I think this one is a "it's not you, it's me" book. I was so excited for this one - Cleopatra and Julius Caesar in an epic queer space opera retelling? It sounded incredible! And, honestly, I think this one is going to do very well when it releases to the public.

I'm not sure what didn't click with me - the writing was well done (though a bit confusing in the beginning for me), the characters interesting, the world-building was good... and yet I struggled with this book. I don't know if I just wasn't in the right mood for it or what. The eagerness I felt starting it faded until I just did not want to pick this one up. Still, I highly recommend other readers give it a chance for themselves. I truly believe this was a 'me' issue. I just couldn't connect and I do think I will go back when I have more free time for a re-read to see if maybe things finally 'click' with me now that I understand fully what was happening.

If you’ve been following me at all this year, you probably know that I’ve had little patience for long books lately. And yet, once I heard the summary for this book, I immediately downloaded it. I didn’t regret that decision at all! Exquisitely written, The Stars Undying reimagines the lives of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar amidst a sprawling galactic empire.

The book opens with Altagracia fleeing her home planet of Szayet after her sister stole her birthright and throne and the ensuing civil war. At the same time, Matheus Ceirran, currently the most powerful man in the galaxy, and his lieutenant Anita arrive at Szayet. Seeing her opportunity to take back her throne, Gracia strikes an understanding with Ceirran, which offsets a series of events that might break both of their nations.

I adored the writing. Like I mentioned before, I just lack the attention span for long books, especially ones that really require you to pay attention to every conversation. (I messaged this to a friend after reading: “I haven’t been able to get through a think-y book in forever. As evidenced by my use of ‘think-y.'”) But I fell into this book so easily; the writing was just so compelling, I couldn’t put it down. Every conversation had so many layers, and despite the fact that I could see all of the twists coming—you’re meant to, everything is subtly hinted at throughout the narrative—I still finished the book discovering new dimensions to it.

The Stars Undying is comprised of of dual points-of-view, with both Gracia and Ceirran narrating in first-person. However, it was easy to differentiate their chapters, in a subtle way that I can’t even explain. They just narrate in different ways, which added to their characterizations. I also enjoyed the complexity of Ana’s character and hope to get a point-of-view from her in the sequel.

The worldbuilding was also so detailed. This book was based on historical events (you can read the character descriptions here) but set in a space opera. It’s a bit dense at first, but you quickly pick up the intricacies of the world. Gracia is a descendant of Caviro, Alekso’s beloved and chosen follower. Alekso was an infamous ruler, who uploaded his soul to a computer they call the Pearl; since his death, he has become deified, with each new Caviro ruler inheriting the Pearl and becoming his Prophet. Ceirran is commander of the Ceian Empire, which does not believe in gods and has been slowly but surely conquering neighboring worlds.

I’m honestly at a loss for words to describe how much I enjoyed this book, partially because it’s so complex and partially because I don’t want to spoil anything. I would recommend reading other reviews that are much better at effusing praise if my own review hasn’t convinced you.

The Stars Undying was a bold debut with complex characters and intricate worldbuilding. It says something that as someone who lacks the attention span to get through long books, I couldn’t put this book down. I definitely recommend The Stars Undying, especially if you’re intrigued by the Roman Empire set in space!

As someone who reads history books about ancient Rome and Egypt, I'm often drawn to historical fiction if I need something lighter to read. This book was a historical fantasy, a sub-genre that I've rarely read, and yet I feel like what made this book work so well is the fact that it can be read by people without any historical knowledge. You can read this as a fantasy book with complex world-building and politics, or a fantasy interpretation of a period in Roman history filled with back stabbing and intrigue. The author deserves praise for accomplishing such a feat and I would rate this 4.5/5. I hope the author continues writing books like this, as I will certainly keep reading them.

I love Cleopatra, but until now, I had never read an imagining of her story. The Stars Undying is an intricately plotted sci-fi novel: you can tell that Robin spent a lot of time developing this world and connecting it to Cleopatra's history while still allowing it to stand on its own. It's easy to see who the characters are based on: Altagracia is Cleopatra, Ceirran is Caesar, and Anita is Antony. But these characters took on a life of their own. I recently read Margaret George's "The Memoirs of Cleopatra," so the events leading up to the assassination of Caesar were fairly fresh in my mind, and I was able to connect what was happening in the book to what happened in real life. But I don't think you need to be familiar with Cleopatra, Caesar, and Antony at all to enjoy this book. Gracia in particular was such a great character, and her unreliability only made it more exciting trying to figure out what was happening. 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for allowing me to read this gem a bit early.

Robin allows us a glimpse into a beautifully designed world with politics and intrigue to keep us company and a cast of richly developed characters that are just fun to read about. I do have to admit that I know little about Roman/Egyptian history and that might have compromised my review. I loved the theme of religion and how it was explored. I also loved the relationships between the characters and how they were designed. The relationships between Gracia and Ceirran, the relationships between her and her twin. It all seemed to fit into a richly built universe that I loved learning more and more about.

I also appreciated the queer representation in the book. It's not often that bisexual characters are portrayed rightly and this book certainly did so.

Overall, I found the book to be a bit dense but so rich in worldbuilding and creativity. It made me wish for a sequel and I can't wait for the audio version to come out so I can listen to it and reread it. Excellent debut!

Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Stars Undying is a sci-fi retelling of Cleopatra, Caesar, and Mark Antony, and also Alexander the Great put his soul into a computer and became a god (this, to me, was fascinating and I loved it). This is a beautiful and delicately crafted novel, and genuinely one of the best debut novels I’ve read this year. Though I think it stands wonderfully on its own, finding the historical parallels to Cleopatra, Caesar, and Mark Antony is such a delight.

This is heavier on political intrigue than space battles, but I think that it really works here. I also thought that Emery’s choice to have a dual POV in the first person worked really well; I’m usually very picky about first person but seeing why this choice was made me gasp. This book is very much concerned with the things you’d expect from a space opera, like empire and colonialism, and it is also deeply concerned with interpersonal relationships, and I did find that to be quite compelling—sometimes I could not tell if these people loved or hated or were in love with or simply wanted to fuck each other, which was delicious. The first thirty percent of this novel is an absolutely wild ride, and then it understandably slows down until about the eighty percent mark, where I could not stop turning the pages.

Anyway. Like other reviewers have said, that last line, holy shit. This was so good and I am still reeling with how much I loved it, and also, Ana Decretan, I am free on Thursday night and would like to hang out.

It's start really strong and waver a bit in the middle. Reading this as someone not really familiar with the tales of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, I was expecting something more. But if it was read by someone more familiar with their history, I am sure you can find tiny bits of easter eggs here and there.

Though as a space opera, it less focus on the space on more on the opera aspect. It's a bit slow paced too and focused more on internal conflicts of the characters. Though sometimes the plot slogs, it still a savory read by how appealing the narratives are. In the end, it's a queer normative scifi with the grandeur of Roman empire.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me this arc in exchange of honest review.

I gave this book my best shot. I tried to get past the horribly confusing beginning. Names were thrown all over the place with no explanation (and all the names either start with C or A), and the timeline jumped around so much without warning. It was very hard to follow. But I trudged through until I got to the exchange sex and cheating scene. Unfortunately, that made me hate both the main characters, and it was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. Hard DNF.

A sensuously written political tour de force -- I was blown away by the sophistication of the prose, as well as the keenly thought out interpersonal relationships.

I throughly enjoyed the blending of space opera and the history of Julius Ceasar, Cleopatra, & Marc Antony. Like Red Rising the Roman societal structure overlayed on a galactic empire makes for a great read. My only complaint is I wish the Cleopatra/Ceasar section was shorter to make way for Cleopatra & Antony's relationship and later war against Rome.

***I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review. ***

I’m not a natural hand at ancient history. To me—as fictional retellings, and this book, perhaps agree—such personages found in ancient history function primarily in the niche of myth. I was not familiar with the story of Cleopatra going in, and as a result the book didn’t strictly click for me until I caught up on the historical background partway through, which I recommend to readers also unfamiliar with her story. But once I did, I found this book was achieving an astonishing feat of narration that changed how I think about both space operas and retellings.

This book is at once literary theatre and oral history. As is common to space operas, there are wars and planets, colonies and commanders, queens and histories; but Ceirran (Caesar) and Gracia (Cleopatra) tell the audience about their experiences with each other through the lens of war, rather than the lens of war through their experiences with each other. They do this, effectively, through twin entwining histories/monologues. We follow the characters as we would if they were on a stage in front of us, giving their histories as monologues. In the author’s note, Robin makes an allusion to directing the characters, but the impression is given without reading the note.

As a result of this constraint or innovation, much information about world history and character history is delivered in telling; indeed, the act of telling is very much the point. This book is, in no small part, a love letter to Shakespearean theatre in specific, with overt if abbreviated allusions to his plays (most identifiably to me <em>Julius Caesar</em>, for obvious reasons) peppered through the text. Gracia herself delivers a riff on Shakespearean poetry halfway through the book. As a result of this theatrical flair, the book is conversation- and character-heavy not only for the reader with the book in their hands, but because Gracia and Ceirran are focused on the personages around them to a remarkable degree. There is a narrative reason for this focus, but it is also for the sake of balance: at the beginning of the text, Gracia is leaving (rising) Szeyet as Ceirran is arriving (falling). This predicts their narrative arcs. It is natural the book begins here, and that they should follow each other throughout; Gracia tells the story of her rise using Ceirran as catalyst, and Ceirran tells the story of his fall using Gracia as catalyst in kind. This is not only because their stories are contemporaneous, but because they are thematically entwined.

This book demands a close read, and the smoothness of the storytelling may depend on the reader’s ability to closely follow details. Throughlines are provided sometimes a bit obliquely, trusting the reader to make the requisite connections. I myself did not make all of them. At times I wondered what motivated character decisions, particularly when it came to the events that led to the climax of the book, though this may all be explained by the narrative frame—particularly Gracia’s insistence that she is a liar and Ceirran’s repeatedly demonstrated arrogance. The romance wasn’t strictly a slow burn, but the true nature of the affair between Ceirran and Gracia was. All of this promises to reward a reread. What Ceirran and Gracia really want with the other—as themes of empire, land, and wealth form the rich context to the book, though neither narrator is particularly inclined to comment on these topics directly—remains in my mind an open question, and makes me excited to return to this world.

If approached a bit sideways by the character-focused nature of the narration, empire is a significant and foundational focus of the book. Questions of law and migration, of war and imprisonment, of resources and territory, of religion and “civilization” are all raised, particularly as Ceirran’s political drama begins to ramp up on Ceian. These topics are—thanks to close first POV from two characters who aspire to imperial power—discussed by the characters with notable neutrality, almost indifference. The facts of empire are indeed treated as facts; and why shouldn’t they be? They were; they are. Yet the book is intensely interested in the <em>spectacle</em> of empire, a focus that makes their narrative bias plain.

The book is intensely interested in governance in general: democracy, law, mandated secularization and divine rule. One reason Gracia and Ceirran are so preoccupied by each other is because they are reflections of each other’s relationship to power and empire. Ceirran’s (at this point) ease with power and liberality with resources is not something Gracia (at this point) experiences, though it is something she envies, admires, and sometimes rues. Gracia, meanwhile, is both ruthless and effortless in her own right, and her ambition and spiritual power Ceirran admires in kind. Ceirran’s aspiration to Gracia’s form of power is novel to him and therefore exciting; this aspiration is integral to his downfall. In contrast, Ceirran’s power is comparatively simple, realized from consensus and material assets that Gracia is capable of coveting if she plays the right cards, and does collect throughout.

The throughline in each of their ambitions is that of spectacle, which is featured prominently each time the story endeavors to look at empire head-on. Each strives for spectacle, because without the social and political affirmation created by spectacle, their imperial (territorial, political, economic, military) power is diminished, unjustified, perhaps unstable. Ceirran is shown, in every conceivable way, to care so much about appearance, spectacle, pomp and circumstance that it makes others—including Gracia—nervous. The feeling of scope and scale is occasionally elided at the beginning of the book by Gracia and Ceirran’s preoccupations with each other; but as the story proceeds, those details are filled in gradually through the characters' ambitions. The world broadens as the characters' focus and ambitions do, and almost without realizing, the reader finds themselves in a dynamic, complex world rendered by events of imperial spectacle within, of, and aside those ambitions.

This book changed what I understood retellings were capable of. Like any book demanding of a reader’s attention, it delivers a great deal to anyone willing to lend it their ears (god, sorry): a unique narrative frame, a compelling approach to a space opera, and… Anita. God; Anita. Am I a Mark Anthony stan now? Is that something it’s possible to be? Do I devote time to thinking about this? Only Book 2 can address these questions.

It’s a bold idea for a debut novelist to choose the stories and legends of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar projected into a space opera. Bold, I think, because these were formidable people in life, and I’ve been disappointed too many times with thin fictional replicas of great historical figures. But Emery Robin’s The Stars Undying succeeds brilliantly in rendering interesting and complex characters for these difficult roles.

The Stars Undying begins with parallel escape and pursuit sequences by the two main characters, a would-be queen briefly leaving her planet to escape her throne-usurping sister and a powerful commander of an imperial army descending to it in search of an old foe. Altagracia Caviro Patramata (known as Gracia) flees from her twin sister, Arcelia, who has recently seized control of the Szayeti Empire by defying the traditional rituals. The queen’s enormous hologram hovers over all as Gracia flees to a satellite in a smuggler’s spaceship. Just at this time the great Matteus Ceirran, commander of the Ceian Empire, with his captain Ana arrives at the Szayeti city of Alectelo in pursuit of his former mentor Quinha, now on the run in a broken down space ship. And so we have the recast Cleopatra as the teenager seeking her rightful throne and Caesar with Mark Antony at his side pursuing the defeated Pompey to the shores of Egypt.

The fact that we already know the highlights and the ending of the story of Caesar and Cleopatra makes it possible for Robin to allude to the best known events while taking us deeply into the minds of its two main characters. The alternating chapters devoted to Gracia and Ceirran, both in the first person, elaborate the strikingly different worlds of the religiously observant Szayeti and the rigorously secular and power driven attitudes of the Ceian empire.

While there are space battles and bloody conflict, these are glancingly referred to as the focus remains on the relationships at the heart of the story and the parallel rise of Gracia and the deepening conspiracies surrounding Ceirran. More than once I was reminded of Arkady Martine’s Teixcalaan novels. I think both writers are equally brilliant in examining the subtleties of imperial intrigue and the mental and moral acrobatics involved in the exercise of power.
........
The Stars Undying is full of beautifully rendered moments... that make the story exceptionally rich and rewarding. There are dozens of scenes I come back to again and again. This may be a debut novel, but it is the work of an incredibly accomplished writer. I look forward to the hoped-for follow-up novel on the exploits of Ana and Gracia.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

Overall, I genuinely liked this book, as the plot was interesting and the characters were well-written. The story focuses around Gracia, a princess who is determined to take back her planet after a bloody civil war with her sister. She enlists the help of an empirical leader, whom we get to read from the perspective of. I loved the use of dual-perspectives in this case because it just worked so well. One thing about this book is that it is very long and it took me a while to finally get through it. The plot is very interesting and well-written, but it tends to slow down in some parts, so it's a long read. I also wish that there was more romance, as those are my favorite type of fantasy books, but there was very little in this book. Overall, I would still recommend if you like science fiction/fantasy books.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for this free arc in exchange for my honest review.

Princess Altagracia has lost everything. After a bloody civil war, her twin sister has claimed not just her crown of their planet Szayet, but the Pearl of its prophecy, a computer that contains the immortal soul of Szayet’s God. Stripped of her birthright, Gracia flees the planet just as Matheus Ceirran, Commander of the Interstellar Empire Celao arrives in deadly pursuit with his volatile lieutenant Anita. When Gracia and Ceirran's paths collide, Gracia sees an opportunity to win back her planet, her god, and her throne. If she wins the commander and his right-hand officer over first.

But talking her way into Cerirran's good graces and his bed is only the beginning. Dealing with the most powerful man in the galaxy is almost as dangerous as war, and Gracia is quickly torn between an alliance that fast becomes more than political and the wishes of the god or machine that whispers in her ear. For Szayet’s sake and her crown Gracia will need to become more than a princess with a silver tongue. She will have to become a queen, as history has never seen before, even if it breaks an empire.

Robin's constructs a masterfully crafted retelling of one of the oldest classics, one of Caesar and Cleopatra. A fantastical excursion into the subconscious is rendered as a space opera where Cerirran is Caesar, Gracia is Cleopatra, and Ana is Antony.

Robin's word building is exquisite. It is filled with a richness of philosophy, poetry, and lyricism, making the writing style resplendent. An intricate labyrinth-like quality is woven throughout with mystery, and delusion, that only a true wordsmith could master.

The characters were amazingly captivating and pulled you in immediately.
Gracia is breathing taking, and cunning. At the same time, Ceirran is powerful and commands the room. Then there is Ana, the warrior that is there but is not. Lest we not forget Arcelia, who started it all by warring with her twin Altagracia.

Robin’s also sprinkles in side characters that play either major or minor roles next to the three main characters, such as Jonata, Octavio, Celestino, Flavia, and Catia, so they too should not be forgotten.

Robin's Beats, Punches, Kicks, and "SMASHES" down the door so that the world acknowledges her presence.
The Stars Undying says, "HERE I AM."

The concluding line will have everyone with their mouths hanging open. "Yeah, that line!"
"THAT LINE SOLIDIFIES HER MARK"

This is one "HELL" of an impressive novel, in all its intricacies that you are not soon to forget. You will remember this one as well as you remember the classic Cleopatra and Caesar.

Be prepared, and wait for the ride of your life…...

Oh yes, "THE CARPET," never mind, just read it yourself. It is far better that way, anyhow.
Robin's is a "BEAST!"

"MAGNIFICENT!!!"

"SMASHINGLY DONE!!"

"2022 BEST LIST"

#Orbitauthor

Thank you, NetGalley/Emery Robin/ Orbit Books.Orbit/ For this sensational eARC for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

#ORBITFAN

#ORBITHASTHEBESTAUTHORS

A great novel that pulls from textbooks and transcends both the historical fiction and fantasy genres. Astounding prose, and even better character work.

To win a civil war against her twin sister, Altagracia must gain the alliance of the Empire of Ceiao through its Commander, Matheus Ceirran - but their ambitions may get in their own way as their stars rise.

Obviously I snapped this book up. It's a Cleopatra and Julius Caesar retelling - set in space! I even reshuffled my TBR to read a short biography of Cleopatra in preparation, because I'd heard that my experience The Stars Undying would be richer for it. I was not disappointed.

Robin introduces us to a lushly built world with plenty of history and politics to keep my intrigue-loving self satisfied. The theme of religion was explored in a truly fascinating way, and I found myself turning the philosophical questions over in my mind long after I finished the book. And the characters! The central trio of Gracia, Ceirran, and Anita are well-realized and deliciously morally grey. I also liked the complicated relationship between Gracia and her twin Arcelia.

However, I did have one major quibble with this book - I didn't necessarily buy the romance between Gracia and Ceirran. I enjoyed their intellectual sparring very much, but I did not think the feelings between them were on the epic scale that the events of the book imply. (However, I did love the tension between Gracia and Anita!)

I also thought the secondary characters in Ceiao - Jonata, Otávio, Celestino, and the rest - were rather underutitlized. My main question now that I am done reading is whether or not there will be a sequel, as I think this second problem will at least partially resolved with a second book.

Full review closer to publication date!

I'd like to thank the publisher, Orbit Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fresh and interesting take on space opera. I enjoyed the world-building here, particularly the culture and religion of Gracia's home world. And I always enjoy well-done political struggles in space opera, and this book is good example of complex political conflict and maneuvering. This is a sort of Caesar and Cleopatra-inspired story, and you can definitely see the shades of those real historical figures, among others from that time period, in the characters and situations presented throughout the book.

Overall, a well-written and well-plotted SFF novel.

From a novel that has received ample comparison to two of my favorite books, a Memory Called Empire and Ancillary Justice, I was expecting this to grab me from the get-go. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The balance between past and present felt uneven: as much as it was interesting to learn about Altagracia's history with her sister and their dynamic I felt it took away from the present, which was more compelling to me. As both a former Shakespeare scholar and a retired classics student I loved this as a reimagining of Anthony and Cleopatra that pulls both from the actual history of Roman colonization of Egypt and the dramatization that Shakespeare put to prose. You can see aspects of each well-known figure in Robin's dexterous re-working, but they also exist fully as their own characters in the context of the original novel. Also, on perhaps an unnecessarily technical note, I don't feel as though this is a true space opera, lacking scenes of high-action and drama that I usually associate with the genre. I think this could have worked just as well as an epic fantasy, or perhaps been marketed more as a political science fiction epic rather than the more flamboyant "space opera".