Uncover the Truth • Their Fractured Light

Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman + Meagan Spooner
Series: Starbound #3
Previous Books: These Broken Stars + This Shattered World
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: December 1, 2015
Source/Format: Bought || Hardcover

A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze. 

Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. 

When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

Their Fractured Light was another series ender that I was eagerly anticipating this year, especially after having loved This Shattered World. And friends, I say this with great confidence: this is one series finale you won't want to miss! A lot of careful construction went into the framework of the series, down to the most minute details, and it really pays off. Their Fractured Light is brimming with intensity, action and emotion, culminating in the perfect ending for this story. 

I honestly feel like I should just stop there and demand that you read Their Fractured Light. (And if you haven't read These Broken Stars or This Shattered World, I'd demand you do that too.) But perhaps you might need more specific reasons as to why this book is so great. I've mulled it over, and have come up with three things I loved about Their Fractured Light that will hopefully entice you into wanting to experience the story for yourself.

ONE | THE CHARACTERS

I'm the kind of reader that considers the characters the most important part of any story. While I do read simply for plot on occasion, or even setting in rare moments, I mostly read stories because I love the characters - their voice, their personality, their dialogue. This was certainly one of the biggest reasons I loved Their Fractured Light. I was immediately drawn to the two main characters, both of whom are rough around the edges but vulnerable within the walls they've drawn up around themselves. Though I was admittedly biased towards loving Gideon, I grew to adore Sofia as well as the story went on. Eventually, I was completely invested in learning what would become of them both, as their stories twisted and turned and kept pressing forward.

I loved getting to meet these two new characters, but I loved it even more when they encountered four familiar faces - Tarver, Lilac, Flynn and Jubilee. All six of them are connected in different ways (professional or personal), and it was interesting to see how their unique personalities contributed to their unusual dynamic as a group. (And by the way, if these ensembles in stories are going to become a thing, I'm all for it as long as the characters are well-developed individually and easy to distinguish from one another.) As they raced against time to set things right, I loved seeing them challenge, encourage and help each other. Oh, and in the case of all three romantic relationships, it was definitely fun to see them fall in love, stay in love, fight for love. What a beautiful thing multiple ships can be when done right!

TWO | THE THEMES

While it isn't always deliberate on the author's end, it's always cool to discover hidden themes running through a novel. This was the case, for me at least, with Their Fractured Light. I thought about nature and nurture, and the constant debate about which one really influences a person in the end. I thought about free will, the power of being able to make a choice and how losing that option can breed resentment, anger and fear. I thought about fate, how no matter what choice we make, sometimes it seems like we were meant to encounter someone, do something or learn a lesson. I thought about scientific advancement and progress, and the ethics of it, where we should draw the line, where it actually gets drawn. I honestly have no idea if anyone else notices stuff like this when they're reading, but I do, and it always adds a little extra something to the reading experience. Their Fractured Light provided some challenging things to think about, and it was great!

THREE | THE STORY

There really was never a dull moment in Their Fractured Light, at least not for me. It starts off with quite a bang, as Sofia and Gideon first meet and team up to escape La Roux Industries. And sure, it gets a bit slower as they both figure out what to do in order to complete their individual missions, but I still found that very intriguing since I was trying to piece out their motivations and histories. But it picks right back up and escalates until I was on the edge of my seat with all the tension and anticipation, dying to know what would happen next and yet afraid to learn what would become of these characters I loved so much. 

The execution is definitely thoughtful. The authors go out of their way to drop little details about the past here and there, sufficient enough to keep readers intrigued. And then, when readers least expect it, bigger picture revelations are brought to light. New conflicts are revealed. Twists catch you unaware. It was enough to have my heart pounding, to make me gasp and to have me frantically turning pages as I kept on reading. That, friends, is certainly the mark of a good story.

Have I convinced you to read Their Fractured Light (and the rest of this series) yet? I hope I have! It's a series that I think many people will love, and this finale in particular is so impressively epic. I'm duly impressed by this collaboration, its construction and its execution. The Starbound series is a rare science fiction treat in my world, and I certainly hope it becomes one for you too. (And should you read it and want to discuss-slash-flail, you know where to find me!)