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Twilight Imperium #2
The Necropolis Empire: A Twilight Imperium Novel
The key to controlling the galaxy is hidden on a distant planet, and interplanetary powers will do anything to unlock its secrets, in this epic space opera from the best-selling game, Twilight Imperium
Bianca Xing has spent a lifetime on a provincial planet, dreaming of travelling the stars. When her planet is annexed by the Barony of Letnev, Bianca finds herself being taken into custody, told that she’s special – the secret daughter of a brilliant scientist, hidden away on a remote planet for her own safety. But the truth about Bianca is stranger. There are secrets hidden in her genetic code that could have galaxy altering consequences. Driven by an incredible yearning and assisted by the fearsome Letnev Captain, Dampierre, Bianca must follow her destiny to the end, even if it leads to places that are best left forgotten.
Bianca Xing has spent a lifetime on a provincial planet, dreaming of travelling the stars. When her planet is annexed by the Barony of Letnev, Bianca finds herself being taken into custody, told that she’s special – the secret daughter of a brilliant scientist, hidden away on a remote planet for her own safety. But the truth about Bianca is stranger. There are secrets hidden in her genetic code that could have galaxy altering consequences. Driven by an incredible yearning and assisted by the fearsome Letnev Captain, Dampierre, Bianca must follow her destiny to the end, even if it leads to places that are best left forgotten.
368 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2021
17 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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October 14, 2021
When Aconyte was created and announced that it would be printing Fantasy Flight Games fiction, I was incredibly excited. My experiences with previous Fantasy Flight fiction have been middling. While I have yet to get to their Arkham Horror novels, I was eagerly anticipating their Twilight Imperium novels. The first novel, The Fractured Void, was a fun space caper with shifting alliances, enjoyable characters, and fleshed out the universe that has only, previously, existed on faction sheets and at the beginning of board game manuals.
I had expected the novels to follow the same set of characters, which was a bit naïve as none of the other recent Fantasy Flight fiction has ever just decided on a set of characters and featured them from novel to novel perpetually (unless it was immediately billed as a trilogy). Only one character returns from the first novel, Serveryne Dampierre (Sev from now on) in a meaningful way, though events are casually mentioned.
The Necropolis Empire is a strange book for me. In some ways, it is an improvement on The Fractured Void. In others, it is a step back. There are mechanical and narrative steps forward, just as there are mechanical and narrative steps forward, so I’m going to break my review down in that manner.
Mechanics
One of my biggest complaints about the Fractured Void was the constant winking at the reader. There were so many “sly” (actually, bluntly in your face) references that it was almost distracting. Thankfully, the author cuts back on that a lot. The read is so much smoother without the constant winking. We also continue the examination of the Barony of Letnev, with a more focused lens on that particular faction. The Fractured Void focused on the Federation of Sol, the Mentak Coalition, and the aforementioned Barony, and while it was cool to peel back some of the superficial layers of multiple factions, focusing primarily on one is a better experience.
There were, however, some choices that I did not enjoy. There are some tropes utilized that just were not very inventive. The first is the Mary Sue trope. Bianca Xing is the protagonist in the novel and is positioned as a Mary Sue character. The Mary Sue trope doesn’t bother me as much, as it typically goes hand in hand with plot armor, and The Necropolis Empire attempts to take some of the control out of Bianca’s hands by putting it in her genetic code, but it is quickly established that Bianca is neigh-invulnerable. I liked how Bianca was purely reactionary to external stimuli but going as far as to make her almost impervious to lasting harm or pain is just a bit too much.
The second issue, and the more glaring one, in my opinion, was the token sexual orientation representation. I will be very clear, having characters with different sexual orientations is good for fiction, it can improve narrative, and help others understand the experiences of people who are different than you. The Necropolis Empire fails at this. One character at one point mentions that he is not attracted to women, and then that facet of his personality is never expanded upon again. In fact, he isn’t in the book after that (not fridged, the narrative just leaves where he is). The protagonist, Bianca, thinks about how she is attracted to men, women, and androgynes, and then never mentions it again. Another main character references that he prefers men, but has dabbled in various genders, and then the story moves on. The only character that has acted on their sexuality is Sev, and that was in the previous novel; that was in the laziest sexy space lesbian trope possible. It is not enough to just say “this character is _____” and then move on without referencing it again. Either don’t include it, and let us paint the unknowns ourselves, or bring it into the narrative.
Narrative
The Necropolis Empire is essentially a space opera Disney Princess book. Bianca Xing is always looking towards the stars in a backwater former human colony that hasn’t heard from the Federation of Sol in close to 3000 years. Then suddenly, here come these Barony aliens to annex the colony, levy taxes, and also declare the Bianca is the long-lost heiress of a great fortune. She is whisked away, and of course, learns not all is at it seems, and that she is not all that she seems. The stark narrative difference from the Fractured Void was a bit of a shock when I first started reading. Spending dozens of pages on a low-tech mud puddle of a planet is not how I expected the sequel to begin. This measured approach, however, works in favor of the novel, as we get some great subtextual universe-building, and Bianca is an enjoyable enough character that I am not yearning for something else.
The universe-building requires further context. Some of the best parts of the Fractured Void created great lore for species in Twilight Imperium. One story, in particular, talked about a Yin Brotherhood outpost by the Ghost of Creuss’ space, that out of nowhere essentially dissolved. In this book, we met a member of the Yin Brotherhood who offhandedly mentions his fear of the Creuss and his dissolved space station, which is a great connection, and I thought was well placed in the story. A tertiary character from The Fractured Void in Sargasa makes an appearance, which I would argue establishes his potential role in future books. Heuvelt even has a funny link to the Fractured Void.
What makes the beginning of the story so interesting is that it really hunkers down on the fact that the galaxy is shattered. There was a unifying empire once, thousands of years ago, but it splintered so totally that the subject races were set back due to its splintering, and wide-spanning vassal states had to abandon colonies and people because it was impossible to hold it all together. This might be one of the best examples of how engaging in a supplemental medium can improve the main medium. These books enhance the board game without being required reading, as opposed to the current state of Star Wars, where, to understand the Snoke we see on screen we need to read hundreds of pages of supplemental material to have even the foggiest idea of what Snoke is, or what his plans are.
One of the biggest problems I had with the Fractured Void was the constant name-dropping of Twilight Imperium factions to the point that it was distracting. This tendency was largely absent in this novel, thankfully. All faction name-drops made sense narrative-wise. Towards the end of the novel, some factions are brought in a bit late, but I appreciated how related to the narrative they were.
What doesn’t fare so well? The majority of characters. Sev, of course, benefits from character development from The Fractured Void, while Bianca gets the lion’s share of the narrative. The other main characters, Heuvelt, Ashont and Clec are hardly developed at all. Ashont and Clec are essentially the same characters at the beginning as at the end. Heuvelt gets a much too quick arc about having the partnership and trust of Ashont and Clec, and that’s it. Heuvelt is introduced late in the book, about a third of the way in, and his introduction is jarring, as it is not indicated at all that another main character would be introduced. Sev’s reintroduction is also late but is more palatable as the Barony of Letnev, her species is present early on, and a ship associated with her, the Grim Continence, is also introduced early. Other characters? Essentially stereotypes. Eccentric laboratory man, check. Sad parents that must let go of their child, check. The ambitious and ruthless first officer, check. Fanatic and obsessed scientist, check. The evil man behind the curtain, check.
Overall, I sped through this book. I enjoyed it as much as the first novel, and for different reasons. It is primarily a space opera, with the subgenera being a coming of age story, as opposed to the caper of the first. A lot of the winking at the reader was cleaned up, which made it a smoother read for me. The character development could use some work, as Sev essentially stays the same, Heuvelt’s arc is way too fast. And every other non-Bianca character is one-note. The Necropolis Empire is better than the Fractured Void, but by inches, not miles, and if a coming of age story does not resonate with you, then this may be a tougher read. 4/5
I had expected the novels to follow the same set of characters, which was a bit naïve as none of the other recent Fantasy Flight fiction has ever just decided on a set of characters and featured them from novel to novel perpetually (unless it was immediately billed as a trilogy). Only one character returns from the first novel, Serveryne Dampierre (Sev from now on) in a meaningful way, though events are casually mentioned.
The Necropolis Empire is a strange book for me. In some ways, it is an improvement on The Fractured Void. In others, it is a step back. There are mechanical and narrative steps forward, just as there are mechanical and narrative steps forward, so I’m going to break my review down in that manner.
Mechanics
One of my biggest complaints about the Fractured Void was the constant winking at the reader. There were so many “sly” (actually, bluntly in your face) references that it was almost distracting. Thankfully, the author cuts back on that a lot. The read is so much smoother without the constant winking. We also continue the examination of the Barony of Letnev, with a more focused lens on that particular faction. The Fractured Void focused on the Federation of Sol, the Mentak Coalition, and the aforementioned Barony, and while it was cool to peel back some of the superficial layers of multiple factions, focusing primarily on one is a better experience.
There were, however, some choices that I did not enjoy. There are some tropes utilized that just were not very inventive. The first is the Mary Sue trope. Bianca Xing is the protagonist in the novel and is positioned as a Mary Sue character. The Mary Sue trope doesn’t bother me as much, as it typically goes hand in hand with plot armor, and The Necropolis Empire attempts to take some of the control out of Bianca’s hands by putting it in her genetic code, but it is quickly established that Bianca is neigh-invulnerable. I liked how Bianca was purely reactionary to external stimuli but going as far as to make her almost impervious to lasting harm or pain is just a bit too much.
The second issue, and the more glaring one, in my opinion, was the token sexual orientation representation. I will be very clear, having characters with different sexual orientations is good for fiction, it can improve narrative, and help others understand the experiences of people who are different than you. The Necropolis Empire fails at this. One character at one point mentions that he is not attracted to women, and then that facet of his personality is never expanded upon again. In fact, he isn’t in the book after that (not fridged, the narrative just leaves where he is). The protagonist, Bianca, thinks about how she is attracted to men, women, and androgynes, and then never mentions it again. Another main character references that he prefers men, but has dabbled in various genders, and then the story moves on. The only character that has acted on their sexuality is Sev, and that was in the previous novel; that was in the laziest sexy space lesbian trope possible. It is not enough to just say “this character is _____” and then move on without referencing it again. Either don’t include it, and let us paint the unknowns ourselves, or bring it into the narrative.
Narrative
The Necropolis Empire is essentially a space opera Disney Princess book. Bianca Xing is always looking towards the stars in a backwater former human colony that hasn’t heard from the Federation of Sol in close to 3000 years. Then suddenly, here come these Barony aliens to annex the colony, levy taxes, and also declare the Bianca is the long-lost heiress of a great fortune. She is whisked away, and of course, learns not all is at it seems, and that she is not all that she seems. The stark narrative difference from the Fractured Void was a bit of a shock when I first started reading. Spending dozens of pages on a low-tech mud puddle of a planet is not how I expected the sequel to begin. This measured approach, however, works in favor of the novel, as we get some great subtextual universe-building, and Bianca is an enjoyable enough character that I am not yearning for something else.
The universe-building requires further context. Some of the best parts of the Fractured Void created great lore for species in Twilight Imperium. One story, in particular, talked about a Yin Brotherhood outpost by the Ghost of Creuss’ space, that out of nowhere essentially dissolved. In this book, we met a member of the Yin Brotherhood who offhandedly mentions his fear of the Creuss and his dissolved space station, which is a great connection, and I thought was well placed in the story. A tertiary character from The Fractured Void in Sargasa makes an appearance, which I would argue establishes his potential role in future books. Heuvelt even has a funny link to the Fractured Void.
What makes the beginning of the story so interesting is that it really hunkers down on the fact that the galaxy is shattered. There was a unifying empire once, thousands of years ago, but it splintered so totally that the subject races were set back due to its splintering, and wide-spanning vassal states had to abandon colonies and people because it was impossible to hold it all together. This might be one of the best examples of how engaging in a supplemental medium can improve the main medium. These books enhance the board game without being required reading, as opposed to the current state of Star Wars, where, to understand the Snoke we see on screen we need to read hundreds of pages of supplemental material to have even the foggiest idea of what Snoke is, or what his plans are.
One of the biggest problems I had with the Fractured Void was the constant name-dropping of Twilight Imperium factions to the point that it was distracting. This tendency was largely absent in this novel, thankfully. All faction name-drops made sense narrative-wise. Towards the end of the novel, some factions are brought in a bit late, but I appreciated how related to the narrative they were.
What doesn’t fare so well? The majority of characters. Sev, of course, benefits from character development from The Fractured Void, while Bianca gets the lion’s share of the narrative. The other main characters, Heuvelt, Ashont and Clec are hardly developed at all. Ashont and Clec are essentially the same characters at the beginning as at the end. Heuvelt gets a much too quick arc about having the partnership and trust of Ashont and Clec, and that’s it. Heuvelt is introduced late in the book, about a third of the way in, and his introduction is jarring, as it is not indicated at all that another main character would be introduced. Sev’s reintroduction is also late but is more palatable as the Barony of Letnev, her species is present early on, and a ship associated with her, the Grim Continence, is also introduced early. Other characters? Essentially stereotypes. Eccentric laboratory man, check. Sad parents that must let go of their child, check. The ambitious and ruthless first officer, check. Fanatic and obsessed scientist, check. The evil man behind the curtain, check.
Overall, I sped through this book. I enjoyed it as much as the first novel, and for different reasons. It is primarily a space opera, with the subgenera being a coming of age story, as opposed to the caper of the first. A lot of the winking at the reader was cleaned up, which made it a smoother read for me. The character development could use some work, as Sev essentially stays the same, Heuvelt’s arc is way too fast. And every other non-Bianca character is one-note. The Necropolis Empire is better than the Fractured Void, but by inches, not miles, and if a coming of age story does not resonate with you, then this may be a tougher read. 4/5
February 6, 2025
3.5 stars.
With lots of irreverent humour and a fast pace, Tim Pratt takes us to mostly agrarian planet in the Twilight Imperium, where we meet adolescent Bianca Xing. She loves her father and mother, hangs out with the junk yard owner, and generally yearns to leave home for the stars and adventure.
When the Barony of Letnev annexes her planet and comes to her home to tell her that she is the long lost daughter of a brilliant scientist, Bianca is happy, but doesn't fully believe them. Neither does her friend the junkyard owner, who has a ton of historical information hidden away from the Letnev. But, the Letnev offer her a way off-planet, and she takes it, after also learning that she is adopted, and that her father found her on a buried spaceship years earlier.
She is taken aboard a ship captained by Severyne Dampierre (from book one), and Sev is eager to use Bianca after understanding what she is, which is not really human. Instead, Bianca is some sort of engineered being, based on the tests the Letnev run on her, and Sev thinks that Bianca's yearnings have a point. Specifically, the location of a long lost treasure that she, and the Letnev, will get to first.
I'm not familiar with the universe that this and the previous entry take place in, but it's interesting, with various aliens, empires, factions, and religions. Bianca's origins, and increasing number of abilities are explained over the course of this fast-moving story, with Sev's character gaining much more depth in this story. She's pretty ruthless, scheming and smart, but she's also affected by her time with Bianca, which I had thought could not happen.
There are other characters, including a crew Bianca and Sev use to get closer to the treasure.
Though there are galaxy-spanning stakes introduced over the course of this novel, the focus remains on Bianca's and Sev's relationship, and the prize everyone is rushing towards.
The story is la little silly, and pretty frothy, but diverting enough to read the next book.
With lots of irreverent humour and a fast pace, Tim Pratt takes us to mostly agrarian planet in the Twilight Imperium, where we meet adolescent Bianca Xing. She loves her father and mother, hangs out with the junk yard owner, and generally yearns to leave home for the stars and adventure.
When the Barony of Letnev annexes her planet and comes to her home to tell her that she is the long lost daughter of a brilliant scientist, Bianca is happy, but doesn't fully believe them. Neither does her friend the junkyard owner, who has a ton of historical information hidden away from the Letnev. But, the Letnev offer her a way off-planet, and she takes it, after also learning that she is adopted, and that her father found her on a buried spaceship years earlier.
She is taken aboard a ship captained by Severyne Dampierre (from book one), and Sev is eager to use Bianca after understanding what she is, which is not really human. Instead, Bianca is some sort of engineered being, based on the tests the Letnev run on her, and Sev thinks that Bianca's yearnings have a point. Specifically, the location of a long lost treasure that she, and the Letnev, will get to first.
I'm not familiar with the universe that this and the previous entry take place in, but it's interesting, with various aliens, empires, factions, and religions. Bianca's origins, and increasing number of abilities are explained over the course of this fast-moving story, with Sev's character gaining much more depth in this story. She's pretty ruthless, scheming and smart, but she's also affected by her time with Bianca, which I had thought could not happen.
There are other characters, including a crew Bianca and Sev use to get closer to the treasure.
Though there are galaxy-spanning stakes introduced over the course of this novel, the focus remains on Bianca's and Sev's relationship, and the prize everyone is rushing towards.
The story is la little silly, and pretty frothy, but diverting enough to read the next book.
January 20, 2023
I don´t think I have ever read a book witch such annoying character as Bianca. She is the embodiment of Mary Sue trope. Even though authors gave a reason for it, it was really annoying to read how she was best at everything and everybody loved her.
Big disappointment after the previous book from the series.
Big disappointment after the previous book from the series.
June 23, 2021
I have been provided with an advance copy of the new Twilight Imperium book The Necropolis Empire by Tim Pratt, published by Aconyte Books, so here is the honest review I promised in exchange for the book.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
What is Twilight Imperium
Twilight Imperium is a much beloved strategy board game published by Fantasy Flight Games that’s currently in its 4th Edition.
First thing to know, it’s very long, my pal Drew, one of the owners of the amazing Meeple Perk, tells me it’s an 8 hour game as a minimum!
Secondly it’s an epic space opera, set in the power vacuum left behind by the decline and collapse of the Lazax Empire, as various races and factions vie for dominance and to become the new galactic superpower.
The Story
The story is about a young girl, Bianca Xing from a remote farming world, whom has spent a lifetime yearning to leave her provincial planet and travel to the stars, but she has a yearning to travel to a certain part of space.
But when her world is annexed by the Barony of Letnev, she is whisked away, told she is the daughter of a scientist of ancient renown, and the heir to a great fortune. But in actual fact, she has a hidden secret hidden within her DNA, secrets that could change the course of the galaxy.
Teaming up with Dampierre a determined Letnev captain, and a crew of treasure hunters turned smugglers, she goes on an adventure to the edge of known space to discover the home world of an ancient civilisation.
This was a big improvement on the last story and in all honesty I expected this to be a continuation of the last story, but its a totally different one with only two recurring characters.
This worked better because there were fewer obvious clichés and it just felt a lot more natural.
Conclusion
As with the Fractured void, this is a fun and enjoyable space opera, just my taste and this is exactly what I needed to read.
There was humour and the clichés that were there, were very well done.
I really struggled to put this book down and was awake until 3am two mornings running because I was just enjoying it so much.
I am really not sure what else to say, its a great read, and even if you have no background knowledge of the game or universe, this is utterly entertaining and wonderful to read.
I know Tim is a great writer and I know I had some mild criticism of his last book, but this seems to have acknowledged all of that, and gone on to produce a better book that takes the good qualities of that and knock it up several notches.
I expected this to be a straight sequal to the last book, but this was a totally different story and it really feels like Tim is doing a lot of world building here, that is really deep and most of all, fun.
More please.
5 out of 5
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
What is Twilight Imperium
Twilight Imperium is a much beloved strategy board game published by Fantasy Flight Games that’s currently in its 4th Edition.
First thing to know, it’s very long, my pal Drew, one of the owners of the amazing Meeple Perk, tells me it’s an 8 hour game as a minimum!
Secondly it’s an epic space opera, set in the power vacuum left behind by the decline and collapse of the Lazax Empire, as various races and factions vie for dominance and to become the new galactic superpower.
The Story
The story is about a young girl, Bianca Xing from a remote farming world, whom has spent a lifetime yearning to leave her provincial planet and travel to the stars, but she has a yearning to travel to a certain part of space.
But when her world is annexed by the Barony of Letnev, she is whisked away, told she is the daughter of a scientist of ancient renown, and the heir to a great fortune. But in actual fact, she has a hidden secret hidden within her DNA, secrets that could change the course of the galaxy.
Teaming up with Dampierre a determined Letnev captain, and a crew of treasure hunters turned smugglers, she goes on an adventure to the edge of known space to discover the home world of an ancient civilisation.
This was a big improvement on the last story and in all honesty I expected this to be a continuation of the last story, but its a totally different one with only two recurring characters.
This worked better because there were fewer obvious clichés and it just felt a lot more natural.
Conclusion
As with the Fractured void, this is a fun and enjoyable space opera, just my taste and this is exactly what I needed to read.
There was humour and the clichés that were there, were very well done.
I really struggled to put this book down and was awake until 3am two mornings running because I was just enjoying it so much.
I am really not sure what else to say, its a great read, and even if you have no background knowledge of the game or universe, this is utterly entertaining and wonderful to read.
I know Tim is a great writer and I know I had some mild criticism of his last book, but this seems to have acknowledged all of that, and gone on to produce a better book that takes the good qualities of that and knock it up several notches.
I expected this to be a straight sequal to the last book, but this was a totally different story and it really feels like Tim is doing a lot of world building here, that is really deep and most of all, fun.
More please.
5 out of 5
March 29, 2023
If you took Belle from Beauty and the Beast, made her very self-aware, and put her in space, you'd get something close to Bianca Xing at the beginning, and then you'd quickly realise this is not that kind of story. No romance, just Adventure. A Quest! Morally grey characters! Ancient civilisations! What else do you need?
November 13, 2021
Actually really good.
October 18, 2021
The Necropolis Empire by Tim Pratt is the second book set in the Twilight Imperium universe. It is not really a sequel, however. It only has one recurring character, Barony Captain Serveryne, and can be read as a stand-alone. "The Necropolis Empire" is a fun space adventure. Although it is not marketed as such I thought it read much like a Young Adult novel. I enjoy an occasional young adult novel so that was not a problem for me.
The story is about Bianca Xing, a young woman on a backward plant longing for a more interesting life. Her mine has always turned to the stars. Her wish is soon granted but as the saying goes, you should be careful what you wish for.
I really like Tim Pratt and think he writes some of the smoothest, wittiest dialogue in the science fiction genre. This book is a good read and I encourage fans of Tim Pratt to read this one.
The story is about Bianca Xing, a young woman on a backward plant longing for a more interesting life. Her mine has always turned to the stars. Her wish is soon granted but as the saying goes, you should be careful what you wish for.
I really like Tim Pratt and think he writes some of the smoothest, wittiest dialogue in the science fiction genre. This book is a good read and I encourage fans of Tim Pratt to read this one.
November 23, 2021
Apparently this novel is a spinoff story from a popular boardgame, Twilight Imperium. If you’ve played and enjoyed the game, then you might find this information interesting – however if you haven’t ever heard of it, don’t worry as it won’t impact your enjoyment of this rollicking space opera adventure in any way.
The other issue to clear up is the fact that this is the second book in the series. As you know, one of my main hobbies is crashing midway into series – and this is one of those occasions when that tactic absolutely paid off. As far as I can ascertain, the first book was set in an entirely different part of the Imperium galaxy with a cast of different characters. I hadn’t even realised there was another book, Fractured Void until I looked up the details of The Necropolis Empire on Goodreads and while I’d like to get hold of the first book and read it as I think I’d thoroughly enjoy it – as the stories don’t overlap, it really doesn’t matter if you pick this one up without having read it.
I thoroughly enjoy Pratt’s breezy, humorous style. While space opera is a favourite genre of mine, it frequently can get very tense and serious – and right now I can do with all the fun I can get. Pratt has the knack of covering actions scenes full of violence and gore with a gung-ho bravura which didn’t diminish the stakes or the tension, but gives an extra layer of entertainment. He is an accomplished writer with a smooth writing style and an ability to write genuinely nice, sweet-natured characters that are also interesting and possess hidden depths. That’s harder to do than he makes it look. I fell in love with dear Bianca and I particularly enjoyed the vivid worldbuilding of her home planet that sets up the action, before life takes a major left turn for her.
In many ways, the story covers one of the major SFF tropes – that of a Chosen One who is singled out for a particular destiny once she reaches a certain age. What amused me is the way Pratt plays with our expectations around this dynamic right from the start of the story. And while the setup is as cosily familiar as a cup of night-time cocoa, that doesn’t prevent him from presenting us with some surprises along the way. I tucked into this one, relaxed in the knowledge that I was in the hands of a storyteller who knows his craft and would take me on a roller-coaster ride that I’d thoroughly enjoy. And I was absolutely right. This is a joy and I thoroughly recommend it for space opera fans, who like a splash of humour alongside their star-studded action adventures. While I obtained an arc of The Necropolis Empire from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
The other issue to clear up is the fact that this is the second book in the series. As you know, one of my main hobbies is crashing midway into series – and this is one of those occasions when that tactic absolutely paid off. As far as I can ascertain, the first book was set in an entirely different part of the Imperium galaxy with a cast of different characters. I hadn’t even realised there was another book, Fractured Void until I looked up the details of The Necropolis Empire on Goodreads and while I’d like to get hold of the first book and read it as I think I’d thoroughly enjoy it – as the stories don’t overlap, it really doesn’t matter if you pick this one up without having read it.
I thoroughly enjoy Pratt’s breezy, humorous style. While space opera is a favourite genre of mine, it frequently can get very tense and serious – and right now I can do with all the fun I can get. Pratt has the knack of covering actions scenes full of violence and gore with a gung-ho bravura which didn’t diminish the stakes or the tension, but gives an extra layer of entertainment. He is an accomplished writer with a smooth writing style and an ability to write genuinely nice, sweet-natured characters that are also interesting and possess hidden depths. That’s harder to do than he makes it look. I fell in love with dear Bianca and I particularly enjoyed the vivid worldbuilding of her home planet that sets up the action, before life takes a major left turn for her.
In many ways, the story covers one of the major SFF tropes – that of a Chosen One who is singled out for a particular destiny once she reaches a certain age. What amused me is the way Pratt plays with our expectations around this dynamic right from the start of the story. And while the setup is as cosily familiar as a cup of night-time cocoa, that doesn’t prevent him from presenting us with some surprises along the way. I tucked into this one, relaxed in the knowledge that I was in the hands of a storyteller who knows his craft and would take me on a roller-coaster ride that I’d thoroughly enjoy. And I was absolutely right. This is a joy and I thoroughly recommend it for space opera fans, who like a splash of humour alongside their star-studded action adventures. While I obtained an arc of The Necropolis Empire from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
May 2, 2022
Tim Pratt writes a lot of very cool science fiction. From his “Axiom” series (my gateway into his work) to The Doors of Sleep (which I really, really hope will become an entire series, now that there’s a sequel) to his “Twilight Imperium” novels. When I reviewed the first of these, The Fractured Void, I had no idea that Twilight Imperium is a war-without-end strategic game. I wrote, “Game tie-in novels are common these days, but not those that are so well crafted as to stand on their own merits. I picked it up because I loved Tim Pratt’s other science fiction novels (and after reading it I still have no idea what Twilight Imperium is, nor do I particularly care as long as Pratt turns out books as good as this one).” That’s even more true for The Necropolis Empire. If you, like me, are so much Not a Gamer that you’re into negative gamer-ness, just ignore that part and enjoy the book as a great science fiction tale.
Standing on its own, The Necropolis Empire falls into one of my favorite science fiction subgenres: spooky alien ruins. In this case, very, very old alien ruins from a race we’re really glad has gone extinct. Now if folks would just stop trying to resurrect their tech…
Our young heroine, Bianca, lives on one such world, a pastoral culture built on top of the aforementioned, deeply buried alien tech. Scavenged bits are useful, but mostly the farmers go about their lives…until a ship from the imperialist Barony of Letnev arrives, annexes the planet, and carries Bianca away with a rather incredulous story about her being a space princess. Bianca falls for it, though. Not only is she adopted, but rather than settle down with a nice neighbor boy, she has always yearned for something beyond her own world. That something becomes clearer when she begins changing, developing superhuman speed, strength, senses, healing, and more. The ruthless Letnev believe she is the key to finding and controlling the ancient military relics, which they mean to use to dominate all known space. Bianca has other ideas.
I absolutely love how vulnerable and how competent Bianca is. Her confidence in herself and her abilities stems from more than her new, superhuman powers. As a child, she was wanted and cherished, never coddled but given responsibilities. She grew up with permission to tackle all manner of challenges, and she’s a genuinely nice person. The Letnev, not so much. They’ve perfected arrogance into an art form.
I would be perfectly happy to see an entire series of “The Adventures of Bianca,” although I sadly fear the good folks who’ve created Twilight Imperium are more interested in promoting their game and not so much in a fascinating character who stands on her own.
Standing on its own, The Necropolis Empire falls into one of my favorite science fiction subgenres: spooky alien ruins. In this case, very, very old alien ruins from a race we’re really glad has gone extinct. Now if folks would just stop trying to resurrect their tech…
Our young heroine, Bianca, lives on one such world, a pastoral culture built on top of the aforementioned, deeply buried alien tech. Scavenged bits are useful, but mostly the farmers go about their lives…until a ship from the imperialist Barony of Letnev arrives, annexes the planet, and carries Bianca away with a rather incredulous story about her being a space princess. Bianca falls for it, though. Not only is she adopted, but rather than settle down with a nice neighbor boy, she has always yearned for something beyond her own world. That something becomes clearer when she begins changing, developing superhuman speed, strength, senses, healing, and more. The ruthless Letnev believe she is the key to finding and controlling the ancient military relics, which they mean to use to dominate all known space. Bianca has other ideas.
I absolutely love how vulnerable and how competent Bianca is. Her confidence in herself and her abilities stems from more than her new, superhuman powers. As a child, she was wanted and cherished, never coddled but given responsibilities. She grew up with permission to tackle all manner of challenges, and she’s a genuinely nice person. The Letnev, not so much. They’ve perfected arrogance into an art form.
I would be perfectly happy to see an entire series of “The Adventures of Bianca,” although I sadly fear the good folks who’ve created Twilight Imperium are more interested in promoting their game and not so much in a fascinating character who stands on her own.
August 9, 2021
When I requested this book I didn't know it was related to a game. Honestly, the book is a good selling point for it because I love tabletop games and this one was right up my alley.
Off the bat I'm giving the book three stars. It was an enjoyable read. Like I said, I didn't know it was related to a game. None of that mattered. I didn't need anything explained to me so it made sense. The writing and the story handle that perfectly well which was impressive.
As for the story itself? It's interesting enough to be fun. We're introduced to a young girl named Bianca who wants to travel off of her homeworld. And she has a destination in mind: the empty space between three specific stars.
Bianca isn't an ordinary girl and I found myself relating to her wanderlust. When I was her age I wanted to go and travel, see the sights. She was fairly well written. All of the characters were.
When it came to the scifi element, I would recommend this to people who like sci-fi with no hard and fast rules. We've got wormhole gates, huge spiny ships and none of it needs explaining. They work, they function how they're supposed to and you don't get bogged down with a bunch of tech talk that could take you out of the story.
The cast features humans and aliens. The cast is diverse in that regard. Bianca is adopted but her adoptive family's last name is Xing. To be honest, I don't remember if she was described in any way that would make it apparent what her race was.
So, I spent the entire story picturing her as white. If she was described in any way that changes that, I simply don't remember.
All in all, it's a story about a girl finding her place in a huge galaxy and her destiny.
I will sat that because of what Bianca is, she felt a little too perfect. Conflict came in the form of her being very trusting or the crew she was with. She never really suffered. Even if she was the way she was, I still wanted to see her struggle. And grow from it.
She doesn't really grow much. She's just a sweet trusting kid who ends up with a lot of power.
Don't come to this expecting anymore than a fun sci-fi ride. No immense growth, not a lot of depth. Just space and fun.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Off the bat I'm giving the book three stars. It was an enjoyable read. Like I said, I didn't know it was related to a game. None of that mattered. I didn't need anything explained to me so it made sense. The writing and the story handle that perfectly well which was impressive.
As for the story itself? It's interesting enough to be fun. We're introduced to a young girl named Bianca who wants to travel off of her homeworld. And she has a destination in mind: the empty space between three specific stars.
Bianca isn't an ordinary girl and I found myself relating to her wanderlust. When I was her age I wanted to go and travel, see the sights. She was fairly well written. All of the characters were.
When it came to the scifi element, I would recommend this to people who like sci-fi with no hard and fast rules. We've got wormhole gates, huge spiny ships and none of it needs explaining. They work, they function how they're supposed to and you don't get bogged down with a bunch of tech talk that could take you out of the story.
The cast features humans and aliens. The cast is diverse in that regard. Bianca is adopted but her adoptive family's last name is Xing. To be honest, I don't remember if she was described in any way that would make it apparent what her race was.
So, I spent the entire story picturing her as white. If she was described in any way that changes that, I simply don't remember.
All in all, it's a story about a girl finding her place in a huge galaxy and her destiny.
I will sat that because of what Bianca is, she felt a little too perfect. Conflict came in the form of her being very trusting or the crew she was with. She never really suffered. Even if she was the way she was, I still wanted to see her struggle. And grow from it.
She doesn't really grow much. She's just a sweet trusting kid who ends up with a lot of power.
Don't come to this expecting anymore than a fun sci-fi ride. No immense growth, not a lot of depth. Just space and fun.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 23, 2022
The Necropolis Empire is the second novel by Tim Pratt set in the Twilight Imperium universe. I will come straight out and say that when it comes to games I have always tended to be a little more fantasy than Sci-fi but slowly with help from Asmodee as well as others I am slowly getting more into this genre. Having only played the game a handful of times I was partly worried this series may be ‘beyond me’ that I might miss references or be unable to follow. I should not have doubted Aconyte and Tim Pratt.
The books are wonderfully contained. Even difference races are explained with enough information that even a newbie to the world of Twilight Imperium will not get too lost. On top of this the story was wonderful and engaging. I adored the power and play dynamics going on. Who was using who, who could you trust and all that good stuff. My only complaint is sometimes I found our protagonist switch a little too quickly from naïve to playing people at their own game but I can’t deny I loved her for it too.
The other thing I adored was later in the novel the sort of mix-matched found family. As always I hate spoiling books, but it gave a sort of Farscape vibe (a favourite of mine!). It was nice to see Bianca finally find some people, who seemingly, can be trusted. I also enjoyed the space opera vibes of the story. While I may not have played many Sci-fi games, movies and TV shows are another matter and this contains all the good things you tend to find in those such as inclusivity.
I honestly did adore this and I am looking forward to The Veiled Masters in the future. I also need to play more Twilight Imperium!
The books are wonderfully contained. Even difference races are explained with enough information that even a newbie to the world of Twilight Imperium will not get too lost. On top of this the story was wonderful and engaging. I adored the power and play dynamics going on. Who was using who, who could you trust and all that good stuff. My only complaint is sometimes I found our protagonist switch a little too quickly from naïve to playing people at their own game but I can’t deny I loved her for it too.
The other thing I adored was later in the novel the sort of mix-matched found family. As always I hate spoiling books, but it gave a sort of Farscape vibe (a favourite of mine!). It was nice to see Bianca finally find some people, who seemingly, can be trusted. I also enjoyed the space opera vibes of the story. While I may not have played many Sci-fi games, movies and TV shows are another matter and this contains all the good things you tend to find in those such as inclusivity.
I honestly did adore this and I am looking forward to The Veiled Masters in the future. I also need to play more Twilight Imperium!
July 18, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and the published for this giving me a copy in exchange for a fair review.
The Necroplis Empire is second of a game-related series following the Fractured Void. It features a recurring character from the first book, the arrogant and creative Barony captain Serveryne, whom I enjoyed in both books. I assume the game is serious but I feel I feel Tim Pratt is playing the books a bit for laughs and certainly with over-the-top characters (caricatures?). It is a quest adventure, featuring an innocent girl who is more than she seems. There is an intertwined plot featuring a down-on-their luck space crew, which ultimately joins up with the heroine.
I am a sucker for Tim Pratt and think he writes some of the smoothest, wittiest dialogue in the SF/Fantasy genre. This is no exception. And I laughed aloud several times. His prose is readable and I sailed through the story.
That said, this is middle of the road game fiction. Simple plot. Non-human characters who seem human. A young adult feel, though mixed with occasional adult language.
I almost gave it four stars for the author but ultimately the simple plot and mediocre world building detracted from the clever prose.
The Necroplis Empire is second of a game-related series following the Fractured Void. It features a recurring character from the first book, the arrogant and creative Barony captain Serveryne, whom I enjoyed in both books. I assume the game is serious but I feel I feel Tim Pratt is playing the books a bit for laughs and certainly with over-the-top characters (caricatures?). It is a quest adventure, featuring an innocent girl who is more than she seems. There is an intertwined plot featuring a down-on-their luck space crew, which ultimately joins up with the heroine.
I am a sucker for Tim Pratt and think he writes some of the smoothest, wittiest dialogue in the SF/Fantasy genre. This is no exception. And I laughed aloud several times. His prose is readable and I sailed through the story.
That said, this is middle of the road game fiction. Simple plot. Non-human characters who seem human. A young adult feel, though mixed with occasional adult language.
I almost gave it four stars for the author but ultimately the simple plot and mediocre world building detracted from the clever prose.
June 30, 2025
I really wanted to like this book. I really enjoyed Pratt's first outing into this setting. I like the premise and the writing style (for the most part) but as the book went on, it got harder and harder to reconcile the main character as anything other than deus ex personified. I don't mind a mary-sue, genre fiction is littered with them. But this book had every problem revealing just the perfect new super power that Bianca had no idea she had. It wasn't just about suddenly realizing she had a computer for a brain (which didn't seem to come up at all in her childhood, only once the plot began), it was the constant "oh I can do this now". And waving away any issues with the sudden appearance of this skill. Pratt is a skilled author, I know this. And there is a good idea buried in this book, but it is lost in so many short cuts that ultimately, a cool idea goes to waste. I will still read more books in this setting and by this author, but if this were my first experience with either of them, I would be scared off for good. Not recommended at all.
October 24, 2021
I enjoyed this, the first book in a new series from Tim Pratt. Bianca know that she was adopted after being discovered as an infant in the forest. No one had any idea of the truth of her origin until the planet is invaded by the Barony of Letnev who claim the planet as an ancient right. Bianca is discovered and whisked off planet with the intention of using her genetics to their own ends. But Bianca is a smart young woman and keeps the bad guys on their toes and wins the day.
Tim Pratt is an award-winning author and he does a good job here. It's a fun book that draws on SF standards, especially echoing "Hitchhikers Guide" with a whiff of Heinlein.
Although this is the beginning of a series, it is a self-contained book with a clear ending. That's a nice change.
I received a review copy of "The Necropolis Empire: Twilight Imperium 1" by Tim Pratt from Aconyte through NetGalley.com.
Tim Pratt is an award-winning author and he does a good job here. It's a fun book that draws on SF standards, especially echoing "Hitchhikers Guide" with a whiff of Heinlein.
Although this is the beginning of a series, it is a self-contained book with a clear ending. That's a nice change.
I received a review copy of "The Necropolis Empire: Twilight Imperium 1" by Tim Pratt from Aconyte through NetGalley.com.
June 8, 2021
I would like to thank the author and publisher for kindly providing an electronic review copy of this book.
"The Necropolis Empire" by Tim Pratt is a fun space adventure. The story starts with the heroine Bianca Xing on a backward plant longing for a more interesting life. Her wish is soon granted as her planet is invaded by the militant Barony of Letnev, and she finds herself in mysterious circumstances as a "guest" of the Barony as she finds herself zooming across the galaxy as an integral part of their search for the mythical lost riches of the mythical planet of Ixth.
The plot involves farmers, rogues, soldiers, massive living robots, forgotten but still present ancient races with god-like technical powers, spaceships, wormholes, and super-powers. This is an entertaining and humorous science fiction adventure tale.
"The Necropolis Empire" by Tim Pratt is a fun space adventure. The story starts with the heroine Bianca Xing on a backward plant longing for a more interesting life. Her wish is soon granted as her planet is invaded by the militant Barony of Letnev, and she finds herself in mysterious circumstances as a "guest" of the Barony as she finds herself zooming across the galaxy as an integral part of their search for the mythical lost riches of the mythical planet of Ixth.
The plot involves farmers, rogues, soldiers, massive living robots, forgotten but still present ancient races with god-like technical powers, spaceships, wormholes, and super-powers. This is an entertaining and humorous science fiction adventure tale.
June 24, 2021
Bianca Xing is a foundling who dreams of getting away from her life on a farm and going to the stars. Her wish comes true when an alien race called the Letnev arrive on her backwater planet to annex it for the Barony of Letnev. They tell Bianca that she is the daughter of a rich man and she needs to come with them to claim her vast fortune.
Bianca quickly learns that she was lied to and has to escape the Letnev. She manages to escape with the help of her new friend Sev and a crew of smugglers. Together, they search for Bianca's origin. What they find is so much stranger than Bianca ever dreamed.
I loved this book. The world building is fantastic! I cared what happened to the characters. Great book! I hope to read more books by Tim Pratt.
Bianca quickly learns that she was lied to and has to escape the Letnev. She manages to escape with the help of her new friend Sev and a crew of smugglers. Together, they search for Bianca's origin. What they find is so much stranger than Bianca ever dreamed.
I loved this book. The world building is fantastic! I cared what happened to the characters. Great book! I hope to read more books by Tim Pratt.
December 6, 2021
A fun Adventure!
I really enjoyed this book. Mr. Pratt has a penchant for clever characters and dialogue that keeps the story light and fun while filling the pages with plenty of action and intrigue, exotic locations and interesting subplots. Put all of this into the rich Twilight Imperium universe and you have an adventure to rival Indiana Jones but with a Star Wars slant. I enjoyed this second book even more than the first in large part because it wasn’t bogged down in nearly as much vulgarity. There was much less objectionable language. Highly recommended for Star Wars or Twilight Imperium fans.
I really enjoyed this book. Mr. Pratt has a penchant for clever characters and dialogue that keeps the story light and fun while filling the pages with plenty of action and intrigue, exotic locations and interesting subplots. Put all of this into the rich Twilight Imperium universe and you have an adventure to rival Indiana Jones but with a Star Wars slant. I enjoyed this second book even more than the first in large part because it wasn’t bogged down in nearly as much vulgarity. There was much less objectionable language. Highly recommended for Star Wars or Twilight Imperium fans.
February 21, 2025
The first book was funny and the ending was awesome. This one is more of a slow burn but more mature. There is evil and darkness in there, but also a great look at what different factions do for survival.
Overall, the main plot is ok, special kiddo get special kiddo stuff, but there's a twist. She's not a special kiddo, just a tool, and the shattering of understanding from this is really cool. Also, they keep unleashing the worst horrors in the galaxy, I think the heroes are the greatest danger to the universe in these books.
Also the relationship of a human special soldier and a letnev commander is really cool, they are both unhinged and violent and make a great power couple.
Overall, the main plot is ok, special kiddo get special kiddo stuff, but there's a twist. She's not a special kiddo, just a tool, and the shattering of understanding from this is really cool. Also, they keep unleashing the worst horrors in the galaxy, I think the heroes are the greatest danger to the universe in these books.
Also the relationship of a human special soldier and a letnev commander is really cool, they are both unhinged and violent and make a great power couple.
February 23, 2024
As fun as the first book was, this one was the exact opposite. Just absolutely tedious front to back, with a main character so perfect and saccharine that a Disney princess would stab her in her sleep. No, I misspoke - ALL of the Disney princesses would stab her in her sleep.
They should’ve renamed spaceship from The Grim Countenance to the Contractual Obligation. Honestly, I’ve never seen such a disparity in books by the same author since… well, I can’t think of a time.
They should’ve renamed spaceship from The Grim Countenance to the Contractual Obligation. Honestly, I’ve never seen such a disparity in books by the same author since… well, I can’t think of a time.
December 24, 2021
A strong sequel, although it does veer a little more into deus-ex-machina than I'm super happy with.
That stated, the characters are interesting, the situations they're in are clever, and gosh Pratt can write a group of misfit heroes well. Great job, enjoyable romp.
Can't wait for the conclusion!
That stated, the characters are interesting, the situations they're in are clever, and gosh Pratt can write a group of misfit heroes well. Great job, enjoyable romp.
Can't wait for the conclusion!
June 19, 2021
Pratt has is quite prolific and a good bet if you like his type of sci-fi. This has a big cast, good tech, and is interestingly told, and includes a little humor. Recommended.
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
July 22, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I am so glad I picked this book up. I really enjoyed the focus on science and the huge cast of characters that did not get lost in the story. I highly recommend.
I am so glad I picked this book up. I really enjoyed the focus on science and the huge cast of characters that did not get lost in the story. I highly recommend.
August 28, 2022
Recent Reads: The Necropolis Empire. TIm Pratt's delightfully fun space opera eeks out a story from the lore that drives the Twilight Imperium board game. At the same time he deconstructs a raft of fairytale tropes. Prophecies and princesses, dead empires and more, oh my!
November 11, 2023
Once again I enjoyed the lore and deeper look into the Twilight Imperium universe. Bianca was a very fun character and I enjoyed her arc of naive dreamy girl to BA protector. Severine was her usual "delightful" self and I hope she shows up in book 3 too.
December 10, 2021
Much better than the first one, a very fun adventure.
January 30, 2022
The book drew me in and kept me engaged to the last page. It's a well written book, with many twists and turns throughout. Looking forward to sequel.
April 15, 2022
Entertaining sci-fi. Main character was even more of a Mary-sue than the first one, but at least there was a narrative reason this time.
August 18, 2023
I enjoyed this one better than the first, but really can't recall the first one at this point.
June 9, 2024
The story keeps you on your toes! The characters are deep and intriguing. A solid lore builder for the Twilight Imperium Universe.
August 6, 2025
. as so, the book has a big advantage over The Fractured Void. but that' about it, because the Factured Void is superior in all other aspects. the leads are, overall, weaker and less interesting; i understand the Mary Sue-ness but it is too much; and the action is less action-full without much else to fill in the gap. regardless, Tim Pratt wrote another great novel that would be a superior popcorn flick most recent marvel movies and Michael Bay extravaganzas can only be jealous of.
7/10
7/10
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