Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Second attempt

This is a Buddy Read for The Fractured Dark by Megan E. O'Keefe starting on August 29, 2025.

Thank you!


Series Schedule
1. The Blighted Stars (July 29) [Link]
2. The Fractured Dark (Sept 29)
3. The Bound Worlds (Oct 29) [Link]

Availability?

Started reading this at work last night, and almost done already (90%+)...

Haven't had much coherent to say about it...

There's alot going on, and it's more in-space than I expected after book 1... simultaneously, it's been giving me alot of Parasitology vibes, as it explores the alien cognizance more and more... also seeing parallels to AI & Robotics (view spoiler)[as Tarquin's dad plays with fiddling with imprints to the point that instincts are carrying over into secondary hosts without causing splintering or whatever it's called... and now he's editing out memories... and now Canus seems to be developing host bodies with no human imprint to get in the way, really... THAT'S when I started thinking AI/Robotics... (hide spoiler)]

My biggest question, is how they're going to end the trilogy and definitively win... it seems so easy for some remnant of Canus out there to finagle it's way back in (view spoiler)[if it's infecting Shroud now... and eyesight pathways... it's so good at infiltration... (hide spoiler)]

And finished... (view spoiler)[by the end, it started to give me Dollhouse vibes, with mixed imprints and Nyra staying sane with multiple instances alive... and finding a Lockheart imprint... (hide spoiler)]

I read this a bit ago and I enjoyed it but it was clear it is the middle book in a trilogy. Looking forward to finishing this up, I think I need the ENDING ending to be able to judge how I Liked it overall.

(that makes sense to me lol)

Eye-reading this this week. About 1/4 in and enjoying it, though not much to say... the romance still feels off but I'm starting to get used to it, maybe. I don't really feel it. The ex is wonkers though. That's both wonky and bonkers together.