Empire Games Series Reading Order

Charles Stross builds a new series with Empire Games, expanding on the world he created in the Family Trade series, a ne… Charles Stross builds a new series with Empire Games, expanding on the world he created in the Family Trade series, a new generation of paratime travellers walk between parallel universes. The year is 2020. It's seventeen years since the Revolution overthrew the last king of the New British Empire, and the newly-reconstituted North American Commonwealth is developing rapidly, on course to defeat the French and bring democracy to a troubled world. But Miriam Burgeson, commissioner in charge of the shadowy Ministry of Intertemporal Research and Intelligence—the paratime espionage agency tasked with catalyzing the Commonwealth's great leap forward—has a problem. For years, she's warned everyone: "The Americans are coming." Now their drones arrive in the middle of a succession crisis. In another timeline, the U.S. has recruited Miriam's own estranged daughter to spy across timelines in order to bring down any remaining world-walkers who might threaten national security. Two nuclear superpowers are set on a collision course. Two increasingly desperate paratime espionage agencies try to find a solution to the first contact problem that doesn't result in a nuclear holocaust. And two women—a mother and her long-lost daughter—are about to find themselves on opposite sides of the confrontation. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Dark State is the second book in a thrilling series - set in the same world as Charles Stross' Merchant Princes series.… Dark State is the second book in a thrilling series - set in the same world as Charles Stross' Merchant Princes series. This book follows Empire Games.In the near future, one America is experiencing its first technological revolution - whilst in a parallel world, the United States is a hi-tech police state. But both timelines are poised for conflict. Miriam Burgeson's America is heading for civil war. However, a high profile defection might avert this crisis, if only Miriam and her agents can arrange it in time. And Rita Douglas, rival US spy, arrives during this turmoil. Rita's world is rocked when she realizes Miriam is her birth mother, changing her own mission irrevocably. Then her United States discovers yet another parallel earth, and the remains of an advanced society. Something destroyed that civilization, Rita's people are about to rouse it - and two worlds will face the consequences. read more

In this chillingly resonant dystopian adventure, two parallel versions of America are locked in conflict. Invisible Sun… In this chillingly resonant dystopian adventure, two parallel versions of America are locked in conflict. Invisible Sun concludes Charles Stross’s Empire Games trilogy. Two twinned worlds are facing attack. The New American Commonwealth is caught in a deadly arms race with the USA, its rival in a parallel world. And the USA’s technology is decades ahead of the Commonwealth. Yet the Commonweath might self-combust first – its leader has just died, leaving a crippling power vacuum. Now, in a power grab by her oldest adversary, Minister Miriam Burgeson faces allegations of treason. But all factions soon confront a far greater danger. In their drive to explore other timelines, the high-tech USA awakened an alien threat. This force destroyed humanity on one version of Earth. And if the two superpowers don’t take action, it will do the same to them. Invisible Sun follows Empire Games and Dark State. This trilogy is set in the same dangerous parallel world as Charles Stross’s Merchant Princes sequence. Praise for the trilogy: 'Few other writers can match him for humour, creativity and sheer density of ideas' – SFX 'High-octane thriller action' – Starburst 'Sheer brilliance' – Kirkus Reviews read more