“Defy the Stars” eBook was published in 2017 and was written by Claudia Gray (http://www.claudiagray.com). Ms. Gray has published 22 novels. This is the first in her “Constellation” series.

I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the far future. The primary character is 17 year old Noemi Vidal, a fighter pilot for her home world of Genesis.

Genesis is in a war with Earth. During a battle around one of the gates that allows high speed travel between the settled worlds, Vidal’s best friend is injured. They are separated from help so Vidal takes her friend to the remains of an Earth ship left behind from an earlier battle.

Inadvertently Vidal frees an advanced robot left behind nearly 30 years earlier. At first they are adversaries, but the attachment between them grows over time. With her unexpected ally, Vidal travels between the civilized worlds to find a way to save her planet.

I enjoyed the nearly 10 hours I spent reading this Young Adult Science Fiction novel. There is a bit of romance and a bit of action. I liked the character of Vidal and of the robot. The cover art depicts the gateway which has a significant role in the story. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

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I'm embarrassed to admit how long it took me to read this! I actually really enjoyed this human/robot sci-fi adventure romance. There was really great world building and I found the characters incredible, but there were times I felt a bit lost and confused about the plot. It was very well-written, but the details sometimes were a little too much. I did like that the book brought up a lot of questions about right and wrong, as well as humanity, religion, and faith. Fans of sci-fi shouldn't feel put off by the romance aspect of the book. It's actually really slow burn between Abel and Noemi and isn't the focus of the story.

The best part of the book for me was how Noemi and Abel developed and grew as the story progressed. Each character evolves and changes as they are forced to make difficult decisions and question what they believe. Abel really stole the show though and his POV chapters were my favorite. His logical and matter of fact manner, in addition to his unexpected sense of humor, made him incredibly endearing. The book has a fairly open ending, and presents the possibility of much more to come. I'm excited to see what's next for Noemi and Abel!

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

Claudia Gray does an excellent job of creating a realistic and dark future where humans have colonized the universe. Earth has been nearly used up and the leaders are looking for a new planet to hedge their bets and they want Genesis to be that planet. The people of Genesis have rejected much of the technology that have led Earth to environmental ruin and are willing to die to protect their planet and way of life. Romeo and Juliet meets an environmental dystopia full of adventure and moral ambiguity.

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Defy the Stars. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Noemi Vidal is a seventeen year old soldier, willing to die for her planet and her people. During a battle in which Noemi needs to find shelter and essential supplies quickly, she comes across an abandoned ship with an unexpected surprise.

Abel is a prototype, the very first in an evolving line of robots, who are enemies to Noemi's world. Will the unlikely duo find a way to work together and come up with a plan to save Genesis?

Defy the Stars could have been a very good novel, but the author decided to segue to a favorite of YA authors everywhere: romance. The book was interesting enough without it, especially in regards to the science fiction aspects. Artificial intelligence is fascinating and would have carried the book on its own. I liked the characters of Abel and Noemi as separate entities, but together they did not make much sense. That being said, readers who enjoy YA romance will enjoy Defy the Stars.

I really enjoyed Gray’s Firebird series; I loved the way she handled an intricate multi-universe and dimensional travel but when I heard that she was tackling space… but not only space, but artificial intelligence, rebellion, war and because it’s Gray a complex romance?

I couldn’t be more aboard if I tried and I’d like to start my review off with saying that Claudia Gray does not disappoint!

Defy the Stars starts with Noemi Vidal, a seventeen-year-old soldier fighting to save her planet. In a matter of weeks Noemi is expected to give her life in order to give her people the time they need to come up with a way to win a war against the humans and androids/mechs of Earth.

Abel is an advanced mech that nobody knows exists except for his creator and master, Professor Burton Mansfield. Abel has been trapped on a deserted ship in space for 30 years until Noemi stumbles aboard searching for help. Due to being rescued Abel allows for Noemi to become his temporary master believing it to be a step closer to getting back to Mansfield. Although Noemi uses her new position to her advantage and drags Abel across the universe in order to save her own life and her planet.

“I thought you were opposed to engaging in prostitution to fund our travels.”

“That’s not what I—is prostitution your answer for everything?”

^ Hard to explain but oh my god, I laughed so hard. You'll get it once you read it ;)

What I Loved

What I loved about this book was that Earth was the villain. Earth got greedy, created mechs and once they had destroyed their planet they took over another one. This is totally believable; I mean I can totally see this happening. The world building and plot was slow in the beginning but soon picks up. Gray has created a beautiful universe that she shows off to it’s full potential.

The relationship between Noemi and Abel was one I truly savored. Abel slowly becomes more human the more social interaction he’s involved with, I mean watching him finally use sarcasm was such a highlight for me. I didn’t think a relationship between an AI and a human could have so much snark but Gray managed to pull it off, some scenes were hilarious! Poor Noemi grew so much as a person, it took me a while to warm to her character but once I did I became so invested in her story.

“Your soul is bigger than your programming.”

Defy the Stars was the best mix of the Starbound series and Illuminae. Noemi and Abel battle across the galaxy in order to save the people they love. Loyalty and love are both tested and there’s more than one beautiful moment that had me questioning humanity, filled with terror for my favourite characters and bursting with pride and love them. In short this book will put you through the ringer but it’s more than worth it, I can't wait for book two!

***I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.***

It’s been a few months since I read Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray, but I’ve thought about it often. A combination of sci-fi, dystopia, and even a little romance make it a top read for me this year. The book opens during a space battle and the action never slows. It hooked me from the first page and I didn’t want it to end. Plus it’s duel POV in limited 3rd person…..AMAZING!!!!

The premise of the book is pretty cool. Earth was apparently dying so they settled several planets by going through a worm hole to do so. Only one of those planets is identical (or as close as it can be) to Earth….Genesis. Genesis is everything Earth should have been. They believe in relying on nature as much as possible so as not to pollute and corrupt their world. And after so many years (I’m not really clear on how long they have been settled) they are fighting for their independence from Earth. This civil war has been raging for fifty years and GUYS!!!! It reminds me of a cross between Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars. Y’all it’s epic!

Noemi is young, but fierce. I love her and her dedication to her world. She believes in what she is fighting for and even volunteers to be a part of a suicide mission to disable the wormhole/blackhole thingy (sorry, I can’t remember what she actually calls it in the book). But the mission goes awry and she winds up finding Abel and taking a trip through the galaxies.

Abel is an oddity. He’s a mech, but not just any mech. He’s the original mech, the A version, the first. He was supposed to be rumor, but Noemi finds him alone, trapped on a disabled space ship where he has been for fifty years. Can you imagine being by yourself for fifty years, in the same room?! I’d die of boredom! It seems Abel has evolved. Abel is kind, he’s thoughtful, his brain has no filter which makes for several humorous miscommunications between him and Noemi. But most importantly for Noemi, he seems to have a soul. It’s hard to think of him as less than human, even if he is. The author has written his character so well…he even bleeds.

I love the relationship that builds between them. Abel is sweet and a little naive, while Noemi is bitter about the future she has set for herself. She wants to live, she wants to have a life, but she is doomed to die to save her world. It’s kind of heartbreaking her determination and willingness to sacrifice herself.

In addition to their relationship, the world-building is phenomenal. It’s everything I love about sci-fi in a young adult package. There are space battles, mechs that resemble cylons (yes cylons *squee*) and multiple worlds to explore. Each world is detailed and unique so you don’t get confused about where they are. Like Noemi, I want to be selfish and explore them all.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. While the pace in the beginning was kind of slow, it does a 180 about halfway through and I couldn’t read it fast enough. Beautifully written I can’t wait for the second book in the duology. If you enjoy scifi, I highly recommend it!

I am a fan of Claudia Gray already but after this book I have become a #fangirl. Looking forward to using this book in my book club where adults who love YA fiction get to read a book, discuss, and meet the author on Skype mostly every month!

This book was on my Summer Reading List. Impressively, it lived up to all the expectations. Humanity has expanded to the stars and mechs (highly advanced machines) are everywhere. But one of the colony planets doesn’t want to become the next Earth in terms of tearing the world apart for resources. So Genesis has gone to war with Earth for independence. Noemi is willing to give her life for her planet but when a chance falls into her lap that could save her and give her planet a chance to recoup from the war, she takes it even if it means working with one of the most advanced mechs ever created, Abel. From there, the two journey throughout the Loop (the colonized planets) to gather what they need for the scheme to work. During the time, both grow and change in ways that surprises them both. There are also some great secondary characters that I would love to read more about. This books is about morality, relationships, and character growth. Very good and would recommend even if you are not a big sci-fi fan.

I was really looking forward to this book. I really was excited about the Sci-Fi and Space aspects. I did like the concept of the book once I started reading. Unfortunately, I just could not connect to the characters. The plot was compelling though so I finished the book. In the end, I liked it, but it took me a long time to finish because I wasn't invested. I'll keep an eye out for the sequel, since I do want to see where this series goes.

I love Claudia Gray's books, I find them unique and engrossing. Her stories are full of action, her heroines are smart and complex, and her heroes are swoon worthy. Naturally I was extremely happy to get my hands on an early copy of Defy the Stars and I was not disappointed.

I loved the premise of the book and I liked Noemi and Abel a lot. Noemi is brave, she is ready to die in order to save her planet, Genesis, and to stop the war with Earth. She is strong and kick-ass, and I'm a sucker for strong heroines! I found Abel funny and endearing, he reminded me of Sheldon Cooper a little. He is extremely smart and nerdy (he is the most advanced mech/robot after all), he posses a wealth of knowledge in all different areas but because he is not human he doesn't understand human emotions. When he starts to develop something akin to a human way of thinking and feeling he doesn't know how to cope with that. This results in some very awkward interactions between him and Noemi. One of my favorites was when he offered Noemi to practice kissing with him because he is, of course, programmed to know everything about the topic. It made me chuckle quite a bit. But there were some very sweet moments too, when he was discovering what it feels like to have a connection with another human being and to not feel lonely. It was fascinating to watch this pair grow from enemies to friends and to watch Abel discover his human nature.

Defy the Stars is also an action packed adventure. It has space travel, battles, hot pursuits and a number of very interesting secondary characters: space vagabonds, terrorists, mad/evil scientists just to name a few. The ending was satisfying but there are many more adventures and trials in store for Noemi, Abel and the vagabonds and so I cannot wait for the second book

This is certainly science fiction at it’s best. On the surface it seems like a typical scify romance or something along the star wars theme, but it is so much more. There is a lot of depth to this story in particular along the lines of what it means to be human. It did remind me of some of the old science fiction stories I read growing up, especially the ones that explored some of the same themes around robots and artificial intelligence.

The story is told through the two main characters, Abel and Noemi. For most of the book they are stuck on the spaceship just by themselves. So the character development is just supreme, especially Abel’s. Noemi also goes through a lot of change in her thinking, not just about Abel himself, but her core beliefs about her planet and their war with Earth. They do meet others along their journey, most are helpful and some not so much. It was fun to see the reactions to Abel, especially when they find out that he is a mech. The whole mech idea is very well done in this book. They have some human qualities, such as skin and blood and nerves, but they are programmed and only know what they need to for their jobs. There is quite the contrast between Abel and the other mechs when they interact.

I also really enjoyed the worlds that they visited. They were all so diverse and interesting. What made them different from other science fiction planets, is how the they were used by earth. They were not just extensions of earth for colonization purposes, but had distinct reasons for their existence. For example, one world was just for vacations for the wealthy and another was just for the scientists. I don’t think I’ve come across this kind of earth expansion before. The wormholes they travel through were also well done, and a nice use of current scientific principles of space travel.

This was an extremely well done novel, with great characters, interesting settings and a plot that kept your interest. Although you expect there to be a lot of romance in the book, there really isn’t. Abel and Noemi develop a close friendship and have a lot of mutual respect for each other, and perhaps they are falling in love by the end. Abel certainly thinks so. But there is still more to this story than that.

As a disclaimer: I'm not a huge sci-fi reader. Sci-fi fantasy like The Lunar Chronicles or The Starbound Trilogy is one thing. This is straight up sci-fi, with ships and androids, in spaaace. Although it's not my thing, I'm sure for this reason, others will find this book way cooler than I did.

The technical terms slowed me down but I was still interested in what would happen next because of the main characters, Noemi and Abel. I liked the way both of them processed things, especially Abel. His straight to the point and often tactless observations were fun to read. A lot of passages also succeeded in making me think and for that I do not regret reading this book even though it took 3 months...

Out of this world. Action packed and will keep you wanting more. Noemi Vidal is willing to give her life in order to save her planet Genesis against the war with Earth. She comes across Abel who has been stranded over 30 years alone on a space ship. He looks human but is a one of a kind mech. He was designed with a purpose but what it is he is not aware. All he wants is to go back to his creator and in the time being protect Noemi. Noemi didn't expect to trust Abel since he is a mech but they become friends and she sees how Abel is not just a machine but might even have a soul. Will they be able to save Genesis from a death mission and will Abel finally find out his purpose? Will Abel and his creator reunite?

I am looking forward to book 2! Great book and will keep you riveted.

Defy the Stars Review: A Scintillating Story That Soars Beyond the Galaxies

At first, I was actually quite hesitant to read this one. I didn’t have the best experience with Claudia Gray’s previous Firebird Trilogy, but I couldn’t resist an adventure and romance set in space. I’m extremely glad I picked it up in the end though, because Gray writes extremely complex characters in a star-filled world and casts a delightful exploration of humanity. She discusses what exactly makes us human in a time where mechs and robots help us do our daily tasks. I couldn’t help but fall in love with each of the characters as they found their own purpose and role in their life and followed their development from beginning to end.

Set in an indeterminable future, DEFY THE STARS reads in present-tense between the limited third person point of views of Abel, the Model A mech that Earth citizen Burton Mansfield created, and Noemi, a Genesis soldier who found him abandoned in a ship on the warzone of her planet’s surrounding space. There is a glorious transition from enemies to two soldiers who start trusting each other, and eventually perhaps more than that. The emotional growth between Abel and Noemi’s relationship was extremely well-paced and so heartwarming to read about. I absolutely love their banter and especially the way Gray explores Abel’s curious transition from a machine to something… or someONE more.

Gray writes this brilliant world with a balance of technological processes that don’t become too winded, and descriptive planets that perhaps reflect situations of the Earth currently. Genesis is a planet that seceded from Earth and its other planets, choosing independence over being governed by another planet. Noemi is a strict soldier raised as an orphan in her planet, but her parents’ heritage is from Chile in Earth. In twenty days, she’s bound to serve the army and participate in the Masada Run, a suicidal technique where soldiers sacrifice their life to destabilize the gate that shield the wormhole which connects the various planets, buying them time to win against the independence war with Earth. The other planets are diverse in both terrain and population, catering to different classes of human beings. However, only in the Earth-owned planets do mechs exist: machines in the guise of humans that can do daily functions.

Abel is such a mech, and when Noemi finds him, it is far from any romance that one of the versions of the star-crossed cover expresses. There is insta-hate and insta-wariness, and as Abel’s programming commands him to follow Noemi’s orders, a bigger mission comes out of her loyalty and devotion to her planet. This mission will allow them to traverse through the galaxy, stopping on the planets and gaining new friends and allies – as well as enemies – as the characters question the faith and loyalties that they were raised (or programmed) with. Additionally, Abel’s programming soon evolves beyond a normal mech as he finds his own (rather snarky) personality and feelings.

“‘You broke free, Abel. Your soul is bigger than your programming.’”

The dialogue takes the cake in discovering this part of his character. Already from the beginning, we see Abel’s snarkiness creep in, no matter how neutral his tone or actions may be. Abel has this superiority complex for being the most advanced mech to ever been made (with great reason as well), and he can’t help but state this in subtle ways with the enemy soldier that commands his every wish now. Noemi can definitely hold her own, however, as her rapier wit and cutting responses will leave readers grinning at their exchanges. From this kind of dialogue progresses a more trusted understanding of the other, as well as trust in the <i>actions</i> of the other, and from there perhaps something more for each of the characters. Honestly, the steady (and rather slight) progression in their relationship made me want to squeal at the smallest glance, the most distracted thoughts. And- omg, don’t even get me started with the references to the movie <i>Casablanca</i>, because I’m going to have to clutch my heart.

“‘I’ve begun to understand how you think and what you want. That means I can see through your eyes, too, instead of on my own, and it’s as if the entire universe expanded, grew larger and more beautiful.’ He pauses. ‘You even make me think in metaphors.’”

The amalgam of secondary characters only enhance this story, as we get to see the questionably loving paternal attitude Burton Mansfield has toward his creation, Abel, Vagabonds that live in ships and seek honest work in planets, extremely intelligent and playful scientists, and curious rebels that have their own grievances with Earth. Noemi and Abel’s interactions with each of these characters were so entertaining to see as it all added to a component of their characters – for Noemi, the interaction between people outside of her planet Genesis, and for Abel, the increasing amount of feeling he gets from each new friend, each new ally. Gray discusses the meaning of being human between the dynamic political situation and the actions that arise from it, making Noemi wonder what constitutes as being human, and seeing such life reflected through a man-made machine.

With the thrilling adventure and plots set up like STARFLIGHT by Melissa Landers, as well as an immersive world with various planets and people like STITCHING SNOW by RC Lewis, DEFY THE STARS will be another YA scifi that will defy your expectations for a thought-provoking space adventure. Abel and Noemi are three-dimensional characters that readers will have no problem connecting with, even as one battles between programming and will, and the other seeks faith in a path she cannot foresee. I’m so happy this is a series and not a stand-alone, because the ending IS rather conclusive, but it leaves a lot of strings hanging, thus making excellent set-up for more stories to tell after this one. Let’s just say that I thought about this book long after I read the last page, and it will be another stand-out science fiction read for me for this year.

Normally, I’m not a big sci-fi person. If it’s sci-fi with more fantasy, then I’m more likely to read and enjoy it. However, Defy the Stars was pretty much pure sci-fi. And the pages - oh, there were SO MANY PAGES. It could have ended so many times, but it keep going and going and going. I’m glad that I read it, but I personally feel that it could have been shorter. In spite of that, the action and adventure were exciting, and someone who likes science fiction will love Defy the Stars. Everyone else might enjoy it as well. Bonus for fans - there are more books coming!

This was the delicious space adventure I've been looking for! I loved travelling from planet to planet, exploring how humans have spread across the galaxy in different ways.

It was great seeing Abel grow as a character and become more and more human and is able to defy his own programming. The relationship growth between the two main characters was also fantastic to read.

I'm eagerly awaiting the next book!

I enjoyed this book very much. I don't read as much fantasy as I used to, but it is still a favorite genre and Claudia Gray's Defy the Stars was a well written and compelling science fictional tale that caught my interest immediately and never let go of it. Noemi is a seventeen year old soldier who has dedicated her life to fighting for Genesis against their sworn enemies on earth. She will risk anything to protect her people, even give her own life. Abel is an android created on Earth who has evolved over time. When he and Claudia and Abel meet they should simply be sworn enemies on opposite sides of a war, but instead they find themselves needing to work together on a mission that has the chance to end the war for good. As they travel they begin to realize the truths they have taken for granted may not be the actual truth and that maybe what they have fought for all along may be a lie.

I loved watching Claudia and Abel interact and begin to discover that one cannot take things they are taught for face value. As they begin to develop a friendship that grows they are faced with hard choices that had me anxious to turn each page.

Defy the Stars is action packed from the opening chapter straight through to the end. The book starts in the middle of a war and takes place over the course of a couple of weeks. The two main characters Noemi and Abel are instantly likable, flawed in their own ways and very real.

I love the different worlds and how it related to conversations we are having now about the viability of our planet.

My only complaint was that it could not last longer. I wanted more within this world, including prequels about the first war and lots after. The ending was both satisfying and not, there definitely needs to be more.

Claudia Gray wrote my two favorite Star Wars books, and is becoming one of my favorite sci-fi writers.

3.5 Stars

Although I found the first few chapters a little slow, Defy the Stars soon picks up the pace with it's multi-faceted characters and myriad of settings. The relationship between Noemi and Abel reminded me a lot of Alex + Ada, Vol. 1. I really enjoyed the chapters told in Abel's POV. I thought the way his voice slowly evolves from logical to more emotional was great and really gave the story depth.

This is definitely not science-fiction heavy. True, it takes place in space and on spaceships and other planets, but I felt that at its heart it was about the characters and their relationships. While there is AI and advanced technology present, it is the gradual friendship formed between Noemi and Abel, Abel's relationship with his creator, and the will and drive of all characters wanting a better or different life that really makes this story.

This book was creative and fun. Gray does a great job of world-building and I connected with Noemi and Abel. I liked seeing how they developed individually and as a team. Fast-paced and exciting, readers should add this series to their TBR list!