Prince of Sunset

by Steve White

Book Overview

Basil Castellan, Sonja and Torval had only recently graduated from the Imperial Deep Space Fleet Academy, and the three comrades had no inkling of the crucial role they would play as the rising storm... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671878697
• ISBN13: 9780671878696
• Release Date: February 1998
• Publisher: Baen
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

An epic book about a Galactic Empire

I found Prince of Sunset to be a sweeping epic of a Galactic Empire, complete with intrigue, betrayal, and gripping space battles between massive fleets, while retaining a tight focus on character. This book was just what I was looking for. For those of you who know Babylon 5, this book reminded me a lot of all the political manuevering of the Centauri court. The three major villains are excellently written and fully fleshed out, yet are very different from eachother. And I could identify and sympathize with each of the heroes, simple folks who make a commitment to eachother and rise through the ranks in surprising ways. The plot has some very suprising twists and turns that keep the reader guessing, and this book was a real page turner for me. At times, the plot seemed almost Shakespearean (elements of Macbeth, Richard III, Henry V, etc.) and also reminded me of the fall of the Roman Empire with all the power grabs.Besides the space opera adventure, I enjoyed some of the book's "hard science fiction" elements as well. Steve White definitely provokes a sense of wonder, but I won't ruin the surprises.My criticisms of the book are relatively minor: At times, the plot does tend to jump abruptly from one event to another, and I'm sure the ending is controversial for those who read it. But I'm eager to begin reading the sequel (Emperor of Dawn)!

Overall, a good "tragedy" type story

Well worth buying simply because it DOESN'T have a happy, story book style ending.On the downside, the narrative could be a bit more interesting - I enjoy space opera, and was hoping for some good battle scenes, with lots of bigger than life characters. Getting a gritty, "realistic" space setting is interesting, but only if you expect it. Overall though, well worth getting.

Great first part story

Much like his earlier work "Disinherited / Legacy / Debt of Ages" in scope and feel but with a deepening sense that the main characters will not "live happily ever after". This book seems to be the historical background of a multi-part epic and I await the next installment with anticipation.