David P. Harmon (1918–2001)

Get your geek on. This book is part of a series of “fotonovels” that show episodes from the original Star Trek series in stills from beginning to end, with the dialogue inserted in bubbles. Yes, it’s a bit more like watching a TV show than reading a book but of interest if you like the old re-runs.

In this episode, “The Deadly Years”, the landing party comes in contact with a form of space radiation that causes extremely accelerated aging, on the order of thirty years per day. Scotty has white hair by the time he’s beamed back up, the usually razor sharp Kirk soon becomes forgetful, and even Spock starts slowing down. Damn, it’s hard getting old! (As I now find out firsthand) Only Chekhov is unaffected, and after some experiments on him as a guinea pig, the doddering Dr. McCoy figures out why. By this time though the Enterprise is in the hands of Commodore Stocker who has foolishly put them into the Romulan Neutral Zone; it’s only with quick thinking and a clever bluff that a rejuvenated Kirk saves the day at the end.

All of the trademarks of the show are here. William Shatner’s over-acting, a “lesser” character from the landing crew dying, and Dr. Janet Wallace as the “space babe” du jour for this episode, played by Sarah Marshall. Good campy fun, and it was always enjoyable when the characters changed in some way. Though “The Deadly Years” can’t touch the classic “Mirror Mirror”, it will still be enjoyable if you’re a fan of the show.… (más)