Reader's Favourite Reviews - Captain of Empire by S A Melia

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Captain of Empire is the fourth book in the Dodecahedral Space Empire series by S. A. Melia. King Teodor, stripped of his crown and trapped on the alien world of Sas Darona, must survive among the mysterious Spider Riders, a people whose motives and loyalties are anything but clear. Meanwhile, Guy Erma, now a captain in the Dome Militant, leads a daring mission across the dangerous wilderness of Sas Darona to rescue his friend. Along the way, he and his team uncover layers of betrayal and political scheming that threaten to plunge both the planet and the Empire into chaos. The fate of Sas Darona, and perhaps the Empire itself, hinges on whether Guy and Teodor can reunite and confront the truth before it’s too late. But can they?

I absolutely adore S. A. Melia’s writing style and how she mixes adventure, action, and character development without compromising anything. I loved Guy's and Teodor’s development, which is fantastic. They are no longer scared and tired; they know what they need to do to survive and fight till the end. Teodor’s struggle to assert himself without the trappings of royalty forces him to confront what kind of king he truly wants to be, while Guy wrestles with his duty as a soldier against the risks of defying authority to save his friend. The tension was high and the action was intense. I enjoyed how the author shared details of the Spider Riders’ alien culture. There was never a dull moment in the story. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for what would happen next. This is a fantastic series, and I highly recommend it!