Review: The Queen's Wing (The Queen's Wing Series Book 1) by Jessica Thorne

The Queen's Wing by Jessica Thorne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Superb Steampunk Space Opera

This was an unexpected gem that I picked up because it was on special offer in one of the endless newsletters that tells me of discounts on books. I am so glad I splurged, because normally I only pick up the free ones. I shelled out a massive £0.99 for this book and I got a complete bargain because I would have paid full price (which I hardly ever do because I’m a cheapskate) if I’d known how good this book was.

This author has created a complex universe with mechanical birds and horses and the ability to fly between worlds in mammoth space vessels. There are battles fought with small flying machines made of brass and canvas or in machines that run on solar power. Swords and knives are used alongside plasma rifles and personal force fields. The contrasts are rather magical and endearing.

Bel is a very minor royal on her planet, because her father, the grandson of the king married a warrior woman, a flyer. When their planet’s enemies, the Gravians, strike once again at the heart of the ruling families, and no one else is left to ascend to the throne, Bel’s father is forced to take over. Within the space of a few hours Bel’s life is transformed from a reasonably informal life filled with lessons from her governess alternated with flying her wasp in the skies above her home, waiting for a chance to command her own Wing one day, to becoming a fiancee to the ruler of a distant planet, a man she doesn’t even have a good photograph of.

This book is filled with details that make the world in which the characters inhabit sing. I can picture the worlds of Vairian and Anthaeus so clearly after reading this book. The geography and the cultures are explored and explained in detail. The characters are complex and fascinating. I love how deeply we see into their hearts, even though everything is from Bel’s point of view.

Bel changes through the course of the book, as she grows up. She grasps immediately her duty and responsibilities, though she rails against them. She only ever wavers but never gives into her doubts or her own longing to be far away. She initially leaves her home planet for her family and her people in order to secure a treaty in their time of need and isn’t particularly happy about giving up her dreams and her life, but she eventually comes to see the beauty in her new home and see the worth in it’s people, especially her fiancee, who still mourns his deceased wife. Her fiancee, Con, is a young intriguing man, who is initially distant and unknowable. As the story unravels we get to see more and more of his character and why he was chosen as ruler.

The relationships between all the characters are complex and many layered and help you get swept up in the story as you share their dreams and nightmares. The interactions between both sides of the treaty are a delicate dance and their are complicated emotions explored by the author during the course of book.

The Gravians are a terrifying race. They brutalise both the conquered planets and their inhabitants in order to extract every last drop of value and pain to gift to their goddess.

I enjoyed this book tremendously, and highly recommend it. There is a follow up book out already, so I think I’m going to be buying that next. I’ll even pay full price!

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