Unworthy

by K.N. Tristan

Every eye reports to Valence.

In book two of The Glassborn Chronicles, Quinta Voss confronts the fallout of her discoveries and the growing instability within the colony. Every truth she uncovers draws her closer to a reckoning that Mars is no longer able to contain.

390 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2026

About the author

I’m a dystopian fiction fan, author, and firm believer that the best books in this genre are about hope and righting wrongs, and maybe also a how-to manual for rebellion.

I cut my teeth on the classics – 1984, Brave New World – when kids my age were reading Goosebumps. One of my all-time favorites is Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde and when book 2 came out 15 years later, I wasn’t even mad at the wait. That mix of absurdity, darkness, and razor-sharp worldbuilding is what I aspire to in my own writing.

I’m fascinated by “what ifs” that spiral outward and reshape entire worlds, like the works of Neal Shusterman and Hugh Howey. That’s the kind of experience I chase as a reader and as a writer.

Reviews

[Katherine Benfante · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing, and it is one of the few I've read that totally engrossed me. I absolutely could not put it down - as in, I neglected ordinary life to sit and read. The way the storylines intertwined and fed off each other was practically intoxicating (guess that's why I couldn't put it down!). I thoroughly enjoyed Glassborn, both the plot and the characterization, so I've been looking forward to this ever since. That book really laid the groundwork for the setting, slowly building the Mars colony and the standoff between the citizens and the NPCs (non-participating colonists) until we find out exactly how the sector 4 NPCs got to where they are in 2179. The payoff is sooo worth it, and it's a page-turner to get to the end!

The author also released the prequel Exodus and book 1.5 Children of Glass, and I HIGHLY recommend you read them - both because they're entertaining and because they really lay more groundwork for Unworthy that helps the plot make a little more sense and also adds to that big payoff. Book 1.5 was especially good.

What really sets this Mars book apart from others - like Red Mars, which is like dry regolith compared to the richness and energy of Unworthy, or Wool, which is very good but has a setting that isn't as richly created - is the deep setting. I felt like I was in this novel itself. There is vernacular created, there are unique, everyday details about food and lifestyle that made this experience all-in. Yet it's also 100% genre sci-fi with a character-first story. This is a dialogue-heavy book, at least in some parts, but it reads very fluidly and naturally. I was so invested in these characters... and now I can't wait for book 3 to come out next year!

This is dystopian, and an AI directs the colonists' lives. In 2026, it's completely believable that the colonists 100% follow this AI without question, even though it clearly is a little suss in this book! It's so prescient to our current state of AI, even pointing out some dangers to us, that I feel this book is worth it to read just for that. This is absolutely the topic du jour, and it's well-done here - so thought-provoking.

If you want to read a realistic Mars colony sci-fi with a fabulously creepy dystopian AI "overlord," this is the book for you. Highly recommend!

I received an ARC copy of this novel and willingly wrote a review.

[Lauren Singleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a Goodreads giveaway winner for me, so of course I also had to read the first book in the series. Let me just say that I LOVE dystopian sci-fi so it was right up my alley. The story is about a Mars colony founded in a near future, and the narration is split between 2 timelines - shortly after the colony is founded and about 100 years later. The colony is ravaged by a Martian bacteria which causes two factions to form among the residents; one faction who wants their AI system to control all and the other who distrusts the AI. So… Mars colony, alien bacteria, a possibly evil AI. So much entertainment.

[Jim Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED round 2 on VossColony. The story leads on nicely from Quinta’s cliffhanger ending in the opening novel. Quinta and Kellen are engaging PoV characters and their investigation of the Valence AI builds to a real crescendo. It’s also fun to jump back in time to Glory (although it’s still 2084!) Particularly enjoyed the pacing and continued world building on show. Time for a mug of candor dark while I wait for book 3 ☕️

[Brett Bauma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best in the series! I cant wait for the next to come out.

[C.G. Frances]

Kindle-June 2026