Starside (Deluxe Limited Edition): An Enemies-to-Lovers Romantasy About a Quest for Vengeance Through a Dangerous Land of Magic (Starside Series, 1)
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From Alex Aster, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lightlark series, comes her first adult romantasy. Enter the world of Starside, where swords wield magic and power is not inherited...but claimed.
Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals—the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic.
Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest to access a pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only one: vengeance. As a child, a goddess set fire to her village, killing her family. Aris isn’t after the gods’ magic—she’s going to kill them.
First, she must survive the Culling, the king’s deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords—ones that contain power—are not inherited or bought, they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor—but a target.
Getting past the gates is only the beginning. Starside is deadlier than it seems. If the ancient creatures, magic-wielding beasts, and bloodthirsty immortals weren’t dangerous enough, a new peril has even immortals fearing what rises from the ground at night. With a blade most would kill to claim, Aris can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious king’s guard who betrayed her years ago—and who may now be the key to her survival.
But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family’s death. And when it’s revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what’s coming…
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Community Reviews
🚀 STARSIDE: WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?!
This book had me in a CHOKEHOLD from the first chapter. Like… blink and suddenly you’re 200 pages deep wondering what just happened to your life 😭
✨ Fast-paced? Absolutely.
✨ Plot twists? Oh they’re twisting.
✨ Character development? Chef’s kiss.
💥 THAT. ENDING. 💥
🔪 I need Book 2 immediately. This is not a want. This is a NEED.
This book had me in a CHOKEHOLD from the first chapter. Like… blink and suddenly you’re 200 pages deep wondering what just happened to your life 😭
✨ Fast-paced? Absolutely.
✨ Plot twists? Oh they’re twisting.
✨ Character development? Chef’s kiss.
💥 THAT. ENDING. 💥
🔪 I need Book 2 immediately. This is not a want. This is a NEED.
The world-building in Starside I thought was great. Dark, immersive, and imaginative in a way that feels like a more unsettling take on Alice in Wonderland. The ever-shifting landscapes are vividly descriptive, and Alex Astor clearly has a gift for atmosphere.
The frustrations, though, are hard to overlook. Plot holes cropped up regularly enough that even readers who don’t usually notice them will find themselves pausing. Secondary characters are introduced that you assume are joining the adventure and then they’re killed off before they get the chance to. It left me wishing there had been more time spent travelling with a broader cast, rather than so much of the journey being just our lead and Raker!
Speaking of which, the female MC starts out looking like an absolute badass, and that early promise is exciting. But it doesn’t last, and she spends much of the book needing to be rescued rather than holding her own, which felt like a missed opportunity given how she was set up!
Despite all of that, I did enjoy the ride. It’s a fun, atmospheric read, just one that could have been so much more with tighter plotting and stronger character follow-through
4.17.26 - Initial thoughts while reading: I am questioning the inspirations. It appears to take a lot from Callie Hart's Quicksilver. I.E. Saeris... Aris.... Both FMC's know their way around metals and forges because the local blacksmith with a hidden background took them in. And the concept of the "god swords".
4.20.26 - I ate it up at the end. From the beginning to probably half if not 3/4 of the book, I wanted something that gave me the "WOW" factor. I did love the build between Raker and Aris - their continuous banter is comical, the shift from undesired partners to a bonded duo was chefs kiss and the spice? Yes, it was definitely a slow burn but when the spice hit.... it was the perfect amount like the first lick of an ice cream cone on a hot summer day.
But that ending? I'M PISSED. WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WAIT FOR BOOK 2? WHAT KINDA CLIFFHANGER WAS THAT.
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