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Broken Moon #1
The Star Host
Ren grew up listening to his mother tell stories about the Star Hosts – a mythical group of people possessed by the power of the stars. The stories were the most exciting part of Ren’s life, and he often dreamed about leaving his backwater planet and finding his place among the neighboring drifts. When Ren is captured by soldiers and taken from his home, his dream slips further out of his grasp. Now a slave of a despotic Baron, Ren must remain inconspicuous while plotting his escape. It’s a challenge since the general of the Baron’s army is convinced Ren is something out of one of his mother’s stories.
Ren finds companionship in the occupant of the cell next to his, a drifter named Asher. A member of the Phoenix Corps, Asher is mysterious, charming, and exactly the person Ren needs to anchor him as his sudden technopathic ability threatens to consume him. Ren doesn’t mean to become attached, but after a daring escape, a trek across the planet, and an eventful ride on a merchant ship, Asher is the only thing that reminds Ren of home. Together, they must warn the drifts of the Baron’s plans, master Ren’s growing power, and try to save their friends while navigating the growing attraction between them.
Ren finds companionship in the occupant of the cell next to his, a drifter named Asher. A member of the Phoenix Corps, Asher is mysterious, charming, and exactly the person Ren needs to anchor him as his sudden technopathic ability threatens to consume him. Ren doesn’t mean to become attached, but after a daring escape, a trek across the planet, and an eventful ride on a merchant ship, Asher is the only thing that reminds Ren of home. Together, they must warn the drifts of the Baron’s plans, master Ren’s growing power, and try to save their friends while navigating the growing attraction between them.
258 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2016
46 people are currently reading
4345 people want to read
About the author
F.T. Lukens
13 books3,671 followersF.T. Lukens is a New York Times bestselling author of YA speculative fiction including the novels Otherworldly, Spell Bound, So This Is Ever After (2023 ALA Rainbow Booklist; 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards nominee), In Deeper Waters (2022 ALA Rainbow Booklist; Junior Library Guild Selection), and the forthcoming Love at Second Sight (2025) as well as other science-fiction and fantasy works. F.T. resides in North Carolina with their spouse, three kids, three dogs, and three cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
July 12, 2016
A solid young-adult science fiction debut with clear writing and a bisexual main character. The Star Host follows Ren, a teen who lives in a simple village and has always dreamed of flying among the stars. Ren's wish comes a little too true when the Baron invades his hometown and he must sacrifice his freedom so his younger brother Liam can escape. Aboard the Baron's ship, Ren learns of his power-hungry plan to dominate the galaxy. Ren also discovers his own psychic ability to control and manipulate technology, a power he does not yet have control over. Soon he meets Asher, a fellow prisoner and a charming member of the Phoenix Corps. The two plot their escape from the Baron's clutches and grow closer even when their conceptions of Ren's ability become more and more fraught.
I liked so many things about The Star Host. F.T. Lukens's writing flows well and portrays a fascinating science fiction world, in addition to smooth dialogue and great imagery. Ren and Asher's relationship develops in an organic way and avoids all the romantic tropes that plague YA nowadays (e.g., insta-love, forbidden love, sexuality-as-main-conflict, etc.) This book just felt so neat - the plot progressed with momentum and clarity, and Ren and Asher maintained my interest as individual characters and as a couple.
As I do with most things in life, I wanted a bit more from The Star Host. The world had room for expansion, Asher and Ren's relationship could have gone deeper, and themes of war/imprisonment/fear-of-self could have been fleshed out more. I hope Lukens continues to elaborate on all of these issues and relationships with future installments to this book, because I see so much potential.
Recommended to those who enjoy YA, science fiction, and organic-feeling romance. Perhaps this book does not feel as enthralling as Alex London's Proxy , but it does contain more meat than Rainbow Rowell's Carry On . Also, F.T. Lukens graduated from the college I study at now, so extra points for that.
I liked so many things about The Star Host. F.T. Lukens's writing flows well and portrays a fascinating science fiction world, in addition to smooth dialogue and great imagery. Ren and Asher's relationship develops in an organic way and avoids all the romantic tropes that plague YA nowadays (e.g., insta-love, forbidden love, sexuality-as-main-conflict, etc.) This book just felt so neat - the plot progressed with momentum and clarity, and Ren and Asher maintained my interest as individual characters and as a couple.
As I do with most things in life, I wanted a bit more from The Star Host. The world had room for expansion, Asher and Ren's relationship could have gone deeper, and themes of war/imprisonment/fear-of-self could have been fleshed out more. I hope Lukens continues to elaborate on all of these issues and relationships with future installments to this book, because I see so much potential.
Recommended to those who enjoy YA, science fiction, and organic-feeling romance. Perhaps this book does not feel as enthralling as Alex London's Proxy , but it does contain more meat than Rainbow Rowell's Carry On . Also, F.T. Lukens graduated from the college I study at now, so extra points for that.
August 1, 2016
It's fun to get a YA LGBTQ book that is genre fiction, in this case SciFi with a touch of paranormal mind powers. The gay component takes a real backseat to the plot and world-building components, and that's great. We need more YA that is not focused on coming out or bullying but just features LGBTQ main characters.
Ren grew up in an agricultural village with friends and a younger brother. He's been good at repairing the few technological items around the village that break, but has little exposure to tech until he and a couple of his friends are swept up in a slave raid by the local strongman. In the process, Ren is discovered to have more than an affinity for technology - he actually has the ability to bond with and control tech devices of all kinds, an ability he thought was just a legend from his mother's stories.
It's a shock, finding out he himself is a Star Host. And the discovery is worse coming in the midst of guards and cells and conventional iron shackles he can't break, as he's confined and made to work for his captor. In the cell next to his, he meets Asher, a Phoenix soldier and resident of the space drifts Ren always dreamed about visiting. Asher's view of the Baron who captured them becomes even more bleak than Ren's. He's convinced the Baron has goals of conquest beyond the surface of the planet. But what can a shackled technopath and an injured footsoldier do against the men and talent the Baron has already acquired?
This book is an action filled adventure. There is some emotion, as friends and family are separated, and the violence of captivity and chase occur, but it's not deeply personally angsty in the way some YA books are. (I actually wouldn't have minded just a bit more emotional hook from it.) The relationship between Ren and Asher develops slowly and is only a thread running under the surface for most of the book. I look forward to seeing that grow in a future story.
The writing flows well, for a smooth read. The world-building is interesting - for example, an author, when creating individuals with the level of power of the Star Hosts has to figure out limits and constraints so their lives aren't too easy, and that was well done here. There were a few minor plot holes, and some predictability, but over all it held together well, with a solid ending that still leaves enough threads dangling for an interesting next installment.
Ren grew up in an agricultural village with friends and a younger brother. He's been good at repairing the few technological items around the village that break, but has little exposure to tech until he and a couple of his friends are swept up in a slave raid by the local strongman. In the process, Ren is discovered to have more than an affinity for technology - he actually has the ability to bond with and control tech devices of all kinds, an ability he thought was just a legend from his mother's stories.
It's a shock, finding out he himself is a Star Host. And the discovery is worse coming in the midst of guards and cells and conventional iron shackles he can't break, as he's confined and made to work for his captor. In the cell next to his, he meets Asher, a Phoenix soldier and resident of the space drifts Ren always dreamed about visiting. Asher's view of the Baron who captured them becomes even more bleak than Ren's. He's convinced the Baron has goals of conquest beyond the surface of the planet. But what can a shackled technopath and an injured footsoldier do against the men and talent the Baron has already acquired?
This book is an action filled adventure. There is some emotion, as friends and family are separated, and the violence of captivity and chase occur, but it's not deeply personally angsty in the way some YA books are. (I actually wouldn't have minded just a bit more emotional hook from it.) The relationship between Ren and Asher develops slowly and is only a thread running under the surface for most of the book. I look forward to seeing that grow in a future story.
The writing flows well, for a smooth read. The world-building is interesting - for example, an author, when creating individuals with the level of power of the Star Hosts has to figure out limits and constraints so their lives aren't too easy, and that was well done here. There were a few minor plot holes, and some predictability, but over all it held together well, with a solid ending that still leaves enough threads dangling for an interesting next installment.
December 4, 2022
When I was in high school, my favorite author was Robert A. Heinlein. I loved him so much because he wrote sci-fi books that felt so accessible; he took everyday situations and issues and simply put them into a setting that was futuristic or on another planet. As a result, his characters were so relatable and his tales so engrossing.
F.T. Lukens has achieved the very same thing in this novel. They don’t make their characters or settings so foreign that the reader has a hard time picturing them; instead, the reader feels like she's right there, a fly on the wall observing everything that's going on. Lukens definitely does not hold their reader at arm's length.
Regarding the plot itself, we've got Ren, who's a boy growing up on a planet in a distant galaxy. He's from a village that eschews most of the available technology, but when he's captured and held prisoner by the Baron, it's clear he has some inherent and powerful connection to technology. He wants to escape before he's used to some nefarious end, but while he's confined, he finds himself growing ever closer to his fellow prisoner, Asher. As time goes on, Ren starts to understand that his connection to Asher may be the only thing that will save him from being consumed by his power.
I absolutely adored this book. It brought me back to all my favorite sci-fi tales as a teen, and added in just enough romance between Ren and Asher to keep things interesting. The book is extremely well-paced, with lots of rollicking adventure and action. I have a feeling that this author is really going places!
HIGHLY recommend. You MUST read this book.
***I was given an ARC of this book by the publisher in return for my honest review.
F.T. Lukens has achieved the very same thing in this novel. They don’t make their characters or settings so foreign that the reader has a hard time picturing them; instead, the reader feels like she's right there, a fly on the wall observing everything that's going on. Lukens definitely does not hold their reader at arm's length.
Regarding the plot itself, we've got Ren, who's a boy growing up on a planet in a distant galaxy. He's from a village that eschews most of the available technology, but when he's captured and held prisoner by the Baron, it's clear he has some inherent and powerful connection to technology. He wants to escape before he's used to some nefarious end, but while he's confined, he finds himself growing ever closer to his fellow prisoner, Asher. As time goes on, Ren starts to understand that his connection to Asher may be the only thing that will save him from being consumed by his power.
I absolutely adored this book. It brought me back to all my favorite sci-fi tales as a teen, and added in just enough romance between Ren and Asher to keep things interesting. The book is extremely well-paced, with lots of rollicking adventure and action. I have a feeling that this author is really going places!
HIGHLY recommend. You MUST read this book.
***I was given an ARC of this book by the publisher in return for my honest review.
March 11, 2022
why have i like never heard about this series before? it was a really easy read and the characters were all pretty cool. i’m looking forward to reading the next one :)
February 5, 2017
I would give this book a hearty 4 1/2 stars.
What a great story this is! I love the author's clean, fresh, yet uncomplicated writing style. The action scenes were fast paced and exciting. Very reminiscent of Star Trek and Star Wars, the world building was rich with details and the dialogue flowed seamlessly. In the midst of the action sequences, the words literally poured off the page, running like a movie through my head. It appears that this will be a series and I do hope it is because one book with Ren and Asher is just not enough and I have to know what happened to Ren's village.
A great cast of characters from the shy, yet proud Ren to the confident Asher with just a pinch of mock arrogance. A wonderful array of secondary characters complete the cast.
What a great story this is! I love the author's clean, fresh, yet uncomplicated writing style. The action scenes were fast paced and exciting. Very reminiscent of Star Trek and Star Wars, the world building was rich with details and the dialogue flowed seamlessly. In the midst of the action sequences, the words literally poured off the page, running like a movie through my head. It appears that this will be a series and I do hope it is because one book with Ren and Asher is just not enough and I have to know what happened to Ren's village.
A great cast of characters from the shy, yet proud Ren to the confident Asher with just a pinch of mock arrogance. A wonderful array of secondary characters complete the cast.
April 11, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
I adored Ren and Ash. They grounded each other every step of the way and, while there were little bits of angst here and there, I loved how the author gave her two young men the ability to openly communicate their feelings—even when sometimes they had to push each other to do so. These guys were intelligent, resourceful, mature, and yet vulnerable and unsure. In short, they were a truly lovely team and not once did I waver in my admiration of them. Author F.T. Lukens creates such utterly real people that you can’t help but be invested in their plight almost immediately. She allows them to be genuine and question each other’s motives, which prevents that tired old plot line we so often see in action adventure novels where one of the characters goes off to “sacrifice” themselves for the good of the others. Instead, she makes Ren and Ash a team and they are truly delightful together.
With a myriad of side characters, many of which became loyal to our duo, and multiple new locations to discover, The Star Host was absolutely captivating to read. Straddling both the sci-fi and paranormal worlds, this novel was stunning in its scope and I cannot wait to read the next in this series.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
I adored Ren and Ash. They grounded each other every step of the way and, while there were little bits of angst here and there, I loved how the author gave her two young men the ability to openly communicate their feelings—even when sometimes they had to push each other to do so. These guys were intelligent, resourceful, mature, and yet vulnerable and unsure. In short, they were a truly lovely team and not once did I waver in my admiration of them. Author F.T. Lukens creates such utterly real people that you can’t help but be invested in their plight almost immediately. She allows them to be genuine and question each other’s motives, which prevents that tired old plot line we so often see in action adventure novels where one of the characters goes off to “sacrifice” themselves for the good of the others. Instead, she makes Ren and Ash a team and they are truly delightful together.
With a myriad of side characters, many of which became loyal to our duo, and multiple new locations to discover, The Star Host was absolutely captivating to read. Straddling both the sci-fi and paranormal worlds, this novel was stunning in its scope and I cannot wait to read the next in this series.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
August 7, 2016
Initial Thoughts
Ever since I can remember, I've been a fan of science fiction. Gay romance, however, is a comparatively new passion for me. Having two of my favorite genres come together made for an awesome reading experience. The Star Host was fun, sweet and different with a solid story that I found riveting.
The Story
"Back when this world was new, an old star exploded. The dust rocketed through space and most of it burned up in the atmosphere, but a few specks, a very few, floated down to the planet's surface. These specks were inhaled by people, and they became hosts to the star's power. Then the star hosts developed special abilities."
All his life, Ren yearns to be among the stars. He grew up on the planet Erdon, where the people are ruled by the tyrant Baron Vos. The local villages are constantly raided and their children enslaved and conscripted into his service.
Ren is captured by Vos's men and shortly after he starts to learn of the power that dwells deep within him. In his captivity he meets Asher, a "drifter" (someone who grew up on a drift, or space station). They form a friendship and plan their escape. Ren and Asher learn of the Baron's plot to take over the drifts and try desperately to reach the authorities that can help them stop the Baron's expansion.
The Characters
Ren and Asher's struggles strengthen their bond and they develop a special relationship with each other. These two characters were so sweet and charming. Ren being a naive "duster" (someone born on or from a planet), and Asher being an arrogant "drifter", they make for an interesting couple.
The power that comes from being a star host comes with a price however. A star host can be consumed by it's power and lose their humanity if they are unable to control it. Asher is Ren's "anchor" to humanity and that is what makes their connection so special.
The Writing
Geared to the younger side of YA, the writing flowed clearly and with a fluidity that made for a smooth story progression. There was no lack of action in this one, which made for a riveting reading experience. The arc of the story was great, leading up to a rather intense ending. And the world building was imaginative as well.
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons to like this title. An interesting story, great characters, smooth writing and imaginative world building, I would definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy science fiction, gay romance, and young adult. For me, that's a trifecta that has me yearning for more. I hope there is a sequel planned, and if so, count me in!
*Favorite vocabulary word learned: modicum (noun): a small or moderate or token amount
March 30, 2016
Wonderful world building, amazing characters, and a plot that grips you and doesn't let go. I could barely stop reading and probably would have just stayed up all night finishing it if it weren't for adult responsibilities, ugh. I LOVE this book.
The world is easy enough to understand and get into, yet there's enough left to explore and learn about that I'm more than curious for more in the series. The author's love for sci-fi is obvious in the expertly done introduction into the 'verse and the attention to detail.
As the sort of reluctant and overwhelmed hero Ren is a wonderful and unique character whose struggle is relatably written, avoiding clichés and pulling the reader in within the very first paragraphs. Asher's initial cynicism is a nice counterweight to Ren's initial naivety, but the ways the two connect and are able to help each other is written so carefully and skilfully, I couldn't get enough of reading about it.
Highly recommended. I'm eagerly awaiting more from this author!
The world is easy enough to understand and get into, yet there's enough left to explore and learn about that I'm more than curious for more in the series. The author's love for sci-fi is obvious in the expertly done introduction into the 'verse and the attention to detail.
As the sort of reluctant and overwhelmed hero Ren is a wonderful and unique character whose struggle is relatably written, avoiding clichés and pulling the reader in within the very first paragraphs. Asher's initial cynicism is a nice counterweight to Ren's initial naivety, but the ways the two connect and are able to help each other is written so carefully and skilfully, I couldn't get enough of reading about it.
Highly recommended. I'm eagerly awaiting more from this author!
June 12, 2017
Great off-world, sci-fi, paranormal YA book! I truly enjoyed the world building both on planet and off. The relationship between the two young men developed slowly, but solidly over the course of their adventure. All characters could have been more fleshed out, but I only realized this after finishing the book.
Good pacing for this capture/escape plot kept me engaged throughout.
Good pacing for this capture/escape plot kept me engaged throughout.
March 9, 2016
In this world (Earth and the world in the book), there are people whose bodies are home to a kind of power that can either be harnessed and used consciously, or can overpower the host and crumble him to its own use.
The Star Host by F. T. Lukens is the story of one such person, Ren, whose body holds a small piece of a star, which gives him immense power to commune with—control or be controlled by—machines. He’s taken prisoner by a power-hungry ruler and isolated in a cell. In the cell next to him, however, is Asher, a former Phoenix Corps military man who becomes his confidante, friend, and eventually, his love.
The novel tells the story of Ren’s capture, his attempts to harness and hide the power he has, and his witness of cruel and sometimes deadly treatment of his friends. The novel also tells the story of how Ren and Ash become close, how they come to depend upon and support one another, and how—finally—they plan an escape from the dungeon in which they’re held.
I’m not doing it much justice here: it’s absolutely riveting. With a plot strung tight with anticipation and sharp writing in which two very different, very distinct and real characters come to seem real, The Star Host held me so tightly I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it entirely, in nearly one gulp.
That sentence, though, the first one I wrote, keeps calling me back. It resonates on more than one frequency here. Though love between two men, in this novel, in the world it describes, seems neither out of the ordinary, nor strange, nor dangerous, nor remarkable in any way (unlike in our own world), and the fact of this is unremarkable to the story’s narration itself. Visiting in this world feels like such an immense relief, for being gay doesn’t seem to matter at all.
What matters, instead, is whether or not one can be used by—or poses a threat to—the government. People hang their lives by this. Children grow up poised to fight or flee. And for those like Ren, who grow up knowing that something burns inside them, makes them different, makes them understand the world differently, makes them hunted, must be hidden, and will affect every inch of their lives, being a “star host” matters.
Get what I’m saying? This book, I mean, is about being gay in more ways than one: yep, the protagonists are gay. But also the “star host” phenomenon rings many of the same bells.
The result is a novel that imagines a world in which being gay isn’t a Big Thing, and in which there is a different Big Thing that drives the plot and makes the novel taut, interesting, compelling. Being a “star host” in this world still strikes metaphorical notes for someone who wants to read it that way—one isn’t required to do so to love this novel—one could read the “star host” quality in the context of sexuality, but also as a metaphor for ethnic identity in America, intelligence, gender, teenhood, and a whole other number of Things That Make You Different. So, to beat this “note” metaphor within an inch of its reasonable life, you could say the novel resonates, without being dictatorial, with a second voice for anyone interested to listen.
The Star Host by F. T. Lukens is the story of one such person, Ren, whose body holds a small piece of a star, which gives him immense power to commune with—control or be controlled by—machines. He’s taken prisoner by a power-hungry ruler and isolated in a cell. In the cell next to him, however, is Asher, a former Phoenix Corps military man who becomes his confidante, friend, and eventually, his love.
The novel tells the story of Ren’s capture, his attempts to harness and hide the power he has, and his witness of cruel and sometimes deadly treatment of his friends. The novel also tells the story of how Ren and Ash become close, how they come to depend upon and support one another, and how—finally—they plan an escape from the dungeon in which they’re held.
I’m not doing it much justice here: it’s absolutely riveting. With a plot strung tight with anticipation and sharp writing in which two very different, very distinct and real characters come to seem real, The Star Host held me so tightly I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it entirely, in nearly one gulp.
That sentence, though, the first one I wrote, keeps calling me back. It resonates on more than one frequency here. Though love between two men, in this novel, in the world it describes, seems neither out of the ordinary, nor strange, nor dangerous, nor remarkable in any way (unlike in our own world), and the fact of this is unremarkable to the story’s narration itself. Visiting in this world feels like such an immense relief, for being gay doesn’t seem to matter at all.
What matters, instead, is whether or not one can be used by—or poses a threat to—the government. People hang their lives by this. Children grow up poised to fight or flee. And for those like Ren, who grow up knowing that something burns inside them, makes them different, makes them understand the world differently, makes them hunted, must be hidden, and will affect every inch of their lives, being a “star host” matters.
Get what I’m saying? This book, I mean, is about being gay in more ways than one: yep, the protagonists are gay. But also the “star host” phenomenon rings many of the same bells.
The result is a novel that imagines a world in which being gay isn’t a Big Thing, and in which there is a different Big Thing that drives the plot and makes the novel taut, interesting, compelling. Being a “star host” in this world still strikes metaphorical notes for someone who wants to read it that way—one isn’t required to do so to love this novel—one could read the “star host” quality in the context of sexuality, but also as a metaphor for ethnic identity in America, intelligence, gender, teenhood, and a whole other number of Things That Make You Different. So, to beat this “note” metaphor within an inch of its reasonable life, you could say the novel resonates, without being dictatorial, with a second voice for anyone interested to listen.
April 26, 2016
This book is exceptional. I read it in one go, through the night (which says a lot because I am very strict with myself about bedtime). Lukens strikes an excellent (and hard to acheive) balance between rich detail and imagery that is never too much and never bogs the action of the plot down. This book could so easily be a movie -- I saw every moment of it so clearly in my head, which is also rare for me.
The characters were complex and interesting and unique. The plot line of Ren discovering who he is never once felt contrived. Sometimes this is a hard plot element to pull off realistically or without some clunky elements where it's hard for the reader to suspend their disbelief. This is absolutely not the case here.
This is a book I'll read and re-read often, and I cannot wait for its sequel.
The characters were complex and interesting and unique. The plot line of Ren discovering who he is never once felt contrived. Sometimes this is a hard plot element to pull off realistically or without some clunky elements where it's hard for the reader to suspend their disbelief. This is absolutely not the case here.
This is a book I'll read and re-read often, and I cannot wait for its sequel.
April 24, 2016
I absolutely ADORED this book !!!
Beautifully written, super exciting, interesting story.
Endearing characters.
Made my Sunday absolutely PERFECT.
LOVED it. Hoping for more!! :)
Beautifully written, super exciting, interesting story.
Endearing characters.
Made my Sunday absolutely PERFECT.
LOVED it. Hoping for more!! :)
February 5, 2017
From my review tag on tumblr:
From all the Duet books, this one appealed to me the most. I feel very indifferent about sci-fi/fantasy. Sometimes I like it (see my obsession with Doctor Who), but sometimes it doesn’t appeal to me at all.
But boy, am I glad that I picked up this book.
The story is amazing and I love the way the story progresses. It starts with Ash and Ren, barely speaking and it ends with them being together. In the beginning, the story is a little bit slower. It’s a routine: Ren has to fix broken tech and he tries to memorize everything he sees and learns, because he wants to escape.
But Ash and Ren start to grow towards each other. Ash’s façade is hard to crack, but when it does, Ash is one of the most caring characters in this story. I love that they went from friends to lovers.
The story is from Ren’s POV, so you don’t really know anything about Ash and his sexuality until Ren overhears a discussion between Rowan and Ash.
Ren, on the other hand, is bisexual. When he and Sorcha are together (in a non-romantic way), Ren often think about the old times. Back on their backwater planet, he would’ve felt estatic everytime Sorcha was next to him. Now, enslaved and all, he doesn’t care about that anymore.
T.F. Lukens answered this:
“The awesome thing about building your own world is that you get to make these kinds of decisions. For my characters in The Star Host, sexual orientation isn’t a big deal. It’s very clear from the start that Ren, the main character, is attracted to both some of the girls in his village and some of the boys. When the relationship between Ren and Asher blossoms, the other characters are only concerned because of difficult situation everyone is in (being chased across the cluster by a despot) and not because of orientation. I wrote the book because I wanted to give a bisexual teenager an adventure that didn’t center on his sexuality or coming out."
PRINT THIS, FRAME THIS AND GIVE IT TO ME.
(Also print the musical version of Cards Against Humanity for me, thanks)
Today, it actually occured to me that this is the first time I read a book with a bisexual main character. I mean, This Is Not A Love Story unfortunately fell in the “everyone is bi, it’s a trend lolololol!!!” trap. Honestly, it was very refreshing to read this.
And this might surprise you: but I love that this book wasn’t romance heavy. Sure, all the IP books I’ve read (and loved) are more focused on the romance, since IP is there to publish LGBTQ/MOGAI romance books, but that doesn’t make me like them any less. Yet, romance are always a hit or miss.
One way to change that is to put romance in the back. It still is a love story, but it isn’t the only thing on their minds. In the Star Host, Ren obviously is attracted to Ash and he later finds out that Ash likes him too, but they don’t really feel like they have to act on it, or they don’t get frustrated because they’re not acting on it.
Why?
THEY’RE BEING CHASED BY A FUCKING EVIL TECHNOPATH WORKING FOR A FUCKED UP LEADER.
See the answer above. Ash, Ren and the others are too busy fleeing for this guy and the Baron, so why should they focus on romance? They need to make it to Rowan and Ash’s mother first.
Overall, amazing read. Amazing characters. Amazing story.
It has a semi-open ending (something I didn’t see coming), so I want more.
From all the Duet books, this one appealed to me the most. I feel very indifferent about sci-fi/fantasy. Sometimes I like it (see my obsession with Doctor Who), but sometimes it doesn’t appeal to me at all.
But boy, am I glad that I picked up this book.
The story is amazing and I love the way the story progresses. It starts with Ash and Ren, barely speaking and it ends with them being together. In the beginning, the story is a little bit slower. It’s a routine: Ren has to fix broken tech and he tries to memorize everything he sees and learns, because he wants to escape.
But Ash and Ren start to grow towards each other. Ash’s façade is hard to crack, but when it does, Ash is one of the most caring characters in this story. I love that they went from friends to lovers.
The story is from Ren’s POV, so you don’t really know anything about Ash and his sexuality until Ren overhears a discussion between Rowan and Ash.
Ren, on the other hand, is bisexual. When he and Sorcha are together (in a non-romantic way), Ren often think about the old times. Back on their backwater planet, he would’ve felt estatic everytime Sorcha was next to him. Now, enslaved and all, he doesn’t care about that anymore.
T.F. Lukens answered this:
“The awesome thing about building your own world is that you get to make these kinds of decisions. For my characters in The Star Host, sexual orientation isn’t a big deal. It’s very clear from the start that Ren, the main character, is attracted to both some of the girls in his village and some of the boys. When the relationship between Ren and Asher blossoms, the other characters are only concerned because of difficult situation everyone is in (being chased across the cluster by a despot) and not because of orientation. I wrote the book because I wanted to give a bisexual teenager an adventure that didn’t center on his sexuality or coming out."
PRINT THIS, FRAME THIS AND GIVE IT TO ME.
(Also print the musical version of Cards Against Humanity for me, thanks)
Today, it actually occured to me that this is the first time I read a book with a bisexual main character. I mean, This Is Not A Love Story unfortunately fell in the “everyone is bi, it’s a trend lolololol!!!” trap. Honestly, it was very refreshing to read this.
And this might surprise you: but I love that this book wasn’t romance heavy. Sure, all the IP books I’ve read (and loved) are more focused on the romance, since IP is there to publish LGBTQ/MOGAI romance books, but that doesn’t make me like them any less. Yet, romance are always a hit or miss.
One way to change that is to put romance in the back. It still is a love story, but it isn’t the only thing on their minds. In the Star Host, Ren obviously is attracted to Ash and he later finds out that Ash likes him too, but they don’t really feel like they have to act on it, or they don’t get frustrated because they’re not acting on it.
Why?
THEY’RE BEING CHASED BY A FUCKING EVIL TECHNOPATH WORKING FOR A FUCKED UP LEADER.
See the answer above. Ash, Ren and the others are too busy fleeing for this guy and the Baron, so why should they focus on romance? They need to make it to Rowan and Ash’s mother first.
Overall, amazing read. Amazing characters. Amazing story.
It has a semi-open ending (something I didn’t see coming), so I want more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2018
DNF at 60 pages. I didn't abandon this book for being actively bad, so much as for an absolute vacuum of good. The storm of cliches is the biggest thing that prevents it from getting off the ground - all of the attempts to emotionally engage the reader fall completely short, because the emotional arc is so predictable and the characters so one-note. And to be fair, even though it's predictable, you can make a good story surrounding an exceptional person's determination to rise up against the oppressive dictatorship that keeps him down. I like Rogue One, and it follows that same predictable trajectory - with an interesting world and good characters, it's a tried-and-true formula. But this book has neither of those things. As I said, the characters are one-note, and the worldbuilding is just flat boring. It's actually a little remarkable how little creativity goes into the science fiction concepts - in particular, I was bothered by how often words were created by just adding '-er' to an already familiar word ('duster', 'floater', 'spacer', ect.) And that could be forgiven with a more interesting story or writing, but I've already covered how predictable (and also pretty slow) the story is, and the writing is pretty bad as well, with very stiff dialogue and a few egregiously wrong word choices. This is what I mean when I say that I abandoned the book because of a vacuum of good - any one of these things on their own, I'd be able to completely overlook them (except the bad writing, but even then, I can still get mild enjoyment from a badly-written book). But when they all compile together, it's just... what does this book have going for it? Why would somebody want to read it? Unless you've literally never read a sci-fi story before, I would skip this.
March 2, 2016
The Star Host is an energetic, fast-paced science fiction story set in a fictional galaxy, where there is a sharp divide between ‘dusters’ (those living planet-side) and ‘drifters’ (people born in space). Ren, a duster and the hero of the tale, is swept into a series of events that eventually lead him to join forces with a crew of young drifters against a power-hungry despot. He slowly discovers a power latent in himself that makes him both a threat and a potentially useful commodity.
One of the best things about this novel is the matter-of-fact way the author deals with the protagonist’s bisexuality. It is something he seems completely at ease with, and others respond in a similarly progressive way. This is a nice change of pace from some other coming-of-age books where discovering same-sex feelings can lead to angst and family problems. While those books have their place and are important, this is a refreshing change of pace and will certainly appeal to readers looking for less angst.
While this book is an adventure, it is also a sweet, innocent romance. I very much enjoyed seeing the foundations of friendship blossom into something more, and Ren and his love interest, Asher, complement each other in ways that are integral to the plot. By the end, it is clear there is a lot more room for continuing the story, and I look forward to the sequel of this book. I’d especially like to see more background on the Big Baddie and to learn how Ren’s power works.
In short, this is a book both science fiction and young adult readers will enjoy. I recommend it.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
One of the best things about this novel is the matter-of-fact way the author deals with the protagonist’s bisexuality. It is something he seems completely at ease with, and others respond in a similarly progressive way. This is a nice change of pace from some other coming-of-age books where discovering same-sex feelings can lead to angst and family problems. While those books have their place and are important, this is a refreshing change of pace and will certainly appeal to readers looking for less angst.
While this book is an adventure, it is also a sweet, innocent romance. I very much enjoyed seeing the foundations of friendship blossom into something more, and Ren and his love interest, Asher, complement each other in ways that are integral to the plot. By the end, it is clear there is a lot more room for continuing the story, and I look forward to the sequel of this book. I’d especially like to see more background on the Big Baddie and to learn how Ren’s power works.
In short, this is a book both science fiction and young adult readers will enjoy. I recommend it.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2016
The Star Host
F.T. Lukens
Interlude Press, 2016
Cover by CB Messer
ISBN 13: 978-1-941530-73-3
258 pages
Four stars
I don’t read a lot of science fiction, largely because they tend to shy away from any sort of gay content. (As, of course, do most YA books…it’s a market thing, and maybe an author thing.) But Ms. Lukens has created a compelling book, merging sci-fi and magic in a very classic Star Wars way—with a gentle, lyrical twist. I don’t know if it’s her first book with an LGBT core theme, but she’s done a great job.
“Idiot duster. Arrogant drifter.” These two derogatory terms of affection become a leitmotif for the friendship of Ren, a farm boy from an isolated planet, with Asher Morgan, young military officer and aristocratic citizen of one of the many “drifts”—huge space stations that float like city-states throughout the star cluster of their universe. Ren and Ash meet in prison, at the moment when Ren begins to realize why his mother kept him isolated and away from tech—all the electronic machinery that makes life in their universe possible. It is also the moment when Ren begins to realize that his attachment to the young officer is more than just friendship.
This book is not about the teenaged Ren discovering that he’s attracted to Ash. It’s about these two young men realizing that their emotional connection matters. There is lots of edge-of-seat action, carefully rendered world-building, and focused character development. Ren and Ash are really the only two people we get to know well, but that’s enough.
“The Star Host” is the first in the “Broken Moon” series, and all I can say to the author is – hurry up.
F.T. Lukens
Interlude Press, 2016
Cover by CB Messer
ISBN 13: 978-1-941530-73-3
258 pages
Four stars
I don’t read a lot of science fiction, largely because they tend to shy away from any sort of gay content. (As, of course, do most YA books…it’s a market thing, and maybe an author thing.) But Ms. Lukens has created a compelling book, merging sci-fi and magic in a very classic Star Wars way—with a gentle, lyrical twist. I don’t know if it’s her first book with an LGBT core theme, but she’s done a great job.
“Idiot duster. Arrogant drifter.” These two derogatory terms of affection become a leitmotif for the friendship of Ren, a farm boy from an isolated planet, with Asher Morgan, young military officer and aristocratic citizen of one of the many “drifts”—huge space stations that float like city-states throughout the star cluster of their universe. Ren and Ash meet in prison, at the moment when Ren begins to realize why his mother kept him isolated and away from tech—all the electronic machinery that makes life in their universe possible. It is also the moment when Ren begins to realize that his attachment to the young officer is more than just friendship.
This book is not about the teenaged Ren discovering that he’s attracted to Ash. It’s about these two young men realizing that their emotional connection matters. There is lots of edge-of-seat action, carefully rendered world-building, and focused character development. Ren and Ash are really the only two people we get to know well, but that’s enough.
“The Star Host” is the first in the “Broken Moon” series, and all I can say to the author is – hurry up.
March 3, 2019
I really loved this book one of my new favorite scifi series now and my new favorite LGBT book I really enjoyed the romance between the main characters. I really loved the characters they were so well written I especially liked Ren and Asher and I loved the romance between them it was developed at a really good pace. I also liked the other characters they were well written I liked Rowan and the characters from Ren's village Jakob and Sorcha they were both very interesting characters. I really liked the plot of the story it started out pretty fast and kept going at that pace with Ren trying to find a way to escape and meeting Asher and all of the things that happen after that. This is one of the best scifi books I have read in a while. So overall I really loved this book and will be continuing the series soon.
August 31, 2018
What a pleasant surprise- a YA novel set in space with a LGBTQ lead character- all my favourite things. A quick read because it's written in a way where you want to know what's next. I love that gender identity is not a struggle, you just love who you love and it's not looked at as different or anything but normal. Also love the simpleness of the Sci-Fi world you're immersed in. Can't wait to read the next book.
October 29, 2016
I wanted to love this book so much. I absolutely adore the cover, the synopsis sounded like it could totally be my thing and I just generally had a really good feeling about it. Especially after reading the mostly extremely positive reviews about it. And ooooh...how disappointed I was...
Honestly: this book just wasn't really my cup of tea. The plot reminded me of The Lunar Chronicles with a touch of The Hunger Games - which actually sounds like the perfect mixture, especially since I'm such a huge fan of both series. But at the same time, maybe that's the reason why this book fell so flat to me. The Star Host is extremely short for a YA novel and I have to say: it shows. A LOT. So many scenes felt extremely rushed, the first example is already after about 10 pages in: two characters are about to be separated and the characters say something along the lines of: "I'm not going to leave" "You have to" "Ok. Bye" Character out. - that's exactly how it felt to me! A lot of the book seemed really forced and uninspired. I couldn't care less about any of the characters. Ren didn't feel real to me - he seemed like a character who's supposed to have some sort of temperament but his tantrums were really exaggerated and childish instead. I'm just going to say it: they felt fake. At the same time he was really cold and emotionless in other scenes which would have warranted a much deeper reaction. Then again, he was constantly whining about how hard he's had it, while all I could think of was, this is nothing, literally nothing! compared to what other YA protagonists have to go through. And it was obvious his life was meant to seem really tragic and hard and we are supposed to admire him for being so strong, but...no? There's even some sort of montage of his darkest moments in the book and it almost made me laugh because it felt so ridiculous. Honestly, his time in the citadel didn't seem that bad! I'm sure Katniss would've appreciated it as a welcoming break from what she's actually had to go through.
At the end there is sort of a "twist" which is obviously meant to make us feel for Ren even more and I was just like...how could Ren not have thought of this?! Like, that's logical! Of course this happened! And he acted like he was totally surprised about it. WHY? It's not like this plot twist didn't happen before in other YA novels. In other very FAMOUS YA novels. And honestly, it didn't make me like his character more. He's sort of stupid and oblivious throughout the whole book. Like...it's obvious he has this power from the beginning of the book. And he just doesn't get it!! He thinks those things are just happening randomly. I mean...that just has to be a joke, right? Because nobody can be that stupid! And I haven't even started talking about Ren's and Asher's relationship yet. I suppose it was meant to be cute, except that I found it really cringeworthy. They call each other "arrogant drifter" and "idiot duster" and just...oh my god. Give me a break. That is not how people talk! Really, a lot of their interactions felt just extremely childish and way too cheesy. Asher is 20 for god's sake! I also find it really fascinating that we have characters in this book that we are supposed to care about, except that they feel about as elaborated as an empty vessel. There's Sorcha. Apparently a very sweet girl and we are supposed to care about her simply because Ren cares about her. Except that I can't tell you anything about her personality. At least her hair colour is mentioned about a dozen times in this book - priorites and stuff. So how am I supposed to give a single flic-flac about her fate...when she doesn't even feel real? And I have that problem with about 90% of the characters of the book (the other 10% being annoying and walking cliches). But maybe I'm just stone-cold. So many things in this book don't even make sense. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone, but at the end there's sort of a major fight going on and the villain - who has his own pretty amazing super powers - apparently chooses not to make any use of them. Even though it's pretty clear that he could overpower Ren very easily, except that he didn't even try. Isn't that just so convenient and considerate of him! I wish all villains were like that, it would make life for the good guys so much easier.
I had expected so much from this book. And it felt like such a cheap version of The Lunar Chronicles. But why, just why should I read this book when there's already this other YA series that actually manages to have so many great and realistic characters and a really elaborated and imaginative plot. I don't feel like this series has anything original. It honestly surprises me that people praise the world-building. The world-building is almost a copy of The Lunar Chronicles with a quite obvious touch of The Hunger Games. So what exactly is so original about it. God. The more I write about this book, the more I'm starting to hate it. Granted, the second half was a tiny bit better and it was an extremely quick read. But so many things bothered me. I can't even write about them all because I've already started trying to forget about this book. It's not even that it's that bad, but that thinking of all the positive reactions it got sort of makes me hate this book even more. I. just. don't. understand!!!
So: I'm not going to read the next novel - which I'm sure is going to surprise absolutely no one. I don't care about what's going to happen next because I can't imagine the second or third book or how many there are going to be of this to be any more original. This journey simply has to go on without me. Because I'm done.
Honestly: this book just wasn't really my cup of tea. The plot reminded me of The Lunar Chronicles with a touch of The Hunger Games - which actually sounds like the perfect mixture, especially since I'm such a huge fan of both series. But at the same time, maybe that's the reason why this book fell so flat to me. The Star Host is extremely short for a YA novel and I have to say: it shows. A LOT. So many scenes felt extremely rushed, the first example is already after about 10 pages in: two characters are about to be separated and the characters say something along the lines of: "I'm not going to leave" "You have to" "Ok. Bye" Character out. - that's exactly how it felt to me! A lot of the book seemed really forced and uninspired. I couldn't care less about any of the characters. Ren didn't feel real to me - he seemed like a character who's supposed to have some sort of temperament but his tantrums were really exaggerated and childish instead. I'm just going to say it: they felt fake. At the same time he was really cold and emotionless in other scenes which would have warranted a much deeper reaction. Then again, he was constantly whining about how hard he's had it, while all I could think of was, this is nothing, literally nothing! compared to what other YA protagonists have to go through. And it was obvious his life was meant to seem really tragic and hard and we are supposed to admire him for being so strong, but...no? There's even some sort of montage of his darkest moments in the book and it almost made me laugh because it felt so ridiculous. Honestly, his time in the citadel didn't seem that bad! I'm sure Katniss would've appreciated it as a welcoming break from what she's actually had to go through.
At the end there is sort of a "twist" which is obviously meant to make us feel for Ren even more and I was just like...how could Ren not have thought of this?! Like, that's logical! Of course this happened! And he acted like he was totally surprised about it. WHY? It's not like this plot twist didn't happen before in other YA novels. In other very FAMOUS YA novels. And honestly, it didn't make me like his character more. He's sort of stupid and oblivious throughout the whole book. Like...it's obvious he has this power from the beginning of the book. And he just doesn't get it!! He thinks those things are just happening randomly. I mean...that just has to be a joke, right? Because nobody can be that stupid! And I haven't even started talking about Ren's and Asher's relationship yet. I suppose it was meant to be cute, except that I found it really cringeworthy. They call each other "arrogant drifter" and "idiot duster" and just...oh my god. Give me a break. That is not how people talk! Really, a lot of their interactions felt just extremely childish and way too cheesy. Asher is 20 for god's sake! I also find it really fascinating that we have characters in this book that we are supposed to care about, except that they feel about as elaborated as an empty vessel. There's Sorcha. Apparently a very sweet girl and we are supposed to care about her simply because Ren cares about her. Except that I can't tell you anything about her personality. At least her hair colour is mentioned about a dozen times in this book - priorites and stuff. So how am I supposed to give a single flic-flac about her fate...when she doesn't even feel real? And I have that problem with about 90% of the characters of the book (the other 10% being annoying and walking cliches). But maybe I'm just stone-cold. So many things in this book don't even make sense. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone, but at the end there's sort of a major fight going on and the villain - who has his own pretty amazing super powers - apparently chooses not to make any use of them. Even though it's pretty clear that he could overpower Ren very easily, except that he didn't even try. Isn't that just so convenient and considerate of him! I wish all villains were like that, it would make life for the good guys so much easier.
I had expected so much from this book. And it felt like such a cheap version of The Lunar Chronicles. But why, just why should I read this book when there's already this other YA series that actually manages to have so many great and realistic characters and a really elaborated and imaginative plot. I don't feel like this series has anything original. It honestly surprises me that people praise the world-building. The world-building is almost a copy of The Lunar Chronicles with a quite obvious touch of The Hunger Games. So what exactly is so original about it. God. The more I write about this book, the more I'm starting to hate it. Granted, the second half was a tiny bit better and it was an extremely quick read. But so many things bothered me. I can't even write about them all because I've already started trying to forget about this book. It's not even that it's that bad, but that thinking of all the positive reactions it got sort of makes me hate this book even more. I. just. don't. understand!!!
So: I'm not going to read the next novel - which I'm sure is going to surprise absolutely no one. I don't care about what's going to happen next because I can't imagine the second or third book or how many there are going to be of this to be any more original. This journey simply has to go on without me. Because I'm done.
March 3, 2016
I was absolutely thrilled to have been given the opportunity to be an advance reader for this book. The short version of my review is that this book is amazing, and I am hard-pressed to be more coherent than ASKLJFDAH and OMGFLAIL, but I am a professional here and I can do this. However, let me preface this with the note that this is a wonderful story that you don't want to miss, and you should go check it out right away.
While you do that, let me see if I can flail properly, but without spoilers.
While you do that, let me see if I can flail properly, but without spoilers.
March 29, 2016
I’m going to start this review off saying that this was a fabulous story. This YA Paranormal was nonstop excitement. I was engaged the entire time. It didn’t drag at all! The characters were brilliant. Starting the story we meet Ren and by the end of chapter 1 you’re already entranced with his situation. Set in Ren’s POV was perfect. We meet a lot of characters but you’re never confused with who is who. Asher is his “cell mate” at first. The evolution of this book and these characters was so wonderfully put together. Creating new worlds is so hard but FT Lukens mastered it brilliantly. I was emotionally invested in the mission, Ren, Asher, and all the secondary characters. Ren’s gift…. How it’s described…. What a Star Host is, it’s creative genius and outstanding writing.
I highly recommend this book to paranormal fans or just anyone who really loves a great, engaging, wildly entertaining story!
I highly recommend this book to paranormal fans or just anyone who really loves a great, engaging, wildly entertaining story!
March 3, 2016
This book is exactly what you want out of a young adult book, with the addition of an incredible scifi world to explore. There's a bit of romance, but it doesn't overpower the story, and there isn't extra emphasis or drama on it being LGBTQ. It just is. I love that and I really needed that in a young adult book. I love the writing, I love the plot, and I love the setting. It really is just what I wanted in a book.
June 5, 2021
Probably a 1.5
The concept is so good but the execution is just... not. Why does the author keep skipping over the important parts?? I had the same issue their latest book (In Deeper Waters); while I felt like the book was a drag, I would have happily read a hundred more pages if I had gotten to read actual character development on page! Replace repetitive and useless dialogue with development PLEASE.
I’ll probably read the next book in hopes that development will occur but I’m very skeptical.
The concept is so good but the execution is just... not. Why does the author keep skipping over the important parts?? I had the same issue their latest book (In Deeper Waters); while I felt like the book was a drag, I would have happily read a hundred more pages if I had gotten to read actual character development on page! Replace repetitive and useless dialogue with development PLEASE.
I’ll probably read the next book in hopes that development will occur but I’m very skeptical.
March 6, 2016
It's not often I find a sci-fi book where I really like the characters AND the plot, but I looked up three-quarters of the book later to realize I was biting my nails from worry about Ren and Ash, having not put the book down once. It's a universe I want to spend more time in - this is going on my list of books to re-read again and again.
March 8, 2016
Ren is captured while trying to hide his brother from the gangs of soldiers who range the countryside near his home. Forced to march several days to the citadel of the Baron who rules Ren's segment of the planet Erden, Ren learns that he's got powers that rival the legends his mother taught him. he has the ability to shutdown the electric cattle prods and stunners that are continually aimed at him.
He wants to escape, but he knows he needs to be strategic about it. The baron seems to be amassing an army--to what purpose none of the new captive can even guess. The citadel is a fortress, and the baron's general knows that Ren's power allows him to control any machine. Ren's a star host, and his gift is technopathy; he's soon put to work fixing all the broken tech that serves the baron's army. And this includes spaceships that seem poised to go offworld.
Ren is housed in a technopath-proof iron prison alongside Asher, a political prisoner. Asher was born and raised on a drift--a space station. He was a member of the Phoenix Corps who crashed on Erden. The only reason he's still alive is because his mother is a galactic counselor--and providing regular evidence that Asher lives keeps the Phoenix Corps from landing on Erden and wrecking the baron's plans for offworld domination. These plans include coercing Ren into tapping into ships and space stations, defending and controlling them in the name of the baron. Ren has other ideas, however. He wants to go home, but knows this is impossible. With Asher's connections they may just be able to escape Erden together, and keep Ren from fusing with the machines that call to him.
It's a fascinating "chosen one" tale with elegant prose and a fast-paced plot. Ren comes into his powers slowly, but realizes that he'd likely had them all along. His memories of the legends his mother would whisper to him at night and their home strangely devoid of all tech now seems so prescient. He's just seventeen, but Ren must grow up quickly and hone his abilities if he's going to survive as a human with free will. Every time he joins with the machines (and the bigger the machines the worse it is!) he risks staying in his star form, detached from humanity and thinking only of the power that courses through him. It is Asher who has the ability to connect with Ren when he's trapped in the tech-phase. And, as Ren becomes more and more dependent upon Asher to keep him grounded he recognizes that his feelings are getting involved.
This is a YA adventure/romance and there is a dash of romance to go along with the story. Ren's attracted to Asher, and they are fast becoming the best of friends...maybe more? Could they be? What will happen if Asher can't get into Ren's head when he's in his star form? The last battles of technopath star hosts broke the sky, according to the legends. Ren can see how it happened, and fears repeating this same mistake as he's not yet strong enough to control his power lust when fusing with a large machine. Naturally, the only way to save himself and his friends is by joining with a gigantic space station...
Honestly, I loved the book. I found it fresh and interesting. There are very sweet friendships and harrowing escapes and lessons that need learning and boundaries that must be tested, and bested. Ren and Asher together are so perfectly mismatched, and that's totally adorable. There's a bit of kissing, but nothing else. Great for YA readers who enjoy clean romances and sci-fi adventures. This world is rich and lush, and there's no condemnation for same-sex pairing--so no one thinks anything derogatory of Ren and Asher for falling for one another. The book ends with a complete resolution of all hostilities, but you can bet there will be more where this came from, and I look forward to a sequel.
He wants to escape, but he knows he needs to be strategic about it. The baron seems to be amassing an army--to what purpose none of the new captive can even guess. The citadel is a fortress, and the baron's general knows that Ren's power allows him to control any machine. Ren's a star host, and his gift is technopathy; he's soon put to work fixing all the broken tech that serves the baron's army. And this includes spaceships that seem poised to go offworld.
Ren is housed in a technopath-proof iron prison alongside Asher, a political prisoner. Asher was born and raised on a drift--a space station. He was a member of the Phoenix Corps who crashed on Erden. The only reason he's still alive is because his mother is a galactic counselor--and providing regular evidence that Asher lives keeps the Phoenix Corps from landing on Erden and wrecking the baron's plans for offworld domination. These plans include coercing Ren into tapping into ships and space stations, defending and controlling them in the name of the baron. Ren has other ideas, however. He wants to go home, but knows this is impossible. With Asher's connections they may just be able to escape Erden together, and keep Ren from fusing with the machines that call to him.
It's a fascinating "chosen one" tale with elegant prose and a fast-paced plot. Ren comes into his powers slowly, but realizes that he'd likely had them all along. His memories of the legends his mother would whisper to him at night and their home strangely devoid of all tech now seems so prescient. He's just seventeen, but Ren must grow up quickly and hone his abilities if he's going to survive as a human with free will. Every time he joins with the machines (and the bigger the machines the worse it is!) he risks staying in his star form, detached from humanity and thinking only of the power that courses through him. It is Asher who has the ability to connect with Ren when he's trapped in the tech-phase. And, as Ren becomes more and more dependent upon Asher to keep him grounded he recognizes that his feelings are getting involved.
This is a YA adventure/romance and there is a dash of romance to go along with the story. Ren's attracted to Asher, and they are fast becoming the best of friends...maybe more? Could they be? What will happen if Asher can't get into Ren's head when he's in his star form? The last battles of technopath star hosts broke the sky, according to the legends. Ren can see how it happened, and fears repeating this same mistake as he's not yet strong enough to control his power lust when fusing with a large machine. Naturally, the only way to save himself and his friends is by joining with a gigantic space station...
Honestly, I loved the book. I found it fresh and interesting. There are very sweet friendships and harrowing escapes and lessons that need learning and boundaries that must be tested, and bested. Ren and Asher together are so perfectly mismatched, and that's totally adorable. There's a bit of kissing, but nothing else. Great for YA readers who enjoy clean romances and sci-fi adventures. This world is rich and lush, and there's no condemnation for same-sex pairing--so no one thinks anything derogatory of Ren and Asher for falling for one another. The book ends with a complete resolution of all hostilities, but you can bet there will be more where this came from, and I look forward to a sequel.
March 12, 2016
Okay, so here's where I admit I've been hanging onto "The Star Host" since before it was released. I was given a copy for pre-release review. Sadly, here I am, days after release, and only finally able to read and review it.
The first thing I can say about this book is that F. T. Lukens is a master at making the reader care about her characters. I liked Ren by the third paragraph, and I never stopped liking him. In addition to being superhuman, Ren somehow manages to be super human — he feels like a teenager I could have known and hung out with in my own high school days. Despite their basis in science fiction, his struggles stayed relatable. Even better, his reactions to the things that happen to him make those events feel almost real. When Ren was scared, I was scared; when he was happy, or falling in love, so was I.
These are all masterful traits for a narrator. But Lukens' mastery doesn't stop with Ren: all her secondary characters have that same spark of life, their own clearly rich inner lives that intersect with Ren but don't entirely revolve around him. The crews of the ships, his fellow captives, even the soldiers around them are all startlingly three-dimensional. Special mention goes to Asher, who is difficult and funny and cynical and hopeful, in a dizzyingly real reaction to his captivity. I would share examples and quotes, but I'd really hate to spoil the plot of this one for you
In fact, the plot is the second thing I have to tell you about. And that's kind of a problem, because it's such a fun one that I want to make sure you're unspoiled for every twist and turn. Lukens balances her action plot and her emotional plots excellently, once again creating the illusion of real people smashing into each other. Every action has consequences, whether Ren was able to foresee them or not, and those consequences keep everything moving quickly.
Suffice to say that Ren is picked up by his local baron's jackbooted thugs, his capture doesn't go to plan, and he ends up becoming much more important than he could ever have dreamed. Along the way, he meets a political prisoner who turns out to be just as intriguing, in his own way.
The action plot has a couple of quiet spots, but for the most part, it's fast-paced, and it keeps the reader turning pages, demanding to know what happens next. Ren hits the ground running, and apart from his capture, he doesn't stop moving, and my heart didn't stop pounding.
Finally, I have to praise the worldbuilding. Much of it is done through character, and both Ren and Asher are constantly running into things that they view through their own prior experiences. Lukens doesn't drop a bunch of universe-specific jargon on the reader and doesn't fall into the hard science fiction trap of requiring that absolutely everything be explained through contemporary science and a few made up mathematical formulas. Ren and Asher are teenagers dealing with something from out of a myth, and their cluelessness on the mechanics behind how the star host works in favor of figuring out how to make it work on their behalf makes perfect sense. In fact, it's refreshing.
All in all, this is an excellent read that I definitely recommend. It struck a great balance and kept me turning pages and half in love with just about every character I met.
The first thing I can say about this book is that F. T. Lukens is a master at making the reader care about her characters. I liked Ren by the third paragraph, and I never stopped liking him. In addition to being superhuman, Ren somehow manages to be super human — he feels like a teenager I could have known and hung out with in my own high school days. Despite their basis in science fiction, his struggles stayed relatable. Even better, his reactions to the things that happen to him make those events feel almost real. When Ren was scared, I was scared; when he was happy, or falling in love, so was I.
These are all masterful traits for a narrator. But Lukens' mastery doesn't stop with Ren: all her secondary characters have that same spark of life, their own clearly rich inner lives that intersect with Ren but don't entirely revolve around him. The crews of the ships, his fellow captives, even the soldiers around them are all startlingly three-dimensional. Special mention goes to Asher, who is difficult and funny and cynical and hopeful, in a dizzyingly real reaction to his captivity. I would share examples and quotes, but I'd really hate to spoil the plot of this one for you
In fact, the plot is the second thing I have to tell you about. And that's kind of a problem, because it's such a fun one that I want to make sure you're unspoiled for every twist and turn. Lukens balances her action plot and her emotional plots excellently, once again creating the illusion of real people smashing into each other. Every action has consequences, whether Ren was able to foresee them or not, and those consequences keep everything moving quickly.
Suffice to say that Ren is picked up by his local baron's jackbooted thugs, his capture doesn't go to plan, and he ends up becoming much more important than he could ever have dreamed. Along the way, he meets a political prisoner who turns out to be just as intriguing, in his own way.
The action plot has a couple of quiet spots, but for the most part, it's fast-paced, and it keeps the reader turning pages, demanding to know what happens next. Ren hits the ground running, and apart from his capture, he doesn't stop moving, and my heart didn't stop pounding.
Finally, I have to praise the worldbuilding. Much of it is done through character, and both Ren and Asher are constantly running into things that they view through their own prior experiences. Lukens doesn't drop a bunch of universe-specific jargon on the reader and doesn't fall into the hard science fiction trap of requiring that absolutely everything be explained through contemporary science and a few made up mathematical formulas. Ren and Asher are teenagers dealing with something from out of a myth, and their cluelessness on the mechanics behind how the star host works in favor of figuring out how to make it work on their behalf makes perfect sense. In fact, it's refreshing.
All in all, this is an excellent read that I definitely recommend. It struck a great balance and kept me turning pages and half in love with just about every character I met.
May 20, 2016
What TOTALLY WORKED for me:
The world: Other reviewers have talked about the GORGEOUS world-building in this book and they aren’t wrong. It takes maybe three pages for Ren’s world to feel completely and naturally real, regardless of its differences from our own.
The relationships: For me, a good story is built on compelling relationships and this book has them in spades. The characters might be in space, but the friendships, arguments, and flirtations feel as grounded as they come.
The powers: As readers, we get to watch Ren discover his technopathic abilities and IT IS A JOY. Seriously, I don’t want to give too much away, but I could watch that boy play with tech all day.
The friendships: Again, I’ll avoid spoilers, but I love that the central relationship is built on such a solid foundation. I completely believe that, were romance off the table, these two would still be best friends.
You should read this book if:
… you like your space adventures fast-paced and centered on human connection (think Star Wars or Firefly). This is also going to be your jam if you like queer representation with zero heteronormative stupidity. The Star Host doesn’t include any drama about anyone’s sexual identity, because it’s simply part of who they are.
The world: Other reviewers have talked about the GORGEOUS world-building in this book and they aren’t wrong. It takes maybe three pages for Ren’s world to feel completely and naturally real, regardless of its differences from our own.
The relationships: For me, a good story is built on compelling relationships and this book has them in spades. The characters might be in space, but the friendships, arguments, and flirtations feel as grounded as they come.
The powers: As readers, we get to watch Ren discover his technopathic abilities and IT IS A JOY. Seriously, I don’t want to give too much away, but I could watch that boy play with tech all day.
The friendships: Again, I’ll avoid spoilers, but I love that the central relationship is built on such a solid foundation. I completely believe that, were romance off the table, these two would still be best friends.
You should read this book if:
… you like your space adventures fast-paced and centered on human connection (think Star Wars or Firefly). This is also going to be your jam if you like queer representation with zero heteronormative stupidity. The Star Host doesn’t include any drama about anyone’s sexual identity, because it’s simply part of who they are.
April 5, 2016
I've been looking for a good scifi book for a while now. This one delivered beyond any expectation I could possibly have. It has a great plot, wonderful characters and a world that makes sense within the context that it is built on. The story starts on a backwater world where a young man, Ren, is captured by a power hungry tyrant. He learns that he has part of a star within himself giving him great power but no control. He meets Asher, a Phoenix Corps soldier, who is held hostage to keep his powerful mother from sending other Phoenix Corps personnel to the planet to find out what is happening there. What follows is a story full of action, emotions and adventures as Ren and Asher struggle to save what they can of their world before it's taken over by the aforementioned tyrant. How Ren begins to control his power is superbly shown. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
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March 12, 2016An amazingly beautiful, exciting, entrancing and compulsively readable book. I love science fiction, I love YA, and I love YA science fiction. The characters are so well-written, the story is just...amazing.
In a more perfect world, I would be giving this book a cohesive, fluent and point-by-point erudite review. But it's not, so all I can say that is that I would buy this book in hardcover and I will be re-reading it happily. I'm currently requesting it be stocked at my local library, because this is the kind of story that will truly touch someone who might need it -- seeing themselves in the kind of story they love to read is a vitally important thing.
In a more perfect world, I would be giving this book a cohesive, fluent and point-by-point erudite review. But it's not, so all I can say that is that I would buy this book in hardcover and I will be re-reading it happily. I'm currently requesting it be stocked at my local library, because this is the kind of story that will truly touch someone who might need it -- seeing themselves in the kind of story they love to read is a vitally important thing.
March 8, 2016
I love Science Fiction stories from the era of Isaac Asimov, Alfred Bester, Ray Bradbury or Robert A. Heinlein. Today I found a modern author who writes stories equally as good as those that set me on the path to Science Fiction fandom.
F. T. Lukens writes an action packed, fast moving story (with a hint of an m/m romance) that is rounded out by the wonderful characters that F.T. has given us. I was riveted to finding out how Ren coped with his unexpected talents and how he and Asher were going to stop the protagonist General Abiathar. I look forward to reading more stories about Ren and Asher and hope F.T. Lukens continues writing my kind of Science Fiction.
F. T. Lukens writes an action packed, fast moving story (with a hint of an m/m romance) that is rounded out by the wonderful characters that F.T. has given us. I was riveted to finding out how Ren coped with his unexpected talents and how he and Asher were going to stop the protagonist General Abiathar. I look forward to reading more stories about Ren and Asher and hope F.T. Lukens continues writing my kind of Science Fiction.
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