Defy the Stars

Description

Noemi is a young and fearless soldier of Genesis, a colony planet of a dying Earth. But the citizens of Genesis are rising up - they know that Earth's settlers will only destroy this planet the way they destroyed their own. And so a terrible war has begun. When Noemi meets Abel, one of Earth's robotic mech warriors, she realizes that Abel himself may provide the key to Genesis' salvation. Abel is bound by his programming to obey her - even though her plan could result in his destruction. But Abel is no ordinary mech. He's a unique prototype, one with greater intelligence, skill and strength than any other. More than that, he has begun to develop emotions, a personality and even dreams. Noemi begins to realise that if Abel is less than human, he is more than a machine. If she destroys him, is it murder? And can a cold-blooded murder be redeemed by the protection of a world? Stranded together in space, they go on a whirlwind adventure through Earth's various colony worlds, alongside the countless Vagabonds who have given up planetary life altogether and sail forever between the stars. Each step brings them closer - both to each other and to the terrible decision Noemi will have to make about her world's fate, and Abel's.

Claudia Gray is the New York Times bestselling author of a number of YA paranormal series (Evernight, Spellcaster, Firebird) as well as the author of two Star Wars books for Disney/Lucasfilm. She writes novels full-time, and hopes to do this forever. Her home is in New Orleans is over a hundred years old and is painted purple. In her free time she reads, travels, hikes, cooks and listens to music. Follow Claudia on Twitter @claudiagray, or find out more at claudiagray.com

Marvellous worldbuilding that takes us from planet to planet, each of them distinct and fascinating; a well-thoughtout glimpse of our future and the repercussions of our current lifestyles; a measured, intelligent depiction of multiple societies and cultures... The story works beautifully on an emotional level too, and the pacing is masterful - never do you feel as though anything's being rushed, yet the story powers along at a rate of knots... usually to unexpected places. * SFX magazine * Intelligent and thoughtful, a highly relevant far-off speculative adventure. * Huffington Post * Blending high stakes adventure with science fiction, romance and a thrilling plot this is a book that deserves to be huge. Fantastic storytelling. Wow. Claudia Gray just wow. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, V. E. Schwab, Becky Chambers and Sarah J. Maas. * Madwoman in the Attic * Darker and deeper than your average YA Sci-Fi, Defy the Stars is thought provoking and addictive! * The Cosy Reader * A compelling story, with a satisfying plot, working in a circle around the planets. Claudia Gray builds a really visceral sense of both space and Space, two really convincing internally conflicted characters, and an impressive supporting cast of vagabonds and vagrants. * Ruth Lily Writes * The well constructed plot is hard to predict and the end is full of surprises. I was hooked by the first sentence in this fast paced, thrilling science fiction novel and found it hard to put down * School Library Association *