Rating: Summary: Shimerman is impressive as a dramatic reader Review: A religious artifact of deep significance to the Bajorans is acquired by the Ferengi Grand Nagus and he puts it up for auction. When the Bajorans do not survive the first round bidding, they try to force the issue of obtaining it by expelling all Ferengi from Bajoran space. Conditions rapidly deteriorate until there is a declaration of war between the Ferengi and the Bajorans. Quark and Rom are caught up in the machinations and sent to a prison camp on Bajor, where they are tortured. The Federation is involved, where they use all of their influence to avoid a catastrophe. This story is one of the more original of the DSN series, revealing some aspects of the Ferengi and Bajoran cultures and how much they differ. Shimerman was much better at dramatic reading than I expected. I associate his voice with the Ferengi, so I had initial doubts as to the quality of his reading in the roles of people such as the Federation officers and Bajoran government officials. His changes of tone and cadence are quite good, adding a great deal to the dramatic effect of the story. I enjoyed the tape and recommend it to all Star Trek fans.
Rating: Summary: Outstanding! A must read for all DS9 fans. Review: Ferengi and Bajorans on the brink of intersteller war with the crew of DS9 caught in the middle, and Quark and Rom interned in a prison camp. Suspense, action, excellent pacing, and well drawn characters. This is an extremely well written and thoroughly engrossing book.
Rating: Summary: The Rules Review: I liked this book. It was great to learn more about someone else then the Federation. That is what the writers of Star Trek should more often.
Rating: Summary: Who doesn't love the Ferengi? Review: I love this story it is one the best Deep Space Nine books ever written. The Ferengi are my most favorite race in the entire star trek universe who else could stab you in the back(in a business deal) and make you laugh at the same time. This book has both a good plot and plently of humor in typical Quark fashion.
Rating: Summary: One of the books Review: I really liked this one. Quark is a great character and a fair representation of the capitalistic world we live in brought to a fiuture where that rampant greed isn't necessary. It was nice to see the further development of the character by the man who played the character.
Rating: Summary: Can Quark prevent a war ? Review: I'm not a huge fan of David R. George III (his first fire & ice book was really great but i lost interest somewhere halfway throug book 3), but he's really good in plotting, thinking out long-running scemes and strategies. And since it was just the one book, I thought he could not make it sooo difficult with plots, sub-plots, sub-sub-plots,... that I con't follow. I was mostly right. The story is complicated (or maybe it's just me, I'm nog a big scemer myself), and some parts of it are still unclear to me, but I liked it. It's a page-turner, allthough you know the big lines of how it's going to end (all the main characters still played in seizons to come), it keeps you wowndering, wanting to finish it in one haul (wich was not doable for me, I don't have that much free time).
Armin Shimmerman (the actor who plays Quark), gives the book an extra dimention, because he KNOWS Quark, he's been playing him for years, he knows how the character works, what he can and won't do...
But it's not just about Quark. It also deals with the other main characters, like Rom, Sisko, Odo and Kira and raises some racial issues: does Sisko see Quark as Quark or as just another Ferengi, whith all the prejudices that come with that term ?
Rating: Summary: The Best Trek novel... Review: I've said it before and I'll say it again...in terms of Trek books, I'm glad DS9 has ended. That show had so much more depth and potential for interesting stories than the other Trek incarnations, and now that it's over, authors are daring to do something relatively new in the overcrowded, formulaic Trek series -- come up with a plot.Until now, just about every book is, so and so on the Enterprise must solve/find this before the galaxy is destroyed. Not only is it episodic and boring, but it's repetitive. 34th rule gives us a welcome break. Spanning not the typical couple of days, but a full 2-3 months, this book gives us the absolute best character development we've seen yet in a book, and brings in racism and the Ferengi like we've never seen them before. There is some genuine suspense, and a very interesting, if convoluted, little war. And don't skip this book thinking it's going to be a farce like the "Ferengi episodes" in the show. It's not, in fact, Quark is barely in the second part. There's also a running joke throughout the book where Ferengi that Armin has previously portrayed in TNG show up. The only negative point in this book is that the whole Colonal Mitra thing is never really cleared up. Other than that it's fantastic. Read it.
Rating: Summary: The best DS9 story (not just novel) ever told! Review: In the 34TH RULE, Armin Shimermann and David George have crafted the finest DS9 story ever told in any medium, be it television or novels. This is the novel that, even if you hate DS9, you will love to read; it works at a frantic pace and deals with deep matters in a rational way. This is the ultimate Quark story; here Quark isn't the bumbling fool he's been portrayed as for so long on the series, instead we see him as a character with real dramatic potential who is put into the middle of an explosive situation and has to find a way to survive and overcome. Simultaneously, the novel returns us to the political maneuverings on Bajor which have fallen by the wayside on the series and deal with the political climate adroitly. If you haven't bought this book yet, you'd be well-served if you did, and you'll thank me for it later.
Rating: Summary: Among the top five Trek books I've read! Review: The 34th Rule is simply one of the best Trek books ever written. Pocket books made a mistake with this one, in that it should not have been a numbered paperback. This one clearly should've been a hardback. Once again, another example of DS9 not getting the respect it's due! That being said, if you're a Star Trek fan and a Deep Space Nine fan in particular, this is a must read. This book has everything a reader want's in a book, mystery, suspense and a really good plot line that moves with fluidic perfection. Of course, the author's captured Quark perfectly, given the circumstances of the plot. They really captured Rom and his reactions to the circumstances. I would recommend this book to any and all Star Trek fans. Overall an excellent read and thank you very much to the author's for this one. Hopefully they will be teaming up in the future for another!
Rating: Summary: intriguing Review: This book would make an excellent espionage/thriller. In many ways, the plot reminds me of something Frederick Forsyth would write. Perhaps the authors may have read some books by him. The twists and surprising revelations at the end of this novel would satisfy any fan of intrigue and espionage. I honesty had no idea what was going to happen from chapter to chapter. A highly valued religious artifact (the 9th orb of the prophets) which originated on the planet Bajor gets into the hands of the head of the Faringi Alliance (grand Negus Zek). Bajor then asks for it back since it belongs to them and Negus purchased it on the black market. Negus then places the item in an auction. Unsatisfied with the amount Bejor would be willing to pay for the orb, Negus bars them from the auction. This angers the head of Bejor (Shakaar) and causes friction between Faringis and Bejorans. The Bejorans and Faringis then start to trade blows with one another. Relations between the Faringi and Bejorans get worse and it affects Quark's relations with Kira as well as with others on DS9. Quark plays a significant role in this story because he knows Negus Zek very well. Rom, Quark's brother also plays a significant part. In watching DS9, I remember Rom as a very simple-minded Faringi but this story shows a different side of him. Rom's character in this book is very consistent with the way I remember him on the TV show, but he is portrayed as a very courageous individual who has intelligent things to say. Also, this is the first time I've witnessed anger from Rom.
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