The moment I saw the cover of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, the new novel by Christopher Paolini, I was immediately captivated. This, alongside the promise of epic space battles spread throughout the galaxy, meant that this was a must-read for me and I was not disappointed. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a space opera that is conceptually immense and complex, with heart, ferocity and plenty of science.
Christopher Paolini
A standard surveying mission on Adrasteia, an uncolonised planet, becomes anything but standard when xenobiologist Kira Navárez stumbles onto an alien relic that bonds her to an ancient power. As Kira is faced with unravelling unknown histories and overcoming her own limits, a horrific war rages with enemies never before imagined. Humanity is on the brink of annihilation and Kira may be its only hope for survival.
This is an expansive, epic story taking place across time and space. Humanity is spread throughout galaxies, colonising planets and travelling in ships at speeds faster than light. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars showcases an interstellar war at a grand scale with everything you could possibly want in a sci-fi novel: formidable and advanced aliens, technological leaps, exploration of planetary wonders, rogue crews with hearts of gold and so much more. In saying this, at its core this is a story of humanity and what it means to be human.
The sheer scale of story that fits into this novel is astounding, which isn’t exactly surprising considering it clocks in at around 800 pages. The pacing is fast but never rushed, moving us from point A to B with a sense of purpose that made it difficult for me to tear myself away from the story. In saying this, there is also plenty of breathing room used to explore Kira’s relationship with herself and the crew on the ship, resulting in a vibrant cast of characters. Time is also given to establishing the enemies, with vivid descriptions giving them a daunting presence that genuinely leaves the reader unsure of how the battles will unfold. Personally, I found the tentacled species of ‘Jellies’ to be a very compelling alien species, likened to an octopus (often touted as being the closest thing to an alien).
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is an atmospheric story with remarkable visuals of the vastness of space, technological capability and the armies of alien entities. This is a story that completely absorbed me from start to finish and awed me with its epic tale of courage, compassion and survival.
—To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini (Pan Macmillan Australia) is out on the 15th of September.
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a masterful epic science fiction novel from the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of the Inheritance Cycle, Christopher Paolini.
During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, xenobiologist Kira Navárez finds an alien relic that thrusts her into the wonders and nightmares of first contact. Epic space battles for the fate of humanity take her to the farthest reaches of the galaxy and, in the process, transform not only her – but the entire course of history...
Christopher Paolini announces new book!
Comments
December 16, 2020 at 7:53 pm
Currently reading To Sleep in a Sea of Stars and it is fast paced though some of the things and names strike me as adapted from other stories…
The xeno organism that has adapted to her body strikes me as a very strong nod to “Venom”
and the planet that she was on when she acquired it, Adrasteia, seems to me to be derived from the latin Ad Astra… {“To the Stars”}
Which of course, this is Space Opera SiFi that does go to the stars… {:~)
Anyway, moving along as it is an 825 page novel… I am into it now to the end..
Great for a Covid “Lock Down” if such is you fate it will keep you up and entertained.