Heaven's Queen

This was an exciting end to a fun series. It started out a little slower then the middle book but once the action started it did not let up and for the most part I found the conclusion to be very satisfying. My only problem was more about characters acting in a way I didn't want them to even though I feel they were acting in character, so I don't think this a fair criticism of the book, in fact I feel my reaction showed me how invested I was in the characters. And I really did end up caring what happened to all of them, even the side characters.

And as in the first two books I juts love the universe she has created, every little new bit just adds to the feeling of it being real and touchable and I so want to read more books set here. show more

This is a fun series, a rollicking old school feeling science fiction action/adventure with a bit of romance, well more than a bit, but the romance really didn't get in the way of the story. If I were going to try and introduce someone to science fiction who had never read it before, these would be on my list of books to recommend. show less

I read the first 2 chapters and skimmed the last couple of chapters.

This series started off with a great book 1 -- strong heroine, fun and frothy SF adventure into space -- then fell off a cliff. People went from unusual archetypes into flattened cardboard, hitting plot points like a pin ball, rapidly and without much texture or detail.

Issues I had:

- Continuation of insta-love between Devi and Rupert. I found it unbearable. I have no idea why they are drawn to each other -- such different personality, such different life experience, such different life goals. These are not insurmountable differences, but then I must be shown the process through which they overcome these differences. I did not get that.

- Characters motivation more often show more told than shown, often yelled as they are fighting off unspeakable odds.

- Human characters virtually immune to damage via "cheats" like high-tech suits, symbiont virus that grants immortality, medical repair facilities that can heal virtually all injuries, as well as suit repair factories that can make damaged suits almost-new.

- No true difference between the true aliens, let alone the cultural differences between Terrans and Paradoxians.

Sigh. show less

Absolutely 100% loved this book with every fiber of my being. Glorious, appropriate ending to a glorious crazy ride.



(let's continue the trend of how I open these reviews eh?) So you're a kick ass merc who, through no fault of your own find yourself flung through hyperspace unguided with the ship mate you formerly was repulsed by, but found out you share an intense relationship with that he wiped from your memory for your own good just so you wouldn't be chased from one end of universe to the other. Luck being the bitch it is you run into your former lover (who told you about the cursed ship that landed you in this mess), your former captain is part of the detail that is hunting you down and shooting first, asking questions later and oh show more yeah that pesky attraction to Rupert....

What would you do? Well if you're Deviana Morris you threaten EVERYONE within an inch of their lives and then do the reckless thing just because you can.

Please let us take a moment to mourn for Lady Gray, who valiantly and without fear fought with Devi through everything. Never once faltering and always, always being the wind beneath her wings. Even more then Rupert.

As the final book in what was a roller coaster thrill ride of a trilogy, I was hopeful this would live up to all my expectations. Bach has, through this trilogy and her fantasy series (under Rachel Aaron), never given me room to doubt that she will end with a bang. Her characters don't know what "quiet" or "subtle" even means quite frankly. Even the ones who claim they do (looking at you Rupert). And since Devi is hell of a lot more of a ACTION YEAH chick then anyone in the Eli Monpress books ever was, I expected a lot of explosions and fighting.

Bach didn't disappoint.

Let's get this out of the way--awwww Rupert! That man...he's just...there are no words for this man that would do him justice. Not since Valek have I been so enamored of a fictional guy before. He could literally do NO wrong in my (or Devi's apparently) book. Shady past? Big deal. Shady present? Pfft who cares. A way with words that could charm a girl out of her Paradoxian armor quicker then you could say "Sacred King"? Oh my sainted stars.

I liked that Bach had Devi seriously consider every angle about what being Rupert would mean. She doesn't take any of it lightly and doesn't allow Rupert to underestimate her. When Devi wants something nothing in the universe will stop her from having it. Her dream of being a Devestator led her to join a cursed ship with a 100% turn over rate on security personal for crying out loud. The two finally communicating on equal terms did a lot to making me handwave some of their less then smart moments.

The resolution to Devi's problem, as well as the Phantom problem and the Daughter system and Ma'at and even Rupert's issues was so freaking easy I almost laughed. Not that getting it done was easy, but the actual trigger was really easy. At one point Caldswell says that they should have just talked to Rupert and Devi and worked with them instead of fighting with them. Well duh.

And Devi is, as always, marvelous. Whether its when she's fighting to stay calm (her mother always said her anger would be the death of her), struggling to understand the Phantoms or having a truly divine moment Devi is Devi. Her choice is almost always 'hit it until it stops', but you know what? You can't argue with what works. show less

4.5 stars.

The conclusion to the Paradox series. Devi and Rupert come out of jump space (I *may* be thinking of Babylon 5. Light speed? Light space?) a year after they enter it, even though for them, not much time has passed. Not knowing the lay of the land, they head to an outpost farming planet. Once they find out what has been happening in the year since they (and the good ship Glorious Fool) disappeared, they determine a plan of action. Things devolve and evolve from there, including Devi's understanding of the phantoms and Maat.

So, I completely understand reviewers who were put off by all the romance in this one. Because there was quite a bit. And it wasn't really good romance, more of a "well, there wasn't much to speak of in the show more first two books, so let's cram it all into this last one" type of romance. That's not to say that I didn't believe it, or wasn't here for it, but I found it annoying how often it was mentioned, how moony Devi got over Rupert, and how it dictated how she acted in a way that, while it didn't feel foreign to her character (for me, at least), did feel a smidge overdone and a little far-fetched. Other than that quibble, and the fact that I thought everything came together much too neatly in the end, I did enjoy the book.
I did have an issue with Caldswell, though. The fact that, even in the face of evidence and desperation, he stuck to the original plan and wouldn't deviate to the point of hindering Devi and Rupert made me fuming mad. So mad that I had a couple of discourses with myself about stodgy old men who should be put out to pasture if they are not willing to at least try something new. I mean, isn't that what evolution is all about? And invention? If we never try something new, especially if the old thing isn't exactly working, or is working stupidly what is the point? I mean, we aren't still walking everywhere we go, because we haven't tamed horses and oxen yet. Progress is a thing. Change is a thing. And not in the "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose" way, but actual change. I also had an issue with the willingness to do nothing and sacrifice, because I feel like that is a slippery slope. You're going to lose more and more people and races, and for what? Appeasement? I mean, Donne wrote "every man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind." I do understand that telling everyone would create widespread panic and chaos, but something good might have come out of it, too. I mean, some of those people that were blithely allowed to be exterminated could maybe have come up with a working solution that didn't involve phantom fodder. I think that the biggest thing that I had an issue with was the fact that they didn't even try to find an alternate solution, just kept sacrificing souls. And I didn't like that Caldswell didn't get any comeuppance. Again, I know that he had the backing of everyone, but couldn't he have lost an eye or a limb or crew he didn't want to lose? It just felt anticlimactic in that someone who did great harm to many, many beings, still got to live his life while others didn't. show less

Spoilers clearly marked.




I'm so sad about this one and I so looked forward to it. Why an author would take an unconventional, strong, ballsy, in-your-face heroine from a place of strength and rebellion to a place of constantly fussing and obsessing over some dude is beyond me. This series went from kick-ass, adventurous Sci-fi with a side of romance to Cheesy Generic Romance with a side of Sci-fi.

I read 30% of this and 26% of it was spent focused solely on relationship drama. I had hoped that the focus would shift to more pressing matters from then on, but from what I'm hearing around the way, it doesn't get much better. There's a very big focus on this very flat romance that overpowers all the other elements.

But there's more than show more that. There's also a random "love triangle" thrown in there. Although, I guess I shouldn't call it random, because it wasn't anyone new. I'm also loathe to call it an actual triangle, because Devi wanted nothing to do with the guy. She proved that by being a complete dick to him. So, I'll just call it a three-person sitamation.

When Devi was in a very desperate place in book one and she was in danger with no one to turn to, she called Anthony. It took a while, but now he shows up for her in a big way. He risked his life to come for her. She was involved with this man for years! Does Devi show a lick of gratitude? No. Not even a lick.

Fine, Devi. You don't love Anthony. Fine. But he loves you. He came for you when you called in desperation. He even stood up to Rupert, a symbiont. The very creature that Anthony fears. This guy has big balls and he's got heart. You repay him for his love and loyalty by treating him horribly and mocking him for having his ship confiscated by Rupert? You MOCK him? That wasn't just "petty," as you called it. That was FUCKED UP.

Fucking dick move, Devi. I honestly couldn't believe she behaved this way. I couldn't let it go. I haven't let it go. It's left such a bad taste in my mouth. That one incident managed to shit on everything good I felt about Devi throughout the series. I hate that it's happened this way, but I can't help it. There are things you should do and things you shouldn't do. That was fucked up.

Am I the only one who really liked the other dude? It's very telling that the other dude made a more lasting impression on me in a few pages than wet blanket Rupert does in 3 books. Not to mention that Rupert killed Devi in the last book. FFS.

And then. Lawd, and then, to add insult to injury, we get treated to never ending comparisons between the two dudes. Just ridiculous comparisons made only to try and endear the reader to Rupert who's not that fucking likable, dammit. You know how I know he's not that likable? Because so much frikkin time has to be spent trying to convince you that he's awesome so late in the series. It's the last book. Rather than go on and on in book 3 about how great he really is, why weren't we just shown throughout? Blergh.

Rupert is so romanticized, that he's reduced to this weak-ass, sniveling, crying fool that is the complete opposite of the supposed badass Rupert of the first two books.

I can't begin to tell you how incredibly disappointing all of this is. Specifically, because book #1 was so good. It was unique, interesting, fun, suspenseful and riveting. No exaggeration. It was a really good book. I was really excited to recommend it to everyone, but now, I'm not so sure. Not when disappointment is just over the horizon. =/




show less

I really had high hopes for this series - I really, really liked the first two installments. But I have to say - I was kind of bored with this last one. I kept sort of thinking, yadda yadda yadda, GET ON WITH IT ALREADY. There was really just nothing left to do in this book - no big reveals, no changing of the story, it was basically just follow-through/clean-up set up for the earlier books. I wish that she'd just had a better editor and condensed books two and three into one book. I loved the world she built, but I felt let down by some of the characters. Mabel? How is this the same person that was introduced in book one? By book three she's just a thug with no dialogue and no personality. Basil? We get one tiny glimpse of him ruffling show more his feathers. I don't know. I was just hoping for something a little more...satisfying. show less

Finding a series where the momentum of the first book carries through to next and beyond is pretty special, and when you find one, you know it’s a keeper. The tone of Heaven’s Queen is in keeping with the fast-paced, and action-filled rollicking good fun of the previous two books in the trilogy, and literally ends things in an explosively spectacular manner. You really don’t want to mess with protagonist Deviana “Devi” Morris; that’s just like an invitation for bodily harm and extensive property damage.

Hot-headed and not one to hide the fact, Devi is an even bigger force to be reckoned with when she’s angry -- especially with a deadly alien virus in her system. Through no fault of her own, she has gotten herself tangled show more up in multiple government conspiracies, had her private memories screwed with, and on top of that she’s on the run with what feels like practically everyone in the universe on her heels. In other words, just another average day in the life of our main character. Thing is, stubborn and reckless as she may be, Devi just wants to do the right thing. And that’s just a little tough to do when everyone is standing in the way and you have no idea who to trust.

But actually, there is one person Devi can count on, and that is Rupert Charkov, the man she once thought of as only the Glorious Fool’s cook, but now knows is a lot more than he appears. Those who have been interested in following the progression of the Devi-Rupert relationship (and I include myself in this group) will be happy to see their romance resolved in here, after a fashion. In any case, there’s no more ambiguity when it comes to where they stand, not like there was in the last book. In fact, I would say this one lays on the romance more thickly than either of the two novels that came before. That in itself isn’t a surprise; the romantic side-plot has been growing steadily in importance over the course of the series, so it’s only natural to see it come to fruition. What I hadn’t expected to see though was so much romantic drama in the first half of the novel.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If there’s one thing to take away from these books it is that Rachel Bach/Rachel Aaron never does things by halves. That’s the beauty of the trilogy. Everything about it is larger than life, from the in-your-face main character and her sexy and suave love interest to the amazing planets and exotic aliens, the twisty plot and the danger and thrills. It’s pure candy for the mind, and perhaps it’s fitting for the romance to be a little over-the-top as well, though definitely not overbearing.

A positive side effect of this is that Devi’s feelings for Rupert has added a layer of complexity to her character (it wouldn’t be love if it didn’t at least alter her perspective of herself of the world a little bit!) and to me that makes her more than just a trigger-happy merc. There are many ways for a woman to be strong and Devi prides herself on her independence, physical strength and military expertise, and while she is aware of her own faults she is also not ashamed of them. It’s true she’s not always agreeable or makes the best choices, but that’s Devi for you. She knows what she wants and won’t let anyone get in the way…not even herself. I love the fact that the foundation of who she doesn’t actually change all that much throughout the course of the story, and instead she adapts to changes in order to make the best out of a situation.

But what I guess readers really want to know is if this was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and I would say absolutely. If you’ve enjoyed the spirit and high-energy pacing of the previous books, you’ll likely enjoy Heaven’s Queen as well. The author pulls out all the stops for this one, with action scenes worthy of a summer Hollywood blockbuster as the line between friend and foe continues to be blurred and the last few chapters of this book are absolutely insane.

Not only are these books entertaining, they’re also super accessible and you definitely do not need to be a card-carrying reader of the sci-fi genre to appreciate the story. If you’re looking for an invigorating and adventurous read with plenty of excitement and some humor thrown in, I highly recommend these Paradox books. show less