Vows of empire

The final volume of Skrutskie's trilogy (after Oaths of Legacy, 2021) breaks from the past two volumes by featuring three narrators instead of the preceding volumes' two--not only the lovers and heirs to rival star empires, Gal and Ettian, but also their close friend and Ettian's current right-hand woman, Wen. When last we saw the trio, Wen had allowed a team of agents to forcibly return Gal to his parents in the Umber Empire. Through edited security footage, Ettian believes Gal went of his own volition, leaving him heartbroken and angry just as he's trying to keep the resurgent Archon Empire together. The novel crosses back and forth between both lovers, as Wen's perspective provides more and more hints as to what motivated her to seemingly turn on her closest friends. Skrutskie continues to excel at large-scale space action, even if at times the feudal political structure of her war-torn setting, particularly with its focus on "blood-right," can feel archaic even for the genre. Recommended for fans of Dune and space operas in general.

The intricate worldbuilding and pitch-perfect characterization of Skrutskie's Bloodright space opera trilogy carries through to this final chapter (after Oaths of Legacy) for a wholly satisfying conclusion that immerses readers in the madcap adventures of rival emperors who love each other deeply. Ettian emp-Archon and Gal emp-Umber have returned to their respective seats of power--Gal to the court of his vicious mother and Ettian to the quietly shifting allegiances of the rebellion. With scores of people looking to them for leadership, personal desires must be put aside. But as Ettian steps in to lead the rebellion against Gal's mother, the young men begin to question what they're fighting for. With multiple betrayals--including by their over-the-top former classmates, the Wraiths--and several lifetimes worth of politics shadowing them, the men must find a way out of conflict and into peace. And, as ever, their mutual friend Wen Iffan, a scarred Corinthian street-rat, proves an integral part to every wild adventure either man dreams up. Readers will easily jump back into the complex political machinations of Skrutskie's beautifully detailed world. Though the back-and-forth betrayals make the middle drag a bit, Skrutskie handily sticks the landing. Series fans are sure to be pleased. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary (June)

The final volume of Skrutskie's trilogy (after Oaths of Legacy, 2021) breaks from the past two volumes by featuring three narrators instead of the preceding volumes' two—not only the lovers and heirs to rival star empires, Gal and Ettian, but also their close friend and Ettian's current right-hand woman, Wen. When last we saw the trio, Wen had allowed a team of agents to forcibly return Gal to his parents in the Umber Empire. Through edited security footage, Ettian believes Gal went of his own volition, leaving him heartbroken and angry just as he's trying to keep the resurgent Archon Empire together. The novel crosses back and forth between both lovers, as Wen's perspective provides more and more hints as to what motivated her to seemingly turn on her closest friends. Skrutskie continues to excel at large-scale space action, even if at times the feudal political structure of her war-torn setting, particularly with its focus on blood-right, can feel archaic even for the genre. Recommended for fans of Dune and space operas in general. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

The intricate worldbuilding and pitch-perfect characterization of Skrutskie's Bloodright space opera trilogy carries through to this final chapter (after Oaths of Legacy) for a wholly satisfying conclusion that immerses readers in the madcap adventures of rival emperors who love each other deeply. Ettian emp-Archon and Gal emp-Umber have returned to their respective seats of power—Gal to the court of his vicious mother and Ettian to the quietly shifting allegiances of the rebellion. With scores of people looking to them for leadership, personal desires must be put aside. But as Ettian steps in to lead the rebellion against Gal's mother, the young men begin to question what they're fighting for. With multiple betrayals—including by their over-the-top former classmates, the Wraiths—and several lifetimes worth of politics shadowing them, the men must find a way out of conflict and into peace. And, as ever, their mutual friend Wen Iffan, a scarred Corinthian street-rat, proves an integral part to every wild adventure either man dreams up. Readers will easily jump back into the complex political machinations of Skrutskie's beautifully detailed world. Though the back-and-forth betrayals make the middle drag a bit, Skrutskie handily sticks the landing. Series fans are sure to be pleased. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary (June)