Name: Heather Harrington's review of The Starless Crown by James Rollins
Item: The Starless Crown
Rating: 2
Author: Heather Harrington

James Rollins

An alliance embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of the distant past and save their world in this captivating, deeply visionary adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling thriller-master James Rollins. A gifted student foretells an apocalypse. Her reward is a sentence of death. Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of outcasts: A broken soldier, who once again takes up the weapons he’s forbidden to wield and carves a trail back home. A drunken prince, who steps out from his beloved brother's shadow and claims a purpose of his own. An imprisoned thief, who escapes the crushing dark and discovers a gleaming artifact - one that will ignite a power struggle across the globe. On the run, hunted by enemies old and new, they must learn to trust each other in order to survive in a world evolved in strange, beautiful, and deadly ways, and uncover ancient secrets that hold the key to their salvation. But with each passing moment, doom draws closer. WHO WILL CLAIM THE STARLESS CROWN?

The Starless Crown

An alliance embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of the distant past and save their world in this captivating, deeply visionary adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling thriller-master James Rollins. A gifted student foretells an apocalypse. Her reward is a sentence of death. Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of outcasts: A broken soldier, who once again takes up the weapons he’s forbidden to wield and carves a trail back home. A drunken prince, who steps out from his beloved brother's shadow and claims a purpose of his own. An imprisoned thief, who escapes the crushing dark and discovers a gleaming artifact - one that will ignite a power struggle across the globe. On the run, hunted by enemies old and new, they must learn to trust each other in order to survive in a world evolved in strange, beautiful, and deadly ways, and uncover ancient secrets that hold the key to their salvation. But with each passing moment, doom draws closer. WHO WILL CLAIM THE STARLESS CROWN? At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Jasper

'Yes, I ordered my brother to be killed in the swamps. My father could never commit such an act. He has too generous a heart.' He tugged his soiled doublet over his head. 'In a king, such a charity of spirit might be a boon in times of peace, but it's a detriment with war now threatening.'  He undid the hooks on his upper leathers. 'Look at what such kindness has wrought my father. A second son who threatens chaos. Whether Kanthe does so willingly or unwittingly, it does not matter. Then there's the bastard daughter who should have been slain as soon as her mother's belly first began to swell. Even the mercy of my father's friendship with the knight Graylin now invites more broken oaths to the detriment of our kingdom.'  Anskar gurgled his dissent as he slumped to the stone floor.  'From here on out, I will be the death of such mercies.' Mikaen remembered his earlier promise to his father. 'I will be the lightning to my father's thunder. I will strike where death needs to be dealt. I will spare the king the necessity of cold ruthlessness. That is the son I shall be to my father.'

Anyaconda

I went into this thinking I would love it, but that wasn't the case. This book is 560 pages, and it felt like it took that many years to read it. I was so bored throughout the entire thing. There were so many characters to keep track of, and none felt fully developed, so I had a hard time keeping them all straight. The only one I was remotely interested in was Nyx. It also took a while for all the plotlines to come together, which made the beginning feel disjointed. Aside from that, it was as if Rollins threw in every fantasy trope he could think of, and so many details felt like something I had already read in other series. I'm bummed this didn't meet my expectations, and I doubt I'll be continuing with the series.

Heather Harrington

Jessica Coburn

Amanda

I could not stomach more than a few chapters. I should have known from the moment the author's foreword sent up red flags and alarm bells.

This book is so classically Modern White Male Author Writes The Next Great Novel that it could be a textbook case 

The author starts with a foreword explaining how this fantasy novel is not like other fantasy. This fantasy world is based in *Real Science*... Which he then proceeds to explains in excessive detail in the first chapter. Most of us learn about the earth's axis and elliptical orbit by the time we are 10, we hardly need it explained over again for us. 

The author's perspective seems to be that his science base makes it okay for him to write fantasy. It's not silly fantasy like other people write... He's Not Like Other Girls™ 🙄

His blind heroine is also Not Like Other Girls and we spend the opening chapters learning all about the bullying, abuse, and sexual assaults she receives at the hands of classmates and teachers because she's just a poor orphan blind girl. I left in the third chapter when she was being chased and assaulted by her classmates at the behest of her teachers.

I'm uncomfortable, bored, and rolling my eyes. Mr Rollins has not reinvented sci-fi/Fantasy, he's just revisiting the worst of the genre.

The single star is for the narrator of the audiobook who did an excellent job with what she was given.

This was a Netgalley ARC provided by the publishers

Sally Salinas

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-audiobook arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Starless Crown

Author: James Rollins

Book Series: Moon Fall Book 1

Rating: 2/5

Recommended For...: can’t recommend, DNF

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: Dystopian

Age Relevance: can’t recommend, DNF

Publisher: Tor Books

Pages: 560

Synopsis: A gifted student foretells an apocalypse. Her reward is a sentence of death.

Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of outcasts:

A broken soldier, who once again takes up the weapons he’s forbidden to wield and carves a trail back home.

A drunken prince, who steps out from his beloved brother's shadow and claims a purpose of his own.

An imprisoned thief, who escapes the crushing dark and discovers a gleaming artifact - one that will ignite a power struggle across the globe.

On the run, hunted by enemies old and new, they must learn to trust each other in order to survive in a world evolved in strange, beautiful, and deadly ways, and uncover ancient secrets that hold the key to their salvation.

But with each passing moment, doom draws closer.

WHO WILL CLAIM THE STARLESS CROWN?

Review: I had to DNF this read at 20%. The book wasn’t grabbing my attention and it had a lot of things that started to kind of trigger me. The book had a ton of exposition, but the plot didn’t feel like it was going anywhere. And while I do like the characters overall, nothing is just making me want to read this one.

Verdict: It’s not for me, but maybe for you!


If Kanthe and Jace aren't endgame in this series I dont want the rest of it

Sahi K

Probably more of a 3.5 but I’m rounding up. 

CW: childbirth, bullying, brain manipulation 

James Rollins is an author I’ve been reading for more than a decade now and every year, I find a lot of joy in picking up the next Sigma Force novel. So when I saw that he was getting back to fantasy after many many years, I knew I had to read it. And I was ecstatic when I got the arc of this one. And it definitely was an interesting read. 

This was a tough going for the first few chapters. I hadn’t even bothered to read the premise of the book because I trust the author so much, so I went into it without knowing a word and I guess I felt a little lost in the beginning. But once the first three POVs were introduced and we got to know them a little bit, the story took up speed and then it was a breeze through. I think I also had a bit of difficulty following the various names of kingdoms, gods, creatures, peoples etc initially but I slowly got accustomed to remembering only the ones necessary for the ongoing immediate plot. The pacing, the multiple POVs converging together, the elaborate action set pieces involving lots of firepower, various fantastical creatures, and a world whose prophecied apocalypse is a bit reminiscent of our climate change issues - any veteran reader of Rollins will recognize all these elements which are always present in his books and I think it was this familiarity that pushed me to continue until I fell in love with the characters and their goals. My main gripe remains the various descriptions of generous bosoms and breasts which just felt so unnecessary in the circumstances the characters were going through. 

I’m used to getting right into the thick of the plot in Rollins’s novels because I already know all the major characters too well for more than ten years now. So I think it took me time to get myself attached to these new ones. But the wait was totally worth it. Nyx’s story is one of family and hope and love, who is inadvertently pushed on a path of danger when she sees a prophecy of an impending apocalypse. What I admired about her though is her bravery and dedication to her goal despite any adversity, and her endearing bond with Bashaalia and Aamon. She is aptly supported by her friend Jace who may be a well of bookish knowledge but will do anything to protect her. 

Kanthe is second son of the King, forever doomed to be the forgotten member of the family, with no expectations set on him. And he seems content playing that role until he realizes he is in a fight for survival - both of himself and the world. I was slightly miffed that he kept having feelings for Nyx despite their being a possibility that she was his half sister, but hopefully that confusion resolves soon. I’m just not sure I like this love triangle though, but thankfully Nyx doesn’t have time for these boys when she has her brother to take care of and a world to save. 

Rhaif and Pratik were characters I didn’t really feel much connected to for a long time until I realized how much they were doing to protect Shiya and ensure that she arrives at her destination. Shiya is definitely the most special one here and I don’t wanna say more about her lest I spoil the fun. Frell is an alchemyst like Pratik and despite being old, he is a good voice of reason for Kanthe as well as the whole group, determined to bring the truth to light even if it gets him killed. And finally Graylin, the disgraced knight exiled from civilization who has to come back to his homeland to confront someone from his past and maybe makeup for all the grief he has caused and experienced. 

There are also many other side characters, some of whose POVs we do get, and many of them antagonists who only care about increasing their power and maybe win wars against neighboring kingdoms but have no care for the fact that their world might be ending soon. I’m hoping they’ll all get their comeuppance for being so narcissistic and power hungry, and in a few cases downright even, but I’m sure I’ll have to wait for the last book of this series for that to happen. 

In the end, this was an interesting new world with lots of perspectives and characters, their various ambitions and destinies driving the journeys they undertake which we get to follow along, and many many gruesome as well as endearing creatures who inspire awe while reading. This is quite an adventurous novel, reminiscent of the author’s most famous series and I can only hope the next one will be even better. Thankfully it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger and is pretty satisfying, so I think this wait might not be very painful.

danielle bush

I thought the narration for this story was excellent. Nicola Barber really drew me in with the way she told this story and I hope she does the next book as well.  

This is a sci-fi/ fantasy following 3 different groups of people, that while they don't realize it until they all meet up are working towards the same goal. The main person in the first group we follow is Nix. After in incident with her fellow classmates who pretty much try and kill her Nix has a vision. A vision of the world ending.. While I did like all of the characters and animal companions Nix is definitely a favorite. She has learned how to navigate the world blind, and now she has seen this horrible thing happen in her mind, and she knows that  somehow she has to figure out a way to stop it.. 

This is an epic fantasy that has alot of world building and introducing alot of characters. Thankfully each character has their own sections which makes it alot easier to see who were following next. It was action packed, and kept you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out where the story was going next.. also what creature was going to pop out and try and kill everyone.. It was totally atmospheric, you felt like you were with each group of people as they are on their journeys.. through the swamp, the  woods, on an airship ( which was completly awsome) and underground through a labrynth of tunnels. 

I really enjoyed this story and will absolutely be checking out the next book in this series.. I need to know how the end of the world is going to be stopped! Also reading more by this james Rollins and Nicola Barber whom I had never read or heard before this book. 

Thank you so much to Macmillian Audio for letting me listen to this book!

Anyaconda &
The Starless Crown by James Rollins

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