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Cleopatra in Space #5
Fallen Empire: A Graphic Novel
The penultimate installment in Mike Maihack's thrilling graphic novel series starring a young Cleopatra and her adventures in space!
Cleo goes into hiding after a mysterious death at Yasiro Academy, and she and her friends set out to uncover the spy who must be working within the school's ranks. Meanwhile, Xaius Octavian continues his assault on the galaxy as his complicated origin story, and how he went from being Cleo's best friend to a ruthless dictator, is revealed. In the end, a space battle and dramatic confrontation between Cleo and Octavian will change both of their lives forever. Now a TV series on NBCUniversal's streaming service, Peacock!
Cleo goes into hiding after a mysterious death at Yasiro Academy, and she and her friends set out to uncover the spy who must be working within the school's ranks. Meanwhile, Xaius Octavian continues his assault on the galaxy as his complicated origin story, and how he went from being Cleo's best friend to a ruthless dictator, is revealed. In the end, a space battle and dramatic confrontation between Cleo and Octavian will change both of their lives forever. Now a TV series on NBCUniversal's streaming service, Peacock!
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2019
66 people are currently reading
553 people want to read
About the author
Mike Maihack
43 books165 followersMIKE MAIHACK is the creator of the Cleopatra in Space graphic novels published by Scholastic/Graphix. The six-book series has earned him a Florida Book Award, a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers selection, a starred review from School Library Journal, and a wealth of sharable knowledge about sequential storytelling. Cleopatra in Space was also produced as a children’s animated series by DreamWorks Television with episodes currently airing worldwide and on both NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock and HULU. Currently he is working on a series of Spider-Man young reader books in collaboration with Marvel and Abrams Books.
Mike lives in Land O Lakes, Florida with his wife, two boys, and one extraordinarily fluffy cat. More of his work can be found online at operationspacecat.com.
Mike lives in Land O Lakes, Florida with his wife, two boys, and one extraordinarily fluffy cat. More of his work can be found online at operationspacecat.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 21, 2020
The penultimate volume! So, as you can imagine, things do not go well for the time-and-space displaced Cleopatra (a/k/a Queen of the Nile) despite all her running around and shooting things. Another solid chapter for a middle-school series that is fun and high energy. Bring on the conclusion!
April 22, 2019
Oh man, what a heart-wrenching book. We learn about what happened to Cleo's friend Gozi after she was transported to the future. This book was action-packed and emotional. I can't wait to read the next book!
February 25, 2025
This may be the best one yet. I liked seeing Gozi’s backstory. The mystery of figuring out Who is the traitor was interesting as well. The ending was pretty intense. I’m looking forward to seeing how the series ends.
June 28, 2024
There's always the one gritty book in the series (flashback, half-blood prince, rosewood 4, etc) and this was it
July 2, 2023
Things happened in this one that have me very excited to see what happens next!
August 8, 2020
Immortal enemies make for some of the best stories. Fun book with several twists and turns. A hot-pink volcano.
November 7, 2019
Starting with Octavian's back story, readers are thrust back into the midst of the conflict raging through space. Cleo and her friends are trying to figure out what's up with her glow while they are about ready to launch the shield that will protect the academy. They better figure things out quick because it soon becomes clear that there's a traitor in their midst.
The end is so close you can just taste it...but it is still a year away. There's still a fair amount of "OHHHH!!!" moments in this one, starting with Octavian's eye-opening back story. Maihack does a great job of drawing action scenes that may be still images but fully convey the sense of lots of stuff going on. Cleo has a solid fan base at our school that will be thrilled to get their hands on this latest book in the series. Recommended to readers who like high action, scifi, time travel, and a fair bit of suspense.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. Octavian's back story involves a lot of death and destruction (usually just smoldering ruins on page, but he also gets some serious injuries evident by scars later on). There is also a murder off page (absolutely nothing shown), and battles with beings getting stunned on page, getting scratches and such. And lots of explosions.
The end is so close you can just taste it...but it is still a year away. There's still a fair amount of "OHHHH!!!" moments in this one, starting with Octavian's eye-opening back story. Maihack does a great job of drawing action scenes that may be still images but fully convey the sense of lots of stuff going on. Cleo has a solid fan base at our school that will be thrilled to get their hands on this latest book in the series. Recommended to readers who like high action, scifi, time travel, and a fair bit of suspense.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. Octavian's back story involves a lot of death and destruction (usually just smoldering ruins on page, but he also gets some serious injuries evident by scars later on). There is also a murder off page (absolutely nothing shown), and battles with beings getting stunned on page, getting scratches and such. And lots of explosions.
August 21, 2020
In Fallen Empires, Cleopatra is secondary to the character arc of Xaius Octavian throughout the ages. There's a lot of rapid passage of time, and some of the scenes are done through art alone, meaning the passage of events is up to interpretation.
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November 25, 2019
I liked finally getting Gozi's backstory but I had to "read" it twice because it was mostly in pictures without a clear indication of the timeframe.
October 9, 2022
An unexpectedly depressing volume.
March 31, 2019
This is the fifth book in the Cleopatra in Space graphic novel series, there are six books planned for this series. This was a very well done installment in this graphic novel series.
The novel starts with a quick background on Gozu (who becomes Octavian). This was a bit confusing at first but in the end I figured out what was happening here. After that Cleo and friends must sort out treachery within the school and save what they can before everything is destroyed.
I love the illustration style and high energy story. There is always some humor in here which is great fun!
There are a lot of characters in this series at this point and I had a bit of trouble keeping some of the cats straight. It would have been great to have a “Story so far” or maybe a small section with character faces and names at the beginning. However, these are pretty short reads so I could have just gone back and re-read them all.
Overall this was a very entertaining continuation of the Cleopatra in Space series. Things are really coming to a climax here and we learn a ton about Gozu and Cleo’s background. I would recommend this whole series to those readers middle grade and older who enjoy action packed sci-fi graphic novels with some humor. I can’t wait to see how the series wraps up in book 6!
The novel starts with a quick background on Gozu (who becomes Octavian). This was a bit confusing at first but in the end I figured out what was happening here. After that Cleo and friends must sort out treachery within the school and save what they can before everything is destroyed.
I love the illustration style and high energy story. There is always some humor in here which is great fun!
There are a lot of characters in this series at this point and I had a bit of trouble keeping some of the cats straight. It would have been great to have a “Story so far” or maybe a small section with character faces and names at the beginning. However, these are pretty short reads so I could have just gone back and re-read them all.
Overall this was a very entertaining continuation of the Cleopatra in Space series. Things are really coming to a climax here and we learn a ton about Gozu and Cleo’s background. I would recommend this whole series to those readers middle grade and older who enjoy action packed sci-fi graphic novels with some humor. I can’t wait to see how the series wraps up in book 6!
January 20, 2026
January 14, 2026
That was... unexpected.
Some context: I picked up this book and the following installment at Goodwill because I saw them on the shelf and wanted more graphic novels. I had absolutely no context going into this book. The first thirty pages are about a boy who was bitten by a snake, held in a jail cell for two years, burned by invaders, taken in by said invaders but treated as a slave, and then burned again so that all that remains of him is a smoked upper body. Then he gets octopus legs and vows to destroy the entire galaxy.
I know that I'm coming in at book five of six, but I wanted to read more of that guy's story. It seemed interesting. Not that the current story was bad or anything, but Gozi's story interested me a bit more than Cleopatra's.
Cleopatra's story was good. Spies and sneaking-around plans are always nifty. Some plot points are a bit predictable, but a few caught me by surprise. Pretty much the whole book caught me by surprise because I should not be jumping into the penultimate book and expect anything to make logical sense to me.
Anyway, I'll read the next book and then see if I can get my hands on the rest of this series. I'm interested. Side note, I liked the art. It's not groundbreaking or anything, but I thought it was pleasing to the eye.
That was... unexpected.
Some context: I picked up this book and the following installment at Goodwill because I saw them on the shelf and wanted more graphic novels. I had absolutely no context going into this book. The first thirty pages are about a boy who was bitten by a snake, held in a jail cell for two years, burned by invaders, taken in by said invaders but treated as a slave, and then burned again so that all that remains of him is a smoked upper body. Then he gets octopus legs and vows to destroy the entire galaxy.
I know that I'm coming in at book five of six, but I wanted to read more of that guy's story. It seemed interesting. Not that the current story was bad or anything, but Gozi's story interested me a bit more than Cleopatra's.
Cleopatra's story was good. Spies and sneaking-around plans are always nifty. Some plot points are a bit predictable, but a few caught me by surprise. Pretty much the whole book caught me by surprise because I should not be jumping into the penultimate book and expect anything to make logical sense to me.
Anyway, I'll read the next book and then see if I can get my hands on the rest of this series. I'm interested. Side note, I liked the art. It's not groundbreaking or anything, but I thought it was pleasing to the eye.
November 2, 2021
Maybe I’m just missing something from the first book or somewhere along the plot line to really be captivated by the motivation of the villain. I’m just not quite feeling it still, but maybe that’s just me. There is also an increasing bit of (in my opinion at least) mishandling of chapter breaks (even though there are only 3 chapters in the book—could be more) and how/where the books have ended lately. The betrayal also came off as ho-hum to me because of lack of character development there. And other characters who were developing nicely seem to have stalled in this volume. However, the art work is superb as usual and the action sequences are downright impressive to me (surprisingly so, being that they are on the page vs a screen that can utilize sounds and motion for effect). My library doesn’t have book 6 yet so I may have to find the concluding novel somewhere soon.
December 9, 2021
More back story is revealed, including what happened to Gozi when Cleopatra was transported through time. The forward story arc continues and the plot thickens! Miss 7 very much enjoyed.
Miss 7 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
Miss 7 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
May 4, 2023
The beginning of Octavian is revealed in this book. The connection to Cleopatra as her friend to her enemy. Brian has built a shield to protect their home. Cleo has a "feeling" that something may go wrong which leads to traitors being revealed. The Pharaoh is kidnapped. A lot happening in this story as Cleo gets more serious about her role as savior. It's fun to watch Cleo grow into her role.
August 9, 2024
This volume does a great job of setting up the stakes for the finale. Gozi's backstory is very affecting, and the murder mystery kept us engaged. We're ready for the last one!
Addendum: We discovered that there is a Cleopatra in Space show on Peacock. While my kids seem to love it, I find the books WAY better. The show is more comic in tone, and I prefer the pathos of the books, which really came out in this volume. Also, Akila is more clearly alien (which...fine, I guess), and Brian is a cyborg (because...why?).
Addendum: We discovered that there is a Cleopatra in Space show on Peacock. While my kids seem to love it, I find the books WAY better. The show is more comic in tone, and I prefer the pathos of the books, which really came out in this volume. Also, Akila is more clearly alien (which...fine, I guess), and Brian is a cyborg (because...why?).
April 5, 2019
Wow wow wow! I am still shelving this book with children's books, but the plot kicked it up a notch with both complexity and emotional depth! Nothing kid inappropriate, but definitely something that kicks you in the feels. I was sure this was going to be the last book in the series, but based on the ending I am hoping for more!!!
March 5, 2019
4.5- Uggggg, so good! I couldn’t put it down. And such a cliffhanger ending! Thankfully there’s only one more book to go... but this one took 17 months to make. How long will it be until the last one? Hopefully not that long!
June 30, 2019
Oh no! Another cliff-hanger! Oh yes, that means more Cleopatra in Space books! This is a fun and action packed series with a great cast of characters, good and bad and in-between. Can't wait for the next book!
August 4, 2019
This volume gives us the tragic origin of Cleo's enemy and shows her that deceit and spy's surround her in the places she thought she was safest. i really love how this series continues to have deeper layers as it unfolds. The series also continues to have amazing action and character development.
March 10, 2020
It was an amazing book because of the intricate details of gozi's backstory: from why he is immortal to why he wants to kill cleo. I also loved how it revealed cleo's true powers and the potential she has (ray blasts from her arms)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2020
This is a awesome book. I love it. I'm the end every body is happy because they won the battle but, Cleopatra is not because, one of her friends died his name is gazi . And she died once and came back to life. It tells the story of how they met. And just to tell you it's a comic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2020
This penultimate graphic novel has a series of shocking twists and turns, all beginning with Gozi's backstory. Much sadder than all of the previous in the series, but getting so good! Excited for #6 to drop!
October 24, 2020
This series is fantastic and so compelling. Book 5 is getting us into the climax of the story. I can’t wait wait to read what happened next! So much intrigue and sadness and betrayal. Beautiful artwork and story!
July 26, 2021
As usual, amazing art, great humor, lovable characters, and fantastic story telling. Shout out for Octavius's backstory, what a ride. The ending was a bit emotionally crushing, but I'll chalk that up to an earned affection for the setting and characters.
April 22, 2019
Such a fun series!!
May 17, 2019
Plot was good, but it was to predictable.
June 4, 2019
This is the fifth (out of six) graphic novel in the Cleopatra in Space series. Before this book we learn that Cleo was out with one of her friends back in her time one day and then she disappeared (as far as those in her time knew). She was brought to the future to help fulfill a prophecy and protect the galaxy. While Cleo is young and willful, she genuinely cares for her people and friends. In this book we get to learn the horrible story about what happened to the friend (Gozu) that was with Cleo when she disappeared and how that led to the events t hat Cleo is dealing with in the future. This book also contains one of the best villain origin stories that I have read in quite a while. While this book broke my heart, it was so amazing that I can't wait for the next one!
May 30, 2019
I love the quick witted characters and the fantastic art. I can’t wait for the final book.
August 16, 2019
Oh man, this book got dark but it was just as good as I hoped it would be. Cleopatra in Space is my #1 recommendation for MG graphic novel readers. It just keeps getting better.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews