Synopsis:
A city of peace. A whisper of chaos. A legacy at stake.
Lyonesse is a beacon of unity in a fractured galaxy, a space-based city-state built on the dream of integration and peace. For Danny Andela, it’s not just home—it’s her mission. As a fierce advocate for dissolving old feuds, Danny has spent decades working to unite the Carinad, Terran, and Bai worlds.
But something is wrong in Lyonesse. A series of weird malfunctions—some laughable, others deadly—hint at deeper troubles within the city’s core. As whispers of unease ripple through its gleaming domes, Danny battles growing paranoia, questioning allies, and doubting the systems she once championed. Her fight for peace becomes a desperate race to uncover the truth before a catastrophic failure silences Lyonesse forever.
Or should she? Is Lyonesse the shade of an old enemy? Danny must confront ghosts—and the terrible echoes of the war she thought she’d left behind. Will she stop the chaos in time, or will Lyonesse become the spark that reignites the galaxy’s divisions?
Review:
Danny Andela has a long history, thanks to the regenerative and cloning technology commonplace in the galaxy. A former marine and ship captain with as many enemies as friends, one might think she’s an unlikely choice for diplomat or city organizer, but those are her roles in Solar Whisper. And with centuries of experience at her disposal, she’s usually very good at her job.
But there are unknown forces acting against her—or at the very least, against Lyonesse, the city-state she helps manage at the nexus of the three major galactic governments. Danny’s goal is to broker peace between the three, and holding a conference in the neutral zone Lyonesse occupies seems ideal. Until inexplicable accidents begin to happen.
This book was more about political intrigue than it was action, but I really enjoyed the story. Beyond the main storyline, there is a ton of worldbuilding too. And lots of character history (I’ll get into that a little later.)
One of the most interesting aspects of the galaxy the author created is the distinct subspecies of human that inhabit it. They are all three human, but genetic drift has affected the populations over time, making the Carinad, Terran, and Bai people subtly different—but still similar enough to be considered human. Then there are Xaviens—sentient AIs who have chosen to inhabit human bodies in order to experience biological life. Cloning is commonplace in the galaxy too; it’s normal for a person to have multiple clones “in storage” should something happen to their current body, and the clones are given the person’s memory backup before being activated.
The fact that many people can no longer die in the truest sense does play a minor role in the storyline. While it might mitigate the consequences of one’s actions to know they have a backup somewhere, many people utilize their longevity to preserve their knowledge and, like Danny, try to make the galaxy a better place for everyone.
Many of the characters Danny encounters in Solar Whisper are featured in one of the author’s other series, though some were in a different form or role. I read Hammer and Crucible a while back, and recognized enough of those character in Solar Whisper to realize that there’s a lot more to this fictional galaxy than I realized. The two books are set many, many years apart (maybe centuries), but there was also a familiarity with the characters that made it a fun read. (Side note: Both of these are book ones in separate series. You don’t need to read Hammer and Crucible or the later books in that series to understand what’s going on in Solar Whisper.)
But it was the political intrigue—and the unknown source of the accidents that seemed to be planned specifically to throw Danny’s plans into chaos—that really captured my attention. It was clear after a few chapters that someone, or something, was determined to undermine her cause, but due to her history, most people are unwilling to believe her for one reason or another. The mystery at the core of this book was set up really well.
So if you’re looking for a new sci-fi story to dive into, check out Solar Whisper. Between the worldbuilding and the intrigue, you won’t be disappointed.
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