The Fractured Dark

The Devoured Worlds #2

by Megan E. O'Keefe

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. The Devoured Worlds
The Blighted Stars
The Fractured Dark

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Space Opera, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult, Fantasy

Audiobook

First published September 26, 2023

About the author

Megan E. O'Keefe was raised amongst journalists, and as soon as she was able joined them by crafting a newsletter which chronicled the daily adventures of the local cat population. She lives in the Bay Area of California, and spends her free time tinkering with anything she can get her hands on.

Her fantasy debut, Steal the Sky, won the Gemmell Morningstar Award and her space opera debut, Velocity Weapon was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.

Reviews

[Maddie Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING BREAKDOWN
Characters: 3⭐️
Setting: 4⭐️
Plot: 4⭐️
Themes: 3⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 4⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 3.5⭐️

This was a fun follow-up to The Blighted Stars. I continue to appreciate the moral dilemmas, breakneck pacing, emotional relationships, and complicated politics of this story. The sci-fi elements are grounded and believable, while providing large-scale stakes that give the story epic scope.

A few things didn't work as well for me in this one. Thematically, we haven't really expanded or progressed beyond wanting to save humanity and caring about those closest to you, to the point of self-sacrifice. There is decent introspection and satisfying backstory, but ultimately, this installment had less emotional impact or payoff. I think this partly pertains to the antagonist of this story feeling like a minor roadblock. He feels contrived for the sake of the second book having a goal, but he is a step down or back from the meta plot going on, so it just feels like an annoying delay in the pacing.

I'm hoping for a little more depth or complexity to the characters, which will require some growth or stretching in the final installment. Overall, I find the series to be well-executed and very entertaining. It has polish and is really smart, and I appreciate the romance, since it's missing from the genre pretty often. I just want more depth, and a focus on the meta plot, which I'm excited to hopefully get in the third book of the trilogy!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

find me crying at tarquin being nairas home and building it for her because it’s everything she deserves

the poetic justice of tarquin beating [redacted] with a chair. i love this song!!

thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing the review copy

Read my mini review here

Bookstagram | Blog

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

im so obsessed with the world the author created and i adore the romance, but i started to lose my patience after the 70% mark. there’s a lot of different inner conflict going on throughout the book and because of the state Naira’s in, the dynamic between her and Tarquin suffered a bit. i love the friendship Naira has with Cass though, they remind me of myself and my friends irl lol. i enjoyed most of the book and i can’t wait to see what’ll happen next, i just hope the story doesn’t stretch itself thin like it did here at the end.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember enjoying The Blighted Stars but was extremely fuzzy on the details beyond that, as it’s been a while since I read the first installment.

This second book has a slow start but eventually has some of the action that had me glued to the first book.

At times, I found the dialogue corny, and some of the characters felt like caricatures. However, I still enjoyed the majority of the story.

If you don’t read much sci-fi, this is a great series to try out the genre. It doesn’t get bogged down into too much scientific detail and focuses on the plot.

I have the next book on hand and am excited to dive in soon.

Thank you to Orbit for providing a copy to review.

https://booksandwheels.com

[Queralt✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a very obsessive personality. I have re-played Mass Effect dozens of times, re-read and re-watched The Expanse by James S.A. Corey and The Protectorate books also by Megan E. O'Keefe a few times, and The Devoured Worlds series is honestly taking over my existence right now. I feel like a cult member about to knock on your door to ask you if you have a few minutes to talk about the MERIT families, this is how bad O'Keefe has me at the moment.

The Fractured Dark is the perfect continuation to The Blighted Stars. Whereas the first book felt already quite fast-paced and high-stakes to me, looking back at it now, it was merely an introduction to the shit show that was about to happen. So, if you're in for our galaxy going crazy, do buckle up because The Fractured Dark really levels it up when it comes to urgent matters and the degree of threat 'that thing' poses to humanity. The first 40% of the book is like going for a swim and the following 60% is just you being dragged by the current toward a waterfall that will certainly kill you. I loved it. I need more of it. And I need it now.

I will stay away from spoilers but I will just share my highlights (good and less good):
- The writing: Exquisit.
- The characters: I'm a character-focused reader (is that a thing?) and while I adore Naira and Tarquin, I fell in love with Kav in the first book and he will always be the apple of my eye. This being said, this book was an absolute roller-coaster of emotions and every character has to make morally gray decisions that really split me in half. I feel this book has developed all the characters we knew and introduced new ones, but it was difficult to like them because it's not always easy to agree on what the 'right thing.' Kuma, Ward, Cass, and Lee are amazing.
- The romance: The Blighted Stars was very romance-y and I feel this book was as well for the first 20% and then it would have very long chunks that felt more like a romance novel than anything else (there's one particular super tense moment where Tarq just kisses Naira and I'm still confused as to why it was necessary). As much as I eye roll every single time they're on page, I am a sucker for these two, so sure it may have been too much and over the top, but I shall accept it because I love them to bits.
- The "bad": 1) I struggled big-time from page 95 to page 240 because a certain character showed up, took over the book, and I just really disliked him. It took me a long, long time to get through these pages because I couldn't pick up the book without getting annoyed. I don't think he was added to add a love triangle per se, but the connection between Naira and this dude was just... weird. And abusive, and it wasn't something I wanted to read about. I struggled a lot with it. 2) Then, there's this other woman (she's not important so who cares, her name is Emali) and she's a minor character but oh god why does she exist. WHY.
- The story: Boy, this was complicated. I only started truly getting what we were doing around pages 170-200 and it was because Kav came out with this hypothetical case and everyone just went along with it as if it was a reality (and sure, it was-ish, but it just has me scratching my head). The book is easy to follow once you get the grips of it, I just feel it was such a change of pace and setting after the first installment that I had to get acclimated with it. Also, it's commendable how O'Keefe at some point makes a character be double-printed, and it's so easy to understand what is happening even without her confirming it for a while, really good world-building with this. I also found super important how Naira has survived a lot because she has 'found her family' after losing her mom when she was a kid, and it's brutal how two different characters try to convince her/manipulate her into things by using the words "we're family." Family my ass. It's so easy to empathize with her. Again, Chapter 44 almost had me crying.
- Tarquin: He is getting his own section because our rock-boy needs it. I give him a lot of shit for being an idiot and, honestly, he is. He is an idiot in love and an idiot affected by something plot-related, but honestly, he just freaks out all the time. He needs to get a grip. He needs therapy, a babysitter, and divine intervention. He's a good kid, and I do like him, but I will continue calling him little shit until I die. And, I was re-reading The Blighted Stars yesterday, and the fact that he joked about Kav not being a good hacker when Tarquin can't function for two minutes on his own is hilarious to me.

Now, this all being said, I do wish O'Keefe addresses some questions I have. Mainly, 1) it would be cool if the next book would address who ships jump or how FTL with ships work. There's a ship that jumps very quickly (aka instantly) and I have not seen this in any sci-fi before, the closest thing I can think of is ships going through mass relays/rings but there's none of this here so... how? 2) when you make a print, you use relk for the pathways, but... what else is used? How do you make the blood and the meaty bits? 3) How does Kav know what E-X Cass looks like? 4) If Earth is supposed to be dead, how comes Tarquin still has honey or wine that is produced there? like I get that maybe Earth is not dead-dead, but how dead is it? 5) No spoilers but, at the end of the book, I figured Naira would be more worried about a certain someone who is trapped somewhere with an absolute psycho cult leader-ish lunatic?

Thank you Orbit for the free ARC. I may or may have not almost cried and danced when I saw my request had been approved.

[Reggie Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS! These books are unlike anything I’ve read. Truly love this messed up world the author has created. It’s witty, fast paced, & I was on the edge of my seat.

Ifeel like this could have been almost 5 stars, but I feel like the plot got lost at times? I also cannot keep everything straight. It’s definitely a confusing concept & one I feel like I should have figured out by now. Also, the dialogue can be a little cheesy at times, but I EAT IT UP. So many tender moments & moments I screamed out loud. This book also gives major whiplash, but in the best way?

TARQUIN YOU SWEET BABY ANGEL YOU DESERVE THE WORLD ILYSM

[Samantha (ladybug.books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Ugh I’m so disappointed I didn’t love this sequel. There are some really good moments in this but the execution is messy. I really don’t like how some of the plot threads from book one were handled. I got so annoyed with some of the decisions at the start of this book that I had to put the book down for a month. The story felt like it kept losing track of itself or losing its focus.

The climax was too easy and I also feel like there are plot holes??? I mean it could be addressed in book three but it still felt off.

I’m not sure if I’ll read book three. Part of me wants to finish off the trilogy but I’m also frustrated with how the story devolved after book one.

[Evie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is potentially going to be a bit ‘stream of consciousness-y’ cause I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this I’m still trying to work out. I’ll keep it as general and spoiler free as possible.

The world building in this series is so impressive, I can easily imagine this material being adapted to tv or as a game (thinking old school BioWare/ Mass Effect) because the world is so immersive and alive and I really do think it’s a great example of a space opera. O’Keefe is without a doubt a very skilled author and her writing craft is very impressive. I was a bit disappointed that book 2 lost a lot of the horror/mystery element that was present in book 1 that I loved so much and really relied a lot more on the space politics, which I don’t think was always a good thing cause it kind of felt a bit clunky at times.

I do think this suffered a bit from middle book syndrome. I have been listening to this on my commute and I was rarely excited enough to cheat and listen to extra when at home. I did enjoy my time with this book though but I do remember having a moment at the 3/4 mark trying to remember what the actual plot of the book was and realising that it loosely had an overarching story but that it really had felt more like a series of conflicts strung together somewhat randomly and sometimes a bit repetitively. I also think that it suffered a bit from a lack of focus with too many antagonists on the go at once.

All of the characters continued to flesh out well in this story, although for me the side characters really injected the fun and colour into this world (EX Cass is the sweetest and I want good things for him forever). I still enjoyed Naira and Tarquin both as characters in their own rights and together but I’ll admit I found their chemistry more fun in book 1, their banter really shines when they are flirty and sometimes I found the challenges and conversations they faced as an established couple to be a bit dull and tedious.

I still think this is a great example of sci fi world building but I can’t help but feel this book kept getting lost in its own giant scope. I’m keen to read the final installment but I admit that I probably won’t be lining up at the door on release day. 3.5 stars rounded down.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
This is an easy space opera series. I liked this second book a bit more than the first. This one built off the original book, providing more character development and story progression.

I would cautiously recommend this one to fans of The Expanse. I don't think the story or character are as strong but it's a similar kind of modern space opera that could appeal to similar readers. If the characters had been more compelling, I would have been more attached to this narrative.

I would recommend this one to readers looking for a new, lesser known space opera to read.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[fatma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this sequel a little less than its predecessor, The Blighted Stars, but everything that I loved about book one is still very much present here: notably, Megan E. O'Keefe's writing. More than anything, I find her books to be incredibly readable. I feel like that word sometimes comes across as generic or lukewarm, but I mean it as a real compliment here. These books are 500+ pages, and yet they read so impressively smoothly, allowing you to be fully immersed in this world and its characters. As with The Blighted Stars, I loved following our main duo, Tarquin and Naira, in this instalment. They are, for me, the heart of these books; together, their individual journeys and their relationship ground the story of this series, giving it an emotional resonance that I always find myself drawn to and moved by. As a sequel, The Fractured Dark also gives us more opportunities to learn about these characters: their backstories (especially Naira's), as well the ways in which they navigate both internal and external obstacles in their relationship.

Of course, The Fractured Dark also ups the stakes of the plot that was laid out for us in book one. There is plenty of action to be found here; lots of ups and downs, lots of twists and turns. I found the pacing a little uneven compared to the first book, which worked better for me just because the plot was mostly limited to one location and its trajectory was more defined than it is here. That said, though, I personally didn't mind this as much because O'Keefe's smooth, propulsive writing carries the plot really well and that emotional core of the characters, which is what drew me to this series to begin with, was still at the forefront of the story.

I just love this series. It's fun and immersive and I can't wait to read more of Megan E. O'Keefe's writing.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow burn science fiction that I devoured.

These characters actually communicate. They listen. They learn. Hallelujah.

Acaelus Mercator had raised the specter of the Conservators to the public eye as a threat to all mining missions. The heads of MERIT had rallied. They'd joined their resources, frantically building two ships to launch to Seventh and Eighth Cradles to preserve those planets' stores of relkatite against the Conservators, never understanding that their impulses were being manipulated by Canus, a parasite infectjng the pathways of all humanity.

Naira was reasonably certain that her brief flash of elation upon hearing there was an armed delegation here to arrest her meant that she was in dire need of a therapist.

This was so mind-blowing. The characters have to question EVERYTHING. Their personalities, their choices, their motives… Canus is insidious in its manipulation.

Naria and Tarquin have my heart. Their growing relationships and internal struggles with the encroaching end of the world is balanced and blended perfectly.

What if she was only ever drawn to people who had cruelty buried deep within them? What if she was the one who brought that cruelty out, who sharpened it enough to cut? What if Naira only loved and believed in violent and brutal souls because she was all those things, too?
MY HEART!

"Today, for the first time in longer than I can remember, I felt like I was home. Having you here, living under the same roof as me, was like having a warm fireplace beside me. I didn't even see you all day, but knowing you were near was enough."

NO second book syndrome here… It might even be my favourite…

I would recommend this series to both beginner and seasoned sci-fi readers!

Bookstagram

[Chloe Frizzle · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's only so many times you should repeat a scene without having it go anywhere.
This book's three favorite scenes:
- oh no, my emotions are being manipulated
- time to politically manipulate someone by talking to them
- what if we kissed? 👉👈 (but, only if You really wanted to) (actually nevermind)

DNF at 49%

[michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

i dragged myself through this holding onto the hope that things would improve or at least make sense but i really should have just dnfed. there were so many things happening and yeah, that's to be expected in a 500+ page book, but there came a point where it was just twist after twist and the plot became too convoluted. the author loved to put in short time jumps where relatively important events happened off-page and got explained in a brief monologue. this happened in book one and continued here and each time it made me feel as if someone had ripped out a couple chapters from my book. the characters were essentially just catapulted through a series of events that barely managed to form a cohesive narrative by the end.

the romance once again wasn't great... i already wasn't a fan of the fact that naira lost the memories of their relationship and the first section of the book just felt like them playing catch-up. despite their love for each other making up the majority of their motivations, i rarely felt convinced of their feelings. a lot of kav and kuma's conversations with naira would contain annoying innuendos dedicated to pushing how ~whipped~ for tarquin naira was but it didn't feel authentic at all. there were a few scenes where they were confronted by people who had very understandable reservations about the nature of their relationship and they straight up just laid on the PDA in front of them until they went "oh wow i guess love is real after all".

most of the side characters felt incredibly flat and barely had a personality outside of the tropes assigned to them. caldweller and cass were practically interchangeable and although i liked kav in the first book, his reprint set his character back and there was hardly a difference between him and kuma here. fletcher just came off as cartoonishly evil in his single-minded focus on taking control of the world (and naira). if we weren't having it incessantly hammered into us that he's a controller, he likes to be in control, he's the controlling type, then we had to witness him calling tarquin "cub" during every interaction. and also, what do you MEAN he died and then had "contingencies" to reprint himself?? by who?? it was giving "somehow emperor palpatine returned".

overall, just too many things trying to happen in this. the premise of these books drew me in initially with the blighted stars but i could barely stay engaged during this one with its messy plot and uninteresting characters.

[Kalyani · Rating 5 out of 5]

ha ha ha what the fuck did I just read (in the best possible way)

This is how you write a sequel. My brain feels like it needs to expand 3 sizes just to understand the full implications what I read.

As a reader, I felt like a lil frog in a pot of hot water as Megan O’Keefe slowly raised the temperature until I was boiling in an unbearable vat of hope and anxiety for Tarquin and Naira.

Where Book 1 was something of a contained story - about escaping disaster on a ruined planet, Book 2 is a sprawling complicated entanglement (see what I did there) of politics, plotting, and maneuvering in a hopeless battle for humanity’s survival. That kind of shift in scale could have really flopped in the hands of a less deft author, but O’Keefe expertly builds each block of the story and keeps you breathlessly hooked all the way through.

The plot subverts expectation at every turn but the twists aren’t just for shock value. They feel earned and add so much depth and layering to the story.
No one can be trusted - and the sense of paranoia and uncertainty is suffocatingly real.

I don’t have anything more coherent to say because I’m so impressed with what I read. And I’m very nervous to read what the next book holds (I just hope I can hold onto the details in my tiny brain when the time comes for book 3)

Ps: I feel like the mark of a good book is one that makes an impact on your life and this one has made me suspicious of the fungus on some old food in my fridge. That’s good writing baby

[Sana · Rating 5 out of 5]

'I wish you hadn't had to get punched in the face to understand that.'
'You'd be amazed how often getting punched in the face helps me sort myself out.'

I'm in the screaming-crying-throwing-up kind of pain 🥲

It's gonna be hard to yell about all the things that I loved about The Fractured Dark but I'm gonna try anyway:
- The Fractured Dark is The Blighted Stars on steroids mixed with even more plot twists, the ultimate villain you can't help but hate, and your heart in a blender and then poured over your emotions in a slow and steady pace
- There is an undercurrent of something is going to go wrong at any moment and so I was ✨ stressed✨ the entire time reading this and basically don't know what to do now that it's over
- There's a 5-month jump from book 1 to the sequel and like, I'd very much love to read about Naira and Tarquin stuck in closed quarters 👀
- Tarquin feeling useless the entire time, though and avoiding Naira because ofc, it hurts and he doesn't want to step on her toes, he's so baby 😭
- I also loved Naira partnering up with him for missions and then almost regretting it, heh (keyword: almost 👀)
- Reverse etiquette lessons, though, I'm-
- Never put Tarquin and falsely advertised marble in the same room again, he won't be able to let go LOL
- Listen, Tarquin and Naira being in sync with each other re: wanting to reprint Fletch just to murder him again (again only in Naira's case as Tarquin wanting to murder anyone is shocking on its own) and not understanding how he can turn so violent towards someone he loves, can I just say OTP shit right there
- Naira always wanting to be the person she didn't have to Tarquin and Tarquin's biggest fear being fear of abandonment
- Naira's biggest fear being as cruel and messed up as the men she'd loved and believed in and Tarquin being the exact opposite of that
- I'm in pain again
- They're beyond fucking perfect for each other, I cry
- Them navigating their relationship by going from awkward and painful to awkward and endearing af was everything and SO THEM
- It was so interesting to see Naira's vulnerable side and Tarquin taking care of her, but it also fucking hurt like why did she have to crack and just be gone for longer and longer, ughhhh 😭
- I was kinda curious about how their relationship would change and evolve because of [redacted] but like, this new dynamic turned out to be kinda the opposite but still them re: they're not in life-threatening danger anymore and still getting drawn towards each other, which obvs because OTP but like, this was a very chilled out build up as compared to in The Blighted Stars and a new side but they're still them which made it all so familiar yet different
- Where do I even start about Fletcher, though. He's one of the most well-written characters and a walking red flag and still charismatic af like stopppp, I'm already losing my mind over all the other things without having to worry about Fletcher, too
- Naira coming to save Tarquin despite having been freshly reprinted and having no memory of why she would do such a thing, can this book stop stomping all over my emotions, I'm fragile
- Naira licking amarthite, though. I screamed LOL
- My favorite moment was easily when Cass told them about the security briefing meeting and Naira immediately jumped into motion and Tarquin followed her cue by pretending he was in just as much as hurry as her, like they are so fucking precious ldjflsjflfsdaf re: 'Naira wasn’t sure what was worse, her gaffe or his attempt to cover for her. To hell with it. She darted across the room and shoved a couple of apples into her pockets, then passed one down low to Cass as she followed Tarquin.'
- Naira refusing to be addressed as liege, though and Tarquin laughing about it, I died
- Naira and Tarquin, the definition of OTP that slays together stays together
- Tarquin waiting for Naira to say the words and Naira finally doing so, can I love them any more than I already do 🥲
- Naira being bi is so hot of her, BTW
- Shout out to Cass, Caldwell, Helms and Diaz for being the best exemplars ever to the two most deserving people 😭
- When they looped Naira into their security chat and basically treated her as an exemplar
- I still can't believe Naira is cracked and living through the pain like what do you mean they can do nothing about it 😭
- The ending and then that epilogue, ugh this book
- And then I had to go and read the first chapter of The Bound Worlds, an excellent and painful decision to make all around akdlsjfk

Favorite quotes: 'A woman in possession of a bomb is in want of a reason to use it.'

'Alone in that cold, Naira sensed deep within the tiny piece of her that was more comfortable with death than life.'

'She wondered if her pathways refused to warm her not because they were failing, but because she had always been more comfortable in the grip of a grave than the warmth of a womb.'

'Naira was reasonably certain that her brief flash of elation upon hearing there was an armed delegation here to arrest her meant that she was in dire need of a therapist.'

'I've been chasing that laugh ever since I first heard it.'

[Mackenzie (mackenziespocket) · Rating 5 out of 5]

insert cat screaming gif!!!!!!! i love this book and series so much. i want to be naira!!!! AND IM IN LOVE WITH TARQUIN!!!!! MY SOFT BOY!!!!!! also hello orbit if you want to uhhh send over the 3rd book. that would be amazing

REP: trans man main character, queer main characters, queer side characters, nonbinary side characters

[Lama · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE: this may be my favorite book of the series?? Possibly?? Maybe??? Will update upon reread.
———
Incredible. The amount of times I had to physically put this book down because my brain could NOT comprehend how ingenious and mind boggling this world/plot is, is INSANE. This book left me absolutely speechless and I DEVOURED it. Okeefe’s phenomenal writing style really shines in book 2 because we’re already heavily embedded in the characters, their relationships, and their world. The romance had me BLUSHING and clamoring for more (why isn’t there more fanfic about this world!?). You will NEVER see the plot coming. It’s filled with so many twists and turns and it feels like there is a million things going on, all at the same time, and your brain is in absolute reading bliss as it tries to puzzle it all together.

Starting book 3 immediately and then IMMEDIATELY reading Okeefe’s backlist.

[Emms-hiatus(ish) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Fractured in the title is fitting, as the plot is fractured all over the place. It's messy, chaotic, and confusing. The existing "rules" of this world cease to exist when it inconvenient. The story being told in different time frames is unnecessary and adds to the confusion. The first book was decent enough and had a nice cohesion to the plot line and romance that it was interesting and engaging. This second book is the inverse. I won't be continuing the series. This is not a "second book" issue.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Space opera with a heavy dash of romance is not a new obsession for me. It's basically been my book genre of choice since devouring a diet heavy in Anne McCaffrey, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Ursula K. Le Guin during my formative years. Happily, the genre is still going strong, with recent entries by Arkady Martine, Everina Maxwell, and Megan E. O'Keefe.⁠
⁠
The Fractured Dark is the second entry in O'Keefe's Devoured Worlds trilogy. At the end of the last book, the romance between Tarquin and Naira was left on an ambiguous note. Because of the way body "printing" works, Naira couldn't remember their relationship. As this book opens, Tarquin has been with her renegade team for 6 months. He's still faithfully pining, and she's still trying to figure out if there's any way she could have fallen for her enemy's son. ⁠
⁠
Oh, and besides that very micro vision of the book (the romance between two characters), at the macro level, the human race is still basically doomed. Tarquin, Naira, and their allies are fighting a nearly-impossible fight against a fungus that can influence human actions. ⁠(Think Toxoplasmosis but on a much scarier scale. Also, look that up if you don't understand it, because it's WILD!)
⁠
So, we've got a real treat of an SF plot, and an angsty uneasy-allies-to-lovers romance. If you think O'Keefe set up the amnesia to make us wait out a slow burn, think again. One of the things I absolutely loved about this one is that the conflict of the book is based in the space opera plot. The romance provides a steady pace for the emotional beats. You'd better believe that I got real worried around 70% of the way through when it seemend like things were going perfectly for my bbs Naiquin!

Don't miss out on this series! I'm already panting for the concluding book. Thanks to my intrepid buddy readers who had to put up with enormous block quotes and the written equivalent of squealing for 3 days.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

[Tee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The convoluted plot of The Fractured Dark flushed away the excitement and joy residue that was built up from The Blighted Stars. While the first book set up a unique world and a lovely but shy romance, this book fumbled in everything I previously enjoyed.

I thought that amnesia was well done in the context of the story and the set up was all there for some great tension and resolve, but the book failed to deliver on any of that. The couple sort of just fell back together without much effort or pining.

Tarquin oh Tarquin, where did you go? All the character growth from the previous book was gone. He felt like a 15 year old puppy in love and not a smart reasonable 35 year old petrologist.

The last quarter of the book really pulled together for some exciting moments, but it was a real struggle to find the spark that made me love the first book.

All my complaints aside, I am looking forward to the final book, hope it will redeem this series for me!

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

[Martyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Fractured Dark" by Megan E. O'Keefe presents a promising premise, but loses some of its initial allure as the plot progresses. The first part, "The Blighted stars" captures attention with its intriguing concept and driving storyline. However, this latter half meanders, with characters shifting through various locations and engaging in short-lived endeavors that lack a coherent narrative thread.

The introduction of a new villain adds depth, showcasing a fittingly amoral and cunning contrast to the protagonist, Naira. Their debates highlight opposing worldviews, although the villain occasionally veers into stereotypical territory.
For me, the heart of the issue lies in character portrayal and interactions. The characters come across as formulaic archetypes, such as the determined rebel and the reluctant prince, resulting in dialogues and behaviors that occasionally ring hollow. This lack of authenticity was occasionally grating and detracted me from the overall engagement.

Despite these shortcomings, the novel maintains an engaging tone and captivating undertones of struggle and adventure. While it may not fully live up to its promising beginning, "The Fractured Dark" remains an enjoyable installment if you can ignore its shortcomings.

[ReneeReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book after loving the first one so much. I did enjoy this one but not as much as the first. This book is longer than it needs to be and would do well with several repeating scenes/scenarios edited out. I love Naira and Tarquin and there are plenty of "aha" moments that kept me interested but this book definitely took some willpower to stick with until the end. I will likely read the third book only because I am already so invested but my hopes are not that high. Good not exceptional.

[CarlysGrowingTBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is shaping up to be one of the best trilogies I've ever read.

The fractured dark takes the same stellar character development and interesting plot arc into whole new depths for me. We got even more character, development and motivations, as well as revealing some dark secrets surrounding the plot line. I felt like everything flowed real well and was very organically created and made a whole lot of sense. I definitely cannot wait to see where this ends up. I really loved the development of Naira and Tarquins's relationship as well as their continued motivations that develop the storyline.

[sums · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. I enjoyed this a lot! I love this series and its characters, and it was so easy to get wrapped up in its incredible world once again. It’s always difficult to review books in a series, especially second books when they’re built so much on the foundation of the first, but I found that The Fractured Dark was different enough that it felt quite detached from The Blighted Stars.

Which somehow ended up being a good thing and a not-so-good thing at the same time.

While the first book was all about Tarquin and Naira’s exploration and survival on the alien planet of Sixth Cradle, this one veered more heavily towards the intricacies of MERIT’s political system and the relationships between the characters. After their escape, the Mercators disappear, leaving in their wake political strife among the ruling families and forcing Tarquin to take up a role he never wanted in order to save humanity from Canus.

Learning more about MERIT and the characters’ backgrounds was so intriguing, however, I liked this book a little less than the previous one. It lacked that atmospheric feeling that made me fall in love with The Blighted Stars, and the threats to the characters didn’t carry as much weight as they should have. I really wanted the writing to lean more into the dread and horror of what the characters were facing. There was just this persistent disconnect between what was happening and the actual implications or gravity of the situation at hand.

There was also something a bit off about Tarquin and Naira’s relationship and the way they interacted with each other. I had to keep reminding myself that they were meant to be in their thirties because their dialogue and sometimes even their actions felt way more juvenile than I remembered.

Maybe it was similar in The Blighted Stars, but I think the combination of the disjointed plot and fast-paced romantic development added to that more underdeveloped feel. Without the appropriately defined stakes, this book felt like it was centred more around Tarquin and Naira’s romance rather than it being a subtly developed subplot. I just wish the slow burn burned a little longer, but I didn’t mind all that much because Tarquin’s yearning pretty much made up for any of my complaints.

Overall, I devoured this, but the few issues I noticed were a little disappointing. Compared to the first book in the series, there was a surprising disconnect from the writing and the overall atmosphere and direction I had come to expect. I still enjoyed it, nevertheless. The series is still up there with my favourites, but I’m really hoping the third book impresses me just as much as the first one did.

[Madi · Rating 4 out of 5]

i want tarquin and naira to adopt me

[Madilynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was absolutely phenomenal and had me sweating for the last 20%. No middle book syndrome here

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

Where to begin?

I absolutely loved the story and seeing the two main leads develop and grow. The character work was truly top tier.

However, this book was a jumbled mess. The twists and turns made little to no sense, and the story’s progression was incredibly uneven. There were multiple times during this unnecessary long book that could have wrapped up into a satisfying ending. But only for it to go on, and on. By the end I was so tired of all the twists and turns and same plot lines being recycled, but in different manners I was ready for it to end.

If I haven’t read similar reviews regarding this book and positive reviews for the 3rd and final book I wouldn’t continue on.

[Mia 🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okayyy I really enjoyed this one! The world is super cool and I’m still obsessed with Naira and Tarquin—their dynamic is just so cute and I loved watching their relationship grow even more in this book. You get that slow burn but also real trust building and banter moments?? Yes please.

That said, I did struggle a little bit with keeping up. There’s a lot going on—like a lot—and the story jumps around quite a bit, so I had to really focus to stay grounded in the plot. Definitely not a light read, but still super worth it if you love morally gray politics, sci-fi twists, and romance that actually delivers.

[Holly (The GrimDragon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars~

"You were too busy playing hero to notice the wreckage you left behind."