A Burning House (Star Trek: Klingon Empire) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Keith R. A. DeCandido (Author)
Key Phrases: grapok sauce, skull stew, transporter station, Burning House, Defense Force, High Council (more...)

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Product Description
They have been the Federation's staunchest allies, and its fiercest adversaries. Cunning, ruthless, driven by an instinct for violence and defined by a complex code of honor, they must push ever outward in order to survive, defying the icy ravages of space with the fire of their hearts. They are the Klingons, and if you think you already know all there is to learn about them...think again.

From its highest echelons of power to the shocking depths of its lowest castes, from its savagely aggressive military to its humble farmers, from political machinations of galactic import to personal demons and family strife, the Klingon Empire is revealed as never before when the captain and crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon finally return to their homeworld of Qo'noS in a sweeping tale of intrigue, love, betrayal, and honor.

About the Author
Keith R.A. DeCandido was born and raised in New York City to a family of librarians. He has written over two dozen novels, as well as short stories, nonfiction, eBooks, and comic books, most of them in various media universes, among them Star Trek, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Marvel Comics, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity, Resident Evil, Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, Farscape, Xena, and Doctor Who. His original novel Dragon Precinct was published in 2004, and he's also edited several anthologies, among them the award-nominated Imaginings and two Star Trek anthologies. Keith is also a musician, having played percussion for the bands the Don't Quit Your Day Job Players, the Boogie Knights, and the Randy Bandits, as well as several solo acts. In what he laughingly calls his spare time, Keith follows the New York Yankees and practices kenshikai karate. He still lives in New York City with his girlfriend and two insane cats.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Star Trek (January 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416556478
• ISBN-13: 978-1416556473
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #192,764 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Star Trek books ever!!!, February 2, 2008

By	Johnathan P. Adkins "trek fan" (norris city ill) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Behind the Scenes Among the Klingons, March 4, 2008

By	George Wood (Sweden) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Addition To Star Trek Literature, April 26, 2008

By	Kevin Spoering (Buffalo, Missouri United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!