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Ancient as the Stars: A Space Opera Adventure
For fans of Lower Decks, the Expanse, and a found family time travel adventure with humor, snark, and lots of heart.
One kickass immortal sailship captain.
Captain Karenna Yilmaz of the Earth Union Fleet has it all. Adoring husband? Check. The enduring loyalty of her crew? Check. Transformation into a beautiful ageless immortal? Check. Check. Check. But when a dimensional rift brings her low-down, dust-sniffing, no-good younger self hurtling into the present, Karenna's carefully-constructed life wavers.
One snarky dust-addicted loser.
Flight Officer Ren Yilmaz is pretty sick of the hand she's been dealt. Her supervisor is an idiot. Her ex-husband is vindictive and has ruined her career. And now, here's her perfect future self, who everyone fawns over, while Ren is still ignored and alone.
They're the same person, 60 years apart
Both their ships are one in space, one in time. Karenna needs to get her crew home safe and sound. And Ren has to get back to her reality and out of Karenna's shadow. Working together would mean literally facing their past–including old traumas and transgressions best kept hidden. But if they don't, they'll be stuck with each other until the end of time.
One kickass immortal sailship captain.
Captain Karenna Yilmaz of the Earth Union Fleet has it all. Adoring husband? Check. The enduring loyalty of her crew? Check. Transformation into a beautiful ageless immortal? Check. Check. Check. But when a dimensional rift brings her low-down, dust-sniffing, no-good younger self hurtling into the present, Karenna's carefully-constructed life wavers.
One snarky dust-addicted loser.
Flight Officer Ren Yilmaz is pretty sick of the hand she's been dealt. Her supervisor is an idiot. Her ex-husband is vindictive and has ruined her career. And now, here's her perfect future self, who everyone fawns over, while Ren is still ignored and alone.
They're the same person, 60 years apart
Both their ships are one in space, one in time. Karenna needs to get her crew home safe and sound. And Ren has to get back to her reality and out of Karenna's shadow. Working together would mean literally facing their past–including old traumas and transgressions best kept hidden. But if they don't, they'll be stuck with each other until the end of time.
399 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 26, 2024
26 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Maya Darjani
8 books39 followersMaya Darjani is a writer and photographer from the heartland of America who writes genre-bending fiction about badass women, dual loyalty, and the false promise of patriotism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 28, 2024
This is an amazing book by itself and an even more impressive debut novel.
It has it all: banter - hell, loads of banter -, great and lovable characters, a proper amount of arseholes and arseholery, a gripping story, captivating narratives around personal lives and struggles, and deep moments.
When I started reading I first was confused: Who's that? What are they doing here? Why are they even here? What???
It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story, and not just enjoy the banter, but once I really got into it I really got into it.
It has great main characters (personally, I am a huge fan of Max - can't wait for the next book to come out, assuming by the title it will be mainly about him), side character which are well enough developed to have a personality (not always a given, esp. not in debuts) and not just a function and a lot of different moods the narrative takes place in.
The action part of the story is intriguing and might surprise some.
But, one word of warning: do not expect a traditional 'pew-pew epic space fights' Space Opera. This is more along the lines of Star Trek or Stargate SG-1, not much weapon fighting, no epic space ship battles, but rather a lot of fighting structures, systems and ... well, that thing (no spoilers).
It has some truly deep and melancholic moments, a few quite upsetting ones, a lot of banter (and it's great banter, not the stereotypical one for the sake of it), a few romantic glimpses and, of course, a predicament. In fact, it has a couple of predicaments, not just one.
All in all it was a great, very entertaining and utterly enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to everyone who loves character driven Sci-Fi. In fact, you do not even need to be very big on the Sci-Fi to enjoy this story, but you definitely need to love character driven writing.
I hope we will get many, many more books from Maya over the years and decades to come!
It has it all: banter - hell, loads of banter -, great and lovable characters, a proper amount of arseholes and arseholery, a gripping story, captivating narratives around personal lives and struggles, and deep moments.
When I started reading I first was confused: Who's that? What are they doing here? Why are they even here? What???
It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story, and not just enjoy the banter, but once I really got into it I really got into it.
It has great main characters (personally, I am a huge fan of Max - can't wait for the next book to come out, assuming by the title it will be mainly about him), side character which are well enough developed to have a personality (not always a given, esp. not in debuts) and not just a function and a lot of different moods the narrative takes place in.
The action part of the story is intriguing and might surprise some.
But, one word of warning: do not expect a traditional 'pew-pew epic space fights' Space Opera. This is more along the lines of Star Trek or Stargate SG-1, not much weapon fighting, no epic space ship battles, but rather a lot of fighting structures, systems and ... well, that thing (no spoilers).
It has some truly deep and melancholic moments, a few quite upsetting ones, a lot of banter (and it's great banter, not the stereotypical one for the sake of it), a few romantic glimpses and, of course, a predicament. In fact, it has a couple of predicaments, not just one.
All in all it was a great, very entertaining and utterly enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to everyone who loves character driven Sci-Fi. In fact, you do not even need to be very big on the Sci-Fi to enjoy this story, but you definitely need to love character driven writing.
I hope we will get many, many more books from Maya over the years and decades to come!
March 2, 2025
There are a few things that I liked about this book, but also a few that I didn’t like so much, and sadly the latter category had more weight to it. The overall concept was a good one, and I liked a good portion of the characters, although I think there were sometimes too many, with the various crews of three large ships all intermingling (at least via Gertie, the inter-ship communications array). Occasionally I was a little lost as to who was who, and from which ship.
It felt a little odd how accepting everyone appeared to be of a ship suddenly appearing from sixty years in the past, and being stuck in the present. On all three ships, including the one that found itself out of its time, I would have expected there to be a lot of talk, and much of it focused on the unbelievable situation, but also looking at how to resolve the issue and get the ship back to when it was supposed to be. This felt largely brushed over though, and instead the focus was on present-day operations and getting the “old” ship up to speed with events and the technology of the present day.
The main thing that didn’t work for me though was the writing. There weren’t necessarily any actual issues with it, but it was just a style that didn’t really work for me. At times I just felt as if the author was trying too hard to be snarky, or cool, or something, I don’t know. It just didn’t feel right or natural to me, but that’s a case of a clash of styles rather than being an issue with the writing itself.
It felt a little odd how accepting everyone appeared to be of a ship suddenly appearing from sixty years in the past, and being stuck in the present. On all three ships, including the one that found itself out of its time, I would have expected there to be a lot of talk, and much of it focused on the unbelievable situation, but also looking at how to resolve the issue and get the ship back to when it was supposed to be. This felt largely brushed over though, and instead the focus was on present-day operations and getting the “old” ship up to speed with events and the technology of the present day.
The main thing that didn’t work for me though was the writing. There weren’t necessarily any actual issues with it, but it was just a style that didn’t really work for me. At times I just felt as if the author was trying too hard to be snarky, or cool, or something, I don’t know. It just didn’t feel right or natural to me, but that’s a case of a clash of styles rather than being an issue with the writing itself.
July 19, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Ancient as the Stars is the first book in the Broken Union series, a space opera proposal written by Maya Darjani (and her debut novel). An adventure with great and lovable characters, a gripping plot which is interwoven with more personal narratives, doses of found family, humour and also the best chapter titles you can ask for.
Ren is a recently demoted officer in the Hawking, stuck in a job she hates, sabotaged by an abusive ex husband, self-destroying herself in pity as she doesn't seem to fit in any place; the last thing she needed is a space-time weirdness that ends with her meeting Captain Karenna Yilmaz, a version of her in the future that is basically immortal, a captain beloved by her crew and married to a lovely husband. But soon, they will find together that inside them there are more problems and traumas that they need to help, while trying to deal with the complicate power structures of this universe.
Interwoven with this character-driven narrative, we have an excellent investigative plot, fast-paced and that introduces us to the rigid structures behind the Earth Union; not only that, but Darjani takes the opportunity to reflect the sad reality of how the field in those jobs tends to be male-dominated, effectively dismissing their female colleagues, who have to work harder than everybody to hopefully reach a similar position. On many occasions, we will see the frustration Ren experiences due to this situation; a system that is breaking and showing some cracks.
But outside of this plot, I think my favourite part of this book are the two female main characters, Ren and Karenna; they might be opposite versions of the same person, but Darjani gives them an incredible amount of deepness. We can see how both are grieving their different traumas, but healing them is not an easy task. It also happens that both are the same kind of snarky and strong person, that won't doubt to confront whoever is needed, leading us to really fun situations.
The supporting cast plays a perfect role, helping the plot to advance, while you end liking some of them, the little family that becomes because of the subsequent accidents.
The pacing is relatively fast, accelerating with the plot, with the book becoming unputdownable as we get closer to the end. Darjani's prose flows, making the reading experience an absolute pleasure, and I can assure you will laugh out loud with her humour.
If at this point is not clear, I absolutely loved Ancient as the Stars: is the kind of sci-fi with thriller touches that works so well with me, and the character focus helped me to connect so well with it. This might be one of the best presentation letters a writer can have, and I can only ask Maya to continue writing and publishing, because I need more space operas like this one.
Ancient as the Stars is the first book in the Broken Union series, a space opera proposal written by Maya Darjani (and her debut novel). An adventure with great and lovable characters, a gripping plot which is interwoven with more personal narratives, doses of found family, humour and also the best chapter titles you can ask for.
Ren is a recently demoted officer in the Hawking, stuck in a job she hates, sabotaged by an abusive ex husband, self-destroying herself in pity as she doesn't seem to fit in any place; the last thing she needed is a space-time weirdness that ends with her meeting Captain Karenna Yilmaz, a version of her in the future that is basically immortal, a captain beloved by her crew and married to a lovely husband. But soon, they will find together that inside them there are more problems and traumas that they need to help, while trying to deal with the complicate power structures of this universe.
Interwoven with this character-driven narrative, we have an excellent investigative plot, fast-paced and that introduces us to the rigid structures behind the Earth Union; not only that, but Darjani takes the opportunity to reflect the sad reality of how the field in those jobs tends to be male-dominated, effectively dismissing their female colleagues, who have to work harder than everybody to hopefully reach a similar position. On many occasions, we will see the frustration Ren experiences due to this situation; a system that is breaking and showing some cracks.
But outside of this plot, I think my favourite part of this book are the two female main characters, Ren and Karenna; they might be opposite versions of the same person, but Darjani gives them an incredible amount of deepness. We can see how both are grieving their different traumas, but healing them is not an easy task. It also happens that both are the same kind of snarky and strong person, that won't doubt to confront whoever is needed, leading us to really fun situations.
The supporting cast plays a perfect role, helping the plot to advance, while you end liking some of them, the little family that becomes because of the subsequent accidents.
The pacing is relatively fast, accelerating with the plot, with the book becoming unputdownable as we get closer to the end. Darjani's prose flows, making the reading experience an absolute pleasure, and I can assure you will laugh out loud with her humour.
If at this point is not clear, I absolutely loved Ancient as the Stars: is the kind of sci-fi with thriller touches that works so well with me, and the character focus helped me to connect so well with it. This might be one of the best presentation letters a writer can have, and I can only ask Maya to continue writing and publishing, because I need more space operas like this one.
November 27, 2024
A really fun sci fi read full of banter and great characters. Full rtc
October 14, 2024
I'm in awe of this book - 5 stars, no notes. This is multi-layered space opera with genuine heart, and things to say about tricky emotional stuff. Plus kind-of time travel, some laughs and snark, and characters drawn with wit and care. I'm all in.
May 29, 2024
4.5 - stars
A week or two into the month of May I noticed mention on Goodreads of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and though there were certainly plenty of exampled provided on that Goodreads article and that my TBR was already jammed pack, I went to Twitter/X looking for recommendations of authors that fit into this celebration but on an Indie or Self Publish side of things. I also had several great recommendations including a couple that I've already read and enjoyed. The book I ended up going with was Ancient as the Stars which was mentioned by the author Maya Darjani. Though she attempted to be humble and hesitant to mention her own book, I had no issue with that practice.
Before I get into my usual topics, I wanted to mention that Maya and her works are new to me and I'm very glad that she seen my post and mentioned her book because I really enjoyed it. Things were going good for the first 75% of the read but at that point it got really good and I had trouble putting it down for that last quarter. I would love to see more from this world and these characters. I also believe this was her first officially published book which also gives me great hope that we will have plenty more enjoyable reads to come from this author.
The pacing was done really well. I thought we might have some sticky situations with timelines early on but once things happen, they mostly stay in current times other than just some flashbacks or memories of things. No issue with character names or places either. This book just seemed to flow really well for me and for that reason, it did seem slightly fast paced but I think that could be due to my enjoyment of the read as well as it being on the shorter side of page count compared to several of my more recent reads. I also didn't notice much in the way of editing issues with typos either which meant this read came off as being very polished to me.
The world building was nicely done as well. As the title "A Space Opera" indicates, this story mostly takes place in a futuristic time within space. There are some different environments though whether they are on the surface of planets or moons and even the different ships. There are also a lot of different cultures and a few factions. The way this world and story were presented certainly left plenty of room to expand. I mean we are talking about space travel with faster than light technology that turns years into days of travel. The inclusion of the fleet command also made this world seem so much bigger than what we get to witness in Ancient as the Stars.
The character development was the shining start of this read for me. I thought that maybe I didn't like stories with continuously flawed character due to another recently read but now I realize it still comes down to how those characters are presented to the reader. It can be hit or miss with me and in this case Maya nailed it. I'm trying not to give too much in the way of spoilers. I'll just say we have two closely connected main characters which are certainly flawed and most of this story revolves around how to work around those flaws and still achieve the outcomes need. I think I found myself connecting more with Ren than Karenna for most of this story. I'm not sure why, maybe I see some of her qualities from my much younger days as well.
The amount of excellent supporting characters in this read is what really brings this one home for me. Even these supporting characters were so complex and unique from each other. Max, Brett and Tim were all great characters that I loved, just to name a couple. Then the leadership of Hawking (Ma, Riley and the watch leader) were all characters I disliked on different levels. Ma is the only of these three that I felt at times he just wasn't aware enough of what was happening on his ship to be a competent leader, but at the same time he still did some shady things under his nose.
Just to wrap things up I want to mention that the story was just as good as the three topics I mentioned above. There was plenty of twists and turns, suspense, excitement and political intrigue to be found in this read.
I'd recommend this to just about any fans of Science Fiction that are looking for a space story with a solid plot and great characters to keep them entertained.
A week or two into the month of May I noticed mention on Goodreads of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and though there were certainly plenty of exampled provided on that Goodreads article and that my TBR was already jammed pack, I went to Twitter/X looking for recommendations of authors that fit into this celebration but on an Indie or Self Publish side of things. I also had several great recommendations including a couple that I've already read and enjoyed. The book I ended up going with was Ancient as the Stars which was mentioned by the author Maya Darjani. Though she attempted to be humble and hesitant to mention her own book, I had no issue with that practice.
Before I get into my usual topics, I wanted to mention that Maya and her works are new to me and I'm very glad that she seen my post and mentioned her book because I really enjoyed it. Things were going good for the first 75% of the read but at that point it got really good and I had trouble putting it down for that last quarter. I would love to see more from this world and these characters. I also believe this was her first officially published book which also gives me great hope that we will have plenty more enjoyable reads to come from this author.
The pacing was done really well. I thought we might have some sticky situations with timelines early on but once things happen, they mostly stay in current times other than just some flashbacks or memories of things. No issue with character names or places either. This book just seemed to flow really well for me and for that reason, it did seem slightly fast paced but I think that could be due to my enjoyment of the read as well as it being on the shorter side of page count compared to several of my more recent reads. I also didn't notice much in the way of editing issues with typos either which meant this read came off as being very polished to me.
The world building was nicely done as well. As the title "A Space Opera" indicates, this story mostly takes place in a futuristic time within space. There are some different environments though whether they are on the surface of planets or moons and even the different ships. There are also a lot of different cultures and a few factions. The way this world and story were presented certainly left plenty of room to expand. I mean we are talking about space travel with faster than light technology that turns years into days of travel. The inclusion of the fleet command also made this world seem so much bigger than what we get to witness in Ancient as the Stars.
The character development was the shining start of this read for me. I thought that maybe I didn't like stories with continuously flawed character due to another recently read but now I realize it still comes down to how those characters are presented to the reader. It can be hit or miss with me and in this case Maya nailed it. I'm trying not to give too much in the way of spoilers. I'll just say we have two closely connected main characters which are certainly flawed and most of this story revolves around how to work around those flaws and still achieve the outcomes need. I think I found myself connecting more with Ren than Karenna for most of this story. I'm not sure why, maybe I see some of her qualities from my much younger days as well.
The amount of excellent supporting characters in this read is what really brings this one home for me. Even these supporting characters were so complex and unique from each other. Max, Brett and Tim were all great characters that I loved, just to name a couple. Then the leadership of Hawking (Ma, Riley and the watch leader) were all characters I disliked on different levels. Ma is the only of these three that I felt at times he just wasn't aware enough of what was happening on his ship to be a competent leader, but at the same time he still did some shady things under his nose.
Just to wrap things up I want to mention that the story was just as good as the three topics I mentioned above. There was plenty of twists and turns, suspense, excitement and political intrigue to be found in this read.
I'd recommend this to just about any fans of Science Fiction that are looking for a space story with a solid plot and great characters to keep them entertained.
June 26, 2024
Being an Ancient trumps everything else. You got that right. If you like science fiction fantasy, strong female protagonists, time travel, outer space, then you found the right book. I wonder what would happen if I met up with my younger self now that I’m an older person. Ren and Karena get that opportunity. It may not go as smooth as it would seem. I liked Tim a lot too. He’s tough, daring and still has googlee eyes for his woman. Loved the banter, humor and pop culture references too. You can get lost in this book and escape the world to find out there are bad guys in fantasy too. I liked this book a lot.
I want to thank BookSirens for allowing me an early copy. This review is solely my opinions and given voluntarily because I think everyone should hear about this book.
I want to thank BookSirens for allowing me an early copy. This review is solely my opinions and given voluntarily because I think everyone should hear about this book.
January 2, 2025
Rounded up from 3.5 because Maya is lovely.
This review was originally posted on SFFINSIDERS.COM
If you’re like me, when you hear ‘time travel’ you probably think about someone going back in time and ‘don’t step on the butterfly’ or I don’t know, your aunt is now purple and your mother has three heads. (Which in my case would be awful because my mother is from New York and does not need two extra mouths.)
This brings us to one of the things I really enjoyed about Ancient as the Stars. “They’re the same person, 60 years apart”, and except for a bit earlier on when this was identified as one of the problems, there was no ‘Don’t mess up the timeline’. The timeline had already been eaten by the cat, vomited on the carpet and cleaned up by the dog. Everyone was just allowed to get on with things. Not having that worry meant a lot of things could just be dealt with and didn’t need to be sidestepped because ‘the timeline!!!!’. And Ren just used the technology to catch up with things and be the best at her job despite everything in her life kind of being on fire. She was really having a bad time of things.
Ren is arguably one of the most realistic feeling characters I’ve come across in a while. She’s definitely not what you’d describe as having a good personality. She is exceptionally competent at her job, despite what her ex-husband and supervisor claim. She grows in the sense that she stops doing drugs on the actual military ship that definitely frowns on that sort of thing, but everything else that she achieves is because she is smart, crafty and maliciously compliant, which is the best kind of compliant. Her growth in the story is literally to get herself away from the rock and the hard place she’s been jammed into by those around her, including her future self that she calls her ‘sister.’ And she doesn’t do it all in a brilliant blaze of glory but in a very administratively satisfying way.
Onto her ‘sister’, Karenna. Karenna seems really perfect but she is worryingly indecisive in some respects because of trauma (who isn’t, am I right?). She works so hard to look like this impartial and all held together leader that as a result she is almost wilfully ignorant of things until she has to address them. This again felt really realistic because I’m sure we all know someone with slightly more authority on things that ‘can’t be seen playing favourites’. I liked her whole bit about being an ‘ageless immortal’, known as an Ancient. It’s fairly crucial to how it get to where she’s faced with her past but really just a cellular level thing that is eventually discovered by someone medically and boom, now you’re an Ancient and here’s your ring. (Genuinely Karenna gets a ring for it.) But still, there is some mystery because what causes it and why isn’t it more common if it’s as straightforward as it’s later depicted to be?
The end of the blurb ‘But if they don't, they'll be stuck with each other until the end of time.’ is a little misleading because really, the issue of Ren being 60 years in the future is still a problem but we’re all just fine with it now. Admittedly, we’re all just fine with it probably because it’s not the only issue faced in this book.
There is a side plot where everyone is navigating the intergalactic politics of a terrorist passing out some untraceable bombs, which relates to several planets and their governments having to cooperate. If this sounds vague to you, it’s a little bit because I struggled to follow it all. Like I get that three military ships where they shouldn’t be is a problem (oh, btw there is a third ship besides Ren and Karenna’s respective ships. It’s headed by Maxime Dupont who is kinda fun but if you were stuck working with him you’d be super annoyed), but I don’t feel like I fully understand the wider politics to really nail down the impacts of this. Other than the other planet leaders being big mad. I’m not really clear on how the head of this group was working with this mysterious other person to supply a wider group with explosives. It’s a relatively large part of the book and a fairly grey area of ambiguity in my understanding of it..
Some of this was likely down to the named cast being huge when not everyone is important or relevant and not everyone in a scene needed to speak in it. Between a lot going on and a lot of named people involved in it going on, I was left feeling like I generally got the key bits: whole ship jumped through time, terrorists with undetectable bombs, Ren’s ship is made up of asshats. But the finer details and wider context were generally lost to me.
Between the realistic feeling characters, the pop culture references and Maya’s absolute gold standard names for chapters, I look forward to seeing what else comes from her next. And if I can follow the politics of it all more easily then so much the better!
This review was originally posted on SFFINSIDERS.COM
If you’re like me, when you hear ‘time travel’ you probably think about someone going back in time and ‘don’t step on the butterfly’ or I don’t know, your aunt is now purple and your mother has three heads. (Which in my case would be awful because my mother is from New York and does not need two extra mouths.)
This brings us to one of the things I really enjoyed about Ancient as the Stars. “They’re the same person, 60 years apart”, and except for a bit earlier on when this was identified as one of the problems, there was no ‘Don’t mess up the timeline’. The timeline had already been eaten by the cat, vomited on the carpet and cleaned up by the dog. Everyone was just allowed to get on with things. Not having that worry meant a lot of things could just be dealt with and didn’t need to be sidestepped because ‘the timeline!!!!’. And Ren just used the technology to catch up with things and be the best at her job despite everything in her life kind of being on fire. She was really having a bad time of things.
Ren is arguably one of the most realistic feeling characters I’ve come across in a while. She’s definitely not what you’d describe as having a good personality. She is exceptionally competent at her job, despite what her ex-husband and supervisor claim. She grows in the sense that she stops doing drugs on the actual military ship that definitely frowns on that sort of thing, but everything else that she achieves is because she is smart, crafty and maliciously compliant, which is the best kind of compliant. Her growth in the story is literally to get herself away from the rock and the hard place she’s been jammed into by those around her, including her future self that she calls her ‘sister.’ And she doesn’t do it all in a brilliant blaze of glory but in a very administratively satisfying way.
Onto her ‘sister’, Karenna. Karenna seems really perfect but she is worryingly indecisive in some respects because of trauma (who isn’t, am I right?). She works so hard to look like this impartial and all held together leader that as a result she is almost wilfully ignorant of things until she has to address them. This again felt really realistic because I’m sure we all know someone with slightly more authority on things that ‘can’t be seen playing favourites’. I liked her whole bit about being an ‘ageless immortal’, known as an Ancient. It’s fairly crucial to how it get to where she’s faced with her past but really just a cellular level thing that is eventually discovered by someone medically and boom, now you’re an Ancient and here’s your ring. (Genuinely Karenna gets a ring for it.) But still, there is some mystery because what causes it and why isn’t it more common if it’s as straightforward as it’s later depicted to be?
The end of the blurb ‘But if they don't, they'll be stuck with each other until the end of time.’ is a little misleading because really, the issue of Ren being 60 years in the future is still a problem but we’re all just fine with it now. Admittedly, we’re all just fine with it probably because it’s not the only issue faced in this book.
There is a side plot where everyone is navigating the intergalactic politics of a terrorist passing out some untraceable bombs, which relates to several planets and their governments having to cooperate. If this sounds vague to you, it’s a little bit because I struggled to follow it all. Like I get that three military ships where they shouldn’t be is a problem (oh, btw there is a third ship besides Ren and Karenna’s respective ships. It’s headed by Maxime Dupont who is kinda fun but if you were stuck working with him you’d be super annoyed), but I don’t feel like I fully understand the wider politics to really nail down the impacts of this. Other than the other planet leaders being big mad. I’m not really clear on how the head of this group was working with this mysterious other person to supply a wider group with explosives. It’s a relatively large part of the book and a fairly grey area of ambiguity in my understanding of it..
Some of this was likely down to the named cast being huge when not everyone is important or relevant and not everyone in a scene needed to speak in it. Between a lot going on and a lot of named people involved in it going on, I was left feeling like I generally got the key bits: whole ship jumped through time, terrorists with undetectable bombs, Ren’s ship is made up of asshats. But the finer details and wider context were generally lost to me.
Between the realistic feeling characters, the pop culture references and Maya’s absolute gold standard names for chapters, I look forward to seeing what else comes from her next. And if I can follow the politics of it all more easily then so much the better!
February 15, 2025
Broken Union series 01 Ancient as the Stars by Maya Darjani
adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense
Medium-paced
Plot or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
4.25 Stars
A very innovative way of starting a story...that ended up being both complicated and impactful (narratively and character development-wise).
For me, the start of the book was a bit confusing. Now that I'm finished with the book, I've gone back to reread the first two chapters to solidify what happened, to what happend in an overall sense.
Ren is a character that feels like has she a black/stormy cloud hanging over their head, like Pig Pen in the Peanuts cartoon. This cloud represents "bad mojo", which corresponds to all the bad things that could happen to a person, does happen. A life, where there really isn't any joy.
On the other hand, Karenna...she seems to have a touch of grace, where things seem to always work out.
In a narrative sense, this story has some similar ideas to the movie called, Sliding Doors (1998) Romantic/Comedy film, not the romantic/comedy aspect, but the duality of time...and the effects that happen within the narrative effect the two main protagonists.
Once I understood this comp, then the pieces started to fall into place (within my mind) of how the story was going to go. But as all readers know, what you think is going to happen, doesn't always happen THAT way (and that's okay). I was surprised by what the author came up with, and also how powerfully executed it was.
I loved the callbacks to Earth (from our current pop-culture moments both past and present), that were sprinkled through character interactions, and also how the author showed some of them in the chapter titles. Lots of fun, trying to figure out what/where they were from, and how it related to the current chapter and the story I was reading.
There are some great characters within this story, but I don't want to press my hand onto the scale, but allow you (the potential reader) to meet them, and make your own judgements on them and how effective the author was.
I had a LOT of fun reading this story, and spending time in this universe. This does not mean that she didn't put her characters through the "ringer", for she really did. I felt for them (especially one of them), and was rooting for the time that they have their "come uppance".
Now, about the science, and on whether this or that could happen in real life? I believe that the author made it plausible, and it worked for me. It wasn't "hand wavy", but it also wasn't pedantic and overly drawn out. The science seemed to be based in our reality, but at the same time, extracted into a future time...where certain things have happened, and changed what we feel cannot happen, but now (in this reality) does happen.
Lastly, I've been given the ability to read the next book in this universe, "Loyalty to the Max" as an eArc, and I really feel the need to read it immediately after reading this first book (to achieve the best reading experience). Onward!
👉🏻 Content Warnings:
Graphic: Bullying and Misogyny
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
Minor: Death
adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense
Medium-paced
Plot or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
4.25 Stars
A very innovative way of starting a story...that ended up being both complicated and impactful (narratively and character development-wise).
For me, the start of the book was a bit confusing. Now that I'm finished with the book, I've gone back to reread the first two chapters to solidify what happened, to what happend in an overall sense.
Ren is a character that feels like has she a black/stormy cloud hanging over their head, like Pig Pen in the Peanuts cartoon. This cloud represents "bad mojo", which corresponds to all the bad things that could happen to a person, does happen. A life, where there really isn't any joy.
On the other hand, Karenna...she seems to have a touch of grace, where things seem to always work out.
In a narrative sense, this story has some similar ideas to the movie called, Sliding Doors (1998) Romantic/Comedy film, not the romantic/comedy aspect, but the duality of time...and the effects that happen within the narrative effect the two main protagonists.
Once I understood this comp, then the pieces started to fall into place (within my mind) of how the story was going to go. But as all readers know, what you think is going to happen, doesn't always happen THAT way (and that's okay). I was surprised by what the author came up with, and also how powerfully executed it was.
I loved the callbacks to Earth (from our current pop-culture moments both past and present), that were sprinkled through character interactions, and also how the author showed some of them in the chapter titles. Lots of fun, trying to figure out what/where they were from, and how it related to the current chapter and the story I was reading.
There are some great characters within this story, but I don't want to press my hand onto the scale, but allow you (the potential reader) to meet them, and make your own judgements on them and how effective the author was.
I had a LOT of fun reading this story, and spending time in this universe. This does not mean that she didn't put her characters through the "ringer", for she really did. I felt for them (especially one of them), and was rooting for the time that they have their "come uppance".
Now, about the science, and on whether this or that could happen in real life? I believe that the author made it plausible, and it worked for me. It wasn't "hand wavy", but it also wasn't pedantic and overly drawn out. The science seemed to be based in our reality, but at the same time, extracted into a future time...where certain things have happened, and changed what we feel cannot happen, but now (in this reality) does happen.
Lastly, I've been given the ability to read the next book in this universe, "Loyalty to the Max" as an eArc, and I really feel the need to read it immediately after reading this first book (to achieve the best reading experience). Onward!
👉🏻 Content Warnings:
Graphic: Bullying and Misogyny
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
Minor: Death
March 20, 2024
Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A fast-paced, witty, and intriguing debut from Darjani about a woman giving herself time travel therapy---twice. I have to admit I expected more pew-pew spaceship space opera, but I got what I would rather call...visceral workplace drama in space? With some cool sci-fi concepts, lots of interesting characters, and a casual and clever writing style.
Ren is an officer on the spaceship Hawking, but she hates her job, hates her abusive ex who is basically her boss and ruined her career, and doesn't find her place among the crew after the ugliness that transpired between them. Due to some timey-wimey weirdness however, she gets to meet her future self, Karenna: basically immortal, a respected captain with a loving husband. But very shortly they figure out both of them still have their interior problems, not just Ren. And they'll need time, understanding, and lots of shenanigans to start climbing out of it all.
Threaded through their journeys is a plot of terrorist hunting with all the details and logistics of espionage operations. Alongside with introducing the interstellar realm of humanity a few hundred years in the future, and then again more decades in the future, with the characters and interpersonal relationships of three spaceships, some esoteric physics and its effects both galactic and biological, needless to say, it's a lot, and it often pulls the focus back and forth from this to that. I liked most the parts where Karenna and Ren could be together and unravel their separate and connecting messes, and I always wanted more of their dynamic. Some characters I wanted much-much more of also, but the book zooms forward at a breakneck speed most of the time. What was really unusual but in the end I liked a lot, because it's strangely and entertainingly realistic in a bonkers sci-fi story, is that there were no shortcuts. No easy swaggering solutions. You had to do the work. Give those briefings, make the reports, argue with your boss, go around people in smart ways, sit and search and think about your source of info so you can save your groups doing dangerous fieldwork planetside. We often saw the behind-the-scenes of the pew-pew spaceship go fast, and it was pretty interesting.
The ending is satisfying regarding the main character(s) development...they both get their arc in small but important ways. This also leaves space for a sequel or even a series of books, and I can't wait to see where this all goes next!
A fast-paced, witty, and intriguing debut from Darjani about a woman giving herself time travel therapy---twice. I have to admit I expected more pew-pew spaceship space opera, but I got what I would rather call...visceral workplace drama in space? With some cool sci-fi concepts, lots of interesting characters, and a casual and clever writing style.
Ren is an officer on the spaceship Hawking, but she hates her job, hates her abusive ex who is basically her boss and ruined her career, and doesn't find her place among the crew after the ugliness that transpired between them. Due to some timey-wimey weirdness however, she gets to meet her future self, Karenna: basically immortal, a respected captain with a loving husband. But very shortly they figure out both of them still have their interior problems, not just Ren. And they'll need time, understanding, and lots of shenanigans to start climbing out of it all.
Threaded through their journeys is a plot of terrorist hunting with all the details and logistics of espionage operations. Alongside with introducing the interstellar realm of humanity a few hundred years in the future, and then again more decades in the future, with the characters and interpersonal relationships of three spaceships, some esoteric physics and its effects both galactic and biological, needless to say, it's a lot, and it often pulls the focus back and forth from this to that. I liked most the parts where Karenna and Ren could be together and unravel their separate and connecting messes, and I always wanted more of their dynamic. Some characters I wanted much-much more of also, but the book zooms forward at a breakneck speed most of the time. What was really unusual but in the end I liked a lot, because it's strangely and entertainingly realistic in a bonkers sci-fi story, is that there were no shortcuts. No easy swaggering solutions. You had to do the work. Give those briefings, make the reports, argue with your boss, go around people in smart ways, sit and search and think about your source of info so you can save your groups doing dangerous fieldwork planetside. We often saw the behind-the-scenes of the pew-pew spaceship go fast, and it was pretty interesting.
The ending is satisfying regarding the main character(s) development...they both get their arc in small but important ways. This also leaves space for a sequel or even a series of books, and I can't wait to see where this all goes next!
December 8, 2024
4.5 rounded up.
This was one of the easiest understood Sci-Fi books that I've read in a long time - for me at least. I usually have a hard time reading sci-fi because the science goes over my head, but not only did I understand this book (to an extent) but also truly enjoyed it!
CAWPILE Breakdown:
Characters: 4/5 - I loved all of the characters; I just wanted more of each of them.
Atmosphere/Setting: 5/5 - Our setting was space and that was perfectly obvious and clear. Darjani used (what I think of as) "space terminology" to reminder readers that we were in space - unless some authors who might try to make it feel like "Earth but in Space". Each "space ship" (vessel? transport?) had its own atmosphere and personality and feeling - and I loved that because it truly felt like we were in different ships each time we moved.
Writing Style: 5/5 - Honestly, I was a little nervous going into this book. Science fiction tends ot be a tough read for me, especially lately. But this book was easy and entertaining to read. The choice to make Karenna and Ren "sisters", even though they are the same person in different timelines, was a brilliant move. It made it so easy to follow along. The science was on the softer side (in my opinion) - on a made up scale of 1 -5, I'd say it was at a 2. It was there but written in a way that it didn't interfere with understanding the story and characters.
Plot: 4.5/5 - We had to meander a little to find it at times but it was a good strong plot when it was present.
Intrigue: 4.5/5 - I was definitely intrigued. Although at times, less than others - due mainly to the predictability of some parts.
Logic/Relationships: 4/5 - Some relationships were strong, others I wanted to dig into more (maybe in the subsequent books). It made as much logical sense as sci-fi does for me - more so than normal, actually.
Enjoyment: 5/5 - Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to readin gmore from Darjani in the future.
Total: 32/7 = 4.57
This was one of the easiest understood Sci-Fi books that I've read in a long time - for me at least. I usually have a hard time reading sci-fi because the science goes over my head, but not only did I understand this book (to an extent) but also truly enjoyed it!
CAWPILE Breakdown:
Characters: 4/5 - I loved all of the characters; I just wanted more of each of them.
Atmosphere/Setting: 5/5 - Our setting was space and that was perfectly obvious and clear. Darjani used (what I think of as) "space terminology" to reminder readers that we were in space - unless some authors who might try to make it feel like "Earth but in Space". Each "space ship" (vessel? transport?) had its own atmosphere and personality and feeling - and I loved that because it truly felt like we were in different ships each time we moved.
Writing Style: 5/5 - Honestly, I was a little nervous going into this book. Science fiction tends ot be a tough read for me, especially lately. But this book was easy and entertaining to read. The choice to make Karenna and Ren "sisters", even though they are the same person in different timelines, was a brilliant move. It made it so easy to follow along. The science was on the softer side (in my opinion) - on a made up scale of 1 -5, I'd say it was at a 2. It was there but written in a way that it didn't interfere with understanding the story and characters.
Plot: 4.5/5 - We had to meander a little to find it at times but it was a good strong plot when it was present.
Intrigue: 4.5/5 - I was definitely intrigued. Although at times, less than others - due mainly to the predictability of some parts.
Logic/Relationships: 4/5 - Some relationships were strong, others I wanted to dig into more (maybe in the subsequent books). It made as much logical sense as sci-fi does for me - more so than normal, actually.
Enjoyment: 5/5 - Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to readin gmore from Darjani in the future.
Total: 32/7 = 4.57
March 23, 2025
I kindly thank the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
DNF 18%
It's been an entire year and I keep on scratching my face and finding any excuse not to continue the book. And I feel terrible because so many readers loved it. Yet for some weird reason, I think the dual timeline story to be cool and I liked the older immortal MC POV, but I can't for the life of me recall any of the other characters. I don't even know if the book was aiming to be a comedy or become darker.
For a while, I assumed the disconnect I had at times was because it was an earlier draft that might have gotten cleaned up, but I believe my copy is pretty close to the full-fledged published book. I felt the book needed more editing, especially for clarity.
It seems like I am just an outlier and the vast majority of readers loved the book. I would certainly read another book from the author and assume this book was just not a good fit for me.
DNF 18%
It's been an entire year and I keep on scratching my face and finding any excuse not to continue the book. And I feel terrible because so many readers loved it. Yet for some weird reason, I think the dual timeline story to be cool and I liked the older immortal MC POV, but I can't for the life of me recall any of the other characters. I don't even know if the book was aiming to be a comedy or become darker.
For a while, I assumed the disconnect I had at times was because it was an earlier draft that might have gotten cleaned up, but I believe my copy is pretty close to the full-fledged published book. I felt the book needed more editing, especially for clarity.
It seems like I am just an outlier and the vast majority of readers loved the book. I would certainly read another book from the author and assume this book was just not a good fit for me.
December 11, 2025
I really liked the take on the time travel trope in this but it's the characters that I loved the most! A super entertaining read and the chapter titles made it all the more fun!
Full RTC
Full RTC
June 26, 2024
This is the story of Ren, a low-level grunt aboard one ship, and Karrena, the accomplished captain of another. Turns out they're the same person, years apart. Ren is young, salty, and just got out of an abusive relationship which separated her from all her friends. Karrena has gotten past all that and has a successful life now, complete with an adoring husband.
You'd think they'd get together and immediately start looking out for each other. Not really! They settle right away into a sister relationship that's a bit adversarial, with Ren jealous of Karenna's success. Meanwhile Karenna is struggling with seeing her terrible ex after all these years.
The plot quickly gets complicated, with a lot of it focused on catching a terrorist rather than dealing with the time travel issue. What pulled me along is the snappy dialogue, full of snark and pop culture references. Some readers might hate that, but as a huge fan of Gideon the Ninth, I love that kind of writing.
You'd think they'd get together and immediately start looking out for each other. Not really! They settle right away into a sister relationship that's a bit adversarial, with Ren jealous of Karenna's success. Meanwhile Karenna is struggling with seeing her terrible ex after all these years.
The plot quickly gets complicated, with a lot of it focused on catching a terrorist rather than dealing with the time travel issue. What pulled me along is the snappy dialogue, full of snark and pop culture references. Some readers might hate that, but as a huge fan of Gideon the Ninth, I love that kind of writing.
February 21, 2024
Note: A 4-star rating from me means 'GO OUT AND BUY THIS BOOK! NOW!' :)
What a cool concept and such fine execution! What a neat way to tackle handling one’s past trauma and past self by literally coming face-to-face with it. What better use of time travel, right? The book was so compelling that after a point I found it difficult to put down without finishing it and I had work pending!
Accessible sci-fi and thrilling espionage games interweave with a tale of trauma, gaslighting, emotional abuse and fighting your own battles, written in a way I have not read before. And all of it underlined by wry humour and a beauty in writing and expression that's simply superb.
Sample this:
"My fork was stuck. A culinary sword in the stone."
or
"Stillness. Peace... Tension in her gut unspooled, leaving her connected to the universe by a thin umbilical cord, the rest of her free to float in embryonic ignorance."
or
"For Ren though, the effort to pretend she wasn't one sad moment from falling apart was the most exhausting of all."
It has everything, from military operations, espionage, terrorism and geo politics to the narrative of grooming, emotional abuse and their effects. (Reading that the author is a former counter terrorism officer didn't come as a surprise, a wow factor, yes, but not surprising.) The depth of the behind-the-scenes ops info + the nuanced take on the ideas of 'good', moral justice, 'patriotism', 'humanenes', 'power', 'democracy vs autocracy', 'heroism vs villainy' often comes with first-hand knowledge.
The narrative is full of heart and soul and verve (the malicious compliance of rules was simply delicious!). Entirely subjective, but the only thing I wished for was the same nuance in the antagonist's end-game plan as that given to his motivations.
The closest book I have read is another book I adored, Becky Smith's The Long Way from a Small Angry Planet, although Ancient as the Stars is more visceral with more personal stakes. The characters of Ancient stay with you for a long time, they are that distinct. My personal favourite will always remain Max, the maverick who doesn't bother with circumventing rules when he's not even read the rule book! :D
Thank you so much for writing this story and giving me the opportunity to read it through this ARC. Can't wait to read more from you!
What a cool concept and such fine execution! What a neat way to tackle handling one’s past trauma and past self by literally coming face-to-face with it. What better use of time travel, right? The book was so compelling that after a point I found it difficult to put down without finishing it and I had work pending!
Accessible sci-fi and thrilling espionage games interweave with a tale of trauma, gaslighting, emotional abuse and fighting your own battles, written in a way I have not read before. And all of it underlined by wry humour and a beauty in writing and expression that's simply superb.
Sample this:
"My fork was stuck. A culinary sword in the stone."
or
"Stillness. Peace... Tension in her gut unspooled, leaving her connected to the universe by a thin umbilical cord, the rest of her free to float in embryonic ignorance."
or
"For Ren though, the effort to pretend she wasn't one sad moment from falling apart was the most exhausting of all."
It has everything, from military operations, espionage, terrorism and geo politics to the narrative of grooming, emotional abuse and their effects. (Reading that the author is a former counter terrorism officer didn't come as a surprise, a wow factor, yes, but not surprising.) The depth of the behind-the-scenes ops info + the nuanced take on the ideas of 'good', moral justice, 'patriotism', 'humanenes', 'power', 'democracy vs autocracy', 'heroism vs villainy' often comes with first-hand knowledge.
The narrative is full of heart and soul and verve (the malicious compliance of rules was simply delicious!). Entirely subjective, but the only thing I wished for was the same nuance in the antagonist's end-game plan as that given to his motivations.
The closest book I have read is another book I adored, Becky Smith's The Long Way from a Small Angry Planet, although Ancient as the Stars is more visceral with more personal stakes. The characters of Ancient stay with you for a long time, they are that distinct. My personal favourite will always remain Max, the maverick who doesn't bother with circumventing rules when he's not even read the rule book! :D
Thank you so much for writing this story and giving me the opportunity to read it through this ARC. Can't wait to read more from you!
September 3, 2024
I stumbled upon this book in a strange way. Some idiot was saying idiot things about book or author (I don't remember exactly what it was) on Twitter and the author's response somehow ended up in my timeline. So out of spite for said idiot I looked at the book, found it interesting, pre-ordered it and told Maya Darjani that I did. It took me a while to get to it (the TBR is never ending!) but I am glad I found it. Thanks, idiot on Twitter!
Ancient as the Stars reminds me of both The Expanse and John Scalzi's space operas, without being a copy of either. For some reason I expected it to be more comedic, but - while having lots of humor - it is first and foremost a tense and fast paced story about strange phenomena in space, anti-terrorism operations, crews and people forming bonds and clashing with each other and even a serious look at work place harassment and the helplessness of the victims in situations like this.
So ... there is a lot in here, that I did not expect. As unexpected as the two viewpoint characters, who have a quite unique relation to each other.
The humor is sometimes a bit too out there for my tastes, but that is just personal preference. There is a lot of very explicit and creative strong language in here, too. Probably not for everyone, but I found it quite refreshing. I can fully believe, that these people talk like this and I don't mean that negatively. It felt authentic to me. My army time is long in the past, but the tone wasn't that different in many situations.
I do feel that there are still a lot of open questions. Especially about the Ancients and what is happening with space. So I will definitely have to pick up the next book when it comes out. And I'm sure I can fit The Star-Crossed Empire somewhere into my TBR before that.
It was just announced that the book was entered into spsfc4. Good luck! I think it deserves a shot.
Ancient as the Stars reminds me of both The Expanse and John Scalzi's space operas, without being a copy of either. For some reason I expected it to be more comedic, but - while having lots of humor - it is first and foremost a tense and fast paced story about strange phenomena in space, anti-terrorism operations, crews and people forming bonds and clashing with each other and even a serious look at work place harassment and the helplessness of the victims in situations like this.
So ... there is a lot in here, that I did not expect. As unexpected as the two viewpoint characters, who have a quite unique relation to each other.
The humor is sometimes a bit too out there for my tastes, but that is just personal preference. There is a lot of very explicit and creative strong language in here, too. Probably not for everyone, but I found it quite refreshing. I can fully believe, that these people talk like this and I don't mean that negatively. It felt authentic to me. My army time is long in the past, but the tone wasn't that different in many situations.
I do feel that there are still a lot of open questions. Especially about the Ancients and what is happening with space. So I will definitely have to pick up the next book when it comes out. And I'm sure I can fit The Star-Crossed Empire somewhere into my TBR before that.
It was just announced that the book was entered into spsfc4. Good luck! I think it deserves a shot.
Read
April 26, 2024For anyone who has ever contemplated captaining a starship, think again: it’s complicated. Captain Karenna Yilmaz, who happens to be an ancient immortal, had a simple mission – get her crew back to Earth. Then, the ship gets trapped in some sort of negative energy rift which sucks in another starship from out of the past, the very one that she happened to be aboard as a youth, sixty years ago. The time transport means that the present Karenna confronts her past self, a “fuck-up” Ren serving as a lowly crew member, as well as an X-husband; while the young Ren takes orders from her future self and the interaction is far from predictable. The mystery of the space-time glitch soon attracts the attention of the intergalactic command authorities and provokes an interstellar diplomatic crisis. The intersection of dimensions coincides with the hunt for a “terrorist” on an uncooperative planet and Captain Karenna, promoted to admiral, takes charge of a sting op to apprehend the fugitive. For readers who keep spreadsheets, this is a dream adventure. The author manages to skillfully lay out the org charts of three starships, the conflicting chains of galactic command, the rival star system agencies, the planetary spies, and the interstellar intrigue. The plot often rests on twists which defy the laws of physics, which is par for the genre, but the snappy dialogue keeps it real. Kudos for writing about females in command, and giving them the reigns to the politics of power. Now all they have to do is resolve issues from the past and get back home.
May 22, 2024
This review was originally posted on SFF Insiders
Maya and ‘Ancient As The Stars’ grabbed my interest when I made the SFF Insiders cover reveal teaser. I am partial to strong female leads in SFF military tales. Ancient ticked that box off and had me looking closer.
The author’s blurb promises “… adventure with humor, snark, and lots of heart.” Maya delivers on that but there is more to ‘Ancient’ than a wacky yarn. An underlying thread that is foundational to Captain Kerenna’s and Flight Officer Ren’s (who are sort of the same person) character arcs is found in the consequences of mental/emotional domestic abuse and the very real lifelong trauma victims are forced to manage. I believe the story pays tribute to those living with these challenges with grace and style. The topic is personal to me, and I appreciated how it was handled.
Due to a time twisting dimensional rift, successful and squared away Captain Kerrena Yimaz must face not only her younger self in Flight Officer Ren Yimaz but also the man that put her through hell over sixty years ago. It makes for a self-doubting, introspective unexpected journey for Kerrena.
‘Ancient As The Stars’ is a fun and fast moving read. The writing style and delivery put me in mind of a couple of comps: the early Honor Harrington found in ‘On Basilisk Station’ by David Weber, but with fewer missiles and the Torrin Kerr Valor Series by Tanya Huff, but with much fewer bodies.
Darjani’s characters are engaging and easy to find yourself invested in. Some I loved, some I loved to hate, while others were just frustrating, by design. The complexities of life and the challenges they present are written in the tale with genuine feeling. Back that up with snappy realistic dialogue and you have the large part of a successful recipe.
The plot is delightfully multilayered. Time travel, confronting a younger self, the method of space travel used is unraveling, immortality and the challenge of finding a galactic terrorist with undetectable bombs are all in play. There is a lot going on, Darjani manages it all with authorial dexterity.
If you are in the mood for a fun, fast read that touches on serious real-world issues while keeping you entertained then you should pick up Maya Darjani’s ‘Ancient As The Stars.’
Maya and ‘Ancient As The Stars’ grabbed my interest when I made the SFF Insiders cover reveal teaser. I am partial to strong female leads in SFF military tales. Ancient ticked that box off and had me looking closer.
The author’s blurb promises “… adventure with humor, snark, and lots of heart.” Maya delivers on that but there is more to ‘Ancient’ than a wacky yarn. An underlying thread that is foundational to Captain Kerenna’s and Flight Officer Ren’s (who are sort of the same person) character arcs is found in the consequences of mental/emotional domestic abuse and the very real lifelong trauma victims are forced to manage. I believe the story pays tribute to those living with these challenges with grace and style. The topic is personal to me, and I appreciated how it was handled.
Due to a time twisting dimensional rift, successful and squared away Captain Kerrena Yimaz must face not only her younger self in Flight Officer Ren Yimaz but also the man that put her through hell over sixty years ago. It makes for a self-doubting, introspective unexpected journey for Kerrena.
‘Ancient As The Stars’ is a fun and fast moving read. The writing style and delivery put me in mind of a couple of comps: the early Honor Harrington found in ‘On Basilisk Station’ by David Weber, but with fewer missiles and the Torrin Kerr Valor Series by Tanya Huff, but with much fewer bodies.
Darjani’s characters are engaging and easy to find yourself invested in. Some I loved, some I loved to hate, while others were just frustrating, by design. The complexities of life and the challenges they present are written in the tale with genuine feeling. Back that up with snappy realistic dialogue and you have the large part of a successful recipe.
The plot is delightfully multilayered. Time travel, confronting a younger self, the method of space travel used is unraveling, immortality and the challenge of finding a galactic terrorist with undetectable bombs are all in play. There is a lot going on, Darjani manages it all with authorial dexterity.
If you are in the mood for a fun, fast read that touches on serious real-world issues while keeping you entertained then you should pick up Maya Darjani’s ‘Ancient As The Stars.’
June 15, 2024
I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
ANCIENT AS THE STARS is a time-slip sci-fi where a life collides, bringing a lot of personal baggage with it.
The heart of the story is Ren's struggle to get justice - and an escape - from bosses who are taking advantage of her, one of whom is her ex and deliberately turning a blind eye to her line manager overworking her and taking all the credit. You are cheering her on from the start as she tries to find a way not only to escape the situation but ensure the pair get their comeuppance.
Both Ren and Yarenna narrate. it was interesting seeing the same person from two stages in life - one currently going through the nightmare of revenge and professional abuse, and the other years later thinking they're over it and able to handle the situation professionally. Yarenna does not react as kindly as you'd hope, thinking she needs to stay impartial about this matter in her past. It causes a great fiction between them.
At the same time, the mini fleet are trying to track down a terrorist, with various uncooperative agencies involved, needing to jump through hoops. All the while, the fleet is stranded far from home and must find a way to escape - and decide whether they can send those from the past back.
This is the start of a series. One of the non-narrators raises an issue about the solution to the problem, the many ethical nopes about it, so I'll be interested to see how that plays out in the next book.
ANCIENT AS THE STARS is a time-slip sci-fi where a life collides, bringing a lot of personal baggage with it.
The heart of the story is Ren's struggle to get justice - and an escape - from bosses who are taking advantage of her, one of whom is her ex and deliberately turning a blind eye to her line manager overworking her and taking all the credit. You are cheering her on from the start as she tries to find a way not only to escape the situation but ensure the pair get their comeuppance.
Both Ren and Yarenna narrate. it was interesting seeing the same person from two stages in life - one currently going through the nightmare of revenge and professional abuse, and the other years later thinking they're over it and able to handle the situation professionally. Yarenna does not react as kindly as you'd hope, thinking she needs to stay impartial about this matter in her past. It causes a great fiction between them.
At the same time, the mini fleet are trying to track down a terrorist, with various uncooperative agencies involved, needing to jump through hoops. All the while, the fleet is stranded far from home and must find a way to escape - and decide whether they can send those from the past back.
This is the start of a series. One of the non-narrators raises an issue about the solution to the problem, the many ethical nopes about it, so I'll be interested to see how that plays out in the next book.
March 20, 2024
This is a tale of two women with the same life--give or take sixty years of it. It's got the scale and style of an epic tv series with a Farscape or Trekkie-type premise: what happens when your ship and crew captained by your terrible ex, accidentally travel to the future and meet yourself?
Ren is pretty much hitting a personal nadir when this happens to her--only to discover that future-her, Karenna, is a stinking hero.
Not to mention, immortal.
I loved the way Darjani throws us into this pell-mell, introducing a cast of fascinating characters from both ships, and barely gives anyone pause before the next careening catastrophe. The style is really dialogue-heavy and that works, with every voice distinct and brimming with sass, along with some truly beautiful writing.
One of my favorite side characters is Maxime Dupont, who acts like Karenna's less-reserved foil. He's prone to leather pants, corsets, and the best snark.
The science in this space opera is also quite solid: loved the descriptions of solar sails, the logic of ftl bubbles, the mysteries of the Ancients, and the ending, which promises that there's more to come. There's a lot of deep stuff there too, and what I hope is the introduction of a fascinating villain.
This is a rich and expansive new universe and I can't wait to see more of it!
Ren is pretty much hitting a personal nadir when this happens to her--only to discover that future-her, Karenna, is a stinking hero.
Not to mention, immortal.
I loved the way Darjani throws us into this pell-mell, introducing a cast of fascinating characters from both ships, and barely gives anyone pause before the next careening catastrophe. The style is really dialogue-heavy and that works, with every voice distinct and brimming with sass, along with some truly beautiful writing.
One of my favorite side characters is Maxime Dupont, who acts like Karenna's less-reserved foil. He's prone to leather pants, corsets, and the best snark.
The science in this space opera is also quite solid: loved the descriptions of solar sails, the logic of ftl bubbles, the mysteries of the Ancients, and the ending, which promises that there's more to come. There's a lot of deep stuff there too, and what I hope is the introduction of a fascinating villain.
This is a rich and expansive new universe and I can't wait to see more of it!
May 10, 2024
This was a good book once I got past the second chapter. The second chapter was a little weird and hard to follow, but from chapter three on, everything was good.
Ren and Karenna are the same person decades apart. Karenna is now an Ancient (immortal), happily married, and the captain of a ship named Khayyam, but when she was a lot younger, she was Ren, a lonely crew member of Hawking.
Khayyam is cruising along in space when they notice a ship having a lot of trouble. That ship turns out to be Hawking, her old ship that was decommissioned a long time ago. This puts Karenna in the predicament of having to decide whether to help or wait for orders to do something else. Of course, she does help, which means they each have to encounter each other.
Ancient as the Stars is somewhat humorous and reads a little bit like a TV show. There are a lot of characters in this plot-driven novel as well as a lot of dialogue, but it's the characterization that makes this book worth reading. The plot's good. The dialogue is good. But you want to read this for the main characters.
Both Ren and Karenna are easy to connect with and go through a lot of emotions - in a somewhat lighthearted way - that makes this book feel a little bit like a soap opera. Overall, this is a good book to sit back and relax with. Soap Opera-like but with substance.
Ren and Karenna are the same person decades apart. Karenna is now an Ancient (immortal), happily married, and the captain of a ship named Khayyam, but when she was a lot younger, she was Ren, a lonely crew member of Hawking.
Khayyam is cruising along in space when they notice a ship having a lot of trouble. That ship turns out to be Hawking, her old ship that was decommissioned a long time ago. This puts Karenna in the predicament of having to decide whether to help or wait for orders to do something else. Of course, she does help, which means they each have to encounter each other.
Ancient as the Stars is somewhat humorous and reads a little bit like a TV show. There are a lot of characters in this plot-driven novel as well as a lot of dialogue, but it's the characterization that makes this book worth reading. The plot's good. The dialogue is good. But you want to read this for the main characters.
Both Ren and Karenna are easy to connect with and go through a lot of emotions - in a somewhat lighthearted way - that makes this book feel a little bit like a soap opera. Overall, this is a good book to sit back and relax with. Soap Opera-like but with substance.
July 4, 2024
Ancient as the Stars is a dramatic space opera. It has action and suspense - several ships are stranded near Baumgarten's star and are unable to jump into the space lanes to travel back home. There is a terrorist and hidden bombs that may be to blame. They need to find who is responsible and hope they can set things right so they can access space travel again.
But just as much the book is spent on issues of systemic abuse by those in power in the military structure of the ships. Karenna is the older version of the woman who has risen above her difficult past with the respect of her crew and a husband who loves her. But she still suffers PTSD from the abusive marriage with her superior officer with a temper. Ren is the younger version who is still in the midst of being held down in her career by several layers of petty superior officers. Karenna and Ren don't spend any time healing, learning from each other or getting close. They're most distant sisters who have some experiences in common.
But just as much the book is spent on issues of systemic abuse by those in power in the military structure of the ships. Karenna is the older version of the woman who has risen above her difficult past with the respect of her crew and a husband who loves her. But she still suffers PTSD from the abusive marriage with her superior officer with a temper. Ren is the younger version who is still in the midst of being held down in her career by several layers of petty superior officers. Karenna and Ren don't spend any time healing, learning from each other or getting close. They're most distant sisters who have some experiences in common.
April 30, 2024
Thanks to Booksirens, the author and publishers for a copy of this digital ARC to provide an honest review.
This book was a whirlwind. It was hard to keep on top of what was happening, but in the best way.
If you love time travel, a protagonist with a potty mouth, interdimensional travel, sci fi and space themes and an honest depiction of the after effects from a toxic, domestic relationship, this is the book for you.
I really enjoyed and am looking forward to the next one in the series!
This book was a whirlwind. It was hard to keep on top of what was happening, but in the best way.
If you love time travel, a protagonist with a potty mouth, interdimensional travel, sci fi and space themes and an honest depiction of the after effects from a toxic, domestic relationship, this is the book for you.
I really enjoyed and am looking forward to the next one in the series!
May 7, 2024
An intriguing Sci-fi novel that includes time travel, dual timelines, lots of adventure, and themes featuring domestic violence. Although there's plenty of lighthearted banter, the story is not for the faint of heart. The book has depth, so be prepared, not every reader will be in the mood for that. Wait until you want to immerse yourself in a new novel. There's lots of info and many many characters, so if that works for you, keep going. If not, it may just not be your cup of tea. Overall, fun Sci-fi that incorporates some domestic violence themes and female leads.
BookSirens Review Copy
BookSirens Review Copy
June 25, 2024
Ren Yilmaz stuck in a crap situation. Between her abusive ex-husband and her twatwaffle of a line manager, she just can't catch a break.
Karenna couldn't be more different. She's captain of her own ship and admired by the rest of the fleet.
When Ren's ship gets chucked decades into the future, she comes face to face with Karenna – her future self.
Something about the description made me expect this one to be a lot sillier than it was. It's a complex tale with many layers. It's fresh, engaging, and well-written … just not quite what I was expecting when I picked it up.
Karenna couldn't be more different. She's captain of her own ship and admired by the rest of the fleet.
When Ren's ship gets chucked decades into the future, she comes face to face with Karenna – her future self.
Something about the description made me expect this one to be a lot sillier than it was. It's a complex tale with many layers. It's fresh, engaging, and well-written … just not quite what I was expecting when I picked it up.
April 20, 2024
Her life is prefect after everything that had happened but she is about to meet her younger self. They are very different to each other as time has changed her in many ways. How will it all go? Will her younger self ruin her future? See how see gets on I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
May 20, 2024
As a whole I enjoy Sci-fi but what I really enjoy is Sci-Fi with a good dose of character and relationship development as well as a solid story. This ticks those boxes. There's space travel, politics, world building and time travel.
A thoroughly engaging story, with well developed characters. The story arc is resolved so no frustrating cliffhangers but there's potential for sequels in the same world if the author wants to expand.
Not 5* because there are a couple of things that are glossed over/feel rushed, but overall an engaging and enjoyable book.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) via BookSirens and I'm leaving this review voluntarily
A thoroughly engaging story, with well developed characters. The story arc is resolved so no frustrating cliffhangers but there's potential for sequels in the same world if the author wants to expand.
Not 5* because there are a couple of things that are glossed over/feel rushed, but overall an engaging and enjoyable book.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) via BookSirens and I'm leaving this review voluntarily
January 18, 2025
Character-focused science fiction that uses its sci-fi premise to explore the protagonist in a fascinating way. Reminded me a bit of Becky Chambers' work. Despite being military space opera, it's much more focused on character development than ray guns and pew pew pew.
Loved it. I was sad to get to the end, which must mean it's great, right?
Loved it. I was sad to get to the end, which must mean it's great, right?
March 19, 2024
Thank you for the e-ARC!
I'm not normally a reader of science fiction, but dang does this book make me want to read more! I cannot wait to read what else this author writes, as AatS was fantastic.
I'm not normally a reader of science fiction, but dang does this book make me want to read more! I cannot wait to read what else this author writes, as AatS was fantastic.
April 23, 2024
A funny space adventure I enjoyed spaceship story the writer humor
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