Name: Starless
ISBN: 9780765386823

Jacqueline Carey

"Destined from birth to serve as protector of the princess Zariya, Khai is trained in the arts of killing and stealth by a warrior sect in the deep desert; yet there is one profound truth that has been withheld from him"--Book jacket.

Starless

Sunny

A really enjoyable read with a diverse cast of characters. I love the representation of a non-binary main character, as well as how strong the disabled character was, she was so inspiring and lovely and I loved their interactions greatly.

I wasn't sure going in how I felt about the idea of Gods being present beings walking the earth but man, was my mind changed. Each god was handled so well and fit so well into the world that you really got a feel for how large and powerful they were, and how reverent the masses were of their individual deities.

As expected with Carey's writing, it's beautiful and easy to get lost in, and I loved every moment of it. The world is vast and sprawling and this is apparent even though it is kept to Marabhat in the first half of the book. When they take to the Seas and we finally get to see these foreign lands in person, you really begin to see the love and care put into building this world unfold.

My only issue was that the last 1/4 of the book felt so rushed and everything was packed in, compared to the pace of the first part. I actually thought for the longest time that this was going to be a series/duology until it got to later on and the pace accelerated so much.

Jacqueline Carey is back with an amazing adventure not seen since her New York Times bestselling Kushiel's Legacy series. Lush and sensual, Starless introduces us to an epic world where exiled gods live among us, and a hero whose journey will resonate long after the last page is turned. I was nine years old the first time I tried to kill a man... Destined from birth to serve as protector of the princess Zariya, Khai is trained in the arts of killing and stealth by a warrior sect in the deep desert; yet there is one profound truth that has been withheld from him. In the court of the Sun-Blessed, Khai must learn to navigate deadly intrigue and his own conflicted identity...but in the far reaches of the western seas, the dark god Miasmus is rising, intent on nothing less than wholesale destruction. If Khai is to keep his soul’s twin Zariya alive, their only hope lies with an unlikely crew of prophecy-seekers on a journey that will take them farther beneath the starless skies than anyone can imagine.

Micchi von Cross

This book was incredible to read. A solid story, with a fast-paced climax that left me a little breathless, and a bittersweet resolution that touched my heart. The characters were all vibrant and felt very alive, with motivations and reactions that felt very realistic.

(view spoiler)[The main character's journey being bhazim really hit home with me as an intersex person, especially as one who only learned the truth later in life. (hide spoiler)]

Judy McClure

Laura

As usual, excellent story telling from Carey. Like her Kushiel series, this one will be reread many times.