A review of: The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi

I’m not sure where to start. I loved this book. I got really into the characters. And the overall “universe” the story takes place in. I have to know if the Flow collapsed...

I really don’t want to just talk spoilers, so I’ll shut up and be content with only talking top level ideas from the book. First, the characters were written in a way that they didn’t run together for me, which has been a pretty prevalent problem lately. I also like the parallels between the issues at hand, and our own more recent “debate” on climate change. In an interview, I believe it was with The Verge, Scalzi said that he had based this concept of the ocean’s currents stopping which would have killed the shipping trade. As he says in his afterward, the title and theme was developed years ago, well before the climate change “debate” was in full swing, but it’s definitely applicable to the parallels today.

To make that issue all the more impactful, disperse humanity across the universe (not just across continents, but 200+ years ago it may as well have been light-years) into systems that are completely dependent on each other for survival. Think colonies established in locations simply because there was a fast way there, not because they’re were resources or even a remotely habitable moon or planet. For example there are colonies who, without trade assistance, would not be able to maintain their habitats or produce enough oxygen or food to survive longer than a few years. These colonies are all held together by a medieval trade guild which keeps money and commodities moving.

It reminds me so much of Frank Herbert’s Dune, only not as long-winded and stuffy. I like Dune, I really do, but it’s a little long for what it is. A bit unnecessarily if you ask me. Oh yeah, and more profanity. And there were a couple of characters that really kept this going for me...just colorful and fun.

As fun as, say, a bucket of churros...

I’m starting on Old Man’s War until my reservation for Consuming is ready at the library. Just heard Netflix secured the option to create a show/series/something based on it. And I noticed a third title in this series “The Last Emperox” was circulating as an advanced copy somewhere too........

My review at GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2570620100