The Risen Empire: Book One of the Succession

Name: The Risen Empire: Book One of the Succession
Price: 13.02 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.3 (508 reviews)
Author: Scott Westerfeld

by Scott Westerfeld

Science Fiction Science Fiction Fantasy

4.3 (508)

4.3 stars from 508 reviews. Top 95% of Science Fiction books we track.

496 pages~8.3 hr readPublished by TorPublished 2003-01-01

$13.02Near peak price

Last checked: Jun 7, 2026

Price history: $1.99 – $14.43

While not the biggest discount we've seen for this book, it's still a great deal and we recommend grabbing it before price returns to its normal range.

Price range: $1.99 – $14.43

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Fans of these books will like this...

Foundation
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Perfect for you if...

You want sprawling space opera with genuine philosophical stakes, where the conflict isn't just good versus evil but between incompatible visions of human future.
You appreciate intricate plotting that weaves together military action, political machination, and personal relationships across light-years.
You're drawn to stories where the most interesting characters are caught between opposing forces and forced to make impossible choices.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer intimate, character-focused narratives over expansive worldbuilding and multiple plotlines happening simultaneously.
You need faster pacing and shorter chapters; this is a dense, 500-page tome that takes its time.
You're looking for standalones; this is book one of a series and ends on significant cliffhangers.

About this book

An undead Emperor has ruled an interstellar empire of eighty human worlds for sixteen hundred years. Through his ability to grant eternal life, he has created an elite class called the Risen and maintains absolute power alongside his sister, the Child Empress, who remains eternally young. Both are worshiped as living gods. Their reign is challenged by the Rix, machine-augmented humans who worship AI compound minds of planetary scale. The Rix are determined to end the Emperor's rule and establish their own cybernetic dynasty throughout the galaxy. They begin by taking the Child Empress hostage. Captain Laurent Zai of the Imperial Frigate Lynx is assigned to rescue her. Separated by vast distances but connected by an unexpected bond, Zai and pacifist senator Nara Oxham must each confront the Rix threat in their own ways, with the empire's fate resting in their hands.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$1.99 – $14.43

Price has dropped 19 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 38 days. Typically stays discounted for 23 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #42K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.3★ from 508 reviews

Gaining approximately 3 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.3 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book goes on sale roughly every 38 days. Next drop estimated in about 6 weeks. Typical discount: 86% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.