𐙚🧸ྀིNon-spoiler review˙⋆✮
I loved this book! I haven’t read many sci-fi novels before, but this one was incredible. It had a philosophical touch too, which made it even more impactful. Books are meant to change perspectives, and this one definitely did that for me. It made me realize that what we’re taught isn’t always the truth, and that we should understand our enemies before making contact with them. Information is power.
The story begins with a war where people from Earth go to attack another planet inhabited by a species called the Venyex, who are surprisingly similar to us. The FMC, Nashtara, completely stole my heart. She’s fierce, unafraid to make changes, and strong even in her moments of vulnerability. I admired how much she tried to understand everything around her. I also loved the alien (Venyex) characters, especially one in particular, who was written so well. Overall, this was a beautiful, thought-provoking book, and I was honestly sad it had to end. I can’t wait to dive into Book 2!
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⤷ ⋆˙⟡Slightly spoiler-y review⋆˙⟡
Nashtara was my girl most of the time, though there were moments where I wanted to scream, “Please don’t risk your life so much!” Still, she remained one of my favorites. And Cort...wow. I shipped Cort and Nash so hard. He’s such a calm and composed character, and even when he betrayed Nash the second time, I couldn’t hate him. And he only did it to show everyone how important unity is. I ended up loving him even more.
Briyar, on the other hand, left me conflicted. Sometimes I liked him, sometimes I didn’t. Honestly, I don’t think he’s a good match for Nash, and I’m not even sure how their relationship would work. Meanwhile, Nash and Cort’s chemistry is undeniable.
Among the side characters, Kapur was adorable. He lost his family because of venyex, yet continued to serve as a nurse when cort was hurt, and I loved how quietly dedicated he was. Out of the other two Venyex, Valkad stood out more to me, and I’m really eager to learn more about the Cripbon and their leaders. They had such a calm, wise presence and seemed to know everything that was happening.
Overall, I absolutely loved this story and can’t wait for the sequel!