Skip to main content

Song of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy

I am, well, there's no other way to put it, distressingly late in finding this absolute gem of a book. I don't know how it slipped under my radar until now. I'm not complaining too loudly, of course, because I discovered and devoured it just in time for the sequel to come out at the end of this month. And that, my friends, is nothing to sneeze at. I'm used to waiting years for books. A couple of weeks will not kill me. At least, that is what I tell myself so I can sleep at night. I am, in fact, positively pining away for Children of Scarabaeus as I type this. But it is just a tad embarrassing how long it took me to discover Sara Creasy's debut novel. After all, some of my favorite reviewers featured it back when it came out last year. Clearly, my head was not where it should have been. But I am happy to say that I've spent the last two nights rectifying the situation and that, if scifi adventure with an enticing hint of romance is even remotely your thing, you need to run out and read Song of Scarabaeus right now so that you, too, will be able to snatch up the sequel the moment you can get your feverish little hands on it.
Edie Sha'nim is the best there is. A trained cyphertech, she works for the mighty Crib empire terraforming new worlds. In other words, she's the girl they take to a barely formed planet in order to remake it in the Crib-approved image. Taken away from her home world as a young girl, Edie has been trained and tested to within an inch of her life. A life that resembles indentured servitude more than anything else. She's held all her defiance and all her rage inside all these years, only once letting it out in a burst of independence and refusal to submit to the Crib's all-encompassing will. But that was years ago, and the only memento she keeps to remind herself of that moment of defiance is the small shell of a beetle, embedded in her skin. Then one day, Edie is confronted by a gang of mercenaries determined to kidnap her and put her considerable (and lucrative) abilities to their own purposes. Longing to escape, but unsure of the right thing to do, it is a fellow captive and serf named Finn who changes her mind. And before she knows it, the mercs have leashed her (quite literally) to the mysterious former slave. His mind is connected with hers. He is to serve as her bodyguard and ensure no one else intent on stealing their new biocyph expert has a chance to do so. And just to make it that much more threatening, if Edie dies, so does Finn. Or if the two are separated by too much distance, the leash will sever, and Finn will be destroyed in the process. And so the two unlikely allies must stick together long enough to figure out a way to break the leash and escape. But then Edie realizes just what planet they're headed for, and the past comes back to haunt her in a truly horrifying way.

So good. This book is just so very good. It reminded me why I have always loved science fiction so much and it did so in such a seamless and readable way that I have to give it up for Sara Creasy and her mad, debut writerly skills. Sometimes a scifi book tries and fails to walk the line between tech-term/infodumping extravaganza and drippy/emotional hot mess. This is so not the case here. Rather, Song of Scarabaeus is like a primer on how to combine excellent characters who capture your heart with a detailed and fascinating look at the ethics of exploration and the treatment of humankind on a grand scale. And how nice it is to have a relationship that doesn't start with insta-sparks the moment two hotties lay eyes on each other. *insert eye roll* This book has been highly recommended for fans of Linnea Sinclair and Ann Aguirre, and I do absolutely think it will appeal to those readers. I love both authors myself. But I do feel I should mention here that it stands entirely on its own merits. And that, in addition to having endearing characters and an utterly compelling and heart-racing relationship unfolding between them, Song of Scarabaeus is the real deal as far as science fiction goes. And  holistic storytelling. The truly elaborate and organic world building blew me away and kept me engrossed from beginning to end. Edie and Finn's foray onto Scarabaeus is the thing of nightmares and the cringeworthy factor is pretty high in certain parts. But it only serves to impact the reader's experience and expand the themes of the story. That said, I am all in when it comes to the relationship, and I will shamelessly beg for more development between these two in future installments. Because the romance is in early stages here, but what's there is choice. And I, for one, am ready for more. This one kept me up late, guys. No finer recommendation. Also--major points for a perfect last line. I do so love those.

Linkage

Comments

  1. Thanks, for the review...I'm off to Amazon to snarffle a copy . . .

    ReplyDelete
  2. YES! This is a good one. And the slow burn is why I liked it too. I'm soo happy people are discovering it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This sounds so good! I'm ashamed to say it's been in the TBR for way too long - a few months before it came out I saw Linnea Sinclair mention she loved it so I added it to my wish list. And then I got it where it has been languishing in the to-read pile for what must be far too long from the sounds of it... Your review is certainly not too late since it's a good reminder to try to read it sooner. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I saw the sequel on NetGalley awhile back (do you use NG? if so, go see if its still up!) and picked up a copy of this one, but haven't read it yet. I think I'll go do so now, GREAT review :P I'm sold

    ReplyDelete
  5. Seems like you have been on a roll lately with your good reads! I'm totally sold on this book based on your review, so I'm off to read it right now...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Angie,

    I'm Kate Evangelista, author of Taste, and I just wanted to take this time to introduce myself. If you have the time, please stop by The Coffee Bar by using the link below:

    http://kateevangelistanovels.blogspot.com/

    I hope to see you there.

    Sincerely,
    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've read loads of great reviews for this book and bought it two months ago, but still haven't read it - only because i decided to wait until closer to April so if i loved it as much as i'm hoping too i won't have to wait for the sequel - i am waiting for so many 'next' books right now i can't cope with any more....

    ReplyDelete
  8. Okay, I read it last night (staying way too late to accomplish that) and loved it!! Thank goodness the sequel is coming out at the end of the month!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I checked this out from the library today, and I am looking forward to it as my Spring Break treat!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Finn, Angie! ;) Can't wait to get to this

    ReplyDelete
  11. I just finished devouring this, and I agree with you: I am glad I only have to wait a few weeks and not a YEAR to read the next book.

    Sara Creasy has the first chapter of Children of Scarabaeus up on her website. Here's the link:
    http://www.saracreasy.com/ChildrenofScarabaeus-Chp1.pdf

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh wonderful review. I haven't heard of it before, but it's going on the wishlist for sure now. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very good review, Angie! Thanks!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. The ending of this book was perfect! I was so happy that the sequel had already come out by the time I read it so I bought Children of Scarabaeus right away! I loved Finn and Edie, just love them.
    I enjoyed your review and included a link to it in my own review post of this book.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

You Might Also Like

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber

This book has made the rounds and no mistake. I started seeing early reviews awhile back and read a few delightful interviews with Leanna Renee Hieber and found myself intrigued to read her first novel-- The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker . I was, therefore, tickled to receive a copy for review from Ms. Hieber and quickly set about settling in. I knew it was a Gothic paranormal mystery of sorts, featuring (among other things) a group of loyal comrades, a private London academy, a bit of magic, an albino, and a swoon-worthy broody professor a la Richard Armitage in North & South . *moment of silence for the awesomeness of The Armitage* And that was the extent of my pre-reading knowledge. That and the fact that I loved the cover with its simple yet moody, midnight blue and its slightly off-kilter, scripty title. Miss Percy Parker is about to embark on an adventure, albeit a much larger one than she imagines. Leaving the convent--the only home she's ever known--a...

Bibliocrack Review | You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

If I'm being perfectly honest with myself, I've done a shamefully poor job of addressing my love for Cat Sebastian 's books around these parts. I've certainly noted each time her beautiful stories have appeared on my end-of-the-year best of lists, see:  The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes ,  basically every book in  The Cabots series , and of course  We Could Be So Good .  And the pull is, quite simply, this: nobody is as kind and gentle with their characters and with their hearts than Cat Sebastian. Nobody. I haven't always been one for the gentler stories, but I cannot overstate the absolute gift it is sinking into one of Sebastian's exquisitely crafted historicals knowing that I get to spend the next however many pages watching two idiots pine and deny that feelings exist and just  take care of each other  as they fall in love. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world. Not this one or any other.  Only two things in the world people count b...

Review | The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vols. 1 & 2 by Beth Brower

I feel a bit giddy finally talking to you all about this series. If you'll remember, I fell madly in love with The Q  when it came out a few years ago. Now, Beth Brower is writing The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion — a series of novellas set in London in 1883. Each volume is an excerpt from the incorrigible Emma's journals, and the first two volumes are already available with the third on the way soon. I think they'd make rather perfect pandemic reading. Humorous and charming down to their bones, they're just what the doctor ordered to lift your spirits in this uncertain time that just proves to be too much some days. If you're experiencing one of those days, I suggest giving Volume 1   a go (it's only 99 cents on Kindle, $4.99 for a trade paperback copy). It will surprise exactly none of you that I own print and digital editions of both volumes.  Miss Emma M. Lion has waited long enough. Come hell or high water (and really, given her track record,  both a...