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The Ruby Dice (Saga of the Skolian Empire #12)
Two men, two empires. Jaibriol ruled the Eubian Concord: over two trillion people across more than a thousand worlds and habitats. Kelric ruled the Skolian Imperialate. War had come before--and it might come again, devastating vast swathes of the galaxy. Neither Jaibriol nor Kelric wanted war, but neither was complete master of his realm. And each hid a secret that, if rev...more
Mass Market Paperbound, 583 pages
Published
March 31st 2009
by Baen Books
(first published January 1st 2008)
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The Ruby Dice features Kelric, Imperator Skolia and Jabriol, Emperor of the Eubian Concord. Both want peace, but neither trust each other. Their cultures are at odds with one another.
The Aristos of the Eubian Concord ‘use’ psions as the worst kind of slaves. The Ruby dynasty that rules the Skolian Empire produces the strongest psions. With a history of bloodshed and war it seems impossible that these two men could have anything in common. But both have secrets, deep and long h...more
The Aristos of the Eubian Concord ‘use’ psions as the worst kind of slaves. The Ruby dynasty that rules the Skolian Empire produces the strongest psions. With a history of bloodshed and war it seems impossible that these two men could have anything in common. But both have secrets, deep and long h...more
Kelric of the Skolian empire and Jaibriol III of the Eubian Concord try to make peace between two cultures that are so different from each other that each population feels the other is an offense against rightness. Both leaders can only guess whether the other can be trusted.
On other levels, THE RUBY DICE explores the inner life of both main characters. Jaibriol is a psion, and if his people knew that, they would instantly make him a slave. Only his wife and heir know his secret, and...more
On other levels, THE RUBY DICE explores the inner life of both main characters. Jaibriol is a psion, and if his people knew that, they would instantly make him a slave. Only his wife and heir know his secret, and...more
I am doing this series backwards, sort of. I read Diamond Star, the latest book in Asaro's Skolian universe because it claimed to be readable on its own. It was and I liked it so much, I wanted to read more. Chronologically, The Ruby Dice takes place after Diamond Star, but was written before it.
Kelric, the Imperator of the Skolian Imperialate, is the brother of Diamond Star's protagonist, Del.
Jaibriol is Emperor of the evil Eubian Concord.
Kelric and Jaibriol each handl...more
Kelric, the Imperator of the Skolian Imperialate, is the brother of Diamond Star's protagonist, Del.
Jaibriol is Emperor of the evil Eubian Concord.
Kelric and Jaibriol each handl...more
Quis is back, the amazing dice/strategy/mathmatic/political game that Kelric first played in The Last Hawk (one of my favorite books in the series) which has become one of my favorite things in the whole series, actually.
The book centers around (Imperator) Kelric and (Emperor) Jabriol, two leaders of empires at war, who are linked through some rather interesting means and history. This book is definitely not a stand alone and should not be read without some background in the series...more
The book centers around (Imperator) Kelric and (Emperor) Jabriol, two leaders of empires at war, who are linked through some rather interesting means and history. This book is definitely not a stand alone and should not be read without some background in the series...more
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Asaro has some fun ideas. Enjoyed the role of Quis (an intellectual game, perhaps somewhat like chess) across this and one of the earlier books in the saga. For some reason I find it difficult to keep track of many of the various characters, not sure why. Perhaps too many similar names and/or too many variations on the same name when referring to the same person. Already looking forward to the next in the series.
I love all of these books. This one really dives into two of the characters in depth, focusing more on their pressures as leaders rather than the Galactic scale of the conflict. Surprisingly didn't mind the lack of combat and it just kept me wanting more. Yay~
I suppose this isn't the end of the series, but it would make a good ending. Ms. Asaro writes well; I enjoy her stories. However they are Byzantine to say the least. Also, most of them overlap in time. It really doesn't mean much to read them "in order."
Joni
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Asaro fans
Shelves:
sci-fifantasy,
2008
Asaro is a very talented author and I've enjoyed all her Skolian Empire books, but this book really stands above the rest. She's definitely at the top of her form here. I was holding my breath and biting my fingernails the whole time.
She spends time developing Jaibrol's character, as well as Kelric's, and their relationships with others, but she also takes the plot quite far in this book. Don't start with this book; definitely look forward to it. Start with Primary Inversion, or p...more
She spends time developing Jaibrol's character, as well as Kelric's, and their relationships with others, but she also takes the plot quite far in this book. Don't start with this book; definitely look forward to it. Start with Primary Inversion, or p...more
This book was awesome. I love Catherine Asaro's novels because they get so fiendishly complicated with no one knowing what anyone else is doing or has done or is.
Never read any of the Skolian empire books but I'm really enjoying this one. Good thing there are 11 more for me to read!
One of my more enjoyable reads of the Skolian Empire. Most of the book covers put me off but this one was better.
Skolia,SF
25.4
Much as I love Catherine's writing and adore reading about the Skolian/Eubian's ... this one needed a bit more editing for clarity and another cover by either Julie Bell or Luis Royo.
That being said, I have a full-sized hardback I'd happily trade for a book-club so it'll match the rest of my Skolian books...
That being said, I have a full-sized hardback I'd happily trade for a book-club so it'll match the rest of my Skolian books...
Still enjoying this series, this is one of the stronger books, looking forward to the next book.
Another good Skolian story, lots of drama. Threads from earlier novels in the series are continued.
Sums up a lot of the series, but I am still hoping for one or two more books on this saga.
Skolian Empire bk 10
fun and good character development, as usual for the author
Michael Rutherford
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Oakland, California native Catherine Asaro received a doctorate in physics from Harvard University. She has published a number of papers on theoretical physics and was a physics professor until 1990, when she established Molecudyne Research, which she currently runs. A former ballerina, she has performed with ballets and in musicals on both coasts, and founded the Mainly Jazz Dance program at Harv...more
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