The undead Emperor has ruled his mighty interstellar empire of 80 human worlds for 1600 years. Because he can grant a form of eternal life-after-death, creating an elite known as the Risen, his power is absolute. He and his sister, the Child Empress, who is eternally a little girl, are worshipped as living gods. No one can touch them. No until the Rix, machine-augmented humans who worship planetary Al compound minds. The Rix are cool, relentless fanatics, and their only goal I to propagate such Als throughout the galaxy. They seek to end, by any means necessary, the Emperor's prolonged dynasty of one, and supplant it with an eternal cybernetic dynasty of their own. They begin by taking the Child Empress hostage. Captain Laurent Zai of the Imperial Frigate Lynx is charged with her rescue.
The Risen Empire
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Praise for "The Risen Empire"
"Westerfeld illumines the clash of mighty galactic empires by focusing on individuals who, despite the distractions of war and politics, cannot help falling in love."
"--The New York Times
""Westerfeld's exceptionally smart and empathetic novel...confirms the buzz that space opera is one of the most exciting branches of current SF."
--"Publishers Weekly "(starred review)
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Book Description
A cutting-edge space opera in which galactic cultures clash: human, inhuman and post-human
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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The five small craft passed from shadow, emerging with the suddenness of coins thrown into sunlight. Read the first page
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The five small craft passed from shadow, emerging with the suddenness of coins thrown into sunlight. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The only reason that I can see that this work did not win either the CLARKE or HUGO awards, is because it was split into two seperate novels when first published. What a shame, because this is one of the best science fiction books written this decade! The science, pacing, and drama all are superior. I understand why publishers make the decision to split a book up, but artisticly this book will never get the recognition it deserves unless enough people buy this edition. A pity.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By K. Charlton
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I dug around a bit and discovered that 'The Risen Empire' and the 'Killing of Worlds' was one manuscript but was chopped in half because the publisher didn't think a Sci-Fi book that long from a relative unknown would sell for the higher price a larger book costs.
Or so is claimed.
A bit of a shame really because like other reviewers I think this book deserved at least a mention in the big awards.
I will review both books here.
A very original story line winds through a well thought out and well fleshed out universe that the author has taken time to make quite believable. Different political parties, a Senate, an Emperor all help the story to rise above the standard Space Opera, and make the reader believe there is a functioning Universe within the pages of this book.
Characters are well detailed with even bit players not feeling superficial or shallow. There are even different classes of people all with their own agendas or in the case of the risen, dark secrets.
The high tech military hardware and operations blend nicely with the Senatorial episodes and the love interests between Captain and politician, Captain and Exec and a data analyst and a cyborg/gestalt being are important subplots rather than just an 'interest'
The highlight of the whole book has to be the space battle between the outclassed latest Imperial prototype and an advanced sentient gestalt type race. It is a fantastic bit of story telling with heavy yet understandable science and engineering underpinning the combat. Its probably one of the best examples of what space warfare might be like I have read.
Well worth a read, just remember if you just get the first book it will cut off in the midst of the action and you will kick yourself.
Or so is claimed.
A bit of a shame really because like other reviewers I think this book deserved at least a mention in the big awards.
I will review both books here.
A very original story line winds through a well thought out and well fleshed out universe that the author has taken time to make quite believable. Different political parties, a Senate, an Emperor all help the story to rise above the standard Space Opera, and make the reader believe there is a functioning Universe within the pages of this book.
Characters are well detailed with even bit players not feeling superficial or shallow. There are even different classes of people all with their own agendas or in the case of the risen, dark secrets.
The high tech military hardware and operations blend nicely with the Senatorial episodes and the love interests between Captain and politician, Captain and Exec and a data analyst and a cyborg/gestalt being are important subplots rather than just an 'interest'
The highlight of the whole book has to be the space battle between the outclassed latest Imperial prototype and an advanced sentient gestalt type race. It is a fantastic bit of story telling with heavy yet understandable science and engineering underpinning the combat. Its probably one of the best examples of what space warfare might be like I have read.
Well worth a read, just remember if you just get the first book it will cut off in the midst of the action and you will kick yourself.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An interesting take on the cultural struggle between the living, and those enhanced with longer life " the Risen". Unfortunately to be enhanced they have to kill you first.... Space Navy and Imperial politics mingle through the book, as the Emperor's sister is held as a hostage by the cybernetic Rix. Clear your calendar and make time to read this. I'm sure there will be more of this universe in future books
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By R Young
Format:Paperback
There seems to be two versions of the Risen Empire?
The 2006 Orbit publication (ISBN-10: 1841493724), at 720 pages, has both Succession books in it: (i) The Risen Empire, and (ii) The Killing of Worlds.
The 2008 Tor publication (ISBN-10: 0765319985 ), at 352 pages, has (i) The Risen Empire only.
The 2006 Orbit publication (ISBN-10: 1841493724), at 720 pages, has both Succession books in it: (i) The Risen Empire, and (ii) The Killing of Worlds.
The 2008 Tor publication (ISBN-10: 0765319985 ), at 352 pages, has (i) The Risen Empire only.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Kuma
Format:Paperback
The saga of Laurent Zai and the Risen Empire has really impressed me as a well thought out and enjoyable space opera. It captures so many themes of classic sci-fi and deals with them in new ways, it tackles the issue of isolation (nods to the time thief a sly homage to "the forever war") that is a preoccupation of sci-fi as charcaters feel distant both in distance and emotionally. It also uses science to great effect inventing a space age "class war" not based so much on wealth as the technological advancement that allows the dead (or "risen") to dominate an empire of living people. However what really makes the work stand out is its adroit use of technology (especially nano technology), what dates the majority of early sci-fi is it's lack of understanding of computers, something Mr Westerfield compensates for with Gusto. The compound mind of the rix and the principals of the rix cult serve as a fantastic foil to the humans of the Risen Empire, where as humano-centric sci-fi is lonely, one that looks at life from a computers perspective is full of interaction and networking - the book challenges in a fundametal way the human cultural imperialism that is a thread thropugh all other Sci Fi. The only exception to this is the conciousness of "the house" - I won't say too much but felt like a weak emulation of Iain M. Banks.
That said, in terms of literary style, the book gets better the further you read into it. The opening section is a tidal wave of detail on a canvass you haven't seen and is a little overwhelming, indeed Westerfield's love of scientific detail can phase a lay reader of sci-fi and it is only later in the text that he tempers this with better story telling.
All in all a great read, highly recommended.
That said, in terms of literary style, the book gets better the further you read into it. The opening section is a tidal wave of detail on a canvass you haven't seen and is a little overwhelming, indeed Westerfield's love of scientific detail can phase a lay reader of sci-fi and it is only later in the text that he tempers this with better story telling.
All in all a great read, highly recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Risen Empire Omnibus edition- Excellence personified in book form.
21 Jan 2013
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first read this when the omnibus edition came out in paperback, featuring " The Risen Empire " and " The Killing of Worlds".
A fantastic, high sci- fi concept written extremely well.
The pace is just right, the characters intriguing, the story multi faceted and gripping.
Some of the concepts born in this book seem to be truly unique and are described very well, often with detailed scientific description ( none of its real of course, but it reads as real ).
The combat, both ground and space based is concisely and effectively described, and you find yourself simply drawn to the next page...and the next...and the next.
A genuine pure sci-fi story, that having just read a second time ( this time an E-book edition) in Jan 2013, I can happily say the book is every bit as good as I remember it from the first time round.
I'm not sure if the writer appreciates what he has achieved with this book, but this could be destined to be a sci-fi classic in years to come. Brilliantly written military sci-fi, with an in depth and cohesive body politic running things in the back ground.
I'm now going to move on to the next series of books Scott Westerfield has written, Starting with " Leviathan".
A fantastic, high sci- fi concept written extremely well.
The pace is just right, the characters intriguing, the story multi faceted and gripping.
Some of the concepts born in this book seem to be truly unique and are described very well, often with detailed scientific description ( none of its real of course, but it reads as real ).
The combat, both ground and space based is concisely and effectively described, and you find yourself simply drawn to the next page...and the next...and the next.
A genuine pure sci-fi story, that having just read a second time ( this time an E-book edition) in Jan 2013, I can happily say the book is every bit as good as I remember it from the first time round.
I'm not sure if the writer appreciates what he has achieved with this book, but this could be destined to be a sci-fi classic in years to come. Brilliantly written military sci-fi, with an in depth and cohesive body politic running things in the back ground.
I'm now going to move on to the next series of books Scott Westerfield has written, Starting with " Leviathan".
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
space battle and techno babble
The reader's reviews for this book were very good and that's the reason why I finished it at all - because I was patiently waiting for the interesting part to come. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Ben
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant read
A thick book but I whizzed through it it no time - it really is an un-put-down-able page turning read that I went back to at every opportunity. Read more
Published on 27 Mar 2011 by Mark Booth
5.0 out of 5 stars
a stunning stand alone sci-fi novel
I read this as one book having bought 'the risen empire' as the large second publication- and am amazed it was ever split in two. Read more
Published on 19 Aug 2010 by finnelix
1.0 out of 5 stars
Propagate Proper Grates.
What's with the overuse of the word "Propagate"?
Every subsequent time I read it, it felt like a slap round the head with a wet fish. Read more
Every subsequent time I read it, it felt like a slap round the head with a wet fish. Read more
Published on 1 April 2009 by Mr. A. S. Lally
5.0 out of 5 stars
couldn't put it down
A fantastic novel - especially when you read it all in one go and not the split version!
Couldn't put it down. Wish he'd get on and write the next instalment...
Couldn't put it down. Wish he'd get on and write the next instalment...
Published on 3 Jan 2009 by Bex Frg
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
I really enjoyed this book. It's big, enthralling and you can't help but get involved with the characters.
I won't give any spoilers other than to say... read it.
I won't give any spoilers other than to say... read it.
Published on 31 Aug 2006 by R. J. Beed
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice story, decent characters, plot moves along niceley
Says it all really. The other reviewers are pretty accurate. Nice work scott!
Published on 31 July 2006 by Robert
5.0 out of 5 stars
The omnibus editon - 2 books as one.
I missed these novels when they originally came out. As a single story this is a fat novel, but its well written and actually hard to see where the publishers split the book up... Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2006 by K. Maxwell
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