Star Trek: Rough Beasts of Empire
{4.5/5} “Modern Vulcan culture focuses on the individual mastery of emotion as well as an everyday reliance on logic… This, of course, contrasts with Romulan cultural norms.”
Spock is on Romulus, promoting the reunification of Vulcans and Romulans, when he’s attacked by a Reman and almost killed. Who sent the Reman to try to kill him? Romulan politics are lots of fun — everybody is plotting against everybody else. Meanwhile, Sisko rejoined Starfleet just to help during the Borg attack, and now he’s going to leave it again. The first thing he needs to do is visit his father on Earth, who’s sick.
Rough Beasts of Empire by David R. George III was published in 2011. It’s the third book in the Typhon Pact miniseries, following Seize the Fire.
This story takes place before the previous two — when the Typhon Pact is just being formed. Unlike the previous books where the storylines are related, Spock’s and Sisko’s storylines are largely separate. They both have big decisions to make.
If you’re concerned that Sisko’s actions don’t make sense, keep reading — they eventually become understandable. There are a bunch of Deep Space Nine novels that I haven’t read — perhaps if I’d read those they would be even more understandable. Spock seems like himself — logical, determined, with a subtle sense of humour.
This is a book for fans of the Romulans. The Romulans have recently split into two: You’ve got Praetor Tal’Aura, the Senate, and the Tal Shiar of the Romulan Star Empire. Then there’s Empress Donatra of the Imperial Romulan State, in control of much of Romulan food production. Some people would like the two halves to rejoin, but who would be at the head?
Here’s a taste of the Romulan part of the book: “Misdirection is the key to survival, went an old Romulan maxim. Never behave as your enemy expects, and never reveal your true strength. If knowledge is power, then to be unknown is to be unconquerable.”
We also find out a bit about the mysterious Tzenkethi, another member of the Typhon Pact. Sisko encountered the Tzenkethi years ago when they were at war with the Federation. In the present, the Tzenkethi are concerned about what’s happening on Romulus and they send someone there to make sure that things go the way they want them to go.
The intriguing story will keep you flipping the pages.
George is the author of the 3-book Crucible miniseries, each of which features one of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy — these 3 books are on my list of the 12 best Star Trek (original series) books. He’s also written other Star Trek books, including 2 more Typhon Pact novels which I’ll undoubtedly be reading soon.