The Emperor's Twin, by Honey Watson
4 Oct 2025The Book
Synopsis:
A dark space opera unfolds in the shadow of a crumbling multi-species empire driven by a nihilistic quest for power.
The central palace of Crysth is overrun; the empire has surrendered to an invading army led by Wilhelmina Ming, a traitor from its own capital city. But the invader's power source is its god—a being they worship but can no longer control after the loss of their high priest in battle. Now, both the invader and the invaded are trapped inside the palace with no way to rein in the eldritch force that has taken over—and no choice but to join together against it.
Ming's last hope is Speaker, the slain emperor's twin and former imperial steward who is somehow bonded with the deity.A wannabe artist and writer, Speaker has been held hostage for months, forced to recount the final days of the empire in the hopes that something in these details might give a clue as to the god's desires and motives.
The Emperor's Twin weaves a gripping tale of hidden truths and political intrigue, unraveling the threads of an empire’s downfall and revealing the key to confronting the malevolent force that threatens them all.
My Review
The Emperor's Twin is a dark space opera novel, written by Honey Watson, published by Talos Press. After the excellent Lessons in Birdwatching, Watson returns with another unique proposal, examining themes such as the quest and price behind power and the nature behind beliefs, weaving together different timelines to deliver an impactful novel that doesn't resemble anything I've read.
Wilhemina Ming has overrun the central palace of Crysth, becoming a traitor to her own empire; however, the army's power source, an eldritch force, can no longer be controlled. Both forces, invader and invaded, are trapped inside the palace; with the god taking over, they have no choice but to collaborate. Ming's hope is Speaker, the slain emperor's twin, who is somehow bonded with divinity: through his recount about the last days of the empire, they must find the desires and motives of the god, hoping to gain control again over it; a story that shows the empire's fall and might hide the key to confront the force that has taken over.
In terms of characterization, you can expect a certain rawness in how Watson portrayed the actors in our story. They are in a desperate situation, but that is far from being an inhibitor for them, pushing them to act. I feel that when we are inside Speaker's POV, there's a bit more of nuance, especially as we are in the recount of how the empire fell, and there's still a motive to keep the appearances.
The worldbuilding is another of the highlights of the novel, as the mix between technology and mysticism quite clashes as ideas, but they work really well as the backdrop for our novel, giving us an intriguing idea to explore. The pacing is in a sweet spot, keeping you pumped while wondering what you just have read (trust me, it's weird, but it's worth).
The Emperor's Twin is a great dark space opera novel, a proposal that is unlike anything you've read; if you are looking for something different and ambitious, you have here your next read. A sophomore novel that confirms Watson as a voice to watch if you want to be challenged by your reads.
The Author/s
Honey Watson
Originally from the north of England, Honey now lives in Las Vegas where she spends much of her time enjoying ice hockey, fashion, and video games. A history graduate of University College London, she went on to study Chinese Literature at Peking University before obtaining a doctorate in Comparative Literature from NYU. She is an author of science fiction and a translator of several novels, short stories, and articles from Mandarin to English.