I loved the worldbuilding in this novel, although it presents another rather bleak view of humanity's spacefaring future. REminds me a little bit of Murderbot, actually. Only, instead of everything being owned by corporations, we have the MERIT families who have all the riches and privilege, and power. The rest of humanity is either working for those families on more or less favorable terms or living in poverty. And the fact that the shroud is destroying the few habitable planets and forcing humanity into space stations only increases the inequality and the dependence on the MERIT families.

So it was interesting to watch this story unfold from both the perspective of Naira, who grew up on one of those destroyed worlds and then had to claw her way up from the dregs of society on a space station, and Tarquin, who has always been the spoiled son of Mercator - one of the most prominent MERIT families. Add to that he fact that Naira hates Mercator, and for good reason, and is also considered a terrorist, the author could have made a very interesting story out of the clash of their worldviews.

Unfortunately, the author opted to follow the path of having them romantically involved instead, and that basically killed the book for me. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good romance between my protagonists if it's well done and organically woven into the story. And I would point to pretty much any series by Ilona Andrews as an excellent example of that genre.

There is nothing organic about the way Naira and Tarquin's romance develops. In fact, it's so unnaturally done that it's painful to read about. It feels shoe-horned into the story because the author felt like romance was needed. It wasn't, though. They could have gone from enemies forced to collaborate to escape a dying planet to slowly becoming grudging allies or even friends. But romantic feelings between those two? Nope, can't see that. Naira had more chemistry with her Conservator accomplice. So much more, in fact, that the author promptly killed him off.

My other issue is that once the whole plot finally comes to light, it sounds rather far-fetched. I will try not to give too many spoilers, but humanity in thrall to a fungus? The pacing of the book is also rather uneven - we get good action scenes that propel the plot forward, but then we get bogged down in the minutiae of squables between survivors, everyone discovering their budding feelings for each other, etc.

Not to mention pages spent in Naira and Tarquin's heads while they analyze their own feelings, feel inadequate, or reflect on what was and could have been. I found my interest flagging until I would put the book down and read something else, and had to force myself to come back and read a few more pages.

It was a good concept, but the execution didn't work for me, so I will not be continuing with this series.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In The Blighted Stars, Naira Sharp is a wanted woman. As an Exemplar to one of humanity's ruling families, she was the personal bodyguard of the head of House Mercator until he told her that their mining practices were killing off entire worlds. She became a whistleblower and joined the Conservator rebellion, blowing up mining ships before they could reach and ruin new planets. She was caught and her mind put "on ice" under Mercator control, unable to be reprinted into a new body without their say so, in no small part due to prodigal son Tarquin Mercator's testimony as a geologist at her trial.

Tarquin is confident in the science of what he said that day, but Naira's unwavering belief in his family's wrongdoing has stuck with him. It's because of this that he volunteers to accompany his father on a mission to a new planet so he can oversee the mining operation and prove to himself and everyone else that it's as safe as he claimed. The mission is a catastrophe before they even land on the planet, and this is where the book starts. Chaos reigns on the ship as it starts to print malformed bodies that shouldn't have minds of their own but which attack the passengers nonetheless. Only a few are able to escape via shuttle to the planet before the ship is fired on by its partner, which now refuses to receive any communication from the refugees. In the group is Tarquin, who defied his father's orders to send his mind back home like dear old dad. Instead, he stayed behind to rescue the rest of the group. There's also Sharp, who woke up in the body of a different Exemplar, presumably undercover on a mission to destroy the ship as she has in the past. The problem? The Conservators didn't cause this fiasco. And Sharp never escaped custody. So how is her mind roaming beyond its prison and why? She takes up the role of the woman whose face she wears, ostensibly protecting yet another repulsive Mercator, all while trying to figure out how she can use this situation to escape her confinement at Mercator hands.

This is an action-packed ride with mysteries on mysteries and a forbidden, sizzling tension between one princely geologist and one rebel pretending to be the bodyguard she once was. Sharp can't help but be drawn to her thoughtful, earnest (and handsome) charge, while Tarquin is enthralled by a woman who is more real with him than anyone else, even when it hurts and even when her job should preclude her from such honesty. Sharp is aware of the deeper past between them, as well, one where Tarquin's actions helped secure her imprisonment. The things they discover on Sixth Cradle will challenge both of their beliefs and assumptions while also bringing to light a threat humanity never saw coming.

I enjoyed everything about this book. Tarquin is easy to like, even as he goes through the mess of having his privilege brought to his attention again and again. I also love the representation of a trans man as a romantic lead, one who runs a foundation for other trans people to be printed into their preferred bodies. Naira is a quintessential protector, fierce and determined. I want her to have any and all happiness she can scrape together, ideally if it's as romantic and likely to put me in my feels as this first volume suggests. There are heart-stopping moments, tragedies, and hard decisions here, but there are also people willing to fight for humanity and see it do better. This is all I want from great science fiction and more. Thanks to Orbit for my copy to read and review!

so um *hides face* it wasn't my favorite. i thought it would work for me! i wanted it to work for me! but there was just some disconnect there for some reason. and ya know what, that's ok. it was still a good book. i enjoyed the sci-fi concepts and how they played into O'Keefe's queer normative universe. and i enjoyed the inclusion of horror elements (yay space zombies!).

Love it when a science fiction book really dives deep into the characters and explores their history and motivations. It makes such a difference when reading these thick books that talk about such big questions if the audience can really click with and understand the reasons behind the main characters actions. An incredible story that delved into some serious topics. I really enjoyed reading this one and look forward to finishing the series.

A book that really brought my spark back for reading, I've been on a scifi bender after I finished this. Though it is long, I was entranced by every sentence, unable to wait to see what was going to happen next. Addicted ever since I picked it up, I truly can't wait to read the next book, and that's something that hasn't been happening a lot lately.

Tarquin's father is very powerful, and as the ruling royalty in their society, he has all the money in the world. His father built him a space ship, and the crew addresses him as "my liege", even though he always tells them to just call him Tarquin. The youngest of the family, they make their money from mining planets.

In this world, People's consciousness are uploaded into a big computer system, and then from there, they're printed into bodies as needed. Very rarely do people actually die anymore because of this, but there are always errors, called misprints. Naira, our secondary main character, is basically an environmental terrorist, trying to keep the family from mining these planets to death, and she'll do anything it takes to make them stop.

An unforseen situation happens, however, when their ship is attacked. It's totalled, and Tarquin's father kills himself in order to escape the situation and reprint somewhere safe. He orders Tarquin to do the same, but he's unable to, as he wants to save the crew. Naira, on the other hand, is printed right into the madness, into a royal guard's body, hiding her true identity. To stay hidden, she must become Tarquin's right hand armed guard.

After the disaster with the ship, the crew crash lands on the planet with Tarquin and Naira. Not only do they need to survive on this hostile planet, but they also need to figure out how to get home. And Naira wants to take out the entire family. Little do they know, there's a much bigger picture going on, happening in secret.

Overall, this book had be obsessed from the very first page. A huge fan of science fiction, I loved the whole space setting, the alien planets, and the saved consciousness thing. I thought it was very unique and interesting, and blew through the long book no problem. I loved our main characters, and never saw the ending coming. Definitely recommend checking it out if you get the chance.

The Blighted Stars is the beginning in the The Devoured Worlds series with a gripping and thought-provoking mix of sci-fi thriller, political intrigue, and a stunning romance that will keep readers hooked. O’Keefe’s world-building is nothing short of brilliant, immersing the reader in a society where humanity's future is governed by powerful corporate families—collectively known as MERIT. Among them, the Mercator family stands out, and we follow Tarquin Mercator, a geologist with a deep love for his craft but little interest in his family's political machinations. His quiet life is upended when he crosses paths with Naira Sharp, a former bodyguard to his father and now a defector working with rebels.
The novel’s central tension arises from the clash between Tarquin and Naira. Naira was responsible for whistleblowing the Mercator family’s role in killing potentially inhabitable planets with their mining practices. Naira despises Tarquin for his role in condemning her in a court case, yet they are bound by a complex and dangerous web of loyalty, guilt, and unspoken attraction. As the story unfolds, readers are pulled into a slow-burning enemies-to-lovers romance that feels intense, realistic, and deeply emotional. It’s the kind of romance that builds on tension, vulnerability, and a shared desire to make things right in a world that’s falling apart.
The world-building is particularly noteworthy, with the author offering a well-thought-out and easy-to-understand system of governance, technology, and societal structure. MERIT’s control over humanity’s resources and the growing tensions between corporate greed and environmental collapse are seamlessly integrated into the plot, providing both the narrative’s stakes and a critique of contemporary issues.
The character motivations are believable, especially Tarquin’s internal struggle as he tries to step into a role he feels ill-equipped for, and Naira’s fierce determination to fight for what she believes is right. The slow, simmering tension between them, despite their animosity, is one of the most satisfying aspects of the book. It’s a slow burn, with pining, longing, and a connection that feels earned by the end.
In short, It’s a book that hooks you with its intricate plot, compelling characters, and high-stakes drama, but it’s also one that will leave you reflecting on the nature of humanity long after you’ve turned the final page. The pacing is deliberate, and though it takes its time, the payoff is well worth the wait. The romance, especially, is the kind of slow-building, “I would find you in every timeline” energy that had me giggling and kicking my feet. If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers stories with strong world-building and complex characters, this one’s a MUST-READ. I couldn’t resist and immediately picked up the sequel.

*The Blighted Stars* by Megan E. O'Keefe is a gripping and imaginative space opera that blends intricate world-building, high-stakes action, and complex characters. The story follows a diverse crew of outcasts navigating a universe on the brink of collapse, with political intrigue, dangerous technology, and moral dilemmas at every turn. O'Keefe’s world-building is rich and immersive, creating a vivid setting where the lines between good and evil are often blurred. The pacing is fast, with plenty of twists and suspense to keep readers hooked. *The Blighted Stars* is a thrilling, thought-provoking read for fans of space adventures with emotional depth and complex narratives.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

Oh my goodness, I was not ready to love this book as much as I ended up loving it! I have been needing a good sci-fi book lately, and this scratched the itch so perfectly! I was worried at first because it felt a little slow to start out, but once I got attached to the characters and the story, I couldn't put it down!

I have always been a reader who focuses on the characters and their development above all else, and this is truly a book that does not disappoint in that area. These characters are so well done in the way that they grow on you slowly to the point that you don't even notice until you're utterly in love with them and need them to succeed desperately.

I don't want to say too much because I feel like this is a book you need to go in with minimal information, but this is a book that will keep you on your toes and make you want book 2 immediately! If you're a sci-fi lover, get your hands on this spectacular world!

this book was captivating from the start. the pacing was a little off through some parts, but i still thoroughly enjoyed reading this. the characters were the highlight.

I went into this with high hopes because I love O'Keefe's Protectorate series. I was not disappointed. She is able to effortlessly combine genres and vividly bring her stories to life. I absolutely adored this book. The worldbuilding in The Blighted Stars was brilliant, from a mind mineral on which humans are dependent to prints (bodies) that allows for a form of immortality. The idea of the cradles (planets that could replace their own) was so fascinating and fun to follow. I liked that the characters did show character growth, and I felt like we got a good look at their struggles and motivations. The antagonists were fantastically written. My only complaint is that I felt that if this were shorter, it would have been a tighter story and a few of the chapters felt disjointed. However, I am so excited to get to the next books and find out what happens next!

This was such a pleasant surprise! I had never read anything by Megan E. O’Keefe and, to be honest, I was initially drawn in by the cover. But the story itself is very fast-paced and exciting, with fleshed out characters and unique world-building. The writing is excellent and the sci-fi aspect isn’t overly complex, although some of the actual science stuff did go over my head a bit (Tarquin, one of our MCs, is a geologist). But fortunately there isn’t too much of that and it doesn’t detract from the story at all.

Overall I thought this was an excellent first installment and I’m really looking forward to seeing where this series goes. And I’ll definitely be reading this author’s previous books.

If you like well crafted sci-fi that is shrouded in mystery with just the right amount of hard science, then this is absolutely the book for you. The characters are well-written and believable, and the motivations for each faction all have the right amount of nuance that allowed me to truly question which side I agreed with more. That is, until more information was revealed much later on. A hardcore jaunt through wonderfully thought out world.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Rating: Absolutely Loved It, 5 Stars

I had such a great time with The Blighted Stars! I am forever and a day late with my review as this came out a bit over 8 months ago (oops!), but I was bound and determined to finish the Protectorate series before I started this one. I finished Protectorate in December, and was finally ready to dive into this one!

The Blighted Stars is a well-paced space opera with a fantastic plot, an interesting world, and an excellent cast of characters. In this world, humanity has taken to the stars. There is a fungus that is destroying world after world, and Naira Sharp believes that one of the elite ruling families, Mercator, is responsible for it. Mercator is the family that controls the mining and production of relcatite (unsure of spelling), which is the metal/alloy that allows for humanity to print new bodies, thus expanding their lifespan (as well as allowing for the expression of preferred gender!) and has something to do with their ability to live off-world as well. Naira is an ex-bodyguard of the head of the Mercator family whose mind-print was iced, or locked up, after she accused the Mercator's of being responsible for the shroud-lichen. Tarquin Mercator is the youngest son of the Mercator family, and he is the geologist whose testimony put her on ice. Through ~events~ they are thrown together on the Sixth Cradle World, only to find that the world is already dead. They are stranded. And there's a mysterious illness going around. The enemies have to team up to survive. Events ensue.

I thought that the pacing on this was exactly what I wanted. Megan O'Keefe does a fantastic job at writing a first book that just really sets up a fantastic story. I found the plot to be highly compelling, but while it was very action-packed, we still got time to breathe, to sit with the characters, to witness character interactions. And that is a big reason why I loved this book.

The characters are so well-crafted. They have depth and distinct personalities. We switch between the perspectives of Tarquin, Naira, and Tarquin's dad, the head of Mercator. I Tarquin and Naira are very compelling characters. Tarquin is part of one of the most powerful families in the universe, but he is a bit of an outlier. He is kind and considerate. He wants to show his dad that fear is not the only way to be powerful, and he just wants to make his father proud. Naira is a bit prickly and stubborn, the shining star of the rebellion, and she despises Tarquin and all that he stands for. I loved watching their relationship evolve throughout the course of the story. There is a budding romance, but it is not by any means overpowering, and it was overall just a lot of fun. Even the side characters are fantastic, specifically Cav and the AI in the ship.

I think that Megan O'Keefe's books have all been page turners, and I can read through them so easily. The world was fascinating in this one, and I really enjoyed a lot of the ideas that were explored through this. There were a lot of conversations about power and privilege, about what it means to be human, and about the symbiotic relationship between humans and other species. I especially loved some of the more minor ideas that were explored like power dynamics in relationships (romantic and non-romantic). I don't know that it is necessarily exploring anything NEW, and it's not a super complex or science-y sci-fi, but throughout it all, I just had so much FUN! I laughed, I cried, I exclaimed, and I cheered. I was originally going to rate this 4.5 stars, but as I'm writing this review, I am not sure what I was docking a half star for. I think it took me a bit to feel invested in the characters, but eventually I really did love our two MCs. So I'm going with a full 5 stars.

Also, just a musing, but I think that I am finding that my preferred mode of reading sci-fi may be audio. I'll have to test this theory, but that's my current thought. I read the majority of this via audio with some switching back to the printed text, and I very much enjoyed my experience!

I highly recommend that you check this book out, especially if you are somewhat hesitant to jump into sci-fi. I had a fantastic time, and I cannot wait to continue with the series.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get very far this book. There’s a lot going on that’s rather confusing, and some protagonists are far more interesting than others, which can really drag a story down

This novel is fast paced and action packed but for me was too long and could’ve easily lost the romance between the two main characters. I dont believe its necessary for romance to be forced, especially when it has no bearing on the plot or even character development in this case. There’s interesting scifi theories being worked on in the book, like the mapping of peoples brains and printing them out on a new body with enhanced pathways powered by a mineral. There’s a threat by a fungus, the shroud, destroying earth like planets where the mineral is mined. If the book was able to expand on the core plot without the forced romance thrill, this could have been stars

Relatable characters in an interesting sci-fi setting. The concept of re-printing your "self" is very cool and I will definitely be moving on to the second book in this series.

I really enjoyed this first entry in Megan O'keefe's new science fiction trilogy! I have reviewed it on my YouTube channel in a wrap up from earlier this year. I look forward to reading the sequel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q6n-bdledw&t=21s

I almost didn't read this book, but I'm very glad I did. The first time I picked it up I found Tarquin to be unbearably weak as a main character, and his father too one dimensionally evil, and lost interest. After seeing some really positive buzz about the book and it's sequel, I gave it another try. I found the story much more enjoyable once Naira was introduced, and Tarquin evolves quite dramatically over the course of the book. Naira, Tarquin, and a few dozen others escape their exploding ship and land on a planet that was supposed to be suitable for humans to live on, but instead has all vegetation nearly destroyed by a massively invasive lichen. This lichen has been mysteriously appearing to destroy all the planets humans attempt to colonize, and Naira is convinced it's related to the mining process Tarquin's family operates. Tarquin's family is one of five enormously wealthy and powerful dynasty companies that control most of the humanities existence off Earth, including the technology that makes it possible to store a human consciousness artificially and load it into a cloned body. The world building is fantastic and complex, and the conflict between the families, the mining, the lichen, and the resistance come to a head as Naira and Tarquin fight to survive on the planet. Just about everything is more nuanced than it first appears. I found the romance a bit forced, but otherwise enjoyed this book a great deal and am looking forward to the sequel!

What a great start to a new trilogy! I read velocity weapon earlier this year and wasn’t fully invested until about halfway through, but this one had me invested right from the beginning. Will recommend to everyone!