SCIFIMONTH 2023 | AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Blighted Stars (The Devoured Worlds #1) by Megan E. O'Keefe

Title: The Blighted Stars

Series: The Devoured Worlds #1
Author: Megan E. O'Keefe
Publisher: Orbit
Published: May 23, 2023
Pages: 544
Genres: Science Fiction
Source: Audiobook

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When a spy is stranded on a dead planet with her mortal enemy, she must first figure out how to survive before she can uncover the conspiracy that landed them both there in the first place.

She’s a revolutionary. Humanity is running out of options. Habitable planets are being destroyed as quickly as they’re found and Naira Sharp knows the reason why. The all-powerful Mercator family has been controlling the exploration of the universe for decades, and exploiting any materials they find along the way under the guise of helping humanity’s expansion. But Naira knows the truth, and she plans to bring the whole family down from the inside.

He’s the heir to the dynasty. Tarquin Mercator never wanted to run a galaxy-spanning business empire. He just wanted to study rocks and read books. But Tarquin’s father has tasked him with monitoring the mining of a new planet, and he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter.

Disguised as Tarquin’s new bodyguard, Naira plans to destroy his ship before it lands. But neither of them expects to end up stranded on a dead planet. To survive and keep her secret, Naira will have to join forces with the man she’s sworn to hate. And together they will uncover a plot that’s bigger than both of them.

I was so drawn to this book from the moment I discovered it! The title, the cover, the synopsis - they were all my kryptonite. 

The start of this book was a little abrupt for me. There were a lot of science-y things to download into my brain and I was a little put off at first. Even though the book starts out in the heat of the moment, it still felt like a slow start to me. After finishing the book I can strongly say that it was worth it. Any confusion I might have had at first was well worth it. 

I was on the fence about my thoughts regarding O'Keefe's writing style at first because of all the things I said above. As the story progressed I slipped more and more into the story and I started to really enjoy O'Keefe's storytelling. All of the elements of the story were so clever and crafted so masterfully. There were some things in the story that I didn't fully comprehend until later in the story but once they fell into place a lightbulb went off in my head and I was ecstatic. When all of the little pieces in the story come together it is magnificent. All the interesting plot twists and paths that the story took were so compelling. The world-building was enormous and well-described. It was so atmospheric that I could feel the environments around me and live in the characters' shoes. 

If there is one thing that I can say about the characters in this story it is that they are quite memorable. I loved how distinct all of the characters were, even the ones that were inhabiting bodies that were not their own. It definitely made things interesting. Each character had a distinct personality that made them stand out. I liked how relatable the main characters were. I could truly place myself in their shoes. Tarquin was a nerdy cinnamon roll with a good heart and Naira was a badass conservator fighting injustice in the universe. Gah! I loved them both. I just want to squeeze them!

The romance portion of the story is pretty much in its infancy at the moment but it is coming along nicely. I adored it when Tarquin and Naira talked about books together. The banter is to die for. I love the whole enemies-to-lovers vibe going on. The journey from enemies to allies to feelings is slow but satisfying. The couple only share a few brief kisses but they are very telling for these characters. I loved the organic evolution of their relationship and how their feelings for each other gradually started to change and shift to a romantic intention. And with how things are at the end I am very excited to see where things go with Tarquin and Naira.

On a side note, I loved the casual LGBTQIA+ representation in the story and how accepted and normal it was in this world. It brought me so much joy. One of the main characters is trans and the other is bisexual and I loved O'Keefe's genuine and honest representation. It didn't feel forced or just added to the story flippantly. 

Overall, this was a delightfully morally gray sci-fi story that is brimming with originality and really makes an impression. Even though this one started out a little slow and abrupt for me, it absolutely made up for it because by the end I was floored. If you like a sci-fi book with lots of interesting concepts, compelling characters, and an addictive plot then this book should be the next stop on your TBR. This book greatly impressed me and I am so jazzed to pick up the next book in this series! 

I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have read this one. How is SciFiMonth going for you? Any sci-fi recommendations?