The Collapsing Empire

The Interdependency, Book 1

By: John Scalzi

Narrated by: Wil Wheaton

2018 Locus Award, Best Science Fiction Novel

Our universe is ruled by physics, and faster-than-light travel is not possible - until the discovery of The Flow, an extradimensional field we can access at certain points in space-time that transports us to other worlds, around other stars.

Humanity flows away from Earth, into space, and in time forgets our home world and creates a new empire, the Interdependency, whose ethos requires that no one human outpost can survive without the others. It's a hedge against interstellar war - and a system of control for the rulers of the empire.

The Flow is eternal - but it is not static. Just as a river changes course, The Flow changes as well, cutting off worlds from the rest of humanity. When it's discovered that The Flow is moving, possibly cutting off all human worlds from faster-than-light travel forever, three individuals - a scientist, a starship captain, and the empress of the Interdependency - are in a race against time to discover what, if anything, can be salvaged from an interstellar empire on the brink of collapse.

©2017 John Scalzi (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Fans of Game of Thrones and Dune will enjoy this bawdy, brutal, and brilliant political adventure." (Booklist)

"Scalzi has constructed a thrilling novel so in tune with the flow of politics that it would feel relevant at almost any time." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Political plotting, plenty of snark, puzzle-solving, and a healthy dose of action…Scalzi continues to be almost insufferably good at his brand of fun but think-y sci-fi adventure." (Kirkus Reviews)

incomplete story

it's a partial story. a satisfactory beginning. but missed the middle and end. it felt like an imMediate rush job to get to a deadline of a new series.

Another Scalzi fun-ride

Scalzi is always fun, even when he's not at his best. This isn't his best but it's close. Scalzi sets up a universe and establishes its society and government pretty quickly, throws in a slew of outrageous characters on various worlds, then weaves them all together. Don't expect realism, just relax and roll with it. The plot zips along at warp speed - and, yes, I listened to it in pretty much one sitting.

Will Wheaton is an excellent choice to narrate Scalzi. He delivers a mostly deadpan performance with just the right amount of snarkiness.

Charming to the last...

Profane and irreverent and tragic and fun, The Collapsing Empire lets you escape to a world that is perfectly aligned with our own. Scalzi delivers all you want from a sci-fi epic - wacky astrophysics, devious diplomacy, weird religious turmoil - all through the eyes and experiences of entirely relatable characters. Wheaton's performance is immersive and joyous. It's quickly paced, rich in detail, and will absolutely leaving you wanting more.

An all-around great time.

3/4 of a great novel

Loved the writing, the worldbuilding, the reader - there just wasn't enough to it, requires the next book in the series (whenever that comes along) to make this one whole. Still a good listen, but it leaves lots of unrealized potential.

Scalzi snd Wheaton, perfect pair

The chemistry between the genius mind of Scalzi and the performance of Weathon that makes me want to listen to more and more. This book was full of everything, love the Lagos family and their brutal honesty!!!

Wheaton again

Will Wheaton's delivery can get a little repetitive but overall he does a good job with a great story

I would say its quite... "Mehh"..

Never pulled me into the story. Narration was okey but the story dident give me anything.

Great start to a new series

I like the more adult feel to this book. People being brutally honest and using more explitives than I do :)

The story is a great start to a book series. A lot of questions still out there to solve in next parts of this universe!

Excellent Sci Fi

Will's style of narration is always engaging. Scalzi has a way of making intricate scenes and schemes accessible immediately to the reader. Will look forward to the next volume in this saga.

Profanity overwhelms the plot

it's a nice political their, but the profanity within the story overwhelms and distracts from the overall story.