Like most compilations, there are a few standout surprises than need to be recognized. The back-to-back performances of Species and Lifeforce (written by Christopher Young and Henry Mancini, respectively) are highlights of the compilation, with the extended end title variant on the main theme of Species served with the appropriately haunting choir. More ambitious is Lifeforce, with its driving, militaristic, and heroic theme well rendered here (though its tiring use to promote professional football games on television in 2006 has somewhat tarnished the theme's original purpose). Also highly praised through the years has been Prague's performance of Jerry Goldsmith's Capricorn One, one of the very best and most spirited in their history. The inclusion of The Black Hole is commendable; the original has never been released due to lost source tapes, and it's relatively strange to hear vibrant science-fiction music from John Barry anyway, so it's a fabulous stop on the CD. Breaking with the norm, Silva offers the "Han Solo and the Princess" concert arrangement from The Empire Strikes Back rather than the typical march, a far more interesting piece given the worn tread on the more famous theme. The only notably lackluster performances on this set are unfortunately Apollo 13 (poor selection of cue to perform), Enemy Mine (poor material to begin with), and Star Wars (just an off-kilter performance). After a gracious nod to Alex North's partially rejected 2001, the set embarks into the realm of Star Trek. The television themes are adequately portrayed (an obvious horn flub in Voyager is the only serious problem), though the most impressive performances are dedicated to the major motion picture scores. Lengthy tracks from The Wrath of Khan, The Final Frontier, and The Undiscovered Country are all very well done, though this logic largely follows the fact that those scores are among the best of the series anyway. The sound effects littered throughout the album are reminiscent of the Telarc/Erich Kunzel albums, and they likewise have little to do with the actual sounds from the films or shows. The ones on the first CD consist mostly of grinding noises... not suitable for real use as an annoyance for neighbors in your apartment. Overall, though, this set (and those in the series that followed) is outstanding, especially given that it's available on the used market for under five dollars as it reaches its tenth birthday.  *****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download