📖 Overview
Zara Cole is a thief and survivor on the streets of New Detroit who gets selected for the Honors program - a prestigious initiative where humans partner with sentient alien ships called the Leviathan. As she leaves Earth to join this elite group, she must adapt to an entirely new way of life among the stars.
The partnership between humans and Leviathan ships involves a unique physical and mental bond, requiring Zara to overcome her trust issues and defensive instincts. Her ship, Nadim, helps her discover capabilities she never knew she possessed, while strange occurrences in space hint at greater threats.
The story combines elements of science fiction, adventure, and coming-of-age as Zara navigates complex relationships with both humans and aliens. Her street-smart background and survival skills prove valuable in space, though she must learn to work within a structured system she once rejected.
This exploration of trust, belonging, and identity plays out against a backdrop of interstellar politics and alien contact. The novel raises questions about humanity's place in the universe and the nature of consciousness itself.
👀 Reviews
Readers highlight the unique alien biology and strong character development, particularly protagonist Zara Cole's growth from a street-smart survivor to someone wrestling with deeper moral choices. Many reviewers note the fresh take on human-alien partnerships and praise the detailed world-building.
Likes:
- Complex relationships between humans and the alien Leviathans
- Fast-paced action sequences
- Diversity of characters
- Original spin on space exploration
Dislikes:
- Some found the pacing slow in the first third
- Several readers wanted more detail about Earth's future society
- Romance elements felt underdeveloped to some
Ratings:
Goodreads: 3.9/5 (8,700+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.4/5 (180+ ratings)
"The alien biology was mind-blowing and unlike anything I've read before," noted one Goodreads reviewer. Another Amazon reader criticized: "Takes too long to get to space, which is where the story really picks up."
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Illuminae by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff Two teenagers uncover corporate conspiracies aboard a damaged fleet of spaceships fleeing through deep space.
Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray A soldier and an advanced artificial intelligence form an alliance to save their worlds from destruction.
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman A misfit squad of space academy graduates becomes entangled in an interstellar mystery centered around a girl found in cryo-sleep.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman Two survivors of a luxury spaceliner crash must trek across an unknown planet while uncovering its secrets.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌟 The book takes place in 2142, featuring a future where humanity has made contact with an advanced alien species called the Leviathan
🚀 Honor Among Thieves is the first book in the Honors trilogy, which blends elements of both science fiction and young adult genres
🦋 The main character, Zara Cole, is a criminal chosen to be an "Honor" - one of the select few humans picked to travel through space with the Leviathan
💫 The Leviathan are living spaceships who bond mentally and emotionally with their human passengers, creating a unique symbiotic relationship
📚 Authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre had never collaborated before this series, though both were already successful authors in their own right - Caine with The Morganville Vampires series and Aguirre with the Razorland trilogy