The Praxis cover art

The Praxis

The Dread Empire's Fall Trilogy, Book 1

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The Praxis

By: Walter Jon Williams
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
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About this listen

“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)

The first book in the completed Dread Empire’s Fall trilogy, followed by The Sundering and Conventions of War.

All will must bend to the perfect truth of the Praxis.

For millennia, the Shaa have subjugated the universe, forcing the myriad sentient races to bow to their joyless tyranny. But the Shaa will soon be no more. The Dread Empire is in its rapidly fading twilight, and with its impending fall comes the promise of a new galactic order...and bloody chaos.

A young Terran naval officer marked by his lowly birth, Lt. Gareth Martinez is the first to recognize the insidious plot of the Naxid - the powerful, warlike insectoid society that was enslaved before all others - to replace the masters’ despotic rule with their own. Barely escaping a swarming surprise attack, Martinez and Caroline Sula, a pilot whose beautiful face conceals a deadly secret, are now the last hope for freedom for every being who ever languished in Shaa chains - as the interstellar battle begins against a merciless foe whose only perfect truth is annihilation.

©2002 Walter Jon Williams (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing and Skyboat Media
First Contact Military Science Fiction Space Opera Fiction Emotionally Gripping Interstellar

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All stars
Most relevant
This sci fi is great. The first 3 quarters are about politics. The characters are moving to enrich themselves. Furthermore events don't kick off after the Shaa. There is slow burn until action. A very good understanding by the author on house things actuallyl happen.

Most sci fi is a humanity against the odds but ...

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Starting with interesting characters, building their backstory, and culminating in a suspenseful endgame with plenty of action and humor.

Exceptional

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Great book it takes until chapter 10 to get in to it but stick with it it’s a good listen great story and narration I highly recommend it looking forward to the next one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️😀👍📖

Great book 📖👍

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The story really start after the halfway mark, after which the book really pulls you in.

Great beginning for great story

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