10/26/2020
The intricate royal protocol of The Crown intertwines with the adventure of Louis McMasters Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga series in Maxwell’s gorgeously plotted LGBTQ space opera debut. After Prince Taam of icy planet Iskan V dies, his wayward, charismatic cousin Prince Kiem is drafted into a political marriage to Taam’s flinchingly self-effacing widower, Thean Count Jainan. Through their marriage, Kiem and Jainan hope to salvage Iskan’s imperial treaty with Thea and satisfy a visiting galactic superpower that Iskan is stable enough to continue accessing the faster-than-light link network—and through it the wider universe. But when Taam’s death proves suspicious and secrets about his past come to light, Jainan and Kiem must navigate both their budding mutual attraction and the political minefield surrounding the treaties binding worlds. Maxwell’s plot elegantly combines clan politics, galactic power struggles, and marriage dynamics, though the delicate handling of abuse and trauma—enabled by Kiem’s un-self-conscious sweetness in his relationship with the skittish Jainan—gives way to heavy-handed melodrama in the story’s climax. Despite the soapy conclusion, this exciting adventure is sure to win Maxwell many fans. (Feb.)
A Sunday Times Bestseller!
A 2022 Alex Award Winner!
Locus 2021 Reading List
“High-pitched noises escaped me; I shouted, more than once, 'Now kiss!' ... in a world so relentlessly uncertain, there’s a powerfully simple pleasure in the experience of a promise kept.” —The New York Times Book Review
“[Winter's Orbit features] that compelling dynamic best summed up as 'the grumpy one' (Jainan) and 'the sunshine one' (Kiem)... This is fertile ground for the tropiest of misunderstandings, compounded by our heroes' own self-loathing baggage.... when these sensitive boys figure out what actually makes their match work, that's when sparks fly.” —NPR
“Delightful! Winter's Orbit is a chilling account of a dark past wrapped in the warm blanket of a promising future. It was such a pleasure to read.” —Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning novel Ancillary Justice
“The characters are charming, the plot pleasantly tangled, and Maxwell's sharp, confident writing makes her space opera hum with energy.” —Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor
“Maxwell's delightful debut will please science fiction and romance readers alike, telling a slow burn of a relationship fraught with high stakes and action.” —Library Journal, starred review
“I feel personally attacked by how good Winter’s Orbit was.” —Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
“As romantic as it is suspenseful....this book will be hard to put down.” —Popsugar
“A deftly woven tale of political intrigue, all with a galactic treaty on the line. Maxwell's Winter's Orbit is a stunning new space opera debut, striking with all the skill of a master staff wielder. I hope there is more Kiem and Jainan to come!” —K.B. Wagers, author of Out Past the Stars
"A dazzling and comforting story of galactic politics, healing and romance. Its characters stayed with me long after I raced through the last chapters." —Aliette de Bodard, Nebula Award-winning author of The Tea Master and the Detective
“A fun, sexy space adventure with protagonists that made me laugh out loud. I devoured it.” —S. A. Chakraborty, bestselling author of The City of Brass
“At the heart of Winter's Orbit is an argument about healing, honesty, and the nature of trust and power. Well-paced and deftly written, it's one of the most enjoyable space (or planetary) opera romances that I've had the pleasure to read, and I look forward to seeing more of Maxwell's work in the years to come.” —Locus
"Winter's Orbit manages the incredible feat of being the slow burn 'sad spaceboys in love' romance of your dreams, while also being a gripping political thriller. Maxwell has built a deeply-layered and fascinating universe filled with alien tech, complex imperial politics, and perilous intergalactic diplomacy. I stayed up all night reading, desperately rooting for Kiem and Jainan to finally hold hands and save the day." —Lina Rather, author of Sisters of the Vast Black
“A captivating love story with engaging characters, wrapped around a murder mystery with high-stakes multi-world politics. Winter’s Orbit reminds me in the best way of the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. I can’t wait to see what Maxwell does next!” —Martha Wells, New York Times bestselling author of the Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning Murderbot Diaries
"Everina Maxwell's writing has everything you could ask: impossible choices, divided loyalties, dry wit, and operatic struggle with bureaucracy. I don't know how she's managed to write a book that's simultaneously an elegant comedy of manners, a charming slow-burn romance, and an adventure in space politics, but whatever her secret, I'm wildly envious." —A. K. Larkwood, author of The Unspoken Name
"Everina Maxwell is brilliant at creating atmosphere and drama. Her light touch and considering eye are applied thoughtfully, warmly, and yet without mercy to the failures of an interstellar bureaucracy and the people who both make those failures happen; to the difficulties of diplomatic ties between planets that rely on personal ties between human beings; to the ways people try to get what they want from each other, and the ways they fail to understand each other. The combination of sweeping space opera backdrop and real human drama is as compelling as it comes." —Emily Tesh, author of Silver in the Wood
“Maxwell's witty dialogue, tender characterizations and portrayal of diverse gender identities should quickly win her a devoted fanbase.” —Shelf Awareness
“Everina Maxwell’s debut novel, Winter’s Orbit, is anything but frigid. This queer science fiction romance astounds not only through its believable, multilayered character development, but also in the eons of intergalactic political and cultural history.” —Bookpage
“This exciting adventure is sure to win Maxwell many fans.” —Publishers Weekly
“Suggest this to fans of Katherine Addison’s The Goblin Emperor (2014) or N. K. Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (2010). Recommended for teens who enjoy exciting romantic adventures with some soft science fiction elements, especially those looking for LGBTQ representation.” —Booklist
★ 01/01/2021
The Iskat Empire has continued its control through treaties and political marriages on each of its vassal planets. When Imperial Prince Taam is killed in a horrible accident, the Emperor knows she must quickly re-establish the connections, especially before the Auditor arrives to reapprove the treaties and ensure peace for years to come. The Emperor decides to marry Taam's widower, Jainan, to her playboy grandson, Kiem, much to Kiem's chagrin. Politics were never his focus, and now to be married to a man he does not even know? Kiem's arrival on Thea reveals some hidden truths, including the fact that Taam's death may not have been an accident, and Jainan is the primary suspect. As the light shines brighter on their marriage and their pasts, Kiem and Jainan must find a way to discover the answers before their relationship crumbles—along with the entire Iskat Empire. While the story contains themes of emotional and physical abuse in relationships, it brings a galaxy of gender and sexual choice, balancing the dark with light. VERDICT Maxwell's delightful debut will please science fiction and romance readers alike, telling a slow burn of a relationship fraught with high stakes and action.—Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
Narrator Raphael Corkhill deftly navigates a range of situations and voices in this novel, a blend of romance, mystery, and space opera. In order to secure an important treaty, Prince Kiem is commanded by his grandmother, the emperor, to marry Count Jainan, the widower of Kiem’s late cousin. Soon after, they find themselves at the center of messy interplanetary politics. Corkhill voices Kiem in a loud, boisterous tone that perfectly matches his outgoing personality. Jainan’s sections are quieter and more reserved, reflecting his careful approach to life. In addition, Corkhill employs a range of accents to differentiate the many secondary characters. A satisfying love story with plenty of political machinations, this audiobook will please fans of romance and sci-fi alike. L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Narrator Raphael Corkhill deftly navigates a range of situations and voices in this novel, a blend of romance, mystery, and space opera. In order to secure an important treaty, Prince Kiem is commanded by his grandmother, the emperor, to marry Count Jainan, the widower of Kiem’s late cousin. Soon after, they find themselves at the center of messy interplanetary politics. Corkhill voices Kiem in a loud, boisterous tone that perfectly matches his outgoing personality. Jainan’s sections are quieter and more reserved, reflecting his careful approach to life. In addition, Corkhill employs a range of accents to differentiate the many secondary characters. A satisfying love story with plenty of political machinations, this audiobook will please fans of romance and sci-fi alike. L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
