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Frak You! The Ultimate Unauthorised Guide To Battlestar Galactica by Jo Storm
01/03/2008 . Source: Tomas L. Martin 
Pub: ECW Press .251 page enlarged paperback. Price: £11.99 (UK), $17.95 (US), $19.95 (CAN). ISBN: 978-1-55022-789-5. Buy Frak You in the USA - or Buy Frak You in the UK  check out websites: www.ecwpress.com and www.turnaround-uk.com
I'm a big fan of the re-envisioned 'Battlestar: Galactica' and much of the show's related print and music material falls on my review pile. I've reviewed all three series' Official Companions and found them comprehensive and entertaining, with lots of inside info on Ron Moore and his team's work.
So when I received the delightfully titled 'Frak You!', I wasn't sure what more it could add to the canon. David Bassom, who wrote the Official Companions, had a great deal of access to the crew and especially the writers, giving him a lot of insight into how each episode developed. How could an unauthorised guide live up to that?
Jo Storm's 'The Ultimate Unauthorised Guide' has its moments. It's well-written and has a few good insights into the mythology and psychology of the show. Over the course of its 250 pages it covers a number of the main characters before delving into a headlong analysis of each episode of the first three seasons.
Each analysis reads more like an English essay than an official guide. Storm goes into huge in-depth discussions of how each little facet of the show links to Greek mythology, classic psychology and literature as well as more contemporary work and events.
Some of the time this is very interesting and makes you think again about an episode or character. Other times, it just seems to be trying too hard, making links where there aren't any. I was never much of a one for analysing literature at school. I often found the analysis found things that the writer probably didn't consider when writing the work. In the end, I preferred to just read and write fiction and enjoy it for what it is without over-analysing it.
There are some really big reaches of logic in here, such as relating the character 'Leoben' to the main character from 'Canticle For Leibowitz' because they are slightly similar names. I think the fact that the author chose to have a 'What's In A Name?' feature in each episode really left her clutching for straws after a while.
This is interesting in places and is well-written but ultimately goes far too far in trying to link every little event in 'Battlestar: Galactica' with its influences and hidden meanings. I appreciate the effort and those more into literature analysis might appreciate this book. Personally, I'd rather just sit back and watch the show.
Tomas L. Martin
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