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Bluebird
Lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space!
Three factions vie for control of the galaxy. Rig, a gunslinging, thieving, rebel with a cause, doesn’t give a damn about them and she hasn’t looked back since abandoning her faction three years ago.
That is, until her former faction sends her a message: return what she stole from them, or they’ll kill her twin sister.
Rig embarks on a journey across the galaxy to save her sister – but for once she’s not alone. She has help from her network of resistance contacts, her taser-wielding librarian girlfriend, and a mysterious bounty hunter.
If Rig fails and her former faction finds what she stole from them, trillions of lives will be lost--including her sister's. But if she succeeds, she might just pull the whole damn faction system down around their ears. Either way, she’s going to do it with panache and pizzazz.
Three factions vie for control of the galaxy. Rig, a gunslinging, thieving, rebel with a cause, doesn’t give a damn about them and she hasn’t looked back since abandoning her faction three years ago.
That is, until her former faction sends her a message: return what she stole from them, or they’ll kill her twin sister.
Rig embarks on a journey across the galaxy to save her sister – but for once she’s not alone. She has help from her network of resistance contacts, her taser-wielding librarian girlfriend, and a mysterious bounty hunter.
If Rig fails and her former faction finds what she stole from them, trillions of lives will be lost--including her sister's. But if she succeeds, she might just pull the whole damn faction system down around their ears. Either way, she’s going to do it with panache and pizzazz.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 8, 2022
209 people are currently reading
7642 people want to read
About the author
Ciel Pierlot
4 books111 followersCiel Pierlot is a disaster bisexual from the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s also a giant nerd and no, you cannot stop her from bragging about her lightsaber collection. When she’s not writing SFF novels, she’s busy being a digital artist and a hardcore gay-mer. Bluebird is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 383 reviews
January 28, 2022
I was very impatient to read this book because, well, “lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space!” And it has everything I was hoping for and more: spaceships, rebels, forbidden love, horrible villains, flawed heroines who kick ass…
In a universe in which three factions are at war, two stories are told in parallel. The main story is that of Rig, formerly known as Traxi, whom the Pyrite faction is looking for after she deserted with schematics for weapons she created. Pyrite took Rig’s twin sister and in her efforts to save her, Rig finds herself accompanied by an unlikely partner, in between stops in Ascetic to spend time with her sexy librarian girlfriend. The second story, told in interludes, is that of an Ossuary bounty hunter who broke the rules while never losing her loyalty to her faction. Yeah, it’s complicated. As the book progresses, the two stories intermingle in a very organic and satisfying way.
The worldbuilding is very efficient, very rich. The characters are diverse, the various species reminiscent of classic space operas (my Star Wars-loving self was delighted with the descriptions), the worlds distinct enough to reflect their philosophies while proving that different rules, different modi operandi can lead to the same deadly results.
The pace is uneven (which often happens with debut novels) and didn’t keep my attention at all times, and as a consequence, this book took longer to read than I expected. Despite this, I’m sure the characters will stay with me for a long time, and that’s what I’ll remember.
Once again I want to say a lot more but I don’t want to spoil, so I’ll stick to this: the plot is complex and deep, the characters are multidimensional and as relatable as alien gunslingers can be, the atmosphere and tone are awesome and exciting and I’m looking forward to the author’s future books.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
In a universe in which three factions are at war, two stories are told in parallel. The main story is that of Rig, formerly known as Traxi, whom the Pyrite faction is looking for after she deserted with schematics for weapons she created. Pyrite took Rig’s twin sister and in her efforts to save her, Rig finds herself accompanied by an unlikely partner, in between stops in Ascetic to spend time with her sexy librarian girlfriend. The second story, told in interludes, is that of an Ossuary bounty hunter who broke the rules while never losing her loyalty to her faction. Yeah, it’s complicated. As the book progresses, the two stories intermingle in a very organic and satisfying way.
The worldbuilding is very efficient, very rich. The characters are diverse, the various species reminiscent of classic space operas (my Star Wars-loving self was delighted with the descriptions), the worlds distinct enough to reflect their philosophies while proving that different rules, different modi operandi can lead to the same deadly results.
The pace is uneven (which often happens with debut novels) and didn’t keep my attention at all times, and as a consequence, this book took longer to read than I expected. Despite this, I’m sure the characters will stay with me for a long time, and that’s what I’ll remember.
Once again I want to say a lot more but I don’t want to spoil, so I’ll stick to this: the plot is complex and deep, the characters are multidimensional and as relatable as alien gunslingers can be, the atmosphere and tone are awesome and exciting and I’m looking forward to the author’s future books.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 18, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up
Be gay, do crimes. In space!
Truly this was a rollicking good time and impressive as a debut novel. Bluebird is a space adventure following a lesbian gunslinger who gets caught up in some military & political messiness. The world is pretty well-realized, there's lots of action, but also characters you care about and unexpected plot twists. It's fun and entertaining with some genuinely funny lines. Rig is kind of like if Han Solo was a lesbian and the vibe of this reminds me a bit of Star Wars, though with different technology and politics. Also if you were a fan of Gideon from Gideon the Ninth, you'll probably enjoy this. It was a good time!
Be gay, do crimes. In space!
Truly this was a rollicking good time and impressive as a debut novel. Bluebird is a space adventure following a lesbian gunslinger who gets caught up in some military & political messiness. The world is pretty well-realized, there's lots of action, but also characters you care about and unexpected plot twists. It's fun and entertaining with some genuinely funny lines. Rig is kind of like if Han Solo was a lesbian and the vibe of this reminds me a bit of Star Wars, though with different technology and politics. Also if you were a fan of Gideon from Gideon the Ninth, you'll probably enjoy this. It was a good time!
February 11, 2022
Now released!
This review originally appeared on mysteryandsuspense.com - where I had to be all professional. So let me slap some gushing and a big old disclaimer right up front - this is a book that hit so many of my particular buttons, some of which are so hard to find, let alone seeing them all in one place, that I have absolutely no objectivity about it at all. It's one of those books that comes along once in a blue moon that I'll buy in every format when I can, reread over and over, and love every time.
So consider yourselves warned! But I do hope you try it and love it too :)
Bluebird, by Ciel Pierlot, promises a lesbian gunslinger rebel fighting her way across the backdrop of a galaxy torn apart by war, desperate to save her sister, defy the faction she escaped, and do it all with panache and pizzazz. It didn’t just deliver. It knocked my socks off!
Everything starts when Rig escapes the life forced upon her by the Pyrite faction – one of using her incredible intellect to design weapons of mass death and destruction. Pyrite, along with rivals Ascetic and Ossuary, have waged war between themselves for millenia, conducting battle with no regard for the millions of civilians they’re killing along the way (they couldn’t hold those skirmishes on their own planets, after all). Safe to say Rig’s got a score to settle – and she gets right to it, joining rebels from outside the factions, ferrying refugees from areas about to turn into warzones, stealing back the stolen artifacts of her people – and making a girlfriend out of a gorgeous, brilliant, well-respected librarian while she’s at it.
But nothing precarious lasts forever, and when Pyrite agents track Rig down, she’s forced to join forces with a mysterious and deadly stranger known only as Ginka. Rig’s old faction have her twin sister, and a lot of pointed questions about just where the deadliest weapon designs she’d ever produced vanished to on the night she left. What follows is a high-stakes rescue mission across the galaxy – because all’s fair in love and war, and not everyone’s above fighting dirty.
When I tell you I loved this book, it doesn’t even come close. Rig and her assorted acquaintances are the kind of characters that will live on in my head – they felt real, they were just the right amount of sardonic, and they managed to both surprise and delight me (and cause me endless stress by being selfless heroines who crack wise, but care deeply, and put themselves in danger for others over and over again). There is a deep core of kindness to this book, but while Rig’s determined that pessimism is boring, she’s also an absolute crack shot and not afraid to be quick on the draw when people live down to her expectations. Ginka, meanwhile, is tiny, deadly, and prone to impromptu naps. The plot itself was so satisfyingly twisty, and the locations we were taken to along the way – stunning! Ciel Pierlot has built an entirely original universe, and described it beautifully – think of the landscapes of the Fifth Element, or Bladerunner, teeming with people or stark and isolated, glossy and shimmeringly beautiful or grimy, gritty and downtrodden by turn.
Bluebird has captured my heart entirely, and while it seems to be a standalone, there’s a whole galaxy left for the author to play with, should she choose to return. With her unusual blend of heartwarming, action-filled, high-stakes storytelling, I’ll be back for anything Ciel Pierlot does next.
This review originally appeared on mysteryandsuspense.com - where I had to be all professional. So let me slap some gushing and a big old disclaimer right up front - this is a book that hit so many of my particular buttons, some of which are so hard to find, let alone seeing them all in one place, that I have absolutely no objectivity about it at all. It's one of those books that comes along once in a blue moon that I'll buy in every format when I can, reread over and over, and love every time.
So consider yourselves warned! But I do hope you try it and love it too :)
Bluebird, by Ciel Pierlot, promises a lesbian gunslinger rebel fighting her way across the backdrop of a galaxy torn apart by war, desperate to save her sister, defy the faction she escaped, and do it all with panache and pizzazz. It didn’t just deliver. It knocked my socks off!
Everything starts when Rig escapes the life forced upon her by the Pyrite faction – one of using her incredible intellect to design weapons of mass death and destruction. Pyrite, along with rivals Ascetic and Ossuary, have waged war between themselves for millenia, conducting battle with no regard for the millions of civilians they’re killing along the way (they couldn’t hold those skirmishes on their own planets, after all). Safe to say Rig’s got a score to settle – and she gets right to it, joining rebels from outside the factions, ferrying refugees from areas about to turn into warzones, stealing back the stolen artifacts of her people – and making a girlfriend out of a gorgeous, brilliant, well-respected librarian while she’s at it.
But nothing precarious lasts forever, and when Pyrite agents track Rig down, she’s forced to join forces with a mysterious and deadly stranger known only as Ginka. Rig’s old faction have her twin sister, and a lot of pointed questions about just where the deadliest weapon designs she’d ever produced vanished to on the night she left. What follows is a high-stakes rescue mission across the galaxy – because all’s fair in love and war, and not everyone’s above fighting dirty.
When I tell you I loved this book, it doesn’t even come close. Rig and her assorted acquaintances are the kind of characters that will live on in my head – they felt real, they were just the right amount of sardonic, and they managed to both surprise and delight me (and cause me endless stress by being selfless heroines who crack wise, but care deeply, and put themselves in danger for others over and over again). There is a deep core of kindness to this book, but while Rig’s determined that pessimism is boring, she’s also an absolute crack shot and not afraid to be quick on the draw when people live down to her expectations. Ginka, meanwhile, is tiny, deadly, and prone to impromptu naps. The plot itself was so satisfyingly twisty, and the locations we were taken to along the way – stunning! Ciel Pierlot has built an entirely original universe, and described it beautifully – think of the landscapes of the Fifth Element, or Bladerunner, teeming with people or stark and isolated, glossy and shimmeringly beautiful or grimy, gritty and downtrodden by turn.
Bluebird has captured my heart entirely, and while it seems to be a standalone, there’s a whole galaxy left for the author to play with, should she choose to return. With her unusual blend of heartwarming, action-filled, high-stakes storytelling, I’ll be back for anything Ciel Pierlot does next.
January 31, 2022
3.5 stars. A good sci-fi debut book. This book is not without some debut book bumps, but overall, I found it super entertaining, the worldbuilding and descriptions are rich, the characters complex and there is plenty of action.
There are two intertwined storylines in this book. I’ll only tell something about the main storyline which is about Rig who stole something from her ex-faction. They want it back and kidnapped her twin sister, now she has to save her sister. During the chase after her sisters’ kidnappers she encounters a mysterious bounty hunter and they end up traveling together.
The book doesn’t start with a lot of worldbuilding, instead it drops you immediately into the story. I like this approach, it can grab your attention immediately, but it still took me some time to adjust to the story and get a grasp of the world. Basically, the galaxy is ruled by three factions that are at war with each other, then there are also the factionless rebels. During the entire story you learn how the factions are formed and how they interconnect and why they are at war, but I could have used some of this info a little earlier on in the book to save me some frustration of not understanding much about the war.
I highly enjoyed the descriptions of the planets, species and tech, it’s substantial and imaginative, and the bad guys have a lot of power, people, intel and tech, resulting in good action parts and a fun plot.
There are two main characters Rig and the mysterious bounty hunter, who you’ll slowly get to know. My favorite character was the bounty hunter, she is shrouded in mystery and I wanted to know more and the more I got to know, the more I started to like her. She’s flawed and has some beliefs that I could never have, but at the same time I did understand her. Rig is a gun wielding outlaw and that role fits her perfectly, but she is also a brilliant scientist, and honestly, I was not very much convinced of that part because some of her decisions really made me think that she’s not the smartest of the bunch and she often has luck on her side. Rig is in an established relationship with June, who has a relative minor role as she is bound to her planet, so you only get to see her for a little bit.
The importance of connections between friends, family and loved ones and what choices to make in life plays an important role, it gives the characters depth and makes them interesting.
The writing and the pacing could have been smoother, sometimes it was a bit slow, but considering that this is a debut book, I think the author did a good job and I will keep my eye on new books to come. This book is heavy on the sci-fi and has all the elements that fans of space opera can enjoy.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are two intertwined storylines in this book. I’ll only tell something about the main storyline which is about Rig who stole something from her ex-faction. They want it back and kidnapped her twin sister, now she has to save her sister. During the chase after her sisters’ kidnappers she encounters a mysterious bounty hunter and they end up traveling together.
The book doesn’t start with a lot of worldbuilding, instead it drops you immediately into the story. I like this approach, it can grab your attention immediately, but it still took me some time to adjust to the story and get a grasp of the world. Basically, the galaxy is ruled by three factions that are at war with each other, then there are also the factionless rebels. During the entire story you learn how the factions are formed and how they interconnect and why they are at war, but I could have used some of this info a little earlier on in the book to save me some frustration of not understanding much about the war.
I highly enjoyed the descriptions of the planets, species and tech, it’s substantial and imaginative, and the bad guys have a lot of power, people, intel and tech, resulting in good action parts and a fun plot.
There are two main characters Rig and the mysterious bounty hunter, who you’ll slowly get to know. My favorite character was the bounty hunter, she is shrouded in mystery and I wanted to know more and the more I got to know, the more I started to like her. She’s flawed and has some beliefs that I could never have, but at the same time I did understand her. Rig is a gun wielding outlaw and that role fits her perfectly, but she is also a brilliant scientist, and honestly, I was not very much convinced of that part because some of her decisions really made me think that she’s not the smartest of the bunch and she often has luck on her side. Rig is in an established relationship with June, who has a relative minor role as she is bound to her planet, so you only get to see her for a little bit.
The importance of connections between friends, family and loved ones and what choices to make in life plays an important role, it gives the characters depth and makes them interesting.
The writing and the pacing could have been smoother, sometimes it was a bit slow, but considering that this is a debut book, I think the author did a good job and I will keep my eye on new books to come. This book is heavy on the sci-fi and has all the elements that fans of space opera can enjoy.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2022
a very solid gunslinging lesbian space opera with a few corny and predictable elements but otherwise interesting dynamics, themes, relationships… people need to get on this instead of the locked tomb but I didn’t say that
February 3, 2022
I wish I could articulate why Bluebird didn’t quite work for me. I really wanted to like it, and it has a lot of elements I did enjoy. As a whole, though, it took me a long time to get through the book and left me feeling frustrated.
The blurb is great.
Lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space!
Three factions vie for control of the galaxy. Rig, a gunslinging, thieving, rebel with a cause, doesn’t give a damn about them and she hasn’t looked back since abandoning her faction three years ago.
That is, until her former faction sends her a message: return what she stole from them, or they’ll kill her twin sister.
Rig was a weapons designer for the Pyrite faction, until she realized a weapon she designed would be used to kill what’s left of her people. She escapes and spends a few years on the run trying to balance her ledger working against the factions and their eternal war. Her girlfriend, June, is a librarian on the homeworld of one of the other factions.
The Pyrites catch up to her and she learns they are threatening to kill her twin sister if she doesn’t turn over the weapon’s schematics. She wants to save her sister and keep the weapon out of the hands of the factions. Along the way she has picked up the mysterious and deadly Ginka. Together they put together a plan and a team.
I should have loved this book. There were moments of swashbuckling adventure, and I really enjoyed those. There are interstitials set in the past that I also enjoyed. But, something about the way the story was told, especially between the spots of adventure, made me feel so distant and removed from the story that I would forget what I was reading while I was reading it. I liked it well enough that I would try something else by the author, but this one didn’t work for me.
Content warning: violence, betrayal, and mutilation.
I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley and Angry Robot. My opinions are my own.
The blurb is great.
Lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space!
Three factions vie for control of the galaxy. Rig, a gunslinging, thieving, rebel with a cause, doesn’t give a damn about them and she hasn’t looked back since abandoning her faction three years ago.
That is, until her former faction sends her a message: return what she stole from them, or they’ll kill her twin sister.
Rig was a weapons designer for the Pyrite faction, until she realized a weapon she designed would be used to kill what’s left of her people. She escapes and spends a few years on the run trying to balance her ledger working against the factions and their eternal war. Her girlfriend, June, is a librarian on the homeworld of one of the other factions.
The Pyrites catch up to her and she learns they are threatening to kill her twin sister if she doesn’t turn over the weapon’s schematics. She wants to save her sister and keep the weapon out of the hands of the factions. Along the way she has picked up the mysterious and deadly Ginka. Together they put together a plan and a team.
I should have loved this book. There were moments of swashbuckling adventure, and I really enjoyed those. There are interstitials set in the past that I also enjoyed. But, something about the way the story was told, especially between the spots of adventure, made me feel so distant and removed from the story that I would forget what I was reading while I was reading it. I liked it well enough that I would try something else by the author, but this one didn’t work for me.
Content warning: violence, betrayal, and mutilation.
I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley and Angry Robot. My opinions are my own.
April 21, 2022
Fans of Jessie Mihalik take note, this will be up your alley.
Rig uses her ship Bluebird as part of a group that frees indentured people from the clutches of the three great factions of the galaxy. Rig is herself an escapee from Pyrite, one of the factions, where she was a genius weapons designer. After taking aboard a mysterious and lethal stranger named Ginka, she finds herself at the center of a hunt for a genocidal weapon that she herself developed.
This is a lot of fun with Rig being a snarky action hero trying to make amends for her past. Ginka is terrifyingly competent and mysterious and the two play off each wonderfully.
Rig uses her ship Bluebird as part of a group that frees indentured people from the clutches of the three great factions of the galaxy. Rig is herself an escapee from Pyrite, one of the factions, where she was a genius weapons designer. After taking aboard a mysterious and lethal stranger named Ginka, she finds herself at the center of a hunt for a genocidal weapon that she herself developed.
This is a lot of fun with Rig being a snarky action hero trying to make amends for her past. Ginka is terrifyingly competent and mysterious and the two play off each wonderfully.
November 26, 2021
I’m the first to write a proper review for this book. I wish I liked it more. I wish there was more to like in it for me. But gotta work with what there is.
This book got a killer tagline. Lesbian gunslingers in space fighting spies. I mean, wow and wow, right? Well, first off, there’s really one lesbian gunslinger and her straight gunfighting cohort. Secondly…well…underwhelming.
Why is it that certain publishers set certain book length standards for themselves? It seems weird and restricting. Angry Robot books tend to be exactly 400 pages, which is my opinion is quite long/too long. Maybe that’s why the robot is angry. In any case, 400 was way too many pages for me with this book.
I’ve been reading such excellent science fiction graphic novels, it made me want to read a proper genre novel. This one, though, however many trends it can put a checkmark next to, didn’t do the trick. It isn’t entirely the book’s fault. Maybe not of it is the book’s fault. Maybe it was just one of those reader/book incompatibilities.
Technically the book is accomplished, especially for a debut. It’s very much in line with what one might think of when one thinks of a rollicking space adventure of a space operatic variety. It has a spunky protagonist, unlikely friendship, intergalactic politicking, warring factions, a romance, and so on. Lesbians, aliens of color, various creeds…a swooning amount of diversity. What a properly modern book written for its time. And yet…
And yet…for me it left a lot to be desired. When analyzed, the fault seems to lie primarily with the characters, who just did not engage. At all. Rig, the main one, a factionless outlaw, who defied her planet’s expectations/orders of her, is some sort of a genius, who invented some radical nanotech and promptly absconded with it. Ginka, is a much more obedient servant of a different world, but also finds herself on the outs with it, and so the two team up. No sparks – Rig has a beloved girlfriend, a practical librarian lady, who Rig cheesily and distantly adores, because Rig doesn’t think she deserves her or some such trite crap and Ginka is actually secretly married in a very clandestine manner to her military supervisor. Just two very different individuals out to kick space butt and teach each other valuable life lessons.
The thing is, though their ages are never specified, both characters, especially Rig, read very, very young. Young in a way that more reflects the age of the author than the age of the characters. Rig’s main descriptor is that she’s sassy, which translates into clumsy sexish puns, but overall, she comes across angsty and spunky like a brash youngster, not a brazen space adventurer. Ginka is kind of a brainwashed tough soldier who occasionally (as in slowly and sporadically) gets hip to the way of things. Neither seem especially bright, both are very reactionary, and, of course, both are very good at fighting, shooting, etc. for that girl power oomph.
Tried as I might (400 pages worth) I just never cared about any of them. It was the kind of book I’d walk away from at any time without thinking twice about it, but for being a completist. And so, I finished it. It read long. It wasn’t for me. It’s hip, flash, action-driven, but all the thrills are pretty superficial. Presumably, this is what sells, this kind of shiny box-checking noise. And I’m sure it’ll entertain plenty of science fiction fans, it just didn’t work for this one. No matter how cutely they name their guns. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
This book got a killer tagline. Lesbian gunslingers in space fighting spies. I mean, wow and wow, right? Well, first off, there’s really one lesbian gunslinger and her straight gunfighting cohort. Secondly…well…underwhelming.
Why is it that certain publishers set certain book length standards for themselves? It seems weird and restricting. Angry Robot books tend to be exactly 400 pages, which is my opinion is quite long/too long. Maybe that’s why the robot is angry. In any case, 400 was way too many pages for me with this book.
I’ve been reading such excellent science fiction graphic novels, it made me want to read a proper genre novel. This one, though, however many trends it can put a checkmark next to, didn’t do the trick. It isn’t entirely the book’s fault. Maybe not of it is the book’s fault. Maybe it was just one of those reader/book incompatibilities.
Technically the book is accomplished, especially for a debut. It’s very much in line with what one might think of when one thinks of a rollicking space adventure of a space operatic variety. It has a spunky protagonist, unlikely friendship, intergalactic politicking, warring factions, a romance, and so on. Lesbians, aliens of color, various creeds…a swooning amount of diversity. What a properly modern book written for its time. And yet…
And yet…for me it left a lot to be desired. When analyzed, the fault seems to lie primarily with the characters, who just did not engage. At all. Rig, the main one, a factionless outlaw, who defied her planet’s expectations/orders of her, is some sort of a genius, who invented some radical nanotech and promptly absconded with it. Ginka, is a much more obedient servant of a different world, but also finds herself on the outs with it, and so the two team up. No sparks – Rig has a beloved girlfriend, a practical librarian lady, who Rig cheesily and distantly adores, because Rig doesn’t think she deserves her or some such trite crap and Ginka is actually secretly married in a very clandestine manner to her military supervisor. Just two very different individuals out to kick space butt and teach each other valuable life lessons.
The thing is, though their ages are never specified, both characters, especially Rig, read very, very young. Young in a way that more reflects the age of the author than the age of the characters. Rig’s main descriptor is that she’s sassy, which translates into clumsy sexish puns, but overall, she comes across angsty and spunky like a brash youngster, not a brazen space adventurer. Ginka is kind of a brainwashed tough soldier who occasionally (as in slowly and sporadically) gets hip to the way of things. Neither seem especially bright, both are very reactionary, and, of course, both are very good at fighting, shooting, etc. for that girl power oomph.
Tried as I might (400 pages worth) I just never cared about any of them. It was the kind of book I’d walk away from at any time without thinking twice about it, but for being a completist. And so, I finished it. It read long. It wasn’t for me. It’s hip, flash, action-driven, but all the thrills are pretty superficial. Presumably, this is what sells, this kind of shiny box-checking noise. And I’m sure it’ll entertain plenty of science fiction fans, it just didn’t work for this one. No matter how cutely they name their guns. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
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April 22, 2022DNF @20%
No rating for this; it's just not for me. My other GR friends enjoyed it though, so please give it a try if it sounds appealing!
No rating for this; it's just not for me. My other GR friends enjoyed it though, so please give it a try if it sounds appealing!
March 7, 2022
An epic, fast paced sci-fi read, with everything you want and more!
There's humour from our sassy MC named Rig. Who is one of those cocky characters you just can't help but root for. She's endearing and badass, even when she's not. She has been 'on the run' from her home planet for 3 years now, after running away with weapon schematics she herself made under the authoritarian regime. She's an ethnic minority in her own world, but was seen as 'exceptional' because of her smarts with weapons tech. But she realizes her technology will be used against her own race, a race that is mostly slaves for the world order in power.
We also find out there are two other similar world orders also with the same lust for power and war, fighting over mythical origins that are over 10'000 years old. The lore presented and world-building is really interesting, and yet not that far removed from what is happening in our own world today. With various things all whittling us down into factions that promote prejudice and power plays. This is just on a universal scale, of space and multi-world, and multi-galaxy reaches. Yet it was never too hard to understand. But I'd still make sure you're in a place to really concentrate on the story to gather the full details - perhaps not one to read while say watching the tele or doing something else to distract you.
There's so many elements here that fascinated me. From the characters own reflection of their complacency and sometimes even happiness under the controlling regimes, simply because they didn't know any better, and thought that playing along was the 'right' thing to do, to have some form of comfort. To the ones that fight, hard, against all ideals of faction and identity that continues to divide.
Another MC character we meet is still so very ingrained in her faction and the brain-washing way she had been raised, despite being cutoff from them, and made promises that mean nothing. Learning about her history and seeing her bond with Rig was wonderful, and heartening. Very much a 'found family' situation.
There is a touch of romance here, Rig is in an already established relationship with a woman librarian who lives on a world, living and working in a protected area. They obviously love each other, but their lives and lifestyles are quite different, too. Meaning a lot of time apart, and neither wanting to ask the other to leave the lifestyles they have chosen.
There's heaps of action and world-building as I said, and it feels like there's always something happening, or something being planned, and the intimate details and monologues internally are very beautiful and touching and very worthy of thinking on, too.
It gave me everything I want from a Sci-Fi read, and reminded me of old episodes of Star Trek I used to watch in the 90's such as the Generation's versions with Picard and also Voyager with Janeway. It had that right mix of moral responsibility and philosophical discussion, with quirky humor and the indominable spirit of humanity or just LIFE as we know it. Would recommend!
There's humour from our sassy MC named Rig. Who is one of those cocky characters you just can't help but root for. She's endearing and badass, even when she's not. She has been 'on the run' from her home planet for 3 years now, after running away with weapon schematics she herself made under the authoritarian regime. She's an ethnic minority in her own world, but was seen as 'exceptional' because of her smarts with weapons tech. But she realizes her technology will be used against her own race, a race that is mostly slaves for the world order in power.
We also find out there are two other similar world orders also with the same lust for power and war, fighting over mythical origins that are over 10'000 years old. The lore presented and world-building is really interesting, and yet not that far removed from what is happening in our own world today. With various things all whittling us down into factions that promote prejudice and power plays. This is just on a universal scale, of space and multi-world, and multi-galaxy reaches. Yet it was never too hard to understand. But I'd still make sure you're in a place to really concentrate on the story to gather the full details - perhaps not one to read while say watching the tele or doing something else to distract you.
There's so many elements here that fascinated me. From the characters own reflection of their complacency and sometimes even happiness under the controlling regimes, simply because they didn't know any better, and thought that playing along was the 'right' thing to do, to have some form of comfort. To the ones that fight, hard, against all ideals of faction and identity that continues to divide.
Another MC character we meet is still so very ingrained in her faction and the brain-washing way she had been raised, despite being cutoff from them, and made promises that mean nothing. Learning about her history and seeing her bond with Rig was wonderful, and heartening. Very much a 'found family' situation.
There is a touch of romance here, Rig is in an already established relationship with a woman librarian who lives on a world, living and working in a protected area. They obviously love each other, but their lives and lifestyles are quite different, too. Meaning a lot of time apart, and neither wanting to ask the other to leave the lifestyles they have chosen.
There's heaps of action and world-building as I said, and it feels like there's always something happening, or something being planned, and the intimate details and monologues internally are very beautiful and touching and very worthy of thinking on, too.
It gave me everything I want from a Sci-Fi read, and reminded me of old episodes of Star Trek I used to watch in the 90's such as the Generation's versions with Picard and also Voyager with Janeway. It had that right mix of moral responsibility and philosophical discussion, with quirky humor and the indominable spirit of humanity or just LIFE as we know it. Would recommend!
January 17, 2022
3.5/5
Bluebird is fun. It's not the most original science fiction romp, but its action-packed scenes and character interactions make it entertaining.
Rig, a gifted weapons developer, abandoned her faction and lives as a gunslinging and thieving rebel. Her girlfriend, June, is a sexy librarian, and life is good when they're together. But, unfortunately, her former faction needs what Rig stole from them. If she doesn't give it back, they'll torture and kill her twin sister Daar.
With the help of friends and unexpected allies (Ginka, a mysterious agent of the Ossuary faction), armed with panache and pizzazz (her biocoded guns ), Rig is ready to fight. Who knows, maybe the days of the faction system will finally come to an end.
Good pacing, polished prose, and fun factor made it a quick read. Constant banter is fun until it isn't; some jokes land, some don't. It's almost as if the whole story was more banter-driven than character-driven. Not a bad thing, especially if you're looking for something lighter.
I liked the characters, but they lacked nuance and complexity. They're memorable and angsty, loud and bold, but not entirely convincing. Rig, a brilliant weapons designer, doesn't always act too bright. And that's okay - emotional intelligence doesn't always go hand in hand with the ability to solve complex scientific problems. All in all, I liked her, and I can see younger readers relate to her in ways I can't.
All told, Bluebird is flashy, action-packed, and quick to read. I had a good time reading it. It won't stay with me for months, but not every book has to. Recommended to sci-fi readers looking for an entertaining and quick read.
IRC through NetGalley
Bluebird is fun. It's not the most original science fiction romp, but its action-packed scenes and character interactions make it entertaining.
Rig, a gifted weapons developer, abandoned her faction and lives as a gunslinging and thieving rebel. Her girlfriend, June, is a sexy librarian, and life is good when they're together. But, unfortunately, her former faction needs what Rig stole from them. If she doesn't give it back, they'll torture and kill her twin sister Daar.
With the help of friends and unexpected allies (Ginka, a mysterious agent of the Ossuary faction), armed with panache and pizzazz (her biocoded guns ), Rig is ready to fight. Who knows, maybe the days of the faction system will finally come to an end.
Good pacing, polished prose, and fun factor made it a quick read. Constant banter is fun until it isn't; some jokes land, some don't. It's almost as if the whole story was more banter-driven than character-driven. Not a bad thing, especially if you're looking for something lighter.
I liked the characters, but they lacked nuance and complexity. They're memorable and angsty, loud and bold, but not entirely convincing. Rig, a brilliant weapons designer, doesn't always act too bright. And that's okay - emotional intelligence doesn't always go hand in hand with the ability to solve complex scientific problems. All in all, I liked her, and I can see younger readers relate to her in ways I can't.
All told, Bluebird is flashy, action-packed, and quick to read. I had a good time reading it. It won't stay with me for months, but not every book has to. Recommended to sci-fi readers looking for an entertaining and quick read.
IRC through NetGalley
December 10, 2023
I will be writing a longer review soon but for now YES 💕
January 19, 2022
On my blog.
Rep: lesbian mc & li
CWs: violence, amputation
Galley provided by publisher
Bluebird is a fun read, both a romp through space and a story about bringing down an oppressive system. But although I found it fun, I never really connected with it beyond that, hence the 3 star rating.
Here’s the point where I stress that a 3-star rating is not a bad rating. It means I liked this book. And I did enjoy reading it, so it’s one I would recommend. However, beyond that, I think my issues here were twofold: I never felt anything for the characters, and the plot rested solely on coincidence. Let’s take the first to begin with.
For all that I was being almost instructed to care about these characters, the people who had been pushed outside of their home (for want of a better word) and people who had chosen to leave after seeing the true face of their faction, I never really did. They were somewhat bland characters, in all honesty. None of them particularly jumped off the page for me although, by all accounts, they should have. They were interesting in conception, but not so much in execution.
Perhaps this was a result of the pacing, or compounded by it. As I said at the start, it’s a fast paced book, but that pacing works against it quite often. A lot of the plot beats rely entirely on coincidence—they hear the right conversation at the right time, they just happen across a person who can help them, they aren’t captured because someone else shows up as a distraction. None of these would be bad in isolation, but when the entire plot seems to rely on chance, it starts to become tiring. And also you start to lose interest. I never expected anything truly bad to happen to the characters because, chances were, a miracle coincidence would occur and save them at just the right time.
What I would say though, is that the balance between fast pacing and enough time to establish the world was pretty good. I never felt like the worldbuilding was too light touch. It wasn’t as in depth as I might have liked, to be sure, but it never felt lacking to me.
In the end, then, this book was one I did like reading, and one I would recommend. It just failed to become one that I loved.
Rep: lesbian mc & li
CWs: violence, amputation
Galley provided by publisher
Bluebird is a fun read, both a romp through space and a story about bringing down an oppressive system. But although I found it fun, I never really connected with it beyond that, hence the 3 star rating.
Here’s the point where I stress that a 3-star rating is not a bad rating. It means I liked this book. And I did enjoy reading it, so it’s one I would recommend. However, beyond that, I think my issues here were twofold: I never felt anything for the characters, and the plot rested solely on coincidence. Let’s take the first to begin with.
For all that I was being almost instructed to care about these characters, the people who had been pushed outside of their home (for want of a better word) and people who had chosen to leave after seeing the true face of their faction, I never really did. They were somewhat bland characters, in all honesty. None of them particularly jumped off the page for me although, by all accounts, they should have. They were interesting in conception, but not so much in execution.
Perhaps this was a result of the pacing, or compounded by it. As I said at the start, it’s a fast paced book, but that pacing works against it quite often. A lot of the plot beats rely entirely on coincidence—they hear the right conversation at the right time, they just happen across a person who can help them, they aren’t captured because someone else shows up as a distraction. None of these would be bad in isolation, but when the entire plot seems to rely on chance, it starts to become tiring. And also you start to lose interest. I never expected anything truly bad to happen to the characters because, chances were, a miracle coincidence would occur and save them at just the right time.
What I would say though, is that the balance between fast pacing and enough time to establish the world was pretty good. I never felt like the worldbuilding was too light touch. It wasn’t as in depth as I might have liked, to be sure, but it never felt lacking to me.
In the end, then, this book was one I did like reading, and one I would recommend. It just failed to become one that I loved.
February 9, 2022
3.5 stars.
Rig, the Kashrini main character of this fast-moving book, is a gunslinger, a rebel, and a lover of a fantastic librarian. Rig is a former weapons designer for the Pyrite faction; the factions rule most of the galaxy, and have carved most of it into three zones. The factions each believe in their superiority to the other factions, believing that each has special wisdom and righteousness, and piece of a star carried by their individual god, and have been warring against the other factions for thousands of years, with countless lives lost, and aliens, such as the Kashrini, pulled into the conflict, then indentured by the factions, all to fuel the continuing wars.
The factions are ruled by humans, and some of the indentured aliens under their thumbs have banded together in a group called the Nightbirds, in an effort to harry and bring down the factions. The factions want to eliminate the Nightbirds, and one of Rig's last weapons created for Pyrite would have done that. And has far larger, more terrible effects as well, hence Rig's rebellion and flight.
She's been in hiding for three years at the story's open, and has been successfully evading notice, until she takes on a passenger, an incredibly lethal Zazra, and then one thing after another begins going horribly, with Rig forced to work for Pyrite to recover her lost, last weapon in exchange for her sister's life. Rig and Ginka, the Zazra, are forced to travel all over the galaxy in an effort to find some means to defeating the faction, as well as rescue her sister.
While the pair are running around the galaxy, we're also shown another storyline of two incredibly dangerous assassins training. The identities are slowly revealed, in a satisfying manner.
Rig must ask herself a LOT of questions during hers and Ginka's efforts about 1) Rig's former work for Pyrite, 2) her work to deal with her tremendous guilt for creating so many weapons of mass destruction, 3) her damaged relationship with her sister and 4) the bigotry instilled into the various aliens working for the factions.
While there is a lot of action in this story, it's the character moments I liked between Rig and Ginka, and Rig's kindness, compassion for others, and for her feelings of personal responsibility, and how she attempts to repay her actions. And I LOVED Rig's love, June, who, though not setting foot outside her library, was vital to Rig's efforts, and was just so darned amazing all on her own.
I did, however, get a little tired of Rig's constant sassy attitude and remarks. I realize it's sort of her superpower (in addition to being a crack shot) but I would have appreciated this aspect of her character toned down a little.
Other than that, I enjoyed this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Rig, the Kashrini main character of this fast-moving book, is a gunslinger, a rebel, and a lover of a fantastic librarian. Rig is a former weapons designer for the Pyrite faction; the factions rule most of the galaxy, and have carved most of it into three zones. The factions each believe in their superiority to the other factions, believing that each has special wisdom and righteousness, and piece of a star carried by their individual god, and have been warring against the other factions for thousands of years, with countless lives lost, and aliens, such as the Kashrini, pulled into the conflict, then indentured by the factions, all to fuel the continuing wars.
The factions are ruled by humans, and some of the indentured aliens under their thumbs have banded together in a group called the Nightbirds, in an effort to harry and bring down the factions. The factions want to eliminate the Nightbirds, and one of Rig's last weapons created for Pyrite would have done that. And has far larger, more terrible effects as well, hence Rig's rebellion and flight.
She's been in hiding for three years at the story's open, and has been successfully evading notice, until she takes on a passenger, an incredibly lethal Zazra, and then one thing after another begins going horribly, with Rig forced to work for Pyrite to recover her lost, last weapon in exchange for her sister's life. Rig and Ginka, the Zazra, are forced to travel all over the galaxy in an effort to find some means to defeating the faction, as well as rescue her sister.
While the pair are running around the galaxy, we're also shown another storyline of two incredibly dangerous assassins training. The identities are slowly revealed, in a satisfying manner.
Rig must ask herself a LOT of questions during hers and Ginka's efforts about 1) Rig's former work for Pyrite, 2) her work to deal with her tremendous guilt for creating so many weapons of mass destruction, 3) her damaged relationship with her sister and 4) the bigotry instilled into the various aliens working for the factions.
While there is a lot of action in this story, it's the character moments I liked between Rig and Ginka, and Rig's kindness, compassion for others, and for her feelings of personal responsibility, and how she attempts to repay her actions. And I LOVED Rig's love, June, who, though not setting foot outside her library, was vital to Rig's efforts, and was just so darned amazing all on her own.
I did, however, get a little tired of Rig's constant sassy attitude and remarks. I realize it's sort of her superpower (in addition to being a crack shot) but I would have appreciated this aspect of her character toned down a little.
Other than that, I enjoyed this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
February 5, 2022
4.5 stars! I had SO MUCH FUN reading this book, I have been having such a hard time with scifi lately but this book has lifted my curse, THANK YOU.
This kind of felt like watching an old school Star Trek to me? It reminded me so much of my love for Voyager. It was full of snarky, witty banter, at times a little cheesy but in a way that is a hallmark of old school scifi; it’s full of fast paced action and gun fights and plans where everything goes wrong but you have hope at the end of an episode things will be okay. It just felt like such a classic space opera, it was so much fun, I laughed out loud throughout. Rig is an absolute walking disaster and I LOVE HER. I also really loved the sweet romance storyline between Ginka and Crane. A wonderful debut!
Thank you so much to Angry Robot for sending me an ARC of this book, that has not affected my opinions in this review.
Content warnings: violence, gun violence, blood, war, kidnapping, drug use, addiction, medical trauma, injury details, vomit
This kind of felt like watching an old school Star Trek to me? It reminded me so much of my love for Voyager. It was full of snarky, witty banter, at times a little cheesy but in a way that is a hallmark of old school scifi; it’s full of fast paced action and gun fights and plans where everything goes wrong but you have hope at the end of an episode things will be okay. It just felt like such a classic space opera, it was so much fun, I laughed out loud throughout. Rig is an absolute walking disaster and I LOVE HER. I also really loved the sweet romance storyline between Ginka and Crane. A wonderful debut!
Thank you so much to Angry Robot for sending me an ARC of this book, that has not affected my opinions in this review.
Content warnings: violence, gun violence, blood, war, kidnapping, drug use, addiction, medical trauma, injury details, vomit
April 16, 2022
Generally a rollicking good time, although I ended up skimming some parts. There’s a LOT of banter, and some of sections of it are more fun to read than others. But any book with a sapphic gunslinger x librarian couple gets bonus points from me.
[Thank you to Angry Robot Books for providing a review copy.]
[Thank you to Angry Robot Books for providing a review copy.]
July 4, 2022
I'm always bummed when I don't like a queer sci-fi work, especially one with a premise like " “lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space,” but this was genuinely so boring that I could not tell you a single thing that happened. All of the characters are the exact same and the confrontation at the end, if you could call it that, was more bland than white bread.
February 16, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Before picking up Bluebird I was craving some SF and this book 100% delivered. I love lesbian gunslingers, but Rig is also caring, just a tad bit reckless, and complex. She's making up for pursuing knowledge a bit too close to the sun and is in the works of making amends. When her sister is kidnapped, she ends up in an unlikely alliance with Ginka, a mysterious hitchhiker. I instantly loved Rig. Her flashes of arrogance and fear gave me serious Starbuck vibes.
Not only did I love Rig, but I quickly fell in love with basically every other character (except some baddies). If you love a super sassy heroine, then Rig is definitely your type. But at the same time, watching Ginka's character unfold - which is spoiler territory I'm sorry! - was an unexpected joy. And what a dynamic duo they make! In Bluebird, Pierlot explores questions of choice. Of decisions and loyalty that are (un)deserved and require every piece of ourselves.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Before picking up Bluebird I was craving some SF and this book 100% delivered. I love lesbian gunslingers, but Rig is also caring, just a tad bit reckless, and complex. She's making up for pursuing knowledge a bit too close to the sun and is in the works of making amends. When her sister is kidnapped, she ends up in an unlikely alliance with Ginka, a mysterious hitchhiker. I instantly loved Rig. Her flashes of arrogance and fear gave me serious Starbuck vibes.
Not only did I love Rig, but I quickly fell in love with basically every other character (except some baddies). If you love a super sassy heroine, then Rig is definitely your type. But at the same time, watching Ginka's character unfold - which is spoiler territory I'm sorry! - was an unexpected joy. And what a dynamic duo they make! In Bluebird, Pierlot explores questions of choice. Of decisions and loyalty that are (un)deserved and require every piece of ourselves.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
February 12, 2022
This book is a fun, sapphic cowboy-bebop space adventure. The characters are loveable and spunky. The story was just a fun adventure to be on. A 3-way civil war stale mate and everyone is looking for for Rig to get her bioweapon. It was action packed, exciting, and entertaining. Was the writing Hugo Award winning Sci-fi? No. Was some of the dialogue really corny? yes. BUT! in a fun campy way.
If you are looking for a fun gay space adventure, this is the book for you!
If you are looking for a fun gay space adventure, this is the book for you!
May 1, 2025
4 Stars for Bluebird (audiobook) by Ciel Pierlot read by Stephanie Cannon.
I can’t come up with a better description for this book than the one the publisher used. Lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space. I think that says it all.
I can’t come up with a better description for this book than the one the publisher used. Lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space. I think that says it all.
March 13, 2022
Much thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the eARC.
Rig is a Nightbird, a rebel who does odd jobs—like rescuing refugees—to eke out a living beyond the control of the three factions fighting over the control of the galaxy. She is also Kashrini, a species whose homeworld and culture have been nearly annihilated by her former faction—Pyrite—and now Rig does all she can to preserve any Kashrini artifacts she can get her hands on. Alas, Pyrite Intelligence has decided it needs to retrieve the schematics for nanotech weapons that Rig designed for them once upon a time. And they are not the only ones who would be interested in that power.
The first thing you’re going to notice about Bluebird is the frequency of action sequences. Seriously, this book is jam-packed with them. We go barely a scene before someone picks a fight. That might be annoying in less-deft hands, but Pierlot makes it work. I’m not huge on action sequences because I don’t visualize as I read, yet I still enjoyed the majority of this novel simply because Pierlot is very good at describing what’s happening and why we should care. For that same reason, if you do visualize cinematic sequences, you are in luck.
This novel reminds me of that genre of plucky science fiction I might associate with something like Titan A.E.. Rig just does not care about interstellar politics. She wants to do good, make some money, and be left alone to her own devices—and of course, spend time with the love of her life. You can almost feel her rolling her eyes at all the people who are trying to convince her of the importance of the faction conflict.
Although Pierlot provides us with a general backstory for the origins of the factions, there is no continuity with our human history, aside from certain idioms that seem to have survived into this far future. The legends seem to imply that humans came to this galaxy from another (the Milky Way?), but their method of arrival resulted in their fracture into the three factions that have since messed it up for everyone else. Typical humanity, amirite? Again, some people might feel disappointed that this mythos is unexplained—and again, I say, it works well here. It’s the point, actually, because as Rig tries to explain to Ginka, no faction has the full story—not even the Nightbirds. It’s pointless to fight about something you can’t be certain about because you weren’t there.
The third element that I really enjoyed was the relationship between Rig and June. I liked that there is clearly a lot of love and respect between them, but there is also some unresolved tension as a result of the vast differences in their lifestyles. There is an important conversation between June and Ginka early in the book, followed by a recapitulation between Rig and Ginka, that finally manifests as a tearful, heartfelt resolution between Rig and June. It feels organic, healthy, and it’s generally the type of lovely romance my aromantic self can really enjoy.
If Bluebird has any flaws, it’s that some of the characters feel larger than life and a little cartoonish in their villainery. This is the case with Lord Umbra—I mean, the whole “Lord” thing is just the start of the problem, and let’s not even talk about how he wields a sword. The whole throwback imperial vibe of Ossuary didn’t work for me, but then again, neither did the nihilistic technophilia of Pyrite. Indeed, for all that I loved the protagonists and deuteragonists of this book, there isn’t really a formidable or compelling antagonist. As a result, Bluebird’s overarching plot suffers and sputters its way into its final act.
Would I read another book in this universe? Yes, absolutely. Pierlot’s writing blends action seamlessly with careful character development, and the result is a type of compassionate science fiction I want more of in my library.
But do you really want to know what I’d like to see? A Bluebird video game. I would love to be able to play as Rig, fly the Bluebird, chat with June and Ginka, and generally be cool while inadvertently saving the galaxy. This is a universe I would play in, because even when the stakes are high, what really matters is the human connection.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
Rig is a Nightbird, a rebel who does odd jobs—like rescuing refugees—to eke out a living beyond the control of the three factions fighting over the control of the galaxy. She is also Kashrini, a species whose homeworld and culture have been nearly annihilated by her former faction—Pyrite—and now Rig does all she can to preserve any Kashrini artifacts she can get her hands on. Alas, Pyrite Intelligence has decided it needs to retrieve the schematics for nanotech weapons that Rig designed for them once upon a time. And they are not the only ones who would be interested in that power.
The first thing you’re going to notice about Bluebird is the frequency of action sequences. Seriously, this book is jam-packed with them. We go barely a scene before someone picks a fight. That might be annoying in less-deft hands, but Pierlot makes it work. I’m not huge on action sequences because I don’t visualize as I read, yet I still enjoyed the majority of this novel simply because Pierlot is very good at describing what’s happening and why we should care. For that same reason, if you do visualize cinematic sequences, you are in luck.
This novel reminds me of that genre of plucky science fiction I might associate with something like Titan A.E.. Rig just does not care about interstellar politics. She wants to do good, make some money, and be left alone to her own devices—and of course, spend time with the love of her life. You can almost feel her rolling her eyes at all the people who are trying to convince her of the importance of the faction conflict.
Although Pierlot provides us with a general backstory for the origins of the factions, there is no continuity with our human history, aside from certain idioms that seem to have survived into this far future. The legends seem to imply that humans came to this galaxy from another (the Milky Way?), but their method of arrival resulted in their fracture into the three factions that have since messed it up for everyone else. Typical humanity, amirite? Again, some people might feel disappointed that this mythos is unexplained—and again, I say, it works well here. It’s the point, actually, because as Rig tries to explain to Ginka, no faction has the full story—not even the Nightbirds. It’s pointless to fight about something you can’t be certain about because you weren’t there.
The third element that I really enjoyed was the relationship between Rig and June. I liked that there is clearly a lot of love and respect between them, but there is also some unresolved tension as a result of the vast differences in their lifestyles. There is an important conversation between June and Ginka early in the book, followed by a recapitulation between Rig and Ginka, that finally manifests as a tearful, heartfelt resolution between Rig and June. It feels organic, healthy, and it’s generally the type of lovely romance my aromantic self can really enjoy.
If Bluebird has any flaws, it’s that some of the characters feel larger than life and a little cartoonish in their villainery. This is the case with Lord Umbra—I mean, the whole “Lord” thing is just the start of the problem, and let’s not even talk about how he wields a sword. The whole throwback imperial vibe of Ossuary didn’t work for me, but then again, neither did the nihilistic technophilia of Pyrite. Indeed, for all that I loved the protagonists and deuteragonists of this book, there isn’t really a formidable or compelling antagonist. As a result, Bluebird’s overarching plot suffers and sputters its way into its final act.
Would I read another book in this universe? Yes, absolutely. Pierlot’s writing blends action seamlessly with careful character development, and the result is a type of compassionate science fiction I want more of in my library.
But do you really want to know what I’d like to see? A Bluebird video game. I would love to be able to play as Rig, fly the Bluebird, chat with June and Ginka, and generally be cool while inadvertently saving the galaxy. This is a universe I would play in, because even when the stakes are high, what really matters is the human connection.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
November 22, 2021
I really enjoyed this. There’s an earlier review that’s much more critical of some things that I accepted as growing pains: the characters are fine, just a bit “first novel,” if that makes sense. Nothing wrong with that! It just means there’s room to grow. And the writing in the rest of the book definitely gives me hope that the author will learn and grow and smooth out the rough edges in future books. A great, fun sci-fi story and an excellent introduction to an author I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for in the future.
July 31, 2025
I loved this so much. Fast paced lesbian gunslingers in space with interesting worlds and culture. I just breezed through this.
March 29, 2024
Review originally on
JamReads
Bluebird is a delicious space opera novel written by Ciel Pierlot, and published by Angry Robot Books. Just from the own blurb, you can get it's going to be rompy and chaotic (let's be honest, who doesn't want lesbian gunslingers in the space?), and it is, but it also encloses a powerful and emotional story about accepting your own identity and breaking against the established conventionalism.
Rig, a talented weapons developer and gunslinger, abandoned her faction and lives as a thieving rebel and gunslinger; her girlfriend, June, is a sexy librarian, and life is going well. However, her former faction needs what Rig stole from them, and as a way to coerce her into collaborating, they have kidnapped her twin sister Daar; they will torture and kill her if Rig doesn't collaborate.
However, instead of forfeiting to her faction, Rig decides to start a journey across the galaxy, ready to fight and hopefully, finish the tyranny of the factions that are competing over the universe. And she won't be alone, as, apart from being armed with panache and pizzazz (her bio-coded guns), she will be accompanied by Ginka, a mysterious agent of the Ossuary faction whose past is the key of her identity, and the rebels she was working with.
Despite the big scope of the plot, Pierlot manages to make this novel more about the characters and their identities; Rig and Ginka are fighting to make their self-identities to be accepted, and to destroy the system that is trying to encapsulate them into others since they were born. The banter between Rig and Ginka is delicious, a sort of reflection of the unlikely friendship that gets established between them; and between Julia and Rig we can appreciate the passion and the steam, a show of love.
The writing is clear and fast, with exceptionally well-written action scenes; pacing is quick, adequate to the urgency Rig is moving to. Many bird references are included, and the humour is top tier, found myself laughing many times.
Bluebird is a great space opera; fulfills perfectly the "chaotic lesbian gunslingers in space" pitch, a fun and entertaining read with an excellent and clear prose. Won't be my last read from Ciel Pierlot.
Bluebird is a delicious space opera novel written by Ciel Pierlot, and published by Angry Robot Books. Just from the own blurb, you can get it's going to be rompy and chaotic (let's be honest, who doesn't want lesbian gunslingers in the space?), and it is, but it also encloses a powerful and emotional story about accepting your own identity and breaking against the established conventionalism.
Rig, a talented weapons developer and gunslinger, abandoned her faction and lives as a thieving rebel and gunslinger; her girlfriend, June, is a sexy librarian, and life is going well. However, her former faction needs what Rig stole from them, and as a way to coerce her into collaborating, they have kidnapped her twin sister Daar; they will torture and kill her if Rig doesn't collaborate.
However, instead of forfeiting to her faction, Rig decides to start a journey across the galaxy, ready to fight and hopefully, finish the tyranny of the factions that are competing over the universe. And she won't be alone, as, apart from being armed with panache and pizzazz (her bio-coded guns), she will be accompanied by Ginka, a mysterious agent of the Ossuary faction whose past is the key of her identity, and the rebels she was working with.
Despite the big scope of the plot, Pierlot manages to make this novel more about the characters and their identities; Rig and Ginka are fighting to make their self-identities to be accepted, and to destroy the system that is trying to encapsulate them into others since they were born. The banter between Rig and Ginka is delicious, a sort of reflection of the unlikely friendship that gets established between them; and between Julia and Rig we can appreciate the passion and the steam, a show of love.
The writing is clear and fast, with exceptionally well-written action scenes; pacing is quick, adequate to the urgency Rig is moving to. Many bird references are included, and the humour is top tier, found myself laughing many times.
Bluebird is a great space opera; fulfills perfectly the "chaotic lesbian gunslingers in space" pitch, a fun and entertaining read with an excellent and clear prose. Won't be my last read from Ciel Pierlot.
May 7, 2025
A fun sci-fi adventure, with memorable characters and a fast-paced plot. The worldbuilding was top notch, though I think perhaps everything wrapped up a bit too neatly at the end! But I enjoyed the ride.
August 25, 2022
The tagline of Bluebird captured my attention: 'Lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space!' That's certainly an accurate summary, so if you're intrigued then this novel is well worth reading as a fun and undemanding romp. The plot follows an outlaw called Rig attempting various heists and rescues from the three empires that have carved up the galaxy: Ascetic, Ossuary, and Pyrite. She teams up with a mysterious bounty-hunter and zooms between planets having exciting adventures and narrowly escaping peril.
The plot relies on coincidence at several points, which I found a bit tenuous. If you don't think too hard about that, though, it's huge fun. In fact, I think the whole novel would make an excellent film. The vibes are similar to Farscape, albeit not as weird. Although there are various alien species, there is no great sense of alien-ness. Some of the technology is very creepy, though. There is some neat world-building around the three empires, but it's somewhat undermined by the use of 21st century American slang and idioms.
What stood out for me were the relationships, both friendships and romances, and how different characters felt about loyalty to the empire they grew up in. The former were developed really well. Rig and Ginka have a great dynamic, Rig's librarian girlfriend June is delightful, and Rig's troubled relationship with her sister is an effective counterpoint. As for the latter, I found the narrative most thoughtful when it considered conflicted loyalties. In this highly sectarian future/alternate world, breaking away from the empire you grew up in to live outside it is nearly impossible. I appreciated the discussions between Rig and Ginka about this. On the other hand, there are also lots of great fight scenes, dressing fancy to infiltrate a party, exciting chases, and other action shenanigans. Sometimes it's good to read sci-fi that's more interested in thrilling fun than exploring big ideas - particularly when it stars a badass lesbian.
The plot relies on coincidence at several points, which I found a bit tenuous. If you don't think too hard about that, though, it's huge fun. In fact, I think the whole novel would make an excellent film. The vibes are similar to Farscape, albeit not as weird. Although there are various alien species, there is no great sense of alien-ness. Some of the technology is very creepy, though. There is some neat world-building around the three empires, but it's somewhat undermined by the use of 21st century American slang and idioms.
What stood out for me were the relationships, both friendships and romances, and how different characters felt about loyalty to the empire they grew up in. The former were developed really well. Rig and Ginka have a great dynamic, Rig's librarian girlfriend June is delightful, and Rig's troubled relationship with her sister is an effective counterpoint. As for the latter, I found the narrative most thoughtful when it considered conflicted loyalties. In this highly sectarian future/alternate world, breaking away from the empire you grew up in to live outside it is nearly impossible. I appreciated the discussions between Rig and Ginka about this. On the other hand, there are also lots of great fight scenes, dressing fancy to infiltrate a party, exciting chases, and other action shenanigans. Sometimes it's good to read sci-fi that's more interested in thrilling fun than exploring big ideas - particularly when it stars a badass lesbian.
February 10, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Our February Bookclub pick was a fun, queer sci-fi romp that didn’t take itself too seriously. I really enjoyed the action sequences and storyline of this book. I don’t only want to shit on this book but there were a couple of elements that really didn’t gel with me. There was a major disconnect with the age of the characters and the tone of this book. By my best guess Rig and Ginka are supposed to be like mid-20’s plus but the writing and dialogue felt super YA. The decisions of the characters also felt super juvenile which would be fine if this were YA but it wasn’t and I didn’t care for that. My last major criticism is more observational: why the FUCK were those unimaginative assholes reclaiming their identity by picking other bird names?!? Make it make sense 🙏🏼
I did love Rig and Ginka and June and I definitely had a fun time with this: the writing was super digestible and the plot was comforting and familiar in its good guy good/bad guy bad dichotomy. This felt very reminiscent of Firefly in a way but more as a YA homage to it than a true recreation. I do think this is one people will love and I defs recommend it, just note going in that this reads very young for its target audience.
Edit: Spoiler warning
I’ve come back the next day to add that I’ve remembered another thing that I wish I’d been done differently. I don’t think this choice was bad per se, I just think that a different execution could have made it a more effective plot device. The guns. The names were hilarious and I loved the imagery of Rig and her dual pistols - very old west gunslinger meets space lesbian chic - but I think it was a mistake telling us from the outset that the guns held the plans she was hiding. Rig holding on to the plans at all was so dumb and whilst I understand the way it was explained, I think this story would have still worked if she had destroyed them prior to the stories events and people just thought she had them or something but I digress. If Rig HAD to have the plans in her guns, then I think that should have been an end of book revelation. She denies having them the whole time and then during the final confrontation her guns are taken from her and the big bad asshole makes the connection. I just think it would have been more effective and interesting and made her character seem more competent and less like a child.
Our February Bookclub pick was a fun, queer sci-fi romp that didn’t take itself too seriously. I really enjoyed the action sequences and storyline of this book. I don’t only want to shit on this book but there were a couple of elements that really didn’t gel with me. There was a major disconnect with the age of the characters and the tone of this book. By my best guess Rig and Ginka are supposed to be like mid-20’s plus but the writing and dialogue felt super YA. The decisions of the characters also felt super juvenile which would be fine if this were YA but it wasn’t and I didn’t care for that. My last major criticism is more observational: why the FUCK were those unimaginative assholes reclaiming their identity by picking other bird names?!? Make it make sense 🙏🏼
I did love Rig and Ginka and June and I definitely had a fun time with this: the writing was super digestible and the plot was comforting and familiar in its good guy good/bad guy bad dichotomy. This felt very reminiscent of Firefly in a way but more as a YA homage to it than a true recreation. I do think this is one people will love and I defs recommend it, just note going in that this reads very young for its target audience.
Edit: Spoiler warning
I’ve come back the next day to add that I’ve remembered another thing that I wish I’d been done differently. I don’t think this choice was bad per se, I just think that a different execution could have made it a more effective plot device. The guns. The names were hilarious and I loved the imagery of Rig and her dual pistols - very old west gunslinger meets space lesbian chic - but I think it was a mistake telling us from the outset that the guns held the plans she was hiding. Rig holding on to the plans at all was so dumb and whilst I understand the way it was explained, I think this story would have still worked if she had destroyed them prior to the stories events and people just thought she had them or something but I digress. If Rig HAD to have the plans in her guns, then I think that should have been an end of book revelation. She denies having them the whole time and then during the final confrontation her guns are taken from her and the big bad asshole makes the connection. I just think it would have been more effective and interesting and made her character seem more competent and less like a child.
July 18, 2022
Gun toting sapphic with a cute librarian gf? Check. On the run from people wanting to capture or kill you? Check. Seriously cool space tech? You know it.
This book was everything I needed from sci-fi recently and more. I’ve struggled with sci-fi since reading Gideon the Ninth because nothing was living up to the atmosphere of that, and this? THIS BOOK BROUGHT IT ✨ Though this didn’t have necromancers it had some seriously cool space tech and worlds and the humour was ON POINT. (Seriously I’m weak for some crass humour.)
I would say this is way easier to sink into than Gideon, it’s less complex but in a way that let my brain breathe, the story just flows and whilst you are picking up on some new vocabulary it’s also easy to follow.
No spoilers but the plot, the plot was a rollercoaster and I enjoyed every second.
I did feel maybe the pacing was slightly off towards the end, also with the plot involving Rig’s family. But that was the only issue I had with the entire book so no complaints here.
TW’s listed below, please skip tw portion if you do not want vague spoilers.
Tw/CW // Substance abuse (incl graphic needle use) , Gore, Gore involving eyes, Mention of branding, Kidnapping, Amputation, Guns, Knives, Scene with vomiting (withdrawal), Disassociation, Medical surgery scenes, hostages.
This book was everything I needed from sci-fi recently and more. I’ve struggled with sci-fi since reading Gideon the Ninth because nothing was living up to the atmosphere of that, and this? THIS BOOK BROUGHT IT ✨ Though this didn’t have necromancers it had some seriously cool space tech and worlds and the humour was ON POINT. (Seriously I’m weak for some crass humour.)
I would say this is way easier to sink into than Gideon, it’s less complex but in a way that let my brain breathe, the story just flows and whilst you are picking up on some new vocabulary it’s also easy to follow.
No spoilers but the plot, the plot was a rollercoaster and I enjoyed every second.
I did feel maybe the pacing was slightly off towards the end, also with the plot involving Rig’s family. But that was the only issue I had with the entire book so no complaints here.
TW’s listed below, please skip tw portion if you do not want vague spoilers.
Tw/CW // Substance abuse (incl graphic needle use) , Gore, Gore involving eyes, Mention of branding, Kidnapping, Amputation, Guns, Knives, Scene with vomiting (withdrawal), Disassociation, Medical surgery scenes, hostages.
April 26, 2023
Mixed thoughts - looking for light and straightforward SF this is fine. If you’ve read a lot of SF though you’ll spot this story’s many influences and it rarely does anything you don’t see coming. A little too predictable for my tastes
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
September 1, 2023
Bluebird est un joli concentré d’actions dans l’espace avec des héroïnes féminines intéressantes et attachantes. Cependant, le manque de nuances, en particulier dans l’univers, et l’enchaînement de rebondissements qui manquent un peu de subtilité en font une lecture sympathique mais qui ne marque pas forcément sur la durée.
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