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Tinkered Starsong #3
Dome 6
Saving the unwilling with song, one planet at a time.
New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger brings you the thrilling conclusion to her Tinkered Starsong trilogy in which the true purpose of Dyesi divinity is revealed at last.
Can a group of performers take on an entire alien species? Do they want to, if the price of the truth is their own popularity and the safety of billions?
Phex, Missit, and their pantheons are the most popular gods in the galaxy and the aliens will stop at nothing to keep them singing. But with great fame comes great responsibility. As Phex finally understands the consequences of the music he produces, he is forced to choose between being a god and destroying humanity.
If you could sing peace into the bones of the universe, would you? Even if no one wanted salvation?
Ender's Game but make it Kpop in the final installment of the Tinkered Starsong trilogy (follows Divinity 36 and Demigod 12 ) in which the mystery of the Dyesi is finally uncovered.
New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger brings you the thrilling conclusion to her Tinkered Starsong trilogy in which the true purpose of Dyesi divinity is revealed at last.
Can a group of performers take on an entire alien species? Do they want to, if the price of the truth is their own popularity and the safety of billions?
Phex, Missit, and their pantheons are the most popular gods in the galaxy and the aliens will stop at nothing to keep them singing. But with great fame comes great responsibility. As Phex finally understands the consequences of the music he produces, he is forced to choose between being a god and destroying humanity.
If you could sing peace into the bones of the universe, would you? Even if no one wanted salvation?
Ender's Game but make it Kpop in the final installment of the Tinkered Starsong trilogy (follows Divinity 36 and Demigod 12 ) in which the mystery of the Dyesi is finally uncovered.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2023
51 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Gail Carriger
63 books15.4k followersGail Carriger writes comedies of manners mixed with paranormal romance (and the sexy San Andreas Shifter series as G L Carriger). Her books include the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School series. She is published in many languages and has over a dozen NYT bestsellers. She was once an archaeologist and is fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea. Join the Chirrup for sneak peaks of upcoming giggles: http://gailcarriger.com/chirrup
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
October 19, 2023
Wonderful conclusion to a thoroughly enjoyable series! I've loved just about everything this author has written (this will be my 17th five-star review for her books!) and this was no exception. A really fascinating universe this author has created, and I found this ending quite satisfying. The characters are compelling, the plot engaging, and the whole thing was just a lot of fun to read. I also cried, lol.
October 6, 2023
Loved this whole series, and this was the perfect ending. Very inventive sci-fi! I hope we get more books in the Tinkered world.
October 8, 2023
I adore this series so much.
It has such a weird concept - alien idols being gods in space - but it just works.
Phex is such a great character to experience this world through, and his pantheon and friends are a delight as well.
Where book 1, Divinity 36, covers the recruiting and pantheon building competition process, and book 2, Demigod 12, the new pantheon's rise to fame and their first tour, Dome 6 is about unearthing the divinity's secrets as it ends the tour and sets up the pantheon(s) for their futures.
I liked that book 3 finally put a bit more light on the pantheon members who previously hadn't gotten so much attention, especially Kagee, but Jin and Fandina as well. Unfortunately, this came at the expense of Berill and Tyve, who take more of a backseat role.
There's some unexpected turns, and while others were expected, it was still a guessing game until the end.
I have to say I wasn't the biggest fan of some of the developments, even though they were well set up.
I also found some details lacked the depth I wanted them to have, while I personally would have preferred much less focus on the romance. For example, song writing or the relation between the dyesi pantheon members and the others would have been two things I really wanted more depth on, but it was barely touched on throughout the book.
Still, a wonderful read, slightly silly in places, but still touching and emotional.
It has such a weird concept - alien idols being gods in space - but it just works.
Phex is such a great character to experience this world through, and his pantheon and friends are a delight as well.
Where book 1, Divinity 36, covers the recruiting and pantheon building competition process, and book 2, Demigod 12, the new pantheon's rise to fame and their first tour, Dome 6 is about unearthing the divinity's secrets as it ends the tour and sets up the pantheon(s) for their futures.
I liked that book 3 finally put a bit more light on the pantheon members who previously hadn't gotten so much attention, especially Kagee, but Jin and Fandina as well. Unfortunately, this came at the expense of Berill and Tyve, who take more of a backseat role.
There's some unexpected turns, and while others were expected, it was still a guessing game until the end.
I have to say I wasn't the biggest fan of some of the developments, even though they were well set up.
I also found some details lacked the depth I wanted them to have, while I personally would have preferred much less focus on the romance. For example, song writing or the relation between the dyesi pantheon members and the others would have been two things I really wanted more depth on, but it was barely touched on throughout the book.
Still, a wonderful read, slightly silly in places, but still touching and emotional.
December 26, 2023
I really enjoyed this series. This is the 3rd book in a space-sci-fi. It’s all about found families, music, and exploring cultures. It really feels like a space K pop series in a delightful way.
The 3rd book in this series slows down the world building and starts really building species/culture. We get the opportunity to see a few different species in a more intimate way, and question what makes them tick, while contemplating the choices they make.
I think my favorite part of this is that we now are exploring the Dyesi as a pacifist species and what that means. How their culture reflects that, how it works within their culture. I love the complexities of how they also have different stages of life, and how they treat death.
Ultimately this entire book gets really philosophical and explores what love is. What it means across cultures and how people connect.
The main character, Phex, is in love with another man. And a secondary character is polyamorous. The Dyesi are at a stage in their lives where they are essentially nonbinary and use the pronoun “It” so as to separate themselves from sapien gender and sexuality.
Overall the story in this one is a lot weaker than the last two books, but the world-building and species building is so delightful and philosophical that it really ups the rating
The 3rd book in this series slows down the world building and starts really building species/culture. We get the opportunity to see a few different species in a more intimate way, and question what makes them tick, while contemplating the choices they make.
I think my favorite part of this is that we now are exploring the Dyesi as a pacifist species and what that means. How their culture reflects that, how it works within their culture. I love the complexities of how they also have different stages of life, and how they treat death.
Ultimately this entire book gets really philosophical and explores what love is. What it means across cultures and how people connect.
The main character, Phex, is in love with another man. And a secondary character is polyamorous. The Dyesi are at a stage in their lives where they are essentially nonbinary and use the pronoun “It” so as to separate themselves from sapien gender and sexuality.
Overall the story in this one is a lot weaker than the last two books, but the world-building and species building is so delightful and philosophical that it really ups the rating
April 16, 2025
Three and a half stars
As enjoyable to read as the previous two, and there are some more tidbits of new information about the world, but I would have liked there to be more ramifications and consequences. I like the cast overall but also at the end of three books there somehow seems to be rather less to all of them than I had hoped.
Still, it's cozy comforting sci-fi and I'm not truly vexed about it.
As enjoyable to read as the previous two, and there are some more tidbits of new information about the world, but I would have liked there to be more ramifications and consequences. I like the cast overall but also at the end of three books there somehow seems to be rather less to all of them than I had hoped.
Still, it's cozy comforting sci-fi and I'm not truly vexed about it.
January 7, 2024
amazing end to a wonderful story
This one was beautiful in its own right and also closed the arc in a wonderful manner. Leaving options open but nothing uncomfortably unresolved. Definitely read them in order.
Now I’m gonna start over and read it all from the beginning again!
This one was beautiful in its own right and also closed the arc in a wonderful manner. Leaving options open but nothing uncomfortably unresolved. Definitely read them in order.
Now I’m gonna start over and read it all from the beginning again!
February 9, 2024
Phex and Asterism get Missit. The divinity gets mobile domes. The universe gets peace. Ms Carriger brings this series to a satisfying conclusion.
October 27, 2023
Gail is just one of my favorite authors. Her world building is amazing and she delivers on emotionally satisfying endings.
Dome 6 brings Phex’ story to a beautiful and somehow sad ending. A lot of the divine secrets are revealed the reader eventually learns why the Dyesi try to bring godsong everywhere.
The characters are still well fleshed out while introducing a few new ones who anchor the story but the roles they play in the narrative.
Dome 6 brings Phex’ story to a beautiful and somehow sad ending. A lot of the divine secrets are revealed the reader eventually learns why the Dyesi try to bring godsong everywhere.
The characters are still well fleshed out while introducing a few new ones who anchor the story but the roles they play in the narrative.
October 25, 2023
I have enjoyed the whole series! But, I can't help but disagree with the main theme of this book. The 'enlightenment' feels more like benevolent subjugation, and confuses peace with passivity.
'Enlightenment' condemns all violence. However, I would argue that the act of choosing to violently fight for something important to you isn't bad, it's just that so often what we consider 'important'--ego, short-sighted self-interest, etc--is worth less than the cost of the conflict.
Preventing violence addresses a symptom of conflict, but imposes on autonomy and fails to resolve the root-causes that led to the conflict being inflamed to the point of violence--and while the conflict is not resolved, you have only achieved passivity, not peace.
Towards the end of the novel, the army of Atagay are rendered near-unable to fight for the sake of self-preservation. Do they sincerely value their attackers' lives and (self-destructive) culture over their own, or has the 'enlightenment' curtailed their autonomy and self-expression?* Worse, the Dyesi are knowingly and non-consenusally inflicting 'enlightenment' on other cultures to conform them to their ideology--even if done with good intentions, I can't help but find this immoral.
I appreciated that Asterism discussed how they felt about the ethics of the Divinity and 'enlightenment' and their role in it, but felt dissatisfied that the consensus was that the short-term results justified the means.
*If we apply the paradox of tolerance, where the tolerant must be intolerant of intolerance else they will cease to exist, isn't such a regime of passivism also doomed to failure?
---
I've now spent far long writing this than I intended, and feel pretty silly since my mini-essay was really just a niggly thought I had at the back of my mind on finishing the book (that I enjoyed!). Still, I hope this resonates with someone else. :)
'Enlightenment' condemns all violence. However, I would argue that the act of choosing to violently fight for something important to you isn't bad, it's just that so often what we consider 'important'--ego, short-sighted self-interest, etc--is worth less than the cost of the conflict.
Preventing violence addresses a symptom of conflict, but imposes on autonomy and fails to resolve the root-causes that led to the conflict being inflamed to the point of violence--and while the conflict is not resolved, you have only achieved passivity, not peace.
Towards the end of the novel, the army of Atagay are rendered near-unable to fight for the sake of self-preservation. Do they sincerely value their attackers' lives and (self-destructive) culture over their own, or has the 'enlightenment' curtailed their autonomy and self-expression?* Worse, the Dyesi are knowingly and non-consenusally inflicting 'enlightenment' on other cultures to conform them to their ideology--even if done with good intentions, I can't help but find this immoral.
I appreciated that Asterism discussed how they felt about the ethics of the Divinity and 'enlightenment' and their role in it, but felt dissatisfied that the consensus was that the short-term results justified the means.
*If we apply the paradox of tolerance, where the tolerant must be intolerant of intolerance else they will cease to exist, isn't such a regime of passivism also doomed to failure?
---
I've now spent far long writing this than I intended, and feel pretty silly since my mini-essay was really just a niggly thought I had at the back of my mind on finishing the book (that I enjoyed!). Still, I hope this resonates with someone else. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2025
I loved the book. Nice ending to the story. I have to say, I'm not convinced of the morals of the story. It's phrased in a way that makes it sound acceptable, but I think the Divinity is deeply immoral, and the protagonists make a show of discussing the moral implications of what they do, but I think it is somewhat perfunctory. None of them seem to be losing any sleep over it.
And I still don't really like Missit. The book does a good job in explaining his background, but if he really believed at some point that Phex doesn't like him, he had no business asking him to sleep with him.
I still really enjoyed the book, though, even if I didn't agree with everything. The world building is great, and I love Phex's group.
And I still don't really like Missit. The book does a good job in explaining his background, but if he really believed at some point that Phex doesn't like him, he had no business asking him to sleep with him.
I still really enjoyed the book, though, even if I didn't agree with everything. The world building is great, and I love Phex's group.
July 9, 2025
2/5 This is the last book in the 3 book series. This one gets a meh rating not just for the toxic Phex/Missit relationship but also because it's messaging is deeply muddled. The author tried to leave the philosophical question open ended for us to answer for ourselves (boring).
Phex says he doesn't care about the moral quandary because he's never had free will anyway (this is not even a little bit true and I wish just one person had called him out on this bullshit). Phex can't call his relationship true love (it's not) and then also not believe he has free will (he does). Like is he subconsciously admitting to how sinister and coersive his relationship is then?
Anyway, Phex & Missit get found out about their forbidden relationship cuz they weren't being subtle AT ALL. There's a lot of melodrama with Missit throwing tantrums and Phex blaming himself for having no self control. Also somehow he convinced himself that he was the one who "wanted too much" or something like Missit didn't spend two previous books chasing him around and lovebombing him constantly.
We get some context for why Missit is the way he is because we meet and talk to his parents (spoiler alert: a covert narcissist vaguely raised and then abandoned by two narcissists). I feel bad that Missit experienced that but that doesn't make him less toxic or excuse his bad behavior.
Anyway all this drama and setup for some true love's test and we get this very anticlimactic scene where Phex is forced to take Dyesi shrooms and basically spill all his insecure, codependent nonsense that lives in his head out loud. This somehow convinces the Nymphs that they really must be in love and have "soulsift" (which I don't think was ever explained but seemed like some soul mate bullshit justified by their ability to make good music together? I think the concept of soul mates was invented by narcissists to control the ppl around them.) And so they are allowed to be together.
Phex was being red flags in this book too and if you haven't figured out yet he also has a personality disorder. Seems like pretty classic borderline tbh Borderline personality disorder often driven by fear of real or perceived abandonment. Have an unstable sense of self, struggle with self worth/self esteem, prone to self harm or eating disorders, violent tendencies and complicated relationships with authority. I find that you'll often find them in relationships with narcissists. They also have a similar cycle of idealization and devaluation like narcissists and thus they feed into a very familiar and comfortable to both codependent toxic relationship. Once they're allowed to be together we see Phex start to already say "oh is this what I have to deal with now I have a boyfriend" when Missit does something annoying. Baby, he was already annoying. I don't see this relationship lasting now that it's no longer forbidden and the chase is over for both.
Anyway I figured out how this would end basically as soon as they introduced Kagee's exs. Kagee decides to leave but also Missit decides that he wants to join Asterism without consulting anyone in Asterism or Tillam about this (again only thinks of himself) meaning that Kagee would have been forced out as high cantor if he hadn't decided to go because pantheons can only have 6 members with specific jobs - otherwise it's out of balance (like a golden ratio). Also Asterism isn't promoted to full gods despite cleaning up the Dyesi's mess, wth?
I was really hoping that this book would redeem this series but it just got worse every book. I was really hoping that the Missit/Phex relationship was ironic or something but no this is what the author really thinks is love. There's nothing here but two people scared of emotional intimacy and vulnerability. These two aren't emotionally mature enough to take good care of themselves (both constantly emotionally deregulated in this story) what would they know about loving someone else. Real love does not flourish in codependency.
Here is one thing I will say about this series. I really like the representation of different parts of the LGBTQIA+ community. I think that was extremely well done. I liked that the Dyesi nymphs were asexual and aromantic. (I kind of hated the implication that they were like this because they hadn't reached full adulthood yet though. Aro/aces exist in full maturity!) I liked Kagee's polycule family. I feel like even in other queer fiction you don't see that sort of representation and that felt good.
I do wish boundaries were more respected in this story, especially regarding consent and bodily autonomy. Please ask someone if they would like to be hugged or touched before doing so. Also if it's not an enthusiastic yes, it's a no regarding any touch including sexual.
Phex says he doesn't care about the moral quandary because he's never had free will anyway (this is not even a little bit true and I wish just one person had called him out on this bullshit). Phex can't call his relationship true love (it's not) and then also not believe he has free will (he does). Like is he subconsciously admitting to how sinister and coersive his relationship is then?
Anyway, Phex & Missit get found out about their forbidden relationship cuz they weren't being subtle AT ALL. There's a lot of melodrama with Missit throwing tantrums and Phex blaming himself for having no self control. Also somehow he convinced himself that he was the one who "wanted too much" or something like Missit didn't spend two previous books chasing him around and lovebombing him constantly.
We get some context for why Missit is the way he is because we meet and talk to his parents (spoiler alert: a covert narcissist vaguely raised and then abandoned by two narcissists). I feel bad that Missit experienced that but that doesn't make him less toxic or excuse his bad behavior.
Anyway all this drama and setup for some true love's test and we get this very anticlimactic scene where Phex is forced to take Dyesi shrooms and basically spill all his insecure, codependent nonsense that lives in his head out loud. This somehow convinces the Nymphs that they really must be in love and have "soulsift" (which I don't think was ever explained but seemed like some soul mate bullshit justified by their ability to make good music together? I think the concept of soul mates was invented by narcissists to control the ppl around them.) And so they are allowed to be together.
Phex was being red flags in this book too and if you haven't figured out yet he also has a personality disorder. Seems like pretty classic borderline tbh Borderline personality disorder often driven by fear of real or perceived abandonment. Have an unstable sense of self, struggle with self worth/self esteem, prone to self harm or eating disorders, violent tendencies and complicated relationships with authority. I find that you'll often find them in relationships with narcissists. They also have a similar cycle of idealization and devaluation like narcissists and thus they feed into a very familiar and comfortable to both codependent toxic relationship. Once they're allowed to be together we see Phex start to already say "oh is this what I have to deal with now I have a boyfriend" when Missit does something annoying. Baby, he was already annoying. I don't see this relationship lasting now that it's no longer forbidden and the chase is over for both.
Anyway I figured out how this would end basically as soon as they introduced Kagee's exs. Kagee decides to leave but also Missit decides that he wants to join Asterism without consulting anyone in Asterism or Tillam about this (again only thinks of himself) meaning that Kagee would have been forced out as high cantor if he hadn't decided to go because pantheons can only have 6 members with specific jobs - otherwise it's out of balance (like a golden ratio). Also Asterism isn't promoted to full gods despite cleaning up the Dyesi's mess, wth?
I was really hoping that this book would redeem this series but it just got worse every book. I was really hoping that the Missit/Phex relationship was ironic or something but no this is what the author really thinks is love. There's nothing here but two people scared of emotional intimacy and vulnerability. These two aren't emotionally mature enough to take good care of themselves (both constantly emotionally deregulated in this story) what would they know about loving someone else. Real love does not flourish in codependency.
Here is one thing I will say about this series. I really like the representation of different parts of the LGBTQIA+ community. I think that was extremely well done. I liked that the Dyesi nymphs were asexual and aromantic. (I kind of hated the implication that they were like this because they hadn't reached full adulthood yet though. Aro/aces exist in full maturity!) I liked Kagee's polycule family. I feel like even in other queer fiction you don't see that sort of representation and that felt good.
I do wish boundaries were more respected in this story, especially regarding consent and bodily autonomy. Please ask someone if they would like to be hugged or touched before doing so. Also if it's not an enthusiastic yes, it's a no regarding any touch including sexual.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2023
"Dome 6" is the third and final book in the Tinkered Starsong series by Gail Carriger. There are other books in this universe, and there may be more books in this universe forthcoming, but the author has been very clear that this is the last one with this particular arc. The first two books in the series are "Divinity 36" and "Demigod 12." There is a Young Adult book called "Crudrat" in the Tinkered universe, and an adult queer romance called "The 5th Gender" in this universe, neither of which you really need to read before starting Tinkered Starsong, though "Crudrat" might help a bit.
This series is space opera, almost literally. Cultural encounters and relationships between characters drive the plot. There are some engineering things that they are able to do in this universe that are important to the plot, but the author doesn't focus too much on explaining how the space ships work. I mention this because other series that mainly take place on space ships take the label of "hard science fiction" to sharp-edged extremes, and that's not the vibe I get from this series.
What makes the Tinkered Starsong series more operatic is that it focuses on a religion that is built on singing and performance. Fans of the groups and the shows are called worshippers, and they can be true believers of their favorite performers, who are known as demigods or gods once they are selected for a touring company. And, of course, there are beings running the whole thing, setting up competitions to find out who will be the next group, and managing the information that gets disseminated about the gods and demigods.
The main tension in "Dome 6" has to do with the romance between the main character, Phex, and one of the other characters. There are dangers and consequences to the relationship that impact the entire divinity project. One of the other character's in Phex's pantheon, Kagee, also gets a back story, romantic problems, and a chance to shine in this book. Queerness is involved in both situations, though that's not an issue in this universe. It's too bad there wasn't as much time for the other characters to make more choices in ways that moved the plot, but I think trying to fit that in would have detracted from the book.
There is no cliff hanger at the end of the book. The characters are poised to go on to more adventures, but you get the sense they will be OK. I suppose fan fiction writers can take that as their cue.
These are books that explore what people need as individuals and as cultures, and experiments with cultural change in some ways. I enjoyed the Tinkered Starsong series. I look forward to reading whatever Gail Carriger sends out into the world next.
This series is space opera, almost literally. Cultural encounters and relationships between characters drive the plot. There are some engineering things that they are able to do in this universe that are important to the plot, but the author doesn't focus too much on explaining how the space ships work. I mention this because other series that mainly take place on space ships take the label of "hard science fiction" to sharp-edged extremes, and that's not the vibe I get from this series.
What makes the Tinkered Starsong series more operatic is that it focuses on a religion that is built on singing and performance. Fans of the groups and the shows are called worshippers, and they can be true believers of their favorite performers, who are known as demigods or gods once they are selected for a touring company. And, of course, there are beings running the whole thing, setting up competitions to find out who will be the next group, and managing the information that gets disseminated about the gods and demigods.
The main tension in "Dome 6" has to do with the romance between the main character, Phex, and one of the other characters. There are dangers and consequences to the relationship that impact the entire divinity project. One of the other character's in Phex's pantheon, Kagee, also gets a back story, romantic problems, and a chance to shine in this book. Queerness is involved in both situations, though that's not an issue in this universe. It's too bad there wasn't as much time for the other characters to make more choices in ways that moved the plot, but I think trying to fit that in would have detracted from the book.
There is no cliff hanger at the end of the book. The characters are poised to go on to more adventures, but you get the sense they will be OK. I suppose fan fiction writers can take that as their cue.
These are books that explore what people need as individuals and as cultures, and experiments with cultural change in some ways. I enjoyed the Tinkered Starsong series. I look forward to reading whatever Gail Carriger sends out into the world next.
February 22, 2024
Series Info/Source: This is the third book in the Tinkered Stars series. I bought this on ebook for my Kindle.
Thoughts: This was a spectacular conclusion to this series. I absolutely loved the story and how everything tied up.
Phex, Missit and their pantheons are invited to Kagee's home planet to perform in a brand new dome. Kagee is incredibly upset about this since his home world is better known for war than anything else. Meanwhile Phex and Missit are still trying to hide their relationship from the Dyesi pantheon and Missit's pantheon is falling apart.
This book was much better than the second book in the series and may even be better than the first book in this series (which I absolutely loved!). I loved learning more about the Dyesi and their culture. I also loved getting to journey to Kagee's home world and learn more about Kagee as well. The story in this book is so well done. In addition to journeying to new worlds, we start to gain a better understanding about how godhood works and what it is actually doing to the followers of these pantheons.
Then of course there is the relationship between Phex and Missit and how it affects their pantheons. I felt like Phex and MIssit as a couple had better balance in this book than they did in the second book and I enjoyed the scenes between them.
This book practically reads itself, I could not put it down. It was fun, intriguing and, at times, incredibly heart-wrenching.
My Summary (5/5): Overall this whole series was such a creative concept that is fascinating and well done. This book was the cherry on the sundae. The characters throughout are complex and intriguing. I enjoyed the world (universe?) building here and really loved how all the elements came together to form a story that was well-balanced, well paced, and completely engrossing. I am planning to pick up "Crudrat" and "The 5th Gender" to read as well, I cannot get enough of this world and hope to see more books set in it.
Thoughts: This was a spectacular conclusion to this series. I absolutely loved the story and how everything tied up.
Phex, Missit and their pantheons are invited to Kagee's home planet to perform in a brand new dome. Kagee is incredibly upset about this since his home world is better known for war than anything else. Meanwhile Phex and Missit are still trying to hide their relationship from the Dyesi pantheon and Missit's pantheon is falling apart.
This book was much better than the second book in the series and may even be better than the first book in this series (which I absolutely loved!). I loved learning more about the Dyesi and their culture. I also loved getting to journey to Kagee's home world and learn more about Kagee as well. The story in this book is so well done. In addition to journeying to new worlds, we start to gain a better understanding about how godhood works and what it is actually doing to the followers of these pantheons.
Then of course there is the relationship between Phex and Missit and how it affects their pantheons. I felt like Phex and MIssit as a couple had better balance in this book than they did in the second book and I enjoyed the scenes between them.
This book practically reads itself, I could not put it down. It was fun, intriguing and, at times, incredibly heart-wrenching.
My Summary (5/5): Overall this whole series was such a creative concept that is fascinating and well done. This book was the cherry on the sundae. The characters throughout are complex and intriguing. I enjoyed the world (universe?) building here and really loved how all the elements came together to form a story that was well-balanced, well paced, and completely engrossing. I am planning to pick up "Crudrat" and "The 5th Gender" to read as well, I cannot get enough of this world and hope to see more books set in it.
September 29, 2023
Epic trilogy finale!
Apart from fabulous world-building, the most alien talent show you can imagine, and the most reluctant hero ever invented, Phex and Missit's understated love story is to die for!
Also, for each book, Carriger has added another layer to the story, creating these unpredictable twists that just make you want more.
All of the books in this series have sucked me in like you wouldn't believe - despite the lack of proverbial spice (there's lots of actual spice of course, what with Phex's cooking) - which is an achievement let me tell you!
I don't know what to say really to properly describe how much I love this series.
It's hands down one of my favourite YA series, and I'm super bummed that this is the last book. I just have to keep my fingers crossed that Carriger will write more stories set in this universe.
5 stars! No question!
*A complimentary e-copy of this book was kindly provided by the author and this is my unbiased and voluntary review*
Apart from fabulous world-building, the most alien talent show you can imagine, and the most reluctant hero ever invented, Phex and Missit's understated love story is to die for!
Also, for each book, Carriger has added another layer to the story, creating these unpredictable twists that just make you want more.
All of the books in this series have sucked me in like you wouldn't believe - despite the lack of proverbial spice (there's lots of actual spice of course, what with Phex's cooking) - which is an achievement let me tell you!
I don't know what to say really to properly describe how much I love this series.
It's hands down one of my favourite YA series, and I'm super bummed that this is the last book. I just have to keep my fingers crossed that Carriger will write more stories set in this universe.
5 stars! No question!
*A complimentary e-copy of this book was kindly provided by the author and this is my unbiased and voluntary review*
October 2, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
This is the third and final book in the Tinkered Starsong series and — like the first — focuses heavily on world building, both with the planet of Agatay, the building of a dome and Kagee’s reunion with his people, and the Dyesi themselves, as Phex and Missit make a journey to Dyesi prime. Phex and Missit are still trying (though not too hard) to hide their growing romance from the Dyesi acolytes who insist that there be no sexual contact between members of the pantheons. They demand their gods be celibate, and I found that explanation to be very well done. In fact, I have loved the Dyesi from the first book, and am pleased that there is more of their rich culture shown in this book.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
This is the third and final book in the Tinkered Starsong series and — like the first — focuses heavily on world building, both with the planet of Agatay, the building of a dome and Kagee’s reunion with his people, and the Dyesi themselves, as Phex and Missit make a journey to Dyesi prime. Phex and Missit are still trying (though not too hard) to hide their growing romance from the Dyesi acolytes who insist that there be no sexual contact between members of the pantheons. They demand their gods be celibate, and I found that explanation to be very well done. In fact, I have loved the Dyesi from the first book, and am pleased that there is more of their rich culture shown in this book.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
September 15, 2024
Well, this was a bummer. If the first book in this trilogy was a shining gem, these last two have been fool's gold. The conclusion was disappointing because I hoped for more of a driving plot and deep character development, and I felt I got neither. Phex was still a great protagonist, but I didn't feel impacted by the events of this book — the Divinity could've undergone even more scrutiny, in my opinion, and it would've been interesting to see a darker twist to the mass prophesizing that the gods and acolytes spread.
I skimmed quite a bit as the book progressed without any intriguing additions to the worldbuilding or story, but at least I finished the series.
I've not read Carriger's work in many years, and while Tinkered Starsong wasn't the best reintroduction to her work, it has made me interested in checking out some of her other work. Hopefully, I'll find something more to my taste in her bibliography!
I skimmed quite a bit as the book progressed without any intriguing additions to the worldbuilding or story, but at least I finished the series.
I've not read Carriger's work in many years, and while Tinkered Starsong wasn't the best reintroduction to her work, it has made me interested in checking out some of her other work. Hopefully, I'll find something more to my taste in her bibliography!
September 28, 2023
My mother, who is reading book one at this very moment, looked up at me sniffling happily over the final chapter and wiping tears off my iPad and asked: “do I really want to read this?”
My answer….YESSSSSS!
I’ve loved Gail Carriger for a decade for her humour, her whimsy, her open-heartedness, her cleverness, and the generous way that she lets her characters be who they are. I fell astonishingly in love with book one of this series (which I have now read three times in three months), adored book two despite it going a little overboard with the protagonists narration of how much in love he was with his guy (read two times), but this final book is just beautiful.
If only humanity had the same capacity as the Dyesi to have a word that means love and beauty at the same time because that is how I would describe this book
My answer….YESSSSSS!
I’ve loved Gail Carriger for a decade for her humour, her whimsy, her open-heartedness, her cleverness, and the generous way that she lets her characters be who they are. I fell astonishingly in love with book one of this series (which I have now read three times in three months), adored book two despite it going a little overboard with the protagonists narration of how much in love he was with his guy (read two times), but this final book is just beautiful.
If only humanity had the same capacity as the Dyesi to have a word that means love and beauty at the same time because that is how I would describe this book
July 25, 2024
A perfectly passable conclusion to a perfectly nice series.
I wish I could be more enthusiastic about this, and there's nothing actively wrong with this book, but it just wasn't quite as complex or engaging as the first two. It's a sweet, gentle, harmless story, and that's good, but I was hoping for something a bit more.... I don't know. Just more.
If there had been more plot, or drama, or more character development, I might have been happier. As it is, very little happens. We don't learn much more about any of the characters, there aren't a lot of plot threads, and what little world-building and change we get happens mostly at the end.
The bits of plot we do get are good, and complex on an emotional level, but they're not quite enough to carry a novel, and to conclude an entire series. I love what is here; I just wish it had gone a bit further.
I wish I could be more enthusiastic about this, and there's nothing actively wrong with this book, but it just wasn't quite as complex or engaging as the first two. It's a sweet, gentle, harmless story, and that's good, but I was hoping for something a bit more.... I don't know. Just more.
If there had been more plot, or drama, or more character development, I might have been happier. As it is, very little happens. We don't learn much more about any of the characters, there aren't a lot of plot threads, and what little world-building and change we get happens mostly at the end.
The bits of plot we do get are good, and complex on an emotional level, but they're not quite enough to carry a novel, and to conclude an entire series. I love what is here; I just wish it had gone a bit further.
January 14, 2024
Now that we are at the end of this trilogy, I can see how every different aspect of these books works together thematically, to bring us to a philosophical and poetic conclusion.
This trilogy is much deeper than the "K-pop in space" tagline might have led you to believe, it's remarkably original.
Gail Carriger's dialogue shines as usual, every character is distinct, and the banter is funny, even when everything is going badly.
I only missed one thing, what could have been the biggest action scene of the book was liquidated very briefly. It was like, yep they succeded in doing this very challenging thing, two pages and gone.
I like the Tinkered Stars universe, I read Crudrat too a while back. I hope there will be more books in it, it's got a lot of potential.
This trilogy is much deeper than the "K-pop in space" tagline might have led you to believe, it's remarkably original.
Gail Carriger's dialogue shines as usual, every character is distinct, and the banter is funny, even when everything is going badly.
I only missed one thing, what could have been the biggest action scene of the book was liquidated very briefly. It was like, yep they succeded in doing this very challenging thing, two pages and gone.
I like the Tinkered Stars universe, I read Crudrat too a while back. I hope there will be more books in it, it's got a lot of potential.
March 10, 2024
Update: final rating 4 stars
I'm not committing to my star rating for this just yet. After the first two books were no-brainer 5-stars, I had more complicated thoughts and feelings about this one. There were absolutely 5-star moments in this for me, but it's also angstier, sadder, and thematically heavier than the first two books without as much comic relief. Don't get me wrong, it's still a (mostly) happy ending for the series, but along the way there's heartbreak, death, war, and Missit's parents, all of which are pretty bummer terrible in their own ways. Most of those 5-star moments were "oh-no-I'm-going-to-cry" moments, so I won't be going back to obsessively re-read scenes like I did with the first two. And while I think the questions of the divinity's morality that are explicitly discussed are in fact meant to leave us feeling conflicted about it, they also made the (mostly) happy ending to feel a little too hollow for me. I couldn't quite triumph in the characters' successes knowing the cost.
I'm not committing to my star rating for this just yet. After the first two books were no-brainer 5-stars, I had more complicated thoughts and feelings about this one. There were absolutely 5-star moments in this for me, but it's also angstier, sadder, and thematically heavier than the first two books without as much comic relief. Don't get me wrong, it's still a (mostly) happy ending for the series, but along the way there's heartbreak, death, war, and Missit's parents, all of which are pretty bummer terrible in their own ways. Most of those 5-star moments were "oh-no-I'm-going-to-cry" moments, so I won't be going back to obsessively re-read scenes like I did with the first two. And while I think the questions of the divinity's morality that are explicitly discussed are in fact meant to leave us feeling conflicted about it, they also made the (mostly) happy ending to feel a little too hollow for me. I couldn't quite triumph in the characters' successes knowing the cost.
March 2, 2025
A very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy! And everything ended up the way I’d hoped.
It was interesting to have this book (the whole series, really) be about the pros and cons of free will. I wasn’t expecting a philosophy lesson! Though of course, it didn’t feel like a lesson. It’s also about love and friendship and family. There are some pretty deep themes here, all told with Gail’s usual flair for storytelling and character development.
Overall, I’m left with a very warm feeling after finishing. I think I would have enjoyed it even more had the audiobook narrator not picked such a terrible voice for Phex. I think this series would be better enjoyed if it is read, not listened to. But either way, I recommend it!
It was interesting to have this book (the whole series, really) be about the pros and cons of free will. I wasn’t expecting a philosophy lesson! Though of course, it didn’t feel like a lesson. It’s also about love and friendship and family. There are some pretty deep themes here, all told with Gail’s usual flair for storytelling and character development.
Overall, I’m left with a very warm feeling after finishing. I think I would have enjoyed it even more had the audiobook narrator not picked such a terrible voice for Phex. I think this series would be better enjoyed if it is read, not listened to. But either way, I recommend it!
November 16, 2023
I am enlightened!
As a follower of Phex and Asterism, I always knew they would rise through the ranks like the stars they are. No wonder they have gained so many worshipers so quickly. And, just between you and me, I’ve shipped Phex & Missit (or should we give them a proper ship name and call them Phexsit?) from the very beginning, no matter what some of the other followers on the divinity forums have been saying. So, was I surprised to hear that my gods managed to save an entire planet from civil war just by singing & dancing & sifting their little hearts out? Not me. I’m a true believer.
Major goddom, here comes Phex! And his adorable liquid gold, hottie boyfriend, Missit, too!
As a follower of Phex and Asterism, I always knew they would rise through the ranks like the stars they are. No wonder they have gained so many worshipers so quickly. And, just between you and me, I’ve shipped Phex & Missit (or should we give them a proper ship name and call them Phexsit?) from the very beginning, no matter what some of the other followers on the divinity forums have been saying. So, was I surprised to hear that my gods managed to save an entire planet from civil war just by singing & dancing & sifting their little hearts out? Not me. I’m a true believer.
Major goddom, here comes Phex! And his adorable liquid gold, hottie boyfriend, Missit, too!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2024
Different, but really enjoyed, well worth a read!
I wasn't sure about this series at first. I'm a big parasolverse fan and not big into most sci-fi (like original Star-Wars, loved Red Dwarf and Firefly, and more recently The Expanse).
I love Gail's feel good style of writing so thought I'd give it a go - am very glad I did. It has all her usual stuff (found family, humour, everything-will-turn-out-ok, inclusiveness etc), but through the lens of aliens running a mysterious k-pop style hit factory, rather than vampires and werewolves.
Really enjoyed this series, well worth a go.
I wasn't sure about this series at first. I'm a big parasolverse fan and not big into most sci-fi (like original Star-Wars, loved Red Dwarf and Firefly, and more recently The Expanse).
I love Gail's feel good style of writing so thought I'd give it a go - am very glad I did. It has all her usual stuff (found family, humour, everything-will-turn-out-ok, inclusiveness etc), but through the lens of aliens running a mysterious k-pop style hit factory, rather than vampires and werewolves.
Really enjoyed this series, well worth a go.
October 6, 2023
Best so far
I persevered with this series because I love Gail's work and it was worth it for the humour and the characters and the world, even if the plot would not normally hold my interest. This though, the grand finale, the conclusion, in it's insane yet brilliant glory is worthy of 5 stars. I am glad I persevered, it was worth it. Do give it a go? If it's not your cups of tea, the delightful Gail Carriger writes many other humorous stories ranging from young adult to very adult (the very adult ones published under G A Carriger to avoid confusion...)
I persevered with this series because I love Gail's work and it was worth it for the humour and the characters and the world, even if the plot would not normally hold my interest. This though, the grand finale, the conclusion, in it's insane yet brilliant glory is worthy of 5 stars. I am glad I persevered, it was worth it. Do give it a go? If it's not your cups of tea, the delightful Gail Carriger writes many other humorous stories ranging from young adult to very adult (the very adult ones published under G A Carriger to avoid confusion...)
October 2, 2023
Queer grumpy-sunshine joy
If you loved Good Omens Season 2 or Our Flag Means Death, you'll love this series. This is a beautiful end to a series that got me through this Summer. The author brings in echoes of Anne McCaffery's Crystal Singer trilogy, Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein, and Ursula K. LeGuin, and yet the books never feel pretentious or too adult for most teen readers. A weapon of beauty, indeed... ;-)
If you loved Good Omens Season 2 or Our Flag Means Death, you'll love this series. This is a beautiful end to a series that got me through this Summer. The author brings in echoes of Anne McCaffery's Crystal Singer trilogy, Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein, and Ursula K. LeGuin, and yet the books never feel pretentious or too adult for most teen readers. A weapon of beauty, indeed... ;-)
November 19, 2023
Uneven but sweet. It had a good trajectory. It did kind of drag at times early on. But it pulled out a good strong believable ending. And there were lots of big strings tied up along with some definite world-building. Something was definitely missing from this series, some depth, of the world in general, of the characters in particular. And our main pov character was comparatively flat and obvious and broken, at least from inside his own head. But this worked well enough.
January 1, 2024
Dome 6 picks of where Demigod 12 left off, and finishes the story arc of the trilogy. There are more revelations about the Divinity and world building, more emotional growth in Phex, and more of the same cozy, teen-angsty contemplative prose focusing on the inner emotional life of our protagonist.
The series is a bit light on world building and plot, and very heavy on the aforementioned contemplation, but if you don't mind it then it's some good comfort reading.
The series is a bit light on world building and plot, and very heavy on the aforementioned contemplation, but if you don't mind it then it's some good comfort reading.
January 28, 2024
A fitting conclusion to the series. A few different iterations on what home means, and what it means to go there. And a few different iterations on what love and family mean. And some interesting digging into the divinity and its impact on the universe.
4.5 stars out of 5, rounded up.
4.5 stars out of 5, rounded up.
June 11, 2024
Liked the ending and thought it wrapped up well, however it was a tough read even though overall I enjoyed it. I was angry at how irresponsible and inconsiderate the Dyesi were the whole book and how the Amago just don't care to teach the Nymphs that they should consider that other species have different needs and also that their non-Dyesi gods are in an older life stage despite being younger in years. So frustrating!!! Still worth reading but man I want to yell at those Dyesi...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2024
What a fantastic conclusion to this amazing trilogy. I could barely stop reading and the emotional impact was quite strong, especially from Phex. The ending is fitting and made me smile . I wish I hadn't waited this long to read the books - I could've used them earlier in my life for sure.
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