This is the third and final book in the Paradox series. It really won’t make a whole lot of sense or be particularly satisfying if you haven’t read the first two books in the trilogy. Start at the beginning with Fortune’s Pawn. It’s a really fun, action-packed series with great world building., so if you like space adventure, you are unlikely to regret it. It also goes without saying that there may be spoilers for the previous books in the series in this review. Proceed at your own risk if you’re not caught up.
All Deviana “Devi” Morris wanted was to be a Devestator, one of the elite guards of the Paradoxian God King who she reveres and worships. Since signing on with Captain Caldwell on Fortune’s Fool, she’s nearly died countless times, she’s had her memory wiped and restored, she’s fallen in love and fought the man she fell for nearly to the death to retain her freedom and independence. She’s infected with a mysterious and highly dangerous virus, hunted down by two powerful alien species. Several human organisations want to capture her, take her into custody and basically weaponize her. In addition, after a slightly botched jump out of hyperspace, Devi and her companion has been missing for eight months and most of the people close to her thought she died.
The possible future of the human race is hanging in the balance, and Devi needs to figure out a solution to eliminate the phantoms, free Maat and the daughters, preferably without being killed herself in the process. Yet Devi’s never been afraid to go out fighting and if she has to die, which it’s looking more and more likely she might, she’s going to make sure it has a lasting impact.
While Honour’s Knight was so action-packed it nearly exhausted me while reading it, Heaven’s Queen has a slower opening third. Full review on my blog.
SPOILERS IN MY COMMENT, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
If Rupert had always been like he was in the third book, I wouldn’t mind him at all. I would probably think he was a little boring but whatever. The fact that he spent the first two books violating Devi’s mind and making decisions for her and SHOOTING HER IN THE HEAD (or so he thought) means I will never like Rupert and books that I otherwise would have really enjoyed (lady space mercenary kicking ass! Giant invisible space shrimp! Sassy bird pilot! Woo!) have me kind of irked instead.
VERY SPOILERY RESPONSE HERE! DO NOT READ IF YOU’VE NOT READ BOOKS ONE AND TWO!
Oh, I totally understand your “NOT COOL” vibes with Rupert. To be fair, he had been brainwashed by the Eyes for about four times Devi’s lifetime, and had given up caring about anyone or anything when not only his entire family but his whole frigging planet was obliterated. That it took him some time to break his conditioning seems fairly realistic to me. It would have pissed me off more if he became a “new man” the second he fell in love with Devi. That would have been too close to the “magical hoo-ha” trope. I think he should have given Devi the CHOICE between having her mind wiped rather than die, but at the same time, Devi at that point might have actually chosen death, and he loved her too much to let that happen. The shooting her in the head – yeah, that’s pretty dire, but it was also the beginning of the end of his loyalty to the Eyes. Besides, if Devi could forgive him shooting illusion her in the head, I’m not going to take that choice from her.
But as it’s been pointed out time and time again, I am a fairly forgiving reader. I’m sorry your hatred of Rupert and his actions made you not enjoy the books as much as me.
I’m usually a fairly forgiving reader too, this stuff just got under my skin this time, for what ever reason. But I still think Rachel Bach/Aarons is talented and will be checking out her other books sometime soon!