DECEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
Esther Wane portrays haughty Princess Gracia Patramata, an oracle, in sharp, snooty tones—as befits her highborn station. Gracia recounts her tale of conquest and then defeat by the commander of the interstellar Empire of Ceiao. The battle-hardened commander wrangles with fellow merchants and the now defeated Gracia, whose demeanor is softened when voiced by Tim Campbell. Wane and Campbell narrate alternating chapters filled with echoes of the Roman Empire and the contentious love affair of Antony and Cleopatra. Wane and Campbell unflaggingly tackle intergalactic politics and Latin terms interspersed with made-up words in this long, sometimes numbingly turgid, history of a centuries-old empire guided by an AI and Gracia’s imperial dynasty. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
09/05/2022
Robin’s epic and extensively detailed debut and Empire Without End series launch puts a space opera spin on the love triangle between Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Marc Anthony. Altagracia “Gracia” Caviro Patramata is the true queen and prophet of Szayet, but her more militaristic sister, Arcelia, stages a coup and seizes the Pearl of the Dead, a quicksilver computer containing an AI version of Szayet’s founder, Alekso. Gracia’s only chance at reclaiming the throne is rolling herself up in a carpet, smuggling herself into the quarters of Matheus Ceirran, admiral of the Empire of Ceiao, and seducing him to her side. Though Gracia regains her throne, inviting foreign military to intervene in the Szayeti government soon backfires: the Alekso AI is furious with Gracia, Ceirran’s hotheaded assistant captain causes trouble, and Ceirran himself faces deadly opposition from the Merchants’ Council of Ceiao. Robin’s worldbuilding relies so heavily on classical history that it feels subsumed by it, and readers unfamiliar with the intricacies of Cleopatra or Julius Caesar’s lives may struggle to keep track of the shifting politics and extensive cast. Still, for fans of plot-heavy space opera—and particularly classicists who enjoy SFF—there’s much that will appeal in this galaxy of clever, casually queer characters scheming and double-dealing through the stars. Agent: Isabel Kaufman, Fox Literary. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
"Has the dramatic force of space opera and the lushness of the very best historical fiction. It takes the larger-than-life figures of the ancient world and recasts them against a backdrop of drowned worlds and interstellar empires with extraordinary verve. Gorgeously written, impeccably characterized, and profoundly aware of the way the ghosts of history linger."—Emily Tesh, author of the Greenhollow duology
"An epic tale of love and conquest."—Kirkus
"Emery Robin deftly wields the conventions of science fiction to make old stories new. The Stars Undying is a fascinating, wonderful ride full of exquisitely realized societies and bold, history-shaping personalities. I did not know I could weep for Antony, love Cleopatra, or lament Caesar, but through Ana, Gracia, and Ceirran, I do."—Maya Deane, author of Wrath Goddess Sing
"Gorgeously written, clever and captivating."—Kristyn Merbeth, author of Fortuna
"A glittering triumph of a book that weaves together history and tragedy into a star-spanning epic. I fell into this book and didn't come out for a long time."—Everina Maxwell, author of Winter’s Orbit
"Dazzling, transportive, boundless, precise—and dares to ask, what if Mark Antony was the hottest butch girl in space?"—Casey McQuiston, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Beautifully written, with poise and wit and grand epic sweep, The Stars Undying has everything I want from a space opera."—A.K. Larkwood, author of The Unspoken Name
"There’s much that will appeal in this galaxy of clever, casually queer characters scheming and double-dealing through the stars."—Publishers Weekly
“An ambitious and sweeping debut, The Stars Undying shimmers with that transformative potential … The Stars Undying manages to transmute its famous truths and infamous lies into something breathtakingly new.”—Chicago Review of Books
"There is a great deal to love about this book. Fans of Roman history will have particular fun picking out which characters stand in for which historical figures ... a welcome new update of an old story." —Wall Street Journal
"A dazzling debut ... The Stars Undying will attract fans of plots with scheming and double-dealing in centuries past—among the stars, no less ... Readers will be eager for the sequel."—Shelf Awareness
"Definitely one if you're a fan of Arkady Martine or Ann Leckie or Yoon Ha Lee. If you love a juicy political space opera that has really interesting worldbuilding and lots of great characters, it ticks all the boxes." —Book Riot
Library Journal
09/01/2022
DEBUT In Robin's debut space opera, Princess Altagracia knows that she is the true ruler of her planet Szayet, but her twin sister has usurped both her throne and the Pearl, a computer that's prophesied to contain the immortal soul of Szayet's god. To escape the wrath of her sister the queen, Gracia flees the planet and meets up with Matheus Ceirran, the Commander of the Empire of Ceiao. Gracia knows that with Ceirran and his lieutenant Anita on her side, she can claim her rightful crown. But as their political alliance grows personal, Gracia must also deal with the intelligence, immortal or mechanical, in her ear and mind that looks for the path to power. Gracia has been able to talk her way to where she is now, but it will take actions, not words, to make her mark. Inspired by the histories of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, the intricate political and personal machinations of Gracia and Ceirran are dynamic and sympathetic. VERDICT In Robin's debut, fans of immersive space opera will find all the wide interstellar and on-planet action they desire, along with intimate emotional journeys for the characters.—Kristi Chadwick
DECEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
Esther Wane portrays haughty Princess Gracia Patramata, an oracle, in sharp, snooty tones—as befits her highborn station. Gracia recounts her tale of conquest and then defeat by the commander of the interstellar Empire of Ceiao. The battle-hardened commander wrangles with fellow merchants and the now defeated Gracia, whose demeanor is softened when voiced by Tim Campbell. Wane and Campbell narrate alternating chapters filled with echoes of the Roman Empire and the contentious love affair of Antony and Cleopatra. Wane and Campbell unflaggingly tackle intergalactic politics and Latin terms interspersed with made-up words in this long, sometimes numbingly turgid, history of a centuries-old empire guided by an AI and Gracia’s imperial dynasty. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2022-07-27
Love, politics, and immortality set against a backdrop of interstellar empire.
Altagracia Caviro Patramata is out to take her sister’s throne. Of course, Gracia believes the throne is hers, or ought to be—her twin sister, Arcelia, has never been pious or political enough to appear interested in becoming the Oracle of Alekso and bearing the Pearl, the supercomputer that grants the ability to hear the voice of their planet's God. But Arcelia seized the throne after their father’s death, and now Gracia has no choice but to throw herself on the mercy of Matheus Ceirran, a military commander from the powerful Ceian empire who’s arrived on her planet chasing a rival from the empire’s civil war. When the would-be queen meets the commander, the attraction is immediate, and their affair begins just as quickly. But for Gracia, the aspiring leader of a religion, to become involved with the commander of a staunchly anti-religious empire is no simple matter, and their relationship will ultimately change the fates of both their worlds. There’s a grand, bloody, romantic, complicated story here, but the reader is often missing information that would elucidate the characters' goals and motivations. Gracia in particular is an interestingly tricky narrator, confessing to lies and withholding information. When the shape of the story does become clear, it’s epic, posing interesting philosophical questions and including many well-drawn, complex characters. Clearer stakes from the start could have made the opening more engaging, but ultimately, the story pays off for the patient reader.
This dense and subtle political drama will reward attentive readers with an epic tale of love and conquest.
