Star Trek: Klingon Empire
(formerly Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon)
I.K.S. Gorkon
Book 1: A Good Day to Die
Book 2: Honor Bound
Book 3: Enemy Territory
Klingon Empire
A Burning House
"Before you settle in to read A Good Day to Die you might want to pour yourself a large raktajino and bar the door, because once you start reading this splendid tale you will find it very difficult to stop."---Jacqueline Bundy on A Good Day to Die, The Book Padd, Trek Nation
I.K.S. Gorkon
Book 1: A Good Day to Die
Book 2: Honor Bound
Book 3: Enemy Territory
Klingon Empire
A Burning House
But that's just a prelude.
"DeCandido’s use of Captain Klag and the I.K.S. Gorkon is a hands-down winner, as they are presented as the freshest and most solid original literary crew to come together since Peter David’s New Frontier series."The success of the novels-only series New Frontier since its 1997 debut has lead Pocket to push the envelope even further. Books such as Dark Passions, Starfleet: Year One, and others have gone beyond the definition of "normal" Trek, and succeeded. Another new crew was created for the TOS era, Challenger, written by Diane Carey, featuring Commander Nick Keller and a unique crew at a remote colony. Spurred on by the success of The Valiant, Pocket has launched a series of Stargazer novels by Michael Jan Friedman, featuring a much younger Picard on his first command. Plus, of course, there's Star Trek: S.C.E.
---Bill Williams on The Brave and the Bold Book 2, TrekWeb, 30 December 2002
"Keith DeCandido scores another winner with A Good Day to Die and sets up the events that will unfold in future volumes in the I.K.S. Gorkon series. With his latest novel he establishes himself in the upper echelon of Star Trek and Klingon storytelling, amid welcome company such as John M. Ford, Ronald D. Moore, and J.G. Hertzler. This is one series I'm looking forward to enjoying! Qapla'!"In late 2003, two books were published under the banner of Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon: A Good Day to Die and Honor Bound. This is the first time a Star Trek novel series has solely focused on the franchise's most popular alien species. While a couple of familiar faces show up in these two books (Worf, Martok), the primary focus will be on Klag, Leskit, Toq, B'Oraq, Kurak, Rodek, and the rest of the gang, as well as some new characters. For one thing, the Gorkon carries a huge complement of ground troops, and we'll be learning more about them as well, getting a grunt's-eye view of the Klingon military.---Bill Williams on A Good Day to Die, "Keith R.A. DeCandido Debuts Klingon Novel Series I.K.S. Gorkon with A Good Day to Die," TrekWeb.com
"As the pages turned, something happened: the characters came to life, the contests seemed roar out of DeCandido's text and right into my own imagination, and when the book came to its last wild, cliff-hanging twist, I looked up wild-eyed for the next installment. The dubious mutterings from my skeptical half had long been extinguished: DeCandido had conquered me once more."As for the plot of the first two volumes: In the wake of the Dominion War and the attempted coup against Chancellor Martok (chronicled in J.G. Hertzler & Jeffrey Lang's excellent duology The Left Hand of Destiny), the Klingon Empire needs to expand, to find new sources of material that was depleted during the war, and to reestablish themselves as a power in the quadrant. To that end, the Chancellor-class vessels -- among them the Gorkon, as well as the I.K.S. K'mpec, under the command of Klag's estranged brother Dorrek -- are sent to the Kavrot sector to explore strange new worlds ... to seek out new life and new civilizations .. and to conquer them for the greater glory of the Klingon Empire!---Killian Melloy on A Good Day to Die, wigglefish.com
"The entire novel is carefully and skillfully plotted, building to highlight after highlight, with more than one surprise along the way, before finally culminating in a climax that might just have you cheering along with the characters. But even if you are not inclined to cheer, Honor Bound is definitely one invigorating and extremely fun read."When Klag and his crew discover a world on which lives a true warrior culture -- one even more ingrained than that of the Klingons, but on a world where technology works sporadically if at all -- he finds himself with a challenge. The aliens, called the Children of San-Tarah, offer him the chance to engage them in five martial contests. If the Children of San-Tarah triumph in more of them, the Gorkon will go and leave the planet in peace; if the Gorkon wins, San-Tarah will cede itself willingly to the Klingon Empire -- and Klag will have single-handedly conquered an entire world!---Jacqueline Bundy on Honor Bound, The Book Padd, Trek Nation
"Author Keith R.A. DeCandido has a real talent for the sort of action one expects from a series centered around Klingons, and a flair for making the battles and bloodshed both dramatic and fun. Where else could you expect to read a line the likes of, 'As she had hoped, a good dose of carnage cheered Goran right up'? ... The pacing is a pleasure, too, as the author finds moments tucked here and there in the heart of the battle to dip into the characters' pasts without interrupting the flow of either the story or the hot blood flowing throughout it. ... DeCandido once again gives us an adventure worthy of song and story. May he, and the Gorkon, survive and succeed for many adventures to come."You'll have to read the books to find out what happens next, which you can do by ordering Book 1 and Book 2 from the kind and benevolent folks at Amazon.com.---Killian Melloy on Honor Bound, wigglefish.com
"Pocket Books seems to have gone Klingon mad recently ... an entertaining tale ... This is a true Klingon romp with plenty of action throughout."That was followed by Book 3. Called Enemy Territory, the book will involve the Klingon Empire's violent first contact with the Elabrej Hegemony, an oligarchy that has captured one Klingon ship. Captain Klag must take the Gorkon behind enemy lines to find the missing ship.---John Freeman on Books 1 & 2, Dreamwatch #114
"The depth of the characters and insight into the Klingon home world make this the best Klingon novel DeCandido has written to date. Each chapter highlights one of the many stories, and he does a masterful job juggling the numerous storylines. Magnificent in scope, it will leave readers desperate for another adventure with all of the characters, not just Klag and his ship."After that, the series was repurposed and renamed to broaden the focus (and, we hope, the appeal) to Klingon Empire. The first book under the new title is called A Burning House. Following the events of Enemy Territory, the Gorkon crew comes home and goes on leave. Through them, we see several aspects of Klingon life: an opera company, a farm, a medical conference, a slum -- plus the usual politics and intrigue.---Jeff Ayers on A Burning House, TrekWeb
"With 'A Burning House,' Keith R.A. DeCandido has solidified his reputation as the principal authority on Klingons in the writing community today, and has transformed an annoyingly predictable and overused species into a people of great depth and breadth. And, in the end, that has to be the greatest compliment that I can pay to the words that have flowed from his pen."---Robert Lyons on A Burning House, TrekWeb
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