Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell
Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell (2021)
Winter's Orbit is an Adult sci-fi space opera with an arrange marriage m/m romance and political intrigue. I rated it 5/5 stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is Winter's Orbit about?
Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue in Everina Maxwell's exciting debut.
While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe under Iskat's rule. When tragedy befalls Imperial Prince Taam, his Thean widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with Taam's cousin, the disreputable Kiem, in a bid to keep the rising hostilities between the two worlds under control.
But when it comes to light that Prince Taam's death may not have been an accident, and that Jainan himself may be a suspect, the unlikely pair must overcome their misgivings and learn to trust one another as they navigate the perils of the Iskat court, try to solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war... all while dealing with their growing feelings for each other.
It releases on February 2, 2021
On to the review...
Winter's Orbit feels a lot like coming home. This slow, soft, and utterly romantic space opera is unlike any other sci-fi novel I've read before, and I hope that it starts a trend, because it's something special.
This was originally published on AO3 and you can tell. It reads like a fanfic in the best way possible. Familiar tropes done in a fun way; longer, self-contained chapters that suit being posted serially; even the way the romance unfolds with its focus on the smallest touches, lots of introspection, and emotional connection over the physical (even if the physical attraction is real). Just. Divine. Reading this gave me the same amount of joy as coming home to binge read an 80k slow burn arranged marriage AU fic. This is the definition of comfort read. So stellar.
Prince Kiem and Count Jainan are diplomatic aids forced into an arranged marriage after Jainan's husband Taam (also Kiem's cousin) is killed in a spaceship accident. But when Taam's death is revealed to have been a murder, not an accident, the two must now work together to solve the mystery before political intrigue causes an interplanetary war. All throughout, of course, they slowly fall for each other and duty becomes real love.
This is very much an opposites-attract type of romance with Kiem as the easygoing, charming, and extroverted flirt while Jainan is the quiet, socially awkward, and stone-faced academic who's more into duty and numbers. It is a delightful slow burn that is at times hindered by miscommunication and insecurity, but not extreme enough to be annoying. There's a good reason for it and I'd like to include a content warning for mentions of past domestic violence/abusive relationships. All in all, handled very well, in my opinion.
The worldbuilding flew over my head at the beginning but it is only really secondary to the characters and their relationships with each other. This is a space opera and not hard sci-fi, but it's got gorgeously described scenery (that very iconic tent in the snowy mountains scene is carved into my heart) and a special emphasis on culture and politics over technology and space battles. Fans of A Memory Called Empire may enjoy this too.
This is an atmospheric and cozy read that's meant to be savored slowly, rather than binge read all in one sitting. A very refreshing novel that I was excited to pick up after a long day, because it really did help me recharge. I'm looking forward to getting a physical copy when it's released because I appreciate it so much.
TL;DR A full 5 stars and highly recommended, even for non sci-fi readers.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was originally published on AO3 and you can tell. It reads like a fanfic in the best way possible. Familiar tropes done in a fun way; longer, self-contained chapters that suit being posted serially; even the way the romance unfolds with its focus on the smallest touches, lots of introspection, and emotional connection over the physical (even if the physical attraction is real). Just. Divine. Reading this gave me the same amount of joy as coming home to binge read an 80k slow burn arranged marriage AU fic. This is the definition of comfort read. So stellar.
Prince Kiem and Count Jainan are diplomatic aids forced into an arranged marriage after Jainan's husband Taam (also Kiem's cousin) is killed in a spaceship accident. But when Taam's death is revealed to have been a murder, not an accident, the two must now work together to solve the mystery before political intrigue causes an interplanetary war. All throughout, of course, they slowly fall for each other and duty becomes real love.
This is very much an opposites-attract type of romance with Kiem as the easygoing, charming, and extroverted flirt while Jainan is the quiet, socially awkward, and stone-faced academic who's more into duty and numbers. It is a delightful slow burn that is at times hindered by miscommunication and insecurity, but not extreme enough to be annoying. There's a good reason for it and I'd like to include a content warning for mentions of past domestic violence/abusive relationships. All in all, handled very well, in my opinion.
The worldbuilding flew over my head at the beginning but it is only really secondary to the characters and their relationships with each other. This is a space opera and not hard sci-fi, but it's got gorgeously described scenery (that very iconic tent in the snowy mountains scene is carved into my heart) and a special emphasis on culture and politics over technology and space battles. Fans of A Memory Called Empire may enjoy this too.
This is an atmospheric and cozy read that's meant to be savored slowly, rather than binge read all in one sitting. A very refreshing novel that I was excited to pick up after a long day, because it really did help me recharge. I'm looking forward to getting a physical copy when it's released because I appreciate it so much.
TL;DR A full 5 stars and highly recommended, even for non sci-fi readers.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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