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On rare occasion, one of our reviewers won't enjoy a book they've read. It happens. That said, even less-than-positive reviews can help stoke discussion about literature, and may even point out aspects of a novel that another reader thinks sound right up their alley. If you'd like to read another point-of-view about this novel, you can do so here and here. We would like to point you towards these reviews because this is one of those times when the submitted review expresses some real frustration with a novel, but we also believe in trying to be fair and provide some balance because we know how hard authors work to produce their books.






Genre: low fantasy / fantasy romance (YA)

Pairings: f/f

Queer Representation: cis lesbian, cis bisexual

Warnings: extreme boredom

Rating: one star


Review (contains angry rants and spoilers)

Princess Dennaleia, a secret User of Magic, is betrothed to a prince from a land that hates magic. She gets shipped off, falls in love with the tomboy sister of the prince instead, and… that’s really about it.
Prepare to be underwhelmed.

At it’s heart, this seemed like a great story. Magical princess meets tomboy princess, foils political intrigue, gets the girl and gets to maybe toast some bad guys. Awesome.

Except it wasn’t. Any of it.

The plot was so contrived and distorted it was impossible to suspend reality in this middling fantasy with only the faintest strokes of worldbuilding. Dennaleia has zero agency until the last twenty or so pages, even though she is by far the strongest person in the book, and has ample opportunity to do so. The tomboy princess, Mare, has just the smallest vestige of agency, yet fails to emote during the most tense situations (brother is going to kill the only thing in the world that brings you joy that you have sobbed about the whole damn book? Meh. Over it.)

The main characters are two-dimensional and the tertiary characters are simply walking tropes that get dialogue. The villain is obvious from the first time he is introduced. The king is obtuse to the point of ridiculousness. The prince isn’t much better, and his half-assed apology at the end of the book, and that Mare forgives him though he fucking ordered her favorite horse culled and basically excused her violent abduction and forced marriage, made me so mad I threw the book.

Across the hall.
While at a convention.
I almost injured someone dressed like David Bowie (from the Labyrinth, complete with tights and bobbing package).
And with all the joy (and apologies to Bowie), let’s get to…

Magic

It’s there. Dennaleia appears to be courting a Chosen One trope, and has three elemental powers that she has to keep hidden because of course. Not one. Three. Does she actually use these powers? Just one, really, at the very end. Not while her girlfriend is being bludgeoned, or while her girlfriend’s horse is being shipped off (though she has the audacity to yell at a lord for not doing anything about the horse, either). She goes where the princes tells her, or the king, or Mare, half the time, despite the fact that she can 1) control fire, 2) control wind, and 3) melt (?) stone.

Seriously. Why she didn’t melt the castle to the ground when everything started going to hell is beyond me. The magic system is also never defined, though it gets info dumped about enough that I’m not really sure why I don’t know more about it. A lot is skimmed over, such as the imprisoned minor magic users, their role in keeping the ambient magic ‘in check,’ and how exactly Dennaleia’s powers work. Dennaleia’s powers have a tendency to work when they are plot convenient, and then puff out of existence when it would end the book too early.

Romance

The romance between the two princesses was passable, but nothing to write home about. It was very sweet, first time, non-explicit, with a lot of hand holding and gentle caresses for the first several hundred pages. It was the only thing that felt ‘real’ in the book, and the only real aspect that made Mare and Dennaleia seem like characters.

For a first time fantasy reader, or a young reader looking for some light lesbian content, this book might be of interest. Those with higher expectations of fantasy, or those with a desire for action, good pacing, and well-developed characters, will want to look elsewhere.

You can buy OF FIRE AND STARS in ebook here and paper here.

Genre: military fantasy

Pairings: f/f

Queer Representation: cis lesbian (literally no gender other than cis female)

Warnings: none

Rating: eleventy billion stars (but no living planets because they're creepy AF)

Review

Zan has no memory of her past. She awakes on a ship (also a planet) with a mass of injuries and a deep attraction to a woman who may have betrayed her. All she knows is that she once threw away a child, and she must penetrate the membrane of world known as 'Mokshi' so that her mother can take control of its resources to save their own dying planet. But as Zan's memories slowly return, she is haunted not only by her growing feelings for Jayd, but snippets of her past life, her dying world, and a hidden plan to save the Legion.

General

Just...wow. I am not a fan of military sci fi but this book picked me up by the collar on page one and did not let me go until the very end. Forget everything you know about military sci fi. This isn't Battlestar Galactica, this is female military sci fi, which means a lot less... well, men. The lack of men and their (stereotypical) goals and obsessions makes this book an exploration of community and war, of birth and gore. It's amazing.

Plot

Fast paced without being rushed. Even in the middle of the book, where it shifts from military to 'journey' book, the plot did not lag. Every chapter had relevance and character building, and following Zan through the layers of the world as she regains her memory was a delight. The tension stemming from not knowing the in-world plot really drove my interest, to the point where I almost mourned the end of the book.

In contrast to Hurley's THE MIRROR EMPIRE, LEGION delivers a solid, tight plot without the wandering and massive POV list. Where MIRROR was a slog with occasional tension, LEGION is polished to a high gloss.

The ending was perfect. Too often with books I love I feel let down when the ending lacks punch, or resolution, or leaves me with a syrupy sweetness that makes me want to brush my teeth. The ending to LEGION wrapped the book and the emotions up but left me with that melancholy happiness I need to really feel fulfilled .

Characters

Although we have two POV characters--Jayd and Zan, Zan really drives the narrative. Jayd serves as more of a device (both as a character and for the plot). The mothers/rulers of the two warring worlds have an interesting dynamic as well, and Rasida was one of my favorite characters (the warlord ruler of the 'antagonist' planet who more or less buys Jayd for her childbearing capabilities) along with Das Muni, the woman who gives birth to some sort of healing squid creatures. Read the book for Das Muni if for no other reason. She's been recycled too many times. She deserves it.
 
You can experience THE STARS ARE LEGION (and hopefully not give birth to a healing squid creature as a result) in paperback here and ebook here.

REVIEWED BY J.S. FIELDS