When I saw that Christopher Paolini was publishing a science-fiction novel, my inner 10-year-old self started bouncing with glee. Years later, this time around, he’s traded in fantastical dragons for high-tech aliens, and I am all for it.

Xenobiologist Kira Navárez is the central focal point in this sweeping space opera. She’s about to wrap up a standard mission and settle down to a life of domestic bliss with the love of her life. That is, before she discovers an alien artifact and everything goes horribly awry...

Paolini has an effortless way of describing the ships, the planets, and space itself, transporting you easily into this beautiful yet menacing world. There’s some heavy exposition and technical jargon at first, but nothing too far from what you would expect of a sci-fi space novel of this epic scale. Fairly soon the heart-pounding action hurtles in, and it doesn’t let up. As the stakes mount, it becomes clear just how vital a role Kira has in saving the human race. She is imperfect, terrified, but ultimately brave and determined, and I am thrilled to see how she rises to the challenge.

<i>To Sleep in a Sea of Stars</i> stands on its own as a gorgeous and thrilling new sandbox for Paolini to weave intrepid adventures and craft frightening and uncertain enemies. I am riveted.

This was my first Christopher Paolini book and it was incredible! I have always wanted to read his Eragon series but haven't and now that I have read this I am going to go pick up those books. I have never been a fan of Si-Fi and since I read Brandon Sanderson's book Skyward I have reading them like crazy. If you like Skyward or Amie Kaufman/Jay Kristoff books you are going to love this! Huge Thank You to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this opportunity!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read an excerpt from To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. This excerpt was intriguing, quickly setting the stage for an epic journey to protect humanity and further discover what xenobiologist Kira has unleashed. This excerpt did a great job with introducing the world and communicating a prevalent sense of unease as Kira learns more about what she has discovered. Parts of this excerpt felt a bit cliche to me, but I would be interested to see where the story and Kira will go next. Sentient alien life forms are always compelling, as every writer puts their own unique spin on it. I love the title for this book!

I'm not usually a dci-fi fan but I enjoyed his other series so I thought I'd give the excerpt a try. It definitely caught my attention right away and I can't wait for this to release!

I enjoyed this partial e-galley quite a bit! I was hooked from the first few pages and looking forward to reading the rest of the book in Sept!! I enjoyed the main character Kira & looking forward to see what happens to her.

This is a really promising start! I've been looking for accessible, relatable science fiction that isn't exhausting to read, and this fits the bill. Excited to see where it goes next.

As this was a partial galley, my five stars may be premature but what I read was excellent. I am judging this book based solely on its ability to draw in the reader, and create believable, interesting characters and locations. I am hooked.

The story so far is kind of like Venom meets Lost in Space or Interstellar. Fans of Kristoff and Kaufman's Aurora Rising will probably like this book.

I usually read YA Fantasy, every now and then I dabble in the science fiction realm. That being said, I am not familiar with this genre. I have read the Inheritance Cycle though (over a decade ago...). Paolini could probably have written this under a pseudonym and people would not have made the connection to him whatsoever. It was very different and I want to read more.

Things I am expecting from the rest of the book (in order for it to maintain its five star rating):
1) More development of the main character - so far she's been somewhat passive and I want to see her be more proactive in driving the story
2) Development of a secondary character (besides the suit)

Review of partial galley

During a routine research mission on the Earth-sized moon Adrasteia, xenobiologist Kira Navárez makes a world-shaking discovery. Exploring new worlds has always been her dream; now it may become her lasting nightmare.

This partial “sneak peek,” encompassing the first ten chapters of the narrative, introduces the main characters, describes the discovery of the alien relic, and sets things in motion for what is to come as the story moves forward. Well-developed characters, an intriguing [albeit a tad creepy] plot, and strong world-building all work together to pull the reader into the telling of the tale from the first page.

The underlying sense of foreboding keeps the tension building as the unfolding story touches on camaraderie, romance, and fate. All but impossible to set aside, this stunning partial ARC promises readers an unforgettable tale of intrigue and wonder.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this partial galley from Macmillan-Tor/Forge; Tor Books and NetGalley
#ToSleepInASeaOfStars #NetGalley

I don't normally review books I haven't finished reading, so this isn't a review. This is a partial ARC of the novel, so these are my thoughts based on those 150 pages, or so.

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I was never a fan of Eragon. I tried to read it, but I just never got into it. The prose was clunky and it didn't gel for me at all. It just wasn't for me, I guess. Paolini was a teenager/young adult when he wrote the Eragon series, but that was the better part of a decade ago now. So, how would his writing style have changed over the years? Would I be more receptive to it now than I was as a teenager?

Well, I loved this. It's not the entire book, so I can't judge it as a whole, but I was hooked by what I read. From page one, Paolini paints a devilishly exciting picture. He's struck a better balance here with his tendency toward long descriptions, focusing more on describing what Kira is seeing and feeling. She's a compelling character and Paolini deftly develops her into someone you care about. The plot's immediately interesting, too. There are shades of other sci-fi stories - perhaps, most notably, Alien - but Paolini delivers a fresh take on some oft-tread ideas and crafts a wholly enticing story.

There's not a lot to say here. I'm just really hooked by this story. It's a great setup and I'm anxious to read the rest of it. It's well-written, well-paced, action-packed, and devilishly exciting. If the rest of the book delivers on the promises made by these first 150 pages, we're in for a fantastic read. I can't wait to read the rest.

I've never read anything by Paolini before, but I certainly will be seeking out more stories by him!

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars (LOVE that title!) was a very good match for my taste. I love worldbuilding and non-"normal" POV characters (non-human in this case).

I couldn't put this arc down. I just wish it had been the whole story! I'll be getting a copy of the book as soon as it comes out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for a partial galley of this book! Release date of the full book - September 15,2020.

I totally loved Eragon when I was younger, so as soon as I heard Christopher Paolini was coming out with a new book it became one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I immediately requested this preview and oh my gosh I am hooked. It was the first 10 chapters, which actually ended up being over 200 pages. The entire book itself is 880 pages, which my first thought was who does he think he is, Diana Gabaldon? But then I started thinking, how many pages are most trilogies? Probably if you added all three books together they'd equal well over 880 pages. So this is really like a trilogy in one book, and I honestly do feel like the length of this was almost like reading the first book in a series. The great news about this is that I only have to wait until September to read the next "two books"!

I AM SO HOOKED on this storyline and these characters. I literally never wanted to put this down. I LOVE that Christopher Paolini decided to go sci-fi this time, and although I do get some vibes of books like Defy the Stars and Aurora Rising, I can tell this is going to be totally unique. The world is really interesting and also has some really great creep factor, and I can't wait to see where it goes. Total cliffhanger at the end of this preview!

The way I'm feeling about these first 10 chapters, I honestly can see myself giving the whole book 5 stars. Really creative, unique world. Great characters I want to know more about. Super creep factor and some interesting developments. Space and aliens. And an edge-of-your-seat storyline. I can't wait to get my hands on this entire book.

For me this novel starts off at a slow pace and was not recognisable for the authors richly detailed and pensive style seen in the inheritance cycle. However, it quickly picked up pace and introduced an interesting alien and complexity and detail appeared in the story. By the end of the sneak peak offered i was very much immersed and intrigued. Christopher Paolini's new story would make a great science fiction universe similar to John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" or the Interdependency trilogy!

Intriguing.

I have been a fan of Christopher Paolini since Eragon. When I heard he was releasing a new novel, I was excited. I found myself hooked reading this and was sad it was only a partial galley. I need to know what happens next.

I received a partial of TSIASOS thanks to NetGalley. I was keenly aware of the years it has been since Paolini first got on my radar with ERAGON, but that debut was the deepest I had read into his works to date. Time has a way of giving authors more life perspective and tools. He's tackling scifi and it's a big book, apparently, so yes, I feel like this switch in genre/tales is a great moment to make a return acquaintance. Please note that this review only reflects awareness of the first several chapters, which could be described as an introduction to Kira and the development of her situation - presumably the big impetus for what the remainder of the book will explore.

He's busted his chops to get here, and I feel it shows. The writing does have some of those tendencies towards the familiar in character responses, like relationships between Kira and her crewmates and lover. I noted and approved of the work he's done to find science which backs up his material. When I think something is feeling a bit rote, he swerves, and provides solid, confident storytelling that moves the tale along. I was thrilled to find myself engaged and drawn in. He has a good sense for differentiation. Certain unexpected characters gained nuance. Technology gleamed. I particularly like the alien details, and various nemesis - human and others - that confront Kira along the way. Paolini is considerate of the situations he is developing, and his voice holds some reflection on existence that could be enjoyable as Kira's tale unspools. I enjoyed the ideas he has presented and yes, they could go interesting places.

I haven't read any blurbs or further details about the book, so ahead of its publication, all I can say is this is an adventure I'd happily continue on. I'm looking forward to seeing the book in full later this year.

I was a fan of the Inheritance Cycle books when they first came out so my interest was piqued when I saw Christoper Paolini wrote another book in a completely different setting. This book is advertised as Sci-fi and fantasy, but I think Sci-fi and horror would be more accurate. The story is written like a horror novel, and has some similar elements as the movies Alien and Venom. Paolini's writing style bugged me at first- it seemed like he was using way too many adjectives to describe the setting, but it got better as the plot took hold. I was only able to read the excerpt of the book, but it was a fun and quick read. The plot and main character were intriguing enough that I want to read the rest of the book when it comes out to see where the story goes.

Kira has finally gotten engaged and decided to settle down with her fiance as a colonist on a new world. Her plans are ruined when she checks out some strange formations during a mission and she falls through the ceiling of a strange room that may have been made by alien hands. There she discovers a strange relic that may prove to be as helpful as it is deadly, but humans aren't the only ones who want it.

Greatly enjoyed the wild ride this story took me on. The mystery elements of the new discovery made me eager to find out more and made it impossible for me to put this down. I was disappointed when I reached the end of the excerpt purely because I wanted to keep reading to finish the story. Can't wait to read the rest and highly recommend this.

"To Sleep in a Sea of Stars" by Christopher Paolini follows the story of Kira the Xenobiologist who studies biology on alien planets in the deep reaches of space. Kira has been on multiple missions and is ready to settle down with her new fiancée Alan when things go terribly wrong. Kira and her team are finishing up a job on Adrasteia when she stumbles across an oddly shaped rock formation that she decides to explore. During the small side expedition, she makes first contact with an alien life form that now threatens everyone she knows and loves. Will she escape? Will she be able to save the others?

This new novel by Christopher Paolini has the same descriptive and elaborate diction that has become his signature. He does an excellent job setting the scene and world building so that the reader is transported into deep space. The beginning of the book was a little choppy though as there were a lot of names of people, places and ships provided up front. It was difficult to keep all of the names straight without something to reference before hand. It would have been helpful to have either a longer world building section to become more familiar with the names and terms or perhaps an infographic at the beginning of the book with cast of characters or map of the planets/locations etc.

Kira is in for the fight of her life, and I am HERE FOR IT! My heart broke for her in the beginning of the story with the events that unfolded and I can't wait to see what happens to her next in the second portion of the book. She is just the right mix of loving, dedicated and driven to make me want to cheer for her to succeed and really stand behind the character. She's tough as nails when she needs to be and worried or preoccupied at times when she can be softer.

I loved the beginning of this book and I can't wait to see where this story goes!

Wow! Welcome back Christopher Paolini! I was very excited to receive this ARC for review, since I've been a long-time fan of the Eragon series. Just from the limited text. Was given to review, I can already tell this book will be excellent. Though it's very different from his more well-known stuff, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is everything you'd hope for in a new novel (maybe series?) from such a great author. Fans will surely be pleased with this one. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for this chance to read and review! I can't wait to read the rest in September!

Since this wasn't the full story I have a hard time rating it- I definitely want to finish the book but I can't say how anything past part one holds up.
It is an intriguing story, if not a bit predictable. We know her True Love will die when he is introduced, we know that She will benefit from the alien and it's (so far) a classic conflict of two species that humans are now in the middle of.

The relationship and loss of Alan wasn't emotionally vesting. I felt little for her loss, despite the continued reference to it. Paolini has grown since his hit with the Eragon series but not enough to be considered someone who has fleshed out characters. They are intriguing on the surface but the intrigue fails to go deeper.

It is a predictable but enjoyable read.

I NEED MORE OF THIS BOOK!!!

Firstly, I would like to greatly thank Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an advanced partial galley of this in exchange for an honest review.

When I discovered that the author of the widely famous Eragon series was writing his first novel in almost ten years I was captivated! I grew up reading the Eragon books when I was younger and could not wait to get my hands on his new work and discover how his writing style had evolved! And then, by a stroke of luck I was granted a partial advanced copy!

Let's dive right in shall we?

We begin this tale with the protagonist Kira Navárez, a xenobiologist, on a routine mission on some uncharted planet. The mission is wrapping up, quite successfully, when one of their radars/beacons discovers something out of the ordinary. Kira is sent to explore this and literally stumbles upon an alien artifact. This is a major discovery in the sense that only one artifact has ever been discovered in the history of mankind signifying the existence of intelligent alien life. However, what she discovers infiltrates her body and renders her unconscious for a month!

Following a series of traumatic events (I won't go into spoiler territory here), Kira is isolated onboard a military vessel against her will and undergoes testing to better understand this alien artifact/entity. We know very little about the entity at this stage other than the fact that it bonded with Kira's body and is very dangerous. She is subject to a number of increasingly cruel tests and torture to determine a weakness of this. The term lab rat comes to mind-they don't even treat her as if she is human.

Things quickly spiral out of control from here as we switch the stage to the next section of the book. We witness a HOSTILE ALIEN SPECIES, an EXPLOSION OF CATOSTROPHIC PROPORTIONS, we witness the EXTREME ISOLATION of space travel, but most importantly, we are granted MYSTERIOUS VISIONS that begin to unveil a much more ELABORATE PLOT that will propel the story forward with increasing tension and velocity. What is the purpose of this alien species? Was its home destroyed by another more hostile species? What is Kira's role in all of this? Will she survive to find out? There are so many questions left to answer and I am hooked! I simply cannot wait to devour the rest of To Sleep In A Sea Of Stars!!!

I would highly recommend this for fans of The Martian, space operas, Hugh Howey's Beacon 23, and obviously fans of Christopher Paolini!