The Collapsing Empire Begins John Scalzi’s Next Science Fiction Epic

Indeed, much of this first novel sets up an intriguing universe, one organized around the unexplained phenomenon of the Flow, a river-like means of galactic space travel that allows civilization to spread to disparate star systems—at least until the “river” changes course, threatening to cut off whole worlds from the rest of humanity. We learn the extent of the havoc the collapse of the Empire will wreak, and meet the main players who we’ll hopefully be following as they try to solve them over the course of several books—because I would hate to lose any of their points-of-view in the sequel. This is not to say the the book reads like pure stage-setting: there are space mutinies, violent political intrigues, and believable extrapolations of science galore, not to mention an explosion or four.
The Empire consists of the Guilds, who control trade via great houses, and the rulers of each planetary world, who answer to the Empire. There is much denial about the collapse of the Flow’s present course, which certainly parallels catastrophic events our own civilization may suffer due to climate change and other scientific facts we’re doing our darnedest to ignore. (Scalzi even adds a note about the similarly to current events; the title was not strictly intended as political commentary, but it might read that way to anyone who lived through 2016.)
By the end, we know who’s who and what they’re after. Loses have been counted, allegiances have been declared, and the new Emperor has finally found solid footing for her rule. Well, at least as sound as the collapsing empire itself.

But it’s the characters who stick with me, all of them smart and capable and flawed and fascinating, and, because we’ve come to expect it from a John Scalzi novel, rarely any less than witty, with occasional dips into outright smartassery. From the wily ship’s captain who sadly appears only in the prologue—where, outnumbered, she ably bluffs a trio of foes into dropping their guard; to newly installed Empress Cardenia Wu-Patrick, who sits vigil for her dying father even with the weight of worlds on her shoulders; to Kiva Lagos, your new favorite kickass starship captain; to hapless scientist Marce Claremont, who has the misfortune of being the only one to show up at work on a day that turns out to be monumental indeed.
I have always found it odd that Scalzi’s work has earned the ire of that subset of science fiction fandom that feels no one is telling good stories anymore, out of concern for pushing a political agenda. If you’re looking for sci-fi in the grand tradition of the Golden Age, you would do well to grab this book; it is as pure a galactic SF adventure as they come. In it, you will encounter crisp prose, kinetic action, great characters, and a plot that travels faster-than-light.
Perhaps there is one difference from those epics of old: Scalzi’s worlds feature all kinds of peoples in lead roles—including lots of women (only one of the leads is male). He acknowledges of the presence of LGBTQ individuals as part of society, and different races among the descendants of humanity. Our world is becoming more mixed, and, it makes sense that the SF world to come will reflect that.
So yes, I very much enjoyed this book. I’m not as enthused about waiting for the sequel.
The Collapsing Empire is available March 21 in a signed edition from Barnes & Noble.