This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so no one is more disappointed than me that it didn't work for me. There was just so much backstory, especially in the first few chapters. I kept expecting that backstory to tie to the present, to have whatever happened twenty or thirty years before inform some present actions in that chapter, but we just kept getting chapter after chapter in the past, and when we did get the present it was a bit boring.

I love court intrigue with a dash of space. A Memory Called Empire is one of my favorite books. But this didn't do it for me.

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book!

The Stars Undying by Emery Robin

Release Date - November 8, 2022

✨ WHAT’S IT ABOUT? ✨
Swipe to the second photo to read the GoodReads description for The Stars Undying! 😊

✨ WHAT I LIKED ✨

THIS COVER!! I love how the cover helped me to really visualize how things look in the story.

The characters intrigued me and grabbed my attention right away.

There is a lot of character background and world building at the beginning. This is done in a way that still kept me interested, but I did need to stop a few times to sort out names in my head. 😂 The planets and people all have unique names that took me a while to get figured out.

We continue to learn about the characters and dive deeper into their minds as the story goes on. The characters managed to surprise me many times while reading.

Duel Point of View throughout the book.

Badass female characters.

I enjoyed the writing style. It feels as if the characters are sitting next to you and telling a story.

I really enjoyed the ending of the book! It did a great job wrapping up everything.

There are many connections between the book and the lives of Cleopatra and Caesar. As a history lover, I really enjoyed this.
Recommend listening to a podcast about Cleopatra after you read this to really catch all the historical details the author included.


✨ WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ✨

In part two, the book really slowed down. It felt as if nothing was happening.

I expected more romance, but there actually wasn’t much… But that could have been me going in with the wrong expectations. 😢

Parts just felt like they were purposely over complicated or overly descriptive.

OVERALL RATING - 🌟🌟🌟🌟

While this was not a “five star” read for me, I still want to give credit to the author. This is their DEBUT novel. Emery Robin created a beautiful and complex world and cast of characters. I have no doubt that this will be a five star read for many others. I just didn’t enjoy the pacing of the middle of the book, and it was a overall slower read for me. That brought it down to four stars.

This book is everything I am interested in reading right now, but just did not click with me for some reason.

The overall plot points and character interactions were well done. The world building and cultural backstories were intriguing, thought out, and believable.

By the end, I had a really hard time pinpointing why the book just didn't work for me. I think it comes down to the composition and writing style. I struggled bit time to get into this book. It switched back and forth between characters quickly. I felt like I would finish one perspective/chapter and then immediately jump to the next without getting much out of the previous. Some areas were just walls of text that had run-on after run-on sentence. There is no way that wasn't intentional - maybe it works for some people but I found myself reading and reading, only to get lost in a sentence have to backtrack.

I spent most of the book very confused, feeling like I had missed something. This is one of those stories that dumps you into an existing world with no real introduction and then gives you little tidbits here and there so you can connect the dots on your own. I don't mind that, but I think combining that with the less digestible syntax and composition choices made it difficult for me to focus on the plot itself.

I was really impressed by the scope of this original and fresh story. It is sci-fi, but really not about science or technology. There is space travel, without any attention given to how. There are computers, and a possible sentient AI. The worlds are very interesting, one with a vast increase in sea level. Many other planets have human populations and travel time between them is somehow insignificant. The story is about the planning, manipulating, and warfare of the main character, Gracia, princess and heir apparent of the risen sea world, as she strives to improve the political and financial solvency of her planet. Though told from the point of view of both Gracia and her lover and ally Cierren, who is commander of the most powerful military force anywhere, as the reader there is still a lot of mystery regarding what has really happened, how the different characters really feel, and an extremely murky picture of who they good guys really are. The well drawn characters and relationships make this a very engaging story, if a bit unsettling in the end.

Thank you to Orbit and to NetGalley for the arc!

Arcelia captured me.

Altagracia captured her city, her country, and Ceirran, but it was her sister who took me in. Arcelia is Tryphaena/Berenice, Arsinoë, A sister who seized power under suspicious means, it is she Gracia seeks to supplant so she may rule. This is a familiar tale to all who are passingly familiar with Cleopatra, minus a few brother-husbands, cousin-husbands, uncle-husbands, and familial murders.

To have a passing knowledge of Cleopatra is helpful: Cleopatra, rolled up in the carpet for Julius Ceasar, Cleopatra with a pearl in wine, Cleopatra journeying to Rome, Cleopatra who speaks the language of her people and not simply her family's Greek. It enriches the story being told, which is both beneficial and falls slightly flat.

we know Anthony and Cleopatra are said to fall in love. Altagracia and Ceirran do in the same way, and I found it difficult to... believe in it? They're two attractive young adults, they use each other, they appreciated each other's power and want what the other had to offer, but I couldn't force myself to... understand their draw? This might very well just be me being too ace. It could also be that Emery Robin didn't feel as if effort was really needed for their romance because it is what it was.

I liked the queernormness of the world, as well. I liked the non-Ceirran politicking, and I liked the way that Alekso was portrayed, as well as more of what it was. Fans of A Memory Called Empire will certainly like this book, even if it doesn't catch all that they came for.

I hope it has a sequel? I'd like to see the fallout.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I think it’s objectively a GOOD book and I will be wholeheartedly recommending it. On the other hand, I… just didn’t love it as much as I wanted to. This is at least in part because it wasn’t the book *EYE* really wanted/expected it to be, which is not very fair to the book, hence my four star rating. This is a book that deserves four or five stars, even if it was only a three (maybe a 3.5) for ME.

Let’s start with the good (minor spoilers only--I'm keeping it vague):

- When this book was good, it was MIND BLOWING. The first 40% and the last 10% had me hanging on to every word.
- the writing is OUTSTANDING. I wish it had pushed a little further in terms of alien environments and visceral immersion, but the voice was so sophisticated and philosophical. It had a poetic, almost archaic quality reminiscent of the classics, with meticulous attention to historical detail. I’m only a casual hobbyist when it comes to ancient Mediterranean history, so I’m sure a lot went way over my head, but I know enough to recognize a lot of allusions, and appreciate how richly the author rendered this world. And there were, to be fair, a few physical descriptions that stuck with me: the City of Endless Pearl and the Libeirocopolan of Ceio stand out, as does one scene in which ice canyons are described as “golden waterfalls” under the light of a rising planet.
- The POV characters, Gracia and Ceirran, are analogous to Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. I really enjoyed both of them. They felt more like surreal, larger-than-life legends than relatable humans, but to me that was appropriate for the book’s overall tone.
- Gracia was the standout, for me. She’s deeply flawed and fascinating, convincingly portrayed as a brilliant political mind. Which is a HARD thing to write. If you liked Mustang/Virginia’s POV chapters in Pierce Brown’s Dark Age, you’ll like Gracia’s. I actually think Emery Robin does a better job than Brown did at conveying “this character is supposed to be 3580486 times smarter than me or you”, because her voice never comes across as “trying way too hard to sound intelligent.” If that makes sense.
- This book is less violent than I tend to like my space operas, but I was about 60% in by the time I realized nobody had participated in an epic space sword duel, and all the space battles were from a very distant strategist’s perspective. There’s a lot of talking, and the pace is fairly relaxed. That was both good and bad, for me. Good, because like I said it took me so long to even notice, and it’s fitting considering both POV characters are galactic-scale leaders who aren’t particularly interested in physical scraps. Their verbal sparring is HIGHLY entertaining, too.
- I liked that this was a queer-norm setting. There are a few prominent nonbinary characters, and basically everyone is bi.
- There are a couple of really S T E A M Y scenes. The infamous Cleopatra/Julius Caesar carpet scene is in this book, and… whew. It’s good.

Now, the bad:

- That middle. It took me less than a day to read the firsts 40%, and then it took WEEKS for me to get to 80%. It felt like the Trade Federation disputes part of Star Wars—so much talking, so much politics, so much recapping of events that sounded WAY more interesting than whatever was actually happening. Now, this was at least partially a “me” problem. I talked to someone else who read and loved this book, and they cited a scene I skimmed over as one of their favorites. The way they described said scene sounded REALLY COOL, but I didn’t even remember it, because I was so frustrated with the pacing and the only thought going through my head was “STAB CAESAR WHEN”.
- Speaking of stabbing: so many of my favorite moments from the story of Julius Caesar happen OFF PAGE. Again, it felt very in line with the tone of the book, but it still made me mad.
- The politics are very very very complicated, and can get overwhelming. It was straight up frustrating when the pacing began to drag so much—felt more like doing homework than reading a story.
- The book starts VERY strong on Gracia’s home planet Szayet (Egypt), with a smaller, more interesting cast of characters. Gracia, Ceirran, Gracia’s father, her sister Arcelia… all very compelling characters who get a lot of attention and page time. Then the story moves to Ceiao (Rome), and SO. MANY. new characters are introduced. I found it impossible to keep track of them all, especially since they’re presented almost exclusively in terms of their allegiances and political stances. I didn’t care about any of them, let alone anything they did.
- I was conflicted about Ana (Marc Antony). She’s definitely a well-developed character, second only to the POVs, but very little about her made me believe in her stature and competence as a military leader. Gracia and Ceirran both constantly underestimate her, which is definitely part of that, but something about her was just… lacking, for me. I think she ought to have had her own POV chapters.
- I was MUCH more disappointed with the characters meant to embody Octavius, Cassius, and Brutus. Jonata (Brutus), especially—Shakespeare’s version is one of my favorite characters in all of literature, and here they just felt… weak and underdeveloped. Their motivations were largely told rather than shown, and IMO they were introduced too late in the book to make enough of an impact. Catia (Cassius) was a little better; she gets a couple of excellent scenes late in the story. I’m holding out hope Octavio gets more attention in the sequel (I think this is the first in a duology?).
- Space opera is my FAVORITE genre, especially when it reads more like epic fantasy in space. I’ve been itching to get my hands on The Stars Undying since I first saw it announced on Publishers’ Marketplace, because I desperately want more books like that. Which is why it kills me to say this: I’m not sure why this had to be space opera. Other than the Pearl of the Dead (which was so cool, don’t get me wrong), there are almost NO sci-fi elements. This was especially jarring when Ceirran is out on campaign—they talk about tents and crossing rivers. Every once in a while they mention a hologram or a spaceship, but it never felt integral to the story. Take that combined with the archaic speech, I could have been reading any old Roman-inspired epic fantasy. I LIKE fantasy, of course, but part of the reason I read space opera specifically is for the SPACE stuff. This book did not have enough of that, for me.

To summarize: this is a GOOD ASS book. It’s a flawed book, and it’s not the book I (selfishly, I’ll admit) wanted it to be, but I hope it does well. Emery Robin is an author to watch, and I’m excitedly anticipating whatever she writes next (especially if it’s fantasy…).

“Show, don’t tell.” This is basic advice for writers, especially SF writers. Sometimes, though, an artful data dump can lend a clearer picture. I found the first chapters of The Stars Undying very confusing, though I eventually got a handle on the characters and setting. But I found the effort a chore. Robin is a talented writer and creates atmospheric settings but sometimes the atmosphere was too murky for me. Would I read more by the author? Yes, so that is a testament to narrative drive, if not clarity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an advanced copy of The Stars Undying

The premise of this book was very interesting, an Anthony and Cleopatra retelling but in space. I'll preface this review by saying that I'm pretty new to Space Operas so it's possible I'm still getting used to the structure of books like this but I was very confused for the majority of the book. I got the central premise and the character interactions were interesting but I couldn't get a grip on the world/political alliances/what the central conflict was and that took away from my enjoyment.

Based on other reviews it seems like this book is a hit for many so as I said before, take my review with a grain of salt and maybe if you, like me, are new to this genre, pick a more beginner friendly series?

Thank you, Orbit Books, for allowing me to read The Stars Undying early!

I loved, loved, loved this book. I adore re-imaginings of famous historical figures, especially when their queerness it's shown to full scale.

One of the best, most intelligent, and addictive debuts I have read in YEARS—the confidence and clarity of purpose shine in every word of this title. I cannot possibly recommend THE STARS UNDYING enough, please read this novel.

There is absolutely nothing better than an expansive adventure that places us amongst glittering stars and alien planets. So thank goodness for The Stars Undying—an absolutely gorgeously written reimagining of the story of Mark Antony, Cleopatra, and Julius Caesar. Princess Altagracia watches over the City of Endless Pearl and its broken moons, left in tatters after a civil war—just as she has been left without her rightful throne. When she meets Commander Matheus and his lieutenant Anita, she sees an opportunity to form an alliance (“alliance” wink wink nudge nudge) and take back what she’s lost, but it will take quick and strategic thinking, and steering clear of real feelings. We all know how that goes. The Stars Undying is truly epic take on (and a queering of) one of the greatest stories of all time, complete with god machines and space ghosts.

An interesting read. The story and characters are well defined. A good sci-if read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, Emery Robin. and to Orbit Books for allowing me this ARC for a review! This book is my first real space opera, and by the gods, I am so happy it is! I always like a good sci-fi, and in space??? Yes please! And, of course, the classicist in me LOVES the Caesar, Cleopatra, and Antony connections.

This book was such a phenomenal read, and I cannot wait for it to be published. I really enjoyed the characters and the different relationships we see in between all the characters. The different motivations and personalities makes this story so good and impossible to put down!

My favorite part, however, was the world building. I loved the aspect of religion and the political intrigue. When looking to the ancient Mediterranean for inspiration, religion and politics is such an important aspect to consider and I really felt that in this story. It’s also easy to do wrong, but The Stars Undying passed that test with flying colors in my opinion. The religion felt complex and interesting without being redundant or annoying, and the politics was believable but not overburdening. Both were handled fantastically.

Lastly, being a classicist, I REALLY enjoyed the references to the Ancient Mediterranean. I’m usually not a philosophy person at all outside of the Greek philosophers, but the inclusion of philosophy reminiscent of Plato and the likes made it so interesting and digestible. I even recognized some of the specific philosophical questions brought up in this book from my translations of Plato, which was fun! But regardless, I thought this aspect was handled well. The philosophy is not thrown in our faces in a way that we can’t understand, and that’s hard to do so well done.

I really, really enjoyed this book and I will absolutely reread it if I’m ever in a reading slump. I feel like it would be exactly what I need to get out of one, and I also think it’s the type of book where you could read it a million times and find something new each time. Thank you again for the ARC—I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity.

Look, I will read basically any palace intrigue space opera and anything about Cleopatra so I probably still would've enjoyed this if it hadn't been as great as it turned out to be, but this is not only one of the best debuts but just one of the best books I've read in recent years period, and I know I'll be recommending it for years to come. The copy is actually accurate in that I do think it's perfect for readers of Arkady Martine and Anne Leckie, as well as Kate Elliott, Tamsyn Muir, early Catherine Asaro, Everina Maxwell, and to be completely honest, fans ofJupiter Ascending--although more on vibes than plot in the last case, obviously! See also: the recent TV adaptation of Foundation. If classical retellings and brilliant, epic storytelling (in SPACE!) appeal to you even a little, do not miss THE STARS UNDYING.

An amazing space opera that embodies some fascinating worlds, cultures and religions.

I like the similarities to the tales of Caesar and Cleopatra (the carpet even was fantastic!). The Gracia character was well developed and I found myself sympathizing with her at every turn that lead to tragedy and betrayal.

Some of the side characters I was “meh” about.