Starside

A Novel

De: Alex Aster

Narrado por: Vanessa Moyen, Anthony Palmini

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. Read in duet narration by Vanessa Moyen and Anthony Palmini, this audiobook will immerse you in the world of Starside.

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…

Could not stop listening!!! The book pulls you in and you can’t put it down!!!

I love every second of this book! So captivating and heart provoking! I can’t wait for the next book!

Duet style narration! Great story!

So good! The narration was duet style which was awesome as well! I can’t wait for the next book!

very well written

Really enjoyed the duet along with the story. It kept my attention the entire time and I'm looking forward to the next book!

starside

I went into Starside incredibly excited, and for the most part, it delivered. I loved the dragons, the different lands, and the overall worldbuilding. The enemies‑to‑lovers dynamic was done really well, and the banter between the characters was genuinely fun.

But the ending… that’s where things fell apart for me. It didn’t have that “ah‑ha” moment or emotional punch I was waiting for. After such a strong buildup, the finale felt flat and unfinished, and that really affected my rating.

This absolutely could have been an amazing read, but the ending just didn’t land. Still, the journey was enjoyable enough that I’m giving it 4 stars.

6 Star, god tier read!

Now THIS is how you write a Romantasy! There are books you enjoy, books you obsess over… and then there are books that completely reprogram your brain chemistry. Starside is firmly in that last category. This is not just a read, it’s an experience. A full-body, heart-racing, soul-consuming experience that left me staring at the wall when I finished, wondering how anything else could possibly compare.⠀
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If you walked into this expecting Fourth Wing meets Hunger Games, you’re absolutely on the right track. But somehow, Starside still manages to feel entirely its own. It takes the high-stakes brutality of survival games, layers it with rich, dangerous worldbuilding, and injects a level of emotional intensity that hits like a meteor straight to the chest.⠀
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The story throws you into a dazzling yet deadly world where nothing is guaranteed—least of all survival. The tension is relentless. Every challenge feels impossible, every alliance fragile, every moment charged with the kind of anticipation that makes you read “just one more chapter” until suddenly it’s 3 a.m. and you’ve lost all sense of time.⠀
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The characters? Obsessed is an understatement. The protagonist is fierce, layered, and achingly human, someone who makes impossible choices and forces you to sit with every consequence. Their growth feels earned, raw, and at times devastating. The relationships, whether romantic, platonic, or rivalrous, are electric. There’s trust, betrayal, longing, and just enough slow-burn tension to absolutely ruin you (in the best way).⠀
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Speaking of romance…it’s the kind that sneaks up on you and then completely takes over your life. It’s not just about chemistry, it’s about survival, loyalty, and choosing someone even when the world is actively trying to tear you apart. Every glance, every moment of connection feels magnified by the stakes, and it hurts so good.⠀
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The worldbuilding is cinematic. You can see it, the shimmer of the stars, the danger lurking beneath the beauty, the scale of everything. It feels expansive yet intimate, like you’re both lost in the universe and trapped in a single, crucial moment all at once. The pacing? Flawless. Not a single dull moment. Just a constant escalation that keeps tightening its grip until the final pages absolutely wreck you.⠀
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That ending…I’m not okay. I will not be okay. I need answers, closure, and probably emotional support.⠀
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Starside isn’t just a favorite, it’s a benchmark. The kind of book that raises your standards so high you start side-eyeing everything else on your TBR. It’s addictive, devastating, thrilling, and unforgettable.