Unconquerable Sun

Description

'An entertaining shoot-'em-up, replete with epic starship battles, court intrigue and Machiavellian betrayals' Guardian It has been eight centuries since the beacon system failed, sundering the heavens. Rising from the ashes of the collapse, cultures have fought, system-by-system, for control of the few remaining beacons. The Republic of Chaonia is one such polity. Surrounded by the Yele League and the vast Phene Empire, they have had to fight for their existence. After decades of conflict, Queen-Marshal Eirene has brought the Yele to heel. Now it is time to deal with the Empire. Princess Sun, daughter and heir, has come of age. In her first command, she drove a Phene garrison from the beacons of Na Iri - an impressive feat. But growing up in the shadow of her mother - a ruler both revered and feared - has been no easy task. While Sun may imagine that her victorious command will bring further opportunity to prove herself, it will in fact place her on the wrong side of court politics. There are those who would like to see Sun removed as heir, or better yet, dead. To survive, the princess must rely on her wits and companions: her biggest rival, her secret lover, and a dangerous prisoner of war.

Kate Elliott has been writing stories since she was nine years old, which has led her to believe that writing, like breathing, keeps her alive. Writing science fiction and fantasy, her particular focus is immersive world building and centering women in epic stories of adventure, amid transformative cultural change. Kate was born in Iowa, raised in Oregon and now lives in Hawaii, where she paddles outrigger canoes and spoils her schnauzer. You can find her online at kateelliott.com, kateelliott.substack.com, and @KateElliottSFF.

A maelstrom of palace intrigue, interstellar back-stabbing, devious plots, treachery, blistering action, ferocious confrontations - and a heroine for the ages... Enthralling, edge-of-your-seat stuff hurtling along at warp speed. Grab!' * Kirkus Reviews * Elliott launches a space opera trilogy with this impeccable coming-of-age adventure... Rich with history, tongue-in-cheek humor, cultural references, and vibrant characters, this highly entertaining series launch will have readers clamoring for more' * Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW * A sweeping saga of a fierce and indomitable conqueror and her companions, this is breathtaking and mindblowingly good -- Aliette de Bodard, Nebula Award-winning author of The Tea Master and the Detective Non-stop action! Space battles! Intrigue! This is the kind of space opera that I love best - but Elliott does it even better -- Ann Leckie, Clarke, Nebula, & Hugo-award winning author of Ancillary Justice A complex political thriller and an action-packed coming of age story, wrapped up in a grand, sweeping space opera... This is a story that manages to be both brilliantly character-driven and breathlessly exciting... If ambitious, expansive, detailed space opera is your thing, and you like a novel with masses of brilliant female characters that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, Unconquerable Sun comes highly recommended' * Grimdark Magazine * This entertaining shoot-'em-up, replete with epic starship battles, court intrigue and Machiavellian betrayals, is book one of the Sun Chronicles * Guardian * The far-future culture depicted here is a nice fusion of East Asian and Hellenistic influences, with polyamory and pansexuality normalised, and women to the fore... A vigorous narrative pace and some vivid action scenes' * Financial Times * If you like Space Opera, then this is a book which not only ticks all the boxes but makes for a very enjoyable read. There is intrigue, there are space battles, there are rivals who might be allies, and friends who may betray you ...[An] exciting read. The worldbuilding is excellent and there is a fast-paced and engrossing plot * Birmingham SF Group *