decentă, nimic remarcabil pozitiv sau negativ. o carte ce mi-ar fi plăcut în adolescență, dar acum nu am putut trece de jumătate. ( )

The end of a rigid empire in internecine war.
The last of a might alien species, the Shaa, decides it is time to die. The Shaa counquered Terrans, Naxids, and other races 10,000 years ago, and established a convocation of races with a mighty multispecies fleet to manage their Empire. Everything is decided by a rigid heirarchy of grand families. A year after the great funeral, the Naxids decide on a secret mutiny, destroying much of the fleet, and are racing to take over the capital world. Lt. Gareth Marttinez comes from a wealthy but poorly placed family. At the beginning of the novel, he guides cadet Carolyn Sula in a daring rescue of a space yacht racing pilot. A year later he maneuvers his frigate to escape the mutiney and make it to the capital. He is given a tactical officer staff position, and falls in love with Sula, who is posted aboard the flagship. They devise new tactics together, but at the end Sula walks away from him, because, as the back story explains, she is a beautiful and brilliant commoner who has stolen the identity of the real but disgraced Sula family.
The battle and space scenes are scientifically realistic, if you grant the existence of wormholes. Antimatter fuels ships, missiles and warheads, and is generated by accelerator rings that surround entire planets. Wormhole relay stations transmit laser messages, and balance the mass of the ships passing through by hurling equal amounts of rock in the other direction. Everyone uses drugs to endure massive accelerations during maneuvers. There is even the mention of air embolism during decompression. The characters and plot are reasonably complicated. ( )

Exciting adventure. The long set up is worth it. Heart pounding action by the last third. The main characters have high quality flaws to go along with all their brilliance and chutzpah. ( )

Space opera set in the far future when there is only one powerful empire. Multiple races are subjugated by one race, that imposes by force a set of rules (no artificial intelligence, no immortality, etc.) for thousands of years. Starts a bit slow but has enjoyable actions and characters. The whole story makes a lot of sense and characters are both believable and they somehow evolve based on their challenges. Lots of descriptions of a (very) hierarchical society. Does not introduce a lot of strange technologies (except wormholes and really dense energy producing - but not much else). Was kind of nice that half of the book was just to introduce the characters and the initial action did not miraculously link with the second part when the war started ( )

Williams, Walter Jon. The Praxis. Dread Empire’s Fall No. 1. Harper, 2002.
Walter Jon Williams is a journeyman author of science fiction. He is well versed in all the tropes of the genre, builds consistent fictional worlds and always tells a good story. The Dread Empire’s Fall has a lot in common with other series of its kind—notably, David Weber’s Honor Harrington novels and Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga. It is less wedded to the C. S. Forester model than Weber’s work and has a harder edge than Bujold’s novels. The premise is that an ancient race got to all the wormholes first and imposed a ruthless clan-based aristocracy on all the sentient species in the galaxy. Wen the last alien overlord dies, chaos erupts in the empire. Think Russia in the post-Soviet era. The series is held together by two strong characters, the second son of a mercantile family whose talents are unappreciated by the aristocratic military leadership, and a woman from the mean streets masquerading as an aristocrat. Both are highly skilled starship commanders. They are attracted to one another but also highly competitive. This frenemy relationship keeps our interest through the series. If epic space opera is your thing, you will be hooked by The Praxis. ( )

Surprisingly good. Not freaking fantastic, but really, really good.

Of course, I have to discount the opening which made me want to run and hide, saying, "no, no, this book is so not for me," with all its stuffy space fleet stuff, but once we got into everything else almost immediately after the slog of a beginning, I was hooked.

One really shouldn't judge a whole series based on the first 30 pages. I should know better. And I was right. The life on the planets set me right. We got to see how the rich versus the poor live in a very cool setup that satisfies, we got to get knee-deep in the politics, but what caught me most was the steady, careful worldbuilding. The alien species are interesting, but not as important as the political moves and the attempted coup.

Sound like standard stuff?

Well, here's where it gets kind of interesting. This came out in 2002 and yet I was getting some serious Battlestar Galactica vibes... as in the remake, the gritty terror. And then there was the serious satire and weakness of the ancient military and this one captain's obsession with football that matches the entire fleet's idiocy. And then there was the homage to the end of the Senate in Star Wars, some serious culture vibes that would make it into the later Mass Effect games, and much more.

It's almost like this book inspired all the modern breed of space operas. Not the single-minded pursuit of space opera, but the celebration of all the things surrounding a big space battle while also delivering on that space battle.

For that, I really appreciate the novel. The writing isn't always what I'd call fantastic, but the ideas and the steady inclusion of so many different aspects of SF in general WAS. I enjoyed it quite a lot ever since we got through the opener and actually grew to love it by the end. It snuck up on me. :)

( )

I like what the writer tried to do with his world but the characters were swept in the currents of the wider plot's demands. There were quite a few times I thought we were finally going to see some real, hard-hitting consequences from the characters' experiences and actions (such as Sula's PTSD and relationship insecurities mentioned in passing until sex and Terza; Martinez's arrogant rise to the top meets occasional resistance until everybody realises how smart he/his mind is)... but nah, I guess?

I get that some of it is circumstantial and almost definitely subjective to me but just... ugh. I've only read two out of the trilogy so my grievances may have been addressed in the third but for two, not-short books, conflict and danger were teased but never truly manifested or if they did, were swiftly followed by reward that rendered the initial threats laughably worthwhile. (Caveat: You could say Sula faces a lot of stupid shit and is far less the shining star that Martinez is but I just felt uneasy. She's a better female character than I was expecting and I don't want the damaged, heartbroken Earthgirl to end as the hero's happily-ever-after-all prize.).

I liked the world, the character voice, the sense of humour, the politics, the grounded science... but the only ones suffering through the story were Sula, the enemy and myself. What happened next ceased to matter because I knew it wouldn't be deep or self-critical enough for my tastes. I took a look at how long the third book was and I just didn't want to read anymore. If any one feels that the third book would change my mind, please let me know. ( )

This is what good literature should be like- engaging plot, solid characterization, solid character development. Williams uses a flashback format in an effective manner to keep me guessing, but with enough foreshadowing so that thinks make sense. I don't have to be completely astounded by what happens. (I'm looking at you, GoT.) A reader wants to enjoy where the plot is going, which means we can make some level of prediction as to what happens- even in science fiction, especially in science fiction, the characters have to be *real*.

However, I like a book that finishes. It shouldn't be "To Be Continued". This book quite definitely doesn't finish. Numerous key points are in no way answered or explained, and it ends in the middle of a battle. A solid series should have every book complete in itself, like Lewis' Narnia. I should want more of those characters and that universe, not more of the plot to understand what happened. There is no way to understand this story without reading - and buying - the next book. ( )

The Praxis is the 1st novel in the Dread Empire series and details the end of the Shaa reign and the changeover to rule of previous conquered races (Humans included). One of the previous conquered races (the Naxid) attempt to co-opt rule of the remaining races and it is up to our main characters to foil this attempt. So starts the the wide ranging story with further details of this struggle still to be revealed in the next books in the series. The first book delves into how the two main characters became the people they are today along with the current events happening as the Naxid try to take control.

4 stars for an interesting read even if I am not yet really liking the main characters. Recommended for anyone who enjoys the space opera genre. ( )

http://speculiction.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/review-of-praxis-by-walter-jon-willia... ( )

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Librarything & Tumblr by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: The Praxis
Series: Dread Empires Fall #1
Author: Walter Jon Williams
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 454
Format: Digital Edition



Synopsis:

The Shaa rule the known universe under the precepts of The Praxis, a series of laws that are constant and reduce the amount of chaos in the empire. All races bow to the Shaa and have for thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of years.

But the Shaa have died out and only one remains. This is the story of the Empire once that Shaa dies.

We follow a young Navy puke, Gareth Martinez, as he goes through the tumultuous time. Single handedly preventing another species, the Praxids, from taking the Shaa's place, Martinez rises to captain of his own ship and becomes a hero.

We also follow Caroline Sula, last member of the disgraced Sula household. In the navy, trying to rebuild her fortunes, Sula is a pilot with a huge secret. She's not actually Caroline Sula.


My Thoughts:

This was a decent read. The only other books I've read by Williams have been in the Star Wars universe and ONE book back in '09. So he's practically a new-to-me author.

So this is Space Opera, in the finest tradition. Huge Empires. Factions spanning galaxies. Armies beginning the titanic struggle for supremacy of said Huge Empire.

But what is Space Opera without some leading characters with great voices? So we get Gareth and Caroline. Decent enough, but honestly, if I carry the Opera comparison over, they don't have the projecting, hall filling voice that a main character needs. They're not bland amateur voices but they aren't the mature voices of huge fat people belting out an aria at the top of their lungs. I'm hoping our two main characters chub up a bit by the end of this trilogy * wink *

Having read enough Science Fiction, I knew what was coming as soon as it was revealed that the last of the Shaa was dying. So the overall plot is no surprise, but I have to admit I was hoping the disintegration would start a little faster. I guess I'll have to wait for the next 2 books for that to take place.

Also, Space Opera means Space Battles. Man, I HATE space battles. It's tough to describe 5 minutes of action that stretches out for days. It is BORING, even when the author skips all the boring in-between times. Bleh. Give me marines with super rifles blowing the crap out of aliens any day! I hope there is some of THAT in the next 2 books.

★★★☆ ½ ( )

A slow start to a series, mostly just character introduction and setting the background for the coming conflict. Still, other reviews had warned that this was the case and it had the potential to be the start of some fun, if pretty average, space opera/military SF.

The story revolves around two protagonists: Gareth and Sula. I found Gareth slightly interesting in a Hornblower-esque way (i.e., the unusually competent military officer amidst those less so)...but the speed of his promotions and honors did strain credulity slightly. Sula was a little more problematic as I trouble seeing her backstory, as it was gradually revealed, leading to the personality she was displaying in the present. ( )

This has been on my purchase and to read list for a long time. I remember some early works like the Crown Jewels and Ambassador of Progress by Williams that I enjoyed. So I started in on this.

And it did start slow. But I stuck with it. And then it emerged as well done. Perhaps our heroes are too much involved as the only ones who can think of new solutions to the problem of warfare in an age where nothing has changed for thousands of years.

A subtler way might have been for their new tactics being used to get the ball rolling and then happenstance allowing them to further refine other issues that occur.

There are mores of society and political marriage that rival other times and empires where progeny were created to safeguard the family wealth and this plays out well too.

In all, a read that prompted me to immediately order the next book in the series. ( )

Walter Jon Williams fell victim to the convention of so many sci-fi writers who pretend to write trilogies when what they really write is one beginning, one middle, and one end in three volumes. In case you're wondering, I don't like that. My one-person protest is to rate the trilogy as a single book. In order to discover the complete rating, all three reviews must be read.

"The Praxis" is a great beginning. It sets up a fascinating multiple sentient empire ruled by the Shaa for eons. The two main characters, Lieutenant Gareth Martinez and Lady Sula are introduced as they work together to save a sun-racer's life.

Everyone is living in a kind of limbo as the last Shaa is about to die. No one knows how the empire will survive, but everyone hopes that life will continue to go on as normal. It doesn't.

The Praxis quickly pulled me into the Shaa's universe and enveloped me in politics, cultures, and fascination with the breakdown of a static civilation.

It's a great beginning. ( )

http://fantasycafe.blogspot.com/2010/05/review-of-praxis.html ( )

The “Dread Empire’s Fall” trilogy starts off with the death of the last immortal Shaa, the race of which conquered the galaxy and put all of the defeated races beneath it’s yoke, imposing it’s ideals and values upon them. After the death of this race, a civil war begins between a renegade group of Naxids, and the remaining races of the alliance – including the far-future members of humanity – over whom should rule over the galaxy. I’m reviewing the three as a single story, because the only way that I really read the current crop of science fiction trilogies is all at once – I can’t really wait for a year to find out what happens in the next novel, and by this stage, I’ve forgotten most of the original story, anyway.

The narration of the story largely passes between Gareth Martinez and Caroline Sula, both of which are the main characters of the trilogy. Martinez is a provincial Peer, the equivalent of the nobility in the novel, and his family are desperately trying to claw their way up socially, through the judicious use of marriage and money. Sula is the last member of a once highly-respected Peer group, her parents having been executed when she was a child. Both encounter each other quite early in the first novel, and something of a convoluted relationship between the two develops. There are some other characters that narrate the story, particularly Lord Chen, a highly-respected peer fallen on hard times due to the war isolating his business interests, and whom is financially rescued by the Martinez family, but on the whole, the story passes between the two. The major characters are all well-fleshed out, and are all interesting to read.

I found the military SF aspect of the trilogy to be quite well done, and this series is recommendable for that alone. I quite liked how the three novels kept the reader updated on the strength of the forces of both factions, in terms of the ships that each group had. It was a simple but extremely effective way of showing how the armadas were progressing in the war. Williams also envisages a variety of methods of futuristic warfare – large, pitched battles in space, ground-based guerrilla warfare, a small raiding party, space bombardment of a planet, and so forth. The variety of battle styles does make for interesting reading, particularly since military tactics in this world is narrowly-focused, and has crystallised and stagnated under the rule of the Shaa. The warfare of both sides sometimes comes across like a stereotyped perception of England at war – there’s a refusal of military command to adapt to changing conditions in battle, command is based on social class, with only nobility able to take positions in command, and the decisions of policy makers are partially based upon the commercial interests of the voter and their acquaintances.

The story alternates between telling of the war and how the alliance is faring against the Naxids, and telling the story of how civilian society is reacting to the war. The social aspect of the trilogy, while on the whole interesting, did not always keep my interest like the military part of the trilogy did. The first book is broken up with a backstory of a character named Gredel, whom befriends Lady Sula in her adolescence. The significance of this back story is quite obvious far before the revelation occurs, and during the backstory, slows the pace of the story dramatically. The second book, midway through, suddenly becomes quite concentrated on the idea of several members of the Martinez family getting married within quite a short period. It slows the book dramatically, does not make for interesting reading, nor is the sudden blossoming of various marriages explained well. These are minor complaints in regards to the story considering how much I enjoyed the rest of the trilogy, but do need to be made.

On the whole, the “Dread Empire’s Fall” trilogy is excellent military SF. There’s a variety of ways in which futuristic war is waged, the characters are quite interesting and well-fleshed out, and so is the society the characters live in. There is a variety of perspectives of the war, focusing on a lone, individual fighter and scaling up to commanding a fleet of warriors, and tactical command itself, and the perspectives add variety to the story. ( )

"Dread Empire's Fall" is a tightly-coupled trilogy, basically one very long novel; the 3 volumes have to be read together and in order. I found it a very compelling read; the sheer momentum of the story carried me effortlessly past flaws that in a less well-written book would have stopped me cold. (For example, in one of the military tactics that's fairly crucial to the plot, I think he's got the physics wrong and it wouldn't actually work.)

There's lots of moral ambiguity; the worst single atrocity of the war is committed by "our" side (a tyranny only marginally less brutal and corrupt than the other side). In the end, we find that in winning the war, the "good guys" have accomplished nothing except to restore the _status quo ante_. The same old, corrupt, incompetent elite is back in power, having seemingly learned nothing; all the underlying issues are unresolved; it seems clear that another war is inevitable within a generation or so (maybe just in time for our hero's son, newborn at the end of this trilogy, to get his own chance at glory). The resolution of the romance subplot also seems rather arbitrary. -- Tim ( )

Disappointing because I expected better from Williams.
It feels like his effort to produce a better than average military space opera, and he does manage to avoid flat characters and some of the excesses of technobabble and infodump typical of this sub-genre.
But The Praxis failed to grab me. Maybe it works better as part one of its trilogy, but standing alone it was disturbingly predictable (even ignoring the howling spoiler in the cover blurb). ( )

http://www.sfreader.com/read_review.asp?ID=403 ( )

Generic space opera, and predictable too. WJW's been all downhill since his earthquake book. ( )

Imagine Queen Victoria and Chairman Mao got together and spawned a race of technologically advanced aliens who conquer all the other intelligent species in the galaxy so that they can be taught proper manners. Then the aliens get bored and all die, leaving their former subjects to fend for themselves. What could go wrong? ( )

F/SF

181

ZB13 ( )