Synopsis: (Back cover)
Through the Flow, humanity expands to new planets. Earth is forgotten, and a new empire, the Interdependency, is founded on the principle that no human settlement can survive without the others. It is a way to avoid interstellar wars and, for the rulers of the empire, a system of control.

The Flow is eternal, but not static. It changes just as a river's course does. In exceptional cases, entire planets have been isolated from the rest of humanity. When it is discovered that the Flow is shifting and that human planets might be isolated forever, three individuals—a scientist, a spaceship captain, and the emperox of the Interdependency—embark on a race against time to try to save what they can from a star empire that is on the verge of collapse.


Personal rating:
Before I begin, I want to favorably note the ease with which this author hooks his readers. He has an incredible gift for writing stories.

I had heard about Scalzi a few days before attending the Celsius Festival in Avilés, and without having read anything about his work, I was curious. During the event, I met a charismatic man, with clear ideas, progressive and without any arrogance. Every time he spoke, we laughed with him. His passion for cats is very peculiar, and his ideas about the possible world domination that felines are planning are both interesting and extremely amusing.


About the characters:
If there's something I've discovered about Scalzi, it's that his characters can not only make you dislike them intensely, but they also teach you lessons while they talk. The depth is enviable. His dialogues contain a huge social critique and a great emotional load, which hooks you to the conversations, to what they want to say, and how they say it.

His protagonists are very well constructed. You can easily identify each one by their personalities. You know who the author is talking about without even naming them, just by how they behave or their responses to what happens.

Something I praised throughout the reading is that, with just a few strokes, he tells you everything you need to know about each person. The rest is complemented by their actions.


About the narration:
I remember that the last time a narrative gripped me this way, I was reading N. K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy. John Scalzi's style is fresh, natural, humorous, and sarcastic. Entering his world, you realize you can't separate the work from the author. Reading him is like listening to him tell you the story. You hear his voice and laugh at every sentence. He reminds me a lot of Terry Pratchett.

From my point of view, he has made a magnificent salad. He has woven the threads very well, and I am impressed. At no point, not even during the scientific explanations, did he lose my interest. Simply impressive.


Regarding the story:
Above all, I want to praise the background work the author has done to create his universe. The effort is evident. The story narrates scientific facts in detail in a close and interesting way. The worldbuilding carries a lot of weight throughout the novel. There is no detail that doesn't have a good explanation or the intention of positioning you in the story. That's a wonder.


To conclude:
I am eager to read the second part of the trilogy, The Last Emperox. I know it's going to make me enjoy it. Every time a ship's name appears, I can't help but burst out laughing. I am amazed at how ingenious he is with the small details.

I recommend his books, especially to those who love science fiction. His theory of the Flow is very intriguing.


Rating: 8,5 / 10