I wanted to like this a lot more than I actually did. I'm a huge Finn/Poe fan so I was excited to see a story that was fleshed out with elements similar to their story. Unfortunately, it gets in its own way quite a bit. The world building feels a little too mechanic and I didn't really care about the greater conflict that the characters were facing. Also, the chemistry between the two characters seemed a little too forced, like we were just being told they were in love not actually feeling it.

Wow, that was quite the ending!! 

Bonds of Brass started as an exciting space opera romp with two best friends from a space academy.  The stakes get high when it turns out that Gal is the secret heir to the “empire” and fellow students try to kill him.

Ettian is Gal’s best friend but is secretly in love with Gal and does everything in his power to save Gal and get him back to his family so that he can inherit his throne.  

I really loved the friendship and eventual love story between Gal and Ettian.  But I think the story really picked up for me when Wen, the orphan thief, joined the two guys and helps them join the resistance.  (Yes, the resistance who are fighting for the downfall of Gal’s family.)  

There were some really great twists and turns in this story and I didn’t see most of them coming!  

This story felt similar to a Star Wars plot and was a fun read.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the advance copy!*

this book was such a breath of fresh space air that i really needed right now in the midst of all of this happening in the world

what this book was about: Bonds of Brass is set in a galaxy far far away and it follows Ettian and Gal on an adventure after an assassination attempt on Gal who is the heir to the Umber empire. this happened super early on in the book, which set a very fast pace for the rest of the novel as Gal tries to get back home.

what i liked: the pacing was so unique and i never found myself getting bored or feeling like there was too much info dump, which i usually only find in thrillers, but the author managed to do this in a sci fi, like wow she really did that. also, Gal was honestly the biggest sweetheart and he can do no wrong.

what i didn't like: im not big on flying spaceships/the mechanics of spaceships and that was a big part of this novel, but i totally understand why the elaboration, because this is indeed sci fi. i also didn't love Wen, but i liked seeing her develop throughout the story

thank you so much to netgalley for my eARC and i cannot wait for the rest of this trilogy!!

You may know this as the cleverly marketed book that stormed social media with it's delightful list of tropes, or as the serial numbers filed off Finn/Poe space romance book, but BONDS OF BRASS exceeds expectations to become a barnstormer entry into an exciting new world. Intrigue, romance, space opera shenanigans, and more cleverly utilized tropes than you can shake a lightsaber at, BONDS OF BRASS is a surefire hit with the Star Wars/YA/space romance set.

I was hooked on this story from the first couple of pages. Ettian is just so darn loveable, and it is so easy to fall for him, and to want to see him succeed. And from the beginning you can see that he is a talented pilot and that he definitely has a strong bond with his friend and roommate Gal. From the beginning the story just felt cute. But also serious and action-packed and potentially dangerous. But even with all the chaos that ensued, I could not help but just be eternally happy while reading this.

Friends-to-lovers y’all. Plus add in the whole secret royal concept, plus pilot/military/officer school/training. Empires. Rebellion. Plotting. Daring flight sequences. Cute almost kisses. The whole falling into water/clothing clinging to bodies/staring and sexual tension…oh yeah. This book just has so much going for it.

Honestly this is probably a hot mess of a review, because my brain still doesn’t want to completely formulate coherent sentences to talk about just how much I enjoyed this reading experience.

Ettian is from an area conquered by the Empire, and could easily have turned against his friend after he discovered the truth. The fact that he stood up against his own people to protect Gal, it just warmed my heart, and got my pulse racing all at the same time.

Some of the forced closeness of the travel because of their situation was just incredibly well-done as well. I felt their connection, and the struggles to be together or not, what it would mean, what it would change, if it could last. There was just so much thought and emotion and tension and I was on board for it all.

This was just an incredibly easy to fall into, face paced, action-adventure story that was highly entertaining with lovable main characters, and an addictive storyline and pace. It just kept you wanting to turn the page, over and over and over. And then it was over and I was ready to dive into book two.

What’s going to happen next? I don’t know. We have a while to go before we get that book. So I’ll just recommend this book. Ettian and Gal are great. You should pick up this book and meet them for yourself.

*Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.* 

Representation: Bisexual MC, bisexual side character, m/m romance. 

Bonds of Brass is the first book in the Bloodright trilogy. It features- one tired pilot, a hidden prince, lots of mutual pinning, and a girl whose biggest weapon is her lethal Rainbow... umbrella. 

In other words this book should have been everything to me. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. 

Like I do with all of my three star reviews, let’s start with the positives: First and foremost- WEN FREAKING IFFAN! 

Wen Iffan was the HIGHLIGHT of the whole novel. The story isn’t even about her but from the moment she steps on page I was blown away. Literally- she likes to blow things up! Her friendship with Ettian was one I didn’t expect but want to see more of in the sequel.

“ I get Wen Iffan, a rainbow umbrella, and a swing so mean that the man’s head snaps back like an elastic band.”

Emily Skrutskie just has a way of writing badass women that makes me both terrified and enraptured by them. I mean she is the writer of one of my all time favourite female villains- the glorious Santa Elena- Wen is nothing short of a badass- a live wire through and through- but one I’m excited to see grow. 

The world building was phenomenal- I adored all the descriptions of the different planets and the story behind both Gal and Ettian’s home worlds had me hooked. 

Ettian is our main protagonist and I loved him. However, I do think his inner monologues became a little repetitive as the book continued- this for me brought down the middle- if it was different monologues each time, I probably could have got behind it- alas is was the same one. Throughout the book he’s thorn between loyalty to his best friend and loyalty to his lost home world. 

Gal was my biggest problem with this book. I just hated his character. I am fully aware that my opinions are coloured by the betrayal and anger Ethain felt towards him throughout the novel. However, it was justified- Gal is manipulative- which would usually intrigue me but I just don’t have time for annoying male characters anymore. 

Due to my immense dislike of one side of this OTP- I wasn’t here for either their romance or friendship. I will say, the romance has a slow build up and I haven’t completely lost hope. I mean upon reading Captive Prince for the first time I despised Laurent, so maybe Gal will surprise me in book two. 

Overall: It wasn’t my favourite book- The plot started off action packed but the middle dragged it down. However the ending was brilliant, and I do think, Bonds of Brass was a good introduction to the trilogy. If sci-fi is your genre and you’re interested in reading about some morally grey space gays- you might just enjoy this more than me.

A fun story of empire, survival and how far one is willing to go to achieve a goal. It was just fairly typical and nothing really stood out as being that new. The surprise reveal at the end was expected and I was hoping for more nuance with the characterization. Also, the turn at the ending by the MC felt rushed and a little unbelievable. Also, it felt like what is was which is Star Wars inspired and while that is and of itself not an issue, it does make it feel unoriginal and with the characterization and prior actions being unbelievable, considering the ending, I am not sure I will read the next book. Also, surprise reveals feel very forced when the reader spends the whole time in the MC’s head.

I both really liked some and really struggled with other parts of this book, but what I think it comes down to is that the impressions and expectations I got from the way Bonds of Brass was advertized did not match with what it delivered.

Content warnings include: violence, war, invasion and oppression, what essentially boils down to attempted genocide, hostage/being taken prisoner situations, homelessness; mentions of torture, death of parents, execution, electrocution, child abuse.

Bonds of Brass starts off diving straight into the action with Ettian, the protagonist, and Gal, his best friend, already being best friends and classmates, roomates and pining for each other, and involved into what quickly turns out to be plot that puts the future of several Empires at stake. I get why so many books, including this one, chose to start with characters already knowing each other and having established relationships, and it works, but I will never get as good a grip on the character dynamics and relationships as when they are gradually introduced and develop on-page. So, yeah, I’m not a fan of this particular storytelling device.
It also didn’t help that the romantic (sub-)plot was lukewarm at best when they did get closer.

I didn’t miss a slow introduction of the characters while reading for the most part, but in retrospect and particularly towards the end of the book I realized I have absolutely no grasp on any of the main characters’ personalities. Gal felt like a contradiction several times by inconsistent behaviour on-page, and Ettian… I had no idea about his true motivations. I do not know why he did some of the things he did, and even the ones where I do know… his only motivation in any of his actions was to keep Gal safe or to stay with Gal. To me it felt like he has no agency on his own, and only ever acts on Gal’s behalf. Several of the absolute key turns did not happen because of him having a change of mind or some character development, but due to something completely unrelated to him.

The key theme of the book was putting Ettian (and Gal) into the horrible position of having to make impossible decisions. It brings up questions of loyalty, morality, legacy, what’s right and what you are willing to do for those you love. Which I found intriguing in concept, except… in execution I found the decisions Ettian (and Gal) finally came to were extremely questionable. Which, okay, fine, that happens, except several of the worst plans they came up with also came completely out of nowhere and were wholly unecessary and needlessly cruel in my opinion?!
I’m all for morally ambiguous characters, but it just didn’t make any sense to me in this case, and worse, it made me feel miserable while reading.
(It also undermined the way the characters were described – Gal in particular. He was repeatedly said to be almost pacifistic, always wanting to talk things out and antagonizing his war-tactics teachers with violence-free solutions, and yet he repeatedly condems others to certain death, sometimes for no other reason than that he is annoyed my them. Part of this might be explained away by him being blinded or ignorant due to his upbringing and propaganda, except he’s barely ever called out for it and never admits or realizes he’s wrong.)

There are some conversations about conscience and moral and guilt, but not in any ways close to the scope of Ettian and Gal’s actions. The one big scene where they talk it out ends with them kissing and then never bringing it up again. It just didn’t feel appropriate. I also didn’t like that there was no character development or changed minds.

Another issue I found with the setup of this universe. There’s two empires, one inhabited primarily by black people and the other inhabited primarily by slightly lighter skinned (though still brown, I think, possibly latinx?) people. The former is on the outskirts and in supposedly barren planets that are, however, full of precious metals, the latter is on prosperous worlds and home to a conquering power hungry propaganda machine, that in the past invaded and took over the former. Now the former has fallen, the people and their culture are being oppressed, governors of the invading empire have taken over and “reformed” everything “for the better.”
Now put in such a setting a plot about morally-grey decisions and rebellion, and make the protagonist someone from the invaded fallen empire who cares about nothing but his best friend, who happens to be the prince of the invading empire, and combine that with the decisions the main characters make… and remember it was all written by a white author…. Hm. Yeah. I’m not so sure about all that.

Another big thing that bothered me was that so many things just didn’t make sense, weren’t explained, or ended up going nowhere. The drums were introduced as something that seemed almost magical, just to then apparently being simple drums. The bloodright thing I was wary about from the start (it’s a concept I dislike in general) and even in the book it’s mentioned to be superstitious, except then later apparently there really is something magical with it??? I don’t know??? It wasn’t explained. The Knights were mentioned so often and played such a big role in Ettian’s mind just to then also have no part in anything. And how did the rebellion not find out about Gal’s identity sooner? I feel like there were countless times were they should have found out but… simply didn’t. How was the General able to do what Ettian wanted after he knew what Ettian did before?? Why didn’t Ettian and Gal just talk at the 3487583294 times in the book and spare the drama?
Granted, some of these things might get resolved/explained/play a bigger role in the sequels.

Despite all of that, I didn’t actually have a bad time reading this, aside from the couple times where the character’s choices and their refusal to change them made me feel physically sick. Things always turned around for the better, though not because of the protagonists’ doing. The book was well written and engaging, and for the most part it was a four star read for me – it was only when it came towards the end that there was little to no character development and the things that bothered me started to add up so much I couldn’t get them out of my mind.

I think the biggest problem for my reading experience was that I expect something way happier, fluffier and funnier from the way the book was marketed with ao3-style cute ship tags and tropes. Those things all do still happen, and there are a couple fun and cute moments, but they are always short or of close to no significance.
Instead Bonds of Brass plays with impossible decisions and pits loyalty against morality, love against legacy, and dabbles heavily in the how-far-is-too-far direction. For me, the execution of that wasn’t entirely successful, but that might be because I prefer unambiguously happy endings. This very much is the beginning of a trilogy. As such, there is still much to come, character development I hope among them. Even knowing that, there was too little of that for me in Bonds of Brass.
That said, I would still pick up the sequel – I want Gal and Ettian to have a happy ending, and I want to see what happens next.

This book was so completely My Shit. 'm a huge sci-fi fan and this had honestly been my most anticipated read of 2020 for months. I was NOT disappointed! The book itself isn't very long, but I was in the world, and in there with the characters from the first chapter. I felt like I was watching a movie. They were real and relatable and funny and charming and fearless and brave. I could literally feel the mutual pining through the pages just as I could feel Ettian's conflict about their situation. I would literally die for Wen, the trash girl of my dreams. I can't wait to see where this trilogy goes, but I am ride or die with these boys until the end.

this book was everything i needed!!!  it was full of action from the get-go!  the characters were so well written and the author made me love them from the first mention of gal's name and that's impressive <3

i had to put down everything i'm reading to finish this, that's how much i loved it <3

i know it just came out but after that amazing ending, I REALLY NEED BOOK 2 NOW!!!!!

i'm gonna miss Ettian, Gal and Wen so much:'(

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an advanced e-copy for an honest review.


"A young pilot risks everything to save his best friend–the man he trust the most and might even love–only to learn that he's secretly the heir to a brutal galactic empire."       –Goodreads   

I have to admit that when I first read this I was interested, but it wasn't until the author pitched it as alike to StormPilot, this was when I was hooked.  The book, however, is a bit different, but very interesting just the same. 

We get thrown quickly into action and it keeps going on at a fast pace throughout most of the book. I was enthralled by this world and by Ettian, who is such an awesome main character. He's grown with trauma and lived feeling like a traitor for most of his youth, his only two loves are flying and Gal (Bff). This last character is such a mystery to us readers because all we know about him comes from Ettian, so it's difficult to know where his head at most of the book and, honestly, I loved that because there was this uneasy feeling I couldn't shake. As for Wen, I love her with all my heart and I want to protect her from all evil  

I believe that the book's strength lays in the writing. Its descriptions are vivid and clear, even during the action scenes. The characters are compelling and the plot it's interesting to the point that you can't put it down. My only criticism is for the romance, ironically what I was looking forward to the most. It felt rushed and forced, maybe because we don't get to see them falling or maybe because of that uneasiness the author creates with Gal's character.  

 Overall, this was a very entertaining read, perfect for the times we are living.   

This book is already out! So make sure to get your copy.
#NetGalley #BondsofBrass #EmilySkrutskie

“[T]he worlds are cruel and friends are fleeting and you’ve got to hold on to the good things as tight as you can.”


Ah yes, the angst, the pining, the PTSD from watching your world burn and being rescued by the conquerors! This first came on to my radar as being, well, basically Fin/Poe fanfic, but it’s ever so much more than that. It’s a feels-laden, trope heavy (fake dating! only one bed! best friends to lovers!) exploration of colonialism through one teen’s relationships. It’s about trauma, about meeting your heroes (and enemies), and about resurrecting dead dreams – and nightmares.

“Archon is dead. It’s gone. I can’t carry it with me. The only productive thing I can do is latch on to the opportunities that rise out of the postwar reconstruction. That’s what’s kept me alive for the past seven years.”


While there’s plenty of action (wiretram fight! fancy space battles! umbrellas!), the complex characters and their relationships are what made me fall in love with this book. Ettian is stuck in a no-man’s-land between the Archon rubble and the Umber scaffolding he’s build himself back up with. Even still, he’s convinced that his only worth is in protecting Gal – Gal, who he believes will change the course of the empire when he inherits the throne. A survivor of the bombardment of Trost, Rana’s capital city and the heart of the Archon empire, Ettian spent several years on the streets before ending up in foster care. He stopped caring about what happened and excelled at being the perfect soldier – following orders and parroting back the Umber party line. While he trusts Gal – even has feelings for him – he’s never told him about what happened before the string of foster homes, never told him about the first few years after Umber defeated Archon or anything that happened before. The only Ettian Gal has ever known is the Ettian that’s been cobbled back together from the ashes, and the worst part is that he doesn’t even realize there was a before and after. Gal, after all, still believes the Umber imperial propaganda – that they were rescuing the starving Archons from mismanagement, not that what the empress really wanted was their mines to build more ships.

“It’s just the two of us. No titles. No bloodrights. Nothing but what we carry.”


And that part of the relationship is what really kept drawing me back to the book. It’s obvious how much Ettian loves Gal, and Ettian’s pining is a core piece of the book, but Ettian is such a kindhearted person that he literally feels protective of people he just met. From the first page of the book, Ettian’s covering for Gal, from remembering his lost helmet to helping him with his half-assed assignments to rescuing him (again). Gal knows that he’s asking a lot of Ettian since he drug him into this whole mess, though Ettian disagrees, and Gal does try to shield him from the consequences of their actions. But their relationship is still uneven, and maybe it’s just because we lacked Gal’s viewpoint, but I had a hard time not viewing his actions with suspicion. Does he have the strength to stand up against his parents? Is he just saying whatever Ettian wants to hear in order to secure his help? So while I had so many feels from this relationship, I’m reserving judgement on it until we get Gal’s viewpoint in the next book.

“I swear, Wen. You know what? Every person in every system is going to know your name someday. I’ll make it my personal mission. No one’s going to forget Wen Iffan again.”


And now switching gears to a character I’m not ambivalent about! Wen is my absolute favorite part of the book – my terrifying genius rainbow chaos girl. Ettian is initially baffled by her, partly due to the degree of chaos she creates around herself and partly because he recognizes she’s his mirror. Wen’s mom was originally a crime boss in the Delos slums, and when she was murdered, Wen got a job working for her mom’s replacement – and murderer. But despite doing what she needs to survive, Wen’s held on to her vengeance, and it both shames and fascinates Ettian. There’s a recurring theme through the book about what you can’t carry with you – in terms of Ettian having to let the Archon empire go because it’s too large of a trauma for him to conceptualize, in terms of how Gal and Ettian’s relationship works. Wen is the one relationship that shows that having someone who understands you, like Wen understands Ettian, makes the burden lighter and turns it into something that you can carry.

“At least I actually fight my battles,” I snap. It’s harsh, given our current situation, but Gal knows what’s in my head better than anyone, and he gives me exactly what I expect.
“And I talk my way out of them like a rational human being.”
“Couldn’t talk your way out of this?”
“That’s what I have you for.”


Besides the characters, the plot is also excellent, tightly plotted and quickly paced. I adored the world building, from the Archon Knights to the different stone/metal/gems associated with each empire to the idea of bloodright. There’s a degree of fanfic silliness to the book through lots of Easter eggs, including several Star Wars jokes (Ettian telling another pilot to “cut the chatter” being one of them), and the banter between the characters is excellent. The one place I had concerns was the rep. I’m neither a person of color nor a bisexual man, and neither is the author. I, personally, think the story and its exploration of colonialism was done well, but I do have some discomfort around that, though it’s lessened a lot by the fact that this is obviously science fiction and not wholly appropriative of a real-life culture. I don’t necessarily believe that a white person can never write a person of color, but, as American Dirt showed, there is definitely a lot more conversation needed around whose stories we’re telling and who gets to tell them.

“She’s trouble.”
“Undoubtedly.”
“A junker girl.”
“A waypoint.”
“A distraction.”
“Chaos incarnate, more like.” I pause. “But she’s smart. Terrifyingly, brilliantly smart one second, and then the next she’s blowing up a ship. And somehow that was smart too.”


Overall, complicated relationships and ambivalent feelings about characters and silliness and all, I loved this book, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next book!

I received this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

An empire spreads when another one falls.  One cadet from the fallen empire and one from the conquering have forged an unlikely friendship that is tested when treachery, rebellion, and secrets hurl them into an intense, sci-fi romantic adventure.

Bonds of Brass is the first in the Bloodright Trilogy and opens at an Umber Imperial Academy on the fallen Archon Empire’s homeworld of Rana.  Ettian is one of the top cadet pilots and pushes hard to overcome his origins as an Archon street urchan fostered into the Umber Empire.  His roommate and best friend, Gal, makes it all worthwhile and fun.  Then, some fellow cadets stage an uprising and force Ettian to learn who Gal truly is even as he has saved his life and put them on the run.  A shot at throwing off an oppressive regime and good to return to his people has Ettian hoping that Gal is the best hope of everyone and they just need to get him into the heart of the Empire past treacherous, power-mad people wanting to use Gal for their own gain.

Bonds of Brass began with some exciting, action-packed sci-fi adventure scenes before pulling back to properly introduce the characters, the backdrop of the story, and set up for what is to come.  It can plod along slowly, but steadily through this part though this is interspersed with blips of breath-taking excitement and harrowing adventures for Gal and Ettian especially when they are joined by a young street rogue.

I was excited to see all the special attention to the development of this early book including the inter-relationships.  I could feel the story building as it progressed leading toward a big climax action scene and a twist.

I saw the big twist coming from the beginning and I saw a few other surprises before they happened.  Knowing what was coming didn’t ruin my interest.  I was riveted for the entire last quarter and flipped pages rapidly.  It ended on what might seem like a high note, but things are ominously only at the end of the first leg and there is a great deal of story still to be revealed.

The attraction and romance is there, but it is mostly simmering in the background to the action suspense side of the story.  There is already a solid friendship, but both shied away from taking things to the next level for their own reasons.  Ettian knows that Gal is destined for something big where he cannot go.  Naturally, things end up pretty dire for this pair by the end and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next series installment to see what comes next.

So, this first book in the trilogy did its job well and hooked me in and left me wanting the next book ASAP.  This book has rapidly paced rushes and introspective moments in turn while in a carefully developed sci-fi world that I think other m/m sci-fi romance fans will really appreciate.

I rec’d this book via Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.

Bonds of Brass
Bonds of Brass is an LGBT space opera by Emily Skrutskie. As the book opens young pilot Ettian Nassun saves his friend Gal Veres’ life from an assassination attempt at their military academy. After this daring rescue, Ettian discovers that his dear friend is actually the heir to the empire that destroyed Ettian’s homeland. No longer safe where they are, Gal and Ettian escape, Ettian’s only goal keeping his friend alive. Along the way, they meet Wen Iffan, a scrappy young woman with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Ettian sees his past in her, and insists she join their little band. However, Gal isn’t so trusting. The narrative follows Ettian in close first person as he struggles to sort out his priorities: how can he protect Gal without betraying his ideals or his homeland? 

Plot Development
Emily Skrutskie - Bonds of BrassBonds of Brass hits the ground running with a dramatic assassination attempt, and keeps that quick pace going throughout. There’s a lot of drama, but not in an overwrought way. That is to say that it never felt like Skrutskie was stalling for time in either the political or personal plotlines. The plot had a few twists throughout its course that kept me turning the digital pages. Even considering the twists along the way, the ending (no spoilers here!) really knocked me out. 

Conclusion: Bonds of Brass Will Leave You Wanting More (In a Good Way)
Bonds of Brass is the first of a trilogy. While its ending is not exactly a cliffhanger, it’s surprising and changes the expected course of the trilogy. That ending will also remind you just how long it seems between intra-trilogy book releases, unfortunately. 

I thought that Bonds of Brass was a really fun introduction to this world. The space battles were really dazzling, and the three characters were extremely likable, even when they weren’t doing particularly likable things. (Don’t look to this book for a chill read, even though it is a fun one.) I also found Ettian’s major conundrum really intriguing. 

I received this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

OH. OH OKAY. IT'S GONNA BE LIKE THAT HUH.

Wow. This story took me completely by surprise. I read an ARC of Skrutskie's "Hullmetal Girls" because the premise seemed really original and promising but I was very indifferent to it. I think I gave it 3.5 stars, which was actually kind of generous looking back. So I requested this book - again because of the super neat premise - with expectations that weren't very high.

HOWEVER.

This book has to be written by a different author because I was blown away!!! Ettian and Gal's relationship was the highlight, of course, but the whole notion of bloodright and the different worlds, not to mention the rise of one empire at the expense of the other, was so original and fleshed out. 

Obviously I knew that Ettian's past was going to be something dramatic since he skirted the truth of his history for the entire novel, but never did I think it was going to be something like THIS. The twist definitely took me by surprise. Nothing in the little tidbits we learned about Ettian's life after the Archon Empire's collapse hinted at his true self. 

Plus: friends to lovers to enemies to ?? Presumably back to friends and lovers again?? SIGN ME TF UP! Honestly I'm not sure if I've ever read a story where the MC and his love interest start out as friends and then do a complete one-eighty into enemies, so this is a first for me. 

This book was phenomenal, and made even more so because it was unexpected. Wen grew on me, and I empathized with Ettian's indecision with where his loyalties lay, and Ettian and Gal's relationship was at times sweet and hot and angsty and undoubtedly the best part of the story. Everything about this novel, including the world-building and the history of both the Archon and Umber Empires, was captivating. I mean, Knightfall?!? Vibroswords?!? Such awesome concepts. Not to mention all the names [characters, planets] are super cool. 

I'm beyond excited to read the second novel in this trilogy, and I eagerly await a cover and release date!!

Before I jump into this review, I want to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. It is very much appreciated!

Have you ever read a book that made you pace as you read it? That made it impossible to sit still while the story unfolded? That caused you to actually yell when Big Things happened?

Yeah, this is that kind of book! I was so freakin’ HYPED while reading Bonds of Brass and it’s been a long time that I’ve read something so action-packed! I was just going through my notes so I could start writing this review and I got hyped all over again 😂

Our main character, Ettian Nassun, has had a rough life. His world was destroyed when the militaristic Umber Empire invaded and overthrew the Archon rulers. Ettian spent years just surviving, but now he has fought his way into the Umber military academy and is one of it’s top pilots. He’s striving to forget the past and try and build a life for himself in this new empire. But then, Ettian saves his best friend (and possible crush), Gal Veres, from an assassination attempt and learns a disturbing truth: Gal is the heir to the Umber throne. Now, he has to try and safely deliver Gal home, but he finds himself torn. Does he throw his lot in with a Gal, the man who he has fallen for and trusts to not be as cruel as his parents? Or does he join the brewing rebellion and help them to take back their empire?

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I don’t know any other way to say it! This was a heart-pounding ride that snatches you in, buckles you up, and says, “Ya better hang on to something.” The plot grabs you from page one and rolls out in such a well-paced, thrilling way that you can’t help but enjoy the journey! The action has your heart in throat and you pumping your fist. And, even though it’s a mile-a-minute, it doesn’t feel rushed or unreal. It’s perfectly paced, in my opinion, and such a delight to experience.

And the characters! Can I just gush about Ettian for five pages? Because I absolutely adored Ettian! He’s so conflicted and nuanced and brave and wonderful. Emily Skrutskie did such a fantastic job creating a character that has two sides of himself in constant conflict: the side that is a proud Archon and the side that is trying to be a dutiful Umber citizen. It’s such an interesting dynamic and one of my favorite parts of the book. Gal is pretty alright, too… I guess…

Can you tell I have a favorite? Naaahhhhh 😅

Kidding aside, all of the characters in this book were beautifully written. They were all well fleshed-out, which I appreciate in the first book of a trilogy. I want to be able to get a feel for the major players right away, not wait til book three to finally get some layers. I also thought the romance was super adorable. Just… so freakin’ cute! I was rooting for our boys from the moment they took off on their journey. I don’t really like it when romance takes over the plot of a fantasy/sci-fi story, but this was perfectly balanced.

Another aspect of this book that I really appreciated is… kind of hard to describe? I’ve mentioned before that I grew up in the military and was in the military for over six years. When I was reading about Ettian and Gal’s time at their military academy, it just brought back so many memories! And the descriptions of the base was so spot-on for many an Air Force base where I’ve worked. I just really loved that feeling of the familiar. I know, I know, it’s pretty niche, but it’s yet another reason this book was so incredible!

Also, THE ENDING! Prepare yourself. Honestly, even if you prepare yourself, YOU ARE NOT READY! So. Good.

Final thoughts: Are you in the mood for a thrilling space adventure with a dash of m/m romance, a pinch of rebellion, and a hell of a lot of conflict? Then you will absolutely love Bonds of Brass! It’s a white-knuckle thrill ride that will have you bouncing out of your chair. I’m stupid excited that this is the first book in a trilogy!

Ettian & Gal are your typical friends & roommates at the Umber military academy—until a routine flight exercise turned attempted murder sets everything they thought they knew about themselves and each other into a tailspin.
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ROYAL INTRIGUE! Space romance! Someone On The Internet said this was like gay Star Wars with the serial numbers filed off. Since I’d just seen TROS & was sad it was over (& bc I’ll buy anything Oscar Isaac is trying to sell me), I requested BONDS OF BRASS by Emily Skrutskie.
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Other than it being in space & having an Evil Empire, I’m not sure I get the SW comparison? But I didn’t care, bc this book is tons of fun! If you’re looking for a character-driven space fantasy to lose yourself in, with everything from ships with personalities to cool tech to quirky pilots (not gonna say which character from which beloved-but-short-lived cult scifi show I saw in this book…but if you read it & have a guess, holler!), & not SO much world-building that you get bogged down in it, then this is the book for you. I raced through the first half, fully engrossed. Around the halfway point I cottoned on that it was the first of a trilogy (should've read the fine print, oops!) & I wasn’t going to get resolution. At that point, the emotional storyline started to drag for me. The motives of the main character were kept murky (to himself & the reader, it seemed) longer than they needed to be, & when the final ‘ahaha!’ moment arrived I was gratified but fruuustrated we hadn’t gotten there 100 pgs sooner.
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Still, I appreciated Skrutskie’s characterizations & the queer representation in this kids-on-the-run galactic adventure, & I'll absolutely be diving face first into book 2 as soon as it's available to see how the story spins out. BONDS OF BRASS is out today—thanks to @netgalley & @delreybooks for the dARC. And check out the fabulous playlist for this book at @randomhouse books on Spotify!

Emily Skrutskie has a knack for queer YA sci-fi, and Bonds of Brass, out today, is no exception. This novel starts with a bang and builds up to the first kiss.

Seven years ago, the Umber Empire crushed the Archon Empire in a victory that shattered the capital world of Rana. As a way of cementing their hold on the planet, the Umber Empire established a military academy there. Two years ago, an Archon survivor named Ettian joined the academy, quickly rising through the ranks to become the top pilot in his class. His roommate (and crush), Gal, is a decent pilot himself, but tends to have his mind elsewhere.

Ettian’s world comes crashing down around him (and not for the first time) when, in the middle of flight exercises, 2/3 of his squadron abandons their planned formation to attempt to shoot Gal out of the sky. During a desperate attempt to save his best friend, Ettian learns the truth of Gal’s identity: he is the heir to the Umber Empire’s throne. Forced to flee the academy, Ettian and Gal begin to piece together a plan to return to the Umber capital, but there are lots of secrets both young men have been keeping from the other. If they’re going to survive long enough for Gal to take the Umber throne, they’re going to have to start talking.

Bonds of Brass is a strong first entry in a planned trilogy, with loving nods to Star Wars (the obvious parallels to Finn and Poe), Firefly, and more along the way. Skrutskie’s love of these characters is evident, and her action sequences and humor blend seamlessly. I eagerly look forward to the next entry.

 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the eARC of Bonds of Brass in exchange for a fair review.

I found this book because of twitter, the marketing for this was almost like fanfiction: space, lgbtq, there was only one bed, royalty, friends to lovers, etc. While I do appreciate the familiar style of tags and I really adore everything they said would be in the book, I really couldn’t connect with the characters. I felt myself questioning their motivation and how realistic the characters were. I think the romance was cute. It was cute. If you like pining, this is it. It took almost half the book for them to admit their feelings and another few chapters to do anything about it. I love pining and slow burn. It’s the sweetest when two characters finally get together after a long time of anticipating it. So, needless to say, I did like the romance in this book, though at times, it felt like they go backwards on progress. I’d say, readers that like slow burn romance and space will enjoy this way more than I did.

<i> ARC provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. </i> 

I was drawn to this book by the promotions the author and Del Rey were doing for it on Twitter, saying that it was perfect for fans of Finnpoe that were left unsatisfied by their arc in episodes 7-9. I can honestly say that it delivered on that front 1000%. If you’re a queer Star Wars fan that craves a less complicated plot and a bit more focus on the action/adventure + the friends we make along the way, <i>Bonds of Brass</i> is the book for you. 

This take on a space opera was so refreshing, and I think it’s approachable enough for people who are new to the sci-fi genre. Not only were the characters fleshed out and bursting with personality, but the world(s) we were in had such complex history while remaining entirely understandable. We have an imperial fleet, we have a rebel alliance, and we have two boys that hail from each... and space adventures ensue! 

Sometimes the adventures our cast of characters were thrown into bordered on absurd, and this made the middle of the book a bit hard to get through at times. But the twist at the end made it all worth it for me. 

I really enjoyed this and I’d be interested to continue the series!