What do you think?
Rate this book
The Empyrean
Emotion is a weapon. Harnessing its power could destroy worlds.
Palia’s emotions are in turmoil. After watching her son succumb to Empyrean fire, she barely escapes the same fate. Guilt ridden and alone, she will not stop until his killer is brought to justice.
The Protectorate forbids Ferrash to have emotions. That suits him, since he cannot avoid the people who control the Empyrean. Making this sacrifice prevents them from hijacking his feelings and using them as a weapon against him.
When Ferrash spots Palia’s ship venting atmosphere, he is forced to save her. Having an enemy from the Hegemony on board could see him accused of treason. But when the Empyrean reveals its potential as a destroyer of worlds and Palia’s link to it, Ferrash knows he can’t let her leave.
With billions at risk of succumbing to the Empyrean weapon, can the enemies join forces and prevent the same fate that killed Palia’s son?
Palia’s emotions are in turmoil. After watching her son succumb to Empyrean fire, she barely escapes the same fate. Guilt ridden and alone, she will not stop until his killer is brought to justice.
The Protectorate forbids Ferrash to have emotions. That suits him, since he cannot avoid the people who control the Empyrean. Making this sacrifice prevents them from hijacking his feelings and using them as a weapon against him.
When Ferrash spots Palia’s ship venting atmosphere, he is forced to save her. Having an enemy from the Hegemony on board could see him accused of treason. But when the Empyrean reveals its potential as a destroyer of worlds and Palia’s link to it, Ferrash knows he can’t let her leave.
With billions at risk of succumbing to the Empyrean weapon, can the enemies join forces and prevent the same fate that killed Palia’s son?
- GenresScience Fiction
478 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2022
6 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Franklin
5 books17 followersKatherine Franklin spends far more of her days than is healthy glued to a screen, writing stories when she’s not writing code, but she manages to venture outside once in a while as well. She loves science, but didn’t love her physics degree enough to do anything about it. Fiction was always her first love.
Katherine lives in Yorkshire with her husband and a horse-sized dog, where she practices martial arts, miniature painting and far too many little hobbies to count in her spare time.
Katherine lives in Yorkshire with her husband and a horse-sized dog, where she practices martial arts, miniature painting and far too many little hobbies to count in her spare time.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 17, 2022
3.5 Stars
This was such a fun sci fi story that blends together so many of my favourite space opera tropes while still managing to feel fresh. I have seen most of these elements before, yet I found myself glued to this story.
This book hit so many of the beats I look for in my science fiction. The characters were likeable. The plot was intriguing with enough suspense. The worldbuilding was a touch hard to follow in places, but that could have been a factor of listening rather than physically reading it.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for an entertaining underhyped space opera.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this audiobook from the author for review. I thought the audiobook version was very well done, other than strangely long pauses between chapters. The narrator's voice reminded me of Jefferson Mays, who does the Expanse, with a touch of Simon Vance in places.
This was such a fun sci fi story that blends together so many of my favourite space opera tropes while still managing to feel fresh. I have seen most of these elements before, yet I found myself glued to this story.
This book hit so many of the beats I look for in my science fiction. The characters were likeable. The plot was intriguing with enough suspense. The worldbuilding was a touch hard to follow in places, but that could have been a factor of listening rather than physically reading it.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for an entertaining underhyped space opera.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this audiobook from the author for review. I thought the audiobook version was very well done, other than strangely long pauses between chapters. The narrator's voice reminded me of Jefferson Mays, who does the Expanse, with a touch of Simon Vance in places.
January 25, 2023
Here for our final first round SPSFC review!
I liked the overall idea quite a bit. The story opens with a planetary explosion and utter devastation, vivid imagery, and it was enough to snag my attention from the get go.
Broadly, I can appreciate the plot regarding interstellar weapons potential and the fact that emotion could be harvested as a source of power, magic, fire. The Empyrean is full of interesting concepts.
It’s also got a few likeable characters and, my favorite part, a hilarious but all too brief episode with a rather large animal companion.
Where this story ended up falling flat for me was in execution. There were some big, overarching mysteries hinted at throughout, and the thing is that for an author to hold onto those mysteries and just keep dropping hints, the reward has to be worth it. I really truly hate to say that the “answers” fell flat for me and that the entire final resolution was a bit of a weak setup for the next book in the series. Many characters and events appeared and vanished throughout without the page time they needed to land an impact.
While individually I liked Palia and Bek, Farrash felt pretty out there. The romance felt more like a proximity attraction without much to ground it on, so the … Uh … Pinnacle of Action scene didn’t land either. The concept did, I get what the author was going for, I just couldn’t see it.
I’m smacking myself because this sounds harsher than I mean it to. For editing and presentation this is one of our stronger books, and if I had spent a tiny bit less time feeling lost I would have enjoyed it much more overall. It’s a great plot that just got lost in the execution.
(Plus, I’m one of those blind-ish people who endlessly appreciate books that are turned into audio and made affordable).
TLDR: Overall – The Empyrean held a great idea and a lot of wonderful imagery, but overall it didn’t hit home for me. I’m rating 5.5/10 for SPSFC purposes and would recommend for fans of space operas with broad scopes!
Full thoughts and competition updates can be found at
http://onereadingnurse.com/2023/01/25...
I liked the overall idea quite a bit. The story opens with a planetary explosion and utter devastation, vivid imagery, and it was enough to snag my attention from the get go.
Broadly, I can appreciate the plot regarding interstellar weapons potential and the fact that emotion could be harvested as a source of power, magic, fire. The Empyrean is full of interesting concepts.
It’s also got a few likeable characters and, my favorite part, a hilarious but all too brief episode with a rather large animal companion.
Where this story ended up falling flat for me was in execution. There were some big, overarching mysteries hinted at throughout, and the thing is that for an author to hold onto those mysteries and just keep dropping hints, the reward has to be worth it. I really truly hate to say that the “answers” fell flat for me and that the entire final resolution was a bit of a weak setup for the next book in the series. Many characters and events appeared and vanished throughout without the page time they needed to land an impact.
While individually I liked Palia and Bek, Farrash felt pretty out there. The romance felt more like a proximity attraction without much to ground it on, so the … Uh … Pinnacle of Action scene didn’t land either. The concept did, I get what the author was going for, I just couldn’t see it.
I’m smacking myself because this sounds harsher than I mean it to. For editing and presentation this is one of our stronger books, and if I had spent a tiny bit less time feeling lost I would have enjoyed it much more overall. It’s a great plot that just got lost in the execution.
(Plus, I’m one of those blind-ish people who endlessly appreciate books that are turned into audio and made affordable).
TLDR: Overall – The Empyrean held a great idea and a lot of wonderful imagery, but overall it didn’t hit home for me. I’m rating 5.5/10 for SPSFC purposes and would recommend for fans of space operas with broad scopes!
Full thoughts and competition updates can be found at
http://onereadingnurse.com/2023/01/25...
December 8, 2021
The cover of The Empyrean is absolutely gorgeous and I was really excited to read this one! The Empyrean had me hooked from the first chapter. It’s brilliantly written, full of exciting plot twists and with memorable characters that kept me engaged throughout the book.
The world that Katherine has created is vast and full of life. In The Empyrean, emotions are powerful energy that can be used to create weapons, from creating fires to large scale destruction of planets. The Protectorate forbids emotions, with inhibitors used to stop people from feeling anything. This isn’t something I’ve come across before and I really liked the idea — it’s great to come across something fresh and unique!
I also loved the characters. The relationships between Palia, Ferrash and Bek are a big part of the book and I really enjoyed reading how they get to know each other, grow as a team, and learn to trust one another. It’s really interesting to read Ferrash’s conflict around having emotions and whether he should use inhibitors, after many years of not having feelings.
I especially liked Palia. She changes the most throughout the book and I really enjoyed her journey! At the very start of the book, Palia loses her son, and Katherine writes about grief in a really sensitive and realistic way. I especially loved this section:
Katherine is an exciting new voice in sci-fi. I loved The Empyrean — it feels fresh and new, with lots of unique ideas. I’m excited to see what else she has in store for Palia, Ferrash and Bek, and the universe she’s created here!
The world that Katherine has created is vast and full of life. In The Empyrean, emotions are powerful energy that can be used to create weapons, from creating fires to large scale destruction of planets. The Protectorate forbids emotions, with inhibitors used to stop people from feeling anything. This isn’t something I’ve come across before and I really liked the idea — it’s great to come across something fresh and unique!
I also loved the characters. The relationships between Palia, Ferrash and Bek are a big part of the book and I really enjoyed reading how they get to know each other, grow as a team, and learn to trust one another. It’s really interesting to read Ferrash’s conflict around having emotions and whether he should use inhibitors, after many years of not having feelings.
I especially liked Palia. She changes the most throughout the book and I really enjoyed her journey! At the very start of the book, Palia loses her son, and Katherine writes about grief in a really sensitive and realistic way. I especially loved this section:
‘Where’s Derren?’ he asked.
Palia closed her eyes when the question came. She had been wishing it wouldn’t. Hoping it wouldn’t. But now it was here, and she wanted to shut the world out, to turn it to pitch and pretend that existence was just a field of never-ending nothingness. But the words echoed in her head. She couldn’t ignore them.
‘He’s dead,’ she said. And just like that, a dam burst within her. It wasn’t an explosive release — just a calm collapse of something that should have toppled long ago.
‘He’s dead,’ she repeated. ‘He’s gone.’
Katherine is an exciting new voice in sci-fi. I loved The Empyrean — it feels fresh and new, with lots of unique ideas. I’m excited to see what else she has in store for Palia, Ferrash and Bek, and the universe she’s created here!
August 1, 2022
A force that can be used for good or evil and dangerous to harness - It defines the universe. Fear and a desire to control, create a special class of citizens, those few who can safely harness the Empyrean. Governing bodies employ widely differing (and extreme) methods for manipulating the ever present threat. It’s hard to determine if any good guys really exist. Authorities literally play with fire showing little concern for those under their care - assuming they know best. Not so different from our own political realities.
The POVs are handled well as the two main characters, Palia and Ferrash learn to deal with their new realities in a universe at a tipping point. Both of them have been deceived by their leaders, drawing them together despite the fact they are technically enemies. Each has their own emotional baggage to unpack if they hope to survive a very uncertain future.
The world building is excellent. A good foundation has been laid to explore the motivations of political entities and governing bodies in future novels. I was very impressed with the way the author managed to incorporate colourful, sometimes poetic descriptions without them sounding contrived as is too often the case with new authors. I did not find that to be an issue in this novel and that is a difficult balance to master.
On a final note I would like to mention that I received a copy of this book through Voracious Readers and enjoyed it enough that I chose to leave a review. I wasn’t sure what to expect as this seems to be a first full length novel for the author, but I’m always looking for new authors to try. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed The Empyrean and look forward to future books in the series. Definitely worth a read.
The POVs are handled well as the two main characters, Palia and Ferrash learn to deal with their new realities in a universe at a tipping point. Both of them have been deceived by their leaders, drawing them together despite the fact they are technically enemies. Each has their own emotional baggage to unpack if they hope to survive a very uncertain future.
The world building is excellent. A good foundation has been laid to explore the motivations of political entities and governing bodies in future novels. I was very impressed with the way the author managed to incorporate colourful, sometimes poetic descriptions without them sounding contrived as is too often the case with new authors. I did not find that to be an issue in this novel and that is a difficult balance to master.
On a final note I would like to mention that I received a copy of this book through Voracious Readers and enjoyed it enough that I chose to leave a review. I wasn’t sure what to expect as this seems to be a first full length novel for the author, but I’m always looking for new authors to try. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed The Empyrean and look forward to future books in the series. Definitely worth a read.
January 3, 2022
My classmate Katherine has written a book! I decided to back it on Kickstarter so I got an early copy. The rest of you will have to wait until April 2022.
Psychics, spaceships, and interplanetary intrigue! Basically, all the things I love in a sci-fi book. There's a distinct nod to various video-game tropes in here; lots of hopping between worlds, tracking down informants at lavish parties, escort missions which become shoot-outs.
It gets a little convoluted towards the middle - although that may be my fault for reading in during an Xmas dinner coma - but has a rather pleasing narrative arc. It is emotional without being too sappy.
If you're looking for a fun space-epic, which doesn't get too bogged down in politics and technobabble, I think you'll like it.
Originally reviewed at https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/01/book...
Psychics, spaceships, and interplanetary intrigue! Basically, all the things I love in a sci-fi book. There's a distinct nod to various video-game tropes in here; lots of hopping between worlds, tracking down informants at lavish parties, escort missions which become shoot-outs.
It gets a little convoluted towards the middle - although that may be my fault for reading in during an Xmas dinner coma - but has a rather pleasing narrative arc. It is emotional without being too sappy.
If you're looking for a fun space-epic, which doesn't get too bogged down in politics and technobabble, I think you'll like it.
Originally reviewed at https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/01/book...
September 26, 2022
We are proud to announce that THE EMPYREAN (Galaxy of Exiles, #1) by Katherine Franklin has been honored with the B.R.A.G.Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.
April 27, 2023
This was great! And quite epic, and to be honest, very sad too. I loved loved loved the idea of weaponized emotions, such a great concept for heartbreak and endless suffering in a book, and I got exactly that by the end. I will say, I do need a break because this was quite dense, but I'm here for the sequel at some point, for sure.
The Empyrean's world is a galaxy drenched in...well, the Empyrean, a substance, or energy, or dimension(? sort of) that can power weapons, devices, vehicles, and even transportation methods with life energy, basically--a living thing's emotions, thoughts, and memories. It was sometimes a bit hard for me to understand the intricacies of the ways it can work, although the concept itself seems simple. But I loved the whole image and representations of it, and it was so interesting to read the descriptions of what is possible with it. It was the centerpiece of the story, the enigmatic beginning and the mysterious end both. It's a destructive, awful power and/but I can't wait to get to know more about it.
So, you've got people (a fraction of the population) with the ability to manipulate this source of power, you've got two big spacefaring empires that exploit/avoid/use/defend against it in different ways (one is subtly ruled by it but mostly avoids it, and the other extinguishes its people's emotions so it can't be used against them...but then its ruling class are still empyrrics and they try to breed more of them, sooooo...), and you've got a new type of weapon being tested to--well, you've got to read it to know what they want to do with it. It's enough that the book starts with the destruction, quite literally evaporation, of an entire planet, though. I'd love to get to know more about both empires later --we sort of wandered into both a bit and I got the things that were most important, but I'm wondering about history, and planets, and how people live (when not at war) and stuff like that too. Oh yeah, there were also aliens implied, very subtly, but I'm here for it.
Back to the destroyed planet. This is where the main characters, Ferrash, Bek, and Palia meet too. Palia is doing research there about the Empyrean, and she loses her son in the conflict. Ferrash and Bek are spies, agents of the opposing empire from which Palia comes from, trying to infiltrate a ship when the cataclysm happens. The two men save Palia from her escape pod, then they are basically stuck together, first by need, then by some common goals, then by their blooming friendship. In the end, they get involved in a large-scale war, a prison break, with a travelling performance group and a winged pop star!, some political intrigue, and more, as they follow the threads of lies, fighting factions, and forbidden research.
The characters remained a bit distant from me until the end, although I did enjoy gradually getting to know them. They do hide things from the reader until the last moment, though! We get to know Palia as a grieving mother, but it's much more complicated than that, and then later she will show colors I didn't imagine her having at all! Ferrash, the perfect agent, suppressing emotions like a pro, hides painful trauma and secrets that will be important in the following as well. I think my favorite was Bek, a clone-human, basically, again, supposed to suppress his emotions, but he just won't, you know? He's funny, he's a bit childish, but he's great, and was an exact opposite of Ferrash in my eyes, although he was really supposed to be the "less human" one.
I did feel occasionally that the characters were sort of dragged through the setpieces one after the other. They did have agency and plans, and the setpieces were generally amazing (I loved Munab, and the party, and I even liked the Protectorate central world) so it wasn't a big problem...maybe, actually, it was just that things happened quite quickly so we never really settled anywhere for too long to get comfy. Even so, the settings were quite memorable, they still live vividly in my imagination. And that finale! Talk about a punch to the face. It was emotional, chaotic, and epic.
I can whole-heartedly recommend this to space opera lovers. There's mystery, there's shoot-outs, grand escapes, and emotional moments, a galaxy in upheaval and characters worth following through the void of space. Great stuff.
The Empyrean's world is a galaxy drenched in...well, the Empyrean, a substance, or energy, or dimension(? sort of) that can power weapons, devices, vehicles, and even transportation methods with life energy, basically--a living thing's emotions, thoughts, and memories. It was sometimes a bit hard for me to understand the intricacies of the ways it can work, although the concept itself seems simple. But I loved the whole image and representations of it, and it was so interesting to read the descriptions of what is possible with it. It was the centerpiece of the story, the enigmatic beginning and the mysterious end both. It's a destructive, awful power and/but I can't wait to get to know more about it.
So, you've got people (a fraction of the population) with the ability to manipulate this source of power, you've got two big spacefaring empires that exploit/avoid/use/defend against it in different ways (one is subtly ruled by it but mostly avoids it, and the other extinguishes its people's emotions so it can't be used against them...but then its ruling class are still empyrrics and they try to breed more of them, sooooo...), and you've got a new type of weapon being tested to--well, you've got to read it to know what they want to do with it. It's enough that the book starts with the destruction, quite literally evaporation, of an entire planet, though. I'd love to get to know more about both empires later --we sort of wandered into both a bit and I got the things that were most important, but I'm wondering about history, and planets, and how people live (when not at war) and stuff like that too. Oh yeah, there were also aliens implied, very subtly, but I'm here for it.
Back to the destroyed planet. This is where the main characters, Ferrash, Bek, and Palia meet too. Palia is doing research there about the Empyrean, and she loses her son in the conflict. Ferrash and Bek are spies, agents of the opposing empire from which Palia comes from, trying to infiltrate a ship when the cataclysm happens. The two men save Palia from her escape pod, then they are basically stuck together, first by need, then by some common goals, then by their blooming friendship. In the end, they get involved in a large-scale war, a prison break, with a travelling performance group and a winged pop star!, some political intrigue, and more, as they follow the threads of lies, fighting factions, and forbidden research.
The characters remained a bit distant from me until the end, although I did enjoy gradually getting to know them. They do hide things from the reader until the last moment, though! We get to know Palia as a grieving mother, but it's much more complicated than that, and then later she will show colors I didn't imagine her having at all! Ferrash, the perfect agent, suppressing emotions like a pro, hides painful trauma and secrets that will be important in the following as well. I think my favorite was Bek, a clone-human, basically, again, supposed to suppress his emotions, but he just won't, you know? He's funny, he's a bit childish, but he's great, and was an exact opposite of Ferrash in my eyes, although he was really supposed to be the "less human" one.
I did feel occasionally that the characters were sort of dragged through the setpieces one after the other. They did have agency and plans, and the setpieces were generally amazing (I loved Munab, and the party, and I even liked the Protectorate central world) so it wasn't a big problem...maybe, actually, it was just that things happened quite quickly so we never really settled anywhere for too long to get comfy. Even so, the settings were quite memorable, they still live vividly in my imagination. And that finale! Talk about a punch to the face. It was emotional, chaotic, and epic.
I can whole-heartedly recommend this to space opera lovers. There's mystery, there's shoot-outs, grand escapes, and emotional moments, a galaxy in upheaval and characters worth following through the void of space. Great stuff.
January 27, 2023
The concept of this universe-the ability to weaponize emotions-leads to some interesting characterization. One society takes advantage of this power, another sedates their citizenry to eliminate all emotion. For its not just an Empyrean's emotions that can be used, but those around them. At the surface, this is a really cool mechanism, and lends itself to some interesting introspection on the value of emotion itself. There are some lovely explorations of the value or harm in releasing or suppressing emotions. How those choices or lack of choices reflect on the characters and their development over the course of the book got me rooting for the team before long.
I absolutely love the character of Bek. He exhibits this internal contradiction of being the least human of the three main characters, but the one with the most humanity. And the accent the narrator gives him is brilliant. The relationship between him and Palia felt more believable than the relationship between Ferrash and Palia, but without giving too much away, what happens to them all in the end really mustered my...emotions.
The book ends on a major cliffhanger, which makes it basically unreadable as a standalone. You've been warned. Though there were some slow parts, I'm into it enough to check out the 2nd installment, which hasn't been written yet. Mostly, I just want to listen to the narrator's voicing of Bek and his exploits some more. He can fly my spaceship anytime.
I absolutely love the character of Bek. He exhibits this internal contradiction of being the least human of the three main characters, but the one with the most humanity. And the accent the narrator gives him is brilliant. The relationship between him and Palia felt more believable than the relationship between Ferrash and Palia, but without giving too much away, what happens to them all in the end really mustered my...emotions.
The book ends on a major cliffhanger, which makes it basically unreadable as a standalone. You've been warned. Though there were some slow parts, I'm into it enough to check out the 2nd installment, which hasn't been written yet. Mostly, I just want to listen to the narrator's voicing of Bek and his exploits some more. He can fly my spaceship anytime.
July 16, 2025
Dnf on p. 215.
The good stuff:
The story has a good flow. We're immediately in the thick of it, with a big bang opener, and it progresses at a good pace. It's a balanced mix of character and plot focus.
However, everything lacked depth to me. The world building is a simple matter of two opposing regimes, neither of which seems likeable. The emotion-fuelled "magic system" should be right up my alley, but it's kept vague, and the author doesn't explore the depth and complexity of emotions, sticks to the pop culture standard (the female lead detects a visual sign of having emotions for the male lead and can only think of two types of emotions that those could be - aversion or love...).
The main characters are both conveniently the estranged progeny of leaders of the rivalling regimes. Each has some personal issues stemming from that but limited personality beyond that. They certainly don't have a lot of chemistry.
Because there's not much time for worldbuilding, some of the descriptions don't create a picture in my head.
Ultimately, I found myself asking: do I care about who wins? Am I sufficiently invested?
I was not.
The good stuff:
The story has a good flow. We're immediately in the thick of it, with a big bang opener, and it progresses at a good pace. It's a balanced mix of character and plot focus.
However, everything lacked depth to me. The world building is a simple matter of two opposing regimes, neither of which seems likeable. The emotion-fuelled "magic system" should be right up my alley, but it's kept vague, and the author doesn't explore the depth and complexity of emotions, sticks to the pop culture standard (the female lead detects a visual sign of having emotions for the male lead and can only think of two types of emotions that those could be - aversion or love...).
The main characters are both conveniently the estranged progeny of leaders of the rivalling regimes. Each has some personal issues stemming from that but limited personality beyond that. They certainly don't have a lot of chemistry.
Because there's not much time for worldbuilding, some of the descriptions don't create a picture in my head.
Ultimately, I found myself asking: do I care about who wins? Am I sufficiently invested?
I was not.
August 1, 2022
The Opera of Space Opera !
There are no words to describe
Such an incredible book which makes no sense to me that this is the first and only book that the author Katherine Franklin have written ( Amazing imagination ).
I’m not going to destroy and tell only that it’s amazing and worth every penny and then sum !
One last thing, as you grow older you understand so much more and by now just like it implies in the book that the human race have no chance surviving the way we are heading because all we know is power and destruction which will be our undoing!
Another awesome discovery, James Alper absolutely beautifully narrated this book into a perfect audio !
Hoping that part two is on its way, because when something that good comes out I hate waiting for more.
Absolutely,
without a doubt,
recommended !
Oded Ostfeld.
There are no words to describe
Such an incredible book which makes no sense to me that this is the first and only book that the author Katherine Franklin have written ( Amazing imagination ).
I’m not going to destroy and tell only that it’s amazing and worth every penny and then sum !
One last thing, as you grow older you understand so much more and by now just like it implies in the book that the human race have no chance surviving the way we are heading because all we know is power and destruction which will be our undoing!
Another awesome discovery, James Alper absolutely beautifully narrated this book into a perfect audio !
Hoping that part two is on its way, because when something that good comes out I hate waiting for more.
Absolutely,
without a doubt,
recommended !
Oded Ostfeld.
February 13, 2023
A unique but excited and interesting twist to what I originally read, but it was well enjoyed none the less. If you're looking for raised eyebrows and a unique story that keeps you intrigued, this is a must read.
August 11, 2022
Very good world building and great pacing.
An excellent choice for anyone looking to pick up an easy-to-read space opera.
An excellent choice for anyone looking to pick up an easy-to-read space opera.
Read
October 8, 2022Enjoyed the adventure and look forward to the next instalment.
September 9, 2023
Received as an audio review copy from Story Origin, this is an honest review. Beautifully narrated by James Alper, The Empyrean is an immersive science fiction mystery that begins with the breathtaking destruction of the world called Everatus IV and the escape of a mysterious woman named Palia. Rescued by Bek and Ferrash, they find themselves plunged into a labyrinthine adventure to unravel why Everatus IV had to burn while at the mercy of the complex cultures and agendas of the Hegemony and the Protectorate. Wickedly brilliant with alien creatures that are both intriguing and frightening at the same time and deeply poignant, especially for what Palia endures, as she possesses the hauntingly dangerous ability of being empyrric and yet this gift creates a much needed bond with Bek and Ferrash to survive. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews