Definitely a good thing in a book, when there are a lot of dead people - even when it's people that really REALLY matter. There were a lot of death in Zodiac, but this book had more personal deaths, deaths that shook Rho and the crew. Which leads me to another thing I both hated and loved - the body count really rises, in this book.

Nishi and Rho's friendship is heartwarming, especially when we reach a certain part of the book that devastates everyone. I am a huge fan of Hysan - he is charming and sweet and rogueish, and a wonderful male protagonist. I think I liked Rho less in this book (see my thoughts below), though I can see the incremental character growth that her character is experiencing. To be honest, I didn't remember much of Zodiac, going into this book, but that was okay because Russell made it fairly easy to read without having to reread the first book. There are a lot of discoveries in this sequel, some shocking, some obvious, some expected. This book was very informational, compared to Zodiac. Rho is going to set out to discover who the master that is controlling Ochus is, and how to stop the marad. The Marad are threatening all of the Houses, and Ochus is reaching out to Rho, seemingly trying to help her.

But it's not long before trouble comes knocking at her door, and she can't avoid being involved. Rho is no longer the esteemed Cancrian leader, and she is slowly slipping into life on Capricorn, helping the other Cancrians adjust to their new lives on Capricorn. I think I was enjoying the story, but there were certain (big) things that I couldn't stand. This one is getting 2.5 stars from me, and while I'm rounding up to 3 stars, I still can't shake the rather glum mood I'm feeling after finishing this book. I'm sad to say that after finishing this novel, I feel slightly disappointed. Now Rho must embark on a high-stakes journey through an all-new set of Houses, where she discovers that there's much more to her Galaxy-and to herself-than she could have ever imagined. Then, unwelcome nightmare that he is, Ochus appears to Rho, bearing a cryptic message that leaves her with no choice but to fight. Orphaned, disgraced, and stripped of her title, Rho is ready to live life quietly, as an aid worker in the Cancrian refugee camp on House Capricorn.īut news has spread that the Marad-an unbalanced terrorist group determined to overturn harmony in the Galaxy-could strike any House at any moment. *** Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Wandering star romina russell