Having enjoyed the first book in the Astra Black series, I was happy to receive a copy of Breath of Oblivion. I think I might’ve enjoyed this one even more than its predecessor. There is so much about this series that I really, really like. Broaddus’ work with language is compelling (check out the glossary he provides, but also learn where these terms come from). The scale/scope of this space-set story is epic (the comparison to The Expanse makes sense in this respect, in that Mars, the Belt, and Earth are all here). The characters are memorable. There are a lot of POVs here; what I really like about this is that the reader gets a few different perspectives on the different plot lines. I appreciate that there are a range of complex, nuanced, well-written POV characters who are women. This series is – in the best way – to me very clearly written by a community organizer. I feel like Broaddus draws on so many theoretical, political, historical, and activist discourses in such interesting ways and all of these feel completely organic to the story-telling. I’m looking forward to the third installment already. 

Thank you to Maurice Broaddus, Tor Publishing Group, & NetGalley for providing me an ARC to review. 

Content warnings: violence, gun violence, forcible confinement, chronic illness, classism, racism, colonization, cultural appropriation, war