Review by Booklist Review
Elliott returns with a second robust installment in the Sun Chronicles (after Unconquerable Sun, 2020), an sf epic inspired by Alexander the Great. Princess Sun led the upstart Chaonian Republic to victory against the powerful Phene Empire despite heavy losses. She and her mother, Queen-Marshal Eirene, are preparing to expel the Phene from a nearby system when tragedy strikes at home. Even though Chaonia is still rebuilding its military, Sun has her sights set on an incredibly valuable and dangerous prize. The action moves briskly as the focus pivots among Sun and several of her friends and allies, including the brash Penelope; Kurash, still searching for his identity; eager newbie Makinde; and Sun's beloved Hetty as well as a Phene officer involved with the mysterious Rider Council. Pieces of the puzzle imparted by each voice coalesce in a galloping conclusion. Between action-packed military engagements, shootouts, reconnaissance missions, fancy parties, and political scheming, Elliott takes time to consider questions of power, destiny, family, and legacy. Readers are along for a wild ride as Sun sprints through the universe as the mastermind of a brilliant campaign that takes both enemies and allies by surprise. For fans of Murderbot, space opera, and military sf.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The dense second installment to Elliott's Sun Chronicles series, an epic gender-swapped retelling of the life of Alexander the Great, lives up to the promise of its predecessor, Unconquerable Sun, delivering delicious space opera action webbed with intricate court intrigue. Princess Sun, heir to Queen-Marshal Eirene of the Republic of Chaonia, has trained her entire life to become a leader, lessons she both takes on and chafes against. When she's unexpectedly called to take up her mother's mantle on the eve of an ambitious attack against both the hated Phene Empire and the Rider Council, she has only tenuous support from the rest of the government but the wholehearted backing of her seven Companions. Elliott alternates between a handful of point-of-view characters to create a nuanced exploration of this fraught political landscape. Phene pilot Apama, for example, proves a perfect foil to both Sun and Companion Persephone, who is herself an unwitting party to a long-held Chaonian secret. The result is a byzantine plot enhanced with lovingly detailed action sequences, romance, and moral and philosophical questions about personhood and duty. It's a lot, but readers who stick with it will be richly rewarded. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Princess Sun knows she has the intelligence and strength to command the fleets of the Republic of Chaonia, along with her mother, Queen-Marshal Eirene. And all talents are needed because even with the defeat of the Phene Empire's invasion force, the Empire continues to be a formidable foe. When the Queen-Marshal surprises her leaders with an attack on the Karnos System, tragedy thrusts Sun into the role she has been preparing for all of her life. But with doubtful military leaders, undermining politics, and the alien Empire's power, Sun will have to decide if she'll follow her mother's plans or create her own path for the future. The multiple points of view between Sun, Companion Persephone, and Phrene Lieutenant Apama At Sabao highlight the gray areas of empiric expansion and those conquered. While again a lengthy book, the exposition is balanced with action and keeps readers engaged throughout. VERDICT The second "Sun Chronicles" book (after Unconquerable Sun) continues the complex action and intrigue from the first volume. Expansive space opera at its finest.--Kristi Chadwick
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