These Burning Stars (The Kindom Trilogy, 1)
Three women, one hidden truth, and an interstellar empire collide in a story driven by revenge and political struggle. The novel stands out for its tense plotting and the sharp emotional friction between its central characters.
Work Information
A revenge story across the stars, where power and secrecy begin to collapse under their own weight.
Jun Ironway acquires forbidden evidence that could destabilize a powerful interstellar empire. As hunters close in and a shadow from the past keeps resurfacing, the novel gradually exposes the machinery of power behind the galaxy-spanning order. It is an ambitious first volume built from revenge, domination, loyalty, and betrayal.
Review Summaries
-
Many readers praise the intricate political maneuvering, morally unstable characters, and propulsive structure. The worldbuilding is dense, but that density is often seen as part of what makes the book gain momentum.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Orbit
- Published
- 2023-10-17
- Pages
- 464 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 15.24 x 3.81 x 23.5 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9780316463324
- ISBN-10
- 0316463329
- Price
- 4963 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Science Fiction & Fantasy/Science Fiction/Adventure
WINNER OF THE 2024 PHILIP K. DICK AWARD " These Burning Stars pulls off one of the most brazen, gasp-inducing reveals I’ve experienced in an age." – Esquire A dangerous cat-and-mouse quest for revenge. An empire that spans star systems, built on the bones of a genocide. A carefully hidden secret that could collapse worlds, hunted by three women with secrets of their own. This is an explosive space opera debut from one of the most powerful new voices in science fiction. On a dusty backwater planet, occasional thief Jun Ironway has gotten her hands on the score of a lifetime: a secret that could raze the Kindom, the ruling power of the galaxy. A star system away, preternaturally stoic Chono and brilliant hothead Esek— the two most brutal clerics of the Kindom—are tasked with hunting Jun down. And tracking all three across the stars is a ghost from their shared past known only as Six. But what Six wants is anyone’s guess. It’s a game of manipulation and betrayal that could destroy them all. And they have no choice but to see it through. ★ “An intricate plot for revenge drives this far-future SF political thriller. An exciting start from a fresh talent.”― Kirkus (Starred Review) ★ "Readers who love smart thrillers and explosive science fiction won’t want to miss this book."― Booklist (Starred Review) ★ "A devilishly fun thrill ride ... These Burning Stars is plotted like a chess match, confident and surprising as Jacobs moves each piece thoughtfully across her board."― BookPage (Starred Review)
Bethany Jacobs is a former college instructor of writing and science fiction, who made the leap to education technology and now teaches tech heads how to write. She lives in Buffalo, New York with her wife and her dog and her books. These Burning Stars is her debut novel.
Reviews
-
Took me a little while to keep an eye on the dates as the timelines jump around a bit (main thread, with detours into back story), but once I knew what year the main thread was, it was a great read. The author is quite a find, given this is her debut.
-
Lazy world-building and one-dimensional characters.
-
Great concept, Maybe a little less sic-fi than I expected but so much more. Gripping Story with more twists and turns to keep the Reader interested ,convincing characters and a classic tale of revenge.
-
The universe is inconsistent, the characters caricatures, the idiosyncratic writing annoying.
-
Wooooooow! What an awesome read. We have a game of cat and mouse taking place over decades between Esek the Cleric and Six the Enigma. The obsession between these two also places Cleric Chono in the middle. She is their constant connection and seemingly the one person that both truly believe is kind & true and love her for it (as best as Esek can anyway). Won't lie, Esek is my problematic fave even though she's clearly a narcissist and probably a sociopath. However, Chono is the best. She's so conflicted as her loyalties continue to pull her in multiple directions constantly. Jun was the only character I felt was a little half baked. So hopefully she gets more time in the second book. The final third blew my goddam mind. I had to take a break to go and rant at my roommate for 15 minutes because I was so flabbergasted.