Serpents Among the Ruins 2311 (Star Trek: The Lost Era) [Mass Market Paperback]

David R. George III (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2003

THE YEAR IS 2311

It is a year of infamy, a year that later generations will remember as one that altered the course of history at the cost of thousands of lives. It is the year of the Tomed Incident, and its tale can at last be told.

In the midst of escalating political tensions among the Klingons, the Romulans, and the Federation, Starfleet goes forward with the inaugural flight of "Universe," a prototype starship that promises to revolutionize space exploration. But the "Universe" experiment results in disaster, ravaging a region of space dangerously close to the Romulan Star Empire, apparently confirming suspicions that the Federation has begun testing a weapon of mass destruction.

As the military buildup accelerates on both sides of the Neutral Zone, Captain John Harriman of the Federation flagship "U.S.S. Enterprise(TM) " NCC-1701-B is fated for a final confrontation with his oldest enemy at a flashpoint in history -- with the Beta Quadrant one wrong move from the outbreak of total war.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 371 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; First Edition edition (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743464036
• ISBN-13: 978-0743464031
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #806,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely phenomenal read!, September 4, 2003

By 

Jacqueline Bundy (Calabasas, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Serpents Among the Ruins 2311 (Star Trek: The Lost Era) (Mass Market Paperback)

Novels don't get much better than this, any type of novel. "Serpents Among the Ruins" by David R. George III has every element that makes for an exceptional reading experience. An original and imaginative plot, phenomenal characters, and a distinctive style that the author is able to sustain from the beginning to the end.

The year is 2311 and the event is the mysterious and infamous Tomed Incident. The Federation and the Romulan Star Empire are on a countdown to war. Neither side has any doubt that war will come. Step by step, inch-by-inch, through a series of events large and small the two powers move ever closer to the seemingly inevitable conflict. The only questions there seem to be are what will be the spark that ignites the hostilities, and who will the Klingons side with.

After eighteen years in command of Starfleet's flagship, the Enterprise-B, Captain John Harriman is a seasoned and experienced leader, a man with more than his share of experience with the Romulans. Many things have transpired through the years to bring Harriman to this point in his career and this point in history. And it will take every resource at his disposal and a bit of luck too; to make sure that the Federation survives.

Dramatic and suspenseful are the first words that spring to mind as I try to describe my thoughts about this spectacular novel. At the same time "Serpents Among the Ruins" manages to be a contemplative and poignant story as well. A story driven by the characters that are in turn driven by the events they find themselves caught up in.

This novel builds slowly, allowing the reader to get to know the principal characters: their motivations, their nature, their flaws and strengths, and their hopes and dreams. It allows you to see the events from the perspective of Romulans and Klingons as well as citizens of the Federation. The first one hundred pages or so sets the stage with narrative so richly detailed that the events seem entirely real. You feel as if you are watching these momentous, albeit fictitious, events unfold before your eyes.

The author, David R. George III, exhibits extraordinary craftsmanship as he carefully takes the reader through the brilliantly plotted events. He draws for the reader the portrait of a man, John Harriman, who has been born and breed to serve the Federation. An open and deceptively casual man who projects a confidence he does not always feel but who is totally secure with himself and his convictions. A man with the weight of the Quadrant on his shoulders, who before the story is done you can't help but both like and admire.

The other characters who populate "Serpents Among the Ruins" are just as striking, each in their own way. No matter what each readers preconceived notions are of the who, what, where and how of the Tomed Incident that "Serpents Among the Ruins" so powerfully and impressively illuminates, nothing in your imagination could compare to this gripping and shocking tale.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Slick "Serpents", September 20, 2003

By 

Jeff Jacques (Ottawa, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Serpents Among the Ruins 2311 (Star Trek: The Lost Era) (Mass Market Paperback)

In John Harriman, David R. George III has given us a character light years beyond the green captain we met in "Star Trek Generations," a man who has grown as a starship commander, and as a man, into a fully realized character deserving of the honor of being captain of a starship Enterprise.

But it's the events unfolding around Harriman and his crew that really makes this story a worthwhile experience. Steeped in Trek history, we're witness to the complex and deadly political machinations pulling the Federation, the Romulans and the Klingons in a direction that can only lead to war. The uncertainty of this prospect, as well as the events leading up to the infamous Tomed Incident, keeps the reader on the edge of their seats and immersed in George's storytelling ability right to the last page.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best in "The Lost Era" Star Trek series, February 28, 2004

By 

John Kwok (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Serpents Among the Ruins 2311 (Star Trek: The Lost Era) (Mass Market Paperback)

David R. George III is unquestionably, along with Diane Duane and Peter David, among the best writers working in the "Star Trek" universe today. "Serpents Among The Ruins" is a spellbinding account of the events which led to the infamous "Tomed Incident" between the Romulans and the United Federation of Planets. Not surprisingly caught in the middle of escalating tensions between both powers is the Federation flagship USS Enterprise, NCC 1701-B, commanded by Captain John J. Harriman, Jr. with Hikaru Sulu's daughter Demora, as his Exec. Harriman goes on a desperate undercover mission which will involve Starfleet Intelligence officer Lieutenant Elias Vaughn, seeking to stop an insane Romulan admiral. We are also witness to the signing of the Treaty of Algernon, which reaffirms the existence of the Neutral Zones between the Romulan Star Empire and the Federation and Klingon Empires. There is ample political intrigue on Romulus and the Klingon homeworld which will satisfy diehard fans familiar with the politics of both interstellar empires. Without question, this was an enjoyable read and a worthy addition to "Star Trek" fiction.