The Stars Undying

A spectacular space opera debut perfect for readers of Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice and Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire, inspired by the lives and loves of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar.
Princess Altagracia has lost everything. After a bloody civil war, her twin sister has claimed not just the crown of their planet Szayet but the Pearl of its prophecy, a computer that contains the immortal soul of Szayet's god. Stripped of her birthright, Gracia flees the planet—just as Matheus Ceirran, Commander of the interstellar Empire of Ceiao, arrives in deadly pursuit with his volatile lieutenant, Anita. When Gracia and Ceirran's paths collide, Gracia sees an opportunity to win back her planet, her god, and her throne…if she can win the Commander and his right-hand officer over first.
But talking her way into Ceirran’s good graces, and his bed, is only the beginning. Dealing with the most powerful man in the galaxy is almost as dangerous as war, and Gracia is quickly torn between an alliance that fast becomes more than political and the wishes of the god—or machine—that whispers in her ear. For Szayet's sake, and her own, Gracia will need to become more than a princess with a silver tongue. She will have to become a queen as history has never seen before—even if it breaks an empire.

This book has the most unreliable narrator I’ve read and I’m here for it. There’s something about a narrator telling you she’s lying but you still end up shocked at certain turns of events. Now that’s some storytelling!

The Stars Undying is a queer space opera inspired by the lives of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. Their similarities, their differences, and ultimately their relationship and how it affects Szayet and Ceiao are central to the story. Princeds Altagracia must get back her throne with the help of Ceiao’s great Commander, Ceirran. How that plays out and what happens after is like reading a historical piece that’s never been written before. It’s a rich novel packed with layers of nuances and motives and while it may feel slow at times, what seems mundane has a tendency to surface later.

This is my first experience with a space opera and it did not disappoint! The characters will keep you guessing and even when you want your suspicions explicitly confirmed you won’t get it. Normally this would frustrate me, but it was so well done it just WORKED.

Emery Robin masterfully crafts a world so tangible it feels real, characters who are grey, imperfect, and selfish, and the story of a woman on a mission and all she’s willing to do to achieve it.

Thank you to Orbit Books for sending me a copy to review! All opinions my own.