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Black Star Renegades #2
We Are Mayhem: A Black Star Renegades Novel
The second entry in the Star Wars- inspired series that Nerdist calls "the next big thing."
Though the ragtag group of misfits known as the Black Star Renegades won a decisive battle by destroying Ga Halle’s War Hammer , the war is far from over. In response to losing the crown jewel of its fleet, the evil Praxis empire has vengefully reinforced its tyranny across the galaxy--but its rule won't be had so easily. Led by hotshot pilot Kira Sen, a growing rebel force stands in the way of Praxis’s might. Not only do they possess the will to fight for galactic freedom, they also possess the ultimate ace in the hole: The mythical Rokura, the most powerful weapon ever known.
Too bad Cade Sura hasn’t figured out to use it.
As Kira wages an increasingly bloody war against Praxis, Cade is left with only once choice: With Ga Halle scouring every star system for the coveted weapon, Cade embarks on a dangerous mission into uncharted space to discover the Rokura’s origins. Only then can he learn how it can be wielded. Because if he doesn’t, all hope for the galaxy might be lost.
Though the ragtag group of misfits known as the Black Star Renegades won a decisive battle by destroying Ga Halle’s War Hammer , the war is far from over. In response to losing the crown jewel of its fleet, the evil Praxis empire has vengefully reinforced its tyranny across the galaxy--but its rule won't be had so easily. Led by hotshot pilot Kira Sen, a growing rebel force stands in the way of Praxis’s might. Not only do they possess the will to fight for galactic freedom, they also possess the ultimate ace in the hole: The mythical Rokura, the most powerful weapon ever known.
Too bad Cade Sura hasn’t figured out to use it.
As Kira wages an increasingly bloody war against Praxis, Cade is left with only once choice: With Ga Halle scouring every star system for the coveted weapon, Cade embarks on a dangerous mission into uncharted space to discover the Rokura’s origins. Only then can he learn how it can be wielded. Because if he doesn’t, all hope for the galaxy might be lost.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2019
27 people are currently reading
279 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.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 16, 2019
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet
(Romeo and Juliet, Act II Scene II, lines 47-48)
When I began reading Michael Moreci’s latest instalment in the Black Star Renegades saga, I certainly didn’t imagine I would begin my review with a quote from Shakespeare’s celebrated tale of forbidden love. However, while the eponymous Juliet may have been referring to the warring houses of Montague and Capulet, her meaning is applicable to what lies at the heart of the story of We are Mayhem…you are who you are, regardless of what you may be called.
Of course, I’ve read enough books and seen enough movies to know that character development and identity is a vital part of any second act (Frodo’s travels with Gollum and, of course, Luke’s training under Yoda on Dagobah immediately spring to mind). We are Mayhem proves that the Black Star Renegades saga is no different. Expanding an already fascinating galaxy, we are introduced to planets, moons, and other weird and wonderful locations that provide a stunning backdrop for his two protagonists’ separate struggles to understand and strengthen their identities. These two concurrently-running narratives provide a fantastic structure for book, as Cade and Kira follow two separate paths (literally and figuratively) that guide them towards understanding themselves and their identity.
Even with We are Mayhem focusing more on character development than its predecessor, we are still treated to a fantastic continuation of an epic saga. While the struggle between Praxis and the Renegades rages on in the wake of the destruction of the War Hammer, the leaders of Praxis face mounting insurrection back on their home planet (Is there a more perfect allegory for an identity crisis than a planet and it’s people in the midst of a civil war?). Not only did I get my wish of learning more of Praxis the planet and the people, but the elaboration of the legend of Wu-Xia was also wonderfully imagined and developed. Indeed, the Chamber of Memories may have been the highlight of the book for me. Furthermore, the many action sequences are all full-throttle, detailed, and heart-pounding throughout. From the frenzied attempt to reclaim the Kundarian trade ship, to the assault on ‘The Crucible’ on the Praxian moon of Olanus, Moreci has upped the action and intensity ten-fold.
Where Black Star Renegades was a fun, popcorn-movie entry to a newly imagined fictional universe, We are Mayhem provides some soul and depth to the saga. Not only that, it does so while also maintaining the blockbuster-style theatrics that made the series so enjoyable and accessible to begin with. In much the same way as its protagonists, the Black Star Renegades has come out of this latest instalment with a stronger, more realised understanding of its identity: a vividly-imagined space saga of truly epic proportions.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an ARC
By any other name would smell as sweet
(Romeo and Juliet, Act II Scene II, lines 47-48)
When I began reading Michael Moreci’s latest instalment in the Black Star Renegades saga, I certainly didn’t imagine I would begin my review with a quote from Shakespeare’s celebrated tale of forbidden love. However, while the eponymous Juliet may have been referring to the warring houses of Montague and Capulet, her meaning is applicable to what lies at the heart of the story of We are Mayhem…you are who you are, regardless of what you may be called.
Of course, I’ve read enough books and seen enough movies to know that character development and identity is a vital part of any second act (Frodo’s travels with Gollum and, of course, Luke’s training under Yoda on Dagobah immediately spring to mind). We are Mayhem proves that the Black Star Renegades saga is no different. Expanding an already fascinating galaxy, we are introduced to planets, moons, and other weird and wonderful locations that provide a stunning backdrop for his two protagonists’ separate struggles to understand and strengthen their identities. These two concurrently-running narratives provide a fantastic structure for book, as Cade and Kira follow two separate paths (literally and figuratively) that guide them towards understanding themselves and their identity.
Even with We are Mayhem focusing more on character development than its predecessor, we are still treated to a fantastic continuation of an epic saga. While the struggle between Praxis and the Renegades rages on in the wake of the destruction of the War Hammer, the leaders of Praxis face mounting insurrection back on their home planet (Is there a more perfect allegory for an identity crisis than a planet and it’s people in the midst of a civil war?). Not only did I get my wish of learning more of Praxis the planet and the people, but the elaboration of the legend of Wu-Xia was also wonderfully imagined and developed. Indeed, the Chamber of Memories may have been the highlight of the book for me. Furthermore, the many action sequences are all full-throttle, detailed, and heart-pounding throughout. From the frenzied attempt to reclaim the Kundarian trade ship, to the assault on ‘The Crucible’ on the Praxian moon of Olanus, Moreci has upped the action and intensity ten-fold.
Where Black Star Renegades was a fun, popcorn-movie entry to a newly imagined fictional universe, We are Mayhem provides some soul and depth to the saga. Not only that, it does so while also maintaining the blockbuster-style theatrics that made the series so enjoyable and accessible to begin with. In much the same way as its protagonists, the Black Star Renegades has come out of this latest instalment with a stronger, more realised understanding of its identity: a vividly-imagined space saga of truly epic proportions.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an ARC
April 24, 2019
Most of the same characters so was expecting more fun times, but felt a little flat. Plenty of action, but didn't have love it quite so much.
May 11, 2019
Michael is a wonderful writer whose love of science fiction stands out beautifully in this book. Sure, there will always be comparisons to Star Wars but I don’t think that detracts from the story Michael is weaving here.
March 23, 2021
"We Are Mayhem" continues Michael Moreci's love letter to Star Wars. If the first book was A New Hope, this one is Empire and ROTJ all rolled into one. Moreci writes a space opera in all of its glory. He finds the exact right balance between humor, action, and sentimentality (just like the original trilogy did). You cheer for the heroes. Boo at the villains. Laugh and the killer robots. Reading this I was literally smiling from ear to ear the whole time. It appears that he wrapped up the story with this one but I'll definitely come back if Moreci keeps writing books this good.
May 17, 2019
"Star wars inspired" is probably pushing it with how close this runs to SW lol
Better worldbuilding than the first but I didn't like the action as much, every time the plot advanced it felt pretty contrived and out of nowhere, especially on Kira's side of the story.
And then lol at "the power of friendship" actually having an impact on the ending.
This almost read like a conclusion to the series and it might be for the best if it is. The books are fun but they're so derivative and the magic/mysticism just never goes to interesting places.
Better worldbuilding than the first but I didn't like the action as much, every time the plot advanced it felt pretty contrived and out of nowhere, especially on Kira's side of the story.
And then lol at "the power of friendship" actually having an impact on the ending.
This almost read like a conclusion to the series and it might be for the best if it is. The books are fun but they're so derivative and the magic/mysticism just never goes to interesting places.
December 18, 2018
Review originally posted to Let's Get Off This Rock Already! (https://letsgetoffthisrockalready.com...)
A couple months ago I wrote about Michael Moreci's novel Black Star Renegades, and, as chance had it, the author himself took note—he sent me an ARC of the sequel, We Are Mayhem, for me to review. Here is that review:
We Are Mayhem is a worthy follow-up to Black Star Renegades. It excels in the same areas as the first book, building further upon them, but it also shares the same flaws. And where Black Star Renegades continues the tradition of A New Hope, here we have the equivalent of The Empire Strikes Back. The plot is very similar: the empire, Praxis, stands resurgent even after the destruction of its superweapon, and goes on the offensive against an increasingly unsteady rebellion, while the hero ventures into deep space and trains with a mentor to hone his mysterious abilities. It seems familiar from a bird's-eye view, but there are enough complications and twists that one is reading a very different story down on the ground.
That's where We Are Mayhem succeeds best. Michael Moreci knows exactly where to stick to classic sci-fi tropes and where to play with them. It all feels familiar without being overly predictable, and while reading there was no point where I thought to myself "Cade Sura is Luke with the serial numbers filed off," or "the mentor Percival is just like Yoda." The characters have their own attributes, and their own conflicts to overcome. One of the best parts of this book, in fact, is the simultaneous development of Cade and Kira—both of them struggle with defining their identities, Cade as the "Chosen One"(deconstructed here), and Kira as a bitter scion of Praxis nobility.
Moreci also gives us a broader look at the Black Star Renegades universe. The characters spend plenty of time in two interesting setpieces: Monaskis, a kingdom within the core of a devastated planet, and Praxis itself, where an uprising against Ga Halle lends some welcome depth to this setting's resident evil empire. Rounding out the worldbuilding here are new species, new tech, and the beginnings of a distinct mythology (the ancient warlord Wu-Xia gets his time in the spotlight).
The novel falters when it comes to describing this setting, unfortunately. Moreci is very sparse in places, relying on simple descriptions of size and shape and color instead of the pointed details or sweeping vistas that really paint a picture. It made some places hard to visualize, and most of the action sequences hard to follow. Furthermore, the dialogue is supposed to come off as light, casual, and humorous, and it usually succeeds, but on occasion it's a little melodramatic, perhaps childish.
We Are Mayhem also has a problem with telling. There's not a lot of ambiguity around Cade's character arc or Kira's troubled relationship with her parents, with everything pretty much laid out for the reader. At times I skimmed, when ideas were reinforced at length even though the context made them clear enough. Nevertheless, it's a lot better here than it was in Black Star Renegades—Michael Moreci is clearly developing as an author.
On the whole, We Are Mayhem is an improvement over the first book. The writing style has advanced somewhat, and the setting and characters are developed tremendously, deconstructing the classic sci-fi tropes that have fueled the series so far. Would I recommend it? If you liked the first installment in the series, of course! Look out for this one on April 9, 2019.
Rating: 7/10.
A couple months ago I wrote about Michael Moreci's novel Black Star Renegades, and, as chance had it, the author himself took note—he sent me an ARC of the sequel, We Are Mayhem, for me to review. Here is that review:
We Are Mayhem is a worthy follow-up to Black Star Renegades. It excels in the same areas as the first book, building further upon them, but it also shares the same flaws. And where Black Star Renegades continues the tradition of A New Hope, here we have the equivalent of The Empire Strikes Back. The plot is very similar: the empire, Praxis, stands resurgent even after the destruction of its superweapon, and goes on the offensive against an increasingly unsteady rebellion, while the hero ventures into deep space and trains with a mentor to hone his mysterious abilities. It seems familiar from a bird's-eye view, but there are enough complications and twists that one is reading a very different story down on the ground.
That's where We Are Mayhem succeeds best. Michael Moreci knows exactly where to stick to classic sci-fi tropes and where to play with them. It all feels familiar without being overly predictable, and while reading there was no point where I thought to myself "Cade Sura is Luke with the serial numbers filed off," or "the mentor Percival is just like Yoda." The characters have their own attributes, and their own conflicts to overcome. One of the best parts of this book, in fact, is the simultaneous development of Cade and Kira—both of them struggle with defining their identities, Cade as the "Chosen One"(deconstructed here), and Kira as a bitter scion of Praxis nobility.
Moreci also gives us a broader look at the Black Star Renegades universe. The characters spend plenty of time in two interesting setpieces: Monaskis, a kingdom within the core of a devastated planet, and Praxis itself, where an uprising against Ga Halle lends some welcome depth to this setting's resident evil empire. Rounding out the worldbuilding here are new species, new tech, and the beginnings of a distinct mythology (the ancient warlord Wu-Xia gets his time in the spotlight).
The novel falters when it comes to describing this setting, unfortunately. Moreci is very sparse in places, relying on simple descriptions of size and shape and color instead of the pointed details or sweeping vistas that really paint a picture. It made some places hard to visualize, and most of the action sequences hard to follow. Furthermore, the dialogue is supposed to come off as light, casual, and humorous, and it usually succeeds, but on occasion it's a little melodramatic, perhaps childish.
We Are Mayhem also has a problem with telling. There's not a lot of ambiguity around Cade's character arc or Kira's troubled relationship with her parents, with everything pretty much laid out for the reader. At times I skimmed, when ideas were reinforced at length even though the context made them clear enough. Nevertheless, it's a lot better here than it was in Black Star Renegades—Michael Moreci is clearly developing as an author.
On the whole, We Are Mayhem is an improvement over the first book. The writing style has advanced somewhat, and the setting and characters are developed tremendously, deconstructing the classic sci-fi tropes that have fueled the series so far. Would I recommend it? If you liked the first installment in the series, of course! Look out for this one on April 9, 2019.
Rating: 7/10.
June 2, 2019
We Are Mayhem is an all-in-one kind of science fiction experience in the best possible way. You’ve got an epic story, filled with an intense history of oppression and a growing will of the people to fight back against the evil powers that be. The story is fueled by a group of fascinating characters, all with their own strengths and demons. Pair it with legendary weapons and surprise twists, and you’ve got yourself a hit.
I was most intrigued by the two protagonists, Cade and Kira. They’re different in every way, and seeing the story from both perspectives gives it an all-encompassing feel. From Cade, we get the reluctant hero chosen by destiny to become a major part of this galactic war. He’s reluctant to accept the position he’s in and fights against it often. The story sets him on a captivating journey of self discovery. From Kira, we get the dedicated revolutionary trying to unite the people around a common cause. Her past is filled with darkness and she does everything she can to fight against those ties that bind her to the evil overcoming the galaxy.
Moreci is a master of dialogue and speechmaking, providing a number of inspiring and quotable moments throughout. I connected deeply with the characters from the very beginning and was instantly engrossed in their story. The pacing is spot-on, pairing engrossing dialogue with just the right amount of action and plot progression.
Overall, We Are Mayhem is a well-done novel filled with admirable characters and a plot that never stops the thrills and chills. You’ll be desperate to know how it all ends for the Black Star Renegades.
NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
I was most intrigued by the two protagonists, Cade and Kira. They’re different in every way, and seeing the story from both perspectives gives it an all-encompassing feel. From Cade, we get the reluctant hero chosen by destiny to become a major part of this galactic war. He’s reluctant to accept the position he’s in and fights against it often. The story sets him on a captivating journey of self discovery. From Kira, we get the dedicated revolutionary trying to unite the people around a common cause. Her past is filled with darkness and she does everything she can to fight against those ties that bind her to the evil overcoming the galaxy.
Moreci is a master of dialogue and speechmaking, providing a number of inspiring and quotable moments throughout. I connected deeply with the characters from the very beginning and was instantly engrossed in their story. The pacing is spot-on, pairing engrossing dialogue with just the right amount of action and plot progression.
Overall, We Are Mayhem is a well-done novel filled with admirable characters and a plot that never stops the thrills and chills. You’ll be desperate to know how it all ends for the Black Star Renegades.
NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
April 6, 2019
This book is just as fun as its predecessor, BLACK STAR RENEGADES! It builds on so much of the foundation set up in the previous novel, and then twists it in really great ways. Moreci can write the hell out of swashbuckling space opera, to the point that I could hear an epic John Williams film score in my head. I really loved these books and thought they were fun as hell.
June 20, 2019
This is the last book of the Black Star Renegades story. The story follows the protagonist Cade Sura and his friends as they seek to put an end to Queen Ga Halle and the Praxian Kingdom. Cade seeks the origins of the legendary weapon the Rokura and learns more about the legendary warrior named Wu-Xia. The story is fun and and action packed.
July 4, 2019
Interesting setting but the characters are so very flat. Kira is a tsundere and it's obvious from the moment she's introduced. Cade is the clown who can somehow fight better than people with discipline and training. I saw almost no growth from the characters other than Cade's realization of some pseudo-profound bullshit.
September 13, 2021
This gives more of the impression of the the sequel trilogy than the Original Star Wars movies as it seems rushed and not well-thought out in terms of plot line and redundancy. They keep on talking about spiritual forces of the universe but give much depth to it, except light and darkness. I do like how they spun the hypocrisy of Gahale, though.
July 26, 2023
This was a good continuation of Black Star Renegades. Moreci does action well, and Cade's whole Paragon thing and his struggle to come to terms with the power of the Rokura is done really well. I'm thankful that Moreci didn't try to stretch this story arc into three books. Two felt good for a conclusion.
July 8, 2024
I remember liking the first book and I want to say I would have liked this one too but it just COULD NOT hold my attention. I barely knew what was going on. And I didn't care enough about any of the characters to try to focus more. I think the writing voice is good and from what I could pay attention to it's structured well, but it's just not for me. I won't read any more in this series.
April 17, 2019
The book basically reads like the inner dialogue from characters in a bad CW teen Sci Fi drama. I ended up only finishing half of the book and would suggest you don't waste your time on this one. For what it is worth I really liked black star renegades but this one just doesn't seem to be a worthy sequel.
June 21, 2019
Think "Empire Strikes Back" for this one. I'm guessing there's a final book coming, but who knows? Perhaps this was intended to be an open-ended, "what do YOU think happened?" story.
...but I don't think so.
Perhaps we'll find out what Michael Moreci has in mind in the coming months.
...but I don't think so.
Perhaps we'll find out what Michael Moreci has in mind in the coming months.
September 2, 2019
Another nice homage to Star Wars, with mystical journeys by the lead Cade, leadership and action by Kira, and more derringer-do by the tech genius Mig, soldier Kobe, and their robot drone 4/qel. Fun again. Yet still fairly lightweight.
November 20, 2019
Pretty much exactly like the previous book in the series: a badly written Star Wars knockoff/homage that captures the spirit of the source material without matching the quality of execution.
Story: 9/10
Characters: 4/10
Writing: 3/10
Entertainment: 8/10
Story: 9/10
Characters: 4/10
Writing: 3/10
Entertainment: 8/10
January 10, 2020
Good follow up to BSR! If you would enjoy a space adventure which is essentially an homage to Star Wars, you will enjoy this and it's predecessor, Black Star Renegades. I'm hoping he continues the adventures of our heroes.
May 7, 2019
It wasn’t quite as good as the first book but at the same time better in that the series is no longer just another Star Wars homage. It’s it’s own thing and that thing is good.
September 26, 2019
An excellent follow up to the Black Star Renegades! Non-stop action while we get to learn more about the characters we came to love. Hopefully not the last book in the series.
January 18, 2020
It started out a little rocky, but once the story actually got going I was hooked on it
July 6, 2022
Never rose above 3 stars; sadly, I even skimmed some of the 2 MC's inner struggles.
January 30, 2025
This is the space opera you are looking for…
July 3, 2020
We Are Mayhem is the sequel to Black Star Renegades. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed the first one. It’s inspired by Star Wars, so there are parallels, but it’s also engagingly unique. More than once I wasn’t sure how the delightfully flawed protagonists would prevail. This is a suspenseful, fast moving space quest.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews