#Winter's Orbit

[prismantis]

sketch of kiem and jainan from winter’s orbit by everina maxwell. these gay space royals have my heart and soul

[lakecountylibrary]

It's Pride Month, which means it's time for my annual post of the 5 best books with queer rep I read since the last time I made this post!

These books weren't necessarily published in the last year; they're just what I happened to pick up and enjoy. I hope you like them too!

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (bi, gay rep)

I avoided reading this one for ages because, I mean, look at the title. I thought it would break my heart. It did. This is a world much like ours, except the DeathCast service means everyone knows if they are going to die today. The intersecting narrative structure is done very well.

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer (bi rep)

Two young spacefarers from feuding nations back on Earth are tasked with a rescue mission. I recommend this one for fans of Project Hail Mary. Do yourself a favor and go in unspoiled. It'll be fun.

What Moves the Dead by @tkingfisher (nonbinary rep)

Content warnings for animal death and some gore. A retelling of Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. It's creepy and atmospheric and an altogether enjoyable read.

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell (bi, gay rep)

The Iskat Empire is on the brink of disaster and hastily marries one of its minor princes to a count from a vassal planet - a count whose last husband suffered an extremely untimely death far too recently. This one's sci-fi with interesting world-building and two very likable leads.

Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett (lesbian rep)

Oh, I'm sorry, did you think you were getting away without a fantasy entry on this year's list? Shorefall is book 2 in the Foundryside trilogy (start with Foundryside). Our main characters - a thief, a very upstanding captain of the guard, and some scientists - are fighting a capitalist meat-grinder fueled by a magic system that works a little like programming. It's high stakes with a lot of tension and great world-building.

--

And that's the list! Happy Pride and happy reading!

Looking for more? Here's our LGBTQ Reads tag. Enjoy!

See more of Robin's recs

[skygemspeaks]

one of the things i really appreciate about winter's orbit is how it shows that just because an abusive relationship is over, it doesn't mean that the victim is no longer affected. even though he knows his abuser can never hurt him again, the relationship has changed him. it's changed how he sees the world, and what he expects from his current partner. it shows how he was isolated from his support system, and how hard it is for him to start rebuilding those relationships.

and more than that, it shows the healing! it shows how his current partner works to meet him where he is, how his current partner makes space for him in his life, and encourages him to do what he wants.

it's really lovely, and i highly recommend it!

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Character, book, and author names under the cut

Merlin Saint-Jacques- The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

Jainan nav Adessari- Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Tam Becket- Yield Under Great Persuasion by Alexandra Rowland

Gideon Drake- Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Adult SFF Books Bracket: Round 1

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The Last Binding trilogy (A Marvellous Light, A Restless Truth, A Power Unbound) by Freya Marske

Endorsement from submitter #1: "A trilogy of books set in a magical Edwardian England, the Last Binding series focuses on three queer couples who come together in order to solve a conspiracy threatening all magic. It’s a masterful blending of fantasy, historical fiction, and romance, with a splash of mystery and Wodehousian romp. Expect magical manor house parties with beautiful wallpaper, as well as explorations of power, trust, and what we owe the land. The prose is absolutely gorgeous and evocative. The characters and their emotional arcs form the beating heart of the story, intertwined with beautifully crafted romance. The worldbuilding feels organic and deeply rooted within this hidden magical society. These books are thoughtful, tender, scorching, and fun all at once."

Endorsement from submitter #2: "Utterly fantastic historical fantasy. Each book focuses on a subset of a larger character set. There is an overarching high stake magical plot, as well as different queer romances explored in each individual book."

Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.

Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it—not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.

Robin’s predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they’ve been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles—and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.

Fantasy, historical fiction, romance, magic, Edwardian, series, adult

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Endorsement from submitter: "Gay princes in space"

While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe under Iskat's rule. When tragedy befalls Imperial Prince Taam, his Thean widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with Taam's cousin, the disreputable Kiem, in a bid to keep the rising hostilities between the two worlds under control.

But when it comes to light that Prince Taam's death may not have been an accident, and that Jainan himself may be a suspect, the unlikely pair must overcome their misgivings and learn to trust one another as they navigate the perils of the Iskat court, try to solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war... all while dealing with their growing feelings for each other.

Science fiction, romance, arranged marriage, politics, mystery, adult

[wondereads]

Achillean Book Recs for Pride 2024

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Young Adult, magical realism, 4.12 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Young Adult, high fantasy, 4.52 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Young Adult, mystery thriller, 4.27 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.34 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Adult, space opera, 4.07 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Scum Villain's Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Adult, fantasy romance, 4.29 star average (my rating: 4.87 stars)

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Adult, fantasy romance, 4.44 star average (my rating: 4.7 stars)

Heaven Official's Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Adult, fantasy romance, 4.5 star average (my rating: 4.67 stars)

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 3.88 star average (my rating: 4 stars)

The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.07 star average (my rating: 4 stars)

So This Is Ever After by F. T. Lukens

Young Adult, fantasy romance, 3.93 star average (my rating: 4 stars)

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 3.87 star average (my rating: 4 stars)

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic

New Adult, sports/thriller, 3.85 star average (my rating: 3 stars)

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim

Adult, high fantasy, 3.72 star average

The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis

Adult, space opera, 3.93 star average

Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson

Adult, fantasy romance, 3.43 star average

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Adult, fantasy romance, 4.37 star average

A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson

Adult, gothic fantasy, 4.12 star average

Darker by Four by June CL Tan

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.11 star average

Once & Future by Cory McCarthy and A. R. Capetta

Young Adult, sci-fantasy, 3.57 star average

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

Young Adult, post-apocalyptic horror, 4.2 star average

[lucrezianoin]

my favorite fantasy/sci-fi books with M/M romance

[jems-library]

JOMPBPC 1/6/25 other worldly

[enlightningbugs]

figuring out a bit of my personal stylization for the cast of the book Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

[franticvampirereads]

I can’t believe it’s November already! I’m so excited to get into the holidays this year (and all the holiday reads ☺️). So here’s what I’m planning to read this month:

Vespertine (not pictured) -currently reading

Sunshine - currently reading

The Sunshine Court

Given vol 2

Rare Vigilance

Ocean’s Echo

Bone To Pick

The Dragon’s Betrothed vol 2

You Can Count On Me

I’m really looking forward to all the cozy reads this month!

And a little bonus for you, today is Moose’s gotcha day! She’s 11-years-old and just as cute and funny and grumpy as the day we brought her home. Happy gotcha day bug! ☺️❤️

[magiclamd]

I've just started a reread of Winter's Orbit and clocked for the first time that when Kiem is trying to get out of the arranged marriage, he suggests Prince Vaile would be better to marry Jainan instead.

How do we think that would have gone.

[woelfin-sheeps-clothing]

The Illiad: Homer's epic about the Greeks winning a 10 year war against Troy.

Sword Crossed: An impending arranged marriage with a sword duel challenge forces a man to hire a con artist to teach him how to duel so he doesn't bungle everything.

Winter's Orbit: The least favorite grandchild of the empress is arranged to marry his late cousin's recently widowed husband in a quick and desperate bid to convince the space auditors that everything is fine.

The Archive Undying: Evangelion vibes as an AI god brings a man back to life and leaves him immortal, the man stuck trying to forget his past. To quote the jacket, "Come get in the robot."

[skygemspeaks]

Bel: I'm a raider. I come from a family of criminals. I used you in order to escape my life of crime

Kiem: Okay yeah, whatever, that's not important right now. Can you help me save my husband?

Bel: I'm literally being blackmailed by someone who's threatening to reveal my dark past to the media in order to ruin your reputation!

Kiem: Oh my god stop being so dramatic, it's fine. I know some journalists who can help make some shit up for us. That's for later though. First we gotta go save my husband before the military starts torturing him.

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Character, book, and author names under the cut

Jainan nav Adessari- Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Alec Lightwood- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Fiction Free-for-All Book Bracket Tournament: Round 2B

Book summaries below:

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune (The Cerulean Chronicles)

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

Fantasy, romance, series, adult

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe under Iskat's rule. When tragedy befalls Imperial Prince Taam, his Thean widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with Taam's cousin, the disreputable Kiem, in a bid to keep the rising hostilities between the two worlds under control.

But when it comes to light that Prince Taam's death may not have been an accident, and that Jainan himself may be a suspect, the unlikely pair must overcome their misgivings and learn to trust one another as they navigate the perils of the Iskat court, try to solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war... all while dealing with their growing feelings for each other.

Science fiction, romance, arranged marriage, politics, mystery, adult

[freakshowcowboy]

finished winter's orbit