The First Sister (The First Sister, #1)

by Linden A. Lewis

'I couldn't put it down' R.F. Kuang, author of The Poppy War

FIRST SISTER HAS NO NAME, AND NO VOICE.

Forced to travel the stars alongside the Gean soldiers of Earth and Mars, she lacks control over her own destiny. Until an enigmatic, and secretive, new captain - Saito Ren - joins her ship and opens her eyes to a dangerous new path.

LITO VAL LUCIUS HAS NO FAITH, AND NO LOYALTY.

An elite Icarii soldier of Venus, he was thrown into disgrace after the sudden disappearance of his partner, Hiro. Then Hiro is discovered alive, and a traitor, and Lito is offered a shot at redemption: but only if he hunts down and kills his former partner in cold blood.

As the war between the Geans and the Icarii reaches a head, Lito and the First Sister must decide what - and whom - they are willing to sacrifice in the name of duty, or for love.


'Debut of the month' Library Journal

• ISBN10: 152938690X
• ISBN13: 9781529386905
• Publish Date: 4 August 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 9 January 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
• Imprint: Hodderscape
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The First Sister is the first book in a grand space opera trilogy by Linden A. Lewis. Released in 2020 by Simon & Schuster on their Gallery Books imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in most formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function(and this is a big complex book and I needed to check back several times to find earlier info).

This is classic science fiction on a grand scale. It hearkens back to old school SF, unafraid to explore social themes such as power, loyalty, humanity, body autonomy, conflict, and grace. I've seen this book being compared to The Handmaid's Tale, but I got much more of a Frank Herbert Dune vibe with shadings of Shari Tepper. One thing I really liked about the book was the LGBTQ+ friendly writing with positive portrayals of a variety of gender identities and sexualities.

The writing is sublime and it held my attention and engagement throughout. Thematically it's not always easy reading and readers should be aware that the author explores uncomfortable themes such as nonconsensual sexual exploitation, child abuse, loss of body autonomy, PTSD, violence, and gender dysphoria. I was glad to see, however, that there was -no- glorification or positive spin on abuse or sexism - but more of an expository examination of what could be changed to make a better outcome. There is very little on-page abuse - it's implied, but it is there.

The author has a deft and sure voice and it certainly doesn't feel like a debut novel at all. The adult themes, although not explicit in the narrative, would make me hesitate to recommend this book to YA/NA readers.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

4.5*

First Sister is one hell of a space adventure, no question about it. We get two stories in one for most of the book, in First Sister's perspective and that of soldier Lito. While their paths start off separately, we can assume from the start that they'll converge at some point, so I don't think that's particularly a spoiler. But at the start, these two couldn't be farther apart (physically and mentally speaking).

First Sister is, well, as the title suggests, a quasi-nun. The Premier Quasi-Nun, if you will. She's earned some favor among the powers that be, and as such, she's tasked with spying on new captain Saito Ren. Only, she finds that perhaps the Sisterhood isn't what she has thought it was, and maybe Saito Ren isn't the villain they're making her out to be.

Lito is having a rough time soldering on (pun absolutely intended) without his partner and incredibly close friend Hiro. Hiro's been missing since a big battle ensued, and Lito has basically been ordered to kill Hiro if he encounters them. I'm sure that will go well. The reader also gets little morsels of information from Hiro themselves, as they've left behind an audio recording for Lito to try to explain what has happened to them.

As you can see, the book is full of twists and excitement, and nothing is as it first appears. Therefore, I'll tell you no more. Best to go into this one not having any preconceived notions, just a basic understanding of who's who at the start. Then, you'll be in for quite the treat as the stories unfold and you begin to fall in love with the characters as I did.

There will be incredibly difficult choices, and a ton of character growth, and I loved watching it play out! My only minor qualms were a bit of a lull in the beginning-middle bit, but it was certainly not a huge deal considering I was already quite invested in the characters.

Bottom Line: I adored the characters and adventure in this wonderful first installment. Exciting and meaningful, The First Sister is a win all around.