New book coming soon

[Libby]

From the Haven comes news of a book due to be published next May:

https://www.madnorwegian.com/product.php?item=X-Files

"Wanting to Believe"

A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium and The Lone Gunmen

by Robert Shearman

In Wanting to Believe, acclaimed science-fiction writer Robert Shearman critiques and examines the whole of Chris Carter's "X-Files" universe, including the spin-off series "Millennium" and "The Lone Gunmen." As such, this is one of --- if not the only --- guide of its kind to cover all 13 seasons of Carter's masterwork. With this unauthorized guidebook, "X-Files" fans will be able to reevaluate Carter's TV series with Shearman (World Fantasy Award winner, Hugo Award nominee, renowned playwright, writer on the new "Doctor Who" series and all-around nice guy) as he diligently comments upon all 282 "X-Files"-related episodes (and the two motion pictures), which form one of the most notable TV works of the 1990s --- and is every bit as enjoyable today.

Armed with "Wanting to Believe," you won't just find yourself mulling over Shearman's insights and opinions about "The X-Files" --- you'll want to pull your DVDs and re-watch this amazing and impressive series for yourself.

Wikipedia has a page on Robert Shearman:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Shearman

[Guest ZeusFaber]

Excellent news. Only a shame Shearman's mistakenly identifying Millennium as a spin-off series. He would have been better off including Harsh Realm and making it a complete examination of the Ten Thirteen cannon. Just nine more episodes and it could have been totally comprehensive.

I'll look forward to finding out which sides of the various fandom fences Shearman plants his flag, although I'm finding it hard to imagine how he can cover so much material in just 304 pages.

[Guest Laurent.]

I agree 100% with ZeusFaber's comments and question.

I'll probably give the book a try, but I'm not expecting it to be an ultimate guidebook.

[Libby]

In my first post, I simply posted the blurb and links.

[Personal stuff removed as it can be seen by non-members.]

It might well be interesting because he will be covering all seasons of XF (I don't think there's any book, official or unofficial, that covers the last few seasons) and also all of Millennium. He hasn't had any contact with any of the writers/directors, of course, but he has gone through the experience of seeing what he has written actually being produced.

As for the length, I happen to have to hand the official guide to season 7 of XF, which runs to some 280 pages, mostly novelisations of each episode.

I'll try and find out more about this book. I have jokingly suggested [personal stuff removed] pass on my offer to proofread the book for free , and I am seriously hoping that she'll pass on to him what resources there are (the commentaries and documentaries on my website and the MM episode guide) should he want to read through them.

Overall, I think it's quite exciting that there's a publisher and a writer out there who wants to write about Millennium. When this news was posted at the Haven, there were some people whose responded that it's about time they watched Millennium!

[Guest ZeusFaber]

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that there's going to be a book to cover these things which previously have gotten so little attention in print. It would be churlish to complain about its shortcomings too much, to "shoot at Santa Claus" you might say!

As for precedent, the newly-published Complete X-Files recently became the first to offer comprehensive coverage of every episode right up to the end. I've only read through the pages chronicling the first three seasons so far, and although the coverage of specific episodes is very scant in favour of (understandably) fitting it all in one tome, I find it hugely enjoyable and extremely well-presented visually. As an aside, there was also an amateur, unofficial, self-published book which covered Seasons 6 and 7 plus the episodes from Seasons 8 and 9 which featured David Duchovny, but it was particularly poor in almost every sense.

To my knowledge, this will be the first publication to offer any coverage of The Lone Gunman. Aside from N. E. Genge's books on the first season of Millennium and Jane Goldman's aborted companion, I believe this will also be the first publication to offer coverage of Millennium beyond S1. These things alone, of course, are worthy of note.

I'll certainly be picking up a copy. We can't hold out much hope of anything more than a paragraph or two on each episode, but even so, it'll be a welcome addition to the ranks of unauthorized guides.

[Guest RodimusBen]

Sounds interesting, but I've been burned before by unofficial guides that I could have written better myself. I'll see what fan reaction is before investing in a copy myself.

[The Old Man]

Thanks for the heads up Libby! Interesting to see some suspicion here regarding the quality of companion books in general, I've never really delved that deeply into the available X-Files books.

Good luck to the author for attempting to do justice to so many programs and I look forward to buying a copy especially for the Millennium aspect.

[Guest betweenthelines]

Another X-Files product, with content on MM? I'll buy it!

[Guest tjmasiakowski]

I would like to buy it as well. $20 is a nice price.

[BillQS]

Robert Shearman's a good author. I'm familiar with his work on Doctor Who and it's excellent. I just went to the website and it can be ordered right now for $15.95, although it's not due out till May.

Should make for a good guide!