The Flow is continuing to break down, and the Interdependency is coming apart. Emperox Grayland II, a.k.a. Cardenia Patrick-Wu, has managed to take full control of her empire--for the moment. Unfortunately, she still has enemies--lots of them, and powerful ones. Some are resisting the reality of what is happening. Others, the more dangerous ones, recognize what's happening, but don't share the Emperox's goal of saving the entire population of the Interdependency. They think--not completely irrationally--that that is impossible. And that being the case, they think the important thing is to save the culture, achievements, and values of the Interdependency. Which is to say, the aristocracy. I.e., themselves.
Grayland's allies are more varied, and while some of them are by no means opposed to self-interest, they're a bit disturbed by the idea of pursuing that self-interest even to the point of being indifferent to the deaths of most of humanity. There are members of some of the noble houses, some scientists, the AI that stores the memories of all the previous Emperoroxs, the Archbishop of the Church of the Interdependency, and another AI, that originated outside the Interdependency and which has brought some useful information with it.
This is fast-paced, snarky, thoughtful, and a lot of fun. I like these characters better the more time I spend with them, which may be unfortunate, since I believe this is the last Interdependency book. Wil Wheaton is as always an excellent reader, matching the tone of the book and making the characters sharp and individual.
Highly recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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