A review by megales
Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza

2.0

I wanted to love this book, I really did. On paper it was everything I love. But when it actually came to the story, I just couldn't connect with it. Or the characters- like nothing. One girl is raised to rule, but she's more obsessed with revenge. Like girl, you are pissed, but I'm sure in your 10 years preparing to be empress you would have had lesson in foreign affairs and governing 101. Not just how to fight.

I feel like it was too short, lots of details were missed/never addressed. Example: in the end of a chapter a character and best friend hurtling towards planet in this space pod. From the description it seemed like an empty planet awaited them. Nope, next time we see the character he is hiding on a space ferry in a closet or something. Then, like, a half page is dedicated to what happened: they crashed his friend died, buried him and walked into a nearby town- wtf? First like nothing for the dead friend, no scene of sadness or guilt in the moment. Just the guy remembering a week later. And how he got off this super awful gravity sucking planet- oh there are towns there, it's cool. No explanation! What?

It was full of holes like that, another being the female character and creepy guy she's traveling with (again the explanation was like huh?) have a space ship. Then they don't and have to fly on a space ferry. Then they have the ship again-wtf. Continuity is key, and not just for fun.

The whole book felt like that it was beyond frustrating. A cool premise but the book feels like the skeleton for a larger, and richer story it could (and should) have been.

Overall super disappointing. It had moments were it got better, but then yea, just fell flat for me.