The City on the Edge of Forever

By: Harlan Ellison

Narrated by: LeVar Burton, Jean Smart, Scott Brick, John Rubinstein, Stefan Rudnicki, Robert Forster, David Gerrold, Orson Scott Card, Bonnie MacBird, Paul Boehmer, Richard Brewer, Ryan C. Britt, Richard Gilliland, Alex Hyde-White, Richard McGonagle

The original teleplay that became the classic Star Trek episode, with an expanded introductory essay by Harlan Ellison, The City on the Edge of Forever has been surrounded by controversy since the airing of an “eviscerated” version—which subsequently has been voted the most beloved episode in the series’ history. In its original form, The City on the Edge of Forever won the 1966–67 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Teleplay. As aired, it won the 1967 Hugo Award.

The City on the Edge of Forever is, at its most basic, a poignant love story. Ellison takes the listener on a breathtaking trip through space and time, from the future, all the way back to 1930s America. In this harrowing journey, Kirk and Spock race to apprehend a renegade criminal and restore the order of the universe. It is here that Kirk faces his ultimate dilemma: a choice between the universe—or his one true love.

This edition makes available the astonishing teleplay as Ellison intended it to be aired. The author’s introductory essay reveals all of the details of what Ellison describes as a “fatally inept treatment” of his creative work. Was he unjustly edited, unjustly accused, and unjustly treated?

©1975 Harlan Ellison. © 1995 by the Kilimanjaro Corporation. Afterwords © 1995 and 2016 by the authors (P)2016 Skyboat Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Ellison’s numerous fans along with the general clamoring for all things Trek are bound to put this book in high demand.”

(Library Journal)

“What makes this the ST book of the year (maybe all time) is Ellison’s sputtering, raging, fuming introduction in which he sets the record straight, by God!”

(Booklist)

“For the first time, science fiction maverick Harlan Ellison’s first-draft ‘Star Trek’ script is performed in its entirety, with ace voice talents John Rubinstein and Scott Brick gleefully taking on the major roles. A desperate Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy dives into a time portal and changes the course of human history, while Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock are right behind, bent on reversing the damage. So begins one of the most popular episodes of the original ‘Star Trek’ television series. It’s also the most controversial. Reading from a number of interviews and essays, the outspoken Ellison re-voices his battles with ‘Star Trek’ creator Gene Roddenberry over the direction of the story. Both Ellison’s original script and the aired ‘edited’ version received major awards. So, listen and decide which version you prefer.”

(AudioFile)

A fascinating look at what could have been.

Experiencing this original draft of this classic Star Trek episode "The City on the edge of Forever" was quite interesting in and of itself, but all the supplementary material was fascinating. (to use a Spock term) It's a journey into, not only an alternate world where a markedly different version of the story took place , but a journey into the behind the scenes drama trying to get the story finished and produced. Writer Harlan Ellison's frustration at all the rewrites he was forced to do and subsequent drafts without him are understandable when one reads (or hears in this case) his first draft. Though I still enjoy the televised version, I can now see the greater strengths In his untouched work. Besides this, is the story of Harlan's feud with Gene Roddenberry over the whole affair and his surprising bad treatment by Gene in later years for no good reason. I'm glad Harlan finally got to tell his version of the story on both accounts. It's well worth a listen or a read!

The teleplay was great

I’m glad I listened to Ellison’s rant, but more enjoyed the alternate story of his original script and the brief telling of the revised script featuring McCoy. Ellison’s original is great science fiction. The broadcast version made for better television.

Interesting twist

I enjoy Harkin Ellison, I am a big Star Trek fan. It was nice to hear the original version of this story. I really could have done without all the whining, blaming and shaming that preceded the storytelling. REALLY! Can one be that petty? Enjoy the tale and skip the introduction.

I Have Two Ears and I Must Applaud

I'd forgotten from half a century ago how overwhelmingly enamoured I was of Ellison's virtually inimitable verbal virtuosity, his prodigiously creative imagination, the gut-wrenching poignancy of many of his stories (and even the combination of analytical rigor and hysterical humor that pervaded his television reviews in both volumes of "The Glass Teat").

But now I remember, and having listened to this entrancing and eloquently narrated account of the truth about the appalling treatment of his original (and brilliant) script for "The City on the Edge of Forever," I can well understand some of the inspired mordancy of his reviews of television shows no more in the league of his own "dangerous visions," than Danielle Steel is in the league of James Joyce -- which is not even to insult Danielle Steel, because it was never her intent to produce timeless works of genius. Ellison, IMHO, produced virtually nothing else.

This is the best audio book to which I've listened in perhaps two years.

Star Trek was not worthy of Ellison

A pleasure to revisit the original screenplay of this classic Trek episode. While considered by many Trekkies to be the best of the original 79 episodes, this version could have been one of the greatest Science Fiction achievements in TV history. The depth, heart and visual concepts presented dwarf by comparison the final product shown to audiences. It makes me laugh that so many people hate the "space pirates" bit (a vehicle for Rand so she would be more than eye candy) - even though it's basically the prototype for the beloved Mirror Universe that first manifested 6 months later. The original concept for the Guardians of Forever is so much cooler, and the excised plight of forgotten war veteran Trooper is heart breaking.. Great to hear the voice of the late, great Ellison again, too.