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A review by leitnerkev
The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a nice, fun political thriller set in space. The story moves well and the characters are worth rooting for. Ashing-Giwa's prose is clear and accessible. I had some minor quibbles with it - 1) the MC's easy access almost instantly to the God-Emperor of an empire, with no barriers at all, was just unbelievable, really, and 2) the surprise twist about 90% of the way through the book (no spoilers!) truly felt tacked on for story length/added twist, idk.
But, largely enjoyable so 3.5 stars. Though I do have to say it failed my fundamental test of Science Fiction - that space needs to be a part of the story, as in the realities of a interstellar space empire need to impact the story. If the story could happen on a planet, or even a continent (which this one could), then it's not really Science Fiction. It's a political thriller set in space.
But, largely enjoyable so 3.5 stars. Though I do have to say it failed my fundamental test of Science Fiction - that space needs to be a part of the story, as in the realities of a interstellar space empire need to impact the story. If the story could happen on a planet, or even a continent (which this one could), then it's not really Science Fiction. It's a political thriller set in space.