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Walter Jon Williams
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The Praxis: Dread Empire's Fall (Dread Empire's Fall Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Walter Jon Williams (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 745 ratings
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“Space opera the way it ought to be [...] Bujold and Weber, bend the knee; interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams.” -- George R.R. Martin

The first book in the completed Dread Empire's Fall trilogy, followed by The Sundering and Conventions of War.

All will must bend to the perfect truth of The Praxis

For millennia, the Shaa have subjugated the universe, forcing the myriad sentient races to bow to their joyless tyranny. But the Shaa will soon be no more. The dread empire is in its rapidly fading twilight, and with its impending fall comes the promise of a new galactic order . . . and bloody chaos.

A young Terran naval officer marked by his lowly birth, Lt. Gareth Martinez is the first to recognize the insidious plot of the Naxid -- the powerful, warlike insectoid society that was enslaved before all others -- to replace the masters’ despotic rule with their own. Barely escaping a swarming surprise attack, Martinez and Caroline Sula, a pilot whose beautiful face conceals a deadly secret, are now the last hope for freedom for every being who ever languished in Shaa chains -- as the interstellar battle begins against a merciless foe whose only perfect truth is annihilation.

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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Dread Empire's Fall
  2. Print length
    454 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    William Morrow Paperbacks
  6. Publication date
    October 13, 2009
  7. File size
    4322 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Space opera the way it ought to be [...] Bujold and Weber, bend the knee; interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams.” — George R.R. Martin

From the Back Cover

The first book in the completed Dread Empire’s Fall trilogy, followed by The Sundering and Conventions of War.

All will must bend to the perfect truth of The Praxis.

For millennia, the Shaa have subjugated the universe, forcing the myriad sentient races to bow to their joyless tyranny. But the Shaa will soon be no more. The dread empire is in its rapidly fading twilight, and with its impending fall comes the promise of a new galactic order . . . and bloody chaos.

A young Terran naval officer marked by his lowly birth, Lieutenant Gareth Martinez is the first to recognize the insidious plot of the Naxid—the powerful, warlike insectoid society that was enslaved before all others—to replace the masters’ despotic rule with their own. Barely escaping a swarming surprise attack, Martinez and Caroline Sula, a pilot whose beautiful face conceals a deadly secret, are now the last hope for freedom for every being who ever languished in Shaa chains—as the interstellar battle begins against a merciless foe whose only perfect truth is annihilation.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000UOJTRQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (October 13, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 13, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4322 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 454 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 745 ratings

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Walter Jon Williams

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
745 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Chuck B
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised by the negative reviews!
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
As anyone who reads science-fiction knows, there’s a lot of crap out there! While this book is not necessarily in the league of Bujold, I was pleasantly surprised by the story. The characters are interesting and not your typical cardboard space hero types. I won’t comment on the physics of his space battles, but who really pays attention to that anyway? Certainly any “realistic” space battle would probably be fairly dull (unless YOU were the one under fire) and take place over long periods of time. Regardless, Williams is probably in the top 25% of space battles.

I found it very plausible that despite (or perhaps because of ) the age of the fleet, no one in the universe had actual prior space battle experience.

Williams has a sense of humor and can relate details of the plot articulately. Most of the “five star” books I’ve read lately cannot claim these things.

I will certainly read the next book in the series!
4 people found this helpful
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Snaz
4.0 out of 5 stars It's not top drawer but it's pretty decent generic military space opera
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2021
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“Space opera the way it ought to be [...] Bujold and Weber, bend the knee; interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams.” -- George R.R. Martin

I think old George has been writing fantasy too long. Because this is a pretty fantastic thing to say. It can't touch Bujold or the earlier half of Honor Harrington (latter half yeah, but mainly because Weber started losing track of what he was supposed to be doing). It also can't touch Asher's Polity books.

Walter Jon Williams is one of my b-string writers I go to when none of the thirty or so I consider a-string have anything new out. It's not bad, it's just not top of the list as George was claiming.

Small caveat. He is a very, very prolific writer and occasionally does hit one out of the park. Aristoi is amazing, and I'm enjoying the Quillifer fantasy books now.
4 people found this helpful
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Theo
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun read
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2024
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Not exactly an innovative novel in any way; space battleships and 19th century etiquette will only get you so far, but a great and fun read all the same.
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WyoGal
4.0 out of 5 stars Thick with detail
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
The story is immersive because so many aspects of the characters’ lives are described that the reader can truly feel a part the action. However, the pacing is very slow.

While Martinez and Sula are fascinating characters, they aren’t ones to inspire the reader to zealously root for them because they have serious moral flaws. I’m glad they can fight in space battles, but they aren’t folks I’d take home with me.

One aspect of the story that really irritated me is the glorified honoring of Martinez that was somehow glossed over. The idiots in government are too stupid to lead, but they can present a seriously impressive award, yet the author just blips over this moment. Everything else is described in painful detail, but when our hero should have his moment, it’s stunted.

The writing is of high caliber in terms of vocabulary, syntax, grammar, and mechanics, but it’s a slog through lots of information to get to the good parts. Due to these reasons, I’m not likely to read the next book in the series.
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Anti
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2023
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Once upon a time, the anti-hero was a novel twist. It’s always been problematic; it interferes with reader identification, but, if you’re Zelazny writing Shadowjack or Corwin of Amber, it can work well.

Williams is not Zelazny, and there isn’t a character or an institution in this story whom or which I care about.

Some of the story sort of works as black humor, but, overall, it isn’t that funny.

The writing, as writing, is competent, even though the story does not amuse.
2 people found this helpful
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theresah
5.0 out of 5 stars space opera and lots of adventure
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2021
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The Praxis (Dread Empire's Fall, #1)
by Walter Jon Williams
I feel this book is a science fiction tale showing the end of the Roman empire on a universal scale. The Shaa like the Roman empire has brought the universe to peace, or Praxis. They conquered many worlds. Their powerful weapons easily overpower the worlds they find through the wormholes of the universe. The Latin term may be the aspect that brings me to see the stories this way. That Roman peace had been hard fought by Roman military superiority. Like the Roman empire, The Shaa have died out. Historically like the Roman Empire the vacuum of their absence leaves the Universe in a problematic power struggle. The conquered societies, begin to find that Peace is not able to be held in this vacuum. Walter Williams brings two remarkable characters into this struggle. Caroline "Gredel" Sula and Gareth Martinez, both struggle to find their place of the universe of Praxis. The war may be the way they are able to excel in their futures. Both characters have detailed pasts that show the social and political struggles of the Shaa Empire. The reader finds themselves in their struggles, not only the struggle of political power, but the dynamic struggle or epic space battles, even those with whom they barely survive. I am diving into the next story as I write this.
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Lars MD
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Finish
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
Exceedingly slow start to this book as I felt I was grinding to give it a chance. But in the end, it was worth it. The last half of the book was addictive and difficult to put down. I am hoping the author can keep up the pace and be the rare exception where a series gets better and better.
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redbull21
5.0 out of 5 stars Praise for Dread Empire's Fall series!
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2017
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I am writing this review to include all three novels in the Dread Empire's Fall series. I guarantee if you read the first you will read all three and they are all equally good. WJW is right up there with Peter F. Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds, Neal Asher and Iain M. Banks in my mind. If you haven't guessed I favor Space Opera. With the action and intrigue the entertainment value cannot be beat. Like the others I mention, Williams is a master storyteller, utilizing deft character creation and a subtle hand with language. The love scenes between Martinez and his women are delicately written, so much so that I passed my Kindle to my wife so she could read them. The battle scenes focus more on the intellectual side of determining strategy to beat the scummy Naxids than on simple bloody action, although that also has a place. The almost surreal collaboration between Sula and Martinez is interesting as well. Don't make the mistake of missing out on Walter Jon Williams brings to the table.
9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Brian
5.0 out of 5 stars A Slow Start and a Long Burn
Reviewed in Canada on October 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
So, there isn't even a threat of danger until literally more than half way through the book. The first half is all politics. The second half is nearly all war. Antimatter missiles everywhere.
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Mike Prendergast
5.0 out of 5 stars A great space opera saga
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2015
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A great space opera saga.
WJW at his best!
Strongly recommended, with humour, lot's of aliens and an actual plot line!
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Christoph Heinzl
3.0 out of 5 stars Noch eine Space Opera
Reviewed in Germany on September 26, 2004
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Was Williamson hier versucht, gab es in dieser Form schon öfter, und im Vergleich dazu unterscheidet es sich auch nicht sehr.
Es ist insgesamt ganz nett zu lesen, aber richtige Spannung kommt selten auf. Auch ist der fiktive geschichtliche Hintergrund des Romans durchdacht, aber bringt für die eigentliche Handlung neues. Wobei die eigentliche Handlung des Romans (nämlich das Ausbrechen eines Bürgerkrieges)auch ein alter Hut ist.
Dafür liest sich der Roman flüssig, und die Nebenhandlung der weiblichen Hauptfigur ist richtig gut gelungen.
Wer noch nie eine Space Opera gelesen hat, dem empfehle ich - statt diesem Buch - zuerst die Union/Allianz-Romane von C.J.Cherryh zu versuchen (Pells Stern oder Geklont), die sind von der Charakterzeichnung ungeschlagen, oder aktueller die Miles Vorkosigan-Roman von McMaster Bujold (werden gerade bei Heyne neu aufgelegt).
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C. S. Barlow
4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Aubrey Maturin in Space
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2017
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Didn't grip me quite as much as the Night's Dawn trilogy which it seems to get a lot of comparison to (though there's time yet), but this is nevertheless a lot of page-turning Space Opratic fun. And not just fun, there's a bit of an edge with the Talented Mr Ripley background storyline, too (it's going to be interesting to see how that pans out). Not as mad or as grand as the author's Aristoi, but, as I said, there's still plenty to enjoy. I will certainly be continuing with the series.
2 people found this helpful
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john fearn harrison
5.0 out of 5 stars book arrived on time
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2018
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fine
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