The X-Files FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Global Conspiracy, Aliens, Lazarus Species, and Monsters of the Week

by John Kenneth Muir

The X-Files FAQ explores Chris Carter's popular 1990s science-fiction TV series, which aired on Fox for nine seasons and inspired spin-offs, including feature films, TV shows, toys, novels, and comic books. The book explores the series in terms of its historical context and analyzes how many of the episodes tackle the events of their the Clinton era. The X-Files FAQ also tallies the episodes that are based on true stories, selects touchstone moments from the almost decade-long run, and organizes the series by its fantastic subject matter - from serial killers to aliens, from prehistoric menaces to ethnic and religious-based horrors. In addition, the book recalls the TV antecedents ( The Night Stalker) and descendants (Fringe) of The X-Files, examines the two feature films, and investigates Chris Carter's other creations, including Millennium, The Lone Gunmen, Harsh Realm, and The After. Featuring numerous stills and the show's most prominent writers and directors, The X-Files FAQ allows readers to relive the "Mytharc" conspiracy and the unforgettable monsters of the week - from the Fluke Man to the Peacocks.

Genres: Nonfiction

557 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2015

About the author

John Kenneth Muir (born 1969) is an American literary critic. He has written as of 2023 thirty two books, many in the fields of film and television, with a particular accent on the horror and science fiction genres. He has been described as one of the horror genre's "most widely read critics", and as an "accomplished film journalist". He is the creator of the 2023 audio drama Enter the House Between, as well as the new novellas based on the series.

Reviews

[Penny Cipolone · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book for die-hard X-Files fans (which I am). Pretty detailed accounts of many of the episodes and a good summary of the mytharc for the series. Also discusses derivatives TV shows as well as the two feature films in the franchise. Interesting overall but a slow read.

[Christopher Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Subtitle: All That’s Left to Know About Global Conspiracy, Aliens, Lazarus Species, and Monsters of the Week

Having concluded my re-watching of The X-Files series from beginning to end, I figured it was time to read a critical summary of the series to try to make some sense of it all.


The X-Files FAQ includes details about the series characters, stars, writers, and directors. While it isn’t a comprehensive episode guide, it does summarize each season and offers analysis of notable episodes from each season. In addition to all that, it also looks at the most frequent themes from the entire series run along with cultural and historical influences from the time frame covered by the series.

I gave The X-Files FAQ four stars on Goodreads. If offers a good overview of the series, but sometimes it seemed to go into too much depth. I think it could have benefitted from a little more aggressive editing.

[Horror DNA · Rating 4 out of 5]

The X-Files FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Global Conspiracy, Aliens, Lazarus Species, and Monsters of the Week delivers on its title. This book tackles everything, from the political climate that set the stage for Chris Carter's inspiration to Fox Mulder and Dana Scully action figure sets still available for diehard fans. John Kenneth Muir chronicles every season, pulling out the important details and episodes and deconstructing the "Mytharc" as it was slowly revealed over the nine years The X-Files was on the air.

You can read Karin's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Kandice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. I wish I could say ti was better than that, but I suspect the reason I can’t is that I was a bit obsessed enamored with The X-Files in the 90's. I read everything I could find about them so very little contained in these pages was new to me. I had read much of it before, but some was still fun to revisit.

My favorite section dealt with the episodes based in fact. Well, let’s step back a bit and qualify that. Chris Carter takes fact and blows it the hell up, but you know what I mean! Many of the story lines were ripped from the headlines and even though I knew it at the time, it was fun to be reminded of that.

I have delighted in watching the careers of the writers who worked on The X-Files flourish. I think a chapter about what they went on to do would have been a nice addition.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not an X-Files fan. As I'm working on a book about "alien visitor" films and TV, I have to watch it because it's a major part of that genre. As I can't watch every episode, this book was a help.
Muir takes the show season by season looking at the outstanding episodes, the "mytharc" and the series' development. He also tackles Carter's inspirations, the politics, the impact of X-Files on TV and so on.

[Nancy 6+ · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than just a synopsis of episodes, this book provides in-depth analysis of the show and its impact on, and reflection of, our culture as it was then and as it is now. Good points on why it has still stayed relevant after all these years.

[Tally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have been 5 stars if not for the large amount of editorial errors I spotted along the way (typos, missing punctuation marks and wrong episode / character names here and there). Regardless of those, very informative and insightful in places, every X Files fan will enjoy reading this. Too bad it was published before the revival season.

[Brad Mundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Muir's extensive knowledge of the series and movies is incredible. As well, his analytical ability provided me with real insights into episodes I had previously enjoyed. He is a good writer.