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kmartbooks 's review for:
The Two Lies of Faven Sythe
by Megan E. O'Keefe
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After loving The Devoured Worlds trilogy, I went into this already expecting great things and Megan E. O’Keefe absolutely delivered. The Two Lies of Faven Sythe is one of the most densely packed, character-driven, world-building-heavy standalones I’ve read in a long time. It’s ambitious, blending space opera, mystery, and political conspiracy.
From the first chapter, I was hooked. The pacing grabs you early with Faven seeing a plot to kidnap her and just shrugging and going with it because of her grief. It has immediate stakes and layered character motivations. Faven and Amandine are both complicated, flawed, and endlessly compelling in their own right. Their reluctant partnership, full of tension, banter, and buried trauma, makes for an emotional core that holds steady even as the plot veers into big galaxy-spanning twists. Of course these two don’t leave the same emotional imprint as the characters in The Devoured Worlds, but I was still surprisingly invested, even if not fully emotionally connected, partially because they're so FUN and quirky in their own ways.
The world-building is dense but incredibly rewarding. Alien races, politics, space pirates, crystborn culture; all of it feels lived-in and textured. The queer representation is strong, casual, and woven seamlessly into the story.
If I’m being picky, I’ll admit the ending felt a little rushed. There’s a time jump near the conclusion that could have used a bit more room to breathe. But honestly, I get it. With how much ground this book covers, there’s only so much you can fit into a single volume without ballooning the length.
Overall, this was fantastic. Intricate and full of jaw-dropping reveals. O’Keefe continues to prove she’s one of the best voices in science fiction right now. If you like space politics, complex family dynamics, found (and broken) families, and morally gray space pirates with too much history, this is one to grab immediately.
From the first chapter, I was hooked. The pacing grabs you early with Faven seeing a plot to kidnap her and just shrugging and going with it because of her grief. It has immediate stakes and layered character motivations. Faven and Amandine are both complicated, flawed, and endlessly compelling in their own right. Their reluctant partnership, full of tension, banter, and buried trauma, makes for an emotional core that holds steady even as the plot veers into big galaxy-spanning twists. Of course these two don’t leave the same emotional imprint as the characters in The Devoured Worlds, but I was still surprisingly invested, even if not fully emotionally connected, partially because they're so FUN and quirky in their own ways.
The world-building is dense but incredibly rewarding. Alien races, politics, space pirates, crystborn culture; all of it feels lived-in and textured. The queer representation is strong, casual, and woven seamlessly into the story.
If I’m being picky, I’ll admit the ending felt a little rushed. There’s a time jump near the conclusion that could have used a bit more room to breathe. But honestly, I get it. With how much ground this book covers, there’s only so much you can fit into a single volume without ballooning the length.
Overall, this was fantastic. Intricate and full of jaw-dropping reveals. O’Keefe continues to prove she’s one of the best voices in science fiction right now. If you like space politics, complex family dynamics, found (and broken) families, and morally gray space pirates with too much history, this is one to grab immediately.