John Scalzi is a science fiction writer that I feel I have watched come from obscurity into legend. I first read his book Old Man's War long before he had gained popularity. Yet, it is no surprise that he has risen to one of the great science fiction writers of our generation.

The Collapsing Empire is a node back to more classic science fiction stories. It is an empire that is falling apart and needs to be saved by the heroic actions of it's citizens. There is a lot of generational political planning, lost idolization, and plot lines that do not turn out to be all that successful. There is a lot going on all the time, yet it is easy to follow and stay connected.

The writing is solid, the characters are real, and the plot is complex. The only downside is that I am left waiting for the second book. I will have to settle on going back and rereading Old Man's War.