"a gripping, science fiction read with incredible, complex world-building"
In the future, humanity has split into three different
factions: the Allied Worlds of Earth, the Skolian
Empirate, and the Trader Empire. After a bitter war
between the Skolian Empirate and the Trader Empire, the
Allied Worlds struggles to keep their neutrality. In an
effort to keep their finger in the politics of the Skolian
Empirate, the Allied Worlds keep Prince Kurj-Del Arden
Valdoria kya Skolia, a prince of the Skolian royal family,
as their "guest". Del doesn't like being a "guest" much, but he doesn't
particularly wish to return to his family, who considers
him something of a screw-up. What Del really wants is to
play his music on his own terms and become self-sufficient,
but it will be hard trying to navigate the politics of the
three factions and the cutthroat world of the music
business. DIAMOND STAR is a gripping, science fiction read with
incredible, complex world-building and a great romance to
add spice. While there is a romance between Del and Ricki,
a music executive, the main focus of the story is Del.
Del, who feels very insecure, especially when he compares
himself to the other overachievers in his family, is
determined to forge a life for himself and hopefully, show
his family that he has worth on his own terms. Del's
struggle and triumph is awe-inspiring, and even though it
has been several days since I finished the last page,
DIAMOND STAR stays with me. Do yourself a favor and read
DIAMOND STAR, because it is a truly great science fiction
read.
Reviewed by Marlene Breakfield
Posted June 27, 2009
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***PNR REVIEWER TOP PICK*** Del was a rock singer. He was also the renegade son of the Ruby Dynasty, which made his career choice less than respectable, and gave him more to worry about than getting gigs and not getting cheated by recording companies, club owners, or his agent. For one thing, the Ruby Dynasty ruled the Skolian Imperialate, an interstellar Empire, which had recently had a war with another empire, the Eubian Concord. For another, Del was singing on Earth, which was part of a third interstellar civilization, and one which had an uneasy relationship with the Imperialate. Del undeniably had talent, and was rapidly rising from an unknown fringe artist to stardom. But, with his life entangled in the politics of three interstellar civilizations, whether he wanted that or not, talent might not be enough. And that factor might have much more effect than his music on the lives of trillions of people on the thousands of inhabited worlds across the galaxy. Genre: Science Fiction
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