"The action moves with the pace of a well-executed military operation; a fascinating clash of supertechnologies. This story has everything: combat,intrigue, politics, and even an undead cat collection." --JOHN C. WRIGHT The undeod Emperor has ruled his mighly interslellor,empire af eighty human worlds for sixteen hundred years. Because he con grant a form of eternal life, creating an elite known as the Risen, his power has been absolute. He is worshiped as a living god. No one can touch him.

Not until the Rix, machine-augmented humans who worship AI minds of planetary exlent The Rixare cool, relentless fanatics, whose only goal isto propagate such AIs throughout the galaxy. They seek to end the Emperor"s tyranny, and replace it wilh an eternal cybernetic dynasty. They begin by taking hostage the Child Empress, his sister,whois eternally a little girl. Captain Laarent Zai ofthe Imperial Frigate Lynx is tasked with her rescue.Separated by light years, hound by an unlikely love, Zai and pacifist Senator Nnra Oxhem must each, in their own way, face the challenge of the Rix, as they hold the fate of the empire in their hands.From the acclaimed author of Fine Prey, Polymorph, and Evolution"s Darling (Philip K. Dick Award special citation and a New York Times notable book) comes a sweeping epic,Succession, which begins in The Risen Empire.

"Westerfeld spins a dramatic tale that never flags in pace or imagination, nor in its abundance of original vision abandons narrative in favor of didactic digressions.., a strong and vibrant story, as engaging and innovative in its scope as his mechanical inventions or cultural constructs. In my opinion, this novel represents a balance that much contemporary science fiction lacks. And just when you thought that the author has exhausted the possibilities for further invention, he takes the reader down entirely new and delightfully unexpected paths.., the richness of imagination present in the author"s world-building, as well as the febrile and vivid description that accompanies his settings and the novel"s cultural and social infrastructure, easily set the book apart, not only from the common space opera but from most other science fiction as well. Westerfeld"s characterizations.., possess both depth and a poignant and compassionate humanity this recalls some of the best of Asimov but written with a more concise and breathless speed. It"s been quite a while since I"ve read science fiction I"ve enjoyed more or that combines narrative action with imagination as intelligently. Heartily recommended." --Interzone