The First Sister

I found it hard to get into this story, I was kinda uninterested in the beginning. I got into it slightly, but by the end I was really bored. The characters were also not very likeable to me. The only redealing quality would be Hero which I loved as a character both for its representation as well as their personality. I found many of the characters/the writing style to be overly dramatic, which is mostly what really bothered me. Not going to read the sequel. 

I thought this was great! I don't read a lot of sci-fi, but am starting to read more of the genre. This was perfect for me since it didn't have all the technical jargon. A very easy read.

In this space opera, we follow a unique set of characters. The First Sister has no name and no voice, who travels through space as a priestess of the Sisterhood. However, she isn't happy with the way her body and her life is not her own. We also follow Lito, an elite soldier of Venus who isn't sure what he's fighting for is the right thing to do. Together, they tell the story of this dark future in space where people's bodies are not their own and where there is still war and prejudice rampant throughout societies around the universe.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that there was the space opera feel without the setting being overwhelming. I also thought this was a fresh take on a sci-fi story. Typically, you see no religious presence in a sci-fi story, but this one focused a lot on what a futuristic religion would look like out in the cosmos. We get to see how the Sisterhood proselytizes across the solar system and how their society is run. The characters and their situations felt relatable, even in this setting. Bodily autonomy was a huge theme throughout this book, showcasing that basically no one has the right to make their own decisions about their body. It was a scary future depicted, especially with the fights going on right now across America.

All in all, a successful, dark, entertaining book to read. I would recommend this to anyone out there wanting a unique sci-fi story.

TW: amputation, blackmail, child abuse (mentioned), death, dysphoria, execution, experimentation, injury (graphic), mental illness (untreated), neural implants, plastic surgery, prostitution, PTSD, torture (implied), violence, rape, misgendering

the gays win today

Fuck me, that was great. More coherent review to come.

This was an intriguing read, with some really interesting themes and well developed world building. There is a lot of darkness here too.

The story essentially follows two main POV characters, one from each side of major conflict, but both with a not quite 100% loyalty to their given faction. And the two factions are starkly different in their outlooks! On the one hand you have the people of Mercury and Venus (the Icarii)- a science based Utopia that hides some darkness beneath its glossy exterior - and on the other you have the people of Earth and Mars (the Geans) - who follow a militaristic theocracy.

The politics that drive these two governing systems provides an intriguing background to the story of rebellion and overcoming the system that takes place in the foreground. The Gean military theocracy has echoes of Atwood's Handmaid's Tale with its extreme gender bias and oppression. The titular First Sister is a priestess, but also essentially an object to be used by the men she ministers too. A brutal and uncomfortable read. The more utopian Icarii science based society also has its dirty laundry too - an apparent testing program using the poorer and more repressed parts of society as guinea pigs with frequently horrific consequences. The underlying message that extremism and a blindness to social consequences are evil is a truism that is hard to deny.

The lead characters are engaging and the to POVs (Lito and First Sister) give a good insight into the cultures. The relationships developed are complex and really draw you into the story. The characters presented are an interesting array of LGBTQ+, although this is very much background and incidental to the plot. Hiro appears to be non-binary and the first sister is bi.

The story of conflict and rebellion between to opposing and different ideologies is a classic trope of sci fi, but the way that it has been done here is perfection really. The world building is truly phenomenal and the sad echoes of our times in the cultures presented really do give food for thought