(written from a Production point of view)
The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition is a reference book which contains an assorted seventy Rules of Acquisition along with several black and white still photographs from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to illustrate certain rules.
Summary[]
- From the book jacket
- The Ferengi are greedy, avaricious, ruthless, cowardly and completely unscrupulous.
- For centuries the famous Rules of Acquisition have been the guiding principles of the galaxy's most successful entrepreneurs. These 285 Rules of Acquisition range from,
- #1 "Once you have their money, never give it back."
- to
- #21 "Never place friendship before profit."
- These rules and hundreds more have taken many successful Ferengi to new frontiers of profit.
- Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.
Introduction: "A few words from Quark"[]
Written by Quark as told to Ira Steven Behr, The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition represents roughly one-quarter of the sum total of Ferengi business wisdom. Containing seventy of the over two hundred and eighty guiding priciples of Ferengi society, this book will assist the reader in tapping into the knowledge and wisdom that has made the Ferengi species the most successful entrepreneurs in the galaxy –or so Quark says.
The book opens with an introduction by Deep Space 9's resident Ferengi, in which he encourages the reader to purchase this book for themselves, their friends, family and business associates. He explains this pocket size book is perfect for carrying around for those ever important business deals, that is until you are able to commit them to memory like all good Ferengi.
Quark explains a brief history of the rules as created by Grand Nagus Gint from the very first rule that he labeled as #162 to increase demand for the other one hundred and sixty-one rules.
The rules[]
The rules are written in large print one to a page with the number centralized at the top of the page and the rule itself printed in the middle. On select pages, a black and white photograph of a scene from an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is printed opposite.
At the end of the book are two pages containing nine blank lines for the addition of new rules that may be revealed to Humans in the future, although, "this doesn't mean you won't have to buy a revised and expanded edition of this book someday."
Selected rules[]
"There is nothing more dangerous than an honest businessman."
- - Rule #27
"Profit is its own reward."
- - Rule #41
"The flimsier the product, the higher the price."
- - Rule #82
"Always have sex with the boss."
- - Rule #113
"Beware the man who doesn't make time for oo-mox"
- - Rule #223
"A wife is a luxury… a smart accountant a necessity."
- - Rule #255
"Deep down, everyone's a Ferengi."
- - Rule #284
Appendices[]
Background information[]
- Author Ira Steven Behr was responsible for developing the Ferengi as a species throughout Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, starting with "The Nagus", which was turned into a Ferengi episode at his suggestion. As the story developed, so did the Ferengi culture. Behr recalled, "With the Ferengi being intergalactic capitalists I also knew that we needed a financial bible for them and after some thought I came up the Rules of Acquisition". ("Behr Necessities", TV Zone special #34)
- The cover image is a reference to Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man drawing, replacing the man with an image of Quark. [1] [2]
- In the acknowledgments, Behr thanks Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Peter Allan Fields, James Crocker, Ronald D. Moore, René Echevarria, Evan Carlos Somers, David S. Cohen and Martin A. Winer, Sheri Lynn Behr, Michael and Denise Okuda, Robbin L. Slocum, Nell Crawford, Lolita Fatjo, Bob Gillan, John Ordover, Rick Shultz, and especially Robert Hewitt Wolfe, whom he says knows the rules as well as he does and his wife Laura Feder Behr who kept telling him to "write the book, write the book." Quark thanks Armin Shimerman "for reasons of a personal nature."
- Quark is described as a "confronter of Prophets, slayer of Klingons", a reference to the episodes "Prophet Motive" and "The House of Quark", respectively.
- The book details a number of rules that were never seen or heard on-screen.
- Rule #65 ("Win or lose, there's always Huyperian beetle snuff.") spells "Hupyrian" incorrectly.
- Rule #89 ("Ask not what your profits can do for you, but what you can do for your profits.") is a reference to the famous John F. Kennedy quote "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" from his 1961 inauguration speech. [3]
- Still photographs are shown of scenes taken from the episodes "The Nagus", "The House of Quark", "Crossover", "The Jem'Hadar", "Prophet Motive", "The Maquis, Part I", and "Profit and Loss".
- The book contains the first reference to Grand Nagus Gint. He goes on to receive his canon introduction in the episode "Body Parts".
- The sequel Legends of the Ferengi gives background information on some of the rules featured in this book.
- Rule #8 ("Small print leads to large risk.") becomes canon in the Star Trek: Lower Decks episode "Parth Ferengi's Heart Place".
- The book was shown during an interview on Paramount+ With Showtime with the Lower Deck cast.[1]
Characters[]
- Jadzia Dax
- Gint
- Grilka
- Natima Lang
- Odo
- Quark and his mirror counterpart
- Rom
- Sakonna
- Benjamin Sisko
- Zek
References[]
Alpha Quadrant; accountant; Bajor sector; blindness; book; brother; Cardassian; Changeling; commbadge; Deep Space 9; disruptor pistol; disruptor rifle; dream; ear; entrepreneur; family; Ferengi; female; fish; galaxy; glass; Gint; Grand Nagus; heart; honor; Human; Huyperian beetle snuff; Klingon; knife; latinum; lobe; luck; mirror universe; money; mother; mountain; movie; oo-mox; poverty; profit; Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House and Holosuite Arcade; Rules of Acquisition; sex; smile; stomach; Trill; vacation; Vulcan; wife; wind
- The Ferengi Guide to Sexual Fulfillment: The Joys of Oo-moxing (β)
- Quark recommends purchasing a copy of this book from him by sending three strips of gold-pressed latinum to Deep Space 9. Delivery takes six to eight weeks.
External link[]
- The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works