Empire of the Void

by Andrew Valenza

Dex and Lacy Prullen are explorers from an alternate 1950s Earth, sent out into the unknown universe to discover what waits beyond the stars for humanity. What they find will send them on an adventure facing off against an Empire led by a god-like being, and a galaxy of devout followers at every turn with no allies to be found for lightyears.

Genres: Science Fiction

297 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2023

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew at a local bookstore last March in the suburbs of Buffalo NY. He and another author were promoting their books. He seems like a great person and passionate about his story here.

It's a great husband and wife space adventure. The 1950s is a great touch to add something a little different. Seems like a lot of sci-fi takes place in the future for obvious reasons.

At about 300 pages it's a short read for me compared to my usual 600+ page fantasy tomes.

I'll have to go order the sequel. Highly recommended

[Anna Valenza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly never read anything like this. I loved the pacing, the husband/wife relationship and the overall space adventure. Andrew Valenza clearly has an incredibly creative mind and incredible world building skills as he kept me hooked from The Void and back!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing romance really fun space adventure I felt dex and lady's emotions it was a fun read star wars with really good romance also love the 50s type aesthetic 4/5 very good

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up! Oddly really liked this read. Went into it with zero expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Definitely have to read when you’re open minded or in the mood for scifi space read

[Andrew Valenza · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s one scene I probably would have done a little differently in hindsight.

[Frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed, HILARIOUS, and a touch of a sweet romance— this book was so much fun! Dex and Lacy are a lovable couple set off into space, seeing what is out there for them, and their home planet, should they be successful. When they finally come upon something interesting, everything takes a turn for the worst, splitting up Dex and Lacy. Forced to leave her behind, Dex must do everything he can to both stay alive, and get back to his wife.

Lacy was such a great character in this book and the author did a great job at making her dimensional and interesting. She had some really badass moments near the end and I loved her getting her chance to show she wasn’t afraid instead of being a damsel in distress.

My favorite characters included Robbie and Korr. Robbie is the cutest little robot and the fact that an actual quote is “on one claw” instead of “on one hand” is so funny and perfectly fitting for him. Korr was a perfect side character and I felt I could picture him well.

This book was so much fun and I look forward to diving into the next one!

[Myranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a very visual person when I read. Knowing that this takes place in the 50s and looking at the cover, here is what I was envisioning. The people in the space suits were appearing my head kind of like a cross of Adam West in Batman in the 60s and Robin Williams in Mork & Mindy in the 70s. I did have a hard time picturing Robbie the robot. It was coming out as a cross between R2D2 and Wall-E but also like the ones in i-Robot. Here's the thing. It wasn't until I read About the Author at the end of the book that he is a movie buff that some of these things I imagined made sense. I have already started book 2 and can't wait to see what happens.

Full review on my website on 6.16.26.
www.mommodeloading.com

[Justin Stupplebeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is phenomenal!!!! I purchased it from the Author Andrew at Barnes and Noble, he’s a very nice guy who also is a fan of Tolkien like myself. Once I started this book I had a hard time putting it down! The constant action mixed with witty humor and Sci-Fi themes really sucks you in even if you’re not the biggest Sci-Fi fan. Upon completion I had requested the other two books in the series for my birthday and have already started Lost World of The Void and cannot wait to see what’s next for our heroes!

[Elijah Tallman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Congrats Andrew on writing your first book, it is truly an incredible story from start to finish. It has been a while since I have actually finished a book from beginning to end, but with your book, I was able to find my love for reading again. The "Empire of the Void" reminded me of some of my favorite Sci-Fi movies as a child like, "The Last Starfighter" and "Titan A.E.". I can not wait to start reading more books in the future and see what's the next novel you'll write!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, immersive space adventure in an imaginative alien galaxy. Dex and Lacy are likable co-protagonists, and I love that Lacy was not just a damsel in distress. She was competent and sassy. And for me, Robbie and his humorous struggles to understand humans stole the show.
The story moves along at a good pace, has touches of warmth and humor throughout, and the finale is action-packed. The last 30 pages flew by. Looking forward to reading the sequel!

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I typically read contemporary romance, romantasy, mystery and thrillers… so the fact that I binged this in one sitting should speak volumes!

Sci-fi and outer space storylines never really draw me in, but there’s a select few from Valenza and Valenza publishing I actually REALLY enjoyed and this was one of them!

If you’re a sci-fi reader, or just want a fun adventurous read that’s out of your normal genre, I HIGHLY recommend this one!

[Michael Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great sci-if story with just the right touch of inter-personal relationships and interactions. The plot is fast paced, with several twists and turns. Looking forward to the sequel.

[Kelly Sweet (Adirondack SBC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comedy, romance, space adventure, and action. This book has it all. Characters are well developed and easy to love. Well written. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Erin Dunkleberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was well-written and engaging. I am not a personal fan of the sci-fi genre, but this book kept me interested throughout. Looking forward to seeing what the Author does next!

[Lindsey Forkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needless to say Robbie was my favorite! IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW

This book made me think back to watching Star Trek with my dad and had me entirely consumed in the book.

So many times I had to stop reading simply because I couldn't pay attention to anything else while reading.

The story has great build-up and doesn't let you get bored EVER! Which is high praise with my short attention span.

The Author puts in every detail you would ask about without making it redundant. Every sentence is well thought out and has a meaning and purpose.