The Cruel Stars

Starred review from May 6, 2019
Birmingham’s gripping near-future novel launches readers into a genocidal interstellar war amid sudden violence and dark humor. A long-exiled radical human group bent on killing any “impure” humans with genetic or mechanical modifications has executed a massive strike against the rest of human culture’s defenses and elites. Standing in its way are one military ship with a new captain, a band of pirates, a bodiless criminal, a 12-year-old princess, and a legend. Birmingham alternates between gut punches and laugh-out-loud humor, with some gore and thought-provoking philosophy thrown in for good measure. Every character is a presence, including the villains, who are disturbingly convincing in believing their actions are for the good of all. Plenty of twists, sharp turns, and fateful encounters will keep readers guessing and turning pages. This jarring, engrossing story of a species-wide fight for survival is recommended for all science fiction readers. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary.

June 14, 2019

In this first of a new series, Birmingham (The Golden Minute) depicts an interstellar empire comfortably using prolonged life spans, brain uploads, artificial intelligence intellects, and superscience weapons suddenly threatened by unexpectedly capable invaders. Lt. Lucinda Hardy, a low-status young officer of the Armadalen Navy, comes aboard the Defiant just in time for the attack of the Sturm, a remarkably unpleasant movement evicted from human space hundreds of years ago. They have returned to cleanse enhanced humans, sentient machines, and human-machine neural interfaces from existence, which unfortunately requires the destruction of the society, most of its people, and all advanced technology. They quickly decapitate the Armadalen state, leaving the Defiant the only effective military force, and murder its captain. Hardy, unmasked as a naval hero, takes command. Possibly the most interesting character is the 700-year-old admiral who defeated the original Sturm invasion and now bickers constantly with his AI companion. VERDICT Continual space battle action, despicable enemies, tight corners, and plucky heroines enliven the story, though one-dimensional characters, improbable last-minute saves, and familiar tropes weaken it. For larger collections; space opera lovers will enjoy a fast and reasonably exciting read.--Edwin Burgess, Kansas City, KS

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2019
An uptight navy commander, an intelligent app aboard an android body, a lesbian pirate, a bored young princess, a curmudgeonly old warrior, and a snarky battle AI save the galaxy from angry species-ist cultists. Well, they make a start. Unsurprisingly for readers familiar with Birmingham's work (The Golden Minute, 2018, etc.), his latest trends toward the sanguinary. Centuries ago the Sturm, fanatics intent on "liberating" those they term true humans by exterminating anybody with genetic or cybernetic enhancements, attacked and were driven off--just barely--by Adm. Frazer McLennan and Herodotus, his battle AI. Now they're back. Their surprise attack on the prosperous and powerful Armadale system with warships and malicious computer code decisively knocks out the defenses. All is not lost, though. Decorated yet still insecure Lt. Lucinda Hardy finds herself in command of the Royal Armadalen Navy's only surviving warship. A Sturm attack on a prison compound enables Booker, a soldier app sentenced to deletion for treason, to switch to a robot body and escape. Pirate captain Sephina L'trel, whose usual operational mode involves ripping off outfits like the Yakuza, puts her nefarious skills to fighting the invaders. Warrior-turned-astroarchaeologist McLennan leaves off bickering with Herodotus long enough to take charge and organize the rescue of young Princess Alessia of Montanblanc, whom the Sturm captured after murdering the rest of her family. Following the introductions, the narrative canters along at a good clip, dashing off insane cannibals, exploding warships, detached heads, and cartwheeling body parts, with occasional transfusions of dark comic relief. Some highlights: McLennan appears stark naked to greet a bunch of pompous bigwigs; in a riotous bar scene, Sephina and crew, Yakuza, and Sturm all blaze away at each other; Booker's dismay at being loaded into a mechanical hedge trimmer. Frenetic action viewed in a black fun-house mirror.

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2019
There is a rift among the humans who have spread throughout the galaxy: a divide between those who embrace genetic and technological enhancements to their bodies and those who reject them. The unenhanced lost a war and were exiled into the depths of space. Centuries later, they're back and intent on destroying those who would pollute human purity. Now the fate of humanity depends on a new military officer with something to prove, a pirate and her crew, a plucky princess, a condemned criminal, and an obnoxious living legend and his companion AI. Birmingham's series starter has everything going for it: interesting characters, immersive world building, a believable backstory, high-stakes conflict, visceral action, and credible villains. It's exciting and funny with just the right amount of tension and violence. This is what military space opera should be. Even the slightly contrived climax does not take away from the satisfying conclusion. The Cruel Stars is sure to be popular with military-science-fiction readers and fans of James S. A. Corey's The Expanse series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)