Stellar Heir: (Stellar Heir Book 1) by Scott Killian
I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review
voluntarily.
This story was a blast to read. It had everything I wanted in a story and
more. I loved the characters, the world-building, the colorful action, and the
way the plot unfolded and kept me turning pages.
When I started reading Stellar Heir, the beginning felt kind of made me think I had picked up a quaint young adult book. But, as
time went on, the tension ramped up and I found myself involved in a
mesmerizing tale.
Stellar Heir is a serious space opera and a coming-of-age story that
fascinated me and often had me on the edge of my seat.
Aboard the Zigzagunda, Jael Ked'Korva and his sentient humanoid simian,
Goni, survey a space battlefield as the battle wanes and ends. When they
determine it is safe to approach, they board a derelict ship that shows some
promise of finding treasure. Jael and Goni are scavengers just making their way
as best they can.
While aboard the vessel, Jael finds something looking like it might be worth
something. It is a bracelet. Out of curiosity, he tries it on, and it locks on
to his wrist and he cannot get it off. The next thing Jael knows, he is having
some strange and nightmarish visions. Sometimes, the visions are of a menacing
figure from his past, while others are of a ghostly figure he has never seen before
who gives him puzzling and cryptic messages and instructions.
Meanwhile, there are a few factions that are seeking the artifact Jael has
been connected to and will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. The
artifact apparently will allow the holder to wield great power to control the
galaxy.
The strongest part of Stellar Heir is its characters. There are the good
guys, and the bad guys, and there is one I am not too sure about at this point.
The character called Garlial is an enigma to me. He seems to be an
antagonist, but at the same time, he also seems to undergo a transformation, or
is, at least, in the middle of one. Should that transformation prove to be the
case, it is a testament to the skill of the author.
Goni is quite endearing. He always thinks about food and eating and can
never seem to get enough. He also has an irritating tendency to not follow
orders. His main role is to help Jael be grounded. Goni does this through
friendly barbs and quips that makes Jael think. But Goni is also a brave
warrior, and he loves to test new weapons whenever he has the opportunity.
Jael is a young man who has gotten himself caught up in something that might
have him just a little over his head under normal circumstances. He is
resourceful, smart, inventive, and pretty good in a fight, but some people he
is fighting are pretty ruthless and have really poor attitudes. One person who
also helps him is a character that comes along just a little later in the book.
Her name is Merzi
Merzi is a wise young woman who has abilities to help focus Jael and
approach situations logically. She is a strong, intelligent, and a tough
character who adds a great deal to the story in the way of wisdom and wonder.
The baddies in this book are scary, single-minded, and relentless. One, in
particular, is evil beyond imagination.
My favorite plot point comes in the development of Jael's character. It
isn't all spilled out at the beginning of the book but starts out slowly and
when we get the entire picture later in the tale, the reader gets to understand
his motivation on a deep, personal level.
My takeaway from Stellar Heir is to remember that you cannot run from your
past. I guess one could call it Karma. Those things that happen to us tend to
come back and demand to be resolved. At the same time, once those issues are
solved, it is time to move forward to new challenges, and not make the same
mistakes again.
Stellar Heir is such a good book on so many levels. It is eminently
entertaining. The story contains a full spectrum of emotional content. While
all the characters are well written and well developed, they are also feel like
real people - they have some flaws - some more than others. The descriptions of
the landscapes are colorful and provide a great backdrop for the people to
perform in. There will be a second book in this series coming early in 2025. I
have already pre-ordered Syndicate Moon: Stellar Heir Book 2.
I'm giving Stellar Heir high recommendations for a fun sci-fi story worth
the time to read.
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scott Killian grew up in California, where he consumed every bit of sci-fi and horror media he could find. Delving deep into the works of Thomas Harris, Stephen King, and H.P. Lovecraft, to name a few, those dark portals in his mind were opened and his obsession with the macabre began. Storytelling, in any form, is his only passion.
Well, there it is...
Qapla!