Later in the novel, as the author cranks things up to 11, the science as magic really does feel more and more like magic. Vivian and her friends, for example, landing on the ruined planet of Orn, find themselves in a post-apocalypse society and a problem that, as the author handwaves with Vivian’s thoughts, straight out of Beowulf. Not only is it technology indistinguishable from magic (which the novel has in plenty) but there are whole portions of the novel that feel like they are even more closer to the fantasy section of the spectrum. In that tangled new course, Vivian meets new allies, new enemies and in the end, finds out the truth of the Empire and why the Empress has brought her here in the first place.įor all of the technobabble that the novel has, from the start as we learn about Vivian’s life on Earth in a couple of short set up characters, through the major facets of her universe, like the hyperspace Cloud, there is a definite science fantasy feel to all of the proceedings. In entangling herself with Hong, and Zanj (the aforementioned very dangerous space pirate), Vivian’s path, if not goals, go off course almost immediately. Her goals are straightforward at first-to find the Empress who has brought her to this time and space, and find a way to get back home. From being under attack by robots, to freeing an extremely dangerous space pirate who has been locked up for a very long time, Vivian goes down the rabbit hole fast. Including, and most importantly, the titular Empress of Forever.Īfter that measured beginning, setting up Vivian on Earth briefly enough to rip her away from it, Vivian’s plunge into an outer space world is a wild ride from the moment she lands on the Mirrorfaith ship and meets Hong, one of the other main characters of the novel. But in the course of her escape, Vivian is captured and brought to a far future (or is it just far away in space) in a universe with strange monks, killer robots, pilots who can bond with their ships, space pirates and much more. So, a retrench and reboot and a plan to come back stronger are in order. Vivian is a Elon Musk type tech billionaire who has made far too many enemies among various governments. Max Gladstone’s novel begins with Vivian Liao.

Max gladstone empress of forever