Press
These Burning Stars is the winner of the 2024 Philip K. Dick Award!
Best of 2023 Lists!
Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2023, Kirkus Reviews
Best Debut of 2023, Kirkus Reviews
The 12 best sci-fi listens of 2023, audibleblog
Must-Read Books of 2023: Fantasy, Horror & Sci-Fi, Chicago Public Library
65 of the Best Queer Books of 2023, Autostraddle (listed in the top 5 sci fi books)
Top 5 Reads of 2023, Realms of My Mind. Check out the TikTok review here!
Jam’s Top Reads of 2023, JamReads
Other Press
A corporate podcast and a science fiction novel among Bear’s latest recommendations? These Burning Stars review by S. Bear Bergman, Xtra Magazine
These Stars Burning Stars review, Sci-Fi Mind
Book Review, These Burning Stars, Blogging with Dragons
John Scalzi’s The Big Idea, guest post by Bethany Jacobs
Book Page, These Burning Stars starred review
Audible, Cozy up to the best listens of Fall 2023
We Are Bookish, October’s Most Anticipated Books
LAMBDA Literary Review, September’s Most Anticipated
Library Journal, These Burning Stars starred review
Booklist Online, These Burning Stars starred review
Kirkus Reviews, These Burning Stars starred review
Publisher’s Weekly, These Burning Stars review
COVER REVEAL: These Burning Stars (The Kingdom Trilogy #1) by Bethany Jacobs FanFiAddict
Who Wants to Read Some Debut Science Fiction? Michael Mammay
FFA’s Most Anticipated Titles of 2023 FanFiAddict
Praise for These Burning Stars
"These Burning Stars is plotted like a chess match, confident and surprising as Jacobs moves each piece thoughtfully across her board."
An exciting start from a fresh talent, offering emotional and political complexity plus plenty of interplanetary action.
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Readers who love smart thrillers and explosive sf won’t want to miss this book.”
Booklist Online, starred review
“Full of political intrigue and impressive worldbuilding, Jacobs’s superb debut launches this space opera trilogy.”
Library Journal, starred review
This “multiplayer cat-and-mouse game is intricately plotted and tightly paced with a satisfying ending that sets the stage nicely for the next installment. Space opera fans will eat this up.”
Obsession, arrogance, wrath, and bliss. These Burning Stars is terrifying and fascinating. Filled to the brim with devotion akin to hate, hate akin to love, and love akin to a blade between the ribs. It's a debut you won't want to miss. Jacobs' characters and prose have a sharpness to them that's both beautiful and devastating.
-Marina Lostetter, author of The Helm of Midnight
"Immersive and epic; a sprawling space opera perfect for fans of A Memory Called Empire and Too Like Lightning."
–Kameron Hurley, author of The Light Brigade
“Like every good revenge story, These Burning Stars is baroque, intense, inventive, vivid, violent, and visceral. An impressive debut.”
–Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun
“A richly imagined space opera packed with intricate worldbuilding, compelling prose, and twisty politics, artfully woven together and delivered through a cast of fallible, endearing characters. An incredible debut perfect for fans of Ann Leckie, Kate Elliott, and Scalzi’s Interdependency series.”
–J. S. Dewes, author of The Last Watch
“A sizzling political space opera exploring the borders of passion and monstrosity, hunter and hunted, obsession and devotion. Jacobs is an exciting new author to watch.”
–Essa Hansen, author of Nophek Gloss
“I love a book that makes me pay attention and rewards me for it. I love even more a book with complicated, messy politics. But really, I'm here for the characters, and Jacobs ' are compelling, flawed, tragic and hopeful at the same time. What's that? There's a sequel? I can't wait.”
–K. Eason, author of How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse
“With a cast of deliciously dangerous characters and a gloriously executed plot that twists like a knife, this propulsive debut heralds the start of a sweeping space opera saga in the vein of Ann Leckie and Alastair Reynolds. Bethany Jacobs is an ingenious worldbuilder and a stunning new voice to look out for in sci-fi.”
–Ren Hutchings, author of Under Fortunate Stars
“The vivid characters and ratcheting plot tension kept me racing through the book. And as soon as I hit the last page, I immediately wanted to turn right back and read it all over again just to savor the elegance with which it builds to its explosive conclusion. Jacobs' trilogy is destined to be the space opera of the decade and I can't wait to have the next one in my hands!”
–Rebecca Fraimow, author of The Iron Children
“If I were to say that this was the best debut novel I've read in a long time, I would be doing it a disservice. It's more than that—it's one of the best SF books I've read period. It has it all: jump off the page action, wild twists, superb world building. And the characters! It's rare that an author can make you care about so many different characters the way that Jacobs does. Go ahead and pencil her in for your Astounding Award ballot for best new author.”
–Michael Mammay, author of Planetside