Imperial Fiction

On the planet Mistral, an uprising of barons has upset the delicate balance of power. But, as Yarrick was soon forced to learn, Mistral and Imperial politics are often murky, the truth seldom clear cut. As war engulfs the world, a plot unravels that pits old friends against one another and fashions unusual alliances. Chaos cults, the fanatical Adepta Sororitas and clandestine inquisitors all stand between Yarrick and his mission. Here is where the legend began. In this crucible, Lord Commissar Sebastian Yarrick was forged in blood.

Humanity's thousand-year-old interstellar empire has been rotting from the inside for over a century, thanks to venal, corrupt, and power-hungry sovereigns from a dynasty many consider illegitimate. The latest in that lineage, an increasingly psychotic empress, is pushing her realm toward collapse as admirals and generals rebel against her rule. That rebellion quickly drags the once mighty Imperial Fleet into a devastating fratricidal conflict between factions.

Verdan Blacke is an Imperial Wizard, a researcher by preference but soldier by necessity. Surviving an intense battle, Verdan is cursed by a hex witch in her final moments. Without any good options, Verdan escapes the ever-increasing pain the curse inflicts by performing a self-made stasis ritual.

Nobleman and born soldier Ben Stiger never backs down from a fight. Even as the son of an infamous imperial general, an outcast from society, he refuses to crumble under the unforgiving shadow of his once-powerful family’s disgrace. When he’s reassigned from his crack company to the struggling southern army, he’s eager to help turn the tide against a growing deadly rebellion.

Danny Youngblood's destiny was fire magic, just like every man in his family. But fate had other plans. When he enters the prestigious Imperial Mage Academy, his powers manifest as something far more rare and dangerous. Monster Summoning! Now, Danny's a walking dungeon core, able to absorb creatures and unleash them as powerful allies.

The cyborg known as NSLICE-00P—Non-Standard Leashed-Intelligence Cybernetic Enforcer—was created to be an unstoppable weapons platform that could take out even the strongest of heroes. But when she was cast out of her own reality, she found herself without orders or a controller—but with a new lease on life. Joined by her loyal compatriots—and a beyond-loyal corps of cyborg-enhanced critters—NSLICE-00P is taking an active role in shaping her altered circumstances. Part of which means gathering allies for the Empire.

The spectacular debut novel nominated for every major science fiction award in 2014, Ancillary Justice is the story of a warship trapped in a human body and her search for revenge. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Nebula Award, the British Science Fiction Association Award, a James Tiptree Jr. honour and a Kitschie. Currently shortlisted for the Hugo Awards. They made me kill thousands, but I only have one target now.

The story of Tzu Hsi is the story of the last empress in China. In this audiobook, Pearl S. Buck recreates the life of one of the most intriguing rules during a time of intense turbulence. Tzu Hsi was born into one of the lowly ranks of the Imperial dynasty. According to custom, she moved to the Forbidden City at the age of 17 to become one of hundreds of concubines. But her singular beauty and powers of manipulation quickly moved her into the position of Second Consort.

She was a monster, sleek and gleaming, designed to strike without warning like the dreaded shark. She was the USS Mako, as fearless and bold as any submarine that ever prowled the blue Pacific. Her mission: seek out and destroy the hitherto invincible ships of the Japanese Imperial Navy - and revenge the earlier defeats of a long and dirty war. Here is the story of the men who pitted their lives against impossible odds in the most dangerous branch of the American armed services.

On the Imperial Pleasure Island, where excess is law and indulgence reigns, Jason reshapes the corpulent obscene legacy of Magnus Travon Thull, reforging himself into something the empire has not seen in an age, a hero emperor. He now commands the empire’s gaze with the ruthless gravity of a sovereign reborn. The empire hungers, though, for power, for pleasure, for dominion. But in a world where desire and submission are weapons, even a prince must tread carefully.

The fourth year at the Imperial Mage Academy brings a new set of challenges for Danny Youngblood. The discovery of a secret organization, the Deepcorp, lurking within the Imperial Palace, casts a long shadow over the Academy. As tensions rise between the Mages and the Corp, a mysterious creature known as the Shadow Crawler emerges, leaving a trail of frozen corpses in its wake.

Verdan has found more questions than answers in the time since awaking, but the world waits for no one, and new threats are drawing close. With growing suspicion of the Sorcerer Sects, Verdan must give the people of Hobson’s Point the tools to protect themselves. Failure means death and the fall of the final independent city.

AD 272 - the Roman emperor Aurelian has defeated Queen Zenobia and crushed the Palmyran revolt. Faridun's Banner, hallowed battle standard of the Persian Empire, has fallen into Roman hands and is to be returned to the Persians as part of a historic peace treaty. But on the eve of the signing, the banner goes missing. Recalled to Syria, imperial agent Cassius Corbulo is charged with recovering the flag.

Breq - the soldier who used to be a spaceship - is serving the emperor she swore to destroy. She's been given her own warship, her own crew, and ordered to the only place in the galaxy she would have agreed to go: to Athoek Station, to protect the family of the lieutenant she murdered in cold blood. Athoek was annexed by the Empire some 600 years ago, and by now everyone is fully 'civilised'. Or should be - but everything is not as tranquil as it appears.

The battle was won, but the price of victory was high. What should be a triumphant moment for the allied forces is marred by treachery, loss and worrying news from the south. Elder Vanarr is in trouble. The Host is a looming shadow, threatening to engulf everything that they hold dear, but it is far from the only threat. To survive, they will need to stand together, but petty Sect politics threaten to undermine the foundation of the alliance. The stakes are high, and failure is not an option.

Callie has spent her life moving towns every four months in a bid to stay off the grid. Her only family is a paranoid mother who believes there's a race of supernatural beings out there actively searching for Callie. A race who could destroy Earth if they get their hands on her. Callie's never seen one thing to suggest there's any truth to her mom's insane ramblings, and at the age of 18 now, she's grown numb to her reality; she's never going to have a normal life.

Set in 2276, Imperial Earth is the fascinating odyssey of Duncan Makenzie, travelling from Titan, a moon of Saturn, to Earth, as a diplomatic guest of the United States. Duncan’s initial challenge is to prepare for the 500-million-mile trip to Earth. Once there, he is caught up in a sweep of new experiences - including the social whirl of Washington, a strange visit to a carefully preserved ancient city, and a search for the woman he loves.

Danny Youngblood thought he knew the dangers of monster summoning. But when a mysterious desert civilization, the Sapiens, launches a devastating attack on the Empire, he discovers a threat far greater than anything he's ever faced. As the Sapiens close in on the Imperial City, Danny and his friends must race against time to uncover the secrets behind their advanced weapons and powerful monsters. With the help of the brilliant inventor Isa, they develop new strategies and powerful summons to combat the invading force.

210 BC, China. The most powerful emperor China has ever known is on the brink of death. In desperation, he sends his most gifted alchemist and sorcerer on a quest for the mythical elixir of life. His fleet never returned. Now, world-renowned archaeologist Georgia Lee is compelled to hunt for a mysterious man who may hold the secret to the greatest discovery in human history. Her search takes her on a thrilling journey. But what begins as an investigation into an archaeological riddle turns into something very sinister. Georgia starts to suspect that she is the one being hunted....

When Princess Claudia seizes the throne in her brother's absence and brings the empire to the brink of war, bounty hunter McCade must find the missing Prince Alexander before the Imperial Fleet stops him.