Combining two great nerdy things, the world (well, author Jenny Parks and publisher Chronicle Books) brings us Star Trek Cats! Weighing in at 64 pages in full color, this hardcover book comes out today. Focusing on Star Trek:TOS, all of the characters are replaced with appropriate cat counterparts while immersed in familiar settings and situations. Each scene is taken from a specific TOS episode.
I believe strongly that the Venn diagram of cat lovers and fans of Star Trek overlaps more than it doesn’t, so I’m a little surprised this book didn’t exist before now. But illustrator and fan-of-cats Jenny Parks has made her dream come to fruition.
The book begins by introducing all of the main bridge/officer characters, each represented by a different breed or look of cat (there is a distinct lack of Nurse Chapel, however). It then plays out scenes from various Star Trek episodes, including scenes with 3D chess, Lt. Uhura singing, crawling through Jeffries tubes, treating patients in Sickbay, interacting with alien cultures, dying Redshirts, and even a dancing green-furred cat.
And don’t worry. There are enough Tribbles, Tricorders, and Transporters to satisfy even the most die hard of Star Trek fans. The attention to detail is obvious; this author knows her Star Trek:TOS and feline stuff. The back of the book even includes an episode reference guide showing which episodes are being recreated throughout the book.
If you’re a fan of both cats and Star Trek, I can’t recommend Star Trek Cats enough. It’s one you’ll page through time and again. The more you look at the illustrations, the more details you’ll notice. And you’ll be sharing your favorites with those around you. The mix of two forms of beloved popular culture here just works. Normally “Star Trek” and “adorable” don’t combine, but they do so masterfully in this book. Giggles and sounds of “awwww” will abound as you are reminded of episodes that aired more than 50 years ago.
Live long, and purr.
P.S. Be sure to look closely at the endpapers. You’re welcome.
Note: I received a copy of this book for review purposes.
