On Vicious Worlds

By Bethany Jacobs

Book Overview

ONE OF ESQUIRE'S BEST SCI-FI BOOKS OF 2024

Bethany Jacobs returns with On Vicious Worlds, the electrifying sequel to These Burning Stars, the Philip K. Dick Award-winning space opera novel about revenge, power, and the price of legacy.

The Jeveni have found a fragile sense of peace on the ice planet of Capamame, far from the Kindom's domineering control. There, Jun Ironway and Masar Hawks are tasked with the impossible: protecting their colony from a faceless saboteur who is hell-bent on spreading mayhem and murder through the colony.

Meanwhile, stoic Cleric Chono and Six, the wild manipulator responsible for outwitting the Nightfoot family, struggle to stay one step ahead of their enemies. A collision is on the horizon. One that could ignite the spark of revolution.

And over it all hangs the cruel legacy of Esek Nightfoot. A legacy that may prove impossible to escape. . . .

Praise for These Burning Stars:

★ "An intricate plot for revenge drives this far-future SF political thriller. An exciting start from a fresh talent."―Kirkus (Starred Review)

★ "Readers who love smart thrillers and explosive science fiction won't want to miss this book."―Booklist (Starred Review)

★ "A devilishly fun thrill ride ... These Burning Stars is plotted like a chess match, confident and surprising as Jacobs moves each piece thoughtfully across her board."―BookPage (Starred Review)

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316463523
• ISBN13: 9780316463522
• Release Date: October 2024
• Publisher: Orbit
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.9" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Non stop action!

The present timeline for On Vicious Worlds starts right after the first book ended thankfully. Though the Jeveni made it to Capamame for a new beginning and to escape the persecution, someone is wreaking havoc and killing off the strongest collectors and even going after Jun both by casting and physical attacks. That ramps up the tension of trying to find who it is before more people end up dead. And if that is not enough, when Chono and Six head back to the Treble, more chaos and powerful families as well as the Kindom are trying to grab the controlling interest in sevite and the Treble itself. It is amazing all that has happened since Esek made Six chose a path that lead to all this mess, and hopefully a reconstruction into a better universe! Too bad Esek is no longer around to see all the changes that happened because of that challenge so long ago. I do like how the past parts now go into what Six was up to in their growing up and changing to be able to impress and defeat Esek. They are a very interesting character, definitely no morals and very freely killing to further their plans. Though Chono does help quite a bit into curbing those impulses. Chono and Six's relationship is very interesting and I quite like them working together. I think I liked their parts of the book best. While the first book had a kinda happy ending with the Jeveni arriving at Capamame and the people I liked not being dead, this one ends on a humdinger of a cliffhanger with everything in danger but still people like Masar and Chono, and Jun trying to keep the catastrophe from happening. I cannot wait for This Burning Moon! Will the Treble survive all that has happened? What a ride!