Rory Thorne must use the fairy blessings gifted to her to change the multiverse in the second book in this space opera duology.

After avoiding an arranged marriage, thwarting a coup, and inadvertently kick-starting a revolution, Rory Thorne has renounced her title and embraced an unglamorous life as a privateer on the edge of human space.

Her new life is interrupted when Rory and her crew--former royal bodyguards, Thorsdottir and Zhang, and co-conspirator Jaed--encounter an abandoned ship registered under a false name, seemingly fallen victim to attack. As they investigate, they find evidence of vicious technology and arithmancy, alien and far beyond known capabilities.

The only answer to all the destruction is the mysterious, and unexpected, cargo: a rose plant. One that reveals themself to be sentient--and designed as a massive biological weapon. Rose seeks to escape their intended fate, but before Rory and her friends can get Rose off the derelict ship, the alien attackers return.

Rory and her friends must act fast--and wisely--to save themselves, and Rose, and maybe the multiverse, too, from a war humanity cannot win.

Two years have passed since Rory successfully avoided an arranged marriage and, in the process, inadvertently started a civil war.   Rupert, Grytt and Ivar have retired to an uneventful life of raising sheep on the planet of Lanscott, uneventful that is - until the green fairy visits Ivar with a message that send sends Rupert and Grytt.in search of Rory.

Having renounced her title and determined to no longer be a Princess, Rory and her companions, Thorsdotter, Zhang and Jaed, are off to the edges of human space for a life as salvagers. They come across a damaged ship running under a false name and, on boarding, find everyone dead at the hands of previously unknown aliens. They also find the cargo, a sentient rose plant that is a dangerous weapon of mass destruction that must not fall into the wrong hands.

What follows is a rollicking adventure with new species of being, some of whom will become allies and some who will become the greatest enemy the known worlds have ever faced and, of course, Rory starts another war.

There was character development in this second book, our characters grow, mature and learn more about themselves and their companions. Even the “bad guys” are presented as multifaceted and complex. This one was easier to get into than the first one with more focus on the characters and fewer asides from the ‘historian” telling the tale. While stated as book two of a duology there is certainly more to be written about Rory and I hope to see more adventures for her and her crew. ~~ Stephanie L Bannon

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