Megan E. O'Keefe’s *The Fractured Dark* is a compelling sequel to *The Blighted Stars*, continuing the high-octane journey through the Devoured Worlds series. For those familiar with O'Keefe's work, this installment provides an even more intense and intricate narrative that blends action, character development, and emotional depth.

*The Fractured Dark* picks up where its predecessor left off, elevating the stakes and expanding the universe O’Keefe has crafted. If *The Blighted Stars* was an introduction to a complex and perilous galaxy, then *The Fractured Dark* thrusts readers headlong into the chaos. The pacing is relentless, particularly in the latter half of the book, where the narrative rushes forward like a torrent, dragging readers toward a climactic and potentially fatal conclusion.

O'Keefe's writing continues to shine, marked by her ability to create vivid imagery and tension. Her characters are well-developed, with Naira and Tarquin remaining at the heart of the series. Naira's journey, in particular, is marked by emotional resonance and a sense of vulnerability that makes her a compelling protagonist. Tarquin’s growth is equally captivating, his internal struggles adding depth to his character.

Kav, introduced in the first book, remains a standout. His moral complexity and the choices he faces are a microcosm of the larger themes in the series. The introduction of new characters like Kuma, Ward, Cass, and Lee adds layers to the narrative, though their morally gray decisions can make them challenging to fully embrace.

The romantic tension between Naira and Tarquin is a significant aspect of the narrative. While some readers may find the romance at times overemphasized, it serves as an emotional anchor amidst the chaos. Their relationship, fraught with challenges and tender moments, adds a human element to the grand space opera.

One of the book’s strengths lies in its world-building and the seamless integration of complex sci-fi concepts, such as double-printing characters. However, the narrative can occasionally become convoluted, particularly when new plot elements and characters are introduced rapidly. Some sections, like the introduction of a certain disliked character around page 95, may feel like a slog, potentially detracting from the overall experience.
Minor characters, such as Emali, sometimes feel superfluous, raising questions about their narrative necessity. Additionally, the plot's complexity can make it challenging to follow, requiring readers to acclimate to significant shifts in pace and setting.

O’Keefe expertly weaves themes of family, identity, and survival throughout the book. Naira's struggle with her sense of family and her past is particularly poignant. The way O’Keefe explores the manipulation and psychological struggles faced by the characters adds depth and authenticity to the story.

Despite minor criticisms, *The Fractured Dark* is an impressive sequel that maintains the strengths of *The Blighted Stars* while upping the ante in terms of stakes and emotional depth. O’Keefe’s writing is highly readable, making the dense, 500-page narrative feel immersive and engaging. For fans of the series, this book is a must-read, continuing to deliver the action, complexity, and character-driven storytelling that have become hallmarks of O’Keefe’s work.

*The Fractured Dark* is a testament to Megan E. O'Keefe’s skill as a storyteller, offering a rich, thrilling, and emotionally charged addition to the Devoured Worlds series. It leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment, yearning to delve deeper into this intricately crafted universe.

I enjoyed the first book in this series - The Blighted Stars a lot more than I was expecting - it's Sci-fi which isn't usually my favourite genre, but the charactrs, worldbuilding and storyline were brilliant and I was fully dragged into the story and wanting the best for Tarquin and Naira and their team. I was looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into book two, but a bit concerned what else could be in store for our band of rebels after the end of book 1. WELL! I couldn't believe how many more layers were added into what was already a complicated mesh of different motives and objectives. The pressure in this book I felt was ramped up a lot from book one, rather than being set on one planet undergoing an assesment of a mining colony, we have a galaxy wide race against time to try and overcome constant sabotage and manipulation from forces within and without. It was just so masterfully done and I need book three immediately!!

This was a really compelling and enjoyable second book in the series, although it didn't quite hit with me as much as book 1. I found the first half a little bit slow, but I enjoyed the time spent with Tarquin and Naira developing their characters and their relationships. The plot here was much more political in nature and I thought the expansion of the issues was really well done. Once the second half got underway, the book was a true page turner and I raced to the end with a growing sense of dread. I am fascinated to see how the challenges exposed here are going to be faced in the concluding part and will be picking it up with great anticipation.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Another good book by O'Keefe. O'Keefe's space opera stories are astounding and vividly stunning. I can't wait tor read more of her stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Orbit for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: body manipulation, body horror, death, violence, injury, abusive relationship, torture

“The Fractured Dark” is the sequel to “The Blighted Stars”, one of my favourite books that I’ve read this year. I loved the first book so I was delighted to be approved for this one, especially because I was so eager to see where this series might go next. Picking up from where the first book left off, this follows Tarquin and Naira as they rebel against the empire built by Tarquin’s father while also seeking out his secrets. However, this isn’t the Naira of the first book- she was killed, and the version of her now isn’t the one that Tarquin fell into friendship, and love, with originally while fighting against the body manipulating spores of Sixth Cradle. This doesn’t mean sparks aren’t flying; as they flee for their lives alongside their allies, Naira finds herself drawn into the same actions as her former self. When Tarquin’s father vanishes with the entire fuel source for the universe and they are caught by an enforcer, Tarquin and Naira are plunged into a political divide between the greatest families, which means their rebellion- Naira’s whole purpose and what she’s died for multiple times at the risk of cracking her brain- has to be put to the side for the sake of the universe.

I loved how this story continued on from the threads of the first book, even with a “new” Naira at the centre of the story. Her relationship with Tarquin, which was won at such a terrible cost in Sixth Cradle, is completely different here even if the chemistry is similar. The story feels closer quarters, even though the characters are no longer trapped on a planet, but also like the scale of the world is growing to accommodate them better. Tarquin fights his own battles in this book- against the memories of his relationship with Naira, his family’s connections and what it means to be in control of an empire now his father’s fled- and I loved how it handled his inherent relationship to elitism. The sections where he’s with Naira are filled with tension but I also adored his scenes with Flecter De Marco, the enforcer from Naira’s past who holds them hostage, because it truly shows Tarquin at his smartest. My only complaint about this book is that Naira and Tarquin spent too much time apart. This is a brilliant series that fits a lot of worldbuilding and information into just under five hundred pages, alongside fascinating characters battling against their own brains. I’m so looking forward to what might come next, especially because neither of these books have been predictable.

Didn't really like this followup much, but to be fair, I didn't love the first one either. This one felt really bloated and all the characters kept making really dumb decisions. At a certain point, I stopped caring about anything or anybody.

This is book 2 in a series where I have not read book 1. The story is space opera, where people that can afford it can have a new body after their old one is killed, using an uploaded psyche, but they have to be careful that they don't exist simultaneously - that way lies madness. There is also an (alien?) infection that causes degradation of bodies and minds, and another (alien?) infection that may counteract it...

Did I enjoy this book? Not really, as it took me a while to get into it and I found the mosaic nature of the writing rather confusing. The story is told from different points in time based on the viewpoint of not quite the same person - which makes the protagonist come across as an unreliable narrator. The two infections also caused confusion as one has a cordyceps-like effect.

Was it well written? Yes, there was nothing to complain about, although I find mosaic/braided narratives a bit hard to follow.

Would I read more? Probably not, I'm not that wild about space opera these days, and this was enough of a chore to read without wanting more of the same.

Would I recommend it? Tricky... I think this may not be to everyone's taste, so I would have to know people's likes and dislikes first.

Con cada nueva obra que voy leyendo de Megan E. O’Keefe se va ganando un hueco más grande entre mis autores favoritos. Con The Fractured Dark continúa con esta escalada, creando una novela que se lee de forma compulsiva y que consigue aunar la intriga y la paranoia crecientes con una historia muy humana.


Es difícil hablar de esta novela sin reventar la anterior, pero vamos a intentarlo. La acción se sitúa apenas unos meses después del final de The Blighted Stars. La amenaza que ya no está tan oculta sigue ideando nuevos métodos de expansión, pero ha ganado sutileza y cuenta con la colaboración de agentes infiltrados en puestos claves. Resulta especialmente atractivo el ambiente opresivo de sospecha que la autora consigue inculcar en los diálogos tanto externos como internos.

La relación entre Sharp y Tarquin, parece que comienza desde cero por lo que pasó también al final de la primera novela, pero donde hubo fuego siempre quedan rescoldos y O’Keefe construye también de manera incremental esta historia de amor.

Me ha gustado especialmente ver cómo las detalladas semillas que se han ido plantando a lo largo de la narración van floreciendo para mostrarnos un escenario político complejo pero no enrevesado, haciendo especial hincapié en la existencia de agentes libres que pueden llegar a modificar el rumbo que se esperaba para el futuro de la humanidad.

Todo esto aderezado por una crítica social nada sutil, empezando por la “broma” de llamar MERIT al conjunto de las familias más privilegiadas en este mundo, como si la meritocracia fuera la que los ha puesto en esa situación. Las únicas opciones para los menos afortunados son elegir entre una vida de servidumbre a estas meritorias familias u otras salidas menos convencionales y arriesgadas. Esto se ve bien reflejado a lo largo de los dos libros pero creo que quizá sea más llamativo en este.

También hay varios ejemplos de lo que las relaciones abusivas pueden provocar en los sujetos que se ven envueltos en ellas, ya que muchas veces no poseen la capacidad para distanciarse y entender qué es lo que falla en esa dinámica de poder. Me parece que la autora lo utiliza varias veces a lo largo del libro, pero siempre de forma acertada.

Lo peor, es que todavía no sabemos qué va a pasar al final de la historia y que no está anunciada fecha de publicación para la siguiente entrega.

Megan O’Keefe keeps the pressure up in the second book of her Devoured Worlds trilogy The Fractured Dark. Following a few months on from The Blighted Stars, O’Keefe picks up the action with an explosion, a broadcast and an overarching mission for her protagonists, the resolution of which will drive the rest of the action of the book. But this is a second book – knowledge of the action and revelations of the first book are absolutely essential to understanding this one. That includes the use of the mineral relkatite, the ability to reprint bodies, and the consequence of two bodies being printed at the same time with the same consciousness. Also as a result, this review may contain minor spoilers for that first book.
Once again, The Fractured Dark is anchored around the relationship rebel Naria and heir to one of the five ruling families Tarquin. Despite not having her memories of her previous adventures with Tarquin, Naria still feels drawn to him. And while their relationship rekindles, it is then tested over and over again, being one of the factors that both ups the level of difficulty of their respective missions by making them vulnerable but also, makes them stronger when together. They are facing off not only against the shadowy force trying to take control of humanity while trying to track down the ship on which Tarquin’s father has fled and reform the broken, hierarchical system that Tarquin is heir to.
Refreshingly, The Fractured Dark is a very different beast to The Blighted Stars. While that book was essentially contained for the most part on one planet, this one broadens out O’Keefe’s universe and sets the stakes for the final volume. The challenges are different, the challenges are different and new revelations, including more backstory for Naira, build on what has come before.
Overall this is fast paced, action packed, page turning space opera. O’Keefe has developed a complex and fascinating universe and while it sometimes feel she has just wound it up to see where it will go, also shows that she has complete control over the plot and pacing. And while the constant see sawing and travails of Naria and Tarqin can be a little wearying there is often not too much time to think about them.
The Blighted Stars ended in a dark place and things seemed a little hopeless for the central characters. The Fractured Dark gives them somewhere to go in order to keep up the fight and while still ends with plenty unresolved and a huge challenge that still seems insurmountable, there a glimmer of hope for them for the final volume which cannot come soon enough.

Aware of the canus running through their pathway, a primitive lifeforce that takes control of its host, Naira Sharp and Tarquin Mercator are working with the Conservator to discover a cure for the infection. But Tarquin’s father, Acaelus Mercator, has run away with humanity’s remaining stores of fuel and plunges the ruling families of MERIT into chaos. Tarquin is the only member of his family left, so he steps into the limelight. But Tarquin has never wanted to be in charge; he is a scientist, a doctor; however, if he can turn his expertise to the problem of saving humanity from the canus, then there may be a way.
But canus is sentient and in control of most of the surviving human population. How can Naira and Tarquin tell friends from foes when everyone is infected? Can they even trust themselves?
The second book in Megan E. O’Keefe’s The Devoured Worlds series, The Fractured Dark, opens a few months after the first book, The Blighted Stars, ends. Acaelus Mercator has already run off with most of the remaining supply of relk, the key ingredient in the printable bodies humans use instead of their own biological ones. People are already starving because there isn’t the fuel to get food from the stations where it is grown to where it is needed. I really enjoyed seeing the bigger world the characters navigate as The Blighted Stars was mostly contained to the Seventh Cradle, a dead planet. In this book, we can see how humanity has relied too greatly on a resource they only had a finite supply of without any understanding of the consequences of doing so.
This insight was fascinating as we discover that the birth rate is non-existent, but humanity is still overpopulated because of all the consciousnesses ‘on ice’, stored away in case they are ever needed or their family can afford to have them reborn. We discover how old people are before they are mapped and printed into new bodies, and we hear the urban legends that surround the ones who go to be mapped but never come back. O’Keefe creates a dark universe where the stars do not give humans a fresh start.
We also see more about the phenomenon of cracking, where a mind is printed too many times, has undergone a particularly gruesome death or has been printed in more than one body at a time. It is seen as a fate worse than being left on ice because there is no coming back from cracking. It’s the thing Tarquin fears the most while being the biggest risk to Naira due to her role.
I found this book very stressful because I really cared about the characters. Naira and Tarquin’s blossoming romance was an important thread for me in The Blighted Stars, and in The Fractured Dark, they had more freedom to be with each other. But O’Keefe gave us a range of believable antagonists and obstacles that stopped them from having any relief in each other. Naira and Tarquin are from different social classes, which was a major source of conflict between them, and sometimes it felt like Tarquin couldn’t breathe without Naria pointing out all his unconscious privilege bias and not giving him the due he deserved for the changes he had already made. That small niggle aside, the barriers between them being happy together were realistic and high stakes. Failure meant death, and I didn’t want either of them to die.
Despite the fact that the book ranges over months, it doesn’t feel oddly paced or disjointed, which is a real skill. There was no saggy middle that can happen in second books. From start to finish, The Fractured Dark is a white-knuckle ride and impossible to put down. This is what people mean when they talk about epic space opera. Highly recommended.

I read The Blighted Stars earlier this year and loved it (although it was a rough start), so requesting an arc of The Fractured Dark was a no-brainer for me. Like when reading The Blighted Stars, the beginning was rough. However, although I ended up enjoying The Blighted Stars, it wasn't the case with the sequel. The elements that I love in the first one isn't really showing up in the second which was disappointing to me. Maybe I'll reread this in the future though!

Thank you so much to Orbit UK and Netgalley for approving me of an ARC<3

The Blighted Stars was a wild start to a new series, and The Fractured Dark easily kept up with it if not being even more intense. In true O’Keefe fashion, we have plot twists and mind fuckery galore with more and more threats piling up and the situation getting more dire. Overall, just everything I loved in the first book was in some way intensified in its sequel.

One of my favorite aspects of the series is the technology of printing and enhancing bodies and especially its trans inclusivity. The technology also came with its somewhat creepy downsides and they definitely turned up a notch in The Fractured Dark. We see a lot more of bad actors exploiting and manipulating it for their own needs as well as direct, large scale threats from outside, which turned up the fear of loosing control of your own body, of yourself and your memories, your person. Stories that fuck around with memories are always a favorite of mine and the threat felt so very real in this one.

Another thing I really enjoy is the relationship dynamics in this series. While the first book had me mostly gush about its enemies to lovers pairing (where the power imbalance was so well handled) and its m/f friendships, The Fractured Dark dives deeper into a very different kind of relationship. Here is this absolute manipulative, demanding, possessive stalker who was so well written, they freaked me the fuck out. Definitely one of my new favorite best worst villains as of yet.

You would think having read quite a few Megan E. O’Keefe books, one would be used to her amazing plots twists by now, but the absolute mind fuckery of this book? The whole second half had me SCREAMING after almost every single chapter (and I’m very glad I had a buddy to read this with, to share and keyboard smash with). You lose complete trust in everyone and everything and just don’t know what is real anymore, what to believe to be true.

The Fractured Dark is just as additive if not more than the first book, and had me dizzy with its plots twists. The threats seem to increase with each book and have me worried what’s to come in the third book. Yet another fantastic space adventure that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

Loved The Blighted Stars and loved The Fractured Dark. Excellent world building and storytelling, a thought provoking story with some humour.
Loved it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I'm really enjoying this series - I'm especially invested in and intrigued by the characters, whose development is intricate and realistic. The Fractured Dark does have some plotting and pacing issues, however, which weren't as obvious in the predecessor - possibly because more ground is being covered in this installment. That said, I found this to be a highly enjoyable read. The conclusion also felt satisfying whilst still leaving me very eager to find out where the final part of this trilogy goes!

"The Fractured Dark" by Megan E. O'Keefe presents a promising premise, but loses some of its initial allure as the plot progresses. The first part, "The Blighted stars" captures attention with its intriguing concept and driving storyline. However, this latter half meanders, with characters shifting through various locations and engaging in short-lived endeavors that lack a coherent narrative thread.

The introduction of a new villain adds depth, showcasing a fittingly amoral and cunning contrast to the protagonist, Naira. Their debates highlight opposing worldviews, although the villain occasionally veers into stereotypical territory.
For me, the heart of the issue lies in character portrayal and interactions. The characters come across as formulaic archetypes, such as the determined rebel and the reluctant prince, resulting in dialogues and behaviors that occasionally ring hollow. This lack of authenticity was occasionally grating and detracted me from the overall engagement.

Despite these shortcomings, the novel maintains an engaging tone and captivating undertones of struggle and adventure. While it may not fully live up to its promising beginning, "The Fractured Dark" remains an enjoyable installment if you can ignore its shortcomings.

I have a very obsessive personality. I have re-played Mass Effect dozens of times, re-read and re-watched The Expanse by James S.A. Corey and The Protectorate books also by Megan E. O'Keefe a few times, and The Devoured Worlds series is honestly taking over my existence right now. I feel like a cult member about to knock on your door to ask you if you have a few minutes to talk about the MERIT families, this is how bad O'Keefee has me at the moment.

The Fractured Dark is the perfect continuation of The Blighted Stars. Whereas the first book felt already quite fast-paced and high-stakes to me, looking back at it now, it was merely an introduction to the shit show that was about to happen. So, if you're in for our galaxy going crazy, do buckle up because The Fractured Dark really levels it up when it comes to urgent matters and the degree of threat 'that thing' poses to humanity. The first 40% of the book is like going for a swim and the following 60% is just you being dragged by the current toward a waterfall that will certainly kill you. I loved it. I need more of it. And I need it now.

I will stay away from spoilers but I will just share my highlights (good and less good):
- The writing: Exquisit.
- The characters: I'm a character-focused reader (is that a thing?) and while I adore Naira and Tarquin, I fell in love with Kav in the first book and he will always be the apple of my eye. This being said, this book was an absolute roller-coaster of emotions and every character has to make morally gray decisions that really split me in half. I feel this book has developed all the characters we knew and introduced new ones, but it was difficult to like them because it's not always easy to agree on what the 'right thing.' Kuma, Ward, Cass, and Lee are amazing.
- The romance: The Blighted Stars was very romance-y and I feel this book was as well for the first 20% and then it would have very long chunks that felt more like a romance novel than anything else (there's one particular super tense moment where Tarq just kisses Naira and I'm still confused as to why it was necessary). As much as I eye roll every single time they're on page, I am a sucker for these two, so sure it may have been too much and over the top, but I shall accept it because I love them to bits.
- The "bad": 1) I struggled big-time from page 95 to page 240 because a certain character showed up, took over the book, and I just really disliked him. It took me a long, long time to get through these pages because I couldn't pick up the book without getting annoyed. I don't think he was added to add a love triangle per se, but the connection between Naira and this dude was just... weird. And abusive, and it wasn't something I wanted to read about. I struggled a lot with it. 2) Then, there's this other woman (she's not important so who cares, her name is Emali) and she's a minor character but oh god why does she exist. WHY.
- The story: Boy, this was complicated. I only started truly getting what we were doing around pages 170-200 and it was because Kav came out with this hypothetical case and everyone just went along with it as if it was a reality (and sure, it was-ish, but it just has me scratching my head). The book is easy to follow once you get the grips of it, I just feel it was such a change of pace and setting after the first installment that I had to get acclimated with it. Also, it's commendable how O'Keefe at some point makes a character be double-printed, and it's so easy to understand what is happening even without her confirming it for a while, really good world-building with this. I also found super important how Naira has survived a lot because she has 'found her family' after losing her mom when she was a kid, and it's brutal how two different characters try to convince her/manipulate her into things by using the words "we're family." Family my ass. It's so easy to empathize with her. Again, Chapter 44 almost had me crying.
- Tarquin: He is getting his own section because our rock-boy needs it. I give him a lot of shit for being an idiot and, honestly, he is. He is an idiot in love and an idiot affected by something plot-related, but honestly, he just freaks out all the time. He needs to get a grip. He needs therapy, a babysitter, and divine intervention. He's a good kid, and I do like him, but I will continue calling him little shit until I die. And, I was re-reading The Blighted Stars yesterday, and the fact that he joked about Kav not being a good hacker when Tarquin can't function for two minutes on his own is hilarious to me.

Now, this all being said, I do wish O'Keefe addresses some questions I have. Mainly, 1) it would be cool if the next book would address who ships jump or how FTL with ships work. There's a ship that jumps very quickly (aka instantly) and I have not seen this in any sci-fi before, the closest thing I can think of is ships going through mass relays/rings but there's none of this here so... how? 2) when you make a print, you use relk for the pathways, but... what else is used? How do you make the blood and the meaty bits? 3) How does Kav know what E-X Cass looks like? 4) If Earth is supposed to be dead, how comes Tarquin still has honey or wine that is produced there? like I get that maybe Earth is not dead-dead, but how dead is it? 5) No spoilers but, at the end of the book, I figured Naira would be more worried about a certain someone who is trapped somewhere with an absolute psycho cult leader-ish lunatic?

Eh, this could have the potential to be something I really enjoyed. However, this did not need to be a 500+ page book. It was too much waffle waffle, which just took me out of the story.

I enjoyed this sequel a little less than its predecessor, The Blighted Stars, but everything that I loved about book one is still very much present here: notably, Megan E. O'Keefe's writing. More than anything, I find her books to be incredibly readable. I feel like that word sometimes comes across as generic or lukewarm, but I mean it as a real compliment here. These books are 500+ pages, and yet they read so impressively smoothly, allowing you to be fully immersed in this world and its characters. As with The Blighted Stars, I loved following our main duo, Tarquin and Naira, in this instalment. They are, for me, the heart of these books; together, their individual journeys and their relationship ground the story of this series, giving it an emotional resonance that I always find myself drawn to and moved by. As a sequel, The Fractured Dark also gives us more opportunities to learn about these characters: their backstories (especially Naira's), as well the ways in which they navigate both internal and external obstacles in their relationship.

Of course, The Fractured Dark also ups the stakes of the plot that was laid out for us in book one. There is plenty of action to be found here; lots of ups and downs, lots of twists and turns. I found the pacing a little uneven compared to the first book, which worked better for me just because the plot was mostly limited to one location and its trajectory was more defined than it is here. That said, though, I personally didn't mind this as much because O'Keefe's smooth, propulsive writing carries the plot really well and that emotional core of the characters, which is what drew me to this series to begin with, was still at the forefront of the story.

I just love this series. It's fun and immersive and I can't wait to read more of Megan E. O'Keefe's writing.