Publishers Weekly
★ 11/28/2016
In a universe where the word for spaceship is the same as for world, two women struggle to escape a perpetual war in this dystopic yet hopeful space opera. Zan works to regain her memory of being the only survivor from a raid on a mystery ship, while stuck in a royal-court setting where she trusts no one but Jayd, her adoptive sister. Jayd, daughter and aide to the Lord Katazyrna, keeps her own secrets, including one that could turn Zan against her. Both are removed from their positions when the Katazyrna are ambushed by rivals, with Zan dropped down a recycler and Jayd taken as consort by the rival lord. Don’t be led astray by the gendered titles; this universe is populated entirely by women. Hugo-winner Hurley (Empire Ascendant) gives the reader little, with both protagonists unable or unwilling to explain much. As they encounter the surprising practices (including blood sacrifice, experimentation on live subjects, and hunting of genetic mutants) among the different layers of the world-ships, the reader shares their astonishment and anxiety. Hurley places herself squarely on the side of love and trust over hate and fear, even as she details how trust can be abused and love can be manipulated. She excels at keeping the reader involved and supportive of Zan and Jayd when they seem most lost, and even when they are most opposed to each other. This gripping book is both hard to read and easy to appreciate. (Feb.)
Omnivoracious - Adrian Lang
"A mesmerizing read.
Booklist
"Hurley takes the reader on an exciting and at times breathtaking journey through the world of her creation. This novel is highly recommended for anyone looking for an inventive and engaging science fiction experience."
Wired - Charlie Jane Anders
"A sweeping epic about a squad of starships—one that just happens to feature a cast of all female characters."
NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of Star Wars: Aftermath & the Miriam Black series - Chuck Wendig
"Grabs you like a gravity well and won’t let go. This is a dark, haunting, recursive tale, unlike any other space opera with which you’re familiar. Discovering Kameron Hurley’s work is like finding a whole new galaxy, and she is the star at its center."
, Powell’s Books - MaryJo Schimelpfenig
"A visceral, optimistic mash-up of new, weird, and grimdark science fiction that is a cracking good read. Hurley has really leveled up."
Hugo award-winning author of Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie
So, this is chock full of action and fights and battles and betrayals and political intrigue. And those world-ships? They are all biological. Nothing in this fleet is built, it’s all birthed, and there are tentacles and blood and mucous and body fluids everywhere. It’s kind of awesome fun. You should totally read it."
The Washington Post
Kameron Hurley has done it: She’s written a true space opera with no men in it. In a genre filled with generic portrayals of space, Hurley’s take is one-of-a-kind: equal parts love story and revenge tale, mixed with adventure science fiction and body horror.
The Chicago Tribune - Gary K. Wolfe
"One of the most unusual and powerfully disturbing space operas we're likely to see this year.
Popular Mechanics
"The Stars Are Legion is like a magnificent storm tearing through the genre."
bestselling author of The Old Man's War series and The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi
"One word will do it: Badass."
, Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Locus Award winner and author of THE GRACE OF KINGS - Ken Liu
"With mind-bending betrayals, heart-wrenching loves, souls and bodies driven to frenetic motion by war and hope, THE STARS ARE LEGION is a profoundly moving tale of self-discovery and self-construction in a world as wondrously layered as its unforge able protagonist."
, B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog - Joel Cunnigham
"The Stars Are Legion is poised to be Kameron Hurley's mainstream breakthrough, but apparently no one told her. It's unlike any space opera you’ve ever read—a bizarro blend of New Weird adventure, political thriller, and body horror; and an intimate examination of two deeply damaged women. It’s as visceral and violently angry as anything she's ever written, a ragged scream from the heart of a broken world—but one not past mending, if there are people brave enough to build a better one."
Popular Mechanics
"The Stars Are Legion is like a magnificent storm tearing through the genre."
Omnivoracious - -- Adrian Lang
"A mesmerizing read.
bestselling author of The Old Man's War series and The Collapsing Empire - -- John Scalzi
"One word will do it: Badass."
-- Booklist
"Hurley takes the reader on an exciting and at times breathtaking journey through the world of her creation. This novel is highly recommended for anyone looking for an inventive and engaging science fiction experience."
Hugo award-winning author of Ancillary Justice - -- Ann Leckie
So, this is chock full of action and fights and battles and betrayals and political intrigue. And those world-ships? They are all biological. Nothing in this fleet is built, it’s all birthed, and there are tentacles and blood and mucous and body fluids everywhere. It’s kind of awesome fun. You should totally read it."
, Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Locus Award winner and author of THE GRACE OF KINGS - — Ken Liu
"With mind-bending betrayals, heart-wrenching loves, souls and bodies driven to frenetic motion by war and hope, THE STARS ARE LEGION is a profoundly moving tale of self-discovery and self-construction in a world as wondrously layered as its unforge able protagonist."
-- The Washington Post
Kameron Hurley has done it: She’s written a true space opera with no men in it. In a genre filled with generic portrayals of space, Hurley’s take is one-of-a-kind: equal parts love story and revenge tale, mixed with adventure science fiction and body horror.
The Chicago Tribune - -- Gary K. Wolfe
"One of the most unusual and powerfully disturbing space operas we're likely to see this year.
, B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog - — Joel Cunnigham
"The Stars Are Legion is poised to be Kameron Hurley's mainstream breakthrough, but apparently no one told her. It's unlike any space opera you’ve ever read—a bizarro blend of New Weird adventure, political thriller, and body horror; and an intimate examination of two deeply damaged women. It’s as visceral and violently angry as anything she's ever written, a ragged scream from the heart of a broken world—but one not past mending, if there are people brave enough to build a better one."
, Powells Books - — MaryJo Schimelpfenig
"A visceral, optimistic mash-up of new, weird, and grimdark science fiction that is a cracking good read. Hurley has really leveled up."
-- Popular Mechanics
"The Stars Are Legion is like a magnificent storm tearing through the genre."
NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of Star Wars: Aftermath & the Miriam Black series - — Chuck Wendig
"Grabs you like a gravity well and won’t let go. This is a dark, haunting, recursive tale, unlike any other space opera with which you’re familiar. Discovering Kameron Hurley’s work is like finding a whole new galaxy, and she is the star at its center."
Wired - -- Charlie Jane Anders
"A sweeping epic about a squad of starships—one that just happens to feature a cast of all female characters."
From the Publisher
"This gripping book is both hard to read and easy to appreciate." ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review
Booklist
"Hurley takes the reader on an exciting and at times breathtaking journey through the world of her creation. This novel is highly recommended for anyone looking for an inventive and engaging science fiction experience."
From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY
"This gripping book is both hard to read and easy to appreciate." Publishers Weekly Starred Review
Library Journal
01/01/2017
Waking on a sickbed with scars and a muddled memory, Zan quickly realizes she is in a dangerous world at war. A woman named Jayd claims to be her sister and tells her she is needed. Anat, Lord of the Katazyrna, has been waging battle with her nearby rivals, the Bhavajas, and seeks to broker peace by giving Jayd to their leader. Jayd has her own schemes, however, and informs Zan that she is the only one who can successfully attack the nearby world-ship Mokshi, which holds the key to saving dying planets like Katazyrna. These world-ships are living tissue, and the residents are women who birth a variety of beings that the world needs, whether they be children or fleshy cogs or monstrous creatures. VERDICT Hurley's first foray into sf (her fantasies include the "Worldbreaker Saga," which began with The Mirror Empire), shows that the author hasn't lost any of her taste for exotically fantastic creations. Fans of unreliable narrators will enjoy puzzling out who owes loyalty to whom in this stand-alone. [See Prepub Alert, 8/22/16.]—MM