On Vicious Worlds by Bethany Jacobs Series: The Kindom #2
Published by Orbit Books on October 15, 2024
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Source: Orbit Books
One of the most exciting new voices in space opera returns with the thrilling sequel to These Burning Stars, the explosive space opera debut that launched the dangerous cat‑and‑mouse quest for revenge that will define a people forever.
The Jeveni have finally found freedom on the distant planet Capamame, delivered from Kindom oppression through their alliance with stoic Cleric Chono, intrepid caster Jun Ironway, and Six, the wildly unpredictable manipulator who has outwitted the Nightfoot family.
But when Six and Chono return to the Treble star systems, the dream of freedom meets a dangerous test. The Secretaries of the Kindom are intent on reclaiming power in the Treble, as well as control over the Jeveni. Meanwhile, Jun Ironway and Jeveni collector Masar Hawks struggle to protect Capamame from a population brimming with resentment, not to mention a faceless saboteur spreading mayhem and murder. As the two groups struggle to outwit their enemies, divergent battles wend toward a climatic reunion that will spark a revolution. But over it all hangs the cruel legacy of Esek Nightfoot, whose rippling effects may prove impossible to survive.
After the fantastic reading experience of These Burning Stars, its sequel, On Vicious Worlds, was definitely one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. I don’t know if it was my high expectations or my poor memory, but On Vicious Worlds didn’t work as well for me as its predecessor. However, I still enjoyed returning to the characters and the interesting world of The Kindom trilogy again.
I wish that I had had the time to reread These Burning Stars before picking up On Vicious Worlds, as I think that would have not only been really helpful to comprehending to not only the events and characters, but also beneficial to my overall enjoyment of the novel. Without a list of dramatis personae or a recap of the convoluted plot points, which even includes one character assuming the identity of another, I was picking at my brain to try and remember the finer details of the characters, their loyalties, their secrets, and how everything went down. I would recommend a refresh for returning fans of the series and would not recommend reading On Vicious Worlds without reading its predecessor first.
“The ground underfoot is a knife’s edge, and she wears soft shoes.”
By far the standout of On Vicious World for me is the relationships between the characters. Author Bethany Jacobs excels at writing complex bonds between her characters. Two of her characters, Six and Chono, and their ineffable relationship, which seems to transcend all kinds of normal definitions—friendship, love, rivalry, enemies—were absolutely spellbinding to watch. If I choose to read the next book in the trilogy, it will undoubtedly be because of them.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t help but to feel the gaping hole left by the absence of the utterly diabolical Essek. That woman was a fiery loose cannon and it was hard not having her around raising literal and metaphorical hell. I missed worrying what her wicked mind would cook up yet. And I also missed that juxtaposition of her character with Chono’s. Luckily, Six is still an incredibly complex and interesting character, so I was able to stay invested. I really enjoyed seeing a peak of their life before the events of These Burning Stars and inside their mind. It was also delightful to feel “in the know” of Six’s schemes this time around.
“They gave the first half of their life to killing one person, but the rest of their life will be for keeping this one alive.”
I cannot say the same for Jun Ironway, who seems like a watered down and less capable version of herself in On Vicious Worlds. I was disappointed that she seemed completely out of her depth, especially without the presence of her paramour, Liis. But the same goes for most of the characters in the novel, as suddenly paranoid characters are not noticing things that should cause suspicion, political geniuses are outsmarted, double crossers are double crossed with both of their eyes wide open, and combat experts are soundly defeated in battle.
What’s more, is that I didn’t feel like the stakes were nearly as high in On Vicious Worlds. Perhaps it was the lack of Essek or the mere fact that it felt like all of the characters were wildly in over their heads in different parts of the universe, but the main mystery of discovering the identity of the Avatar just didn’t intrigue me too much. Plus, I felt that the pacing left a little something to be desired. On Vicious Worlds swings from one fight scene to a lot of standing around and discussing the political implications of another. I had trouble wanting to pick the book up during the lulls in action and it took me most of the month of January to finish the novel (though admittedly, I was also reading other books simultaneously). And a lot of the book felt like mere setup for the next one.
At this point, I am uncertain if I want to pick up the next book in the trilogy or not. On Vicious Worlds just didn’t capture me the way These Burning Stars did. I would still like to know what happens to Chono and Six, but I am not sure I want to muddle through trying to remember the ins and outs of the governing bodies in the world, the alliances, and everything else to find this out.
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I know Robin has read this author. YAY you updated your sharing buttons.
Anne – Books of My Heart
I did! 🙂