Scan barcode
A review by asterope
The Stars Undying by Emery Robin
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I probably would have rated this 5 stars if I understood it better, but I wasn’t familiar with the history beforehand. So it felt like there was a layer of context missing for me. With a retelling, I didn’t think I was required to know the original story of Caesar, Cleopatra and Mark Antony before reading it.
That being said, the quality is still clear. Although I was confused at points, the writing was captivating enough that I didn’t mind too much. Things flew along once I understood who was who and which planet was supposed to be Rome, Egypt, etc.
I do wish there were more science fiction elements. Ceiao just felt like Rome as is. Syazet was gorgeous though. I loved the Pearl. But speaking generally about the setting, I didn’t feel like it was actually galactic.
The sequel will be a treat, especially now that I know what to expect. The author’s skill is evident - the writing is stunning. But I had a lot of “wait, what?” moments that were unnecessary and could have been filled in with a bit more detail.
That being said, the quality is still clear. Although I was confused at points, the writing was captivating enough that I didn’t mind too much. Things flew along once I understood who was who and which planet was supposed to be Rome, Egypt, etc.
I do wish there were more science fiction elements. Ceiao just felt like Rome as is. Syazet was gorgeous though. I loved the Pearl. But speaking generally about the setting, I didn’t feel like it was actually galactic.
The sequel will be a treat, especially now that I know what to expect. The author’s skill is evident - the writing is stunning. But I had a lot of “wait, what?” moments that were unnecessary and could have been filled in with a bit more detail.