Empress of a Thousand Skies

December 12, 2016
Sixteen-year-old Crown Princess Rhiannon “Rhee” Ta’an is the Rose of the Galaxy, the only survivor of a crash that killed her parents and sister. Rhee is out for revenge, certain that Crown Regent Andres Seotra betrayed her family and plots to take over the throne. When Rhee is attacked by someone she trusts on the eve of her coronation, a Fontisian named Dahlen comes to her aid, but his motives are suspect. Meanwhile, 17-year-old reality star Alyosha Myraz and his best friend Vincent, who track renegade ships and poachers, are thrust into the wrong kind of spotlight when Alyosha is accused of Rhee’s assassination. When Rhee discovers a plot to hijack people’s cubes (which record memory and allow instant memory playback), her plans for revenge take a backseat to new concerns. Rhee and Alyosha are compelling characters, and the back-and-forth between their story lines keeps the pace fast; explorations of family, identity, and the power of memory are punctuated by exciting action scenes. Fans of calculating political maneuvering and expansive, interplanetary plots will find much to enjoy in Belleza’s Firefly-esque debut. Ages 12–up. Agent: Stephen Barbara, Inkwell Management.

Starred review from December 15, 2016
A galaxy perches on the edge of war when word goes out that the crown princess has been assassinated. Except she hasn't been. An assassination attempt from a shocking source has Rhee running from planet to planet, disguised, untangling threads of deception and betrayal. She's bent on revenge on the man who assassinated her family years ago, which left her the last Ta'an of 12 generations of warrior emperors--but he may not be who she thought. In another thread, in breathlessly alternating chapters, Aly finds himself tossed from his life in the military (and reluctant star of a reality program) into a desperate quest to absolve himself from the charge of assassinating Rhee. It's no coincidence that Aly, the accused, is black and belongs to an oppressed refugee group; Rhee has the tan skin of the ruling group. Never faltering in her fast pace and nuanced characterization, Belleza weaves together many complex layers: the recent Great War (massacres, famines, clouds of chemical gas that scorched whole cities to dust); racism, roundups, and imprisonments; the roles of media and propaganda; revenge, guilt, grief, and obligation; and disturbing moral questions about privacy and technology, especially regarding the cubes implanted in most people's minds to orient them geographically and store their thoughts and memories. This is a multiplanet, multiculture, multitech world and a timely tale. An exceptionally satisfying series opener. (Science fiction. 14-18)

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January 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-This futuristic space adventure takes readers on a wild ride. Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta'an, the sole heir to the throne, is being hunted by those who want her power. She must defeat her murderous pursuers, avenge her family, and secure her position. But to do this, Rhee has to determine who is an ally and who is an enemy. Aly, a star of the show The Revolutionary Boys, is now a fugitive. Framed for a murder he had nothing to do with, he must figure out how to clear his name. But with Aly's face plastered all over space, it is not easy to avoid capture and find people to help him. While Rhee and Aly try to protect themselves, planets are at war, fugitives are everywhere, and technological advances are being abused by nefarious players. In her debut novel, Belleza creates a thrilling world filled with deception, war, friendship, and love. The fast-paced plot and relatable characters will hook readers, and the transitions between each character's point of view are smooth and easy to follow. This isn't the official start to a series, but much of the book seems to lay the foundation for a sequel. VERDICT A strong addition to sci-fi shelves, this is a good next read for YA fans of Marissa Meyer's "The Lunar Chronicles" series.-Jessica Strefling, US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Library

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