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Rough Beasts of Empire (Star Trek: Typhon Pact #3)
Still on Romulus in pursuit of his goal of reunifying the Vulcans and Romulans, Spock finds himself in the middle of a massive power struggle. In the wake of the assassination of the Praetor and the Senate, the Romulans have cleaved in two. While Empress Donatra has led her nascent Imperial Romulan State to establish relations with the Federation, Praetor Tal’aura has guid...more
Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Published
December 28th 2010
by Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
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I usually don't comment on my light reading unless they are horrible. This book is horrible. I've never hated a book as much as this one. The rampant character assassination is just painful.
Beware Spoilers...
The third book in the recent Typhon Pact series. This book focuses on Spock's work on Romulus and what Ben Sisko has been up to since we last saw him. This is not really a Deep Space Nine book, but it does have cameos from characters who we last read about in The Soul Key. The Spock and Sis...more
Beware Spoilers...
The third book in the recent Typhon Pact series. This book focuses on Spock's work on Romulus and what Ben Sisko has been up to since we last saw him. This is not really a Deep Space Nine book, but it does have cameos from characters who we last read about in The Soul Key. The Spock and Sis...more
Apr 22, 2012
Mirrani
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
finished-and-reviewed
Typhon Pact seems to have been a somewhat backward series. It was in this third book that I realized some of the things that happened in the first one. Don’t let the cover fool you, this chapter of the saga is based mostly on the Romulan/Vulcan Reunification movement and only slightly on Sisko’s return to service.
While it has some very good quotes, true to the typical writing of the shows and there were times that it felt almost as if the words were spoken by the actual characters themselves, I...more
While it has some very good quotes, true to the typical writing of the shows and there were times that it felt almost as if the words were spoken by the actual characters themselves, I...more
This is just a terribly disappointing book. It is two completely different stories, one involving Spock and the reunification movement in the two Romulan Empires, one involving Sisko and his inner turmoil. The Sisko storyline is an abomination. There is no actual "story" to it. It is just page after page of Sisko being emo and mopey. Indeed, it seems like the author wanted to create a story about a character's depression, but in finding that there were no suitable characters in the Star Trek ens...more
May 07, 2011
Jeff
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Jeff by:
found it on the library shelves
Shelves:
science-fiction
Not having read the previous two titles in the Typhon Pact run, maybe I was missing something, but this novel left me unsatisfied overall and downright confused about Ben Sisko's actions and attitude.
I've always found Captain Sisko unique among starship captains, a fascinating blend of action and reflection, dedication to duty and devotion to fatherhood, spirituality and physicality. In RBE, he comes across helpless, irresponsible, self-absorbed, and weak. Sure, he's got the weight of the proph...more
I've always found Captain Sisko unique among starship captains, a fascinating blend of action and reflection, dedication to duty and devotion to fatherhood, spirituality and physicality. In RBE, he comes across helpless, irresponsible, self-absorbed, and weak. Sure, he's got the weight of the proph...more
Normally, I give most Star Trek novels at least three stars, books about DS9 usually get more, but this book was more upsetting than enjoyable. The Spock portion about the Romulan Empire was quite fascinating, political wheels within wheels all leading to a finale no one could have predicted. The way the leaders of both Romulan states meet their fates shows how tenuous the Typhon Pact can quickly become if members became aware of how other members manipulate their governments to achieve results...more
Jan 25, 2011
Alex
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
star-trek,
science-fiction
This is the third installment of the Typhon Pact series, the four novels that explore the newly formed galactic alliance prepped by the good folks of Pocket Books’ Star Trek division to be the new, chief adversary of the Federation in the post-Destiny - and therefore post-Borg - universe. After the Breen and the Gorn, this time it’s the Romulans’ turn to be the focus of the story. And as baseball aficionado Benjamin Sisko would say, it’s a whole ’nother ball game.
Unlike the Breen and the Gorn, t...more
Unlike the Breen and the Gorn, t...more
I feel conflicted giving this just one star. It's Star Trek, therefore I love it. But honestly. WTF was this? I mean, other than boring. Sisko left his wife and kid? Not in character. Spock, one of the most interesting characters in all of Trekdom, got turned boring. How does one even DO that? I just can't buy it.
You know, I really, REALLY like that they are continuing the story lines of all the Trek series past the end of their respective series or movies. But I DO NOT LIKE how all of the nove...more
You know, I really, REALLY like that they are continuing the story lines of all the Trek series past the end of their respective series or movies. But I DO NOT LIKE how all of the nove...more
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The cover of this book is very deceiving. Spock and Sisko have very little to do with the actual plot. They never even meet in the book.
The plot revolves mainly around the Romulans. They've been split into two distinct nations, one of which is a member of the titular Typhon Pact, and one of which is not. The reuniting of the Romulan Empire is, then, the crux of the story. How are Spock and Sisko involved? Tangentially at best. They could have been completely removed from the book, and I think I...more
The plot revolves mainly around the Romulans. They've been split into two distinct nations, one of which is a member of the titular Typhon Pact, and one of which is not. The reuniting of the Romulan Empire is, then, the crux of the story. How are Spock and Sisko involved? Tangentially at best. They could have been completely removed from the book, and I think I...more
Quite a mixed bag. The Romulan political scheming was great fun, a thousand layer cake of double crossing and subterfuge. However, the Sisko plotline rang totally false to me: I couldn't see the character I know in this neurotic, selfish, and lost man.
Not nearly as overwritten as his unreadable earlier works, but still a bit purple in the prose. There just isn't all that much on the Romulans, and I'm a huge fan, so I was able to hold my nose and read for the good bits. YMMV.
Not nearly as overwritten as his unreadable earlier works, but still a bit purple in the prose. There just isn't all that much on the Romulans, and I'm a huge fan, so I was able to hold my nose and read for the good bits. YMMV.
Not the best Typhon Pact book, and certainly not the best story. Spock serves as cypher and observer and Sisko could've been anyone in starfleet for all he did. The real meat of this book is the Romulan politics, which are delightful as usual. There's also a plot around the Tzenkethi, but while important, little time is given to fully develop. Essentially this novel is mostly setup...the Romulan parts are great and its a quick read, so give it a chance.
This book was a mess. A reasonably good political tale about the Romulans that included Spock, combined with a terrible story involving some sort of mutant emo version of Sisko that literally went nowhere except to let us know that the author had no real idea of what to do with Sisko. Very disappointing, when compared to the generally high level of quality both during and after Star Trek: Destiny.
Another fantastic addition to the Typhon Pact series, and by far the most tragic and poignant, especially in regards to the saga of Benjamin Sisko. There is a superb exploration of Romulan politics, a fantastic introduction to the Tzenkethi, and a rather fascinating, open-ended conclusion. A book I blazed through in a day...but be warned: it's not a book interested in happy endings.
Struggled to get through this one. I didn't care about the entire Spock end of things and, by mid-book, starting skipping entire chapters.
I think the characterization of Sisko was laughably off. I'm fine with people changing their opinions and wants/needs, but there are some fundamental things that don't change. Sisko fundamentally changed.
I think the characterization of Sisko was laughably off. I'm fine with people changing their opinions and wants/needs, but there are some fundamental things that don't change. Sisko fundamentally changed.
Yes, believe it or not, I marked down a Star Trek novel as only 2 stars. I was not happy with this book at all. I understand the Star Trek universe is now screwed with the new game: Star Trek Online. It just seemed the majority of the book was backstory for STO.
Sisko was a complete disappointment. I used to love the guy. C'mon, what's not to love...he punched Q!! Classic! He was a combination of Kirk and Picard. Now he's leaving his wife and child because the Prophets don't talk to him anymore....more
Sisko was a complete disappointment. I used to love the guy. C'mon, what's not to love...he punched Q!! Classic! He was a combination of Kirk and Picard. Now he's leaving his wife and child because the Prophets don't talk to him anymore....more
I like how the post TNG Star Trek has these novels all link together. What happens in the Typhon Pact novels shows up in some other novel that isn't exactly in the same storyline, but, it is in the same universe. I also like how Star Trek now is more a political thriller that also happens to be a science fiction series.
Best installment of the Typhon pact series so far. I worried, at first, that this was going to be some sort of Sisko/Spock teacup, but rather, it was a book about both characters working a plot from different angles. I particularly like the development of Sisko's story.
Jan 16, 2011
Joe Hempel
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
100-books-in-2011
Interesting political thriller/drama set in the Star Trek universe.
Spock us working to creat a unified Romulan Empire so to unite them with Vulcan, while Bem Sisko deals with the after effects of the Borg Invasion and rejoining Starfleet. Can't wait to see what the consequnces are in later books
Spock us working to creat a unified Romulan Empire so to unite them with Vulcan, while Bem Sisko deals with the after effects of the Borg Invasion and rejoining Starfleet. Can't wait to see what the consequnces are in later books
I'm not big on Romulan intrigue story lines but I ended up enjoying this one. Good twists right to the end that had me remembering things earlier in the book that now made sense. Good mind candy. No redeeming value but it tastes good.
Say it isn't so Sisko. Maybe some alien presence took control of his personality, because that was NOT the Ben I know and love. The battle between the powerful Romulan women was the only thing that makes this book readable.
A pretty good Romulan book, but while George moves the Ben Sisko storyline forward (along with leaving some horrible teasers for future books that talk about the time between the last DS9 book and Destiny), he really doesn't do much in this book at all.
Okay, what the fuck?!? Did the folks in charge of Trek books at S&S just sit down and decide to "undo" the characters of DS9? To make them...not like the characters we'd come to know on the show?
Where the hell is the Sisko I remember from the show? 'Cuz the Sisko in this book is sure as hell not the Sisko I remember.
And yes, I skimmed over the Spock stuff. It did make me wonder just how long after the events of this book he climbed into his little ship and wound up waaay back in the past--in...more
Where the hell is the Sisko I remember from the show? 'Cuz the Sisko in this book is sure as hell not the Sisko I remember.
And yes, I skimmed over the Spock stuff. It did make me wonder just how long after the events of this book he climbed into his little ship and wound up waaay back in the past--in...more
Good book, but it suffers from trying to cram several YEARS of Sisko character development into one book. Liked the 'B' plot with Spock and the Romulans as well. So good, not great.
I thought it was a really good follow up novel to cover the issues of the romulan split, but I was disapointed that it didn't cover more on sisko, and the whole DS9, I know that it wasn't specifically one but it made me want more at the end
I'm enjoying the continuation of the Typhon Pact storyline.
13
Hard to get into.
Wow, what a great read. I read the Typhon Pact books in order; and while I enjoyed the other 2, this was the first of the series I really got energized about. Now, I'm about to start Paths of Disharmony, but I can't wait to read the new Typhon Pact mini-series by David R. George, III.
The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because the Sisko parts had little to do with the story and the ending felt a little rushed. Overall, though, it was a very good political thriller/SF pairing.
The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because the Sisko parts had little to do with the story and the ending felt a little rushed. Overall, though, it was a very good political thriller/SF pairing.
The most enjoyable part of this book for me was seeing some of Sisko's story line progress. I really wasn't too interested to see what was happening with the Romulan's, which was the entire point of the book. So far I've read 3 Typhon Pact books (Zero Sum Game, Seize the Fire, and Rough Beasts of Empire), and the only one that I really enjoyed was Zero Sum Game. I'll read some more and hope that the books in this series can get close to the awesomeness of the Destiny Trilogy.
Nov 08, 2012
Brian
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Brian by:
no one
It was very good.
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Jun 28, 2012 06:34pm