What do you think?
Rate this book
Black Star Renegades #1
Black Star Renegades
Blending the space operatics of Star Wars and the swagger of Guardians of the Galaxy, Michael Moreci's Black Star Renegades is a galaxy-hopping adventure that blasts its way from seedy spacer bars to sacred temples guarded by deadly creatures―all with a cast of misfit characters who have nowhere to go and nothing to lose.
SyFy Wire― January Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books to Pick Up as soon as Possible
The Verge― 18 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books to Read in January
Chicago Review of Books― Best New Books of January
Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. He didn’t ask for it, he doesn’t want it, and there’s no worse choice to wield it in all of space, but if he doesn’t, everyone’s totally screwed. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there’ll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.
Cade can’t hide from Praxis, and he can’t run from the destiny that’s been shoved into his hands. So he only has one option:
He has to fight.
Cade’s not going to let destiny send him on a suicide run, though. With some help from his friends―rebels and scoundrels alike―Cade’s going to use this weapon to chart a new destiny for the galaxy, and for himself.
He just has to do so before everyone around him discovers that he’s a complete and total fraud.
SyFy Wire― January Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books to Pick Up as soon as Possible
The Verge― 18 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books to Read in January
Chicago Review of Books― Best New Books of January
Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. He didn’t ask for it, he doesn’t want it, and there’s no worse choice to wield it in all of space, but if he doesn’t, everyone’s totally screwed. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there’ll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.
Cade can’t hide from Praxis, and he can’t run from the destiny that’s been shoved into his hands. So he only has one option:
He has to fight.
Cade’s not going to let destiny send him on a suicide run, though. With some help from his friends―rebels and scoundrels alike―Cade’s going to use this weapon to chart a new destiny for the galaxy, and for himself.
He just has to do so before everyone around him discovers that he’s a complete and total fraud.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2018
176 people are currently reading
1918 people want to read
About the author
Michael Moreci
427 books211 followersMichael Moreci is a bestselling comics author and novelist. His original works include the space adventure novels Black Star Renegades and We Are Mayhem, as well as the comic series Wasted Space, The Plot, Hexagon, Curse, Archangel 8, and more. The Plot appeared on numerous best of 2019 lists, and Wasted Space has been hailed as one of the best comics of the past decade. Moreci's comic trilogy Roche Limit was called one of the best sci-fi comics of all-time by Paste Magazine, and Black Star Renegades was an Audie Award finalist for best sci-fi of 2018.
Moreci has also written for Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and the DC universe--including the YA graphic novel The Lost Carnival: A Dick Grayson Story. He's also adapted Eoin Colfer's bestselling Artemis Fowl series into graphic novels.
He lives outside Chicago with his family.
Moreci has also written for Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and the DC universe--including the YA graphic novel The Lost Carnival: A Dick Grayson Story. He's also adapted Eoin Colfer's bestselling Artemis Fowl series into graphic novels.
He lives outside Chicago with his family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
March 22, 2018
Galaxy hoping, space rebels, evil characters, pilots, friends, foes, robots, sword fights, backstabbing and an epic quest all take place in this book. The galaxy is at war and they need the "chosen one" foretold by legend, to swoop in and save the day. But what happens when the chosen one meets his demise, and another must step up to the plate?
Cade and his older brother, Tristan, are orphans who travel to the caves of Quarry on a mission. There tragedy strikes, and Cade is the sole survivor. He was supposed to walk out with his brother Tristan who was the chosen one, but they were not the only ones in the cave, which left Cade in possession of the Rokura (mystical weapon), and the responsibility to right wrongs and save the galaxy. Cade does not really want to be the "Paragon" and becomes a reluctant hero in this book.
First and foremost: My advice is to read the glossary. I put a book mark in the back of the book, so I could easily turn to the glossary when I had a question as to who a character was, etc. I found it helped me to keep track of everyone and the places they went, implements they used, etc. I didn't realize the book had a glossary initially. I wish I would have discovered the glossary in the very beginning of the book. I was struggling a little in the beginning of this book - keeping everything straight. I do not read a lot of sci-fi books and I have a hard time visualizing things/environments/etc and that do not "exist" so having the glossary helped immensely. Plus, characters and places have unusual words, so the glossary proved helpful again. Eventually, I did not need the glossary, but I did find it very helpful.
There is a lot of conflict in this book as one would expect with a "we-must-save-the-galaxy" book! There are battles, sword fights, revelations, and a rag tag group who ban together to save the day...errr, galaxy! The story is a little predictable but that should not deter anyone. Sometimes it is about the journey. This book is an homage to Star Wars and it shows. I think that this book should be read with that in mind. This book has a strong YA feel to it for me, which is not a critique or a bad thing whatsoever. I believe teens and sci-fi fans will enjoy this. I am not a big science fiction reader and I did struggle with parts of this book. Specifically, I struggled in the beginning but found as the book progressed, I enjoyed it more. Again, the glossary was a brilliant idea and I found it to be very beneficial.
I received a copy of this book form the Author in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Cade and his older brother, Tristan, are orphans who travel to the caves of Quarry on a mission. There tragedy strikes, and Cade is the sole survivor. He was supposed to walk out with his brother Tristan who was the chosen one, but they were not the only ones in the cave, which left Cade in possession of the Rokura (mystical weapon), and the responsibility to right wrongs and save the galaxy. Cade does not really want to be the "Paragon" and becomes a reluctant hero in this book.
First and foremost: My advice is to read the glossary. I put a book mark in the back of the book, so I could easily turn to the glossary when I had a question as to who a character was, etc. I found it helped me to keep track of everyone and the places they went, implements they used, etc. I didn't realize the book had a glossary initially. I wish I would have discovered the glossary in the very beginning of the book. I was struggling a little in the beginning of this book - keeping everything straight. I do not read a lot of sci-fi books and I have a hard time visualizing things/environments/etc and that do not "exist" so having the glossary helped immensely. Plus, characters and places have unusual words, so the glossary proved helpful again. Eventually, I did not need the glossary, but I did find it very helpful.
There is a lot of conflict in this book as one would expect with a "we-must-save-the-galaxy" book! There are battles, sword fights, revelations, and a rag tag group who ban together to save the day...errr, galaxy! The story is a little predictable but that should not deter anyone. Sometimes it is about the journey. This book is an homage to Star Wars and it shows. I think that this book should be read with that in mind. This book has a strong YA feel to it for me, which is not a critique or a bad thing whatsoever. I believe teens and sci-fi fans will enjoy this. I am not a big science fiction reader and I did struggle with parts of this book. Specifically, I struggled in the beginning but found as the book progressed, I enjoyed it more. Again, the glossary was a brilliant idea and I found it to be very beneficial.
I received a copy of this book form the Author in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
January 8, 2018
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/01/08/...
Known for his work in comics, Michael Moreci makes the transition to novelist in this rollicking debut which was clearly written as a tribute to his love of space-faring action and adventure sagas. Anyone familiar with popular franchises like Star Wars or Guardians of the Galaxy will no doubt see some of their plot elements and character tropes represented in Black Star Renegades, which borrows liberally from its inspirations.
First, we have a galaxy at war. The Praxis kingdom is our analog to the evil Empire, bent on subjugating all of known space to its will. Enter the “chosen one”, a Paragon whom legend foretold would arrive when the time is right, wielding a legendary weapon that will destroy the Praxis dictatorship and restore peace and balance to the galaxy. While Cade Sura might not be a simple farm boy from a desert planet, he does fit the archetype that seems to have been universally imposed on all reluctant heroes—he comes from humble beginnings, growing up hearing about the resistance and listening to exhilarating tales of their adventures, of how one day the Paragon will be the downfall of the Praxis kingdom. Still, for all the hushed reverence and admiration surrounding the prophesied savior, Cade never once imagined that he himself would be thrust into the role.
When the story begins, we follow Cade and his older brother Tristan as they travel to the mystical caves of Quarry on assignment for the Rai, an order of galactic peacekeepers that both of them belong to. However, their mission ends in disaster, and Cade emerges from the caves beaten, broken, but also in possession of the fabled weapon known as the Rokura—the very weapon that, it is said, can only be freed from its resting place by the Paragon. This was not supposed to be part of the plan, but what choice does Cade have? Either he must accept and master his new role, or Ga Halle, the evil overlord of Praxis, will come down on Cade and his friends with the full force of her military might and seize the Rokura for herself.
Initially, I was a bit torn on how to respond to a book like Black Star Renegades. The part of me that’s a die-hard, dyed-in-the-wool fan of Star Wars wanted to like this one badly, though the more measured and critical part of me knew there had to be more to a story than just repurposed old tropes borrowed from popular films. There’s a fine line between paying homage and blatantly taking someone else’s ideas for your own purpose, and there were times I felt this novel treaded uncomfortably close to the latter side of the equation. That said, I have to give credit where credit’s due; Moreci always seemed to dial back just in the nick of time, avoiding the outright lifting of ideas by applying his own twist or subversion to them. Don’t get me wrong; there’s still a want of originality, and a “I’ve definitely seen this before” feeling will be constantly tickling at the back of your mind, but at least there are a few surprises to keep things interesting.
Needless to say, the book became much more enjoyable once I accepted what it was meant to be and how it intended to get there. The story, told almost in an episodic manner, shuffles readers from one conflict to another in quick rapid-fire succession, so that there’s barely any downtime to absorb everything that’s happened. In a way, it’s actually better not to dwell on the plot too much, lest you start finding the holes in it, or realize how predictable it is. A novel like this is best taken lightly and appreciated on the basis of its spoofy themes. The characters are also quite endearing—that is, if you get over some of their hammier dispositions and dialogue.
All told, Black Star Renegades was an entertaining romp through the galaxy, even though some would argue that this “love letter” to Star Wars actually reads more like a shameless imitation. There’s plenty of charm and energy in this project to make me think there’s potential for the rest of the series, however, and Michael Moreci no doubt has the passion and enthusiasm to pull it off.
Known for his work in comics, Michael Moreci makes the transition to novelist in this rollicking debut which was clearly written as a tribute to his love of space-faring action and adventure sagas. Anyone familiar with popular franchises like Star Wars or Guardians of the Galaxy will no doubt see some of their plot elements and character tropes represented in Black Star Renegades, which borrows liberally from its inspirations.
First, we have a galaxy at war. The Praxis kingdom is our analog to the evil Empire, bent on subjugating all of known space to its will. Enter the “chosen one”, a Paragon whom legend foretold would arrive when the time is right, wielding a legendary weapon that will destroy the Praxis dictatorship and restore peace and balance to the galaxy. While Cade Sura might not be a simple farm boy from a desert planet, he does fit the archetype that seems to have been universally imposed on all reluctant heroes—he comes from humble beginnings, growing up hearing about the resistance and listening to exhilarating tales of their adventures, of how one day the Paragon will be the downfall of the Praxis kingdom. Still, for all the hushed reverence and admiration surrounding the prophesied savior, Cade never once imagined that he himself would be thrust into the role.
When the story begins, we follow Cade and his older brother Tristan as they travel to the mystical caves of Quarry on assignment for the Rai, an order of galactic peacekeepers that both of them belong to. However, their mission ends in disaster, and Cade emerges from the caves beaten, broken, but also in possession of the fabled weapon known as the Rokura—the very weapon that, it is said, can only be freed from its resting place by the Paragon. This was not supposed to be part of the plan, but what choice does Cade have? Either he must accept and master his new role, or Ga Halle, the evil overlord of Praxis, will come down on Cade and his friends with the full force of her military might and seize the Rokura for herself.
Initially, I was a bit torn on how to respond to a book like Black Star Renegades. The part of me that’s a die-hard, dyed-in-the-wool fan of Star Wars wanted to like this one badly, though the more measured and critical part of me knew there had to be more to a story than just repurposed old tropes borrowed from popular films. There’s a fine line between paying homage and blatantly taking someone else’s ideas for your own purpose, and there were times I felt this novel treaded uncomfortably close to the latter side of the equation. That said, I have to give credit where credit’s due; Moreci always seemed to dial back just in the nick of time, avoiding the outright lifting of ideas by applying his own twist or subversion to them. Don’t get me wrong; there’s still a want of originality, and a “I’ve definitely seen this before” feeling will be constantly tickling at the back of your mind, but at least there are a few surprises to keep things interesting.
Needless to say, the book became much more enjoyable once I accepted what it was meant to be and how it intended to get there. The story, told almost in an episodic manner, shuffles readers from one conflict to another in quick rapid-fire succession, so that there’s barely any downtime to absorb everything that’s happened. In a way, it’s actually better not to dwell on the plot too much, lest you start finding the holes in it, or realize how predictable it is. A novel like this is best taken lightly and appreciated on the basis of its spoofy themes. The characters are also quite endearing—that is, if you get over some of their hammier dispositions and dialogue.
All told, Black Star Renegades was an entertaining romp through the galaxy, even though some would argue that this “love letter” to Star Wars actually reads more like a shameless imitation. There’s plenty of charm and energy in this project to make me think there’s potential for the rest of the series, however, and Michael Moreci no doubt has the passion and enthusiasm to pull it off.
January 3, 2018
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/0...
3.5/5 stars
This is a book that was written as a love letter to Star Wars, and it shows. You enjoy it for the adventure and the crew's personalities and excitement as they work to defeat a large and ominous force in the galaxy. It embraces all of the tropes and deus ex machina found in Star Wars and if you can't embrace them as well, then this might not be a great choice of book for you. And that's fine, no book will please everyone and knowing that is what this book is about is important for setting reader expectations.
Cade Sura is both an underdog and a chosen one. He falls into the position of being the one person who is needed to save the universe from the evil empire of Praxis. Whether he actually feels qualified or up to it is another thing. The point is, the weight of saving everyone has fallen on his shoulders, and even if he doesn't feel like the right man for the job, he's also not really the type to quit with at least trying whatever he is capable of. Along the way, he picks up an interesting crew that has fun dynamics. Yes, there are many familiar aspects of this story, but again, it's emphasis was not on orginality. If you want something unique, look elsewhere. If you want something fun that revisits many things you've enjoyed in other stories, then this could be a great fit for you.
Moreci is a comic writer, and I think is on display a bit in this book. It is all quick action, and while I don't really want to call the book shallow, I can't say it had much depth either. Since this book's focus is on fun adventure, I think the style works well and I didn't mind. Personally, I think this story could work even better as a movie than as a book for some readers, just because for people that are bothered by more of the conveniences encountered, you have less time to think about or question them. Its also a book full of action, always good for the screen. And just the pace and action, it felt very movie-like.
When it comes down to it, I just really enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed the characters and the story, Moreci provided me with enough to keep me interested and reading, and I'm looking forward to the next one.
3.5/5 stars
This is a book that was written as a love letter to Star Wars, and it shows. You enjoy it for the adventure and the crew's personalities and excitement as they work to defeat a large and ominous force in the galaxy. It embraces all of the tropes and deus ex machina found in Star Wars and if you can't embrace them as well, then this might not be a great choice of book for you. And that's fine, no book will please everyone and knowing that is what this book is about is important for setting reader expectations.
Cade Sura is both an underdog and a chosen one. He falls into the position of being the one person who is needed to save the universe from the evil empire of Praxis. Whether he actually feels qualified or up to it is another thing. The point is, the weight of saving everyone has fallen on his shoulders, and even if he doesn't feel like the right man for the job, he's also not really the type to quit with at least trying whatever he is capable of. Along the way, he picks up an interesting crew that has fun dynamics. Yes, there are many familiar aspects of this story, but again, it's emphasis was not on orginality. If you want something unique, look elsewhere. If you want something fun that revisits many things you've enjoyed in other stories, then this could be a great fit for you.
Moreci is a comic writer, and I think is on display a bit in this book. It is all quick action, and while I don't really want to call the book shallow, I can't say it had much depth either. Since this book's focus is on fun adventure, I think the style works well and I didn't mind. Personally, I think this story could work even better as a movie than as a book for some readers, just because for people that are bothered by more of the conveniences encountered, you have less time to think about or question them. Its also a book full of action, always good for the screen. And just the pace and action, it felt very movie-like.
When it comes down to it, I just really enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed the characters and the story, Moreci provided me with enough to keep me interested and reading, and I'm looking forward to the next one.
February 26, 2018
Inspired by Star Wars to the point of being an unoriginal copycat. Writing quality isn't up to snuff, so I only made it about a hundred pages in. Especially unfortunate cause I was looking forward to a good space adventure here.
May 1, 2018
I read Black Star Renegades to fulfill the prompt of “A book with your favorite color in the title” (a misnomer of sorts, since I don’t really have a “favorite” color) for the 2018 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge.
I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Press via Goodreads giveaway, which has no influence on the contents of my review.
Billed as being inspired by Star Wars and incorporating the swagger of Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Star Renegades begins with a great deal of promise. Cade Sura and his brother Tristan are on a mission to recover an ancient weapon whose wielder, the Paragon, is foretold to be the savior of the galaxy. Or rather, Tristan is on the mission because his masters at theJedi Academy Well believe he is the Paragon and have trained him accordingly. Cade is the little brother allowed to tag along so as to not upset the Chosen One. However, problems and betrayals arise, and Cade finds himself thrust into a role he neither wants nor is prepared for.
At this point, the story veers away from upsetting the “Chosen One” trope and turns into a retelling of Star Wars. Only without the character development, the humor, and the main character kissing his sister.
I can’t directly quote from the book since I only read an ARC and not the finished copy, but this read much more like a rough draft of an 11-year-old’s fanfiction than a story nearing publication (I received my copy about 8 weeks before release). My 12-year-old nephew was over at the time I was reading it, and distracted by my apparently lengthy and frequent groans, he asked what was wrong. I read him a paragraph and said, “What, if anything, is wrong with this?” And he got it. Right away. Knew why it was bad and how it should be edited.
I know the author writes comics, and I suspect his style would play out better in that format with an illustrator who can show what he only seems to tell.
There is little character development with a lot of angst, a crush that may develop into romance over time, a homicidal droid, a lot of unnecessary words, and stereotypical villains with stereotypical motives.
Not a book I would recommend to anyone but the author’s hardcore fans, and not a series I am interested in continuing reading.
1 out of 5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Press via Goodreads giveaway, which has no influence on the contents of my review.
Billed as being inspired by Star Wars and incorporating the swagger of Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Star Renegades begins with a great deal of promise. Cade Sura and his brother Tristan are on a mission to recover an ancient weapon whose wielder, the Paragon, is foretold to be the savior of the galaxy. Or rather, Tristan is on the mission because his masters at the
At this point, the story veers away from upsetting the “Chosen One” trope and turns into a retelling of Star Wars. Only without the character development, the humor, and the main character kissing his sister.
I can’t directly quote from the book since I only read an ARC and not the finished copy, but this read much more like a rough draft of an 11-year-old’s fanfiction than a story nearing publication (I received my copy about 8 weeks before release). My 12-year-old nephew was over at the time I was reading it, and distracted by my apparently lengthy and frequent groans, he asked what was wrong. I read him a paragraph and said, “What, if anything, is wrong with this?” And he got it. Right away. Knew why it was bad and how it should be edited.
I know the author writes comics, and I suspect his style would play out better in that format with an illustrator who can show what he only seems to tell.
There is little character development with a lot of angst, a crush that may develop into romance over time, a homicidal droid, a lot of unnecessary words, and stereotypical villains with stereotypical motives.
Not a book I would recommend to anyone but the author’s hardcore fans, and not a series I am interested in continuing reading.
1 out of 5 stars.
February 3, 2018
"Black Star Renegades" is a seat of the pants, loads of action, space opera romp. In Michael Moreci's hands, you won't find a technical description of the FTL drive of the star ship. And, I could care less, because this adventure novel packs in all that one wants in space opera. A young hero/savior, with a moody weapon of mass destruction, leads/ cajoles a rag tag revolution against an evil empire of world destroyers and killers. This is not deep thought, but it is big fun. Buckle in boyos and go for a ride.
Cade Sura and his older brother Tristan were scooped up off Kyysring, a back water world, home to criminal gangs and extra legal enterprises, when they were youths by Ser Jorken, a Master Rai (think Jedi) from the Well. The Rai are a noble group dedicated to enforcing galactic peace.
Fast forward ten years and the universe is threatened by the world destroying Praxis, an empire that has the War Hammer-a star killer machine, that literally eats your star. The Praxis have subjugated planets and destroyed the stars of planets that won't submit.
Cade and Tristan are now young Rai's and they have been sent on a secret mission to claim the Rokura, a super weapon forged by the legendary warrior Wu-Xia, that is supposed to be claimed by the "Paragon" who will wield it in a time of terrible tidings to bring order to the universe. Tristan is super brother, the one everyone thinks is best able to wield the Rokura. Cade is the nobody younger brother that everyone thinks is reckless. The Rokura is located in a giant Spire on a world surround by destructive weather and evil Praxis forces.
After a thrill of a space ship landing, fights and thrills on the way to the top of the Spire, the brothers reach the chamber where the Rokura is in a status field, but betrayal awaits them as well. Cade ends up with the Rokura, but he is not really the "Paragon" and it is an uneasy alliance between the young Rai and the moody semi sentient weapon.
Cade makes it back to the Well with the weapon, where the Masters barely welcome him and immediately the Well comes under attack by the Praxis. Ga Halle, the Praxis evil leader, and her evil special warriors - the Fatebreakers- are there to reclaim the Rokura. Cade joins up with Kira Sen, a fighter pilot and the leader of the elite Omega Squadron to escape the attack. Kira has a plan, she wants to destroy the War Hammer. In the attempt to escape the Praxis, Cade and Kira end up back on Kyysring, where Cade runs into his old friend Mig, an engineering genius, who has befriended a killer robot - 4-Qel. Cade and Mig's reunion is of course, not fun, and throw in attacks by the Praxis again, and the four join forces on the run to head to Mithlador, a mining planet where a super element is located that can help with Kira's plan to destroy the War Hammer. Mithlador is also the location of Percival White, a former Paragon who gave up on wielding the Rokura.
The young heroes and 4 Qel meet up with Percival, but the meeting does not go well, shockingly, and the Praxis arrive just in time to mess up Cade’s meeting with Percival.
Mig is captured by the Praxis who demand that Cade turn over the Rokura to them in return for his friend, but the heroes have their own plans, and joined by the Omega Squadron and others plot a rude upset to the Praxis plans. There will be plenty of individual fights and Cade will mix it up with a traitor to the Well. And the Rokura will have to act at last.
Fueled by a highly readable plot, great action and engaging characters this novel delivers in spades. It’s high fun and big rewards. Don’t miss it.
Cade Sura and his older brother Tristan were scooped up off Kyysring, a back water world, home to criminal gangs and extra legal enterprises, when they were youths by Ser Jorken, a Master Rai (think Jedi) from the Well. The Rai are a noble group dedicated to enforcing galactic peace.
Fast forward ten years and the universe is threatened by the world destroying Praxis, an empire that has the War Hammer-a star killer machine, that literally eats your star. The Praxis have subjugated planets and destroyed the stars of planets that won't submit.
Cade and Tristan are now young Rai's and they have been sent on a secret mission to claim the Rokura, a super weapon forged by the legendary warrior Wu-Xia, that is supposed to be claimed by the "Paragon" who will wield it in a time of terrible tidings to bring order to the universe. Tristan is super brother, the one everyone thinks is best able to wield the Rokura. Cade is the nobody younger brother that everyone thinks is reckless. The Rokura is located in a giant Spire on a world surround by destructive weather and evil Praxis forces.
After a thrill of a space ship landing, fights and thrills on the way to the top of the Spire, the brothers reach the chamber where the Rokura is in a status field, but betrayal awaits them as well. Cade ends up with the Rokura, but he is not really the "Paragon" and it is an uneasy alliance between the young Rai and the moody semi sentient weapon.
Cade makes it back to the Well with the weapon, where the Masters barely welcome him and immediately the Well comes under attack by the Praxis. Ga Halle, the Praxis evil leader, and her evil special warriors - the Fatebreakers- are there to reclaim the Rokura. Cade joins up with Kira Sen, a fighter pilot and the leader of the elite Omega Squadron to escape the attack. Kira has a plan, she wants to destroy the War Hammer. In the attempt to escape the Praxis, Cade and Kira end up back on Kyysring, where Cade runs into his old friend Mig, an engineering genius, who has befriended a killer robot - 4-Qel. Cade and Mig's reunion is of course, not fun, and throw in attacks by the Praxis again, and the four join forces on the run to head to Mithlador, a mining planet where a super element is located that can help with Kira's plan to destroy the War Hammer. Mithlador is also the location of Percival White, a former Paragon who gave up on wielding the Rokura.
The young heroes and 4 Qel meet up with Percival, but the meeting does not go well, shockingly, and the Praxis arrive just in time to mess up Cade’s meeting with Percival.
Mig is captured by the Praxis who demand that Cade turn over the Rokura to them in return for his friend, but the heroes have their own plans, and joined by the Omega Squadron and others plot a rude upset to the Praxis plans. There will be plenty of individual fights and Cade will mix it up with a traitor to the Well. And the Rokura will have to act at last.
Fueled by a highly readable plot, great action and engaging characters this novel delivers in spades. It’s high fun and big rewards. Don’t miss it.
October 2, 2017
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2017/10/0...
Publisher: St. Martins
Publishing Date: January 2018
ISBN:9781250117847
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 1.8/5
Publishers Description: Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. He didn’t ask for it, he doesn’t want it, and there’s no worse choice to wield it in all of space, but if he doesn’t, everyone’s totally screwed. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there’ll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.
Review: This was written as an ode to Star Wars according to the author yet may have been better served as a space adventure for kids in the 8-12 yo range.
Although the premise and story line had merit, this novel was fraught with flaws in character and scene development. For instance, as Cade moves through the story line, his internal dialogue not only fills in the back story but discerns events and interactions not yet revealed but turn out to be factual. Kind of like guessing the future and having it realized. While we are constantly reminded that Cade is a misfit with self-esteem issues, he goes out of his way to be negative, obtuse, self-centered and belligerent when there is really no need to be that way. He is “disgusted” with others behaviors and wears the reluctant hero crown too well. He eventually embraces his whatever “self” and suddenly becomes super paragon galactic savior guy whom sacrifices his life for the Galaxy and others etc. etc.
The fight scenes are a big stretch of the imagination, especially the Dasher bike incident and the whole exchange between characters within culminating scenes reads like a comic hero space adventure. I get that the author wrote/writes comic books and this somehow was re-invented into a space operatic novel. It just didn’t work for me but may for others.
Publisher: St. Martins
Publishing Date: January 2018
ISBN:9781250117847
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 1.8/5
Publishers Description: Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. He didn’t ask for it, he doesn’t want it, and there’s no worse choice to wield it in all of space, but if he doesn’t, everyone’s totally screwed. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there’ll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.
Review: This was written as an ode to Star Wars according to the author yet may have been better served as a space adventure for kids in the 8-12 yo range.
Although the premise and story line had merit, this novel was fraught with flaws in character and scene development. For instance, as Cade moves through the story line, his internal dialogue not only fills in the back story but discerns events and interactions not yet revealed but turn out to be factual. Kind of like guessing the future and having it realized. While we are constantly reminded that Cade is a misfit with self-esteem issues, he goes out of his way to be negative, obtuse, self-centered and belligerent when there is really no need to be that way. He is “disgusted” with others behaviors and wears the reluctant hero crown too well. He eventually embraces his whatever “self” and suddenly becomes super paragon galactic savior guy whom sacrifices his life for the Galaxy and others etc. etc.
The fight scenes are a big stretch of the imagination, especially the Dasher bike incident and the whole exchange between characters within culminating scenes reads like a comic hero space adventure. I get that the author wrote/writes comic books and this somehow was re-invented into a space operatic novel. It just didn’t work for me but may for others.
November 3, 2017
For fans of Brandon Sanderson...
I know that sounds weird to say Black Star Renegades isn't a natural fit for the kind of books Sanderson writes (he's a fantasy, Black Star is sci-fi), but when reading this book I couldn't help but see the similarities, especially in tone. Like Sanderson, Michael Moreci has a casual, breezy way of writing--it's fun and engaging while maintaining a level of seriousness as well, particularly through the characters.
Anyway, as for Black Star Renegades, I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the book at New York Comic Con. As advertised, the book is very much in the tradition of Star Wars and, like Star Wars, it's more like a fantasy story in space then a sci-fi story. In a nutshell, the book follows a young man named Cade Sura who--and I don't want to spoil anything--is forced to control a very powerful and dangerous weapon. With it, he has to take on the evil Praxis empire and it's tyrannical leader Ga Halle.
The story moves at breakneck speed, and I mean that in a good way. It's fast, action-packed, and a lot of fun. My fear, actually, is that people will mistake the book's fun and consider it to lack in merit as a result. That's not the case. While the book is filled with humor and adventure, it's also touching at times and has some interesting things to say about the responsibility we have to ourselves and to the world around us.
This was a great read that kept me captivated from start to finish (and I was vry happy to learn there's more books in this series on the way). I highly recommend it for fans of Star Wars, Brandon Sanderson, and other similar works. It's fun, it's smart, and I, for one, can't wait to read more.
I know that sounds weird to say Black Star Renegades isn't a natural fit for the kind of books Sanderson writes (he's a fantasy, Black Star is sci-fi), but when reading this book I couldn't help but see the similarities, especially in tone. Like Sanderson, Michael Moreci has a casual, breezy way of writing--it's fun and engaging while maintaining a level of seriousness as well, particularly through the characters.
Anyway, as for Black Star Renegades, I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the book at New York Comic Con. As advertised, the book is very much in the tradition of Star Wars and, like Star Wars, it's more like a fantasy story in space then a sci-fi story. In a nutshell, the book follows a young man named Cade Sura who--and I don't want to spoil anything--is forced to control a very powerful and dangerous weapon. With it, he has to take on the evil Praxis empire and it's tyrannical leader Ga Halle.
The story moves at breakneck speed, and I mean that in a good way. It's fast, action-packed, and a lot of fun. My fear, actually, is that people will mistake the book's fun and consider it to lack in merit as a result. That's not the case. While the book is filled with humor and adventure, it's also touching at times and has some interesting things to say about the responsibility we have to ourselves and to the world around us.
This was a great read that kept me captivated from start to finish (and I was vry happy to learn there's more books in this series on the way). I highly recommend it for fans of Star Wars, Brandon Sanderson, and other similar works. It's fun, it's smart, and I, for one, can't wait to read more.
December 21, 2017
Now that you’ve seen The Last Jedi, take a journey to save the galaxy again!
Michael Moreci’s Black Star Renegades delivered an exciting, intergalactic, quest that would make Steven Spielberg or George Lucas want to film it, and create special editions for decades.
Moreci (The Throwaway, 2018, etc.) highlighted his talent by creating a living, breathing, world(s) set in the cosmos. The opening chapter is a space chase and introduces the brotherly duo of Cade and Tristan Sura. Moreci does an excellent job of developing their characters by showing the reader the dual nature of their personalities. They often bounce off one another in an Odd-Couple in Space style story, and it’s clear the brothers are as close as Sam and Dean from Supernatural. It was also evident they spend excessively too much time together.
Unfortunately, their lives are about to change forever.
Tristan is prophesized to be the “Paragon”. An ancient weapon he is destined to wield will bring balance to the universe. The backdrop of the story was presented without any clunky dialogue or heavy exposition. Moreci has a talent for conveying large amounts of plot information succinctly in exciting action sequences, most involving space pirates, robots, or other members of the band of misfits.
The book is the beginning of a trilogy boasting exotic aliens, original locations, and a Joseph Campbell-esque hero’s journey that will bring readers back for more. Moreci is a full-fledged geek and clearly holds a deep appreciation for all things Sci-Fi/Fantasy.
Michael Moreci’s Black Star Renegades delivered an exciting, intergalactic, quest that would make Steven Spielberg or George Lucas want to film it, and create special editions for decades.
Moreci (The Throwaway, 2018, etc.) highlighted his talent by creating a living, breathing, world(s) set in the cosmos. The opening chapter is a space chase and introduces the brotherly duo of Cade and Tristan Sura. Moreci does an excellent job of developing their characters by showing the reader the dual nature of their personalities. They often bounce off one another in an Odd-Couple in Space style story, and it’s clear the brothers are as close as Sam and Dean from Supernatural. It was also evident they spend excessively too much time together.
Unfortunately, their lives are about to change forever.
Tristan is prophesized to be the “Paragon”. An ancient weapon he is destined to wield will bring balance to the universe. The backdrop of the story was presented without any clunky dialogue or heavy exposition. Moreci has a talent for conveying large amounts of plot information succinctly in exciting action sequences, most involving space pirates, robots, or other members of the band of misfits.
The book is the beginning of a trilogy boasting exotic aliens, original locations, and a Joseph Campbell-esque hero’s journey that will bring readers back for more. Moreci is a full-fledged geek and clearly holds a deep appreciation for all things Sci-Fi/Fantasy.
January 19, 2019
“He allotted himself a quick second to jam his claw against the control panel and silence all alerts. He knew he was in deep trouble, again; he didn’t need a soundtrack.”
Fun. Popcorn for the SF reader.
“And what are you going to do?” she scoffed. “What I always do,” Cade sighed. “Something stupid.”
If imitation is the most sincere form of flatter, Lucas Films, Marvel, DreamWorks--not to mention J. R. R. Tolkien, should be very flattered. In fact, their legal departments may consider when imitation crosses over into plagiarism. Not so. The plot, characters, and even some of the action and dialogue were cribbed from Stars Wars, et al., but it’s a fun, new romp through a galaxy of fools.
“We need to stop acting the way the Well expects us to. We’re a light-year away from Ticus, so you’re not as screw-up and I’m not a loose cannon.”
Lightweight. Cartoonish, but that’s nor necessarily a criticism. Lots of good, clean “hero’s journey” amusement. Just don’t expect serious literature, and you won’t be disappointed.
“I was hoping the afterlife was going to be a lot cooler than Kira’s ship.” “First of all, there’s nothing cooler than my ship. And second, you’re not dead.”
Fun. Popcorn for the SF reader.
“And what are you going to do?” she scoffed. “What I always do,” Cade sighed. “Something stupid.”
If imitation is the most sincere form of flatter, Lucas Films, Marvel, DreamWorks--not to mention J. R. R. Tolkien, should be very flattered. In fact, their legal departments may consider when imitation crosses over into plagiarism. Not so. The plot, characters, and even some of the action and dialogue were cribbed from Stars Wars, et al., but it’s a fun, new romp through a galaxy of fools.
“We need to stop acting the way the Well expects us to. We’re a light-year away from Ticus, so you’re not as screw-up and I’m not a loose cannon.”
Lightweight. Cartoonish, but that’s nor necessarily a criticism. Lots of good, clean “hero’s journey” amusement. Just don’t expect serious literature, and you won’t be disappointed.
“I was hoping the afterlife was going to be a lot cooler than Kira’s ship.” “First of all, there’s nothing cooler than my ship. And second, you’re not dead.”
January 2, 2018
The nitty-gritty: A fun and character-driven debut, fans of Star Wars will find much to love in this fast-paced space opera.
In Michael Moreci’s afterward to his fun and furious debut, he unabashedly calls Black Star Renegades his “love letter to Star Wars,” and it shows. It’s easy to make your way through the story and say things like “Cade is Luke Skywalker” or “Ga Halle is Darth Vader” or “the shido must be a light saber.” But Black Star Renegades , for all the obvious Star Wars parallels, has its own charm and character, and I fell hard for Cade, Kira, Mig and 4-Qel, the main ensemble of the story. If you’re looking for an action-packed and entertaining book to start off 2018, then you really can’t go wrong with this one.
Cade and his older brother Tristan are members of the Rai (think Jedi), having trained for the past ten years with their mentor Ser Jorken. When the story opens, they are on a mission to literally change history. After years of oppression under a group of people called the Praxis, most of the galaxy lives in a state of fear, after the Praxis developed a way to steal the energy from stars, thus enslaving any planet who benefited from that energy. But there is a myth of a Chosen One called the Paragon, a Rai with the strength to pull a sacred weapon called the Rokura out of stasis, a weapon which could restore order and balance to the galaxy and end the evil reign of the Praxis for good. And guess what? Tristan is thought to be the Paragon, but in order to test his mettle, he must journey to the planet Quarry where the Rokura waits for someone worthy enough to wield it.
But when Tristan and Cade finally make it to the caves where they do indeed find the Rokura, things do not go quite as planned. After a confrontation with a waiting enemy, Cade finds himself in possession of the Rokura, and now he either has to prove that he can wield and control the Rokura, or find the real Paragon. Neither option is going to be easy, because now that he has the Rokura, everyone is after him. With the help of friends Kira and Mig and Mig’s android 4-Qel, Cade tries to stay one step ahead of the enemy, but when the enemy is everywhere, that's very hard to do.
Moreci gets things going with a bang, as the first couple of chapters are non-stop action and set the stage for the rest of the story. Black Star Renegades has a cinematic feel to it, which doesn’t surprise me considering the author has lots of experience writing comics and graphic novels. There is a subtle humor that infuses the story, and I’m happy to report that it was my kind of humor, snarky and understated, but not so overpowering as to hit the reader over the head with it. Cade has plenty of humorous dialog with both Kira and Mig, but I especially loved 4-Qel's humor, which is even funnier because he doesn't understand that he's being funny.
The story has lots of twists and turns, as Moreci is determined to send Cade and his friends from one adventure to another with barely room to breathe between them, but for me the story really took off once Cade, Kira, Mig and 4-Qel become a team. There’s nothing I enjoy more than a close-knit ensemble cast, and these four characters really made this story special.
Kira was a fantastic character, who luckily isn’t added just as a romantic interest for Cade. (Yes, there is a bit of romance going on, but it’s definitely not the focus.) She’s braver and pluckier than Cade, and as I mentioned above, she’s hiding some secrets about her family that could have a profound impact on how the others think of her.
Despite the strengths of this novel, it wasn’t perfect, and there were some elements that didn’t quite work for me. Moreci’s talent lies in his character-building, dialog and action sequences, but I have to say his writing style is a bit rough around the edges. There were a couple of really awkward sentences—“His torso propelled forward, sitting Cade upright.”—which either escaped the editing process or have perhaps been corrected by now. I was also puzzled by the spelling of 4-Qel’s name, which continuously changed from “4-Qel” to “Four-Qel,” back and forth, as if the author and editor couldn’t quite make up their minds which version to use. Now, I understand I read an uncorrected proof, but usually in this state the spelling/editing mistakes are few and far between. (I’m tempted to check out the finished book to see if this rather distracting issue has been fixed!)
Although there are brief glimpses into the characters’ backstories, I wanted more detail. We only get a few paragraphs about Cade’s and Tristan’s childhood on Kyysring, a backwaters world where corruption, drugs and murder run rampant. And a tantalizing mention of Kira’s mother and her connection to the Praxis made me anxious to learn more of her backstory as well. Characters’ actions in the present are shaped by their past experiences, but it’s nice when authors flesh those moments out. I wanted more, but hopefully, as this seems to be the start of a series, Moreci is going to give us more in the next book.
As far as stories go, this one hooked me from the beginning and didn’t let up until the end. Moreci may have written an ode to his favorite universe, but he’s also created a story with plenty of heart and characters that I’d like to follow on another adventure or two. I didn’t see any firm indication on Goodreads that this is the start of a series, but here’s hoping!
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
In Michael Moreci’s afterward to his fun and furious debut, he unabashedly calls Black Star Renegades his “love letter to Star Wars,” and it shows. It’s easy to make your way through the story and say things like “Cade is Luke Skywalker” or “Ga Halle is Darth Vader” or “the shido must be a light saber.” But Black Star Renegades , for all the obvious Star Wars parallels, has its own charm and character, and I fell hard for Cade, Kira, Mig and 4-Qel, the main ensemble of the story. If you’re looking for an action-packed and entertaining book to start off 2018, then you really can’t go wrong with this one.
Cade and his older brother Tristan are members of the Rai (think Jedi), having trained for the past ten years with their mentor Ser Jorken. When the story opens, they are on a mission to literally change history. After years of oppression under a group of people called the Praxis, most of the galaxy lives in a state of fear, after the Praxis developed a way to steal the energy from stars, thus enslaving any planet who benefited from that energy. But there is a myth of a Chosen One called the Paragon, a Rai with the strength to pull a sacred weapon called the Rokura out of stasis, a weapon which could restore order and balance to the galaxy and end the evil reign of the Praxis for good. And guess what? Tristan is thought to be the Paragon, but in order to test his mettle, he must journey to the planet Quarry where the Rokura waits for someone worthy enough to wield it.
But when Tristan and Cade finally make it to the caves where they do indeed find the Rokura, things do not go quite as planned. After a confrontation with a waiting enemy, Cade finds himself in possession of the Rokura, and now he either has to prove that he can wield and control the Rokura, or find the real Paragon. Neither option is going to be easy, because now that he has the Rokura, everyone is after him. With the help of friends Kira and Mig and Mig’s android 4-Qel, Cade tries to stay one step ahead of the enemy, but when the enemy is everywhere, that's very hard to do.
Moreci gets things going with a bang, as the first couple of chapters are non-stop action and set the stage for the rest of the story. Black Star Renegades has a cinematic feel to it, which doesn’t surprise me considering the author has lots of experience writing comics and graphic novels. There is a subtle humor that infuses the story, and I’m happy to report that it was my kind of humor, snarky and understated, but not so overpowering as to hit the reader over the head with it. Cade has plenty of humorous dialog with both Kira and Mig, but I especially loved 4-Qel's humor, which is even funnier because he doesn't understand that he's being funny.
The story has lots of twists and turns, as Moreci is determined to send Cade and his friends from one adventure to another with barely room to breathe between them, but for me the story really took off once Cade, Kira, Mig and 4-Qel become a team. There’s nothing I enjoy more than a close-knit ensemble cast, and these four characters really made this story special.
Kira was a fantastic character, who luckily isn’t added just as a romantic interest for Cade. (Yes, there is a bit of romance going on, but it’s definitely not the focus.) She’s braver and pluckier than Cade, and as I mentioned above, she’s hiding some secrets about her family that could have a profound impact on how the others think of her.
Despite the strengths of this novel, it wasn’t perfect, and there were some elements that didn’t quite work for me. Moreci’s talent lies in his character-building, dialog and action sequences, but I have to say his writing style is a bit rough around the edges. There were a couple of really awkward sentences—“His torso propelled forward, sitting Cade upright.”—which either escaped the editing process or have perhaps been corrected by now. I was also puzzled by the spelling of 4-Qel’s name, which continuously changed from “4-Qel” to “Four-Qel,” back and forth, as if the author and editor couldn’t quite make up their minds which version to use. Now, I understand I read an uncorrected proof, but usually in this state the spelling/editing mistakes are few and far between. (I’m tempted to check out the finished book to see if this rather distracting issue has been fixed!)
Although there are brief glimpses into the characters’ backstories, I wanted more detail. We only get a few paragraphs about Cade’s and Tristan’s childhood on Kyysring, a backwaters world where corruption, drugs and murder run rampant. And a tantalizing mention of Kira’s mother and her connection to the Praxis made me anxious to learn more of her backstory as well. Characters’ actions in the present are shaped by their past experiences, but it’s nice when authors flesh those moments out. I wanted more, but hopefully, as this seems to be the start of a series, Moreci is going to give us more in the next book.
As far as stories go, this one hooked me from the beginning and didn’t let up until the end. Moreci may have written an ode to his favorite universe, but he’s also created a story with plenty of heart and characters that I’d like to follow on another adventure or two. I didn’t see any firm indication on Goodreads that this is the start of a series, but here’s hoping!
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
February 18, 2018
This is fun.
As the author states in his acknowledgements, this book is a love letter to Star Wars. It's not perfect, but it's fun. And, what more could you ask for in a space cowboy story? I am here for the sequel when it happens.
As the author states in his acknowledgements, this book is a love letter to Star Wars. It's not perfect, but it's fun. And, what more could you ask for in a space cowboy story? I am here for the sequel when it happens.
November 26, 2017
After reading Melanie Rawn's The Mageborn Traitor and Stephen R. Donaldson's Seventh Decimate (reviews for both books coming up in the near future), two decidedly subpar novels that proved to be major disappointments, I needed something fun and light to get back into the swing of things. And Michael Moreci's Black Star Renegades appeared to be just what I needed. The advance reading copy of this title went to the top of the pile when it showed up in my mailbox and the timing was just about right to give it a shot.
True, most talented comic books writers rarely make the transition to good novelists. Even an all-star like Chris Claremont failed to come up with quality novel-length material when the opportunity presented itself. Hence, I didn't have high expectations when I set out to read Black Star Renegades. Even though this work was no spoof, I was expecting Moreci's ode to Star Wars to be akin to Steven Erikson's homage to Star Trek in his Willful Child series. Well, it wasn't. . .
Black Star Renegades turned out to be nothing more than an ensemble of recycled tropes that read like Star Wars fanfiction. And a poor one at that. There is no originality throughout this book. This reimagining of Star Wars features absolutely nothing of the vision and creativity which made the original trilogy so amazing. All it does is take clichés and plot points from every single Star Wars film to date, subvert a couple just so it can't be called plagiarism, and come up with an uninspired and poorly executed work that is totally forgettable. Truth be told, I can't quite believe I actually reached the end of this book. It's so stale and boring that I wanted to quit every step of the way.
Here's the blurb:
In the tradition of Star Wars, a galaxy-hopping space adventure about a galactic kingdom bent on control and the young misfit who must find the power within before it’s too late.
Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. He didn’t ask for it, he doesn’t want it, and there’s no worse choice to wield it in all of space, but if he doesn’t, everyone’s totally screwed. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there’ll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.
Cade can’t hide from Praxis, and he can’t run from the destiny that’s been shoved into his hands. So he only has one option:
He has to fight.
Cade’s not going to let destiny send him on a suicide run, though. With some help from his friends—rebels and scoundrels alike—Cade’s going to use this weapon to chart a new destiny for the galaxy, and for himself.
He just has to do so before everyone around him discovers that he’s a complete and total fraud.
Blending the space operatics of Star Wars and the swagger of Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Star Renegades is a galaxy-hopping adventure that blasts its way from seedy spacer bars to sacred temples guarded by deadly creatures—all with a cast of misfit characters who have nowhere to go and nothing to lose.
Black Star Renegades is an unapologetic love letter to Star Wars. That goes without saying. Problem is, unlike Steven Erikson's Star Trek's parody, Moreci's novel is little more than a cheap imitation of the original saga that reads like a crappy B-movie direct-to-DVD release. I'm persuaded that this was meant to be some sort of mash-up of genre tropes. But in the end, it's a lackluster work filled to the brim with ideas and concepts that we've seen a thousand times before. A superior author would have managed to effortlessly use readers' preconceptions against them and surprise them at every turn. Sadly, Michael Moreci did not have what it takes to do that. Ultimately, Black Star Renegades is a clichéd and predictable scifi adventure yarn that fails to deliver on basically every front. You have your do-gooder Jedi order, an evil galactic empire bent on galaxy-wide domination, weapons that are not lightsabers but close enough, a weapon of mass destruction that can destroy worlds, villains that used to be good guys, and a panoply of other Star Wars tropes.
The characterization is by far the weakest aspect of this novel. With the worldbuilding so trite and unimaginative, the protagonists could have gone a long way into making this a more enjoyable reading experience. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. For the most part, the characters are little more than generic cardboard cutouts. Even worse, there is no character development to speak of. The main protagonist, Cade Sura, is an annoying dumbass from the get-go and the fate of the galaxy couldn't be in worst hands. For its part, the supporting cast does little to help elevate this tale to another level. Sure, it's not a carbon copy of the original Star Wars movies. Instead of a whimpy protocol droid like C-3PO, you have a kick-ass combat drone. Instead of Obi-Wan Kenobi, you have a younger and more badass teacher for Cade and Tristan. Instead of the Emperor, you have a mad queen. Yada yada yada. But what it boils down to is that both the plot and the cast are made of recycled ideas and storylines that we have seen ad nauseam. There is nothing new or fresh about Black Star Renegades. Nothing at all.
The quality of the prose was better than I exected. However, the dialogue reads exactly like what you'd expect out of a comic book. With some "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH", "ARRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH", and "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" throughout. Moreover, it is plagued by juvenile back-and-forth between the protagonists. Some reviews claim that it's more of a YA science fiction adventure work, but I doubt that a younger audience would enjoy it more than I did. It's just an overdone and stereotyped sort of tale which has little appeal, all things considered. And though the quality of the writing is better than fanfiction, it nevertheless reads like fanfic.
The pace is never really an issue. Moreci keeps the story moving at a good clip. Unfortunately, with such a boring and predictable plot, a good rhythm simply cannot save this novel. You can see the endgame coming from a mile away, so the ending doesn't pack any punch whatsoever. The author is unable to make you grow attached to any of the characters, so you couldn't care less about the fate of any of them by the time you reach the last page. Alas, unlike all the protagonists from Star Wars: Rogue One, whose only redeeming quality is that they're all dead and can't bother us anymore, most of the cast from Black Star Renegades will live to see another day.
There is a sequel in the works. Will I read it? To be honest, I'd rather undergo a prostate exam than read that second installment. Yes. I kid you not.
There are so many quality science fiction/space opera novels out there. Read those and don't waste your time with Black Star Renegades.
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com.
True, most talented comic books writers rarely make the transition to good novelists. Even an all-star like Chris Claremont failed to come up with quality novel-length material when the opportunity presented itself. Hence, I didn't have high expectations when I set out to read Black Star Renegades. Even though this work was no spoof, I was expecting Moreci's ode to Star Wars to be akin to Steven Erikson's homage to Star Trek in his Willful Child series. Well, it wasn't. . .
Black Star Renegades turned out to be nothing more than an ensemble of recycled tropes that read like Star Wars fanfiction. And a poor one at that. There is no originality throughout this book. This reimagining of Star Wars features absolutely nothing of the vision and creativity which made the original trilogy so amazing. All it does is take clichés and plot points from every single Star Wars film to date, subvert a couple just so it can't be called plagiarism, and come up with an uninspired and poorly executed work that is totally forgettable. Truth be told, I can't quite believe I actually reached the end of this book. It's so stale and boring that I wanted to quit every step of the way.
Here's the blurb:
In the tradition of Star Wars, a galaxy-hopping space adventure about a galactic kingdom bent on control and the young misfit who must find the power within before it’s too late.
Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. He didn’t ask for it, he doesn’t want it, and there’s no worse choice to wield it in all of space, but if he doesn’t, everyone’s totally screwed. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there’ll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.
Cade can’t hide from Praxis, and he can’t run from the destiny that’s been shoved into his hands. So he only has one option:
He has to fight.
Cade’s not going to let destiny send him on a suicide run, though. With some help from his friends—rebels and scoundrels alike—Cade’s going to use this weapon to chart a new destiny for the galaxy, and for himself.
He just has to do so before everyone around him discovers that he’s a complete and total fraud.
Blending the space operatics of Star Wars and the swagger of Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Star Renegades is a galaxy-hopping adventure that blasts its way from seedy spacer bars to sacred temples guarded by deadly creatures—all with a cast of misfit characters who have nowhere to go and nothing to lose.
Black Star Renegades is an unapologetic love letter to Star Wars. That goes without saying. Problem is, unlike Steven Erikson's Star Trek's parody, Moreci's novel is little more than a cheap imitation of the original saga that reads like a crappy B-movie direct-to-DVD release. I'm persuaded that this was meant to be some sort of mash-up of genre tropes. But in the end, it's a lackluster work filled to the brim with ideas and concepts that we've seen a thousand times before. A superior author would have managed to effortlessly use readers' preconceptions against them and surprise them at every turn. Sadly, Michael Moreci did not have what it takes to do that. Ultimately, Black Star Renegades is a clichéd and predictable scifi adventure yarn that fails to deliver on basically every front. You have your do-gooder Jedi order, an evil galactic empire bent on galaxy-wide domination, weapons that are not lightsabers but close enough, a weapon of mass destruction that can destroy worlds, villains that used to be good guys, and a panoply of other Star Wars tropes.
The characterization is by far the weakest aspect of this novel. With the worldbuilding so trite and unimaginative, the protagonists could have gone a long way into making this a more enjoyable reading experience. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. For the most part, the characters are little more than generic cardboard cutouts. Even worse, there is no character development to speak of. The main protagonist, Cade Sura, is an annoying dumbass from the get-go and the fate of the galaxy couldn't be in worst hands. For its part, the supporting cast does little to help elevate this tale to another level. Sure, it's not a carbon copy of the original Star Wars movies. Instead of a whimpy protocol droid like C-3PO, you have a kick-ass combat drone. Instead of Obi-Wan Kenobi, you have a younger and more badass teacher for Cade and Tristan. Instead of the Emperor, you have a mad queen. Yada yada yada. But what it boils down to is that both the plot and the cast are made of recycled ideas and storylines that we have seen ad nauseam. There is nothing new or fresh about Black Star Renegades. Nothing at all.
The quality of the prose was better than I exected. However, the dialogue reads exactly like what you'd expect out of a comic book. With some "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH", "ARRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH", and "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" throughout. Moreover, it is plagued by juvenile back-and-forth between the protagonists. Some reviews claim that it's more of a YA science fiction adventure work, but I doubt that a younger audience would enjoy it more than I did. It's just an overdone and stereotyped sort of tale which has little appeal, all things considered. And though the quality of the writing is better than fanfiction, it nevertheless reads like fanfic.
The pace is never really an issue. Moreci keeps the story moving at a good clip. Unfortunately, with such a boring and predictable plot, a good rhythm simply cannot save this novel. You can see the endgame coming from a mile away, so the ending doesn't pack any punch whatsoever. The author is unable to make you grow attached to any of the characters, so you couldn't care less about the fate of any of them by the time you reach the last page. Alas, unlike all the protagonists from Star Wars: Rogue One, whose only redeeming quality is that they're all dead and can't bother us anymore, most of the cast from Black Star Renegades will live to see another day.
There is a sequel in the works. Will I read it? To be honest, I'd rather undergo a prostate exam than read that second installment. Yes. I kid you not.
There are so many quality science fiction/space opera novels out there. Read those and don't waste your time with Black Star Renegades.
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com.
July 20, 2021
DNF - Usually I'll give a novel that starts out rocky 50-100 pages to win me over but Black Star Renegades lost me on page 5: "This guy is awesome," Cade whispered to his brother.
December 31, 2018
My expectations clearly exceeded what this science fiction adventure could deliver. Yes, there are clear parallels to Star Wars. Thank goodness for the breadth of outer space, because Black Star Renegades and Star Wars are galaxies apart. Moreci has crafted some decent comic book elements but they never really reach their full potential. Cade suddenly finds himself in the role of "The Chosen One", and continues to refute the point continuously throughout the novel. He teams up with rogue pilot Kira, engineer Mig, and fighting robot 4-Qel to battle with the forces of evil. Decent fun yet forgettable.
November 10, 2020
"Black Star Renegades" was an absolute delight from start to finish! One of my favorite things to do is to just aimlessly wander through the stacks of books at my local library and grab books, mostly at random. It can be anything that catches my eye: An author I recognize, an interesting cover, a particular genre. This time it was that name "Black Star Renegades" and the picture of the four adventurers on the cover.
First things first: this book is a huge love letter to "Star Wars." Morceci doesn't even try to hide it. I'm sure this is upsetting and derivative to some but I found it fascinating. Morceci was able to deal with issues that have long plagued "Star Wars" like:
- If Droids have sentience, how can we keep them enslaved?
- The fact that Jedi aren't very good at peacekeeping.
- What does it REALLY mean to be "the chosen one?"
Everything was on point here: the dialogue, action, relationships...it all rang so true and was so entertaining. I cannot wait to read the sequel!
First things first: this book is a huge love letter to "Star Wars." Morceci doesn't even try to hide it. I'm sure this is upsetting and derivative to some but I found it fascinating. Morceci was able to deal with issues that have long plagued "Star Wars" like:
- If Droids have sentience, how can we keep them enslaved?
- The fact that Jedi aren't very good at peacekeeping.
- What does it REALLY mean to be "the chosen one?"
Everything was on point here: the dialogue, action, relationships...it all rang so true and was so entertaining. I cannot wait to read the sequel!
January 5, 2018
Funny, epic, and thrilling, BSR comes as advertised -- the epic journey of Star Wars meets the swagger of Guardians of the Galaxy. For me personally, it felt like Star Wars: Rebels with a little bit more attitude. The immense world building is complemented by a furious pace and strongly written action sequences. Also, 4-Qel is hands down the best droid/robot in the galaxy. Space opera fans rejoice, your new favorite is here.
October 20, 2018
Review originally posted to Let's Get Off This Rock Already! (https://letsgetoffthisrockalready.com...)
Black Star Renegades is so thoroughly inspired by Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy (mostly the former) that Moreci proclaims as much on its Amazon store page. Ultimately, that works in its favor. What we have here is a fun, fast-paced adventure novel with its own distinctive setting, characters, and feel, that nevertheless has the courage to make straightforward use of tropes. Only some narrative problems and bad habits on the part of the writer hold it back.
The premise is as follows: Cade and Tristan, two brothers from a crime-ridden slum, are trained by a vaguely monastic warrior order called the Well (think Jedi with martial arts substituting for the Force), in the hope that one of them (Tristan) will prove worthy enough to wield an ancient weapon, the Rokura, and restore peace to the galaxy.
At the start of the novel Cade and Tristan travel to recover the Rokura, and things do not go as planned. The result is that Cade ends up on his own, with a mythic weapon he was never meant to carry, and he must figure out how to use it—or whether to use it in the first place. You see, the Rokura is capable of terrible destruction, and has a mind of its own. Making things still more perilous is the fact that the ruler of the warmongering Praxis Kingdom, the cyborg empress Ga Halle (very much like Darth Vader, with interesting exceptions) is keen on seizing the Rokura for her own, galaxy-conquering purposes.
Against Praxis’ overwhelming might, Cade can only succeed with his own skills and the help of a few newfound friends. The heroes are very much a ragtag bunch of misfits, including an outcast pilot, a combat robot, and a genius engineer, and the adventure they go on to save the galaxy takes them from planet to planet, leading to their final confrontation with evil…
So, that’s the story. With a work such as this, the premise is of course nothing new, and the effect must lie more in execution than in concepts. How well does Michael Moreci execute his vision, you might ask? It’s a mixed bag.
Overall, except for a drier stretch in advance of the halfway mark, I enjoyed this book, and there’s certainly enough action to go around. The characters have fun interactions—Cade in particular is a likeable protagonist. The locations are generally well-described, too. I did get the sense that this was a unique universe, not a Star Wars fan fiction, and such planets as the Well’s homeworld, the wretched hive of Kyysring, and the ice world of Dotax are all memorable in their various ways. Praxis is a solid villainous faction, an empire that looks generically brutal on the surface but has a much more complicated backstory. There are also the obligatory wacky aliens, seedy bars on strange planets, and valiant rebel groups, but while Black Star Renegades plays those tropes straight, it doesn’t limit itself to them—I was surprised at several points by the characters’ surprisingly nuanced moral conflicts, and by the few but significant new concepts Moreci introduces.
Those are the highlights of the book. Many other things frustrated me, besides. While the setting was enjoyable to read about, as I mentioned above, I think the characters hop from planet to planet a little too much for any one place to be explored in depth. There are also some grammatical issues throughout. Michael Moreci had an editor when writing this, I later found out, but far too much slipped past the net, including at least two dozen instances of present tense inexcusably sneaking into a past-tense story.
Perhaps the largest flaw in Black Star Renegades is its overabundance of telling as opposed to showing. The author will build up dramatic character moments, which is all well and good, and then ruin them by explaining to the reader exactly why they are dramatic character moments—for example, we’re just told that a certain character is like a father to Cade when they’re barely shown interacting. Any dramatic tension built up by the book’s strengths is undermined by this single, rather irritating habit on the part of the writer.
Even so, that was not enough to make me hate it. I had a great time with Black Star Renegades, in fact, and I would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a fun popcorn read that fulfills its promises. I intend to read the sequel, We Are Mayhem, when it comes out early next year.
Rating: 7/10.
Black Star Renegades is so thoroughly inspired by Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy (mostly the former) that Moreci proclaims as much on its Amazon store page. Ultimately, that works in its favor. What we have here is a fun, fast-paced adventure novel with its own distinctive setting, characters, and feel, that nevertheless has the courage to make straightforward use of tropes. Only some narrative problems and bad habits on the part of the writer hold it back.
The premise is as follows: Cade and Tristan, two brothers from a crime-ridden slum, are trained by a vaguely monastic warrior order called the Well (think Jedi with martial arts substituting for the Force), in the hope that one of them (Tristan) will prove worthy enough to wield an ancient weapon, the Rokura, and restore peace to the galaxy.
At the start of the novel Cade and Tristan travel to recover the Rokura, and things do not go as planned. The result is that Cade ends up on his own, with a mythic weapon he was never meant to carry, and he must figure out how to use it—or whether to use it in the first place. You see, the Rokura is capable of terrible destruction, and has a mind of its own. Making things still more perilous is the fact that the ruler of the warmongering Praxis Kingdom, the cyborg empress Ga Halle (very much like Darth Vader, with interesting exceptions) is keen on seizing the Rokura for her own, galaxy-conquering purposes.
Against Praxis’ overwhelming might, Cade can only succeed with his own skills and the help of a few newfound friends. The heroes are very much a ragtag bunch of misfits, including an outcast pilot, a combat robot, and a genius engineer, and the adventure they go on to save the galaxy takes them from planet to planet, leading to their final confrontation with evil…
So, that’s the story. With a work such as this, the premise is of course nothing new, and the effect must lie more in execution than in concepts. How well does Michael Moreci execute his vision, you might ask? It’s a mixed bag.
Overall, except for a drier stretch in advance of the halfway mark, I enjoyed this book, and there’s certainly enough action to go around. The characters have fun interactions—Cade in particular is a likeable protagonist. The locations are generally well-described, too. I did get the sense that this was a unique universe, not a Star Wars fan fiction, and such planets as the Well’s homeworld, the wretched hive of Kyysring, and the ice world of Dotax are all memorable in their various ways. Praxis is a solid villainous faction, an empire that looks generically brutal on the surface but has a much more complicated backstory. There are also the obligatory wacky aliens, seedy bars on strange planets, and valiant rebel groups, but while Black Star Renegades plays those tropes straight, it doesn’t limit itself to them—I was surprised at several points by the characters’ surprisingly nuanced moral conflicts, and by the few but significant new concepts Moreci introduces.
Those are the highlights of the book. Many other things frustrated me, besides. While the setting was enjoyable to read about, as I mentioned above, I think the characters hop from planet to planet a little too much for any one place to be explored in depth. There are also some grammatical issues throughout. Michael Moreci had an editor when writing this, I later found out, but far too much slipped past the net, including at least two dozen instances of present tense inexcusably sneaking into a past-tense story.
Perhaps the largest flaw in Black Star Renegades is its overabundance of telling as opposed to showing. The author will build up dramatic character moments, which is all well and good, and then ruin them by explaining to the reader exactly why they are dramatic character moments—for example, we’re just told that a certain character is like a father to Cade when they’re barely shown interacting. Any dramatic tension built up by the book’s strengths is undermined by this single, rather irritating habit on the part of the writer.
Even so, that was not enough to make me hate it. I had a great time with Black Star Renegades, in fact, and I would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a fun popcorn read that fulfills its promises. I intend to read the sequel, We Are Mayhem, when it comes out early next year.
Rating: 7/10.
January 2, 2018
Cade Sura and his brother Tristan are orphans that have picked up for training to be a peacekeeper, Rai. Tristan is assumed to be the Paragon, someone that can handle a powerful weapon to save the universe. But when he is killed after capturing the weapon everyone starts thinking it is Cade that is the Paragon. But Cade wants nothing to do with this responsibility. Thankfully he has a couple friends that he can gather to help him stop Praxis and their War Hammer.
Cade has some serious self-esteem issues and is a general pain in the butt. I admit that there were times that he irritated me. But overall I think he was a good lead character that had one heck of a surprise dumped in his lap. Thankfully he can fake well enough that everyone doesn’t see how off balance and unsure of himself that he is. Of course you are going to have an evil queen, good and evil, and the battle for freedom.
You can tell that Michael Moreci loves Star Wars. A lot of this book is a slight adjustment on this series. I can see where this would bother people, but for me I really enjoyed the story. For me it didn’t affect me at all. I really enjoyed this story and would be interested in reading the next book in the series.
I received Black Star Renegards from Kaye Publicity for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
Cade has some serious self-esteem issues and is a general pain in the butt. I admit that there were times that he irritated me. But overall I think he was a good lead character that had one heck of a surprise dumped in his lap. Thankfully he can fake well enough that everyone doesn’t see how off balance and unsure of himself that he is. Of course you are going to have an evil queen, good and evil, and the battle for freedom.
You can tell that Michael Moreci loves Star Wars. A lot of this book is a slight adjustment on this series. I can see where this would bother people, but for me I really enjoyed the story. For me it didn’t affect me at all. I really enjoyed this story and would be interested in reading the next book in the series.
I received Black Star Renegards from Kaye Publicity for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
February 1, 2018
Story: 3 (As unoriginal as it sounds but also, unfortunately, uninspired)
Characters: 5 (Enjoyable protagonist character arc but little else)
This is the story of a young orphan from a backwoods planet who gets recruited by an aged spiritual warrior armed with a glowing sword to join the rebellion against the evil empire and their planet-killer, err... sun crusher. Our lead is a great pilot with a biomechanical hand who’s the new hope for the galaxy after his family member, the Chosen One, failed to bring balance to the galaxy. He’s facing off against a villain more machine now than woman, who betrayed and murdered his father. Not intentionally, mind you. She just killed a lot of fathers in her tme. Joining our hero is a hotshot rebel pilot, a former kill droid, and a mechanic. And off they go on their epic quest, although since the rebels can’t unite to authorize their mission it’s a bit of a rogue one.
As you can tell the book has zero originality. I’m not even mad at that, and if I start my review off by pointing out this fact it’s only because this is a sure way to tell whether this book is for you. It’s billed as a homage to Star Wars (oh, is that what it reminds me of?) and that it certainly is. Most space operas these days are, to one degree or another, directly influenced by those films. But I’ve never seen one quite so on the nose. But that’s okay, because we have other influences thrown in as well. After all, the goal is to become a Paragon by going and traveling to the destroyed Quarian homeworld and uniting the people of the galaxy against a galactic threat with the help of a friend trained by Commander Shepard. And if that doesn’t ring any bells, the lead character is forced to take responsibility for a weapon of unspeakable power that corrupts the bearer and has a will of its own, to the point where he considers it necessary to send it back to the fiery chasm of a burning star. And you fly a ship called the Horizon Dawn. It borrows from all over. ’Nuff said.
So why, knowing this, would I try it? The idea appealed to me. Not the knockoff/homage, the basic hook. Because we’re dealing with a chosen one prophecy gone wrong. And there is the kernel of an idea in there that has enormous power and yet has never, to my mind, been done right. What if the chosen one fails? Oh, you see stories where the prophecy is misunderstood all the time, but to actually fail and have the leads need to work out how to win anyway is something I’ve always want to see. Because of this angle, our lead character is compelling. Cade Sura (no relation to Cade Skywalker) is the younger brother of the chosen one. He’s the guy whose destiny is to back his brother up and help him save the galaxy. Only he ends up with the Ring, err, Staff Of Power instead. So now the second fiddle has to figure out how to be the man his brother was and save the galaxy despite really not being leadership material.
I love this idea, and it does some aspects of this character arc very well. His insecurities and uncertainty make for compelling reading. You really feel for the guy. On the other hand, there are some aspects that they do less well. I thought it was a mistake to kill his brother. Yeah, they needed some way to make the sidekick the hero, but I find the character arc of two brothers coming to terms with the fact that the destined child of destiny suddenly has to play second fiddle to his beloved but still strictly subordinate brother a lot more compelling than the typical dead family member plot. The fact that the book never really stops to deal with that death or embrace the torment makes it a below par dead family member plot too. The whole destiny angle is clumsily handled, being introduced and resolved within the first two chapters but never really feeling consequential for all the later developments. I never found myself buying that this weapon was the Weapon Of Destiny or that the fate of the universe lay in his hands. It seemed so humdrum.
The rest of the book is full of great ideas (original or not) that never quite get executed satisfactorily. The dialogue, though not devoid of memorable moments, is far too cliché and unoriginal. The plot is too unfocused, never willing to sit still for a moment and always rushing towards the next adventure. The characters are simplistic at best, and while I did like the lead, his was the only story that really worked for me. And what’s with the weird mystic stuff around the Master Rai (so named because when asked what separates them from Forceless Jedi the answer was, “it’s a Master Rai”)?
The villains are villainous beyond all belief, efforts to give them some justifications (the old order vs. chaos angle) aside, and speak entirely in clichés. Once the inevitable traitor is revealed (gosh, could it be the only named minor character we know anything about?) they abandon their friendly manner and immediately join in the manic villainy. And the monologuing, oh, the monologuing! You want to recognize a villain just lie on the floor before them and see who hovers over you gloating in triumph. Even when they have nothing against you. They’re laughable. It’s not threatening to have your villains act like grumpy children.
So I guess the issue is that I didn’t really want what I thought I wanted as much as I did. Or maybe that it tried too hard to imitate the elements of Star Wars without ever capturing the soul. I thought it was great that the book embraced the campy virtues of space operas without too much of the meta-commentary and cynicism of modern works. Yet... do we really need the villains to monologue every time? Or the planet-destroying threat? Or the vaguely oriental melee-weapon based mysticism? I love Star Wars not because it has those elements but because it handles those elements right. Their mere presence does not a good book make. This book is really more of a 2.5 stars, harmless and not utterly wretched, but not enormous fun either. Go in with low expectations and you may have a good time.
Characters: 5 (Enjoyable protagonist character arc but little else)
This is the story of a young orphan from a backwoods planet who gets recruited by an aged spiritual warrior armed with a glowing sword to join the rebellion against the evil empire and their planet-killer, err... sun crusher. Our lead is a great pilot with a biomechanical hand who’s the new hope for the galaxy after his family member, the Chosen One, failed to bring balance to the galaxy. He’s facing off against a villain more machine now than woman, who betrayed and murdered his father. Not intentionally, mind you. She just killed a lot of fathers in her tme. Joining our hero is a hotshot rebel pilot, a former kill droid, and a mechanic. And off they go on their epic quest, although since the rebels can’t unite to authorize their mission it’s a bit of a rogue one.
As you can tell the book has zero originality. I’m not even mad at that, and if I start my review off by pointing out this fact it’s only because this is a sure way to tell whether this book is for you. It’s billed as a homage to Star Wars (oh, is that what it reminds me of?) and that it certainly is. Most space operas these days are, to one degree or another, directly influenced by those films. But I’ve never seen one quite so on the nose. But that’s okay, because we have other influences thrown in as well. After all, the goal is to become a Paragon by going and traveling to the destroyed Quarian homeworld and uniting the people of the galaxy against a galactic threat with the help of a friend trained by Commander Shepard. And if that doesn’t ring any bells, the lead character is forced to take responsibility for a weapon of unspeakable power that corrupts the bearer and has a will of its own, to the point where he considers it necessary to send it back to the fiery chasm of a burning star. And you fly a ship called the Horizon Dawn. It borrows from all over. ’Nuff said.
So why, knowing this, would I try it? The idea appealed to me. Not the knockoff/homage, the basic hook. Because we’re dealing with a chosen one prophecy gone wrong. And there is the kernel of an idea in there that has enormous power and yet has never, to my mind, been done right. What if the chosen one fails? Oh, you see stories where the prophecy is misunderstood all the time, but to actually fail and have the leads need to work out how to win anyway is something I’ve always want to see. Because of this angle, our lead character is compelling. Cade Sura (no relation to Cade Skywalker) is the younger brother of the chosen one. He’s the guy whose destiny is to back his brother up and help him save the galaxy. Only he ends up with the Ring, err, Staff Of Power instead. So now the second fiddle has to figure out how to be the man his brother was and save the galaxy despite really not being leadership material.
I love this idea, and it does some aspects of this character arc very well. His insecurities and uncertainty make for compelling reading. You really feel for the guy. On the other hand, there are some aspects that they do less well. I thought it was a mistake to kill his brother. Yeah, they needed some way to make the sidekick the hero, but I find the character arc of two brothers coming to terms with the fact that the destined child of destiny suddenly has to play second fiddle to his beloved but still strictly subordinate brother a lot more compelling than the typical dead family member plot. The fact that the book never really stops to deal with that death or embrace the torment makes it a below par dead family member plot too. The whole destiny angle is clumsily handled, being introduced and resolved within the first two chapters but never really feeling consequential for all the later developments. I never found myself buying that this weapon was the Weapon Of Destiny or that the fate of the universe lay in his hands. It seemed so humdrum.
The rest of the book is full of great ideas (original or not) that never quite get executed satisfactorily. The dialogue, though not devoid of memorable moments, is far too cliché and unoriginal. The plot is too unfocused, never willing to sit still for a moment and always rushing towards the next adventure. The characters are simplistic at best, and while I did like the lead, his was the only story that really worked for me. And what’s with the weird mystic stuff around the Master Rai (so named because when asked what separates them from Forceless Jedi the answer was, “it’s a Master Rai”)?
The villains are villainous beyond all belief, efforts to give them some justifications (the old order vs. chaos angle) aside, and speak entirely in clichés. Once the inevitable traitor is revealed (gosh, could it be the only named minor character we know anything about?) they abandon their friendly manner and immediately join in the manic villainy. And the monologuing, oh, the monologuing! You want to recognize a villain just lie on the floor before them and see who hovers over you gloating in triumph. Even when they have nothing against you. They’re laughable. It’s not threatening to have your villains act like grumpy children.
So I guess the issue is that I didn’t really want what I thought I wanted as much as I did. Or maybe that it tried too hard to imitate the elements of Star Wars without ever capturing the soul. I thought it was great that the book embraced the campy virtues of space operas without too much of the meta-commentary and cynicism of modern works. Yet... do we really need the villains to monologue every time? Or the planet-destroying threat? Or the vaguely oriental melee-weapon based mysticism? I love Star Wars not because it has those elements but because it handles those elements right. Their mere presence does not a good book make. This book is really more of a 2.5 stars, harmless and not utterly wretched, but not enormous fun either. Go in with low expectations and you may have a good time.
November 1, 2017
Acclaimed comics writer Michael Moreci branches out into novel-writing with 'Black Star Renegades,' an homage to 'Star Wars' with a tone a bit more along the lines of 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and 'Firefly.' Fans of the genre will not be disappointed, as Moreci has the conventions of space opera down pat. This is an entertaining adventure from start to finish.
Read my full review at Pop Mythology.
I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher.
Matt Hlinak
Author of DoG
Read my full review at Pop Mythology.
I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher.
Matt Hlinak
Author of DoG
May 4, 2018
Fun as can be. Read like a fast-paced, cinematic space adventure that I think it's supposed to be, like Guardians of the Galaxy. It's a good time, total page-turner. The characters were great, and the book was funny--it's so refreshing that a book actually doesn't take itself SO seriously. I laughed a few times, and I can't wait for the next book in the series.
October 12, 2020
This book has received a lot of hype and I have been wanting to read it for a long while now. Unfortunately, there is nothing new here. It is inspired by Star Wars to the point of being an unoriginal copycat. Pick the last five science fiction/Space Opera novels you have read, put them in a blender, and you get this book. I do not like to give bad reviews but I was unimpressed with this one.
October 24, 2017
BLACK STAR RENEGADES hits all the high notes of classic space opera: ragtag rebels, evil empires, blaster battles, and spaceport showdowns. But Moreci retools the familiar into a novel that’s fresh, energetic, and astonishingly humane. I loved it.
January 26, 2018
A fun, propulsive space opera for fans of Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Expanse.
Read
May 19, 2019Quit on page 17. Deeply shallow :) and vastly unoriginal.
July 17, 2019
It’s like Star Wars mixed with Guardians of the Galaxy mixed with Serenity mixed with Sword in the Stone mixed with Avatar the Last Airbender. I liked it.
November 1, 2017
This book is everything I want in my sci-fi. Crazy, big and full of amazing ideas.
April 24, 2018
I'm sure that by now you've read the comparisons to Star Wars, but Black Star Renegades stands in a universe wholly its own. With believable dialogue, and sympathetic characters to deliver it, Michael Moreci weaves a galaxy spanning tale that is out of this world and yet, still somehow relatable. With a romping adventure across the cosmos that is fun in the midst of planet ending peril, you'll be turning the pages faster than you could jump to light speed in your star cruiser. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a good tale.
July 9, 2021
This reads like a teenager’s idea of a Sci Fi novel.
The characters are caricatures. The plot is paper thin and ‘borrows’ from numerous better novels/movies. The writing style lacks wit or subtlety.
Even the 30 pages I read seem a waste of time.
The characters are caricatures. The plot is paper thin and ‘borrows’ from numerous better novels/movies. The writing style lacks wit or subtlety.
Even the 30 pages I read seem a waste of time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews