- Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: Pocket Books; 1st Pocket Books Pbk. Ed edition (3 Mar 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1416556478
- ISBN-13: 978-1416556473
- Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 11.3 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 553,517 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Guest-starring Worf from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Trek's most popular series, the most popular villains of the Star Trek universe take centre stage in this novel focusing on a complex and wide cast of characters from every level of life in the infamous Klingon Empire. From its highest echelons of power to its shocking depths, from its savagely aggressive military to its humble farmers; from the political machinations of galactic import to family strife, the Klingons are revealed as never before in a sweeping tale of intrigue, love, betrayal, and honour.
About the Author
Keith R.A. Decandido is a top genre author whose tie-in novels for Pocket include several Star Trek titles across all series as well as Buffy the Vampire Slayer novelizations. He is also known for his Star Trek: The Next Generation comicbook miniseries Perchance to Dream, and is the editor of several science-fiction and fantasy anthologies.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! My only complaint is that because it was entitled Star Trek: Klingon Empire, I thought that it was perhaps a new series but in fact it follows on from Diplomatic Implausibility (Star Trek, the Next Generation) and a trilogy of books called "IKS Gorkon" concerning the exploits of that ship and its crew. On the plus side, I now can't wait to go back and read all of these. You don't need to have read any of the other IKS Gorkon books to read this novel, but if they are half as good as this then I can say they would definitely be worth a read.
A Burning House follows on from the last IKS Gorkon book, Star Trek: The Next Generation: I.K.S. Gorkon: Enemy Territory Bk. 3 and deals with various members of the crew as they take shore leave. There are five strands, the frustrations of trying to be a good Klingon doctor, the perils of being a military advisor for an opera dramatising your own exploits, how to celebrate yopta' yupma' with family and guests, plus coming to terms with having a split personality and the aftermath of the break-up of the Klingon-Romulan colony on Carraya. Throw in a bit of Chancellor Martok, Ambassador Worf and a family dispute for Captain Klag and you have a wonderful mix of Klingon life in all its head-butting glory.
Anyone who likes Klingons will love this book (and if you don't then you are a useless petaQ!). It's a bit light on the great warrior exploits in all their gory detail, but it shows that there's more to being a good Klingon that splitting someone's head open and drowning in Blood Wine.
One final comment about the IKS Gorkon series. It's outrageous that these seem to be out of print. At the time of writing, Part 1 can only be bought 2nd hand, unless you want to pay £25 and it's not available as a Kindle edition!! Also parts 2 & 3 are available on Kindle but as paperbacks only through re-sellers at over £20 for new copies. Maybe they should have published in the original Klingon. After all, it's the only way to truly appreciate the literature.
A Burning House follows on from the last IKS Gorkon book, Star Trek: The Next Generation: I.K.S. Gorkon: Enemy Territory Bk. 3 and deals with various members of the crew as they take shore leave. There are five strands, the frustrations of trying to be a good Klingon doctor, the perils of being a military advisor for an opera dramatising your own exploits, how to celebrate yopta' yupma' with family and guests, plus coming to terms with having a split personality and the aftermath of the break-up of the Klingon-Romulan colony on Carraya. Throw in a bit of Chancellor Martok, Ambassador Worf and a family dispute for Captain Klag and you have a wonderful mix of Klingon life in all its head-butting glory.
Anyone who likes Klingons will love this book (and if you don't then you are a useless petaQ!). It's a bit light on the great warrior exploits in all their gory detail, but it shows that there's more to being a good Klingon that splitting someone's head open and drowning in Blood Wine.
One final comment about the IKS Gorkon series. It's outrageous that these seem to be out of print. At the time of writing, Part 1 can only be bought 2nd hand, unless you want to pay £25 and it's not available as a Kindle edition!! Also parts 2 & 3 are available on Kindle but as paperbacks only through re-sellers at over £20 for new copies. Maybe they should have published in the original Klingon. After all, it's the only way to truly appreciate the literature.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
16 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Behind the Scenes Among the Klingons
4 Mar 2008
Format:Mass Market Paperback
What is amazing about Star Trek books is that just when you think everything has been exhausted in books about The Original Series or The Next Generation, a whole series of books can illuminate a portion of the Star Trek universe. "A Burning House" is the fourth book in a series about the adventures of the captain and crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon, a Klingon Defense Force ship, and as such is relatively peripheral to the rest of Star Trek. But all the books in the series have been fascinating.
This latest epic would seem to start on a weak premise, the Gorkon is being repaired at the Klingon home world, and we follow the adventures of various members of the crew during their leave. So there are four or five different stories playing out here, but rather than giving the impression of being unfocused, instead they illuminate a number of different aspects of Klingon life, and do converge in some ways.
Two of the stories take us to places we haven't seen before, the lives of rural farmers and urban poor Klingons. Not every Klingon is a warrior and these commoners have very different lives, and often very different values, than those we have experienced before.
One danger in Star Trek books is that if authors make major changes in the lives of key characters, following books have to include those changes. So they better be worthwhile. This book takes up the case Worf's brother Kurn, who willingly surrendered his memories and took a new identity in a episode of "Deep Space Nine", and who has figured in the earlier three Gorkon books in his new identity. In this volume he gradually recovers the identity of Kurn, and the treatment of that process not only works in with the Gorkon story, it also fits well into the development of the Star Trek universe.
The secret planet Carraya, which Worf visited in two episodes of "The Next Generation", also plays a key role in this book, as do some of the people Worf found there.
Perhaps the highlight is a look at the Federation embassy on Qo'noS, and Worf as ambassador. Plus there's a nice scene on Deep Space 9 where Kurn confronts Dr. Bashir about the operation that removed his memory.
This book moves the Star Trek canon and is a fun read. The previous Gorkon book was published three years ago. Hopefully, if enough people buy this one, we won't have to wait quite so long for the next.
This latest epic would seem to start on a weak premise, the Gorkon is being repaired at the Klingon home world, and we follow the adventures of various members of the crew during their leave. So there are four or five different stories playing out here, but rather than giving the impression of being unfocused, instead they illuminate a number of different aspects of Klingon life, and do converge in some ways.
Two of the stories take us to places we haven't seen before, the lives of rural farmers and urban poor Klingons. Not every Klingon is a warrior and these commoners have very different lives, and often very different values, than those we have experienced before.
One danger in Star Trek books is that if authors make major changes in the lives of key characters, following books have to include those changes. So they better be worthwhile. This book takes up the case Worf's brother Kurn, who willingly surrendered his memories and took a new identity in a episode of "Deep Space Nine", and who has figured in the earlier three Gorkon books in his new identity. In this volume he gradually recovers the identity of Kurn, and the treatment of that process not only works in with the Gorkon story, it also fits well into the development of the Star Trek universe.
The secret planet Carraya, which Worf visited in two episodes of "The Next Generation", also plays a key role in this book, as do some of the people Worf found there.
Perhaps the highlight is a look at the Federation embassy on Qo'noS, and Worf as ambassador. Plus there's a nice scene on Deep Space 9 where Kurn confronts Dr. Bashir about the operation that removed his memory.
This book moves the Star Trek canon and is a fun read. The previous Gorkon book was published three years ago. Hopefully, if enough people buy this one, we won't have to wait quite so long for the next.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
A Fine Addition To Star Trek Literature
27 April 2008
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I have always in the past viewed Klingons as ruthless, and extremely violent to such an extent that the violence is all-encompassing. Well, I have to say that I have changed my mind, as Keith DeCandido has written an excellent account of many of the crew members of the I.K.S. Gorkon as their ship is in orbit around the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS undergoing repairs. These crew members, on leave, travel to various places and their activites really highlight Klingon society as a rational and compassionate civilization. Some are unpretentious farmers, some are higher ranking Klingon warriors, and some from the lowest ranks, all have great stories to share on leave.
I have to admit that when I bought this novel I did not realize that this is the fifth tale of the I.K.S. Gorkon, the first four were DIPLOMATIC IMPLAUSABILITY, A GOOD DAY TO DIE, HONOR BOUND, and ENEMY TERRITORY. I must find time to read them all!
I have to admit that when I bought this novel I did not realize that this is the fifth tale of the I.K.S. Gorkon, the first four were DIPLOMATIC IMPLAUSABILITY, A GOOD DAY TO DIE, HONOR BOUND, and ENEMY TERRITORY. I must find time to read them all!
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
One of the best Star Trek books ever!!!
2 Feb 2008
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
KRAD has truly created the Klingon Culture. This is the most realistic Klingon story ever in book or TV form. The book is about the crew of the I.K.S Gorkon while on Leave on Qronos. the book fineshes some of the story lines while creating new ones. The storys in the book are great from Klag, Toq, Rodek and Wol plus more with apperance from Worf and Martok. If you love Klingons you need to get this book.
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