This was really not my cup of tea. It probably didn't help that I hadn't read the first two books in the series.

If I remember I liked the previous sequels but this one is getting slower and a bit boring in terms of pacing. Also some repetitive concept with the first book.

This concluding novel in the Take Them to the Stars trilogy was tonally quite different from the first two, which was a little jarring for me. Ultimately, I did like where the story went and the way in which the series was drawn to a close, but I didn't love Aster's voice and missed the heavy astronomical/space science focus of the first two books. Overall, this has been a really original and compelling series, which I would definitely recommend. It's just unfortunate that this final installment didn't work quite so well for me.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved this ending to the trilogy! Sylvain Neuvel really stuck the landing with this saga. I won't say much for spoils for the series but definitely pick up A History of What Comes Next to start. You'll breeze through all three books!

I read and enjoyed this whole trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel. It was't a masterpiece like the Sleeping Giants trilogy, but it was entertaining. I enjoyed the characters over the generations, and especially the complex relationship between the final two in this book. But I felt like it wrapped up somewhat abruptly with many questions unanswered about the future of the Kibsu.

Take Them To the Stars Series follows generations of Mothers and Daughters in the same family line who are a little too similar to each other. They have rules for life and the ultimate rule is "take them to the stars". This books follows 102, Aster, she's adopted and doesn't know her mother or family. She just knows she was unwanted, and now hunted, but she doesn't know why.

Sylvain Neuvel does a surprisingly good job of writing from the prospective of a 12 yr old girl. Unfortunately teenage girls are awful and I had no interest in her story. The ending was good. I like the conclusion to the series but definitely preferred the first book the most.

I cannot believe this series is over… but is? The way it ended makes me hope for another novel.. In this final installment of the Take them to the Star series, Aster is the last of the Kibsu, the last of an alien race that usually comes in a mother-daughter pair. However, Aster was orphaned as a child, and the only one that can teach her about her history is her family’s sworn enemy. When the American government discovers her existence, the two are on the run as Aster learns to hone her Kibsu skills. I loved how different this novel was from the last two..In this novel, Aster was not only trying to meet the Kibsu’s goal of “take them to the stars” and learn as much as she can about being Kibsu, she is also more hopeful than the Kibsu before her and had a better sense of herself. Like the other novels, I loved the science and space aspect of this novel. I also loved that Neuvel, like the previous novels, explained some of the science aspects of the novel.

So excited to read the next novel by Neuvel!

Headlines:
Everything cycles until it doesn't
Aster made a great focus
Samael surprises

The culmination to this Sci-fi historical(ish) series was fast-paced and the over-arching plot continued to engage me. This installment was in the most recent history as each generation has moved forward. The story in For The First Time, Again introduced Aster, a 12-year old girl, abandoned by her mother. Readers of this series will be shocked at just that because mother-daughter relationships have underpinned everything for the Kibsu.

Aster was a little feral, especially once she found herself on her own. Samael, who we'd met in a previous book as a tracker was a reformed character mostly and these two formed a unexpected bond. Where that bond ended up right at the end, really shocked me.

There were some great plot directions, some unforeseen turns and for once, the Kibsu made allegiances with others you might not predict. I never really knew what to make of Saa as an individual nor her connection with Aster, so I just had to read along trusting the story.

Does this book wrap things up neatly? Thats a no with a healthy dose of some. There's an opennes to how this ended and I would have liked a few more answers. That said, it's been a clever, engaging series that I would recommend to other sci-fi fans.

Creía que esta novela era la última entrega de la saga Take Them to the Stars de Sylvain Neuvel, pero el autor canadiense se deja el camino expedito para las continuaciones que estime oportunas.


Mientras que las dos primeras entregas se centraban más en la parte de exploración, espionaje y sobre todo en la carrera espacial, en esta tercera entrega Neuvel se decanta totalmente por el thriller. He de reconocer que le viene como anillo al dedo al estilo tan directo y dialogante con el que escribe el autor, parece una obra de teatro que se esté desarrollando ante nosotros. Si además lo aliña con un poco de nostalgia noventera, pues tenemos un cóctel perfecto para leer el libro en una o dos sentadas. Por desgracia, lo mismo que el disfrute de la obra es rápido, también es el olvido tras leerlo.

La protagonista del libro es Aster, la representante 102 de su raza en la Tierra, pero está más perdida que el barco del arroz al principio de la novela porque al contrario que las otras protagonistas de las obras anteriores no ha crecido con su madre, ni sabe cuál es su misión en la Tierra. Así que la primera parte del libro es Aster yendo de un sitio para otro sin tener muy claro qué hacer, pero huyendo de las autoridades que saben que hay algo extraño en ella. Es un poco road movie con adolescente muy lista pero muy inocente también. A partir del primer tercio de la novela el ambiente cambia y comienza a parecerse un poco, no mucho, a los volúmenes anteriores. Neuvel aliña el libro con escenas bastante violentas, pero lo cierto es que no las narra en toda su crudeza, rebajando el tono del relato.

Es un libro que tiene tensión, como una película de acción palomitera, tiene humor, como una película de acción palomitera y giros inesperados de guion, como una película de acción palomitera. Creo que ha quedado bastante claro qué te vas a encontrar cuando leas For the First Time, Again.

When Aster’s blood work comes back with anomalies, the feds are very interested in her. At first, it’s just a request for more blood samples, but eventually, they’ll want more. Aster’s the last of an alien race called the Kibsu, but she doesn’t know it. The trackers want her; the government wants her. She’ll have to escape both, with some help from an unlikely ally, to complete the mission of her bloodline. The conclusion to Take Them to the Stars trilogy doesn’t disappoint.

I’m not usually one for series or books with multiple volumes, but I can always get behind a Sylvain Neuvel trilogy. I even read them as they come out, which is a rarity. The conclusion to this series kept me interested start to finish. I loved Aster and her journey, her discoveries of her mom, grandmother, and even further back. She’s got a lot going on for a young woman, but she rises to her destiny in her own way, on her own terms, and it’s a thrilling ride. Definitely recommend.

I am a big fan of Sylvain and this is probably his best yet. He manages to wrap up the series in such a fabulous way, causing you to care for every character introduced. I love that he uses music for each Chapter, a very creative idea.

Sylvain Neuvel completes her tale of aliens whose children are clones and who have been working for fourteen thousand years to raise humanity to the stars. In 1999, Aster was twelve, and had just lost her foster father. She doesn’t know about the mothers who lived before her or about their work in creating the Space Race. Unfortunately a blood test reveals her alien nature and she is forced on the run from the US Army, her only ally is the tracker who murdered her Mother and has to work For the First Time, Again (hard from Tordotcom). Unfortunately he had activated a signal device to alert their people that Earth is habitable. He had turned it off after a week, but they could still come. Somehow they have to get the device off Earth before the Aliens come looking. This is a great ending to a tale based on the very real history of space exploration. The series is highly recommended.

This is the final book in Sylvain Neuvel's Take Them to the Stars trilogy. The series follows two ancient alien peoples who have been hiding on Earth for centuries. The Kibsu are searching for a home for their people, and pass on their secrets from mother to daughter. The Trackers seek to defeat the Kibsu's mission, and to do so they hunt the Kibsu down and kill them.

The protagonist of Book 3 is Aster, a 12-year-old girl who doesn't know that she's a Kibsu. Aster's mother vanished when she was little. Her mother left behind a mysterious signal that could summon help from their home planet. When Aster undergoes a blood test that reveals her alien nature she becomes a target for the US military. She also shows up on the Tracker's radar. In a twist from the first two books the only one who can protect her is Samael, the last Tracker. Samael feels guilty for killing her mother and tries to suppress his violent urges. Together the two embark on a dangerous journey to find a way to contact their kind, involving a space probe to Jupiter.

For the First Time, Again continues the intriguing premise of the first two books. And, like its predecessors it has some thrilling action scenes. Without giving it all away I'll just say that this final book of the series doesn't seem to complete the setup of the first two books and feels incomplete. Compared to the first books, Aster is not as well developed as the Kibsu characters before her. She seems too naive and passive for her age. The plot is also full of coincidences and contrivances that strain credibility. The tone of the book is all over the map - switching from serious to humorous to sentimental. While that mix of sentiment was also present in the first two books it doesn't seem to work as well in this story.

I agree with other reviews who say that the best parts of the plot springs from Neuvel's evident passion for space exploration. I particularly liked the long appendix that details the history and achievements of various real world space missions. Once again Neuvel has put in the extensive research and enthusiasm to ground his story in a near real world. Anyone interested in astronomy and space travel will find the whole series of interest.

Overall, this book is an entertaining conclusion to the trilogy that had a lot of potential but failed to satisfactorily complete it's setup. I do wonder if another book or books may be in the offing that build on this trilogy.

Readers of Neuvel's previous books, and sci-fi lovers who enjoy stories that mix in real world history and actual space missions will likely enjoy this book. One caveat to those readers - the three books are not wholly self contained, and to enjoy Book 3 you need to have read the first two books.

RATING: Three and 1/2 Stars ⭐⭐⭐🌠

NOTE: I read an advanced review copy of the book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher Tor Publishing Group. The book was released to the public on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

This is the thrilling conclusion to the Take Them to the Stars series! Mortal enemies become allies as they plot to save the human race from an invasion of beings from their home planet. The dynamic between Aster and Samael made this final book highly entertaining; outrunning secret government agents and plotting to send a rocket into space made for a great read.

The ‘Kibsu by the Numbers’ section in the back of the book is a great resource. I loved that it listed all of the women in this timeline of their lives on Earth and included information about them and their contributions.

Now I will be impatiently waiting for the next Sylvain Neuvel novel to be written…

I received a digital ARC of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As usual, it’s hard to review sequels in a series without spoiling the first, but I’ll do my best.

Aster is the latest in a long line of women called the Kibsu. She believes she’s just a normal teenager until the government comes after her due to her blood. I enjoyed the 90s setting, and with the other two, enjoyed the mixture of science fiction and historical fiction. This one had the least amount of historical references, but I still enjoyed what we did get.

I enjoyed Aster as a person. We get to see her anxiety in real time as she realizes she has to do this without her mother’s help. This is an adult novel, but it has the hope and coming of age vibe of a young adult novel.

Overall, it was a good ending to the series. I do wish there were more, and the ending was kind of rushed, but everything made sense in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tordotcom for the chance to read this advanced review copy.

CW for suicidal thoughts, death, death of parent, grief, child abuse, murder, panic attacks/mental illness

The Take Them to the Stars trilogy concludes with a massive setup and a deflated resolution.

The centuries-long saga that started in A History of What Comes Next and continued in Until the Last of Me is coming to an end with For the First Time, Again. Now author Sylvain Neuvel brings his superstrong, supersmart, human-looking aliens into the 21st century, and the pressing question that drives their cat-and-mouse game is: Does Earth stand any chance against the rest of the alien civilization that the antagonist succeeded in inviting at the end of the second novel?

Let's recap: the Kibsu are an alien species composed of two lineages, male and female. They can mate with humans, but the offspring is always an identical clone of the alien parent. Since the dawn of our history, the Kibsu women have been secretly nudging us toward developing advanced mathematics, metallurgy, and finally rocket science; for the same length of time, the Kibsu men have been hunting the Kibsu women, trying to avenge their ancient betrayal and get their hands on the machine that can signal their homeworld to let them know here's a whole world ripe for conquering.

The protagonists of this final showdown are Aster, the last daughter of the Kibsu, given up for adoption and raised with no knowledge of her cosmic mission; and Samael, the last son of the Kibsu, murderer of Aster's mother and now her remorseful rescuer. Once they meet each other, they start living on the run from Earth authorities, learning to tolerate each other's peculiarities and trying to prevent the disaster that will come if the rest of their species decides to visit us.

The narration style in this closing entry in the series improves noticeably compared to the previous two. Aster's inner monologue sounds genuinely like that of a Millennial kid who understands the world in the language of grunge rock albums and Bruce Willis movies. Her snark is sharp without crossing the line into annoying, and her gallows humor is exactly the right hue of believable given her absurd circumstances. The chapters told from her perspective are a head-spinningly quick read, but the author was wise enough to intercalate some chapters focused on Samael, whose pensive, calculating personality provides the necessary counterweight that keeps the novel's rhythm from entering chaotic meltdown.

The author is aware that the dynamic between Aster and Samael is so interesting that their world-saving mission can afford to take a backseat. On one hand, it was the right choice to foreground the interpersonal push-and-pull between a hunter and a prey forced to become allies. With a genius teenager and a psychopathic assassin as narrators, this novel had to give inner feelings the center stage. On the other hand, the incongruity in the scale of stakes hurts the ending's impact. The moment when our protagonists succeed in sending a decoy that will throw the enemy off Earth's location is written too matter-of-factly; it arrives without due gravitas and ends before the reader has had time to process the experience. The dramatic sacrifice of a hard-won helper is framed in a way that makes Aster look monstrously uncaring. The crucial consequence of all their effort, the event that should have been the climax of the book, is relegated to what is effectively a post-credits scene (I didn't know that was possible with the written word, and no, I don't welcome it).

As if to tie the final bow on the frustrating way this series proposes great ideas that it can only halfway develop, the believability issue that I pointed out in books 1 and 2 reaches critical mass in book 3. I'm talking about the characters' impossible talent to just board a plane whenever it's convenient to the plot. It gets worse in this book because it's set right after 9/11, when video surveillance metastasized to total state paranoia. These are the two most wanted fugitives on the planet, and somehow they routinely make it past several international security checkpoints without even an aside from the author that would at least do us the courtesy of handwaving how they haven't been arrested a dozen times before the novel's midpoint.

Scattered hints here and there give the impression that the author may be planning to continue this series and finally explain what drove the mysterious aliens to look for other worlds to settle in. While the ending we get here is final enough for the story's immediate purposes, it does leave an aftertaste of unsatisfaction with regard to larger questions. This series could serve as a case study for a discussion on when to place the start and the ending of a plot and which events in it are the ones most worth narrating. All three entries are set in the modern day, with interludes that give very short glimpses into the remote history of the Kibsu, and one can imagine a universe where the author chose differently, starting with an unbroken focus on the remote history (which in itself could have filled half a dozen novels) and building to a truly epic finale set entirely in our time. I have to concede that the fragmentary structure of these novels as they are reflects very appropriately the protagonists' incomplete knowledge of their own past, but that effect is achieved at the expense of punishing the reader's curiosity. As a whole, Take Them to the Stars was a potent idea that deserved a less rushed treatment.

Nerd Coefficient: 6/10.

The final novel in Sylvain Neuvel's "Take them to the Stars" trilogy is a pretty wild ride that is told mostly from the perspective of Aster, the youngest of the aliens who came to earth 3000 years ago.. The author has done their historical research and it shows. Placing the story within a mostly accurate timeline gives it a weight. Really well drawn characters and a great way to close a series.

Unfortunately, I think this book is the weakest of the trilogy. Although, the author did leave the ending open enough to continue on with more in the series. The main character, Aster, seemed incongruous with the other heroines we've been following through the other books and was kind of boring in comparison. The scope of this book also felt much smaller compared to the other books for most of the plot. You can expect the same bombastic action scenes and heartwarming relationships as the first two books. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and a fine conclusion to the trilogy.

The third Take Them to the Stars novel focuses on Aster who finds out that her blood is crucial to the survival of the world.

Another good entry in this series!

I couldn't have imagined a better ending for this story. This one in particular was so fast-paced I only put it down because I could no longer hold my eyes open. I love this series so much and I know it's one I'll come back to time and time again.