2020 was a place for some arts to die, but it was also a place where other arts got to fly. Books were one of the winners of that difficult time. According to The Authors Guild fiction books sales increased by 18%. One book published in the midst of lockdowns and a world turned inside out was the final instalment of the Interdependency trilogy, called The Last Emperox, written by John Scalzi. I must admit, I started reading this when it was released. I feel it is quite telling that I have only just finished this book, so many years later.

The Interdependency trilogy actually began as a two-book space opera. As it was written it became apparent a third instalment was necessary and, whilst I haven't read the first two, I feel like the whole story actually lies in the second half of this third book.

The trouble with writing what have become known as space operas is that the authors think they can reveal things slowly and in a convoluted manner. This is why I have only just finished this book. In my opinion absolutely nothing happens until the second half. There is no inciting incident of any significance to draw the reader in. On the other hand, in these pages the first 2 books are pretty much explained - or the cliff notes at least - so I don't feel any need to read them and the world is not intriguing enough for me to want to go back and explore the history.

The concept has good potential. The Interdependency is a diaspora of humanity which has managed to fling themselves deep into the universe through wormhole style 'flows'. They now have the technology to build habitats so it doesn't matter that the planets are incompatible for human life. These communities also don't need to be near each other because they are connected by these flow streams.

The problem is, in the first two books they have discovered these streams are collapsing and the last Emperox, Grayland II, has to figure out how to get as many people through what will be the last remaining stream to the only planet which can sustain human life. An added complication is that one of her enemies has rebelled and taken control of the other end of that stream and any spaceship not permitted through will be destroyed upon arrival.

The conceit is a lot of fun, and once The Last Emperox stops messing around with all the cloak and dagger stuff, the story really takes off. The structure of the book is in 3 'books' which is part of why I don't think you need to bother with the first two. The characters are mostly fascinating although I think making the key players female is a bit disingenuous and leaves them feeling a bit two dimensional. I don't care what people may say, a woman is not just a man with mammary glands.

Having said that, the character of Kiva Lagos is great fun. Grayland seems a bit lacking in personality. Nadashe Nohamapetan is a wonderful villian. Perhaps it is worth reading book two, The Consuming Fire, because that is where the rivalry between Lagos and Nohamapetan seems to have been fully realised.

The technology in The Last Emperox is a mix of good ideas and WTF. Scalzi has long had a fascination with life extension and transference of personality to other places as the body dies, kind of like Altered Carbon. The Interdependency trilogy plays with this and there is a big reveal in The Last Emperox which mirrors some of what has been developed in the Foundation TV series. On the disappointing side is the little things, like how they still use tablets and watch shows with the tablets resting on their knees. I would have thought that by that point in our technological development we might have come up with something a bit less cumbersome.

I know this sounds like I didn't enjoy the book. I really did - or at least the second half. The problem is that in 2020 I didn't have the patience to wade through all the soap opera before finally getting to the action. In the end, what is good about science fiction is the technology, the ideas in the world building, and the action. Just like any film script, a book needs to start at a point of action. The past and the relationships get revealed through that moment of impact and the ramifications which come from that.

Despite my reservations I do think science fiction addicts will enjoy this world. This trilogy is possibly a winning Xmas present idea, especially if you have a teen who is a really scifi addict.

3.5 Stars

Thanks very much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. Many thanks, Dave

Another great Scalzi book. Really enjoyed this series and this is a thrilling ride. If you’re a sci fi fan Scalzi is a must read.

The Last Emperox by John Scalzi is the last book in the Interdependency Trilogy, and I read the other 2 books so I could review the last one.

I've enjoyed everything I've read by Scalzi so far, and this wasn't an exception!  It's a well written sci-fi story.  It's fast paced, and you'll enjoy the ride!

The Last Emperox is one that I would recommend you read the other 2 books for first - they are:  The Collapsing Empire  and  The Consuming Fire .  Both of them are equally well written and you will be joining the characters in hoping they succeed.  

 The Last Emperox  was published on 16th April 2020, and is available on  Amazon  and  Waterstones .  I’ve found a link to where you can search for  local bookshops , including independent!

You can follow John Scalzi on his  website ,  Facebook and  Twitter.   

  I was given this book for free in return for an unbiased review, and so my thanks to NetGalley, and to  Pan MacMillan  (the publishers) for this book. 

You can have a look on my GoodReads to see what else I’ve read!

The Last Emperox is fantastic in its depth of world building; ideas of trade and intrigue making the foundations of the Interdependency along with its own set of religious and royal institutes. Yet, it is the characters that make the novel so entertaining. Whilst the beautifully crafted comeuppance that the villains experience is wonderful, there’s a lot going on in The Last Emperox. Notions of power and governing bodies (and the motivations behind their actions), ideas of moral fortitude and loyalty as well as plain old greed and revenge. John Scalzi does it all and with a sardonic and epic honesty

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley.

The problems that the plot deals with are huge (as in end-of-civilisation huge) but like many of this author′s books, it′s the interaction between the characters that influences the future. Dealing and double-dealing is the order of the day throughout this book. Even as it seems that one side has come out on top, the whole storyline twists around, and even death doesn′t mean defeat. In fact, at the end staying alive doesn′t seem to be the best outcome.

This makes it seem like it will be a grim read, but instead it is a delight with much humour from characters and commentary, and a good conclusion to the tangled story that has preceded it.

The Last Emperox is Scalzi’s concluding volume to his Interdependency trilogy, wrapping up the story that started in The Collapsing Empire and continued with The Consuming Fire. The flow streams between planets of the Interdependency are slowly collapsing, isolating star systems and consigning their inhabitants to a slow death. With time running out, Emperox Grayland II must wrest control from her enemies in order to save as many as possible, sending millions to the only planet with a breathable atmosphere: End. With political machinations abound, there are few options left to her, but her enemies know it is only a matter of time before they succeed. Or will they?

Fans of Scalzi will not be disappointed in his telling of this story, done with all his usual aplomb. The Last Emperox concludes well, though sometimes feels a touch rushed, and it leaves the door open to further tales in this setting – some of which could prove very interesting indeed, should he decide to tell them. In short, this is a fun trilogy that begs you to read just one more page. It’s over before you know it, and enjoyable throughout. Scalzi sure knows how to entertain.

This latest book by this Author is part of his Interdependency trilogy and whilst it can be read as a standalone I would recommend reading the previous books first .

The collapse of The Flow, the interstellar pathway between the planets of the Interdependency, has accelerated …………. entire star systems are cut off from the rest of humanity …….. many are in denial , some are only out to profit from the disaster
Emperox Grayland II has finally wrested control of her Empire from the enemy …….. but as always , there are those who would seek her power and her throne . Grayland and her remaining allies must use all the tools at their disposal to save not just themselves but also Humanity ……. will it be enough ?
Will she be the last Emperox or will she perish along with the rest of Humanity ?

The non stop action brings all the different storylines and events to a thrilling climax…. one worth waiting for .
If you love this genre then this book and the series is a must read .

I was given an arc of this book by the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Great ending to another thrilling series from John Scalzi. The human empire is on the verge of collapse when a scientist discovers The Flow, the traveling routes between the settled planets. The Noble houses do not all band together to use their wealth and privilege to save the majority of the human race but instead backstab, murder and start wars over the only planet that can sustain life. Full of Scalzi's snarky dialogue, fast action and miss-direction, the author wraps the plot up while still leaving an interesting possible thread about what his next series might be heading.

This is the end of this great series and I loved it as I loved the other instalment.
There's a lot going on and the plot can sometimes seems confusing but there's always a reason if something is happening or something is being told.
I'm love with John Scalzi's humour and how he writes tongue in cheek.
There's a lot of character development and it was interesting reading the arc of the characters and saying them goodbye.
The world building is as amazing as usual and I loved every moment of this story.
I can't wait to read Mr Scalzi's next story.
This was a fun read and a lot of food for thought, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Interdependency has existed for a thousand years, after a series of wars that nearly snuffed out humanity – and Rachela, the very first Emperox, put in place a system on which each planet or colony outpost needs supplies and raw material from elsewhere in order to exist. So the Interdependency continues to thrive on mutual dependence – which has worked well enough, until now, when the space pathways that allow ftl travel are starting to collapse…

There is a really nifty Prologue with nicely reminded me of the situation and the main characters in the frame, without feeling like an info-dump, and once more I was scooped up into the middle of the infighting and social shark tank that is Grayland II’s court. Though despite this helpful update, I would strongly advise that if you’ve picked this one up without having read the previous two books, then put it down again and go hunting for them first. This book is essentially a continuation of the overarching story, so if you don’t actually flounder, you’ll be missing far too much of the backstory to be able to fully appreciate the scope of what is going on.

There is an interesting dynamic, wherein Scalzi has ticked all the boxes for writing an epic space opera adventure, but at the same time has included the kind of snark and edged humour more commonly encountered in urban fantasy. There are a couple of characters who are very sweary, so if you are offended by liberal use of the f-word, among others, then you’d be better off giving this one a miss. But dear Emperox Grayland II isn’t one of them and I love her principled stand, refusing to take the easy way out by saving just the nobility, but attempting to ensure the billions of her subjects also stand a chance, too.

This one buckets along at a fair clip, with some major plot twists that I simply didn’t see coming and left me reeling. To be honest, I’m still trying to process the ending… because it really, really isn’t the conclusion I was looking for, or wanted. Yet, as it was explained, I have to accept that realistically speaking – it was the only possible outcome. Does it work? Oh yes. It’s also really clever. But, even so…

That said – I don’t feel I’ve been cheated, or short-changed in any way and I certainly don’t regret having dived into the rambunctious world of the Interdependency, even if I’ve surfaced a tad dazed and battered. Recommended for fans of enjoyable, well-written epic space opera. The ebook arc copy of The Last Emperox was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest opinion of the book.
9/10

As with the previous novel, The Last Emperox picks up immediately after the end of The Consuming Fire, Cardenia again trying to deal with the fallout from another assassination attempt, which has seen her arrest dozens of members of the noble families. The series is led by female characters, and their personalities are more distinct now then they were in the first book. Lady Kiva Lagos and Nadashe Nomaphetan are particularly fun characters, and their hatred of one another, and their ability to scheme in every circumstance, is one of the books highlights. I also enjoyed Cardenia's exasperation with bureaucracy, and their inability to see beyond their own self-interest. I definitely felt parallels to our current political situation. It's also fun and pacy, though, perhaps too pacy, as the ending felt very rushed.

The ending was unexpected, and satisfying. It seemed increasingly unlikely that Cardenia would be able to do what she set out to do, but in the end, most of what she wanted was achieved, albeit in an unorthodox, but innovative way.

However, as with The Consuming Fire, The Last Emperox does have some issues. Again, there is a lot of exposition, and a lot of characters recapping things that have, in the timeline, literally just happened. The Last Emperox also rushes through a huge amount of plot in order to wrap up the assassination attempts, and give a satisfying conclusion to Cardenia's dilemma. To do this, the plot relies on a reveal, Jiyi/Rachela, that felt pretty implausible. My personal view is that actually it would have been better if plot of The Last Emperox had been split over two books, in order to give more time to exploring Dalasýsla, and how the Flow would ultimately support getting much of humanity to End. End, so important in the first novel, barely gets ten pages of action in this book, despite being humanity's new home.

I think Scalzi has created a compelling world here, which is why it's such a shame that he doesn't give the story the time I felt it needed to fully develop. The Interdependency is a good space opera series, but not a great one.

This was a great conclusion to this trilogy. It did take me a while to get back into the story, but it had been a while since I read the previous book. Overall I really enjoyed the plot and would definitely recommend checking these books out.

I have really enjoyed this series and this final instalment, while probably my least favourite, was a really good conclusion. We follow the characters we have grown to love as they prepare for the uncertain future.

The Positives: Once again, I loved the tone. Scalzi writes with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, which I really appreciate. I particularly enjoy Kiva and loved her character arc, both through the series, and in this concluding chapter. Indeed, I thought all of the character arcs were well done and had satisfying endings here, which is a great achievement. There were some great little plot twists along the way too, which made things incredibly compelling.

The Negatives: I felt like the pacing was a bit off in this book. We had an awful lot to tie up here, but the first half of the book seemed to have a lot of repetition of previous machinations and intrigues, which left the latter half feeling a bit rushed and under-cooked for me.

Overall, this has been a really fun and compelling series and I would definitely recommend it to anyone in the mood for some lighthearted space opera.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It is no surprise that I enjoyed this book. I am a big fan of Scalzi’s writing. His sense of humour really appeals to me and the ease at which it lures you into the story is just fantastic. This is particularly true of The Last Emperox where the humour and chatty conversational tone of Scalzi’s work managed to set the scene of the previous two books without it feeling like a "Previously On" rehash of old scenes.

The Last Emperox is the final book in the Interdependency trilogy and it really is the ending this series deserves. This book keeps you on your toes! Compared to Consuming Fire I felt this one really paired down the number of perspectives, focusing on the ploting, scheming and other machinations of our three strong female protagonists; the trepidatious Emperox Garyland, the doesn’t give a flying-f**k unless you piss her off Lady Kiva and the doesn’t mind leaving everyone dead in her wake Nadashe. I love the individual voices these women have, how they hold their power and how they play their political games is unique to them. They lovingly play with and bend typical troupes of the foul-mouthed woman, the power hungry bitch and the timid and quiet mousy one. They are fun to read about, to route for and to route against. They are great in both the action packed romps and the quiet reflective moments, solid characters you can really just have fun reading about.

The plot is essentially that the political interplay between these characters in their goals for the Interdependecy and the fate laid out in the previous books. All of this keeps the reader on their toes. There are so many twists and turns. The lighter humour filled moments are studied with great moments considering the multitude of human response to crisis, the struggle and sacrifice required and what being human means (a common theme in most of his books). Scalzi’s own political views clearly make their way in to some of the narration but as I align with his thinking this didn’t bother me and I found those criticisms and parallels enjoyable to read. And DAMN do we get one hell of a twist at the end! It was such a satisfying ending to both the book and the series. I just couldn’t see where it was going and it delighted me, the resolution was perfect. It drew a nice (slightly open ended) line in the sand for the characters while leaving the Universe open to possibility. I just really enjoyed it.

I don’t read Scalzi for hard hitting science accurate Sci-fi, I read it for the joy of reading a jam-packed romp of a Space Opera that has me laughing out loud, gasping in shock and eventually leaving me with that satisfied smile of having enjoyed myself when I close the back cover. The Last Emperox and the Interdependecy series as a whole does this, which makes them great reads. This is a series I will re-read time and time again.

What a delightful read. I’ve been eyeing John Scalzi for the longest time and didn’t know where to start so was happy to receive a review copy of this book. It’s the third in a series, but was completely readable and I didn’t feel too out of the loop despite not having read any others. John Scalzi is a marvellous writer, with a very quirky and unique writing style that just got me interested and hooked from the first line.
The story gave me medieval-battle-for-power vibes, and placing that in a space age setting was a delightful experience I didn’t know I needed in my life until now.
Needless to say, I am a fan.

The Last Emperox by John Scalzi

The Last Emperox concludes John Scalzi’s clever, witty and thoroughly entertaining space opera trilogy, the Interdependency. Under no circumstances should you read this final book without having read the other two first – The Collapsing Empire and The Consuming Fire. If you haven’t read them yet, you’re in for an absolute treat. This review assumes you’ve already had the pleasure.

The Flows that connect the planets and space habitats of the Interdependency are closer than ever to failing. All hope lies at End, the only planet among all of them that can actually sustain human life. But there’s a very real problem, quite apart from getting everyone there in the first place and in time, which is in real doubt, and that is that transporting billions of people to one small planet will doom it every bit as much as all of the other planets. It’s a huge dilemma for the Emperox Grayland II and it doesn’t make matters any easier that her very life is in peril as assassination attempt after assassination attempt fails, but only just, and for how long? The great families of the Interdependency are fighting for power but they’re also fighting for their survival, which makes them even nastier than normal. The Emperox knows from where the greatest danger threatens. She must play her own game to outwit her rival and keep the hopes of humanity alive. But the Emperox has one advantage and she is called Kiva Lagos.

It’s hard to imagine a more entertaining and plot-filled space opera trilogy than this one. There is so much going on! The world building is superb and played out against it is the incredible story of a federation of planets that is facing its demise, and soon. As time runs out there is a scramble amongst the most powerful while the Emperox, a thoroughly intriguing and likeable, conflicted figure, must try and deal with the ethics of it all, which means confronting her own ancestors in the enigmatic ‘Memory Room’. By this stage of the trilogy, masks have largely been dropped and the true nature of the main characters revealed. Many of them aren’t pretty but they’re certainly entertaining.

Favourites have to be the foul-mouthed Kiva Lagos and the appallingly ruthless Nadashe. Both women are scene stealers and huge amounts of fun to read. They are worthy opponents and the reader can expect surprises along the way. Jaw-dropping moments can be found in abundance among these pages. But we also see characters ‘outside the office’, in their relationships, and this adds something human to this story of the approaching apocalypse.

The Last Emperox is packed with action and intrigue. The pace doesn’t let up for a moment. But what makes this book, and the trilogy, stand out is the genius of John Scalzi’s imagination, writing skill and wit. There is so much to resolve in this novel but it’s all pulled together so cleverly and with sharp humour. I loved the Prologue, which reminds us of previous events in such an original and funny way. Some characters are almost like clowns, such as the Acting Duke of End, and we can’t wait to see them get a custard pie in the face. The idea of The Flow is fabulous, as is the backhistory of the Interdependency, which we learn through the Emperox’s encounters with her ancestors.

I have loved every book by John Scalzi I’ve read (I urge you all to read Lock In and Head On) and The Last Emperox is no exception. Now that the trilogy is done, I can’t wait to see where he takes us next!

Other reviews
Lock In
Head On
The Collapsing Empire
The Consuming Fire

Well, that was a rollercoaster ride – I *loved* it! :)

The first book of the Interdependency, The Collapsing Empire, was one of my best NetGalley ‘finds’. It surprised and delighted me, and I’ve been looking forward to continuing to the end of the trilogy while at the same time a bit sad that it’s over.

Usual warning – if you haven’t read the first two books, put this review down and go start at the beginning before talking about the third book gives earlier plot spoilers!

The full scale of the catastrophe of the collapsing flows is now a reality for Emperox Grayland II, but her attempts to save billions of lives is distracted by repeated assassination attempts. Can she best the scheming Nadashe Nohamapetan? Can science beat the end of this amazing civilisation spread across galaxies of space habitats?

Really, it was just a joy to be back in this universe and catching up with all the characters, but with the added bonus of bringing all those threads of story together. I loved the character arcs for Cardenia, and was delighted that Kiva – my favourite foulmouthed hedonist – got a bigger part again after being very slightly sidelined in book 2. And it’s fabulous to see morally corrupt characters that aren’t just pantomime baddies – but I’ll leave it to the reader to find out if any of them get their just comeuppance! ;)

Alongside the fun, though, I did think there was something quite timely about this book. Collapse of civilisation, you say? Characters willing to see billions die as long as they can still turn a profit? I mean… ouch o.O

This was just the perfect end to a brilliant series. There is SO much fun, but also a lot of heart – I dare you not to be ‘hit in the feels’ by at least one part. Very recommended – as long as you can cope with the swearing ;)

John Scalzi brings the Interdependency trilogy to a very satisfying close in The Last Emperox. I very much enjoyed the first two books of this political space opera and think it one of the best sci fi series published in recent years. So, I was really looking forward to reading The Last Emperox and thrilled to be given the ARC by Pan Macmillan, Tor and Netgalley, many thanks!

What I think makes the series such a success is the concept, the dependency of one planet and its inhabitants on another for basic resources and goods, these held in monopolies by noble houses. The Interdependency is an artificial system, open to exploitation and machinations and with the imminent collapse of the Flow (interstellar travel), it is under existential threat. Scalzi does a great job and has fun with plots and counterplots. I’ve also really enjoyed reading strong, well developed female characters although in this last book, I felt Nadashe becoming a bit cartoon-villainy, slightly overdone. I won’t say anything about the plot itself other than the first half of the book was a little slow but everything picks up in the second half and then some. One or two surprises too, which I thought very well done. Fans of John Scalzi will love it.

I’d highly recommend the whole series for anyone looking for a bit of escapism in these unsettling times.

There is a point about two thirds of the way through The Last Emperox where I had to stop and check that this was a trilogy. There was so much that needed to happen to bring this in satisfactorily, and a new ball had just been thrown into the air that I couldn't see how it could be ending in 100 pages. I also realised at that point, deliciously but sadly, that I didn't want it to end. I liked the characters too much, the torn naif Emperox (its a gender neutral term), her foul mouthed ally, her dastardly (and really fulfilling that term) archenemy. Spending time with them in this borderline ridiculous political sci fi adventure story was great and I didn't want it to end. But I was pleasantly surprised, and ending comes in and its not too rushed and it plays with and confounds a number of tropes the series had already toyed with. Not for nothing someone is reading The Count Of Monte Cristo earlier in the book - there are few direct parallels but the sense of gung ho storytelling there is.

I think I said in my review of the Consuming Fire that Scalzi can sometimes be a bit too cute in his writing, going for gags when he should leave them alone. The Prologue here certainly has that as an issue, popping in on some characters from the first novel who we had left behind with a bunch of glib narrative tricks that I thought were overdone. But in retrospect it managed to quickly wedge me back into the mindset of the writing, and the tone of the omniscient narrator which has a solid chunk of news satire DNA in it. As the plot takes hold these narrative asides are used less, but because the book is about the constant political machinations of a huge Emperor led theocracy, the tone is justified - look at these idiots playing at Machiavelli - is the subtext. The supertext is about government and good governance and quite how hard that is and the sacrifices you need. And therefore I was please that the book stuck with some of those sacrifices (whilst giving itself plenty of lines for the fanfic minded reader to give themselves a happier ending).

I burnt through this is a day, as I did the previous two, and whilst its classic space opera in as much as the science and the resultant problems are hand wavey, and latterly solved by reverse hand wavey, it grasps the human outcomes of its own construction (there is an excellent chapter where the mindset of a well educated basically content population has to deal with impending doom where the result for most people is - someone else will sort it out). There is one excessively sweary character who I took a long time to come round to and now just think of as Malcolm Tucker in space who won me over. I'm in that moment of mourning the enjoyment of a good series, which is a delicious one in itself.

(Reviewed as an NetGalley ARC - released in mid April)