Customer Reviews

Diamond Star (Saga of the Skolian Empire)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a science fiction novel with a strong romantic tilt and a male protagonist, unusually so for a romantic story (yet Asaro manages this convincingly time after time). It is the 10th or so entry in the Skolian Empire series, but stands entirely on its own, revolves arounds a new character (a member of the royal family we knew only by name before), surprisingly has no background or scientific infodumps, instead smoothly incorporating required information into the story.

The story is - Del, the youngest scion of a royal family ruling an interstellar empire, is on Earth, hiding in anonymity under a pseudonym. His unusual good looks and a tremendous vocal talent land him a contract as a rock singer, but the path to stardom is unlikely: his telepathic sensitivity cripples him in front of crowds. He's an awkward, naive farm boy thrust into the decadence of Earth's music industry, yet his past hides pain and alienation.

Usually being more fond of science fiction novels, I was surprised that the sample chapters I read drew me in so well. The book is a good, fast read, and the end had a surprisingly emotional impact - I did not expect to be tearing up. This is an excellent book to read for readers new to the Skolian series, and existing fans will also enjoy it.

I felt compelled to write this review because I am very dissapointed with this book. It has nothing going for it. Del is selfindulgent, whining and thoughtless ass. He also has a martyr complex. I was put off by him rather than felt for him. There are some secondary characters who are likable but that is all they are-secondary. We know that Traders are bad, Skolians are good and Earth is clueless. The moment Eubians were introduced one could see the ending from there. This is by far the lowest quality entry in Skolian Saga so far and I have read and own them all. I felt like this book was addressed to teenage girls (nothing wrong with that, just make it plain) rather than to those who followed Mrs. Asaro and Skolian Empire for years.

I love all three of Catherine Asaro's series, but the Skolians most of all. Diamond Star is particularly interesting because it takes place on Earth only a couple of centuries from now, so the feel is more like one of Asaro's AI books. But it connects beautifully into the larger Skolian story arc by demonstrating the power of art--in this case, of music.

Del is a damaged and troubled young man, and it's sometimes painful to watch his mistakes. But he grows as a man, an artist, and a prince, and the end is smashing. Clearly Asaro loves music and has done her research on alternative rock, and that shine through Diamond Star. I also really like the music that is threaded through the book, and which is available on CD.

Can't wait for the next Skolian novel!

Del Valdoria is caught on Earth as the Skolian and Eubian Empires make war and then an uneasy peace with each other. He's a pawn in a political struggle, not a fighter or a politician or a diplomat... he's just a musician and feels very much a pawn even among his family. While visiting a music studio he is auditioned by error and finds himself being signed by a music company. All he wants is to pursue his passion for music and maybe make his own living. But he's am empath, which makes a huge, excited audience an ordeal. And there are Eubians who would love to enslave him. His family doesn't understand rock music and want him safe in what he feels is a gilded prison, and furthermore, treat him like a idiot child. And everyone worries that the least little thing, even people finding out who he is connected to, will cause an international incident.

Asaro's tales of the Skolian Empire are sometimes brilliant, sometimes a little uneven, but always fun. And with Rock Star dreams mixed in with the Space Opera, what's not to like?

My review of the hardcover edition of Diamond Star, originally posted on Goodreads...

Wow, I'm actually trying to write a book review. I haven't done that in months and months, but we'll see how it goes.

Catherine Asaro is my favourite author and her Skolian series, of which Diamond Star is the latest chapter, is my favourite series. However, I often get incredibly anxious about reading her books, sometimes putting it off for months, and I'm never been completely sure about why. I am coming to the conclusion that it is a combination of the fact that I really connect with these books, meaning I tend to have a very intense reaction to them, and the fact I find her bad guys particularly nasty, so that the more they feature in a book, the more anxious I feel about reading it. But I love the books. The characters speak to me and I really respond to them. I care about them all and want to know what happens to them. If I was a writer (which I'm not, and certainly wouldn't ever be one of Catherine's talent) and I was trying to "write what you love and want to read", these are they books I'd want to write. They just hit all my buttons, even if they terrify me a little bit as well.

As I read the book, I really wasn't always sure if I liked Del or not. I certainly didn't dislike him, but he could be an incredibly frustrating character at times. He could be pretty immature and needs to do some growing up. Most of her other characters have been much more mature and this is something new. It's done well, but I wanted to slap him occasionally. I think this is completely intentional, but he's still sometimes frustrating. Not annoying, because he's totally in character all the time, but frustrating because he has so much potential he isn't living up to yet.

Of course, that's part of the power of the character. For a lot of complicated reasons I don't want to spoil, he's missed out on a childhood really and he's a grown man who is still finding his way out of adolescence with all of an adult's weight on his shoulders. I found it particularly poignant that, for him, all that his family has suffered (and we readers have suffered it with them through the earlier books) has happened all in one brief, crushing moment, where in reality it has been spread out over 40 years. For them, there has been time to come to some sort of terms with it all and move on, even if only to the next crisis. For Del, it's all happened to him at once and I doubt he's had time to work through any of it. That's why he takes the action he does at the end of the book, full of anger and also confusion I think, and it works perfectly. It's probably also the beginning of some healing of all the pain, so it will good to see where his character goes in the aftermath of that.

Apparently, Catherine's next Skolian book is to be called Carnelians. "It's another stand-lone, like Diamond Star. However, it fits in with Diamond Star and another book called The Ruby Dice, because all three [sic:] involve the same characters and universe." (Catherine Asaro on Paraoddity)

Firstly, I'm not sure what the third book mentioned here is as Catherine has only named two, but I'm not sure that I care. More Del, more Kelric, more Jai. Yay, I'm going to be happy (even if that whole anxiety thing happens again). But my real point is that I can see Del needing another book. His story doesn't feel finished here. This chapter of it is, but he's still got growing up and healing to do, probably quite a lot of both, and his character arc has plenty more places to go. But now that I have finished the book, I find that I do like him. I'm well established in his corner and I want to see him do that growing and become the man he can be. He's made mistakes, but he learns from them and I want to see that keep happening. (Although a bit from Kelric's point of view, to see his real feelings for Del, not his always stoic reactions as interpreted by Del in his frustration and anger, would be good too.)

One other small comment - it was nice to have an aspect of the family tree that has always been confusing finally explained. Maybe in the next book we could have an update of the family tree and the timeline (with the "location" of the newer books added to it ).

This is a slightly jointed review - I apologise. I started with a bang, then rather ran out of steam. Rather than leaving the draft sitting around for months, I decided to post what I had, so here you are. I hope it was interesting and/or useful.

Diamond Star, the newest novel in Catherine Asaro's Award-Winning Skolian Empire Series is the story of a Prince of the Ruby Empire who longed to be somewhere and someone other than who he really was, and to that end kept his true identity a secret. At the time his family returned to their own planet, he was not with them, causing his family to believe he was being held captive by Earth's Hierarchy. Feeling that his family would not appreciate his desire to stay on Earth and be a rock star, he kept that information from them. Intent on proving that he could do more with his talent than what was expected of him, he set about promoting his music and his voice. He soon discovered that he was entwined in the dark side of the holo-rock industry, with attempts on his life, people wanting to own him, use him, kidnap him, and enslave him. Not to mention the interstellar conflagration he could bring about between three civilizations: Earth, Skyfall, and the worst of them all--The Traders -- if Earth couldn't protect him. Then, too, there was woman he loved, a love he couldn't or wouldn't believe possible. He did not want to cause his family any worry or anguish, but he had to do what he was born to do -- sing. If only he could believe he was as good as everyone was telling him he was, that he truly was worthy of the talent he was given.

Catherine Asaro's Diamond Star will keep you turning the pages as she takes you from one world to another as easily as going to the corner grocery store. The vivid worlds she creates makes one want to sign up for the next flight to the stars. A romantic science fiction novel that will keep you thinking about it long after you've closed the book on the last chapter.
~~Elena Dorothy Bowman
Author of: The Sarah's Landing Series, The Legacy Series, Time-Rift, The Odyssey and The Imposter.

Del, the so-called rock star, is a Skolian prince of the Ruby Dynasty (see previous books). However, this story is dull and mundane, very little action until the last 100 or pages and Del is written as an almost completely clueless young man. Lots of explicit sex and drug use, albeit some virtual reality drugs (completely immersed in the pretend reality that he totally cannot deal with the true reality). I have read all of Ms. Asaro's books and loved them, but not this one. It was a waste of my money and time trying to slog my way through to the end. He has a definate anger management problem and is afraid of his distant Skolian family, that they might force him off Earth, where he eventually turns into some sort of rock star, is kidnapped twice, but doesn't seem to care. Tons of various dialog which doesn't really contribute to the story, just adding words to the book.

Marilyn Fisken

I find it very hard to like characters who seems to succeed easily, especially at something I would like to be a good at - and wouldn't most of us like to be rich and famous rock stars? Or perhaps royalty? So a story with a lead character who is a prince who accidentally lands a huge music contract and becomes wildly popular seemed like an automatic loser to me.
Instead, I found myself riveted to the pages, waiting to what would destroy this guy first - Earth's military bureaucracy, political enemies, his domineering family, greedy recording moguls, crazed fans, or his own insecurities and addictions. The tragic figure of the likeable, talented popular hero who gradually self-destructs is so real (think Mozart, Jimi Hendrix, John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, to name a few) that it gives the danger in the story instant veracity.
When the hero does come back from the brink, I found myself really cheering for him. This is truly a well-told story and you don't have to know (or care) anything about any of the other books in this series to thoroughly enjoy it.

Diamond Star (2009) is the thirteenth SF novel in the Skolian Imperialate series, following The Ruby Dice. In internal chronological sequence, however, this novel takes place about 2278 AD, shortly after Jaibriol III becomes Emperor of Eube (The Moon's Shadow).

The Radiance War is over. Both empires are damaged and disarrayed. The Ruby Pharaoh now rules over Skolia, but shares power with the Assembly. Following the death of his brother Kurj and his sister Sauscony, Kelric is Imperator of Skolia, controlling the military forces.

In this novel, Del-Kurj Arden Valdoria kya Skolia -- Fifth Heir of the Ruby Throne -- is a musician like his father, but much less respected by his family. He is now in protective custody in the Annapolis military base. He had been taken there because of his age and naivete. The rest of his family were rescued by Skolian commandos, but Del was left behind. The Allied military interrogators keep trying to get him to agree to a medical examination to check out his modifications.

Michael (Mac) Tyler is a fortyish former Allied officer who is now a front-liner for musicians. The military have called him in to assist with Del. Mac sympathizes with Del and arranges to get him off base to meet people in the music industry on Earth.

Jud Taborian is an undercity composer and morpher. Del had met Jud through Mac and had maintained an extended conversation about music. Jud had composed some instrumentals based on Del's songs.

Erica (Ricki) Varento is the top producer at Prime-Nova Media, the premier house in the music industry. She comes from a broken home and is afraid of intimacy. Ricki has been having casual affairs since adolescence, but never anything serious.

In this story, Del goes with Mac to watch an audition by one of Mac's clients at the Prime-Nova building. When the client is not at the proper place, Mac leaves Del in a studio control room while he goes to find his client. Ricki comes in and thinks that Del is the client.

Since Mac is not there, Ricki takes his supposed client down to the studio and introduces him to the sound man. The sound man accepts a ticker -- a sound recording, editing and playback device -- from Del and goes off to play it. The results convince Ricki to call upper management to come hear the audition.

When Mac reappears, the Prime-Nova people make a contract offer. Of course, Mac declines. Allied Space Command would have a conniption fit if an heir to the Ruby Throne performed in front of crowds on Earth. The Skolian Imperial Space Command might even intervene.

Prime-Nova is adamant, however, and Del agrees in principle, leaving the terms of the contract to Mac. Prime-Nova wants him to be the opening act for their top band. When Del goes out on the stage, he is overwhelmed by thousands of minds producing strong emotions. He barely finishes his performance.

Del calls his mother through Kyle Space, but his Aunt Dehya -- the Ruby Pharaoh -- answers the call. He tells her about his contract. Del also tells her something about Ricki.

This tale describes the rise of a talented sort-of-young singer in the holo-rock business. His family wants him to return home and quit all this foolishness. His managers want him to change his lyrics. His producer is infatuated with him, but fighting his influence.

Del makes friends, enemies and fans on Earth, but really upsets interstellar relations. He is abducted -- twice -- and has to be rescued. All because he loves to sing rock music. Read and enjoy.

This book is accompanied by a CD containing music by the author and an alternate rock band. The songs can be downloaded from iTunes or ordered from Starlight Music. See the book for details.

Highly recommended for Asaro fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of interstellar affairs, rock music, and tangled romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I've been reading the Skolian saga and was very excited to start this book. However, it was not nearly as good as the other books.

Del comes off as a flat character, immature and one-dimensional. He is portrayed as a rebellious teen feeling outcast from his family, sorry for himself and living only for his music. His love interest is the hard exterior, vulnerable interior who vowed never to be in love who can't resist him.

There is a lot of exposition, since Del is first concealing his identity and then explaining it to various characters. Other times, he is learning about Earth and the different forms of entertainment technology and its dangers. Various people try to use him and he gets rescued.

He did show cleverness in escaping his bodyguard, but otherwise, he did not have much personality.

I tried to enjoy this book, but as a standalone, there's not much. Knowing the references from past books were what made the interactions interesting. This book only works as part of a series. I was really surprised at how disappointed I was. I've loved all her other books so far.