What do you think?
Rate this book
Paradox #3
Heaven's Queen
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Science Fiction (2014)From the moment she took a job on Captain Caldswell's doomed ship, Devi Morris' life has been one disaster after another: government conspiracies, two alien races out for her blood, an incurable virus that's eating her alive.
Now, with the captain missing and everyone -- even her own government -- determined to hunt her down, things are going from bad to impossible. The sensible plan would be to hide and wait for things to blow over, but Devi's never been one to shy from a fight, and she's getting mighty sick of running.
It's time to put this crisis on her terms and do what she knows is right. But with all human life hanging on her actions, the price of taking a stand might be more than she can pay.
Now, with the captain missing and everyone -- even her own government -- determined to hunt her down, things are going from bad to impossible. The sensible plan would be to hide and wait for things to blow over, but Devi's never been one to shy from a fight, and she's getting mighty sick of running.
It's time to put this crisis on her terms and do what she knows is right. But with all human life hanging on her actions, the price of taking a stand might be more than she can pay.
373 pages, Paperback
First published April 22, 2014
About the author
Rachel Bach
13 books932 followersRachel Bach grew up wanting to be an author and a super villain. Unfortunately, super villainy proved surprisingly difficult to break into, so she stuck to writing and everything worked out great. She currently lives in Athens, GA with her perpetual energy toddler, extremely understanding husband, overflowing library, and obese wiener dog. You can find out more about Rachel and all her books at rachelbach.net.
Rachel also writes fantasy under the name Rachel Aaron.
Rachel also writes fantasy under the name Rachel Aaron.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 764 reviews
March 20, 2016
Oh man. That was painful. I fawned pretty hard over the first book in this trilogy, and I think I'll see that it stands the test of time as far as books I really got into, but with each book came more and more issues for me. This last one wasn't technically bad per se, but the romance completely eclipsed the storyline, and several times made me feel like Devi and Rupert were barely the same people.
Devi was just coming out of the hyperspace jump with Rupert at the end of the last book, and that's where we pick up here. She and Rupert make peace with their horrible past (that was pretty hard for me to swallow since I thought the author was giving the heave-ho to traditional dynamics with the way people try to kill each other here) but as Devi begins to make peace with her feelings for Rupert, Anthony shows up intending to save her from an illegal monster. This issue is one of the biggest hangups I had with this book. Anthony went through hell for her, she lost a year in hyperspace and during that time he buried her - he'd been her friend and lover for seven years, and when he got word she was alive, but seemingly trapped with a known monster, he moved heaven and earth to go rescue her. Standing up to Rupert in a way that was damn impressive - truly. And then he bares his soul for Devi and I do mean bares. It hurt to witness, and I hate Devi for the way she treated him at that moment. She justified her actions in her own own way, making a point to shove it down my throat that Rupert understood her but Anthony didn't, but she had no right to be such an absolute bitch to him. Making matters worse is after this massive scene in which my heart broke a bit Anthony is never mentioned again until the end when she hopes he didn't screw over her career prospects. It was too much for me. Way too much. I liked Anthony, he never once acted in a manner that was villainous (that was all Caldswell and Mabel) and in trying to do the right thing he got to have his soul destroyed. Poor man. So that issue was pretty significant to me and it definitely affected my enjoyment of this particular book.
Another thing that got to me here was the overbearing romance. It was almost like it was more tell than show, even though it was trying to show- but instead of my being pulled in and seduced by the awesome that is Rupert, I found myself aggravated all the time. I got so fucking sick of Devi constantly talking about her love that I could've puked. There was an explanation that was perfectly serviceable for excusing her behavior, but it got to be too much, too annoying, and too constant for my tastes. I will give Devi credit for not losing the core of herself while as she realized that the only important thing in the universe was Rupert, so there's that, but again, the romance was so heavy that I nearly didn't care.
The story arc was wrapped up neat and tidy, could put a little bow on it, and I didn't exactly hate it but I didn't exactly love it either. I didn't like the way the relationships were mended - I hate Mabel and Caldswell and wish .
I still think that the first book in this trilogy is absolutely worth the read, Devi was completely amazing in it, and while I had a disconnect as time went on, it might not be the case for other readers. Everything that got on my nerves really does have an explanation for it, so I could see it not bothering someone else the way it did me.
February 8, 2015
~all spoilers for the series/book are marked~
Goddamn mother-effing shit crap romance ruined what could’ve been a kickass trilogy!
SHIT!!!
I am hugely disappointed. So here’s the thing: Right from the get-go, I have never been on board with Devi’s relationship with her love interest, BUT I’ve still been able to enjoy the previous books despite that - I've enjoyed them A LOT, actually. I had viewed the romance as simply an underwhelming subplot that I could easily overlook because it had always been just that -- a SUBplot.
But NOW, for some wacko reason, Aaron decides to take this weakest aspect of the series and pushes it to the forefront of the final book; she shoves it in your face, makes it drive the plot, fart on everything, stinking up even the awesome parts of the story, which sadly, there were just too few of.
And hey, it's not like I'm the type of reader who scoffs at romance - I adore a good romance. But this was a shit crap romance - no real chemistry, no believable development in the relationship, no sense of actual feelings being involved at all - I was not once moved by any of it. Aaron just seems to take the word "LOVE!!!" and shove it down your throat. Constantly.
Aside from one conversation that Devi has with a certain new character, there is absolutely nothing of importance or interest that happens in the entire first half of the book - NOTHING! I'm not exaggerating when I say that the first half belongs in the fucking toilet.
The only part of this book I truly enjoyed took place between the 52% - 66% mark on my kindle. That's it. 14% I enjoyed fourteen fucking percent of this book.
The thing is, there IS good stuff in here. I loved how Aaron explained so many of the mysteries that she introduced in the previous books. I was like, Oh! and wow! and cool!
But all that seemed like such a small portion of the book! Hardly any real time was really spent on it and I swear all of it could have been tacked on to the ending of book 2 and we could have concluded things there.
I’M SO DISAPPOINTED. Fortune's Pawn was really good, it was a cool, fast-paced sci-fi action adventure story featuring a strong likeable heroine, BUT, I’m hesitant to recommend it now cuz that book ended with many loose threads so you HAVE to read the next book, which in turn ended on a mini cliffhanger, so you HAVE to read this last book and. . .well. . .fuck. But hey, you may find that you enjoy the romance part in Fortune’s Pawn, and in that case, this last book may totally work for you. So okay, yeah, I say go for it and try it, you never know! As for me, I'm gonna try to pretend most of this book never happened.
Goddamn mother-effing shit crap romance ruined what could’ve been a kickass trilogy!
SHIT!!!
I am hugely disappointed. So here’s the thing: Right from the get-go, I have never been on board with Devi’s relationship with her love interest, BUT I’ve still been able to enjoy the previous books despite that - I've enjoyed them A LOT, actually. I had viewed the romance as simply an underwhelming subplot that I could easily overlook because it had always been just that -- a SUBplot.
But NOW, for some wacko reason, Aaron decides to take this weakest aspect of the series and pushes it to the forefront of the final book; she shoves it in your face, makes it drive the plot, fart on everything, stinking up even the awesome parts of the story, which sadly, there were just too few of.
And hey, it's not like I'm the type of reader who scoffs at romance - I adore a good romance. But this was a shit crap romance - no real chemistry, no believable development in the relationship, no sense of actual feelings being involved at all - I was not once moved by any of it. Aaron just seems to take the word "LOVE!!!" and shove it down your throat. Constantly.
Aside from one conversation that Devi has with a certain new character, there is absolutely nothing of importance or interest that happens in the entire first half of the book - NOTHING! I'm not exaggerating when I say that the first half belongs in the fucking toilet.
The only part of this book I truly enjoyed took place between the 52% - 66% mark on my kindle. That's it. 14% I enjoyed fourteen fucking percent of this book.
The thing is, there IS good stuff in here. I loved how Aaron explained so many of the mysteries that she introduced in the previous books. I was like, Oh! and wow! and cool!
But all that seemed like such a small portion of the book! Hardly any real time was really spent on it and I swear all of it could have been tacked on to the ending of book 2 and we could have concluded things there.
I’M SO DISAPPOINTED. Fortune's Pawn was really good, it was a cool, fast-paced sci-fi action adventure story featuring a strong likeable heroine, BUT, I’m hesitant to recommend it now cuz that book ended with many loose threads so you HAVE to read the next book, which in turn ended on a mini cliffhanger, so you HAVE to read this last book and. . .well. . .fuck. But hey, you may find that you enjoy the romance part in Fortune’s Pawn, and in that case, this last book may totally work for you. So okay, yeah, I say go for it and try it, you never know! As for me, I'm gonna try to pretend most of this book never happened.
October 7, 2014
Horrible. If I'd known the series was going to turn into Twilight in space I wouldn't have started it. Five chapters in, and it's still 90% the heroine and Rupert and their dangerous hotness for each other. Enough already. And, on top of that, the plotting, logic and characterization just fell off a cliff. Devi is responsible for the death of one third of an entire species - but doesn't even stop to consider being troubled by that. (I guess Rupert's abs are too distracting.) The fight between him and Anthony is mindboggling idiotic. Rupert's one of the foremost Eyes, 70 years old and a highly trained agent, and Anthony also a well-trained captain ... and yet they're immediately fighting, like rams butting horns to display their prowess to the lady sheep. And Devi stops the fight not by saying "what the hell are you doing" but instead by shooting at them?? Then, instead of explaining the situation to Anthony, a close friend, she instead treats him like crap - after, of course, he too expresses his love for her. She hides from Rupert, who she supposedly loves so much, her virus flareup despite how incredibly dangerous it is? And of course Rupert's inner wolf, I mean, symbiote, later briefly takes control of him and tries to kill her. And yet, despite her not being in armor and Rupert being readily able to down multiple armored opponents in seconds, Devi of course survives (after shooting with Rupert with a gun that was too big for her to shoot unarmored in earlier books, which now of course calms him instead of enraging him further). I almost never quit books, much less midway through the third of a trilogy, but this is just too horrible to finish.
February 3, 2020
At this distance, there was no way Caldswell could miss. Crouching on the bomber's bay floor, I was at eye level with Rupert, and I could see the trajectory of the shot clearly. It would blast through Rupert's head and into mine, killing us both. But though I could see the danger, understand it, practically feel the heat of the shot cutting through my head, I couldn't move fast enough. All I could do was meet Rupert's eyes for a final good-bye, a thank you, everything. He was already staring at me when I looked over, his blue eyes warm and determined as they bored into mine.
This one, the last of the trilogy, was a little too heavy on the mushy stuff for me, but there was still plenty of pew-pew, shoot-em-up action. In other words, the ten-year-old boy that lives inside me was going both Yuck! and Yay! (Yeah, I don't know why I've got a boy inside of me instead of a girl, but I've named him Timmy, and I blame him for all my baser instincts.)
I really enjoyed this brief series; it's something I never would have found on my own. Many thanks to my coworker, Tracey, for suggesting it. Here's a gal who loves Jane Eyre, AND science fiction, so I'll take her recommendations on everything from now on.
This one, the last of the trilogy, was a little too heavy on the mushy stuff for me, but there was still plenty of pew-pew, shoot-em-up action. In other words, the ten-year-old boy that lives inside me was going both Yuck! and Yay! (Yeah, I don't know why I've got a boy inside of me instead of a girl, but I've named him Timmy, and I blame him for all my baser instincts.)
I really enjoyed this brief series; it's something I never would have found on my own. Many thanks to my coworker, Tracey, for suggesting it. Here's a gal who loves Jane Eyre, AND science fiction, so I'll take her recommendations on everything from now on.
June 7, 2019
A full trilogy review.
The one thing I'll always credit Rachel Bach/Aaron with is her ability to thoroughly entertain me with her stories, and the Paradox trilogy is yet another proof of that.
By now, most of you will already know that I swear by Rachel Aaron's books. They are go-to comfort reads; I've never picked up one of her books and not found it enjoyable. Her knack of creating great characters is matched by her ability to create worlds which at first glance seemed familiar but is packed with imagination. It's as if her love of all things geeky brought together some pretty cool influences in her worldbuilding.
For example, Paradox is the name of a planet; named as such because in spite of it's super advanced space-faring people, it runs on a feudal system and the people worship a divine god-king. For this, Aaron mentioned heavy influence from Warhammer 40k. And I believe it's not only in respect of the god-king, but the powered armours worn by the operatives.
There is so much more cool stuff in this universe, which I'll only briefly mention because the fun is in the discovery. Aside from the usual spacey stuff like space stations, battleships, hyperspace travel, and aliens (will come back to this later), there is the existence of a type of 'energy' which is wielded almost like magic. Some humans are more sensitive or powerful at using it, while most are not. The aliens form the best part of the worldbuilding, I kid you not. We have a physically superior yet brutally violent lizard-like race, an avian species who are known as the best space navigators, and alien beings of almost pure energy. Two of these species play a very significant role in the narrative and made it a no-holds-barred intergalactic conflict with truly dire consequences.
Deviana Morris, the main character of this trilogy is a badass, in-your-face female mercenary who loves her powered space armour and weapons so much that she named them and proclaimed that she'll hold a funeral for them when they go out of commission. Aaron mentioned that her inspiration for Devi ranged from Toph Beifong from Avatar: The Last Airbender, to Paksenarrion from Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion, Killashandra from Anne McCaffrey's Crystal Singer series, and Ellen Ripley from the Alien movies.
It may be too easy to classify Devi as a Mary Sue character, but I think she is a bit more complex than that. Yes, she is a badass fighter who got to where she is with a combination of skill, implacable determination and burning ambition. However, with her story told from the first person perspective, her inner voice (which can be quite funny sometimes) gave out a sense of self-awareness and vulnerability underlying all that bravado. Especially when the romance angle started to take shape in the story. While I won't say that the love story dominated the narrative, it was one of the pivotal arcs of Devi's character development. I believed that Devi's choices and motivations are partially influenced by her romantic entanglement. I'm not a fan of romance novels, and as some parts of these books read like one, it became a bit of a distraction. Admittedly, it did make tear up a bit in the end. So I'm not heartless after all.
Once you take away the romance though, these books are filled with high-octane space-faring action that is worthy of a blockbuster movie. The concluding climax was an adrenaline-pumping and breathtaking non-stop action sequence involving aliens and a top-secret government space station armed to the teeth. And what's at stake? Pretty much the whole universe if Devi was wrong.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading these books and tore through them at my usual speed when it comes to one of this author's books. Her writing is so accessible that it is easy to breeze through her books. One more thing I need to mention is the way the story builds up from one title to the next. Rachel Aaron never seemed to let subplots creep in to divert the story away from the main narrative and kept the momentum going all the way. The first book alluded to secrets and started dropping clues. A lot of the answers came in the sequel, but it was left to the concluding volume for the real revelations to come forth. In short, masterful pacing and storytelling which culminated in a satisfactory ending.
You can purchase the books from Amazon | Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide)
You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
The one thing I'll always credit Rachel Bach/Aaron with is her ability to thoroughly entertain me with her stories, and the Paradox trilogy is yet another proof of that.
By now, most of you will already know that I swear by Rachel Aaron's books. They are go-to comfort reads; I've never picked up one of her books and not found it enjoyable. Her knack of creating great characters is matched by her ability to create worlds which at first glance seemed familiar but is packed with imagination. It's as if her love of all things geeky brought together some pretty cool influences in her worldbuilding.
For example, Paradox is the name of a planet; named as such because in spite of it's super advanced space-faring people, it runs on a feudal system and the people worship a divine god-king. For this, Aaron mentioned heavy influence from Warhammer 40k. And I believe it's not only in respect of the god-king, but the powered armours worn by the operatives.
There is so much more cool stuff in this universe, which I'll only briefly mention because the fun is in the discovery. Aside from the usual spacey stuff like space stations, battleships, hyperspace travel, and aliens (will come back to this later), there is the existence of a type of 'energy' which is wielded almost like magic. Some humans are more sensitive or powerful at using it, while most are not. The aliens form the best part of the worldbuilding, I kid you not. We have a physically superior yet brutally violent lizard-like race, an avian species who are known as the best space navigators, and alien beings of almost pure energy. Two of these species play a very significant role in the narrative and made it a no-holds-barred intergalactic conflict with truly dire consequences.
Deviana Morris, the main character of this trilogy is a badass, in-your-face female mercenary who loves her powered space armour and weapons so much that she named them and proclaimed that she'll hold a funeral for them when they go out of commission. Aaron mentioned that her inspiration for Devi ranged from Toph Beifong from Avatar: The Last Airbender, to Paksenarrion from Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion, Killashandra from Anne McCaffrey's Crystal Singer series, and Ellen Ripley from the Alien movies.
It may be too easy to classify Devi as a Mary Sue character, but I think she is a bit more complex than that. Yes, she is a badass fighter who got to where she is with a combination of skill, implacable determination and burning ambition. However, with her story told from the first person perspective, her inner voice (which can be quite funny sometimes) gave out a sense of self-awareness and vulnerability underlying all that bravado. Especially when the romance angle started to take shape in the story. While I won't say that the love story dominated the narrative, it was one of the pivotal arcs of Devi's character development. I believed that Devi's choices and motivations are partially influenced by her romantic entanglement. I'm not a fan of romance novels, and as some parts of these books read like one, it became a bit of a distraction. Admittedly, it did make tear up a bit in the end. So I'm not heartless after all.
Once you take away the romance though, these books are filled with high-octane space-faring action that is worthy of a blockbuster movie. The concluding climax was an adrenaline-pumping and breathtaking non-stop action sequence involving aliens and a top-secret government space station armed to the teeth. And what's at stake? Pretty much the whole universe if Devi was wrong.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading these books and tore through them at my usual speed when it comes to one of this author's books. Her writing is so accessible that it is easy to breeze through her books. One more thing I need to mention is the way the story builds up from one title to the next. Rachel Aaron never seemed to let subplots creep in to divert the story away from the main narrative and kept the momentum going all the way. The first book alluded to secrets and started dropping clues. A lot of the answers came in the sequel, but it was left to the concluding volume for the real revelations to come forth. In short, masterful pacing and storytelling which culminated in a satisfactory ending.
You can purchase the books from Amazon | Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide)
You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
February 24, 2019
“In chess,” he said, holding the game piece up between his fingers, “the queen is the most powerful piece, but even she is still just a piece on a board. For all her power, she is trapped by her role so long as the game is in play. If she truly wishes to be free, she must change the game.”
April 23, 2017
I had a lot of fun reading this series, and was happy with the ending. So much has changed by book 3 that it felt very different from where the series began. I did kind of miss the merc serving on a ship with a strange crew. But I was satisfied with how everything came out, both for the universe and for Devi. It was fast-paced and entertaining. Pretty much, I loved it!
April 21, 2014
Fantasy Review Barn
Ending a series can be hard. All those pesky plotlines gotta come together, characters need resolutions, and no matter how the author crafts it there will no doubt be a corner of the internet telling them just how wrong they got it. I think I would write two books in a trilogy and fake my death, it’s the only way I could avoid the pressure.
But I have now gone through a full series with Rachael Aaron/Bach twice, and no one remembered to tell her how hard this is supposed to be. Because she flat out nails the endings. Twice now I have watched her series get better and better. Twice she has taken premises that were almost Saturday morning cartoon in their starting simplicity and added element after element until I was screaming at my kindle to JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS. Me likey Heaven’s Queen.
I have spent quite a bit of time on the series as a whole, and on how awesome Dev is, and how much I like power armor and named weapons and nasty man eating lizards getting sliced up by power blades. You no doubt already know that there were some serious sci-fi style weird shit going on that answers were needed for. Honestly these books have come out rapid fire over what, six months? Go catch up on the first two books, you don’t need me to give a summary of this. Let’s just move on to praising another great finish.
What do we get this outing? We get more Dev and Rupert romantic tension; the same I love him I hate him I am totally going to punch him stuff we have had for two books so far. Hope you like it, it should be expected by now. But as in the previous outings this is so much more than a love story, this is a story that has seen Dev grow so much in such a natural way. She is still a devil be damned, shoot first and let god (emperor) sort ‘em out alpha she has been throughout. But her conscience, never completely absent, forces her to make the hard decisions on what is most important to her – and you know she is going to follow through once that hard decision is made.
We get all the resolution we need. Yes, this includes the romantic angle, but also the forty two answers we were waiting for about in this story; life, the universe, everything. We have come a long way from strange glowing bugs with no feasible explanation, a long way from a story of a young gunner looking for a spot of glory and into what it became. Poor Dev though she had seen it all as a mercenary before joining the Glorious Fool; but through this book she saw the full might of the universe thrown at her without it ever feeling like too much to me as a reader.
And this is to me the genius of this series. It was completely over the top, 100% pulp; at least it should have been. It was about power armor cutting through aliens on a trader ship when it started for god’s sake, and there are so many Warhammer 4K allusions the book cover may as well be winking at me. But with a strong strength of character, a slow burn of a sci-fi mystery, and truly alien aliens it rises above. Even the cliché’s stopped being cliché. Example? I fell in love with the strange little religious fanatics that acted like space cadets because I understood how they got to where they were.
A strong conclusion, pulp with some heart, a protagonist that I just can’t help loving, and romantic tension that never got stupid (oh sure there was some forgiveness for some pretty big failings, but while that may not be healthy it sure as hell is realistic when passion is involve). Truly this is a series that has a little something for everyone, and this is a book that finishes said series wonderfully.
4 stars.
Ending a series can be hard. All those pesky plotlines gotta come together, characters need resolutions, and no matter how the author crafts it there will no doubt be a corner of the internet telling them just how wrong they got it. I think I would write two books in a trilogy and fake my death, it’s the only way I could avoid the pressure.
But I have now gone through a full series with Rachael Aaron/Bach twice, and no one remembered to tell her how hard this is supposed to be. Because she flat out nails the endings. Twice now I have watched her series get better and better. Twice she has taken premises that were almost Saturday morning cartoon in their starting simplicity and added element after element until I was screaming at my kindle to JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS. Me likey Heaven’s Queen.
I have spent quite a bit of time on the series as a whole, and on how awesome Dev is, and how much I like power armor and named weapons and nasty man eating lizards getting sliced up by power blades. You no doubt already know that there were some serious sci-fi style weird shit going on that answers were needed for. Honestly these books have come out rapid fire over what, six months? Go catch up on the first two books, you don’t need me to give a summary of this. Let’s just move on to praising another great finish.
What do we get this outing? We get more Dev and Rupert romantic tension; the same I love him I hate him I am totally going to punch him stuff we have had for two books so far. Hope you like it, it should be expected by now. But as in the previous outings this is so much more than a love story, this is a story that has seen Dev grow so much in such a natural way. She is still a devil be damned, shoot first and let god (emperor) sort ‘em out alpha she has been throughout. But her conscience, never completely absent, forces her to make the hard decisions on what is most important to her – and you know she is going to follow through once that hard decision is made.
We get all the resolution we need. Yes, this includes the romantic angle, but also the forty two answers we were waiting for about in this story; life, the universe, everything. We have come a long way from strange glowing bugs with no feasible explanation, a long way from a story of a young gunner looking for a spot of glory and into what it became. Poor Dev though she had seen it all as a mercenary before joining the Glorious Fool; but through this book she saw the full might of the universe thrown at her without it ever feeling like too much to me as a reader.
And this is to me the genius of this series. It was completely over the top, 100% pulp; at least it should have been. It was about power armor cutting through aliens on a trader ship when it started for god’s sake, and there are so many Warhammer 4K allusions the book cover may as well be winking at me. But with a strong strength of character, a slow burn of a sci-fi mystery, and truly alien aliens it rises above. Even the cliché’s stopped being cliché. Example? I fell in love with the strange little religious fanatics that acted like space cadets because I understood how they got to where they were.
A strong conclusion, pulp with some heart, a protagonist that I just can’t help loving, and romantic tension that never got stupid (oh sure there was some forgiveness for some pretty big failings, but while that may not be healthy it sure as hell is realistic when passion is involve). Truly this is a series that has a little something for everyone, and this is a book that finishes said series wonderfully.
4 stars.
April 30, 2014
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
Finding a series where the momentum of the first book carries through to next and beyond is pretty special, and when you find one, you know it’s a keeper. The tone of Heaven’s Queen is in keeping with the fast-paced, and action-filled rollicking good fun of the previous two books in the trilogy, and ends things in an explosively spectacular manner. You really don’t want to mess with protagonist Deviana “Devi” Morris; that’s just like an invitation for bodily harm and extensive property damage.
Hot-headed and not one to hide the fact, Devi is an even bigger force to be reckoned with when she’s angry -- especially with a deadly alien virus in her system. Through no fault of her own, she has gotten herself tangled up in multiple government conspiracies, had her private memories screwed with, and on top of that she’s on the run with what feels like practically everyone in the universe on her heels. In other words, just another average day in the life of our main character. Thing is, stubborn and reckless as she may be, Devi just wants to do the right thing. And that’s just a little tough to do when everyone is standing in the way and you have no idea who to trust.
But actually, there is one person Devi can count on, and that is Rupert Charkov, the man she once thought of as only the Glorious Fool’s cook, but now knows is a lot more than he appears. Those who have been interested in following the progression of the Devi-Rupert relationship (and I include myself in this group) will be happy to see their romance resolved in here, after a fashion. In any case, there’s no more ambiguity when it comes to where they stand, not like there was in the last book. In fact, I would say this one lays on the romance more thickly than either of the two novels that came before. That in itself isn’t a surprise; the romantic side-plot has been growing steadily in importance over the course of the series, so it’s only natural to see it come to fruition. What I hadn’t expected to see though was so much romantic drama in the first half of the novel.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If there’s one thing to take away from these books it is that Rachel Bach/Rachel Aaron never does things by halves. That’s the beauty of the trilogy. Everything about it is larger than life, from the in-your-face main character and her sexy and suave love interest to the amazing planets and exotic aliens, the twisty plot and the danger and thrills. It’s pure candy for the mind, and perhaps it’s fitting for the romance to be a little over-the-top as well, though definitely not overbearing.
A positive side effect of this is that Devi’s feelings for Rupert has added a layer of complexity to her character (it wouldn’t be love if it didn’t at least alter her perspective of herself of the world a little bit!) and to me that makes her more than just a trigger-happy merc. There are many ways for a woman to be strong and Devi prides herself on her independence, physical strength and military expertise, and while she is aware of her own faults she is also not ashamed of them. It’s true she’s not always agreeable or makes the best choices, but that’s Devi for you. She knows what she wants and won’t let anyone get in the way…not even herself. I love the fact that the foundation of who she doesn’t actually change all that much throughout the course of the story, and instead she adapts to changes in order to make the best out of a situation.
But what I guess readers really want to know is if this was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and I would say absolutely. If you’ve enjoyed the spirit and high-energy pacing of the previous books, you’ll likely enjoy Heaven’s Queen as well. The author pulls out all the stops for this one, with action scenes worthy of a summer Hollywood blockbuster as the line between friend and foe continues to be blurred and the last few chapters of this book are absolutely insane.
Not only are these books entertaining, they’re also super accessible and you definitely do not need to be a card-carrying reader of the sci-fi genre to appreciate the story. If you’re looking for an invigorating and adventurous read with plenty of excitement and some humor thrown in, I highly recommend these Paradox books. Checkmate! Don't ask me why I said that, it just seemed appropriate.
Finding a series where the momentum of the first book carries through to next and beyond is pretty special, and when you find one, you know it’s a keeper. The tone of Heaven’s Queen is in keeping with the fast-paced, and action-filled rollicking good fun of the previous two books in the trilogy, and ends things in an explosively spectacular manner. You really don’t want to mess with protagonist Deviana “Devi” Morris; that’s just like an invitation for bodily harm and extensive property damage.
Hot-headed and not one to hide the fact, Devi is an even bigger force to be reckoned with when she’s angry -- especially with a deadly alien virus in her system. Through no fault of her own, she has gotten herself tangled up in multiple government conspiracies, had her private memories screwed with, and on top of that she’s on the run with what feels like practically everyone in the universe on her heels. In other words, just another average day in the life of our main character. Thing is, stubborn and reckless as she may be, Devi just wants to do the right thing. And that’s just a little tough to do when everyone is standing in the way and you have no idea who to trust.
But actually, there is one person Devi can count on, and that is Rupert Charkov, the man she once thought of as only the Glorious Fool’s cook, but now knows is a lot more than he appears. Those who have been interested in following the progression of the Devi-Rupert relationship (and I include myself in this group) will be happy to see their romance resolved in here, after a fashion. In any case, there’s no more ambiguity when it comes to where they stand, not like there was in the last book. In fact, I would say this one lays on the romance more thickly than either of the two novels that came before. That in itself isn’t a surprise; the romantic side-plot has been growing steadily in importance over the course of the series, so it’s only natural to see it come to fruition. What I hadn’t expected to see though was so much romantic drama in the first half of the novel.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If there’s one thing to take away from these books it is that Rachel Bach/Rachel Aaron never does things by halves. That’s the beauty of the trilogy. Everything about it is larger than life, from the in-your-face main character and her sexy and suave love interest to the amazing planets and exotic aliens, the twisty plot and the danger and thrills. It’s pure candy for the mind, and perhaps it’s fitting for the romance to be a little over-the-top as well, though definitely not overbearing.
A positive side effect of this is that Devi’s feelings for Rupert has added a layer of complexity to her character (it wouldn’t be love if it didn’t at least alter her perspective of herself of the world a little bit!) and to me that makes her more than just a trigger-happy merc. There are many ways for a woman to be strong and Devi prides herself on her independence, physical strength and military expertise, and while she is aware of her own faults she is also not ashamed of them. It’s true she’s not always agreeable or makes the best choices, but that’s Devi for you. She knows what she wants and won’t let anyone get in the way…not even herself. I love the fact that the foundation of who she doesn’t actually change all that much throughout the course of the story, and instead she adapts to changes in order to make the best out of a situation.
But what I guess readers really want to know is if this was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and I would say absolutely. If you’ve enjoyed the spirit and high-energy pacing of the previous books, you’ll likely enjoy Heaven’s Queen as well. The author pulls out all the stops for this one, with action scenes worthy of a summer Hollywood blockbuster as the line between friend and foe continues to be blurred and the last few chapters of this book are absolutely insane.
Not only are these books entertaining, they’re also super accessible and you definitely do not need to be a card-carrying reader of the sci-fi genre to appreciate the story. If you’re looking for an invigorating and adventurous read with plenty of excitement and some humor thrown in, I highly recommend these Paradox books. Checkmate! Don't ask me why I said that, it just seemed appropriate.
May 18, 2017
This was action from start to finish, and a good ending to the trilogy!
November 14, 2016
YES to this book but also NO to some of the scenes... I'm conflicted, okay? Let me tell you why
YES to Devi and kickass fight scenes, YES to learning about Maat: her appearance, her prison, her "craziness" YES to Lady Gray Devi's amour, even YES to some some of the romance scenes.
NO to Devis being conflicted about her feelings and decisions, NO to some of the mushiness, NO to Devi being a treated how she was
Okay now all that rant is out onto to the rest and how much I freakin enjoyed it!
The start of the book there is ALOT of running, We set off with Devi doing a ridiculously dangerous jump into hyperspace and luckily don't get lost for a 1000 years. We end up exploring a few planets when they ave to hide out, the descriptions of the trees and landscapes make me want to read about this amazing universe.
There is so much information about The Phantoms and they are so cute, little luminous bobbles in different sizes and shapes. The Leglis are exposed and we learn the true reason they don't want Maat free'd from her Prison We get Cadswell's back story and how the Symbiont's are inserted and people are chosen to except one, we also learn more about the symbiont and how much they hate being inside their hosts. Cadswell's backstory was sad and made me understand why he is the way he is but while I could sympathises he was still doing the wrong thing.
The second half of the book is fast paced and mixes in important info with action so well.
The hardest moment of the book?
The ending was everything I hoped for everything tied up in a pretty armoured bow
Best moment?
YES to Devi and kickass fight scenes, YES to learning about Maat: her appearance, her prison, her "craziness" YES to Lady Gray Devi's amour, even YES to some some of the romance scenes.
NO to Devis being conflicted about her feelings and decisions, NO to some of the mushiness, NO to Devi being a treated how she was
Okay now all that rant is out onto to the rest and how much I freakin enjoyed it!
The start of the book there is ALOT of running, We set off with Devi doing a ridiculously dangerous jump into hyperspace and luckily don't get lost for a 1000 years. We end up exploring a few planets when they ave to hide out, the descriptions of the trees and landscapes make me want to read about this amazing universe.
There is so much information about The Phantoms and they are so cute, little luminous bobbles in different sizes and shapes. The Leglis are exposed and we learn the true reason they don't want Maat free'd from her Prison We get Cadswell's back story and how the Symbiont's are inserted and people are chosen to except one, we also learn more about the symbiont and how much they hate being inside their hosts. Cadswell's backstory was sad and made me understand why he is the way he is but while I could sympathises he was still doing the wrong thing.
The second half of the book is fast paced and mixes in important info with action so well.
The hardest moment of the book?
The ending was everything I hoped for everything tied up in a pretty armoured bow
Best moment?
May 10, 2014
Heaven's Queen is the 3rd and final book in the Paradox trilogy. Each book can not be read singularly so it is strongly suggested you gather all three before you begin reading. The books are simple and easy to read--very quick--so would make a good weekend excursion or beach book. There isn't much if any strong language or sex, so I feel this series would be acceptable for anyone 14+.
I will admit that I enjoyed the series. The first book was highly enjoyable (I love, love, loved it!), the second not so much, but the third... oh, how sad I feel for the third, and how unfulfilled. I wont go into details about what the book is about because if you are reading this, you pretty much know what's what already.
The problem I had with this book was that it felt to... perfect. Too clean. More specifically, the last quarter of the novel. Rarely do all the pieces fall so cleanly together, especially when you're messing with the fate of the universe. If you have everyone, even your own government, out to get you, why does it feel so simple?
Devi's over use of metaphors felt like padding to add length, the emotional trials trifling, fake, and unexplored, and the conflict... well, the basis of the conflict was fine, but could have been explored in more depth. The romance over shadows much of the main story and is done so poorly you don't FEEL the love. At times you get frustrated at Devi as she repeatedly comes to the same conclusion--as if she's forgotten how she feels. Rupert seems like a completely different person from book one and this rather upset me since I loved Rupert in book one. But now he's lost what made him the dark, mysterious man in the beginning to become a sometimes clingy teenage boyfriend.
Enjoyable, sure. Let down, you bet. As a final goes, this one lacked that impact to leave a memorable impression and failed to carry on the tone, feel, and drive of the first novel.
I will admit that I enjoyed the series. The first book was highly enjoyable (I love, love, loved it!), the second not so much, but the third... oh, how sad I feel for the third, and how unfulfilled. I wont go into details about what the book is about because if you are reading this, you pretty much know what's what already.
The problem I had with this book was that it felt to... perfect. Too clean. More specifically, the last quarter of the novel. Rarely do all the pieces fall so cleanly together, especially when you're messing with the fate of the universe. If you have everyone, even your own government, out to get you, why does it feel so simple?
Devi's over use of metaphors felt like padding to add length, the emotional trials trifling, fake, and unexplored, and the conflict... well, the basis of the conflict was fine, but could have been explored in more depth. The romance over shadows much of the main story and is done so poorly you don't FEEL the love. At times you get frustrated at Devi as she repeatedly comes to the same conclusion--as if she's forgotten how she feels. Rupert seems like a completely different person from book one and this rather upset me since I loved Rupert in book one. But now he's lost what made him the dark, mysterious man in the beginning to become a sometimes clingy teenage boyfriend.
Enjoyable, sure. Let down, you bet. As a final goes, this one lacked that impact to leave a memorable impression and failed to carry on the tone, feel, and drive of the first novel.
December 9, 2014
My god, this has got to be one of the worst finales to a previously great trilogy I have ever had the misfortune to give up on. 100 pages from the end and I am ready to quit in disgust. And I loved the first 2 books!
WHY DID YOU TURN HER INTO SUCH A SILLY STUPID GIRL? WHY?
I LOVED the reveal. And what does the MC do when she finds out the truth?
AGAIN! For page after page! Stupid author, constantly interrupting the action so the MC can swoon over her lover some more.
I feel like Fred Savage in the beginning of the Princess Bride: "They're kissing again. Do we have to read the kissing parts?"
Yet another previously kick ass heroine succumbs to PTW - Penises Tame Women.
HATE HATE HATE
DNF @ 70%
WHY DID YOU TURN HER INTO SUCH A SILLY STUPID GIRL? WHY?
I LOVED the reveal. And what does the MC do when she finds out the truth?
AGAIN! For page after page! Stupid author, constantly interrupting the action so the MC can swoon over her lover some more.
I feel like Fred Savage in the beginning of the Princess Bride: "They're kissing again. Do we have to read the kissing parts?"
Yet another previously kick ass heroine succumbs to PTW - Penises Tame Women.
HATE HATE HATE
DNF @ 70%
September 10, 2022
2nd reading and I still loved it! But I still wish ... Oh well, you can't have everything ; )
....................................................................................................................................
I was disappointed they only made the first two books into audiobooks!
BUT I still totally loved this finale to the series!!!
It was nail biting!. Rupert was swoon-worthy! The villains weren't always villains so you just never knew where you stood with anyone. Best of all, the ending was fantastic! I cried, I felt my face grimace in hate, I smiled and sighed, and I laughed. It was crazy.
We pick up right where the last book ended. Rupert and Devi are tight in this one and Devi is determined to find a way to save herself, and the universe while setting Maat and the daughters free. If only someone else would agree with her!
In the prologue we get some insight into how the whole thing with Maat came about. Then Rupert and Devi are on the lamb to find a doctor who can help her. On the trip they meet not one but two of Devi's past amours, which doesn't make Rupert happy. But Devi's wall around her heart is starting to melt again. How can she resist Rupert?
As usual, just when you think you know what's going on, more is revealed.
My only complaint is that .
Although the ending was perfect, there's plenty of potential for future books with these characters.
....................................................................................................................................
I was disappointed they only made the first two books into audiobooks!
BUT I still totally loved this finale to the series!!!
It was nail biting!. Rupert was swoon-worthy! The villains weren't always villains so you just never knew where you stood with anyone. Best of all, the ending was fantastic! I cried, I felt my face grimace in hate, I smiled and sighed, and I laughed. It was crazy.
We pick up right where the last book ended. Rupert and Devi are tight in this one and Devi is determined to find a way to save herself, and the universe while setting Maat and the daughters free. If only someone else would agree with her!
In the prologue we get some insight into how the whole thing with Maat came about. Then Rupert and Devi are on the lamb to find a doctor who can help her. On the trip they meet not one but two of Devi's past amours, which doesn't make Rupert happy. But Devi's wall around her heart is starting to melt again. How can she resist Rupert?
As usual, just when you think you know what's going on, more is revealed.
My only complaint is that .
Although the ending was perfect, there's plenty of potential for future books with these characters.
May 13, 2018
I am struggling to find the words to tell you how much I loved this without sounding like a mindless squee-machine. The first book in the series, Fortune’s Pawn, was great… I had a little trouble with parts of book two. But this final book in the trilogy gave me everything I wanted and everything I needed. It’s action-packed, emotional, and satisfying in every way. I’m still cheering inside.
If you haven’t read the books leading up to this, stop here and pick up Fortune’s Pawn. You’ll thank me. Spoilers for the previous installments are ahead.
We pick up right where Honor’s Knight left off. Devi and Rupert are in an escape pod, separated from the rest of their crew, under pursuit from the leglis. They land on a pirate colony and have to hide and regroup, trying to figure out their next move. Devi has agreed to work with the Eyes, but the captain is missing and after their escape through hyperspace, there’s no telling when he could reappear. So when a team of Eyes show up to nab them, they run. Without Caldwell, there’s no telling what the Eyes have in mind for Devi.
I won’t pick apart the plot, but this is all about Devi’s journey as she figures out the right way to use her virus to save the world. Everyone around her has a different idea about that, and they’ll all sacrifice or kill anything in their way. Is the good of the many worth the sacrifice of the few?
There are a few bumps in the road, but this book is about Devi figuring out the answer and executing a plan that stands up to the courage of her conviction. All this, while, for the first time, allowing herself to love and be loved in return.
I barely know where to start in telling you why I loved this so much. It moves like a freight train, but it never shortchanges the feelings or the impact of the action. As much as Rupert made me angry in the last book, I needed to read that to truly appreciate his transformation here. His love for Devi is so complete and unwavering, and it’s why you can’t help but root for them despite all of her reasons why it makes her weak. Ultimately, with him, she is her strongest.
The Maat storyline is so heartbreaking and a true guiding star for Devi’s conscience. Still, Caldwell and Benton and their Eyes were never mindless villains. Rachel Bach built them with their own sense of right and wrong, just one that is different from Devi’s. Bach twists and turns our ideas about who the bad guys are, writing in shades of gray that are fantastic. But at the end of the day, what really got me is the emotional journey I went on with this heroine. The bittersweet triumph of victory that left me crying tears that I wasn’t sure were from joy or grief.
I could go on and on, but suffice it to say, this is one of the best sci-fi romance/space opera series I have ever read. If you like this genre at all, I recommend it unreservedly. And be prepared to read all three books back-to-back. You’ll thank me later.
Rating: A
If you haven’t read the books leading up to this, stop here and pick up Fortune’s Pawn. You’ll thank me. Spoilers for the previous installments are ahead.
We pick up right where Honor’s Knight left off. Devi and Rupert are in an escape pod, separated from the rest of their crew, under pursuit from the leglis. They land on a pirate colony and have to hide and regroup, trying to figure out their next move. Devi has agreed to work with the Eyes, but the captain is missing and after their escape through hyperspace, there’s no telling when he could reappear. So when a team of Eyes show up to nab them, they run. Without Caldwell, there’s no telling what the Eyes have in mind for Devi.
I won’t pick apart the plot, but this is all about Devi’s journey as she figures out the right way to use her virus to save the world. Everyone around her has a different idea about that, and they’ll all sacrifice or kill anything in their way. Is the good of the many worth the sacrifice of the few?
There are a few bumps in the road, but this book is about Devi figuring out the answer and executing a plan that stands up to the courage of her conviction. All this, while, for the first time, allowing herself to love and be loved in return.
I barely know where to start in telling you why I loved this so much. It moves like a freight train, but it never shortchanges the feelings or the impact of the action. As much as Rupert made me angry in the last book, I needed to read that to truly appreciate his transformation here. His love for Devi is so complete and unwavering, and it’s why you can’t help but root for them despite all of her reasons why it makes her weak. Ultimately, with him, she is her strongest.
The Maat storyline is so heartbreaking and a true guiding star for Devi’s conscience. Still, Caldwell and Benton and their Eyes were never mindless villains. Rachel Bach built them with their own sense of right and wrong, just one that is different from Devi’s. Bach twists and turns our ideas about who the bad guys are, writing in shades of gray that are fantastic. But at the end of the day, what really got me is the emotional journey I went on with this heroine. The bittersweet triumph of victory that left me crying tears that I wasn’t sure were from joy or grief.
I could go on and on, but suffice it to say, this is one of the best sci-fi romance/space opera series I have ever read. If you like this genre at all, I recommend it unreservedly. And be prepared to read all three books back-to-back. You’ll thank me later.
Rating: A
June 7, 2015
3.5 stars for a satisfying ending. Based on some of the reviews I read, I started this book with trepidation. There are times where I'm just not interested in a love interest. I'm happy to say the romantic element to this trilogy is just right. It isn't overwhelming and even though a surprise character showed up declaring love, it did not detract from the story for me.
Devi is back and she is now complete with her memories. The problem is, everyone is gunning for her as she could be the ultimate weapon to finally get rid of the phantoms. With Rupert at her side, how can she fail?
There are ups and downs in this story. Even the pace seemed a bit up and down. The questions we've had about the phantoms and Mata are finally answered. In fact, when it's all explained, I wondered why I even had questions because it made so much sense. I should have been able to predict it and yet I didn't. Ms. Bach does a good job of setting up the whys and tying up all the loose ends.
The characters in this book are a doozy. To be clear, I loved Devi through every book. She's pretty kick ass and I genuinely liked this character. She's honest and does the right thing. She's focus and she knows what she wants. She never rationalizes nor justifies what she categorizes as immoral behaviour. She is driven and she goes big. Her definition of self-sacrifice is pretty much on par with what a good guy superhero would be. What is confusing is all the other characters. I'm a bit dizzy with liking them and then hating them. Almost all the other characters in this series I love to hate them. Caldswell is an asshole. He and Benton are anti-heroes coming from different directions. I didn't even know they could both be so similar yet diametrical opposites. It boggles the mind. Rupert as Devi's champion and tarnished white knight is fabulous. I love him. The crew of Glorious Fool are hard to like at times. The way they behave towards Devi is totally consistent with their loyalties to Caldswell. It doesn't make me like them any more because at times their priorities oppose Devi's purposes. The only one who is adorable is Nova. She's a loopy one.
Why am I so frustrated with those opposing Devi? Because she is right and she knows it. She is taking the risk and she's going big. The lack of support from others is annoying because they are stuck in a rut and they don't see the end game. What is admirable about Ms. Bach is how she is able to show the other perspective so that Devi gets why they won't let her carry out her end game. Still, Devi persists and I have to admire her tenacity. The ending wrapped up fast and it was glorious. Devi's one wish is granted. This happily ever after is satisfying even as it makes me wonder about King Stephen. This action packed sci-fi is recommended to those who root for the underdog.
Devi is back and she is now complete with her memories. The problem is, everyone is gunning for her as she could be the ultimate weapon to finally get rid of the phantoms. With Rupert at her side, how can she fail?
There are ups and downs in this story. Even the pace seemed a bit up and down. The questions we've had about the phantoms and Mata are finally answered. In fact, when it's all explained, I wondered why I even had questions because it made so much sense. I should have been able to predict it and yet I didn't. Ms. Bach does a good job of setting up the whys and tying up all the loose ends.
The characters in this book are a doozy. To be clear, I loved Devi through every book. She's pretty kick ass and I genuinely liked this character. She's honest and does the right thing. She's focus and she knows what she wants. She never rationalizes nor justifies what she categorizes as immoral behaviour. She is driven and she goes big. Her definition of self-sacrifice is pretty much on par with what a good guy superhero would be. What is confusing is all the other characters. I'm a bit dizzy with liking them and then hating them. Almost all the other characters in this series I love to hate them. Caldswell is an asshole. He and Benton are anti-heroes coming from different directions. I didn't even know they could both be so similar yet diametrical opposites. It boggles the mind. Rupert as Devi's champion and tarnished white knight is fabulous. I love him. The crew of Glorious Fool are hard to like at times. The way they behave towards Devi is totally consistent with their loyalties to Caldswell. It doesn't make me like them any more because at times their priorities oppose Devi's purposes. The only one who is adorable is Nova. She's a loopy one.
Why am I so frustrated with those opposing Devi? Because she is right and she knows it. She is taking the risk and she's going big. The lack of support from others is annoying because they are stuck in a rut and they don't see the end game. What is admirable about Ms. Bach is how she is able to show the other perspective so that Devi gets why they won't let her carry out her end game. Still, Devi persists and I have to admire her tenacity. The ending wrapped up fast and it was glorious. Devi's one wish is granted. This happily ever after is satisfying even as it makes me wonder about King Stephen. This action packed sci-fi is recommended to those who root for the underdog.
March 16, 2020
That's it, the series is finally over! 😥
It was a solid end to the Paradox trilogy, but unfortunately the romance took over the storyline, pushing the sci-fi action to the background 😒
However, despite this and wishing the ending had been a little less cupcakes and rainbows, it was still enjoyable and engrossing like the other books.
3.5 stars 🌟
It was a solid end to the Paradox trilogy, but unfortunately the romance took over the storyline, pushing the sci-fi action to the background 😒
However, despite this and wishing the ending had been a little less cupcakes and rainbows, it was still enjoyable and engrossing like the other books.
3.5 stars 🌟
February 22, 2019
One of my favorite series of all time. I would say I wish Rachel had written more science fiction books, but, honestly, this series is so perfect, I would be afraid that nothing she could ever write again would ever measure up to the perfection that is this wonderful, wonderful series.
January 24, 2021
Last installment in a really outstanding Scifi romance trilogy. This is a great mix of military scifi and space opera with an unforgettable heroine, heart-pounding action and a star-crossed romance. I'm finding it hard to make any criticism of this book. I know it's not perfect but I've enjoyed the ride SO MUCH.
In this volume all the secrets are laid bare. The wrap up of Maat's and the Daughters stories, what the Phantoms are, and the nature of Devi's disease, comes together perfectly. Devi is basically on the run the whole time, dodging the Eyes, the Terrans, the Lelgis and various other players. Although the action is really exciting and has some brilliant high points there was so much escape/capture, escape/capture, escape/capture that it became annoyingly predictable.
Devi learns a lot about herself on the way but never loses those characteristics that makes her so unique. She starts out as a tough, supremely confident fighter, covered in deadly armour (which she affectionately calls Lady Grey) and never loses that drive from the first word in the trilogy to the last. She is blindly patriotic to her country and her saintly Paradoxian King Stephen. She's also a motormouth and never backs down which provides a lot of the light relief.
Over the three books the romantic arc flows from infatuation to shocking betrayal to cautious allegiance before returning full circle to absolute trust and true love. Rupert is a great hero. Very flawed.
So a little shaky at the finish but overall an exuberant, sophisticated scifi adventure that I will definitely be reading over and over again.
In this volume all the secrets are laid bare. The wrap up of Maat's and the Daughters stories, what the Phantoms are, and the nature of Devi's disease, comes together perfectly. Devi is basically on the run the whole time, dodging the Eyes, the Terrans, the Lelgis and various other players. Although the action is really exciting and has some brilliant high points there was so much escape/capture, escape/capture, escape/capture that it became annoyingly predictable.
Devi learns a lot about herself on the way but never loses those characteristics that makes her so unique. She starts out as a tough, supremely confident fighter, covered in deadly armour (which she affectionately calls Lady Grey) and never loses that drive from the first word in the trilogy to the last. She is blindly patriotic to her country and her saintly Paradoxian King Stephen. She's also a motormouth and never backs down which provides a lot of the light relief.
Over the three books the romantic arc flows from infatuation to shocking betrayal to cautious allegiance before returning full circle to absolute trust and true love. Rupert is a great hero. Very flawed.
So a little shaky at the finish but overall an exuberant, sophisticated scifi adventure that I will definitely be reading over and over again.
March 17, 2014
There is definitely a lot of betrayal going around – but I think the way things ended up made sense. Devi is definitely not a “you’re so sweet and sensitive, LET ME LOVE YOU SQUISHY WISHY BEAR!” type of girl. She’s more of a “you look damn sexy dripping with the blood of your enemies, haaaaaay!” gal.
Check out my full review on the blog!
Check out my full review on the blog!
October 5, 2014
This would've been better as a single book, I think. It might not have saved the romance, but there's soooo much running around and people not listening to each other and that gets boring. Plus, all the supporting characters I liked in the first book disappeared almost completely.
February 18, 2018
The romance that never should have been the focus stole all the joy from what could have been a kick ass ending. Still, it was OK, but the lackluster love story was the main point of this one. Could have ended much better.
December 21, 2019
This is a 3.5 star series for me, I think. I liked the first book well enough, but the series really didn't get interesting until midway through book two, when the actual plot started to come out and play. That second book, in a rare occurrence for a trilogy, I think in retrospect was actually the best one of the series. It had the most exciting action, the most believable conflict, and emotional stakes in the rift between Devi and Caldswell's crew (specifically Rupert). It had also had a well done reversal in that "the good guys" believably became "the bad guys" before we learned that everyone is equally grey.
This last book wraps things up well enough, but a little too cleanly for my taste. I'm not sure how else it could have gone, except that it just felt a little too neat. It was nice for Devi that she was finally able to open up and trust Rupert but it sapped all the tension out of their interactions pretty early in the book, leaving no room at the end for a true reconciliation, and forcing the author to create false tension by having Devi think Rupert has been killed. One of the most cliched as possible scenarios in fiction (movies or books) to have someone "killed" when everything else in the story is telling you that that person is actually alive. It's an empty moment that I didn't really buy, even if Devi was temporarily devastated by it.
All in all, for a book that started out so badass, I would have appreciated a little more darkness, or bittersweetness, in the ending. It was almost fairytale-like in the way it actually played out. Devi is even knighted by her beloved fairytale king, and she and Rupert ride off into the sunset. It just didn't feel like it matched up with the rest of the story.
All in all, glad I checked this series out, and will probably check out the author's fantasy (written under Rachel Aaron) as well.
[3.5 stars, rounded up]
This last book wraps things up well enough, but a little too cleanly for my taste. I'm not sure how else it could have gone, except that it just felt a little too neat. It was nice for Devi that she was finally able to open up and trust Rupert but it sapped all the tension out of their interactions pretty early in the book, leaving no room at the end for a true reconciliation, and forcing the author to create false tension by having Devi think Rupert has been killed. One of the most cliched as possible scenarios in fiction (movies or books) to have someone "killed" when everything else in the story is telling you that that person is actually alive. It's an empty moment that I didn't really buy, even if Devi was temporarily devastated by it.
All in all, for a book that started out so badass, I would have appreciated a little more darkness, or bittersweetness, in the ending. It was almost fairytale-like in the way it actually played out. Devi is even knighted by her beloved fairytale king, and she and Rupert ride off into the sunset. It just didn't feel like it matched up with the rest of the story.
All in all, glad I checked this series out, and will probably check out the author's fantasy (written under Rachel Aaron) as well.
[3.5 stars, rounded up]
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2015
Devi Morris isn’t just having a bad day; ever since she took on the security role on Caldswell’s ship her life has been one disaster after another. She has been in the centre of government conspiracies, two alien species are after her, and there is another alien virus that is trying to kill her. The thing to do would be to hide, keep her head down and hope that it all blows over; but she has never worked that way. She has had enough of running and wants to take the fight to them.
But this might be just more than she can handle.
The final book in the series is just as action packed as the previous two, but this time the Devi has backup from the Symbiont Rupert. And boy does she need it. She starts to get the measure of the power that the virus gives her, finds a way of communicating with one of the alien species, has a spectacular escape action from all sorts of close scrapes too.
But it was a little too neat in the end. Which is a shame as the previous two have been good solid military SF books.
But this might be just more than she can handle.
The final book in the series is just as action packed as the previous two, but this time the Devi has backup from the Symbiont Rupert. And boy does she need it. She starts to get the measure of the power that the virus gives her, finds a way of communicating with one of the alien species, has a spectacular escape action from all sorts of close scrapes too.
But it was a little too neat in the end. Which is a shame as the previous two have been good solid military SF books.
July 15, 2015
I liked the way it all ends in this book. I think my biggest complaint about this series in general would be the inconsistency of some of the characters. They seemed to conveniently go from good to bad to good again to suit the story. This kind of resulted in the series feeling like it was going around in circles because besides Rupert, there was never anyone Devi knew she could trust. I would like to, for once read a story where the person that goes on the run stays on the run, and fixes things on her own without circling back to where she started. In this series Devi circles back to where she started several times. There are a couple of characters in the series, that by the end I consider truly bad and would have liked to have seen them get their due, but they are allowed to live and retire. Those complaints aside, this is still the best space opera series I've ever read. Of course that list is very short as of right now, but I plan to expand it in the future.
November 4, 2015
A satisfying end to the adventure – lots of fun with aliens – although this all felt much more like fantasy than science fiction – and a nice romance too.
It was a fun way to spend a weekend.
It was a fun way to spend a weekend.
August 10, 2017
2.5 stars for this book but a solid 3 stars for the series as a whole.
This book wasn't bad, but it was definitely the weakest of the trilogy. The action was great and the pacing was good, but the romance was too heavy handed for me. Things got a little too sappy and OTT which I did not like. And as some other reviewers pointed out, it was like the MCs suddenly changed and became other people in this book.
I found the writing engaging, but also a little repetitive by this point. Yes, we know that Devi loves Lady Gray and that Mia has a wide aim. Thermite burns out quickly and a disruptive shot in between the eyes of a symbiont will kill it. There was a lot more that was repeated and maybe it's just that I read the three books of this trilogy in three days, but I found the repetition unnecessary.
Overall I enjoyed this series. It was fun even if the final book could have been better. I look forward to reading more by this author.
This book wasn't bad, but it was definitely the weakest of the trilogy. The action was great and the pacing was good, but the romance was too heavy handed for me. Things got a little too sappy and OTT which I did not like. And as some other reviewers pointed out, it was like the MCs suddenly changed and became other people in this book.
I found the writing engaging, but also a little repetitive by this point. Yes, we know that Devi loves Lady Gray and that Mia has a wide aim. Thermite burns out quickly and a disruptive shot in between the eyes of a symbiont will kill it. There was a lot more that was repeated and maybe it's just that I read the three books of this trilogy in three days, but I found the repetition unnecessary.
Overall I enjoyed this series. It was fun even if the final book could have been better. I look forward to reading more by this author.
October 28, 2015
Heaven's Queen is the conclusion of the Paradox trilogy by Rachel Bach. Here's the thing - book one in the series, Fortune's Pawn, was my EVERYTHING. It was my ideal KISSING IN SPACE/"powered-armor space opera with kissing" (actual author quote, btw) book. It had a kick-ass merc heroine who was fucking competent at her job (I have a thing for kick-ass heroines who are competent at their thing), it had powered armor (I have a thing for powered armor), and KISSING (I have a thing for kissing) and SPACE!! (I have a.. never mind). Mass Effect is my favourite video game series and as a die-hard Femshep player, this series was totally my jam.
And then book three happened.
The first 40 percent of the book, NOTHING happened. Ok so Devi and Rupert were on the run and the entire plot was basically "Devi and Rupert escape on ship 1, acquire ship 2, acquire ship 3, still on the run, FEELINGS AND LUST ALL OVER THE PLACE". Usually I would be FINE with all the sexy but damn, it just felt so.. overly dramatic, eye-rollingly so. Sometime during this, Devi is a massive dick to her former lover Anthony who btw risked EVERYTHING to save her on the slim chance that she might be alive and just a few pages later she has some feels talk with Rupert during which his behaviour is contrasted with Anthony's (the utter ~brute~! caring for her! omg HDU!) and this brings me to the point where I was frequently annoyed with the author for constantly explaining things in the smallest detail.
The plot picked up somewhere around two thirds through the books. That shit was awesome but it happened too late in the book after the story had already too often been bogged down by the romance, which is the strangest thing for me because I am a romance reader through and through. Yeah, there was some mighty deus ex machina towards the end and a super neat HEA.. which I actually ended up loving, so yay?
Based upon this, I find it hard to rate the book - the action scenes were fantastic and I genuinely appreciated the power armor loooooove. I actually liked the HEA - it might have been too neat but sometimes I am a sucker for HEA (especially because my Shep had to leave Garrus behind and I am forever broken up about this). However, the romance and ~feels~ sections were downright annoying at times and seriously, there is no name that is less sexy than Rupert. It was so incredibly distracting! I am sorry, Ruperts out there, but having lived in the UK this shall forever be an unsexy middle-aged man and/or lad name for me *shudders*.
This could have been a four star book but in the end, three stars are more than I thought I would give out when I was in the first half so I am ok with this. Despite all the misgivings this book is still better written than some other space opera romance I have read recently (looking at YOU, Gabriel's Ghost). And yes, I will waiting for Bach's upcoming series about a Blackbird merc.. because power armor and KISSING IN SPACE.
And then book three happened.
The first 40 percent of the book, NOTHING happened. Ok so Devi and Rupert were on the run and the entire plot was basically "Devi and Rupert escape on ship 1, acquire ship 2, acquire ship 3, still on the run, FEELINGS AND LUST ALL OVER THE PLACE". Usually I would be FINE with all the sexy but damn, it just felt so.. overly dramatic, eye-rollingly so. Sometime during this, Devi is a massive dick to her former lover Anthony who btw risked EVERYTHING to save her on the slim chance that she might be alive and just a few pages later she has some feels talk with Rupert during which his behaviour is contrasted with Anthony's (the utter ~brute~! caring for her! omg HDU!) and this brings me to the point where I was frequently annoyed with the author for constantly explaining things in the smallest detail.
The plot picked up somewhere around two thirds through the books. That shit was awesome but it happened too late in the book after the story had already too often been bogged down by the romance, which is the strangest thing for me because I am a romance reader through and through. Yeah, there was some mighty deus ex machina towards the end and a super neat HEA.. which I actually ended up loving, so yay?
Based upon this, I find it hard to rate the book - the action scenes were fantastic and I genuinely appreciated the power armor loooooove. I actually liked the HEA - it might have been too neat but sometimes I am a sucker for HEA (especially because my Shep had to leave Garrus behind and I am forever broken up about this). However, the romance and ~feels~ sections were downright annoying at times and seriously, there is no name that is less sexy than Rupert. It was so incredibly distracting! I am sorry, Ruperts out there, but having lived in the UK this shall forever be an unsexy middle-aged man and/or lad name for me *shudders*.
This could have been a four star book but in the end, three stars are more than I thought I would give out when I was in the first half so I am ok with this. Despite all the misgivings this book is still better written than some other space opera romance I have read recently (looking at YOU, Gabriel's Ghost). And yes, I will waiting for Bach's upcoming series about a Blackbird merc.. because power armor and KISSING IN SPACE.
February 26, 2017
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“The universe is infinite and strange. We cannot predict, only marvel at what it creates.”
Devi Morris’ decision to sign up for a job on a trade ship has led her into the very heart of a battle where entire worlds are destroyed and she’s the only one that can put an end to it. While this is quite possibly the worst situation she’s ever found herself in, Devi has never shied away from anything and isn’t backing down now.
So, unfortunately this another series ending on a low note for me. But there’s good and bad so I’m going to start with the good. Rachel Bach has created a fascinating world here that is full of action and adventure and all around badassery. The action isn’t consistent in this installment and is for the most part relegated to the latter half of the book but they were action scenes that ended up being well worth the wait.
As far as the bad bits, I had a real issue with the romance in this installment which pains me to say as I loved how it had been handled up until now. Devi and Rupert are an amazing pair yet their romance/love has never gotten in the way of plot or changed Devi’s badass-ness in any way. In Heaven’s Queen there is so much freaking time spent on discussing and thinking about their relationship problems and trying to fix them. Granted, I appreciate the time spent on making their make-up legit and not allowing Devi to immediately accept apologies, everything becoming hunky dory instantly, but I wouldn’t hesitate to say this installment was 80% relationship drama and 20% plot wrap up. There was too damn much awesome space stuff and world ending shit going on that should have been in the spotlight. I love me so Devi and Rupert but good grief, enough is enough.
There was also the issue of Anthony. At the beginning of this book, Devi realizes that her and Rupert lost time in hyperspace. Like, a years worth of time. Anthony is one of the only people Devi stays in touch with so when she goes missing and searching leads to nothing she’s eventually declared dead. Considering Anthony and Devi were in a quasi-relationship for 7 years or so I would imagine this would be a big deal to him. When he finds out that she’s actually alive he sets out to get her immediately, finds her with Rupert and in the biggest dick move of all she tells him he wasted his time coming for her and to basically fuck off. It wasn’t just bitchy it was cruel because she knew exactly what his feelings for her were. She didn’t have to reciprocate but she could have been a little more considerate.
Heaven’s Queen still managed to serve as a satisfactory conclusion, wrapping up all loose ends, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed after how truly amazing Fortune’s Pawn was. Devi will definitely go down in my personal record books as one of my all-time favorite heroines though and I look forward to picking up other works from Rachel Bach/Rachel Aaron.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“The universe is infinite and strange. We cannot predict, only marvel at what it creates.”
Devi Morris’ decision to sign up for a job on a trade ship has led her into the very heart of a battle where entire worlds are destroyed and she’s the only one that can put an end to it. While this is quite possibly the worst situation she’s ever found herself in, Devi has never shied away from anything and isn’t backing down now.
So, unfortunately this another series ending on a low note for me. But there’s good and bad so I’m going to start with the good. Rachel Bach has created a fascinating world here that is full of action and adventure and all around badassery. The action isn’t consistent in this installment and is for the most part relegated to the latter half of the book but they were action scenes that ended up being well worth the wait.
As far as the bad bits, I had a real issue with the romance in this installment which pains me to say as I loved how it had been handled up until now. Devi and Rupert are an amazing pair yet their romance/love has never gotten in the way of plot or changed Devi’s badass-ness in any way. In Heaven’s Queen there is so much freaking time spent on discussing and thinking about their relationship problems and trying to fix them. Granted, I appreciate the time spent on making their make-up legit and not allowing Devi to immediately accept apologies, everything becoming hunky dory instantly, but I wouldn’t hesitate to say this installment was 80% relationship drama and 20% plot wrap up. There was too damn much awesome space stuff and world ending shit going on that should have been in the spotlight. I love me so Devi and Rupert but good grief, enough is enough.
There was also the issue of Anthony. At the beginning of this book, Devi realizes that her and Rupert lost time in hyperspace. Like, a years worth of time. Anthony is one of the only people Devi stays in touch with so when she goes missing and searching leads to nothing she’s eventually declared dead. Considering Anthony and Devi were in a quasi-relationship for 7 years or so I would imagine this would be a big deal to him. When he finds out that she’s actually alive he sets out to get her immediately, finds her with Rupert and in the biggest dick move of all she tells him he wasted his time coming for her and to basically fuck off. It wasn’t just bitchy it was cruel because she knew exactly what his feelings for her were. She didn’t have to reciprocate but she could have been a little more considerate.
Heaven’s Queen still managed to serve as a satisfactory conclusion, wrapping up all loose ends, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed after how truly amazing Fortune’s Pawn was. Devi will definitely go down in my personal record books as one of my all-time favorite heroines though and I look forward to picking up other works from Rachel Bach/Rachel Aaron.
September 12, 2018
4.5🌟
Loved the wrap up to this trilogy! Loose ends were tied up, the characters stayed true to their respective natures from the previous two books and there was plenty of adventure and action. Awesome trilogy I’d recommend to anyone looking for a space adventure story with an interesting female MC and some thought-provoking questions about the value of life, freedom and making moral decisions on a large scale.
Loved the wrap up to this trilogy! Loose ends were tied up, the characters stayed true to their respective natures from the previous two books and there was plenty of adventure and action. Awesome trilogy I’d recommend to anyone looking for a space adventure story with an interesting female MC and some thought-provoking questions about the value of life, freedom and making moral decisions on a large scale.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 764 reviews