I read the first novel of Nick Perumov’s The Empire Above All dilogy as soon as it was released, but had to wait for the second part. By the time it came out, I could barely remember the plot of the first book. So, I decided to reread the entire dilogy, starting from the beginning.
The events of the dilogy take place in a future roughly two centuries behind our current time. However, the people of that time are almost no different from us. The differences lie not in the people, but in their place of residence—various planets. Even in terms of technology, civilization hasn’t progressed much.
In this world, the largest power is the Empire. It controls nearly all human-inhabited planets, though there are always those who are discontented. The main character of the book, Ruslan Fateev, is Russian, hailing from the Russian planet New Crimea. The inhabitants of this planet fiercely hate the Empire and long for independence, and with that goal in mind, Ruslan joins the Imperial assault forces—to undermine the enemy from within. Naturally, everyone around him, including his beloved, considers him a traitor.
For reasons unexplained, the Empire also calls itself the Fourth Reich, with its army bearing the insignia and unit names of the infamous Third Reich. It’s hard not to hate them for that.
In addition to everything else, the known universe also features alien races, though they are far away and no conflict is anticipated with them, even though they are viewed as potential adversaries. As the saying goes, if you want peace, prepare for war.
Besides New Crimea, there are other planets that wish to throw off the hated yoke of the Empire, aided by fully legal interbrigades—at least for the time being.
Amidst all these events and Ruslan Fateev’s career growth, strange biomorphs suddenly appear, bringing death everywhere they go. They pose a threat not only to the Empire but to all of humanity. This forces Ruslan to decide which side is best for him, especially as he is no longer just a low-ranking soldier—over the course of the story, he rises from a private to a Hauptmann (captain).
What can be said about the book as a whole? It’s interesting. Most of the narrative is captivating, making you want to keep reading. I can confidently say that I enjoyed the read. However, that enjoyment was constantly marred by several issues, which I will address below.
I’ve long noticed that Nick Perumov is obsessed with the great Russian idea. Naturally, in this book, he repeatedly reminds the reader what scum the fascists are and how noble and righteous the Russians are. No, I’m not suggesting that I want to whitewash the fascists. Nor will I debunk the myth of the Russians being noble.
However, throughout the novel, I never received an answer to the question: WHY do the planets ready for rebellion hate the Empire so intensely? Yes, there are a few examples of brutal crackdowns on rebels on several planets. But! These were not invasions but the suppression of bloody rebellions. There’s no mention of any conquests of planets. So, in the end, the hatred seems to be based solely on the Empire’s use of the external symbols of the Third Reich. I want to note that it’s just the external symbols—there’s no talk of exterminating “inferior” races. Of course, there’s constant mention of the “core German nation,” but to me, such statements either need to be backed by declarations that other nations are inferior (which isn’t directly stated), or it seems to contradict the world being described. If a nation is considered “core,” it should be superior to others in some way.
The question of the Empire’s continuity is what bothered me most during the reading. To begin with, in our current era, the concept of nationality is already starting to blur. People travel the world, borders are becoming less significant. You can live in one country, work in another, and travel on business to a third. This is the reality we live in. I think that in two hundred years, these differences will be even more diminished. There won’t be a “pure German nation” or a “pure Russian nation.”
Next, let’s consider the revival of the Third Reich’s symbols. Of course, some people may like these symbols, even I find SS officer uniforms to be stylish and elegant. But that’s just the uniform—not the ideas behind them. Moreover, it’s unclear why anyone would suddenly feel the need to revive these symbols almost exactly as they were. Well, let’s say that’s somehow plausible. But the notion that the Germans would once again follow the same path raises doubts. Due to my work, I often visit Germany, so I know the situation firsthand. The novel’s protagonist, Fateev, often gives the reader a historical excursion into World War II. In one episode, he even mentions that the Imperial forces (i.e., the Germans) demolished the Alyosha Soldier monument in Treptower Park. I think Nick should have done some research before writing that. The reality is that after Soviet troops withdrew from East Germany and the country was reunified, neither the USSR nor Russia continued to maintain this memorial. The park, the memorial, and the monument are maintained by the German people. And it’s not neglected. I visited the park last fall, and it’s beautiful, well-maintained, with the staircase leading to the monument being restored. So, who is truly forgetting their past? The Germans, who constantly “feel guilty” when the topic of war comes up (even though most of my German acquaintances weren’t even alive back then), or former Soviet citizens, who don’t seem to care about their fellow citizens in the Baltics, where war veterans are considered criminals? And one last fact: Germany is the ONLY country in Western Europe where Nazi symbols from the Third Reich are officially and legally banned. That’s something to think about.
There are Nazis everywhere. In fact, I’m sure there are far more Nazis in Russia than in Germany, even in proportion to population size. In Germany, most Nazis are found in Saxony, one of the former East German regions, not in the western part of the country.
I could list many more facts, but it wouldn’t change the essence. I don’t believe in the world depicted in the book. I don’t believe in the motivations of the characters during key moments. I also don’t like the blatant copying of Soviet government actions during World War II by the interbrigade leaders in the book. It seems to me that the author wanted to write about not forgetting the greatness of the Russian people, but he didn’t develop the topic well. He should have gone beyond just studying the names of German units and looked into other aspects too.
Nevertheless, I have to repeat that I enjoyed the book. If you filter out all the symbolism fluff, the book is a great read. I’ve even read the first part twice already.
My rating: 4/5
