Rating: 
Summary: A cautionary tale,
Review: a parable if you will, on the dangers of placing to much importance on the historical literality of our mytho-historical cultural icons.Most people would understand and agree, for instance, that it neither lessens nor invalidates the importance of either George Washington or the quality of honesty if he did not, in fact, chop down a cherry tree and then unequivocally plead guilty to having done so as a child, nor does it lessen his importance in the winning of the American Revolution if he did not, in fact, throw a silver dollar across the Delaware (Potomac?) River. Yet unfortunately, just as this books finds many Klingons struggling with the validity of the qualities that they've been brought up to believe in -- honor and courage and valor -- when it is discovered that their mytho-historical proto-Klingon, Kahless, did not in literal fact climb an erupting volcano in order to singe a lock of his hair, nor spin the first bat'telh, a Klingon edged weapon deadlier than a sword, out of said lava-singed strands of hair, and worse, was not a paragon of honor himself, but just a (reasonably decent) fellow, struggling to get from day to day until fate caught him up in a revolution, so many people of our own culture feel that it would somehow invalidate the value of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" if the historical Jesus Christ did not, in fact, literally, physically, rise from the dead after three days. That it would render "Love thy neighbor as thyself" less meaningful if he did not, literally, feed a multitude with a few loaves and fishes. That if he was not literally born of a virgin, or did not literally raise Lazarus from the dead, it would make "The meek shall inherit the earth" or "blessed are the peacemakers" any less valid. Those portions of the Bible (and there are many of them) that contain beauty, truth, and wisdom, do so regardless of the literal inerrancy of the "history" recorded. And those parts that do not (such as "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live") are vile and invalid, regardless. The message is neither improved nor damaged by the accuracy of the story it is set in. And this story is a marvellous vehicle for making that point. Well-told, well-written, it's truly a joy to have read.
Rating:
Summary: Great book! Read my review!
Review: Hi everyone, and especially the guys at Amazon who are going(hopefully) to read this. Any idiot can see by my rating that I'm aTrekkie (1) and I think this is a good book (2). So now you ask me what it's about, eh? Well, I'll start with this: The Klingons have their own version of Jesus Christ: Kahless the Unforgettable, who was the greatest warrior of all time. Half the book is about him and half is about the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise (fanfare). So, you ask, what to the Enterprise crewmembers do? Well, the Klingons uncover Kahless's autobiography which denounces him as a fraud. The Klingon population begins to riot and terrorists start killing people. Most uncool. Picard, Worf and the genetic clone of Kahless kill the instigators of the terror. Meanwhile, Kahless's real history is described. He was really a simple man who just didn't want to kill a bunch of peasants and became an outlaw: a Klingon Robin Hood. How noble. The point is that his supposed wisdom all came from his friend Morath. All Kahless was was just a leader. The legends were all lies. In the 24th century, the good ol' peaceful Klingons (ha, ha) calm down after the instigators get killed and live happily ever after, even though Kahless was a fraud. Worf and the clone come to terms with the scrolls and announce that Kahless was a great leader anyway. Thank you very much for taking your time to read this. You can now do something else (but please be a Good Samaritan and recommend this book to the authorities.)
Rating: 
Summary: Care Less
Review: I like science-fiction featuring creatively-developed alien species and cultures. I like battle action featuring descriptive hand-to-hand combat with edged weapons. I like well-wrought prose that makes even the most fanciful fiction seem real. And I enjoy posting carefully-crafted reviews for books which meet these criteria. Which is why I can sum up my opinion of "Kahless" in one sentence: This Book Rots Out Loud! There's a Klingon on the cover, but certainly none inside. The people in this book are not the least bit *alien*, but merely boring, recycled Humans from a stereotypical Heroic Age replete with the obligatory half-naked serving wenches. The character on the cover bears a bladed weapon, and he looks like a warrior. There are combat scenes in the book, but it is clear the author has zero knowledge of battle strategy or martial-arts technique. It's all a mindless melee of sword-swinging, no description anywhere of actual fighting moves to draw the reader into the action. And the prose is abominable: here stands Kahless... "a Klingon in all his earthly glory." As I said, no aliens here. There's a B-story about the interaction of 24th-century Klingons with the Starfleet personnel of Next Generation. It's only marginally less tedious than the bogus Heroic Age tripe. I forced myself to keep reading this book, hoping it would improve, all the way to the final loathesome paragraphs: "As he returned Alexander to his room, Worf basked in the glow of his progeny." If you like the Klingons, and want to read about their truly alien culture and values, read John M. Ford's "The Final Reflection".
Rating: 
Summary: read to understand them
Review: If you are a Klingon fan, you'll want to read this. People read The Godfather to understand Italians, well read Kahless to understand Klingons
Rating:
Summary: qaStaHvIS wa? ram loS SaD Hugh SIjlaH qetboh Ilod
Review: qaStaHvIS wa' ram loS SaD Hugh SIjlaH qetboh Ilod..... Introduction
Just like Michael Jan Friedman said, in the early goings in the book (and I paraphrase) - "Don't ask me, I don't know what it means either." However, reading "Kahless" brought me closer to understanding these fascinating fictional folks, the Klingons. I have to admit to not being a hard-core Star Trek fan but I do have a nagging fascination with Klingons. Enigmatic at first, "Kahless" by Friedman brings the legend of Kahless, the Klingons empire's greatest warrior (and in the process the whole Klingon lore and history) to presence for the reader - at least this reader. If you are not familiar with such notables as Molor (the original Kahless' former king and father to the slain Starad), Morath (his trusted friend and ally - to the end), Kellein (the one and only love of his life, who via their amulet saved his life even from beyond), the Duras family (the real p' tahk - I am assuming this means traitor (see p. 269)), and Gowron (the leader of the Klingons, who through his alliance with the Federation, now find his Empire under threat of treachery), this tour de force will certainly change all that. Summary
Having heard two conspirators speaking of treachery in a seedy diner at Tolar'tu, Kahless (the clone) seeks the assistance of Picard and Worf. Having discovered that treachery was afoot, he could trust no one within the Klingon empire. Picard is skeptical as Gowron had hand-picked the leaders of the Defense Force for their loyalty. This prompts Kahless (the clone) to reply, "That is why they call it treachery!" Having said all that, Friedman juxtaposes what he calls "The Heroic Age" (as opposed to "The Modern Age" as described above) to explore the real problematic of the book - the scrolls. The Klingons, having recently discovered "The Scrolls" are right in the middle of what might be called an ontological crisis. The Kahless of "The Modern Age" is actually a clone and is now discredited. The juxtaposition brings us closer to the historical Kahless. We are now knee deep in Klingon lore. Analysis
I have to admit that the book was a wonderful diversion and is a great contrast to other heavier reading. It was somewhat predictable, as we knew right of the bat, who the good guys are and who the bad guys are - on both "Ages." The juxtaposition was a great technique and allowed Friedman license to cross some boundaries and give us this eye opener. Much like the other Star Trek episodes, it call to question lots of issues and brings a lot of social commentary within what I would call a literary Neutral Zone. Friedman calls to question what is "real" and what is "fabricated." He also calls to question what relevance lore and myth have to our understanding and construction of self. Friedman writes (p. 303): The clone eyed Worf, " I am indebted to you in particular, son of Mogh."
The lieutenant looked at him, "Me?" he echoed.
"Yes, It was you who made me see the truth -- that it is not the myth that bolster belief in Kahless, but rather the idea of Kahless that bolsters belief in the myths." Inevitably, and I am not certain that this was intentional on Friedman's part but a parallel can be drawn with the Dead Sea Scrolls perhaps calling to question the historic Jesus. What impact would that have on us all, if we found out that the historic Jesus was not what we have read him to be in myth? Mind you, I have to be careful about making comparisons between the fictional Kahless and the symbolic Jesus -- as the two cannot be further from each other - or are they? Anyway, the crisis of faith would be similar and the ontological issues, identical. There is also the issue of the impact of cloning (the return of the Kahless clone) and what might happen should we be able to bring back from the dead and what impact that would have on our "prime directive." Conclusion
I am not certain that any deeper philosophical meaning can be deemed intentional by Friedman but certainly Nietzschean notions are present. The non-judgmental nature of Picard's analysis of the Klingons leaves out a sense of moralizing on his part. They are in touch with their Dionysian side way more than the Vulcans could ever be (being in touch with their more Apollonian side). Without oversimplifying Nietzsche, the contrasting energies of Apollo and Dionysus form the antithetical energies that give us both passion and reason - the two forces that allow us to escape "death without dying." Anyway, maybe reading too much into a Star Trek book but it was certainly good enough to prompt me to read, analyze and critique - and I highly recommend it. For those interested in Klingons, there is also an interactive adventure 3 CD ROM set (also available on Amazon.com). Miguel Llora
Rating:
Summary: STNG Kahless - A Star Trek story that needed to be told!
Review: Star Trek's most prolific author, Michael Jan Friedman, in "Kahless" takes on the task of telling the tale of Kahless the Unforgettable which is a story that, while unfortunately is was not explored thoroughly in either The Next Generation or Deep Space Nine, needed to be told! While Star Trek The Next Generation and the character of Worf did a great amount in furthering our knowledge of the Klingons and their culture, with Worf making the move over to Star Trek Deep Space Nine at the beginning of the fourth season did so much more in furthering that knowledge but it also brought up some serious contradictions. As this novel was probably finished somewhere around February of 1996 and Deep Space Nines fourth season started only a short time before that, there are definitely "some" contradictions, but they're minor. As is usual with a Michael Jan Friedman novel, the premise, plot setup, execution and pacing are all extremely well done in this novel, the only detractor being some of the fight scenes which aren't played out to the author's usual high standard. The cover art for this novel is pretty good for the time in which it was published. The Star Trek History: For those that may not be entirely familiar with the story of Kahless the Unforgettable and how his character came into play during Star Trek The Next Generation's run on television. Late in the fifth season of STNG, one of the most intriguing and telling episodes of the series aired, "Rightful Heir." In this episode, Worf had recently lost his faith after his experience on Carraya IV and finds himself not performing his duties very well. He chooses to take leave to go to the Klingon monastery on Boreth, the Klingon spiritual world to seek Kahless. As legend described, as he lay dying, Kahless promised his return and pointed to the star in which Boreth revolves. After several days of seeking Kahless, Worf becomes even more despondent when Kahless doesn't appear to him. As he is about to give up, Kahless comes to him, not in a vision but in flesh and blood. After much political intrigue, Kahless is discovered to be a clone when Gowron, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, easily defeats him in hand to hand combat. Through great lengths on Worf's part and in an effort to save the flailing empire, Gowron allows the Kahless clone to take the ceremonial role of Emperor of the Klingon Empire. STNG Kahless - The premise: The Klingon Empire and its culture is one that steeped in legend and tradition. Much of that tradition of honor is placed in the tales of Kahless the Unforgettable who is in essence the one Klingon that their religion is based upon. When the monks on Boreth cloned Kahless, they gave him all of this myth and legend as memories of his own. With these memories, Kahless the clone now sits upon the ceremonial thrown of the Klingon Empire, leading the empire spiritually. A recent archaeological dig uncovered a scroll, presumably written by Kahless himself. This scroll, once made public, puts everything the Klingons believe in into to question as it is blasphemous to every tale ever told about Kahless. As the dissent starts to mount, Kahless the clone discovers a plot against him and, seeing treachery everywhere in the empire, he seeks the aid of Captain Picard and Lieutenant Worf. What follows from there is a well told story in which Michael Jan Friedman takes us back and forth between the "Modern" age and the "Heroic" age, weaving the tale and plight of the Kahless of legend and the Kahless of today. I highly recommend this novel as it serves well to further the story of Kahless the Unforgettable; it is essentially a story in the Star Trek mythos that "needed" to be told! {ssintrepid}
Rating:
Summary: STNG Kahless - A Star Trek story that needed to be told!
Review: Star Trek's most prolific author, Michael Jan Friedman, in "Kahless" takes on the task of telling the tale of Kahless the Unforgettable which is a story that, while unfortunately is was not explored thoroughly in either The Next Generation or Deep Space Nine, needed to be told! While Star Trek The Next Generation and the character of Worf did a great amount in furthering our knowledge of the Klingons and their culture, with Worf making the move over to Star Trek Deep Space Nine at the beginning of the fourth season did so much more in furthering that knowledge but it also brought up some serious contradictions. As this novel was probably finished somewhere around February of 1996 and Deep Space Nines fourth season started only a short time before that, there are definitely "some" contradictions, but they're minor. As is usual with a Michael Jan Friedman novel, the premise, plot setup, execution and pacing are all extremely well done in this novel, the only detractor being some of the fight scenes which aren't played out to the author's usual high standard. The cover art for this novel is pretty good for the time in which it was published. The Star Trek History: For those that may not be entirely familiar with the story of Kahless the Unforgettable and how his character came into play during Star Trek The Next Generation's run on television. Late in the fifth season of STNG, one of the most intriguing and telling episodes of the series aired, "Rightful Heir." In this episode, Worf had recently lost his faith after his experience on Carraya IV and finds himself not performing his duties very well. He chooses to take leave to go to the Klingon monastery on Boreth, the Klingon spiritual world to seek Kahless. As legend described, as he lay dying, Kahless promised his return and pointed to the star in which Boreth revolves. After several days of seeking Kahless, Worf becomes even more despondent when Kahless doesn't appear to him. As he is about to give up, Kahless comes to him, not in a vision but in flesh and blood. After much political intrigue, Kahless is discovered to be a clone when Gowron, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, easily defeats him in hand to hand combat. Through great lengths on Worf's part and in an effort to save the flailing empire, Gowron allows the Kahless clone to take the ceremonial role of Emperor of the Klingon Empire. STNG Kahless - The premise: The Klingon Empire and its culture is one that steeped in legend and tradition. Much of that tradition of honor is placed in the tales of Kahless the Unforgettable who is in essence the one Klingon that their religion is based upon. When the monks on Boreth cloned Kahless, they gave him all of this myth and legend as memories of his own. With these memories, Kahless the clone now sits upon the ceremonial thrown of the Klingon Empire, leading the empire spiritually. A recent archaeological dig uncovered a scroll, presumably written by Kahless himself. This scroll, once made public, puts everything the Klingons believe in into to question as it is blasphemous to every tale ever told about Kahless. As the dissent starts to mount, Kahless the clone discovers a plot against him and, seeing treachery everywhere in the empire, he seeks the aid of Captain Picard and Lieutenant Worf. What follows from there is a well told story in which Michael Jan Friedman takes us back and forth between the "Modern" age and the "Heroic" age, weaving the tale and plight of the Kahless of legend and the Kahless of today. I highly recommend this novel as it serves well to further the story of Kahless the Unforgettable; it is essentially a story in the Star Trek mythos that "needed" to be told! {ssintrepid}
Rating:
Summary: ST: TNG Kahless
Review: Star Trek: The Next Generation Kahless written by Michael Jan Friedman is a Klingon adventure par excellence. Yes, we've been hearing about Kahless the Unforgettable the legendary warrior who united the Klingon people and taught them about honor. Well, now they've cloned Kahless for this adventure and Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Lieutenant Worf are thrown into the thick of things as certain civil unrest is fomenting and is threatening to tear the Klingon empire apart. If you like to read about Klingons, their society and culture, this is a book for you. This book takes you through the Klingon past, some one thousand five hundred years ago and tells a tale far different than the Klingon legends of today. This book takes you on an adventure steepped in resplendent Klingon lore. As this adventure revolves around Kahless the man and myth, whether directly or vicariously how was Kahless to be believed. You see, there are scrolls that dispute the validity of Kahless. Ah, but now Picard, Worf and the cloned Kahless try to settle the unrest and come up with a plan to quell the countratdiction, as the truth behind the legend of the Klingon Empire's greatest warrior. This is an interesting story, revealing much information and there are interesting historical figures here as well, one in particular is Morath. I can give away the ending of the book, but pay attention to Morath. All in all, this book is a must if you follow the Klingons in Star Trek. A well told story that has some very interesting turns and twists.
Rating:
Summary: ST: TNG Kahless
Review: Star Trek: The Next Generation Kahless written by Michael Jan Friedman is a Klingon adventure par excellence. Yes, we've been hearing about Kahless the Unforgettable the legendary warrior who united the Klingon people and taught them about honor. Well, now they've cloned Kahless for this adventure and Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Lieutenant Worf are thrown into the thick of things as certain civil unrest is fomenting and is threatening to tear the Klingon empire apart. If you like to read about Klingons, their society and culture, this is a book for you. This book takes you through the Klingon past, some one thousand five hundred years ago and tells a tale far different than the Klingon legends of today. This book takes you on an adventure steepped in resplendent Klingon lore. As this adventure revolves around Kahless the man and myth, whether directly or vicariously how was Kahless to be believed. You see, there are scrolls that dispute the validity of Kahless. Ah, but now Picard, Worf and the cloned Kahless try to settle the unrest and come up with a plan to quell the countratdiction, as the truth behind the legend of the Klingon Empire's greatest warrior. This is an interesting story, revealing much information and there are interesting historical figures here as well, one in particular is Morath. I can give away the ending of the book, but pay attention to Morath. All in all, this book is a must if you follow the Klingons in Star Trek. A well told story that has some very interesting turns and twists.
Rating:
Summary: Klingons and bit of there history
Review: The story of Khaless and the mythos of his character are enplained in this tale, no time travel no inconsistencies with the timeline, just plain old fashion greek tragedy told in the light of an alien culture.
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