What do you get when you combine an actor's experiences on a beloved TV show, a story of obsessed fans, elements of noir films, and a dash of self-deprecating humor? A fictional autobiography by Brent Spiner that still seems like a true story of Hollywood, fame, and stalkers. Appearances of his castmates and friends, icons such as Gene Rodenberry and Ronald Reagan, and totally fictional characters fill the pages with large personalities and plenty of opportunities for awkward moments and laugh-out-loud humor.
At times it seems that Spiner has turned the usual Sam Spade type mystery on its head. Brent himself is a dude in distress and the identical twins Cindy Lou and Candy Lou are the hardbitten FBI detective and bodyguard defending his life. Between the policeman who wants to be a script writer, the mailman who wants to be a talent scout, and a fan who claims to be Lal (the android daughter of Data), it is hard to be sure who anyone really is. Events swing from days on the set to appearances at conventions, funerals, and even the emergency room. Will studio security, the police, or the FBI ever discover who the stalker is and end the fear keeping him awake at night and too tense to memorize his lines?
When a guy has a fan threatening to help him into the afterlife, even lunch at Chasens with Jonathan Frakes can't lift his spirits. But the story of his troubles can entertain readers (and fans who are content to maintain a healthy distance).
I read a review copy provided by the publisher.
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