Lucifer's Star Review

Lucifer's Star by CT Phipps & Michael Suttkus

Lucifer’s Star is a hybrid, blending space-opera adventure, empire-building machinations, and the philosophic exploration of what it means to be human.

We follow Cassius Mass (cool name, btw), someone who fought for the bad guys in a galactic war and lost. He must come to terms with this and find the will to redeem himself.

On Cassius’s journey, he teams up with/encounters a diverse cast—some human, some bioroid, some clone—each struggling with self-identity in different ways, each with evolving loyalties. We learn a lot about them through quick flashbacks or conversations with other characters. The dialogue is light and quippy for the most part, but then hits you with lines like: “Peace is simply a measure of time between wars.”

While there is action, Lucifer’s Star is not “action-centric.” Discussions abound regarding people’s inner turmoil, morals, and the political machinations of planet-spanning empires. This is not a drawback of the book, but a characteristic to be aware of.

We are gradually introduced to a universe of intertwined groups, from the vast Commonwealth, to the bio-engineered Chel, to the more mysterious Elder races. A lot of effort was put into universe building, and it feels expansive (though I don’t have a clear idea of spacial relationships), with the exploration of the conquering vs conquered and how people live with defeat.

The writing is solid and the pacing keeps things moving without being exhausting, though in some places conspiracy revelations and political implications come as fast as jump drive trips, one right after another; some deserved a little more build up.

I also think Cassius could’ve had more agency early on; that is, it feels he is often on the receiving end of information or being pushed, blackmailed, or otherwise coerced into something that carries us to the next step in the plot. Which he does acknowledge: “I’ve been dancing on the puppet strings of far too many people and it’s time I cut them. For that, I need to make my own decisions.”

Overall, I enjoyed the experience, with its plot twists and conflicted characters, and I think other fans of the genre will as well. Available on Amazon.

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3.75/5 Rivets