Empress of a Thousand Skies

By: Rhoda Belleza

Narrated by: Rebecca Soler

For fans of Pierce Brown and Firefly comes an epic sci-fi fantasy, hailed as "an important and relevant novel" by The New York Times.

Empress
Rhee, also known as Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta’an, is the sole surviving heir to a powerful dynasty. She’ll stop at nothing to avenge her family and claim her throne.

Fugitive
Aly has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. But when he’s falsely accused of killing Rhee, he's forced to prove his innocence to save his reputation – and his life.

Madman
With planets on the brink of war, Rhee and Aly must confront a ruthless evil that threatens the fate of the entire galaxy.

Rhoda Belleza crafts a powerful saga of vengeance, warfare, and the true meaning of legacy in this exhilarating debut, perfect for readers of Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles and Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman's Illuminae Files.

Critic reviews

“Intergalactic political intrigue, family betrayal and coveted thrones feature in this space opera story…real-world analogues and social commentary make Empress of a Thousand Skies an important and relevant novel.”—The New York Times Book Review

“This is a multiplanet, multiculture, multitech world and a timely tale. An exceptionally satisfying series opener.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Fans of calculating political maneuvering and expansive, interplanetary plots will find much to enjoy in Belleza’s Firefly-esque debut." —Publishers Weekly

“Belleza creates a thrilling world filled with deception, war, friendship, and love… a good next read for YA fans of Marissa Meyer’s “The Lunar Chronicles” series.” —School Library Journal

“Fans of Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles and especially readers of Lewis’ Stitching Snow will find much to like in this thrilling yet thoughtful intergalactic ride.” —BCCB

“Belleza’s ambitious debut lays the groundwork for what is sure to be a rich sci-fi series full of political plots and worlds on the brink of war, futuristic biotechnologies reminiscent of M. T. Anderson’s Feed (2002), and startling plot twists.”—Booklist

“Empress of a Thousand Skies will compel fans of series such as Marissa Meyer’s The Lunar Chronicle; Victoria Aveyard’s The Red Queen; Beth Revis’s Across the Universe; and George Lucas’s Star Wars. Belleza’s exciting novel debut will make readers desperate for the next book to complete this duology.”—VOYA

“Belleza's debut is dazzling--an adventure as sweeping in scope as the galaxies it spans!”
—Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken

“An epic space opera with all the elements of an addictive read--danger, deception, unlikely allies, and the fate of worlds hanging in the balance. A stunning debut.”
—Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Beautiful Creatures & author of The Lovely Reckless

“This book glitters like stars. With a heart-pounding plot, twisty secrets, and characters you can't help but root for, Empress of a Thousand Skies had me turning pages well into the night!”
—Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of the Across the Universe series

Meh

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not really. I've listened to a lot better titles.

Would you be willing to try another book from Rhoda Belleza? Why or why not?

I'm not sure ... I wasn't overly impressed with this one.

What does Rebecca Soler bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Yes, the narration was better than the actual story.

Was Empress of a Thousand Skies worth the listening time?

No.

Such an amazing story.

I loved this! I just finished and have no words. Rebecca Soler of course makes the words come to life. I am such a huge fan of her work. This book was exactly what I needed. I have. Been struggling to really get into my books lately. I did stumble a few times since there is just so much going on with the multiple view points but a few back tracks were well worth it. Reminded me of The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer and I don't say that lightly since it's a fav.

Struggled to Finish

Take this with a grain of salt, but I struggled to finish this book. Great world building and interesting premise, but I couldn't get more than halfway through. The storytelling dragged a bit too much for me.

Plot is so-so

i had a hard time paying attention to this book. Not one i would recommend.

Meh

Would you try another book from Rhoda Belleza and/or Rebecca Soler?

I'm not sure I'm even interested in going forward in the series....is this a series, I don't even know, though it was left off at a point where I thought there should be a conclusion, and wasn't.

What about Rebecca Soler’s performance did you like?

I did like the narration, was well done, I would listen to her other works.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I was disappointed in this book. The cover art is beautiful, the synopsis sounds like a fun ride, BUT. It's set in a wide universe with many sentient beings. Yet the world building aspect felt forced and like it was too much to remember every little thing that was (many times) only mentioned once. Though I did like the made up language peppered through the characters speech. That felt well placed and natural.The characters were not well fleshed out and felt one-dimensional, there was little to no growth with all of them. Many were just driven by one emotion throughout.

Any additional comments?

Trying to world build without too much effort. The characters are flat. Storyline very predictable. Only would I recommend if you need an easy read.