Stargun Messenger

Thank you to Escapist Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!

Idari is an android Stargun Messenger with an AI named CR-UX inhabiting her spaceship. Together they travel the systems chasing down stolen space fuel called filamentium. Until one such heist puts them face to face with a living star named Emera. It’s then they learn the terrible truth about filamentium. It’s made from the blood of stars, and Emera may be the last one. Idari and CR-UX have a choice, turn Emera in and receive the largest reward they’ve ever seen, or help her reach the one place where Emera can save her dying race.

The dynamics between Idari and CR-UX are sure to entertain any reader. CR-UX is like an extension of Idari’s conscience and is constantly urging her to make what it deems are the correct decisions. And Idari is quick to shoot CR-UX down and sarcastically reply to the AI’s logic. And as the story progresses, so too does their relationship to one another. While they create a wonderful atmosphere of sarcastic humor, they’ll also latch onto the reader’s heart as well.

And then there is Idari’s battle with her self-image and humanity. As an android, she’s able to back up copies of herself, but would a copy truly be Idari? Memory space is finite and CR-UX is constantly picking which memories to keep for her. But what truly makes a person human? Is it the memories they carry? Their actions? The body they wear? Emera’s journey forces Idari to confront her inner feelings and identity. The path to Idari’s self-discovery is messy and filled with poor choices, but each choice helps solidify who Idari is as a person.

The backdrop of space travel and visiting distant planets accompanies the characters. And Darby Harn does a fantastic job showing the wide array of settings and races in the universe. My favorites were Gilf and Kibir, brother Kibuts who traveled for a time with Idari and crew. They spoke in their native tongue, but there was no need for a translation. The writing was cleverly built to allow readers to understand them with both dialogue queues and reactions from the characters.

Stargun Messenger is a book for readers who enjoy space heists and exploring the concept of what makes us human. There’s also a dash of romance and complicated relationships, where not everything is entirely as it seems. Space opera sci-fi readers, give this one a try.