S. A. Melia’s Heirs of Empire returns to the twelve-planet Dodecahedral Empire, where teenage King Teodor emerges from six months in the wilds of frontier planet Sas Darona to find his cousin Tomas Storm on his throne. Teodor’s healer and beloved, Nuria Valvanchi, lies unconscious after saving his life as London burns beneath fire domes built to contain a deadly plague. Guy Erma, Teodor’s childhood friend and a Dome Militant officer, has learned that Imperial blood gives him a claim to the throne, placing him inside the same succession crisis. Tomas commands the rival Magpie forces as political lines shift across the Twelve Worlds. With several heirs now linked to one crown, Teodor must protect the people depending on him as family ties merge with the future of his kingdom.

S. A. Melia’s Heirs of Empire is a fantastic space opera with inventive world-building that places every detail naturally inside its universe. The technology feels at home in everyday life, with personal spiders sealing a rider’s clothing with silk before a hunt. The cast has real character at every level of the story. The big, main characters are all great, and readers who are this far into the series will know that, but what's impressive is how fleshed out all of the characters are, primary and ancillary. Marline is a favorite, bringing sharp social intelligence to her role as one of the few Scavengii translators whenever her work enters conversations. That same imagination carries through the setting on Freyne, where a Renaissance court conceals advanced systems inside jewelry beneath artificial weather. Military hardware receives equally thoughtful treatment, shown through a mobile communications unit linking operators to satellites through the Stargate. There is a wonderful sense of scale here, matched by a world that feels inhabited at every turn. Readers who appreciate sprawling space operas built around imperial rivalry are in for a treat.

King Teodor has finally resurfaced after all the talk of his death. He returns with a new title and an army of spider-riding warriors at his side. He may have to use his army sooner than he expects, as his cousin Tomas has usurped Earth’s throne and has no intention of relinquishing it. Guy Erma watches this political dance play out, knowing that his recent unveiling as Prince Erederon has thrown him into the ring along with these two individuals as a potential heir to the emperor’s throne. Guy knows his loyalty to Teodor goes beyond duty. Still, as whispers begin to spread, he soon realizes the choices before him may make or break the bonds that survival and friendship have created between him and Teodor in S.A. Melia’s Heirs of Empire.

S.A. Melia returns with more intergalactic politicking in the latest installment of the Dodecahedral series. The world-building blends old-world urban constructs that readers will recognize from the architecture of previous centuries. Melia complements the structures with organic and cybernetic creatures that science fiction enthusiasts will recognize, such as the plague flies and the Battle Borgs. The dialogue blends old English that comes to the fore whenever the narrative shifts to court, with strategic back-and-forths among military personnel, highlighted by instances of foul language. Melia balances brief origin stories with intermittent flashbacks between Guy and Teodor that bring avid followers up to speed on the larger narrative while also making it easy for new readers to enjoy this as a standalone. Action enthusiasts will love the detailed battles that leave little to the imagination. Melia weaves these elements together with a fast pace and a romantic triangle that readers will not want to put down. I enjoyed reading Heirs of Empire and cannot wait for the next installment in this fascinating series.