dune'

Dune is hailed by many as an unparalleled work of science fiction. I've recently finished reading the novel for the first time, and give my thoughts and observations about this epic story.

Star Trek's first pilot began filming 50 years ago this week

image courtesy of TrekCore

Star Trek's first pilot, a show deemed 'too cerebral' for TV, turned 50 this week.

New 'Star Wars' trailer released!

The much-anticipated trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released on the Web earlier this week, giving fans a look at the first film in the new Disney Star Wars trilogy.

Starship Farragut releases 'Conspiracy of Innocence'

Starship Farragut is a professionally-produced fan series set during the time of TOS. Since 2007, four full-length, live-action episodes have been released, as well as several vignettes, animated productions and comics.

Farragut's latest offering, 'Conspiracy of Innocence', takes us to an underground city where, during a first contact mission, the landing party finds their perceptions of reality challenged by a xenophobic race.

I have mixed feelings about 'Conspiracy'. One of my biggest issues with the show is that the mystery of what's going on is revealed way too early, making the rest of the episode a bit predictable. On the other hand, the story has a very TOS feel to it, which is complimented nicely by the modern widescreen aspect ratio and CG special effects.

The complete episode can be viewed on YouTube below:

Farragut's previous releases can be found on the show's YouTube channel.

'Prelude to Axanar' released!

Star Trek: Axanar is probably one of the most highly-anticipated, professionally-produced fan films currently in the works. After the release of an official trailer back in June, a short prelude film, Prelude to Axanar, come out earlier this week.

The docu-drama style short introduces us to the world of Axanar, which is set some 20 years prior to TOS during a time of war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. It's a race for technological and space superiority, with the fate of the Federation itself hanging in the balance.

The film can currently be viewed as an embedded video on the Axanar Kickstarter page. Scroll down to the second video from the top.

UPDATE: the film is also now available in HD on the Axanar YouTube channel.

Incredible new trailer for highly anticipated 'Prelude to Axanar' released!

The first official trailer for the professionally-produced fan film Star Trek: Axanar has been released! The docu-drama-style trailer, which gives us a sneak-peak at the project's introductory short film Prelude to Axanar, is filled with plenty of eye-candy and intrigue. 

“Axanar” takes place 21 years before the events of “Where no Man Has Gone Before”, the first Kirk episode of the original Star Trek.  Axanar is the story of Garth of Izar, the legendary Starfleet captain who is Captain Kirk’s hero.  Kirk himself called Garth the model for all future Starfleet Officers.  Garth charted more planets than any other Captain and was the hero of the Battle of Axanar, the story of which is required reading at the academy.  This is that story.

“Axanar” tells the story of Garth and his crew during the Four Years War, the war with the Klingon Empire that almost tore the Federation apart.  Garth’s victory at Axanar solidified the Federation and allowed it to become the entity we know in Kirk’s time. 

It is the year 2245 and the war with the Klingons ends here.

A truly unique project like none other, the movie seems to be creating its own identity by mixing elements from Enterprise, TOS, and the new JJ Abrams continuity. At the same time, the movie explores a long-forgotten aspect of Trek lore from an unlikely source, the third season episode 'Whom Gods Destroy'.

If this new trailer is any indication, Axanar has the potential to be one of the best, if not the best, fan productions to date. The film could also very well prove that high quality sci-fi is no longer limited to major studios. Series like Star Trek: Phase II and Star Trek Continues have already more than shown this to be feasible, but this film could very well take it to a whole new level.

Starship Exeter releases long-awaited final Act of 'The Tressaurian Intersection'

After an eight-year hiatus, Starship Exeter's 'The Tressaurian Intersection' has finally been completed!

GIF courtesy of www.thelogbook.com

Starship Exeter follows the adventures of the new crew of the starship Exeter, which originally appeared in the TOS episode 'The Omega Glory'. Filmed in 2004 and released in segments over the next several years, Act III of 'The Tressaurian Intersection' left viewers with a massive cliff-hanger that wasn't resolved until last week.

"Searching for a starship in distress, the crew of the Starship U.S.S. Exeter finds a destroyed starbase and a deepening mystery. Has an enemy species from Captain Garrovick's past invented the ultimate weapon, or is the truth even stranger and more deadly?"

A major improvement over the series pilot, 'The Savage Empire', 'The Tressaurian Intersection' has, for years, been widely praised by fans for its quality, production values, and excellent writing. And rightly so. This episode has managed to capture the 'feel' of TOS so well that one may forget they're watching a fan-produced show.

If you've never seen this classic fan production (or its new epic conclusion) before, check it out on YouTube below. Although, to my knowledge, no further episodes will be produced, the show has clearly set a high standard for anyone entering the Star Trek fan film business. It's also a great example of a 'dead' production brought back to life, something that often doesn't happen with projects such as this.

"Space. Endless. Silent. Waiting. This is the new odyssey of the starship Exeter..."