The Stars Within

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

Taken from her family at a young age, Kerelle was raised in the PsiCorps and trained to be their weapon. As a class three telepath and class three telekinetic, she’s called in to destroy targets and strike fear into opposing populaces. Kerelle has no choice but to obey, the collar around her throat is SysTech’s insurance. And if she complies with SysTech’s orders, she is free to do as she wishes. Until she finds out when a high enough price is paid, even class three psionics can be sold off to be servants of the rich. When her lover Galhen is sold, escape become Kerelle’s main goal. If she frees herself, she can free Galhen as well.

The characterization in The Stars Within was so well crafted. Through a clever mix of flashbacks and current events, Kerelle’s emotional state is depicted in startling detail. Despite the lies, she tells herself to sleep at night, the guilt and horror at what she must do creep into her mind. And as her anchor, Galhen is the loving support she needs. Together they help each other keep the negative feelings at bay. The way their romance was softly brought into the picture and built throughout their short time together was heart-wrenching. And when the two are pulled apart, readers will be cheering Kerelle on as she quests for freedom and a reunion with Galhen.

I loved the way the story was told. Short bursts of scenes drew me in and painted each new situation. There was just enough information presented to fully immerse me into the dark and militaristic lifestyle Kerelle lived. Despite Kerelle being on campaigns for months at a time, Lena Alison Knight made sure to highlight only the most important scenes. There was no time wasted reaching the emotional impact of the campaigns and how they affected Kerelle’s future outlook.

While The Stars Within sets a darker tone it is a fast-paced read. There is a touch of political tension as the story progresses, but it serves more as a background element to accent the choices Kerelle makes. The true focus of the story remains on Kerelle and her struggle against SysTech's control over her. Her mental battle against losing Galhen and contending with all SysTech throws at her is a gripping tale. I cannot wait to see what happens next. The Stars Within is a great novel for fans of soft sci-fi novels with military sci-fi and space exploration mixed in.