The Empire: 'Wonderful. A lifelong love letter to the theatre' Reverend Richard Coles

Product Information

Zaffre, the commercial fiction imprint of Bonnier Books UK, is to publish the debut novel from musical theatre star Michael Ball this autumn. Sarah Bauer, editorial director of Zaffre and Kate Parkin, managing director of Adult Trade Publishing, acquired world all language rights in a two-book deal from Gordon Wise and Alastair Lindsey-Renton at Curtis Brown. Although the number of characters is formidable, if you can follow the many storylines in Downton Abbey, The Empire’s large cast is doable. The storyline does require concentration to keep all the pieces straight, and I’m not sure if I would have liked it quite as much if it hadn’t been for Michael Ball’s notoriety and entertaining narration.

The Empire By Michael Ball |The Works

Michael Ball has written an enchanting story that had me enthralled from beginning to end. The perfect book to lose yourself in at the end of a long day, The Empire has everything you could possibly need from an historical romance. With a large and varied cast of memorable characters you can’t help but fall in love with, The Empire is a moving and uplifting read that once started you do not want to put down. Michael’s writing is delightful as he instantly transports you to post World War 1 England and the glitz and glamour of a world he obviously knows so much about. While the criminal elements held no surprises it was still enjoyable to see the threads all unraveling. The added touch of romance was delightfully charming and definitely added to the story.

The book is set in the 1920s and revolves around the Empire, a theatre whose future is in jeopardy. It has a fabulous, colourful cast of characters, all of whom have connections to The Empire and their stories seamlessly wove together in the book. The Empire by Michael Ball is a charming, captivating, majestic, electrifying, exciting and dazzling masterpiece. I know I used a lot of adjectives here but this wonderful piece of work deserves all the praises in the whole wide world. The Empire is an accomplished debut. The story flows well and is written with warmth, feeling and wit, along with touches of romance. There are also darker moments, dirty dealings, tensions and secrets to uncover, but despite the unexpected and dramatic finale there’s no question of giving up.

Michael Ball OBE - Facebook Michael Ball OBE - Facebook

You want entertainment, some theatrical pizazz and a sparkle of historical fiction? Look no further. And narrated by the author too, Michael Ball who is a legend in the theatre world, added that extra layer of greatness. He has the voices and personalities spot on. First of all, I liked the way this book was structured. The various sections are named as if they were parts of a play from the overture and beginners call, through the various acts to the interval, finale and the curtain calls. For his literary debut, Ball has immersed himself in the world of perhaps the greatest author of novels such as The Good Companions set in and around the theatre, J B Priestley.The story was good and I loved the closeness of the theatre folk, and the strong female characters. I could not put the book down, it’s so refreshing and original, and a classic case of advice to new authors - write about what you know. And Michael did just that! Fantastic, I really hope we will revisit The Empire at some time in the future, as I’m not ready to leave this wonderful and eminently likeable cast behind. I so hope that the characters will rise like a Phoenix, along with The Empire theatre, from the ashes. Highly recommended.