The Diabolic Paperback Trilogy (Boxed Set): The Diabolic; The Empress; The Nemesis
Red Queen meets The Hunger Games in this epic New York Times bestselling trilogy that’s “the perfect kind of high-pressure adventure” (Teen Vogue)—now available in a collectible paperback boxed set!
Nemesis is a Diabolic, created to protect Sidonia, the daughter of a galactic senator. There’s no one Nemesis wouldn’t kill to keep her safe. So when the power-mad Emperor summons Sidonia to the Galactic court to serve as a hostage, Nemesis takes her place.
The court is a nest of vipers that Nemesis struggles to navigate without revealing her true abilities. As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis finds a humanity within herself that may just be the thing that saves her.
In the ensuing fight for power and for peace, Nemesis must decide what lines she’s not willing to cross, recover from devastating betrayals, and put everything on the line to protect the people she loves.
This thrilling boxed set includes:
The Diabolic
The Empress
The Nemesis
Nemesis is a Diabolic, created to protect Sidonia, the daughter of a galactic senator. There’s no one Nemesis wouldn’t kill to keep her safe. So when the power-mad Emperor summons Sidonia to the Galactic court to serve as a hostage, Nemesis takes her place.
The court is a nest of vipers that Nemesis struggles to navigate without revealing her true abilities. As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis finds a humanity within herself that may just be the thing that saves her.
In the ensuing fight for power and for peace, Nemesis must decide what lines she’s not willing to cross, recover from devastating betrayals, and put everything on the line to protect the people she loves.
This thrilling boxed set includes:
The Diabolic
The Empress
The Nemesis
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
The Diabolic follows Nemesis as she takes Sidonia’s place in the treacherous galactic court.
Interesting Setting
The Diabolic was reminiscent of a space opera that worked. It takes place in the far-off future, after a deep expiration of space. Society is separated by those who live planetside called Excesses, and then the aristocrats who live in domes in space with artificial gravity and weather.
It is a strong setting and one that works for pulling the reader into the world. It gives it something contemporary to ground the reader in this narrative of social injustice, differences in the class system, and themes such as slavery and indentured servitude.
There are many layers to the storytelling, much more than listed above, and it is interesting to see them developed through Nemesis’s perspective. As a Diabolic, Nemesis’s creation is for one purpose: to be sold to the highest bidder as a tool of protection. She is considered lesser than, and it is not until she ventures from her home to protect Sidonia that she learns that she is more than just a tool.
Nemesis’s story is more than just a sci-fi adventure about overthrowing an evil emperor. Her story is one of finding value in herself. Nemesis learns that her existence exceeds her initial definition, that she is more than just a tool. Nemesis learns to laugh, learns to feel, and learns to love herself as Sidonia loved her.
It is touching to see this character development, to see her memories of her life before Sidonia come forward, empowering her need for justice and equality in a society that sees her as a commodity. Memories of herself trapped in a cage told to kill and fight for food and survival.
Good Development
As mentioned above, Nemesis’s character development is well done. She goes through great lengths to keep Sidonia safe from the emperor. It is Nemesis who drives the story forward as she tries to navigate the complexities of the court.
However, it is also interesting to see the story unfold in the way that it did. There were bits and pieces of the story that are predictable, especially if the reader is paying attention to the details. They are subtle, but they give the reader an idea of where the story is going.
The rising tension and the subterfuge, the manipulation, and court politics are sharp and precise. They push the reader to the edge of their seat as they seek to find out if Nemesis will live or die. It is such a roll of the dice that it keeps the reader guessing.
The reader wants to root for Nemesis and see all her enemies fall at her feet as she comes into her own. Furthermore, that makes for a compelling read.
Final Thoughts
The Diabolic is an excellent start to a new series. Following Nemesis’s growth and development, the story brings out some challenging themes while grounding the reader in the sci-fi plot.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
The Diabolic follows Nemesis as she takes Sidonia’s place in the treacherous galactic court.
Interesting Setting
The Diabolic was reminiscent of a space opera that worked. It takes place in the far-off future, after a deep expiration of space. Society is separated by those who live planetside called Excesses, and then the aristocrats who live in domes in space with artificial gravity and weather.
It is a strong setting and one that works for pulling the reader into the world. It gives it something contemporary to ground the reader in this narrative of social injustice, differences in the class system, and themes such as slavery and indentured servitude.
There are many layers to the storytelling, much more than listed above, and it is interesting to see them developed through Nemesis’s perspective. As a Diabolic, Nemesis’s creation is for one purpose: to be sold to the highest bidder as a tool of protection. She is considered lesser than, and it is not until she ventures from her home to protect Sidonia that she learns that she is more than just a tool.
Nemesis’s story is more than just a sci-fi adventure about overthrowing an evil emperor. Her story is one of finding value in herself. Nemesis learns that her existence exceeds her initial definition, that she is more than just a tool. Nemesis learns to laugh, learns to feel, and learns to love herself as Sidonia loved her.
It is touching to see this character development, to see her memories of her life before Sidonia come forward, empowering her need for justice and equality in a society that sees her as a commodity. Memories of herself trapped in a cage told to kill and fight for food and survival.
Good Development
As mentioned above, Nemesis’s character development is well done. She goes through great lengths to keep Sidonia safe from the emperor. It is Nemesis who drives the story forward as she tries to navigate the complexities of the court.
However, it is also interesting to see the story unfold in the way that it did. There were bits and pieces of the story that are predictable, especially if the reader is paying attention to the details. They are subtle, but they give the reader an idea of where the story is going.
The rising tension and the subterfuge, the manipulation, and court politics are sharp and precise. They push the reader to the edge of their seat as they seek to find out if Nemesis will live or die. It is such a roll of the dice that it keeps the reader guessing.
The reader wants to root for Nemesis and see all her enemies fall at her feet as she comes into her own. Furthermore, that makes for a compelling read.
Final Thoughts
The Diabolic is an excellent start to a new series. Following Nemesis’s growth and development, the story brings out some challenging themes while grounding the reader in the sci-fi plot.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
I received this free digital ARC from the publisher via Jellybooks in exchange for my honest review.
Dark YA Fiction
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I don’t know about the majority of the population, but I’m so sick of these gushy, fluffy, overly nice YA stories where no one dies, no one gets brutally maimed, and the main character is a gosh, darn sheep who faints at the sight of blood. RAWR! *inhale* *exhale* Okay. So, I loved this book because it was brutal. It was dark. It was even downright gory at times and you know what? That’s awesome! This book wasn’t afraid to scare readers with its intensity and I respect it for that!
Predictable
However, I don’t respect it for its predictability. To be fair, all YA has some level of predictability to it nowadays. Still, I was a little disappointed with the parts of the book that were predictable. That’s not to say the entire book was predictable. Quite a bit of the main plot offered surprise twists and kept the book interesting, but other parts left me sorely underwhelmed.
World Building
If you don’t know already, this is basically a space opera. It takes place in space with new religions, new societies, and new rules. As such, there is a lot for the reader to learn to know what’s going on and that’s great! There were so many awesome details that went into the story. So much of the world fueled the plot and gave it meaning.
However, I would have liked the details of this world and its backstory to have been implemented a little better. Too much was info-dumped at the beginning, which offered a slow pace while the reader is chomping at the bit for the real action. Still, I give props for the world-building… as always. :p
Nicey Nice Ending…
Ugh. *headdesk* So, I loved how dark this book was. I loved how gritty and brutal this book was and then… the ending. Really? Really?! You had to add a damn, sappy happy ending to a book like this? Aw heck no! That ending was total BS for the style of book it was and I am so frustrated with that ending that I just… no! No! no.
Dark YA Fiction
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I don’t know about the majority of the population, but I’m so sick of these gushy, fluffy, overly nice YA stories where no one dies, no one gets brutally maimed, and the main character is a gosh, darn sheep who faints at the sight of blood. RAWR! *inhale* *exhale* Okay. So, I loved this book because it was brutal. It was dark. It was even downright gory at times and you know what? That’s awesome! This book wasn’t afraid to scare readers with its intensity and I respect it for that!
Predictable
However, I don’t respect it for its predictability. To be fair, all YA has some level of predictability to it nowadays. Still, I was a little disappointed with the parts of the book that were predictable. That’s not to say the entire book was predictable. Quite a bit of the main plot offered surprise twists and kept the book interesting, but other parts left me sorely underwhelmed.
World Building
If you don’t know already, this is basically a space opera. It takes place in space with new religions, new societies, and new rules. As such, there is a lot for the reader to learn to know what’s going on and that’s great! There were so many awesome details that went into the story. So much of the world fueled the plot and gave it meaning.
However, I would have liked the details of this world and its backstory to have been implemented a little better. Too much was info-dumped at the beginning, which offered a slow pace while the reader is chomping at the bit for the real action. Still, I give props for the world-building… as always. :p
Nicey Nice Ending…
Ugh. *headdesk* So, I loved how dark this book was. I loved how gritty and brutal this book was and then… the ending. Really? Really?! You had to add a damn, sappy happy ending to a book like this? Aw heck no! That ending was total BS for the style of book it was and I am so frustrated with that ending that I just… no! No! no.
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