Mixed feelings on this one, but the audiobook production was top notch! If you're going to read it, I would definitely recommend listening on audio. Star Trek TNG cast members cameo their dialogue, there are sound effects...it's a fun experience. And I should say up front I am a moderate fan of the show, which is why I was interested in the book. I grew up watching Next Gen and Voyager with my mom, so these characters were a big part of my childhood.

That said, this is a bit of a strange book and I think responses to it are going to be mixed. It's a noir thriller inspired by real events in the life of Brent Spiner (aka Data). The title Fan Fiction is a light play on fanfic stories, but also explains that this is a fictional book about the good, the bad and the ugly of interacting with fans as a celebrity. I'm seeing some reviews upset because this isn't at all like fanfiction, and no. It's not intended to be.

It does take an interesting look at how some fans can take things way too far. In this case Brent begins receiving death threats from someone claiming to be his fictional daughter from an episode of the show, while another women sends him letters about her fantasies of their torrid affair. And yes, there are definitely cases of fans who engage in extreme behaviors. Spiner tries to offer a balanced view of positive fan interactions as well, so I wouldn't take this as hating on fandom culture. But he does talk a bit about how his narcissistic side loves the attention and the love, but that he doesn't always want the responsibility of loving people in return. Which is an interesting look into how some celebrities might feel about these often one-sided relationships.

As far as the plot is concerned, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Keep in mind that the title tells you it is a Mem-NOIR. And indeed, this follows many typical tropes of the noir thriller genre. And I'm reminded why I typically avoid noir books written by men. Because they tend to be rather misogynistic, objectifying female characters through the femme fatale sort of trope. This is no different. For instance, Spiner ends up interested in identical twin sisters who are respectively an FBI agent investigating his case and a personal bodyguard. At least it's not both at once? Yeah, not my favorite thing but I guess I shouldn't be surprised given the genre. The early part of this book was very funny, though for me it kind of lost the charm as time went on. I'm not saying don't read it because there are interesting elements and everyone likes different things, just be aware of what you're getting. For me it was just okay, but your mileage may vary. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to @netgalley @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress for the ALC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts…
Hilarious! My type of humour. I’m not a “Trekkie” per se, but I’m a fan of Star Trek TNG and Voyager and I’m totally trying not to be a fan girl right now! 😝 Brent Spiner - Data - narrated this audiobook along with his TNG colleagues, and it was really good. It was like listening to a radio-noir-drama with a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. Totally my jam! This is not “fan fiction” as defined, it was more a memoir-fanfic about actor versus fans. The story was sarcastic, dark, 80’s references, creepy, with self-deprecating humour and a couple of twists and turns. If you’re not a Star Trek fan or have never watched an episode, no worries, you will not get lost in the telling. Just remember this is noir fiction mixed with Spiner’s real life experiences with his colleagues, fans and traumatic childhood.

This was perhaps the oddest experience I have ever had listening to an audiobook. Fan Fiction is a mem-noir by Brent Spiner, but really it seemed more like Brent Spiner was writing a fanfiction about his life? One day on set, Brent receives a pig penis in his fan mail along with a creepy letter telling him his "daughter" is plotting to kill him. What follows is a distinctly odd, yet humorous, detective story as Brent tries to keep himself alive and navigate being an actor on Star Trek: Next Generations at the same time.

What I liked:
The narration was on point. This was a really well produced audiobook. Everyone theatre creds on on display here and if nothing else, it was the narration that kept me going while reading this.

How utterly strange it was. Several times I looked at my phone, playing the audiobook, in bewilderment, because this novel has such a strange storytelling method.

SOME of the humor. Brent Spiner is funny. The novel is also misogynistic against women and crass at times. However, I was amused often by one liners and the the occasional weird quip.

What I did not like:

SOME of the humor. Some of it just wasn't funny to me. I wrestled with continuing to read this book at points.

The general . . plot? The book is an exaggeration based on true events. Brent Spiner is funny, but in the end, this is a general crime novel where the criminal isn't very . . .good? at being a criminal? I can really see the noir influence. It's just not my cup of tea.

Overall 3/5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and St Martin's Press for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this mem-noir by Brent Spiner, or to those who live on another galaxy, Data from Star Trek. 5 absolutely hilarious stars for the most purely entertaining book I've read in a long time. However, the audiobook is an absolute must - once I started listening, I couldn't switch over to the digital copy because the narration made the book.

It's 1991 and the height of Star Trek The Next Generation, when Brent Spiner starts receiving death threats from an obsessed fan. He has to gather Paramount Security, LAPD and even the FBI to help investigate the situation. This is a look into the fandom world and how it can affect the actors.

While my husband loved the original Star Trek, we raised our boys on all of the Star Trek franchises to come - in the 1990s, it was about the only safe, family oriented, show with good values on TV and we couldn't get enough. My boys dressed as Star Trek characters every Halloween (Data, Worf and Spock) and our first email addresses were all Star Trek related. So this book satisfied all my Trek love. However, even someone not obsessed with Star Trek would love this book - it is absolutely hilarious. I listened to it while running errands and kept laughing out loud - it is just too good. Brent narrates the book with the help of all his TNG castmates which of course made it all that much better.

Do not miss this book - so hilarious! I hope this is not the last book Brent Spiner will write!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced audiobook for review! This was...not at all what I expected, but four stars worth of hugely entertaining STUFF.

WHEW if you dove into this thinking it was about fanfic, you made a mistake. It's okay, I did too. It is...wild fiction ABOUT maybe-fictional fans? If you wrote fanfic of your own life? It's hard to tell where the fiction begins and reality ends, since you know fans get wild over celebs.

I admit - I didn't know the author. I saw in the description on Netgalley that many famous people make an appearance in this; I assumed it was maybe an anthology of like, personal essays on experiences with fans or something. Or about fanfiction within the Trekkie fandom - as I soon realized the author was an actor in those (I didn't watch them, please react in horror accordingly). So I started listening not knowing what to expect at all, and was very soon confused as heck.

Gradually the narrative emerges; Brent but not-quite Brent is in L.A. in 1991, with a stalker who is sending fan mail that grows wilder with each postage. I'm not sure what else to say - this earns a shining spot on my indescribable reads shelf. Not-Brent's bumbling antics were hilarious, and I enjoyed the other Trek cast members appearing like NPCs in a video game, voicing themselves even. All in all, a solid, entertaining listen.

I’ve thought about this story for a day. How do I review this book without sounding like a crazed fan girl straight from the pages … while conveying my utmost pleasure in listening to it?

MWA HAHAHAHA

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!

DATA was my TNG Spock! I loved both of these characters! Brent Spiner rocked the DATA performance!! I grew up in the Star Trek Universe. This book was totally my jam.

The story? Actor VS fans that range from typical to seriously demented & clinically insane … the actor becomes inseparable from the character with nearly everyone he meets creating a sense of trepidation & paranoia.

80’s references - check!
Dark & self-deprecating humor - check!
Ludicrous fandom in general - check!
Own it people!! :)
Sarcasm - check!
Amazing voices from my past - check!
Fiction Mem-noir - totally!

Just remember this is fiction. It’s hilarious, creepy, with a red herring or two, twists, turns & plenty of paranoid inner monologue.

This book scratched all my fan girl nostalgia itches! A fun ride down memory lane that I will listen to again.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this book, I truly enjoyed it!