Beneath A Thousand Skies

Summary:

THE LAST FRAGMENTS OF THE HUMAN RACE ARE FORCED TO ADAPT TO A DANGEROUS NEW WORLD OR FACE EXTINCTION.

When starship mechanic, Denton Castus, is caught in the destructive path of a devastating war, he abandons his home and seeks refuge on a distant planet. However, this new safe haven has undiscovered threats of its own. Eliana Veston, a scout preparing the planet for the refugees, struggles with a deadly pandemic that is killing off colonists. The hunt for a cure unleashes a new threat to humanity—the Sirens—mysterious beings with incredible powers and a deep hatred for invaders.

In the Orbits of Sirens had crossed my path a couple of weeks before the opportunity to join this tour came up as I had been looking to try and pick up a little more in the way of Sci-Fi, and there was something about the cover that really caught my attention. The premise was also interesting and while we might not be facing the same threat that is the catalyst driving humanity to find a new world, it is something that should perhaps strike a chord given the dangers facing human existence at present – and not just because of the additional threat of ‘lung -lock’ that is facing the characters, which is even more relatable at the moment.

     Beyond this pressing relatability, what really stood out for me about In the Orbit of Sirens was the worldbuilding. Bruno has done a fantastic job in creating the universe for this book, and it is impossible not to be caught up in the sheer breadth and depth of what he has created here. Kamaria has some similarities with Earth in which to ground us, but from there Bruno has well and truly made it his own, from the flora and fauna to the physical, geographical features of the planet that create a beautiful, otherworldly feeling with just the right amount of menace, and some beautiful descriptions. I also really enjoyed the Auk’nai – humanoid telepathic birds – which were a well-fleshed out race, with their own culture and traditions. Then there are the titular Sirens, who had fascinating lore and were one of the eerier parts of the world and very well done.

    The characters were a major driving force in this book, and we follow them across time and space, particularly through the viewpoints of Denton and Eliana. Bruno has created a broad cast of characters around the main POV characters and done a good job of giving them individuality and unique voices, while also developing their relationships and skills. There was a good blend of character moments and action throughout the book, although particularly once the main storyline combined, as I found Denton’s storyline took a little while to get into the flow, and his viewpoint was possibly the one I struggled with most. Of the main perspectives, it was actually the third – that of Raolin – that was my favourite, in part because the situation he was in was very different to the other character’s and it was great seeing it unfold, and he was possibly the most complex mess of all the characters, and I found myself looking forward to his parts.

     Overall, this is a fast-paced book that sweeps you along, there is a lot of action, although it’s always story-orientated and moving the characters and the narrative forward. There are times when I feel that it could have done with having a few more slower moments, but those that we do are well done and are both moments of character development and a chance for the reader to catch their breath The writing matched the pacing, and I felt it shone particularly well in the action moments, and there was something almost cinematic about those moments that really hooked you in. There were a few places, usually outside of the action, that it felt a little awkward, but those moments were few and far between, and easily made up for by the action and the descriptions of the world that Bruno has created.

    Overall In the Orbit of Sirens was a fun read, and each page felt like an adventure and it’s easy to lose yourself in this fast-paced, action-packed adventure.