What do you think?
The Triple Stars #2
Red Star
The return of an ancient galactic threat
Selene and Ondo piece together the secrets of Concordance’s ascension to galactic domination, and the truth of what it was Vulpis encountered at the heart of the galaxy three hundred years previously.
They uncover an ancient threat to all life – a threat that Concordance seems intent on reawakening to complete its genocidal aims. But they also follow another trail – one left for them by someone or something unknown, a hidden intelligence seemingly guiding them to hopes of a possible salvation.
But each time they unearth a new fragment of the puzzle, Concordance are waiting, its ships and miraculous technology unleashed against them…
Selene and Ondo piece together the secrets of Concordance’s ascension to galactic domination, and the truth of what it was Vulpis encountered at the heart of the galaxy three hundred years previously.
They uncover an ancient threat to all life – a threat that Concordance seems intent on reawakening to complete its genocidal aims. But they also follow another trail – one left for them by someone or something unknown, a hidden intelligence seemingly guiding them to hopes of a possible salvation.
But each time they unearth a new fragment of the puzzle, Concordance are waiting, its ships and miraculous technology unleashed against them…
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2020
About the author
Simon Kewin
113 books85 followersSimon Kewin is a fantasy and sci/fi writer, author of the
Cloven Land
fantasy trilogy, cyberpunk thriller
The Genehunter
, steampunk Gormenghast saga
Engn
, the
Triple Stars
sci/fi trilogy and the Office of the Witchfinder General books, published by Elsewhen Press.
He's the author of several short story collections, with his shorter fiction appearing in Analog, Nature and over a hundred other magazines.
He is currently doing an MA in creative writing while writing at least three novels simultaneously.
He's the author of several short story collections, with his shorter fiction appearing in Analog, Nature and over a hundred other magazines.
He is currently doing an MA in creative writing while writing at least three novels simultaneously.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 14, 2020
In my review of Simon Kewin’s first book in this series I described him as the next Arthur C Clarke. This second novel, Red Star, confirms that designation.
In my opinion, Clarke held a special place in science fiction. He made the science accessible to his readers whilst giving those narrative elements credibility. Put simply, you could believe what he was telling you would be true. In the future, things would be like this because the science would make it so.
Simon Kewin has done the same for me in this series. The concept of his spacecraft, their means of travel, the technology that permeates his universe, they are based on solid scientific theory. I don’t know if that is true or not. My point is – the story is written as though it is.
The other thing about Clarke’s writing, which is equally true here, is the vivid detail of all the characters and their ability to provoke engagement. This is a story filled with real people, in futuristic settings thinking/behaving/relating to each other in much the same way as we do now. Ada Selene, the story’s main protagonist is such a character. Driven by a need for justice, filled with guilt and remorse, troubled by her hybrid body and a woman who can be impetuous and easily irritated. Ondo, her ally, is wonderfully eccentric and the perfect counterpoint to Selene. The introduction of Surtr and Eb, enigmatic servants to a forgotten race, reinforce this point. The first third of the book, as Selene gets to know Surtr, brings some genuine amusement to the story as she reacts to his Spock-like personality. There is also a clarity and freshness in the minor characters too, such as Hessia, an empath, who undergoes her own journey within the second half of the story. Much of the story rests on Selene’s shoulders though and it is testimony to Kewin’s writing that she is sufficiently complex and engaging to sustain this responsibility.
Again, like Clarke, this story is full of high concept science fiction yet not at the expense of tension and excitement. I struggled to put the book down, each chapter offered something new and dynamic. The ever-present threat of the villainous Concordance as well as the introduction The Morn guarantee nothing is ever simple and easy for Selene.
I strongly recommend this series to readers who love their science fiction high concept, intelligent, well written and real.
In my opinion, Clarke held a special place in science fiction. He made the science accessible to his readers whilst giving those narrative elements credibility. Put simply, you could believe what he was telling you would be true. In the future, things would be like this because the science would make it so.
Simon Kewin has done the same for me in this series. The concept of his spacecraft, their means of travel, the technology that permeates his universe, they are based on solid scientific theory. I don’t know if that is true or not. My point is – the story is written as though it is.
The other thing about Clarke’s writing, which is equally true here, is the vivid detail of all the characters and their ability to provoke engagement. This is a story filled with real people, in futuristic settings thinking/behaving/relating to each other in much the same way as we do now. Ada Selene, the story’s main protagonist is such a character. Driven by a need for justice, filled with guilt and remorse, troubled by her hybrid body and a woman who can be impetuous and easily irritated. Ondo, her ally, is wonderfully eccentric and the perfect counterpoint to Selene. The introduction of Surtr and Eb, enigmatic servants to a forgotten race, reinforce this point. The first third of the book, as Selene gets to know Surtr, brings some genuine amusement to the story as she reacts to his Spock-like personality. There is also a clarity and freshness in the minor characters too, such as Hessia, an empath, who undergoes her own journey within the second half of the story. Much of the story rests on Selene’s shoulders though and it is testimony to Kewin’s writing that she is sufficiently complex and engaging to sustain this responsibility.
Again, like Clarke, this story is full of high concept science fiction yet not at the expense of tension and excitement. I struggled to put the book down, each chapter offered something new and dynamic. The ever-present threat of the villainous Concordance as well as the introduction The Morn guarantee nothing is ever simple and easy for Selene.
I strongly recommend this series to readers who love their science fiction high concept, intelligent, well written and real.
July 4, 2026
Unexpected surprise
So this book came out of nowhere & hit me & woke me up like nothing !
The book one is setup. The whole book is spent setting up our main characters, the "Evil" Galactic empire & the breadcrumbs that our heroes are following for the story.
This book is the payout of your patience & sticking with the story so far.
The setup pays off really well here. There are mysteries that makes you wonder what's going on & try to piece together the small or non existent clues that drive our story here. One is left right with the characters to reel up the full picture, but the picture is always missing as all you have is breadcrumbs.
Yet , the story weaved here is captivating. You want to find out more as you are with the characters going every step of the way in the story. The wonder, the devastating doom & the impending loss that comes with venturing into the dark places of the world is on full display here.
The story that Mr. Simon has made for us is truly imaginative & keeps your engaged so that you want to come back to it. There are layers here worth peeling off.
The only -ve I would have is, the constant apprehensive attitude of Selene where the questioning everything comes out as distrusting. It comes off as intended in the start, but later in the story, it does not stop & takes Ondo also into its wraps , where keeping an open mind becomes scared of everything instead of questioning everything. Not saying its not presideted given the doom & gloom situation, but it did get old fast & annoying sometimes. Questioning everything becomes blabber & not comprehending the scale to eventually reset the scale & acceptance of everything.
The character of Ondo is abusively unexplored , which is such a shame as he is such a great spine of the story, bring all of it together.
The mysteries & the deeper sense of story & layers of revelation that is done here by Mr. Simon is one to be truly appreciative. Specially when I picked this book just because the story in the initial book seems interesting enough. & I am happy to announce that it was an absolute pleasure to enjoy this book.
Also as an additional bonus, the writing style is not of like all the big publishing houses edit ! it is polished & does not deliver the tried and tested style of current age. That was really appreciated as it is kind of a let down recently where the big writers from big publishing houses all sounds similar if not the same. So, much appreciated part of the story that may often be lost
In the end, this is a book that I would recommend any given day for you to enjoy.
Fully recommended.
If you are looking for a
So this book came out of nowhere & hit me & woke me up like nothing !
The book one is setup. The whole book is spent setting up our main characters, the "Evil" Galactic empire & the breadcrumbs that our heroes are following for the story.
This book is the payout of your patience & sticking with the story so far.
The setup pays off really well here. There are mysteries that makes you wonder what's going on & try to piece together the small or non existent clues that drive our story here. One is left right with the characters to reel up the full picture, but the picture is always missing as all you have is breadcrumbs.
Yet , the story weaved here is captivating. You want to find out more as you are with the characters going every step of the way in the story. The wonder, the devastating doom & the impending loss that comes with venturing into the dark places of the world is on full display here.
The story that Mr. Simon has made for us is truly imaginative & keeps your engaged so that you want to come back to it. There are layers here worth peeling off.
The only -ve I would have is, the constant apprehensive attitude of Selene where the questioning everything comes out as distrusting. It comes off as intended in the start, but later in the story, it does not stop & takes Ondo also into its wraps , where keeping an open mind becomes scared of everything instead of questioning everything. Not saying its not presideted given the doom & gloom situation, but it did get old fast & annoying sometimes. Questioning everything becomes blabber & not comprehending the scale to eventually reset the scale & acceptance of everything.
The character of Ondo is abusively unexplored , which is such a shame as he is such a great spine of the story, bring all of it together.
The mysteries & the deeper sense of story & layers of revelation that is done here by Mr. Simon is one to be truly appreciative. Specially when I picked this book just because the story in the initial book seems interesting enough. & I am happy to announce that it was an absolute pleasure to enjoy this book.
Also as an additional bonus, the writing style is not of like all the big publishing houses edit ! it is polished & does not deliver the tried and tested style of current age. That was really appreciated as it is kind of a let down recently where the big writers from big publishing houses all sounds similar if not the same. So, much appreciated part of the story that may often be lost
In the end, this is a book that I would recommend any given day for you to enjoy.
Fully recommended.
If you are looking for a
September 13, 2020
Received as a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. The second book of this magnificent trilogy continues with an harrowing opening as Selene and Ondo getting close to death upon Coronade with a dead star hanging in the sky. By a sheer miracle, they both awake upon a strange alien vessel, encountering a very odd creature complex and child-like to them both. As Selene and Ondo unravel the bizarre alien technology surrounding them as well as getting to know the Aetheral they call Surtr, Concordance is still out in the vast universe, hunting them; determined to fulfill their plans; striking personally at Selene that have harsh consequences with their actions. Filled with intriguing character and non stop action, Red Star prepares you for the wpic conclusion coming with God Star... highly recommended.
November 3, 2022
2.5 stars.
Honestly, this was just excruciatingly boring for large chunks of the story. Too much telling and very little showing; too much relying on dialogue rather than action. The characterization was very shallow, and I found myself not caring about any of the protagonists.
Narrative wise, there's a tipping point where you really should start providing answers to all the mysteries you've constructed, otherwise the story becomes frustrating and confusing. And Kewin completely missed that moment, and just keeps posing more and more questions up until the very last couple of chapters, which is too little too late.
I don't think I'll be finishing the trilogy. There's a kernel of an interesting mystery at the center of this story, but I stopped caring about it halfway through Red Star.
Honestly, this was just excruciatingly boring for large chunks of the story. Too much telling and very little showing; too much relying on dialogue rather than action. The characterization was very shallow, and I found myself not caring about any of the protagonists.
Narrative wise, there's a tipping point where you really should start providing answers to all the mysteries you've constructed, otherwise the story becomes frustrating and confusing. And Kewin completely missed that moment, and just keeps posing more and more questions up until the very last couple of chapters, which is too little too late.
I don't think I'll be finishing the trilogy. There's a kernel of an interesting mystery at the center of this story, but I stopped caring about it halfway through Red Star.
October 21, 2020
Cons:
- Had a hard time relating to the main protagonist who lacked empathy witt or tact.
- Conversations and descriptions fealt drawn out, and a bit of a slog, often taking entire chapters to give the author new information
- Relationships seem forced and awkward.
- Why is there a galactic tunnel network when meta space jumps are never portrayed as taking more than a few hours?
Pros:
- Universe and premise are fascinating and kept me going throught the painful dialogue
- Antagonists are interesting and venomous enough to make me want to find out how they are defeated.
Overall not my cup of tea. Would love to know how the concordance are finally beaten but not sure I have the will power to stick around to find out.
- Had a hard time relating to the main protagonist who lacked empathy witt or tact.
- Conversations and descriptions fealt drawn out, and a bit of a slog, often taking entire chapters to give the author new information
- Relationships seem forced and awkward.
- Why is there a galactic tunnel network when meta space jumps are never portrayed as taking more than a few hours?
Pros:
- Universe and premise are fascinating and kept me going throught the painful dialogue
- Antagonists are interesting and venomous enough to make me want to find out how they are defeated.
Overall not my cup of tea. Would love to know how the concordance are finally beaten but not sure I have the will power to stick around to find out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
More hints, more uncovered. Selene and Ondo are on to the next phase of their adventure to learn just what Concordance is at its core. But first they learn the secrets of the gateways.
It is the character they meet at the end of one of the gateways that made this book much richer. Selene and Ondo keep exploring, but it is this new character that breathes in a bit of warmth where some was lacking.
Stellar engineering is explored, to both its potential positive and negative outcomes. Especially the negative outcomes. Which opens up questions, such as why such drastic methods were required at some point in the past. This then drives towards the third book.
It is the character they meet at the end of one of the gateways that made this book much richer. Selene and Ondo keep exploring, but it is this new character that breathes in a bit of warmth where some was lacking.
Stellar engineering is explored, to both its potential positive and negative outcomes. Especially the negative outcomes. Which opens up questions, such as why such drastic methods were required at some point in the past. This then drives towards the third book.
July 14, 2021
Satisfying follow-up with another great cliff-hanger.
After the tense cliffhanger at the end of Dead Star, we follow Selene's continued quest to take down the oppressive Concordance regime. More mysteries await as she uncovers hints of a civilisation lost to deep-time. Why should the Dead Space regions be avoided? What happened to the people that built the devices she finds, and how can a star become a weapon?
A satisfying follow-up to Dead Star, and one that made me immediately pick up the final book in the trilogy and start reading right away!
After the tense cliffhanger at the end of Dead Star, we follow Selene's continued quest to take down the oppressive Concordance regime. More mysteries await as she uncovers hints of a civilisation lost to deep-time. Why should the Dead Space regions be avoided? What happened to the people that built the devices she finds, and how can a star become a weapon?
A satisfying follow-up to Dead Star, and one that made me immediately pick up the final book in the trilogy and start reading right away!
July 5, 2025
2.5
I like the writers imagination. It seems he has plenty of interesting ideas.
But it feels to me as if too many of those ideas were put into this one series. That makes it all rather unlikely and hard to keep suspending my disbelief: many things just seem way to illogical and improbable. Add a somewhat self centered and childish protagonist, making her less likeable. Did a lot of eyerolling and almost didn't finish this.
What kept me in was that it's an easy read. simple words, short sentences, simple descriptions.
I like the writers imagination. It seems he has plenty of interesting ideas.
But it feels to me as if too many of those ideas were put into this one series. That makes it all rather unlikely and hard to keep suspending my disbelief: many things just seem way to illogical and improbable. Add a somewhat self centered and childish protagonist, making her less likeable. Did a lot of eyerolling and almost didn't finish this.
What kept me in was that it's an easy read. simple words, short sentences, simple descriptions.
September 16, 2020
The second novel in the Triple Stars series begins where the first left off, and continues Selene's story as she and Ondo seek an answer to the Concordance's domination.
I found this to be a worthy follow-up. The pacing was excellent. The world-building expanded the universe from the first novel in interesting directions.
By far my, favourite element was the character development. Selene continues to be a strong lead, with very human foibles and blind spots. This novel pushes her development farther as she is exposed to new situations and information. I found her reactions to be consistent with what I knew of her, and I definitely saw her character develop additional depth.
Secondary characters were also fascinating - particularly Surtr and Eb. Both raised a lot of questions for me, and I am curious to what elements of their storylines will come up in future installments.
I am very curious about what comes next in the series and am eager for the next book to drop!
I received an ARC via the author.
I found this to be a worthy follow-up. The pacing was excellent. The world-building expanded the universe from the first novel in interesting directions.
By far my, favourite element was the character development. Selene continues to be a strong lead, with very human foibles and blind spots. This novel pushes her development farther as she is exposed to new situations and information. I found her reactions to be consistent with what I knew of her, and I definitely saw her character develop additional depth.
Secondary characters were also fascinating - particularly Surtr and Eb. Both raised a lot of questions for me, and I am curious to what elements of their storylines will come up in future installments.
I am very curious about what comes next in the series and am eager for the next book to drop!
I received an ARC via the author.
November 20, 2025
It is in this book that we get to see the real tragedy of this trilogy. The story truly picks up, and I can't wait to read the final volume.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews