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Doubt The Stars
A hologram cries murder. A hidden lie. Can she expose her father’s killer?
Crown Princess Henley is reeling after the sudden death of the king. But when her mother quickly marries her father’s brother, Henley’s shock gives way to anger. And after a ghostly hologram cries betrayal, she takes on a galactic quest for revenge.
While Henley scours the space station for evidence, she alienates her girlfriend with an obsession for justice. But after her plot to draw out a confession ends in bloodshed, Henley’s search could end in banishment…
With vengeance in her grasp, how far will one daughter go to avenge her father?
Doubt The Stars is the first book in the Shakespeare in Space series of captivating LGBT sci-fi novels. If you like brooding suspense, strong female characters, and fascinating retellings, then you’ll love Emily Selleck’s engrossing tale.
Crown Princess Henley is reeling after the sudden death of the king. But when her mother quickly marries her father’s brother, Henley’s shock gives way to anger. And after a ghostly hologram cries betrayal, she takes on a galactic quest for revenge.
While Henley scours the space station for evidence, she alienates her girlfriend with an obsession for justice. But after her plot to draw out a confession ends in bloodshed, Henley’s search could end in banishment…
With vengeance in her grasp, how far will one daughter go to avenge her father?
Doubt The Stars is the first book in the Shakespeare in Space series of captivating LGBT sci-fi novels. If you like brooding suspense, strong female characters, and fascinating retellings, then you’ll love Emily Selleck’s engrossing tale.
- GenresScience Fiction
303 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 21, 2017
3 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Emily Selleck
1 book13 followersEmily Selleck is an author who lives on the internet, but whose physical form resides in Southeast Texas. She loves and lives with an amazing partner (an author in their own right), two wildly creative children, a cat who acts as the family familiar, and a dog who is as goofy as he is sweet. Sometimes, she writes.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 6, 2018
I love the idea of this book. There are a lot of science fiction ideas out there, so the space angle wasn't anything new. The idea of revamping Shakespeare in this way, though, is totally fresh and exciting! I love Shakespeare, so naturally I was super excited to jump on this one. At the beginning, I had a hard time getting into the story. Honestly, my issue was probably related to trying to understand this new society operating within this book. I'm familiar with Shakespearian society and I'm familiar with modern society, but there are a lot of aspects about this new society set in space that I just didn't grasp right away. As such, it was kind of slow going for the first part of this book. When I did catch on, though, I loved it! I couldn't put the book down. Well, not until I got toward the end, anyway. The thing is, if you've read Shakespeare, you're going to pick up on which play this is based on and once that happens, you sort of know the direction of the action. So as I read, I was remembering what was going to happen and sort of dreading it. I didn't dread that action enough to stop reading, though, and I really did enjoy the way things played out. As much as one can enjoy a space age tragedy, anyway. This story is really well written and I ached as the story line drew to its close. I can't wait to see what else the author has in store for us!
April 20, 2018
Doubt the Stars by author Emily Selleck was a Science Fiction piece inspired by Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Hamlet. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this read with this premise, however, by the end I was definitely pleased with the adventure that I was taken on. I am a fan of Shakespeare but I am new to the reading of science fiction though I tend to watch a lot of it.
We begin the story with Hortensia Moretti and Captain Bernadette. There seems to be a sort of ghost in the shell or phantom coding that has been roaming the halls of Elsinore Station. That ghost being that of their former ruler, King Hensley, whom has recently passed away. Hortensia (Tensie) had been beckoned to figure out what is that is causing disturbances or anomalies as she is a highly skilled techy but when she actually lays eyes on the phantom she is shaken to the core.
Our next introduction is to Princess Henley of D’marc whom has just suffered the loss of her father, King Henley, and now has to suffer bearing witness to the spectacle that is the marriage of her mother, Queen Judith, to her uncle King Clarence. Prior to this oddity Henley maintained a very close relationship with her uncle however is put off, and rightfully so, by the arrangement. She is suspicious of what has transpired but is at a loss for what can be done. As she listens in on private conversations we then meet Lady Persephone and her two children, Ophestes and Laersa. There is something more than what meets the eye between Hensley and Laersa and it is an instant draw. Following a brief unveiling of this we then come upon the friendship between Tensie and Hensley, King Hensley reaching out from the grave via the coding, and a murder-mystery bogged down in the mirth of deceit.
Overall I really enjoyed this read. It was a great blend of a story that we all know spun into something brand new. It was interesting to see Henley become so driven by first just investigating what may have really happened to her father and then that drive mutating into a revenge plot. She became so fixated that she could not see the truth staring her right in the face. You know what is coming but it doesn’t stop you from continuing on in the novel. You have to see if the characters veer from the course or if they sustain the same demise.
The authenticity of each character with their own unique personalities and driving forces was excellent and the editing was great. I only noted one error throughout the entire piece which was toward the end and I cannot recall where to be specific. There was no interruption to the flow, no unnecessary elements or unanswered questions that as a reader I felt needed to be tied up, so another kudos here to the author and the editors. The only hang up for me was the old English and that was because it made me stop and wonder things like was this similar to the updated Romeo & Juliet or O (Othello) films where the verbiage was the same but the settings were just in modern-day – in this case in the future – or would language have returned to this out in the galaxy? It wasn’t what one would perceive as a flaw just something that made me go, hmm.
Doubt the Stars was a great adventure and is a piece that I would recommend to our readers. It appeals to two very different audience and provides a good blending of genres.
We begin the story with Hortensia Moretti and Captain Bernadette. There seems to be a sort of ghost in the shell or phantom coding that has been roaming the halls of Elsinore Station. That ghost being that of their former ruler, King Hensley, whom has recently passed away. Hortensia (Tensie) had been beckoned to figure out what is that is causing disturbances or anomalies as she is a highly skilled techy but when she actually lays eyes on the phantom she is shaken to the core.
Our next introduction is to Princess Henley of D’marc whom has just suffered the loss of her father, King Henley, and now has to suffer bearing witness to the spectacle that is the marriage of her mother, Queen Judith, to her uncle King Clarence. Prior to this oddity Henley maintained a very close relationship with her uncle however is put off, and rightfully so, by the arrangement. She is suspicious of what has transpired but is at a loss for what can be done. As she listens in on private conversations we then meet Lady Persephone and her two children, Ophestes and Laersa. There is something more than what meets the eye between Hensley and Laersa and it is an instant draw. Following a brief unveiling of this we then come upon the friendship between Tensie and Hensley, King Hensley reaching out from the grave via the coding, and a murder-mystery bogged down in the mirth of deceit.
Overall I really enjoyed this read. It was a great blend of a story that we all know spun into something brand new. It was interesting to see Henley become so driven by first just investigating what may have really happened to her father and then that drive mutating into a revenge plot. She became so fixated that she could not see the truth staring her right in the face. You know what is coming but it doesn’t stop you from continuing on in the novel. You have to see if the characters veer from the course or if they sustain the same demise.
The authenticity of each character with their own unique personalities and driving forces was excellent and the editing was great. I only noted one error throughout the entire piece which was toward the end and I cannot recall where to be specific. There was no interruption to the flow, no unnecessary elements or unanswered questions that as a reader I felt needed to be tied up, so another kudos here to the author and the editors. The only hang up for me was the old English and that was because it made me stop and wonder things like was this similar to the updated Romeo & Juliet or O (Othello) films where the verbiage was the same but the settings were just in modern-day – in this case in the future – or would language have returned to this out in the galaxy? It wasn’t what one would perceive as a flaw just something that made me go, hmm.
Doubt the Stars was a great adventure and is a piece that I would recommend to our readers. It appeals to two very different audience and provides a good blending of genres.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2025
I wasn't prepared for how emotionally invested I would be! The story is told so well that being familiar with "Hamlet" will add another layer to it, but sci-fi fans who are not familiar with "Hamlet" won't be confused. The story stands on it's own. It's also really nice to read a sci-fi story with a female main character who doesn't exist just to marry a man. I've recommended this book to many people.
December 11, 2017
I love this interpretation
The story is timeless, and Miss Selleck tells a masterful new imaginative perspective. I enjoyed this story. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
The story is timeless, and Miss Selleck tells a masterful new imaginative perspective. I enjoyed this story. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
April 13, 2020
I love a good Shakespeare retelling, and this one is in space!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews