Star Trek The Motion Picture: The Novel - Ep 115

70s Trek: Star Trek in the 1970s

It’s the first Star Trek novel published by Pocket Books, and the only book Gene Roddenberry ever wrote. The novelization of Star Trek The Motion Picture was based on an earlier version of Harold Livingston’s script.

Because of that, there are some distinct differences between the movie and the book. Co-hosts Bob Turner and Kelly Casto tell you what they are on this episode of 70s Trek.

When it was released in the fall of 1979, the novel for Star Trek The Motion Picture immediately landed on the Bestseller’s list, selling nearly one million copies.

The novel is important because it establishes Kirk’s middle name as Tiberius. It also states that Will Decker’s father was Commodore Matt Decker. That character appeared in The Original Series episode, The Doomsday Machine. Neither of these things was ever mentioned on TV or in films.

The book also gave a name to the type of Klingon Battle Cruiser we see in the film. It is known as the K't'inga Class.

Of course, of all the novels written over the decades, this is the only one that can be considered canon. After all, it was written by The Great Bird of the Galaxy himself.