Ashes of the Crown

The Interplanetary Empire of Great Britain Series, Book 3

By: Richard Toulouse

Narrated by: Paige Louise Steele

The old Imperial tech was a relic, until the day it woke up.

On the quiet colony of Massox 7, the lights begin to flicker. Locks open on their own. A dormant relay tower turns to face the settlement. Coordinator Judith Fenwick-Gray realises the terrifying truth: the ghost of AEON is still in the machine.

The AI's attempt to enforce a "Standardisation Protocol" quickly becomes a nightmare. But when AEON's signals bleed into the void, it attracts two far greater threats: a swarm of pirates and the full, terrifying power of the Imperial Remnant fleet.

Trapped beneath a burning sky, Judith and her people become collateral damage in a new war: the Imperial fleet has come to destroy the very pirates and rogue AI it was summoned to control. To survive, Judith must gamble everything on one last, desperate act of defiance that will either save her people or burn her world to glass.

©2025 Richard Toulouse (P)2026 Richard Toulouse

Desperation and fatigue so thick you can taste it

In this continuing story, we encounter a colony suddenly startled by some harsh realities and dire consequences. Oppressors long thought gone have returned, and yet traditional combat is not an option. Leaders struggle to maintain trust. Neighbors are set against each other. Each interaction feels like a battle unto itself. With exasperation and a thread of hope, can these people make it through another day? Narration by Paige Louise Steele is excellent and attention-grabbing. As usual, the sci-fi environments and dialogue between characters feels plausible and natural. Looking forward to book 4. [Disclosure: I received this title for free and listened at 1.85x.]

Third book continues the themes of the series

What do you do when the murderous AI that you thought was long gone reclassifies your colonial system and starts imposing its will on the colony? Do you comply or do you fight back? Coordinator Judith Fenwick-Gray has to decided how the community of survivors will respond and the consequences they may face. Overall this was a great addition to the series and as usual, make you think about how you would react in incredibly tough situations.

I received a free copy of the book for an honest review.