Book 1), The Rogue Prince (Sky Full of Stars

Warning: while I won't include anything in this review that's a spoiler about The Rogue Prince, that novel is the first of a new series that is an offshoot of the wonderful Fallen Empire series. If you haven't read that series then I strongly recommend that you stop right now and start reading with it's first book, Star Nomad. It's a great book and a fantastic series. Don't read this review anymore, however, as it has some major spoilers about that series.

Now, conscious clear, I shall move right along to my actual review ...

I had the same conundrum with Fallen Empire as I do with any great series, both wanting to reach the finale and get the HEA I so desired for its lead characters and dreading that very event. It is not surprising that, while totally satisfied with how the series ended I was very much hoping for some sort of successor series. The obvious candidates for that were the two most significant characters from the "next generation", Jelena Marchenko, the Star Seer daughter of Alisa Marchenko and Leonidas Adler, and Thorian, the lost and found prince of the Fallen Empire. Lindsay Buroker has answered my prayers in this book which starts off with a relatively innocent initial "milk-run" by Jelena as first-time captain of her own ship, and then for various reasons spirals out of control into what I'm sure will be yet another gloriously complex and thrillingly adventurous series (and yes, Thorian does make his appearance).

Lindsay Buroker is one of my favorite authors, and to date I've loved everything she's written. Her signature complex and original (but easy to follow) plots, extremely strong lead and supporting characters (who are a pleasure to watch grow) and excellent and imaginative writing are the reasons for this - and The Rogue Prince displays all of these talents.

Highly recommended. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Disclosure: I received a free review copy from the author.

I've been a follower of Lindsay Buroker's fantasy novels since finding a free copy of the first Emperor’s Edge series’ book in her newsletter. I have enjoyed the rousing adventures and the delicious repartee between characters in all her various series, and The Rogue Prince does not disappoint.
Only steps into the story, we meet old friends now ten years older than when we left them in the Fallen Empire series. Where those stories focused on Alisa and Leonidas, this series is about the next generation, Jenena Marchenko, now 18 years old and piloting freighter starship “Snapper”, and her engineer and long-time friend, 24-year old Erick Oskberg. They have cargo destined for Gizmoshi, but Jenena has decided to make a side trip to Alpha 17 Moon. She has learned that a laboratory there has been badly mistreating its animals, keeping them in horrible conditions, and she plans to steal them from the lab. I mean, she plans to liberate them. Hm-m-m.
It isn’t long before the two young Starseers are deep in hot water with androids, enhanced humans, nefarious business rivals, and possibly the Alliance after them. It’s the kind of thing that happens when you damage a spaceport – even accidentally.
Like her mother, Jenena is smart, brave, and principled – especially when it comes to animal welfare and family. At the same time, she is very young and makes plenty of mistakes that she then has to struggle to remedy. Erick is, naturally, her main foil. Other people who Jenena would like to have on her side are Masika Ghazali, a kick-ass artist, and Jenena’s childhood friend, Thorian, son of the Empire’s former emperor.
The plot twists, turns, and thickens. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable experience. And I understand book two, Angle of Truth, is now available for those of us already hooked.

Since I adored the Fallen Empire series, having a chance to read the first book in this new Sky Full of Stars series was something I was quick to take advantage of. It was wonderful to see Jelena all grown up and piloting her own freighter, with Eric Ostberg as her engineer. We get lots of inappropriate and sarcastic humor, she seems to take after her mother there, as well as Starseer abilities, which come in handy due to her ability to get herself and her ship into trouble. As she decides to take a side trip while delivering cargo on her first solo run as captain of the Snapper, the plan is to liberate some animals being experimented on and mistreated in a lab. Of course everything doesn’t go as planned, and it leads to trouble with warring corporations, and a human experiment she also “liberates.” Then after hearing that her childhood friend Prince Thorian, who has been causing problems for the Alliance, might need her help, it seems another side trip is in order. Jelena and her friends manage to go through quite a few adventures before they can make their way back to see her family, and it’s quite the wild ride. I love all of the humor, especially Jelena and Eric’s teasing of each other, and I’ve always been a fan of the Starseer abilities, it certainly gives them an edge against normal humans. Of course it was fun to catch glimpses of the older generation, Alisa and Leonidas, Grandpa Stan and all of their friends as well, but I really enjoyed seeing this younger generation all grown up and out on adventures of their own, and I can’t wait to read more stories to come. ARC provided by author for advance reading, which I was thrilled to get.

Once again Lindsay Buroker has written a book that I just could not put down.

She has seamlessly moved from the Fallen Empire series to this new book - picking up the characters lives 10 years later.
Jelena and Erick are on what is supposed to be a very easy and straightforward delivery mission but Jelena has other ideas.

A quick side trip and a mercy rescue of some mistreated animals becomes so much more. What was supposed to be a covert operation becomes a fight and flight for their lives across the galaxy, as they are tracked by a mysterious new enemy.
Rumours start to spread too about Prince Thorian - and Jelena and Erick find themselves facing new and old foes as they try to rescue their friend, dodge their pursuers and rush to the aid of a loved one who is deathly ill.

I love this new series - Jelena, Erick and Thor are totally fleshed out and 3D as characters that leap off the page. Ms Buroker has a wonderful way of making you fall into her story, to experience the adrenaline rush of the battles and the anguish of the conflict between friends and loved ones. Jelena is just as compelling, stubborn and sassy as her mother, perhaps more so.

Another fantastic series has begun - let us all strap in, hold on and enjoy the ride!

** Please note that I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

**DISCLOSURE: I received an ARC copy for my review**

I thoroughly enjoyed the original trilogy, prequels to the Sky Full of Stars series, and was eager to dive into this sequel.

Jelena is a strong-willed protagonist, albeit a bit on the young side, which had me initially wondering if this would be slotted into the YA genre.

As a pilot myself, and an avid SF reader, I tend to gravitate toward any story with a woman pilot as its lead, and can tell you that Jelena's portrayal as a strong personality is dead on. We female aviators do tend to be Type A! In the U.S., you can get your pilot's license often before you are eligible for a driver's license, so it's completely believable that Jelena is an 18 year old pilot.

(although I can't say the same for her impetuousness, as that quality doesn't mix well with aircraft...)

I find Ms. Buroker to be skilled at world-building and her stories to be well-organized and developed. I especially enjoy that her story arcs always have one or two sub-plots, some of which span across books in the series. I tend to avoid authors who leave you trapped inside a single scene, and this is never the case in Buroker's tales.

I do agree with one reviewer who mentioned that it was a bit disturbing that Jelena's discovery that her childhood friend had become an assassin, however - without getting into any spoilers - if you stick with it, Book 2 develops this story arc in a satisfactory way.

I've now read books 1 and 2 in this seres and eagerly await the third.

I was ITCHING to find out what happened to Thorian after the events in Fallen Empire. I'm so pleased to find out. Well, pleased being relative, since Thor isn't in the best place mentally. I mean, he's not unhinged or anything, he'd just...doing stuff. You know. Stuff. Not so good stuff.

But that happens, right? I can't even say I completely blame him for doing what he's doing. I mean, look at the events that shaped a large portion of his formative years. They were messy and brutal and he lost EVERYTHING when the empire fell. Plus, his teachers seem to be using somewhat questionable teaching methods and that's never good.

But that's enough about Thor. Let's talk about Jelena. She's still obsessed with animals and she's determined to use what little freedom she's wrangled from her overprotective mom and cyborg step-dad to rescue a few poor souls. Which, uhh, ends up pretty much the way you'd expect any mission planned and executed by the daughter of Alisa Marchenko to end up. Which is to say with many close calls and possibly a few explosions.

GOOD TIMES!

We got to revisit a few old favorites (growly Leonidas is always a pleasure) and see just how well Alisa's sense of adventure has rubbed off on her daughter. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

I unabashedly love Lindsay Buroker’s writing.  Her stories make me laugh, are fast paced, and are just plain fun.  The Rogue Prince doesn't disappoint.  I do recommend that you read the Fallen Empire series first.  I didn't.  Fortunately, I had no problem enjoying The Rogue Prince as Buroker provides enough backstory for the newbies like me (and reminders for those who read the Fallen Empire series awhile ago) to keep the story moving without leaving us in the dust.  I'm off to pick up the Fallen Empire books and get to reading.

My favorite part of the book is the animal rescue.  It was action packed and triumphant.  It doesn't hurt that out of the rescue came my favorite character in the book... Alfie.  I'm such a sucker for the animals.  And Alfie is adorable and fluffy.  Read down further and you will find a lot of information on the characters.

I'm a sucker for Buroker's worlds.  I also love her characters and I'm glad that I have been given another chance to explore with them.

As a reviewer for Lindsay Buroker, I was given a pre-release copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Review by Zoe at the blessed and bewildered blog (you can find all of my reviews by searching for blessedandbewildered).

Those who read Lindsay Buroker's Fallen Empire series will be happy to see the story continue in The Rogue Prince, which reunites us with some of the series' characters 10 years later. For those who haven't read Fallen Empire, this is a great place to join the party. Although we get to see what happened to the crew of the Star Nomad, you can jump in here without reading the previous books.

Jelena, the little girl whose recovery was the goal of her space pilot mother in Fallen Empire, is all grown up and piloting her first mission as captain of a new ship, the Snapper. Of course no mission in the post-Empire universe goes as planned, and she soon finds herself with a routine cargo delivery fraught with complications (some of her own making), saddled with crew mates she didn't expect, and hunted by an evil corporation whose animus is unclear.

The story brings the mix of adventure, imagination, action, and humor that we've come to expect from Ms. Buroker's works. If this is your first taste, you're definitely going to want to go on to book two. I'd also bet that you're probably going to want to go back to sample her other work, all of which is terrific.

"I received this book free as a reviewers copy"

Lindsay Buroker is my number one go to author and Fallen Empire is one of my favorite series of hers. I won't give a synopses of the story because so many have already done a wonderful job of that. I was so excited to receive this book because I was wondering what would happen to all the children that were rescued from the Fallen Empire Series. So why only 4 of five stars for Skies full of Stars?

Even though this book is the same high quality writing and story telling as her other books, I had a hard time connecting with the main character, Jelena. Why? Her story seemed to read more like a young adult novel for teenagers with her disregard to how her actions effected anyone else. Granted, Jelena is only just 18, but I would have expected a more realistic approach to life due to her background (being kidnapped as a child, life on a freighter, her parents experiences).

No doubt the actions Jelena took in this first book were just a set up for the struggles she will have in the rest of the series. I do intend to keep reading because I love Ms. Buroker's writing, but I'm hoping I can warmup more to Jelena as she hopefully matures.

Would I recommend this series to anyone? If you are a fan of Ms. Buroker, YES! If this is your first taste of her writing, I would recommend you start with any other series of hers and then work your way to this one.

This is the continuation of my favorite series, Fallen Empire. While it is very good, in all honesty, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the previous series. However, a young adult might enjoy it more. While the previous series was about adults and written from their perspective, this series is from the perspective of Jalena, the teenage daughter of the heroine in the previous series. And Jalena is a very immature young girl who often seems like a 12 year old rather than an 18 year old.

The aspects of her having an affinity for animals and going on a mission to save them would also likely be particularly appealing to younger readers. Another twist in this series that I found more interesting is that the main characters are starseers. Also Jalena seems to have inherited her mother Alisa's irreverent streak and ability to improvise which I thoroughly enjoy.

So, for me, while it wasn't quite up to the incredible standard of Fallen Empire, I did very much enjoy the book and have already started the next one in this series.

Having read all of the first Fallen Empire series (several times), I was very excited to hear that there was another series in the offing. My first reading of "The Rogue Prince" initially left me a little bored with the beginning, although I found the rest of the book very satisfying. I thought that perhaps my disappointment was due missing the fully developed characters from the Fallen Empire series. Then I decided to reread "The Rogue Prince" and happily discovered that I had been incorrect in my first impression. Jelena is certainly not as self-assured as her mother, but then she is still young. This series promises to be more of a coming of age story as Jelena wrestles with issues of right and wrong in a very complex world.

I found the choice to make Prince Thorian a morally ambiguous hero very interesting. As Jelena tries to reconcile what she knew about Thorian with his actions as a adult she brings up many interesting questions: has Thorian been shaped by his tutors; have his early experiences hardened him beyond redemption, or is there hope that Jelena can counter his early training and experiences so that his first instinct is not solely to kill.

As the story progresses both the action and the humor become better and better. The characters are not static, but grown through their experiences. And underlying it all is Jelena's desire to become more a part of the Starseer community. There are also hints throughout the story that Jelena has not fully developed her Starseer capabilities. I look forward to reading each new book in this series as it comes out.

(As an aside, if you are reading the one-word descriptions of this book on the store I would like to comment that The Rogue Prince is difficult to describe with one-word choices. For instance, I would describe the mood as suspenseful in parts, thoughtful in others, and lighthearted.)

Fans of the Fallen Empire series, the family is back is back and have found an even greater story. The Rogue Prince is book one of The Sky Full of Stars series. We are re-introduced to a young Jelena who is now 18. She and her engineer, Erick, are solely in charge of The Snapper. Their first freighter job is to deliver cargo to a warehouse. However, it's the middle of the night and no one at the facility is answering her calls. Not one to wait around, Jelena decides to right a wrong. She's learned that someone has a facility full of animals who are in sad shape. She has decided to make saving them their mission. Thus begins the story and Jelena proves that she is her mother's daughter.

The tale is full of daring do, humor and excitement. Don't worry everyone, our favorite characters from the Fallen Empire series do appear in the novel. This is definitely a must read for old and new fans alike. If you haven't read The Fallen Empire series, this story is written in a way that you will totally feel involved in the action. Ms. Buroker has once again proven her unique ability to make her characters realistic and entertaining. Don't miss this one.

Fallen Empire a decade later. I can just picture Leonidas saying that kid is not 18, and even if she is, she's staying home. But, they grew up, both the little girl putting stickers on his combat armor and the prince in hiding. An interesting story follows introducing us to the daughter now a pilot with starseeker skills, her friends, her causes, and her concern of what has gotten into the prince that people are accusing him of being an assassin.

Yes, this story is obviously written for young adults but, like me, I expect there are plenty of Fallen Empire fans who will read this series despite its target audience. My only complaint is that Jelena seems very immature and doesn't think beyond what she wants, whether to rescue a dog or a prince. (In this instance, no, they are not the same animal.) If you get past it the 2nd book she starts to grow up a bit. I think Jelena led a sheltered life and it's probably her stepdad's fault.

Welcome back to the well-developed universe of the Fallen Empire! There are a number of familiar characters for those who have devoured the previous series with Captain Marchenko and Leonides. That generation is now mature and (possibly?) more responsible - the aging cyborg needs a heart transplant, after all! This mellowing is a great background story for the frenetic action of the younger generation, who were children on the Star Nomad in the last series. Now there is a NEW Captain Marchenko - same genes, plus some of the more interesting Starseers' genes that can be trained in weird and wonderful ways. Thor, the Fallen Prince of the Fallen Empire, is back - conflicted and "broody", troubled and vengeful. Captain Jelena has hope for all - human and animal, and especially all the motley crew she acquires. This book is full of the same believable humanity and scintillating wit as the rest of Buroker's books. A great start to a promising new series!

Yes, the talented Lindsay Buroker is started on another great series again!

I love this spin-off from the Fallen Empire world! Jelena is an 18 years old chip off the Alisa block - smart, generous, loveable, genuine, loyal, bent on saving lives - be they of animals or humans, strangers, friends or foes, and with an uncanny ability to convince others to become embroiled in her crazy, reckless, heroic schemes.

The rogue prince can't resist her either, despite his bitter, broody bent on revenge - guess it's her loyalty and goodness he can't resist, and their friendship helps too.

Yes, get this book and discover what Thorian is capable of in a fast-paced, exciting adventure, with witty dialogue I so enjoy in Lindsay's work - you won't be able to put it down and resist getting the next and the next. I know I can't!

I voluntarily reviewed a free ARC of this book and it reflects my honest opinion.

The Rogue Prince takes place about ten years after the event of End Game, the final book of the Fallen Empire series. Helena Marchenko,daughter of Alisa and step-daughter to Leonidas, is now 18 years old and has been entrusted with the family's recently purchased starship "Snapper" on what should be a routine freight run with plans to meet up with her parents and younger siblings on the Star Nomad upon completion of this mission. Erick Ostberg, the young starters who had been unfolded into the family 10 years ago and raised as a sibling is now 24 and is the ship's engineer for this mission. He tries very hard to be the voice of reason, aiming to temper some of Jelena's more outlandish but always well intentioned impulses. Like Alisa before her, Helena tends to collect cohorts and angry pursuers along the way. She also re-unites with Thorian, her childhood friend who had/has the misfortune of being valued more as a powerful political tool than as a person and has been raised accordingly. We get to find out how the old Fallen Empire gang is doing and have hints of what the overall story arc might be for this series. Like Alisa and Leonidas, Jelena and Thorian meet up with completely opposing viewpoints. Lisa and Leonidas started with disgust at each other's positions and made assumptions about each other based on the roles each played in the war when the Empire was overthrown. Their eventual grudging respect for each other led to them developing an ability to listen to and understand each other's reasoning and actions. Helena and Thorian are encountering a similar situation based upon their vastly different experiences and training. Yet they have enough familiarity with each other to have a measure of trust and respect already in place. I expect their interactions with each other will serve to help them both develop into much better people than they are currently. My experience with the Fallen Empire series has me believing that few authors are as skilled as lindsay Buroker when it comes to subtle character development. While I appreciate the fast-paced, humorous writing, what I really LOVED about this book was how Leonidas' health crisis turned into an opportunity for his family and friends to gather and confirm how truly loved and valued he is. The long trek from feared, loathed enemy to loved and respected member of this eclectic group is heartwarming. Everyone from his formerly long-lost brothers to ranking members of what was once the opposition see him as the honorable and decent guy he is.

This new book from Lindsay Buroker is the start of a spin off series from Fallen Empire. Since I loved that series, I saw no reason not immediately start on this new series as well. As all of ms Buroker's books, this story is funny, action packed, fast paced and with great characters. It is also slightly different from it's orginiating series. The characters are younger, less confident teenagers. But equally lovable, humanly flawed do-gooderrs and on top of that wickedly funny . Although the age of the main characters might suggest YA, this book is definitely not childish, and violence is abundant, but clearly part of the story line. I'm really curious this time how the author is going to make an assassin by choice a likable character, but like with Abelardus, I'm sure she'll manage.
In short this is high action adventure and I can't wair to start on the next installment.

Ten years after re-uniting with her mother, Jelena has been given the opportunity to captain her own freighter, with her fellow StarSeer Erick Ostberg as her engineer and minder. Jelena may have inherited her StarSeer genes from her father, but her knack for turning a simple plan into a tangled web of close calls, narrow escapes and seat of your pants flying is definitely from her mother.
Rogue Prince brings back familiar characters from Buroker’s Fallen Empire series, with new villains and new sidekicks. The banter between Jelena and Erick is reminiscent of Alisa and Leonidas, but with the tone of siblings rather than the sexual tension of her parents. There are enough mysteries and surprises to keep you turning the pages to find out what trouble Jelena’s getting into next. She’s a spunky character, definitely worth following into the next book in the series.

Jelayna Marchenko is gathering a new set of quirky characters to join her on her first solo venture into the world of adult responsibilities. Since this is a Buroker book, the venture quickly becomes a comedy of errors and good intentions gone amok.

I enjoyed watching the innocent and naive Jelayna dealing with her difficulties and starting to grow up without becoming cynical or jaded. She insists on seeing good in everyone and giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I am already reading the next book in the series, and I will report back on Jelayna's progress toward maturity. If you enjoy Lindsay Buroker books, you probably don't need in encouragement to join me. If you are new to the author, and enjoy coming of age stories, this is a good place to start. But the book is even more enjoyable if you read the Fallen Empire series first, or it may take a while to catch on to who the many mentioned acquaintances are. :-)

I received this as a free review copy because the author knew I loved the Fallen Empire series, from which this is the first volume of the spinoff series, a Sky Full Of Stars. It is not necessary to read the Fallen Empire first (although I think you should, as that is a good read as well) . Set a decade after the Fallen Empire series, Jelena is now a young adult, but still youthfully impetuous. Trusted to skipper the family's new, even if decades old, freighter with the help of Erick, her since childhood companion and de facto elder brother, she lets her love of animals override her common sense and starts a mad chain of events that will doubtless resonate with mayhem for the rest of the series. Light and humorous rather than deep thinking sociological theory, this is good reading when you just need to relax.

Like mother, like daughter: Ten years after 'Endgame', Jelena Marchenko is 18 years old and ready and eager to head out on her own. To that end, she's persuaded her mother and stepfather to add another ship to their transport business and letting her captain it on a trial cargo run. The routine mission quickly ends up getting sidelined, however, when Jelena learns about an unscrupulous corporation's animal experiments that she is determined to stop. Of course, while "liberating" a bunch of lab animals, she lands herself (and by extension, her unwilling partner in crime Erick Ostberg, who came along as her engineer) in a whole lot of trouble including an involuntary passenger and heavily armed thugs chasing them across the system. And then there are the rumours floating around about Jelena's childhood friend Prince Thorian, who has apparently been busy roaming the system and brutally assassinating people who've wronged his family, making the Alliance determined to hunt him down...

Having loved the Fallen Empire books immensely, I'd been very much looking forward to the spin-off series ever since it was announced. 'The Rogue Prince' has all the fast-paced adventurous space opera fun of the preceding series, ensuring that this next generation tale should easily appeal to anyone who's enjoyed the Fallen Empire books – knowledge of those books isn't necessarily required to plunge into this story, but why would you want to miss out on all that fun? Jelena is a lot younger than her mother Alisa was at the beginning of 'Star Nomad', and it's clear that she still has some growing up to do to temper her reckless adventure spirit with some good old common sense – I'm very much looking forward on following her as she gains the experience necessary for that growth. With big brother figure Erick by her side, there's ample room for snarky banter, and new character Masika, who's still a bit of an enigma, adds some much needed maturity to the character line-up. Adding Thorian, whose development in the intervening years have led him down a dark path, to the mix sets up an interesting crew for the Snapper's upcoming second outing. This spin-off is off to a promising start!

*ARC copy received from author

I loved the Fallen Empire series, so I was excited to read this new entry into that universe – and I was not disappointed (though you don’t have to have read the Fallen Empire books to enjoy this one)!
Rogue Prince is the story of Jelena, the now-adult daughter of Fallen Empire’s heroine, Capt. Marchenko. This book chronicles the beginning of her adventures and trials as she tries to find her path in life, piloting a freighter through the new Allegiance-controlled portion of their star system, as well as the wilder portions of the system where government has been overridden by mobsters and outlaws. And as the title implies, there is a “Prince,” Jelena’s former BFF, who seems to have fallen to the “dark side” and whom she now must find, help, redeem or …?
Readers familiar with some of Lindsay Buroker’s other series (Flash Gold, Emperor’s Edge, Dragon Blood, Encrypted) will recognize some similarities in characters: the lead female who is snarky and outspoken, and the emotionally unavailable (and dangerous) enemy/ally. I love reading Buroker’s books – the plots are intriguing and adventurous and full of twists. Her female heroes are sassy, smart and strong, and there is usually at least one strong, silent, dangerous male character (I think of them as Spock-types although they’re usually considerably more deadly). All the characters are well-written and relatable, with quirks and hidden motivations and back-stories that bring them to life on the pages and make the stories even more engaging and edge-of-your-seat exciting.

Lindsay Buroker is a writer that never lets her readers down. The Rogue Prince is a very good spin off of her previous work. The dialogue is superb since Lindsay is in her element and her quips and humor make what she writes quite enjoyable. Jelena is developing into a very interesting character and Thorian definitely needs her if he is to overcome the furies that drive him. The addition of the dog is also a masterstroke. All the side characters are interesting and well defined too.
The sense of family and the role that Leonidas plays as the center of keeping it together is also an extra bonus in the whole family dynamics.
Lindsay is a master craftsman in her work and she always delivers what she sets out to do. If you like fast paced adventure do not miss this one.

Jelena, 18 year old daughter of Alisa, gets her own ship in the family business to do freight runs. Instead she rescues lab animals and hunts her childhood friend Thor, former Empire prince, down, who revengefully assassinates his presumed enemies. He seems to have unlimited starseer powers, and uses them also to pry into personal thoughts, which he doesn't even hide, which is rude and intrusive. Jelena is very young, immature, irresponsible, ungrateful, and I do not like her, thus I have a tough time to connect with this story.
I still love Lindsay's story telling and characters in general, thus a high rating even though the protagonists in this book were often quite annoying. And while the plot line was somewhat unbelievable, the action went along nicely.

I received this free for review purposes.As a sequel to the Fallen Empire series, I think this will satisfy fans. It continues the saga with the next generation of Marchenkos. There is some spoiler information if you have not finished the previous series, but it doesn't affect the story at all.
This isn't an out and out sci-fi story, much like Fallen Empire it could be set at any period but it just so happens this is set in the future. The science fiction does not drive the story in my opinion, it adds to the action. With androids and cyborgs, hover bikes and space ships, the technology is there, along with telepathy and telekinesis. Maybe I'm simplistic in what I enjoy reading, but I have added this series and will recommend to my friends and family.

I loved this book! It focuses on the next generation of the Fallen Empire characters. Jelena is on her first run as the captain of the Snapper when her actions to help those in need lead to the adventures we have come to expect from Ms. Buroker. Thorian has turned into a more emotional version of my favorite character (Sicarius from Emperor's Edge). While this book was great for those familiar with Ms. Buroker's previous works, it is also very entertaining as a new read for those who have yet to discover her works. There is a lot of action and several likable characters to pull you in. For those who would like more backstory into the characters and the different types of beings such as Starseers, read the Fallen Empire series as well.

*Disclosure: ARC received from author*

The wait is over!! Lindsay is back, this time with a story set 10 years after the end of the Fallen Empire series. You absolutely do not need to have read Fallen Empire to enjoy The Rogue Prince, but I think you'll get more out of the story if you have (and you'll meet back up with a lot of characters from Fallen Empire, like Mica and . The Rogue Prince features Jelena Marchenko, daughter of former Alliance pilot Alisa Marchenko and stepdaughter of Empire cyborg Leonidas, and her adventures. As I said, the story picks up 10 years after the end of the Fallen Empire series. Jelena is all grown up and on a trial run as the captain of her own vessel, The Snapper (yep, it's shaped like a turtle). Of course, things don't go smoothly. Jelena convinces her chief engineer (and fellow Starseer) Erick Ostberg to accompany her on a side- trip: A "liberation mission." Jelena has learned that a major corporation is testing animals, and they're being kept in terrible conditions. Jelena, with her Starseer ability to talk to/sense animals, cannot let this happen. Needless to say, the liberation mission has a few hiccups, and Jelena and Eric wind up with more than they expected. The rest of the book follows the repercussions of the liberation mission, and along the way, Prince Thorian (or Thor, as Jelena calls him), rightful heir to the now-defunct Empire, shows up to offer his unique brand of "help." The book moves along at a brisk clip, and while things do wrap up nicely, you're left wanting more. If you haven't read Lindsay Buroker before, this book will make you a fan. If you have - what are you waitin for?

I am reading Lindsay Buroker works from the steampunky “emperor’s edge” series to space with “Fallen Empire”. Going from one series to the other it did not read like the steampunk stories in space. Of course there is some similitude, a strong heroin with convictions that lead a ragtag team of people having not much reasons otherwise to stick together… and this story is shaping to be similar. It is the first book and what, as a role-player, I like to call a "get the party to meet" type of story! All of that with the voice and humor of Lindsay Buroker!

In the Rogue prince the event start about 10 years after the last series (and no real need to have read the first series) and it follow the younger characters that were kids/teenager before. The main characters are between 18 and 29. This mean they are a little younger than my usual read... This got me a little worried at first but Lindsay Buroker pulled it off and I really enjoyed the book!

From "Fallen empire" to a "rogue prince"… One character is obvious from the title! Prince Thorian was about 10 when the empire fell, he is now 20 and with an agenda… but he only appears in the last half of the book!

Indeed, this book is really about stealing, check that rescuing, lab animals! This is Jelena, a young mage with an affinity for animal, and her engineer Erick, also a mage but more affinity for mechanical apparatus, first mission alone. It is supposed to be a simple freight mission... But Jelena has a side project, one that should not take long or be too difficult...Jelena want to rescue lab animals... but nothing goes as she intended... and they end up also "rescuing" an "almost" cyborg that consider the rescue a kidnapping... indeed, is it really rescuing when you are the one that put them in a lethal situation by breaking/entering/stealing what they had to protect...
From there, the clock is ticking... they have to get to the hospital as Jelena step-father is undergoing heart surgery while being pursued by unhappy corporations and all of that for lab animals... really? or... is there something else? and what?

So what about that rogue prince? does not seems to be much space left for him... especially after Jelena's mother told her to NOT get in contact with him... there is no reason to go after him... even if Jelena is certain that he is wrongly accused of being an assassin... she remember the boy she met when she was 8 and he could not kill someone... could he?

“Thor once said that the expectations of others are a cage we build around ourselves, and it’s the hardest kind of cage to break out of”

Wow! Just . . . Wow! This is a whole new generation of The Fallen Empire series with guest appearances from some of our past stars. The kids are grown and on their own quest. They find themselves up to their eyeballs in fresh trouble, with the past rearing its ugly head. Jelena has so much of Alisa in her, but with her own interests and personality. Teamed up with Erick, the sibling-like banter between these two will keep you quite entertained with capes and unicorn underwear. Throw a new character with her own mysteries and the ever-serious, prince and you will be on the edge of your seat to find out how this plays out. I can’t wait to read the next o in this series! Well done Lindsay!

Not what I expected from this author after reading her other works. The characters have no real depth and I found the plot simply disinteresting and unbelievable.

I don't know what a small freighter costs in the distant future, but the investment in it, freight, crew, food, operating costs, insurance, etc. must not be very large if one is willing to place an eighteen-year-old in charge of one and the lives of its crew, then allow her to go careening across the galaxy. The plot goes downhill from there.

I can allow for soft science, but characters and story lines need depth.

Lindsay Buroker is a consummate story teller. She knows how to pace her stories, build suspense, grow her characters and draw her readers into her tales. Rogue Prince is about Jelena, Alisa's daughter from the Fallen Empire series. She is 18 and has her own ship and is on her first cargo run. Like her mother, she can't seem to stay out of trouble, finds the best in people, and finds some inventive solutions to get her out of some tight spots. This is an excellent start to a new series. If you read the Fallen Empire series, it gives you a chance to catch up with some of your favorite characters from that series. Disclosure: Received ARC from author.

It's always fun starting a new Lindsay Buroker series (or ANY Buroker book). This one is a direct follow up from her latest series, but instead of dealing with Alisa and Leonidas, it concentrates on Alisa's daughter, Jelena, as well as Ostberg and Thorian. 10 years have passed and Jelena is now 18. Naturally, Jelena has inherited her mother's irreverence, humor, and ability to get into trouble--if anything, she's even more likely to take action without thinking things all the way through, as would be expected of a younger character. But she's also quick-witted enough to get herself back out trouble . . . well, mostly . . .

Another fun read from Lindsay Buroker.

Great start to the spinoff series. As the blurb says, it takes place 10 years after the events of Fallen, where Jelena is somewhat grown up and has just been given command of a second freighter added to the family business. Like all Ms. Buroker's work, it's fast-paced, snappy, well plotted and funny! Some familiar characters reappear and there are a couple of new ones. The re-introduction of Thorian was rather disturbing; I hope Jelena's fondness for her childhood friend doesn't blind her to some very dark qualities he's developed. Reserving judgment until I've read the next story... Which I'm looking forward to! Highly recommended.

Awesome! Everything I love about Lindsay Buroker's writing is present here.
I love how I just snicker and laugh at some of the absurd ideas that are thought up as well as the banter between the characters!
Jelena is a lot like her mom but not so much that she seems like the same person. I really like how Thorian and Ostberg are main characters now too, although I am about as dismayed as Jelena at some of Thorian's life choices. Hopefully we will see better choices made later!
All in all its at least as good as her previous books in this world and possibly better. I can't wait to read the next one!

This is the initial book in Lindsay Buroker's newest series Sky Full of Stars. I initially thought this was a completely new story, but was pleasantly surprised to discover it was a spin-off. :-)
The story follows in style of Lindsay's other books, with endearing interactions between characters and star-seer twists. I don't want to give a synopsis of the book because other reviews have already done that. I'm looking forward to see where this story leads me... The characters and their interactions are what keep me reading. I gobbled up this book and look forward to the future books in this new series.

Continuation of the Marchenko line. Jalena is the daughter of Alisa Marchenko. She's now 19 years old and a freighter pilot in her own right. Her "loaner" engineer Erik, also a Starseer like Jalena, is the foil to Jalena's rapier wit. With the innate ability to be a do-gooder and get in trouble at the same time, Jaleena and Erik get out of many impossible situations. I so enjoyed the picking back up on this "clan". You don't have to have read the previous series in order to pick up this one. Lindsay is very good at giving background so you'll never feel lost. Thanks again for another great read.

Great story! Captain Marchenko's Starseeker daughter, Jelena, is certainly a chip off her mother's block --witty, impulsive, and a good pilot. AND she's been trained in fighting (and big heartedness) by Daddy Leonidas! She and Erick, her engineer and friend since childhood, get into all sorts of trouble after deciding to "liberate" a building full of lab animals. It's probably going to get worse!
I received a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

If you like Lindsay Buroker's other stories, you'll like this continuation of the family story! Jelena was lost then found in the previous series, now she's grown up and a trusted teen out on her own, with a crew and ship, delivering cargo. With a few stops along the way, things can go wrong so easily. Happy to see the family continue and Lindsay's writing just draws you along. Great characters, people you'll like and a story that will keep you waiting for the next installment!

The Rogue Prince is a space opera that focuses on a coming of age theme. This novel is a strong debut for a new series that further explores the universe from Fallen Empire. It is approachable to new readers but has plenty of references to reward loyal fans. Characters previously seen as adolescents begin to explore their world as young adults. While the characters have less life experience they display the cunning, adventurous spirit, and determination needed to see them through their escapades. Throughout it all they maintain a healthy dose of cynicism that keeps the story grounded despite the fantastical circumstances. As with all her stories, the action is fast paced and the dialogue is witty making it a joy to read.

A new generation of Space Adventurers hits the sky with Jelena Marchenko as their young captain and schemer in training! Buroker continues the story of young Jelena, Erick, and Thorian that began in the Fallen Empire series. Buroker's endless supply of witty dialogue, humor, and crazy adventures bringers the reader up to speed and ready to fly. The age of the characters took some getting used to, but once the story developed I couldn't stop reading!

This is a great introduction into the spinoff series. We've jumped 10 years ahead ave picked up with 2 of the primary characters. I am a bit worried about losing the supporting characters from the original series, but enough flexibility had been built in to allow their help as this series moves along. There is enough relationship tension being set up to keep the readers attending and the scyfy and fighting moves the story along nicely.

Wonderful spin-off of Fallen Empire. You can read it without reading Fallen Empire however. It is wonderful to hear Jelena and Thor's stories. The ship sounds great! :) I love how Jelena is starting to learn how life really works. You get to hear more about Leonidas and Alisa and the twins. The books is well written and very enjoyable.. I love the style and how real the characters are. Can't wait till the next book comes out!

It's like a dance. This interaction between the author and the reader.
One leads the other and spins the dramatic movements while the other hangs on and tries to keep up with the footwork.
The FE books were a whirlwind of highly energetic swirls and leaps. A thoroughly enjoyable romp across fictional space.
Now we have a new series ...a new dance ... and the description tells of saving abused animals .... Hummm
... But the FE books offered plenty of unexpected twists and surprise moves. It IS the same Lindsay leading this new dance.
Is it likely this new sequel (series) will grow to offer higher dramatic stakes, complex characters and plot escalation?
I considered the question and decided, Yes And so I got into this story and followed the new footwork.....
The new dance is not over, but it is picking up speed and I am enjoying both the early action and the hint of upcoming twists and swirls.
Thank You Lindsay for being my dance partner!

Another entertaining SciFi book from Lindsay. Jelena, the central character, has the believable passion and nieveté of an intelligent 18 year old taking on the responsibilities of adulthood. While ability to get into trouble is predictable, the quirky humor those who have read Lindsay's other books would be familiar with makes it entertaining. Thorian, deposed prince of a defunct empire makes an interesting contrast with his secretive training and quest for revenge. A star based adventure road trip where old friends re-unite and begin to mature together.

Since all the other reviews have pretty much told you what is going on, I'm going a different route.

Lindsay did an awesome job in transitioning from the previous series of books with Leonidas and Alisa. With Jelena now much older, expect humor, action, adventure, trouble, interesting twists, and humor as well! Forewarning- once you going, you will be glued to finish and want more!

This new series is based on the Fallen Empire series, so if you liked all of that Sci/Fi slant, you will love this. I started this series very eager to pick right back up with Alisa and Leonidas. However, this series is really isn't about them, although we do get to engage with them some during the story. Because of my desire to read about Alisa and Leonidas, I did have a bit of a difficult time getting started with this story. I did persevere and I before I knew it, I was deep into this series. I did get enough of my two heroes to satisfy my need to know what happened to them so I was able to sink into this one. Suffice it to say, I was not let down. There was plenty of action and snark and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I thought the story moved along at a great pace and I turned each page quickly. This book is full-on Buroker and if you like her writing, this one won't dissapoint.

This continues the story of a family of star freighters. Their daughter captains a space freighter through unexpected adventours with twists and turns along the way. There are space battles planet side battles and strange powers to deal with. Well worth the read and I look forward to the next book.

Excellent new set of characters building on but not dependent on the previous mercenary series. Overall, the book was fast paced and included several twists. The characters are well developed during the story. The story line develops from the premise that the captain is new and untested. Her strengths come from her interaction with the main characters from the previous series. I truly enjoyed the book.

I came across Lindsey's Fallen Empires series on Kindle Unlimited and quickly tore through the first seven books before having to wait patiently for the eighth and final in that series. I'm glad to see that she's at it again with the next generation (get it? That's a space joke...) and that the characters and dialogue are of the same vein as the original--Jelena is every bit as cheeky as her mom (whose butt received a lot of attention in the first series). I look forward to reading through the rest of the series as the books are released, and will probably peek through some of the other books that are cropping up in the Fallen Empire universe as part of the new Kindle Worlds situation in the interim.

I always enjoy Lindsay's books and this new series is no exception. I was excited to receive an advance copy free and am happy to recommend this book. Many familiar characters appear, which was nice. Loose ends are tied up from the previous series. If you like well written fantasy/space opera/science fiction I highly recommend this book and all her previous ones.

I enjoy Lindsay Buroker's writing. And particularly liked the original series 'Fallen Empire'. This first book of a new series picking up with the child of our original characters was just a bit too much reminiscent of the original series. Lacked some originality. Still good writing and a decent story so I'll give book 2 a chance. I hope things pick up.

This could be called Fallen Empire - The Next Generation. Jelena has inherited dad's Starseer ability and mom's ability to get into "situations" and her "inappropriate humor". The main characters are just starting out to prove themselves but we haven't lost the original ones; they just aren't the focus. Great read and a fantastic start to what is hoped to be another good long series. Already waiting for the next one.