Empire of the East by Fred Saberhagen
"Empire of the East" is a fantasy narrative set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, where centuries of nuclear devastation have led to a society that has forgotten its technological origins, regressing into a feudal lifestyle. In this world, magic has supplanted technology, and the Eastern empire, ruled by the cruel governor Ekuman, oppresses the Western territories. The protagonist, Rolf, a peasant, rises to lead the Free Folk, a guerrilla group fighting against this tyranny. Central to Rolf’s journey is the mysterious entity Ardneh, who communicates telepathically and guides him in his quest. Throughout the story, Rolf discovers a powerful relic known as the Elephant, an ancient nuclear tank from before the war, which becomes a pivotal asset in battles against Ekuman.
As the narrative unfolds, themes of power, betrayal, and redemption emerge, particularly through the character of Charmian, who seeks to manipulate her surroundings for personal gain. The conflict escalates as Rolf’s group confronts formidable foes, including Som the Dead and Ominor, Emperor of the East, leading to dramatic confrontations infused with both magical and technological elements. The climax reveals Ardneh's true nature as a sentient computer, emphasizing the potential for technology to coexist with magic rather than serve as a sole dominion. Ultimately, the story concludes with a message of hope, advocating for a balanced integration of both magic and technology in rebuilding society.
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Empire of the East
First published: 1979 (as omnibus; previously published as The Broken Lands, 1968; The Black Mountains, 1971; and Changeling Earth, 1973)
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Science fiction—post-holocaust
Time of work: The distant future
Locale: Earth
The Plot
Empire of the East was first published in a substantially different form but has been reworked into a one-volume omnibus. The story takes place on a barely recognizable Earth centuries after a nuclear holocaust. The people of the West have regressed to a feudal lifestyle and have no memory of Earths technology. Magic has replaced it, and the cruel Eastern empire has taken control of the West.
The protagonist is Rolf, a peasant who becomes leader of the Free Folk, a small guerrilla group devoted to ending the oppression of Ekuman, governor of the Broken Lands. When Rolf joins the movement, he learns that success hinges on the guidance of Ardneh, a mysterious godlike entity who inspires leaders of the Free Folk by telepathy. The leader preceding Rolf had been told to find the Elephant but died before completing the task. Rolf discovers the Elephant, which turns out to be a nuclear tank from the Old World (prewar Earth). On the day Ekuman is to celebrate his daughter Charmians wedding to Chup, a neighboring noble, Rolf is inspired by Ardneh, and his natural talent for technology awakens. The Free Folk use the Elephant in battle, defeating Ekuman and destroying his fortress. The wicked and greedy Charmian, however, escapes; her bridegroom, Chup, survives as a crippled beggar.
Chup is restored to health by a demon who directs him to Charmians refuge in the Black Mountains. This domain is ruled by Som the Dead, Viceroy of the East. His minions can be revived after death with the aid of flying machines that bring them to the Lake of Life. Charmian plots to steal Soms great power with a talisman designed to infatuate Som with her beauty. After convincing Chup to plant the charm in Soms treasury, Charmian plots to have Chup killed. He escapes to inform Som, who demands that Chup prove his allegiance to the East by feeding Charmian to another demon. Chup is repelled and joins Rolfs army, which invades the Black Mountains. Inspired by Ardneh, Chup kills the demon. Som is destroyed when water from the Lake of Life touches him. The lake and the flying machines are casualties of the conflict and cannot be salvaged.
The final part of the story introduces Ominor, Emperor of the East, who decides to find and destroy Ardneh. The elusive entity continues to advise Rolf in his increasingly successful fight. When Ominor enlists the aid of powerful wizards, Ardneh instructs Rolf to acquire a large, powerful gem kept by Charmian, who now follows Ominors battle leader on his campaigns. With Chups help, Rolf obtains the gem. Ardneh then leads Rolf to him. He is no god but instead a huge computer that gained sentience after the holocaust; the gem is a part of its hardware. Ardnehs goal is to help people regain the lost technology without becoming dependent on it. The final conflict occurs when Ardneh battles Orcus, the greatest demon of the East. Both are destroyed, but the army of the East is conquered. Chup and Charmian are reconciled. The survivors agree that a balance between magic and technology must be achieved and that neither is intrinsically evil. The story ends on a note of hope.