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april_does_feral_sometimes 's review for:
Winter's Orbit
by Everina Maxwell
‘Winter’s Orbit’ by Everina Maxwell is an exciting science fiction novel to read! I think older teens, and fans of Romance and M/M protagonists, are the intended audience. I have read reviews that there wasn’t much science fiction in the book, but I disagree. However, there isn’t much hard science. The ‘science’ is in a world of imaginary inventions similar to what is in a Star Wars movie - half fantasy, half science.
The action takes place on an important planet, Iskat, which, due to its position between transit gateways, custom and a strong military, is in control of six vassal planets. Iskat in turn is vassal to the Galactics. The Galactics are a consortium of powerful empires, sort of like the United Nations organization except with a lot of political and technological power backed by a superior military force. They control the space gateways and all trade through a treaty system called the Resolution. All empires sign into an individualized Resolution contract of terms based on each empire’s strengths and weaknesses. Iskat, while the major power in its backwater system, is still considered a backwater system by the Galactics and the other signatories to the Resolution. Without the Resolution treaty, Iskat would lose its ability to trade with the Galactics, which would mean Iskat would struggle with poverty and a severe loss of political power. One of the conditions of the Resolution is all vassal planets must vote to agree to the terms of the Resolution. Iskat may be the most powerful planet of the seven in its space, and its royal monarchal aristocracy is above all of the other six planetary governments under its control, but there is a democracy of a sort enforced by the Galactics through the Resolution treaties.
One of the ways Iskat maintains its authority, and peace, with its vassal planets is through forced marriage of aristocrats. Prince Kiem is dismayed to discover the Emperor has selected him as official representative of Iskat to marry Count Jainan of the vassal planet Thea. Jainan had been married to another Iskat Prince, Prince Taam, for a couple of years. Taam had only recently died in a mysterious crash of a flitter. The Auditor from the Galactics is arriving within days to review political conditions, financial statements and any disturbances to the peace of the Iskat system. The death of Taam is a huge political disturbance, causing all sorts of ripples. Another Iskat aristocrat has to be found immediately to marry Jainan. Otherwise, the Emperor feared a renewal of the Resolution treaty would be refused by the Galactics, ending almost all trade through the gateways.
Kiem is a shallow young man. He is more interested in partying, but he is very charismatic. He was a rotten student at university, and he rarely reads any of the official government reports or studies any politics that he is supposed to. Fortunately, after many failures of duty leading to severe repercussions and punishments because of various escapades, his name being often in the news in a bad way, he got himself an efficient personal assistant, Bel. He does have a lot of social capital because of his fun personality and aristocratic connection to the royal family in charge of Iskat, especially as his grandmother is the Emperor of Iskat. He is a perfect selection to marry Count Jainan. This marriage is a ceremonial necessity, more of a PR function of Iskat governance. The couple is expected to open orphanages, sponsor charities, attend official events given by other aristocrats. It helps to keep the Resolution treaty between Thea and Iskat cemented in place. Because the Galactic Auditor is arriving within a couple of days, the marriage is ordered by the Emperor to happen tomorrow.
Kiem is aghast. He not only was not expecting to marry anyone, but marrying someone he doesn’t know and suspects is in grief over the death of Prince Taam seems like a horrible job to be taking on. Plus, the wedding is tomorrow! He is given only a half hour before the wedding to meet Jainan. Bel, his PA, gives him all of the info she can find on Jainan. Kiem is relieved that Jainan appears to be incredibly handsome, but unlike Kiem, Jainan is also very well educated, intelligent, and an engineer. But he also appears to be a severe unemotional person.
This is a disaster! Kiem knows he can’t be the best marriage partner to replace the more serious Taam in Jainan’s affections. Taam was a military man, with powerful military connections, and he was also very educated. Kiem is a lightweight social butterfly who has made very little attempt to educate himself except enough to pass whatever. This marriage will never work in the privacy of bedroom talk….
However, the situation is worse than what Kiem knows. It is possible Taam was murdered! Internal Security suspects Jainan was the murderer! And there is much else going on politically between Iskat and Thea. The Iskat military might be behind some financial discrepancies involving a mining operation in Thea space, discrepancies unknown to the Emperor, happening without her knowledge or approval.
Is Jainan a murderer? Will Kiem be able to rise to the challenges he is suddenly, unexpectedly, facing?
The novel is fun and exciting, but it is not for really mature adults or hard-science aficionados. Since I, an elderly reader, am not a really mature adult, I loved this romantic drama. I am not really a Romance genre fan either, but this book kept me up late in order to finish it. I couldn’t put it down! I liked it a lot.
The action takes place on an important planet, Iskat, which, due to its position between transit gateways, custom and a strong military, is in control of six vassal planets. Iskat in turn is vassal to the Galactics. The Galactics are a consortium of powerful empires, sort of like the United Nations organization except with a lot of political and technological power backed by a superior military force. They control the space gateways and all trade through a treaty system called the Resolution. All empires sign into an individualized Resolution contract of terms based on each empire’s strengths and weaknesses. Iskat, while the major power in its backwater system, is still considered a backwater system by the Galactics and the other signatories to the Resolution. Without the Resolution treaty, Iskat would lose its ability to trade with the Galactics, which would mean Iskat would struggle with poverty and a severe loss of political power. One of the conditions of the Resolution is all vassal planets must vote to agree to the terms of the Resolution. Iskat may be the most powerful planet of the seven in its space, and its royal monarchal aristocracy is above all of the other six planetary governments under its control, but there is a democracy of a sort enforced by the Galactics through the Resolution treaties.
One of the ways Iskat maintains its authority, and peace, with its vassal planets is through forced marriage of aristocrats. Prince Kiem is dismayed to discover the Emperor has selected him as official representative of Iskat to marry Count Jainan of the vassal planet Thea. Jainan had been married to another Iskat Prince, Prince Taam, for a couple of years. Taam had only recently died in a mysterious crash of a flitter. The Auditor from the Galactics is arriving within days to review political conditions, financial statements and any disturbances to the peace of the Iskat system. The death of Taam is a huge political disturbance, causing all sorts of ripples. Another Iskat aristocrat has to be found immediately to marry Jainan. Otherwise, the Emperor feared a renewal of the Resolution treaty would be refused by the Galactics, ending almost all trade through the gateways.
Kiem is a shallow young man. He is more interested in partying, but he is very charismatic. He was a rotten student at university, and he rarely reads any of the official government reports or studies any politics that he is supposed to. Fortunately, after many failures of duty leading to severe repercussions and punishments because of various escapades, his name being often in the news in a bad way, he got himself an efficient personal assistant, Bel. He does have a lot of social capital because of his fun personality and aristocratic connection to the royal family in charge of Iskat, especially as his grandmother is the Emperor of Iskat. He is a perfect selection to marry Count Jainan. This marriage is a ceremonial necessity, more of a PR function of Iskat governance. The couple is expected to open orphanages, sponsor charities, attend official events given by other aristocrats. It helps to keep the Resolution treaty between Thea and Iskat cemented in place. Because the Galactic Auditor is arriving within a couple of days, the marriage is ordered by the Emperor to happen tomorrow.
Kiem is aghast. He not only was not expecting to marry anyone, but marrying someone he doesn’t know and suspects is in grief over the death of Prince Taam seems like a horrible job to be taking on. Plus, the wedding is tomorrow! He is given only a half hour before the wedding to meet Jainan. Bel, his PA, gives him all of the info she can find on Jainan. Kiem is relieved that Jainan appears to be incredibly handsome, but unlike Kiem, Jainan is also very well educated, intelligent, and an engineer. But he also appears to be a severe unemotional person.
This is a disaster! Kiem knows he can’t be the best marriage partner to replace the more serious Taam in Jainan’s affections. Taam was a military man, with powerful military connections, and he was also very educated. Kiem is a lightweight social butterfly who has made very little attempt to educate himself except enough to pass whatever. This marriage will never work in the privacy of bedroom talk….
However, the situation is worse than what Kiem knows. It is possible Taam was murdered! Internal Security suspects Jainan was the murderer! And there is much else going on politically between Iskat and Thea. The Iskat military might be behind some financial discrepancies involving a mining operation in Thea space, discrepancies unknown to the Emperor, happening without her knowledge or approval.
Is Jainan a murderer? Will Kiem be able to rise to the challenges he is suddenly, unexpectedly, facing?
The novel is fun and exciting, but it is not for really mature adults or hard-science aficionados. Since I, an elderly reader, am not a really mature adult, I loved this romantic drama. I am not really a Romance genre fan either, but this book kept me up late in order to finish it. I couldn’t put it down! I liked it a lot.