Prince of Sunset [Mass Market Paperback]

Steve White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1998

It wasn't much of an empire anymore - but it was all they had...Afterwards, Basil Castellan was always certain that it had all begun the day he'd been rescued by the dragon. Oh, it hadn't been a real dragon, of course, or so he hastily assured everyone to whom he told the story. Only ...it had been a real dragon. But he would never share that particular knowledge with anyone but Sonja and 'Tarval...The Empire had preserved peace and order throughout human-inhabited space, but it had grown weak with the passing of the centuries, and now the self styled New Humans were rising in open rebellion, striving to seize control and impose their fanatical grand design on all humans everywhere. Basil, Sonja and Torval had only recently graduated from the Imperial Deep Space Fleet Academy, and the three comrades had no inkling of the crucial role they would play as the rising storm of war engulfed the galaxy-nor of the importance of the Luon, the dragon-like beings from Basil's homeworld, who were older, wiser, and more powerful than humans could imagine.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"White perfectly blends background information, technical and historical details, vivid battle scenes and well-written characters... a great package". -- Starlog

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Baen (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671878697
• ISBN-13: 978-0671878696
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #477,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An epic book about a Galactic Empire, March 14, 2002

By 

Darrell (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prince of Sunset (Mass Market Paperback)

I found Prince of Sunset to be a sweeping epic of a Galactic Empire, complete with intrigue, betrayal, and gripping space battles between massive fleets, while retaining a tight focus on character. This book was just what I was looking for. For those of you who know Babylon 5, this book reminded me a lot of all the political manuevering of the Centauri court. The three major villains are excellently written and fully fleshed out, yet are very different from eachother. And I could identify and sympathize with each of the heroes, simple folks who make a commitment to eachother and rise through the ranks in surprising ways. The plot has some very suprising twists and turns that keep the reader guessing, and this book was a real page turner for me. At times, the plot seemed almost Shakespearean (elements of Macbeth, Richard III, Henry V, etc.) and also reminded me of the fall of the Roman Empire with all the power grabs.
Besides the space opera adventure, I enjoyed some of the book's "hard science fiction" elements as well. Steve White definitely provokes a sense of wonder, but I won't ruin the surprises.
My criticisms of the book are relatively minor: At times, the plot does tend to jump abruptly from one event to another, and I'm sure the ending is controversial for those who read it. But I'm eager to begin reading the sequel (Emperor of Dawn)!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I wish it were good. It isn't., December 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Prince of Sunset (Mass Market Paperback)

I've had a fondness for Steve White's books ever since I came across _White Wing_. I don't seek them out, but if I happen to run across them, I read them. Unfortunately, _Prince of the Sunset_ was one of the worst books I've actually finished in a long time. The prose was clunky, the finish a let down. This book is the first of a series, apparently. It would be nice if it were so identified.

Most people should give this a pass. Rabid Steve White fans might want to peruse it, but I think even they will be disappointed.

4.0 out of 5 stars Overall, a good "tragedy" type story, October 8, 1998

By 

Richard Lyon ([e-mail]) (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prince of Sunset (Mass Market Paperback)

Well worth buying simply because it DOESN'T have a happy, story book style ending.

On the downside, the narrative could be a bit more interesting - I enjoy space opera, and was hoping for some good battle scenes, with lots of bigger than life characters. Getting a gritty, "realistic" space setting is interesting, but only if you expect it. Overall though, well worth getting.