Library Journal - Audio
03/01/2022
Though myth claims Urth once revolved, in living memory humanity has only known the Crown—the meridian between deadly hemispheres of sun-scorched fire and endless ice. Listeners meet Nyx, once a foundling, now a teenager whose dreams presage apocalypse. A large, diversely described cast of entertaining misfits come together to help her survive and save the world. SFF fans may wonder at Urthlings having attained civilizations rich enough to support hereditary monarchies, religious cloisters, and commercial airship passenger transit in such a harsh place. A blistering pace and action-packed plot in this series launch divert attention from such wondering well enough, and Rollins (The Last Odyssey) implies answers in future installments. Sounding slightly too mature as Nyx, Nicola Barber nonetheless finds authentic voices for the motley crews of underdog heroes and scene-chewing villains and ramps up the suspense of many a set piece. Rollins reads the introduction, a fun enhancement unique to audio. VERDICT This rapid-fire fantasy is recommended for libraries with large, well-circulating SFF collections.—Lauren Kage
Publishers Weekly
09/13/2021
A young woman discovers her foreboding destiny in this fun but one-dimensional fantasy adventure from Rollins (A Kingdom of Bones). Nyx, a nearly blind student at the Cloistery of Brayk, survives an attack by monstrous Mýr bats, vicious swamp beasts with lethal venom. But rather than killing Nyx, their venom miraculously restores her vision and imparts a premonition of Moonfall, an impending apocalypse. When Highking Toranth ry Massif learns of Nyx’s survival, he demands to have her brought to his castle; her blood could prove valuable to his physicians and he fears she’s connected to the legend of the Forsworn Knight, whose alleged child was prophesied to be the cause of the kingdom’s downfall. As Toranth hunts for her, Nyx flees with a team of unlikely allies on a perilous journey to find her alleged father, determined to stop Moonfall before darkness takes them all. Though the fantastical creatures and landscapes are imaginative, the fast-paced but shallow narrative takes the easy road by concentrating on a series of chilling beast encounters for Nyx and her party rather than exploring the tension between characters. Readers looking for plot-driven fantasy will enjoy the action but shouldn’t expect much depth. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
This talented storyteller moves smoothly from Thriller to Fantasy. A terrific bit of storytelling.”—Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of the Shannara novels
"When I'm sitting around the campfire, hearing of heroic deeds and derring-do, I want James Rollins to be standing across from me spinning the yarn. He grabs you at the beginning and doesn't let go, weaving a believably unbelievable world of magic and danger that is both terrifying and beautiful, cruel and tender. A masterful storyteller across the genres, James is at his best in The Starless Crown."—R. A. Salvatore, New York Times bestselling author of The DemonWars Saga
“The Starless Crown is a bold and brilliant epic fantasy by a master storyteller! Wonderfully complex characters, shifting points-of-view, unparalleled world-building, and a great sense of fun make this a certified triumph!”—Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Relentless and Kagen the Damned
"An action-filled fantasy quest that is gripping and thought-provoking. The high stakes and smooth writing made it a page turner.... As in his thrillers, he includes science, historical secrets, and suspense."—Mystery & Suspense Magazine
“An interesting blend of science and magic, flying ships and prophetic gods, propel this fantasy into epic territories.”—Library Journal
“Fun…the fantastical creatures and landscapes are imaginative.... Readers looking for plot-driven fantasy will enjoy the action.”—Publishers Weekly
Praise for James Rollins:
"Rollins is what you might wind up with if you tossed Michael Crichton and Dan Brown into a particle accelerator together.”—The New York Times
"Adventurous and enormously engrossing."—NPR
"After Crichton passed away in 2008 he clearly passed the baton to James Rollins, who like Crichton, is a renaissance man."—Huffington Post
Library Journal
10/01/2021
Best-selling thriller author Rollins (Sandstorm) explores his science and zoology interests in this new genre series set on a planet that does not rotate and is plagued by extreme heat and ice. On this world lives Nyx, a blind student succeeding in academia. However, her rejection by jealous classmates, together with an aborted attack sets off a chain of events that send Nyx on a journey of power and destruction. In other parts of the land, outcasts are on a collision course with each other: a thief who escapes prison with a shocking artifact, a prince whose life plan seems to be one of drunken debauchery until purpose sets a new path, and a legendary soldier who must face his past and find home again. All will come together in a quest to save the world from apocalypse. The novel's pace is slowed in the beginning by the numerous points of view, but its worldbuilding will capture readers' attention, and Rollins creates a deeply layered history in the series' opening volume. VERDICT An interesting blend of science and magic, flying ships and prophetic gods, propel this fantasy into epic territories.—Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
