The Final Key

Saga of the Skolian Empire #11

by Catherine Asaro

Catherine Asaro has won numerous awards for her Saga of the Skolian Empire novels, including the Nebula Award and two Romantic Times awards for Best SF Novel. Combining cutting edge scientific theory with grand romantic adventure, this series represents space opera at its finest.
The Final Key is the second half of the story arc known as Triad , which began in Schism . Schism ended with the Skolian Empire torn asunder by personal conflict within the royal family. With The Final Key , the Skolian Empire comes under all-out assault from its nemesis, the Euban Concord, who have undermined the Empire via subterfuge and assassination, leaving it ripe for conquest. The Skolian Empire's only hope? A young woman barely out of her teens who hasn't even complete her training as a cadet.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fiction, Ebooks, Space, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

The author of more than twenty-five books, Catherine Asaro is acclaimed for her Ruby Dynasty series, which combines adventure, science, romance and fast-paced action. Her novel The Quantum Rose won the Nebula® Award, as did her novella “The Spacetime Pool.” Among her many other distinctions, she is a multiple winner of the AnLab from Analog magazine and a three time recipient of the RT BOOKClub Award for “Best Science Fiction Novel.” Her most recent novel, Carnelians, came out in October, 2011. An anthology of her short fiction titled Aurora in Four Voices is available from ISFiC Press in hardcover, and her multiple award-winning novella “The City of Cries” is also available as an eBook for Kindle and Nook.

Catherine has two music CD’s out and she is currently working on her third. The first, Diamond Star, is the soundtrack for her novel of the same name, performed with the rock band, Point Valid. She appears as a vocalist at cons, clubs, and other venues in the US and abroad, including recently as the Guest of Honor at the Denmark and New Zealand National Science Fiction Conventions. She performs selections from her work in a multimedia project that mixes literature, dance, and music with Greg Adams as her accompanist. She is also a theoretical physicist with a PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard, and a jazz and ballet dancer. Visit her at www.facebook.com/Catherine.Asaro

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my favorite of the prequel-esque novels. We see Soz during her first war, get to really know Consort Eldrin and see the formation of the Triad. All in all a decent addition to the series.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading “Schism” I was convinced that I would be just as disappointed with this novel. Well, it shows what I know. Space opera of a high order, that's what it is. I can be a sucker for nonsense if it's dressed up properly: all this about Kyle space, Triads and Dyads, the Blue Dale Archers, and of course the good guys coming out on top at the end, gave me a satisfied grin when I had finished.

[Christiana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was about Soz. It's 1/5 about Soz. I just skimmed the parts that weren't about her. The writing was great as always. I just don't care about Eldrinson, it's not interesting to read about a patriarchal homophobe who is not tech savvy. There's enough of that in the world I already live in.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Final Key is the second part pf Asaro's Triad which is part of her Skolian Empire series. There is plenty that happens in this book, but you need to read Schism which is part one as you might miss things.

Because this predates other books in the series, you have an idea of who lives and who doesn't but that is okay. It doesn't ruin things, just takes out some of the suspense, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I have got this far in the series so I must like something quite a lot about it as I am listening to it and the current narrator annoys me. She reads from one persons point of view to another’s without a pause for breath. Most will pause to let you know something has changed. At times it almost sounds like the same sentence.

And the author annoys me with how often she repeats things from book to book.

But as I am hanging in there there must be something I like.

[Woody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying the book as I have each of the previous books in this Series. This the 11th Book in the Series, like the previous ("Schism" Book 11) are available in Audio Book Form from Audible. Narrated by: Suzanne Weintraub. While her readings are enjoyable for the most part, she has a habit of pronouncing words like Psion with a hard "P". I find it quite distracting. LOL

[Groucho42 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd half of Triad, following Schism. Just as mediocre. Story continues with the bad guys attacking and the good guys doing pretty standard space opera stuff. Not bad, just not interesting.

[Amy Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just so much fun...

[Anthony Faber · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like her stuff, you'll like this.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this prequel of the skolian empire, giving more background before the first published book.

[Lily Martinez-rios · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT! LOVED GETTING TO KNOW MORE OF THE FAMILY FROM THE PAST.

[John Loyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Skolian universe six thousand years ago a mysterious group of aliens took a group of humans and settled them on the world of Raylicon. The Ruby dynasty begins and spreads over hundreds or thousands of worlds. But because this was propped up on the alien technology spaceflight was lost. Several thousand years later spaceflight was rediscovered. A group of scientists started the Rhon project in order to use the ancient technology. An effort to create a more stable Rhon instead created the Aristos. The Aristos created the Eubian concord, a.k.a. Traders, and the Rhon create the Skolian empire. Later on Earth achieves interstellar flight, creates the Allied worlds. In Skyfall Roca, a Rhon psion, gets stuck on a backwater planet finds Eldrinson who happens also to be Rhon. They have 10 children, Ruby heirs, and now 23 years later they are a bunch of teenagers and young adults. Meanwhile the Traders have been busy over the last decades plotting to capture the Ruby psions which will destroy the Skolian ability to use Kyle space for instantaneous communication. The one advantage the Skolians have over the larger Trader fleet.

Seventeen year old Soz wants to go to Diesha Military Academy and become a Jagernaut. Her father's Lyshrioli values make him dead set against allowing his daughter to join the military. As it turns out Soz did extraordinarily well on her preliminary exams and not only is she accepted immediately she also gets to waive the parental consent. Eldrinson gets angry and disowns his daughter. At the same time he forbids Althor, who is a senior cadet at DMA, to return without a wife. 13 year old Shannon thinking he is somehow to blame for Althor's exile runs away from home seeking the Blue Dale Archers. Eldrinson follows Shannon and is captured by Vitarex Raziquon. How did an Aristo get on to Lyshriol one of the most protected planets in the Imperialate? There is an attack on Onyx station and a routine training mission for Blackstar squadron, including newly graduated Althor, becomes a battle with casualties.

More attacks by the traders directed at the Dyad, Kurj and the Ruby Pharaoh Dehya, threaten the stability of the psiberweb. When Kurj entered the Dyad twenty years earlier it killed Jarac. So any attempt for Roca or Soz to enter they Dyad would surely end in the death of someone.

All of the Skolian books have been excellent. No exception with these two. Some of the books have followed one character, here the story follows several -- Eldrinson, Soz, Shannon, Eldrin, Kurj, Roca, Althor, etc. -- keeping us interested in all.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book!!
Cant wait to see things heat up between Soz & Jaz!! hehe :p

Also cant wait for; Soz & the Triad to get back into the chairs, & Althor to get back into action...
Are there 7 chairs all designed for 7 different minds to keep up 7 different areas/responsibilities of Kyle??

Oh, and I cant wait to delve into the link the Blue Dale Archers have with Kyle Web :)
Only complaint is that it did flit between characters so much, but with so may of them its hard not too (or not have it span several more books)....

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second and final part of the author's "Triad" series. It is well written and full of action and excitement. Asaro continues to improve as an author, but her books contain too much redundant information. In order to set the proper background for those readers who might not have read her earlier works, or predecessor novels, she repeats details about locations, family members, traits, etc. to an excessive degree. She even repeats the same details multiple times within the same novel. I find this annoying.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Aristo slavers have decided that now is the time to destroy the Skolian Empire. Their strategy is to break up the Kyle Net, the communications system that makes the Skolian Empire possible. The Net runs on the minds of the Skolian family, so each of the family is a target for assassins. A complicated family life is brought into relief by the severe threats to all their lives. It is especially satisfying to watch Eldrinson finally come into his own.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the two Triad books, I think this one is my favorite... maybe because everyone wants to see what happens after a cliffhanger. I'm not sure what pressures the author was under to split these two, but The Triad is definitely a single major story arc.

Again, back stories are nice, but I'm left wondering what happens if I read them in Skolian timeline order rather than publishing order. It's something I've done with other serial titles, and am liking to try with this series.

[Elar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good as it had everything you want from scifi book: technology wars, cybernetics, singularity, grudge between high tech factions. And it should be read with previous book which as I realize now is actually pretty decent intro to this final. I was little bit annoyed that some techmologies were used here which later in timeline described in ealier books seemed not to be explored.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great conclusion to the story. I like the pacing and I like the characterization done by the narrator. The only thing I feel it necessary to warn any potential listeners of this performance about is that the narrator failed to get a pronunciation guide for this book. The constant mispronunciation of the word psion and the many words related to it in this book was very distracting. Also, her pronunciation of several universe specific words did not match between books.

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a continuation of the Triad books. It is much better than the first half. The first half suffers from lack of development of the characters. It was all set-up. In this book we see characters develop and of course, it's jam packed with tense action as well. Much more in line with what I expect from Asaro.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another adventure of the Skolian Empire by Catherine Asaro. Some parts were pretty predictable since this is, after all, a prequel to some other books in the series. But, the character development is strong as usual and the action is good. There are a satisfying number of dramatic moments. I recommend it to Asaro fans.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last of the prequel to date, Soz finishes her training and goes on to start her stellar career as a Jagernaut.

Cover by Luis Royo

re-read this tale leading up to Primary Inversion on June 16, 2014

[Patricia Urban · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot is fine, writing is boring, repetitive, in need of a very thorough edit. Really, it's unlikely that anyone would pick up a book that's 11th in a series. I'm quite tired of the endlessly repeated descriptions--we know what they look like already!!!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This whole series is great. With this two-part mini-series, it was good to be able to get to see the characters younger and to revisit some who had been lost.

[Lynn Calvin]

SF,Romance

[Kimmerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the book - BUT. It copies great swathes of text from the previous books, word for word. Irritating.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Copied across from Library Thing; 17 October 2012]

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun and good character development, as usual for the author

[Mel Nevergold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!