The language is over the top and not needed. Why so much cursing? I want to read a story, not just cuss words! I get so frustrated with a would=be-good tale that is over powered by lack of words to convey things with, and instead just fill it up with junk. The MC's felt stifled and like cookie cutters for current agendas instead of being real and true characters. I tried so hard to like this, but it wasn't possible. It's hard to not one star it, but I know it's hard to get a book done.

Thanks Net Galley, this was a good try that just didn't fit me.

Helluva good read.
This is space opera par excellence.
It's clear the author is having fun with this one, hitting all the notes of pulp SF. It's "great literature" only in the sense of perfectly capturing the genre.

This was a middle-of-the-road read for me. While I liked a lot of aspects, there were some things I disliked, and overall, I just didn't feel strongly enough about the book to really warrant adding an in-depth review to the blog.

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October 10, 2019 robwolfbooks
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Opponents Battle Over What it Means to be Human in John Birmingham’s First Space Opera The Cruel Stars

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After authoring more than 30 books, including memoirs, military science fiction, alternate histories, and a book of writing advice, John Birmingham was ready to try his hand at the sweeping and dramatic science fiction sub-genre known as space opera.

But you’d never know The Cruel Stars (Del Rey, 2019) is his first attempt at epic, interstellar, battle-of-the-ages storytelling. His deft hand has produced a tightly paced, suspenseful, and bitingly funny adventure full of wild military tech, high-stakes conflict, and five eloquent characters.

“I’m a huge fan of the [space opera] genre, but it took me a while to get the confidence to write my own,” Birmingham told me in our conversation on New Books in Science Fiction.

The conflict at the core of The Cruel Stars pits the Sturm—who believe with Nazi-like conviction in keeping humans “pure,” i.e. free of genetic or technological enhancements—against the rest of humanity.

“I very much based [the Sturm] on the ultra-right, which was coming to scary prominence as I was first putting this book together. But in a way, the system against which they set themselves isn’t particularly pretty either.”

Set in the far future, the story follows multiple protagonists: a scrappy lieutenant who suddenly finds herself commanding a powerful warship, a pre-pubescent princess on the run from the Sturm, a sharp-shooting pirate, a centuries-old, reclusive and foul-mouthed war hero, and a prisoner convicted of treason whose computer-generated soul is facing permanent “deletion.”

Each character has a distinct voice and unique challenges. Princess Alessia, for example, transforms overnight from a coddled heir to an embattled leader while war hero Admiral Frazer McLennan must finally confront the guilt he feels for decisions he made hundreds of years ago when he last battled the Sturm.

But the story’s center of gravity is Lucinda Hardy, the lieutenant-turned-commander. “Hers is the story I want to investigate most of all,” Birmingham says. “She grew up poor, and she finds herself moving through rarefied and powerful centers of society. Early on, one of the other characters tells her ‘You don’t belong here.’ And the thing that she has to come to terms with over the course of her story is whether or not she does.”

The Cruel Stars, which came out in August, is the first installment of a planned trilogy.

A decent military science fiction space opera book.Rather timely upon in its release with the political climate. There is very little context given in this book as to to why the "Sturm" lost. The characters can be grating but most people in life have their moments of being just aggravating to you. Has multiple POV which seems to becoming more common in books. Wish the the language had less scatological obsessions.

I was really excited to read this book. The premise looked great but in the end, it really felt short to me. Too many characters were introduced but they were not very developed. There was quite a lot going on plot-wise and I struggled to keep up with the story.

I have a confession to make. I love the work of writer John Birmingham. I have read, ALMOST everything he ever wrote, and those things I haven't read, I either own and will soon read, or I am in the process of buying (see further pics below). Additionally, I follow his blog (along with the blogs of many other writers I like.) However, I do not personally know the author, nor have I been paid to write the following review.

Having said all of that.... Sometime in July 2019, NetGalley, gave me the opportunity to read an electronic copy before its publication and then review it. As a fan of Birmingham, since the "Axis of Time series" and then "The Disappearance series" I was thrilled to read his first foray into Space Opera, in this particular instance, Military, Hard Science Fiction.

Now, ever since "The Axis of Time" and "The Disappearance", I knew that John Birmingham could write on "military" matters and subjects. This, involving, battles fought, the language of warfighting and even tactics. Mind you, I do not know what his military background is, but the grasp of the subject matter is accurate. Similarly, in this new novel, his grasp of the themes of science is very, very good. Therefore, making this book, both "military" and "hard" in the science-fiction department.

On to the story...

We begin as Lieutenant Lucinda Hardy boards hew new ship. She comes to it after receiving a field commission. But, and this is really important, she does not come from the type of background that would give her, not just her Space Navy rank, but status and position within society. She does not come from Royal or Corporate background, and should therefore be a non-person. Yes, she's an augmented human, but really, in this universe, who cares? Alas, even though she started as an Ensign and received a field commission, she also received a metal for gallantry during her last tour, putting her in this position, as the tactical officer of the Defiant.

Lucinda's Universe is populated by humans who left the homeworld and established new colony worlds over which they became corporate rulers, and eventually promoted themselves to nobility and royalty. In this universe, humanity contains, robots, AI, and are themselves technically augmented. As Hard Science Fiction goes all the types of augmentation proposed within this story are feasible today OR have been discussed in various formats. Humanity WILL merge with technology. The when of it is the only unknown. This movement is called transhumanism.

But, not everyone, in this Universe, is on-board human-augmentation, infinite rebirths, and virtual immortality. There is an offshoot of humanity called "The Sturm"...(I am presuming, based on the German origin of the word, it means, "The Storm".) The Sturm are opposed to these modern, augmented, humans, and have already fought one war with Earth (almost completely destroying it in the process.) They are now on the way back into the human sphere of influence, after rebuilding their strength. As the "big bad" (if you see them as such), they're not that bad of a people, meaning, some readers might actually agree with their viewpoint. And John Birmingham does a great job not painting them as a totally evil caricature. They are, the way they are, because of what they believe -- and isn't that true of all of us?

There are other major players in this Space Opera, including a Princess, an almost Ancient, General, from Earth's first forays into interplanetary space, and a bunch of criminals (from a certain point of view.) In many ways, you will, as I did, fall in love with these varied characters, but, my first love, throughout book one of this story was Lucinda Hardy. I would follow her, I would serve under her and obey her orders. Not because as a transhumanist she's perfect, but because of it. she is anything BUT -- she struggles with what she is, what she has accomplished. She is unsure of her footing and second guesses her decisions. In short, she is perfect in her human imperfection.

If you're a fan of a richly detailed future, immersed in high technology, AI and almost instantaneous space travel, then this book is for you. But beware, this future is populated with LGBTQ characters and faulty human beings. If you're looking for "perfect" and "completely ethical" human beings, look into the work of a different author. This author, lavishes every page with human failings and faults. Because today's "Humans" are faulty, and not perfect. This book then, puts up a mirror for us to look into what we have become and what we might become.

OH!, and it's a great action-adventure to boot.

When I first read the book (I have since re-read my paper copy -- yay "stay-at-home" orders), I posted a one word review for John Birmingham on facebook: WOW!

I would not presume to suggest that this book is "the greatest space opera" or "the greatest military science fiction" ever... However, I would presume to say that John Birmingham's first attempt at a space opera is magnificent. Be forewarned, it is the first book in a trilogy, and you will have to come back for more dips in the pool. From me it gets a 5 out of 5 or "five stars". Back when I first started reviewing books in my book-journal, I used to place a huge "star" next to my super-favorite books... those books that gave me such an amazing thrill, such a great feeling, and that transported me to a universe that I so completely wanted to live in. It is not a perfect place, then again, where in the world, past or present, is perfect?

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2020 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2020/01/2020-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

Published by Del Rey on August 20, 2019

As is customary in science fiction, many future humans in The Cruel Stars are wired into the net, but only if they can afford the brain augmentations. Augmented humans can store their engrams, allowing them to survive death by implanting their memories into a new brain. People of means can also live several lifetimes using the same technology.

The only unusual twist in that theme is the presence of the Sturm, humans who believe that the purity of the human race is defiled by augmentation or extra lives. As the ominous name “Sturm” might signal, the Sturm and their Human Republic have dedicated themselves to killing the impure and to restoring human space (the Greater Human Volume) to its pure organic origins.

The Sturm have reappeared after an exile that followed the Great War between the Javan Empire and the Armadale system. Earth brokered a peace to end that war, and the Royal Armadalan Navy ship Defiant patrols space to enforce that treaty.

Several storylines converge in The Cruel Stars. One key character is Lucinda Hardy, who worked her way from a difficult childhood to the position of lieutenant, where she is newly assigned to the Defiant. The Defiant is undertaking a patrol at the request of Earth. Their mission is to find out why three probes have gone silent. They suspect wrongdoing by the evil Sturm. The patrol goes sideways when an encrypted communication turns the captain into a raving, flesh-eating monster. That’s enough to make the survivors excrete their neural nets and take the ship offline for fear that their Artificial Intelligence has been corrupted.

A key character in related storyline is in his seventh lifetime. Frazer McLennan is investigating a Sturm ship that crashed on a remote planet in the distant past. When a pompous prince from House Yulin arrives, McLennan needs to practice diplomacy with a keg of scotch — until an encrypted communication turns the prince into a raving, flesh-eating monster. McLennan’s crankiness makes him the novel’s most entertaining character.

McLennan spends some of his time guarding Princess Alessia, who feels put upon because she is facing an arranged marriage that will join House Montanblanc to House Yulin, part of the corporate realm known as the Yulin-Irrawaddy Combine. Alessia is your basic pampered princess who rises to the occasion when conflict ensues

A pirate named Sephina L’trel commands a ship called Je Ne Regrette Rien. To convince the reader of her toughness, she beheads a Yakuza underboss to get the data chip in his brain. Sephina has a history with Lucinda Hardy. Sephina’s motley crew finds itself caught in the middle of a reengaged war between the Sturm and the rest of humanity.

The final key character is named Booker. He generally lives inside a warrior bot, although at an early point in the story he is waiting for his source code to be deleted. Booker is the second most entertaining character, largely because of his complaints when he gets transferred to less powerful bodies, including a gardening robot. That’s life. You don’t always get the body you want.

The Cruel Stars is an above-average space opera with military sf themes. The plot features a good bit of action, the prose style is above average for the genre, and the background is well conceived, if fairly typical. The parallels between the Sturm, who insist on biological purity, and the Nazis, who insisted on racial purity; aren’t subtle but the theme is timely. By the end, the good guys seem to be just as bloodthirsty as the bad guys (only annihilation will serve as victory), but perhaps that troubling theme will be explored in the novel that I assume will follow this one. For space opera fans, I would recommend The Cruel Stars as one of 2019’s better offerings.

RECOMMENDED

The Cruel Stars is the first science-fiction book written by author John Birmingham. While the dialogue and some of the action is quite compelling, the story is not exactly original or engaging.

The story takes place thousands of years in the future, where humanity has mastered interstellar travel, and has colonized the galaxy. In a familiar space opera trope, society is run by enormously wealthy noble families who are the ancestors of industrialists and capitalists from centuries gone by --- thus, even with all of the advanced technology, society is divided along lines similar to medieval societies.

One interesting aspect of the story is that over the thousands of years that have passed, humanity has split into two main groups: Those who have embraced higher technology when it comes to prolonging life and enhancing the abilities of the human body (genetic manipulation, "relifing," interchangeable genders, etc.); and the other group of humans who have adamantly eschewed all such artificial enhancements to the human body. This second group considers themselves "pure" and are almost religiously zealous to either convert other genetical mutant humans to convert to their original human forms, or to be annihilated from the galaxy. Which sets up the main action of the book.

The author gives very little time or space to the unaltered humans, making the altered humans the heroes. This is analogous to Nazis fighting for "Aryan supremacy" by conquering and exterminating, and the story is definitely disproportionally involved in the inner lives and activities of the altered humans, who are nearly defeated, but squeak out a costly victory to continue the fight (perhaps in a sequel).

This is one of the top books that I’ve read this year. Set in a world where humans have spread through the universe with many enhancing themselves with genetic and/or cybernetic modifications. Many “relife” and live for hundreds of years. But there is a group of “natural humans,” the Sturm, that are having none of it. They were beaten and driven out into The Dark a half century ago and most think they are gone for good. But they have been plotting and spring an attack that wipes out a huge part of the population and they call themselves “liberators” and want to get rid of everyone that has had any modifications. But a small group of outsiders that survived the initial attack band together to push the Sturm back and save who is left. There are some great characters in this and the relationships between them are fantastic. Plus the worldbuilding is top-notch. I can’t wait to read the next book in the trilogy.

"The Cruel Stars" eBook was published in 2019 and was written by John Birmingham. Mr. Birmingham has published more than 30 books. 

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in the far future. The Sturm of the "Human Republic" see any humans who have genetic or cybernetic enhancements as traitors to the species and deserving extermination. They have risen up once killing billions before they were driven into Dark Space.

Now, centuries later without warning, they are back. Their sneak attack has rendered almost all of the defenses of humanity useless. If they are not stopped the Sturm will kill billions more. 

The primary character is Commander Lucinda Hardy who has been left in command of one of the few Royal Armadalen Navy warships left. She, along with her crew and four other survivors, are the only hope for humankind. The five struggle independently against overwhelming odds, but finally, join her. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the 11 hours I spent reading this 416-page Science fiction thriller. I think the author has assembled an interesting mix of reluctant heroes for this saga. I like the plot as it is a little different from the common large scope space war novels. I look forward to more novels in this universe. The cover art is interesting but does not relate specifically to the story. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/. 

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

The popularly conceived optimal number of point-of-view characters changes with the times, everything from only a single, first-person protagonist to a cast of thousands, er, dozens. I love how multiple points of view, even those that seem to be unrelated at the beginning, come together, and John Birmingham’s The Cruel Stars falls squarely in that category. The story begins with a handful of characters who seem to have little in common, except living in the same universe, in which humans have populated planets across the galaxy: a young lieutenant in one of the space navies, a princess of a planet’s ruling family, a curmudgeonly astroarchaeologist, and a space pirate. When the Human Republic, long defeated and exiled for their extreme opposition to any modification of “natural” humans – either by tech or genetic modification – attacks, their first move is through the galactic network linking everyone who’s logged in, essentially frying their brains and turning them into psychotic cannibals. With the leadership and aristocracy decimated, our disparate characters end up among the few competent people who are unaffected. Especially moving was the ship’s digital Intellect, who walls off and then essentially sacrifices themself, rather than spread the contagion to their human shipmates.

This space opera entertains endlessly with skillfully handled dramatic tension and first-rate world building.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read The Cruel Stars in exchange for an honest review.

I was eager to read this book, as a science fiction nerd, and as a fan of space travel. However, once I started reading the book, I realized that this book was not all I was expecting it to be.

I discovered quickly that I did not connect to any of the five main characters at all. They were uninteresting, or bratty, or simply one-dimensional in character. I struggled to care about the story because of this.

Maybe The Cruel Stars would be appealing to someone else. I hope so, As for me, I wasn’t a fan.

I also reviewed The Cruel Stars on Twitter:
https://mobile.twitter.com/hannahmvestal/status/1170808664334262273

Five different stories with five different characters. All come together when the need is the greatest. Fast paced action with interesting backstories and world building. This is a must for military space opera readers.

I'm a huge Science Fiction fan and particularly love books that take place in space or on different planets. Throw in a dangerous enemy and some strong characters, and you've created a book tat is right up  my alley. At least in theory. I did enjoy The Cruel Stars and there were plenty of parts I thought were great, but overall, I was a little disappointed in this one. 

One thing that threw me off right away was the fact that there were quite a few different perspectives, but no real connection between them. Of course, later it all came together and made sense. But at first, I had a hard time feeling invested in each character's situation because it all seemed so disconnected and some of the situations weren't particularly interesting for me. There were a few perspectives I immediately enjoyed, however, so that gave me the push I needed to keep reading until the dots began to connect. Even then, there were some characters I didn't feel as invested in. But at least once I understood the plot better, I could see why they were present. 

But one thing I really appreciated the world building in this book. I was so impressed with Birmingham's ability to create a unique and well-developed universe with such a rich history. I would have liked a few more details about some things, but for the most part I thought the worlds and people created were filled with such rich details. I feel like I could step right into this world. 

Overall, I enjoyed The Cruel Stars, but not as much as  I was hoping. I still think it's worth reading though, especially if you love action-packed space operas. There is a lot to love about this book.

There is something alluring about military science fiction. It takes the massive volume of space and narrows it to a single point: conflict. Often, this specific genre ignores a lot of the more nuanced questions that sci-fi often proposes in favor of a single query: what would humanity do in order to survive? Normally, I miss this complexity and nuance, but every now and then I want an action-focused romp against an easily discernible bad guy that definitely needs a kick in the teeth. Luckily, the folks at Del Rey offered me the chance to fulfill this desire by letting me read John Birmingham’s recently released novel, The Cruel Stars. It’s a book that offers a clear black-and-white conflict with heavy action, but delivers little else.

The Cruel Stars takes place in the Volume, a series of undefined star systems colonized and inhabited by humanity. Two hundred years prior to the events in the book, a civil war was fought to decide the course of human development. To be honest, Birmingham gives the reader very little context about this war beyond “the Sturm lost.” The Sturm, a faction of people that felt they needed to purify the species of any genetic or cybernetic enhancements, were essentially thrown into the void after their defeat. Little is said about the conflict itself, and nothing is specified about the way they lost to one of the book’s protagonists. As the book opens, the Sturm are returning to fulfill their promise. The descendants of the Anti-Sturm (how I refer to them, not Birmingham’s words), the victors of the war, are ill-prepared to deal with their return. The spaceborn naval forces of the Anti-Sturm are crushed in an instant, allowing the Sturm to begin their campaign with confidence. Unfortunately for them, they do not wipe out all resistance, most notably failing to neutralize the man who defeated them two hundred years earlier.

The plot itself is straightforward, putting the reader in the passenger seat as the Volume-wide invasion is witnessed through five different perspectives – all of which take place within the same star system. Birmingham spends little time introducing the five POV characters, offering a chapter to each before the conflict begins. By eschewing worldbuilding and focusing on the characters and plot, Birmingham sets a brisk pace that propels the action forward. The narrative moves with a frenetic style that kept me entertained for the most part, but it leaves little to no real breathing room to really understand the conflict. I don’t mean to say “space Nazis should be given their due,” as much as I want to point out that the people fighting them are barely given a cause beyond “they’re gonna kill us”. It isn’t necessarily a huge problem, but it did not engage me with the fight for survival beyond “the Sturm can’t win”. It’s very black and white, which is what was promised, but the few slow moments left my brain to probe the empty spaces where worldbuilding should have filled in the gaps.

Which leads to the book’s info dump of an introduction that other reviewers warned about. Within the first chapter, I joined the ranks of readers who discovered that the book hits the reader with a lot of information up front before jumping into the “real” story. Normally, this doesn’t bother me, but The Cruel Stars made it more of a slog than usual. Birmingham introduces the story’s primary protagonist in a slurry of unfamiliar and decontextualized military ranking titles while also attempting to explain the character’s background and motivations. This narrative choice was confusing and failed to provide the “hook” that would otherwise have drawn me in. The other introduction chapters read similarly, with scant details on the world and societies that developed after the war, beyond the character’s small relation to them. I wasn’t initially bothered by this choice because it felt like Birmingham was leaving room for characterization to happen later as the protagonists watch their world burning. However, the reader is rarely given an idea of what kind of world the Sturm are destroying, let alone any reason the characters would fight for it. It feels like a missed opportunity to really dig into the setting and the factors that allowed for the rise of the Sturm in the first place.

There is also a very noticeable lack of scale to the story and the conflict. The reader is given very little indication of the size of The Volume. Vague descriptions offer an idea of factions that make up the Volume, but have no indication of their size, location, or political goals. We know that one controlling interest is a megacorporation where the C.E.O. is chosen by feudal birthright, while another powerful political entity employs a type of debt slavery, but that’s about it. Earth exists, but in what capacity, I could not tell you. That isn’t to say Birmingham is scant on details. In fact, he loves having minituae filter through the characters and the way they engage with their surroundings. The issue arises when these details focus so much on the character’s relation to the world that the world itself becomes muddy. It would be cool if that was used to highlight the Volume as a place that needs change, and that this war is just the thing to get it started. Unfortunately, this is not the case. While the characters expressed a general disdain for the socio-political structure of their world, there is little interest in following through on that unhappiness to facilitate real change.

The world would have also felt a little more real if the characters themselves went beyond their initial personality. All of the protagonists follow a fairly standard action character archetype, which makes them easy to latch onto. They were likeable enough, but they don’t really grow beyond that introduction. The reader is told that the characters are flawed, but other than being generally obstinate, I’m not sure what their flaws were. They didn’t really exhibit them in any way that felt human or effective. The “flaws” did not add any real character tension between the rag-tag team, nor did it lead to any conflict within the story. On top of that, characters who exhibited traits considered “impure” by the Sturm did not seem to have any added stake in the fight either. Everyone had the same feelings about the Sturm, which was just, “man, I hate those guys.” Even a small window into the life of the Sturm did not open any real avenues for exploration.

While The Cruel Stars has its issues, I actually had some fun with it. There are so many small details scattered through the book that feel like breadcrumbs to a larger context. There is potential for a more cohesive world with a broader and more nuanced understanding of the conflict at hand. The action is fast and intense, making the fights feel loud and messy. There are a few weird and contrived decisions, but overall the story had a nice flow that reminds the reader that a war is happening. The technology used in the opening gambit by the Sturm is terrifying, visceral and unexpected. There is a beautiful nuance to the way the Volume refers to the bad guys as the Sturm, while the bad guys call themselves “The Human Republic.” The little pieces added some flair and kept stringing me along to the end just to see how it would play out.

There is something fascinating about a story that has the ability to entertain while also leaving so much room for dissection. I think where this book mostly falls apart for me is that while I loved all the small details, the whole is less than the sum of its parts. It’s disconnected from its own world as much as it is from ours. It barely satiates the need to watch Nazis get their just desserts, while offering little in the way of counterargument to their ideals beyond “no way, José.” The Cruel Stars was fun and had some genuinely cool ideas, but that’s about all I think it has to offer.

Rating: The Cruel Stars 5.5/10
-Alex

The Cruel Stars is my first John Birmingham novel. It's a space opera that I was really looking forward to, but unfortunately it never quite got into it as much as I was hoping to. There are a lot of characters (there are five perspective characters) and quite a bit going on. I liked the overall story and action once I got into it, but the characters weren't quite what I was hoping for.

The Cruel Stars is a military sci-fi space opera along the lines of The Expanse meets Altered Carbon and I really enjoyed it.

In the first chapters we get the POVs of 5 interesting characters: Lucinda, who ships out to her newest assignment on the warship Defiant; Professor McLennan (my personal favorite), the gruff curmudgeon astroarcheologist/historian; Sephina the space pirate (along with her motley lovable crew); 12 year old Princess Alessia; and prisoner Corporal Booker who was on death row about to be deleted.

The 6th POV is Admiral Strom, commander of the Sturm whose intent is to wipe out all humans with genetic or cybernetic enhancements.

At first it was a bit confusing as to who was who and how each person was connected, but it didn’t take long to come to the realization that the 5 “good guys” storylines all connect. I really did adore all 5 heroes.

And yes, the future sci-fi lingo was over my head for much of the book. But somewhere in there I did start to catch on and sort out what I needed to. All of it? Nope. But definitely enough to enjoy the story.

The ending was very satisfying and seems like there could be a sequel. I’m completely invested in these characters so would love to see this story continue. More, please!

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine/Del Rey Books for the advance copy!*

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The cover is gorgeous and eye-catching as to why I requested this book.
This book was pretty good. I didn't so much as connect with the characters, but they were interesting. I, of course, had a couple of favorite parts in the book. I would recommend this book to those who want a great read before bed or anything in general. The author did a great job and I hope they write even more books such as this.