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‘Vivid, violent and visceral: an impressive debut’ Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun

**WINNER OF THE PHILIP K. DICK AWARD**
**SHORTLISTED FOR THE LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL**

Jun Ironway, hacker, con artist, and only occasional thief, has got her hands on a piece of contraband that could set her up for life: evidence that implicates the powerful Nightfoot family in a planet-wide genocide seventy-five years ago. The Nightfoots control the precious sevite that fuels interplanetary travel through three star systems. And someone is sure to pay handsomely for anything that could break their hold.

Of course, anything valuable is also dangerous. The Kindom, the ruling power of the three star systems, is inextricably tied up in the Nightfoots’ monopoly – and they can’t afford to let Jun expose the truth. They task two of their most brutal clerics with hunting her down: preternaturally stoic Chono, and brilliant hothead Esek, who also happens to be the heir to the Nightfoot empire.

But Chono and Esek are haunted in turn by a figure from their shared past, known only as Six. What Six truly wants is anyone’s guess. And the closer they get to finding Jun, the surer Chono is that Six is manipulating them all – and that they are heading for a bloody confrontation that no one will survive unscathed.

‘One of the best SF books I’ve read. Period’ Michael Mammay, author of Planetside

‘Intricately plotted and tightly paced . . . Space opera fans will eat this up’ Publishers Weekly

‘A multi-layered saga full of courtly intrigue and indelible characters, Bethany Jacobs’ These Burning Stars warps readers across the galaxy on a devilishly fun thrill ride’ Bookpage

‘A fast-moving novel of action and intrigue, which Jacobs pulls off with vivid energy, bringing her threads together in an explosive conclusion’ Locus

Publisher Review

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 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. But the characters! . . . Even after the story's climax, I wanted to keep reading because I was so invested in these people and wanted to know where they were going next -- Michael Mammay, author of PLANETSIDE The resulting multiplayer cat-and-mouse game is intricately plotted and tightly paced with a satisfying ending that sets the stage nicely for the next instalment. Space opera fans will eat this up -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Readers who love smart thrillers and explosive SF won't want to miss this book. For fans of Everina Maxwell [and] Arkady Martine -- BOOKLIST (starred review) An intricate plot for revenge drives this far-future SF political thriller . . . An exciting start from a fresh talent, offering emotional and political complexity plus plenty of interplanetary action -- KIRKUS (starred review) 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 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 Jacobs' characters and prose have a sharpness to them that's both beautiful and devastating. These Burning Stars blew me away -- 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 the Lightning -- Kameron Hurley, Hugo Award-winning author of THE STARS ARE LEGION These Burning Stars blew me away! Jacobs' characters and prose have a sharpness to them that's both beautiful and devastating. It's a debut you won't want to miss. -- Marina J. Lostetter, author of NOUMENON Readers who love smart thrillers and explosive SF won't want to miss this book. For fans of Everina Maxwell, Arkady Martine and Becky Chambers -- BOOKLIST (starred review) Delightfully vicious, I loved it -- Megan E. O'Keefe, author of VELOCITY WEAPON The protagonists are carefully crafted, with their layers slowly built to impressive complexity. This buildup pays off as the chase escalates across planets and comes to a stunning conclusion . . . Full of political intrigue and impressive worldbuilding, Jacobs's superb debut launches this space opera trilogy -- LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)