Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this arc!

5/5 stars

I've been a Phile since the 90s, and this was such a fun trip down memory lane. Most of, if not all of, the background info for the first 7 seasons I already knew, but the insight on how 9/11 affected the final few seasons of the show so deeply was really interesting. I stopped watching by that time so a lot was new to me! I love the different sections, the quotes, the fan insights - I remember when Bethan was asking for input from Philes for this book, and was excited to share my thoughts! This really helped rekindle my love for XF - as evidenced in my excessive consumption of fanfic lately, HAH. The narrator was alright, but it would've been better if they not only got an English person (as the author is English) but at the very least made sure she knew how to pronounce character names correctly - the way I died when she pronounced Krychek and Frohike for the first time 💀💀💀💀💀💀

This was a really fun, nostalgic, and enlightening listen and I will always be grateful for this series and the friends I've made along the way 💚🛸👽

This was a wonderful audiobook that balanced a love of fandom, fiction and critical analysis. I thoroughly enjoy it and would recommend to any and all fans of the X-Files.

OK I must admit, I thought this was a novel. It’s not it’s a nonfiction book about the series not what I was expecting.

that being said, it’s surprisingly good
it’s fun and intriguing and I learned some things so always a plus

I am a card carrying X-Phile so I was excited to read this examination of the series. I am always fascinated (and envious) of people who manage to build professionally/academically off of fandoms and write critically about pop culture. It's glorious. And here is this book - an examination of what influenced the writers, the effects of the X-Files on the 90s, and its enduring legacy. Some of the behind-the-scenes tidbits were interesting. I think the only problem I had with the book is that occasionally it strayed a bit too far into personal opinion. Also, I personally didn't like the 8th and 9th seasons and was underwhelmed by the revival so it was helpful to have some of the those aspects pointed out because I had mostly forgotten those plots. Daniela Acitelli is a lovely narrator (although I did find it funny that the author is very clearly British and the narrator was American.) Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

'The Truth is Out There: Thirty Years of the X-Files' by Bethan Jones is a must for any old or new X-Files Fans and is a fascinating read.

The book is broken down into a compendium of areas that the X-Files has influenced media and the viewers.

It also works as a history of the X-Files and the story of how it came about and the commissioning of additional series and films from its commencement of the early 90's.

The book is well written and well researched and the author is clearly an expert on her field.

The narration of the audiobook is clear and will fill a few hours of your time with interest.

Recommended to fans of X-Files.

Thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley in allowing me to read in return for a review.

I was a huge fan of The X-Files when I was a kid. I watched it religiously. So when I saw this book was coming out, I knew I had to read it. The author’s love of the show is infectious and her depth of knowledge was amazing. She brought up many interesting points about the different episodes, which made for a very thought provoking read. Some of the information presented by the author did feel very political and heavily swayed by her own opinions and beliefs. She clearly has strong opinions about conspiracy theories and the people who believe in them. I enjoyed learning about the history of the show and learning more about some of the different actors and things they are passionate about.

I think all fans of The X-Files will enjoy this book, wether you are a causal viewer or part of the hardcore fandom.

Really enjoyed this retrospective on not just the show itself, but the community that formed around it, and its legacy to this day. You can tell the author is truly passionate about the topic, but doesn't shy away from the controversies of certain storylines/narratives.

The Truth is still out There: Thirty Years of the X-Files
By Bethan Jones
Narrated By Daniela Acitelli
Thanks to Neutrally for the ARC copy for an honest review.
This is a nonfiction book talks about the X-Files and how the nature of conspiracy theories may have changed and discusses how the X-Files is still relevant even now.
I found it interesting as a fan new of the X-Files, I would recommend it.
I found it was narrated very well.
Rating: 4 Stars

This was a fun, thought-provoking and nostalgic listen. And it's out today! Beautiful timing. If you watched and enjoyed THE X-FILES any time from 1993 until now, this will probably have content of interest to you. We get behind the scenes details, analysis of why the show worked back then and why it still works now, how it's changed along with the culture over thirty years, a dive into the fandom, and thoughts from the creators and actors. My only complaint was that it was written out of order, and the new revival was a bit too focused on for my taste, for their only being two seasons versus the original nine and two movies.

I went into this book with such high hopes. I thought it would be a fun, behind the scenes view of the X Files from a fan. Instead, it read more like a political piece with X files pieces sprinkled into it. Such a bummer. It felt like a paper someone wrote in college. Maybe others will enjoy it more, but it was definitely a pass for me.

As a huge fan of the show, this audiobook was a treat. Unlike the author, I don’t know any quotes by heart, nor can I recall all the episodes, but I remember waiting anxiously all week for every episode, in Spain. Bethan Jones was also watching, in England, and this fandom has united all us geeks from my generation onwards. Its lasting appeal makes this book not only understandable, but necessary. It explores not just the X Files, but also the huge influence that it has had on pop culture and even real life. Daniela Acitelli has a nice voice and a friendly manner, even if it’s a little strange to hear the words of a British person in an American accent. Thirty years after its premiere, it’s still relevant. It was fun to recall Mulder’s fondness for conspiracy theories (which now sound tame by comparison to what you can find online), and Scully’s remarkable influence on girls explains how the STEM field is now filled with women. It’s not always obvious, but this was a show ahead of its time. This is a pleasant walk through memory lane and will be enjoyed by X-philes and newbies alike.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Tantor Audio! was a show ahead of its time.

The author’s X-Files fandom and enthusiasm of the subject matter are infectious and had me going back rewatching episodes to relive that early magic of the shows run. Her research was thorough and commendable, I enjoyed her takes on the show and it’s social impact and implications for the most part. However there were a few instances where the author interjects personal political views that took away from the book. For example, the author tries to make the argument that the television show provoked anti vaccine ideologies and helped usher in the rise of far-right extremist groups and overall mistrust of government, as if there haven’t been enough actual events to provoke a little government mistrust even amongst the most pro government folks. Another example, on multiple occasions, the term era of “anti-intellectualism” is used which feels like a propaganda fueled, buzzword term to discredit any ideology that doesn’t fit with the agenda of the day. If you align politically with the author you’ll likely love the book, yet if you’re on the other side of the fence, its still a highly enjoyable book but be prepared for a handful of eyeroll inducing statements.

The book is an enjoyable read and I truly enjoyed the nostalgia aspect of reliving the show and the author’s enthusiasm towards it. The final section of the book was the high point for me, diving moreso into the history of the show, how it influenced other television/media, the various spinoffs, fan fiction and interaction. Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an advanced audio copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting book. I listened to the audio book, and the narrator was fantastic. I thought this was going to be an X-Files story, but it was a deep dive into the how and why each level of conspiracy in the show came about. This is not what I was expecting but was an enjoyable experience. It was well researched and thought out and makes me feel like I need to up my game in the researched paper department.

The X-Files The Truth is Still Out There
by Bethan Jones

A very vocal and descriptive fan, she has a broad look at the story of the creations and fandom of the x-files history. She begins with her own collection of X-files history and goes through the entire development of the series. She comments on its influence on society, television, and technology. She does explain problems in production, the movies, and the re-boot. The books and the media change how the story has grown from the television production. With authors providing many storylines and ideas that could not be used on the television network budget. Its a great retelling of the story and provides information for fans old and new.