Duality

Amaranthe #19

by G.S. Jennsen

**THE EXPLOSIVE CONCLUSION TO THE EPIC RIVEN WORLDS SERIES**
Humanity was granted their time to prepare. Now that it has come to an end, all Miriam Solovy wants is one more day.
The Rasu civil war engineered by Alex Solovy and Nika Kirumase has provided Concord the time it desperately needed. Every weapon, every technology, every tactic will be brought to bear in a bid to defend thousands of worlds and trillions of people from annihilation.

The enemy that emerges from the civil war victorious is like nothing Concord has ever faced. A boundless legion of Rasu—now interlinked and of one collective mind due to their integration of kyoseil—prepares to sweep across Concord space in a devastating tidal wave.

But there might be a way to stop them. It will mean two individuals must take upon themselves the burden of committing genocide, so the innocent beings they protect need never know how such an act comes with a price.

“There has never been a timeline like this one before.”
A war has been waged for endless aeons. Our greatest champions fight it again and again across millions of years, in a tireless endeavor to save not merely innumerable lives but existence itself.

With Mesme’s secret revealed, the enormity of the stakes is clear to all, and humanity and its allies are united as they brace for the return of the Rasu.

But the enemy has a secret, too—one that may ensure Concord’s destruction, as it has countless times before.
*
In Amaranthe, where exotic alien life, AIs, wormholes, indestructible starships and the promise of immortality rule the day, no feat seems out of reach for humanity. But when the worlds of Aurora Rhapsody and Asterion Noir collide and the Rasu horde descends upon them both, more will be asked of heroes past and future. More will be given and more taken, and when the dust settles the very fabric of Amaranthe will be altered forever.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera

467 pages, ebook

First published January 5, 2023

About the author

G. S. Jennsen is a speculative and science fiction author, as well as a futurist, geek, gamer, programmer and editor. She has become an internationally bestselling author since her first novel, Starshine, was published in March 2014. She has chosen to continue writing under an independent publishing model to ensure the integrity of her series and her ability to execute on the vision she’s had for it since its genesis.

While she has been a lawyer, a software engineer and an editor, she’s found the life of a full-time author preferable by several orders of magnitude.

When she isn’t writing, she’s gaming or working out or getting lost in the mountains that loom large outside the windows in her home. Or she’s dealing with a flooded basement, or standing in a line at Walmart reading the tabloid headlines and wondering who all of those people are. Or sitting on her back porch with a glass of wine, looking up at the stars, trying to figure out what could be up there.

Reviews

[E.J. Fisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you have a series spanning nineteen books—particularly an epic space opera series like this that has become so huge in scope—you would probably expect any form of finale to be proportionately spectacular.

Duality certainly doesn’t disappoint on that front. If you thought your mind was blown at the end of Chaotica , you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

The last few pages of Chaotica hinted at kind of a calm before the storm, and it was refreshing to have Duality open that way after the…well, chaos that was its predecessor. This left time and space for some of the secondary plot threads from the last few books to reach resolutions: Malcolm and his personal convictions, Enzio Vilane and his cartel shenanigans, Eren and Nyx (lordy I love them) and their thwarting of assassination plots, Joaquim and Cassidy dealing with what it means to be alive…just to name a few.

That’s not to say the rest of our primary heroes were doing nothing this whole time. Deep, meaningful character interactions were plentiful as Alex, Caleb, Miriam, Nika, Dashiel, et. al. came to terms with everything the impending battle would require of them. Not only would they all have to make sacrifices, but there was no telling when exactly they’d need to make them. As the reader, I felt like I was holding my breath for half the book, just waiting for the inevitable final showdown with the Rasu.

And that final showdown was space opera at its finest, fast-paced and shifting masterfully between action-packed battle sequences and high-stakes character-driven scenes. You know the good guys are going to win—they just have to—but given all the factors that have been at play for the past several books, you’re not quite sure how they’re going to pull it off, and it was a lot of fun to see that all unfold. And it wouldn’t be high-stakes if there weren’t moments where some characters’ fates were called into question.

But when you get to the end of that sequence and see that there’s still an entire section + an epilogue left in the book, you can pretty much guess you’re about to get another bombshell dropped on you. I won’t go into any more detail than that—you’ll just have to experience it for yourself. I will say that I never would have predicted said bombshell…at least before this book. There was an exchange of dialogue about halfway through that made me go “hmmm,” and then once the big reveal hit, so many things made sense. In Chaotica , I was suddenly stricken by an observation about the relationship between two long-time characters, and it turned out to be a major factor in the revelation. Out of context hint: light and shadow.

It should come as no surprise that this isn’t truly a finale, just like Requiem and The Stars Like Gods weren’t. The final battle with the Rasu set our heroes’ sights on yet another enemy—a very ancient and powerful one—and even some of the sub-plots that got resolved opened the door for future conflict. But I’m particularly excited for the next few character-focused installments in this universe. How or if they’ll tie in to the overall storyline, I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out.

And here I thought this review might end up being shorter than some of my others…

[T.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not all of this worked for me, but it is an incredible feat and well deserving of 5 stars to write a series this long and still manage to pull off an ending (or a not-really-ending) the way Jennsen did here. It's a bit of a slow build up in the first half of the book as various plot threads are wrapped up and we see important character interactions and character development unfold. I typically struggle with books that have "too many" POVs, but it works well here as each scene feels very intentional and packs a punch. It always feels like something interesting is happening as we jump between POVs, so I don't mind the wide variety as much. The action scenes that came in at the end were excellent, and the revelations in the final epilogue were very well-executed. I love when a story has a revelation that and recontextualizes so much of what has come before, and this is exactly that. I will admit to being slightly annoyed that this still isn't truly The End of this series (I just want everyone to be safe and happy, okay?), but I'm sure there are plenty of readers out there who are eager for more, and Jennsen continues to deliver exciting stories and rich characters at the highest level.

[Peter Kordas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!
That should just about do it for summing up the latest offering from G.S. Jennsen, Duality....
You do have a gut feeling for how the story will end, only to find your gut feeling really doesn't tell you HOW it will end... Couldn't put it down... The reveals are... revealing? So, so much locks into place... Some bits are left hanging, paving the way for the story to develop onto... how shall I say this without giving anything away?... a much, much larger canvas.. Yeah, I'm happy with that descriptor... take a deep breath and dive in.... I can say no more without spoiling the ride. Just hold on. What a ride!

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had written a looooong review, but I lost it by doing a bad manipulation. Argh! But I promised the author to write my impressions, so I start over (sigh...).

I'm so glad I stumbled across this series in 2014, shortly after subscribing to Kindle Unlimited. K.U. allows me such discoveries, and I continue to use this service even if, often, the books do not live up to my expectations.
Starshine, however, exceeded those expectations. Since then, I look forward to each new book in this series to find the characters who have become almost friends.

The qualities of this series are multiple: the meticulously described universe, the attention to details (I like when all the threads are tied in a story, like, for example, the fact that kyoseil "kept a level of separation between the Rasu-controlled kyoseil and all other instances of itself", I was wondering, specially when Valkyrie's ship had AdiaK), the exciting and well-described action scenes and, above all, the characters, whether main or secondary. The fact that the author is a woman is another plus for me. There is no real difference between male or female characters, and it gives scenes like this, which I really enjoyed:

Caleb: “Yeah. Which direction, Nika?” He felt a nudge on his arm. Nika: “How about I get back in front? Then I won’t have to tell you.” He conceded the point and grudgingly let her retake the lead.

Here is an overview of my impressions during my reading. I won't write everything, it would be too long, but let's take a look (SPOILERS!):

- In the recap at the beginning of this book, when Mesme is described as helping Nika to muffle the voices of all the Asterions in her head, I had my first suspicion as to the nature of Mesme. As the story progressed, it became apparent that the Kats were originally Asterions (especially with the revelation that Mesme had traveled back in time), but when it is revealed that Nika, Miaon, and Mesme are just one person ...wow! It really knocked me down. And a whole new empathy for Mesme came to me. Strangely, I didn't get hooked on the character of Nika, except in book 1 of Asterion Noir. This is no longer the case after reading this book: seeing Nika crying while Caleb tries to revive Alex at the end, also the fact that Caleb lets her know he's mad at her despite the fact that he understands why she didn't tell him what she was dreading having to do on Rasu Prime, and that he wants them to keep a polite distance...in addition to Mesme's revelations, I can only feel compassion for this character. I just hope Nika doesn't have to go back in time for the time loop to close in on itself at the end. Fingers crossed!

- Speaking of Caleb. My man. It's very difficult, but if I had to choose my favorite character, it would be Caleb, and this, since Starshine (Miriam is a close second, with Alex). What he did with the diati, his fusion with Akeso (another character that I really like!), his relationship with Alex, the balance he found inside him...

I realized—or remembered, I guess. This is the promise I made to myself when I became an intelligence agent so long ago. By choosing to protect people, I agreed to take on the burden of doing the hard things. I bear the responsibility, and at times the guilt, that comes with committing violence, with imposing death on wrongdoers. I bear it willingly. It's another way I can safeguard the innocent. Not just from bloodshed, but from remorse and sorrow. “I’ve never had a problem shouldering the weight…or I didn’t until Akeso came along. Carrying such innocence in my mind, in my soul, complicated matters.

I find his attitude harsh with Nika, but I understand him. And it's a very good example of the quality of the author's writing. Its psychological nuances are very fine.

- Malcolm is another character I love and who shows the author's ability to create nuanced characters. Although I was disappointed that Miriam was not the mastermind during the final battle (although it was interesting to see her reactions in this situation, Miriam dislikes, really bad, being helpless during a situation, whatever it is), I liked that Malcolm had his moment to shine. His decision to destroy the moon (just that!), phew! It was amazing. I was worried at one point that he hadn't done a neural imprint before going to rescue Mia. Their reunion was extremely satisfying:

Ar-ar-re you re-eal?

What a beautiful scene! In my notes on my Kindle, I wrote (in capitals) "THANK GOD I LOVE JENNSEN!" lol

- On the other hand, I was disappointed by the character of Enzio Vilane. He's one of the few characters that I find inconsistent. I find it hard to believe that a mafia boss of his stature doesn't have any cameras in his office, and that he leaves Malcolm alone inside... that doesn't fit. Especially since, on the other hand, he is able to deduce all of Malcolm's machinations once the authorities are on his trail. I can kind of understand why he doesn't see that his mother is getting the better of him, but his blindness about Malcolm... no. Olivia: she gives me chills. I suspect the author regretted killing her off in a previous book. Hence her reappearance in the form of an Artificial, which will be much more difficult to eliminate. Her reaction when she finds Enzio dead is spot on. It's the worst thing that could happen to Enzio: to arouse only a vague disappointment in his mother, who will do nothing to resuscitate him. Fitting.

- Eren was not very present, but an important revelation is made about his past. I suspect this will be important in future books.

- Maris and Corradeo, I liked it! I liked also the end of Joachim and Cassidy, and the kiss between him and Selene. Whew! lol. I liked see Morgan be... Morgan, héhé. Badass and skilled woman! The scene with Richard and Devon was also very good.

- I laughed several times, here are some examples:

Nika waited for someone to protest that Perrin had been a member of NOIR, but no one did—presumably because they realized she would vault across the table and plant her foot down their throat if they did.

LOL

Noah appeared at her side and pulled her into a bear hug. “You were absolutely brilliant. And scary.” “Really? I don't feel scary.” Kennedy suddenly realized she was shaking against his chest; blinking away tears, too. It was okay, though. She'd held it together when it mattered. “Terrifying. Chairman Greer is running off to the lavatory to piss himself. And I'm considering buying you a whip and some skin-clinging leather for your birthday.”

I really burst out laughing in my living room.

Malcolm when talking to Mia:

I kind of feel twenty years younger, as though all the wear and tear is gone, but that's still me, right? And I, um, stopped by St. Joseph's on my way here. God didn't smite me down when I walked up to the altar, so I'm taking it as a positive sign.

LOL

The door to her office slid open unannounced, and Alex peeked her head in. “Can I come in?” “Of course you can!” Miriam leapt up, hurried around the desk and embraced her daughter with a rare fervor. Her mind raced through the checklist: warm skin, heart beating, chest rising and falling. But for a time, none of those things had been true. “I can’th breaf.” “Sorry.”

- Other scenes made me cry, including this one:

He gathered Alex’s body into his arms as he stood. Her limbs flopped uselessly against him; it wasn’t the first dead body he’d carried, but it was hers, and he was ruined.

Once, it was Alex who held Caleb's body in his arms, after the diati left his body.

this quote really hit me, it resonates with me:

Alex, memory is the most important gift we have as sapient beings. It makes us who we are and gives shape to our souls.

This is the kind of sentence that stays with me long after I read it. What happens to these memories when we die? This is something to ponder...

I could go on for a long time, but I'm running out of time. I can't wait to see how the combat against the Dzhvar will go (I knew they would eventually appear in the story!).
Thank you G.S. for this great adventure! Now, at work, I need the next volume! ;-)

[Katie Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. I really wasn't sure if it would all conclude and wrap up in a satisfying way, but it did—and now I'm just hungry for more. There are some huge revelations brought around that I want to see play out!

[Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished "Duality", the latest novel in G.S. Jennsen's Amaranthe universe. As always, it was a well-written adventure with plenty of action and interesting characters. I would not recommend reading it as a stand-alone novel, as the history and relationships between the characters are integral to the storyline.

Ms. Jennsen's characters are both well-developed and numerous as would be expected in a series with this longevity. I should clarify that this series is the culmination of two previous series that occur in the same universe. I'm not sure that clarified anything but suffice to say, this is the 19th book with interacting characters who are human, non-human, artificial, incorporeal, and combinations thereof - a large cast to be sure.

This book addresses the threat from the Rasu, that has plagued both, Concord and the Dominion from the previous two series. The machine entity Rasu are so formidable that only the combined forces of the Dominion and Concord stand a chance of surviving their onslaught and, even that may not be sufficient.

I enjoyed this book as I have all of Ms. Jennsen's works and, I have read them all. Most of the un-resolved situations and unanswered questions from previous books were cleared up in this book bringing a sense of closure relating to many of the characters' personal lives and, to the existence of life in general. I am relieved in a sense as, admittedly, I was becoming a tiny bit weary of trying to keep track of all the characters and situations over the past 9 years and 19 books. However, it turns out that this is not the end of the Amaranthe story as far as Ms. Jennsen is concerned.

New ideas and adventures are always floating around inside that creative mind and, I hear they will culminate in a new trilogy that takes place in the Amaranthe universe. I'm excited to read the next story and have already pre-ordered "Medusa Falling", the first of the "Cosmic Shores" trilogy.

[Elyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just WOW! Wish I could give this more than 5 stars - many more than 5 stars.

As anticipated, a stunning conclusion to the Amaranthe series in terms of the worldbuilding, the complex storytelling, and the rich character development. This novel builds on all of the best twists and turns in the series.

Part of what I so enjoy about Jennsen's writing is its rich depth. She expands her worlds and technologies in every book, but it's not just this because that would be too abstract. There are also subtle interchanges between characters, as well as new species to keep things interesting. Somber. Inspiring. Funny. Tender. Just so rich.

GS Jennsen always provides a good summary of the story so far at the beginning/ending of the book. That's helpful if you haven't read the prior one recently. This is one of those amazing series that you really do want to invest the time in reading all of the books before you get to this one. It's absolutely worth it.

LOVED IT!!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve loved every single one of these books and just when I think ‘yeah, that’s my favourite’ I’m knocked off my feet with the next one. This one gives us closure. It makes all those battles, lives, loves and hopes, every wonderful, horrible, painful and joyful step of the way worth it.

Duality wrapped me up once again in the lives of these characters that I’ve come to know and love. I laughed, cried and felt the fear that war brings. The depth of emotion in all of these books is amazing and this one ties everything up very nicely. For a series that started out in Starshine so many books ago it’s a testament to G. S. Jennsen’s writing that she kept me enthralled through the entire series.

It’s scifi at its best, it’s a rocking adventure, a story of enormous scope and yet a very personal journey for the characters. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.

[Peter Dundee · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZiNG

G.S you take the bounds of imagination out and beyond expectations. Do not disappoint me next time further, faster and more Beyond. I will Email you personally for more information of what comes next. Loved it and await much more!!!!

[Scott Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating

I am continually drawn into this universe this writer is creating. Alex, Nika, and Mesme, all feel like entities I want to know. I will follow this story as far as it goes.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent climax to what has been a very good series, been a few late nights. Nicely finished off and lose ends tied up, whilst still seeding for another series. I won’t give details or events about the story - Read the series yourself

[Michael Rocharde · Rating 5 out of 5]

wildly imaginative and wonderful

I’ve read all 19 books and have loved every one of them. The characters and their lives are fascinating and extraordinary and everything flows together in the way that kyoseil did in the story. What an imagination this writer has. Wow!

[Greg Taffet · Rating 5 out of 5]

all I can say is when is the next book going to be available? I read all 20 in the series and cannot wait for 21. the characters are real and the tech is amazing.

[Bob Newingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not discover this series of books until #18...So I got to binge read 1-18. They were wonderful. I enjoyed the story arcs and the characters. At the end of 18 it was a bit of a sad time having to wait for 19 to see what happens to the Razu
#19 did not disappoint...waiting for the next installment

[Scathach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as ARC copy.
As usual I loved it. I was there from the start and seeing where we are now... WOW what a journey.
Malcolm and Mia arc was my favourite. I have been waiting for this for a very long time. It was perfect and I love that Malcolm has conquered his block with re genesis and is back with her. I missed them so much.
Then the final big revelation... Mesme is Nina? the discussion Alex and Mesme had at the end broke my heart. I hope Nika will not have to go back and sacrifice her life and Dashiel. They deserve some peace.
The battle with the Rasu was epic but Alex technically dying was cruel, until Valkyrie and then Akeso helped. Now, Caleb died once, Alex did too... now they are even... be kind to them <3
Wonder what the future holds for all of them? a HEA eventually?

[Y.I. Washington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant Ending To Riven Worlds Storyline

GS Jennsen walks the tightropes of optimistic storytelling, hard science fiction, great fighting and space battle scenes, politics, background plots, and suspense with graceful balance.

It's easy to see that these stories are a major love letter to science fiction and the human heart.

The only complaint that I have is that there are too many characters and alien species to keep track of in between each book's publication. For example, I found myself trying to remember who the Ourankeli and the Galenai were. It took me a while to figure out who certain characters were and their significance.

Luckily, GS Jennsen created a Wiki to help give a little reference to each.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I thought this was the end of the series, but it is not... While I really enjoyed this book, I don't plan on continuing, as it's starting to feel a bit repetitive with too large a cast (and I'm not sure how to feel about the twist at the end). I love how the Rasu storyline ended though.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Jensen writes a great story. I couldn’t give this five stars mainly because the storyline was far too predictable. The postscript was more intriguing to me than the action chapters.

[Kristy McCaffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A great ending to the Riven Worlds story arc. I don't want to say much more because **spoilers** but it's a roller coaster. Absolutely loved it!!

[Kenneth Greenlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.

Read them all. Excellent story arc. Tight writing and editing. More than worth the time. Fair price for such great value.

[Devin · Rating 5 out of 5]

G. S, Jennsen is my favorite author and has been since I read the first book of the series.
She never disappoints