Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik

Polaris Rising (The Consortium Rebellion, #1)

by Jessie Mihalik

“Polaris Rising is space opera at its best, intense and addictive, a story of honor, courage, betrayal, and love. Jessie Mihalik is  an author to watch.”--Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A space princess on the run and a notorious outlaw soldier become unlikely allies in this imaginative, sexy space opera adventure—the first in an exciting science fiction trilogy.

In the far distant future, the universe is officially ruled by the Royal Consortium, but the High Councillors, the heads of the three High Houses, wield the true power. As the fifth of six children, Ada von Hasenberg has no authority; her only value to her High House is as a pawn in a political marriage. When her father arranges for her to wed a noble from House Rockhurst, a man she neither wants nor loves, Ada seizes control of her own destiny. The spirited princess flees before the betrothal ceremony and disappears among the stars.

Ada eluded her father’s forces for two years, but now her luck has run out. To ensure she cannot escape again, the fiery princess is thrown into a prison cell with Marcus Loch. Known as the Devil of Fornax Zero, Loch is rumored to have killed his entire chain of command during the Fornax Rebellion, and the Consortium wants his head.

When the ship returning them to Earth is attacked by a battle cruiser from rival House Rockhurst, Ada realizes that if her jilted fiancé captures her, she’ll become a political prisoner and a liability to her House. Her only hope is to strike a deal with the dangerous fugitive: a fortune if he helps her escape.

But when you make a deal with an irresistibly attractive Devil, you may lose more than you bargained for . . .

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

4 of 5 stars

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Ada von Hasenberg is the seventh child of the House von Hasenberg. Ada was to be offered into an arranged marriage with House Rockhurst but after witnessing her sister's horrible marriages, this strong-willed, kickass Hasenberg flees home and now has a bounty on her head. When she is captured on the boarding docks of another planet and taken aboard a merc ship, they place her in a cell with Marcus Loch, the Devil of Fornax Zero. His bounty rivals hers. There are rumors he murdered every commanding officer who issued orders during the Fornax Rebellion. All Ada knows for certain is that the Royal Consortium wants him dead.

From the first chapter, Mihalik held me spellbound. This story is for fans of space operas with strong romantic elements, lots of snark and plenty of chemistry. The world was interesting with twists on familiar themes. It focuses on the Merc Houses living on Earth who run a monopoly on space commerce.  There were spaceships, cool gadgets, whole freaking' planets to explore and a kickass female lead who reminds me of Kate Daniels. Hells yes!

Ada from outward appearances is strong, unyielding and has the qualities one expects from royalty, but on the inside she struggles, misses her siblings and has baggage from her first romance. The girl is smart, knows her weapons and her training as a Hasenberg means she can navigate and repair ships. I loved her sharp mind, quick wit and loyalty.

Marcus Loch is our space Curran. Aside from being a one man killing machine who grunts and protects he is also cunning and noble. The more Mihalik peeled back his layers and shared his story the more I loved him.

When Richard, the man Ada's father wants her to marry appears on the merc ship, Ada comes up with a plan to escape but she will have to trust Marcus and the tale that unfolds was intense with twists, turns and new friends. While I loved meeting people, learning more about the world, the Consortium and plants, it was Ada and Marcus who stole the show whenever they were on the page together. Snark and sexual chemistry melted my eardrums. It was so genuine it had me squealing with delight.

The story ended in a good place but set us up for the series and I for one cannot wait! If you haven't already devoured this, I recommend listening. Emily Woo Zeller narrates, and she did such a stellar job. While I wasn't a fan of some of her male voices, she nailed Ada and Marcus in my humble opinion. I thought she did well enhancing the tone, emotions and action scenes as they unfolded. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 20 February, 2019: Finished reading
  • 20 February, 2019: Reviewed