Star Wreck (novel series)
Star Wreck is a parody series of the original Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation by Leah Rewolinski, with black and white illustrations by Harry Trumbore. While published individually, the first book, for example, has only 117 pages — many of which are illustrations — making it the length of a short story. A series premise is that there are two complete crews on a single adventuring starship. This artifice allows the crews to make open comments about the roles in the other series. (For example the James T. Kirk character criticizing the Jean Luc-Picard character.)
A frequent running gag in at least two of the books features Goldfish wearing top hats and holding canes. It starts with Dr. Pragmatski's biology experiment in The Generation Gap. In the first illustration, they appear to be dancing out of water on the rim of the tank itself, while Dr. Pragmatski rings a bell. In subsequent drawings, they're shown in mid-air, on the bridge, being flung about like the other crew members when the ship is being rocked by turbulence.
Star Trek crew
- James T. Smirk - The captain of the old crew, always looking for classy dames. Easy-going to extremes.
- Mr. Smock - The Vulture officer. Has a feud with the Data character (Dacron) about being the most knowledgeable guy on the ship.
- Doc McCaw - The grumpy doctor, nicknamed "Moans". Employs the patent formula: "I'm a doctor, not a...." to avoid sticky choices.
- Mr. Pavlov Checkout - The token Russian. Poor at piloting and communications.
- Mr. Hikup Zulu - The token Oriental. Level-headed, and skilled in karate.
- Mr. Snot - The old crew's chief engineer. Is very secretive about his trade and vocally pessimistic about his equipment's operability.
- Lt. Yoohoo - The token black, token woman communications officer. Has a questionable aptitude for singing, and tends to bleat in fright when confronted with a crisis.
The Next Generation crew
- Jean-Lucy Ricardo - The captain of the newer crew, conscious about his baldness, with a passion for Earl Grape Tea which makes him short-fused.
- Commander Wilson Piker - Intellectually rather let down (in the course of the series, he gets his head hit on several occasions), his specialty is striking dramatic poses. Is habitually referred to as "Number One" by Ricardo.
- Counselor Deanna "Dee" Troit - As Betavoid, has telepathic abilities and serves as the crew's therapist. She is physically rather well-developed.
- Lt. Wart - an in many ways too aggressive Kringle officer.
- Lt. Commander Dacron - The token brand-off merchandise android (hence his white skin). Has a tendency to bore with his to-the-point statements.
- Lt. Georgie LaForgery - The chief engineer of the new crew. Wears a prosthesis to see and to conceal his fake eyeballs.
- Dr. Cape Pragmatski - The doctor in The Generation Gap. Acts like a female version of Dr. Mc Caw.
- Dr. Beverage Flusher - "kicked upstairs by the high command" for the duration of The Generation Gap. Returns in a subsequent book.
The books are:
- Star Wreck: The Generation Gap
- Star Wreck II: The Attack of the Jargonites
- Star Wreck III: Time Warped: A Parody-Then, Now and Forever
- Star Wreck IV: Live Long and Profit: A Collection of Cosmic Capers
- Star Wreck V: The Undiscovered Nursing Home
- Star Wreck VI: Geek Space Nine
- Star Wreck VII: Space the Fido Frontier
References
- Star Wreck: The Generation Gap 1990 Leah Rewolinski ISBN 0312928025
- Star Wreck II: The Attack of the Jargonites 1992 Leah Rewolinski ISBN 0312927371
- Star Wreck III: Time Warped: A Parody-Then, Now and Forever 1992 Leah Rewolinski ISBN 0312928912
- Star Wreck IV: Live Long and Profit : A Collection of Cosmic Capers 1993 Leah Rewolinski ISBN 0312929854
- Star Wreck V: The Undiscovered Nursing Home 1993 Leah Rewolinski ISBN 0312951221
- Star Wreck 6: Geek Space Nine 1994 Leah Rewolinski ISBN 0312952236
- Star Wreck 7: Space the Fido Frontier 1994 Leah Rewolinski ISBN 0312953623