Devil's Heart (Star Trek: The Next Generation) [Paperback]

Carmen Carter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 7, 1994 | Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Devil's Heart is a legendary object of unsurpassed power whose location has always remained a mystery. But a dying scientist's last words put the USS Enterprise in the middle of a frenzied quest for the artifact and Captain Jean-Luc Picard soon discovers the truth behind the legend.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-Responding to an emergency medical call from a Vulcan archeological team digging on the desolate planet Iconia, the Enterprise arrives to find them murdered. Picard comes into possession of a powerful, ancient artifact, the Ko N'Ya. He and the crew of the Enterprise become caught up in the battle to possess this ruby gem, which leaves behind it a trail of blood as red as the devil's heart itself. In this tale of power and greed, aliens and humans alike are tempted by the endless power of the jewel. Carter has woven several individual story lines into a complex, textured, well-written plot and peopled it with three-dimensional characters. While the novel stands on its own, fans of ST:TNG will find it a rich reading experience.
John Lawson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

The Devil's Heart is a legendary object of unsurpassed power and mystery. Worlds that believe in magic consider it Darkness's mightiest talisman; and worlds of science consider it a lost artifact of some ancient and forgotten race. Some say the Heart enables its possessor to control people's minds and to amass wealth enough for a dozen lifetimes, while others think it capable of raising the dead, perhaps even changing the flow of time itself. But to all, the location of this fabled object has remained a mystery, until now.

An isolated archaeological outpost has suddenly stopped responding to repeated requests for information. Sent to discover why, the U.S.S. Enterprise^TM crew finds a devastated outpost and a dying scientist, whose last words fall on disbelieving ears: the Devil's Heart has been found. As the quest for the Heart unfolds, Captain Jean-Luc Picard discovers that beyond all the legends and age-old secrets lies an awful truth: whoever holds the Devil's Heart possesses power beyond imagining. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Star Trek (February 7, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067185206X
• ISBN-13: 978-0671852061
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,918,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A true trek story with a theatrical reading, April 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Devil's Heart (Star Trek: The Next Generation) [ABRIDGED] (Audio Cassette)

Well, for those who are into star trek this story is just perfect: vulcans, myths and action. For those who are not it still is due to a fantastic 'performance' by Gates McFadden. The story itself a fantastic one with some scifi violence included comes totally to life with its talented reader. It's worth listening to this audiobook wherever time allows to. And its always worth relistening.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars De Re Rubrica, June 16, 2005

By 

Christopher "chrysaetos" (Wengen-en-esprit) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Devil's Heart (Star Trek: The Next Generation) (Hardcover)

Carmen Carter advances the mysterious galactic voyages of our favorite Star Trek crew, not with an alien species, but with a beautiful gray rock that glows when held by the appointed one.

The Devil's Heart is a gem with a mission. It's powers are beyond comprehension, and it ends up in the hands of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. With what control does he wield the great power of Pagrashtak, the bloodstone, this Devil's Heart that can, and has, created and annihilated civilizations?

Pretty much nothing. Be prepared for a history lesson. Carter's tale isn't so much about what Picard does with the stone but, rather, how Picard learns, through an unrelenting amount of dreams, where the stone has come from, and its destiny. The cover of this book caught my attention: Picard with eyes glowing red. What a fantastic cover! Our beloved starship captain with powers not unlike what Riker once held as a gift from Q!

And, oh sure, Picard uses these powers, once. The possibilities of this book went straight down the drain. I find solace in reading adventures about our humble Federation crew, but this was not at all what I expected. Picard becomes neither demon nor saint, but somnambulist.

Fear not, for those of us who expect good writing get it anyway. Carter's sketches of Data's thought processes is so well-written that, if they still produce ST:TNG books, I hope she does one with Data as the lead. She writes every Enterprise character believably (nearly with the same internal descriptions as she does with Data), which is more than I can say about many other ST authors.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent quest, January 9, 2004

By 

R. Spottiswood (Western Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Devil's Heart (Star Trek: The Next Generation) (Hardcover)

This is a reverse quest in the tradition of the Lord of the Rings: Picard gains possession of an artefact that gives its wielder power over time, but will eventually betray him to his death, and every power in the Quadrant comes after the Enterprise to seize the artefact. In addition, we are shown how Trek ancient history has (supposedly) revolved around this artefact, including the rise and fall of the Iconians, Surak of Vulcan, the Romulan Empire, the Klingon Empire and the great plague on Andor. The tone of this book is quite sombre, but uniquely among Trek authors the book is still a very enjoyable read despite that. The quality of the writing is excellent. The descriptions and characterisations are very good, and the whole Enterprise cast has good roles in this. The book specific characters are well done also. There are many short sequences of people and action beyond the Enterprise and all are well done. The author captures the air of a truly epic quest, both in contemporary scope and through time. This is an excellent and thoroughly enjoyable book.