Rather’s follow up to her 2019 novella SISTERS OF THE VAST BLACK brings our favorite space nuns (The Sisters of the Order or St. Rita) back, now dealing with the aftermath of work they did on the distant planet Phyosonga III, whose inhabitants were dealt a cruel blow by Earth’s Central Governance and more shockingly, the Catholic church itself.

After defying the church to do what they felt was right, the sisters have been on the lam, and rumors of what they did are spreading across the galaxy, inspiring some to look up to them as true intergalactic revolutionaries, even increasing the faith of others.

While seeking their purpose now that they’ve been blacklisted by Rome, the Sisters are now dealing with not only their ever questioning faith, but a new member and a group that could quite possibly become a dangerous cult.

Rather gives us a little more info on each Sister, and spends some time further exploring their living ship, called Our Lady of Impossible Constellations, which is a gigantic slug. It’s interactions with the Sisters are my favorite sections of this series, and the dealings with it in FORSAKEN STARS should thrill any sci-fi creature fan.

A worthy sequel that could head in many directions, here’s hoping Rather continues on this path of unusual sci-fi, conspiracy, and questions of faith.

The sisters, now estranged from the church on earth and on a new live ship, are in hiding while trying to stay financially afloat without any support. Simultaneously, they struggle with the consequences of their actions and what is the right path to take moving forward as a rebellion in their name begins to take hold.

This was decent. I think it would've been nice to get a little recap of the first book, as it definitely took some time for me to remember what had happened in the previous novella. This scope of the tension is a bit more narrow than the previous novella. But we get to learn a bit more about some of the other sisters. There is a secondary story line following a character who left the Sisterhood. That I felt like could/should have been it's own novella to give that story a little more depth, since it is beautiful. And I loved learning more about the ships. Overall, nice follow up to the first novella.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for the gifted copy

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars is a remarkable follow-up to Lina Rather's previous novella, Sisters of the Vast Black. I have a soft spot for stories that engage with the tensions one so often encounters in the intersections of religious faith, moral requirements, obligations to institutions, and personal dreams, desires, beliefs, and aspirations. Both novellas do so beautifully, Sisters of the Forsaken Stars building on and expanding the foundations laid in its predecessor.

If much of Sisters of the Vast Black’s focus was largely on individual choices, Sisters of the Forsaken Stars zooms out to place more consideration on the consequences choices made by both individuals and groups can have not only on those groups and individuals but on the futures of whole societies. The stakes grow ever greater for these spacefaring nuns and all the people they encounter, but Rather’s writing remains eloquently personal.

There are a lot of reasons I would recommend this novella. First of all, it is a pleasure to read, written in clear, unfussy prose that largely stays out of the story’s way without becoming dull. Its themes are immensely engaging, their particular combination of faith and queerness making for a truly captivating read. This is a deeply moving story, and the kind of thought-provoking that will keep readers thinking long after the last page is turned.

I received a free e-ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Sisters of the Vast Black was one of my favourite reads of 2019 (a decade ago it feels) so I was thrilled to see that Rather had written a sequel - I hit pre-order with nary a second thought. Pleasingly, I was also approved for an ARC. The series is set in a distant future, where four systems have slowly been colonised by humans, in a society still recovering from a terrible war between the insidious, destructive control of Earth and the colonies who strike out for their uneasy and uncertain independence. Sisters of the Forsaken Stars is set shortly after the events of Sisters of the Vast Black, as the sisters of the Order of Saint Rita confront the consequences of their actions and how they will handle their legacy as war rears again. This is a fascinating setting and Rather excels at worldbuilding that supports the story.

However, the real core of the novella for me was the intertwined relationships that have formed over the far-reaching corners of space. Once again, this is an ensemble piece with sisters from the last novella returning.

Much has changed since the beginning of Sisters of the Vast Black, and it is a delight to see an author further develop the sisters in careful, delicate brushstrokes revealing the many interesting backstories and character development over the course of two novellas. I loved how Rather dealt with the grief, longing and uneasiness Lucia and Gemma express, in the very different paths they have found themselves in. The worldbuilding fits in perfectly here, as secrets and past histories shadow lives. Despite the uncertain future, hope remains at the center of the story.

Nuns in space would normally be a slam dunk for me so I was surprised when I didn’t enjoy Sisters of the Forsaken Stars. Typically I tear through novellas in 24-48 years but I must have started and stopped reading this 20 times over as many days. It feels simultaneously too short - I’m not sure why it wasn’t combined with the first to be more well-rounded - and like it drags on without ever consummating in a cohesive or compelling plot. I’m sure many will enjoy this slim series, but even though space operas are my favorite sub-genre, this one wasn’t for me.

I am so stoked to be back in this world! I’m not a religious person, so the premise of this series of Catholic nuns in space didn’t grab my attention. And I’m so glad I moved past that initial hesitation, because the two books so far in this series blew away my expectations.

Our story splits between the nuns on their unnamed new ship, and Gemma and her love settling into their partnership. The nuns that used to be of Our Lady of Impossible Constellations pick up a refugee and a new postulant as they search out a place to lay low. The story of their actions at Phoyongsa III is spreading faster than they thought. While Gemma’s crew is making some startling discoveries about the nature of the living ships.

This installment is less contemplative than the first. We have fewer religious theological discussions. This makes sense as the priorities of the sisters have changed. The story is tense right from the beginning, an edge of your seat, something is coming kind of feeling.

My biggest qualm is that this feels too short. I understand the limitations of a novella. But But the sheer breadth of the storyline in this series, the worldbuilding, and the gathering storm, the questions of redemption and forgiveness feel a little choked off in this short a story. This middle parts tries to address too much, while also expanding the stakes.

On the positive side, we get to see more of all the sisters, and we actually get backstory and information without any of it feeling like an info dump. There’s a twist to the story that I predicted, but the resolution to that twist I did not predict at all.

I’m definitely going to be keeping my eye out for the next one in this series!

This author has a great imagination. This has a good premise and I stayed engaged in the story. This is a solid space opera story that a lot of fans of genre will like.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

SOTFS sits at the intersection of religion and science fiction. A small order of Catholic nuns are on the run in their brand new living ship (absolutely loved the living ships), navigating the four systems in the midst of a government backed pandemic. Are they being hunted by the government ? Yep. Is there political intrigue? Oh yeah. Do the living ships steal the show? Just a little :)

I really enjoyed the interplay between science and god, and how the nuns grappled with their own faith and conviction after the events on Phyosonga III. As a lapsed Catholic who loves science fiction I’ve often wondered how religion would spread across the universe if humans ever made it off Earth. Rather did a great job exploring god’s reach.

If you love living ships, don’t mind reading about references to pandemic (may be too soon for some folks), nefarious Central Governments, and like badass nuns, then you will love this book!

I received a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars perhaps didn't mesmerise me as completely as Sisters of the Vast Black (and at times felt more like standard sci-fi fare). It is less reflective and more plot focussed than its predecessor. Rather's writing style remains quietly beautiful however - the world is summoned vividly, without the need for lengthy description. At times, it felt as though it was setting up for further instalments, which I would be very keen to read - the groundwork that has been set in this instalment can only lead to more intriguing tales to come.
Despite not being as revelatory as the first in the series, I still found this book to be an engaging read, with some poignant moments. I would happily read lots more stories about the Sisters and this world.

Sisters of the Vast Black was a fascinating introduction to this new world and group of Sisters and I knew I would be continuing to read the series. And this second installment turned to be equally compelling if a bit different.

The sisters are now struggling a bit, feeling unmoored after the events at the end of the first book and trying to find a new purpose for their group independent of the Church. They may not all agree with each other, and Mother Lucia is especially tormented because her faith has been shaken, but they all still want to help people and heal themselves and others as much as they can. But the world has other plans for them and they are quickly pulled into a brewing rebellion against Central Governance and a possible beginning of a cult. On the other side, Gemma is excited to be with her new crew but she is finding it hard to create a new life for herself independent of the order and her faith. She and Vauca do end up in a troublesome situation towards the end and I was both amazed and sad about the way their issues were resolved.

This was such an interesting, tense and gripping follow up to the first novella. With it’s seamless blending of themes of war, religion, sisterhood and how sometimes it’s difficult to live up to the basic tenets of humanity because the world doesn’t let us - this is a very engaging series and I’m very excited to explore more of this world in the upcoming books and hoping there will be many more of them.

Sisters of the Forgotten Stars

[Blurb goes here]

The story is a sequel to Sisters of the Vast Black. While the first book is interesting, there are some missed opportunities in the second one. There are two main timelines. One of them following the sisters, the other following a character from the previous book. I think the second one is wasted. You could do without it. Maybe the third book will turn things around? Hard to know when reading a series.

Still I enjoyed it.

Thank you for the free copy!

This was so great I love the concept of space nuns and slug ships. Entertaining and original, I can’t wait for author’s new book

The sisters are back on a new ship, in hiding and laying low since the debacle on Phoyongsa III. I love this world that Rather has created, especially the living ships and how the ship is an entity, a character, whose fate and well-being is a subtle undercurrent to the plot.
This novella is definitely a bridge in the series. We’re introduced to some new characters whose motives are suspect and a concerning development in their unintentional revolution is causing the sisters to question their purpose. I wouldn’t be surprised if book 3 comes out quite soon, as many questions are raised, and the story is on the edge of beginning. Lina Rather has brought the fomenting revolution to an apex and the next installment should see it tipped into action.

A delightful follow-up to Sisters of the Vast Black. The premise of the series alone is enough to make me love it: nuns in space fighting fascism. But the stories, the characters, the depth & history & secrets, all packed into these bitty novellas, are so engaging. I'm really excited to see where the series continues to go.

Sisters of the Forgotten Stars is, first and foremost, a sequel to Sisters of the Vast Black. I read the first book when it came out and, while I recalled the framework, I forgot details. This proved a hindrance for me in appreciating the Forgotten Stars, so my first recommendation is to not use this an an entry point. The short book gets going without much backstory.

The story is a good one, featuring a spaceship based sisterhood which has broken with Earth and been forced to break with the Catholic Church while still upholding the ideals of their order. There are controversies, betrayals, forgiveness, and redemption. And wild, baby spaceships. A lot happens in this short novel, in a universe that is sketched a bit too abstractly for me. Pacing is good but I don’t really like quite a few of the characters, which left me a bit distanced. Net, net I did like this one but wasn’t enraptured.

Rather is a good writer and I will try her again. Start with the first book but do give it a try.

I enjoyed this, but wasn't swept off my feet by it in the same way I was with Sisters of the Vast Black. This story is a very direct follow up, reconnecting with the sisters not long after their defiance of Earth Central Government's attempts to suppress outsystem independence using biological warfare. This story follows both the remaining crew of the original ship, as well as Gemma, who broke away from the sect to be with the woman she loved. While both storylines were engaging, they felt very disparate. I feel like Rather could have easily focused the plot of this novella on sisters Varvara, Faustina, Ewostatewos, Mother Lucia, and the two new characters on the run from ECG, and left Gemma, the crew of the Cheng I Sao, and their liveship research for a different book. Trying to tell both these stories in such a brief amount of time leaves both narratives feeling rushed, without the room to explore interpersonal concepts such as Ewostatewos' tension with her sister Eris and Gemma's adjusting to life and love outside of the sisterhood.

I thought the book was okay. I finished it, but I was hoping for something more. I think this would be better as a part in a larger book and was not satisfied with the ending.

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars is a solid followup to, and direct continuation of the excellent Sisters of the Vast Black. Although there is certainly quite a bit of tension and suspense to keep one engaged, the scope is not quite as epic. The crux of the story centers around the sisters' struggles to square the great horrors they witnessed with their faith, and to find a new path for themselves, now independent from Rome after the fallout of earlier events. The setting in a future where Earth's central government is aggressively looking to re-assert its waning influence, with the sisters seen as potential revolutionaries, makes for a compelling context to explore themes of faith, forgiveness, responsibility and the tight bonds that can bind a small group with a shared purpose and history.

I enjoyed the Catholics in space premise. I wish there had been more details about the nuns and their personalities. In both the previous book and this one, there are fewer named characters than total characters on the ship, e.g supplies/life support for 6, but only 4 were named, so who are the other two? I think the original crew was 12, but I only counted 7 or 8 named characters. With a cast that small, it's worth at least mentioning everyone even if the story focuses on just a few of them. Especially because they had meetings for everyone to weight in on big decisions. If it was a ship with 40 or 50, it would make more sense for some of them to be a faceless crowd. But with that said, I really liked the story and the big ideas it brings up. I will definitely read the next one in the series if there's more!

From a librarian's perspective, it would probably only find an audience in bigger SF collections, since it deals with religion and also has LGBTQ characters and those two groups tend to prefer separate books.

Lina Rather is a Creative Genius. I devoured SISTERS OF THE VAST BLACK during 2020's Space Opera September and adored it, longing for a sequel. SISTERS OF THE FORSAKEN STARS is equally fantastic! Now although it can be read as a standalone, do yourself a favor and read both books, in order, to perceive the true flavor of character evolution and unfolding plot issues.

This Series, while Feminist Science Fiction with an LGBTQ+ rep, is also metaphysical, philosophical, classical, and pacifist. The established Church plus centralized government are kept under the spotlight, and the revelations come at almost faster-than-light-speed. Ms. Rather x-rays her characters, one and all: they can't hide from the reader nor even from themselves.

I hope this Series continues until the Heat death of the Universe.