The Stars Are Legion, by Kameron Hurley

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


So this is my first time reading Kameron Hurley. Now I'll know what to expect--you do literally have to set your stomach for it, much like reading Jeff Vandermeer novels. It is SF with a lot of horror mixed in. And it got off to a somewhat slow start for me, as the two major protagonists (Zan and Jayd) that drive the narrative are very similar, even though they say they are very different. I think that is deliberate on Hurley's part and shows some very layered writing. But Zan and Jayd are very stilted, while some of the other characters in the book (told through Zan and Jayd) seem to have actual differences.

But enough self-referential character development stuff. This novel is packed with ideas. Organic world-ships are not a new thing, but the way Hurley reveals their scale is really good stuff. There's an archetype Hero's Journey in it that is the best part of the book, but you have to get through almost half of the book to see it.

Persistence paid off and in the end I liked, but did not love, the book. Promising but just a bit too stiff and rough around the edges to be excellent.



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