What do you think?
Rate this book
Loyalty of Severus
In the distant future, the galaxy teeters on the edge of chaos. Vari, a trans woman and the rightful heir to a deposed empire, has spent her life hiding from a legacy she never asked for. Torn between expressing her true self and reclaiming her birthright, Vari embarks on a perilous journey that will test her courage, loyalty, and identity.
As ancient secrets and new alliances come to light, Vari must navigate a treacherous political landscape where betrayal lurks at every corner. With a diverse cast of allies—a snarky young woman with a foreign past, a shrewd warrior queen, and a disgraced pilot desperate to have his faith validated—Vari discovers strength in unity and power in authenticity.
From the glittering halls of amazonian palaces to the gritty underbelly of overworked refineries, Vari’s quest is fraught with thrilling battles, heart-stopping intrigue, and unexpected love. As she grapples with the weight of her heritage and the truth of her identity, Vari must decide what kind of leader she wants to be, and if she can truly reclaim an empire without losing herself.
Loyalty of Severus is a sweeping, epic sci-fi adventure about honor, identity, and the enduring fight for one’s true self. Join Vari as she stands at the crossroads of destiny, where the fate of the galaxy—and her soul—hangs in the balance.
As ancient secrets and new alliances come to light, Vari must navigate a treacherous political landscape where betrayal lurks at every corner. With a diverse cast of allies—a snarky young woman with a foreign past, a shrewd warrior queen, and a disgraced pilot desperate to have his faith validated—Vari discovers strength in unity and power in authenticity.
From the glittering halls of amazonian palaces to the gritty underbelly of overworked refineries, Vari’s quest is fraught with thrilling battles, heart-stopping intrigue, and unexpected love. As she grapples with the weight of her heritage and the truth of her identity, Vari must decide what kind of leader she wants to be, and if she can truly reclaim an empire without losing herself.
Loyalty of Severus is a sweeping, epic sci-fi adventure about honor, identity, and the enduring fight for one’s true self. Join Vari as she stands at the crossroads of destiny, where the fate of the galaxy—and her soul—hangs in the balance.
292 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2024
10 people want to read
About the author
Len Berry
26 books22 followersLen Berry is the Writer of Ethereal Darkness. Len greatly enjoys watching anime, reading X-Men comics, and playing existential video games. When he's not writing, Len is probably drawing weird worlds into existence, watching red panda videos, or contemplating too much philosophy. Learn more at Len-Berry.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 22, 2024
This was a very cool scifi novel, and an exciting start to a series, perfect for fans of Dune, Destiny 2 and the Roman Empire.
It's filled with fearsome women, bold queens, political intrigue, war, exciting societies and interesting technology.
I felt for the plight of the main character who needs to take the throne as Varius, but wants to live as Vari, and struggles to reconcile who she is with who the galaxy wants him to be. It made for a very compelling character and character arc.
Also, the Quantum Swords are so cool! And I'd really love to know more of the lore behind them (that's the Destiny 2 nerd in me), haha.
I had some issues with the writing style. At times I really struggled to parse what certain sentences meant, they got a little too convoluted for me, or so purple that the meaning was just lost on me. It might be because English is not my first language. And there were a couple of instances where the MC misgenders themselves that didn't seem intentional.
But all in all, this is a very solid scifi story that has a wonderful retro-futuristic feel to it and reminds me of shows like Rome, Spartacus and Xena, Warrior Princess :)
It's filled with fearsome women, bold queens, political intrigue, war, exciting societies and interesting technology.
I felt for the plight of the main character who needs to take the throne as Varius, but wants to live as Vari, and struggles to reconcile who she is with who the galaxy wants him to be. It made for a very compelling character and character arc.
Also, the Quantum Swords are so cool! And I'd really love to know more of the lore behind them (that's the Destiny 2 nerd in me), haha.
I had some issues with the writing style. At times I really struggled to parse what certain sentences meant, they got a little too convoluted for me, or so purple that the meaning was just lost on me. It might be because English is not my first language. And there were a couple of instances where the MC misgenders themselves that didn't seem intentional.
But all in all, this is a very solid scifi story that has a wonderful retro-futuristic feel to it and reminds me of shows like Rome, Spartacus and Xena, Warrior Princess :)
August 10, 2024
Loyalty of Severus by Len Berry is a compelling queer sci-fi epic with a strong storyline of identity and duty. The book follows the Heir of Severus, Vari, as she attempts to reclaim her empire from the usurper. However, only men are permitted to rule, so her true self is put at odds with her destiny.
While much of the story is told from Vari's perspective, I found the Warrior Queen and Vari's Mother to be strong primary characters in this fight. It is a family struggle as they work together towards a united empire. There were some other cool characters, like the un-dead, that made this world interesting and refreshing.
If you're looking for your next sci-fi read with strong female characters, look no further!
Check the content warnings before reading and take care of your mental health!
While much of the story is told from Vari's perspective, I found the Warrior Queen and Vari's Mother to be strong primary characters in this fight. It is a family struggle as they work together towards a united empire. There were some other cool characters, like the un-dead, that made this world interesting and refreshing.
If you're looking for your next sci-fi read with strong female characters, look no further!
Check the content warnings before reading and take care of your mental health!
August 3, 2024
I have been following this author for a while and have been anticipating this book ever since it was announced. So of course, I jumped at the chance to get an ARC copy. It did NOT disappoint! I loved the use of ancient Latin names, paired with the futuristic setting. I loved the story, and it made me cry a few times. This is the first book of a series, and I can’t wait to read the second one! I sort of wish there had been a list of characters or list/map of planets to better situate myself within the world. But in either case, if you want an outer space book with trans and other queer characters and great female characters, you should read this! It comes out officially on August 30, but pre-orders always help indie authors!
October 1, 2024
As someone who enjoys complex stories with rich world-building, I was really impressed by the way this book integrates political drama, Roman-inspired themes, and inventive weaponry into a space sci-fi setting. The plot is well-executed, and the thoughtfulness behind each element of the story is clear.
One of the standout aspects for me was how the author portrayed the main character, a trans woman heir to a male-dominated throne. Her identity as trans wasn’t the central focus of the story—she was determined to reclaim her birthright, trans or not. This made her journey feel more about her strength and determination, which I found refreshing.
The writing style itself feels very deliberate and well thought out. This is definitely a book that you take your time with. The novel invites the reader to sit with the material and absorb its details, making it a satisfying read for those who enjoy intricate political stories.
If you're a fan of space operas with Dune-like political intrigue, I’d recommend giving this book a read!
One of the standout aspects for me was how the author portrayed the main character, a trans woman heir to a male-dominated throne. Her identity as trans wasn’t the central focus of the story—she was determined to reclaim her birthright, trans or not. This made her journey feel more about her strength and determination, which I found refreshing.
The writing style itself feels very deliberate and well thought out. This is definitely a book that you take your time with. The novel invites the reader to sit with the material and absorb its details, making it a satisfying read for those who enjoy intricate political stories.
If you're a fan of space operas with Dune-like political intrigue, I’d recommend giving this book a read!
November 3, 2024
Compelling techno-fantasy with a strong trans woman protagonist. It's like a combination of Dune and Star Wars with complex worldbuilding of warring political factions, set in a space opera context.
My favorite scenes are those where we experience the embodied realities Vari faces as a trans woman. Torn between assuming her place as rightful heir and embodying her true self, I really viscerally felt her situation as if I were looking at the world through her eyes. The evocative storytelling made Vari feel real.
My favorite scenes are those where we experience the embodied realities Vari faces as a trans woman. Torn between assuming her place as rightful heir and embodying her true self, I really viscerally felt her situation as if I were looking at the world through her eyes. The evocative storytelling made Vari feel real.
November 25, 2024
Amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves the Dune series and other Sci-Fi adventures. Not only do you have great battles on imaginative planets, you also have a character trying to gain her rightful throne and identity in a world that would rather keep her stifled. Very inspirational!
It also ends on a cliffhanger! I cannot wait to see what comes next in the story!!
It also ends on a cliffhanger! I cannot wait to see what comes next in the story!!
January 29, 2026
A deep and complex book! This combines an ancient Greek mythos with a space-faring civilization after a catastrophic event. The conflict of a trans woman in hiding dealing with a patriarchal legacy drives a lot of interesting twist and turns.
I was a little hard to get through the names at the beginning of the book, but once those were settled, the story moved along at a good pace. I'd be interested in reading a second book in this series!
I was a little hard to get through the names at the beginning of the book, but once those were settled, the story moved along at a good pace. I'd be interested in reading a second book in this series!
August 10, 2024
Loyalty of Severus by Len Berry is a compelling queer sci-fi epic with a strong storyline of identity and duty. The book follows the Heir of Severus, Vari, as she attempts to reclaim her empire from the usurper. However, only men are permitted to rule, so her true self is put at odds with her destiny.
While much of the story is told from Vari's perspective, I found the Warrior Queen and Vari's Mother to be strong primary characters in this fight. It is a family struggle as they work together towards a united empire. There were some other cool characters, like the un-dead, that made this world interesting and refreshing.
If you're looking for your next sci-fi read with strong female characters, look no further!
Check the content warnings before reading and take care of your mental health!
While much of the story is told from Vari's perspective, I found the Warrior Queen and Vari's Mother to be strong primary characters in this fight. It is a family struggle as they work together towards a united empire. There were some other cool characters, like the un-dead, that made this world interesting and refreshing.
If you're looking for your next sci-fi read with strong female characters, look no further!
Check the content warnings before reading and take care of your mental health!
August 9, 2024
I love this book! It's the very best I've put out for the world to see to this point.
Yes, this is Len Berry, writer of LOYALTY OF SEVERUS. I wanted to write something like DUNE while also taking the George RR Martin route of patterning a fictional story off a historical period or character. What I came up with is a fusion of those things and more.
My hope is that you will love this book as much as I do.
Yes, this is Len Berry, writer of LOYALTY OF SEVERUS. I wanted to write something like DUNE while also taking the George RR Martin route of patterning a fictional story off a historical period or character. What I came up with is a fusion of those things and more.
My hope is that you will love this book as much as I do.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews