Yet another book that I purchased on a whim, The Collapsing Empire, the inaugural tale in the Interdependency trilogy by John Scalzi, is your standard space opera fare with an interesting twist. With this particular sci-fi subgenre, I’ve come to discover that it’s always the little things that make the story worth reading and Scalzi’s first outing into his trilogy is a perfect example of this.

In the distant future, the human race has come to realize that surpassing the speed of light is little more than a fairy tale, as it truly is, by all scientific understanding, the speed limit of the universe.

However, the discovery of an effect called the Flow has made exceeding the speed of light unnecessary. The Flow is a transdimensional conduit between worlds that reduces travel that would have taken decades or centuries to mere days, weeks, or months. Out of the rivers of the Flow, humanity has established a government called the Interdependency, ensuring survival by maintaining shipping lanes that provide all necessary goods between each world. 

Except, the Flow does change. It has happened before, cutting off Earth and one other world from the Interdependency.  But otherwise, it has been thought to be relatively stable. 

Until now. 

A massive shift in the Flow is occurring, which will cause all known shoals into and out of the worlds of the Interdependency to collapse, cutting off its respective worlds from each other, leaving every planet to fend for themselves.

Many are barren world populated by dined cities that are doomed to fall apart from disrepair and starvation.

The Interdependency’s newest Imperox, Cardenia Wu, is burdened by this knowledge. Beset by assassination attempts, unrest on the distant world of End at the Interdependency’s edge, and the machinations of ambitious nobles, she, along with Kiva Lagos, a foul-mouthed spitfire of a ship’s captain and Marce Claremont, an astrophysicist with a mission from his father, must find a way to overcome the obstacles that prevent the human race from preparing for this fast-coming apocalypse. 

The Collapsing Empire sets the stage for what is certain to be a grand tale of survival as the Flow’s collapse may lead to utter pandemonium on an interstellar scale. Scalzi has crafted a fast-paced, exciting tale of political intrigue with characters whom any reader will quickly become emotionally invested in. The protagonists are charming, sympathetic, and even amusing, while the villains, mostly out of the power-hungry House of Nohamapetan, truly grow to be despicable. The plot carries out with satisfactory endings and a keen excitement for what will happen next.

I wouldn’t say that Scalzi’s hand at worldbuilding was disappointing, but compared to all the books that I have read and reviewed up to this point, for a tale in a galaxy-spanning empire, the level of complexity of this particular universe did admittedly feel somewhat sparse.

Though he does a great job featuring a cast from an array of ethnic backgrounds and creative names for space vessels, such as the Tell Me Another One and the and the Yes Sir, That’s My Baby, as well as the various trades and goods that various noble houses deal in, other descriptions of this empire felt somewhat lacking. But with most every world aside from End being domed, mostly subterranean cities are on otherwise barren or uninhabitable worlds, with End being the only Earthlike planet. With nothing truly said about its environment outside of this, I feel that the author has missed prime opportunities to truly bring this universe to life.

Still, though as sparse as these descriptions may be, they do have an upside of keeping the tale crisp and fast-paced enough to keep the reader engaged and focused on the plot without drifting down rabbit trails. And there are also some elements of technology presented in ways that are beneficial to the plot, such as the Imperox’s memory room, where Cardenia receives advice from simulacra of each past Imperox, created from their recorded memories up to the point of death.  

Otherwise, the level of focus in the tale proper is such that the dearth of juicier detail about the universe can be easily forgiven. Above all else, it truly leaves one wondering what will happen next in the series. The end is approaching for the Interdependency, but will it be the end for the human race? 

I will certainly be continuing this series for the conclusion of this tale, and I believe that any reader looking for a space opera with unique elements and strong characterization and a fast-paced story will be interested in seeing it through to the end.

7/10; well recommended.