Empire's Passing

by J W Morris

Overview

Earth is destroyed by the Goth Alliance. The Emperor of the star-spanning Imperium dies in the attack and thousands of worlds face an interstellar Dark Age as Pretenders compete for the throne and the Goths rampage unchecked. The Goth Alliance is led by a High Priestess under the influence of a parasite inhabiting her brain, giving her mind control powers over humanoids, but requiring deaths of humanoids to survive and procreate. Unfortunately, Humans taste best of all humanoid species, particularly when they die during sex. Her visions of future timelines show Humans as her biggest threat. Her offspring have spread across much of inhabited space. Duke Michael of the planet New Meyer struggles to keep his world and those of his space-jump chute safe in the increasing chaos as the Imperium disintegrates. He's faced with the choice of trying to defend his world or a long shot attempt to save the Imperium that makes New Meyer an even bigger target. Then a billion year old race with the ability to bend space and time and who consider Humans as one of their Chosen Races, intervenes to protect their investment. Now Humans must fight one of the oldest wars of all: temptation. Empire's Passing is a modern version of an old-fashioned space potboiler with a twist of horror thrown in. Writing as JW Morris, Joseph W. Morris began his love affair with science fiction when his third grade teacher introduced him to Tom Swift. Since then he has worked to make SF a reality as an aerospace engineer and innovator. This is his first book, and the first book in the Imperium Succession Saga.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780988775909
Publisher:	Joseph W Morris
Publication date:	07/27/2013
Series:	Imperium Succession Saga , #1
Pages:	362
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Joseph W. Morris, writing as J. W. Morris, began his love affair with science fiction at age eight when his 3rd grade teacher introduced him to Tom Swift. Since then he has worked to make SF a reality as an aerospace engineer and innovator. Along his career path he earned six patents and pioneered two technologies flying in the missile defense program. Recently his team delivered rocket thrusters for NOAA's (U.S. Weather Service) next weather satellite. His interests are diverse, ranging from history to quantum physics to management of small businesses (he cofounded a successful web-based business).

Joe was born in New York City to parents who ran a small hotel in mid-town Manhattan. Living and working in a hotel spoiled him rotten but also gave him an introduction to a variety of people and their idiosyncratic personalities that served him well in his writing. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School and then obtained bachelor degrees in Physics and Engineering from NYU. He started his technical career working for the government but soon moved off to private industry. Besides missile defense, rockets and thrusters, he has worked on aircraft ejection seats and many other devices. He has six patents.

Empire's Passing is the first book in the Imperium Succession Saga, a series about the collapse of an interstellar empire, and the battle against an evil that literally feeds off Human souls.

Editorial Reviews

2013-12-31
When Earth is destroyed, a young emperor must question what it means to be human as he fights to save the interplanetary community. In the year 2937, there has been peace for 600 years, but now the Goth Alliance is waging full-on interstellar war. When an attack by the Goths destroys Earth, capital of the star-spanning Imperium empire, Duke Michael Landsman of New Meyer loses his father and succeeds him as emperor. While the Imperium possesses the force and weapons technology to defend themselves against conventional attacks, the Goths have a secret weapon. The Goth Alliance leader, the High Priestess of the Goddess Nearyahn, threatens to break through Imperial defenses from within their own minds: She exerts parasitic control over humanoid thoughts and feelings by using their sexual appetites to insert splinters into their brains. Meanwhile, the Passimians, a race several billions of years old that exists outside of traditional timelines, have identified humans as a Chosen race with the potential to join them outside of time; their assistance just might be the secret weapon Duke Michael needs to save his people—but it won't come without making some difficult choices. In his debut novel, the first in the Imperium Succession Saga, Morris sets the tone when Earth is destroyed in the first chapter. Yet while the well-developed characters and fast-paced narrative quickly draw readers in, the sheer quantity of characters and the story's complexity are likely to confuse and leave some readers behind. The novel is built on the solid foundation of current scientific technologies and innovations, and the well-researched parallels to Earth's history bring a rich literary depth that distinguishes this novel from some of the pulpy space sagas out there. Military and political geeks will enjoy the depth in which the Imperial governmental structure is described as well. A richly woven space saga that will leave sci-fi fans anxious for the next installment.

Kirkus Reviews