The Empty Chair

Oh, God (Elements), how I love this series. Diane Duane is a marvelous yarnspinner when it comes to her characters. I read "My Enemy, My Ally" probably about 12 years ago, but I never tire of reading it. When I discovered that "The Romulan Way" was a continuance of that story, I devoured the storyline (Arrhae is intriguing) that opened up the history of ch'Rihan and ch'Havran like no book had dared to before. The detailed yarn of The Declared as they left Vulcan those millennia ago and the setbacks they encountered... it explains a LOT about why the Romulans (Rihannsu) are "the way they are." Discovery of "Swordhunt" and "Honor Blade" when they came out made life interesting until the cliffhanger, and now that I've read "The Empty Chair," I can safely say that I am going back to re-read the entire series again. When you do re-read it, you take great notice of all the intricacies of the characterisations of the original characters (Harb Tanzer, Freeman, Narhaht (a Horta), Arrhae, Ael, Aidoann, the list continues). And I agree with the previous reviewer--that line by Ael to Kirk at the end successfully ties in this series to canon in such a way that I truly believe it is part of Trek History. The Romulans (Rihannsu) certainly did emerge in TNG quite different than we remembered from TOS... and this series explains how and why they appeared to change so drastically. *applause for Diane Duane*

WOW this was a great book. there was action from the beginging and did not slow down. This was vary good colusion to the Rihannsu series. im not a huge fan of the romulans but I loved this book go get your today.

The Empty Chair is the final book in a five-book series that began 22 years ago. In 1984, Diane Duane wrote an original Star Trek series novel entitled, My Enemy, My Ally. This immediately became (and has remained) my favorite Star Trek novel, and one of my favorite books of all time. My Enemy, My Ally builds the world of the Rihannsu, or Romulans, and introduces to fiction the most fascinating Star Trek "guest" character of all time: Commander-General Ael t'Rllaillieu, Captain Kirk's Romulan nemesis and long-time enemy, aunt to the Romulan commander from whom they stole the cloaking device (see the episode, The Enterprise Incident). Committing treason by doing so, Ael comes seeking Kirk's help, because her government has been kidnapping Vulcans and using their brain matter to enhance their own limited telepathic powers. It's an amazing book, the first of a series to chronicle Ael, her struggle to bring honor back to the Rihannsu empire, and her relationship with Kirk and company. After 22 years, the final book in the series was published this month. The Empty Chair brings to a close, by an extraordinary story that had me nauseous most of the time with anticipation and fear, this brilliant tale. I won't give the plot away, but I will say that I've waited six years for this book to be published (books 3 and 4 were published in 2000), and its release means more to me than even the release of the last Harry Potter book does. And that's saying something. Diane Duane is a brilliant author, and has a way of capturing the characters of Kirk and company in a way no other author I've read has been able to do. If you're an original series Star Trek fan, you have to pick up her books. Start with The Wounded Sky, her first Star Trek novel, as its main guest character shows up in the Rihannsu series, which makes allusions to the events in The Wounded Sky, and it would be helpful (but not necessary) to understand what had happened.

By far the best running series from the Original lineup comes to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion. The Romulan Civil War breaks out, and Kirk & Ael are right at the center of it. With several unexpected plot twists, and return visits from all of your favorites from the first four novels, Diane Duane brings the greatest story ever written for the Original Series to a memorable conclusion. Here's hoping for a sequel (or prequel...)

A worthy conclusion to Duane's other Rihannsu books. A very long book that really does deserve to be kissed if it's dropped. The characters from the previous books all make their appearances. The previous Rihannsu books (My Enemy, My Ally; The Romulan Way; Sword Hunt; Honor Blade) are now available in one omnibus, The Bloodwing Voyages.