The City on the Edge of Forever

By: Harlan Ellison

Narrated by: full cast, Orson Scott Card, Bonnie MacBird, Richard J. Brewer, Ryan C. Britt, Richard Gilliland, Larry Nemacek

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

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 - and 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?

For a full cast/character list and table of contents, please visit www.SkyboatMedia.com.

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

The real reading starts in chapter 5.

Chapters 1 through 4 are endless complaining and airing of behind the scenes fighting. Chapter 5 is where you start the readings of the various versions of the script. Chapters 1 through 4 get only 1 star. 5 stars for the rest of the book.

You aren't buying this for what you think you are buying it for...

No, while Harlan Ellison's original screenplay is poignant, poetic, and beautiful, what you are actually buying this for is listen, spellbound, as Harlan spends literally hours eviscerating all those who have wronged him in the past. Of course this is primarily Gene RoddenbJerry, but also those that supported him. These parts are actually recorded by Ellison and you can feel the relish in his voice as he sets the record straight, and he has receipts. It's classic Ellison. I imagine he must have been a very hard man to be friends with, but he is certainly an incredibly gifted, if cantankerous, writer.

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!

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.

Glad I Read It. Holly wired is Nuts

The fact that many people are included in putting together a full story that eventually ends up on the big screen is evident in most productions. It is interesting to see how an original concept is changed throughout the production process, how ego is involved, and how many people want to take credit for someone else's original idea. "The City On The Edge of Forever" my favorite Star Trek episode. In my opinion, and it is my opinion, what was eventually filmed was better than the original storyline. I did like the original concept and the original story, but I still hold that what ended up on the screen held to the Star Trek franchise and held true to the characters.

Beter to have loved and lossed?

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to Startrek efficinato.

As I was born in 1960, you could almost say I was weened on Startrek. "The city on the edge of forever" was certainly one of my favourates, in the top five. Until now, I have never read any of the so called inside Startrek books. My thoughts were, let the stories rest on their own. I have never been the look behind the curten kind of guy. I bought and downloaded this book because I thought it was simply a version of the story adapted to audio book, guess I didn't read the description and comments.

Normally if it is Startrek, I just buy it.

Yes I have heard before that Jean Rodinbary was hard to get along with so I thought this book would be another example of the same. I guess if enough people are saying simular things, you start to think, maybe there is a fire under all that smoke.

As per the original scripts described in this book, I find myself wishing that version had been made. I don't know if it could have been done well as an hour show though. Could the additional characters been fleshed out enough? Would there have been enough time to explain the background of leveck... If not, perhaps it could have been made into a 2 part special for example. Is it possible that Jean thought that version of the story couldn't be sold tto the people that funded Startrek? Did they not want a strong character in yelman Rand? Was it not possible to put that mouch story into an hour show? Would it have required too mouch in the way of special effects than were possible at the time (1966)?

If so, why not just say so instead of this diatribe?

In any event, the book was a good read if not a pleasent one.

Alan

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hay, it's Startrek. For this episode it would have to be Edith Keyler.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

This book had many narrators.City on the edge of forever - extended

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Knooks can be nasty too.

Any additional comments?

I guess I've said it already, I wish this version had been made.
Perhaps we want our stories to be rapped up in a neet pacage most of the time with few complecations. Once in a while it would be nice to have story archs cary on or at least referenced. Characters would matter. Stories would have more impact.

I guess those are my comments having never written a book, screen play, script not even a tiny poem, ok, maybe the aud limeric or quatrain in high school.

Utterly fascinating

I’m not sure what I liked more, the hearing the original story or Ellison going full tilt on Roddenberry. Ellison is full of piss and vinegar and I could listen to him all day.

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.

An absolute joy to listen to!

If you could sum up The City on the Edge of Forever in three words, what would they be?

Passionate, morally complex.

What other book might you compare The City on the Edge of Forever to and why?

None. Harlan Ellison is one of a kind.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Spock at the end tells Kirk that "No woman was ever loved as much Jim, because no woman was ever offered the universe for love."

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Better then the original aired episode, buy your ticket now!

Any additional comments?

Enjoyed so much about this audio book:
Ellison reading his own delightfully candid introduction.
The full cast giving life to the Award Winning Teleplay.

Mostly it's just having this treasure on audio.