The Frontiers Saga series is a fun read but only if you are getting it free from your library. Celestia CV-02 is a direct continuation of Frontiers Saga #7 The Expanse. This episode covers the fall of Earth to the invaders called the Jung Empire. This really isn't a book in itself but rather a chapter of a larger space opera. One of the failings of this series is that Jung have no voice. The reader sees the universe through the eyes of the protagonists only. Also there seems to be little time invested in showing how the characters change over time. None the less this "book" continues to be great brain candy. I am listening to the audiobook version of the series and am getting those from my public library. I would suggest anyone needing a break from serious stories do that with this series. ( )

As one could probably guess from the title, [b:Celestia CV-02|18335627|Celestia CV-02 (The Frontiers Saga #8)|Ryk Brown|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1376665243l/18335627._SY75_.jpg|25884889] is the first book (after 7!) of the series that doesn't focus on the Aurora and her crew.

On one hand, it's a nice change of pace and gives a much broader view of the universe the Aurora (and now Celestia) and their crews inhabit. On the other, we've spent a lot of time with the Aurora now! I want to know what's next! (We do get some Aurora time though.)

Other than that, we get a good amount of backstory on Earth and see the invasion of Jung. One thing that has been missing this entire time and is still missing--which is starting to grow somewhat annoying--is any real insight into the Jung or view of their society. They're this big bad evil empire... that we know nothing about. I just hope we're not going to get a 'they were right all along twist at the end of this...

Overall, you can tell that Ryk Brown's skill is getting far stronger as the series progresses and he wanted a more complicated structure. It's jarring at times, but I think it works. I'm especially glad that the overarching story around Earth is moving forward. I'm curious to see where it goes from here. ( )

The book is written as a sequence of actions, there isn't that much of sci-fi involved. I liked the books but not as much as the books which have new ideas included with some description and definition of the fictional science in the book. The series of Frontiers saga has only one idea in the whole series (I read from book 1 to book 8) and that is the jump drive. Other than the jump drive there is almost no sci-fi ideas included. It is mostly sequence of events in space with very small to none existing sci-fi. I read 8 installments of the series and this is when I will stop.

I recommend the book if you are looking for simple story plot with sequence of actions compared to multi-timeline story plots with many characters and parallel plots. ( )