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The Risen Empire: Book One of Succession

The Risen Empire: Book One of Succession

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.19
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: engrossing far future sf -only half the story, though
Review: This is really terrific science fiction. A most intriguing plot that goes back and forth between the military aspects of the story, which are plausible, thrilling, and filled with imaginative and cool technological creations, the other half of the book deals with the political maneuverings involved in the decision to go to war with a rival faction of humanity. The books shifts between a multitude of characters' viewpoints, settings, and also flashbacks, but the author effortlessly keeps it together and it is not difficult to keep track of everything. Westerfeld is an excellent writer who paints vivid imagery concisely and keeps the plot rolling and the reader thouroughly entranced. Character development is exemplary for a science fiction novel and some morality themes are seamlessly worked in, adding depth without slowing the book's momentum. My only problem with the book is that it ends abruptly- this is not a stand alone novel by any means! You are forced by the publishers' apparent greed to buy two books (and this first volume is rather slim - a little over 300 pp!)Still, I will capitulate since I have to see how the rest of the story plays out, highly recommended book for sure.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Yes, it is good
Review: I read this book DESPITE a wholly negative review in the Montreal Gazzette (which called it simplistic, with unbelieveable characters and borrowing heavily from Star Wars and Dune).

As an aside, if it borrows from Star Wars and Dune, that is not altogether a disadvantage, is it?

First, the book IS fast-paced and told in a snappy tone of voice, without extreme flourishes. Even so, it does not read like a young adult novel, and it does not read like David Drake. (That's a good thing in my opinion)

It actually borrows little from Star Wars and even less from Dune.

Here's what you'll find:

* an original world with an interesting political system
* interesting cultural elements
* simple but fun characters
* tremendously exciting battles, both space and ground
* a much more interesting take on the 'compound mind' than say, the Borg
* realistic and exciting nano-machine battles (Yes!)
* captivating AI characters (ex: house computer--trust me!)
* a mystery regarding a medical immortality secret

So it's not Frank Herbert, and it's not Gregory Pohl, not David Brin... it's something different, much more similar to Orson Scott Card.

It's fun, and it would probably make a good movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Smart, well-paced space opera
Review: In this series Westerfield really puts together an interesting, cohesive synthesis of technological, sociological, and political factors to create a background that's less two-dimensional and more vivid than one typically expects for a space opera. Even though he does wrap up his storyline in this two-volume series, hopefully he will return to this universe he's created for another series or two; there is enough detail and many intriguing ideas that just beg to be made into their own story.

The Risen Empire is a stratified society defined by its conquest of death. The living compete for the right to be brought back after their death (a privilege granted only to an aritocratic few) and the Emperor - the man who discovered the cure for death - uses this reward to keep his subjects in line. The dead are cold, conservative and unanimously supportive of the Emperor; aloof and isolated from the majority of the population, they are viewed with distrust on some worlds and worshipped religiously on others. But the Emperor has a terrible secret that he will stop at nothing to protect which could bring the whole thing down - and the Empire's enemies have just come one step closer to revealing it...

There have been several complaints in these reviews about the length of the book. This probably has less to do with the adequacy of the story (it is a bit short, but definitely a novel's worth of material) and more to do with it only having been available in hardback, which made it not such a great value for your sci-fi dollar. It is now finally available in paperback, however, which should make this less of a worry.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Oh pish. And also tush.
Review: OK. So you have to buy two books, instead of one to get the complete story. This book, while not up to the level of Alastair (no relation) Reynolds or M. John Harrison's brilliant Light, is so crammed full of ideas and oblique perspectives that the first volume ended at just the appropriate place to let it simmer and percolate in the old subconscious for a bit. ("Brilliant Light." Ha ha.) The anticipation of a return to the universe of The Risen Empire, alone justifies this approach.

If this were not as good a novel, then I probably would have been testy about having to buy two (rather short) volumes. Of course, I would not have bought the second.

This book is full of poetic images, like the dead cat farm, that are scattered as if thrown away. I enjoyed it so much that if I had been able to finish it in one swell foop I would have been left regretting that it ended so soon.

It faintly embarrassing that I now love Space Opera this much. It is out of character that this sub-genre, which, except for Nova, never really interested me, has now become vital literature in the wide spectrum of science fiction. I'm a slipstream/new wave kind of guy. What am I doing reading this stuff? (Having a great time - that's what.)

(I apologize for the second sentence of the last paragraph.)

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not his usual surprising self...
Review: Perhaps a space opera is just a little too much. Westerfeld's previous books are among the most enjoyable books sci-fi has to offer: highly suprising, exciting twists and marvellous characters. Especially 'Fine Prey' is a wonder of quality, ingenuity and entertainment. The Risen Empire is a good read, but lacks the originality of his previous stand-alone books. The themes are almost straightforward extrapolations of 'Evolution's Darling': what if artificial intelligence is not only human, but super-human; what if it does not take bodily form, but is a 'compound mind' made up in information infrastructure? What if people surpass the limitations of their physical self? Take these questions, find answers and voila! The world of the Risen Empire. Please not that this is not a bad book. It's a pretty good one. But given what I have come to expect of Westerfeld, it is only slightly disappointing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fascinating and Exciting
Review: Scott Westerfekd has created a very engaging science fiction novel that manages to dazzle and impress the reader with wondrous technology, but does not bore him or her with dry technical description. Also helping the Risen Empire is its characters, who often play second fiddle in other science fiction novels. Not in the Risen Empire though, in this work, the characters are real, with understandable emotions and motivations. There is no more interesting character in the book than the main protagonist, Imperial Navy commander Laurent Zai, who must fight for the cause he has sworn to protect, even if he begins to have serious doubts concerning the system he is protecting.

Laurent Zai is a cog in a monstrous machine. Set in a world three millennia ahead of our own, humanity has spread throughout the stars. Various splinter groups have gone off on their own, but the main power in the area known as the 80 worlds is the Risen Empire, a massive imperial power ruled over by the eternal Emperor. The Emperor has ruled for 1600 years, and, through a mysterious scientific process, has been rendered immortal. Along with him, a select few are chosen to join him in this limitless existence, creating a group fiercely loyal to him and the empire. However, one group of humans has become hostile to the empire, those known as the Rix, who worship the entity of the compound mind, a computer being that can spread like wildfire through the empire's computers. In their most daring move, Rix raiders storm the palace itself, and manage to kidnap the Emperor's sister, the immortal child empress. This is a disastrous blow to the empire, and everything is sent out to bring her home. Zai is given command of the rescue mission. He is faced with a choice, save the heir to the throne, or die himself.

The Risen Empire has a very good story. Westerfeld avoids the maddening trap that many scifi writers fall into, of all technology and no characters. The characters and the plot of this book are both understandable and enjoyable to the lay reader. That said, one of the most interesting aspects of this book is the amazing and imaginative technology that is described. The nanotechnology presented in this work is both realistic and fanciful, so magical that you could never believe such things could come to be. The futuristic weapons and computer technology are all nicely rendered in a classic science fiction way. Most intriguing of the futuristic technology presented is the compound mind that the Rix can create. The description of an information gathering program becoming slowly self aware was good reading. Besides some slow parts and some rough patches of philosophical hyperbole, the Risen Empire is a great read.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Philosophical science fiction
Review: Succession is as great as the original Dune series by Frank Herbert. Scott Westerfeld is THE new Frank Herbert for new millennium. The writing is deep and philosophical, touching on aspects of modern day humanity and drawing a parallel with our times. I recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in Sci-Fi and definitely must read for original Dune fans.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: strong space opera
Review: The Emperor has ruled over the eighty planets of the Risen Empire for over fifteen centuries. When it is time the emperor kills himself in a sacrificial way so he can return being one of the few chosen for immortality. Only the ultra wealthy or the highest nobles can access this immortality technique.

Though much of the populace resents the hierarchy they react as sheep. However, for the first time in centuries a threat has surfaced. The Rix believes society needs to evolve into an artificial intelligence of one mind. They have captured the Emperor's sister, The Empress Child, and are in the process of terraforming a planet to suit their philosophy. A rescue mission led by Imperial Navy Captain Laurent Zai tries a desperate rescue attempt before the orb is bombed into oblivion, the only way to stop the Rix incursion.

When the space opera remains in the present, the story line is loaded with exciting action that grips the audience who wants to come along for the full ride. When flashbacks occur, the plot slows down as a sidebar that typically provides societal background surfaces but also takes away from the rescue effort. Fans who want mind boggling action will resent the flashbacks as intrusions while those who want to understand alien worlds and ways of life will appreciate these as delightful erudition.

Harriet Klausner

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Engaging Sci-Fi, a bit cumbersome at times but worth it
Review: The Risen Empire is creative, epic, and very captivating. Well, let me put a disclaimer on that: the plot was very compelling, but the language was cumbersome at times. Westerfeld has a great grasp of language and has a very detail-oriented and descriptive style. Westerfeld also has managed to create some very interesting technologies, weapons, ships, etc. and provides us with a vivid image of how each works and how each fits into the fictional politics and economy.

The problem occurs when the two collide: sophisticated explanations of technology sometimes get lost in flowery language, making some passages (lasting as long as a few ages) difficult to get through. I found that the pace was broken in this way about two or three times throughout the novel.

But that's a small criticism for a book as enjoyable as this. For those that like to dig into sci-fi technology, this book is a gem. It also has solid military sci-fi elements and good action. For those who like character stories, there is a wonderful (but very bizarre) relationship that occurs near the end... good stuff.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantastic, Engaging, and Really Quite Fun
Review: The universe of 'The Risen Empire' is easy to absorb and become lost in and revisited on me many sensations of wonder such as those I had when reading 'Foundation' for the first time. Scott Westerfield does a magnificent job of creating his characters, both major and minor, and making them feel quite human despite the strange world in which they live. Also, he creates a universe full of advanced technology, but also one frought with philosophical conflicts regarding how technology should be used. The politics of 'The Risen Empire' are quite believable and seem very well thought-out. Of course, the future technologies themselves are fascinating and more than once you'll probably smirk or chuckle while saying, "That's cool." If you enjoy science-fiction, do NOT miss this book. I look forward to following the story to its conclusion in 'The Killing of Worlds'.


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