Stars Above by Marissa Meyer science fiction and fantasy book and audiobook reviewsStars Above by Marissa Meyer

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer science fiction and fantasy book and audiobook reviewsReaders who didn’t get enough of Marissa Meyer’s LUNAR CHRONICLES will be pleased to find Stars Above (2016), a collection of nine stories that give fans more backstory on their favorite characters as well as a romantic epilogue.

Some of these stories can stand alone, giving you a taste of what to expect in the LUNAR CHRONICLES series, but it’d be most meaningful and enjoyable to read Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter first.

The stories are:

“The Keeper” – Explains (1) how Michelle Benoit, Scarlet’s grandmother, went to the moon and ended up returning to Earth with Cinder and (2) why Scarlet lives with her grandmother instead of her parents.

“Glitches” – With the plague as a backdrop, this story gives us a feel for what life was like for Cinder in her stepmother’s house.

“The Queen’s Army” – This is Wolfe’s backstory, which we never got much of in the novels. He is chosen for Queen Levana’s army, given a surgery, and trained. We see the conditions in the queen’s army and begin to understand how Wolfe turned out the way he did.

“Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky” – Thorne’s backstory begins with a bad math grade in middle school and explains a lot about how his personality and skills developed.

“After Sunshine Passes By” – Cress’s backstory shows us how she became the queen’s best hacker who lived alone in a satellite orbiting Earth.

“The Princess and the Guard” – This sweet story shows the relationship between Winter and Jacin and explains why Jacin decided to be a guard instead of a doctor.

“The Little Android” – Cinder and a robot are the protagonists of this touching retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.”

“The Mechanic” – Obviously this one’s about Cinder. It’s Kai’s perspective of the first time he met Cinder in the market. It’s really cute.

“Something Old, Something New” – In this romantic story, which is an epilogue to the entire series, we witness the wedding of two of our heroes and see another couple get engaged.

These stories aren’t essential reading, but several of them provide important backstory for readers who really love these characters. And, of course, if you’re wondering what happened to these couples after Winter, you’ll want to read that last story. Again, I’ll recommend Macmillan Audio’s version read by Rebecca Soler.

Published in 2016. The enchantment continues…. The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories – and secrets – that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies? With six stories – two of which have never before been published – and an exclusive never-before-heard excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is the essential audiobook for fans of the best-selling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

Author

  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.