Empire's End (Sten) [Paperback]

Chris Bunch (Author), Allan Cole (Author)

Book Description

Series: Sten | Publication Date: October 1, 2001

The Eternal Emperor had returned at last from the dead to pick up the pieces of his crumbling Empire. But even that great leader could not halt the Empire’s decline alone. And so Sten—master spy, military strategist, and assassin—found himself appointed Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the Altaic Cluster, where a brewing civil war threatened the stability of the Empire itself. Quelling a civil war is nothing new for Sten, but as the war intensifies, he begins to suspect that he is up against more than a mere local disturbance. Someone operating in deep-cover and seemingly backed by the highest authorities is working behind the scenes to manipulate events and escalate disaster. And that someone wants nothing more than to see Sten dead.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Eternal Emperor had returned at last from the dead, to pick up the pieces of his crumbling Empire. But even that great leader could not halt the Empire’s decline alone. And so Sten — master spy, military strategist, and assassin — found himself appointed Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the Altaic Cluster, where a brewing civil war threatened the stability of the Empire itself. Quelling a civil war is nothing new for Sten, but as the war intensifies, he begins to suspect that he is up against more than a mere local disturbance. Someone — operating in deep–cover and seemingly backed by the highest authorities — is working behind the scenes to manipulate events and escalate disaster. And that someone wants nothing more than to see Sten dead…

From the Inside Flap

At last! The explosive finale of Sten's adventures as the eternal emperor's most trusted friend, bodyguard, troubleshooter...and assassin!

See Sten undertake the ultimate treasure hunt, as he and his comrades seek out the source of the Eternal Emperor's power: Anti-Matter Two.

Learn the secret of the Eternal Emperor's past: Who is he? Where did he come from? And how did he become immortal?

Watch as the loyal Sten turns traitor at last, turning on the Eternal Emperor to save his own skin...and the Empire itself!

Eternity is doomed to end. And if sten has his way, it will end sooner than later! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 522 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841490830
• ISBN-13: 978-1841490830
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 4.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #441,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ALLAN COLE is a best-selling author, screenwriter and former prize-winning newsman. The son of a CIA operative, Cole was raised in Europe and the Far East. For details see Allan's website at www.acole.com. Here's what critics have said about Cole's work: The Sten Series: Landmark science fiction -Publishers Weekly; When The Gods Slept: Page turner of the year - Locus; The Far Kingdoms Series: Glorious... Swashbuckling - Locus; A Reckoning For Kings: Classic war novel - SF Chronicle; Lucky In Cyprus - A haunting, enlightening experience - BookLoons.com; A Cop's Life: Must read by anyone with a badge - Philadelphia Fraternal Order Of Police.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too bad it had to end ..., June 6, 2003

By 

Ray Leyva "c u at callahans" (Montebello, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Empire's End (Sten) (Paperback)

Very like the ongoing saga of HH ( Honor Harrington ) by David Weber, this was a great series all the way along. It must be difficult coming up with bigger and better things for a character that feels fully developed, but I do wish they had found something!

Unlike the other reviewer, I found the accent of one of the main characters a *fantastic* touch. Yes, it takes a while to get used to it, but this characters seems more alive / real to me because of it. It was easy to "see" this character in my mind. So I appreciated the extra work that must have gone into creating the accent.

Overall the entire series is a wonderful, fun read. Not to say it's lighthearted, but it is a breath of fresh air. Much like the David Gemmel books. The characters are easy to get attached to, and the story has a depth that can be expanded upon at a later date, if the author / publisher / fans feel like keeping this universe going.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fitting ending to an entertaining series, June 7, 2002

By 

N. Brett (Wiltshire, England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Empire's End (Sten) (Paperback)

In the final book in this series we have our hero Sten up against the Emperor himself. The Emperor has gone all nasty and it is up to Sten to use all his skills and allies to pick away at the Emperor and his forces.
As part of the closure of this series we are given the background to the Emperor and the fuel source he controls which was interesting and put many things into context.
Fast moving and entertaining and a good conclusion to the series, my only ongoing irritation with the Sten books is the way the author 'writes' the Scottish accent of one of the lead characters. It's difficult to read and detracts from the pace of the story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic ending to Sten's life -long adventure, August 20, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Huntsville, AL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empire's End (Mass Market Paperback)

Mr. Cole and Mr. Bunch outdid themselves. This concluding book of the series left me wanting more of these types of series. I found that this was the most powerful and adventurous book of the entire series. This book makes the reader alive with imagination and wanting to join the great adventure