A literal space opera with an “apocalyptic romance.” This was a high stakes sci-fi with a sprinkling of cozy romance. The characters were fun, there’s cinematic world building, and it’s action packed. Overall I found this to be a quirky and interesting read. The main characters are a gay man and a non-binary individual and are each unique personalities that meshed well together to make an adorable couple. The giant space robots of the title are also distinctive personalities and the cast of secondary characters really flushes out the already well done world building. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel! Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit publishing for the ARC.

This book is a lot, but in the best way. It's full of music, neon colors, larger than life personalities, and that's before White even gets to the giant robots. While I had so much fun reading this, it still touches on heavy topics and themes. It felt like the perfect blend of tender character moments and wild action.

We're introduced to Ardent Violet and August Kitko at the end of the world - one a bombastic pop star, the other a quiet jazz musician. The citizens of Earth prepare to celebrate victory against the giant mechas that have been ravaging human colonies across the galaxy. But things go sideways until one of the robots takes an interest in the music Ardent & Gus decided to play while the planet is being attacked - the whole scene akin to the band playing on the deck of the Titanic as it sank, but make it cyberpunk. What happens after is a strange communion and things just get stranger as we discover the state of the world - which is dire.

August Kitko & The Mechas From Space is quiet & tender at times, then loud & dramatic, and then sometimes terrifying & violent. It's like the book version of classic mecha anime but even louder & flashier. I wasn't bored for a second & cannot wait for the next book. The Starmetal Symphony is such a good title for this series. Hayden Bishop did such a good job with the narration for the audiobook - I hope they continue with the series.

Whoa… White not only writes a superbly action-packed and kick-butt tale but they’ve crafted characters you will grow to love and root for (I’m looking at you Gus and Greymalkin, the mecha.) Oh, and if that’s not enough, the book’s delightfully gay in every way possible (Ardent, you’re fabulous!). This is the first in the Starmetal Symphony series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Question, do you have a favorite Mecha/Gundam/Titan/Jaeger/Orbital Frame?

Based on that question it's a pretty easy leap that "August Kitko and the Mechas from Space" by Alex White is my kind of book.

The many world's of humanity are ending, the Vanguards and their drones have been going planet to planet killing off humanity. Now it is Earth's turn, and folks are going out with a bang. Alex Kitko is at a huge end of days party and not thrilled about it, the distance with the musical icon they hooked up with, and you know dying. But when the Vanguard arrives and are fighting each other he sets the battle to a jazzy piano number, that was a mistake if he wanted to go quietly.

Hayden Bishop narrates this fantastic story and I thank them for it, love your Dahlia. Been a busy week so I've been going back and forth with the audio and ebook.

Thank you Netgalley, Orbit, and Hachette Audio for the ARC and Audio versions. Sorry for the double dipping, but it was a happy accident.

Reasons to read:
-Mechas
-Wholesome blowjobs
-Non-bs statement from corporate at the end of the world
-Nisha conversations are a lot like mine
-casual nuking
-Apocalyptic, but make it fashion
-That's a Zero Shift, you can't tell me that isn't a Zero Shift
-The buildings on the various planets are amazing
-Space pirate as a new career

Cons:
-I want a fusion of 4 different future music genres to exist and have no clue how that would sound...

Why isn’t all of bookstagram raving about this book? It’s got great pacing with a story that is both exciting and quietly hopeful and resonant. Plus, what more could you want than literal punk rock space robots?

This space opera is deep without feeling pretentious and action-packed without feeling too over the top. It also manages on point social commentary without feeling preachy. If you’re interested in what would happen if you crossed Iron Giant with Harrow the Ninth, you might like August Kitko and the Mechas from Space. Plus, there’s just as much casual queer rep as you’ll find in the Locked Tomb.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough if you enjoy sci-fi novels, and even if you don’t typically enjoy the genre, August Kitko has so much heart that you should at least give it a shot. One of my most enthusiastic 5 star reads of the year so far.

Do you ever start a book and know within the first chapter that you are going to love it? August Kitko and the Mechas from Space was one of those books for me. This book is hands down my favorite book of the year so far! I tried to savor this exquisite space opera slowly but it was such a cinematic thrill ride that I ended up devouring it in every free moment I had. Holy Moly, y'all! I never knew I needed a book that combined music and mechas! Add in that it was an epic Gays in Space romp that is so delightfully and unapologetically queer and my heart was a goner! I cannot tell you how excited I am that this is the first book in a trilogy because I need more! Alex White is quickly cementing their place on my favorite authors of all time list.

It is the end of the world for humanity and all August Kitko wants to do is kiss gorgeous rockstar Ardent Violet and jam with them before they die. Then the unthinkable happens during their impromptu rockfest to play out the end of the human race. One of the murderous alien robots scoops Gus up so he and the rogue Vanguard can work together to destroy another Vanguard hellbent on destroying Earth. And it is nonstop action from that moment on.

I have been obsessed with mechas since I was a kid and the Traitor Vanguards have taken their spot on my favorites list. The Vanguards are like the Pacific Rim mechas on steroids had a baby with an AI. They are truly alien and have done some despicable things but are scarily cool. Actually, the only scarier thing than a Vanguard is their army of Golden Ghosts. The mecha battles in this book are so epic! Alex White did a fantastic job designing and outfitting the Vanguards with their abilities and weaponry! Each was so unique and I couldn't wait to see what they had up their sleeve next! And be still my heart! The tech in this book was absolutely fabulous in more ways than one!

I came for the mechas and space battles but I stayed for the characters and the romance. The story is told from the dual POVs of August and Ardent and I love them both so much! I just want to wrap Gus in a blanket and keep him safe. What I love about this book is that the characters are deeply flawed and not instantly transformed into badasses when they become Conduits. They feel more human because of it. Gus is a depressed cinnamon roll who knows more about jazz music than he does fighting styles. He's a bit mopey but his heart is ready to help save humanity anyway he can. His heart is also totally gone for rockstar Ardent Violet and he would do anything to keep him safe.

I loved so many characters in this book but hands down my favorite character is Ardent! They are loud and proud and a more than self-obsessed. But they have a heart of gold, can admit when they're wrong, and are totally head over heels for Gus (and their guitar, Baby) and just want to be their joyfriend. I found myself anticipating their POVs and when they would be present on page. They are gloriously epic with a wardrobe to match. I loved them and their agent, Dahlia, so much! I lived for the moments when Ardent and Gus got to be together on page. Their relationship and its development was so well done that I was literally squealing out loud at the cute one moment and yelling at them to get their act together the next.

I could go on and on about what and how much I loved this book but it is one that discovering its awesomeness is best done by reading it yourself. I need more space operas like this one in my life and the wait for book two next year might just kill me. If you are a fan of The Murderbot Diaries and/or Pacific Rim, this book is for you!

CW (this is what I caught. There could be more.): suicidal thoughts, blood, gore, injury/injury detail, violence, panic attacks, body horror, medical trauma.

So while reading this, I went through the whole gamut of ratings, sometimes it was a two and sometimes a four. Hence, I settled on a three. I am an Alex White fan and I liked the plot of this book. Starting with the end of the world, hooked me right away. And I really love the character of Gus. However, I felt like the story got lost in the very involved and repetitive descriptions of Ardent Violet, her appearance, and her fame. I would have rather learned more about the other characters. I am feeling like this perhaps could be the first of a series, and if so, I will absolutely pick it up. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

What an absolute delight! Loved loved loved all things about this. It gives all of the mecha anime vibes but with musicians. The queer rep was delicious and Ardent Violet is giving kickass vibes and I would have followed them with the same energy I had with the Spice Girls back in the day.

Also the nuanced discussions on self worth, identity and humanity was just *chefs kiss*.

And I'm kicking myself that I wasn't able to finish this before the release date, but like the cover says it's loud, and made for a hard read pre-bedtime. But it definite was worth all the weird dreams and loud brain shouting.

A fun romp in the style of a much more modern-cartoon style of reading than the traditional (and fussy) science fiction of the past. The book does not take itself too seriously and you need to be a little more prepared for that going in than I can see some readers being. This is a good pick for graphic novel converts, or those looking to ply a teen into a new genre with something fun.

I absolutely loved this! I don't read too many books that are considered space opera, but man I might have to start seeking them out because this was absolutely great. The action, the characters, the musical references and depth of emotion--it was all so good! This was an absolutely amazingly well-written, kaleidoscopic space opera that I hope everyone gives a read. I will absolutely be picking up more from this author.

I haven’t had this much fun reading a book in a hot second. I was initially a little confused, but intrigued enough to keep going, and then around the 40% mark, I looked up and was like wait I think I love this? And then around 60% I was all in, had to finish to find out what happened. I mean the concept alone is dazzling — giant mechas are sent from space (they don’t like being called robots thank you very much) to destroy humanity. But a couple of them turn good and use music to identify conduits to help them fight back. It’s loud and cool and funny, and I really really had such a great time with it — I can’t WAIT for the next book to come out! This one comes out tomorrow — you simply must pick up a copy.

Where on Earth do I begin with August Kitko and the Mechas From Space? Between the title and the cover, you have to expect you're in for a wild time, yeah? Well, you are. But I do know literally where on Earth I should begin, and that is Monaco. I won't pretend that I wasn't wholly sold from the first page based solely on the fact that this book is set in Monaco. I've never before read a book set here, but I do want to again. I love Monaco- it's gorgeous, it has a fascinating history, and it's absurdly fancy! What's not to love? I digress.

I will say, the book starts out slow. That is probably my biggest complaint, but I got past it. And once I did, I was definitely rewarded! So we meet Gus at the end of the world. Literally, everyone is aware that the world is ending, and they have basically been told to bend over and kiss their asses goodbye. Gus spends his last hours engaged in an Apocalypse Love Story™ with the very famous pop star Ardent Violet, which he figures is a great way to go out. I assumed Gus would not die immediately though, for that would be a very short book. And he doesn't! Because when the alien mechas come to kill all of humanity, one of them notices that Gus is a talented musician and decides to keep him. Not to steal all his mind and discard his human form, which is what the Vanguards have been doing, but to basically team up with Gus (against his will or consent, but alas) to try to not kill everyone.

Because some of the Vanguards think that maybe killing an entire species is not a great plan, some of the humans live, not just Gus. Ardent lives, which makes Gus positively thrilled. But they're all informed that if they don't get to work with the Good Aliens, the Bad Aliens will be back in no type to finish the wiping out of humanity. No one wants that. Gus is being pulled in different directions. Greymalkin, his Vanguard pal, has plans. Whatever is left of the government has plans. But Gus isn't really keen on worrying about the government when humanity is at stake, so he and Greymalkin have work to do.

For me, this is when the book really hits its stride. The other folks Gus encounters bring a ton of levity and camaraderie into the story, and I loved the excitement and adventure of Gus and Greymalkin trying to get to them, too. Ardent and their agent play a huge role too, in that Ardent is clearly willing to move heaven and earth, quite literally, for Gus. I really loved their romance as the book went on, too. It was clear that it may have begun as an end of the world "last hurrah", but they truly did build a bond and care for each other.

Overall, I ended up finding myself quite invested in the story- both Gus's and Arden's stories, as well as the Vanguards'. I look forward to the next installment, where I do hope we find out a bit more about the Vanguards, and why they do what they do- and what led to the fracture. The moments of levity made the story so readable, because yeah the stakes were high, but it was quite palatable with both the touches of humor, romances, and friendships.

Bottom Line: Quirky and fun while still high stakes and exciting, I will be looking forward to the next installment!

This book starts out as DON’T LOOK UP and continues into more of a PACIFIC RIM BUT MUSICAL. Actually it kind of feels like the video game REIGNS: BEYOND, which is a game about being a rockstar in space. It’s a dual-POV book and there is a lot going on, and one of them is a nonbinary rockstar named ARDENT VIOLET, which, wow. Wish I had picked that one. I said there is a lot going on, but I think it’s all working together well, making it a symphony of a book. If you liked Premee Mohammed’s BENEATH THE RISING series, I think you’ll really like this. Four stars

Love, mechas, and music at the end of the world - what's not to love? August Kitko is a loveable, awkward, semi-successful jazz musician who ends up playing a song that just might save humanking. Being a hero is all well and good, but can he save both the world and his new relationship?

This is the first book in The Starmetal Symphony series by Alex White. As the story opens, humanity is about to be destroyed by killer robots from outer space (yes, really), called the Vanguards. At one of the many apocalypse parties, August Kitko meets rockstar Ardent Violet, and falls head over heels for them. Unfortuntately, a Vanguard named Greymalkin also knocks Gus head over heels. Gus has five minutes to save the world before he dies.

Gus is an adorable everyman, caught up in something way bigger than he is and for which he seems wholly unprepared, both with the Vanguard and Ardent. The story is sparkly and fun and exciting, and you will absolutely have a soundtrack going through your head for most of the ride. Ardent is less Bowie and more Pete Burns, I felt, and Gus? Maybe Paul Simon? Gus and Ardent's first jam had me humming "Doomsday Disco" by Lord of the Lost. I'm not sure whether I wanted the author to include the soundtrack they played writing this (if any) or if I was glad I could imagine my own.

Beneath all the shiny, there's a sweet love story, some Pacific Rim-style fights, and the mystery of why the Vanguards want to destroy humans to solve. The story is covered with glitter and fire and light, and is face-paced and noisy. You can help but root for Gus, and Ardent, self-centered, but utterly loyal to Gus, will grow on you. Probably. If not, you'll like them because they love Gus.

The story is told from both Gus's and Ardent's points-of-view, and I felt that the Ardent chapters were less successful than the Gus ones. That's partially because almost all the mecha are in the Gus chapters, but also because, well, Ardent isn't entirely likeable, and the action drags in their sections. I also felt that their "love at first sight" was a bit convenient, but then, hey, it WAS the end of the world, and they were immediately thrown into battle.

Fun, if a bit clunky in places. You won't be sorry you tuned in.

4/5 stars

This had a fun concept (the book starts at the end of the world!) full of giant mechas, lots of music, and a diverse cast of characters. It's queer and vibey. In fact, it was one of my highly anticipated reads for the year.
Unfortunately, I had a lot of trouble with the writing style and the characters. I felt like I was fighting through every page and not connected with the story details or the people in it. It was hard to tell what was going on. I tried so hard to love it, but I gave up on this at just under halfway through, so I can't speak for the second half of the book.
I would still recommend this to some readers, in particular those who enjoy a silly action style and quirky queer sci-fi. There's a lot of discussion of music and music theory in this book, so people who appreciate that will have fun.
I'm bummed I didn't end up liking this one because the premise sounded SO good. I read an eARC from NetGalley, thank you for the chance to read this.

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for the complementary audiobook and physical ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

August Kitko and the Mechas from Space, was an absolutely amazing ride! A perfect symphony of fun, plot, action, romance, AI Mechs (don't call them robots), loveable characters, great character development, music, and even a little spice. This books has it all! I absolutely devoured this book and was left wanting MORE!!! Now THIS is what I call a true space opera.

I loved the entire cast (Gus the most), as well as the masterfully written queer/gay/non-binary representation. And that ending??? What a way to leave the reader wanting more. Standing ovation! I need the second book immediately!

This book was wild and so fun! Though it was nothing like I was expecting I had such a good time with this story. So satisfying and unpredictable, a take on mechs I'd never seen before, I loved every minute of it and can't wait to see what comes next.

Let me start by saying that I really, really wanted to like this book. And I didn't dislike it, but on the whole it left me pretty disappointed. I also want to say that I think this book deserves a read, especially if you like mechs, large-scale space battles (with mechs), queer and nonbinary characters whose queerness is not the focus, music and music theory, or sci-fi where the fate of humanity hangs in the mix. Just because it ultimately didn't hit for me like I wanted it to doesn't mean I think it's a bad book or that other readers shouldn't give it a chance.

First of all, the good: I loved the concept! I really enjoy the centering of queer and nonbinary characters without their identity being a plot point or an issue. There were moments of world building that were very intriguing as well.

Here's the problem: This book had so much potential on several fronts, and it failed to live up to that potential. Do I like the idea of fighting with and against giant mechs in a battle for humanity's survival against an unfathomable enemy? Absolutely! Is the idea of using music to commune with said mechs cool, if a bit anime-ish? Definitely. Am I open to two people falling in love against the backdrop of what will likely be the last days of the human race? Sure!

The problem is that after getting me invested in these ideas, the book failed to convinced me that I should care about any of them. The mech idea and ultimate conflict is cool, but it's sidelined for so much of the book in favor of Gus and Ardent ogling each other and thinking about how it's so inconvenient that saving humanity keeps them from hooking up. The mechs all have special powers, but we don't spend enough time with them to really understand their personalities. The enemy is creepy, but aside from an info dump 2/3 of the way through the book, we never see anything about its motivation, and after said info dump, it's barely addressed in the climax in favor of an underwhelming mech battle. The end of this book feels anticlimactic, even going beyond the fact that it's clearly setting up for a book 2. Nothing feels resolved! Throughout my reading experience, I kept getting excited about where I thought the story was going and then quickly feeling let down by it not ever fully going there.

The heart of my issue is the focus on the relationship between Ardent and Gus. It's a relationship I could certainly get behind if given enough to do so. Unfortunately, I don't feel that Ardent, Gus, or the relationship between them was ever given enough care and development to truly get me invested. Ardent and Gus both seem like fairly one note characters (especially Gus, the nominal protagonist). Gus has past trauma, but it's barely addressed except as.a stand-in for character development. Ardent's relationship with their agent/friend is more nuanced and interesting by far than their relationship with Gus, which pretty much consists of them constantly staring at/thinking about each other and how sexy they find each other. It's not only boring, but also tonally at odds with the stakes. It was incredibly immersion breaking for me for every rising action event to be interrupted by a character's inner monologue about how much of a bummer it is that *insert rising action event* delayed their ability to have sexy sex with their sexy sex partner. I'm being a little hyperbolic, but the tone of the relationship and the tone of the actual mech plot bits were so at odds, and Ardent and Gus switched so quickly from "ogling my sexy sex buddy" to "about to die of literal heartbreak if this person dies" so quickly and so often that it gave me whiplash. The problem is that it all felt unearned. The author told me (again and again and again) how much Gus and Ardent loved each other, but there was very little that I felt truly showed me that they did.

Ultimately, parts of this reminded me of fan fiction, not because the quality of the writing was bad or the concept was trite, but because fan fiction relies on having a reader base that is already engaged in the characters and world because they have been created and developed in the source material. Therefore, fan fiction can skip straight to the "juicy bits," so to speak, and show characters being incredibly into each other without much lead-up because readers get that from the source material and their interaction with it. It felt like the author expected me to have this background of caring and understanding about Ardent and Gus; if I did, then perhaps the whole novel would have been more enjoyable. But I dove into this as a reader unfamiliar with the world or the characters, and I don't ever feel like the work was put in to help me get immersed and invested before just telling me things that wouldn't matter unless I was.

August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White is a kaleidoscope of a space opera story mixed with music notes and cinematic worldbuilding that takes the reader on a wild robot-fueled ride. If I had a visual comparison, think Speed Racer by the Wachowski sisters, mixed with Pacific Rim by Guillermo Del Toro. It is a whole vibe and one in which Alex White revels. You know he had to be cheering on the characters as he was writing this.

The plot starts with August Kitko staring at his demise on the cliff's edge. August, Gus for short, is one of our protagonists, and he is a lover and player of jazz who truly feels music in his soul. But like his fellow humans, Gus has resigned himself to the fate of imminent death. He is at a party at the estate of Lord Elisa Yamazaki. The last party of humanity is a literal "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die" affair.

"These are Gods, and they speak with infinite choris."

Humans are dying, not with a bang but with a single discordant note. An army of AI sentient Mechas from space are slowly destroying humanity by downloading each person's consciousness and killing their bodies. Some of these killer robots break off, join the humans, and fight for humanity. The only caveat is that these robots need humans to pilot them, a prospect that would fundamentally change the human pilot forever.

Alongside Gus, we have our other protagonist Ardent Violet, a mega-pop star who shines with an inner light all their own. Again, in the same way music sings for Gus on his piano, music sings for Ardent on their guitar. Unlike Gus, Ardent is super famous. Both Gus and Ardent's lives become intertwined. They have undeniable chemistry with one each other.

The Vanguard arrives on Earth in the form of a mecha named Juliette. A giant sleek purple robot set to start the maiming and destroying of bodies and reaping of consciousnesses. Then with an explosion of a "colorful Borealis of solar particles rippling across Earth's atmosphere," a sleek black Vanguard streaks across the sky. It is Greymalkin, the destroyer of seventeen worlds. The humans stare in stunned silence at the display of power, much like ants would stare in horror at an oncoming boot. The titans crash into each other in a thunderous cacophony. The Vanguards speak to each other in musical ululations, and above it all, Gus picks out F Dorian the favorite of jazz musicians everywhere.

Instead of gawking with the multitude of slack-jawed humans, Gus wants his true solace at the piano. "He taps the F-zero key, and it's like heaven under his fingertips." Gus lays in an effortless sound that "shifts modes to keep in sync with his new playmates," the Vanguards crashing into each other outside. Gus dances over the sound of the robots outside as if they are playing for him. "If they want to end the world, fuck them. At least he can make it catchy." Gus plays for the lost dead, his friends, his family, and the last vestiges of humanity.

Then ardent, whom he connected with earlier, come in like a ray of sunshine; they brandish a red metal flake strat. And they prepare to play to the end of humanity until a black metal fist punches the wall in and grabs Gus.

One of the particular thrills of this story is the love of music and art. The story itself ebbs and flows like a symphony. I am not sure if that was a purposeful stroke by the author or me reading into it from being swept away by the descriptions of music. But the descriptions speak to the universal connections music gives us that are not bound by language or creed. Outside of the main characters, Gus and Ardent, the supporting characters we meet later in the novel also have a deep love for music, but with different instruments. I love that White is touching on how music is culturally boundless.

If you have giant robots, we have to talk about the fights. Firstly, we get descriptions of every Vanguard that comes in swinging. The descriptions and names are fantastic because it is akin to cheering the home team on. You have a much greater connection to these giants than them being a nameless horde. Every punch and kick is choreographed to have the most effective mental image. The swings are enormous, the slams are massive, and machine parts fly. In the belly of the gigantic beasts are pilots controlling it all.

Why does this story work? I think in lesser hands, this story could be a mess. There are a lot of working pieces. However, White helps us keep our eye on the ball. We care about the protagonists, probably more so than the fate of humanity in general. Gus and Ardent are not perfect in any way. Ardent can be narcicistic, and Gus can be melodramatic. But both characters rise above through pain, terror, failure, and heroism. They reach inside themselves to be more than they ever thought possible. Someone has to step up and do it, so why not them?

Is this book for everyone? Absolutely not. As I said earlier, this book is a kaleidoscope—a crazy fast, moving, loud story with brilliant lights and massive highs and lows. It isn't for someone who enjoys subtle prose. It is intense from the first page to the last. So if you enjoy stories like Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen and Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson, this story is for you.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Epic giant robot space battles!
Awesome musical numbers!
Adorable main characters in love during the end of the world!

“The right kind of demise trumps the wrong kind of survival”

Gus Kitko is just a jazz piano player who is in the right place at the right time to be chosen to be a conduit for a giant robot at the end of the world. Gus’s character is extremely relatable. He’s extremely depressed his entire family and his friends were wiped out but he still hopes for the safety of humanity. He mets super star Ardent Violent on the last day of Earth and the two quickly start a relationship. Just when the end is near, Gus and Ardent are both thrust into a new reality that they had no idea about. When a Traitor mech comes to defend Earth against its brethren, it hears Gus playing his piano and chooses him to be a conduit for its mission to save humankind.

I felt like I was watching a movie while I was reading this book. I could see all the colors and the glitz and glamor that Ardent had and I could hear the music that everyone was playing. The action scenes were awesome and the characters were relatable. While I’m not a huge fan of giant fighting robots and really got out of my comfort zone, this book showed me the good side of Mechas. It of course ended on a cliffhanger and I’m super excited to read the next book!