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Twilight Imperium #1
The Fractured Void
A brave starship crew are drawn into the schemes of interplanetary powers competing for galactic domination, in this epic space opera from the best-selling strategic boardgame, Twilight Imperium
Captain Felix Duval and the crew of the Temerarious quietly patrol a remote Mentak Coalition colony system where nothing ever happens. But when they answer a distress call from a moon under attack, that peaceful existence is torn apart. They rescue a scientist, Thales, who’s developing revolutionary technology to create new wormholes. He just needs a few things to make it fully operational� and now, ordered to aid the scientist, the Temerarious is targeted by two rival black-ops teams intent on reacquiring Thales. Can Felix trust Thales? Or is this a conspiracy to tip the balance of power in the galaxy forever?
Captain Felix Duval and the crew of the Temerarious quietly patrol a remote Mentak Coalition colony system where nothing ever happens. But when they answer a distress call from a moon under attack, that peaceful existence is torn apart. They rescue a scientist, Thales, who’s developing revolutionary technology to create new wormholes. He just needs a few things to make it fully operational� and now, ordered to aid the scientist, the Temerarious is targeted by two rival black-ops teams intent on reacquiring Thales. Can Felix trust Thales? Or is this a conspiracy to tip the balance of power in the galaxy forever?
352 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
March 27, 2025
The Fractured Void
By Tim Pratt
Space opera type novel where the hero is to go save a kidnapped scientist. Enjoyed it. Worth the read. Might read book 2.
By Tim Pratt
Space opera type novel where the hero is to go save a kidnapped scientist. Enjoyed it. Worth the read. Might read book 2.
September 3, 2022
This science fiction novel is based on the IP for a board game. As such, it is a nice bit of world building for the fans of that game. The characters grow on you, but the ending is a bit weak as it is obviously just a set up for the next book.
November 30, 2020
3.5 out of 5 stars
I admit that this was a fun and lighthearted romp of a novel.
As far as first books in a series go, it fulfilled its function rather well - it introduced the world and the characters that live in it without it ever filling like an infodump.
The world is fascinating. We have different planets, and a lot of different alien species that have learned to co-exist in a way that seems very natural. The way they operate, talk and interact with each other never feels forced. Also, all alien species described fit well into their environment, like the "squid" people who live on two planets that are covered by oceans.
This is what attracted me the most to this book. I love when the author knows their world. He doesn't have to give us an infodump on it for the reader to see that. The little hints thrown here and there along the story show the reader that there is much more history to explore and that the author knows what's going on. There is background there. Things happen for a reason. I would love to explore this galaxy a bit more in the next books.
But the worldbuilding is only part of the magic formula. The other ingredient is the characters. And I admit that this part didn't work quite as well for me.
I liked the Duval Devils alright, even though they seemed a little over the top in their piratey brashness from time to time. They seemed like a group of misfits at first, posturing in front of each other and trying to look cool. But I admit that they gelled as a team somewhere halfway through the book, probably because they finally had a common goal and a common detestable person to hate. I think Tib was my favorite character in this book. She is smart, she is efficient, and her sarcasm is right up my alley.
I really didn't click with the duo that was opposing them. I know Azad and Severine were supposed to represent two strong female characters, but... I don't know... I think Azad's complete lack of scruples or any moral compass at all did her no favor. She has all the markings of a psychopath, and I have never been particularly found of those. The author kept them alive for a reason, so my guess is they will play a part in future books, but honestly, I could care less.
The author takes home the 2020 award for creating the most detestable character of the year, and he isn't even a villain in a true sense of the term. Thales is a despicable, nasty piece of work. He is a megalomaniac with a huge chip on his shoulder who never forgets any offense, real or perceived, towards his fragile ego. I admit that I cheered a little when our good captain punched him in the face. And I definitely felt good when he got what he deserved at the end of the novel.
My problem with this book is that it feels like a big prologue rather than a first book in a series. The set up for the real conflict happens in the last two chapters and in the epilogue. Yes, it was fun to see the Duval Devils wheezing around the known galaxy assembling parts for the wormhole device, but it's only set up. The bad guys are introduced only in the last chapters, so the end of the book feels rather anticlimactic. Yes, Thales got what he deserved, but the damage is already done, and the REAL STORY starts now. Only it doesn't because the book ends.
I like this book well enough to pick up the next one in the series, because the writing was fun and light and there was a good balance between action and exposition. Hopefully, I will like the characters of the next installment better than this one.
PS: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I admit that this was a fun and lighthearted romp of a novel.
As far as first books in a series go, it fulfilled its function rather well - it introduced the world and the characters that live in it without it ever filling like an infodump.
The world is fascinating. We have different planets, and a lot of different alien species that have learned to co-exist in a way that seems very natural. The way they operate, talk and interact with each other never feels forced. Also, all alien species described fit well into their environment, like the "squid" people who live on two planets that are covered by oceans.
This is what attracted me the most to this book. I love when the author knows their world. He doesn't have to give us an infodump on it for the reader to see that. The little hints thrown here and there along the story show the reader that there is much more history to explore and that the author knows what's going on. There is background there. Things happen for a reason. I would love to explore this galaxy a bit more in the next books.
But the worldbuilding is only part of the magic formula. The other ingredient is the characters. And I admit that this part didn't work quite as well for me.
I liked the Duval Devils alright, even though they seemed a little over the top in their piratey brashness from time to time. They seemed like a group of misfits at first, posturing in front of each other and trying to look cool. But I admit that they gelled as a team somewhere halfway through the book, probably because they finally had a common goal and a common detestable person to hate. I think Tib was my favorite character in this book. She is smart, she is efficient, and her sarcasm is right up my alley.
I really didn't click with the duo that was opposing them. I know Azad and Severine were supposed to represent two strong female characters, but... I don't know... I think Azad's complete lack of scruples or any moral compass at all did her no favor. She has all the markings of a psychopath, and I have never been particularly found of those. The author kept them alive for a reason, so my guess is they will play a part in future books, but honestly, I could care less.
The author takes home the 2020 award for creating the most detestable character of the year, and he isn't even a villain in a true sense of the term. Thales is a despicable, nasty piece of work. He is a megalomaniac with a huge chip on his shoulder who never forgets any offense, real or perceived, towards his fragile ego. I admit that I cheered a little when our good captain punched him in the face. And I definitely felt good when he got what he deserved at the end of the novel.
My problem with this book is that it feels like a big prologue rather than a first book in a series. The set up for the real conflict happens in the last two chapters and in the epilogue. Yes, it was fun to see the Duval Devils wheezing around the known galaxy assembling parts for the wormhole device, but it's only set up. The bad guys are introduced only in the last chapters, so the end of the book feels rather anticlimactic. Yes, Thales got what he deserved, but the damage is already done, and the REAL STORY starts now. Only it doesn't because the book ends.
I like this book well enough to pick up the next one in the series, because the writing was fun and light and there was a good balance between action and exposition. Hopefully, I will like the characters of the next installment better than this one.
PS: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2021
Synopsis: Felix and his crew of two patrol around a backwater planet for the Mentak Coalition, a military force in the galaxy and known as pirates. Finally, their boredom is interrupted by a forceful abduction of a scientist from their planet. They intervene and find themselves in a hunt for an era bending innovation by this scientist � the arbitrary creation of wormholes.
Review: The author wrote this novel as a tie-in to a highly complicated board game “Twilight Imperium� which takes a day to play through (after one has understood the large rulebook). Not that I’ve ever played this game, but I’ve watched a Let’s Play session and found it very intriguing.
One doesn’t have to know this game at all, but I guess players get an additional boost from this very good narration.
The setting is rich with different political groups, aliens, and technologies. Felix’s crew is his best friend Tip, a Yssaril who can get invisible like a chameleon, and his security chief Calred, a Hacan who always longed for blasting ships. Their relationship is always light mooded and contrast the scientist’s narcisstic mood. At the same time, they get played by different forces, one of them their human foe, a James Bond like mercenary working for the Federation of Sol.
The author loosed off a firework of Space Opera tropes, including a jailbreak on a hostile planet, a space junkyard merchant selling off goods from space battles, space battle tactics, or crawling through maintenance tunnels.
Every couple of pages, Tim Pratt deployed a plot twist where space ships were conquered, given up and exchanged more often than I were in the mood to count. After a while, the hectic turn-over of goods, prisoners, and motives turned me off. Thankfully, the novel is relatively short with less than 350 pages.
While the relationship between Felix and crewmate Tib was wonderfully developed by the author, he nearly forget about the one remaining member Calred. With a crew of three, one might expect to see more interaction between all of them, and the author missed an opportunity here. But he didn’t have time with all the action.
Despite of its weaknesses in exploiting the various political groups, and staying flat on the relationship side, I liked this action-rich and high-paced novel. It’s good enough for a couple of popcorn-filled evenings where one wants to consume and doesn’t need brain-food.
Review: The author wrote this novel as a tie-in to a highly complicated board game “Twilight Imperium� which takes a day to play through (after one has understood the large rulebook). Not that I’ve ever played this game, but I’ve watched a Let’s Play session and found it very intriguing.
One doesn’t have to know this game at all, but I guess players get an additional boost from this very good narration.
The setting is rich with different political groups, aliens, and technologies. Felix’s crew is his best friend Tip, a Yssaril who can get invisible like a chameleon, and his security chief Calred, a Hacan who always longed for blasting ships. Their relationship is always light mooded and contrast the scientist’s narcisstic mood. At the same time, they get played by different forces, one of them their human foe, a James Bond like mercenary working for the Federation of Sol.
The author loosed off a firework of Space Opera tropes, including a jailbreak on a hostile planet, a space junkyard merchant selling off goods from space battles, space battle tactics, or crawling through maintenance tunnels.
Every couple of pages, Tim Pratt deployed a plot twist where space ships were conquered, given up and exchanged more often than I were in the mood to count. After a while, the hectic turn-over of goods, prisoners, and motives turned me off. Thankfully, the novel is relatively short with less than 350 pages.
While the relationship between Felix and crewmate Tib was wonderfully developed by the author, he nearly forget about the one remaining member Calred. With a crew of three, one might expect to see more interaction between all of them, and the author missed an opportunity here. But he didn’t have time with all the action.
Despite of its weaknesses in exploiting the various political groups, and staying flat on the relationship side, I liked this action-rich and high-paced novel. It’s good enough for a couple of popcorn-filled evenings where one wants to consume and doesn’t need brain-food.
March 27, 2023
Sometimes what the heart needs is a fun adventure with space pirates, lesbian aliens, heists, murder, and an insufferable mad scientist. Pratt's villains always tend towards the cartoony, and this one was no exception, but the rest of his characters are fleshed out and interesting, and I had a wonderful time. On to the sequel!
May 24, 2021
This is the first book of the "Twilight Imperium" series by Tim Pratt. I really liked Tim Pratt's Axiom series and this book is even better.
In this one the small crew of the spaceship Temerarious are patrolling a remote colony of the Mentak Coalition when they receive a distress call. They answer the call to find that a scientist of the colony has been abducted by a black ops team from another star system. In an effort to get him back they will need to put not only their own lives in danger but they may start a war that will tip the balance of power in the galaxy forever. Even if they succeed the scientist is working on a new technology that has the potential of destroying mankind if it goes wrong.
This book is a great start to this new series by Tim Pratt.
In this one the small crew of the spaceship Temerarious are patrolling a remote colony of the Mentak Coalition when they receive a distress call. They answer the call to find that a scientist of the colony has been abducted by a black ops team from another star system. In an effort to get him back they will need to put not only their own lives in danger but they may start a war that will tip the balance of power in the galaxy forever. Even if they succeed the scientist is working on a new technology that has the potential of destroying mankind if it goes wrong.
This book is a great start to this new series by Tim Pratt.
January 12, 2022
This was a very entertaining space opera based on the board game Twilight Imperium.
I've never played this game so I missed more background information on the various alien races that appear on the story, but even though I could not put this original and fast paced book down.
I also liked all the interesting characters and humorous situations very much.
I'll continue reading this series.
And the Audiobook narration was perfect!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've never played this game so I missed more background information on the various alien races that appear on the story, but even though I could not put this original and fast paced book down.
I also liked all the interesting characters and humorous situations very much.
I'll continue reading this series.
And the Audiobook narration was perfect!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2021
The Fractured Void
Tim Pratt
Aconyte Books
Twilight Imperium is one of those board games that I’ve always desperately wanted to play � mixing space exploration, combat, in-depth strategy and a really cool world-building canon � but unfortunately never had the time or funds to actually purchase and play. For those who might not be familiar with the Twilight Imperium universe, it’s set in a vast region of space that contains the numerous Great Races who were once the subjects of the mighty Lazax Empire; but when the Empire fell, centuries ago, the Empire’s former subjects liberated themselves and instead began scheming, plotting and waging war against each other in an attempt to seize power. Not only do mighty fleets wage interstellar combat in the depths of space, but secretive operatives and mercenary teams fight an endless and secretive war to procure the many secrets of the Lazax Empire � and other, even more enigmatic and dangerous foes. It’s a setting with near-endless potential, and the perfect place to set a space opera � which leads us to The Fractured Void by Tim Pratt, the first novel set in the Twilight Imperium setting, and released by one of my favourite publishers, Aconyte Books. It certainly bears mentioning that Pratt may well be the most distinguished author that Aconyte have managed to work with so far, which says a great deal considering just how talented their roster of authors has been in general. Pratt has won a Hugo Award, acts as a senior editor on Locus magazine, and has been nominated for a host of awards in the Scifi and Fantasy genres. I’ve come across some of his stories before and been greatly impressed, and as such I was eager to see just what he could do with Twilight Imperium as a setting.
We are presented with an intriguing back-cover blurb that promises an epic space opera, in which a starship crew are embroiled in interplanetary political intrigues and scheming, in which the ultimate prize may well be control of the entire galaxy. My interest was piqued further by the amazing cover art by Scott Schomburg, a hugely evocative piece that shows a spaceship flying through the depths of space, fighters and what appear to be the wrecks of other vessels scattered around it, a planet looming menacingly in the background. I understand that this is actually just one piece of a much larger work of art that will be expanded in future sequels to The Fractured Void, and I look forward to seeing them brought together into one piece. Out protagonists for our intergalactic adventure are the three-person crew of the Temerarious, a light cruiser belonging to the Mentak Coalition, one of the many factions formed from the imploding of the Lazax Empire; former prisoners, the Coalition has become a nation-state of pirates and raiders, often raiding the vessels and orbital facilities of other races in order to acquire resources and technology, or just plunder in general. For Captain Felix Duval, however, the prospects for gaining any riches seem distinctly remote: having crossed one too many superior officers in his career, he’s been ‘promoted� to command of the Temerarious and assigned to a quiet, remote sector where nothing ever happens. The highlight of the tedious patrol is using the cruiser’s sensor array to search for missing sheep on asteroids. Accompanied by best friend and First Officer Tib Pelta, an infiltration specialist able to turn invisible, and taciturn security officer Calred, Felix is doing his best to serve out his time and get back to better prospects.
However, the tedium of their existence is interrupted by an abrupt distress call; racing to the scene, Duval and his crew find themselves confronted with heavily-armed mercenaries kidnapping someone from a nearby planet. Besting the mercenaries with the assistance of a nearby raiding flotilla (one of the advantages of belonging to a Coalition of pirates) Duval finds himself rescuing Thales, a deeply unpleasant and abrasive scientist that claims to have discovered the ability to artificially generate wormholes that can span the known galaxy at will. Hoping to dump the scientist back on his planet � or preferably out of an airlock � Duval is aghast to suddenly find himself and his crew assigned the dubious honour of assisting Thales with developing his technology, the Coalition considering it worthwhile to see if the scientist can actually deliver on his promises. Unhappy, but buoyed by vague promises of career advancement and riches, Duval finds himself engaged in a variety of ethically and morally-dubious acts to get Thales the resources and technology he needs to complete his project. Along the way, the small band will find themselves pursued by an amoral human mercenary, a survivor of the initial attempt to kidnap Thales, and an alien security operative desperate to secure Thales for herself and rebuild her shattered reputation. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Duval slowly becomes aware that there are powers beyond mortal comprehension that are intensely interested in Thales� project, and may do anything to stop it coming to fruition.
As the above highlights, The Fractured Void certainly has Space Opera elements in spades, and the feel of a plot that could potentially become as dense and complex as your average Space Opera novel; the sort of thing that could have a dozen subplots, a hundred different characters, and a pagecount to rival A Song of Ice and Fire in one book alone. And perhaps under a different author and publisher, that might well have been the case, resulting in a bloated, confusing and impenetrable work of fiction. But there’s a reason why Pratt has won a Hugo Award, and why Aconyte have been so phenomenally successful in publishing since they started � they both unquestionably know what they’re doing when it comes to books. In Pratt’s hands, The Fractured Void is an absolute delight, the sort of Space Opera story that I wish they all were � flawlessly written, with a thoroughly engaging and fast-paced plot, and populated with some of the most memorable characters I’ve read in a science-fiction novel in quite some time. And to round it all out, Pratt has a wickedly dry sense of humour that found me chuckling, if not outright laughing out loud, every other page; it’s not often that I’ll go back and re-read a page several times over, just to appreciate the joke, or cutting remark, or perfectly-timed quip, but I found myself doing that regularly as I went through the novel.
Much of that humour � and dramatic tension as well � comes from the quality and depth of the characters. Duval is a great protagonist, skilful and level-headed while still sufficiently inexperienced in the dark arts of deniable operations to be surprised by some of the opponents he faces; and his relationship with Tib and Calred is one of the greatest elements of the novel, the three of them developing into an interesting and effective team with their own strengths and weaknesses. Thales starts out as a typical, almost generic Mad Scientist, spitting insults and making arrogant quips and asides; but as the novel progresses, Pratt deftly develops him into a three-dimensional character, with some surprising motivations when compared to what his character archetype usually focuses on. And antagonists Amina Azad and Severyne Dampierre make a fantastic tag-team, initially fighting each other, but forced to come to a combative and temporary alliance to pursue Duval and recapture Thales; there are some real surprises in the way in which their association develops that I wasn’t expecting. Pratt encompasses all of his deft plot-weaving and character development in a fantastically realised world, taking the Twilight Imperium setting and really putting his own stamp on it; I don’t want to give too much away given how exciting and atmospheric the plot is, but I was thoroughly impressed by all of the background detail he added, and the alien races that get fleshed out as the plot races towards the cliff-ender epilogue.
The Fractured Void is the epitome of what a Space Opera should truly be � detailed, complex and full of rich and engaging characters, while simultaneously allied to a galaxy-spanning plot that moves along at a fast pace with no extraneous detail or pointless side-plots, and written with a genuine sense of tension and a healthy dose of wry humour. Tim Pratt has created something truly epic with The Fractured Void, with the last third of the novel clearly leading into something incredibly dark and dangerous, yet also hugely exciting. There’s a huge amount of potential for this series, and I genuinely cannot wait for the publication of The Necropolis Empire later in the year; indeed, it’s difficult to remember a science-fiction book that I’ve been so passionate about in quite some time. If you buy one book from Aconyte Publishing this year, then this absolutely has to be the one.
Tim Pratt
Aconyte Books
Twilight Imperium is one of those board games that I’ve always desperately wanted to play � mixing space exploration, combat, in-depth strategy and a really cool world-building canon � but unfortunately never had the time or funds to actually purchase and play. For those who might not be familiar with the Twilight Imperium universe, it’s set in a vast region of space that contains the numerous Great Races who were once the subjects of the mighty Lazax Empire; but when the Empire fell, centuries ago, the Empire’s former subjects liberated themselves and instead began scheming, plotting and waging war against each other in an attempt to seize power. Not only do mighty fleets wage interstellar combat in the depths of space, but secretive operatives and mercenary teams fight an endless and secretive war to procure the many secrets of the Lazax Empire � and other, even more enigmatic and dangerous foes. It’s a setting with near-endless potential, and the perfect place to set a space opera � which leads us to The Fractured Void by Tim Pratt, the first novel set in the Twilight Imperium setting, and released by one of my favourite publishers, Aconyte Books. It certainly bears mentioning that Pratt may well be the most distinguished author that Aconyte have managed to work with so far, which says a great deal considering just how talented their roster of authors has been in general. Pratt has won a Hugo Award, acts as a senior editor on Locus magazine, and has been nominated for a host of awards in the Scifi and Fantasy genres. I’ve come across some of his stories before and been greatly impressed, and as such I was eager to see just what he could do with Twilight Imperium as a setting.
We are presented with an intriguing back-cover blurb that promises an epic space opera, in which a starship crew are embroiled in interplanetary political intrigues and scheming, in which the ultimate prize may well be control of the entire galaxy. My interest was piqued further by the amazing cover art by Scott Schomburg, a hugely evocative piece that shows a spaceship flying through the depths of space, fighters and what appear to be the wrecks of other vessels scattered around it, a planet looming menacingly in the background. I understand that this is actually just one piece of a much larger work of art that will be expanded in future sequels to The Fractured Void, and I look forward to seeing them brought together into one piece. Out protagonists for our intergalactic adventure are the three-person crew of the Temerarious, a light cruiser belonging to the Mentak Coalition, one of the many factions formed from the imploding of the Lazax Empire; former prisoners, the Coalition has become a nation-state of pirates and raiders, often raiding the vessels and orbital facilities of other races in order to acquire resources and technology, or just plunder in general. For Captain Felix Duval, however, the prospects for gaining any riches seem distinctly remote: having crossed one too many superior officers in his career, he’s been ‘promoted� to command of the Temerarious and assigned to a quiet, remote sector where nothing ever happens. The highlight of the tedious patrol is using the cruiser’s sensor array to search for missing sheep on asteroids. Accompanied by best friend and First Officer Tib Pelta, an infiltration specialist able to turn invisible, and taciturn security officer Calred, Felix is doing his best to serve out his time and get back to better prospects.
However, the tedium of their existence is interrupted by an abrupt distress call; racing to the scene, Duval and his crew find themselves confronted with heavily-armed mercenaries kidnapping someone from a nearby planet. Besting the mercenaries with the assistance of a nearby raiding flotilla (one of the advantages of belonging to a Coalition of pirates) Duval finds himself rescuing Thales, a deeply unpleasant and abrasive scientist that claims to have discovered the ability to artificially generate wormholes that can span the known galaxy at will. Hoping to dump the scientist back on his planet � or preferably out of an airlock � Duval is aghast to suddenly find himself and his crew assigned the dubious honour of assisting Thales with developing his technology, the Coalition considering it worthwhile to see if the scientist can actually deliver on his promises. Unhappy, but buoyed by vague promises of career advancement and riches, Duval finds himself engaged in a variety of ethically and morally-dubious acts to get Thales the resources and technology he needs to complete his project. Along the way, the small band will find themselves pursued by an amoral human mercenary, a survivor of the initial attempt to kidnap Thales, and an alien security operative desperate to secure Thales for herself and rebuild her shattered reputation. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Duval slowly becomes aware that there are powers beyond mortal comprehension that are intensely interested in Thales� project, and may do anything to stop it coming to fruition.
As the above highlights, The Fractured Void certainly has Space Opera elements in spades, and the feel of a plot that could potentially become as dense and complex as your average Space Opera novel; the sort of thing that could have a dozen subplots, a hundred different characters, and a pagecount to rival A Song of Ice and Fire in one book alone. And perhaps under a different author and publisher, that might well have been the case, resulting in a bloated, confusing and impenetrable work of fiction. But there’s a reason why Pratt has won a Hugo Award, and why Aconyte have been so phenomenally successful in publishing since they started � they both unquestionably know what they’re doing when it comes to books. In Pratt’s hands, The Fractured Void is an absolute delight, the sort of Space Opera story that I wish they all were � flawlessly written, with a thoroughly engaging and fast-paced plot, and populated with some of the most memorable characters I’ve read in a science-fiction novel in quite some time. And to round it all out, Pratt has a wickedly dry sense of humour that found me chuckling, if not outright laughing out loud, every other page; it’s not often that I’ll go back and re-read a page several times over, just to appreciate the joke, or cutting remark, or perfectly-timed quip, but I found myself doing that regularly as I went through the novel.
Much of that humour � and dramatic tension as well � comes from the quality and depth of the characters. Duval is a great protagonist, skilful and level-headed while still sufficiently inexperienced in the dark arts of deniable operations to be surprised by some of the opponents he faces; and his relationship with Tib and Calred is one of the greatest elements of the novel, the three of them developing into an interesting and effective team with their own strengths and weaknesses. Thales starts out as a typical, almost generic Mad Scientist, spitting insults and making arrogant quips and asides; but as the novel progresses, Pratt deftly develops him into a three-dimensional character, with some surprising motivations when compared to what his character archetype usually focuses on. And antagonists Amina Azad and Severyne Dampierre make a fantastic tag-team, initially fighting each other, but forced to come to a combative and temporary alliance to pursue Duval and recapture Thales; there are some real surprises in the way in which their association develops that I wasn’t expecting. Pratt encompasses all of his deft plot-weaving and character development in a fantastically realised world, taking the Twilight Imperium setting and really putting his own stamp on it; I don’t want to give too much away given how exciting and atmospheric the plot is, but I was thoroughly impressed by all of the background detail he added, and the alien races that get fleshed out as the plot races towards the cliff-ender epilogue.
The Fractured Void is the epitome of what a Space Opera should truly be � detailed, complex and full of rich and engaging characters, while simultaneously allied to a galaxy-spanning plot that moves along at a fast pace with no extraneous detail or pointless side-plots, and written with a genuine sense of tension and a healthy dose of wry humour. Tim Pratt has created something truly epic with The Fractured Void, with the last third of the novel clearly leading into something incredibly dark and dangerous, yet also hugely exciting. There’s a huge amount of potential for this series, and I genuinely cannot wait for the publication of The Necropolis Empire later in the year; indeed, it’s difficult to remember a science-fiction book that I’ve been so passionate about in quite some time. If you buy one book from Aconyte Publishing this year, then this absolutely has to be the one.
December 27, 2020
Yo: anda mira, un Tim Pratt space opera.
Libro: soy parte de una franquicia de juegos que...
Yo: VOY A LEERLO
Also yo: no me he enterado de casi nada.
Libro: soy parte de una franquicia de juegos que...
Yo: VOY A LEERLO
Also yo: no me he enterado de casi nada.
January 17, 2021
I was excited to hear that a book had been written in the Twilight Imperium Universe. I have played Twilight Imperium 3rd ed. a couple of times, both 10 hour games, and I love the scope and epic space opera feel to the game. Given the epic feel of the game, I was hoping for something that captured the grandeur of this beast of a game, given the elaborate background into the history and races of the game.
The book starts with a crew from the Mentak Coalition, who I played both times (mostly because they sounded like Mentats). So a positive start. Alas, the book, while a very readable and serviceable dip into the TI universe, failed to fire for me. Essentially a series of heists between a couple of interested parties, humour that didn't quite amuse, a cringeworthy cross-species lesbian relationship and characters that seemed cut-out, musical chairs with spaceships, and none of it really giving any of the feel of the game at large, although, in fairness, it's a tough ask. Pratt did manage to give a decent, speculative account of the Ghosts of Creuss and their vested interest in the wormhole technology driving the plot.
In terms of where to start in the TI universe, I'm not sure this is quite the angle I would have hoped for. Nonetheless, the book ended with scope for follow-up, and it looks like at least one more book set in the TI universe is coming. At least it served as a TI fix until the next time I can get together a room full of adults committed to a 10 hour game of pushing miniatures around a board with breaks for diplomacy. A book best approached perhaps with low expectations, reserved for franchises branching out into alternate media, and while that on occasion works above and beyond expectations, it most often doesn't. A quick, ok read.
The book starts with a crew from the Mentak Coalition, who I played both times (mostly because they sounded like Mentats). So a positive start. Alas, the book, while a very readable and serviceable dip into the TI universe, failed to fire for me. Essentially a series of heists between a couple of interested parties, humour that didn't quite amuse, a cringeworthy cross-species lesbian relationship and characters that seemed cut-out, musical chairs with spaceships, and none of it really giving any of the feel of the game at large, although, in fairness, it's a tough ask. Pratt did manage to give a decent, speculative account of the Ghosts of Creuss and their vested interest in the wormhole technology driving the plot.
In terms of where to start in the TI universe, I'm not sure this is quite the angle I would have hoped for. Nonetheless, the book ended with scope for follow-up, and it looks like at least one more book set in the TI universe is coming. At least it served as a TI fix until the next time I can get together a room full of adults committed to a 10 hour game of pushing miniatures around a board with breaks for diplomacy. A book best approached perhaps with low expectations, reserved for franchises branching out into alternate media, and while that on occasion works above and beyond expectations, it most often doesn't. A quick, ok read.
March 25, 2022
Boring. Stereotypical characters. No excitement and a predictable, unoriginal plot.
I was hoping for a story about galactic empires but read a snooze fest about a small group of individuals that were intellectually just above 5th grade but below third grade in humor and maturity.
I was hoping for a story about galactic empires but read a snooze fest about a small group of individuals that were intellectually just above 5th grade but below third grade in humor and maturity.
Read
November 13, 2020Genial if sometimes generic space opera, with a small and deniable starship crew on a mission to escort a cantankerous mad scientist until their superiors can take advantage of his potentially galaxy-changing research. It comes up with a few lovely ideas along the way, like the heist which works on the assumption that supply runs to space stations are as prone to baffling substitutions as online grocery orders: "Perhaps it's both! Sunscreen *and* fungal growth matrix. Think about it: sunscreen protects things from sunlight. Mushrooms hate sunlight. Go on, give it a try." Elsewhere, it does that old SF trick of poking at Earthly racism by swapping in aliens, and if some of the equivalencies are a little uneasy (the vaguely Middle Eastern lion-people), I was amused by other species' characterisation of humans as a bunch of unruly primitives, only a threat thanks to their "prolific and unrestrained breeding".
I requested this on Netgalley entirely because I'm fascinated by the board game in whose universe it's set, Twilight Imperium, which I have owned for a couple of years but, even before meeting to play board games was outlawed, have never actually found time and personnel for a game of. Possibly the novel will feel weightier to people who have a more intimate familiarity with that world, although I know that in the past things other than the board game proper have been deemed non-canon, and of course it's debatable to what extent any piece of fiction, with its single set of events, can ever be canon with a game where the narrative should play out differently each time. Still, even just from poring over the box art and the (many, many) components, the game has a sense of epic scale that I never really felt here.
All the same, the novel does become more engaging as it goes along. There's nothing groundbreaking about the crew's banter, nor the utter awfulness of the scientist, or the devious, flirtatious enemy agent on their trail. But Pratt is at the very least a competent craftsman, and sometimes a few spaceship battles and double-crosses, leavened with a bit of humour and some weird-ass aliens, are sufficient to scratch an itch. Even as it became increasingly obvious how the story was going to end (does it still count as a deus ex machina if the deus has been set up beforehand?), I nonetheless found myself keen to see how the details would play out and what form comeuppance would take for those deserving of same. My only mistake in all of which was not to realise that the book might tweak it slightly to set up a sequel.
Also, there's a passing appearance for a Saar, which aside from being a spelling I've had before, is described as "a burly, hairy humanoid [...] muttering to itself", so I have to give the book points for representation.
I requested this on Netgalley entirely because I'm fascinated by the board game in whose universe it's set, Twilight Imperium, which I have owned for a couple of years but, even before meeting to play board games was outlawed, have never actually found time and personnel for a game of. Possibly the novel will feel weightier to people who have a more intimate familiarity with that world, although I know that in the past things other than the board game proper have been deemed non-canon, and of course it's debatable to what extent any piece of fiction, with its single set of events, can ever be canon with a game where the narrative should play out differently each time. Still, even just from poring over the box art and the (many, many) components, the game has a sense of epic scale that I never really felt here.
All the same, the novel does become more engaging as it goes along. There's nothing groundbreaking about the crew's banter, nor the utter awfulness of the scientist, or the devious, flirtatious enemy agent on their trail. But Pratt is at the very least a competent craftsman, and sometimes a few spaceship battles and double-crosses, leavened with a bit of humour and some weird-ass aliens, are sufficient to scratch an itch. Even as it became increasingly obvious how the story was going to end (does it still count as a deus ex machina if the deus has been set up beforehand?), I nonetheless found myself keen to see how the details would play out and what form comeuppance would take for those deserving of same. My only mistake in all of which was not to realise that the book might tweak it slightly to set up a sequel.
Also, there's a passing appearance for a Saar, which aside from being a spelling I've had before, is described as "a burly, hairy humanoid [...] muttering to itself", so I have to give the book points for representation.
May 8, 2023
The first book set in the universe of Twilight Imperium, one of my favorite board games!
A black ops race to secure the technology to open wormholes and change the balance of the universe forever. A galaxy spanning adventure with interesting characters, discussions of the morality of advancing technology, and vibrant sci-fi worlds and races.
This book did exactly what it needed to: it had a great story, connected to the lore of the game and expanded on it, and had me reading the wiki after I was done. Excited to see what other stories come out of this rich game world!
A black ops race to secure the technology to open wormholes and change the balance of the universe forever. A galaxy spanning adventure with interesting characters, discussions of the morality of advancing technology, and vibrant sci-fi worlds and races.
This book did exactly what it needed to: it had a great story, connected to the lore of the game and expanded on it, and had me reading the wiki after I was done. Excited to see what other stories come out of this rich game world!
February 13, 2024
I have pretty low expectations for licensed novels, especially those based off lesser known properties. So I went into this one expecting the worst, but was not only pleasantly surprised, I had a blast. I have been struggling with staying interested in books lately but this was just so much fun. I liked all the characters, the ragtag team of misfits caught up in a massively expansive universe. It would have been so easy to get lost in the grand scale of the board game's source material, but instead the author chose to tell a fun little story rather than some grandiose epic. I am eagerly looking forward to picking up more of these.
September 26, 2024
I know nothing about the Twilight Imperium game. I picked this up because I've enjoyed other works by Tim Pratt.
The story is simple: a bored ship captain, after recuing a man, learns he is a
genius scientist whose development of wormhole technology will revolutionize travel in the galaxy. They're pursued by a highly capable and irreverent agent, Amina Azad, who must grab Thales for another power. She's working with Severin, a security official for yet another power. There are chases, murders, deals and double-dealing, and aliens galore.
This space opera is light, fast, fun, and funny, and I enjoyed it enough to check out the next in this series.
The story is simple: a bored ship captain, after recuing a man, learns he is a
genius scientist whose development of wormhole technology will revolutionize travel in the galaxy. They're pursued by a highly capable and irreverent agent, Amina Azad, who must grab Thales for another power. She's working with Severin, a security official for yet another power. There are chases, murders, deals and double-dealing, and aliens galore.
This space opera is light, fast, fun, and funny, and I enjoyed it enough to check out the next in this series.
October 17, 2023
Is this the best book I've ever read? Nope, but it was a good time and I enjoyed diving more into the universe of Twilight Imperium.
June 19, 2023
If you are looking for a fix until your next Twilight Imperium game, this may scratch an itch. Fractured Void reads like an edgy Saturday morning cartoon (as other reviewers have said), but the edges are not sharp enough to leave an impression. I recommend plowing through this book; as a quick read it is enjoyable.
My interest was high at the start, but the plot became a bit of a drag midway until the end (although I found the final pages refreshing and revealed the author’s / story’s unused potential). The author had not played Twilight Imperium before writing this, and although it shows, he does succeed in servicing fans with decent references. It is fun to get glimpses of the different playable races and factions throughout the universe.
Honestly, the plot and characters are nothing memorable and, for me, the book never came to life. I will not spend any text complaining about elements I disliked or found boring. When it comes down to it, Tim Pratt gave the fans a Twilight Imperium book before anyone else did (0 initiative wins games!) and I might still read the next in series anyways.
My interest was high at the start, but the plot became a bit of a drag midway until the end (although I found the final pages refreshing and revealed the author’s / story’s unused potential). The author had not played Twilight Imperium before writing this, and although it shows, he does succeed in servicing fans with decent references. It is fun to get glimpses of the different playable races and factions throughout the universe.
Honestly, the plot and characters are nothing memorable and, for me, the book never came to life. I will not spend any text complaining about elements I disliked or found boring. When it comes down to it, Tim Pratt gave the fans a Twilight Imperium book before anyone else did (0 initiative wins games!) and I might still read the next in series anyways.
September 23, 2023
A surface level, pulpy sci fi story that never strays far from the board game it's based on. The plot is rather predictable, the tone is inconsistent and characters go through sharp turns in personality with the needs of the moment. When it works, it feels like a solid space opera just starting to sing. But it can't maintain that level throughout, hurting my enjoyment by the comparison.
December 4, 2020
I have been provided with an advance copy of the new Twilight Imperium book The Fractured Void by Tim Pratt, published by Aconyte Books, so here is the honest review I promised in exchange for the book.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
What is Twilight Imperium
Twilight Imperium is a much beloved strategy board game published by Fantasy Flight Games that’s currently in its 4th Edition.
First thing to know, it’s very long, my pal Drew, one of the owners of the amazing Meeple Perk, tells me it’s an 8 hour game as a minimum!
Secondly it’s an epic space opera, set in the power vacuum left behind by the decline and collapse of the Lazax Empire, as various races and factions vie for dominance and to become the new galactic superpower.
The Story
It’s a bit of an interesting one, clearly designed to introduce us in a gentle way to the lore of the game.
It focuses on the crew of the Temerious who are exiled to a backwater system where they patrol and occasionally help look for lost farm animals.
Lead by Captain Felix Duval they encounter a distres signal and end up rescuing a scientist named Thales, who is on the cusp of an astounding breakthrough that would change the balance of power in the galaxy.
Tasked by his commanders in the Mentak Coalition to assist Thales, they end up getting drawn into a cat and mouse game as they are pursued by black ops teams from two other galactic powers.
The book actually does a good job at introducing the setting, I have never played Twilight Imperium, despite it being right up my street, because Lindsay and Megan are unsure about it.
You get a lot of information and background, but it never feels like you get huge sections of exposition, but you do get the needed background. I can now after reading the book understand a lot about the lore of the game and the various factions in it.
The world building is second to none, it feels really well done and it’s an excellent primer.
But I do actually have some criticisms, firstly the books conclusion is kinda hurried, it’s feels too much like a set up for further books, you just know there is more to come, it heavily hinted at, and a big thing is kicked off, but not actually concluded.
I think I would have preferred a cleaner ending that wasn’t a setup for further adventures of Duval’s Devils.
Secondly, the characters for the most part, simply didn’t gel well with me. The heroes felt a little too cliche, we get it, they are raiders and little better than pirates. But it felt like that got pointed out at every opportunity.
The antagonists, well they again seemed forced, they as characters seemed to fit together quite well as an odd couple, but the escalation of their relationship felt a little forced at times.
But one character he did get right was Thales, an utterly detestable person, you just love to hate him and I tell you that you spend the whole book wanting him to get his comeuppance.
Tim does a great job with this character, he really gets you hating him and it really triggers an emotional response.
Conclusion
It was a fun space opera with a nice degree of humour and a good balance.
But I cannot state enough how rushed the conclusion was and how it really felt that little was actually resolved with the open left too open for me.
I want the story to be finished, which means I need to hope this sells enough to warrant a sequel, because it really needs a sequel to finish the story.
Duvals Devils did start to seem more interesting at the end as well, so I kinda want to see how they are developed.
Initially I was thinking of giving this 3 stars, but I ended up settling on 4. The book really makes you feel something, and that is hatred and anger towards Thales, and the writing is so good that when he gets his just desserts, it feels good.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
What is Twilight Imperium
Twilight Imperium is a much beloved strategy board game published by Fantasy Flight Games that’s currently in its 4th Edition.
First thing to know, it’s very long, my pal Drew, one of the owners of the amazing Meeple Perk, tells me it’s an 8 hour game as a minimum!
Secondly it’s an epic space opera, set in the power vacuum left behind by the decline and collapse of the Lazax Empire, as various races and factions vie for dominance and to become the new galactic superpower.
The Story
It’s a bit of an interesting one, clearly designed to introduce us in a gentle way to the lore of the game.
It focuses on the crew of the Temerious who are exiled to a backwater system where they patrol and occasionally help look for lost farm animals.
Lead by Captain Felix Duval they encounter a distres signal and end up rescuing a scientist named Thales, who is on the cusp of an astounding breakthrough that would change the balance of power in the galaxy.
Tasked by his commanders in the Mentak Coalition to assist Thales, they end up getting drawn into a cat and mouse game as they are pursued by black ops teams from two other galactic powers.
The book actually does a good job at introducing the setting, I have never played Twilight Imperium, despite it being right up my street, because Lindsay and Megan are unsure about it.
You get a lot of information and background, but it never feels like you get huge sections of exposition, but you do get the needed background. I can now after reading the book understand a lot about the lore of the game and the various factions in it.
The world building is second to none, it feels really well done and it’s an excellent primer.
But I do actually have some criticisms, firstly the books conclusion is kinda hurried, it’s feels too much like a set up for further books, you just know there is more to come, it heavily hinted at, and a big thing is kicked off, but not actually concluded.
I think I would have preferred a cleaner ending that wasn’t a setup for further adventures of Duval’s Devils.
Secondly, the characters for the most part, simply didn’t gel well with me. The heroes felt a little too cliche, we get it, they are raiders and little better than pirates. But it felt like that got pointed out at every opportunity.
The antagonists, well they again seemed forced, they as characters seemed to fit together quite well as an odd couple, but the escalation of their relationship felt a little forced at times.
But one character he did get right was Thales, an utterly detestable person, you just love to hate him and I tell you that you spend the whole book wanting him to get his comeuppance.
Tim does a great job with this character, he really gets you hating him and it really triggers an emotional response.
Conclusion
It was a fun space opera with a nice degree of humour and a good balance.
But I cannot state enough how rushed the conclusion was and how it really felt that little was actually resolved with the open left too open for me.
I want the story to be finished, which means I need to hope this sells enough to warrant a sequel, because it really needs a sequel to finish the story.
Duvals Devils did start to seem more interesting at the end as well, so I kinda want to see how they are developed.
Initially I was thinking of giving this 3 stars, but I ended up settling on 4. The book really makes you feel something, and that is hatred and anger towards Thales, and the writing is so good that when he gets his just desserts, it feels good.
June 30, 2023
2/5 is about what I expected going in. The numerous references to the board game are fun but the book is lacking in depth for sure. That being said as a palate cleanser between denser reading it served its purpose for me. I'm likely to check out the other TI stories down the road.
May 25, 2025
For a book based on a board game, the first such foray of such cross-media I have attempted, this was a very good start.
Having not read Tim Pratt’s other work, but having read several video game to book crossovers, I wasn’t feeling too positive that this would be up to much.
I am more than pleasantly surprised.
The board game on which this book is based, Twilight Imperium, is an epic. I have played once, as a group of 5. We started at 10am and finished around midnight. It was a brilliant day, and all who played agreed. There is an abundance of supporting lore, most of which I have not read, I will be honest. I was more concerned with reading the rulebook to be truthful!
This book then, this story. Not knowing the lore doesn’t preclude you from accessing the book; if you just want to read a book about space adventurers and their travails in a vast and deep universe, then this is just what you need. The science is soft, things happen because they do, but the characters, aliens and worlds are all fleshed out enough to get you through.
The characters are fun, I especially enjoyed Sagasa the Disciplinarian and found myself actually laughing out loud at several of the back and forths.
Certainly not a taxing read, but an immensely enjoyable romp and I will certainly be looking to pick up the sequel, and read up on the lore.
Extra note: when the game’s creators came up with the idea for the Ghosts of Creuss, they were really on to something. When Pratt introduces them, the book had me hooked. Real kudos to him for making this fascinating race(?) feel so tangible and vivid. Remarkable work.
Having not read Tim Pratt’s other work, but having read several video game to book crossovers, I wasn’t feeling too positive that this would be up to much.
I am more than pleasantly surprised.
The board game on which this book is based, Twilight Imperium, is an epic. I have played once, as a group of 5. We started at 10am and finished around midnight. It was a brilliant day, and all who played agreed. There is an abundance of supporting lore, most of which I have not read, I will be honest. I was more concerned with reading the rulebook to be truthful!
This book then, this story. Not knowing the lore doesn’t preclude you from accessing the book; if you just want to read a book about space adventurers and their travails in a vast and deep universe, then this is just what you need. The science is soft, things happen because they do, but the characters, aliens and worlds are all fleshed out enough to get you through.
The characters are fun, I especially enjoyed Sagasa the Disciplinarian and found myself actually laughing out loud at several of the back and forths.
Certainly not a taxing read, but an immensely enjoyable romp and I will certainly be looking to pick up the sequel, and read up on the lore.
Extra note: when the game’s creators came up with the idea for the Ghosts of Creuss, they were really on to something. When Pratt introduces them, the book had me hooked. Real kudos to him for making this fascinating race(?) feel so tangible and vivid. Remarkable work.
November 24, 2020
I am a huge fan of Twilight Imperium. It is, without a doubt, my favorite board game and one of the most incredible things about it is that the lore, flavor text, and faction histories are all competently written. I know competent is not a sterling mark of recognition, but there are a lot of board games that only pay lip service to the settings they create. Twilight Imperium goes above and beyond, and while somethings are a bit too copy/paste (looking at you War Sun/Death Star), the universe as a whole is ripe for narrative stories, as opposed to the wars waged on the table top.
Which brings us to the Fractured Void, the first in an apparent series of Twilight Imperium novels. When this was first announced I was excited, more so in a collector’s capacity than as a reader. My experience with tie-in board game fiction was not the success I was hoping for and has made me leery of engaging more (see my Hour of the Huntress novelle review). I was committed to reading at least the first novel though, and I was pleasantly surprised with its implementation and plotting. The Fracture Void is a great pulpy space opera that is unconcerned with the science part of science fiction and leans into the melodrama.
Of particular standout is the scientist, Dr. Thales. When he is first introduced mentioned, my first thought was “well, here comes another quirky, eccentric work-focused scientist.� Nope. He was a complete dick. And that caught me off guard. After revelation, I quickly assessed some of the other characters, and the main character, Captain Felix also goes against type which was a welcome surprise. Felix is part of the Mentak Coalition, which is essentially a pirate nation. So, you would expect all the Han Solo, space pirate trappings. Except that this pirate nation has a hierarchy, and a military, and ranks, and everything, so we have a soldier-pirate that is thinking about career advancement, which muddling in some skullduggery. I am sure these against type-characters have appeared in other science fiction, and they might have more nuance in other series (maybe the Expanse? That series is on the list to read) but I very much enjoyed them in this book.
I do have some nitpicks in regards to the Fractured Void. Because this exists in an established universe, it does fall into some Big Bang Theory traps (I hate that show). Namely, because it exists in an established universe, there must be a gratuitous amount of winking at the reader. I understand that many of the factions in the Twilight Imperium universe are made up of multiple species, however the constant use of the term “faction� gets a bit distracting. Another really distracting moment was in the first spaceship interaction, when the two cruisers were evenly matched, and the commentary regarding cruisers not being made for fighting, and more about speed. It was such a large and obvious wink to the stats of cruisers in the board game that it really took me out of it.
The biggest nitpick is the way non-story related factions are mentioned in passing. One off mention regarding the L1Z1X or the Nekro Virus are not necessary and can be downright distracting. Someone coming in blind to this book would be confused as to what these two named factions are, and how they apply to the story. The same goes for the Embers of Muaat reference which, if we are getting technical, the Embers of Muaat is the name of the faction, the species is the Gashlai, which is especially maddening, as there are several Hylar characters, and their faction name is called the Universities of Jol-Nar. Why trust the reader with one differing faction/race name and then not extend that same courtesy to the next faction/race?
Simultaneously, when the author, Tim Pratt, does more than name drop a faction, it is some wonderful addition to the lore. The passage about the Yin Brotherhood (a species of clones afflicted with an as-of-yet uncurable disease) interacting with the Ghosts of Creuss is really engaging. Naturally, some of the main characters from differing factions also shed light on their factions, including the Barony of Letnev, the Federation of Sol, the Emirates of Hacan, and the aforementioned Universities of Jol-Nar, and Mentak Coalition all benefit from this focus.
Overall, I enjoyed the pacing of this book. I tend to get disinterested if a book like this has too many action sequences, but there were not as many as I expected, and the ones we get are really well written. Like the characters, the plot itself played against type, and I found myself enjoying the twists and turns. I did feel slightly empty at the ending, however, and it is a common complaint anyone can apply to any tie-in fiction. The story can’t be to earth (universe?)-shaking, as that would conflict with the stories told by the primary entity in the franchise, in this case a boardgame with infinite variables. In this case, how the story was told, and how it runs parallel and leads into some events that are occurring with the new Prophecy of Kings expansion to Twilight Imperium, I am pleasantly surprised. Future books in this series may fall into this trap, but for now I am looking forward to the next book in the series, The Necropolis Empire. If that is a direct sequel from the main narrative, or the epilogue (there is a small time jump it seems), and if any character’s return is unknown, but I am ready for it.
4.1/5.
(The .1 is for the Eldritch Horror reference. I know I complained about too much winking at the reader, but I think that reference was really good)
Which brings us to the Fractured Void, the first in an apparent series of Twilight Imperium novels. When this was first announced I was excited, more so in a collector’s capacity than as a reader. My experience with tie-in board game fiction was not the success I was hoping for and has made me leery of engaging more (see my Hour of the Huntress novelle review). I was committed to reading at least the first novel though, and I was pleasantly surprised with its implementation and plotting. The Fracture Void is a great pulpy space opera that is unconcerned with the science part of science fiction and leans into the melodrama.
Of particular standout is the scientist, Dr. Thales. When he is first introduced mentioned, my first thought was “well, here comes another quirky, eccentric work-focused scientist.� Nope. He was a complete dick. And that caught me off guard. After revelation, I quickly assessed some of the other characters, and the main character, Captain Felix also goes against type which was a welcome surprise. Felix is part of the Mentak Coalition, which is essentially a pirate nation. So, you would expect all the Han Solo, space pirate trappings. Except that this pirate nation has a hierarchy, and a military, and ranks, and everything, so we have a soldier-pirate that is thinking about career advancement, which muddling in some skullduggery. I am sure these against type-characters have appeared in other science fiction, and they might have more nuance in other series (maybe the Expanse? That series is on the list to read) but I very much enjoyed them in this book.
I do have some nitpicks in regards to the Fractured Void. Because this exists in an established universe, it does fall into some Big Bang Theory traps (I hate that show). Namely, because it exists in an established universe, there must be a gratuitous amount of winking at the reader. I understand that many of the factions in the Twilight Imperium universe are made up of multiple species, however the constant use of the term “faction� gets a bit distracting. Another really distracting moment was in the first spaceship interaction, when the two cruisers were evenly matched, and the commentary regarding cruisers not being made for fighting, and more about speed. It was such a large and obvious wink to the stats of cruisers in the board game that it really took me out of it.
The biggest nitpick is the way non-story related factions are mentioned in passing. One off mention regarding the L1Z1X or the Nekro Virus are not necessary and can be downright distracting. Someone coming in blind to this book would be confused as to what these two named factions are, and how they apply to the story. The same goes for the Embers of Muaat reference which, if we are getting technical, the Embers of Muaat is the name of the faction, the species is the Gashlai, which is especially maddening, as there are several Hylar characters, and their faction name is called the Universities of Jol-Nar. Why trust the reader with one differing faction/race name and then not extend that same courtesy to the next faction/race?
Simultaneously, when the author, Tim Pratt, does more than name drop a faction, it is some wonderful addition to the lore. The passage about the Yin Brotherhood (a species of clones afflicted with an as-of-yet uncurable disease) interacting with the Ghosts of Creuss is really engaging. Naturally, some of the main characters from differing factions also shed light on their factions, including the Barony of Letnev, the Federation of Sol, the Emirates of Hacan, and the aforementioned Universities of Jol-Nar, and Mentak Coalition all benefit from this focus.
Overall, I enjoyed the pacing of this book. I tend to get disinterested if a book like this has too many action sequences, but there were not as many as I expected, and the ones we get are really well written. Like the characters, the plot itself played against type, and I found myself enjoying the twists and turns. I did feel slightly empty at the ending, however, and it is a common complaint anyone can apply to any tie-in fiction. The story can’t be to earth (universe?)-shaking, as that would conflict with the stories told by the primary entity in the franchise, in this case a boardgame with infinite variables. In this case, how the story was told, and how it runs parallel and leads into some events that are occurring with the new Prophecy of Kings expansion to Twilight Imperium, I am pleasantly surprised. Future books in this series may fall into this trap, but for now I am looking forward to the next book in the series, The Necropolis Empire. If that is a direct sequel from the main narrative, or the epilogue (there is a small time jump it seems), and if any character’s return is unknown, but I am ready for it.
4.1/5.
(The .1 is for the Eldritch Horror reference. I know I complained about too much winking at the reader, but I think that reference was really good)
April 26, 2022
That was pretty fun.
It was a nice look at the Twilight Imperium setting through some fun characters. Sometimes it was a bit goofy, but overall an enjoyable read. Enjoyable enough to make me want to read the second book.
I've never played the board game this is based on, but I'm really looking forward to the upcoming RPG book. I'm hoping these novels will help me visualize the setting enough to run some games in the near future.
It was a nice look at the Twilight Imperium setting through some fun characters. Sometimes it was a bit goofy, but overall an enjoyable read. Enjoyable enough to make me want to read the second book.
I've never played the board game this is based on, but I'm really looking forward to the upcoming RPG book. I'm hoping these novels will help me visualize the setting enough to run some games in the near future.
July 13, 2022
Twilight Imperium is a world full of every sci-fi space opera trope you can think of, so it’s a shame this book settles into a fairly pedestrian space cowboys/Macguffin filled storyline. The whole thing is extremely quippy, like it was Firefly fanfic that got lifted into a different IP. On its own is not bad but it’s not something I’d recommend to anyone, even big fans of the game. Just read the fraction biographies on the back of all the sheets.
August 15, 2022
Name: The Fractured Void
Author: Tim Pratt
Series: N/A (Twilight Imperium novels)
Context: As an enthusiast of TTRPGs and board games, my knowledge of Twilight Imperium (henceforth TI)'s existence is one of daunting curiosity. A game that takes at least 6 to 8h to play, but has anthropomorphic space-lion sheikhs, gene magicians, Starship Trooper bugs and marines, and hundreds of minis has to stir in me paradoxical feelings of wanting to try it out but concerned I would never fully enjoy it as it should. So I did what I usually do in these situations: go to the fandom wiki page, and read. Out of curiosity, I searched TI in GoodReads and found some TI-set novels. Game, set, match: The Fractured Void was purchased. Come Summer holidays, I would be at the beach, pool, plane, or elsewhere, reading it to see what all the fuss about it. 4 days into said holidays, I am typing this review.
Ups: Classic Space Opera adventure plot that manages to display the TI’s worldbuilding in a subtle way (my research has informed me that the 4th edition of the game has 25 playable factions; I counted mentions to 19 of them, although I only noticed it when I did a spot-check after finishing the novel) and of formidably demonstrate what a game of TI would include � negotiation and backstabbing, economic and technological leverages, information traded and concealed, and big scary guns. The setting the board game takes place in does feel like Game of Thrones in space or, better yet, a Star Wars-coated Dune. So that book's first goal is achieved without reproach � to convince me to try the game out. What about the 2nd goal of telling a fun story? Also does it very well. Very Guardians of the Galaxy (the movie, as I am not familiar with the comic books� counterpart), with the same mix of epigrammatic, ironic, and gallows humour. You really get to know the characters; their voices and attitudes are unmistakable. When not being raised, the stakes change in ways that keep the story veering into other directions, so even when it feels tension dips, it does by introducing a new set of unknowns and complications. You feel any slowing down is temporary, as the clock is always ticking. I feel the wonderment of travelling through the galaxy comes across very well; it taps into that Star Wars/Star Trek nostalgia of yore that made me fall in love with Sci-Fi. The action scenes aren’t grand and pompous, but they fit the smaller scale of the narrative, as it follows a small crew making ends meet rather than galactic juggernauts � nevertheless, they always feel risky, and that doom might just befall Captain Felix Duval’s crew at any moment.
Downs: The plot is light and leaning on the more predictable side, but as a Space Opera, I wasn’t expecting something entirely novel or challenging (like the 3 Body Problem I just read, or the Children of Time that I just started). It’s entertaining but not very high-brow/conceptual � if the James Gunn’s GotG type of humour isn’t your thing, you may want to skip this one. In some cases, I felt the author re-explains and reminds the reader who’s who, what drives them and their personalities, which is quite self-defeating because the characterization is solid enough to not require this. I understood said person isn’t claustrophobic � no need to keep stating it. Some of the secondary characters lean a bit heavily on the stereotypes of their factions/species � it can work as a way to explain the layout of the galactic powers and species, but oftentimes makes the characters feel wooden here and there. Italics are too overused � if it was an author’s or an editor’s choice, I feel it is a poor one. It got distracting. The biggest issue I had with the book is a romance subplot that I felt developed too quickly for the barrier between characters; but in 350 pages, it is likely the best one could do when that isn’t front and centre. Overall, I feel the negatives are related to technical things editing and redraft could address, and none of them detract from what The Fractured Void is: an entertaining story and book.
Grade: 7,5/10
Author: Tim Pratt
Series: N/A (Twilight Imperium novels)
Context: As an enthusiast of TTRPGs and board games, my knowledge of Twilight Imperium (henceforth TI)'s existence is one of daunting curiosity. A game that takes at least 6 to 8h to play, but has anthropomorphic space-lion sheikhs, gene magicians, Starship Trooper bugs and marines, and hundreds of minis has to stir in me paradoxical feelings of wanting to try it out but concerned I would never fully enjoy it as it should. So I did what I usually do in these situations: go to the fandom wiki page, and read. Out of curiosity, I searched TI in GoodReads and found some TI-set novels. Game, set, match: The Fractured Void was purchased. Come Summer holidays, I would be at the beach, pool, plane, or elsewhere, reading it to see what all the fuss about it. 4 days into said holidays, I am typing this review.
Ups: Classic Space Opera adventure plot that manages to display the TI’s worldbuilding in a subtle way (my research has informed me that the 4th edition of the game has 25 playable factions; I counted mentions to 19 of them, although I only noticed it when I did a spot-check after finishing the novel) and of formidably demonstrate what a game of TI would include � negotiation and backstabbing, economic and technological leverages, information traded and concealed, and big scary guns. The setting the board game takes place in does feel like Game of Thrones in space or, better yet, a Star Wars-coated Dune. So that book's first goal is achieved without reproach � to convince me to try the game out. What about the 2nd goal of telling a fun story? Also does it very well. Very Guardians of the Galaxy (the movie, as I am not familiar with the comic books� counterpart), with the same mix of epigrammatic, ironic, and gallows humour. You really get to know the characters; their voices and attitudes are unmistakable. When not being raised, the stakes change in ways that keep the story veering into other directions, so even when it feels tension dips, it does by introducing a new set of unknowns and complications. You feel any slowing down is temporary, as the clock is always ticking. I feel the wonderment of travelling through the galaxy comes across very well; it taps into that Star Wars/Star Trek nostalgia of yore that made me fall in love with Sci-Fi. The action scenes aren’t grand and pompous, but they fit the smaller scale of the narrative, as it follows a small crew making ends meet rather than galactic juggernauts � nevertheless, they always feel risky, and that doom might just befall Captain Felix Duval’s crew at any moment.
Downs: The plot is light and leaning on the more predictable side, but as a Space Opera, I wasn’t expecting something entirely novel or challenging (like the 3 Body Problem I just read, or the Children of Time that I just started). It’s entertaining but not very high-brow/conceptual � if the James Gunn’s GotG type of humour isn’t your thing, you may want to skip this one. In some cases, I felt the author re-explains and reminds the reader who’s who, what drives them and their personalities, which is quite self-defeating because the characterization is solid enough to not require this. I understood said person isn’t claustrophobic � no need to keep stating it. Some of the secondary characters lean a bit heavily on the stereotypes of their factions/species � it can work as a way to explain the layout of the galactic powers and species, but oftentimes makes the characters feel wooden here and there. Italics are too overused � if it was an author’s or an editor’s choice, I feel it is a poor one. It got distracting. The biggest issue I had with the book is a romance subplot that I felt developed too quickly for the barrier between characters; but in 350 pages, it is likely the best one could do when that isn’t front and centre. Overall, I feel the negatives are related to technical things editing and redraft could address, and none of them detract from what The Fractured Void is: an entertaining story and book.
Grade: 7,5/10
October 21, 2021
This review originally published in . Rated 2.5 of 5
'Dull' is serving aboard a vessel that patrols a remote sector of space where nothing ever happens. Captain Felix Duval and the crew of the Temerarious do just this, patrolling a remote colony system where nothing ever happens. But of course this is just when something happens.
Felix and crew respond to a distress call from a moon in the system that is under attack. There they rescue a scientist (Thales) who has developed a method for creating new wormholes. Having such an ability would put anyone who possesses it in a position of power. The Temerarious is ordered to protect and provide any assistance to Thales as necessary. This won't be easy given that there are at least two black-ops teams looking to grab Thales and his technology.
I've generally liked the previous Tim Pratt books that I've read, so I didn't hesitate to request an ARC of this book based on Pratt being the author. I should note that when I request an ARC I know as little about the book as possible. I prefer going in to a book with a fresh, unbiased eye. But perhaps I need to rethink this.
The Fractured Void is a novel based on a board game. Had I known this before requesting the book I never would have made the ask. I recognize there is a large sub-genre of board game literature and it has its dedicated readers (I see entire bookshelves in my nearby B&N full of game-related fiction books) but I have never enjoyed this myself. First, I have rarely played that specific game (and I have a game collection of about 300 board or card games) so I don't know the back story or theme that the book is being set in.
Then, I think that setting a book in a board game universe limits the author's ability to be creative with that story. A board game is defined not just by its theme but very much by its rules - specifically in what you can NOT do in the course of playing. A story set in that board game universe is also then bound by those rules of what can't be done. I can think of three books I've read and reviewed in the last year that were based on board games and each of them were severely lacking.
Pratt manages to create some interesting characters but the story itself is almost simple. It's direct and quite honestly feels like so many other sci-fi space operas stories I've read over the years. In three years, if you started telling me the storyline, I wouldn't be able to identify which book/author it was from. But (in keeping with the space opera theme) if you described the storylines of John Scalzi's Interdependency series or James S.A. Corey's Expanse series, I'd know immediately which book/author you were describing.
Looking for a good book? If you know the game, Twilight Imperium, and want to experience it beyond the table, then you may enjoy The Fractured Void by Tim Pratt. If you don't know the game, this may have little interest to you.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
'Dull' is serving aboard a vessel that patrols a remote sector of space where nothing ever happens. Captain Felix Duval and the crew of the Temerarious do just this, patrolling a remote colony system where nothing ever happens. But of course this is just when something happens.
Felix and crew respond to a distress call from a moon in the system that is under attack. There they rescue a scientist (Thales) who has developed a method for creating new wormholes. Having such an ability would put anyone who possesses it in a position of power. The Temerarious is ordered to protect and provide any assistance to Thales as necessary. This won't be easy given that there are at least two black-ops teams looking to grab Thales and his technology.
I've generally liked the previous Tim Pratt books that I've read, so I didn't hesitate to request an ARC of this book based on Pratt being the author. I should note that when I request an ARC I know as little about the book as possible. I prefer going in to a book with a fresh, unbiased eye. But perhaps I need to rethink this.
The Fractured Void is a novel based on a board game. Had I known this before requesting the book I never would have made the ask. I recognize there is a large sub-genre of board game literature and it has its dedicated readers (I see entire bookshelves in my nearby B&N full of game-related fiction books) but I have never enjoyed this myself. First, I have rarely played that specific game (and I have a game collection of about 300 board or card games) so I don't know the back story or theme that the book is being set in.
Then, I think that setting a book in a board game universe limits the author's ability to be creative with that story. A board game is defined not just by its theme but very much by its rules - specifically in what you can NOT do in the course of playing. A story set in that board game universe is also then bound by those rules of what can't be done. I can think of three books I've read and reviewed in the last year that were based on board games and each of them were severely lacking.
Pratt manages to create some interesting characters but the story itself is almost simple. It's direct and quite honestly feels like so many other sci-fi space operas stories I've read over the years. In three years, if you started telling me the storyline, I wouldn't be able to identify which book/author it was from. But (in keeping with the space opera theme) if you described the storylines of John Scalzi's Interdependency series or James S.A. Corey's Expanse series, I'd know immediately which book/author you were describing.
Looking for a good book? If you know the game, Twilight Imperium, and want to experience it beyond the table, then you may enjoy The Fractured Void by Tim Pratt. If you don't know the game, this may have little interest to you.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2021
Just like I am not adverse to movies based on theme park rides (Pirates of the Caribbean, yo!), I am not adverse to reading books that are based on board games. And I enjoy playing Twilight Imperium, 4th edition, (also known as TI4) and have really enjoyed the expansion the Prophecy of Kings has brought to the table.
In TI4, there are seventeen factions, each with its own strength and weakness; the game allows 3 - 6 players to each play one of these factions in an epic bid to control the known galaxy through strategy, war mongering, and maybe (shady) side deals. In November 2020, an expansion (Prophecy of Kings) was released, introducing 7 new factions.
In this book, a human (Thales) from the planets of Jol Nar is working on the ability to create worm holes. He was in hiding on a remote planet in the Mentak Coalition (also known as the space pirates) when he was was "attacked" by the Creuss, for, he assumes, they don't want to share and want to be the only race he can wormhole willy-nilly. Thales was then kidnapped by another human (Azad) working for the Federation of Sol because they wanted the technology for themselves. The Mentak went after Thales, and once they realized what he was working on, decided to keep him around and help him finish his project so they could use his technology for themselves. But the project was incomplete so they had to secure a few other pieces for his project, which entangled the Barony. Along the way, we also see species from the Letnez (the Barony's head of security), Yssaril, and Hacan (the former two being crew with a human on the Metak ship). But all in all, the players were kept to about five main factions as their "pieces" were moved about the board.
While you can read this book knowing nothing about the game itself, I found knowing the game and who these races were (and so what type of personalities they tend to have) certainly helped. The world building was there, but I found it a bit incomplete in places, relying on a whole lore already built by the game but never really referenced. Other times, I felt like the lore was being built by this story and it added depth to a game I already enjoy. I did like Duval and appreciated the relationships he had with his crew mates; and the interplay between Azad and Severyne was fun.
In the end, the title suggests what ultimately happens: the void is fractured. This allows unknown races to filter into the known world ... and sets up a Prophecy of Kings sequel.
Favorite quote in the book: "You sicken me," the woman said. "You humans careen around the galaxy, disrupting the balance of power, causing chaos, and demonstrating a reckless disregard for the traditions and values of the elder species of the galactic community." ...lol, we humans are space orcs. lol
In TI4, there are seventeen factions, each with its own strength and weakness; the game allows 3 - 6 players to each play one of these factions in an epic bid to control the known galaxy through strategy, war mongering, and maybe (shady) side deals. In November 2020, an expansion (Prophecy of Kings) was released, introducing 7 new factions.
In this book, a human (Thales) from the planets of Jol Nar is working on the ability to create worm holes. He was in hiding on a remote planet in the Mentak Coalition (also known as the space pirates) when he was was "attacked" by the Creuss, for, he assumes, they don't want to share and want to be the only race he can wormhole willy-nilly. Thales was then kidnapped by another human (Azad) working for the Federation of Sol because they wanted the technology for themselves. The Mentak went after Thales, and once they realized what he was working on, decided to keep him around and help him finish his project so they could use his technology for themselves. But the project was incomplete so they had to secure a few other pieces for his project, which entangled the Barony. Along the way, we also see species from the Letnez (the Barony's head of security), Yssaril, and Hacan (the former two being crew with a human on the Metak ship). But all in all, the players were kept to about five main factions as their "pieces" were moved about the board.
While you can read this book knowing nothing about the game itself, I found knowing the game and who these races were (and so what type of personalities they tend to have) certainly helped. The world building was there, but I found it a bit incomplete in places, relying on a whole lore already built by the game but never really referenced. Other times, I felt like the lore was being built by this story and it added depth to a game I already enjoy. I did like Duval and appreciated the relationships he had with his crew mates; and the interplay between Azad and Severyne was fun.
In the end, the title suggests what ultimately happens: the void is fractured. This allows unknown races to filter into the known world ... and sets up a Prophecy of Kings sequel.
Favorite quote in the book: "You sicken me," the woman said. "You humans careen around the galaxy, disrupting the balance of power, causing chaos, and demonstrating a reckless disregard for the traditions and values of the elder species of the galactic community." ...lol, we humans are space orcs. lol
October 26, 2020
I'd just finished reading Neal Asher's The Human: Rise of the Jain P3, and I really needed something light and fun that didn't involve all the main characters turning into world-spanning entities and the destruction of a world to save it. The Fractured Void filled the bill perfectly.
It's a fast light read with a diverse cast of easy to relate to humans and aliens and a cranky scientist that nobody can stand and everybody wants. It's got a ship captain with more initiative that is good for him, a crew that manages to be loyal and snarky, and protagonists you really can't blame for wanting to get their hands on a gizmo that will change the balance of power in the galaxy.
The setup is familiar. Felix Duval has gotten his first command by doing well in a tight spot. The reason he's out patrolling the back end of nowhere is that he didn't make his captain look good in the process, so now he's wishing there was something to spice up the patrol in a system where nothing happens.
So when he gets a call from a local planet that invaders have abducted a reclusive scientist, and he manages to find the stealth warship that's responsible, it looks like his day is getting better.
Throughout the book, Felix and his team play hot potato with the scientist, who manages to continue his research despite being stolen back and forth between the players. Not only does Felix get out of his patrol rut, but he winds up seconded to the covert ops arm of his military with orders to see that the scientist gets whatever he needs (within reason) to complete his research.
That includes jailbreaking a former associate that may not want to be rescued, buying a spare warship from a junkyard, and keeping one of the Sol Federation's best operatives at bay. To say nothing of keeping unspeakable horrors from coming through the fractured void.
This is the first book based on the Twilight Imperium game, now in its 4rth edition, and whether or not Duval's Devils will show up in the next book or someone else from the universe, it's a promising start.
I'll be featuring it in my Amazing Stories column for November 2020.
()
It's a fast light read with a diverse cast of easy to relate to humans and aliens and a cranky scientist that nobody can stand and everybody wants. It's got a ship captain with more initiative that is good for him, a crew that manages to be loyal and snarky, and protagonists you really can't blame for wanting to get their hands on a gizmo that will change the balance of power in the galaxy.
The setup is familiar. Felix Duval has gotten his first command by doing well in a tight spot. The reason he's out patrolling the back end of nowhere is that he didn't make his captain look good in the process, so now he's wishing there was something to spice up the patrol in a system where nothing happens.
So when he gets a call from a local planet that invaders have abducted a reclusive scientist, and he manages to find the stealth warship that's responsible, it looks like his day is getting better.
Throughout the book, Felix and his team play hot potato with the scientist, who manages to continue his research despite being stolen back and forth between the players. Not only does Felix get out of his patrol rut, but he winds up seconded to the covert ops arm of his military with orders to see that the scientist gets whatever he needs (within reason) to complete his research.
That includes jailbreaking a former associate that may not want to be rescued, buying a spare warship from a junkyard, and keeping one of the Sol Federation's best operatives at bay. To say nothing of keeping unspeakable horrors from coming through the fractured void.
This is the first book based on the Twilight Imperium game, now in its 4rth edition, and whether or not Duval's Devils will show up in the next book or someone else from the universe, it's a promising start.
I'll be featuring it in my Amazing Stories column for November 2020.
()
February 14, 2024
This was a hoot. It reminded me of Bunch & Cole’s series and series by Scalzi: lighter Space Opera with an entertaining cast of characters. I enjoyed every dang minute of this.
I have over-consumed so much media over the past 50+ years that stories have become predictable. Whenever we’re watching TV and I get up to leave the room for whatever reason my wife asks, “Do you want me to pause it?� To which I always reply, “Do you want me to tell you how it ends?� I did that once during the first 2 minutes of the terrible Gwynneth Paltrow movie Country Strong and she’s never forgiven me. There are only so many ways you can tell a story, and if you’ve read/watched enough stuff at some point it’s Chekhov’s Guns all the way down.
I’m happy to report that I didn’t have that problem here. Most of the plot twists which happened felt like they arose naturally due to the characters and situations, while a couple felt like random dice throws by the universe. Since this book is apparently based on a board game I’ve never heard of, maybe they were actual dice throws. When we got to the final confrontation between our two main groups of characters, I was genuinely laughing at the circumstance which felt both entirely random and completely inevitable. I can’t recall ever seeing that before, which automatically gets the book bonus points.
So yeah, thoroughly enjoyable and also not too long, which was also a breath of fresh air.
I have over-consumed so much media over the past 50+ years that stories have become predictable. Whenever we’re watching TV and I get up to leave the room for whatever reason my wife asks, “Do you want me to pause it?� To which I always reply, “Do you want me to tell you how it ends?� I did that once during the first 2 minutes of the terrible Gwynneth Paltrow movie Country Strong and she’s never forgiven me. There are only so many ways you can tell a story, and if you’ve read/watched enough stuff at some point it’s Chekhov’s Guns all the way down.
I’m happy to report that I didn’t have that problem here. Most of the plot twists which happened felt like they arose naturally due to the characters and situations, while a couple felt like random dice throws by the universe. Since this book is apparently based on a board game I’ve never heard of, maybe they were actual dice throws. When we got to the final confrontation between our two main groups of characters, I was genuinely laughing at the circumstance which felt both entirely random and completely inevitable. I can’t recall ever seeing that before, which automatically gets the book bonus points.
So yeah, thoroughly enjoyable and also not too long, which was also a breath of fresh air.
September 26, 2021
Sorry if my English is far from perfect since I am not native sweater.
I am a huge fan of Twilight Imperium. I have played over twenty games (keeping in mind is a long game) and it is one of my favourite board games. It is a game with a rich lore, plenty of races and background so every game may be defined as epic.
"Fractured Void" adopts a different take. The work is focused on small corner of the galaxy, far from the capital (Mecatol Rex). I think that is a strong point since the first installment does not need to be overcomplicated or ambitious... As an example, the old Star Wars trilogy are set on distant planets and manage to tell an epic story.
But... "Fractured Void" is on the far side of Epic. It is like was developed too fast to explain certain things. For example, a small detail like this: all races speak in English without explanation or motive (even they use present words like "fascist" that sounds strange in a far future). Another example, some races are streamlined to simplicity: the grim and treacherous Letnev from Twilight Imperium are stubborn and some way stupid in "Fractured Void"...
There are no plot twists, no surprises. The good ones are always good ones and the bad one is always bad one. It is too much" family friendly". Even there are a lot of conveniences or deus ex machina so the story can move forward (antagonists who know where the main characters are by some kind of magic on a galactic scale, for example).
Do not get me wrong. I enjoyed "Fractured Void". The characters are overly fun and there are a lot of humour inside. The book is self-awareness: it is fun space opera and an easy to read novel (that is the reason I give three stars out of five) but I missed the epic, the darker, certainly violent universe of Twilight Imperium. I missed a certain riskier novel.
I am a huge fan of Twilight Imperium. I have played over twenty games (keeping in mind is a long game) and it is one of my favourite board games. It is a game with a rich lore, plenty of races and background so every game may be defined as epic.
"Fractured Void" adopts a different take. The work is focused on small corner of the galaxy, far from the capital (Mecatol Rex). I think that is a strong point since the first installment does not need to be overcomplicated or ambitious... As an example, the old Star Wars trilogy are set on distant planets and manage to tell an epic story.
But... "Fractured Void" is on the far side of Epic. It is like was developed too fast to explain certain things. For example, a small detail like this: all races speak in English without explanation or motive (even they use present words like "fascist" that sounds strange in a far future). Another example, some races are streamlined to simplicity: the grim and treacherous Letnev from Twilight Imperium are stubborn and some way stupid in "Fractured Void"...
There are no plot twists, no surprises. The good ones are always good ones and the bad one is always bad one. It is too much" family friendly". Even there are a lot of conveniences or deus ex machina so the story can move forward (antagonists who know where the main characters are by some kind of magic on a galactic scale, for example).
Do not get me wrong. I enjoyed "Fractured Void". The characters are overly fun and there are a lot of humour inside. The book is self-awareness: it is fun space opera and an easy to read novel (that is the reason I give three stars out of five) but I missed the epic, the darker, certainly violent universe of Twilight Imperium. I missed a certain riskier novel.
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