Movies are just so much more exciting when turned into interactive pop-up books.

I tend to frequent antique book shops for the unique Star Trek books they get in. I recently got this Motion Picture pop-up book for a mere ten dollars: (click images to enlarge)

Best find ever. I will read this to my children.

The story is vague almost to the point of error, but the book is fun to look at none the less. Allow me to take you on a magical journey into the world of pop-up magic.

You walk home from the antique shop, holding on to your prize and trying to keep it dry in the rain. Finally you find some shelter, and give in - you open the book.

Suddenly, two Klingon cruisers jump out at you! Gee-whiz, the effect is so real!

It's like they're coming right at you. Or something.

You turn the page, anticipating fun-times galore. You are not disappointed - pull tabs appear! You spend ten minutes making the travel pod travel to and from the enterprise, and opening the sticky door.

True to the movie, the door only opens part way. Now that is what I call quality.

You finally turn another page, engaging in childish delights. You see... the transporter room! My goodness, it is like you are right there! But wait... there's trouble! you pull the tab back and forth, replicating the transporter trouble that killed poor Vice Admiral Lori Ciana (misspelled Ciani in the novelization) and Xon/Sonak  

Note: there is some discrepancy as to whether the character was Xon or Sonak. In the Motion Picture novel he is named Sonak, however many other sources name him as Xon, the Vulcan who was to replace Spock in the planned series, Star Trek: Phase II.

The drama! Starfleet should have checked with the Enterprise before beaming people up. I blame them.

What intense interactive surprises await us on the next page?

None. But there is a pop-up enterprise.

It just doesn't measure up.

You don't worry too much about that lack of excitement, however. As you turn the page you see that you, you yourself, must assist the enterprise in blasting the wormhole! You pull the tab, folding out an explosion. It is a technical masterpiece, and you marvel over it for hours. Wormhole. Pull... KABOOM!

Interactivities, gaze in wonder as with a swift motion I blast a wormhole into oblivion. I am all powerful.

Cower at my might, puny earthlings.

You then look to the other side of the page, and come face to face with one of your favorite Vulcans - Spock. He controls his emotions, but you find that YOU are in charge of his eyebrows. Hilarity ensues as you pull the tab controlling his reactions, and the eyebrows go high above his bangs (they do go higher than shown in the picture).

Mr. Spock reacts to all the excitement in his usual way...

My golly, that is quite the expression! I wish my eyebrows looked like that. Or not.

Turn the page, and you can control the "mysterious ship", teasing the Enterprise for hours on end. Pull the tab, and it opens... but will it stay open long enough for the Enterprise to get through? You realize that you are in control of that now, and the enterprise just sits there, waiting.

And of course, we all know what is through the opening right?

If you don't, you are about to find out!

Finally - flip to the last page, and the final scene rises - slowly, just to be dramatic. You see V'ger, surrounded by the landing party in all their glory. Spock is on the far right, but the illustration makes his cheeks look bizarre and chubby (once again, click to enlarge).

The landing party finally finds V'ger!

The book ends there, leaving out much of the story. I would have liked to see at least a couple more pages, but it is still an epically amusing book.

Note: I was watching Trekkies the other day (for the first time) and I noticed as one boy was going through his collection that he had the pop-up book as well. I don't know why, but I found that really exciting and special. Human emotions are illogical.