The Consuming Fire - (Interdependency) by John Scalzi (Paperback)

About the Book

The Interdependency, humanity's interstellar empire, is on the verge of collapse. The Flow, the extra-dimensional conduit that makes travel between the stars possible, is disappearing, leaving entire star systems stranded. When it goes, human civilization may go with it--unless desperate measures can be taken. Emperox Grayland II, the leader of the Interdependency, is ready to take those measures to help ensure the survival of billions. But nothing is ever that easy. Arrayed before her are those who believe the collapse of the Flow is a myth--or at the very least, an opportunity that can allow them to ascend to power. While Grayland prepares for disaster, others are preparing for a civil war, a war that will take place in the halls of power, the markets of business, and the altars of worship as much as it will take place between spaceships and battlefields. The Emperox and her allies are smart and resourceful, but so are her enemies. Nothing about this power struggle will be simple or easy...and all of humanity will be caught in its widening gyre.

Book Synopsis

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The Consuming Fire--the sequel to the 2018 Hugo Award Best Novel finalist and 2018 Locus Award-winning The Collapsing Empire--an epic space-opera novel in the bestselling Interdependency series, from New York Times bestselling author John Scalzi

The Interdependency--humanity's interstellar empire--is on the verge of collapse. The extra-dimensional conduit that makes travel between the stars possible is disappearing, leaving entire systems and human civilizations stranded.

Emperox Grayland II of the Interdependency is ready to take desperate measures to help ensure the survival of billions. But arrayed before her are those who believe the collapse of the Flow is a myth--or at the very least an opportunity to an ascension to power.

While Grayland prepares for disaster, others are preparing for a civil war. A war that will take place in the halls of power, the markets of business and the altars of worship as much as it will between spaceships and battlefields.

The Emperox and her allies are smart and resourceful, as are her enemies. Nothing about this will be easy... and all of humanity will be caught in its consuming fire.

The Interdependency Series
1. The Collapsing Empire
2. The Consuming Fire

Review Quotes

Praise for The Consuming Fire

"Another fast-paced romp through Scalzi's imagination, bearing hallmarks of his humorous slant on sf tropes." --Library Journal

Praise for The Collapsing Empire

"Provocative and unexpected." --The Wall Street Journal

"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, Grade B+

"Scalzi builds a fascinating new interstellar civilization in order to destroy it....[The Collapsing Empire is] amusing escapism full of guts and brains." --Ars Technica

"Scalzi mixes science, history, and politics with sharp action and intriguing characters. Readers will be thrilled to take another wild ride across the universe with the author of the "Old Man's War" series." --Library Journal, starred review

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

"Scalzi continues to be almost insufferably good at his brand of fun but think-y sci-fi adventure." --Kirkus Reviews

Praise for John Scalzi

"As much as Scalzi has the scientific creativity of Michael Crichton, he also has the procedural chops of a Stephen J. Cannell to craft a whodunit with buddy-cop charm and suspects aplenty-most of them in someone else's body."-- --USA Today on Lock In

"If anyone stands at the core of the American science fiction tradition at the moment, it is Scalzi." --The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, Third Edition

"Plenty of action, great character development, vivid and believable world-building, and a thought-provoking examination of disability culture and politics. . . . Yet more evidence that Scalzi is a master at creating appealing commercial fiction." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on Lock In

About the Author

JOHN SCALZI is one of the most popular and acclaimed SF authors to emerge in the last decade. His massively successful debut Old Man's War won him science fiction's John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His New York Times bestsellers include The Last Colony, Fuzzy Nation, and Redshirts, the latter winning the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novel. Material from his widely read blog, Whatever, has also earned him two other Hugo Awards. Scalzi also serves as critic-at-large for the Los Angeles Times. He lives in Ohio with his wife and daughter.