This book was everything I wanted in a sequel, with the ante upped, new mysteries introduced, and the danger mounting. I absolutely loved the inclusion of the Not-Canden chapters, as they gave such insight into canus, and I can't wait to find out what's really going on with Jonsun--and how Naira is going to overcome being cracked. The lack of a horrible cliffhanger ending was especially wonderful, as if allowed the story to feel complete while also opening up new avenues for the next and final book in the trilogy. I can't wait to see everything that's in store for Tarquin and Naira (and how Kav and Kuma will ever manage to get out from under Jonsun's thumb). As ever, the casual diversity, the abundance of they/them characters (though I admittedly wouldn't mind a few neopronouns), and the casual way both Tarquin and Naira approach their sexualities is so refreshing. Megan O'Keefe is quickly becoming a new favorite author.

I was really impressed by book 1 of this series, *The Blighted Stars*. This second entry cements the Devoured Worlds as one of my favorite series currently being published.

Review will avoid spoilers for book 1.

Megan O'Keefe really leans into the implications of some of the concepts she started exploring in *The Blighted Stars*. Book 1 introduced us to a world where humans (at least the wealthy ones) could upload their consciousness upon death and have a new body printed. It’s not without risk - the mind sometimes shatters from violent or stressful deaths - but it’s a generally reliable way for the elite to stay young and fit for a long, long time. The logical thing to do, which is done regularly, is plan your deaths. Have a new body printed ahead of time; get yourself euthanized in a clean, safe, comfortable way; transfer your consciousness into the new body right away. If you have the resources, no reason not to switch to a fresh new body whenever your current one is starting to show a little wear & tear.

Book 2 really goes deeper into this. Former Exemplar bodyguard Naira Sharp (whom I’d consider the primary protagonist over Tarquin Mercator, scion of the powerful family she was responsible for protecting, though you could argue otherwise) does a lot of body hopping in this book. Sometimes she does it because her old one was too banged up or compromised in some way. Sometimes she does it to further a plan where trying to get out alive would be impractical. Sometimes she does it for infiltration purposes: hack the printer bays on a remote starship and have them literally build her a body in the secure facility she’s trying to reach.

But there are other considerations that come into play, and really start to explore the implications of consciousness-uploading. The end of the first book touched on this: what if you print an older version of yourself, essentially erasing a few months or years of life from your memories? What if the uploaded consciousness gets tampered with between prints? Why, exactly, is it so dangerous to have the same consciousness downloaded into two bodies at once? All these things get played with, and it’s a delightful science-fiction mind-fuck.

“But what about the plot?” ask those wise souls who read and loved book 1. I don’t want to say much, because of spoilers, but that was advanced and *also* a healthy degree of science-fiction mind-fuck.

Looking forward to book 3. Megan E. O’Keefe, if you are reading this, please understand that if Naira and Tarquin don’t get a happily ever after I am going to be *very upset* with you.

I great follow up to the Blighted Stars! I loved how Tarquin and Naira's relationship continues to evolve. I loved learning more about Fletcher and how O'Keefe makes you feel pity for a ruthless finalizer, you may still hate him but you understand him and he's actually quite interesting.

The vibe is completely different in this book since it takes place entirely on that stations or ships instead of on world, but it was masterfully done. I think O'Keefe did a grate job lacing through the plot lines that carry through all of the books while also adding new elements and keeping things interesting.

I'm excited to see how things turn out in book 3.

This was a truly awesome sequel. In fact, I think I liked it more than book one, mostly because I had a far better understanding of what was happening, and exactly what our main characters were dealing with. Not only that, but since there is a bit of downtime here and there, we get to really delve into who our characters are- especially Naira, who spent most of the first book hiding who she was. So now she has to come to terms with herself, for better and for worse, in order to move forward.

There are also a lot of relationship dynamics at play in this installment. Not only romantic (though there is indeed some romance- and a healthy one, at that!) but friendships, family relationships, and ex-romantic relationships. And as you can imagine, they are not all quite so healthy as the romance. There is a lot of messiness, and trust issues, and political problems, and so on. But I think this book had an even better balance of action and character development, which I loved.

Bottom Line: Bring on book 3! Like now, please and thank you.

I felt pretty lukewarm about the first book in the Devoured Worlds series but I stuck with this universe because I found the premise fascinating, I loved the main couple together and I don’t mind admitting that Tarquin Mercator is totally my new book boyfriend. Geeky, socially awkward scientists in space struggling to fit into leadership roles, I definitely need more of those.

The second book addressed all my concerns about the first book and fleshed out the worldbuilding in new and surprising ways. I felt the first book focused too heavily on the relationship of Tarquin and Naira and missed worldbuilding opportunities, so if you loved that it was first and foremost a romance with a dash of space politics, you’ll probably be disappointed by its sequel. It turned those elements inside out.

And not in the way that disappointed me in another book series, when the main couple was torn apart by space politics and was only in the same room together twice in the span of two books and barely thought of the other at all. This handled the “torn apart by the space politics” angle brilliantly, keeping up the heat and the tension between Tarquin and Naira and building on their earlier budding relationship, showing how they navigated the challenges of making a life together while still staying true to their ideals.

This sequel was right up my alley, if a little bit long. I don’t know what it is about the author’s writing style, perhaps a slow pace and hurried action sequences, but I took forever to get through this book and had to put it down several times. It could be hard to get into the story at various plot points.

But this is extremely slow burn (in terms of worldbuilding) that pays off in the end and the characters are worth sticking around for. I loved how the author showed Naira struggling to transition from her life as an exemplar (royal bodyguard) to life as a head of corporate family’s sanctioned partner. It was also fascinating how body printing was expanded upon in this one and how the technology could be manipulated.

The side characters in this were all well fleshed out and complex, showing conflicting, shifting loyalties and complicated politics. I also loved how twisted Acaelus’s love for his family had become. He was a villain with a heart and not the villain you think. There are several villains in this cast.

I was intrigued by the unexpected ways that these genetically enhanced humans with their fungus-infected pathways were controlled by their infection. It was interesting to see humanity fight to survive and the ethics of what continued survival and the future of body printing means for the future of humanity.

I’ll be reading the third book, though so much was contained in the second book that I do hope this series will end with a bang and not a tease.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Leaving five stars as I’m unsure how to rate and unsure of how it compares to the author’s other works.

I stopped at the end of chapter 1 (4%). The book has heavy exposition and worldbuilding to start, and it doesn’t feel like it works as a standalone. It’s not right for our libraries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

4.5/5

This is a great follow-up to The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe! I was so excited to be back in this world with these characters! I love that this book is more political than the previous book too. The start was a bit slow for me especially since the first book started with a bang and just continued to ramp up. But I loved this book and look forward to reading more from Megan E. O'Keef!

A great follow up to The Blighted Stars. You will not be disappointed with this book. Get a copy ASAP!

*twiddles thumbs waiting for the Third Book*

I really enjoyed this book, it delved more into the process of mapping and the complexity of what can be done with it. All while combining the greater fight and the revolutionary fight.

I was worried this was going to be a will they won’t they situation of Tarquin and Naira, but was pleasantly surprised.

I would say the only part I wasn’t a fan of was anything to do with Fletcher. His character just didn’t flow well for me. Maybe it’s because I just really couldn’t stand him…zero redeeming qualities.

Thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for letting me read this a month early…even in that means I have to wait a month longer to find out what happens.

Thoroughly enjoyed this instalment in the trilogy. It was both action packed and unpredictable, as all Megan O’Keefe books tend to be.

As the second in a series, this book built upon the revelations in book one and increased the stakes ten-fold. The character relationships deepened and new characters were introduced to sow chaos in a way that kept me turning the page well into the night.

My only criticism for the book would be the pacing and some repetitive story arch’s. The pacing was extremely quick in the first half of the book and then slowed down at points during the second half which made the story feel a bit off balance. The quick pace in the beginning meant that SO much happened in this book and a pattern emerged in the writing structure, mainly.- couple gets separated, Tarquinius is in danger, Naira saves him.

Overall, this book kept me extremely engaged and I cannot wait until book 3. I will hold off on my external reviews until September 12, as requested by the publisher.

I ended up DNFing this book. With Naira’s loss of memories and all the development between the characters being voided, it just fell flat for me. I had a hard time caring and getting into it.

5/5/.
WGB Score: 10/10

I didn't think O'Keefe could top the first book but she did it then doubled-down. I will be giving a full review of this title closer to the publication, but this is a must pre-order if you've read the first book. The stakes, the new characters, the atmosphere... the new setting! Loved it.

Strong writing and a good series here. This author has published quite a bit, and she knows how to create a good plot and interesting characters. I look forward to her future work.

Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!

This was an amazing sequel to The Blighted Stars. I find myself often running into (a personal, I'm sure) issue where I absolutely fly through the first book but end up skimming the second book in a series. This did not happen with The Fractured Dark. The first book was super action-packed and had a lot of intrigue, along with pretty cool world-building and characters I enjoyed reading about. This second book is, like, equally as exciting and stuff really hits the fan. Everything is set up so well and is so fast-paced. I don't want to give any plot information away as it is a sequel, but if you liked the first one you're going to love this second one!

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)

It's official....my pathways have been completely taken over by this series!! I need to be sent to re-printing since my mind was blown at more than a few points in this terrific follow up to The Blighted Stars, The story picks right up from book 1 and its non-stop right to the end. Naira and Tarquin continue to battle the spread of canus and do whatever is necessary to try and save humanity before its takeover is complete. This continues to take a tremendous toll on each of these characters personally, professionally and requires some serious sacrifices on everyone's part. The stakes are continually raised as our protagonists seem to be constantly outmaneuvered by the canus bound and the twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat and I loved every minute of it!! Megan does a spectacular job of ratcheting up the tension and crafting a plot that keeps you guessing and fully engaged from start to finish. I love Naira and Tarquin and the change of pace chapters where they get to explore their relationship were fantastic. I have no idea what to do with Demarco....love him, hate him, basically both all time! Haha. Missed me some Pliny tho for sure. I need book 3 immediately.

5/5 incredddddible

The second books of some series can drag on and feel like they're trying to fill some time between the first and last books, but this one keeps it moving and is so fun and unpredictable the whole time.

The first one was walking towards horror with the zombie stuff, but this one is firmly horror with intensely creepy antagonists

The plot keeps moving- Naira and Tarquin are working against the fungus that wants to take over humanity was well as the power structure in the galaxy, with the added bonus that Naira doesn't remember any of the first book, and Tarquin's father has done something extra batshit.

It's still got its space opera-y ness with relationships and people's pasts getting brought up, but it's closer to harder sci fi than the protectorate series for sure.

Highly recommend!!

"Dying planets, dangerous conspiracies, and secret romance abound in the second installment of the Devoured Worlds trilogy by award-winning author Megan E. O'Keefe.

Naira and Tarquin have escaped vicious counter-revolutionaries, misprinted monsters, and the pull of a dying planet. Now, bound together to find the truth behind the blight that has been killing habitable planets, they need to hunt out the Mercator family secrets. But, when the head of Mercator disappears, taking the universe's remaining supply of starship fuel with him, chaos breaks loose between the ruling families. Naira's revolution must be put aside for the sake of humanity's immediate survival."

Romance and survival!

I really enjoyed this second book of The Devoured World. There is so much going on; love, betrayal, who is really inside that body!

Read if you like; space operas, romance, adventure, betrayal, family

I just reviewed The Fractured Dark by Megan E. O'Keefe. #TheFracturedDark #NetGalley

Genre: science fiction

In a new print of her own body, and with no personal recollection of the events that transpired on Sixth Cradle, Naira Sharp is rebuilding her own memory while fighting to destroy the fungal infection of canus infiltrating anyone who has been printed. Tarquin Mercator, now presumed head of the Mercator family with his father Acaelus missing, has to convince Naira’s allies that he’s got their best interests in mind and intends to reverse his father’s legacy. But looming closer is the threat of the canus infection, which could gain control of all of their neural pathways and wipe out humanity if it isn’t stopped. And no one can be trusted.

This may be the best second-in-a-trilogy SFF book I’ve ever read? In my review of The Blighted Stars, I talked about how it was a book that somehow contained all of my favorite science fiction AND romance tropes - bodies as shells, sentient ships and AI ethics, starchy SF military officer starting to crack, enemies to lovers, class difference... The Fractured Dark expands on all of those and expands on them, with higher stakes than the first book.

The romance is closed door, but written with genuine care towards the relationship and character development. Tarquin is soft, gentle, and unsure of how hard he can push Naira when she doesn’t remember growing to care for him in the first book. Naira is a hardened and determined soldier, ruthlessly pursuing what she considers the moral path. Together, they pair and balance each other, even when Tarquin’s privilege makes him put his foot in his mouth, or Naira’s bullheadedness gets her killed yet again.

If you’re a romance reader looking to branch out into science fiction, I cannot recommend this enough, because the comfort of the romance will embrace you as you read. If you’re a science fiction reader looking for some romance, this couldn’t be more up your alley. It has all the vibes of a truly classic space opera, the ethical questions of smart science fiction, and well developed characters you crave across genres.

Thank you to @yourbookishbff and @plottrysts for the buddy read - sorry I was the slow one. There’s nothing like reading space opera/military SF with your historical romance buddies.