"The Official Companion: Seasons 1 and 2"
by Terry J. Erdmann

In the tradition of his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, regarded by many Trek fans as one of the finest reference books produced, writer Terry J. Erdmann spotlights The 4400 in The Official Companion: Seasons 1 and 2, the first volume of a complete guide to the popular show.

Opening with a chronicle of the show's genesis, the main body of the book is an episode-by-episode guide, summarising plots and interviewing cast and crew about production. This is followed by sections discussing each of the main and recurring characters, and a lengthy general behind-the-scenes feature. There's also a foreword from Ira Steven Behr, an afterword from Scott Peters, and sixteen full-colour photo pages with some stunning publicity shots of the cast.

There are two main things I want to praise about this book, and the first is the sheer detail. Every episode and major character is covered in impressive depth; the story synopses are consice, and the behind the scenes information fascinating. Every stage of development of every element of the first two seasons is explained in detail, and the Companion really feels like a complete, nothing-left-out account of those early episodes.

The second is the excellent balance Erdmann achieves, in the information he presents and the way he presents it. He explains things from scratch, following the series as a whole, and each specific episode or character in particular, from the original concepts to the finished product. He guides the reader gently through the show's evolution, making the book instantly accessible and enjoyable for more causal fans. At the same time, there's enough detail and new information to make sure the hardened aficionados are satisfied too. All too often, reference books like these are over-simplified for newcomers, or are aimed solely at dedicated fans, alienating a large chunk of the potential audience; but Erdmann has got the balance exactly right, and all viewers of The 4400 should be able to enjoy this book.

And "enjoy" is definitely the right word, because it's a really pleasant book to read as well. It's easy to dip into the Companion and pick out some specific information, but it's also possible to read the book from cover to cover as one long narrative covering the first two seasons.

Criticisms? Only minor things spring to mind - the still images from episodes often look horrible in black and white, especially when the scenes depicted were shadowy in the first place, and fantastic moments are reduced to dull and grainy pictures on the page. I wouldn't have minded paying a little extra for a lavish full-colour version. And whilst it's by no means difficult to find what you're looking for, an index would be handy to speed things up a bit.

All in all, though, it's good stuff: eminently readable, accessible and enjoyable, this is a book that all fans of The 4400 should have on their shelf.