The Collapsing Empire

, #1

by
No cover

John Scalzi: The Collapsing Empire (EBook, 2017, Tom Doherty Associates)

eBook, 336 pages

English language

Published March 22, 2017 by Tom Doherty Associates.

ISBN:
978-1-5098-3508-9
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(1 review)

In the far future, humanity has left Earth to create a glorious empire. Now this interstellar network of worlds faces disaster – but can three individuals save their people?

The empire’s outposts are utterly dependent on each other for resources, a safeguard against war, and a way its rulers can exert control. This relies on extra-dimensional pathways between the stars, connecting worlds. But ‘The Flow’ is changing course, which could plunge every colony into fatal isolation.

A scientist will risk his life to inform the empire’s ruler. A scion of a Merchant House stumbles upon conspirators seeking power. And the new Empress of the Interdependency must battle lies, rebellion and treason. Yet as they work to save a civilization on the brink of collapse, others have very different plans …

2 editions

reviewed The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi (The Interdependency, #1)

Review of 'The Collapsing Empire' on 'Storygraph'

Warning: For me, this book doesn't really work on its own, it's a setup for a series. Scalzi builds an interesting society that mixes progressive social norms with a feudal economy in a way that is close enough to believeable to work. Unfortunately his characters are still a bit on the bland side, and some of the more interesting ones tend to die or disappear from the plot (hopefully they'll return later.) The plot on its own is good and I'll definitely stick with this series.