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Imperium Descent #1

Imperium Descent

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The Imperium has reigned for 4,000 years…

…but are its days numbered?

For four millennia, the sixteen planets of the Imperium sector have served as a bastion of peace against the Chaosic Regions. The Imperium's legacy can be attributed to the formidable military power of the Stratus, the enforcers of the Supreme and the Senate. However, as is often the case with empires, it is the smallest cracks that threaten to shatter their foundations.

Could this be the beginning of the end?

A dishonorably discharged stratusaire struggles to recall why he was expelled from the only life he has ever known. Now working as a mercenary on the sector's most profitable mining planet, he is haunted by mysterious memories. Before long, he finds himself in conflict with the very government he once served.

Can he survive being pursued by those he was once trained alongside?

Simultaneously, the royal heir to a planetary throne is confronted with the harsh realities of her family's rule. As a result of her curiosity, she finds herself entangled in matters of statecraft that surpass her status and experience.

Will she prioritize her family's legacy or the lives of those under her rule?

Step into the captivating universe of Imperium Descent, created by the bestselling and award-winning author Christopher Hopper. Readers have hailed it as a space opera brimming with engaging characters, intrigue, and thrilling action. Begin your journey with Volume 1 today!

“Hopper is Zahn, Herbert, and Sanderson all in one. Majestic!”
—Mike Kim
USA Today and New York Times bestselling author

Author's Imperium Volume I is not a standalone book, but rather the first installment in an enthralling multi-book series.

473 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2022

104 people are currently reading
180 people want to read

About the author

Christopher Hopper

46 books231 followers
Christopher Hopper is an American novelist, creator and co-author of the best-selling mil-scifi series Ruins of the Galaxy with J.N. Chaney.

His other series include Resonant Sun, The Sky Riders, The White Lion Chronicles, and The Berinfell Prophecies.

Christopher lives with his wife and four children in the 1000 Islands of northern New York. He loves flying FPV race wings and RC planes, performing music with his wife, and traveling to distant lands—physical and fictional.

He's had breakfast with Winnie Mandella, canoed with dolphins in Southern California, kite-surfed in Hawaii, scuba-dived on 19th-century shipwrecks in the 1000 Islands, sailed a yacht in St. Martin, posed with white rhinos in the wilds of South Africa, spoken on national television in Mexico City, performed a concert on a Dutch beach, and climbed the Great Wall of China.

For more on Christopher, visit his blog at christopherhopper.com.

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5 stars
57 (51%)
4 stars
24 (21%)
3 stars
16 (14%)
2 stars
8 (7%)
1 star
6 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Matthew.
2 reviews
February 15, 2023
The message of this book is a full 5 stars and a lot of the ideas it contains are a great mirror for our present Western culture and the future many people envision. The lower rating is due to the quality of the prose which I think could have used another pass from an editor and some issues I had with the characters. A love interest exists just because two characters spend time together. I didn’t find their chemistry interesting and it read like that was inserted without changing anything else about them. A small child literally says they should get married because they’re both attractive and I get the sense the author agrees. Another issue I have is that the book employs a wise sage info-dumping the secret history of the world and the magic elements of the story to explain things to the reader. This could and should have been handled better. There’s a scene where the main characters have to give up their weapons while the bad guy is closing in on their location and it’s painfully obvious that this is contrived so they will have to fight him at a disadvantage. I also can’t get over the fact that they took a special forces weapons expert who employs stealth to infiltrate enemy bases by himself and named him Snake just like the Metal Gear character. It goes beyond homage and feels like pure copying. I plan to read Volume 2 soon and see if there’s any improvement there.
Profile Image for K. Pimpinella.
Author 5 books13 followers
January 13, 2023
A book so rich in eccentric characters, deep world building and heart-stopping action, it's easy to get lost between the pages and forget about the real world around you.

From an action packed opening that immediately introduces you to the world and agency of the protagonist, to the finale fight for the death at the end, Imperium Descent, will keep you transfixed, entertained and on your toes. And peppered with great wit, moral dilemmas and moments that make you go 'hmmmm', when you're done, you'll be wanting to pick up the next one in the series right away.

Mr. Hopper has a way with words. His ability to mix vibrant descriptions seamlessly into his prose makes for an easy, enjoyable read. Nothing tangles up or distracts you from the story at hand as you get acquainted with the characters and their quest. And most importantly, with this book being part of a series, the ending leaves you satisfied. The book's story is finished, but wait! There's more! You're left knowing more is to come but without the expense of feeling like you've been 'click-baited' with an amateur cliffhanger. Yes, Christopher Hopper did it right! For me, Imperium Descent Volume II, is already cued up and ready to be enjoyed!
260 reviews
March 19, 2023
If this series were listed as young adult, I might rate this differently. Character development is not great, so many issues with the story (forced to try to have ah ha moments) and so many last second saves. The story over all isn’t too bad and I hope the author spends more time on the next series. I will not continue this series.
Profile Image for Jas.
1,032 reviews
November 12, 2022
Imperium Descent is the stunning first book in Christopher Hopper’s new series that follows the lives of two main characters, the mercenary Peregrine Hale, and the Princess Orelia Pendaline of House Pendaline. This is a story that is the start of an epic saga that is of a scale that rival’s classics like Dune, with its gritty, enthralling characters and extraordinary world-building.
The story starts with Hale, as we follow him on an action-packed mission in what is an opening sequence that is reminiscent of something from classic Star Wars it is so intense, but at the same time, filled with a range of fascinating characters of different species (and in the book there are these wonderful pictures so that we can see what these characters look like, with the audiobook, you get a pdf download as well), and such a thrilling ride, you just have to put aside some time to make sure you can read this section in a single sitting as you can’t put it down. The descriptive work is just breathtaking, as you are right there in the action with every shot, thrust, and blast with Hale.
As the story progresses, we are introduced to the young, regal, and you get the immediate impression, well trained, Orelia Pendaline. The Princess meets someone in the royal palace that has a significant impact on her, and this starts a series of events that will be the impetuous for the rest of the story. The story here is filled with this captivating dialogue between the characters, Orelia and a young intruder who is desperate to help her family. The dialogue is so real between the two characters, as one tries to convey her point of view, and the other tries to understand, it is intriguing watching these two characters from opposite ends of the spectrum try and bridge the gap – Hopper does it so well.
Ultimately, our two characters find themselves caught up in a situation in which there are lives at risk, not just their own, but an entire part of the population. This is an intensely clever story, one in which we see how a potential ‘Utopia’ comes at a cost of not just lives, but part of the community’s soul and humanity, requiring that every turn a blind eye to a very dark secret. There are a lot of intriguing story lines that run through this book, (and I don’t want to give away spoilers!), with political, social and moral ramifications that rise from this wonderful first book that reminded me of classics such as Star Wars, Dune, Foundation and authors such as Zahn and Asimov in the epic scope of this story.
The best part of this book is Hopper’s character work, with so many exceptional characters from the two main characters, Peregrine and Orelia, to the crew of the Gray Maven such as Rim Fellows, Ni’Pan, or Peregrine’s hangout the Forge, in which there is the owner Thatticus (and his two kids which are highlights of this series), and the Sillix (another brilliant character). The Princess introduces us to her Mother and Father, Finna and Brogan, but two of the more interesting characters out of the Princess’s retinue are Vincelli, her trainer and confidant, and Ison, her guardian, known as ‘The Wall’ – her last line of protection. Again, the depth, the detail, the incredible descriptive work is so incredibly immersive that you are dropped right into this world so that you feel like you are a complete part of this universe. And to help you, you have this amazing art to picture everything, and this beautiful descriptive work telling you every aspect of the characters. The other character that I have to give an honorable mention to, is the leader of the soldiers that protect the Imperium, the Stratus, elite shock troopers that Stormtroopers lay awake at night, wishing that they could be like these guys. At the head of them is ‘Snake’, a rather vicious person, lethal, deadly, and once he has your scent, he will not stop until he has found you. Snake is the bad guy, but he is so bad, that you can’t help but actually like him, almost admire the process as he is so good at what he does.
There are so many more that I can’t cover without giving away the story, but the characters in this book are some of the best character work I have read in a long time, and make this book worth reading just for this alone.
This is an extraordinary first book in what is going to be one of the series of the year. With such gritty, in-depth story-telling, so beautifully told and with such exceptional characters, this is the one series that you just cannot afford to miss out on!!! Christopher Hopper has created a breathtaking masterpiece with Imperium Descent that doesn’t disappoint!!
156 reviews
November 14, 2024
I was disappointed in this book. The author’s website says it’s appropriate for 11-year-olds, but I TOTALLY disagree. Given the below thoughts, my 16-year-old doesn’t even want to read it.

For starters, the author has developed a whole list of profanity in another language. There is even a helpful glossary in the back to explain what each profanity means, and each one is labeled as an expletive. If that’s not annoying enough, he missed translating an English profanity into this new language so it’s still written as an English profanity.

Secondly, innuendos are sprinkled throughout the book. I understand that part of the book takes place in that world’s equivalent of a bar, but the innuendos are unnecessary. Immoral behavior is even justified as “understandable”.

Some of the action I found a little hard to believe. Also, one of the main characters seemed like he needed to grow into the “hero” idea that the author tried to cast him in. Maybe he rises to the challenge later in the series.

The author has a good story, but I cannot convince myself to wade through another in this series given all of the above problems. I was expecting better from this author based on a different series he wrote (and one he co-wrote) and given that at one point he was a youth pastor. (I don’t know his current occupation.)

The only reason this didn’t get 1 star is that it is a good story. It just could’ve been done so much better.
4 reviews
Read
November 15, 2022
Imperium Descent is one of the only Sci-Fi books I can honestly say completely took over my life within the first chapter. I get easily overwhelmed with the volume of information regarding names, locations, planets, solar systems, etc. I am about even between literal and imaginative. My favorite part of this book, visually anyway, is the fact that there are maps, diagrams, military structures, and portraits of the characters!

Mr. Hopper paints such a vivid picture of each scene that if they were to make a movie adaptation one day, I would have to pass on watching it unless he was on the payroll. He describes each location with such detail and intent you can smell the air, hear the busyness, see the poverty and the wealth.

Knowing a little background of a few characters prior to reading, I was already dead set on who my favorite was going to be. The hardcover book offers artist renderings of each character which truly adds to the ability to visualize the interactions between the characters. At first glance you might have a certain opinion about one that only gets completely changed by the end. Both awesome and irritating! Ha!

Of special note and attention is the fact that this is Mr. Hopper’s debut at voice acting and narrating his own creation. Without spoiling anything, can I just say 10 different and distinct voices in the first chapter alone is almost unheard of from a single narrator, let alone of the quality at which this work was done. There is a certain scene that I was in actual tears listening to the aguish in the voice of this character. Having something in common with this particular character, I could almost feel her pain.

I tried my hardest not to be the type of reader who falls in love with the main characters, but you just cannot help it with Orelia and Hale. What’s more, I could name a person in my life that could fit with almost all of the supporting crew as well. The ever loyal friend that’s with you no matter what, the wise mentor who seems to know everything about almost everything, and even the crusty barkeep who is a surprisingly amazing father.

If your mouth is not agape immediately followed by “Are you KIDDING ME?!” by the last page of the final chapter, you must go back and re-read or re-listen to it because you have failed somewhere. I was left both thoroughly upset with the character I thought I would love and equally filled with questions as to how it got to that point.

I cannot wait for Volume 2.
Profile Image for Youssef.
259 reviews7 followers
July 26, 2023
DNF.
An experienced starship captain owner, who is supposed to be smart enough to survive and thrive a long time on the fringe of the law if not outright smuggling etc, just hires a crew member out of Craigslist. Fine. The guy shows up to find most of the crew we meet seems hostile, unprofessional, and is implied to be expendable mercs. Okay.
The ship lifts almost immediately with the intermediate time taken in witty exchange between said hire and the captain. And by witty I mean a verbal appendage measuring context/ establishing dominance in a very cringy way.
Then the guy is told we're flying a danger zone, here is a non standard cannon, you do something with it or whatever. Just sort out who does what amongst you crew. You have three minutes.
You got it. No mission brief. No job description. No chain of command. Not even a tour of the ship pointing out the custom hardware let alone cursory check.
There is no universe in which these things could be as presented. And the fact that all of it was written as so normal infuriated me so much that I don't want to read anymore.
Profile Image for Bruce.
383 reviews
October 27, 2023
Cliffhanger warning
Consider this series to be one long book. One volume rolls right into the next, so there is never a satisfying ending to be had. I lasted for 4 of them, because I really wanted that ending, but it never came. Part way through book 4, I realized that I no longer cared about the story, and just wanted to be free. I won't be bothering with book 5.

Every book needs an ending, and there's none to be had here. A series should have a decent ending at the end of every book, with the characters continuing on to a further conflict in the next. Leaving in the middle is frustrating and unacceptable. Authors should entice their readers to come back for the next volume using their writing skills, not by withholding an essential part of the story. Although entertaining at times, this series ultimately was a disappointment.
46 reviews1 follower
November 17, 2022
Your new favorite series

As always in a Christopher Hopper novel, the worldbuilding is well thought out and extensive. This book gives the feeling of a sweeping saga without being overwhelmed by characters and universe-specific terms. Each item is presented in a way that is instantly identifiable and had a clear place in the story.

Characters are the most important thing to me in a novel and this one has them in spades. Royals, soldiers, and interesting alien races abound drawing you into the story and into the world. Jump in and never look back.
Profile Image for Richard Prendergast.
47 reviews
November 15, 2022
If you are a fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy this book is the perfect Blend of both. Christopher Hopper has done it again. He has created a world with characters so believable that you start truly caring what happens to them. He is a true master at telling a story that just takes you away. This is a great addition to his growing collection of books. Please treat yourself to a wonderful adventure and buy this book for yourself. You will not be disappointed.
Profile Image for Mauricio.
27 reviews1 follower
November 15, 2022
A captivating universe

In Imperium Descent Vol I, Christopher Hopper pulls the readers into an amazing and captivating universe which melds elements of science fiction, fantasy with a dash of alternate history.

Mr. Hopper's writing has continually evolved and matured over past few years, bringing us want is clearly set to be a sequence page turners, set in a universe that seems ideal for a ton of different story paths.

I can't wait to read Volume II.
8 reviews
November 18, 2022
Awesome Space Opera

Imperium Descent has all the ingredients that a good space opera needs; compelling characters, action, drama and fantastic world-building.

The story is set in a futuristic world called the Imperium, that reminds us a bit of imperial Rome. In this world, authority is not to be questioned, but Princess Orelia breaks that rule, which gets her and her family in hot water. Soon she becomes a rebel, realizing that her mind has been filled with propaganda, and allying herself with those oppressed by the Imperium. With her allies, she bites the hand that feeds her and hopes to restore justice.
423 reviews3 followers
December 6, 2022
an intriguing book

This book has an intriguing storyline as well as interesting characters. Though it’s a little slow to get you interested early on it keeps getting better. By the end of the book you will want more.
34 reviews
February 19, 2023
Great SciFi tale

Not your usual SciFi story. Characters are believable. Some good twists and turns But of course it got me! There was the end that came too soon! Now I have to get the sequel! :)
Profile Image for Trax Armstrong.
95 reviews
December 3, 2022
Now, that's some good story

Was kinda skeptical when I first opened this book.

But got swept up in the good writing and well-structured storyline.

Taking a deep dive with the next.

Please don't disappoint!
Profile Image for Danh.
79 reviews34 followers
February 23, 2023
Fairly enjoyable. Over too soon.

Warning the beginning is a bit... dunno just hang in there till chapter 2.
367 reviews2 followers
July 24, 2023
Too many perspectives for me. Too much time with perspectives I was not interested in. Too depressing over all.
Profile Image for Eric Goebelbecker.
Author 6 books16 followers
February 16, 2024
A fun adventure with two very engaging main characters, along with an interesting supporting cast. Looking forward to reading part two in a few weeks.
13 reviews1 follower
March 28, 2025
Great start to new space opera series

Great world building I did feel like I was on adventure with characters.
Story is told from few pov but I was never lost because every character has his own distinctive voice.

Christopher did very good job performing it and if he ever get bored with writing he got another career opportunities.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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