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Lucifer's Star #1
Lucifer's Star
This is an alternate cover edition for B01MDM9MCT
Cassius Mass was the greatest star pilot of the Crius Archduchy. He fought fiercely for his cause, only to watch his nation fall to the Interstellar Commonwealth. It was only after that he realized the side he'd been fighting for was the wrong one. Now a semi-functional navigator on an interstellar freight hauler, he tries to hide who he was and escape his past. Unfortunately, some things refuse to stay buried and he ends up conscripted by the very people who destroyed his homeland.
LUCIFER'S STAR is the first novel of the Lucifer's Star series, a dark science fiction space opera set in a world of aliens, war, politics, and slavery.
Cassius Mass was the greatest star pilot of the Crius Archduchy. He fought fiercely for his cause, only to watch his nation fall to the Interstellar Commonwealth. It was only after that he realized the side he'd been fighting for was the wrong one. Now a semi-functional navigator on an interstellar freight hauler, he tries to hide who he was and escape his past. Unfortunately, some things refuse to stay buried and he ends up conscripted by the very people who destroyed his homeland.
LUCIFER'S STAR is the first novel of the Lucifer's Star series, a dark science fiction space opera set in a world of aliens, war, politics, and slavery.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 16, 2016
87 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
C.T. Phipps
93 books671 followersC.T Phipps is a lifelong student of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. An avid tabletop gamer, he discovered this passion led him to write and turned him into a lifelong geek. He is a regular reviewer on Booknest.EU and for Grimdark Magazine.
He's written the Agent G series, Cthulhu Armageddon, the Red Room Trilogy, I Was A Teenaged Weredeer, Lucifer's Star, Psycho Killers in Love, Straight Outta Fangton, The Supervillainy Saga, and Wraith Knight.
Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blog...
Website: https://ctphipps.com/
C.T. Fanclub: https://www.facebook.com/groups/14917...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ctphipps
He's written the Agent G series, Cthulhu Armageddon, the Red Room Trilogy, I Was A Teenaged Weredeer, Lucifer's Star, Psycho Killers in Love, Straight Outta Fangton, The Supervillainy Saga, and Wraith Knight.
Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blog...
Website: https://ctphipps.com/
C.T. Fanclub: https://www.facebook.com/groups/14917...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ctphipps
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
May 25, 2017
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
Lucifer’s Star is damn fine space opera! That was my initial reaction after closing the book, and now, several weeks later, I still feel the same way: C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus having crafted a rousing, pulse-pounding adventure story that fans of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, or other sci-fi series should not miss out on.
The epic last battle between the Crius Archduchy and the Interstellar Commonwealth is taking place! Battleships and starfighters dancing among the heavens and between the fiery energy bolts of destruction. The fate of one section of the galaxy about to be decided once and for all. A young man struggling against the inevitable, desperately trying to find a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and save not only his society but, more importantly, his family.
Too quickly, it is revealed that the battle is merely the dreams of one Cassius, a loner aboard the star frigate Melampus. His mind still plagued by nightmares of the war he somehow survived years before. His only desire to slip away from that past, forget what he has lost, and fade into obscurity among the other rift raft aboard Captain Ida Claire’s starship.
But anonymity isn’t to be, as more of Cassius’ past is revealed. His true identity thrusting him into the spotlight and returning him to a role he wished to leave behind. The future shifting before his eyes as the people he has lived among are shown to have their own secrets and motives. Each event pushing Cassius deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole he wanted so desperately to escape; people from his past reappearing and new threats looming over everything!
Many science fiction adventures attempt to capture the glory of great space opera: the masterful mixing of adventure and comedy, deceit and devotion, battle and exploration, hope and failure. All of these elements gently folded into a galaxy of familiarity and wonder, where galaxy building, violence, and good versus evil is the overall theme. Yet few success in capturing the wonder of great space opera. Phipps and Suttkus do, however, for several reasons.
First, they have a good cast of characters. And it all starts with our jaded yet somewhat noble hero Cassius, whose past might appear to be glorious but is soon revealed to have more than its share of secrets, sorrows, and missteps. His present motives ambiguous at best, filled with selfish desires and serious flaws. In other words, this guy is the perfect space opera hero for the early 21st Century (which doesn’t seem to believe in heroes anymore.) And surrounding him are a host of interesting people — from the calculating Captain Claire to the femme fatale Clarice to the scarred yet hopeful Isla. Each and every player adding yet another element of drama to a story which is filled with intrigue, double-crosses, and grand conspiracies.
Take special note of that last sentence, because it is my way of telling you that Lucifer’s Star isn’t a straight forward good versus bad space opera. Nope, the plot here is more complex than that. There are numerous twists and turns. Good guys revealed as bad guys (or merely at odds with our hero in the current situation.) More than a few people are backstabbed. Honorable or patriot motives evaporate once the focus settles upon them. And throughout it all, it really is difficult to tell who exactly is right, who is wrong, and who you the reader should be pulling for, because everyone has a decent argument that they alone are right.
As for the galaxy building here, it is deftly done by the authors. Phipps and Suttkus slowly but steadily painting the picture of a huge galaxy not long ago torn by war, filled with secrets, inhabited by mysterious beings, and controlled by even more mythical entities. The fragile equilibrium of everything ready to be blown asunder by a growing rebellion and its backers. Terrorists seen as heroes by some. Peacemakers viewed as fascists. War and death a never ending affair — as it is always going on somewhere. Danger, death, and adventure lurking around every corner.
As for any criticism I have of the book, the only one worth mentioning is the pacing and length of the opening chapters. For me, the initial setup here (while well done and completely understandable from a plot point of view) felt slow and too long. Other than the battle scene, it was more a constant buildup of reveals and back story which wasn’t terribly exciting. Certainly, the wealth of information introduced here sped the rest of the tale along, but I wish the first several chapters would have been a bit more exciting or a little shorter.
Lucifer’s Star is space opera for the 21st Century. Gone are the days of good guys in white fighting bad guys in black. Life is more complex than that, and so to are its stories. With a pulse-pounding, action-packed story populated by jaded, scarred characters and played out in a well imagined galaxy filled with intrigue, mystery, conflict, and more than a few laughs, Lucifer’s Star might not leave you with a smile on your face, but it will definitely leave you wanting to know more about Cassius and where his story will take him.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
Lucifer’s Star is damn fine space opera! That was my initial reaction after closing the book, and now, several weeks later, I still feel the same way: C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus having crafted a rousing, pulse-pounding adventure story that fans of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, or other sci-fi series should not miss out on.
The epic last battle between the Crius Archduchy and the Interstellar Commonwealth is taking place! Battleships and starfighters dancing among the heavens and between the fiery energy bolts of destruction. The fate of one section of the galaxy about to be decided once and for all. A young man struggling against the inevitable, desperately trying to find a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and save not only his society but, more importantly, his family.
Too quickly, it is revealed that the battle is merely the dreams of one Cassius, a loner aboard the star frigate Melampus. His mind still plagued by nightmares of the war he somehow survived years before. His only desire to slip away from that past, forget what he has lost, and fade into obscurity among the other rift raft aboard Captain Ida Claire’s starship.
But anonymity isn’t to be, as more of Cassius’ past is revealed. His true identity thrusting him into the spotlight and returning him to a role he wished to leave behind. The future shifting before his eyes as the people he has lived among are shown to have their own secrets and motives. Each event pushing Cassius deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole he wanted so desperately to escape; people from his past reappearing and new threats looming over everything!
Many science fiction adventures attempt to capture the glory of great space opera: the masterful mixing of adventure and comedy, deceit and devotion, battle and exploration, hope and failure. All of these elements gently folded into a galaxy of familiarity and wonder, where galaxy building, violence, and good versus evil is the overall theme. Yet few success in capturing the wonder of great space opera. Phipps and Suttkus do, however, for several reasons.
First, they have a good cast of characters. And it all starts with our jaded yet somewhat noble hero Cassius, whose past might appear to be glorious but is soon revealed to have more than its share of secrets, sorrows, and missteps. His present motives ambiguous at best, filled with selfish desires and serious flaws. In other words, this guy is the perfect space opera hero for the early 21st Century (which doesn’t seem to believe in heroes anymore.) And surrounding him are a host of interesting people — from the calculating Captain Claire to the femme fatale Clarice to the scarred yet hopeful Isla. Each and every player adding yet another element of drama to a story which is filled with intrigue, double-crosses, and grand conspiracies.
Take special note of that last sentence, because it is my way of telling you that Lucifer’s Star isn’t a straight forward good versus bad space opera. Nope, the plot here is more complex than that. There are numerous twists and turns. Good guys revealed as bad guys (or merely at odds with our hero in the current situation.) More than a few people are backstabbed. Honorable or patriot motives evaporate once the focus settles upon them. And throughout it all, it really is difficult to tell who exactly is right, who is wrong, and who you the reader should be pulling for, because everyone has a decent argument that they alone are right.
As for the galaxy building here, it is deftly done by the authors. Phipps and Suttkus slowly but steadily painting the picture of a huge galaxy not long ago torn by war, filled with secrets, inhabited by mysterious beings, and controlled by even more mythical entities. The fragile equilibrium of everything ready to be blown asunder by a growing rebellion and its backers. Terrorists seen as heroes by some. Peacemakers viewed as fascists. War and death a never ending affair — as it is always going on somewhere. Danger, death, and adventure lurking around every corner.
As for any criticism I have of the book, the only one worth mentioning is the pacing and length of the opening chapters. For me, the initial setup here (while well done and completely understandable from a plot point of view) felt slow and too long. Other than the battle scene, it was more a constant buildup of reveals and back story which wasn’t terribly exciting. Certainly, the wealth of information introduced here sped the rest of the tale along, but I wish the first several chapters would have been a bit more exciting or a little shorter.
Lucifer’s Star is space opera for the 21st Century. Gone are the days of good guys in white fighting bad guys in black. Life is more complex than that, and so to are its stories. With a pulse-pounding, action-packed story populated by jaded, scarred characters and played out in a well imagined galaxy filled with intrigue, mystery, conflict, and more than a few laughs, Lucifer’s Star might not leave you with a smile on your face, but it will definitely leave you wanting to know more about Cassius and where his story will take him.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
June 20, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 stars
Lucifer's Star is a fine example of a space opera which gives me cause to explore this genre more. A promising debut of a grimdark science fiction series by C.T Phipps and Michael Suttkus, this a narrative that blurs the boundaries of the right or wrong side.
The story is told from a first person perspective of Cassius Mass, a legendary star pilot from the Archduchy of Crius whose nation lost in a final big battle with the massive forces of the Commonwealth. Our main protagonist, desperately trying to escape or bury his past, was shoved right into the face of rising new threats and perpetual conflicts that the human race is so adept at propagating.
The world, or rather cosmos-building, evident in this narrative was intricate and quite remarkable. This is a far-future science fiction of humans who after destroying Earth, conquered and colonised space and eventually developed into various nations or 'races' of humanity. These comprise the larger interstellar organisation called the Commonwealth and the smaller one being the Archduchy of Crius whose nobility dabbled into cyber-genetics, cloning, and human experimentation. Then we have another 'race' altogether who have evolved and adapted to space life so completely that they can dwell in zero gravity and appear more alien than human.
No science fiction is ever complete without the mention of aliens and their far superior technology and the authors weaved this aspect of worldbuilding into the narrative without these beings ever making an appearance. But instead it told of their influence and shaping of these races and their technology, and of even more mystical beings controlling or directing the fate of humanity in space. I personally found this to be well-executed while maintaining a mysterious air to these highly intelligent alien beings.
Whether it was for a matter of survival or merely an extension of dominance, battles were a constant affair. Arising from the fall of Crius, there were new factions arising within the Commonwealth which resulted in plots within plots, conspiracies within conspiracies, and twists and turns that occurred so often that one has no inkling which side can be trusted nor which side is right or wrong.
Aside from the intricate plot and worldbuilding, the cast of characters was diverse and interesting with an impressively large proportion of female representation. In fact, aside from Cassius, all the more notable characters were women. The best part of all was that they were compelling and three-dimensional characters which did not fall into the horribly cliched form of femme fatales just to satisfy the mould of 'strong and dangerous female'. Cassius himself was fascinating in his internal struggle between who he was born to be and had been, and who he will want or wish to become.
The main issue I had with this book was that there was just too much for me to absorb on the political narrative over the length of the book. As one who sometimes prefers slower or longer books to draw out the plot or character development, I actually will like more pages to better understand the background of all these conflicts and the various factions and organisations a bit better. Perhaps I'm just too dense to grab all that at the first instance. The other was more around expectation. The initial space battle scene in the first chapter was very well-written and I hoped to see a bit more of that but the tone of the book turned to more social commentary on war, slavery, cloning, transhumanism, artificial intelligence and a mothership-load of political intrigue.
Notwithstanding, Lucifer's Star was well-written with solid worldbuilding and character development that I will gladly partake in the future books of this series.
This review can also be found at Booknest
3.75 stars
Lucifer's Star is a fine example of a space opera which gives me cause to explore this genre more. A promising debut of a grimdark science fiction series by C.T Phipps and Michael Suttkus, this a narrative that blurs the boundaries of the right or wrong side.
The story is told from a first person perspective of Cassius Mass, a legendary star pilot from the Archduchy of Crius whose nation lost in a final big battle with the massive forces of the Commonwealth. Our main protagonist, desperately trying to escape or bury his past, was shoved right into the face of rising new threats and perpetual conflicts that the human race is so adept at propagating.
“Evil is evil. Big. Small. Grand. Petty. Well-justified or just because. There’s no lesser or greater of it. Choosing between them does not make your soul any less blackened."
The world, or rather cosmos-building, evident in this narrative was intricate and quite remarkable. This is a far-future science fiction of humans who after destroying Earth, conquered and colonised space and eventually developed into various nations or 'races' of humanity. These comprise the larger interstellar organisation called the Commonwealth and the smaller one being the Archduchy of Crius whose nobility dabbled into cyber-genetics, cloning, and human experimentation. Then we have another 'race' altogether who have evolved and adapted to space life so completely that they can dwell in zero gravity and appear more alien than human.
No science fiction is ever complete without the mention of aliens and their far superior technology and the authors weaved this aspect of worldbuilding into the narrative without these beings ever making an appearance. But instead it told of their influence and shaping of these races and their technology, and of even more mystical beings controlling or directing the fate of humanity in space. I personally found this to be well-executed while maintaining a mysterious air to these highly intelligent alien beings.
Whether it was for a matter of survival or merely an extension of dominance, battles were a constant affair. Arising from the fall of Crius, there were new factions arising within the Commonwealth which resulted in plots within plots, conspiracies within conspiracies, and twists and turns that occurred so often that one has no inkling which side can be trusted nor which side is right or wrong.
"If you can’t be with the side you want, work to fix the side you’re with."
Aside from the intricate plot and worldbuilding, the cast of characters was diverse and interesting with an impressively large proportion of female representation. In fact, aside from Cassius, all the more notable characters were women. The best part of all was that they were compelling and three-dimensional characters which did not fall into the horribly cliched form of femme fatales just to satisfy the mould of 'strong and dangerous female'. Cassius himself was fascinating in his internal struggle between who he was born to be and had been, and who he will want or wish to become.
The main issue I had with this book was that there was just too much for me to absorb on the political narrative over the length of the book. As one who sometimes prefers slower or longer books to draw out the plot or character development, I actually will like more pages to better understand the background of all these conflicts and the various factions and organisations a bit better. Perhaps I'm just too dense to grab all that at the first instance. The other was more around expectation. The initial space battle scene in the first chapter was very well-written and I hoped to see a bit more of that but the tone of the book turned to more social commentary on war, slavery, cloning, transhumanism, artificial intelligence and a mothership-load of political intrigue.
Notwithstanding, Lucifer's Star was well-written with solid worldbuilding and character development that I will gladly partake in the future books of this series.
This review can also be found at Booknest
November 14, 2019
Audible- 11-11-2019
Lucifer's Star
By: C. T. Phipps, Michael Suttkus
Narrated by: Eric Burns
You can't predict what will happen in these books. There are always surprises, twists, lies, (from the characters), and unexpected characters ( clones, and worse). But you can always expect humor, to smile a few times, maybe groan, but I have never read one that I didn't like! I read this in book for and enjoyed it just as much in audible!
Narration was great!
E-book
Lucifer’s Star (Lucifer's Star #1) by C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus is a very exciting sci-fi novel that kept my attention and interest. There were so many twists and turns that left me not knowing who the poor hero was suppose to trust! It was that way all the way through the book. Lots of action, adventure, suspense, secrets to be explored, excellent sci-fi, and good plot. Characters well developed and dialogue spot on for their character. It was the twists and turns that really captured the story, great work there! I was given this book to read and the review was voluntary.
Lucifer's Star
By: C. T. Phipps, Michael Suttkus
Narrated by: Eric Burns
You can't predict what will happen in these books. There are always surprises, twists, lies, (from the characters), and unexpected characters ( clones, and worse). But you can always expect humor, to smile a few times, maybe groan, but I have never read one that I didn't like! I read this in book for and enjoyed it just as much in audible!
Narration was great!
E-book
Lucifer’s Star (Lucifer's Star #1) by C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus is a very exciting sci-fi novel that kept my attention and interest. There were so many twists and turns that left me not knowing who the poor hero was suppose to trust! It was that way all the way through the book. Lots of action, adventure, suspense, secrets to be explored, excellent sci-fi, and good plot. Characters well developed and dialogue spot on for their character. It was the twists and turns that really captured the story, great work there! I was given this book to read and the review was voluntary.
September 30, 2019
My rating is 4.5 rounded up to 5-stars.
I was very pleased when the author C.T. Phipps agreed to send me the paperback form of this Sci-Fi novel and I hope to reward him for this with my review.
This is a Sci-Fi space opera that will likely become a widely followed series as it develops. If you have read any of the Agent G series you will be familiar with jacked-up cybernetic dudes with robotic brains. This one is sort of a cross between Star Wars and Bladerunner with a bit of Blake's Seven thrown in for good measure, (I refer to the machines Zen and Orac, supercomputer minds).
There's quite a lot of dialogue in this book, and that's fine by me. It makes it character-driven and that is my favourite plot device. Politics isn't my thing but there's a lot of it going on here and it adds to the story too. I can see why people might compare Cassius Mass (the book's leading protagonist) with Han Solo, there are a number of similarities, though the latter was not full of cybernetic upgrades.
Here's an excerpt of a humorous exchange (for those of you who have watched Airplane) :
"Surely, we've improved our defences against them in the past two millennia?"
"Oh sure, there's no way they could shut down the jump systems the way they did before. That doesn't mean something one billion times smarter than any human isn't going to be able to crush us like insects, especially since we only survived thanks to our own A.I. last time. Also, don't call me Shirly."
And I liked the alternate version of this:
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, looking down upon us as we die. When the blazing sun is gone, when the nothing shines upon, then you show your little light. Twinkle, twinkle in the eternal night."
There were a number of little typos that I spotted in the book but this is the case with most of the books I read these days, so no biggie. If you are someone who is looking for perfection, then you are going to be disappointed. I've found errors in just about every book I've read; whether they have been self-published or mainstream.
So, if you like Sci-Fi with politics and some humour thrown in, give this a try!
Thanks for reading.
I was very pleased when the author C.T. Phipps agreed to send me the paperback form of this Sci-Fi novel and I hope to reward him for this with my review.
This is a Sci-Fi space opera that will likely become a widely followed series as it develops. If you have read any of the Agent G series you will be familiar with jacked-up cybernetic dudes with robotic brains. This one is sort of a cross between Star Wars and Bladerunner with a bit of Blake's Seven thrown in for good measure, (I refer to the machines Zen and Orac, supercomputer minds).
There's quite a lot of dialogue in this book, and that's fine by me. It makes it character-driven and that is my favourite plot device. Politics isn't my thing but there's a lot of it going on here and it adds to the story too. I can see why people might compare Cassius Mass (the book's leading protagonist) with Han Solo, there are a number of similarities, though the latter was not full of cybernetic upgrades.
Here's an excerpt of a humorous exchange (for those of you who have watched Airplane) :
"Surely, we've improved our defences against them in the past two millennia?"
"Oh sure, there's no way they could shut down the jump systems the way they did before. That doesn't mean something one billion times smarter than any human isn't going to be able to crush us like insects, especially since we only survived thanks to our own A.I. last time. Also, don't call me Shirly."
And I liked the alternate version of this:
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, looking down upon us as we die. When the blazing sun is gone, when the nothing shines upon, then you show your little light. Twinkle, twinkle in the eternal night."
There were a number of little typos that I spotted in the book but this is the case with most of the books I read these days, so no biggie. If you are someone who is looking for perfection, then you are going to be disappointed. I've found errors in just about every book I've read; whether they have been self-published or mainstream.
So, if you like Sci-Fi with politics and some humour thrown in, give this a try!
Thanks for reading.
October 7, 2019
LUCIFER'S STAR was created when I realized Star Wars wasn't going to tell the story I wanted it to tell anymore. Blame it for aging into my mid-thirties. I wanted a somewhat more deep and character-driven story. I ended up coming up with a tale which was born from my question of, "What would an Imperial pilot think after the Battle of Endor? What if they realized not only had they lost but they deserved to lose?" Then I added elements from my favorite science fiction programs like Firefly and Babylon 5 to make a dark and cyberpunk meets feudalist future.
The Spiral is not a very nice place to live and is as pitiless as well as dangerous. Much like space itself. Cassius is a broken ace who may have a few fights left in him but isn't sure he hasn't made the world worse for all of his battles. I'm really proud of this work and I hope people will give it a chance.
The Spiral is not a very nice place to live and is as pitiless as well as dangerous. Much like space itself. Cassius is a broken ace who may have a few fights left in him but isn't sure he hasn't made the world worse for all of his battles. I'm really proud of this work and I hope people will give it a chance.
October 8, 2017
One of my favorite reads (listens...) this year!
I listened to this one as audio book, and have read some parts of the ebook version. First off I must say that the narration is really, really excellent! I had some little troubles with it - mostly that there are some flashbacks that are easy to spot in the "actual book version" as they are written in italics. In the audio book you simply change from one scene into a flashback and go "what now? Where are we? What happened?". That doesn't happen to often, and dead people being around gives you a fast hint, so it didn't annoy me too much. The other problem I had with the audio was the names Isla and Ida being pronounced so similarly, that at some points I had the wrong people in a scene for a while before I noticed my mistake. You can tell them apart if you pay very close attention to the names, but I slipped a few times. But the brilliant voices, emotions, sarcasm and tone of the narrator more than made up for it, so this will be one of my favorite audios in the future.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To the story itself:
The characters were what made this book work so well for me! Cassius is a great main character, sho is witty and sarcastic and actually tries to do the right thing, while still being able to be a ruthless killer if needed. In a way that is my favorite kind of character for an action packed book such as this!
There are also plenty of other great individuals I enjoyed spending time with. Isla, the bioroid (a sort of robot IA in a flesh and blood vessel is one of my favorites. But the female space ship captain who is over 200 years old was also a pleasure to read - and I'd have loved to join her crew, that consist mostly of mostly (ex-) criminals and all sorts of people who have things to hide. They all felt very real to me and I cared for what happened to them! I especially liked the spectrum that ranged from good to bad and everythign in between - and how some of them took a double turn along the way, when their real faces showed.
The first scene was a bit rough around the edges, but from chapter two onwards I was hooked body and soul. I devoured the whole book in just 3 days and couldn't get enough of it! The plot is a bit meandering, but all the little twists and turns and the betrayals and puzzle pieces you find along the way kept me well entertained. I'll pick the sequel up as soon as it hits audible, as I really need to know what happens next!
There is a lot of action in this one - and still it has some really great lines along the way too. I liked it being faced paced without feeling like a guilty pleasure. The prose was fluent and let me sink right into this story and actually be there next to the characters, joining them on their adventure.
My only (very little) gripe was with some intentionally funny things, like a common brand of sex toys "Sexy snow queen Isla from the children's movie" which is eerily like a movie princess called Elsa or a book character who is the protagonist of a wizard's school under siege by the Dark Lord... Those things are only mentioned a few times throughout the book so while it had me roll my eyes a bit instead of amusing me, it didnt really take away from my enjoyment of the story over all.
All in all this was a really awesome read, that I can only wholeheartedly recommend!
I listened to this one as audio book, and have read some parts of the ebook version. First off I must say that the narration is really, really excellent! I had some little troubles with it - mostly that there are some flashbacks that are easy to spot in the "actual book version" as they are written in italics. In the audio book you simply change from one scene into a flashback and go "what now? Where are we? What happened?". That doesn't happen to often, and dead people being around gives you a fast hint, so it didn't annoy me too much. The other problem I had with the audio was the names Isla and Ida being pronounced so similarly, that at some points I had the wrong people in a scene for a while before I noticed my mistake. You can tell them apart if you pay very close attention to the names, but I slipped a few times. But the brilliant voices, emotions, sarcasm and tone of the narrator more than made up for it, so this will be one of my favorite audios in the future.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To the story itself:
The characters were what made this book work so well for me! Cassius is a great main character, sho is witty and sarcastic and actually tries to do the right thing, while still being able to be a ruthless killer if needed. In a way that is my favorite kind of character for an action packed book such as this!
There are also plenty of other great individuals I enjoyed spending time with. Isla, the bioroid (a sort of robot IA in a flesh and blood vessel is one of my favorites. But the female space ship captain who is over 200 years old was also a pleasure to read - and I'd have loved to join her crew, that consist mostly of mostly (ex-) criminals and all sorts of people who have things to hide. They all felt very real to me and I cared for what happened to them! I especially liked the spectrum that ranged from good to bad and everythign in between - and how some of them took a double turn along the way, when their real faces showed.
The first scene was a bit rough around the edges, but from chapter two onwards I was hooked body and soul. I devoured the whole book in just 3 days and couldn't get enough of it! The plot is a bit meandering, but all the little twists and turns and the betrayals and puzzle pieces you find along the way kept me well entertained. I'll pick the sequel up as soon as it hits audible, as I really need to know what happens next!
There is a lot of action in this one - and still it has some really great lines along the way too. I liked it being faced paced without feeling like a guilty pleasure. The prose was fluent and let me sink right into this story and actually be there next to the characters, joining them on their adventure.
My only (very little) gripe was with some intentionally funny things, like a common brand of sex toys "Sexy snow queen Isla from the children's movie" which is eerily like a movie princess called Elsa or a book character who is the protagonist of a wizard's school under siege by the Dark Lord... Those things are only mentioned a few times throughout the book so while it had me roll my eyes a bit instead of amusing me, it didnt really take away from my enjoyment of the story over all.
All in all this was a really awesome read, that I can only wholeheartedly recommend!
July 17, 2018
Okay, space pirates. Come on. It's a book about space pirates. Why haven't you gone to buy it already? It's about space pirates!
Fallen noble turned pirate Cassius finds himself embroiled in the continuing war between the Commonwealth and basically everyone else who wants to be independent of their grand empire plans. Throw in triple-crossing spies, sexbots turned doctors, and the universes most evil, dysfunctional family and... no seriously... why are you still reading? Go get the book.
If you liked Firefly, Star Wars, or every cyberpunk space anime ever made... then you've bought the book already and I'm just talking to myself right now. Good job.
Fallen noble turned pirate Cassius finds himself embroiled in the continuing war between the Commonwealth and basically everyone else who wants to be independent of their grand empire plans. Throw in triple-crossing spies, sexbots turned doctors, and the universes most evil, dysfunctional family and... no seriously... why are you still reading? Go get the book.
If you liked Firefly, Star Wars, or every cyberpunk space anime ever made... then you've bought the book already and I'm just talking to myself right now. Good job.
May 19, 2017
This is the first sci-fi book I've read in years, and I now need to read more. C.T Phipps has crafted a cracking tale of treachery, lies and not a little bit of love.
Look forward to the sequel!
Look forward to the sequel!
July 9, 2018
I received a free copy of Lucifer's Star from the author.
Having said that, Luci's Star is a far in the future set space opera. The titular star is an award for bravery, just like Silver Star or whatnot, and only the most cunning of warriors receive it. No, it has nothing to do with devil worship, not really, but is part of an overarching mythology that forms the backbone of humanity in this future.
As a lover of epics, this feels like the preamble, the appetizer, as it sets up the players and the objective with a world of words and blood waiting to be unleashed upon the reader. And while I am no friend of first person narrators in general, Phipps makes it work to the story's advantage.
Cassius Mass, the protagonist and narrator, is a war veteran, hero to some, villain to most others. He was on the losing side of an interstellar conflict and while he can't live with his deeds, there are far more people who don't live because of them. Needless to say, we spend our time in a spaced out spacer who drinks and sleeps his way to oblivion, until something changes. Confronted by yet more sins of his past, Cassius chooses to open his eyes, mind, and heart and let his conscience be his guide, instead of a regime's propaganda he was one of the few buying into.
Is it a perfect book? Which book is? Will you enjoy it? If you like your Star Wars with a Han Solo who shoots (not first because that implies there was return fire), if you like your humanity more Babylon 5 than Star Trek, granted a rated R Babylon 5, then yes! It's written like a water slide, first you climb up, slowly, then you sit and gather speed until you splash into the end, wanting more!
Having said that, Luci's Star is a far in the future set space opera. The titular star is an award for bravery, just like Silver Star or whatnot, and only the most cunning of warriors receive it. No, it has nothing to do with devil worship, not really, but is part of an overarching mythology that forms the backbone of humanity in this future.
As a lover of epics, this feels like the preamble, the appetizer, as it sets up the players and the objective with a world of words and blood waiting to be unleashed upon the reader. And while I am no friend of first person narrators in general, Phipps makes it work to the story's advantage.
Cassius Mass, the protagonist and narrator, is a war veteran, hero to some, villain to most others. He was on the losing side of an interstellar conflict and while he can't live with his deeds, there are far more people who don't live because of them. Needless to say, we spend our time in a spaced out spacer who drinks and sleeps his way to oblivion, until something changes. Confronted by yet more sins of his past, Cassius chooses to open his eyes, mind, and heart and let his conscience be his guide, instead of a regime's propaganda he was one of the few buying into.
Is it a perfect book? Which book is? Will you enjoy it? If you like your Star Wars with a Han Solo who shoots (not first because that implies there was return fire), if you like your humanity more Babylon 5 than Star Trek, granted a rated R Babylon 5, then yes! It's written like a water slide, first you climb up, slowly, then you sit and gather speed until you splash into the end, wanting more!
July 16, 2019
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
Like most things, something had to give. Waving the white flag, most everything came to a halt. Insurmountable change ensued. But what were the repercussions, and how might those changes impact not only their world, but the direct opposition, and the hundreds of surrounding worlds? Sometimes, war's inevitable end isn't necessarily the right solution, or a solution at all.
The opening chapter reminded me of a
Star Wars episode, one culminating in an epic, albeit brief, battle for dominance; for peace, joy, and contentment. By and large, a fight for moral supremacy. Where most stories end, C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus' Lucifer's Star was merely beginning.
Enter: Cassius Mass, the embodiment of everything that should be right with the world, "and everything wrong with" the system. No longer sure of what to think of the world, or what (if anything) to have faith in, forgetfulness would be a blessing. But how does one achieve stasis when everyday life aboard the Melampus served, to some degree, as a constant reminder?
Soon thereafter, some deception came to light, alongside an ensuing investigation. In life and fiction, things are rarely as simple as they seem.
What followed was an epic quest where revelations were made-- some shocking, others downright vile. All, however, relevant to the story. Nothing was forced or felt excessive.
A forewarning: the plot, simple though it may initially seem, actually was fairly complex, and became exponentially more so, over time. One could even argue it was unnecessarily intricate; that it perhaps needed to be simplified. But I'm awfully grateful it came out the way it did, though, because the reading experience wouldn't have been NEARLY as fun.
So due to that, and plus in general, I have concentration issues, and a slew of other pressing situations at the time (including familial death,) I decided to venture back to the beginning.
What began with extreme reluctance soon turned into a much more exciting, fascinating, and full experience. It was almost a different story altogether. For the first time, my mind was clear and I could simply relax as Cassius' journey unraveled. More than that though, it evolved into much more.
Amongst other things, a fast paced adventure emerged, fraught with emotional instabilities. There was also political intrigue and backstabbing aplenty, while maintaining a classic Phipps quality I've come to not only expect, but respect: action-packed, unpredictable scenarios.
Amidst the plot twists and excellent character development, Suttkus and Phipps explored some controversial subject matter, like genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, alongside other big, life-changing issues, to emphasize the extent of war. Furthermore, they utilized those issues to fully enrich the numerous battle scenes, making them much more exciting and technologically advanced.
I think some of the best speculative stories drive home social commentary, and Lucifer's Star had that in spades. Geopolitical, religious, philosophical-- all there, to some extent, and they effectively communicated important truths about the world in which we live.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/geop...
Another interesting facet revolved around Cassius, and the virtually unspoken namesake he shared with real life House Plantagenet. I don't believe it was a direct influence, yet it can't be dismissed, either. Sure, you don't get beheadings or the extremely violent battles, but the novel being a grimdark space opera, the similarities should be recognized.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/hous...
https://www.historyextra.com/period/p...
In the interim of many of the day-to-day, or most pivotal advancements were moments of introspection, for the reader and characters alike. Consequently, the brilliance of said sequences (and details forming the whole,) couldn't help but shine through. More specifically, the duo's expert knowledge of tropes, which included DM-esque (Dungeon Master) insights into awesome creations such as the kriegermonster and the durandal. There were so many more, too.
"Tropes are tropes for a reason," and the author's took many known sci-fi tropes, and (as Phipps does very well,) spun them around almost aimlessly, yet logically, thus rendering them clever and unique. This wasn't a fluke, either, as Phipps' creativity has proven consistent. It's also one of my favorite aspects of his work. I genuinely admire him.
In the closing chapters, Cassius made a big choice. It completely shook me, and even now-months later-- I question its implications. Going forward, the consequences could prove fatal, for all parties involved. For the time being, I'll revel in all that came before, as the Melampus thrusts forward to destinations unknown.
The sight of the burning starships around me was like a galaxy of new stars lighting up the emptiness of space. Their fuel and energy cells burned without oxygen long after the crews had suffocated in the vacuum of space. Hundreds of dreadnoughts, battleships, carriers, and starfighters exchanged fire in the largest battle of the war.
Like most things, something had to give. Waving the white flag, most everything came to a halt. Insurmountable change ensued. But what were the repercussions, and how might those changes impact not only their world, but the direct opposition, and the hundreds of surrounding worlds? Sometimes, war's inevitable end isn't necessarily the right solution, or a solution at all.
The opening chapter reminded me of a
Star Wars episode, one culminating in an epic, albeit brief, battle for dominance; for peace, joy, and contentment. By and large, a fight for moral supremacy. Where most stories end, C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus' Lucifer's Star was merely beginning.
Enter: Cassius Mass, the embodiment of everything that should be right with the world, "and everything wrong with" the system. No longer sure of what to think of the world, or what (if anything) to have faith in, forgetfulness would be a blessing. But how does one achieve stasis when everyday life aboard the Melampus served, to some degree, as a constant reminder?
Soon thereafter, some deception came to light, alongside an ensuing investigation. In life and fiction, things are rarely as simple as they seem.
What followed was an epic quest where revelations were made-- some shocking, others downright vile. All, however, relevant to the story. Nothing was forced or felt excessive.
A forewarning: the plot, simple though it may initially seem, actually was fairly complex, and became exponentially more so, over time. One could even argue it was unnecessarily intricate; that it perhaps needed to be simplified. But I'm awfully grateful it came out the way it did, though, because the reading experience wouldn't have been NEARLY as fun.
So due to that, and plus in general, I have concentration issues, and a slew of other pressing situations at the time (including familial death,) I decided to venture back to the beginning.
Starting over, a hundred and sixty pages in..
What began with extreme reluctance soon turned into a much more exciting, fascinating, and full experience. It was almost a different story altogether. For the first time, my mind was clear and I could simply relax as Cassius' journey unraveled. More than that though, it evolved into much more.
Amongst other things, a fast paced adventure emerged, fraught with emotional instabilities. There was also political intrigue and backstabbing aplenty, while maintaining a classic Phipps quality I've come to not only expect, but respect: action-packed, unpredictable scenarios.
Outside the luxury transport, I saw our convoy arrive above the Water Palace, one of the most beautiful constructions in Sector 7, if not the entire Spiral. Built on top of the ocean with massive super-steel legs, the palace and its ten thousand fountains, as well as a hundred micro-lakes, were covered by a translucent series of domes, protected from the worst of Shogun's monsoons. The architecture was a mixture of the modern and classical with the small-city containing several dozen skyscraper-sized pagodas mixed with a hundred more mansions, putting to shame anything outside of Crius or Albion.
Amidst the plot twists and excellent character development, Suttkus and Phipps explored some controversial subject matter, like genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, alongside other big, life-changing issues, to emphasize the extent of war. Furthermore, they utilized those issues to fully enrich the numerous battle scenes, making them much more exciting and technologically advanced.
I think some of the best speculative stories drive home social commentary, and Lucifer's Star had that in spades. Geopolitical, religious, philosophical-- all there, to some extent, and they effectively communicated important truths about the world in which we live.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/geop...
Another interesting facet revolved around Cassius, and the virtually unspoken namesake he shared with real life House Plantagenet. I don't believe it was a direct influence, yet it can't be dismissed, either. Sure, you don't get beheadings or the extremely violent battles, but the novel being a grimdark space opera, the similarities should be recognized.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/hous...
https://www.historyextra.com/period/p...
In the interim of many of the day-to-day, or most pivotal advancements were moments of introspection, for the reader and characters alike. Consequently, the brilliance of said sequences (and details forming the whole,) couldn't help but shine through. More specifically, the duo's expert knowledge of tropes, which included DM-esque (Dungeon Master) insights into awesome creations such as the kriegermonster and the durandal. There were so many more, too.
"Tropes are tropes for a reason," and the author's took many known sci-fi tropes, and (as Phipps does very well,) spun them around almost aimlessly, yet logically, thus rendering them clever and unique. This wasn't a fluke, either, as Phipps' creativity has proven consistent. It's also one of my favorite aspects of his work. I genuinely admire him.
In the closing chapters, Cassius made a big choice. It completely shook me, and even now-months later-- I question its implications. Going forward, the consequences could prove fatal, for all parties involved. For the time being, I'll revel in all that came before, as the Melampus thrusts forward to destinations unknown.
"Evil is evil. Big. Small. Grand. Petty. Well-justified or just because. There's no lesser or greater of it. Choosing between them does not make your soul any less blackened. The trick is avoiding it altogether or acknowledging its truth."
April 3, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5
I rarely read sci-fi books. Probably, I've read two or three space operas years ago but I barely remember them. As this year's r/fantasy Bingo challenge contains a Space Opera square I have a pretext to read more in the genre. I picked Lucifer's Star because I liked the synopsis and, additionally, I appreciate CT Phipps online presence as a blogger and reviewer.
It was a quick and entertaining novel that doesn't lack space battles, futuristic technology, cyborgs, clones, and sex. The story follows Colonel Cassius Mass, an ex-soldier of the Archduchy of Crius, who once had it all. Intelligent, handsome and beloved by all, he was the best pilot of the Archduchy and a role-model for many. Sadly, it turned out that he was fighting for the wrong side of the conflict.
His friends and his family died in the final bombing of his homeworld. To make matters worse, he's now one of the most hated people in the Universe. He leads a miserable life as a semi-functional navigator on an interstellar freight hauler. He tries to hide who he was and escape his past. Unfortunately, some things refuse to stay buried and he ends up conscripted by the very people who destroyed his homeland.
While I'm not a genre connoisseur, I appreciate how the authors play with the tropes and put them under critical examination. Things get difficult and dirty, they don't tend to magically and conveniently work out for characters.
World-building is done in a steady way. As the story progresses we learn about the world through dialogue and internalizations. There's plenty of secrets and it seems mythical entities have fun while playing with human and alien lives. The big theme of the book is the politics. It took me a while to understand the why/what/how of what was going on and, truth be told, I'm not sure If I've got everything straight. Betrayals were easy, but when you ad A.I.'s changing bodies things get a bit complicated. While I can’t speak for the realism of the technology, I really enjoyed how Phipps presents the information through Cassius POV. As the story progresses, understanding some of the trickier concepts becomes vital, although it doesn't require a reader to hold a degree in quantum physics. Just to use imagination.
The cast of characters is diverse and interesting with strong female representation. I think most characters were compelling and three-dimensional. Everyone here has a past that influences his choices. Alliances are constantly shifting, and nothing is ever quite what it seems. There is a sort of love triangle between the characters. Ilsa is a bioroid - created to sexually please and seduce others. Even though she's managed to flee her former masters, she didn't manage to reprogram herself and she's not wired for monogamy. She sleeps with Clarice O'Hara, the security chief of Shogun. Cassius sleeps with both of them. It's not a problem as the society is rather sexually open and it's not a big deal to have multiple partners, even when being in a relationship. There's no unnecessary drama, just people, cyborgs, and bioroids learning to care and fight for each other.
While I enjoyed many parts of the novel, I have to admit I wasn't able to fully connect with Cassius' voice. As a result, my engagement in the story lacked emotional component. I think Cassius is an interesting character - he used to think of himself as a hero just to understand he was a bad guy. He's not who you would call a good person and that's fine. I don't like good characters. It's just there's something in him that irks me.
The writing is rather good. We may discuss if there isn't an excess backstory told here and there and maybe a bit too much telling in places. It's possible but it didn't influence the pacing. The final confrontation was surprising and interesting but didn't manage to knock me on my knees.
Overall, Lucifer's Star is a well-paced book with no boring parts (at least to me). It's quick to read and easily accessed, all while dealing with ethical concerns, and philosophical questions. I think of it as a good reintroduction to the Space Opera genre. Because I couldn't really connect with Cassius, rating won't be higher. I need to emphasize that it's highly subjective; interesting plot plus great secondary characters made it a fun read for me, even despite the mentioned "issue".
I rarely read sci-fi books. Probably, I've read two or three space operas years ago but I barely remember them. As this year's r/fantasy Bingo challenge contains a Space Opera square I have a pretext to read more in the genre. I picked Lucifer's Star because I liked the synopsis and, additionally, I appreciate CT Phipps online presence as a blogger and reviewer.
It was a quick and entertaining novel that doesn't lack space battles, futuristic technology, cyborgs, clones, and sex. The story follows Colonel Cassius Mass, an ex-soldier of the Archduchy of Crius, who once had it all. Intelligent, handsome and beloved by all, he was the best pilot of the Archduchy and a role-model for many. Sadly, it turned out that he was fighting for the wrong side of the conflict.
His friends and his family died in the final bombing of his homeworld. To make matters worse, he's now one of the most hated people in the Universe. He leads a miserable life as a semi-functional navigator on an interstellar freight hauler. He tries to hide who he was and escape his past. Unfortunately, some things refuse to stay buried and he ends up conscripted by the very people who destroyed his homeland.
While I'm not a genre connoisseur, I appreciate how the authors play with the tropes and put them under critical examination. Things get difficult and dirty, they don't tend to magically and conveniently work out for characters.
World-building is done in a steady way. As the story progresses we learn about the world through dialogue and internalizations. There's plenty of secrets and it seems mythical entities have fun while playing with human and alien lives. The big theme of the book is the politics. It took me a while to understand the why/what/how of what was going on and, truth be told, I'm not sure If I've got everything straight. Betrayals were easy, but when you ad A.I.'s changing bodies things get a bit complicated. While I can’t speak for the realism of the technology, I really enjoyed how Phipps presents the information through Cassius POV. As the story progresses, understanding some of the trickier concepts becomes vital, although it doesn't require a reader to hold a degree in quantum physics. Just to use imagination.
The cast of characters is diverse and interesting with strong female representation. I think most characters were compelling and three-dimensional. Everyone here has a past that influences his choices. Alliances are constantly shifting, and nothing is ever quite what it seems. There is a sort of love triangle between the characters. Ilsa is a bioroid - created to sexually please and seduce others. Even though she's managed to flee her former masters, she didn't manage to reprogram herself and she's not wired for monogamy. She sleeps with Clarice O'Hara, the security chief of Shogun. Cassius sleeps with both of them. It's not a problem as the society is rather sexually open and it's not a big deal to have multiple partners, even when being in a relationship. There's no unnecessary drama, just people, cyborgs, and bioroids learning to care and fight for each other.
While I enjoyed many parts of the novel, I have to admit I wasn't able to fully connect with Cassius' voice. As a result, my engagement in the story lacked emotional component. I think Cassius is an interesting character - he used to think of himself as a hero just to understand he was a bad guy. He's not who you would call a good person and that's fine. I don't like good characters. It's just there's something in him that irks me.
The writing is rather good. We may discuss if there isn't an excess backstory told here and there and maybe a bit too much telling in places. It's possible but it didn't influence the pacing. The final confrontation was surprising and interesting but didn't manage to knock me on my knees.
Overall, Lucifer's Star is a well-paced book with no boring parts (at least to me). It's quick to read and easily accessed, all while dealing with ethical concerns, and philosophical questions. I think of it as a good reintroduction to the Space Opera genre. Because I couldn't really connect with Cassius, rating won't be higher. I need to emphasize that it's highly subjective; interesting plot plus great secondary characters made it a fun read for me, even despite the mentioned "issue".
May 23, 2017
"The moral is everyone in power is one kind of son of a bitch or another. Don’t trust ’em. Fight for people rather than fight for the people themselves. Individuals are worthwhile but people as a whole are a nebulous concept which can be used to justify anything.” There are many such quotes that stood out for me, but this one sums up the complex moral themes of this book as well as any of them.
Lucifer's Star has all the elements I generally look for in space opera: complex galactic politics, actual or potential conflict with vastly superior alien cultures, and AI that may or may not have the best interests of humanity at heart, to name a few. It also has the hallmarks of "grimdark" genre fiction that appeal to me: morally gray characters that act according to the sum of their experiences rather than shallow good/evil archetypes.
Fans of epic space battles, shifting alliances, fast-paced action, betrayal and treachery will find everything they're looking for in this book along with the kind of nuanced and complex ruminations on what it means to be human that the best stories involving AI, robots, androids, and clones often provide. This story has the deep philosophical elements of something like Ancillary Justice, but is still pulpy enough to keep your adrenaline pumping and the pages turning. Every character in the story has a past, alliances are constantly shifting, and nothing is ever quite what it seems. The evolving motivations of the main character, Cassius Mass, feel organic and never driven by plot necessity. I think my favorite character is probably Isla, a "bioroid" who longs to be free of her programming so she can discover who she really is.
I reserve 5 star reviews for those books that truly stand above the rest. This one is a solid 4, but there's not much I can offer in terms of criticism other than that I generally like a story with more of a slow build rather than non-stop action. I also tend to go for a more plausible, hard sci-fi type of space opera rather than pulpy space fantasy with laser-swords, etc. The authors did a fine job of rooting the book in hard science for the most part, but yeah... it did have at least one laser-sword duel. Those are completely subjective criticisms based on my own preferences though; overall this is probably the best space opera from an independent author I've ever read. Looking forward to reading the further adventures of Cassius Mass!
Lucifer's Star has all the elements I generally look for in space opera: complex galactic politics, actual or potential conflict with vastly superior alien cultures, and AI that may or may not have the best interests of humanity at heart, to name a few. It also has the hallmarks of "grimdark" genre fiction that appeal to me: morally gray characters that act according to the sum of their experiences rather than shallow good/evil archetypes.
Fans of epic space battles, shifting alliances, fast-paced action, betrayal and treachery will find everything they're looking for in this book along with the kind of nuanced and complex ruminations on what it means to be human that the best stories involving AI, robots, androids, and clones often provide. This story has the deep philosophical elements of something like Ancillary Justice, but is still pulpy enough to keep your adrenaline pumping and the pages turning. Every character in the story has a past, alliances are constantly shifting, and nothing is ever quite what it seems. The evolving motivations of the main character, Cassius Mass, feel organic and never driven by plot necessity. I think my favorite character is probably Isla, a "bioroid" who longs to be free of her programming so she can discover who she really is.
I reserve 5 star reviews for those books that truly stand above the rest. This one is a solid 4, but there's not much I can offer in terms of criticism other than that I generally like a story with more of a slow build rather than non-stop action. I also tend to go for a more plausible, hard sci-fi type of space opera rather than pulpy space fantasy with laser-swords, etc. The authors did a fine job of rooting the book in hard science for the most part, but yeah... it did have at least one laser-sword duel. Those are completely subjective criticisms based on my own preferences though; overall this is probably the best space opera from an independent author I've ever read. Looking forward to reading the further adventures of Cassius Mass!
June 7, 2017
What if Darth Vader had survived the Battle of Endor and went on to realize that The Empire had been the bad guys? Without being a hacky Star Wars knockoff (trust me, I've read my fair share of those) C.T. Phipps takes this basic premise and runs with it.
Cassius Mass was the greatest starfighter pilot of the Crius Archduchy - which makes him either a war criminal or a war hero, depending on your perspective. After going into hiding for years, Cassius himself gradually comes around to the former conclusion as he realizes that no matter how noble and selfless his actions were, ultimately they were in support of an evil government.
It's notoriously harder to win the peace than to win a war, as Cassius learns as he's drawn into a variety of spy networks and criminal enterprises, all while (mostly) just wanting to drink himself into a stupor. Space battles, fistfights, and political double-dealing all ensue, resulting in a rip-roaring narrative that rarely falters or slows.
C.T. Phipps has a killer instinct and a killer style. His work is simple in the most admirable sense of that word. (I suspect he actually probably toils away at his prose and stories for hours on end until it just seems simple to the reader - an even more remarkable feat, actually.) His writing is crisp, clear, concise, and yet also evocative. LUCIFER'S STAR is a genuine pleasure to read.
Let's talk negatives briefly. I slightly preferred Phipps's previous work, CTHULHU ARMAGEDDON, to this one, for a few reasons. For one, his love of Lovecraft bled through on every page. By comparison, LUCIFER'S STAR was a bit more pristene, austere even you might say. Second, there was a lot of tangled spy networks including more than a few clones and imposters and God knows what else. By the time Judith or Clarice or Zoey or somebody had died for the third or fourth time, I started wondering who the hell they had been in the first place. Either the spy-fi antics needed to be streamlined a bit or I needed to pay a bit more attention, and I won't even pretend to know which it was.
If you're looking for a fun, engaging, thought-provoking sci-fi adventure, check out LUCIFER'S STAR. You won't be disappointed.
Cassius Mass was the greatest starfighter pilot of the Crius Archduchy - which makes him either a war criminal or a war hero, depending on your perspective. After going into hiding for years, Cassius himself gradually comes around to the former conclusion as he realizes that no matter how noble and selfless his actions were, ultimately they were in support of an evil government.
It's notoriously harder to win the peace than to win a war, as Cassius learns as he's drawn into a variety of spy networks and criminal enterprises, all while (mostly) just wanting to drink himself into a stupor. Space battles, fistfights, and political double-dealing all ensue, resulting in a rip-roaring narrative that rarely falters or slows.
C.T. Phipps has a killer instinct and a killer style. His work is simple in the most admirable sense of that word. (I suspect he actually probably toils away at his prose and stories for hours on end until it just seems simple to the reader - an even more remarkable feat, actually.) His writing is crisp, clear, concise, and yet also evocative. LUCIFER'S STAR is a genuine pleasure to read.
Let's talk negatives briefly. I slightly preferred Phipps's previous work, CTHULHU ARMAGEDDON, to this one, for a few reasons. For one, his love of Lovecraft bled through on every page. By comparison, LUCIFER'S STAR was a bit more pristene, austere even you might say. Second, there was a lot of tangled spy networks including more than a few clones and imposters and God knows what else. By the time Judith or Clarice or Zoey or somebody had died for the third or fourth time, I started wondering who the hell they had been in the first place. Either the spy-fi antics needed to be streamlined a bit or I needed to pay a bit more attention, and I won't even pretend to know which it was.
If you're looking for a fun, engaging, thought-provoking sci-fi adventure, check out LUCIFER'S STAR. You won't be disappointed.
March 27, 2019
Cassius Mass was a starfighter pilot from a planet ruled by space nobility. Despite his wealth and war medals, his side lost the war and he lost everything he thought he cared about.
The story begins about five years later. Cassius has been drinking away his pain and sleeping around with the crew on a ship filled with mercenaries who are also hiding from their pasts. It's the perfect place for him to wallow in sarcasm and memory suppressants, until he finds out there's much more to his crew than it seemed.
Cassius clearly used to be a bad guy, living in denial about some of the vile practices his ruling class had dealings in, and he certainly displays a "flexible" morality. In this story, though, he's finding reasons to reform as he learns to care about the experiences and struggles others have had to face. He's honorable enough to root for and devious enough to be likable.
The writing style is light-hearted and entertaining, but lacks a level of polish I've seen in the author's more recent work. Still, it definitely includes Phipps's signature blend of intrigue, sass, and fantastical effects.
I loved the plot, plenty of unexpected turns that challenged the characters and left me wondering how it would all play out. The relationships Cassius has with various crew members and other characters had a wonderful realism to them.
If you're looking for sci-fi that's fun and unpredictable, with great dialogue and action scenes, definitely check this one out!
The story begins about five years later. Cassius has been drinking away his pain and sleeping around with the crew on a ship filled with mercenaries who are also hiding from their pasts. It's the perfect place for him to wallow in sarcasm and memory suppressants, until he finds out there's much more to his crew than it seemed.
Cassius clearly used to be a bad guy, living in denial about some of the vile practices his ruling class had dealings in, and he certainly displays a "flexible" morality. In this story, though, he's finding reasons to reform as he learns to care about the experiences and struggles others have had to face. He's honorable enough to root for and devious enough to be likable.
The writing style is light-hearted and entertaining, but lacks a level of polish I've seen in the author's more recent work. Still, it definitely includes Phipps's signature blend of intrigue, sass, and fantastical effects.
I loved the plot, plenty of unexpected turns that challenged the characters and left me wondering how it would all play out. The relationships Cassius has with various crew members and other characters had a wonderful realism to them.
If you're looking for sci-fi that's fun and unpredictable, with great dialogue and action scenes, definitely check this one out!
August 19, 2018
Lucifer's Star was an entertaining science fiction story full of space battles and some super cool future technology. Looking forward to the next book(s) in the series
December 23, 2017
A fun read -- a real popcorn, space opera that will keep you entertained for hours. Fans of Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar Gallicta will really enjoy this.
August 14, 2017
A really fun space opera that's about as twisty as it gets. Every chapter the character peels back an onion where there's different layers, different interests. The most appealing part to me of this was the concept of the bioroids, how they are thought of in society and how they get manipulated. A lot of clone sheenanigans, and very cool conceptual stuff which you don't usually see in SF novels in that regard -- most books have one type of clone and that's that, but this shows a variety of options of how a person might end up, and that's intriguing, and probably more realistic in that regard.
The main character feels very real, the characters are very distinct in general. I really would like to get to know the before-Judith better, of which there's a flashback scene but not a lot other than that, it probably would make me more sympathetic to her compared to other events in the book, but it was a fine first book in a series, with plenty of room to explore a lot with these characters and this universe.
One thing not so much to my tastes and may be similar to some of my readers is a lot of casual sexual encounter/talk that is pretty constant throughout the book. Something to note, but I'm not going to ding a book for intentional character choices. The writer clearly understood what he was doing so it is not a commentary on skill or enjoyability of the book, but something to note.
Overall: Very fun. Lots of action. Lots of unexpected turns, great perspective character.
The main character feels very real, the characters are very distinct in general. I really would like to get to know the before-Judith better, of which there's a flashback scene but not a lot other than that, it probably would make me more sympathetic to her compared to other events in the book, but it was a fine first book in a series, with plenty of room to explore a lot with these characters and this universe.
One thing not so much to my tastes and may be similar to some of my readers is a lot of casual sexual encounter/talk that is pretty constant throughout the book. Something to note, but I'm not going to ding a book for intentional character choices. The writer clearly understood what he was doing so it is not a commentary on skill or enjoyability of the book, but something to note.
Overall: Very fun. Lots of action. Lots of unexpected turns, great perspective character.
July 30, 2018
Let me start by saying how viciously intricate the plot of this book is. The backstabbing runs deep and you really never know who to trust. The pacing is fast, making for a quick read.
The characters are well constructed and they stick to their motivations, even when we didn't know all those motivations from the outset. The main character (Cassius Mass), in particular, exemplifies the nature of the book. He's bitter, jaded, screws himself over, and while he is clearly confused about much in his life, his better qualities often shine through.
And the world-building ... this is definitely one of the highlights on display in Lucifer's Star. It is clear that Phipps and his partner loved what they created, and Charles brought it to life in a big and darkly beautiful way.
Bottom line?
Buy it!
The characters are well constructed and they stick to their motivations, even when we didn't know all those motivations from the outset. The main character (Cassius Mass), in particular, exemplifies the nature of the book. He's bitter, jaded, screws himself over, and while he is clearly confused about much in his life, his better qualities often shine through.
And the world-building ... this is definitely one of the highlights on display in Lucifer's Star. It is clear that Phipps and his partner loved what they created, and Charles brought it to life in a big and darkly beautiful way.
Bottom line?
Buy it!
April 29, 2018
I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It had some content that actually made me laugh....robosexuals, and the amputated arms were fantastic. The rest of the story is well written.....betrayal, conflicted heroes, and ultimately accidental salvation. If you haven't read CT Phipps, you're missing out.
May 22, 2017
It is strange how a book I have never read, by an author I have never read, of a genre set in the very far future, felt like coming home, but _Lucifer’s Star_ felt just like that. I don��t mean to imply in any way it was clichéd or derivative, far from it, as there were many interesting twists, turns, and innovations, but it felt familiar, the same way I suppose those very rare times when I hear a brand-new song on the radio and already know it will be a beloved classic before I even get to the end.
It has been a long, long, long time since I read much in the way of space opera and this book scratched an itch I didn’t know needed scratching. It had epic space battles, alien races, galactic politics, dark “here be dragons” areas of space, unknowable mind-shattering mysteries, a galaxy with a sense of long, long history, characters with a great deal of personal honor, characters who were corrupt to the core, and shattered people, in search of some new set of core values after the universe showed them truly how small they are.
The book’s protagonist is Colonel-Count Cassius Mass, a decorated starfighter pilot, variously famously (or infamously) known as the Fire Count (a fairly positive name) or the Butcher of Kolthas (not so much). Trying to steer clear of feudal, house, and familial politics back home, he only wants to love his wife and fight for his people (even as he suspects he is fighting for ideals that his superiors secretly snicker at). The opening, quite gripping chapter is a space battle with Cassius the leader of his squadron, men and women he leads to death and defeat against what was probably always insurmountable odds, as he was on the losing end of a massive interstellar war as his side, the feudal Archduchy, surrenders to the Commonwealth, an empire in spirit if not in name that is 30 times the size of the Archduchy.
After the war, his home planet of Crius virtually destroyed by orbital bombardment, his wife Judith, sister, the entire family dead in the destruction, the rulers of the Archduchy either dead, terrorists, or working with the victors to make themselves rich, and Cassius a wanted war criminal (for terrorist activities after the war, though he was always a very well-known figure to both sides), Cassius is in hiding. His name now Marcus Grav, his DNA clouded to foil cursory scans, his face changed with reconstructive surgery, working as a navigator on a deep space freighter/scavenger ship known as the _Melampus_, and sort of in a relationship with the medical officer Isla Hernandez, Cassius is a long, long way from the wealth and privilege of the Crius nobility. Doing his best with medication, alcohol, and a somewhat carefree life, Cassius strives to forget the lost friends, family, and nation as well as the horrible things he did after the Archduchy had surrendered.
Only, Cassius is not done with war, killing, political intrigue, and being a pawn, as to quote Michael Corleone, “Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in.” The universe is not done with Cassius, not done at all, with as the novel progresses various factions, some quite surprising, want him as a pawn (or at one point, they grant some other chess piece, I liked that bit) variously for his fighter pilot skills, his more personal skills at killing from his terrorist days, or what he represented, both to the victors and to the vanquished. Cassius through the vast majority of the book navigates a virtual minefield of double crosses, spies, assassins, liars, blackmailers, and worse as each play dangerous games with very high stakes (one game placing the entire human race throughout the stars at grave risk, no matter their allegiances during the last war) as the galaxy gears up for a war perhaps a great deal bigger than the last.
The world building was superb, it felt like a rich, layered space opera setting with a sense of history and not a setting tied too much around one idea (though the rights of sentient beings and in fact what is a sentient being were major issues touched upon again and again in the novel, a concept that had much wider implications than it first appeared, very well done). We are introduced to a rich world of Watchers, rogue A.I., bioroids, cyborgs, clones, the nearly alien Chel, the actually alien Community and frighteningly mysterious Elder Races, of terrorist groups like Crius Reborn, of crime syndicates, of succession movements…it’s a lot to take in, but the concepts are folded in nicely and I don’t think overwhelming at all, each player or concept being introduced at just the right time and what elt the right amount of exposition.
The characters were vivid and interesting, all of them morally gray at best to varying degrees and pretty much none of them what they appear at first. Cassius himself was a very interesting character and while not always completely laudable for his actions, did hold to a moral central core far more than most of the other characters in the novel (past and present). The villains weren’t particularly cut and dry and while definitely villains felt like to me they were “principled villains,” fighting for a cause they felt was right, not merely for personal gain (though they cared a lot about that as well).
I had few complaints about the book and some of those complains could easily be addressed in the sequel. Isla had a fascinating past and while a major character for much of the book, sometimes it felt like she drifted away from the attention of the narrative, though that was probably unavoidable. She was continually surprising and I had a difficult time predicting her actions, though in truth I think many characters in the novel had that same problem as well. She was definitely a difficult character to pigeon hole.
The aliens aren’t really shown, sorry if that a spoiler, but that only added to the mystery of the setting. I would like in a sequel to get more of a sense of the Community or the Elder Races but there was more than enough information in this novel to make sense of how they related to Cassius and the events of the book.
There was a lot of betrayals, intrigue, and double crosses in the book and it almost edged sometimes in being too much to keep track of (though this never happened as the strongly character driven aspects of the intrigue made it easier to follow than it otherwise might have been).
Pacing was absolutely excellent as the (e)pages just flew by as I would spend hour after hour immersed in the story. There were also several humorous passages, there was some very well written dialogue that flowed very nicely, and a few pop culture jokes that not only didn’t feel out of place but were amusing.
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
It has been a long, long, long time since I read much in the way of space opera and this book scratched an itch I didn’t know needed scratching. It had epic space battles, alien races, galactic politics, dark “here be dragons” areas of space, unknowable mind-shattering mysteries, a galaxy with a sense of long, long history, characters with a great deal of personal honor, characters who were corrupt to the core, and shattered people, in search of some new set of core values after the universe showed them truly how small they are.
The book’s protagonist is Colonel-Count Cassius Mass, a decorated starfighter pilot, variously famously (or infamously) known as the Fire Count (a fairly positive name) or the Butcher of Kolthas (not so much). Trying to steer clear of feudal, house, and familial politics back home, he only wants to love his wife and fight for his people (even as he suspects he is fighting for ideals that his superiors secretly snicker at). The opening, quite gripping chapter is a space battle with Cassius the leader of his squadron, men and women he leads to death and defeat against what was probably always insurmountable odds, as he was on the losing end of a massive interstellar war as his side, the feudal Archduchy, surrenders to the Commonwealth, an empire in spirit if not in name that is 30 times the size of the Archduchy.
After the war, his home planet of Crius virtually destroyed by orbital bombardment, his wife Judith, sister, the entire family dead in the destruction, the rulers of the Archduchy either dead, terrorists, or working with the victors to make themselves rich, and Cassius a wanted war criminal (for terrorist activities after the war, though he was always a very well-known figure to both sides), Cassius is in hiding. His name now Marcus Grav, his DNA clouded to foil cursory scans, his face changed with reconstructive surgery, working as a navigator on a deep space freighter/scavenger ship known as the _Melampus_, and sort of in a relationship with the medical officer Isla Hernandez, Cassius is a long, long way from the wealth and privilege of the Crius nobility. Doing his best with medication, alcohol, and a somewhat carefree life, Cassius strives to forget the lost friends, family, and nation as well as the horrible things he did after the Archduchy had surrendered.
Only, Cassius is not done with war, killing, political intrigue, and being a pawn, as to quote Michael Corleone, “Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in.” The universe is not done with Cassius, not done at all, with as the novel progresses various factions, some quite surprising, want him as a pawn (or at one point, they grant some other chess piece, I liked that bit) variously for his fighter pilot skills, his more personal skills at killing from his terrorist days, or what he represented, both to the victors and to the vanquished. Cassius through the vast majority of the book navigates a virtual minefield of double crosses, spies, assassins, liars, blackmailers, and worse as each play dangerous games with very high stakes (one game placing the entire human race throughout the stars at grave risk, no matter their allegiances during the last war) as the galaxy gears up for a war perhaps a great deal bigger than the last.
The world building was superb, it felt like a rich, layered space opera setting with a sense of history and not a setting tied too much around one idea (though the rights of sentient beings and in fact what is a sentient being were major issues touched upon again and again in the novel, a concept that had much wider implications than it first appeared, very well done). We are introduced to a rich world of Watchers, rogue A.I., bioroids, cyborgs, clones, the nearly alien Chel, the actually alien Community and frighteningly mysterious Elder Races, of terrorist groups like Crius Reborn, of crime syndicates, of succession movements…it’s a lot to take in, but the concepts are folded in nicely and I don’t think overwhelming at all, each player or concept being introduced at just the right time and what elt the right amount of exposition.
The characters were vivid and interesting, all of them morally gray at best to varying degrees and pretty much none of them what they appear at first. Cassius himself was a very interesting character and while not always completely laudable for his actions, did hold to a moral central core far more than most of the other characters in the novel (past and present). The villains weren’t particularly cut and dry and while definitely villains felt like to me they were “principled villains,” fighting for a cause they felt was right, not merely for personal gain (though they cared a lot about that as well).
I had few complaints about the book and some of those complains could easily be addressed in the sequel. Isla had a fascinating past and while a major character for much of the book, sometimes it felt like she drifted away from the attention of the narrative, though that was probably unavoidable. She was continually surprising and I had a difficult time predicting her actions, though in truth I think many characters in the novel had that same problem as well. She was definitely a difficult character to pigeon hole.
The aliens aren’t really shown, sorry if that a spoiler, but that only added to the mystery of the setting. I would like in a sequel to get more of a sense of the Community or the Elder Races but there was more than enough information in this novel to make sense of how they related to Cassius and the events of the book.
There was a lot of betrayals, intrigue, and double crosses in the book and it almost edged sometimes in being too much to keep track of (though this never happened as the strongly character driven aspects of the intrigue made it easier to follow than it otherwise might have been).
Pacing was absolutely excellent as the (e)pages just flew by as I would spend hour after hour immersed in the story. There were also several humorous passages, there was some very well written dialogue that flowed very nicely, and a few pop culture jokes that not only didn’t feel out of place but were amusing.
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
July 9, 2018
I received an E-ARC of Lucifer’s Star From the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences what I say. As always, my opinions, while completely awesome and undeniably correct, are completely my own.
This book starts during what turns out to be the last battle of a huge war between the Crius Archduchy and the Interstellar Commonwealth. In all of the Sci-fi books I have read I don’t think I have ever found one that described the battle so well. This first chapter can be called nothing but epic. And even though the scale is soon lowered the epicness never goes away.
Cassius is a great character from the start, even though he is beaten and in hiding he is proud of who he is. Although he probably should not be proud of his hiding skills. But like I said the scale is lowered and what at first looks to be a grand space opera with huge battles becomes a character driven story of intrigue and deception (with huge Battles). And the characters doing the driving are first rate. I loved them all, even the ones I hated, if that makes any sense.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Lucifer’s Star was a nonstop thrill ride filled with action and humor. I blazed through the book so fast it felt like it only took a few seconds but I loved every second of it. I Swear the last 1/3rd of this book was so good it had me smiling for days. So do yourself a favor and pick up Lucifer’s Star by C.T. Phipps. I give it 5 stars out of 5 and I wish I could give William a hand.
Check out my other reviews on my blog https://thebloggoblin.com/
This book starts during what turns out to be the last battle of a huge war between the Crius Archduchy and the Interstellar Commonwealth. In all of the Sci-fi books I have read I don’t think I have ever found one that described the battle so well. This first chapter can be called nothing but epic. And even though the scale is soon lowered the epicness never goes away.
Cassius is a great character from the start, even though he is beaten and in hiding he is proud of who he is. Although he probably should not be proud of his hiding skills. But like I said the scale is lowered and what at first looks to be a grand space opera with huge battles becomes a character driven story of intrigue and deception (with huge Battles). And the characters doing the driving are first rate. I loved them all, even the ones I hated, if that makes any sense.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Lucifer’s Star was a nonstop thrill ride filled with action and humor. I blazed through the book so fast it felt like it only took a few seconds but I loved every second of it. I Swear the last 1/3rd of this book was so good it had me smiling for days. So do yourself a favor and pick up Lucifer’s Star by C.T. Phipps. I give it 5 stars out of 5 and I wish I could give William a hand.
Check out my other reviews on my blog https://thebloggoblin.com/
November 7, 2016
This is the story of Cassius Mass, a famous star pilot working incognito on a freight hauler after being on the losing side of an intergalactic war. Through a series of discoveries amidst undercover operations, and some bit of chance, Cassius realizes he may have been fighting on the losing side all along.
Lucifer's Star is filled with big ideas, plenty of twists, and witty dialogue. I would have enjoyed a little more world building in the visceral sense, but all-in-all a solid read. If you're into big intergalactic epics where your heroes are just as sharp with the banter as they are their guns (in the spirit of Han Solo) this is for you.
Recommended.
Lucifer's Star is filled with big ideas, plenty of twists, and witty dialogue. I would have enjoyed a little more world building in the visceral sense, but all-in-all a solid read. If you're into big intergalactic epics where your heroes are just as sharp with the banter as they are their guns (in the spirit of Han Solo) this is for you.
Recommended.
October 30, 2017
I was going to introduce this review with a comparison to all of the works that Lucifer’s Star reminded me of, but, while there are so many of them, not a single one can be used to give you a good sense of what this book is about.
Lucifer’s Star follows Cassius Mass, a former member of a royal house with huge political sway that they use to wage war. The world building in this book was amazing and we see a lot of detailed explanations in the interplanetary relationships as well as the individual cultures, all without taking away from the main story by being too filled with description. The descriptors come out naturally.
Cassius is a clone of the sovereign, with cybernetic implants to make him the perfect warrior, the perfect royal heir, and the perfect sexual partner. Each of these lending itself toward complicating his life more and more before finally, as a direct result of the Archduchy’s ongoing war. By the start of chapter 2, we find a down and out, drug and alcohol addled, his face and DNA changed to hide his identity, and living aboard a pirate spaceship with a questionable crew.
Then the crew finds out that he’s one of those rich nobles who somehow screwed each one of them over in some different way in the past.
From that point, his past begins to come back in a huge way and takes Cassius on a path that makes him question not only who he is, but also everything that he previously held as true. He’s forced to question everything from the difference (culturally) of right and wrong, the idea of identity, what defines a life, the galactic politics, and lots of questions of what love is versus like and versus lust.
Like most CT Phipps books, this book focuses a lot on Cassius discovering his identity once he’s been stripped of all the superfluous things that he thought was his identity. He goes through a huge transition from the beginning of the book all the way to the end.
When I said this book reminded me of a couple of other stories, it really did, but mostly in just elements. The entire pirate ship and such reminded me a lot of Talon Kardde from the Star Wars Expanded Universe/Legends books. The politics, and how they are so intricately defined, as well as the caste system that’s plainly obvious, reminded me a lot of the Red Rising books. There was even a moment that reminded me of the Borg from Star Trek. A lot of reminders, or ingredients, that made themselves into a great cake.
And I love cake!
5 out of 5. Epic Space Fantasy that leaves me begging to learn more about Cassius Mass!
Lucifer’s Star follows Cassius Mass, a former member of a royal house with huge political sway that they use to wage war. The world building in this book was amazing and we see a lot of detailed explanations in the interplanetary relationships as well as the individual cultures, all without taking away from the main story by being too filled with description. The descriptors come out naturally.
Cassius is a clone of the sovereign, with cybernetic implants to make him the perfect warrior, the perfect royal heir, and the perfect sexual partner. Each of these lending itself toward complicating his life more and more before finally, as a direct result of the Archduchy’s ongoing war. By the start of chapter 2, we find a down and out, drug and alcohol addled, his face and DNA changed to hide his identity, and living aboard a pirate spaceship with a questionable crew.
Then the crew finds out that he’s one of those rich nobles who somehow screwed each one of them over in some different way in the past.
From that point, his past begins to come back in a huge way and takes Cassius on a path that makes him question not only who he is, but also everything that he previously held as true. He’s forced to question everything from the difference (culturally) of right and wrong, the idea of identity, what defines a life, the galactic politics, and lots of questions of what love is versus like and versus lust.
Like most CT Phipps books, this book focuses a lot on Cassius discovering his identity once he’s been stripped of all the superfluous things that he thought was his identity. He goes through a huge transition from the beginning of the book all the way to the end.
When I said this book reminded me of a couple of other stories, it really did, but mostly in just elements. The entire pirate ship and such reminded me a lot of Talon Kardde from the Star Wars Expanded Universe/Legends books. The politics, and how they are so intricately defined, as well as the caste system that’s plainly obvious, reminded me a lot of the Red Rising books. There was even a moment that reminded me of the Borg from Star Trek. A lot of reminders, or ingredients, that made themselves into a great cake.
And I love cake!
5 out of 5. Epic Space Fantasy that leaves me begging to learn more about Cassius Mass!
August 30, 2018
Cassius Mass is on the run for war crimes, hiding out as navigator on a tramp merchant spaceship. Because Mass is really an ace starfighter pilot with over four hundred kills to his name, cybernetic enhancements and a proton sword hidden in his quarters. In a galaxy far, far away, Mass would be an innocent man out to clear his name – but here he’s just trying to survive. Because this is a darkly comic work which upends the usual expectations, with no Jedi, no Force and no good guys and survival being everyone’s aim.
Mass’ team of killer cyborgs, rogue sex androids, clones, double (or triple) agents and other desperadoes takes on a mission which will restore his fortune, get the authorities off his trail, and might just save the galaxy. The merchant ship blasts off for a dangerous rendezvous…It’s space opera, or rather space comic opera, as even in the most serious situation the characters can’t resist cracking jokes.
The setting is the aftermath of a war between the evil and fascist Archduchy, which has been defeated by the evil and corrupt Commonwealth. The Commonwealth’s competing evil and machievallian intelligence agencies are rooting out the remnants of the Archduchy, but are also threatened by the evil and inhuman Chel, and the “Free Systems Alliance” rebels…who are evil and violent terrorists. There are other parties involved too, including merchant guilds, slavers and aliens. Just nobody nice.
The fun here is the combination of galactic warfare, from space battles to blaster shootouts to power-armor punch-ups and swordfights, with Phipps snark-infested dialog. There’s a decided disrespect for the norms of the genre – the protagonist pokes fun at a popular series called ‘Space Voyage’ about a noble, heroic starship crew. The plot goes through some convolutions and revelations abound. Sometimes it gets hard to keep track of who is on which side, or indeed whether Mass is on anyone’s side, but the action keeps rolling along the answers arrive in due course.
A kind of anti-Star Wars, with a dash of Blade Runner thrown in, Lucifer’s Star is a fun swashbuckling adventure.
November 10, 2018
I listened to the audiobook of this far-future, ship-based, first-person sci fi novel and I really enjoyed it. The combination of C.T. Phipps’s highly-detailed galactic history, strong prose and character interactions, plus Eric Burns’s excellent narrative delivery – especially the dialogue, most notably of the main character, Cassius – make the audio version of Lucifer’s Star a fun and atmospheric ride and a difficult book to stop listening to. The gestalt entity of Phipps-Burns switches flawlessly from gritty drama to dark humour in this first novel of what I’m sure is an epic space opera series. I highly recommend it.
August 13, 2017
After a very rough start, this became an enjoyable romp, bouncing all over the place. Although I never lost track, the plot lines were tangled and everyone had two agendas - except our beleaguered hero who wanted to rescue everyone except himself.
Some of the themes have been well explored over the decades, but I felt that most were handled well here - though there were too many of them. The characters and larger themes were intriguing.
I'm glad this was chosen as a BOTM, as I probably would have missed it otherwise.
I haven't yet decided whether to read any subsequent books.
Some of the themes have been well explored over the decades, but I felt that most were handled well here - though there were too many of them. The characters and larger themes were intriguing.
I'm glad this was chosen as a BOTM, as I probably would have missed it otherwise.
I haven't yet decided whether to read any subsequent books.
June 26, 2017
in space no one can hear you bleeding and your enemy's being crushed by the lasers of war.
star wars with the tone of blade runner mixed up miltary and spy fiction and rouge book. lucifer's star is a glorious fun space epic.
the premise is great what with the rebellion was a bunch of dicks that might be worse then the empire and he does some fun things with it. honestly the world building and the scifi aspects start off to a rocky start it does get better. what he does excel at Is thr charaters and the plot being pop corn fun and fast paced.
I failed to mention this is a more adult book then normal star wars fare it's not grim dark but it's a great inbetween.
I am excited to see what comes next in a galaxy plunged with laser swords in there back.
star wars with the tone of blade runner mixed up miltary and spy fiction and rouge book. lucifer's star is a glorious fun space epic.
the premise is great what with the rebellion was a bunch of dicks that might be worse then the empire and he does some fun things with it. honestly the world building and the scifi aspects start off to a rocky start it does get better. what he does excel at Is thr charaters and the plot being pop corn fun and fast paced.
I failed to mention this is a more adult book then normal star wars fare it's not grim dark but it's a great inbetween.
I am excited to see what comes next in a galaxy plunged with laser swords in there back.
September 22, 2017
Think Firefly but with the Browncoats being absolute bastards instead of people seeking freedom. I mean imagine they'd been into experimenting on people in a feudalistic society where the nobles have a great time treating everyone else like dirt. Then give a huge dollop of Star Wars and a cherry called Dune. Then you're beginning to get an idea of the direction Lucifer's Star will take you. But it's even better than that.
I haven't had much reading time recently, but I was forced, yes forced, to make time to read Lucifer's Star. It gripped me, amused me and left me looking forward to the sequel. Please let there be a sequel!
Details
1. The writing itself. Well written and flowing prose which avoided too much 'techno-babble'. I found the dialogue witty and convincing--the sort of dialogue I could expect from something by Joss Whedon. Are there any flaws? None that stood out for me. I liked the pop-culture references that were woven in - they never broke immersion for me or seemed out of place. When you realise who Isla is supposed to look like it's amusing but it's only suggested, never plainly stated.
2. The characters--these were not simple caricatures but felt very well put together. Cassius Mass the hero/anti-hero is an enjoyably complex fellow. Many of the other characters also will surprise you. In particular, the characters Isla, Clarice, William and Hiro all struck me as having real depth to them. No clear good and evil here--knowing who is in the right is not clear cut in this book. That moral ambiguity is pulled off with skill and really added to a highly entertaining read.
3. The setting--felt well-developed with a sense that there was a world or rather a universe outside the events of the story. Impressively realised but subtly. The setting was brought to life within the events and dialogue rather than as some kind of infodump. Despite references to Dune, Firefly and Star Wars, I felt that the setting was original and not just a rehashed version of these. Inspired by them but not copying them.
4. The story--a complex tale of betrayal or not betrayal, politics, espionage and revenge.. or is it? I'm not going to give anything away, but the twists and turns of this story are beyond entertaining and into 'gripping'.
Final word--I love space opera. Here it's done with just the right amount of grit in the characters' eyes and dirt on the starships' hulls. Morally complex but also a thrill ride. 5 stars thoroughly deserved.
I haven't had much reading time recently, but I was forced, yes forced, to make time to read Lucifer's Star. It gripped me, amused me and left me looking forward to the sequel. Please let there be a sequel!
Details
1. The writing itself. Well written and flowing prose which avoided too much 'techno-babble'. I found the dialogue witty and convincing--the sort of dialogue I could expect from something by Joss Whedon. Are there any flaws? None that stood out for me. I liked the pop-culture references that were woven in - they never broke immersion for me or seemed out of place. When you realise who Isla is supposed to look like it's amusing but it's only suggested, never plainly stated.
2. The characters--these were not simple caricatures but felt very well put together. Cassius Mass the hero/anti-hero is an enjoyably complex fellow. Many of the other characters also will surprise you. In particular, the characters Isla, Clarice, William and Hiro all struck me as having real depth to them. No clear good and evil here--knowing who is in the right is not clear cut in this book. That moral ambiguity is pulled off with skill and really added to a highly entertaining read.
3. The setting--felt well-developed with a sense that there was a world or rather a universe outside the events of the story. Impressively realised but subtly. The setting was brought to life within the events and dialogue rather than as some kind of infodump. Despite references to Dune, Firefly and Star Wars, I felt that the setting was original and not just a rehashed version of these. Inspired by them but not copying them.
4. The story--a complex tale of betrayal or not betrayal, politics, espionage and revenge.. or is it? I'm not going to give anything away, but the twists and turns of this story are beyond entertaining and into 'gripping'.
Final word--I love space opera. Here it's done with just the right amount of grit in the characters' eyes and dirt on the starships' hulls. Morally complex but also a thrill ride. 5 stars thoroughly deserved.
July 26, 2018
In this SciFi novel, humanity has spread itself across the galaxy, separated into factions, and these factions are busily at some sort of perpetual war with each other. The book basically follows Cassius, a leading fighter pilot from the side that lost the war when an arbitrary surrender was made just as his squadron had almost been completely wiped out desperately trying to stop the enemy. Cassius fights some sort of space guerilla war as leading lights from his side are subjected to victor's justice, then he gives up and becomes a navigator on a ship of misfits. The story then follows what happens next. The backstory is so extensive I would have cut most of that out and have written an earlier novel as there is easily plenty of material for it, and much of it is not really relevant to this story, which makes the first half of the book rather slow going.
The world building is excellent, and a very complex galactic-wide social structure is firmly embedded. People are as likely as not to have been cloned, hence there can be more than one of anyone present. Some have "enhanced" brains, and can download very complex information. The nature of the warfare, and why which planets are on what side is quite plausible. There is a large cast of characters, but they are not particularly well developed. The reason for this is, they are all continually lying, and when everyone lies, it is hard to see who they really are. There is a very large backstory because each character has been scarred in the previous war, and we find out about this from long conversations. The characters are all carrying demons from the past, and in my opinion, too much was made of that and the prolonged introspective and mea culpa discussions inhibit the development of the story. Another issue for me was that when all the characters are lying, they all know each other are liars, yet they all believe when it is going to lead them into a trap. The book reads easily, although the nit-picker will find some editing issues. They did not bother me. The grading I have given is dependent on the reader being happy with the long introspective conversations and slow plot development. If that would bother you, subtract a star.
The world building is excellent, and a very complex galactic-wide social structure is firmly embedded. People are as likely as not to have been cloned, hence there can be more than one of anyone present. Some have "enhanced" brains, and can download very complex information. The nature of the warfare, and why which planets are on what side is quite plausible. There is a large cast of characters, but they are not particularly well developed. The reason for this is, they are all continually lying, and when everyone lies, it is hard to see who they really are. There is a very large backstory because each character has been scarred in the previous war, and we find out about this from long conversations. The characters are all carrying demons from the past, and in my opinion, too much was made of that and the prolonged introspective and mea culpa discussions inhibit the development of the story. Another issue for me was that when all the characters are lying, they all know each other are liars, yet they all believe when it is going to lead them into a trap. The book reads easily, although the nit-picker will find some editing issues. They did not bother me. The grading I have given is dependent on the reader being happy with the long introspective conversations and slow plot development. If that would bother you, subtract a star.
February 29, 2020
I’m a huge fan of C.T. Phipps, so I was excited to try this new-to-me space opera. I do like science fiction, though I don’t read it as much as fantasy. This story follows Cassius Mass, a great star pilot for the Crius Archduchy. He’s hailed as a hero by some and a war criminal by others. Now he’s hiding under a different name.
In this world, there are clones and robots that are very human-like. There is even a woman who is able to pass as human and does for a while. It is really hard to know who is what, with the clones and humanoid-like robots, not to mention spies. Even when you think you know something about someone, you learn something else.
I really liked Cassius. He was able to look back at his actions and know he did some pretty horrible things during the war and does what he can to make up for some of those deeds. He knows he can never make up for the large number of lives he took. He takes a memory drug to help him “forget” his past. There is also a lot of drinking.
If you like stories that are twisty-turny, this is a fun story for you to try. It seemed like I learned something new about a different character in each chapter. I never knew what was going to happen next. I don’t want to go more into the story, because I really like to avoid spoilers.
I have to say, my favorite part of this story is the characters. I just love the characters that Phipps develops. They are just so relatable, real, fun and likable. If you’ve never tried Phipps, I highly recommend him.
Narration:
This was my first time listening to Eric Burns. I really liked his narration of this story. It has a fairly large cast and he didn’t do a bad job with all the characters. Each had a pretty distinctive voice. I think his female voices could’ve been a little bit better, but not bad overall. Those voices became the voices of the characters. I would definitely listen to him read another book at some time.
**I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
In this world, there are clones and robots that are very human-like. There is even a woman who is able to pass as human and does for a while. It is really hard to know who is what, with the clones and humanoid-like robots, not to mention spies. Even when you think you know something about someone, you learn something else.
I really liked Cassius. He was able to look back at his actions and know he did some pretty horrible things during the war and does what he can to make up for some of those deeds. He knows he can never make up for the large number of lives he took. He takes a memory drug to help him “forget” his past. There is also a lot of drinking.
If you like stories that are twisty-turny, this is a fun story for you to try. It seemed like I learned something new about a different character in each chapter. I never knew what was going to happen next. I don’t want to go more into the story, because I really like to avoid spoilers.
I have to say, my favorite part of this story is the characters. I just love the characters that Phipps develops. They are just so relatable, real, fun and likable. If you’ve never tried Phipps, I highly recommend him.
Narration:
This was my first time listening to Eric Burns. I really liked his narration of this story. It has a fairly large cast and he didn’t do a bad job with all the characters. Each had a pretty distinctive voice. I think his female voices could’ve been a little bit better, but not bad overall. Those voices became the voices of the characters. I would definitely listen to him read another book at some time.
**I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
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