Impersonations by Walter Jon Williams

Impersonations by Walter Jon Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Book Blurb:  Nebula Award-winning author Walter Jon Williams returns to the sweeping space opera adventure of his Praxis universe with Impersonations, an exciting new novel featuring the hero of Dread Empire's Fall!

Having offended her superiors by winning a battle without permission, Caroline Sula has been posted to the planet Earth, a dismal backwater where careers go to die. But Sula has always been fascinated by Earth history, and she plans to reward herself with a long, happy vacation amid the ancient monuments of humanity's home world.

Sula may be an Earth history buff, but there are aspects of her own history she doesn't want known. Exposure is threatened when an old acquaintance turns up unexpectedly. Someone seems to be forging evidence that would send her to prison. And all that is before someone tries to kill her.

If she's going to survive, Sula has no choice but to make some history of her own
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This novella lands between Investments and the Accidental War. Where Investments follows Garrett, Impersonations is about Caroline Sula. I will say, if you haven't read the Dread Empire's Fall series, read those first. This contains some serious spoilers.

I enjoyed the premise of the book. Caro/Sula has been shuffled off to backwater Earth, where she can be out of sight and out of mind. Sula knows this and still takes pride in her work. Wanting to visit Earth proper, she arranges a trip down where events start to coalesce to form the premise of the book - who is trying to impersonate and discredit her? Why is the Manado company insisting on a military birth at the space station? And when is the volcano going to blow? Also a small shout out - the scene where the group needs to escape from the underground hotel - just neato!

I also enjoyed the reminder of the different aliens that now inhabit the universe and reside on Earth. There were just enough subtle touches to make them stand out from humans - needing a cooling system in a vest, no facial expressions, feather-like hair, and more. I love when an author can be subtle like that.

Recommended if you've read the Dread Empire's Fall books.



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