I have to admit I wasn’t to keen on getting into this book. I didn’t enjoy reading the first book as much as I hoped, but I wanted to continue anyway to see where the plot takes us. It’s definitely on me, that I hadn’t such a great time.

The writing is good, solid at least, but this book heavily relies on characters and not so much on plot and that’s something I tend to not like, with some exceptions. I also didn’t remember much about the first book, only some small details, and I think it would have been easier to follow the characters and their stories if I would have remembered more or read the books closer together.

If you liked the first book though, I think you will enjoy this one as well. For me it had a similar feeling.

Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather is a novella about Nuns! In! Spaaaaace!!! Basically, a small group who travel in a living ship to be of service. So they do things like weddings and baptisms, but also healthcare, especially for nasty futuristic contagious diseases. They’re roughly a generation past a devastating war caused by Earth trying to bring all the other worlds, both in its solar system and two others, under their thumb. The effects of the war are still very present. The sisters of the Order of Saint Rita have almost no contact with Earth and get news from the Vatican only sporadically, but they’re beginning to see disturbing hints of another attempt at central governance, which nobody in the colonies wants. The characters were great, each one having a different reason for having taken vows, including one who wants to be of service but has no faith. There’s also neat worldbuilding around the living ships, how they’re grown, and how they’re modified to be used by humans.

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars by Lina Rather built on the conflicts established in the first novella. It left the Nuns in Space ready to spring off into a new chapter, which I am totally ready for.

While not quite as engaging for me as the first book in the series, I loved seeing where everyone went after the very eventful happenings of the first book. I would definitely love more in this universe.

I really enjoyed the first book of this series, though I would've liked it to be a little longer. I was, therefore, excited for this sequel, and it very much delivered. I loved seeing how the characters have changed during the year interim, and found the themes and moral quandaries really engaging. Hopeful for a 3rd book in the future!

I did not realize this was a sequel, but I thought the worldbuilding was very cool and engaging. Each of the characters were really interesting and I would def read a third book (once I go read the first!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for review.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for review***

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars is an okay sequel to Sisters of the Vast Black, depicting the events that take place after the first novella. This book is a character-driven story, much like the first book. The characters are strong once again, but the plot takes a bit of a back seat and the book suffers a bit because of it. However, the ending is satisfying and left me feeling that I enjoyed it overall. I would definitely recommend it if you enjoyed the first one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
Sisters of the Forsaken Stars is the sequel to Sisters of the Vast Black and deals with the aftermath and consequences of what happened at the end of that novella.
The sisters have been on the run since the end of the previous book but their story has leaked and revolution is being called for and they must decide the role they will take.
***
I enjoyed this, maybe not as much as I enjoyed the first novella because this seemed like such a big topic to be contained to so few pages but I still really enjoyed the look at consequences and both the importance of revolution but the danger inherent in it. I enjoyed seeing the sisters again after the way things had ended and seeing them finding a new rhythm together and a look at how after things ended in the first book, it is still very clear that they are not okay and still struggling with a lot of things and it changed perspective and outlooks for some of them. Overall good read.

Loved the first book in this series so was very excited to approved for an arc of the sequel. I kinda wish I’d reread the first one just to. refresh myself on some of the characters but otherwise I really enjoyed it. I love reading about nuns and this series is quintessential if that statement applies to you too. I did have trouble keeping some of the characters straight, which I think is the downside of reading about nuns, if not given distinct personalities they tend to blend together in those habits. That said, that is the only downside to it, as everything else about them is fascinating, especially when you put them in outer space fighting injustice.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fantastic follow up to Vast Black. Whereas the original novella was more focused on plot and revelations, where this shines is in its focus on the aftermath on each member of the order, and how they deal with what comes after their actions and discoveries. It also focuses on the stations around them, the ship that one of the members who left the order went to and her new and budding relationship (and more about the living ships!), and how the aftermath affects those who survived as well. It feels like there might be more to come in this series, and frankly, I would love to see how Rathers would follow this up.

This book explores the aftermath of the previous novella in the series, Sisters of the Vast Black. The surviving nuns of the previous book have grown themselves a new slug spaceship and are on the move again. They wonder what to christen their new ship throughout the book.

The theme of this book seems to be the genesis of legends vs the reality of the events that become legendary. Although at one point the book mentions seven sisters on the ship, we only really hear about four. The new reverend mother, Lucia, is filled with fear of making the wrong decision and endangering her remaining sisters. Sister Varvara, stolid and unimaginative, ends up bringing home a young woman (Kristen) who wishes to join the sisters as a novitiate. Mother Lucia doesn't think the timing is right for a new sister because of the danger they are all in, and she doesn't trust the timing. Sister Faustina seems to have become more comfortable with the utilitarian form of her service and is a rock for Mother Lucia to lean on. Sister Estatewos has her past catch up to her in the form of her twin sister Eris. Sister Estatewos is once again faced with the things that she and her twin did to survive, which she had hoped to put behind her.

In a separate thread, Gemma the former nun is having a hard time settling into her new crew and has no idea how to have a relationship with the woman that she has fallen in love with. There are wild space slugs in this thread which didn't get enough page time in my opinion.

The sisters fear that Earth is hunting them because of what they know about the horrible tragedy of the ringeye virus released upon a colony world in order to use the colonists as incubators for the virus. The sisters were able to stave off total disaster there, but they know too much and even if they keep their heads down that might not be enough for the central government of Earth. Mother Lucia is desperately trying to thread the needle to give her sisters a chance at survival.

I liked how the interplay of pragmatism and a sense of mission were juxtaposed in this book. People on both sides are trying to exploit the ringeye tragedy. Mother Lucia still can't get past the fact that the previous reverend mother was a war criminal who in her opinion does not deserve to be venerated for her final act. Redemption, to her, was not earned by one act of sacrifice.

But the plot was awkward. The introduction of two new characters (Kristen and Eris) didn't really do much except for gum up the plot and the two characters ended up affecting mostly just each other and generating tension at the end of the book that felt contrived. The sisters were wandering, and so did the plot, which isn't a good thing in a novella. This might have worked better as part of a novel than as a novella. Novellas have so much to do in a short time that they can't afford much wandering. I also thought that there was more than enough for the sisters to deal with without introducing two new characters. The sisters ended up focused on these characters (representing the past and future of the tiny order) instead of dealing with the huge event that they had been a part of.

I'm very interested to see what happens next, but this part of the story wasn't as engrossing for me as the first part. Also, more space slugs please!

This is a great follow up to The Sisters of the Vast Black! I enjoyed hearing more about the other sisters and the liveship in this installment. The world building is still a little on the light side, but the pacing and character development was enjoyable. The Liveship is still my favourite character though... I feel like there's still so much more to see from this series so I am hoping there will be a third at least!

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars picks up right after Sisters of the Vast Black. It’s difficult to summarize the second book without spoiling the first book so I will simply review.

Forsaken Stars follows a similar format to Vast Black, where the focus is more on the characters and less on the plot. I liked it in the first book, but I felt like I was wanting more in the second book. The characters are still great—I love them and they’re messy and I loved to learn about them. There’s a bit of a split format in this book between two sets of characters that threw me off a bit, but I enjoyed the way it came together at the end.

This world is fascinating, and I’m not sure if Lina Rather intends on writing more, but I’d love to see it. Two novellas is not enough for this fantastic world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tordotcom for the chance to read this book in advance!

CW: violence and war

This book exceeded my expectations. Which I must assure you were very high! I was obsessed with Sisters of the Vast Black and shoved that book in the face of everyone I knew. Sadly, no one read it. But this book picks up after the events of Sisters of the Vast Black and the consequences of the actions that happened. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Back in the olden times of just over two years ago, I read Sisters of the Vast Black, a charming novella about a small convent of nuns in outer space. Lina Rather’s debut in the novella scene captured my imagination and heart and left me wanting more. Fortunately, Rather has decided to continue the story of this small order, who are now on the run in Sisters of the Forsaken Stars.

Picking up some time after their defiant actions on Phoyonga III, the now nameless convent has replaced its mother superior, and is in hiding. They are slowly acquainting themselves within their new living ship updating its systems with what little they scrounge together. Resources are tight because they are no longer officially a part of the Catholic Church, and they have to be careful about who they trust. As the drums of war echo throughout the systems of humanity, a biological sister of one of the nuns requests asylum, while another woman seeks to join them. And all the while, the stories of these nuns and their deeds on Phoyonga III spread across the outer colonies, bolstering the more rebellious tendencies of those persecuted by Earth and the Church. Will the sisters ever know peace again? And can their faith survive the empty black of space without the foundation of the church itself?

If Vast Black was an examination of how faith pushes one to act, Forsaken Stars is a much more somber meditation questioning said faith. It’s a slow burn novella that soaks in the individual character’s ruminations as they come to grips with their separation from the Church. There aren’t big world shattering reveals or fast paced moments of action. Instead, Rather meditatively digs into each character, showing how they individually and collectively grapple with who they’ve become. It’s full of conversations about the nature of the Church they are running from, and the revelation that Earth itself might be behind one of the greatest plagues that humanity has witnessed. Doubt has seeped into the bones of the sister’s, and their mission has become shrouded. While they discuss matters internally, they are constantly reminded of the world outside, and how their actions have spurred a renewed rebelliousness amongst some of the younger colonists. As much as the sisters want time to process and regroup, the galaxy keeps spinning.

The characters themselves are still wonderful to follow, and Rather uses the pages to highlight everyone this time around. All of them are given equal weight in their search to understand what is the right thing to do. The shifting perspective opens up the different avenues of faith, and how it creates conviction and doubt within each member. Rather reveals the motivations and past of all the sisters, weighing and measuring their sins with a magnanimous empathy for such a small book. I would have enjoyed a longer treatise personally, but it also feels just right, avoiding a long wallow. But this is definitely the between phase before the clash, the calm before the storm of war.

Vast Black had a novelty to it, bringing religion to space and highlighting the various doctrines that have to be reconsidered within the church to make it holy. With Forsaken Stars, Rather moves beyond the novelty and cements the story within conversations of personal faith, and communal commitment. While each member had their own issues to wrestle with, their solidarity through the book really grounded the experience, making the deliberations feel tangible and relatable across the varied cast. It may not be explosive, but it’s worth your while. I pray that Lina Rather continues to deliver on these quiet and much needed meditations.

Rating: Sisters of the Forsaken Stars 8.0/10
-Alex

I was going to say something about how this mostly feels like a thoughtful character study, with a little bit of plot thrown in, until I was halfway through my next read, Seven Down, which could technically be described the same way but is a vastly inferior book (I'll hasten to qualify that I am clearly a sci-fi fan, and I venture into literary fiction with the same enthusiasm I approach vegan lasagna). At any rate, Forsaken arrived at the right mood and time (thanks, Netgalley!) and proved an enjoyable read.

I'd definitely recommend it, but there are, however, some caveats. One is a high tolerance for the question of authenticity in many forms. Though the sisters never set out to be heroes, in Sisters of the Vast Black, they found themselves taking actions that would be deemed as heroic, strictly by following their ethical dictates. Forsaken is dealing with some of the consequences of owning those actions, and choosing how they will be defined. After the fallout of Vast Black, we're also left knowing that they head of their small order was not the person they all thought she was, and some of the sisters are still coping with emotional fallout. Two, particularly now that I'm thinking about my review, though Forsaken takes place some time after the events of Vast Black, I think it would be more enjoyable to read the two closer together. I had forgotten most of Vast Black (I should have read my review, honestly), so there was a certain amount of impatience with what I saw as endless dithering. Three, and again keeping Seven Down in mind, I'd recommend one prefer the whole 'ship in space' premise.

The writing--in the 'words-strung-together' sense--is still solid. Highlights were made. The plotting felt more hesitant, and less streamlined than the first, so if you were frustrated there, you know it won't go well here. There's a secondary plot about the living ships and the ex-sister, but I don't know that it felt as integrated as I would have liked--it was rather plot adjacent. I found myself wanting to know more about what was going on in that ship, and the research they were doing. Overall, I happened to enjoy the thoughts about authenticity, responsibility and ethics and feel like that was more the point of the novella than the actual story, so take that for what you will.


Sisters of the Vast Black review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Three and a half spaceships, rounding up for thoughtfulness


Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the advance reader copy! Of course all opinions are my own.

Big thanks to NetGalley + TOR for an eARC of Sisters of the Forsaken Stars in exchange for an honest review! I thoroughly enjoyed Rather's first installment in this series and this follow up did not disappoint. Just released on 2/22, Sisters of the Forsaken Stars is what many would consider a character-driven sci-fi novel with some unique twists.

A group of nuns who find themselves having (unwittingly?) taken some revolutionary actions in novella one are now on the run from Old Earth and her religio-political powers. Getting acquainted with their new living ship, having to consider philosophical and faith-centered issues, this novel is for folks who are interested in engaging not only philosophical and human nature questions in sci-fi, but also how the Church (and its associated political powers) might affect those questions out in the vast black.

Well-paced, and adding some new faces to the series, this second novella is testament (no pun intended) that multiple faith philosophies can co-exist under one roof (or creature-ship-skin, I suppose). Rather's writing is solid with beautiful but concise phrasing, and this second novella even more than the first asks the reader to reminisce on revolutionary religious actors of the past (think Liberation Theology nuns and fathers of El Salvador and Nicaragua here on Earth back in the 70s and 80s), but if they were out in space in a future where the Church's hegemonic reach extends across the stars and in which the capitalist interests are directly threatening the lives of ordinary folks.

Also for readers who are interested in LGBTQNIA+ representation in sci-fi, and femme character-heavy sci-fi novels. I'll be looking read more of Rathers and look forward to future installments in this series!

The setting for this series is a liveship carrying a group of nuns from world to world. At each stop, the sisters are engaged to tend to spiritual rites, healing, and anything else a group of colonists far from Earth might need. Each sister has her own reason for being there. Some reasons are spiritual, some are more worldly.

In Sisters of the Forsaken Stars, two new women join the ship, one as a supplicant and one seeking asylum. Both withhold information, so you can guess where this is going. The sisters travel to a university where they hope they can get aid to see them through the dilemma they find themselves in. The dilemma: being hunted by the old Earth’s Central Governance because of what they did to save settlers on a remote world.

The sisters are on the edge of a revolution they unwittingly started. Decisions about how much they should take part in the revolution face the sisters. Maybe they should steer clear.

At the same time, Gemma, who left the sisterhood and is now on another ship has become part of a fascinating discovery about liveships. The events surrounding Gemma and the nuns are loosely connected.

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars includes themes of faith, forgiveness, and family bonds. The precipice of war and the desire for peace put the nuns in the middle of a seemingly impossible situation where any action they take could affect vast numbers of people. You don’t have to read the first book – hints at what happened in Sisters of the Vast Black, give you a basis for what is going on. But having the details will enhance the reading experience. Both books are short novels, so I recommend you start at the beginning. There is enough resolution for me to not brand it as a cliffhanger, but it seems likely that there will be a third book, considering where this story ends.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Tordotcom for the ARC of this book.
Good followup to sisters of the vast black, but I wasn’t as engaged as the first book. I felt like the pacing was too slow. The author told the stories of both the remaining sisters and Gemma who left the sect for the woman she loves, and it felt like neither of the stories were given the attention they needed. I loved the parts with Gemma and her new crew more than the parts of the remaining sisters simply because they seemed to have more content in them.

The nitty-gritty: An excellent sequel, Sisters of the Forsaken Stars delves deeper into the complicated lives of a group of nuns in space.

I’m so glad Lina Rather decided to continue her series, and after finishing Sisters of the Forsaken Stars, I hope there are more books on the way. The author takes the idea of nuns traveling through the vast expanse of space, delivering comfort and aid to anyone who needs it, and adds a good sized dollop of political tension, fascinating science and memorable characters. Readers who enjoy complex relationships will most likely enjoy this series, which is light on action but delivers big on suspense.

Note: Mild spoilers for the first book!

When the story opens, the characters from Sisters of the Vast Black have split off into several groups, following the book’s shocking and explosive ending. Having been betrayed by the Church, Mother Lucia and Sisters Faustina, Varvara and Ewostatewos are piloting a new liveship, after the death of Our Lady of Impossible Constellations. Still unnamed, the ship is a mere nine months old and still growing. No longer a part of the Order of St. Rita, the small group of women have been aimlessly traveling through space, trying to stay off the radar of Central Governance, who is trying to find them after the part they played in the disaster on Phoyongsa III. Mother Lucia knows they share a dangerous secret, that Central Governance is corrupt and wants to start a war, but she also knows they have a responsibility to report the truth of what’s happened. When they stop for supplies, they end up with two uninvited guests: Kristen, a young girl who wants to join them as a postulant, and Eris, Ewostatewos’ sister who is seeking asylum. Both are keeping secrets from Mother Lucia and seem to have their own agenda, and taking them on could prove to be a big mistake.

In another part of the galaxy, Gemma and Vauca are now flying the Cheng I Sao, far from the Order they left behind. Gemma is a biologist, and she and Vauca are experimenting with failed shiplings, hoping to grow them into something useful, and the results have been positive so far. But Central Governance is looking for them too, and with supplies running low, they need to be extra cautious if they want to evade them.

Once again, Rather is able to evoke a vast world in a short novella length and make it feel fully formed. The nuns, who used to be under the directive of the Church, have gone rogue and don’t have anyone to answer to but themselves. This gives them a sense of freedom they’ve never had before, but it also adds uncertainty to their future. Can they survive on their own, find enough food to eat, and most importantly, keep their ship fed with enough nutrients to stay healthy and keep them moving forward? Without the support of the Church, they’ve become outlaws in a sense, and space is their Wild West. What hasn’t changed is their desire to help people, and Mother Lucia is determined to find a way to expose Central Governance and share the cure for a terrible disease called ringeye, a cure they discovered at the end of the first book.

I also loved delving into the characters a bit more. I was surprised to find the most interesting relationship to be that between sisters Eris and Ewostatewos. When Eris approaches Mother Lucia and asks for asylum, Ewostatewos warns Lucia that Eris is up to something and she’s lying about why she wants to board the ship. There’s clearly a lot of animosity between the sisters, who have never gotten along, but by the end of the story, the reader comes to understand that their relationship is anything but simple. I loved the poignant emotions between them, and even though I didn’t like Eris much, I did feel for her.

And then there are the liveships, my favorite part of the story. In this world, ships are hatched from eggs and grow up to be large ships that carry people through space. Not all ships are viable, though. In this book, Gemma and Vauca decide to take some of the non-viable baby ships and help them become useful. We only get a glimpse into this process, however, and I really wanted more. We also learn a little about wild ships and rogue liveships, and we even get to meet a herd of wild ships in the last, thrilling action sequence near the end of the story. I love the way the author brings her ships to life, describing their heartbeats, the fluids that pulse through their veins and flow through the walls of the ship. In one scene, one of the women is crying, and the ships extends tendrils from the walls to drink up her tears, using them as nourishment. It was a lovely image!

Mother Lucia and her crew are caught up in events they can’t control, and in fact their exploits on Phoyongsa III have become something of a myth, their adventures taking on a life of their own. But myth isn’t always the truth, and Lucia knows they have a responsibility to reveal what’s really going on. It’s an uncomfortable position to be in, especially when you’ve dedicated your life to staying under the radar and helping others.

I didn’t like Sisters of the Forsaken Stars quite as much as the first book. I think whenever you fracture a tightly-knit group of characters you run the risk of losing some of your momentum. With Gemma and Vauca on a separate adventure, the author is forced to divide her attention, and the story didn’t feel quite as cohesive as it could have been.

However, I loved the way the author built up the suspense, little by little, and the ending was emotional and satisfying. I feel as if there are other adventures in store for these characters, and I still want to learn more about the liveships. Fingers crossed there are more stories on the way!

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.