A Circle of Stars

The Stardust Duology, Book One

By: Craig Montgomery

Narrated by: Kirt Graves

Sometimes you have to leave home to find it....

All Casper Bell has ever wanted is to belong. But now, abandoned by his friends and family after being outed, he has nothing left to lose when the people of Novilem abduct him.

Except Earth.

Teleported to a world where stars grant humans magic, Casper discovers he has the rare ability to draw power from all 12 astrological signs—a gift that makes him a political pawn for the Estellar
Council.

But Novilem’s inhabitants seem as hard and cold as the stone their city is carved from, and Casper’s new role leaves him more isolated than ever. Until he meets the grandson of the council’s most powerful woman.

Helix is kind, playful, and heartbreakingly handsome, yet it’s how Helix makes him feel that gives Casper hope.

As rebellion brinks in the city, even the Council starts to fracture, reaching for extreme measures that could cost Casper not only his newfound abilities, but the first place he has ever wanted to call home. Together with Helix, he must uncover the secrets of his full potential—because the survival of Novilem hinges on Casper’s powers, whether he’s using them or not.

Set inside a hidden lunar city, where astrology is magic and your birth sign defines your social status, A Circle of Stars is a queer young adult fantasy filled with political intrigue and romance.

©2023 Craig Montgomery (P)2023 Craig Montgomery

Wow!!!

I could not stop listening. I need more… Please tell me there will be more.

Captivating!

I was captivated by this story from beginning to end. The world building and magic system was so interesting, and I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. I was invested in everything that happened to them. The writing was great, not a moment wasted.

The narration was great. I could tell who was what character based just on the voices.

Looking forward to the next book!

Some of the best writing I've read in a long time

Everything about this book was outstanding; the characters, the worldbuilding, the plot, all masterfully written. The *only* real "critique" I could possibly have is that there was little build-up Helix and Casper's relationship—they meet and immediately have a crush on each other, but that's kind of minor because that's realistic and the romance plot is secondary to the political plot. And if you like a political plot, "A Circle of Stars" is, in my opinion, a perfectly executed, highly intense one. The book I would compare it the most to would be Victoria Lee's "The Fever King," which was also an amazing queer SF/F dystopian YA novel with magic and political intrigue. Overall, I highly, highly recommend "A Circle of Stars" to anyone who likes queer dystopian-adjacent SF/F.

wow

this is the best sci-fi/space opera work I’ve read in a while, certainly since The Darkness Outside Us.

great narration from Kirt Graves, as always.

if you’re intrigued from the summary but not sure about the magic system, give it a shot. yes it has the word astrology, but the names of the signs aren’t really key to the story if that’s bothersome - the system would work on its own without anything relating to astrological signs as names or otherwise about it. it’s more about the ideas of castes, structured nature-based magic, and the rest is all that can happen between peoples fighting for dominance and control.

anyways it’s a great read and I’m really looking forward to the sequel

A perfect blend of science fiction and fantasy ✨

I've never had my heart ripped out so fast or immediately rooted for the MC like I did with Casper. I was immediately intrigued by the one-of-a-kind world building where the zodiac signs shape the character's magic and dictate their social status. The political intrigue, oppression of the church and government, and conflicts presented in the narration makes one evaluate the impact of privilege. I'll be eagerly waiting for the second book!

great first novel

The story started good and then got flow and then got good and then got slow one more time all in the first half. then the entire second half just went strong. this is an incredible first novel. this is definitely an author I will look out for and hope to see more of. I certainly hope that there is more to this story. I want a full series from this.

I love the world building in this book. we are taking to a fully new society on a new planet with rules and societal norms that are not what we have here. The story was a beautiful mixture of sci-fi and fantasy. it was a human story but told in such a fun and unique way. there are so many characters worth loving and other to sympathize for but also wish for them to make better choices as well as characters to hate.

The author did a great job with attention to detail while building this new world for us to enjoy. I have a clear vision in my head of what this society looks like. I can see the way that they build their building and dress themselves and do their hair.

Brilliant story.

This story, the characters, the fascinating world and mechanisms of power -I will read anything and everything Craig Montgomery writes from now on. I have dozens of highlights in my ebook just because of his beautifully unexpected phrasing. That alone was enough to make me pause at the end of the second chapter (I was reading on KU) and immediately purchase the book so it could be MINE. About 80% of the way through I shook my head, admitted to myself I was a goner, and went to purchase a physical copy. I really enjoyed the audiobook as a reread—it still felt just as engaging as the first time.
And the surprises around every corner! The way the plot unfolded was masterful. At several points in the book I was amazed to find that a striking moment was followed by another layer, and then another. All of the relationships represented in the story were full of nuance and such depth, particularly with the two main characters. Their tenderness and regard for each other is something I would want any person in a relationship to see-Helix and Casper should totally be the standard for how to build an emotionally healthy relationship amidst a secretive, crumbling empire. I'm an American, so yeah, I took notes.
My heart is so full after reading this, and I cannot wait for the second book.

Fantastic fantasy with a subtle love plot

I love the fact that the author made their characters feel so real and human. While there is a romantic side to this story, it didn’t feel overwhelming, or forced. The natural flow to the authors writing was excellent.

beautiful

I listened to this so quickly. it was well written, the world building was grand, and overall I'm grateful to have bought it.

A Wild Ride - Lots of Perspective

This book was honestly so intriguing. An LGBTQ undercurrent always dragging you back. Aliens? Or maybe not aliens? I still have philosophical questions in regards to that. Intriguing magic system - still 16% confused about it in general, had a hard time keeping track of who could do what. Wonderfully narrated. Well written. Structured. Excited for the second half of the duology.