As much as I really wanted to love this as the concept and the representation are brilliant, this was unfortunately a DNF for me. Please note this however has nothing to do with the writing as I am sure that there is an audience out there who will absolutely fall in love with this book, I just think this particular style and genre are not for me as I really struggled to engage with the story.

The Circus Infinite follows the story of Jes, who escapes from an institution where he is kept because of his powers as a gravity mage. He runs away to another planet, where he joins a circus and befriends some of the performers and workers there. At the same time his abilities lead him to get tangled up with a crime boss and is haunted by his past.

I was actually really pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this, it had echos of some of my favoruite sci-fi authors (becky chambers, ryka aoki, kb wagers). I loved the comforting moments and cosy writing style balanced with some action packed sequences and emotionally wrenching scenes.

I loved the friendships and relationships explored in the book. Jes is someone who has been quite lonely for a lot of his life and seeing him have people who geninuely care about him and respect his boundaries was so moving and sweet. I also really enjoyed the portrayal of asexuality, as someone who is one the ace spectrum myself it is always great to see this representation however I often find myself getting frustated with asexual representation (due to various different things) but I thought this book handled it really well and was very empowering and it is probably my favourite book with ace rep as of now. On the same point I loved the relationship between Jes and Bo showing how you can have a romantic relationship with someone without sexual intimacy. I thought Bo was so sweet and supportive but I also loved that we were shown some of Jes' inner struggles with worring that he was not providing enough which I thought highlighted everything is not always rainbows and sunshine and sometimes life can be a little messy.

Similar to the above point but something I really enjoyed about this was the healthy communication - whenever a character has a problem with someone or something they just talk it out and this is such a great thing to see. I also liked how some of the side characters have their own little arcs, helping them feel like real people (especially Esmee).

Also I thought I wasn't the biggest fan of circus books but I really enjoyed those elements in this!! Additionally I liked all the different alien species and the different cultural aspects of this. In the world mixed-species people are look down on, Jes himself is half human half another species which adds an another layer to his idenity struggles and societal pressures.

Overall I would really reccomend this book, I've not heard of the author before (unsure if this is a debut - if it is the writing is very confident and assured!) but will definitely be looking out for anything they put out in the future. It is the perfect heartwarming and engaging story that feels almost nostalgic to read with some great endearing characters and friendships, interesting magic and touching personal growth.

This character-driven, space-fest of a book feels deceptively light upon first glance, but has a thematic potency that lingers long after you’ve closed the last page. Like space itself, almost. If you, like me, feel hesitant for the first 10-20% of the story, I promise you that the payoff is worth it. Part of the reason for this, I believe, is that the story runs on two timelines: past and present. The present takes up roughly 80% of the book, while the past offers intermittent context for the present plot and character development in a continual feedback loop that keeps you hooked until the end where the past catches up to the present with a (literal) BOOM.

That’s the pay-off.

And it’s a fantastic one.

The book is ripe with themes that cuts so close to the heart it leaves you shocked in the aftermath. Existentialism is all over this book, but it’s never so overt that you notice it in the moment. It’s a very genuine story that comes from a vulnerable place, wrapped up in a multi-faceted space setting with found family, empathy, independence, prejudice, and human nature as central themes. It’s a story about power. About coming into your own and not running from it—not hiding behind circus tricks, as it were. Even more so, it’s a beautifully wrought exploration of how your choices define you, not your roots, and how important it is for every sentient being to belong somewhere. If we don’t, we flounder. We hurt. And this book depicts this beautifully.

If we take a step back from the thematic potency (read: if I can stop raving about it), Wong is a master of worldbuilding and character dynamics. The characters grab you by the throat and don’t let go, with every single one of them feeling so very relatable despite their alien appearance—but I promised no more raving about themes, so let’s move on to worldbuilding. Here, Wong takes a smorgasbord and delivers it bite for bite, making it accessible, letting me savor it, playing ping-ping with the two timelines as a context-building narrative tool. You can't taste everything at once, no matter how much you want to, and Wong knows this.
As for the specific story elements that I thoroughly enjoyed, I was so intrigued by the concept of supernatural talents being born within a species from connecting with a planetary consciousness. And don’t get me started on the addition of secondary supernatural talents more unique to each person. Overall, the whole concept of “the chosen one” feels incredibly fresh here, to the point that I even hesitate calling it “the chosen one”, although I won’t refrain from saying it entirely, because by the end of the book, the vibes did come through strongly for me. Although, perhaps it’s more of a “reluctant chosen one”. Yes, that feels right.

I also absolutely adored the clever use of cultural terms, and how culture was highlighted as building bridges between species. Especially through the performing arts (music and circus), but also through the more shadowy arts that require no stage (art exhibits).

Last, but never least, I loved the ace rep. It was such a delight to read a sci-fi book that highlights the asexual experience. And the way that Wong mixes this representation with the protagonist being an empath made for a particularly eye-opening and riveting read in that the protagonist realizes his asexuality by recognizing that lust is an emotion he’s only every felt from others, not himself. It adds a fascinating layer of depth to the experience that makes it very approachable to someone who might not share that same inclination. I also want to mention the overall inclusivity of the book that includes trans rep, bi rep, and every sort of rep you could ever wish for.

If you’re in want of an enlightened book that reads easily, but has a heavy thematic core mixed with character dynamics that wrap you up tight, then this book is for you.

Here’s the setup. Our protagonist, Jes, is a “fugitive” on the lam from a sinister institute that was basically torturing him as a method of studying his gravitational powers. At the start of The Circus Infinite, Jes has escaped pursuit and gotten passage to Persephone-9, a pleasure moon covered in pleasure palaces, entertainment, and casinos.

Purely by chance, Jes manages to get involved with a circus troupe as well as getting mixed up with Niko Dax, Persephone-9’s resident crime lord.

Throughout the book, we learn more and more about Jes. He’s mixed-species (which is often shunned), he’s asexual, and his powers are very very atypical for anyone.

Jes finds friendship, and a bit of romance; all the while increasing his role in the circus, but also being tasked with doing more and more horrible things for Niko Dax.

There were aspects to the worldbuilding that I found very creative. The terminology as well as the detailed explanations of the alien species, the history of federation of worlds that unites all of these species, as well as great details on the encountered technology made for an enjoyable read. I do wish that I had discovered the included glossary before I finished the book, but that’s on me.

All-in-all, The Circus Infinite was a very enjoyable read. I do hope that Mr. Wong continues in this universe because I feel like there is so much more to explore in it.

Jes is on the run from a cruel and nasty research faculty who want to find out more about his abilities to manipulate gravity and his uniqueness. Jes is a mixed species who never really belonged on his own planet and an empath whose powers don’t seem to fit the usual mould. He finally escapes to a pleasure moon, Persephone- 9, where he joins the circus and finds a place where he truly belongs. Unfortunately, he finds himself blackmailed by the local crime boss, Niko Dax, to do his dirty work. But when the crime boss threatens the safety of his new home, Jes and his friends have to find a way to bring him down.
I received a copy of this book for an honest, unbiased and free opinion.
This was a weirdly fun read despite some of the darker themes that run through the book. The players in the circus have talents that are vividly described by the author and I must admit this is one show I would have loved to have seen if it was real!

I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the author has created unique alien species with their own rules, looks and sexuality. Humans are part of this universe and from what I understand a fairly new member of the congress but more likely to form relationships with other species and have mixed species children.
The concept of prejudice particularly around mixed-species people is a dominant theme in the book and the discrimination they face is described realistically. Jes and his powers are closely linked to his mixed species descent and unfortunately has spent most of his life suffering because of this. So, when he is wholeheartedly accepted by the people of the Circus Infinite, his joy and relief flood off the pages and I could understand why he would do things against his nature to protect this.
Jes is an asexual who forms a close relationship with Bo in the book – the romance between them was sweet and slow. Jes as a character is inconsistent and changeable but I think this makes sense given his life and the fact he is very young.
I was expecting an Ocean Eleven style takedown of the crime boss but this forms only part of the story. I feel this is more of a coming age tale with Jes accepting who he is, his place in the world and his powers with lots of fast-paced action in between.
My only negatives were that some characters were pointed out as diverse with no context and then not followed through which felt a little artificial, but this is a small criticism.
Content warning
Graphic descriptions of experimentation on young adults, torture, violence, descriptions of prejudice and a scene where Jes is made to attend a sex club causing him significant distress, blackmail.
Perfect for fans of
Becky Chambers.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. I will update Netgalley once I read & review a physical copy.

My review will be based on the physical ARC I read.

Desperate to escape his fate as an experiment of The Institute, Jes bluffs his way to the pleasure moon Persephone-9, determined to find somewhere to belong. But for an empathic asexual, being surrounded by the hedonism of Port Ruby isn’t easy. Good thing he has some friends to help him figure it out.

I enjoyed this book. I loved having an asexual protagonist in the environment of the traditional pleasure resort, and the secondary characters are all interesting and lovable. I also appreciated Jes’s tendency towards the brutally honest; it helped clear up certain situations very quickly.

The writing style, however, is quite simplistic. It’s easy to follow and moves along at a fair old pace, but sometimes it means the characters and world aren’t as well fleshed out as they could be. There’s also a certain element of deus ex to some of this plot: Jes, as an empath, also has a degree of intuition which helps get him out of quite a few scrapes. Sometimes it feels a little unrewarding.

Overall, though, I had a good time with this book. Found family, an ace-friendly romance, decently detestable (if sometimes a touch cartoonish) villains, and some fun and complex culture clashes.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

I love the cover. It looks great. How about the story, you might ask? Well, less so.

Jes, the asexual and mixed-species protagonist, has fancy gravity powers. There's a bounty on his head. And individuals interested in vivisecting and studying him. Jes seeks refuge at the pleasure moon, where he joins the circus. Unfortunately, a nasty crime boss, Niko Dax, tracks him and forces him to fulfill his requests (demolition, espionage, torture). If Jes says no, well, you guessed it. Vivisection.

Things go too far when the boss wants the circus and Jes' found family to take the blame for his shady operations. Friends decide to bring the mobster down. Chaos ensues.

I liked the opening chapters of the story and Jes' narration. He's a genuinely lovely guy. He cares for others and wants to do good. The world is chaotic but exciting. Everyone on the Persephone-9 wants to party. The world feels inclusive and celebrates the whole spectrum of gender and sexuality. Everything is flashy and loud but doesn't feel lived-in; it lacks cohesivity. We get more than a few blocks of exposition that bored me a lot but didn't make the world more real.

Jes' friends are a motley crew of endearing characters. I mean, they work at a circus. They're a weird bunch, outsiders and rogues interested in living their lives to the fullest and in artistic expression. Some Circus scenes awed me; some felt clunky. Although I liked the characters and Jes, I felt their development was sudden and not tooted in anything. Take Jes, who is cautious, intelligent, caring, and sensible until, suddenly, he's not. I prefer a more gradual shift in behavior.

I applaud the author for the ability to create an engaging narrative. Darker and more violent moments are here, but they don't bring down the hopeful tone of the story. Of course, more sensible readers should think twice before starting it. Some scenes are gruesome and may upset them.

All told, it's a solid story, but not the one I loved. An ok read, I guess.

I really wanted to love this because space and ACE REP!!! But for me the writing style and the plotting was too disjointed and I struggled to stay invested.

DNF at 39%

As much as I loved the idea of an asexual, half-alien empath running away to join the circus, this did not work for me at all. There were some minor worldbuilding issues, like how all members of a given species speak the same language and share the same culture – but that’s so common a thing in SFF that it only made me twitch a very little bit. (And in fairness, Wong arguably justifies it with the existence of the nine-species federation, which might well have helped each species cohere into a single identity.) But there were some very cool worldbuilding bits and pieces too, like the connections all species have to their planets of origin, and how those bonds affect a person’s psionic abilities.

But the prose is way, way too simplistic and blunt for me. When you’re trying to describe a series of circus acts, on a not-planet famous throughout the universe for its decadence, and it reads like a shopping list? That’s when I know this isn’t going to work. As a general rule of thumb, you need beautiful prose to convey beauty. That doesn’t mean every page needs to be poetry, but you do need to be able to turn on the evocative, appealing description occasionally – otherwise it all feels like reading a mechanics manual, which is especially disappointing when the POV character is an empath.

I’m asexual myself: I went into this book looking to champion it. But The Circus Infinite is a hard DNF from me.

This book has an intriguing story, with many different alien species and a queer found family. The writing and world-building were nice. The plot was good and well paced but I felt like the different storylines were always taking attention away from each other. I loved that the main character was asexual panromantic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I’m not a fan of the “found family” troupe. Usually a little too sappy and loving for my tastes. Also, the word “suss” was used very repeatedly. Maybe it’s the older generation in me, but it just seems weird to me. The last main thing that wasn’t for me was the whole blackmail aspect. it’s always drove me crazy in any book. The person with leverage will ALWAYS have that leverage. You either need to be okay with being their lackey forever, or you need to get rid of the leverage somehow. Characters always seem so shocked when it’s not just one favor. It drives me crazy. I loved the power concepts in this book. I also enjoyed the Asuna race.

"Hunted by those who want to study his gravity powers, Jes makes his way to the best place for a mixed-species fugitive to blend in: the pleasure moon where everyone just wants to be lost in the party. It doesn’t take long for him to catch the attention of the crime boss who owns the resort-casino where he lands a circus job, and when the boss gets wind of the bounty on Jes’ head, he makes an offer: do anything and everything asked of him or face vivisection.

With no other options, Jes fulfills the requests: espionage, torture, demolition. But when the boss sets the circus up to take the fall for his about-to-get-busted narcotics operation, Jes and his friends decide to bring the mobster down. And if Jes can also avoid going back to being the prize subject of a scientist who can’t wait to dissect him? Even better."

- Description available on NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book! There were several things that I enjoyed immensely about The Circus Infinite. I loved the queer representation - asexual characters, specifically, are not often given a starring role in novels and I appreciated the detail and effort that went into Jes' asexuality - and I loved that white people were not the default or the majority: they were actually considered rare and a remnant of an ancient version of humanity. I also thought that it was well-paced, and there wasn't too much drag or filler. The premise was extremely interesting, too. I can say without a doubt that I have never read anything like the Circus Infinite, and I doubt I ever will.

However, I thought that The Circus Infinite was sorely lacking in both dialogue and world-building. When it comes to sci-fi novels, I've always found that solid worldbuilding is a must, otherwise, the reader just ends up feeling like they're floating around in space. I felt like I was drifting while I was reading, not really tethered to one planet or galaxy or even building. It was extraordinarily disorienting at times. Additionally, I felt as though the plot and setting was not far enough removed from the "real world." A lot of the language used to describe concepts and tangible objects was very similar in cadence and diction to 21st-century language. This makes it harder to accept that the version of humanity presented in the novel is separated from the reader's perception of humanity by eons of cultural and linguistic development. It also has a negative impact on the dialogue, which I felt was one of the weakest aspects of the novel. I was more inclined to believe that the story was set on an idealistic version of Earth rather than an advanced galaxy set years and years into the future.

Again, I really enjoyed the representation and thought that went into The Circus Infinite. Queer science fiction narratives can be hard to come across. But overall, I was not the biggest fan of this novel.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read and review!
An intriguing space setting filled with extraordinary alien species, really nice queer representation, since we don't see often asexual character as a main protagonist, which opened the door for the main couple's relationship to be explored in a deeper and more emotional level. The writing was really nice and explanatory. Really enjoyed the red.

I am always a fan of queer found family and this delivered! The plot was fun and well-paced but for me the best thing about this book were the characters; strong-willed, and relatable. I loved the queer rep and appreciated the villains.

Full review to come and rating may change!

This was fun! 4 stars

I am always a fan of queer found families and this one was particularly likable. That’s definitely the strongest aspect of this book: the characters. I really love them. They are magical while staying relatable, strong willed but understanding and flawed but able to change.
I also really love that the main character is asexual and panromantic, we just need that more in books.
The Love-story between Jes and Bo is also really cute, realistic and uplifting.

Even the Villains were great, evil in a way that felt realistic and therefore even more terrifying.

The Plot is good too, though I wouldn’t say great.
It’s fun and well paced but the different story-lines feel like they are always taking attention away from each other so we got neither enough of the circus nor the crime-boss story-line. I really liked the flashback chapters though, those were great.

And the world is fantastic. Different alien-species with different psychic powers, a whole moon dedicated to pleasure, a sentient star?! Good stuff.

The writing is a bit clumsy in the beginning but it get’s better and it’s a really enjoyable read.

Since I’m one of the first people to review this I should give some trigger warnings for this book because there are a few heavy topics in this.

First I have to mention one specific scene (light spoilers). There is a scene were the asexual main character is forced to go to a sex-club (he is being blackmailed). He is not alone, two friends are with him (they are not the ones forcing him), and nothing bad happens but he feels very uncomfortable and throws up once they’re out. I just wanted to warn you in case that is not something you want to read.

Other content warnings: Torture, human trafficking, medical experimentation (on a human), death of a parent (off screen), blackmail, body-horror, violence, death

If you are not affected by these things I can really only recommend this book, it was a delight to read and I hope we get more set in this world and/or about these characters.