Pretty underwhelmed by this one. Maybe because sci-fi isn't a genre I typically go for, or maybe because the story felt familiar since I've seen so many variations of it. The pacing was awkward as well: Skrutskie almost immediately drops us into the action with no time to establish the world and characters, so I felt jarred for the first several chapters. A good portion of the book was also told to the readers: more so with the characters at the beginning, but the world never took on dimension because of this. Going off that, I didn't really click with the conflict or cast. Ettian was just okay (I forgot his name more often than not) and Gal was super dull (same applies to the romance). Wen, though, stole the show as well as my heart. And the big reveal? I saw it coming a mile off.

Probably won't be reading the rest of the trilogy, but I wouldn't not recommend this to others who are more invested in science fiction and space operas.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is #1 in the Bloodright Trilogy, can be read by itself without you wanting to pull your hair out because of a cliffhanger, though you will be happy for #2. Two young men are pilots at the Umber military academy, one of them, Gal, from Umber, the other, Ettian, a local Archonian defeated by Umber who has tried to find a way forward under that last 7 years of Umber rule. Ettian has become the best pilot and best friends with Gal, possibly in love with him, so when a seeming assassination attempt is made on Gal's life, Ettian never hesitates, even when he discovers Gal is actually the Umber heir to the throne. And assassination plots of heirs to the throne are not so easy to evade, and make for quite an adventure as the young men are faces with constant split second decisions on what to do and who to trust, including each other. Ettian is constantly torn between his Archon roots and his faith in Gal. Gal is torn between his cold, violent Umber royal upbringing and his desire for humane change. And a wonderful piece of chaos is introduced in the character of Wen, a street urchin and born pilot who latches on to them knowing a good thing when she's found one. Most of all is the moving love story of Gal and Ettian, their hearts pulling them together, their backgrounds tearing them apart. Great reading on many levels.

He’s the heir to a galactic empire, hiding out as a random cadet at the military academy on a newly conquered world. And he’s a traumatized kid who lost everything in the conquest but is determined to make a new life in the conqueror’s military—and in love with the guy who turns out to be the imperial heir. When the local governor makes a power play against the heir, they flee together. But will love be enough to get them through the resulting secrets and plots as they discover that not everyone who was defeated is willing to stay that way? A decent trilogy opener, though the traumatized kid’s secret was pretty clear by about halfway through.

An exciting adventure of space and love. Went into this book completely blind and enjoyed every minute of it.

One of my favorite books of the year and I cannot wait to read the sequel. The plot was fast paced and I could not put the book down. I loved the characters.

This books has been everything I have been wanting from modern space opera. Intergalactic war, bloodthirsty rulers, and morally grey heroes who will do anything to survive. I have been joking with friends that I wanted books that were basically ‘lgbt people in space’ and this felt like a dream come true. I loved the journey the main character traverses that highlights how survival has been the only thing keeping him going for years. And he’s determined to survive even if it means a betrayal of his legacy. At times I questioned some of his decisions but in the end it worked out almost the way I hoped it would. I can’t wait to read the next installment and will be encouraging others to read.

This was a fun ride. I’m sometimes overwhelmed by sprawling space operas, so this interplanetary story with a small but mighty cast of characters was a welcome relief.  I drew several parallels to Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series (apart from RR’s expansive cast) – propulsive pacing, an absorbing narrative, and a charming underdog looking to topple his subjugators. Ettian’s personal journey and evolution of loyalty is quite compelling. Author Emily Skrutskie unspools his story slowly and pulls on his allegiances from several different directions.

The tone of Skrutskie’s prose is casual yet sharp, which is always a nice combination and makes for a pleasant reading experience. I tend to gloss over extended space battle scenes, but her descriptions of space flight and aerial dogfights are vivid and engrossing.

Despite a lull in pacing and some rushed story beats in the back half of the novel, I enjoyed this to the end. I’ll be interested to see how the future books play out, especially with what unfolded in the final few pages.

4.5 stars
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

With a secret prince, a pining boy, and a Suspiciously Sturdy Rainbow Umbrella that shows up partway, there's no way this book wouldn't have been an attention-keeper. The book starts out well, but something within it (possibly due to my own self-interests) failed to hold much of my attention, though I could see and appreciate how well written it was. Once the book truly picked up pace, it was near-impossible to put down. I've spent time reading and re-reading this!

Stormpilot references were kept small and simple, more like Easter Eggs than deep plotiness, which added to the appeal, and kept Ettian and Gal their own characters. Like other books could stand to do, characters question "bloodright" and inherited monarchies, something I always enjoy seeing.

Well-plotted and filled with humor, this is definitely a book for a cozy read on a cold day.
I'm still so upset that I feel as if I screwed myself, because I truly want the sequel now!

This is a lot more than the marketing would have it seem. It’s not just two best guy space pilot friends with a dash of will they won’t they that happen to resemble a certain popular pairing from a galaxy far far away that join up with a Resistance. Ettian and Gal are their own people, and the world they live in is fleshed out in subtle, fun ways that make it clear that while certain tropes may be invoked (forbidden love! Close quarters! THERE’S ONLY ONE BED), this isn’t just capitalizing on the lack of a certain capitalization in another franchise. We get an unreliable narrator in Ettian, especially with the twist at the end. This is apparently going to be a trilogy, and with the twist in the last two chapters, I’m interested to see where this goes.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Ettian is a pilot, the best in the Umber military Academy. His life was destroyed when, seven years ago, the cruel Umber empire invaded his world. Now he's trying to forget his past, to surrender himself to the notion that the Archon empire, where he lived, is gone for good. But when a group of his classmates tries to kill his best friend Gal (the boy he loves), Ettian is ready to do anything to protect him.
And when he discovers he's the heir of the Umper empire, his life is changed forever.
Torn between his feelings for Gal and his loyalty to him and the notion that there are people willing to fight back against the brutal Umber empire, Ettian doesn't know what to do and keeps playing a game of lies and deception until the moment he's forced to chose. Is his love for Gal and hope he would be a better emperor stronger than the rebellion and his truth?

Bonds of brass if the first book of The bloodright trilogy, set in a world where the brutal Umper empire invaded and controlled almost everything.
I liked the plot, the worldbuilding and the setting of this book, but I found the pacing a bit erratic, because sometimes it was too slow and others too fast.
Told by Ettian's POV the reader follow his insecurities, doubts and questions in a book packed with action, adventure, running, love and friendship. Its characters are captivating and interesting, full of love, shadows and secrets.
For almost all the book Ettian is confused, because he can't decide between what is right and his feelings for Gal, but he's ready to do anything to protect him. Even condemning others' life.

It's clear Ettian loves Gal and he wants to do the right thing protecting him, because he feels he would be a better ruler than his parents. For him, Ettian gives up his life at the Umber military Academy and risks everything, running from people who want to capture and kill Gal. Ettian is stubborn and determined.
For most of the book there isn't exactly a love relationship, a romantic involvement, except few moments where they had to fake to be together to avoid suspicion while plotting plans, but in other parts of the book or they are avoiding one other or they are trying to fight their feelings, because of what Gal is, an heir, so the people he loved would be used against him.

Throughout the book Gal changes a lot. From a funny and chaotic best friend to an angry and withdrawn person, that makes Ettian wonder what's the real Gal, if he actually knew him. His costant wondering and asking Ettian if he was with him...Gal lived fearing for his life, shaped to inherit his bloodright and he changed a lot. It confused and frustrated me, because sometimes I wanted to hug Gal and others to hit him and yell at him. Same with Ettian, because it was clear he was keeping a huge and devastating secret.

I liked his relationship with Gal and how much they obviously care for and love each other, making me cheer for them, hoping they would talk to each other, bringing everything in the open.
Their relationship, moreover, is full of lies, misunderstandings and deceptions and I frustrated me, because neither of them was absolutely honest, even though they loved one other.
It was annoying reading the conflict in Ettian, not because it wasn't justified, but because it was too recurring and I really couldn't understand his motives, expecially reading the plot twist in the end. So I will definitely reading the next book, because I need to know more!
I like Wen and how she and Ettian share a past and can understand each other. She's brilliant and wild and I liked how protective Ettian is of her.

Overall this book was a good read and I will definitely read the sequel, because I really want to know more about Ettian's and Gal's feeling, relationship and what will happen next to them and the empire.

Like many of you, I first heard of this book through FinnPoe shippers and the hilarious summary on the back. I pre-ordered the book immediately, and I was so excited to be able to review an ARC through NetGalley before the book is released. This was one of my most-anticipated books of the year and I was worried that it couldn't live up to the hype.

It does not disappoint! Bonds of Brass is a science-fiction action story with healthy doses of romance and humor. It has references to other franchises (Star Wars, of course, but I also caught Firefly and The Avengers) without feeling derivative. I loved all the characters, even when I was angry at their decisions. The universe felt well thought-out. The pacing of the action and character development felt good. My only regret is that the next book is not available because it ends on a heck of a cliffhanger. Kudos to Emily Skrutskie for creating an exciting new sci-fi series that will have broad appeal.

Bonds of Brass was a highly anticipated read for me, and luckily, it did not disappoint! We love a friends-to-lovers story, although both the book and the relationship are much more complex than that. I'm not a hardcore sci-fi fan, but the planets, their allegiance to the galactic systems, and the travel between was more or less easy to follow for me.

What I liked best about this book was that Skrutskie writes more complex politics and characters than most YA authors, whose typical hero/heroine is (somehow) the last hope of a fallen empire, and that hero/heroine unequivocally fights for revenge and to right how they/their people have been wronged. Sure, it makes sense, but it's done over and over and unless the book has other redeeming qualities, really starts to fall flat after awhile. Whereas our main character here, Ettian, has 1) a much better understanding of revenge and revolution and what that means for both sides, and 2) is multi-faceted and realistic enough to recognize there IS no one right answer or a perfect happily ever after in times of intergalactic conflict. He's pulled in all different directions from his loyalty to his people, his principles, and the boy he loves, and it's really well done and makes for a really interesting character.

I definitely recommend this one when it hits the shelves, and, as for me, I'm already anxiously awaiting the sequel!

This took me a little while to get into the world building, but once I was in, I was all in--empires and princes and street urchins, oh my. I do love a queer space opera, and I'm very very ready for book 2.

This book has been hyped so much, I was worried it wouldn't hold up, but IT SO DID! Though it's often been compared to Finn/Poe, I'd caution readers from expecting exactly that dynamic. The one between Ettian and Gal is far more complex and--at times--rockier, but it's so compelling! If you're looking for a space opera with complicated politics and morally gray characters (actual morally gray ones, not, uh, genocidal murderers and their victims) this book's for you! The plot races along and never drags, all the characters are lovable and compelling, and that ending!!

The world-building was a little generic (think Star Wars meets Firefly), but the conflicts and tension between characters more than makes up for it. I'm dying for the next book!

This book was an absolutely thrilling delight.

This is a solid crossover from YA to adult sci-fi (published by an adult imprint following characters in their late teens).

This book is set in a world several years after a bloody takeover from an empire steeped in violence and power struggles. Though the war is over and the Umber Empire has won, there are pockets of resistance that leave the worlds on the cusp of a revolution.

Ettian is a survivor of the war. He lived on the streets for years after his parents died and his home was destroyed, he was disregarded by his people, and was eventually put on track to become a pilot for the Umber Empire. His only goal is survival, and he feels no loyalty to his former empire and the new. His only loyalty is to his roommate and close friend, Gal, who befriended him in his first year at the academy they both train at.

Gal is charming, friendly, and intelligent but ultimately mysterious. After an attempt on his life, Gal is revealed to be the heir of the Umber Empire. He and Ettian escape, but Ettian quickly begins questioning how well he really knows Gal.

Wen is an orphan, the child of a mob boss who was killed many years ago on a neutral planet. Wen is unpredictable, cunning, daring, and is the only person Ettian has felt comfortable enough with to discuss his difficult past.

This book is a thrill ride, packed with non-stop action, engaging space battles, emotional moments, romance, and empire wide political implications.

Ettian is such a complex and understandable character, even when you don't agree with some of the decisions he makes. I loved the interactions between Ettian and Wen. The romance between Ettian and Gal was so intense, and I found myself questioning Gal's intentions so often that it was also terrifying.

BE WARNED this book has a serious cliffhanger! I'm already dying for book 2 in this series.

A quick note - I know this book is being hailed as the FinnPoe book we all deserve, but the dynamic between Ettian and Gal is nothing like FinnPoe! Gal WILL inherit the violent empire that ruined Ettian's life and that makes for some seriously conflicted loyalties. I worry about this comparison because of reader expectations.

Go preorder this. Don't even bother with my review, just buy it. This is a story of conquest: conquered and conqueror. Both living under the same roof. Fighting for the same team.

And I lived for it.

Ettian Nassun's life did not go as planned. He lost his family in the war and invasion that ended with his planet, and the entire Archon empire, being captured by the militaristic Umber Empire. After he lost everything, Ettian lived on the streets before joining the Umber military academy. There, he thrives, becoming the best pilot in his class and a new sense of purpose. His old life is gone. He'll make the best of the life he does have.

Gal Veres is his roommate and best friend. And maybe more, if Ettian wants to risk their friendship. Gal is the kind of guy everyone likes, he can talk people into doing things they wouldn't want to do on their own. His entire time at the academy has been spent trying to work against the Umber tactics and find a different way.

Oh, and he also happens to be the heir to Umber Empire.

And the secret comes out when their entire class turns against Gal during an exercise and tries to kill him. And Ettian jumps up to protect him, even when he finds out that Gal's family is the reason he went through all the hell he has gone through. This decision wasn't without internal debate. Ettian feels like he is betraying his Empire, the Empire he lost, while also feeling like protecting Gal is his way through to the future. Which is a big feature in Bonds of Brass: Ettian's internal struggles between who he was and who he is trying to be.

But even when Gal is safe again, he isn't. Locked away in the headmaster's office, Gal is unable to escape and is about to be used as a tool to threaten his family with. Ettian breaks him out and they go on the run. Which is when the book, and their potential relationship, really starts going. Two teenagers, on the run, trying to figure out how to get the heir to an empire home without alerting those who wish him ill.

So they go to the empire next door, the Corinthian Empire, which the Umber empire hasn't yet set its sights on. They figure the bad agents wouldn't be looking for an heir in the territory of their neighbor and not-quite-ally-but-also-not-enemy. However, they're in a stolen ship they have to unload, with no other resources. And the planet is harboring a rebellion from former Archon Empire.

Which proves perfect for Ettian and Gal's plans.

Bonds of Brass was perfect. It was young adult, and it read young adult. These two characters don't always make the best decisions. I loved Ettian's internal struggle. And Ettian and Gal's friendship together is great, too. Their dynamic was just ideal. I love how Ettian's goal is basically just to be Gal's bodyguard, friend, and helper as much as he can. Even though it isn't a role that always feels natural, except when it does.

But the real kicker is that ending. Holy shit. That ending. Read this book. You know you want to.

I need book two so badly right now, y'all.

ARC received from Del Rey Books on Netgalley. This did not affect my review.

Thank you, NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book is largely good, with just a few things that felt a little off that knocked it from great to good.

Pros: The diversity is lit, yay for queer romance front and center, the world feels real, the writing goes along at a good pace. I was in need of something fast-paced and this definitely delivered.

Cons: Some things could just be a bit better. I think the novel would have benefited from the adult science fiction treatment -- as a YA novel it feels a little unrealistic at times. In addition, the politics of this are... murky. There are some sections where <SPOILER> Ettian really has an internal dialogue about murdering a whole bunch of 'enemy' soldiers just because he is in love with Gal? And it's like... weird. </SPOILER> In Skrutskie's defense, however, politics of revenge and imperialism ARE hard and complicated and murky. So, not sure I can fault her for that.

This is a GOOD book, with a GREAT ending that I truly didn't see coming. All in all, it's worth a shot.

Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie is about two cadet pilots who are very obviously in love with each other and are living in an empire that has recently consumed another empire in a very bloody war. The majority of the story is about Ettian keeping Gal (who you find out in the very beginning of the book is a prince) safe from various people. I LOVED this book. It was angsty, romantic, fun, funny, and entertaining. And it’s gay!!! Which makes every book better.

It is a bit predictable, I guessed the twist ending pretty early on but I've never been put off by predictability of a book if its written well, which this book is!

I was originally gonna give this a 4.5 because it definitely slowed down a bit in the middle. This book is exactly what it promises to be and I would highly recommend it.

However the ending absolutely ruined me.

People keep saying Emily Skrutskie’s space opera adventure BONDS OF BRASS is basically Finn/Poe fanfic, and I disagree.

Oh, the pedigree is there, but this story has a much deeper….birthright, if you will.

If you don’t know what Finn/Poe is, I cannot and won’t help you. Employ Google-Fu to understand just what Disney *could have had* with two beloved characters in its Star Wars portfolio and chose not to.

BONDS OF BRASS is basically what you might get if FIREFLY, the BLACK PANTHER movie, and DUNE got smashed one night in a greasy little dive bar and drunkenly cooked up a M/M space opera adventure.

Because it’s YA the romance between Ettian and Gal doesn’t get too graphically physical, and that’s a good thing. It allows more time for what we fanfic shippers love best: the psychological beats of a great romance. The highs, the lows, the hard choices, exultant screams, black moments, and forged-in-fire realizations. The good stuff.

I’m not going to rehash the story from the blurbs, which should get you to PREORDER THIS BOOK.

I’m also not going to indulge in overt spoilers in this review.

There’s a FIREFLY homage in here that is so perfect it made me sniffle in joy and go look for fresh strawberries.

Ettian and Gal’s banter is priceless, and almost always serves two purposes in the story, buying them time to hatch daring escapades while humanizing them even more to readers.

Skrutskie’s writing is clear, vivid, and fast-paced. Some readers have complained that there’s too much political machination in the book, but that is the core of the plot. Others thought there wasn’t enough worldbuilding. For a YA space opera, I thought this book hit the right balance.

There are complaints that Ettian is an unreliable narrator, but I would point out he’s a teenager with deeply-buried PTSD from horrific events witnessed early in life. Even acknowledging those events could have gotten him killed in the place of (relative) safety he found.

By the second or third chapter, without reading the last chapter to confirm, I knew exactly what Ettian's Big Secret would be. I wanted to see how Skrutskie got there, and how her characters dealt with all the ramifications of that reveal.

I thought it was a satisfying first novel in the planned trilogy, and a great experiment boldly taken by the author, agent, and publisher. Along with C.S. Pacat’s CAPTIVE PRINCE series, it adds legitimately well-told and produced LGBTQIA themed stories to modern science-fiction and fantasy publishing.