Science fiction fantasy book review of These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs
As a first book in a new series for a debut author, I thought that These Burning Stars was just okay. I enjoyed many parts of the story and the reading experience, but I didn’t feel connected to the characters and I didn’t get sucked into the world.
3.5 / 5 stars
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.
What are we reading? A Summary
The story follows four main characters – Esek, Chono, Jun and Six – in both the past and the present. It jumps around from their different point of views, while also jumping back and forth in time. The time jumps confused me at first. There is no reference point or context for them (you’re just given dates at the start of the chapter, but no context for the dates), and sometimes I felt lost as to where I was in the timeline of events.
“Righteousness! Cleverness! Brutality!”
The overarching plot revolves around the political intrigue and secrets of the Kindom – a 3-pronged theocracy(?) supported by a group of ruling family guilds that monopolize the economy. In the past, there was a genocide of an entire planet. The Kindom absorbed and placated the refugees from the genocide who have now become the main working class. Jun is trying to bring down one of the families for revenge reasons, but has stumbled into an even larger, more complex conspiracy that has the Kindom hunting her. And who have the Kindom sent to hunt her? Esek & Chono, who don’t know that they also have a history with Jun.
What this story does well
Bethany Jacobs weaves a lot of really cool concepts into this setting of the Kindom. I would place this story firmly in the realm of fantasy sci-fi. While there are some components of hard sci-fi thrillers, Jacobs does not go into detail about the science or the workings of these elements. The focus is on the relationships, characterization and intrigue. Jacobs executed these three components of the story very well for a debut novel.
Esek, Chono and Six all have history. The relationships between these 3 characters are what make this story compelling. You vibrantly know and understand these characters and their motivations. Esek and Chono are the stars here and my favorite dynamic. Their relationship is brutal and unforgiving and nuanced. They are an excellent pairing of extremes.
The relationship between Esek and Six is obsessive going both ways. I enjoyed the unveiling of this relationship and its repercussions as the story developed. Jacobs does an excellent job of characterizing these two through their actions.
“Auntie, if I was drowning, I would use my last strength to pull my enemy under with me. If I was burning alive, I would run into their arms like a lover. If I was bleeding to death, I would bite out their throat. I am not one to die with dignity and temperance. I will be vindictive and selfish to my last breath. Just as you would be.” – Esek
Characters that fell flat
Unfortunately, the relationship between Six and Chono feels underdeveloped compared to the interactions with Esek. Their history together is implied, and really their personalities are dominated by the beast that is Esek. Without spoilers, the emotional impact of their relationship did not land for me because I did not feel like their relationship had been explored.
Compared to the trio of outstanding characters who felt visceral, Jun Ironway is just meh. Her relationships came off as transactional, disposable and superficial. I wanted to care about her. I wanted to buy into her relationship with Liis (who was much more interesting than Jun). I wanted her to be the accidental/reluctant hero. But she was just bland. It didn’t help that her prodigy casting skills were incredibly unclear. I’m still not sure what casting is – a mix of hacking, biology … magic? I don’t know.
The biggest issue with this book
The lack of clarity and visualization keeps this book from being some amazing fantasy sci-fi. The setting laid out many awesome concepts, but I could not tell you what these characters looked like. Their emotions and actions spoke for themselves. The relationships are top-tier. However, I thought the setting lacked a sense of scale and descriptions to firmly grasp what was going on.
I looked for fan art online both during and after I read the novel, and I have yet to find anything that portrays this universe. While I was reading, I kept picturing the grimdark Warhammer 40k setting and Esek and Chono both looking like clerics from the Sisters of Battle, but then there would be a one line description or mention of a specific piece of clothing that would wrench me out of that visualization. I don’t think have ever felt so adrift in trying to visualize a setting or characters when the writing style is so vibrant, concise, brutal and specific.
Please tell me if I am missing something in the comments. The visualization was the biggest, most glaring issue I had with this book. Did something go completely over my head?
is it worth a read? Undecided
In the end, I am interested in but not committed to the next book in the Kindom series. I thought that These Burning Stars was going to be the first book in my next must-read, auto-buy series. Instead, I finished the book feeling ambivalent and disconnected from the characters and the universe. I hope this series turns out to be one of those where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Jacobs clearly has a handle on characterization and the ideas of a society for this setting. Was it worth my time reading it? I think that maybe I should have waited for the complete trilogy before picking this one up.
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