Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The 34th Rule (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #23)

3.53 of 5 stars 3.53 · rating details · 138 ratings · 15 reviews

For once, business is going well for Quark, not that anyone on "Deep Space Nine(TM) " truly appreciates his genius for finding profit in the most unlikely of circumstances. Quark is even looking forward to making the deal of a lifetime -- when he suddenly finds himself stuck right in the middle of a major dispute between Bajor and the Ferengi Alliance. It seems that the Gr...more

Mass Market Paperback, 448 pages

Published January 1st 1999 by Pocket Books

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Star Trek Books That Don't Actually Suck

12th out of 59 books — 29 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 312)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Apr 04, 2013 Scott McCloskey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I usually give Star Trek books 4-star reviews. This is because I don't rate anything that I did not finish, and if I did finish it, I usually liked it enough to warrant that (with a few 3 star exceptions). Plus, those who know me will be aware that I am biased in my enjoyment of Star Trek -- I didn't like EVERYTHING that came out of the original canon, but there are times when I have liked things that a more objective observer would have disliked, simply because I'm a trekkie to begin with.

Hones...more I usually give Star Trek books 4-star reviews. This is because I don't rate anything that I did not finish, and if I did finish it, I usually liked it enough to warrant that (with a few 3 star exceptions). Plus, those who know me will be aware that I am biased in my enjoyment of Star Trek -- I didn't like EVERYTHING that came out of the original canon, but there are times when I have liked things that a more objective observer would have disliked, simply because I'm a trekkie to begin with.

Honestly I didn't think I was going to like this book much, just because if focuses on Ferengi. Let's face it -- it's easy to hate Ferengi. For the unindoctrinated, in the show Ferengi are depicted as cowardly, snivelling, conniving opportunists that would do anything to make a buck, and are at times painted in a comical light. The idea is basically to make you dislike them from the start. What I liked about this book is that it breaks one of the concepts in Trek that I actually don't like -- that people can be judged by the group. Romulans are always cunning tricksters. Klingons are always brash warriors. Cardassians are always brutal thugs. Can anybody tell me how these people ever advanced their societies to the point of expanding out into space without doctors, scientists, teachers, engineers, and other sorts of visionaries who would have had at least some altruism on their minds, and would have had to work together with their peers at some point?

This book breaks with that idea. The plot in a nutshell is that the Bajorans and Ferengi become involved in a disagreement over possession of an artifact that the former consider a priceless religious item. The Ferengi Grand Nagus refuses to sell the item to the Bajorans because they can't meet his price. No warfare, no conflict. Just business. As a result, the Bajorans (who I should add are a people who have recently gotten over decades of racial subjugation themselves) decide to make it a crime for any Ferengi to be in their space at all. The main character, Quark, finds himself in prison just because he IS a Ferengi, when it is quite obvious he committed no crime. Througout the tale, Quark and his brother Rom find themselves the butt of hatred based solely upon what species they are. There are three notable conversations I found myself getting lost in:

In one, Quark is being taken to a prison camp by a Bajoran officer. The officer refers to him as "ferengi" with a connotation that the word is supposed to be an insult. Quark says something along the lines of (heavily paraphrased)- "Is that supposed to be insulting? Would I be insulting you if I called you 'Bajoran'? You're right. I am a Ferengi. And I am as proud to be one as you are to be yourself."

In another, Kira Nerys is trying to get Quark to meet with the Grand Nagus and convince him to sell the artifact to Bajor. Quark refuses, and Kira becomes angry. Quark reminds Kira that while her people are religious, so are his -- their species sees mercantilism as a spiritual pursuit, and trying to convince the Grand Nagus to do something to go against that ideal would be the same as Kira trying to go against the Kai (for the unindoctrinated, this would be somewhat akin to what Judas did to Christ). Kira refuses to understand.

In another conversation, Quark appeals to Captain Sisko for help. Sisko states that Starfleet has chosen not to get involved, and he asks Quark why he wouldn't just want to leave anyway before he is arrested. Quark reminds Sisko that it's apparently ok for him to champion the freedom of anybody, except when that person is a Ferengi. Later on in the book, Quark convinces Sisko to take action because he was taken not to a normal prison, but to an internment camp where he was beaten daily for no reason. Ironically, this camp (now run by Bajorans) was once run by Cardassians, and was used to do the exact same thing to the Bajorans.

I liked this book because there's a greater message here. Gene Roddenberry was a WWII vet, and it really shows in Star Trek. The Klingon sense of honor and glorious death in combat has always reminded me of wartime Japan. The Romulan Tal Shiar sort of reminds me of the Russian KGB. The Cardassian Obsidian Order, yes, reminds me of the Nazi SS. And what the Cardassians did to the Bajorans very much bespeaks of the Holocaust. What does that say about the Bajorans who seem totally fine with inflicting on the Ferengi what the Cardassians inflicted on them? And what of the Federation, who are supposed to represent the United States (why else is it called the "U.S.S." Enterprise?)

At any rate, this book makes you think. And I liked that about it. Even in your favorite science-fiction universe, consider who you judge and why.(less)

like · see review

Jul 27, 2010 Dianah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-books, star-trek

There is no one more responsible for how we view the Ferengi than actor Armin Shimerman. He was the first Ferengi and he was, of course, the most famous one - Quark. With this book, he does the noble Ferengi race proud.

I previously mentioned when reviewing A Stitch in Time by Andrew J. Robinson how it isn't always entertaining to read a book written by an actor who originally portrayed the character. Robinson's tale of Garak's life before the end of the Bajoran Occupation and after the Dominion...more

like · see review

Apr 10, 2013 Joshua Palmatier rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. In general, I expect the Star Trek books to be light reading--fun, entertaining, but with nothing that in depth or thought-provoking. This one, though, had some meat to it, some serious questions and turns in the plot, and some great plotting overall.

The basic premise is that the grand nagus of Ferenginar gets his hands on one of the Orbs of the Prophets, which the Cardassians removed from Bajor when they left. This Ninth Orb is then put up for auction, with the Bajorans as pa...more I loved this book. In general, I expect the Star Trek books to be light reading--fun, entertaining, but with nothing that in depth or thought-provoking. This one, though, had some meat to it, some serious questions and turns in the plot, and some great plotting overall.

The basic premise is that the grand nagus of Ferenginar gets his hands on one of the Orbs of the Prophets, which the Cardassians removed from Bajor when they left. This Ninth Orb is then put up for auction, with the Bajorans as part of the bidding, but they are eliminated from the auction before the final round and this ticks them off. They decide to ban all Ferengi from Bajoran space, thus blocking the Ferengi's access to the wormhole . . . and inadvertently taking away Quark's bar. Quark rebels, citing that the ban in unfair, and while Sisko agrees, his hands are tied when the Federation rules that this is an internal affair and Sisko can't interfere. Quark is subsequently arrested and put in prison (along with his brother Rom), while tensions continue to increase between the Bajorans and the Ferengi, since neither are willing to back down.

The book raises interesting questions about being racist, about the Federation interfering (or not) in political affairs with cultures that are not officialy part of the Federation, with treatment of prisoners . . . with a whole slew of other matters. And these questions are what caught me up in the plot, which was nicely convoluted and yet all of the twists and turns made perfect sense. This was not a fluff work, and the twists and turns were dark in nature. I particularly like Deep Space Nine because it was the first incarnation where the universe was NOT depicted as especially nice and good and wholesome. The show took some dark turns, and this book had that same flavor.

I also felt that the writers got the characterizations (for the most part) perfect. Sisko and Quark in particular, but Odo and some of the others as well. I did think that Kyra hated Quark perhaps too much; that didn't feel quite right to me. And I also felt that some of the book was perhaps a little too wordy. There could have been some trimming done without affecting the overall quality of the book--it would, in fact, have made the book better. This wordiness was most evident at the beginning of the book, before the plot really got going. Both of these aspects dropped the rating down by a star; otherwise I would have given this book 5 stars.

So, an excellent book in the Star Trek universe. It is not trite. It has a depth I wasn't expecting from such books, but a depth that I wish were in more of them. This is what Star Trek is about--exploration of social issues. And while those questions don't always have nice answers, or even answers at all, they are questions we should be asking of ourselves.(less)

like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 David Sarkies rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

Well I am finally back in Australia and I now have some time to actually comment on this book that I finished on the plane flight from Hong Kong to Australia. For some reason the plane flight to Australia seems to take the most out of me, despite the plane flight from Europe being that main contributor to my jet lag. Then again, I quite like jet lag simply because I means that I have just been to Europe. Also, I can't say that the annoyance of the flight into Australia has anything to do we me...more Well I am finally back in Australia and I now have some time to actually comment on this book that I finished on the plane flight from Hong Kong to Australia. For some reason the plane flight to Australia seems to take the most out of me, despite the plane flight from Europe being that main contributor to my jet lag. Then again, I quite like jet lag simply because I means that I have just been to Europe. Also, I can't say that the annoyance of the flight into Australia has anything to do we me coming back home because I like living in Australia and I like living in Melbourne, particularly since, out of all the cities that I have been to, Melbourne has by far and away the best trams.
As for this book, well, I suspect that it is going to be difficult for people to get their hands of this book these days since it is now out of print and can really only be found on Ebay or in a second hand bookshop (and generally getting books from a second hand bookshop can be a very hit or miss affair). Mind you, I found this book in such a shop and the only reason that I bought it was because it was about Ferengi, and even though it started off quite dry, and I winced at the fact that the book was written (or part written) by an actor (Armin Shimmerman, who plays Quark in Deep Space Nine) it did seem to pick up okay towards the end. I can't say it was engrossing, and I definitely won't say that it is literature, but what it is is simply an extra Deep Space 9 episode for those who want more than the seven seasons worth of episodes that are out there.
The interesting thing about Ferengi is that they are entirely driven by profit, and the whole idea of consumer protection is anathema to them. However, it is strange that this series, which is pretty much produced in America, has the main characters, namely the Federation, look down upon the Ferengi for their motivations, when in reality that is the predominant motivation for the American culture. In fact, the whole concept of what makes up the Star Trek universe seems to be at odds with the culture that produces it. Maybe, in a way, there is an underlying conciousness within the American culture, that sees the pursuit of profit and power to actually be wrong, but are so caught up in the pursuit that they are unable to break away from it. Also, it generally has less to do with making money for the sake of making money and more to do with making money to live a comfortable lifestyle. The reason that the Federation frowns on this is simply because they already have their comfortable lifestyles so no longer need to actually pursue profit for the sake of that lifestyle. However, lifestyle only plays a second fiddle in the Ferengi world as it appears that they seek profit simply for the sake of making profit.
I can't say that this will be the last of the Star Trek books that I will read as there are others out there than I wouldn't mind getting my hands on (such as The Battle of Betazed) however, as mentioned, it can be difficult finding them as they all tend to be out of print, and I suspect that they are not writing many more of the books. Further, these books are generally not considered to be canon, though they do try to fit in with the series. However, as mentioned (I think) previously, the one thing that I found annoying with Deep Space Nine is that when they took the final fight against the Dominion, there was no sign of Captain Picard. One wonders why such a well known and experienced member of Starfleet is not at the front lines fighting the war. Maybe it has more to do with not having an actor upstage the main actor or character.(less)

like · see review

Oct 29, 2012 Sparrow rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The story is okay (although I think it's too dramatic to actually take place during the timeline of the show... cause like. If it had happened, we'd have heard about it) but the writing style is just not good. Blargh. So much unnecessary description. Especially when you consider that almost all of the readers of these books are not only familiar with DS9, but intimately so, because only big fans would actually read these books. Therefore, there's no need to overly describe things we see on the s...more

like · see review

Apr 02, 2010 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

OK, so ST:TNG stole my heart (Picard is like my adoptive grandpa). When DS9 came out, I was too young to appreciate all the factions and drama it had, but I always loved Quark.

This book is an enjoyable romp that adds a lot more depth to his character and world. (In some ways, all the STAR TREK serial novels do that, since...hey, unlimited SFX budget!) The ending's a little convoluted, but it's a fun ride to the end.

1 like · like · see review

Dec 19, 2012 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: star-trek-ds9, science-fiction

A fun read. The Ferengi won't let Bajor get an orb, so both sides nearly go to war to resolve the issue. Quark gets caught in the middle. There's some brilliant characterisation, and also some really bad ones. Kira is depicted like a first season version, whereas everybody else is when this is based. For example, Quark has already spoken to the prophets but Bajor seems to have forgotten that. A decent story that just needed a few tweeks to get 4 stars.

like · see review

Jan 26, 2013 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Listened to this as an audio book narrated by Armin Shimerman. This was one of the first audio books that I've ever listened to, and I found it quite enjoyable. If you like the Ferengi, this is a fun book.

like · see review

Sep 11, 2011 Dustin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: future, sci-fi, tie-in

It's been a while since I've read this, but I remember enjoying it quite a bit. I loved the way that Armin Shimerman is able to take his experiences playing the character and really give the reader a feel for how Quark operates.

like · see review

Apr 12, 2008 Kristine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, star-trek

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Nov 27, 2012 Trish added it

loved it

like · see review

Jun 11, 2011 Daniel Kukwa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-trek

A suprisingly nasty & poignant story, featuring incredibly strong character development for Quark and Romm, and some terrifying moments that counter-point the benevolence of the Federation to the wider, angrier galaxy. As the last of the regular, numbered line of DS9 novels, it makes for an excellent farewell to the range...and continues to stand as one of Pocket Books' finest "Star Trek" novels.

like · see review

Jul 15, 2007 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: finito

This is the first Star Trek novel I ever read. I liked it so much that, when I couldn't find my copy, I bought it again. I admit I bought it because Quark wrote it. But I was not at all disappointed. And now that Deep Space Nine is off the air, I'm just glad I can occasionally find another way to keep playing on that playground.

like · see review

May 27, 2012 Mikael Kuoppala rated it 4 of 5 stars

An ironic and smart novel with a pretty good story structure and a very colorful approach to character writing.

like · see review

Nov 15, 2007 rivka rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ST fans

Shelves: startrek

Amusing, although the details of the climax were confusing (and I think may have been contradictory).

like · see review

May 21, 2013 Doug Kemp rated it 2 of 5 stars

May 12, 2013 Corey marked it as to-read

May 05, 2013 Benjamin marked it as to-read

Shelves: books-i-own

May 01, 2013 Bluecat marked it as calibre

May 01, 2013 Scott Evans marked it as to-read

Apr 30, 2013 Jennifer Gilbert marked it as to-read

Apr 28, 2013 Emma rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-not-kept

Apr 28, 2013 Michael Gray rated it 2 of 5 stars

Apr 26, 2013 Paul marked it as to-read

Apr 25, 2013 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

Apr 13, 2013 Donna added it

Shelves: ebooks

Apr 04, 2013 Snaploud rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mar 31, 2013 Geoffrey Sanders added it

Mar 29, 2013 Candace marked it as to-read

Mar 27, 2013 Daniel marked it as calibrelib · review of another edition

Shelves: science, fiction, general, media, tie-in, space, opera

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 next »

Science Fiction

10 users

Space

5 users

Star Trek > Star Trek Deep Space Nine

5 users

See top shelves...

Books by Armin Shimerman

Outrageous Fortune (Merchant Prince series, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The 34th Rule

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: The 34th Rule
avg rating	preview: The 34th Rule Goodreads rating: 3.53 (138 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/131632.The_34th_Rule?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1266478982l/131632.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/131632.The_34th_Rule?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The 34th Rule by Armin Shimerman[/url]

The 34th Rule (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #23)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (10)

Genres

Books by Armin Shimerman

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The 34th Rule

The 34th Rule (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #23)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (10)

Genres

Books by Armin Shimerman

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The 34th Rule

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (10)