The Stars Are Legion

By: Kameron Hurley

Narrated by: Nicole Poole, Teri Schnaubelt

Somewhere on the outer rim of the universe, a mass of decaying world-ships known as the Legion is traveling in the seams between the stars. For generations, a war for control of the Legion has been waged, with no clear resolution. As worlds continue to die, a desperate plan is put into motion.

Zan wakes with no memory, prisoner of a people who say they are her family. She is told she is their salvation - the only person capable of boarding the Mokshi, a world-ship with the power to leave the Legion. But Zan's new family is not the only one desperate to gain control of the prized ship. Zan finds that she must choose sides in a genocidal campaign that will take her from the edges of the Legion's gravity well to the very belly of the world.

Zan will soon learn that she carries the seeds of the Legion's destruction - and its possible salvation. But can she and her ragtag band of followers survive the horrors of the Legion and its people long enough to deliver it?

In the tradition of The Fall of Hyperion and Dune, The Stars Are Legion is an epic and thrilling tale about tragic love, revenge, and war as imagined by one of the genre's most celebrated new writers.

©2017 Kameron Hurley (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This gripping book is both hard to read and easy to appreciate." ( Publishers Weekly)

Strangest book ever

I can’t imagine how Hurley came up with this story. It is the craziest space adventure story I have ever heard. The twists it takes you on are plenty and sometimes a little to drawn out but I couldn’t stop listening to it. I fell in love with the characters and the story. Give it a try.

Strange

The concept of the story is alluring but ended up going nowhere in my opinion.

Amazing Worldbuilding

I've followed Hurley since she started and she's one of the great worldbuilders, up there with Sanderson and N.K. Jemison. This one made me sit and ponder so many times trying to both figure out the world and being fascinated by how much sense it made while still being entirely alien. The storyline is not formulaic, even though that could have been fine in the setting but the ending subverted my expectations while still being entirely consistent. I loved it. I wish it were a series.

Meh

Kind of boring. Characters were weak. I wouldn't buy this again. 4 more words. Bye

Mythopoetic Science Fiction

The single-most myth-laden fiction I've read, reminiscent of Greek myths, the Odyssey, the Irish immramma (sp?)... and with excellent character portrayal. Requires more suspension of disbelief than I expect most science fiction readers will give. But it's worth it. The themes explored, and the loving way in which they're explored, make sense of the madness. #Provocative #MythologyInspired #Gritty #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

Worthy

It is a simple story. And Inside is new world that will spark your imagination.

No answers and a lot of squick

The body horror is strong here and the world building fascinating but it feels like a bunch of mysteries with no real answers. Very unsatisfying.

unique setting

I wish a few more details were filled in.. I'm in if there's a sequel.

Straight no chaser

If you like the horror in your far-future horror quest fantasy delivered straight no chaser, this may be the book for you. The reason I'm giving it 4 rather than 5 stars is that it seemed for a spell that it was about to become China Mieville meets Margot Atwood, which would have been cool, but that didn't happen. I came to care about the characters, without which I can't finish a book. Along with compelling characters there is plenty of intrigue, duplicity, betrayal, loyalty, hairy escapes, in other words, just what you read this kind of thing for, because gross creepy monsters can't carry it on their own.

What the...?

I was expecting epic Star Trek style space battles. It took a totally different turn though. The story was very unique and interesting though. Also, I love Casamir!