The Dark Between the Stars: The Saga of Shadows, Book One by Kevin J. Anderson

I had to read a book last week for my Readers' Advisory online class. It was a part of our look into Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Romance genres. Typically, I don't read any of these genres (currently). I've read all three at one time or another in the past. All three have probably been read more often as a part of the Young Adult classification. It's not that I dislike any of these three genres, it's just that I have to be in a specific mood and mindset to read them. They aren't my natural go-to book choices. 

However, I wanted to play by the rules of my class, and it was stipulated that I should read something outside of my comfort zone, something I hadn't read previously, and something that I didn't recognize. A list of Hugo and Nebula Sci-Fi winners for 2019 was shared. Likewise, a list of fantasy and romance authors and books were provided. Searching through them, I only recognized a couple of the books on any of them. 

In fact, a book friend suggested I read Uprooted by Naomi Novik a couple of years ago. I did, and I loved it. I have Spinning Silver on my to-read list. So, even though Uprooted was on the list, I knew I couldn't pick it. I, also, recognized Fifth Season as a book checked out often within my library. I thought it might be a great read, and my professor mentioned it as a suggested read, but I found it all checked out via the ebook library. 

I went through a few other choices that were likewise checked out and with holds put on them. Since our post-COVID-19 world has limited my ways of accessing books, and since I'm not an audiobook fan, I searched through the sci-fi list for an available ebook. Finally, I stumbled onto Kevin J. Anderson's The Dark Between the Stars. It sounded interesting; it was available via my library lending system; it was one of the last on the list that I felt remotely interested in trying. 

I downloaded it, and thus began my entrance into the world of Space-Opera. I have much to say about this book and my thoughts on its over 600 pages, but first, a side note. My dad was a huge sci-fi reader. He was a total trekkie, Star Wars fan, and lover of the outer space sub-genres. He read a lot of Ray Bradbury, E.E. "Doc" Smith, and more. It was something we discussed often while he was still alive and had our Taco Fridays (which sometimes were Taco Saturdays). 

We even watched Stargate SG-1 together or talked about it. In this, we were agreed that Richard Dean Anderson was the best main character, and after he left the series, it went downhill. We made comparisons on our love of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, and he'd tell me we should watch Star Wars sometime because I had never watched them, fully and willingly. 

Despite growing up with a sci-fi fanatic - a reader of Einstein and laws and theories and hypotheses, I had a vague fascination for the world of outer space. There were a few things he and I had in common via this subject, and I tried to find and maintain common ground. So, when someone suggested the series Dune about fifteen years ago, I read them. My dad and I discussed them. It was yet another positive memory to hold onto. 

Coming full circle, once again on the topic of Kevin J. Anderson, I looked at The Dark Between the Stars and decided it would be my next read for this class. At the time, I didn't look at anything else by this author. I thought his name sounded familiar, and I assumed it was from my time at the bookstore or the library or even from my dad. I didn't take the time to analyze it. Later, though, I looked Anderson up on Amazon and perused his other book offerings, and that's when I discovered he co-wrote later Dune stories with Brian Herbert. The same Brian Herbert who co-wrote with the original Dune author, Frank Herbert. As well as wrote some of the Star Wars books. 

Finding this out had my jaw dropping, and a slight tickle of tears coming to my eyes. It was as if I ended up, by process of elimination, coming to an author and a book that might have been one my dad would read. It was a connection to him, even a thin one, that made me feel as if I had chosen the right book. This was a good feeling, and it makes me even more excited and pleased to share my thoughts about The Dark Between the Stars with you.

Numeric Breakdown:

1: didn't like it
2: it was okay
3. liked it
4. really liked it
5. it was amazing


1. Writing Style: 4/5
I love when authors go back and forth between multiple points of view. It holds an allure and captivation to the plot that might not otherwise be there. It presents points of view that you might not be otherwise introduced to within the story format, and this gives the reader a greater sense of understanding with the story and the characters overall. I love this literary device that's used more often, today, in the evolution of literature, and Author Kevin J. Anderson does a magnificent job of providing content through this literary device. 

With the above said, this book contains 32 different points of view. These characters switch off, and the reader is faced with not only multiple points of view, but also, we have to keep up with all of the narratives and descriptions each chapter presents. This is certainly a feat of mental prowess to keep up with all of the individual storylines as well as all of the connections each character brings. While I love different points of view, I feel this was a bit much (for me anyway). 

Since this book is primarily a Sci-Fi book, sub-genre Space Opera, you have a specific language being represented by the characters in play. A familiar word choice, Primordial Ooze, comes out during the breakdown of the new worlds, new races, and future situations after what was known as the Elemental Wars. This all fits into the plot, aligns with the characters, and matches the categories we face within the Sci-Fi context. It's certainly believable, well-researched, and gives off a particular knowledge that is beyond my usual mainstream understanding. Language always gives a book a more authentic feel, and the author hits the mark on this note. 

Even though there are a significant amount of characters' lives being played out, I found it easy to invest in some of the characters, while it remained a bit harder to feel bonded to others. They had only a handful of chapters attributed to their story, and since they were so few and so far a part, it was difficult to keep up with what they were bringing to the table. Their lives, language, and background were well-developed. I could picture their scenes; I could recall some of their bits and pieces, as I came back to them in a later chapter, and I liked all of the characters created, for one reason or another, but it was more difficult for me to really get to know them with so many of them spread out in a 139 chapter book. 

Yet, I found the tone, mood, conflict, and imagery within several of the character plots to be vital in my devotion to the characters themselves. It helped me start to like, cheer for, and wish to understand them better as the reading continued. Being committed to even a handful of these 32 characters was enough of an incentive to keep me involved in the story. Truth be told, it was more than a handful I was interested in learning of their fates. 

The narratives give great descriptions of the characters and their worlds. There is a lot of narrative within each chapter to get the reader up to speed. Part of me always struggles over this as a reader (even as a writer) because sometimes I really enjoy and understand the meaning behind this information dump, and there are times I don't mind it as much as at other times. I don't know if the writer's voice plays a significant reason why it works at some of those times and not at others, or if it's the language use, or the fact that certain authors keep dialogue and action as part of their telling. Some seem to have a balance, and others don't. At least, that's my thought-process on it. 

When I read Fires That Forge, I felt there was a lot of wonderful material being presented, excellent research, and a solid voice on behalf of the writer. I was really excited about where the author would take the story. However, the world-building (while wonderful, essential, and helpful) became so overwhelming within each chapter, it blotted out the core of the mystery and lost my interest to a greater degree. There wasn't enough dialogue and action to break it up until over a third of the book had been read. Now, this speaks to personal preference and mood. It in no way indicates that the story isn't unique or that the author isn't good; in fact, it demonstrates to some degree the brilliance of the author's ability to create such a life-like, albeit long, back story and setting. Just because it was a bit much for me, doesn't mean someone else might not fall in love with the voice. 

Now, encountering a great deal of narrative and descriptive pieces in this book, I cringe waiting for my interest to be lost. To some degree, I found myself wanting to skim certain paragraphs to get to the dialogue. However, whether it's because of the plot, language, characters, or of something I'm unaware, I'm not losing interest as quickly as I did in the other story. This might, also, have to do with the breaks in the chapters provided by dialogue, some of the action, and the changes between characters each chapter, which presents some hooks and the ability to re-grab the reader's attention by presenting something new. Whatever it is, I have to say Kevin J. Anderson is keeping my attention a little more securely than other authors might have managed. 

I have to say there is the possibility that Anderson's use of literary devices such as imagery, foreshadowing, mood, conflict, and suspense help move the story along. I'm sure there are a few other devices at work, but these are the handful that have caught my attention. As I've stated before, there are a lot of characters interweaved together, and their plots keep the story moving forward and leave you with the possibilities of what might happen next. The workings of these conflicts are subtle for the most part, and it helps engage your sense of expectation.

 All together, there are several positives that I love about this story and how it worked itself out, but there are also some things that didn't capture my interest or weren't personally interesting to me as a reader. However, I still feel the author does a comparable job in creating a realistic world, notable characters, and a strong motif. 

2. Overall Content: 5/5
As you know, I'm not a Space Opera aficionado. Sci-Fi isn't my area of expertise. However, as I pointed out a bit under "writing style," I feel there are several positives to note within this story. The one aspect I will come back to for a few sentences are the characters themselves.

Even though it's a bit difficult to keep up with 32 characters and their storylines, I did enjoy reading about them when it was their turn. Some attracted me more than others. Anderson gives you background and foreshadowing within the walls of their storylines. It helps move the plot along. 

For instance, Garrison Reeves is the first character we're introduced to, and he's leaving his "home" planet with his son. The background given lets the reader know there's more to the story than the facts we're already presented with, and there's the possibility of danger. Then, we go into his wife's part of the story, and we get an entirely different pov and personality. From there, we get to see behind the scenes, as it were, with Elisa Reeve's boss Lee Iswander and his political ambitions. 

The story, of course, introduces more and more characters. Their own plot intertwines with the other characters in one way or another, and that makes for a diverting read. It keeps the reader on their toes, and they need to be invested in this book and storyline in order for it to remain relevant, entertaining, and less confusing. 

This book does a great job of world-building from character to character. It's a lot to take in and remember, but it's exciting in its own right. The world-building does a fantastic job of utilizing language which works for the space realm. You hear about different planets, different products these planets are developing and producing, the profits being made for these planets, the fate of Earth within this new global context, each characters' contributions to that growth and evolution, and the illustrious space travel. 

Language definitively plays a role in creating this outer space life that represents the essential foundation for the Space Opera. It certainly plays off of the sci-fi motifs of a world in space, advances in space, technology, and a past apocalyptic event. This story also plays on the "what if's" of this intergalactic world and all those who make up its residence. Each of these themes and plots is created and cemented by the language vernacular, vocabulary, and interchanges between the characters and this new world. 

Another strong point of this story, which exonerates a little of the profuse background knowledge within each chapter, is the fact that the author drops us into his world without warning. He launches us into the society of his characters without apology. You have to appreciate the confidence of his writing, and the brilliance of being like, here's the world as it is now, here's a few things to know concerning this character and their reality, and here's what this character has to tell you about where you find them right in this moment. He doesn't dribble on about "...three years ago the world came to an end..." or "...in the last fifteen years, only a percentage of earth survived and the development of the other worlds brings us to this plot here and now..." 

Instead, the author acts as if this is the world we have all known for years now. It's as if he's just giving us an update on the merging patterns where we find the characters meeting new conflicts within their world(s), within one another, and within themselves. Author Kevin J. Anderson takes initiative in sharing his galactic domains with his audience through the individual points of view, but he does so by creating that narrative to let the reader know he hasn't forgotten that we know nothing of this new world. Again, I suppose that's why one can forgive him for being a bit over-descriptive because you need it, in a way, to catch up. Again, his voice makes it more endearing versus monotonous. 

His narratives provide absorbing information, at times, and are well-devised. The personality expressed within these narratives and descriptive outlets did bring a specific voice to the circumstances, and it created an enlightening and beguiling way of divulging the needed information. The personalities built by their world, personal preferences, and interactions brought a special feel to each character and provided a more appealing role in keeping the reader involved.  

I really loved the unusual "bad guy" introduced into the book as well. It was unexpected and well-constructed. I really liked the different perspective it brings to the overall story. The ending is excellent as well. Different twists and turns leading to the climax made this story fun to read. 

Somehow, the author creates a story that doesn't drive you up the wall despite 32 different points of view and being dropped into a place where you have no previous footing. His narrative style brings in a few different literary devices which keep it engaging, understandable, dramatic, and not likely to cause anyone to bash their heads against the wall.


3. Hooks/Attention-kept: 4/5
The characters themselves are always an encouraging hook. I'm primarily character-driven in my reading, and if I like your characters, I will invest my time into your book, even if I don't love your plot. That said, it was a bit difficult to really gain a connection with any of the characters, but they were so well-done I couldn't help but like them. Based on that alone, I kept reading. 

Yet, there were a few other factors that held my interest. The foreshadowing within a few different plots made me take notice. It was subtle, in my opinion, and I liked that as well. Anderson shares something is up within those character disclosures, but he didn't overplay them, tell about them all, or have monologues about the potential danger at stake. He handled the telling very well within the bouts of showing, and I appreciate this implementation even more. 

I held on in order to find out what would happen about the planetary issues Garrison brings up in the first chapter and his reasoning behind kidnapping his son and escaping. This led to the conflict between him and his wife. The other characters brought in political stirrings, the possibility of past and present conflict, parental versus child conflict, romance implications, a curious space find, medical advancements, and a few other plot points which developed and created a curious feeling within the reader. These key ploys kept me reading.

4. Overall enjoyment of the story based on the genre: 5/5
You know, I was pleasantly surprised. It's consistently a good feeling when I dive into a new book, a new genre, a new sub-genre, and I come out thinking: "Why haven't I tried this before?"

Kevin J. Anderson builds a world you can become involved within not really expecting yourself to do so. The different parallels to the plots, merging of characters and storylines, the suspense of the unexpected, the language, the characters themselves begin to absorb into you and your subconscious. As I've said before with other books I've read (Julia Ash's The One and Only), if I wake up thinking about your book, then I know it's a good one. 

Since I'm not an expert on all things Sci-Fi and Space Opera related, I have to say that the little bit of knowledge and background I have in either has helped me reach the conclusion that this is a clever, talented, and impressive book. Even if I have no other works to compare it to, I would still say this is a book to read for representation of its genre and sub-genre. 

Hands-down, this is a book that would make me want to rethink my reluctance to get into the world of Sci-Fi and its sub-genres. If nothing else, I'll definitely be reading the next two books in the series! 

5. Overall enjoyment of the story based on the content: 5/5
Based on the "content" and "overall enjoyment of the story based on the genre," I'm certain you can understand that my satisfaction of the book in all its content glory will be positive and end on a high note. 

I have to say, it took me a minute to get on board with this story, just on the basis of not being an all-out sci-fi, space-opera lover. Then, it took me a minute to appreciate having to keep track of 32 characters and their own storylines. However, there was no way I was going to put it down. The characters hooked me, most of them, one by one. 

The themes of personal sacrifices, struggles, tragedies, happiness, understanding, learning, growing for the greater good, the past versus the present, old ways versus new, and everything in-between kept me enamored with knowing what was going to happen next and how my favorite characters would fare. Despite being hard, at first, to gain fondness for the characters, the author's perseverance of their individualistic personalities and battles won me over.


6. Overall Story Rating: 5/5
There's no doubt this is a thrilling read. I'm glad I chose it and had the opportunity to read it. It's content, hooks, and writing style all evolved into a first-rate story. I hope the breakdown allowed you to see the positives and merits of this novel and the form it took. Hopefully, as a reader, you will find the time spent wrapped in this book worth-while, imaginative, fun, and thrilling. Bottom line: I came to love this book. That's why it ranks a 5/5 rating from my own point of view.

Thanks for joining me, and as always, Happy Reading!!😊

~Rebecca Reddell