{"product_id":"empire-ascendant-isbn-9780857665652","title":"Empire Ascendant","description":"\u003cb\u003eA “completely original and inventive” epic fantasy set in a land of blood mages and sentiment plants, dark magic, and warfare on a scale that spans worlds (\u003ci\u003eLocus\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLoyalties are tested when worlds collide…\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eEvery two thousand years, the dark star Oma appears in the sky, bringing with it a tide of death and destruction. And those who survive must contend with friends and enemies newly imbued with violent powers. The kingdom of Saiduan already lies in ruin, decimated by invaders from another world who share the faces of those they seek to destroy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow the nation of Dhai is under siege by the same force. Their only hope for survival lies in the hands of an illegitimate ruler and a scullery maid with a powerful—but unpredictable—magic. As the foreign Empire spreads across the world like a disease, one of their former allies takes up her Empress’s sword again to unseat them, and two enslaved scholars begin a treacherous journey home with a long-lost secret that they hope is the key to the Empire’s undoing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut when the enemy shares your own face, who can be trusted?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs the convergence between the two worlds strengthens, alliances are made and broken, magic and mayhem abound—and before it’s all done, at least one world will be shattered and broken.“It’s epic in the truest sense of the world, and fantastic in a completely original and inventive way…I read all 400-odd pages in about 12 hours, ignoring all else. My guess is you will too.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eYsabeau Wilce for \u003ci\u003eLocus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Kameron Hurley warned us all on twitter that Terrible Things would befall the characters introduced in \u003ci\u003eThe Mirror Empire\u003c\/i\u003e, and she did not lie. But she also didn’t give the whole truth. \u003ci\u003eEmpire Ascendant\u003c\/i\u003e is a deeply complicated book. Yes, it is dark and brutal. But it is also almost bizarrely hopeful.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eB.R. Sanders, author of \u003ci\u003eAriah\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eEmpire Ascendant\u003c\/i\u003e is a masterful addition to the epic fantasy genre.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eBorrowed Worlds\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Hurley is clearly genius.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eJoe’s Geek Fest\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Recommended for fans of \u003ci\u003eGame of Thrones\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Emperor’s Blades\u003c\/i\u003e. Intricate, unforgiving, and fascinating.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eLibromancer’s Apprentice\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Hurley has put together something very special. There are complex characters. There’s a believable, if broken world. There’s a plot which will absolutely knock your socks off, if you’re prepared to let it. But it’s also a book willing to explore more deeply, to challenge reader preconceptions and expectations, to ask the reader to invest themselves, and willing to repay that investment in a mixture of enlightenment and blood. That depth, and that narrative bravery, makes \u003ci\u003eEmpire Ascendant\u003c\/i\u003e not just a very good fantasy novel, but a great one – and one very highly recommended.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eSF and F Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[Kameron Hurley] stated on twitter that this is to the first book what \u003ci\u003eEmpire Strikes Back\u003c\/i\u003e is to\u003ci\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/i\u003e, but I feel she sells herself short. This book, in how it grows the themes of \u003ci\u003eThe Mirror Empire\u003c\/i\u003e and builds them to dizzying, breathtaking heights is more of a Godfather Part II. Everything about it is better, greater, \u003ci\u003egrander\u003c\/i\u003e than what came before.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eView from Ascraeus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This series just keeps getting better. It’s one of the most complex sci-fi series I’ve read yet I quickly got back into its worlds. Should you read it? If you love digging deep into worlds and relationships among divergent people, as well as exploring what makes people tick, then I think you’ll really like this series.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003ePopcorn Reads\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“There is something about picking up the second in a series. You already know you like the concept or you wouldn’t bother to continue, but this time it’s different. The story has to hold up not only to its internal standard but to your memories of the first book and it takes a skilled author to manage that. Luckily Kameron Hurley counts as a skilled author and in \u003ci\u003eEmpire Ascendant\u003c\/i\u003e she unravels the story into something even bigger without once dropping the thread.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eNerd Underground\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Although this is a second (or middle) book, things actually happen here. With the world, the scenario, and the characters already established, Hurley is free to focus on the action – and she delivers that in spades. This is a fast-paced tale that carries a sense of urgency from page one.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eThe Speculative Herald\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Read this book. Well, start with book one \u003ci\u003eThe Mirror Empire\u003c\/i\u003e and then once you’ve been sucked into this ‘verse go read this one…I was totally immersed in this story.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eSusan Hated Literature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“With the world, the scenario, and the characters already established, Hurley is free to focus on the action – and she delivers that in spades. This is a fast-paced tale that carries a sense of urgency from page one. You can feel the tension oozing off the page as the characters clash, cultures collide, and worlds approach an end. The plot develops as much, if not more so, than in the first book – and not always in ways you’d expect. There are twists and turns to the tale that even the most jaded readers won’t see coming, as the story careens downhill towards an uncomfortable precipice.”\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eBeauty in Ruins\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“If you’re a fan of intense fantasy with an impressive death toll, \u003ci\u003eEmpire Ascendant\u003c\/i\u003e by Kameron Hurley is the book for you.”\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eKnitter Nerd\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I have become a Kameron Hurley… fangirl? Devotee? \u003ci\u003eAcolyte?\u003c\/i\u003e I’ll say this to those who already read The Mirror Empire: Yes, you want to read this too,  and no, you will not be disappointed.”\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eFat Robot\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for the Worldbreaker Saga and Kameron Hurley:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Hurley reuses old tropes to excellent effect, interweaving them with original elements to create a world that will fascinate and delight her established fans and appeal to newcomers. Readers will blaze through this opening installment and eagerly await the promised sequel.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e (Starred Review)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"This is a hugely ambitious work, bloody and violent, with interestingly gender-flipped politics and a host of factions to keep straight, as points of view switch often. Although it is a challenging read, the strong narrative thread in this new series from Hurley (God's War) pulls readers through the imaginative tangle of multiple worlds and histories colliding.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e (Starred Review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Kameron Hurley is ferociously imaginative – with the emphasis on the ferocious. She writes novels that are smart, dark, visceral and wonderfully, hectically entertaining.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eLauren Beukes, author of \u003ci\u003eZoo City\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Shining Girls\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"With vividly inventive world building and a fast-paced plot, The Mirror Empire opens a smart, brutal, and ambitious epic fantasy series. Book two is already on my must-read list.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eKate Elliott, author of the Spiritwalker Trilogy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"There's a powerful yet elegant brutality in \u003ci\u003eThe Mirror Empire\u003c\/i\u003e that serves notice to traditional epic fantasy: move over, make way, an intoxicating new blend of storytelling has arrived. These are pages that will command your attention.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eBradley P. Beaulieu, author of The Lays of Anuskaya trilogy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"The Mirror Empire\u003c\/i\u003e is the most original fantasy I’ve read in a long time, set in a world full of new ideas, expanding the horizons of the genre. A complex and intricate book full of elegant ideas and finely-drawn characters.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eAdrian Tchaikovsky, Gemmel Legend Finalist and author of The Shadows of the Apt series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Kameron Hurley’s writing is the most exciting thing I’ve seen on the genre page… What Hurley’s writing has (and it’s something not one in a dozen genre practitioners seems able to generate) is passion. It doesn’t hurt that there’s also a rare freshness to the material, and a heady dash of high octane noir worked into the mix.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eRichard K. Morgan, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Steel Remains\u003c\/i\u003e and the Takeshi Kovacs novels\u003c\/b\u003eKameron Hurley is an award-winning author and advertising copywriter.  Hurley grew up in Washington State, and has lived in Fairbanks, Alaska; Durban, South Africa; and Chicago. She has a degree in historical studies from the University of Alaska and a Master’s in History from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, specializing in the history of South African resistance movements. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHer essay on the history of women in conflict“We Have Always Fought” was the first blog post to win a Hugo Award. It was also nominated for Best Non-Fiction work by the British Fantasy Society.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHurley is the author of \u003ci\u003eGod’s War\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eInfidel,\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eRapture,\u003c\/i\u003e a science-fantasy noir series which earned her the Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer and the Kitschy Award for Best Debut Novel. Her latest novel, \u003ci\u003eThe Mirror Empire\u003c\/i\u003e is published by Angry Robot Books. and the sequel, \u003ci\u003eEmpire Ascendant, \u003c\/i\u003ewill be out in October 2015. Her first space opera, \u003ci\u003eThe Stars are Legion,\u003c\/i\u003e will be published from Simon and Schuster’s Saga imprint in fall of 2016.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe has won the Hugo Award twice, and been a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, Nebula Award, the Locus Award and the BSFA Award for Best Novel. Additionally, her work has been included on the Tiptree Award Honor List and been long-listed for the Gemmell Morningstar Award.","brand":"Angry Robot","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304536199397,"sku":"NP9780857665652","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780857665652.jpg?v=1767726226","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/empire-ascendant-isbn-9780857665652","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}