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The Sun Chronicles #2
Furious Heaven
Furious Heaven is Kate Elliott's highly anticipated sequel to the thrilling space adventure Unconquerable Sun!
The Republic of Chaonia fleets, under the joint command of Princess Sun and her formidable mother, Queen-Marshal Eirene, have defeated and driven out an invading fleet of the Phene Empire, though not without heavy losses. But the Empire remains undeterred. While Chaonia scrambles to rebuild its military, the Empire’s rulers are determined to squash Chaonia once and for all. They believe their military might is strong enough to defeat the enemy, but they also secure a secret alliance with a deadly religious sect skilled in the use of assassination and covert ops, to destabilize the republic.
On the eve of Eirene’s bold attack on the rich and populous Karnos System, an unexpected tragedy strikes the republic. Sun must take charge or lose the throne. Will Sun be content with the pragmatic path laid out by her mother for Chaonia’s future? Or will she choose to forge her own legend? Can she succeed despite all the forces arrayed against her?
Also by Kate Elliott
The Sun Chronicles
Unconquerable Sun
Furious Heaven
Young Adult Novels by Kate Elliott
Court of Fives
Court of Fives
Poisoned Blade
Buried Heart
The Republic of Chaonia fleets, under the joint command of Princess Sun and her formidable mother, Queen-Marshal Eirene, have defeated and driven out an invading fleet of the Phene Empire, though not without heavy losses. But the Empire remains undeterred. While Chaonia scrambles to rebuild its military, the Empire’s rulers are determined to squash Chaonia once and for all. They believe their military might is strong enough to defeat the enemy, but they also secure a secret alliance with a deadly religious sect skilled in the use of assassination and covert ops, to destabilize the republic.
On the eve of Eirene’s bold attack on the rich and populous Karnos System, an unexpected tragedy strikes the republic. Sun must take charge or lose the throne. Will Sun be content with the pragmatic path laid out by her mother for Chaonia’s future? Or will she choose to forge her own legend? Can she succeed despite all the forces arrayed against her?
Also by Kate Elliott
The Sun Chronicles
Unconquerable Sun
Furious Heaven
Young Adult Novels by Kate Elliott
Court of Fives
Court of Fives
Poisoned Blade
Buried Heart
736 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2023
109 people are currently reading
1415 people want to read
About the author
Kate Elliott
108 books2,889 followersAs a child in rural Oregon, Kate Elliott made up stories because she longed to escape to a world of lurid adventure fiction. She now writes fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction, often with a romantic edge. She currently lives in Hawaii, where she paddles outrigger canoes and spoils her schnauzer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
April 4, 2023
3.5 Stars
This is an entertaining science fiction story that often reads more like fantasy. While the story is set in space, the court politics really made me think of epic fantasy.
I enjoyed reading this but I find the story doesn't stick with me long after reading like other books. This is similar to how I felt about the first book and other Kate Elliott titles. She writes fun stories, but not the kind that leaves a long lasting impact on me.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a fun, politically driven space opera filled with adventure.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is an entertaining science fiction story that often reads more like fantasy. While the story is set in space, the court politics really made me think of epic fantasy.
I enjoyed reading this but I find the story doesn't stick with me long after reading like other books. This is similar to how I felt about the first book and other Kate Elliott titles. She writes fun stories, but not the kind that leaves a long lasting impact on me.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a fun, politically driven space opera filled with adventure.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Read
April 17, 2023Space opera needs four elements to be successful for this reader: Larger than life characters with interesting explorations of gender and identity; interesting high tech dazzle-dazzle that goes beyond sprockets and rockets; big ideas—including glimpses of the numinous—without anything being dogmatic; layered and polysemous surprises.
The short answer for this review: hits the target on every count.
In this story arc, Kate Elliott took as substrate the life of Alexander the Great. You don't need to know that to enjoy the books, but like anything with Easter eggs, if you do know that history, it adds a layer of fun deciding who was the inspiration for each character, and locality, and how much of that original informs the tale as it unfolds.
This is a long book, but no saggy middle book. I think that is because this is a huge story, a roman-fleuve, not a series of three books pitched as three for marketing purposes, whose structure usually falters midway. Rereading the first book is a good idea, as this one picks up not long after UNCONQUERABLE SUN ended, with Sun Shan, daughter of the Philip of Macedonia-like Eirene, consolidating her new Companions before stepping up as queen-marshal of Chaonia. She then sets out to conquer the rich, huge, intriguing Phene empire, extrapolated from Persia.
Elliott's books often take a running pass at people in power and what it does to them and those close to them, and this one is no different. I think with each book she gets better at the complexities, especially as this series has as sub themes some Asian cultural matrices.
We continue to see Sun at a third person distance, counterbalanced with the wryly sardonic first person POV of the ferociously intelligent Persephone Lee. Persephone is well able to maneuver in this world of intense competition and stylish posturing for the media: as in ancient days, kingship has to be seen, to be felt. And they all know it.
And finally, there are the high-octane, pulse-pounding duels and space battles. This is a terrific read, and I can hardly wait for the next installment in the series. Which will be my excuse to reread both books again.
The short answer for this review: hits the target on every count.
In this story arc, Kate Elliott took as substrate the life of Alexander the Great. You don't need to know that to enjoy the books, but like anything with Easter eggs, if you do know that history, it adds a layer of fun deciding who was the inspiration for each character, and locality, and how much of that original informs the tale as it unfolds.
This is a long book, but no saggy middle book. I think that is because this is a huge story, a roman-fleuve, not a series of three books pitched as three for marketing purposes, whose structure usually falters midway. Rereading the first book is a good idea, as this one picks up not long after UNCONQUERABLE SUN ended, with Sun Shan, daughter of the Philip of Macedonia-like Eirene, consolidating her new Companions before stepping up as queen-marshal of Chaonia. She then sets out to conquer the rich, huge, intriguing Phene empire, extrapolated from Persia.
Elliott's books often take a running pass at people in power and what it does to them and those close to them, and this one is no different. I think with each book she gets better at the complexities, especially as this series has as sub themes some Asian cultural matrices.
We continue to see Sun at a third person distance, counterbalanced with the wryly sardonic first person POV of the ferociously intelligent Persephone Lee. Persephone is well able to maneuver in this world of intense competition and stylish posturing for the media: as in ancient days, kingship has to be seen, to be felt. And they all know it.
And finally, there are the high-octane, pulse-pounding duels and space battles. This is a terrific read, and I can hardly wait for the next installment in the series. Which will be my excuse to reread both books again.
April 22, 2023
Wow, this book is a ride! Moving at breakneck speed, Furious Heaven is the second book in a trilogy that is the life of Alexander the Great but gender-flipped and in space. Which is very cool. Truly a space opera with plenty of interesting world-building elements, it's a story of empire but also how interpersonal relationships affect things. Big battle scenes and action set pieces, but also a lot of court politics because the people in Sun's inner circle matter too.
I loved book 1 and have more complicated feelings about book 2. A LOT happens and around the 25% percent mark, there is a major shift in Sun's life and priorities. The pacing isn't what you expect for a novel, but it struck me while reading that it's probably because this draws so heavily on history and real life doesn't quite fall into a 3 act structure or what have you. I will say this feels very much like a middle book, which makes it a little less satisfying for me. There is a turn from book 1, a bunch happens, and the pieces are being set in place for the finale. Admittedly it's also a lot to follow. The nuances of so many characters and moving pieces make me think a re-read will be in order prior to book 3.
I feel like this is a vaguer than usual review, partly because I don't want to spoil things. Ultimately I liked it, though I struggled at times with the pacing, and I will definitely finish the series. I kind of want to read about the life of Alexander the Great as well because it would be interesting to see the parallels. I know Kate Elliott is a history buff and has done loads of research. I also just love the project of this- what if there was this kind of empire building conqueror, but in a time and place where race and gender don't carry the same constraints? And what if Sun was trying to live up to her mother's legacy? Add in the casual queerness of some of the characters and the interesting technology, religious, and political elements and you get something truly epic. The audio narration is good, though this is the kind of thing that would be better with a full cast. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
I loved book 1 and have more complicated feelings about book 2. A LOT happens and around the 25% percent mark, there is a major shift in Sun's life and priorities. The pacing isn't what you expect for a novel, but it struck me while reading that it's probably because this draws so heavily on history and real life doesn't quite fall into a 3 act structure or what have you. I will say this feels very much like a middle book, which makes it a little less satisfying for me. There is a turn from book 1, a bunch happens, and the pieces are being set in place for the finale. Admittedly it's also a lot to follow. The nuances of so many characters and moving pieces make me think a re-read will be in order prior to book 3.
I feel like this is a vaguer than usual review, partly because I don't want to spoil things. Ultimately I liked it, though I struggled at times with the pacing, and I will definitely finish the series. I kind of want to read about the life of Alexander the Great as well because it would be interesting to see the parallels. I know Kate Elliott is a history buff and has done loads of research. I also just love the project of this- what if there was this kind of empire building conqueror, but in a time and place where race and gender don't carry the same constraints? And what if Sun was trying to live up to her mother's legacy? Add in the casual queerness of some of the characters and the interesting technology, religious, and political elements and you get something truly epic. The audio narration is good, though this is the kind of thing that would be better with a full cast. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
September 24, 2022
It’s been a long time coming but Furious Heaven is well worth the wait. The book picks up right where its predecessor left off and, given the length of time between this volume and Unconquerable Sun, it may take a few pages to reconnect with the several lead characters. For me, it was fortunate that Elliot leads with a first-person Persephone chapter, which is typically distinctive of voice, wry, and engaging. The chapter headings, reminiscent of an 18th novel but wittily contemporaneous, are a pleasure in and of themselves. This is space opera at its well-written finest. The plot features action and intrigue, complex plotting, sympathetic characters on both sides of the conflict, and a complicated universe that is revealed organically, rather than though data dumps. I look forward to the concluding volume, though nervously, knowing that the historical basis for Princess Sun died young and short of achieving his vision. I hope the spontaneous and brilliant Sun fares better.
Read
June 10, 2023Loved this. Maybe even more than the first book, which I also loved. Great space opera. Highly recommended.
May 7, 2023
On my blog.
Rep: lesbian mc, bi mc, achillean mc, achillean, trans & nonbinary side characters
Galley provided by publisher
Furious Heaven is a book that proves to me that, yes, even when it’s an author you like, it is possible for a book to be too long. And that’s exactly what I found to be the case here. As much as I enjoy Kate Elliott’s works, this one dragged on too much, such that I didn’t really care about where it was headed. I added the final book of the series to my to read list, sure, but it’s entirely possible I’ll rethink that — especially if there’s another 2- or 3-year wait for it for me to forget everything that’s come before.
Because I think that’s where this book fell down for me. It was long and it dragged. I knew to expect this after the first book but, where that was slow, it was still less than 600 pages. This was slow and nearly 1000 of them (ebook-wise, at least). And god but I felt every single one of them. I’m not even convinced the story told in this book needed that many pages either. “Non-stop action”, the blurb claimed. I raise you this: it never felt like the action even started. Miraculously (or not?), even the battle scenes felt drawn out and unexciting.
Part of this was probably because I felt nothing for the characters. It’s a big cast to find yourself caring about, so inevitably there would be one or two that I liked more than the others, except that never happened. Probably this was also the case with the first book, although I hardly remember that clearly (I’ll come back to this). Somehow, the characters, despite being perfectly well written, did not compel me. So, I wasn’t that invested in what happened to them (some more than others — there were one or two POVs that seemed entirely spurious to me, although I see how they fit in eventually).
Actually, I think there was a two-way relationship between the pacing and characters: if I had liked the characters, I could have stood the pacing, but there was so much emphasis on the pacing and the politicking going on, that I didn’t like the characters. If that makes any sort of sense. I’m trying to say that it felt like more thought was gone into the politics and battles than the characters who should have been driving it all. And because the plot was so slow, built around those politics, the lack of characters I could fully engage with was a detriment to the book.
All of this was only exacerbated by the fact that I had forgotten everything about book one by the time I got to this one. I would truly love if publishers started putting recaps at the beginnings of sequels, since I so rarely go straight into a sequel (unless it’s a reread with the purpose of recalling the plot…) and when there’s a 3-year wait in between, with books the length they are? So, yeah. I remembered pretty much nothing, and that definitely impacted on my initial enjoyment of the book, simply through having to orient myself over again.
So, you’re probably wondering just why this has all merited a three-star rating. That’s because, despite all my complaining, this is still a good book. I’m wavering a little as to whether I can truly say I enjoyed it, but the writing was good, and certain aspects of it still compelled me to an extent. Whether I continue the series, as I said at the start, will probably come down to my mood come 2025 or whenever the next book is out. We’ll see. A lot can change in 2 years after all.
Rep: lesbian mc, bi mc, achillean mc, achillean, trans & nonbinary side characters
Galley provided by publisher
Furious Heaven is a book that proves to me that, yes, even when it’s an author you like, it is possible for a book to be too long. And that’s exactly what I found to be the case here. As much as I enjoy Kate Elliott’s works, this one dragged on too much, such that I didn’t really care about where it was headed. I added the final book of the series to my to read list, sure, but it’s entirely possible I’ll rethink that — especially if there’s another 2- or 3-year wait for it for me to forget everything that’s come before.
Because I think that’s where this book fell down for me. It was long and it dragged. I knew to expect this after the first book but, where that was slow, it was still less than 600 pages. This was slow and nearly 1000 of them (ebook-wise, at least). And god but I felt every single one of them. I’m not even convinced the story told in this book needed that many pages either. “Non-stop action”, the blurb claimed. I raise you this: it never felt like the action even started. Miraculously (or not?), even the battle scenes felt drawn out and unexciting.
Part of this was probably because I felt nothing for the characters. It’s a big cast to find yourself caring about, so inevitably there would be one or two that I liked more than the others, except that never happened. Probably this was also the case with the first book, although I hardly remember that clearly (I’ll come back to this). Somehow, the characters, despite being perfectly well written, did not compel me. So, I wasn’t that invested in what happened to them (some more than others — there were one or two POVs that seemed entirely spurious to me, although I see how they fit in eventually).
Actually, I think there was a two-way relationship between the pacing and characters: if I had liked the characters, I could have stood the pacing, but there was so much emphasis on the pacing and the politicking going on, that I didn’t like the characters. If that makes any sort of sense. I’m trying to say that it felt like more thought was gone into the politics and battles than the characters who should have been driving it all. And because the plot was so slow, built around those politics, the lack of characters I could fully engage with was a detriment to the book.
All of this was only exacerbated by the fact that I had forgotten everything about book one by the time I got to this one. I would truly love if publishers started putting recaps at the beginnings of sequels, since I so rarely go straight into a sequel (unless it’s a reread with the purpose of recalling the plot…) and when there’s a 3-year wait in between, with books the length they are? So, yeah. I remembered pretty much nothing, and that definitely impacted on my initial enjoyment of the book, simply through having to orient myself over again.
So, you’re probably wondering just why this has all merited a three-star rating. That’s because, despite all my complaining, this is still a good book. I’m wavering a little as to whether I can truly say I enjoyed it, but the writing was good, and certain aspects of it still compelled me to an extent. Whether I continue the series, as I said at the start, will probably come down to my mood come 2025 or whenever the next book is out. We’ll see. A lot can change in 2 years after all.
May 3, 2023
3.5 stars. This is a LONG book, and in many ways I think the story might benefit from being cut down into two (or even three!) separate volumes. (Nothing wrong with a series!) Taken like this, it drags significantly in places. That said, I really needed to be able to sink into a fictional world with a big ensemble cast of engaging characters for as long as possible this week, and this delivered beautifully. I continue to really enjoy Natalie Naudus' narration as well ... although I REALLY wish she would learn to pronounce "Joao" correctly.
July 1, 2025
4.5/5
Loved the characters and the story, so so much happened over the span of the book.
note: I get distracted, read other books, that's why it took so long.
Loved the characters and the story, so so much happened over the span of the book.
note: I get distracted, read other books, that's why it took so long.
March 5, 2023
I’m in awe of Kate Elliott. This is a reimagining of the life of Alexander, who chose the same path as Achilles - to blaze across heaven and then be gone never to be forgotten. In itself that is complicated enough, as Kate deftly weaves the events of Macedonia and the Persian into a compelling SF narrative. But it is also an examination of power and rulership whilst conveying her underlying motif across all her works: that we might strive to do our best, never seeing the end of what we wreak.
My sympathies shifted chapter by chapter as the story skilfully moves between characters. Is the Chaonian system of military preparation really an intrusive dictatorship or is it a glorious enterprise for the greater good. Is it both? Is it ever right to fight even to protect yourself? Does violence lead to more violence?
The characters themselves are all vividly drawn, particularly my (and I’m sure also the author’s) favourite Persephone/Ptolemy. Sun obviously is Alexander, Hetty Hephaistion. The Gatoi are I think the Gatae- a tribe to the north related to or possibly the same as the Dacians. Artabaxos is Paulo and Barsine Bartholomew? Events are also a thrilling mix of military SF, political manoeuvres and the human and personal, including development of the Riders as individuals. I think we finish at Babylon but I’m not sure.
I can’t wait to see how the remainder of Alexander’s life is reworked, even though I knew the end.
My sympathies shifted chapter by chapter as the story skilfully moves between characters. Is the Chaonian system of military preparation really an intrusive dictatorship or is it a glorious enterprise for the greater good. Is it both? Is it ever right to fight even to protect yourself? Does violence lead to more violence?
The characters themselves are all vividly drawn, particularly my (and I’m sure also the author’s) favourite Persephone/Ptolemy. Sun obviously is Alexander, Hetty Hephaistion. The Gatoi are I think the Gatae- a tribe to the north related to or possibly the same as the Dacians. Artabaxos is Paulo and Barsine Bartholomew? Events are also a thrilling mix of military SF, political manoeuvres and the human and personal, including development of the Riders as individuals. I think we finish at Babylon but I’m not sure.
I can’t wait to see how the remainder of Alexander’s life is reworked, even though I knew the end.
October 27, 2022
*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*
This sequel was a long time coming, and it was worth the wait. Picking up right where Unconquerable Sun left off, Furious Heaven throws readers back into the action, as Sun and her Companions try to keep the momentum from their victories in the first book. The scope of this book is much bigger and more ambitious than the first, with a stronger focus on the wider world, politics, and warfare. This also means the cast of characters-already large-grew, many of which also have pov chapters. Trying to give all these characters face time seemed to be a struggle, as there were some Companions that, while present and doing important things, never had pov chapters and I often forgot they were there. I also had a hard time following the pov shifts at times, there's really no warning and outside of Perse (who is the only one in first person) all of the narration sounds the same until someone is named to takes action. While things came together in the end and set up book 3 very well, I often felt that the plot was wandering and cramming too many elements into it, making it hard to follow at times.
This sequel was a long time coming, and it was worth the wait. Picking up right where Unconquerable Sun left off, Furious Heaven throws readers back into the action, as Sun and her Companions try to keep the momentum from their victories in the first book. The scope of this book is much bigger and more ambitious than the first, with a stronger focus on the wider world, politics, and warfare. This also means the cast of characters-already large-grew, many of which also have pov chapters. Trying to give all these characters face time seemed to be a struggle, as there were some Companions that, while present and doing important things, never had pov chapters and I often forgot they were there. I also had a hard time following the pov shifts at times, there's really no warning and outside of Perse (who is the only one in first person) all of the narration sounds the same until someone is named to takes action. While things came together in the end and set up book 3 very well, I often felt that the plot was wandering and cramming too many elements into it, making it hard to follow at times.
December 4, 2023
man, space operas truly are not for me. firstly this book is like, 3 times longer than the first book in the series and it spans so much time and literal space that I had a hard time grasping the overarching plot. I generally like a complex political narrative because I love a world that feels real and intelligent, but there were SO many people involved, so many places. And like....for what lol?? There were never any stakes.
It's Sun's story, but it's not. She doesn't grow, she doesn't experience conflict. Like maybe her mom reprimands her and Sun gets Angy Gumpy Iwwitated for a bit, but her mom just leaves her alone. There was some clue that Sun is concerned with her legacy and living up to her mom's achievements, but she didn't really experience any setbacks in the journey?
As for the side characters... I guess Zizou/Kurash had a hero's journey moment? Certainly his story was the only one I cared about. But he got like a tenth of the book in his perspective and the rest of it was the other lads. Persephone? I guess so! Her story was somewhat interesting, but completely overshadowed by her lust for every character she interacts with. The book starts with her having feelings for Kurash, then cycles through like four other people, before settling back on Kurash even though she was ~*in loooooooove*~ with another person LICH RALLY one conversation prior. I don't want a settle! I want a powerful love escapism fantasy! You don't deserve him, Persephone. I would treat him better.
Apama?? Why is she there. Her story added nothing to plot, imo. I guess I liked the little teenage apprentice thing she had going on, but for what. For two nations terribly at war, we're awfully neutral on the Feen (?) side of things. Everyone we meet from the Feen side is like "man I don't hate Caeonia at all, I don't hate the way they are super aggressive and warmongering constantly, you know it would be pretty cool to be conquered by them actually" WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARE YOU SAYING!!!!!
And Apama getting held up at gunpoint by a soldier and then thinking he's hot later? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU??
I'm thoroughly disappointed, since the first book had just enough Nugs to keep me interested, and this book made all those nugs worse.
It's Sun's story, but it's not. She doesn't grow, she doesn't experience conflict. Like maybe her mom reprimands her and Sun gets Angy Gumpy Iwwitated for a bit, but her mom just leaves her alone. There was some clue that Sun is concerned with her legacy and living up to her mom's achievements, but she didn't really experience any setbacks in the journey?
As for the side characters... I guess Zizou/Kurash had a hero's journey moment? Certainly his story was the only one I cared about. But he got like a tenth of the book in his perspective and the rest of it was the other lads. Persephone? I guess so! Her story was somewhat interesting, but completely overshadowed by her lust for every character she interacts with. The book starts with her having feelings for Kurash, then cycles through like four other people, before settling back on Kurash even though she was ~*in loooooooove*~ with another person LICH RALLY one conversation prior. I don't want a settle! I want a powerful love escapism fantasy! You don't deserve him, Persephone. I would treat him better.
Apama?? Why is she there. Her story added nothing to plot, imo. I guess I liked the little teenage apprentice thing she had going on, but for what. For two nations terribly at war, we're awfully neutral on the Feen (?) side of things. Everyone we meet from the Feen side is like "man I don't hate Caeonia at all, I don't hate the way they are super aggressive and warmongering constantly, you know it would be pretty cool to be conquered by them actually" WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARE YOU SAYING!!!!!
And Apama getting held up at gunpoint by a soldier and then thinking he's hot later? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU??
I'm thoroughly disappointed, since the first book had just enough Nugs to keep me interested, and this book made all those nugs worse.
May 22, 2024
Three and a half stars
This is a very long book and it isn't very conventionally plotted possibly because it's roughly following Alexander the Great. This could have been a failure mode for me but I was always engaged with the story and its many many characters. I enjoy trying to figure out where it's following and diverging from the historical events and who's maybe inspired by whom. There is lots of action and the world is interesting except that I don't really think the political systems make a lot of sense. Still, it was a good ride.
This is a very long book and it isn't very conventionally plotted possibly because it's roughly following Alexander the Great. This could have been a failure mode for me but I was always engaged with the story and its many many characters. I enjoy trying to figure out where it's following and diverging from the historical events and who's maybe inspired by whom. There is lots of action and the world is interesting except that I don't really think the political systems make a lot of sense. Still, it was a good ride.
July 15, 2023
Space battles and an Empire that doesn't seem to be keeping up.
August 21, 2023
Now I understand the Alexander the Great references with regards to Unconquerable Sun.
Complex and interesting world. As female dominated as classic SF is male dominated.
Complex and interesting world. As female dominated as classic SF is male dominated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2023
Furious Heaven Kate Elliott ( 310708 words)
Very good world building and a lot of interesting characters. Besides Sun we follow Zizou, whose name is changed to Kurash halfway through the book. And one of my favourites: Apama, a young Lancer pilot, offspring of a Rider and her long trip home, together with TeeGee, a teenage Rider girl.
We also follow Perse, as a first person narrator, she’s the angry looking girl on the cover, but still likeable.
And a lot of interludes about random characters which I liked very much. Normally I find these breaks in the main story line annoying, but not here.
It’s a big book with a lot of things happening, but still more to come. The third book is scheduled for 2025 so more than a year to wait.
Some thoughts about the world building:
The homeland of Sun is strangely called the Republic of Chaonia, ruled by a Queen Empress. This is what Zizou/Kurash thinks about that:
"…Chaonians, who as children had chips implanted for immediacy of access. And for surveillance, although none of them seemed to see it that way. Then again, they thought of their government as a republic with a temporary military leader when really their ruler was an autocrat however much they might admire and respect her. "
On the other hand what is called the Phene Empire is ruled by a council of chosen representatives of the Riders and a collection of syndicates who are mostly infighting. They miss a strategic commander and that’s why Sun can beat them.
In far future world building, it’s difficult for the writer to use language that is readable but still different from our culture. An effort is made by changing all the animal proverbs with the (for us) usual animal replaced by a dinosaur (…compsognathus got your tongue? …avoiding the titanosaurus in the room…) But then using “Gale force on the Beaufort scale” It’s very difficult to imagine that this is still used after 4000 years, and after fleeing on generation-ships through space for thousand years and by a character who grew up on a Wheelship.
Very good world building and a lot of interesting characters. Besides Sun we follow Zizou, whose name is changed to Kurash halfway through the book. And one of my favourites: Apama, a young Lancer pilot, offspring of a Rider and her long trip home, together with TeeGee, a teenage Rider girl.
We also follow Perse, as a first person narrator, she’s the angry looking girl on the cover, but still likeable.
And a lot of interludes about random characters which I liked very much. Normally I find these breaks in the main story line annoying, but not here.
It’s a big book with a lot of things happening, but still more to come. The third book is scheduled for 2025 so more than a year to wait.
Some thoughts about the world building:
The homeland of Sun is strangely called the Republic of Chaonia, ruled by a Queen Empress. This is what Zizou/Kurash thinks about that:
"…Chaonians, who as children had chips implanted for immediacy of access. And for surveillance, although none of them seemed to see it that way. Then again, they thought of their government as a republic with a temporary military leader when really their ruler was an autocrat however much they might admire and respect her. "
On the other hand what is called the Phene Empire is ruled by a council of chosen representatives of the Riders and a collection of syndicates who are mostly infighting. They miss a strategic commander and that’s why Sun can beat them.
In far future world building, it’s difficult for the writer to use language that is readable but still different from our culture. An effort is made by changing all the animal proverbs with the (for us) usual animal replaced by a dinosaur (…compsognathus got your tongue? …avoiding the titanosaurus in the room…) But then using “Gale force on the Beaufort scale” It’s very difficult to imagine that this is still used after 4000 years, and after fleeing on generation-ships through space for thousand years and by a character who grew up on a Wheelship.
May 16, 2023
Driven political space opera that may be a little too dense for its own good - 3/5 (changed from a 3.5)
I love political books. If well structured, I will advocate for it. Furious Heaven may have missed a few marks..
In Unconquerable Sun, Elliott had written the fundamental work to bring her story to life by using Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great, multiple characters and events as inspiration to her tale. This is a Macedonian tale but written to have its own story, apart from history. The politics were there as was the worldbuilding.
In Furious Heaven, the political aspect is just as heavy, but it doesn't have a long-lasting impact. It's far too dense. I know the historical side, I know the politics. I was just bored and struggled with the pacing. There are too many characters, each trying to get ample time. Maybe this could have been shorter or cut into 2 books in order to allow a little more development and other characters some breathing room. Hetty and Sun POVs sound similar. Maybe it is on purpose mirroring the close relationship of Alex and Hephaestion?
And maybe I disconnected a little too much, but Jade is referred to as "they" yet it could have sworn in the first 200 pages, there were times it said "he" (bike scene).
It's a good book. Vast cast. Political. Action packed. Time lapses. Different points of views. It's just not great.
I love political books. If well structured, I will advocate for it. Furious Heaven may have missed a few marks..
In Unconquerable Sun, Elliott had written the fundamental work to bring her story to life by using Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great, multiple characters and events as inspiration to her tale. This is a Macedonian tale but written to have its own story, apart from history. The politics were there as was the worldbuilding.
In Furious Heaven, the political aspect is just as heavy, but it doesn't have a long-lasting impact. It's far too dense. I know the historical side, I know the politics. I was just bored and struggled with the pacing. There are too many characters, each trying to get ample time. Maybe this could have been shorter or cut into 2 books in order to allow a little more development and other characters some breathing room. Hetty and Sun POVs sound similar. Maybe it is on purpose mirroring the close relationship of Alex and Hephaestion?
And maybe I disconnected a little too much, but Jade is referred to as "they" yet it could have sworn in the first 200 pages, there were times it said "he" (bike scene).
It's a good book. Vast cast. Political. Action packed. Time lapses. Different points of views. It's just not great.
October 26, 2022
Wow, what a chewy novel. This is a continuation of Unconquerable Sun, a space opera featuring a gender-bent born-to-lead character named Sun who is based on Alexander the Great. I don't know the history of Alexander super well, but I enjoyed this continuation of the story. The political plots/front of war continues to spread outward from the borders of the Empire, but I really loved how we got to know several of the Companions much better in this novel. If you enjoyed book 1, you're definitely going to want to continue into this novel! My primary concern is that it's slow to start, but the momentum finally builds until BAM everything really starts moving.
I was awarded an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was awarded an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2023
Good, but it would be better at 75% of the length.
December 21, 2023
Read this review and other Science Fiction/Fantasy book reviews at The Quill to Live
Furious Heaven, by Kate Elliott, is everything I wanted from a sequel and more. It is a brutal marathon of space conquest, populated by fun and deep characters that burn brighter than a blade in the forge. The worldbuilding is top-notch and just gorgeous to steep in. If you read my Unconquerable Sun review, expect a similar gush fest. It’s just too much fun.
Right out the gates, Elliott picks up shortly after where we last left Sun and her companions. The Republic of Chaonia, under the direction of Queen Marshall Eirene, has struck a blow against the Phene Empire by stopping their invasion of Molossia. Eirene is ready to make her next move on Karnos and fulfill her lifelong ambition. Sun, while crucial to the battle in Molossia, is still somewhat on the sidelines at court. But when the worst comes to pass, Sun must choose to seize opportunity and take power within Chaonia. It isn’t long before the Phene Empire and its allies start to lick their chops at the prospect of taking down Chaonia once and for all. Is Sun strong enough to complete her mother’s plans?
Furious Heaven is a relentless ride that takes your hand and pulls you into its chaos. Elliott manages to make the plot a grueling marathon of a sprint. It’s a pace that allows the reader to breathe, but only enough to take in the sights and marvel at the universe before reminding you there is something even more marvelous at the end. It’s a plot that excels at being in the moment while dangling the future in front of you just enough to keep pushing. It’s a breakneck pace that will test you as a reader, and it also entertains the hell out of you. Chapters are separated by hours, days, weeks, and sometimes months, forcing you to adapt to and take in the scope of Elliott’s world and Sun’s mission. Personally, I appreciated the lack of easy breathing, it felt like a tailwind to keep going. There are chapters that function as short stories, cleverly placed in the narrative that provide a bit of a plateau in the action, allowing the reader to rest up before barrelling ahead. Much like Sun’s guiding philosophy, the book is a spear thrown at the furious heavens and the only thing stopping its flight is its eventual destination.
Sometimes it gets a little rocky with the ever-expanding cast, but Elliott puts in the work to keep the reader abreast of the situation. The three main POVs return, along with several new ones that offer interesting perspectives. There were only a few occasions where I felt dizzy starting a chapter before Elliott guided me back on the path being taken. Your mileage may vary with the one-time-only perspectives, but I personally found them to be some of my favorite chapters within the book. They often centered on somebody who is caught in Sun’s wake as she forges her destiny in real time. Considering that so many of the characters are featured in the court intrigue, these asides featuring more regular folks were great at fleshing out the changing landscape and the harshness of a spacebound empire.
Something I appreciated about Unconquerable Sun that seems expanded upon here is Elliott’s accounting ability. She gives attention to the costs of military expansion, not in the monetary sense, but the spiritual and material sense. Building or maintaining an empire incurs a tax, whether it’s on individuals or a society. Logistics, mapping, strategizing, etc are all a part of the game, and not paying attention to one will bite you in the ass. Elliot goes to great lengths to point out the strengths and weaknesses of all the various political entities within the story. The Phene Empire feels more fully fleshed out, giving it both a raison d’etre, but highlighting why such a powerful and massive empire would be prone to brittleness and corruption despite its open and dynamic past. It’s one of the rare times I wish I had an author’s notes on their worldbuilding, just to see how they piece it all together.
Furious Heaven is no picnic, but it’s rewarding as hell. The battles are epic. The scope is legendary. The characters are fun and battle their own internal conflicts as they stare down rail guns. Sun is still the mythic figure she is written to be, but is given room to doubt herself a little more. Furious Heaven is just more of what Kate Elliott offered up in the first book, and I would even say it’s handled better, despite some of its messier bits. It makes me want to read the actual history of Alexander The Great, whom the story is loosely based on, and the person my parents supposedly named me after. I can’t wait for the final book in this trilogy because where Elliott has placed Sun and her companions, things can only get crazier. If you read Unconquerable Sun, you can’t miss Furious Heaven.
Rating: Furious Heaven – Shine On, You Crazy Diamond.
-Alex
An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.
Furious Heaven, by Kate Elliott, is everything I wanted from a sequel and more. It is a brutal marathon of space conquest, populated by fun and deep characters that burn brighter than a blade in the forge. The worldbuilding is top-notch and just gorgeous to steep in. If you read my Unconquerable Sun review, expect a similar gush fest. It’s just too much fun.
Right out the gates, Elliott picks up shortly after where we last left Sun and her companions. The Republic of Chaonia, under the direction of Queen Marshall Eirene, has struck a blow against the Phene Empire by stopping their invasion of Molossia. Eirene is ready to make her next move on Karnos and fulfill her lifelong ambition. Sun, while crucial to the battle in Molossia, is still somewhat on the sidelines at court. But when the worst comes to pass, Sun must choose to seize opportunity and take power within Chaonia. It isn’t long before the Phene Empire and its allies start to lick their chops at the prospect of taking down Chaonia once and for all. Is Sun strong enough to complete her mother’s plans?
Furious Heaven is a relentless ride that takes your hand and pulls you into its chaos. Elliott manages to make the plot a grueling marathon of a sprint. It’s a pace that allows the reader to breathe, but only enough to take in the sights and marvel at the universe before reminding you there is something even more marvelous at the end. It’s a plot that excels at being in the moment while dangling the future in front of you just enough to keep pushing. It’s a breakneck pace that will test you as a reader, and it also entertains the hell out of you. Chapters are separated by hours, days, weeks, and sometimes months, forcing you to adapt to and take in the scope of Elliott’s world and Sun’s mission. Personally, I appreciated the lack of easy breathing, it felt like a tailwind to keep going. There are chapters that function as short stories, cleverly placed in the narrative that provide a bit of a plateau in the action, allowing the reader to rest up before barrelling ahead. Much like Sun’s guiding philosophy, the book is a spear thrown at the furious heavens and the only thing stopping its flight is its eventual destination.
Sometimes it gets a little rocky with the ever-expanding cast, but Elliott puts in the work to keep the reader abreast of the situation. The three main POVs return, along with several new ones that offer interesting perspectives. There were only a few occasions where I felt dizzy starting a chapter before Elliott guided me back on the path being taken. Your mileage may vary with the one-time-only perspectives, but I personally found them to be some of my favorite chapters within the book. They often centered on somebody who is caught in Sun’s wake as she forges her destiny in real time. Considering that so many of the characters are featured in the court intrigue, these asides featuring more regular folks were great at fleshing out the changing landscape and the harshness of a spacebound empire.
Something I appreciated about Unconquerable Sun that seems expanded upon here is Elliott’s accounting ability. She gives attention to the costs of military expansion, not in the monetary sense, but the spiritual and material sense. Building or maintaining an empire incurs a tax, whether it’s on individuals or a society. Logistics, mapping, strategizing, etc are all a part of the game, and not paying attention to one will bite you in the ass. Elliot goes to great lengths to point out the strengths and weaknesses of all the various political entities within the story. The Phene Empire feels more fully fleshed out, giving it both a raison d’etre, but highlighting why such a powerful and massive empire would be prone to brittleness and corruption despite its open and dynamic past. It’s one of the rare times I wish I had an author’s notes on their worldbuilding, just to see how they piece it all together.
Furious Heaven is no picnic, but it’s rewarding as hell. The battles are epic. The scope is legendary. The characters are fun and battle their own internal conflicts as they stare down rail guns. Sun is still the mythic figure she is written to be, but is given room to doubt herself a little more. Furious Heaven is just more of what Kate Elliott offered up in the first book, and I would even say it’s handled better, despite some of its messier bits. It makes me want to read the actual history of Alexander The Great, whom the story is loosely based on, and the person my parents supposedly named me after. I can’t wait for the final book in this trilogy because where Elliott has placed Sun and her companions, things can only get crazier. If you read Unconquerable Sun, you can’t miss Furious Heaven.
Rating: Furious Heaven – Shine On, You Crazy Diamond.
-Alex
An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.
April 1, 2025
"Life is a stage. War is a performance. In the end, we will be judged not according to our deeds but according to what people say of our deeds long after any of us can affect the discourse."
Though a POV character immediately dismisses the above speech as smarmy, and I'm not sure he's wrong given the speaker, I still like how it summarizes the central struggle of this book, particularly as it pertains to Sun. We see her continue her journey from the first book in this series, worrying over the mark she will make on history, unsatisfied with a legacy of living in a vaunted parent's shadow. She fears that she'll never amount to her mother's accomplishments and never secure prestige she can call her own.
Furious Heaven keeps up the noble tradition of multiple intriguing POVs. Sun's story sees her sparring with her mother, which is a great source of entertainment. I always hope Sun will stay one step ahead, but we're often left in the dark until the last possible moment about how she'll manage it. We also see her turn her eye to yet greater battles of will with more far-reaching consequences. Apama takes a greater role in this sequel. Through her, we visit the heart of the Phene Empire while she reckons with the truth of her family history and how it will shape her future. We also see through the eyes of more companions than just Persephone, some of them new to the team.
The politics get messy in this one, and the ethics and characters get messier. It makes for a fascinating shift because as our characters shoulder more responsibility, they make more life-altering decisions for themselves and others. The pettiness in some of that politicking, whether it involves the royal mother/daughter duo or the wily Persephone Lee, is a nice counterbalance to the actual strategy and import of other maneuvers.
It's interesting because both books in this series so far are objectively long. While in the first, the action and close connections to characters obscured that fact, in this one, the sprawling cast and emphasis on large-scale space battles left me more adrift, feeling the book's heft. Even when with familiar characters whom I'd been looking forward to seeing again, I felt less connected to them as the stories shifted to those of war rather than personal concerns. The exception, perhaps, is Apama, who was on the front lines in book one and has been pulled back into a more visible, political role in this book. Her personal life is front and center as she adjusts to the changes in her family.
In terms of relationships, I was drawn to the found sisterhood in Apama's story more than any other. Both girls overcome many social and political barriers to build their relationship, and they survive together through a life-or-death situation against daunting odds, building an unshakeable bond. More than anything else at the end of the book, I was desperate for them not to become separated by forces beyond their control. The Companions are rarely on the page together for me to favor them in this book, sent on their separate missions. Since those stories were what I loved best about book one, it was a letdown to have those largely replaced by battle sequences here. Even Sun herself is different because of her shifting role. We see more of her ambition in this book and less of her loyalty and close-range leadership, even though they're still present.
My interest level picked up in the last third of the book as many of these threads finally came together, including some left dangling from the first book. I'm still looking forward to the forthcoming next book in the series, but I have a bit more wariness about it. If it follows this one's tradition, I may be disappointed. But if it reconnects to what made the first book great, it will be a relief. Thanks to Tor for my copy to read and review!
Though a POV character immediately dismisses the above speech as smarmy, and I'm not sure he's wrong given the speaker, I still like how it summarizes the central struggle of this book, particularly as it pertains to Sun. We see her continue her journey from the first book in this series, worrying over the mark she will make on history, unsatisfied with a legacy of living in a vaunted parent's shadow. She fears that she'll never amount to her mother's accomplishments and never secure prestige she can call her own.
Furious Heaven keeps up the noble tradition of multiple intriguing POVs. Sun's story sees her sparring with her mother, which is a great source of entertainment. I always hope Sun will stay one step ahead, but we're often left in the dark until the last possible moment about how she'll manage it. We also see her turn her eye to yet greater battles of will with more far-reaching consequences. Apama takes a greater role in this sequel. Through her, we visit the heart of the Phene Empire while she reckons with the truth of her family history and how it will shape her future. We also see through the eyes of more companions than just Persephone, some of them new to the team.
The politics get messy in this one, and the ethics and characters get messier. It makes for a fascinating shift because as our characters shoulder more responsibility, they make more life-altering decisions for themselves and others. The pettiness in some of that politicking, whether it involves the royal mother/daughter duo or the wily Persephone Lee, is a nice counterbalance to the actual strategy and import of other maneuvers.
It's interesting because both books in this series so far are objectively long. While in the first, the action and close connections to characters obscured that fact, in this one, the sprawling cast and emphasis on large-scale space battles left me more adrift, feeling the book's heft. Even when with familiar characters whom I'd been looking forward to seeing again, I felt less connected to them as the stories shifted to those of war rather than personal concerns. The exception, perhaps, is Apama, who was on the front lines in book one and has been pulled back into a more visible, political role in this book. Her personal life is front and center as she adjusts to the changes in her family.
In terms of relationships, I was drawn to the found sisterhood in Apama's story more than any other. Both girls overcome many social and political barriers to build their relationship, and they survive together through a life-or-death situation against daunting odds, building an unshakeable bond. More than anything else at the end of the book, I was desperate for them not to become separated by forces beyond their control. The Companions are rarely on the page together for me to favor them in this book, sent on their separate missions. Since those stories were what I loved best about book one, it was a letdown to have those largely replaced by battle sequences here. Even Sun herself is different because of her shifting role. We see more of her ambition in this book and less of her loyalty and close-range leadership, even though they're still present.
My interest level picked up in the last third of the book as many of these threads finally came together, including some left dangling from the first book. I'm still looking forward to the forthcoming next book in the series, but I have a bit more wariness about it. If it follows this one's tradition, I may be disappointed. But if it reconnects to what made the first book great, it will be a relief. Thanks to Tor for my copy to read and review!
March 16, 2023
Kate Elliott’s Furious Heaven is a big, richly detailed reworking in space of the career of Alexander the Great, though you don’t need to know that background to enjoy this epic space adventure. At more than 700 pages, it’s long but never tedious, and each chapter repays close reading. In this volume Sun Shan, daughter of the ruthless and brilliantly strategic Eirene, takes her place as queen-marshal of Chaonia, then at once sets in motion her greatest challenge, conquering the extensive and much richer Phene empire. Furious Heaven picks up a few weeks after the ending of Unconquerable Sun, and it brilliantly interweaves character studies with palace intrigue, a study in power, deep action and the realistic staging of many battle scenes.
........
As the story opens, we see Sun, still a princess, drilling her companions, each of whom is the scion of one of the great houses of Chaonia, on the guiding precepts of the republic’s culture. (This is a republic in name only since it is ruled by a monarch supported by a smalll number of aristocratic families.) These scenes establish the dramatic interplay among the companions while bringing out a critical theme underlying the series, the role of destiny.
.........
We see Sun’s world in Furious Heaven through many perspectives, but only one in the first person, that of Persephone Lee. She is the wry prankster who has trouble taking philosophical discussions seriously but proves herself intrepid in battle and clever in strategy. What strikes me about these early scenes is how performative life is in this aristocratic court. The companions try to shine with their knowledge, their impeccable good looks or their fame as literal performers in the public eye. For the “wasp” cameras of the Channel Idol (the universal web that everyone is wired into) continually record all their public appearances.
Persephone is the one who sees through the ingratiating efforts of her peers and constantly makes fun of them. Kate Elliott is especially brilliant at capturing those brief moments that reveal so much about each character, and Persephone is her most mordant critic.
........
Once the action kicks into high gear after Sun ascends to power, it is non-stop and brilliantly executed, whether at the scale of space battles in the attack on the Phene empire, the hand-to-hand combat on a single ship or an individual confrontation. They are all gripping. This is no sagging middle book of a trilogy but a completely compelling chapter in the life of Sun and the myriad people influenced and changed forever by her conquests. There’s plenty of intricate palace intrigue and elaborate scenarios of betrayal and war that come to a powerful climax as Sun tries to achieve her impossible goal of challenging fate itself. Furious Heaven is that rare space adventure that is as interesting for its characters as for its action.
Read the full review at SciFi Mind.
........
As the story opens, we see Sun, still a princess, drilling her companions, each of whom is the scion of one of the great houses of Chaonia, on the guiding precepts of the republic’s culture. (This is a republic in name only since it is ruled by a monarch supported by a smalll number of aristocratic families.) These scenes establish the dramatic interplay among the companions while bringing out a critical theme underlying the series, the role of destiny.
.........
We see Sun’s world in Furious Heaven through many perspectives, but only one in the first person, that of Persephone Lee. She is the wry prankster who has trouble taking philosophical discussions seriously but proves herself intrepid in battle and clever in strategy. What strikes me about these early scenes is how performative life is in this aristocratic court. The companions try to shine with their knowledge, their impeccable good looks or their fame as literal performers in the public eye. For the “wasp” cameras of the Channel Idol (the universal web that everyone is wired into) continually record all their public appearances.
Persephone is the one who sees through the ingratiating efforts of her peers and constantly makes fun of them. Kate Elliott is especially brilliant at capturing those brief moments that reveal so much about each character, and Persephone is her most mordant critic.
........
Once the action kicks into high gear after Sun ascends to power, it is non-stop and brilliantly executed, whether at the scale of space battles in the attack on the Phene empire, the hand-to-hand combat on a single ship or an individual confrontation. They are all gripping. This is no sagging middle book of a trilogy but a completely compelling chapter in the life of Sun and the myriad people influenced and changed forever by her conquests. There’s plenty of intricate palace intrigue and elaborate scenarios of betrayal and war that come to a powerful climax as Sun tries to achieve her impossible goal of challenging fate itself. Furious Heaven is that rare space adventure that is as interesting for its characters as for its action.
Read the full review at SciFi Mind.
November 1, 2023
Furious Heaven is an outstanding representative of the Space Opera genre. In a way, that's really all there is to be said: any person who likes Space Opera will devour this book, and for any who doesn't this book won't hold much of interest.
All the best ingredients of Space Opera are present: Large-scale space battles, various different ships, unique methods of space-wide communication, warring political factions, warring ethnical factions, ancient ruins of highly advanced technology, and, of course, a lot of backstabbing.
The three POV protagonists from the first book all make their reappearances, with the amount of POV chapters being divided much more closer to equally this time around. We also get to see a handful of other minor characters' viewpoints, which is fun. I especially liked the small number of interlude chapters showing some places in the galaxy from 'normal' peoples' perspectives.
The main improvement in Furious Heaven over Book 1, Unconquerable Sun, is that Furious Heaven has about twice the number of pages. I'm sincerely hoping that the third and final installment in the series will continue this trend and come in at some 2000 pages of space-opera goodness. Another 'improvement' over Book 1 is that one of the POV characters -- the one written in first-person (still a great trick for making the POVs distinctive) -- is about twice as horny, and makes some spectacularly bad decisions due to this. Well, I'll put that down as another classic Space Opera ingredient.
Curiously, the first chapter of this book made me realize that I had completely misgendered a certain side character from Book 1, who takes on a bigger role here in Book 2. In fact I was so surprised by the pronouns used for them that I went back to Book 1 to check -- except that there wasn't much to check, since in Book 1 that character almost always appears as part of a duo of people who are called by name, and in all other instances is simply referred to as 'asshole' (yes, by the first-person POV character, and yes, rightly so). However, I did notice that in at least three places the author went on to misgender their own character, which I'll put down as lazy editing.
Over the course of the 900+ pages there were some slow parts, of course, but those served nicely as short breathers in between the relentless avalanche of the main protagonist's actions and their consequences.
All the best ingredients of Space Opera are present: Large-scale space battles, various different ships, unique methods of space-wide communication, warring political factions, warring ethnical factions, ancient ruins of highly advanced technology, and, of course, a lot of backstabbing.
The three POV protagonists from the first book all make their reappearances, with the amount of POV chapters being divided much more closer to equally this time around. We also get to see a handful of other minor characters' viewpoints, which is fun. I especially liked the small number of interlude chapters showing some places in the galaxy from 'normal' peoples' perspectives.
The main improvement in Furious Heaven over Book 1, Unconquerable Sun, is that Furious Heaven has about twice the number of pages. I'm sincerely hoping that the third and final installment in the series will continue this trend and come in at some 2000 pages of space-opera goodness. Another 'improvement' over Book 1 is that one of the POV characters -- the one written in first-person (still a great trick for making the POVs distinctive) -- is about twice as horny, and makes some spectacularly bad decisions due to this. Well, I'll put that down as another classic Space Opera ingredient.
Curiously, the first chapter of this book made me realize that I had completely misgendered a certain side character from Book 1, who takes on a bigger role here in Book 2. In fact I was so surprised by the pronouns used for them that I went back to Book 1 to check -- except that there wasn't much to check, since in Book 1 that character almost always appears as part of a duo of people who are called by name, and in all other instances is simply referred to as 'asshole' (yes, by the first-person POV character, and yes, rightly so). However, I did notice that in at least three places the author went on to misgender their own character, which I'll put down as lazy editing.
Over the course of the 900+ pages there were some slow parts, of course, but those served nicely as short breathers in between the relentless avalanche of the main protagonist's actions and their consequences.
April 19, 2023
*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
Let me open with this: Furious Heaven is a fantastic book, a sequel to the also brilliant Unconquerable Sun. You can say it's a gender-flipped, science-fiction re-imagining of the life of Alexander the Great. I think that's a great summary, but it does the text something of a disservice, because there's just...so much here. Politics. War, encompassing grand strategy and short, brutal tactical engagements. There's family squabbles - and sometimes that family is powerful enough that their disagreements can break worlds. There's friendships and betrayals, and people building on shifting sands, trying to make things better. And in a story built on war, built on conflict, there's a suggestion that the two sides may not be as far apart as all that.
So yes. This is a clever book, that delves into the depths of politics, violence, warfare, power, friendship...and a lot of other big words. But it's also a fast-paced, action packed story filled with explosions, the occasional assassination, and enough happening on every page that I couldn't put it down.
As always with Eliot, the worldbuilding is rich and intricate. The Republic of Chaonia is given more texture here; a lavishly wealthy active monarchy, where the queen is the final, absolute authority. A star-spanning political union, the Republic has been shaped by its conflict with its nearest neighbour, the Empire of Phene. They're militaristic, and identify strongly with their political system; they're ready to fight and die for the Republic - and the government of the Republic is more than happy to use its pervasive media control to encourage that willingness in its citizens. In the meantime, the Republic aristocracy are engaged in one-upping, politics, and the occasional bout of murder. And that's just what we know about. Looking at the less than stellar underbelly of the Republic is a delight. We always knew it was a bit sketchy, but placing the characters, most of whom are good people by their own lights, into a worrying system they're largely at the top of and sustaining, is fascinating. And it helps that this contrasts with their adversaries, the Empire of Phene. The Phene are genetically engineered, and seemingly largely egalitarian, a union that believes in equality. But they're also maintained by a shadowy council of "riders", who are kept largely screened from the population they lead, and whose ability to communicate with each other across vast distances is deeply mysterious and the thing holding their Empire together. The Phene also have their own problems - including experimentation on other sentients, and a whole gamut of politics and backbiting. We get to see more of the latter in this story, which delights in giving us a Phene point of view, to compare with that of the otherwise estimable Princess Sun and her coterie. And amongst these space faring powers sit other, stranger things - including fleets sailing between the stars, and telepathic symbionts, and roses blooming in dead earth. This is a grand universe, one which echoes with history and determination, and one which has enough grease and blood and tears on it that it feels real.
Funnily enough, the same applies to the characters. Sun, our Alexander analogue, continues to blend a regal, mysterious, ruthless public persona with something a little more real, or at least something a little differently real, gentler, more contemplative, in a private context. And she does this while leading a war fleet of ships across the depths of space, slowly concentrating her power and her ambitions and her personal connections,, becoming a personality and a power in her own right, out from under the thumb of her mother, Eirene. Eirene, incidentally, and especially her interactions with Sun, is characterised with exquisite detail - a monarch who broke the mould, who fought through hell and back and made victory out of ashes, and peace out of defeat - and who lives a hard, often transactional existence. Eirene is what Sun could be, one day, if she makes the same kinds of choices - a warning and a celebration all at once.
And then there's the Wily Persephone. Persephone is one of Sun's companions, an aristocrat, but one who was determined to live out from beneath the shadow of her family intrigues. She's sly, sarcastic, and smart. I'm always here for the witty one-liners, and the refusal to accept other people's nonsense, and Perse delivers on that very well. It helps that she's also a capable leader, and willing to back up being a smart-arse with being willing to kick ass, as necessary. That said, Persephone is still grappling with her need to prove herself as part of Sun's coterie, and with the affection she has for, well, lets say less than suitable admirers. And with the secrets of her own past, which threaten to envelop and overthrow the life she's made for herself. But that all sounds frightfully ominous, and you know what, while it is, Perse is our accessible entry point into the halls of power, someone who at the very least is willing to think the obvious questions, to explore outside-he-box solutions, to fight and die to change the world, or change a mind. She is, in sum, a fully realised person, and one who's probably a heck of a lot of fun at parties, and easily underestimated on a firing line.
There's other characters here too, I just...don't want to spoil too much. We do see a lot more of the Phene this time around, and exploring their culture, in its nuanced horror and joy, is fascinating. And we see a little more of Sun's Republic through the eyes of those a little further down the tree. Without spoilers then: these are, it feels like, real people doing their best within their circumstances, and we can sit alongside them in their lavishly explored inner-lives while they do so. Top-notch characterisation all around.
By now you know I'm not going to spoil the plot. But. But but but. It's something. It's the sort of story that had me turning pages at 2am to find out what happened next. The sort of story that's seared across your brain for nights afterward. The sort of story that makes you laugh, cry, and then turn the page because you have to know what's next. For those of you here for the combat: it's bloody and brutal and visceral, from the unexpected decompression of atmosphere during the silent, deadly dance of fleet engagements, through the chaos of boarding actions, to the gore and muck of hand to hand fighting planetside. It's unafraid to explore the glory of the fight, but also the horrifying costs, and the waste of it all. There's idols being thrown up here, but the story isn't afraid to explore the sacrifices which they ask for. And as the tale carries on, you can see that whatever happens, Sun's world, Persephone's world, the Republic and the Empire, it's all going to change.
So is it any good? Absolutely. I tore through this second volume even faster than the first, and need to know what happens next. If you need a space opera in your life, this is a bloody good one.
Let me open with this: Furious Heaven is a fantastic book, a sequel to the also brilliant Unconquerable Sun. You can say it's a gender-flipped, science-fiction re-imagining of the life of Alexander the Great. I think that's a great summary, but it does the text something of a disservice, because there's just...so much here. Politics. War, encompassing grand strategy and short, brutal tactical engagements. There's family squabbles - and sometimes that family is powerful enough that their disagreements can break worlds. There's friendships and betrayals, and people building on shifting sands, trying to make things better. And in a story built on war, built on conflict, there's a suggestion that the two sides may not be as far apart as all that.
So yes. This is a clever book, that delves into the depths of politics, violence, warfare, power, friendship...and a lot of other big words. But it's also a fast-paced, action packed story filled with explosions, the occasional assassination, and enough happening on every page that I couldn't put it down.
As always with Eliot, the worldbuilding is rich and intricate. The Republic of Chaonia is given more texture here; a lavishly wealthy active monarchy, where the queen is the final, absolute authority. A star-spanning political union, the Republic has been shaped by its conflict with its nearest neighbour, the Empire of Phene. They're militaristic, and identify strongly with their political system; they're ready to fight and die for the Republic - and the government of the Republic is more than happy to use its pervasive media control to encourage that willingness in its citizens. In the meantime, the Republic aristocracy are engaged in one-upping, politics, and the occasional bout of murder. And that's just what we know about. Looking at the less than stellar underbelly of the Republic is a delight. We always knew it was a bit sketchy, but placing the characters, most of whom are good people by their own lights, into a worrying system they're largely at the top of and sustaining, is fascinating. And it helps that this contrasts with their adversaries, the Empire of Phene. The Phene are genetically engineered, and seemingly largely egalitarian, a union that believes in equality. But they're also maintained by a shadowy council of "riders", who are kept largely screened from the population they lead, and whose ability to communicate with each other across vast distances is deeply mysterious and the thing holding their Empire together. The Phene also have their own problems - including experimentation on other sentients, and a whole gamut of politics and backbiting. We get to see more of the latter in this story, which delights in giving us a Phene point of view, to compare with that of the otherwise estimable Princess Sun and her coterie. And amongst these space faring powers sit other, stranger things - including fleets sailing between the stars, and telepathic symbionts, and roses blooming in dead earth. This is a grand universe, one which echoes with history and determination, and one which has enough grease and blood and tears on it that it feels real.
Funnily enough, the same applies to the characters. Sun, our Alexander analogue, continues to blend a regal, mysterious, ruthless public persona with something a little more real, or at least something a little differently real, gentler, more contemplative, in a private context. And she does this while leading a war fleet of ships across the depths of space, slowly concentrating her power and her ambitions and her personal connections,, becoming a personality and a power in her own right, out from under the thumb of her mother, Eirene. Eirene, incidentally, and especially her interactions with Sun, is characterised with exquisite detail - a monarch who broke the mould, who fought through hell and back and made victory out of ashes, and peace out of defeat - and who lives a hard, often transactional existence. Eirene is what Sun could be, one day, if she makes the same kinds of choices - a warning and a celebration all at once.
And then there's the Wily Persephone. Persephone is one of Sun's companions, an aristocrat, but one who was determined to live out from beneath the shadow of her family intrigues. She's sly, sarcastic, and smart. I'm always here for the witty one-liners, and the refusal to accept other people's nonsense, and Perse delivers on that very well. It helps that she's also a capable leader, and willing to back up being a smart-arse with being willing to kick ass, as necessary. That said, Persephone is still grappling with her need to prove herself as part of Sun's coterie, and with the affection she has for, well, lets say less than suitable admirers. And with the secrets of her own past, which threaten to envelop and overthrow the life she's made for herself. But that all sounds frightfully ominous, and you know what, while it is, Perse is our accessible entry point into the halls of power, someone who at the very least is willing to think the obvious questions, to explore outside-he-box solutions, to fight and die to change the world, or change a mind. She is, in sum, a fully realised person, and one who's probably a heck of a lot of fun at parties, and easily underestimated on a firing line.
There's other characters here too, I just...don't want to spoil too much. We do see a lot more of the Phene this time around, and exploring their culture, in its nuanced horror and joy, is fascinating. And we see a little more of Sun's Republic through the eyes of those a little further down the tree. Without spoilers then: these are, it feels like, real people doing their best within their circumstances, and we can sit alongside them in their lavishly explored inner-lives while they do so. Top-notch characterisation all around.
By now you know I'm not going to spoil the plot. But. But but but. It's something. It's the sort of story that had me turning pages at 2am to find out what happened next. The sort of story that's seared across your brain for nights afterward. The sort of story that makes you laugh, cry, and then turn the page because you have to know what's next. For those of you here for the combat: it's bloody and brutal and visceral, from the unexpected decompression of atmosphere during the silent, deadly dance of fleet engagements, through the chaos of boarding actions, to the gore and muck of hand to hand fighting planetside. It's unafraid to explore the glory of the fight, but also the horrifying costs, and the waste of it all. There's idols being thrown up here, but the story isn't afraid to explore the sacrifices which they ask for. And as the tale carries on, you can see that whatever happens, Sun's world, Persephone's world, the Republic and the Empire, it's all going to change.
So is it any good? Absolutely. I tore through this second volume even faster than the first, and need to know what happens next. If you need a space opera in your life, this is a bloody good one.
September 4, 2023
The one word I can use to sum up this sequel is AMBITIOUS! It's taken me over 3 months to read this book, mostly because there is a *ton* packed in here. At times I really felt I was reading multiple books in one. It's another 4.5 to 5 star read.
There really are 3 general parts in this story: the first part features Sun chaffing under her mother's strong-armed tactics of keeping the power of the throne to herself. She wants to go out and fight (and win!) military campaigns, but the Queen-Marshal keeps her going on tours. This part ends with a big moment where Sun finally gets the freedom to embark on her own journey. I really liked this part of the story. We get new Companions with all their fun personality traits (it's not just the Dauntless Persephone anymore people) and while I feel there's never enough time to really get to know them, they do add some much needed characters to the roster.
Part 2 is that journey: it's a bit of a mess to be honest. I think that was part of Elliott's goal: to show that the actual military campaign isn't important; Sun will win either way. We can jump from one battle to the next, from one perspective to another, flitting about the universe as needed for the best perspective to continue forward. But also this is the part I found the most arduous to read. This is the part that really covered most of those 3 months, and it's a good 45% or so of the book. The constantly changing viewpoints, the never quite knowing what's coming next or where we are going, etc. all felt a bit too much to just read in one go. I kept having to take many breaks because of the sheer volume of events. Within the book this time span is also massive (about 2.5 years Chanonia time).
The last part I read in one go again: it's the last 10% or so of the book and it just flew by. There are definitely some plot threads set up for the final book of this trilogy (is it going to be a trilogy? I think I read somewhere that it was) but most of the massive military campaign Sun undertook finds resolution, characters find one another again, and everything is perfect. Happily Ever After right? Well, probably not since Elliott did base this on a historical figure from our world. I may read up Alexander the Great's biography while waiting for the final book just so I can prepare myself for any eventual heartbreak. Can't wait for the final book, however!
There really are 3 general parts in this story: the first part features Sun chaffing under her mother's strong-armed tactics of keeping the power of the throne to herself. She wants to go out and fight (and win!) military campaigns, but the Queen-Marshal keeps her going on tours. This part ends with a big moment where Sun finally gets the freedom to embark on her own journey. I really liked this part of the story. We get new Companions with all their fun personality traits (it's not just the Dauntless Persephone anymore people) and while I feel there's never enough time to really get to know them, they do add some much needed characters to the roster.
Part 2 is that journey: it's a bit of a mess to be honest. I think that was part of Elliott's goal: to show that the actual military campaign isn't important; Sun will win either way. We can jump from one battle to the next, from one perspective to another, flitting about the universe as needed for the best perspective to continue forward. But also this is the part I found the most arduous to read. This is the part that really covered most of those 3 months, and it's a good 45% or so of the book. The constantly changing viewpoints, the never quite knowing what's coming next or where we are going, etc. all felt a bit too much to just read in one go. I kept having to take many breaks because of the sheer volume of events. Within the book this time span is also massive (about 2.5 years Chanonia time).
The last part I read in one go again: it's the last 10% or so of the book and it just flew by. There are definitely some plot threads set up for the final book of this trilogy (is it going to be a trilogy? I think I read somewhere that it was) but most of the massive military campaign Sun undertook finds resolution, characters find one another again, and everything is perfect. Happily Ever After right? Well, probably not since Elliott did base this on a historical figure from our world. I may read up Alexander the Great's biography while waiting for the final book just so I can prepare myself for any eventual heartbreak. Can't wait for the final book, however!
November 5, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel!
An enjoyable sequel to our gender-swapped Alexander the Great story! Reading the first volume is a must (very little will make sense otherwise) and I'm glad I re-read Unconquerable Sun immediately before this one so I felt current on the characters and events. We pick up here shortly after its conclusion, and jump immediately into the action. The book follows the same general track as the first volume, with battle action and military campaigns interspersed with strategic planning, occasional interludes away from battle, and all seven of Sun's companions and her Gatoi bodyguard flung across known space on various missions. If you're familiar with Alexander the Great's story, a couple of the plot points in here won't be a surprise to you, but it's definitely an engaging read nonetheless.
The worldbuilding gets significantly expanded in this volume, and with more characters added to the central cast as well as the increased scope of events we get a bit less time with each, although it's always a delight to see Persephone, Hetty, and others (especially one of Sun's newly introduced companions, Makinde). Apama's backstory and plotline also get quite a bit more development in this novel, and it's really interesting to have a view from the Phene side of the conflict. The pacing can be a bit slow; goodreads says this release will be 400 pages, which is about 150 pages shorter than Unconquerable Sun. My kindle ARC didn't have page numbers but it ABSOLUTELY did not read any shorter-in fact it felt like a longer book. If it is longer in publication then that's understandable; if it really is only 400 pages, I would be more critical of the pace of the storytelling. The book is definitely a slow burn that builds momentum as the story goes on.
In summary, a sprawling sequel but it was a delight to return to this world and its many characters-looking forward to the release of the third volume!
An enjoyable sequel to our gender-swapped Alexander the Great story! Reading the first volume is a must (very little will make sense otherwise) and I'm glad I re-read Unconquerable Sun immediately before this one so I felt current on the characters and events. We pick up here shortly after its conclusion, and jump immediately into the action. The book follows the same general track as the first volume, with battle action and military campaigns interspersed with strategic planning, occasional interludes away from battle, and all seven of Sun's companions and her Gatoi bodyguard flung across known space on various missions. If you're familiar with Alexander the Great's story, a couple of the plot points in here won't be a surprise to you, but it's definitely an engaging read nonetheless.
The worldbuilding gets significantly expanded in this volume, and with more characters added to the central cast as well as the increased scope of events we get a bit less time with each, although it's always a delight to see Persephone, Hetty, and others (especially one of Sun's newly introduced companions, Makinde). Apama's backstory and plotline also get quite a bit more development in this novel, and it's really interesting to have a view from the Phene side of the conflict. The pacing can be a bit slow; goodreads says this release will be 400 pages, which is about 150 pages shorter than Unconquerable Sun. My kindle ARC didn't have page numbers but it ABSOLUTELY did not read any shorter-in fact it felt like a longer book. If it is longer in publication then that's understandable; if it really is only 400 pages, I would be more critical of the pace of the storytelling. The book is definitely a slow burn that builds momentum as the story goes on.
In summary, a sprawling sequel but it was a delight to return to this world and its many characters-looking forward to the release of the third volume!
May 16, 2023
The sequel to "Unconquerable Sun" is here after a long wait. It appears to be the middle book of a trilogy, but it does not suffer from middle-book syndrome: Story development and world building never lose steam.
Sun, the main character, seems to be based upon Alexander the Great. She has inherited a powerful war machine from her mother. Her mother used that war machine to achieve stunning local victories. Sun said "Why stop?" The Phene empire, like Persia of old, should have been too powerful to attack.
One of the pervasive sub-themes is slavery. Slavery has no legal existence in any of the societies in this milieu - but there are so many ways to be unfree. You can be locked into a job until you pay off your debts, and those inherited from your parents and theirs. You can be forced to do as you are told by programmed implants. You can be subject to the complete control of a social superior. You can be a clone, which in this milieu makes you an illegal commodity. You can be placed on a hazardous frontier world with no choice of occupation and no way to leave.
Much of the story is told from the perspective of Sun's Companions - especially the Wily Persephone. (Her chapter's have titles that start with that phrase, along the lines of "In Which The Wily Persephone Goes to Town". She did not come by 'Wily' honestly, as her main skill appears to placement of foot in mouth.) Persephone is, in fact, a clone.
The immediate story - of Sun, her Companions, her campaigns - is embedded in a much larger story. Thousands of years ago, humanity fled its world of origin - which has since been lost. The current interstellar-travel network was put in place by a successor empire - whose technology has since been lost.
I had to read this book in small chunks; the writing is dense. Rewarding, though!
Sun, the main character, seems to be based upon Alexander the Great. She has inherited a powerful war machine from her mother. Her mother used that war machine to achieve stunning local victories. Sun said "Why stop?" The Phene empire, like Persia of old, should have been too powerful to attack.
One of the pervasive sub-themes is slavery. Slavery has no legal existence in any of the societies in this milieu - but there are so many ways to be unfree. You can be locked into a job until you pay off your debts, and those inherited from your parents and theirs. You can be forced to do as you are told by programmed implants. You can be subject to the complete control of a social superior. You can be a clone, which in this milieu makes you an illegal commodity. You can be placed on a hazardous frontier world with no choice of occupation and no way to leave.
Much of the story is told from the perspective of Sun's Companions - especially the Wily Persephone. (Her chapter's have titles that start with that phrase, along the lines of "In Which The Wily Persephone Goes to Town". She did not come by 'Wily' honestly, as her main skill appears to placement of foot in mouth.) Persephone is, in fact, a clone.
The immediate story - of Sun, her Companions, her campaigns - is embedded in a much larger story. Thousands of years ago, humanity fled its world of origin - which has since been lost. The current interstellar-travel network was put in place by a successor empire - whose technology has since been lost.
I had to read this book in small chunks; the writing is dense. Rewarding, though!
April 20, 2025
Excellent concept, flawed execution. This book is simultaneously far too long and also not nearly comprehensive enough. I think that for business purposes it was probably sold as a trilogy, whereas for narrative purposes, it should have gotten an ASOIAF treatment. Far more POVs, more comprehensive accountings of events, way more time spent with Sun's coterie, which of course means way more books.
By (most likely, I am assuming here) being constricted to 3 books, Elliott is forced to cover way too much too quickly from an event perspective, which caused the rest of the elements of the book to suffer. Covering so much time meant that characters got boiled down into single, identifiable aspects (James will do things to his cap, Alika must be either playing a song or someone will talk about themselves remembering about how he played a song, etc). We scarcely actually get to read any action as it's happening, that would take too many pages. We, at best, get slices of big, space operatic battles from microscopic perspectives and have to be told after the fact how it all went down on the galactic scale.
There are other issues - Perse is constantly horny, somewhat poorly done conflation of different Asian cultures into a pan-Asian hodgepodge - but the world building, the concepts, the visuals would be way more than offsetting of the flaws to make this a worthwhile read, except I am afraid that, if I am correct that the final battle in this book was Alexander's Persepolis, Sun still has a lot of fighting and conquering to do and thus Elliott will again be pressed to make it all fit into one book. I may pick up the 3rd book, but only if I know I'll be doing a long plane/car trip and will be able to knock it mostly out in a quick go. Otherwise, like this book did, it might take me a month to slog through it in parts.
By (most likely, I am assuming here) being constricted to 3 books, Elliott is forced to cover way too much too quickly from an event perspective, which caused the rest of the elements of the book to suffer. Covering so much time meant that characters got boiled down into single, identifiable aspects (James will do things to his cap, Alika must be either playing a song or someone will talk about themselves remembering about how he played a song, etc). We scarcely actually get to read any action as it's happening, that would take too many pages. We, at best, get slices of big, space operatic battles from microscopic perspectives and have to be told after the fact how it all went down on the galactic scale.
There are other issues - Perse is constantly horny, somewhat poorly done conflation of different Asian cultures into a pan-Asian hodgepodge - but the world building, the concepts, the visuals would be way more than offsetting of the flaws to make this a worthwhile read, except I am afraid that, if I am correct that the final battle in this book was Alexander's Persepolis, Sun still has a lot of fighting and conquering to do and thus Elliott will again be pressed to make it all fit into one book. I may pick up the 3rd book, but only if I know I'll be doing a long plane/car trip and will be able to knock it mostly out in a quick go. Otherwise, like this book did, it might take me a month to slog through it in parts.
April 17, 2023
I received an ARC of this book from Tor in exchange for an honest review. This review will not contain any spoilers for Furious Heaven, but will contain spoilers for the previous book in the series, Unconquerable Sun.
The three main points of view--Persephone, Apama, and Sun--all carried their weight, though I tended to find Persephone the least exciting (especially in the first half of the book). Apama's increasingly complicated, but still loyal, relationship to the Phene Empire was a highlight of the book for me. She served as an excellent window into Rider politics and showed the range of Rider personalities in a way that wouldn't have made sense for the Chaonian characters. Without spoiling who exactly Apama meets, it suffices to say that she encounters Riders of all ages and temperaments, each of whom has a crucial role to play both in the plot and in her character development. If anything, I felt shortchanged by the cuts back to the Chaonian perspective, since some events I would have preferred to see firsthand instead unfolded "off-screen." For the most part, though, Elliott deftly balances the Chaonian and Phenish perspectives, and despite only having Apama on the latter side, she certainly pulls her weight. Getting to see more of Sun's perspective was helpful in illustrating her determination and absolute confidence. When seen through other characters' eyes, I felt that Elliott often "told rather than showed." Having Sun take a more active decisionmaking role, and letting the reader into her mind in those crucial moments, was a more effective approach for me.
Four out of five stars. On the long side, and not all the characters are equally interesting, but still a well-executed example of the genre.
The three main points of view--Persephone, Apama, and Sun--all carried their weight, though I tended to find Persephone the least exciting (especially in the first half of the book). Apama's increasingly complicated, but still loyal, relationship to the Phene Empire was a highlight of the book for me. She served as an excellent window into Rider politics and showed the range of Rider personalities in a way that wouldn't have made sense for the Chaonian characters. Without spoiling who exactly Apama meets, it suffices to say that she encounters Riders of all ages and temperaments, each of whom has a crucial role to play both in the plot and in her character development. If anything, I felt shortchanged by the cuts back to the Chaonian perspective, since some events I would have preferred to see firsthand instead unfolded "off-screen." For the most part, though, Elliott deftly balances the Chaonian and Phenish perspectives, and despite only having Apama on the latter side, she certainly pulls her weight. Getting to see more of Sun's perspective was helpful in illustrating her determination and absolute confidence. When seen through other characters' eyes, I felt that Elliott often "told rather than showed." Having Sun take a more active decisionmaking role, and letting the reader into her mind in those crucial moments, was a more effective approach for me.
Four out of five stars. On the long side, and not all the characters are equally interesting, but still a well-executed example of the genre.
June 22, 2023
I read "Unconquerable Sun" shortly after it came out, and then waited a long, long time for "Furious Heaven" to appear. I was only disappointed by the wait. Both books are a remarkable mix of adventure, drama and fun. It's hardly seems possible that they are not on more "best of" lists.
The world-building alone is worth the page count. Elliot imagines what might have happened to human cultures scattered across star systems: the diversity of appearance, genetics, technology, politics, societal structure, religion, gender, values--the list goes on an on. Add in the heroic center of this series, the appropriately named Sun, daughter of the empress of a scrappy corner of the galaxy with a circle of intriguing companions (most with their own plot lines) and an appetite for conquest.
This series is apparently based on the life of Alexander the Great, which you don't have to squint very hard to see, but isn't heavy handed. However, given how 'Furious Heaven' ended, fans of this series, myself included, are in for some weeping and gnashing of teeth in the third book (who knows when it will come out?). Many reviews on here go something like, "Umm...hope Elliot doesn't get too serious about the whole Alexander the Great thing lol." This is because we have now invested over 1,000 pages between the two gripping books on the coming of age, family angst, court drama, personal and wartime struggles, and glorious triumphs of Sun and her ever-growing and faithful retinue. So all that's left is, well...not those things. Not for her and also for key and well-loved members of said retinue (if the historical record is closely adhered to). I'm trying to steel myself for what could be the inevitable. Highly, highly recommended even so.
The world-building alone is worth the page count. Elliot imagines what might have happened to human cultures scattered across star systems: the diversity of appearance, genetics, technology, politics, societal structure, religion, gender, values--the list goes on an on. Add in the heroic center of this series, the appropriately named Sun, daughter of the empress of a scrappy corner of the galaxy with a circle of intriguing companions (most with their own plot lines) and an appetite for conquest.
This series is apparently based on the life of Alexander the Great, which you don't have to squint very hard to see, but isn't heavy handed. However, given how 'Furious Heaven' ended, fans of this series, myself included, are in for some weeping and gnashing of teeth in the third book (who knows when it will come out?). Many reviews on here go something like, "Umm...hope Elliot doesn't get too serious about the whole Alexander the Great thing lol." This is because we have now invested over 1,000 pages between the two gripping books on the coming of age, family angst, court drama, personal and wartime struggles, and glorious triumphs of Sun and her ever-growing and faithful retinue. So all that's left is, well...not those things. Not for her and also for key and well-loved members of said retinue (if the historical record is closely adhered to). I'm trying to steel myself for what could be the inevitable. Highly, highly recommended even so.
June 3, 2024
Furious Heaven by Kate Elliott is chonkier than it looks. Small text and thin pages helped keep the physical size constrained, but inside the breadth and depth is truly interstellar.
Furious Heaven, the second entry of The Sun Chronicles, is very much a continuation and expansion of the first book, Unconquerable Sun. The series is promoted as gender-swapped Alexander the Great in space. (Damn that’s a killer pitch!) I loved book 1, but it didn’t feel like it lived up to that great pitch. Furious Heaven absolutely delivers on that promise.
Unconquerable Sun has many aspects of military sci-fi and space opera, but focused on court intrigue and mystery-thriller plots. Furious Heaven also has intrigue, but goes hard into the military sci-fi as Sun, our Alexander stand-in, finally begins her conquest of the stars. Both books take about a 100 pages or so for the plot to kick in. There’s so many pieces to place on the board and threads to weave through an increasing number of POVs, planets, space stations, and interplanetary civilizations.
These books are dense, chock full of themes, historical and mythological allusions, characters, locations, lore, romance, artistry, motivations, and more. The worldbuilding is as richly detailed and as deep as some of the finest epic fantasy. Yet, grand and epic as this military space opera is, it's constantly building on the diverse, multifaceted, and grounded characters, whether they have four arms or not.
Both Unconquerable Sun and Furious Heaven have made the Top 10 Locus Awards Finalists. So they are getting some notice. But it seems no one talks about these books on bookstagram and booktube. If you love epic space opera with a big cast of characters you genuinely care about in a vast, sweeping galaxy, you really shouldn’t sleep on The Sun Chronicles.
Furious Heaven, the second entry of The Sun Chronicles, is very much a continuation and expansion of the first book, Unconquerable Sun. The series is promoted as gender-swapped Alexander the Great in space. (Damn that’s a killer pitch!) I loved book 1, but it didn’t feel like it lived up to that great pitch. Furious Heaven absolutely delivers on that promise.
Unconquerable Sun has many aspects of military sci-fi and space opera, but focused on court intrigue and mystery-thriller plots. Furious Heaven also has intrigue, but goes hard into the military sci-fi as Sun, our Alexander stand-in, finally begins her conquest of the stars. Both books take about a 100 pages or so for the plot to kick in. There’s so many pieces to place on the board and threads to weave through an increasing number of POVs, planets, space stations, and interplanetary civilizations.
These books are dense, chock full of themes, historical and mythological allusions, characters, locations, lore, romance, artistry, motivations, and more. The worldbuilding is as richly detailed and as deep as some of the finest epic fantasy. Yet, grand and epic as this military space opera is, it's constantly building on the diverse, multifaceted, and grounded characters, whether they have four arms or not.
Both Unconquerable Sun and Furious Heaven have made the Top 10 Locus Awards Finalists. So they are getting some notice. But it seems no one talks about these books on bookstagram and booktube. If you love epic space opera with a big cast of characters you genuinely care about in a vast, sweeping galaxy, you really shouldn’t sleep on The Sun Chronicles.
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