To be honest had this book not had Paolini's name on it I wouldn't have picked it up because sci-fi isn't really my genre. But I would have missed out! Although intimidatingly long, the plot doesn't really drag, there is a lot going on and nothing is predictable.

This was a beast of a space opera with a riveting plotline, rollercoaster plot twists, a ragtag found family, moments of insightful philosophical reflection and incredibly detailed world-building.

'TSIASOS' revs up with an absolutely riveting beginning. This book was a lot more gory/horror-thriller at times (alien invasion!!!!) than I'd expected, but it meant I was 100% hooked.

I liked that Kira seems like a very regular woman caught up in a sudden interstellar war - her reactions and decisions were all very understandable and it was easy to relate to her. The other characters in the 'found family' are great too - my favourite was the utterly hilarious 'Wallfish' ship mind (aka super advanced spaceship AI) Gregorovich! I was so invested in Gregorovich's story not just because he made me laugh out loud so many times, but also because of how protective he is of his ship crew (borne out of a very tragic backstory).

I also liked that even though the crew of the Wallfish are somewhat morally gray, they are all INCREDIBLY brave, selfless, loyal folk. Their courage in the face of galactic catastrophe and impossible odds was both moving and inspiring. There was also a welcome diversity in ethnicities among the crew as well as a sapphic couple. The slow-burn romance was also quite sweet.. I also appreciated the awareness of mental health's importance and the note about how neurodiversity should be more accepted among humankind. I was also pleasantly surprised that 'TSIASOS' didn't shy away from talking about bodily issues impacting Kira, like menstruation or pregnancy.

The plot twists in this were Level Up™ to the max. They rocket along, with a series of catastrophes avalanching at breakneck speed. Honestly, I felt breathless sometimes from the amount of rapid-fire action! Despite prominently featuring human-alien warfare, 'TSIASOS' felt more complex than an us/them mentality - humans were just as capable of mass murder and wanton violence as the Wranaui (aka the 'Jellies') or Corrupted (aka the 'nightmares').

Some of Kira's dream sequences were a little hard to understand, though this could have been deliberate. Occasionally Paolini goes a little overboard with the sci-fi jargon and detail. While it shows the depth of research he's done, sometimes I struggled to get through all the complexities and felt pulled out of the story. I have the same comment with the Appendix, but at least that's not within the story itself. I ended up skipping most of the Appendix section because I was just not processing the content, but if theoretical physics is your jam then you might really enjoy that part!

All that being said, there were some sci-fi details that were incredibly cool, like flash traces. The problem is just when the detail starts to overwhelm the story. Thankfully, that happens only rarely!

For such a huge book to not drag was truly impressive, and the ending was haunting - will there be a sequel? Who knows? Maybe one day the sleeper in a sea of stars shall awake and we will have our answer.

As space operas go, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is pretty epic. I couldn't read it fast enough as the drama comes thick and fast in a thoroughly bingeable way. Perfect as the nights draw in earlier and earlier.

Kira Navárez is about to wrap up her work on an uncolonized planet with her fiance when one misstep changes her life entirely. What was meant to be a future of marriage and settling down turns into the complete opposite in ways Kira could not imagine. I couldn't foresee where this novel was headed and that was part of the delight as the first-rate world building swept me up and carried me blissfully along. I don't read sci-fi a lot but this book made me wonder why I don't read it more? The full immersion into a space-dwelling existence certainly felt plausible and within our reach as the chain reaction of events ratcheted up the tension and excitement.

A marvelous novel, this reminds me how I felt after reading The Martian. I cannot wait to see what happens next in this series. Let's hope the wait isn't too long??

This book is a BEAST. Like, doorstop size. Which felt quite daunting to start with, but once I cracked it open... It felt like nowhere near long enough.

A masterful science fiction story about a Xenobiologist who stumbles upon alien life, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is clever and emotional and full of heart. The world building is subtle, and the characters relatable.

There was no part of the book where the plot lagged, and I was engaged from the fist page to the last. I also squealed rather loudly at the Eragon Easter Eggs...

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible book! You can honestly see how much love the author has put into this book over the past nine years. An epic sci-fi yet it always remains accessible and addictive. Almost 900 pages long, this might seem daunting but it honestly engaged me from beginning to end. I didn't want to stop reading as I became so invested in Kira's character.

Kira was loyal, stubborn and intelligent and I was rooting for her from the start. She easily endears herself to the reader and I loved spending hundreds of pages getting to know her. The Wallfish crew were my favourite aspect of the book and I became quickly attached to each member. I mean, they even had a ship pig and ship cat!

The action was incredibly well-plotted and satisfyingly tense throughout. There were a number of twists I didn't expect and the action never lagged. I have no idea if all the science is correct or even possible but it was easy enough to follow and felt authentic. The ending was beautifully written and fitted Kira's journey perfectly.

If you're looking for a new book to sink your teeth into, then I'd highly recommend this one.

Firstly, this cannot be considered a complete review (in some ways) as I did not finish To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. I tried really hard. I kept going back to it. Another 5%. Another 5%. But, gave up at 45%, which, to be fair, is a lot of text to read. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars almost 900 pages. So reading 45% is as much as most books.
Secondly, I know a couple of other bloggers who also did not finish To Sleep in a Sea of Stars—at an earlier point in the book the I did—though I don't think they wrote a review or rated it. I also know other bloggers who enjoyed the book. So my advice would be if you hit the 20-25% mark and you are not sold on the book. Stop and move on to another book.

So my thoughts…

After the first 5% of the book, my thoughts were "this isn't great." Kira is the main character, and I was feeling nothing for here. The interactions and conversation between crew members were extremely bland.
Things (kind of) picked up after that. Kira encounters an alien organism that attaches itself to her and becomes a sort of bodysuit. A few things happen, and a doctor needs to run tests on her and the suit. But I still wasn't feeling anything. It felt predictable.

Aliens then arrive on the scene, and I think here we go, but it's not doing it for me. This section is short-lived. Kira finds herself on a Shuttle, and there is again interaction with several people before they set off on a course towards civilisation.

Kira then finds herself onboard another ship, crewed by a group of, I guess we could call them smugglers at this point. It thought things would pick up at this point. It seemed apparent this crew was going to play a large role in the story—an introduction of new characters presents an opportunity for character building. But I still wasn't feeling invested in anyway. The crew is stereotypical. Events are predictable and obvious. Conversations and interactions are rather mundane. But I pressed on. As I said, I kept going back to it, wanting to love the book, wanting to feel something for the characters. But I couldn't. There was an attack on a space station that they watched from behind a moon. It didn’t excite me. Kira then visited a military ship. Events again were predictable, and interactions offered no depth to characters. All the characters felt flat to me, which is why I could not get invested in them.

I finally left the book and moved on at 45% just as the two ships were about to set off into somewhat uncharted space.

I’m not sure where to start with this one. It’s a epic tale which I think is very likely to become a trilogy and no doubt will have a movie deal in time.
Sci-Fi is not my normal genre, in fact I originally got the book for my other half to try, but decided to give it a go in the name of broadening my reading horizons.
I was very quickly drawn into the story, which is set in the future where both humans and aliens live in Space across many planets, within many galaxies.
This is a large book, which has obviously been extensively researched to include what we already know and believe is possible about space.
This means that the fictional future that Paolini has created is amazing and has all the potential to become reality. The only limit is what we allow ourselves to believe.
Due to the size of the book it took me a long time to read. Parts of it take quite some concentration to understand and link back to previous events, but overall I would highly recommend this - especially to Sci-Fi fans, but also to those who might like to give the genre a try.
It is an excellent book, very well written with likeable characters (and some not so likeable too!) which moves at a reasonable pace given its size. I rated it 5 ⭐️.

The astounding level of research Paolini must have carried out before writing this is reflected in the details and the degree of believability this attains.
I must admit this seemed a little unrealistic to me at the outset, perhaps because somehow the initial discovery and invasion of the organic matter came across as a little rushed. However, this is a small point that may have been a purely personal reflection by a reader who is, more often than not, a sceptic of Sci-fi fantasy.
As the adventure unfolded so did my interest and Paolini’s writing-style made this intriguing reading. For those who love plenty of outer-space warfare and action, underpinned by a scientific storyline, this is exciting reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor (Pan Macmillan) for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kira is a Xenobologist. During a routine survey mission on an uncolonised planet, she discovers an alien relic, dead and abandoned. Or so it seems. But it is merely dormant and there is about to be a frightening awakening. The alien life form binds itself to Kira and she must fight for her life, her existence inside her own body. So begins a desperate and high-octane journey through the Galaxy as a terrifying war brews.

Kira has an interesting past and relationship with her family, which is another layer to her that you immediately want to explore and unravel. Her romance with colleague Alan is blossoming into something substantial. After several years, he proposes and they agree to depart for another planet and settle down, begin a new life. But then disaster strikes.

Kira is fiercely intelligent, quick-witted and sharp, I regularly found myself in awe of her. She’s got fire and steel. She’s so easy to connect with. As the story progresses, you see her transform as a character and it’s this growth that glued me to the pages. It’s a journey of dazzling depth and complex design that allows you to really get to the heart of her. I hope we won’t have to wait long to be reunited with Kira! I’m so excited for the next book!!

TSIASOS was one of my most anticipated books of 2020 as I adored the Inheritance Cycle when I was younger. It hasn’t disappointed one iota. Paolini has crafted a novel of intelligence, emotional acuity and great invention. The prose is lyrical, witty and just fabulous!

There are many fresh, original elements to this book that grabbed me instantly, one being the world-building. I love the Fractalverse. You can tell this book has been thoroughly researched, there is a dedication, passion and love for words and stories that is clear as day. It’s a beautiful thing.

A rip-roaring adventure, thrill-ride, dramatic space odyssey. It is a many-layered beauty. An artists’ pallets full of colour. I loved it, at nearly 900 pages it’s a chonky boi but when that final page came, I wished there were 900 more, looking forward to more adventures in Paolini’s Fractalverse!

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a brand new epic space opera novel laden with all of the shocks and tense twists you could ask for. It is a story of enormous intergalactic weight and consequence, but also of deeply personal human strength, compassion, and awe. Exploring new worlds is all Kira Navarez ever dreamed of doing. But now she has found her nightmare. It was supposed to be a routine research mission on a distant, uncolonized planet. But when xenobiologist Kira Navárez finds an alien relic, previously unseen by human eyes, beneath the surface of the world, the outcome transforms her forever and will alter the course of human history. Her journey to discover the truth about the alien civilization will thrust her into the wonders and nightmares of first contact, epic space battles for the fate of humankind, and the farthest reaches of the galaxy. It will transform her entirely and forever. Humanity will face annihilation. She is alone. We are not. There is no going back.

This is an action-packed, intense and propulsive science fiction novel and Paolini’s initial foray into adult-orientated sci-fi. The characterisation is superb and the prose wonderfully lyrical and nuanced in that it can be both quick-paced and dramatic whilst also maintaining a contemplative and thoughtful air about it, which is no mean feat. It's a book ripe for indulgence and one whose worldbuilding is so intricate and extensive that it's very easy to become immersed in the setting. However, at over 900 pages the book certainly could have been a lot shorter. I also felt that the romance at the beginning was too instantaneous to be credible and was reminiscent of the puppy love each of us feel as teenagers. That said, this is an exciting, highly entertaining and riotous romp across sprawling galaxies and millennia, which holds your interest throughout. Many thanks to Tor for an ARC.

This book is epic ! I mean this as no exaggeration to an epic piece of science fiction literature, yeah it’s quite a size, but it really doesn’t feel it as you read. A great plot driven book, it’s focus on its characters is wonderful too, although I do wish I’d learnt a bit more about them, but they are still fantastic and such an easy bunch to love and relate to. Pasolini has suggested he may return to this world and I really hope he does, I would definitely be happy to return to this fantastic world and characters.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This is by far the longest book I’ve read this year, coming to just under 900 pages and one of my newfound favourites. This epic Sci-Fi was everything I wanted it to be and if you’re a big Sci-Fi lover then this is going to be the book for you. Don’t let the sheer size of this book put you off from reading this book because after reading it I found that I would have happily read more.

This book ticks everything I look for in a good Sci-Fi book, it was action packed with first contact with different species, artificial intelligence, detailed, epic battles and an amazing range of new gadgets and devices! You can tell that Paolini put his heart and soul into this book, especially consider he spent nearly 9 years on this book. It is detailed and the world in To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is brilliantly built up and I found myself captivated at every new location.

Whilst I must admit this book was very plot-driven I did find myself loving the characters and what we got to learn about them. I would have definitely liked to have learnt more about them but found myself easily able to love all of them and come incredibly attached to the crew on the Wallfish. I loved their banter and how much they supported each other. They were the perfect crew for this story.

Kira was a great character and one I felt incredibly attached to. As our main character Kira goes through so much during this book. Her whole world is turned upside down but throughout it all she remains strong. I think what I liked the most about this book was that Kira didn’t just adapt to the changes straight away, she struggled to control her emotions and come to terms with the fact that her life has changed forever. She made reckless decisions because she didn’t know what she was doing and it helped make her incredibly realistic as a character.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a book that hasn’t left my head. I think about it constantly and it will be one of those books that just lives with me forever. I’m even considering getting Audible again just so I can listen to it in audio format (which is over 35 hours!) just so I can devour the book again. Paolini has put so much thought into this book and it shows by how mind-blowing To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is. The characters, the world and honestly the level of detail that is in every page just makes this book incredible.

So if you’re looking for an epic space opera filled with aliens, new friendships, loss, heartbreak and coming together in an attempt to save the world then this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

This book is about the First Contact, but not as we know it. I was fascinated by how this concept evolved in To Sleep in the Sea of Stars. It starts with Kira, a xenobiologist exploring an uncolonized planet, discovering mysterious dust which soon envelops her in a form of an invasive exoskeleton. It is undeniably intelligent but it is also a parasite that uses Kira’s body to come into being and to transport itself. It is able to defend itself against any attempts to examine or destroy it. It can be lethal. In an apparent act of self-defence it kills Kira’s fiancé and her several friends. To start with, this organism appears violent and hostile, and Kira is trapped within it. It can even penetrate her mind and she, in turn, experiences its memories and emotions. Soon the relationship between them begins to transform into something more symbiotic. It isn’t just that Kira has to get used to the creature controlling her. It is also that the creature protects and guides her. This theme of a transforming and transformative relationship between a human and an alien is wonderfully conveyed through characterisation and plot developments.
Another great asset in this book is the prose: it can be fast and action-packed, pacey and dramatic, but is also lyrical and introspective. A whole universe has been created outside and inside Kira’s fusion with Soft Blade (the alien’s name). This story is a space odyssey both on macro- and micro scale. The science behind it seems wonderfully real and even though I didn’t follow all of it, it felt credible.

However, there are some disappointments. The story is way too long and too windy. Half of it would be equally effective. I must confess to skipping many sections in the middle as I found them tedious and superfluous. Although the book is classified as sci-fi for adults, I could not shake the impression that it was written with a young reader in mind. The description of Kira’s romantic relationship at the start of the book was too safe, too sugar-coated and too infantile for my liking. The Jellies (hostile aliens) were also a bit cartoonish and stereotypical in their appearance and disposition. Having said that, this is a sci-fi book and it fits well within its genre.
You will need a lot of time to truly be able to indulge in this book and immerse yourself in it, but it will be time well spent.

This is Paolini's first book outside the incredible Inheritance Cycle and his first for an adult audience.
What you get is a true science-fiction epic with a story that spans galaxies and millennia.
Xenobiologist Kira discovers an ancient alien artefact that sets in motion a great war between mankind and an unknown foe.
This is a great read, fun, exciting and thoroughly enjoyable. It is very well-paced and keeps you engaged right to the end.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan/Tor for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘To Sleep in a Sea of Stars’ by Christopher Paolini.

This is an epic work of science fiction with the book consisting of 939 pages, including a number of useful appendixes.

This novel represents many years of research and writing by Christopher Paolini. It is his first novel intended for adult readers and follows on from his highly successful Inheritance Cycle, that saw him becoming a best selling author at the age of nineteen. Now he has made the transition from Teen/YA fantasy with dragons, elves and the like to hard science fiction.

“Kira Navárez dreamed of life on new worlds.
Now she's awakened a nightmare.”

The year is 2257 and thanks to FTL travel humankind has begun to colonise the galaxy. The lead character is Kira Navárez, a xenobiologist, who during a routine survey mission of the moon Adrasteia finds an alien relic. Now as we know from the Nostromo, this kind of discovery could lead to tears before bedtime and indeed, Kira’s initial delight turns to horror when the ancient dust around her starts to move.

First contact takes on a whole new meaning and before long Kira is caught up in a galaxy-wide war as Earth and its colonies stand on the brink of annihilation.

I felt that Christopher Paolini balanced his plot and characters well. Kira is an appealing lead with a strong will to survive. There is a fairly large cast including crew members and the like, though I found them easy to keep track of.

The civilian ship, Wallfish, which features a great deal in the novel includes Mr. Fuzzypants, their demonic ship cat, and Runcible, their ship pig. That they have a ship pig causes Kira a surreal moment and later on one of the funniest scenes in the novel. They also have a snarky ship mind. It really was wonderful.

While there is plenty of action, including some epic space battles and hand-to-tentacle fighting, Paolini also includes humour and playful repartee between his characters demonstrating that even in the darkest situations, humans will crack jokes.

I could go on and on about my favourite bits though in terms of this review, I want to just underline that I found this a well written and highly engaging space epic. In his Afterword, Paolini writes that he envisioned ‘To Sleep’ as a love letter to the genre.

This resonates with me as while I don’t read a great deal of hard science fiction, I did read a fair amount when younger of the classics like Clarke, Heinlein, and Asimov. So this was a treat and am certain will appeal to readers who enjoy science fiction set in outer space.

The final part of the book contains very useful appendixes that includes explanation of space-time & FTL and ship-based combat in space in the novel, as well as terminology used, and a timeline of humankind’s exploration of space 2025-2257/58.

Paolini had hinted that he might eventually return to write more of this world and while there is certainly scope for it, ‘To Sleep’ stands perfectly on its own.

There has been a great deal of prepublication anticipation about this novel and I certainly feel that it is warranted.

Highly recommended.

Note: as I also received the audiobook edition for review I combined the book and audiobook reviews in my Goodreads review and also in commercial reviews that will be posted on the day of publication.

There is no doubt that this is a pretty epic book in all senses of the word. The years of research, writing, re-writing and editing that went into it are incredible.

I did enjoy the vast majority of it and the action in some parts had me on the edge of my seat, but there were times when it did seem to drag a little and 880 pages felt a lot to get through.

Initially I was unsure about the ending but I do feel satisfaction with it now even though it wasn’t what I was expecting.

There were some great touches (Mr Fuzzypants the spaceship cat and a nod to Douglas Adams’ Deep Thought being a couple of my favourites). It certainly made me think and parts of the story will stay with me for a long time.

Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance cycle has been on the top of my favourites pile for the last thirteen years. There was no way I was passing up on the chance of snatching his new novel as fast as possible.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is both similar and different. It’s science-fiction compared to fantasy, for starters. But there are elements, odd characteristics, that remind me who the author is because of the familiarity.

This is a beast of a book. Over 800 pages long, in fact. It won’t be easy wrapping this up into a 500-word review, but I’ll try.

Kira is set to have everything she wants, until bonding with an alien parasite causes her life to turn upside down. She is a fantastic protagonist. At the start, she’s afraid, angry, desperate to get out of her situation, and you watch her grow into a confident woman understanding the stakes and the role she must play. Kira turns into a leader – strong and capable – and as a reader, you feel privileged to experience the ride with her.

There are no sudden changes to her personality though, no huge shift in her mind-set. It’s gradual; the small everyday things that alter her perception. Kira displays one of the most satisfying character developments I’ve read: you don’t notice the differences until you suddenly look back and realise how far she has come.

There are several characters and relationships that make this a enjoyable read. Falconi, a captain who gets entangled after picking up Kira, and his entire crew are full of unique personalities you root for. Gregorovich is a ship mind – an advanced being capable of a lot more than your standard human – sarcastic, insulting and a refreshing juxtaposition to other crew members. This isn’t even mentioning the aliens involved…

The Idealis – the Seed – is a an extraordinary character in its own right, considering it is a sentient suit for most of the book. It’s the enemy: it’s the saviour. It’s fear: it’s hope. The complex relationship between it and Kira adds a fantastic in-depth layer to Kira’s personality: she must understand herself if she is to accept the suit.

Although you’re thrown straight into the futuristic setting on different planets, you’re not left floundering. Paolini inserts descriptions throughout to explain the unique components to the world, but not in a typical expositional way. You learn the rules in a manner that feels natural and doesn’t break the momentum.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars draws you in. You don’t realise how long the book is as tension builds, war escalates and the characters face impossible odds. Instead, you can’t put it down, eager to find out if your favourites will make it or if they will defeat the enemy.

This is a novel that explores how far humanity is prepared to go to survive. It’s a tense, gripping read that makes it hard to stay grounded. My expectations were high, but this is a definite recommendation from me.

DNFed at 210 pages.

This is a book I'd definitely give another shot, but it sadly didn't work for me. Despite being one of my most anticipated books of the year and a strong start, I couldn't connect with the main character or the situation she was in. I think perhaps the writing style didn't cut it for me.

Again, it's a book I'd pick up and try again in the future, but for now it's one that is being put back on the shelf.

Despite owning copies of the "Inheritance Cycle" books, I haven't read them (yet!), so this is my first experience of Christopher Paolini's writing. Let's start with the plot. "To Sleep in a Sea of Stars" starts off gently, builds tension, becomes frantic, delves into the realm of fairy-tales, and then gently eases off again at the end. My head is still spinning. There are some amusing parts, some that are deeply sad, and some that had me whispering "No, no, no" to myself. The characters alone are worth the investment of time you need to read this 880 page giant. The writing is just as good as I thought it would be - excellent. I have a suspicion that this might not be the end... I hope it isn't.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

As a huge fan of The Inheritance Cycle, I have been looking forward to this book for ages!
It took me a while to immerse myself in Kira's world, but I didn't want to To Sleep in a Sea of Stars to end. Paolini has once again proved how much of an incredible writer he is. Everything that could have been affected by what Kira goes through with the Xeno has been thought of, and is done so brilliantly. Despite being over 800 pages, TSIASOS is a very readable novel. I really hope we see more Sci-Fi from Paolini!