A deadly race across 1,001 planets will determine more than just the fate of the empire. This explosive first book in a duology jam-packed with tension and thrills is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Aurora Rising, and Three Dark Crowns.Alyssa Farshot has spent her whole life trying to outrun her family legacy, even leaving behind the Kingship and her uncle, the emperor, for a life of … leaving behind the Kingship and her uncle, the emperor, for a life of exploring.
But when her dying uncle announces a crownchase—a search for the royal seal hidden in the empire that will determine the next ruler—Alyssa is thrust into her greatest, most dangerous adventure yet.
more
This was excellent! I’ve read Skyward by Brandon Sanderson and Aurora Rising by Aimee Kauffman and Jay Kristoff–all established writers. But this sci-fi debut, Crownchasers? Was better, in my opinion. It was fast and fun and witty. The lead character is sharp and relatable, and the cast of secondary characters were great. There were twists at every turn and I just couldn’t put this down. So well-written and gripping!
CROWNCHASERS is the debut novel of author Rebecca Coffindaffer. A Science-Fiction book with great characters, sarcastic banter, and a plot that you won’t want to tear your eyes away from, this one definitely took me by surprise–in the best way possible.
Alyssa “Farshot” Faroshiti is the niece of the Emperor Atar Farsoshiti. After his sudden, early death, she is dismayed to find that she is the elected “Crown Chaser” representative from the Faroshiti family. Each of the Prime families nominates one member to represent them in what amounts to a “scavenger hunt” for the Throne. Together, with her space ship’s Engineer, Hell Monkey, Alyssa soon finds that the contenders are all “acquaintances or friends” from her childhood.
“. . . “I’m not gonna give Hell Monkey the satisfaction of telling him he’s not wrong, but . . . he’s not wrong . . .”
It soon becomes apparent to the reader that other “factors” are at work here, and things are not as fair as they were meant to be.
“. . . just because you stopped paying attention to us doesn’t mean we stopped paying attention to you.”
The characters were simply phenomenal here. Even the ones we don’t get to know as well bring something to the novel–often comedic moments, interspersed with more serious looks at each Prime Family’s “home life” and ambitions.
We go between current happenings and past remembrances, of when the Crown Chasers knew each other as merely “friends”. Each complex life left me wanting to know more about them, so it’s fortuitous that this is the first of a projected series.
“. . . You shall be codenamed: Humorless Killjoy.”
I was completely swept away by the events and characters’ relations here–if I had the time, it’s a book I could have devoured in a single sitting. I’m greatly looking forward to the author’s next book.
Highly recommended.
‘Crownchasers’ is the first book in a brand new duology by Rebecca Coffindaffer that is billed as being perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Aurora Rising, and Three Dark Crowns.
Alyssa Farshot, explorer extraordinaire and Captain of the worldcruiser.. The Vagabond Quick, is our main character. Paired up with ‘Hell Monkey,’ the sweet, sarcastic engineer on her ship, Alyssa’s spent years trying to escape her family legacy and responsibilities.
Having left behind the Kingship, her uncle.. the emperor, she’s forced to return when news of his rapidly declining health reaches her.
When the dying emperor announces a crownchase, an event the kingdom hasn’t seen in 700 years, she’s thrust full on into the race whether she wants it or not. The prize? Rule of their world as the next to sit on the throne. All she has to do is find the royal seal hidden on one of the 1,001 planets within the empire. Sounds easy enough, right? The first problem is.. she doesn’t really want it.
I was waffling back and forth on this one for awhile.. but hear me out.
When I first saw the book pop up on a friend’s Instagram stream (thank you @gingerly_reading for bringing it to my attention), I was really excited. The cover art has an almost classic Star Wars feel, though that imagery is sunken into the character portrayal and the tagline is the kind of gold this rebellious-natured reader is a sucker for.
“They can make the rules…but they can’t make her follow them.”
Upon starting to read the book, initially I thought I was going to be disappointed. The wild streak feels a little forced, the sarcastic comments a little cliche, and the engineer’s name seemed ridiculous. It was very hard to take him seriously at first, but as I proceeded.. I realized there was a reason for this funny, carefree outer shell and in time the name actually grew on me.
The innocuous looking design of the chase from clue to clue is far more dangerous than it’s meant to be.. and that’s saying something, because it does seem to be made to really challenge the competitors with hopes of finding the right person to lead. And while all they’re chasing all over the empire, there are indications of sinister machinations elsewhere, making you wonder what the real outcome is going to be.
I will say, I saw a couple of major plot points coming early on, but that’s normal for me as a seasoned reader and I didn’t mind at all. There are plenty of surprising moments spread throughout the story along the way and Coffindaffer did make me tear up a couple of times, especially in a certain inhospitable atmosphere.
From my perspective, the author felt heavily influenced by Star Wars and Aurora Rising. In particular, in the way the characters interacted with each other and the ambitious attempts at steady banter in the dialogue. This is the one thing I think could have been improved upon. Sometimes, whether or not you intentionally draw comparisons between your own writing and such distinctive works from other authors, if it happens.. you have to work twice as hard to pack the same punch.
In this case, the dialogue just felt a tiny bit too much like mimicry for probably the first half of the book or so. But as the tale evolved, so did these exchanges.. and by the middle of the tale.. the author was coming into her own.. or perhaps.. I was settling into the story. Either way, I expect the second book will be even smoother.
That’s really the only small criticism I have. Overall, it’s a relatively fast-paced story that I didn’t want to put down. I read it nearly straight through in just over 3 hours and I really enjoyed it.
Both the space battles (even the more complex ones) and the personal altercations were exciting and easy to visualize, the characters were distinguishable from one another.. generally likeable where they were meant to be, and I was fully invested in how things were going to go down.
I cannot wait for book two.
(More reviews like this at Betwixt The Sheets.)
(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)
A fun and gripping YA sci-fi novel with heart-pounding action and compelling characters, Crownchasers follows Alyssa Farshot as she competes in a dangerous game for the throne. There are so many levels to this story. At a basic level, it’s a space race for the throne. However, the story is also about what it takes to be a good leader. It examines values and morals, what people are willing to do or sacrifice for those they love, the lengths people go to for power, as well as the power of friendship, grief, love, and loss. And at the heart of it all is Alyssa.
Alyssa is an exceptional protagonist. Finding herself as she grudgingly participates in the competition, Alyssa is smart, astute, vulgar, and fierce. I love her sass and independent spirit. As the only relative of the reigning emperor, Alyssa knows she must eventually face the responsibilities of her station. However, she has wanderlust and longs to travel the universe. The Crownchase is Alyssa’s chance for adventure before she fulfills her familial expectations.
Alyssa is also really funny, though she often uses sarcasm to avoid her feelings, especially when dealing with her love life. Her witty banter with friends and foes lightened some tense situations and exacerbated others. Alyssa is a good person who can be selfish and selfless at the same time, but, above all, she is loyal and true. People tend to gravitate toward her because of her empathetic, interested, and adventurous personality.
The other characters in the story are equally interesting and well-developed, and, as the characters explore the universe, there is also an exploration of their relationships. I found this aspect of the story really interesting since the relationships are complex and universal. There’s a young woman taking steps toward independence, there is a blossoming relationship with the pair afraid to reveal their deep feelings, there are trustworthy and untrustworthy friendships, and there are frenemies whose intentions are unclear. All of the relationships are intricately woven, fascinating, and universal.
An epic sci-fi odyssey that’s a cross between The Amazing Race, Aurora Rising, and The Hunger Games, Crownchasers gripped me from beginning to end. I loved the immersive story, the sci-fi setting, the intense competition, the dynamic characters, and the poignant messages. Plus, there’s the romance and that ending!! Amazing!!
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Harper Teen for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.