I have fallen in love with the Titan Star Trek books. They are informative and comprehensive in their text, and the mass of photography and production art are stunning. I have devoured the books on The Motion Picture, and The Wrath of Khan, and I was overdue to dig into The Search for Spock, despite buying it the day it dropped.

The Tenutos, who also wrote the book on Trek II, return for Trek III and like their previous effort, guide the reader through every aspect of how the film was brought together. Over a gorgeously crafted 190 pages The Search for Spock is explored and documented.

The book covers Harve Bennett’s production of the film, and how Leonard Nimoy helped the story take shape as he not only returned as Spock, but settled into the director’s chair. He was determined to bring his first film in on-time and on-budget.

The development of the story is explored, the casting, the pre-production. There are asides by a number of the creatives involved, and there are stories here about the film’s making that I didn’t know.

The book is a beautiful collection of photographs, production work and interviews. It also takes us through every aspect of the film’s creation. Story beats are examined, acting choices, model work, matte painting (I love a good matte painting). It’s all held within these pages.

Just reading this book took me back to the time it was made. I remember the wait between Trek II and III. I also remember grabbing the novelization and spending all day outside reading it the day before I saw the movie.

I love the pictures. The text is engaging, and it’s obvious that the Tenutos love Trek as much as I do. They tell the story of Trek III’s making with love and attention. They’ve culled interviews, new and old, to put the reader amidst the production.

It’s an absolutely fascinating read, calling to mind the way I paged through Starlog magazine and the entertainment section of my local paper to learn all I could about the film.

For me, learning about how a film has been made makes me love it and appreciate it all the more. And I think, having finished the book, I’m going to have to settle in for my umpteenth watch of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. I’ll get lost in the nostalgia of my youth, and the efforts behind the scenes that helped bring it to life.

I do hope Titan Books continues this exploration of the original series of movies. These are absolutely must-have books for fans and film-lovers.

And as the film reminds us.. and the Adventure continues…