'A thrilling standalone adventure that James S.A. Corey fans will relish' Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A search for a missing person uncovers a galaxy-spanning conspiracy in this thrilling standalone space opera from award-winning author Megan E. O'Keefe.

The Black Celeste is a ghost story. A once-legendary spaceship collecting dust in a cosmic graveyard known as the Clutch. Only famed pirate Bitter Amandine knows better, and she'll do anything to never go near it again. No matter the cost.

Faven Sythe is crystborn, a member of the near-human species tasked with charting starpaths from station to station. She's trained to be a navigator her entire life. But when her mentor disappears, leaving behind a mysterious starpath terminating in the Clutch, she is determined to find the truth. And only Amandine has the answers.

What they will find is a conspiracy bigger than either of them. Their quest for the truth will uncover secrets Amandine has long fought to keep buried - secrets about how she survived her last encounter in the Clutch, and what's really hidden out there amongst the stars . . .

About the Author
Megan E. O'Keefe was raised amongst journalists, and as soon as she was able joined them by crafting a newsletter which chronicled the daily adventures of the local cat population. She has worked in both arts management and graphic design, and has won Writers of the Future and the Gemmell Morningstar Award. Velocity Weapon, the first novel in her Protectorate series, was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award for Best Novel. Megan lives in the Bay Area of California.

Reviews
O'Keefe flexes her worldbuilding chops in this superior space opera . . . Nuanced characterization and a clever mystery keep the pages flying. It's a thrilling standalone adventure that James S. A. Corey fans will relish -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)
A swashbuckling sapphic adventure full of shifting loyalties and cosmic upheaval. Be warned: this imaginative fusion of space opera and pirate adventure will take your sleep schedule hostage -- J. S. Dewes, author of THE LAST WATCH
Bold and fun, full to the brim with dark secrets, daring pirates and captivating mysteries galore - The Two Lies of Faven Sythe is an exhilarating ride written by one of the best -- Karen Osborne author of ARCHITECTS OF MEMORY
Brimming with unconventional gender dynamics and shifting identities, The Blighted Stars is character-driven science fiction at its best - a taut novel with human questions at its heart -- E. J. Beaton, author of THE COUNCILLOR, on THE BLIGHTED STARS
The Blighted Stars delivers a first-in-series that's smart, incisive, and utterly gripping. Megan E. O'Keefe's masterful storytelling will draw you into a complex, brutal, yet hope-charged world, break your heart, and leave you begging for more -- Rowenna Miller, author of TORN, on THE BLIGHTED STARS
The Blighted Stars is a delightfully twisty space opera filled with unique worldbuilding and deft explorations of humanity, family and power. Add in a dash of rebellion and a hint of romance and I'm hooked - I can't wait for the next book! -- Jessie Mihalik, author of HUNT THE STARS, on THE BLIGHTED STARS
The Blighted Stars yields enjoyable adventure full of romantic tension and alien mystery -- WALL STREET JOURNAL on THE BLIGHTED STARS
Megan O'Keefe's new novel begins in the middle of a sudden attack on a spaceship and never once lets up, moving at breakneck speed through danger after deadly danger . . . I know it's a cliche to say 'You won't be able to put it down', but that's exactly the effect The Blighted Stars has on you! Riveting adventure at a rocketing pace, with engaging characters thrown in for good measure! -- Connie Willis, author of DOOMSDAY BOOK, on THE BLIGHTED STARS
O'Keefe flexes her worldbuilding chops in this superior space opera . . . Nuanced characterization and a clever mystery keep the pages flying. It's a thrilling standalone adventure that James S.A. Corey fans will relish -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)



Book Information
ISBN 9780356526348
Author Megan E. O'Keefe
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Orbit
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 126mm * 22mm