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librarykate's review against another edition
4.0
The thing that impressed me the most about this story and especially the audiobook was how well Shimerman understands the characters of his fellow actors. I thought that everything that happened in this story fit perfectly within the world of DS9. I especially loved his imitation of the actors around him him. He imitated Zek and Rom to perfection. Sisko and Odo were practically perfect. I enjoyed it very much.
happentobeshort's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Listening to this in audiobook format read by ARMIN SHIMMERMAN HIMSELF was probably the best way for me to enjoy this book. His impersonations of everyone else on DS9 had me cackling so much. And the fact that he wrote it too??? KING SHIT. This book is a rare dive into Quark as a person and not Quark as a caricature which really endeared me to him a bit more. Not that I didn't like him before, love that big eared fool I do. I could have totally seen this as an episode or two parter even on DS9, which I think is what most ST novels should strive for. Just my onion...
sailsgoboom's review against another edition
4.0
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves the character Quark, but also loves sadness and watching him suffer. It's not a particularly well-written book (uneven pacing, unnecessary description, plot holes), but the characterization of everyone is spot-on and there are some surprising twists, which makes it work. This book was quite the ride, and I enjoyed it immensely.
leaflibrary's review against another edition
4.0
I've grown accustomed to the usual Star Trek formula that relegates Ferengi-led episodes to comedic efforts. DS9, of course, was always at the forefront of Ferengi representation, fleshing out its large-lobed characters and moving away (if only slightly) from TNG's bumbling, cartoonish capitalist villains. Still, it's a safe bet that in any given episode or book, featured Ferengi will serve as comic reief.
The 34th Rule is a stark exception. Despite starring familiar Ferengi (and even being written by the most famous Ferengi actor!), the tone of this book is anything but light. Instead, it's one that follows the extremes of our favorite characters and cultures to their logical conclusion, and no one comes out looking good.
Grand Nagus Zek has acquired Bajor's Orb of Wisdom, and he's auctioning it off to the highest bidder. Unfortunately for the Bajorans, that doesn't include them. Tensions escalate and a cold war erupts. Soon any remaining Ferengi on Bajor - or it's space station - will be striped of their business licenses and shipped to labor camps around the planet. It's up to the crew of Deep Space Nine to solve the stand-off and restore peace to Bajor.
The plot sounds simple, and it ties up neatly, but along the way we're treated to a jarring misadventure: the dark underbelly of our comfortable DS9 routine. Suddenly themes we've been taught to casually laugh off over the course of the series come to dangerous (if realistic) conclusions. Ferengi greed warps into something that could start wars and deprive spiritual people of gifts from their gods. War-ravaged Bajor becomes so obsessed with reclaiming its stolen identity that it mimics the very oppressors who destroyed it. Disdain for Ferengi culture, commonplace among our main cast, allows atrocities to occur with little concern elicited. It implicates favorite characters like Odo, Kira, O'Brien, Sisko, but also ourselves as audience, blindly laughing along.
No where is this seen better than at the newly-created Ferengi internment camps. I'm a big fan of the Bajorans, and disliked seeing them on the defensive. I especially balked at the idea that they would reopen Gallitep, the most notorious labor camp of the Cardassian Occupation, and imprison another species there just years after escaping it themselves. It was also upsetting to shift from Quark and Rom, the rascally and unwitting comic relief, to Quark and Rom, the tortured death camp prisoners. I know that was the point - that they hadn't done anything wrong, and were merely being rounded up because of their race - but it was painful to read.
Perhaps the worst part, however, was the incredible fact that no one on Deep Space Nine ever bothered to follow up on what happened with the Ferengi. It's not clear whether they realized the brothers (among others) were imprisoned on Bajor, but regardless they never seemed saddened or concerned by the duo's forced absence from DS9. This, of course, is the crux of the book. That even in Utopian Starfleet, even on this progressive space station at the edge of the galaxy, a hierarchy exists, and much of it is built on race. Ferengi are the low men on the totem pole, the punch lines and punching bags, the nuisances we need around to create comic relief. We don't want to think it's racism when Odo or Kira or even Sisko dismisses Quark's concerns, but the book makes it clear it's exactly that.
In the end, of course, everything comes out alright. The world is reset. And maybe that's the most disturbing part of all. We know that next time Quark complains or Rom takes a prat fall, the crew of DS9 will laugh or roll their eyes. And we will too.
The 34th Rule is a stark exception. Despite starring familiar Ferengi (and even being written by the most famous Ferengi actor!), the tone of this book is anything but light. Instead, it's one that follows the extremes of our favorite characters and cultures to their logical conclusion, and no one comes out looking good.
Grand Nagus Zek has acquired Bajor's Orb of Wisdom, and he's auctioning it off to the highest bidder. Unfortunately for the Bajorans, that doesn't include them. Tensions escalate and a cold war erupts. Soon any remaining Ferengi on Bajor - or it's space station - will be striped of their business licenses and shipped to labor camps around the planet. It's up to the crew of Deep Space Nine to solve the stand-off and restore peace to Bajor.
The plot sounds simple, and it ties up neatly, but along the way we're treated to a jarring misadventure: the dark underbelly of our comfortable DS9 routine. Suddenly themes we've been taught to casually laugh off over the course of the series come to dangerous (if realistic) conclusions. Ferengi greed warps into something that could start wars and deprive spiritual people of gifts from their gods. War-ravaged Bajor becomes so obsessed with reclaiming its stolen identity that it mimics the very oppressors who destroyed it. Disdain for Ferengi culture, commonplace among our main cast, allows atrocities to occur with little concern elicited. It implicates favorite characters like Odo, Kira, O'Brien, Sisko, but also ourselves as audience, blindly laughing along.
No where is this seen better than at the newly-created Ferengi internment camps. I'm a big fan of the Bajorans, and disliked seeing them on the defensive. I especially balked at the idea that they would reopen Gallitep, the most notorious labor camp of the Cardassian Occupation, and imprison another species there just years after escaping it themselves. It was also upsetting to shift from Quark and Rom, the rascally and unwitting comic relief, to Quark and Rom, the tortured death camp prisoners. I know that was the point - that they hadn't done anything wrong, and were merely being rounded up because of their race - but it was painful to read.
Perhaps the worst part, however, was the incredible fact that no one on Deep Space Nine ever bothered to follow up on what happened with the Ferengi. It's not clear whether they realized the brothers (among others) were imprisoned on Bajor, but regardless they never seemed saddened or concerned by the duo's forced absence from DS9. This, of course, is the crux of the book. That even in Utopian Starfleet, even on this progressive space station at the edge of the galaxy, a hierarchy exists, and much of it is built on race. Ferengi are the low men on the totem pole, the punch lines and punching bags, the nuisances we need around to create comic relief. We don't want to think it's racism when Odo or Kira or even Sisko dismisses Quark's concerns, but the book makes it clear it's exactly that.
In the end, of course, everything comes out alright. The world is reset. And maybe that's the most disturbing part of all. We know that next time Quark complains or Rom takes a prat fall, the crew of DS9 will laugh or roll their eyes. And we will too.
reanne's review against another edition
I read this book several years ago (don't remember when exactly) because I was interested to read a ST book about a character written by the actor who plays him. I felt like it gave it more authority or something. Unfortunately, all I remember about reading this book is that it was super boring and it seemed like every time something interesting was about to happen, the story cut away from that character and it when it came back to them, the interesting thing had passed and they were now doing something boring again. I ended up skip-skimming by probably half-way through.
But then, it's got three writers, which is *at least* one more than any novel needs.
But then, it's got three writers, which is *at least* one more than any novel needs.
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