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Moonstorm #1
Moonstorm
FINALIST FOR THE NEBULA AND LODESTAR AWARDS • LOCUS AWARD WINNING AUTHOR • "MASTERFULLY CRAFTED."—Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
* "THRILLING." —Booklist, starred review
EVEN GRAVITY COMES AT A PRICE.
In a society where conformity is valued above all else, a teen girl training to become an Imperial pilot is forced to return to her rebel roots to save her world in this adrenaline-fueled sci-fi adventure—perfect for fans of Iron Widow and Skyward!
Hwa Young was just ten years old when Imperial forces destroyed her rebel moon home. Now, six years later, she is a citizen of the very empire that made her an orphan.
Desperate to shake off her past, Hwa Young dreams of becoming a lancer pilot, one of an elite group of warriors who fly into battle using the empire’s most advanced tech—giant martial robots. When an attack on their boarding school leaves Hwa Young and her classmates stranded on an Imperial space fleet in dire need of pilot candidates, she is quick to volunteer.
But training is nothing like she expected, and secrets—like the ominous fate of the fleet’s previous lancer squad—are stacking up. And when Hwa Young uncovers a conspiracy that puts their entire world at risk, she’s forced to make a choice between her rebel roots and an empire she’s no longer sure she can trust.
* "THRILLING." —Booklist, starred review
EVEN GRAVITY COMES AT A PRICE.
In a society where conformity is valued above all else, a teen girl training to become an Imperial pilot is forced to return to her rebel roots to save her world in this adrenaline-fueled sci-fi adventure—perfect for fans of Iron Widow and Skyward!
Hwa Young was just ten years old when Imperial forces destroyed her rebel moon home. Now, six years later, she is a citizen of the very empire that made her an orphan.
Desperate to shake off her past, Hwa Young dreams of becoming a lancer pilot, one of an elite group of warriors who fly into battle using the empire’s most advanced tech—giant martial robots. When an attack on their boarding school leaves Hwa Young and her classmates stranded on an Imperial space fleet in dire need of pilot candidates, she is quick to volunteer.
But training is nothing like she expected, and secrets—like the ominous fate of the fleet’s previous lancer squad—are stacking up. And when Hwa Young uncovers a conspiracy that puts their entire world at risk, she’s forced to make a choice between her rebel roots and an empire she’s no longer sure she can trust.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2024
About the author
Yoon Ha Lee
210 books2,113 followersYoon Ha Lee is an American science fiction writer born on January 26, 1979 in Houston, Texas. His first published story, “The Hundredth Question,” appeared in Fantasy & Science Fiction in 1999; since then, over two dozen further stories have appeared. He lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
May 13, 2024
Apparently this style of book isn't new if you're not new to mecha, or YA sci-fi, but my first experience with either of those things was IRON WIDOW, which I didn't love. This started slightly better.
I've been meaning to try this author for a while, as he was born in Houston (rep) and is a trans man. Continuing the pronoun talk, which will discourage many readers, the non-binary characters in this book use ze/zir pronouns.
Hwa Young was born a rebel, "rescued" by the empire and forced to work for them. She becomes a lancer pilot and merges with one of the advanced giant martial robots. The Chosen One trope is overused.
I didn't love best friend Geum or classmate Seong Su. I wanted the rivalry with Bae to go elsewhere. The command staff was mostly bland. By the time we make it to the twist, I found myself not caring.
This is one of those books where the beginning holds more promise than the end. That's not to say I didn't enjoy myself. However, I don't think this is my genre, but I won't write it off just yet.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press
I've been meaning to try this author for a while, as he was born in Houston (rep) and is a trans man. Continuing the pronoun talk, which will discourage many readers, the non-binary characters in this book use ze/zir pronouns.
Hwa Young was born a rebel, "rescued" by the empire and forced to work for them. She becomes a lancer pilot and merges with one of the advanced giant martial robots. The Chosen One trope is overused.
I didn't love best friend Geum or classmate Seong Su. I wanted the rivalry with Bae to go elsewhere. The command staff was mostly bland. By the time we make it to the twist, I found myself not caring.
This is one of those books where the beginning holds more promise than the end. That's not to say I didn't enjoy myself. However, I don't think this is my genre, but I won't write it off just yet.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press
June 29, 2024
I'm always excited when we get YA sci-fi, and I really love Yoon Ha Lee's writing so I was very excited for him to venture into YA with Moonstorm. I will say, this isn't my favorite book from him, even though I think there's a lot to like.
The ideas and the world are cool, I kind of wonder if this might be loosely tied to the universe of his Hexarchate books for adults, but I'm not sure. Hwa Young is your classic outsider protagonist- taken from her rebel family as a child and now loyal to the empress with dreams of being a Lancer pilot. But things go sideways.... I think this is a nice blend of hard sci-fi as a backdrop, with the first person POV of a teenager in a training academy that you expect from YA. I do think the author might have leaned into the YA elements a bit too much at times, because there were parts of the story that dragged when they should have been faster paced. But overall, I'm invested in the series and interested to see where things go!
It's worth noting that while on its face this seems to be a story about the main character being loyal to a colonizing empire that harmed her family and becoming deeply integrated in the military of that empire, the entire novel is slowly poking holes in what she believes the empire to be and revealing its seedy underbelly so to speak. And the ending spins things in an interesting way. This is also the first book in a series, and the author is always interested in questions of power, empire, and resistance. It's just that this doesn't spell things out for the reader. Rather it trusts that teens can put the pieces together themselves- recognizing the problems with the empire and what it's doing, and what that means about the choices our main character is making.
I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
The ideas and the world are cool, I kind of wonder if this might be loosely tied to the universe of his Hexarchate books for adults, but I'm not sure. Hwa Young is your classic outsider protagonist- taken from her rebel family as a child and now loyal to the empress with dreams of being a Lancer pilot. But things go sideways.... I think this is a nice blend of hard sci-fi as a backdrop, with the first person POV of a teenager in a training academy that you expect from YA. I do think the author might have leaned into the YA elements a bit too much at times, because there were parts of the story that dragged when they should have been faster paced. But overall, I'm invested in the series and interested to see where things go!
It's worth noting that while on its face this seems to be a story about the main character being loyal to a colonizing empire that harmed her family and becoming deeply integrated in the military of that empire, the entire novel is slowly poking holes in what she believes the empire to be and revealing its seedy underbelly so to speak. And the ending spins things in an interesting way. This is also the first book in a series, and the author is always interested in questions of power, empire, and resistance. It's just that this doesn't spell things out for the reader. Rather it trusts that teens can put the pieces together themselves- recognizing the problems with the empire and what it's doing, and what that means about the choices our main character is making.
I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
December 7, 2024
This is not a bad book. It probably should have an addiitonal 1/2 star due to space action in the second half. But I think people who love Ninefox Gambit and the Hexarchate books need to lower their expectations. The book does not have the quirky, fun, and weirdness from the Hexarchate world.This is basically your standard YA space opera, from plot to characters. I happen to read some of those lately and this book is unfortunately on the weaker side. And since I was not attached to any of the characters, suffice to say I will not be continuing the series.
June 9, 2024
3.5 Stars
I adore this author's adult novel so I was eager for the opportunity to check out this author's newest release.
This is a piece of young adult science fiction that manages to avoid the dreaded tropes of the age category. The story is technically sci-fi but leans into the fantastical side of speculative fiction.
I like this one, but my challenge here is that I found this one a little safe. I love the humor the author brings to their adult novels, which often stems from adult themes. As a YA novel, this one was understandably clean, but it also made it a bit dry. I thought it was still objectively fine in terms of writing and plot, but I missed the “spark” I have found in the author's other work.
All that being said, I would still read more in this series once it is available.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I adore this author's adult novel so I was eager for the opportunity to check out this author's newest release.
This is a piece of young adult science fiction that manages to avoid the dreaded tropes of the age category. The story is technically sci-fi but leans into the fantastical side of speculative fiction.
I like this one, but my challenge here is that I found this one a little safe. I love the humor the author brings to their adult novels, which often stems from adult themes. As a YA novel, this one was understandably clean, but it also made it a bit dry. I thought it was still objectively fine in terms of writing and plot, but I missed the “spark” I have found in the author's other work.
All that being said, I would still read more in this series once it is available.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
January 15, 2024
That feeling you get when you read someone new and you are suddenly excited by the form and pop of someone doing something a little bit different. Ninefox Gambit was a space battle space opera, but had big ideas and a lot of maths and was perfect for me. Moonstorm - as its title might suggest - isn't quite so radical. Infact if it weren't for my previous knowledge of their work, I'd put this down as a competent but green young adult debut. It is still a space opera, set in a glorious Empire that our protagonist has been adopted into after her rebel moon is taken by the military when she was a child. But it comes off like an overeager fanfic adjacent run at Ender's Game, our orphaned lead Hwa Young ends up in military academy, firmly number two in her class behind the perfect, rich bully. She dreams of being a Lancer pilot, and a few coincidences and war escalation along, that's exactly what she becomes. There is a very YA sequence where the sentient Lancer ships have to bond with their possible pilots, Hwa Young goes last and just after another candidate has died in the process. Will she get a ship, will she bond with the mysterious but most powerful one? The thing is, this isn't a book big on surprises. If it teases something unusual, hard or exceptional, it will probably happen to Hwa Young.
There is something bigger bubbling underneath after all. Our orphan is desperate for the acceptance of her new side, and has so happily accepted that the Empire are the good guys that its quite clear that they probably aren't (its an Empire you idiot). So this sets up an easy reading trilogy, which I think I can safely map out from here. Its YA, you can happily play with some of the oldest tropes in the book. But I'm not YA, and I wanted something a little bit more like Ninefox Gambit.
There is something bigger bubbling underneath after all. Our orphan is desperate for the acceptance of her new side, and has so happily accepted that the Empire are the good guys that its quite clear that they probably aren't (its an Empire you idiot). So this sets up an easy reading trilogy, which I think I can safely map out from here. Its YA, you can happily play with some of the oldest tropes in the book. But I'm not YA, and I wanted something a little bit more like Ninefox Gambit.
April 2, 2024
On my blog.
Rep: Korean coded cast, sapphic mc, nonbinary side characters
Galley provided by publisher
Yoon Ha Lee is easily one of my favourite sci fi authors simply on the strength of Ninefox Gambit and its sequels. However, I also think nothing novel-wise he’s written since has perhaps reached those heights for me (probably just because of the expectations I have — and actually when I’ve read his adult short fiction, it has done so). As such, I spent most of Moonstorm wishing it was an adult book.
This is not to say it wasn’t a fun book in itself. I feel like I preface a lot of YA reviews these days with the disclaimer that I don’t read and enjoy a lot of it anymore, which is true! So, a 3-star YA book is pretty good for me. Okay, yeah, I thought the story was a bit simplistic and was, as mentioned, wishing it was adult a lot of the time, but on the whole it was fun and I’m excited to see where it’ll go. (Also worth noting I rated Ninefox Gambit only 3 stars when I read it and that was only because of the ending. Yet now? Favourite series!)
Moonstorm is about a young girl who wants to become a pilot: only it so happens she belongs to a people that said pilots want to colonise as part of the empire. After the moon which she calls home is destroyed (and her whole family killed), she finds herself “adopted” by a pilot and sent to join the empire.
It’s honestly not hard to see where the plot in this one is going (hence why I called it simplistic above), and in a sense that did impact my enjoyment. It was a little predictable, although maybe that’s to be expected. You have to set the groundwork for later moments of shock, right? This is my thesis for why books two and three are going to be that much better!
Plus, it’s got the kind of characters and relationships you want to root for (cough, cough, the developing thing between Hwa Young and Bae). This is just the start of it all and it’s clear that there’s a lot more to explore. Not least the impact of the book’s ending on all of these characters who have, in some way, linked their identity with the empire.
So really, it’s the promise for more that’s going to mean I pick up book two of this, but it’s still a book I would recommend on its own. I know my review has sort of been dithering on that point, but. It’s Yoon Ha Lee. Of course I’ll recommend it.
Rep: Korean coded cast, sapphic mc, nonbinary side characters
Galley provided by publisher
Yoon Ha Lee is easily one of my favourite sci fi authors simply on the strength of Ninefox Gambit and its sequels. However, I also think nothing novel-wise he’s written since has perhaps reached those heights for me (probably just because of the expectations I have — and actually when I’ve read his adult short fiction, it has done so). As such, I spent most of Moonstorm wishing it was an adult book.
This is not to say it wasn’t a fun book in itself. I feel like I preface a lot of YA reviews these days with the disclaimer that I don’t read and enjoy a lot of it anymore, which is true! So, a 3-star YA book is pretty good for me. Okay, yeah, I thought the story was a bit simplistic and was, as mentioned, wishing it was adult a lot of the time, but on the whole it was fun and I’m excited to see where it’ll go. (Also worth noting I rated Ninefox Gambit only 3 stars when I read it and that was only because of the ending. Yet now? Favourite series!)
Moonstorm is about a young girl who wants to become a pilot: only it so happens she belongs to a people that said pilots want to colonise as part of the empire. After the moon which she calls home is destroyed (and her whole family killed), she finds herself “adopted” by a pilot and sent to join the empire.
It’s honestly not hard to see where the plot in this one is going (hence why I called it simplistic above), and in a sense that did impact my enjoyment. It was a little predictable, although maybe that’s to be expected. You have to set the groundwork for later moments of shock, right? This is my thesis for why books two and three are going to be that much better!
Plus, it’s got the kind of characters and relationships you want to root for (cough, cough, the developing thing between Hwa Young and Bae). This is just the start of it all and it’s clear that there’s a lot more to explore. Not least the impact of the book’s ending on all of these characters who have, in some way, linked their identity with the empire.
So really, it’s the promise for more that’s going to mean I pick up book two of this, but it’s still a book I would recommend on its own. I know my review has sort of been dithering on that point, but. It’s Yoon Ha Lee. Of course I’ll recommend it.
May 10, 2024
2 Stars
This was... so incredibly disappointing? You have no idea how much I wanted to love this. I've been looking for some good sci-fi, and this just wasn't that. Oh, the worldbuilding ideas here are solid, but the execution just left me with absolutely nothing to care about. This book is too short for the amount of information repetition, both worldbuilding and character-wise, that happened, and everything just felt undeveloped. I guess I'm supposed to care about the characters by the end (i.e. there are some plot points that require you to care about the characters by the end), but I just didn't. Nothing here really came together, and that's more disappointing than I can express.
Will some people like this book? Undoubtedly. There isn't a lot of new sci-fi, especially in YA. Anyone craving something new will be happy just for this offering. But there really should be so much better out there. Anyway, there's time for more of that when my full review goes live on June 7, 2024 at Gateway Reviews. Do stop by if you get the chance.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
This was... so incredibly disappointing? You have no idea how much I wanted to love this. I've been looking for some good sci-fi, and this just wasn't that. Oh, the worldbuilding ideas here are solid, but the execution just left me with absolutely nothing to care about. This book is too short for the amount of information repetition, both worldbuilding and character-wise, that happened, and everything just felt undeveloped. I guess I'm supposed to care about the characters by the end (i.e. there are some plot points that require you to care about the characters by the end), but I just didn't. Nothing here really came together, and that's more disappointing than I can express.
Will some people like this book? Undoubtedly. There isn't a lot of new sci-fi, especially in YA. Anyone craving something new will be happy just for this offering. But there really should be so much better out there. Anyway, there's time for more of that when my full review goes live on June 7, 2024 at Gateway Reviews. Do stop by if you get the chance.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
Read
December 25, 2024No rating for a DNF. I tried the audiobook, I tried regular reading, but I just couldn't get in to the story. Hard pass for me.
June 24, 2024
2.75 ⭐️
May 28, 2024
big yikes. i was not expecting the MC in a YA story about an empire colonizing and destroying other worlds....to denounce her identity and side with the empire? and like... that's it. that's the whole story. 🫠 Hwajin's family is murdered by the empire, she's kidnapped by the empire and taken to an orphanage, and all she can think is how cool the spaceships that killed her family are and how bad she wants to fly one? the whole book is about her embedding herself deeper in the empire and participating in murderous colonizer activities against her own people (who she no longer claims and constantly refers to as "the enemy"). i thought surely there would be some redeeming character arc where the clanners (Hwajin's people) are humanized and Hwajin realizes that empire is evil...lol nope. just colonizer nonsense from cover to cover, the end.
Also, the synopsis on here/the jacket copy is misleading. The clanners are NOT rebels..?? They are people who fled to the Moonstorm to escape the Empire's tyrannical rule, and they live peacefully. It's almost like the publisher intentionally mismarketed it this way because they knew the story arc was hot garbage...
Also, the synopsis on here/the jacket copy is misleading. The clanners are NOT rebels..?? They are people who fled to the Moonstorm to escape the Empire's tyrannical rule, and they live peacefully. It's almost like the publisher intentionally mismarketed it this way because they knew the story arc was hot garbage...
June 4, 2024
Moonstorm starts a new Lancers YA sci-fi series by Yoon Ha Lee. It’s set in New Joseon, an empire inspired by the Korean past. It’s a collection of moons and artificial planets orbiting together in Moonstorm, what seems to be a vast asteroid field of sorts filled with ether where people can survive for a moment, instead of void. The empire is held together by gravity that is created by peoples’ adherence to rituals and respect for the empress.
But Moonstorm has rogue moons and planetoids in random orbits too. They belong to clanners who hold their gravity with different rituals and don’t bow to the empress. The two different gravities don’t mix and the two sides are at constant war.
Hwa Young is ten when her clanner moon is destroyed by the empire. As the sole survivor, she’s taken to New Joseon and given an education as the ward of the empress. She’s made a conscious decision to become a good citizen of the empire and hide her clanner past, because she wants to become a lancer in the empire’s military, a pilot of huge mechas that operate in space.
At sixteen, she’s unexpectedly given a chance to enter the lancer program. And that, inevitably, leads to her going to a battle against the clanners. It’s all very abstract to her, until it turns out that it’s her former home she’ll be attacking against.
The war isn’t going as well for the empire as the news propaganda gives to understand. Hwa Young is forced to consider the possibility that the empire isn’t entirely right. And it turns out, there’s such thing as too much devotion.
This is a great start to a series. Lee has once again created a world that is unique and interesting, and which has an integral role in the story instead of being a mere prop, although the Korean elements could’ve been brought out more clearly. The mechas with their sentience are more interesting than usually too.
Hwa Young is a fairly typical YA heroine, a headstrong loner who makes emotional decisions at wrong moments. There’s no romance; a good decision, although she seems to be eyeing someone in that light. I hope it doesn’t lead anywhere, as I didn’t really feel the pairing. Side characters were interesting with lives of their own.
The ending leaves Hwa Young in a completely new place in the world. It’ll be interesting to see where that’ll lead.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
But Moonstorm has rogue moons and planetoids in random orbits too. They belong to clanners who hold their gravity with different rituals and don’t bow to the empress. The two different gravities don’t mix and the two sides are at constant war.
Hwa Young is ten when her clanner moon is destroyed by the empire. As the sole survivor, she’s taken to New Joseon and given an education as the ward of the empress. She’s made a conscious decision to become a good citizen of the empire and hide her clanner past, because she wants to become a lancer in the empire’s military, a pilot of huge mechas that operate in space.
At sixteen, she’s unexpectedly given a chance to enter the lancer program. And that, inevitably, leads to her going to a battle against the clanners. It’s all very abstract to her, until it turns out that it’s her former home she’ll be attacking against.
The war isn’t going as well for the empire as the news propaganda gives to understand. Hwa Young is forced to consider the possibility that the empire isn’t entirely right. And it turns out, there’s such thing as too much devotion.
This is a great start to a series. Lee has once again created a world that is unique and interesting, and which has an integral role in the story instead of being a mere prop, although the Korean elements could’ve been brought out more clearly. The mechas with their sentience are more interesting than usually too.
Hwa Young is a fairly typical YA heroine, a headstrong loner who makes emotional decisions at wrong moments. There’s no romance; a good decision, although she seems to be eyeing someone in that light. I hope it doesn’t lead anywhere, as I didn’t really feel the pairing. Side characters were interesting with lives of their own.
The ending leaves Hwa Young in a completely new place in the world. It’ll be interesting to see where that’ll lead.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2024
Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. I've followed this author's work since the start and am excited to see what else they conjure in the future.
April 24, 2024
3,5 stars
Thank you to Solaris and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
TW/CW Colonisation | Mass Death | Death of a Parent
One of the things that I always appreciate about Yoon Ha Lee's work is that it has such big ideas with a variety of cultural additions. This book also has that. If it always hits the mark I sometimes wonder.
We meet Hwa Young when her planet is attacked by the empire. She is picked up as an orphan and taken in by the empire. She's being schooled and trained. She wants to be a lancer for the empire. But when the rebels attack this planet, her dreams move up quite a bit. She becomes a lancer. But that isn't nessecarily all its cracked up to be.
To start right of the bat with what I think missed the mark is that Hwa Young was already 10 when she was taken in by the empire. Yet when we meet her at 15, there is no hesitation. She is completely in support of the empire. While I understand 10 is still a child, one would have expected some negative notes here or there. They killed her family. She is very aware of her standing still. There is no suggestion of brainwashing at any point. It could have been a means of surival of course, but there is no critical note until the very end, and only for an action in that moment. And that made the impact of the ending not as hard.
Despite that I did enjoy reading this story. I did like Hwa Young as a character. She knows what she wants and will do anything to achieve that. She is desperate for approval (which is a little jarring in places because of the above.) It is very much young adult with the stereotypical rich girl bully. Yet Yoon Ha Lee manages to show things underneath the surface with her. I also appreciated the friendship Hwa had with another person, with its awkward teen communications yet they always managed to come back to their friendship.
Overal Moonstorm is not at all perfect. But I did find it an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to its sequel.
Thank you to Solaris and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
TW/CW Colonisation | Mass Death | Death of a Parent
One of the things that I always appreciate about Yoon Ha Lee's work is that it has such big ideas with a variety of cultural additions. This book also has that. If it always hits the mark I sometimes wonder.
We meet Hwa Young when her planet is attacked by the empire. She is picked up as an orphan and taken in by the empire. She's being schooled and trained. She wants to be a lancer for the empire. But when the rebels attack this planet, her dreams move up quite a bit. She becomes a lancer. But that isn't nessecarily all its cracked up to be.
To start right of the bat with what I think missed the mark is that Hwa Young was already 10 when she was taken in by the empire. Yet when we meet her at 15, there is no hesitation. She is completely in support of the empire. While I understand 10 is still a child, one would have expected some negative notes here or there. They killed her family. She is very aware of her standing still. There is no suggestion of brainwashing at any point. It could have been a means of surival of course, but there is no critical note until the very end, and only for an action in that moment. And that made the impact of the ending not as hard.
Despite that I did enjoy reading this story. I did like Hwa Young as a character. She knows what she wants and will do anything to achieve that. She is desperate for approval (which is a little jarring in places because of the above.) It is very much young adult with the stereotypical rich girl bully. Yet Yoon Ha Lee manages to show things underneath the surface with her. I also appreciated the friendship Hwa had with another person, with its awkward teen communications yet they always managed to come back to their friendship.
Overal Moonstorm is not at all perfect. But I did find it an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to its sequel.
June 11, 2024
Удивлена, что автор, написавший такой клевый "Гамбит девятихвостого лиса", написал такую _стандартную_ ЯЭ космооперу. Наверное, за такое хорошо платят)
Но дотянула оценку до 4 ради пары твистов, которые понравились.
Но дотянула оценку до 4 ради пары твистов, которые понравились.
December 17, 2025
This was not for me. If it weren’t for battle of the books I would not have finished. I was very confused to start, and then when I got the characters and pronouns straight, the characters still just didn’t draw me in.
Did Not Finish
April 6, 2024There's an early moment here that's very reminiscent of Lee's excellent, underappreciated Machineries Of Empire series, where it's mentioned that the Clanners among whom we open, and their enemies the Empire, have different laws of gravity in their territories, each maintained by different rituals. But the way that this leaves the supposedly more independent Clanners just as conformist as the Empire is only barely subtext, and the very fact that the Empire is called the Empire, and not something more interesting like Machineries' Hexarchate, feels disappointing. It's a disappointment which mounted through the third of this I managed, rivalries and divided loyalties that should have festered into something as delectably twisted as I know Lee can create instead proceeding along the most obvious Hollywood (by occasional way of fanfic) lines. Orphaned by the Lancer mechs that killed her Clanner family, Hwa Young is now a ward of the Empire and dreams of piloting one, but her spoiled queen bee nemesis - she's even called Bae - wants the same thing, and has all the social capital. Again, ambitious leads are familiar from those fabulous early novels, but here there's not much of Hwa Young on show beyond ambition, and as in real life, that's quite dull. The only time I was surprised by a development was when the Lord Of The Flies in space interlude was cut short sooner than I expected, which relieved me, because I couldn't decide whether to call it Space Lord Of The Flies or Lord Of The Space Flies; the former was giving me a Monster Magnet earworm, but also I do like that song. Alas, when the next phase of the story still failed to offer anything that hooked me, I concluded I should probably cut my losses. I'm sure there are satisfactions, creative and/or commercial, to this more straightforward YA SF approach, as against the gloriously niche Cordwainer Smith meets 40K deviations of Machineries, but I don't think they're for me.
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
May 18, 2024
Buddy read with Mai!
This was a decent read. Mai and I enjoyed it for the most part.
I think this could be a pretty good intro to YA sci-fi for newbies looking to dip their toes in this genre. But if you're a veteran of sci-fi, this isn't anything to write home about.
I did love how the author incorporated Korean culture into this story. I thought that was unique and different from the run of the mill Eurocentric sci-fi stories that flood this genre.
The prayers/gravity aspect was also pretty cool and unique, although it did raise some questions for me. If people pray to the Empress, but they're doing it out of habit instead of sincere belief, does that still count? Who knows.
The story was filled with familiar tropes in YA sci-fi: chosen one, rebels vs. empire, overpowered MC, etc. The plot twists were pretty predictable if you're familiar with this genre. There was nothing to keep me on my toes. I was waiting for an actual plot twist, and while the ending did deliver a taste of a decent twist, it wasn't really all that exciting for me. Maybe if I was younger and less well-read, I might've loved it.
In the end, it felt like everything came much too easily for the MC. The narrative kept saying that she worked hard to achieve her goals of becoming a lancer pilot, but we don't actually see this happening. I would've liked to see her struggle and experience some setbacks. But sadly, even major setbacks were overcome so easily.
I haven't read the author's The Machineries of Empire series yet, which I've heard is a lot better than this one. But I'll definitely give that one a try since I don't see myself continuing with this one.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this arc.
This was a decent read. Mai and I enjoyed it for the most part.
I think this could be a pretty good intro to YA sci-fi for newbies looking to dip their toes in this genre. But if you're a veteran of sci-fi, this isn't anything to write home about.
I did love how the author incorporated Korean culture into this story. I thought that was unique and different from the run of the mill Eurocentric sci-fi stories that flood this genre.
The prayers/gravity aspect was also pretty cool and unique, although it did raise some questions for me. If people pray to the Empress, but they're doing it out of habit instead of sincere belief, does that still count? Who knows.
The story was filled with familiar tropes in YA sci-fi: chosen one, rebels vs. empire, overpowered MC, etc. The plot twists were pretty predictable if you're familiar with this genre. There was nothing to keep me on my toes. I was waiting for an actual plot twist, and while the ending did deliver a taste of a decent twist, it wasn't really all that exciting for me. Maybe if I was younger and less well-read, I might've loved it.
In the end, it felt like everything came much too easily for the MC. The narrative kept saying that she worked hard to achieve her goals of becoming a lancer pilot, but we don't actually see this happening. I would've liked to see her struggle and experience some setbacks. But sadly, even major setbacks were overcome so easily.
I haven't read the author's The Machineries of Empire series yet, which I've heard is a lot better than this one. But I'll definitely give that one a try since I don't see myself continuing with this one.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this arc.
July 14, 2024
I am giving Moonstorm three stars on the basis of my experience rather than its intrinsic merits, because it is really good young adult fiction and I was expecting adult scifi. The cover and blurb of the edition I borrowed are misleading, as they do not mention that the sole protagonist is 16 years old. Having read Yoon Ha Lee's excellent Machineries of Empire series, which is also military scifi, I had a direct point of comparison. Moonstorm has a single point of view, less complex plot, simpler writing style, and less weird world-building. The space empire has a futuristic Korean culture and fighter ships that bond with their pilots, which are both fun. I found the detail about faith in the Empress generating gravity, sometimes to catastrophic effect, very intriguing. The protagonist Hwa Young is engaging and has perfectly reasonable motivations. Thus I enjoyed what was there, although it was not as substantial as the Machineries of Empire series being evidently written for a teenage audience. That's fine, but should be made clear on the cover so readers know what to expect. As it was, I could appreciate that Moonstorm is a great example of YA scifi while still feeling disappointed. I'd hoped for the start of another series as complex and strange as Ninefox Gambit and sequels, which I definitely recommend. I think Moonstorm would be ideal for a teenager who is getting into science fiction.
February 24, 2025
Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee should have worked beautifully for me, but I found my attention wandering the further I got into this book. Hwa Young lost her entire family of rebel Clanners and home when ten years old, and was brought into Imperial society. Six years later, she is eager to become a pilot of a Lancer (huge robots that are bonded to their pilots). She undergoes rigorous training, and is chosen by a Lancer, and is almost immediately thrown into battle, along with her friends, all of them too young and unprepared emotionally for war.
Hwa has totally immersed herself in Imperial culture, and is desperate that no one discover her former ties to Clanners. This only becomes more difficult once out in the field.
The story started out great, highlighting that the Clanners and Imperials have diametrically opposed philosophies (both of which generate gravity, but neither can exist with the other). Hwa's internal conflict is great, but I found it hard to distinguish between her classmates, except for her rival Bae and Geum. I admit I never made it far enough into this book to discover the twist, which likely had a lot to do with the oppositional beliefs between the Clanners and Imperials.
Hwa has totally immersed herself in Imperial culture, and is desperate that no one discover her former ties to Clanners. This only becomes more difficult once out in the field.
The story started out great, highlighting that the Clanners and Imperials have diametrically opposed philosophies (both of which generate gravity, but neither can exist with the other). Hwa's internal conflict is great, but I found it hard to distinguish between her classmates, except for her rival Bae and Geum. I admit I never made it far enough into this book to discover the twist, which likely had a lot to do with the oppositional beliefs between the Clanners and Imperials.
June 1, 2024
Yoon Ha Lee truly is a master in writing space opera books with imaginative multi-faceted world-building, rich political intrigue, and layered characters. Moonstorm is a fantastic start to a new YA sci-fi trilogy that's high-stakes, fast paced, and unapologetically queer. I truly enjoyed the complexity of the political system, especially since there's quite a bit of deconstruction that our main character has to go through in this book and in future installments in the series.. Combined with advanced technologies, and ancient powers, the book paints a vivid and immersive setting. Though at times the pacing is a little uneven, and it gets particularly slow during in between the action scenes when there's a more in-depth exploration of internal struggles, I was totally locked on while reading this fantastic book. Can't wait for the sequel!
March 1, 2025
In spite of this book featuring space and giant robots I was equal parts bored and very annoyed this whole time. The writing was verbose and dry, and the protagonist, Hwa Young, came across as arrogant and irritated by everyone around her. Like, Hwa Young. Girl. You SAY that Geum is your best friend but do you even LIKE zir? She treated everyone with a ton of disdain. I was yelling at her the whole time. Everything was overly technical, slow, and the twist happened too late in the book and I just didn't care by that point. Blah. 1.5 stars :(
July 11, 2025
I didn’t ever actually like the main character so that made it a tough sell for me. There are cool world building ideas but the reality of it was that most of it was a slog for me until the very end.
August 6, 2024
Not bad.
I've been away from YA so when I started reading this I forgot it had the "chosen one" trope in it. It's very heavy handed but tolerable.
Sometimes I wanted to slap some self-esteem into the MC but she was okay. I found her to be really dumb some other times (most of her decision making was stupid tbh) but she's a teenager and I can no longer remember what level of common sense this specific demographic puts into practice irl so I have nothing to actually measure her stupidity levels with.
Overall it was enjoyable. For me it was predictable, but then, I no longer belong to the intended demographic for several long years (cofmorethanadecadecof) so it's only natural that I was unsurprised by the twist at the end... You can see it coming from the prologue.
The audiobook sounded nice. Weird that GR does not have the edition to add to my shelve? I check it out from my Libby (as I usually do with audiobook) and it had the longest waiting list. First because it wasn't published yet when I read the sample and entered the queue and then because there were ppl before me. Anyway, weird that I can't add the audiobook to my shelve yet. I chose the epub as a placeholder until I can change editions for the sake of being consistent. I only started paying atention to the editions I add recently and I've been trying to change that to reflect reality as much as possible since GR shows the hardback as a default and I, as a non USA person, rarely own english hardbacks.
I've been away from YA so when I started reading this I forgot it had the "chosen one" trope in it. It's very heavy handed but tolerable.
Sometimes I wanted to slap some self-esteem into the MC but she was okay. I found her to be really dumb some other times (most of her decision making was stupid tbh) but she's a teenager and I can no longer remember what level of common sense this specific demographic puts into practice irl so I have nothing to actually measure her stupidity levels with.
Overall it was enjoyable. For me it was predictable, but then, I no longer belong to the intended demographic for several long years (cofmorethanadecadecof) so it's only natural that I was unsurprised by the twist at the end... You can see it coming from the prologue.
The audiobook sounded nice. Weird that GR does not have the edition to add to my shelve? I check it out from my Libby (as I usually do with audiobook) and it had the longest waiting list. First because it wasn't published yet when I read the sample and entered the queue and then because there were ppl before me. Anyway, weird that I can't add the audiobook to my shelve yet. I chose the epub as a placeholder until I can change editions for the sake of being consistent. I only started paying atention to the editions I add recently and I've been trying to change that to reflect reality as much as possible since GR shows the hardback as a default and I, as a non USA person, rarely own english hardbacks.
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September 22, 20251.5/5
This is the second, and most likely last book, I'll ever read by this author. I just don't think Yoon Ha Lee's books are for me.
My issues with this book are more or less the same as the complaints I had for Dragon Pearl - despite the potential that the premise and worldbuilding held, I just didn't care for the characters or the story. I'm honestly shocked that the author somehow managed to make a mecha robot space opera story so bland and unmemorable.
The most interesting thing that happened in this book was the process in which the characters have to bond with their lancer (it's giving Fourth Wing ). The ending and political development was underwhelming.
This is the second, and most likely last book, I'll ever read by this author. I just don't think Yoon Ha Lee's books are for me.
My issues with this book are more or less the same as the complaints I had for Dragon Pearl - despite the potential that the premise and worldbuilding held, I just didn't care for the characters or the story. I'm honestly shocked that the author somehow managed to make a mecha robot space opera story so bland and unmemorable.
The most interesting thing that happened in this book was the process in which the characters have to bond with their lancer (it's giving Fourth Wing ). The ending and political development was underwhelming.
May 21, 2024
A romp in space with mecha leanings (they start rather late in the book though, and our MC Hwa Young and the rest of them are whirlwind expert pilots). I thought there was great tension in certain scenes - the opening, the fall of Serpentine, and Hwa Young’s first lancer battle - but otherwise we pretty much skated along the surface. We couldn’t really get a handle on how Hwa Young felt about much of anything, even though we do get her thoughts from the first person narration. She doesn’t dig into any complicated feelings about her origins or her rivalry with Bae or the very transactional nature of her friendship with Geum.
The bones of a REALLY GOOD story were there, but we just didn’t go deep enough to really get it. I have enjoyed other books by Lee, so I will probably continue the series as it comes out, if only to see if we do take the dive into deeper and messier territory.
{Thank you Delacorte Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
The bones of a REALLY GOOD story were there, but we just didn’t go deep enough to really get it. I have enjoyed other books by Lee, so I will probably continue the series as it comes out, if only to see if we do take the dive into deeper and messier territory.
{Thank you Delacorte Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
March 26, 2025
I borrowed this book from my local library. It's currently a Norton Award finalist.
A gripping start, fascinating far-future Korean-inspired civilization, and awesome giant robots make this a quick read, but I was left frustrated by a predictable plot and a main character who became increasingly foolishly brash as the book continued. I enjoyed the first half much more than the last half.
A gripping start, fascinating far-future Korean-inspired civilization, and awesome giant robots make this a quick read, but I was left frustrated by a predictable plot and a main character who became increasingly foolishly brash as the book continued. I enjoyed the first half much more than the last half.
December 12, 2025
Lee levels up the Ender saga vibes with a delightful racialized queering of tyrannical homeworlds and rebel alliances. The FMC is pleasantly complex and the cast, while a little more stock than I would like, start to reveal pleasant depths as the story winds its way. The ending comes with a fun twist. Best consumed with your favorite kimbap.
April 27, 2025
Good but not mind blowing, slight predictability to it and not rushing/ waiting for the next instalment
January 16, 2024
Mira que me apetecía que me gustara, ¿eh? Una pena.
August 8, 2024
Lee’s writing is soooo expansive and fantastical. I did not expect a science fiction element to this book but I learned to love it!
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