Fleet Elements

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

Following The Accidental War, the second book of a brand-new series set in the Praxis—an epic mix of space opera and military science fiction, from a grand master of science fiction, Walter Jon Williams.

The Praxis, the empire of now extinct Shaa, has again fallen into civil war, with desperate and outnumbered humans battling several alien species for survival. Leading the human forces are star-crossed lovers Gareth Martinez and Caroline Sula, who must find a way to overcome their own thorny personal history to defeat the aliens and assure humanity’s survival.

But even if the human fleet is victorious, the divisions fracturing the empire may be too wide to repair, as battles between politicians, the military, and fanatics who want to kill every alien threaten to further tear the empire apart. While Martinez and Sula believe they have the talent and tactics to defeat an overwhelming enemy, what will prevent their fellow humans from destroying themselves?

Praise for the Dread Empire Fall’s series: “A spectacular far-future space opera.”

“Walter Jon Williams is one of my favorite writers in the genre, with great ideas, worldbuilding, characters, and always a captivating story.”

“Readers who enjoyed Ann Leckie’s award-winning Ancillary Justice and its sequels will find similar pleasures here. Williams lays out the slow-burn decline of an empire with supreme confidence. It’s a masterful piece of space opera.”

“Williams is consummate writer. His worldbuilding continues excellent, his characterization is solid and believable, and his attention to detail while juggling a complex story of intrigue and financial disaster is deeply, impressive. Well-paced, tense, and deeply compelling, The Accidental War is a very entertaining work.”

"Newcomers will have no problem getting oriented in this rip-roaring sci-fi world, and returning readers will be thrilled to dive back in." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"With a pace that is faster than light, Walter Jon Williams’s fifth book in the Dread Empire’s Fall series, Fleet Elements is a space opera book that doesn’t disappoint... this is a great soap opera science fiction, full of gung ho rebels trying to save themselves, with a side of power hungry aliens, and some witty banter." - The Nerd Daily