Gods rule this planet. Demons stalk its canyons while Kings beg for mercy. Can three mere humans rewrite its destiny?
The otherworldly religious conflict of Dune, the cosmic strangeness of Gideon the Ninth, and the heart-pounding action of Red Rising converge in this horror-tinged epic science fantasy debut Ysira Naktis was a human sacrifice, marked for death. Unlike the thousands ‘harvested’ each year, though, she did the unthinkable. She survived—and what she brought back with her could change the fate of worlds.
When Ysira’s estranged son is chosen to become the vessel of a god-killing demon, she is faced with a choice: allow him to harness cosmic power at an unspeakable cost, or doom millions to save him. She finds an unlikely ally in Brother Jacen Kheris, once a gifted exorcist, now a guilt-ridden addict, desperate for purpose.
From a demon-haunted canyon to a starbound satellite, they must battle their way through cultists, aliens, and the gods themselves. The truths they unearth are deeper and more sinister than anything they could have imagined.
In this cinematic thrill ride, Jesse Aragon plunges us into a world as intricate and inventive as it is brutal.
Genre: Science Fiction
The otherworldly religious conflict of Dune, the cosmic strangeness of Gideon the Ninth, and the heart-pounding action of Red Rising converge in this horror-tinged epic science fantasy debut Ysira Naktis was a human sacrifice, marked for death. Unlike the thousands ‘harvested’ each year, though, she did the unthinkable. She survived—and what she brought back with her could change the fate of worlds.
When Ysira’s estranged son is chosen to become the vessel of a god-killing demon, she is faced with a choice: allow him to harness cosmic power at an unspeakable cost, or doom millions to save him. She finds an unlikely ally in Brother Jacen Kheris, once a gifted exorcist, now a guilt-ridden addict, desperate for purpose.
From a demon-haunted canyon to a starbound satellite, they must battle their way through cultists, aliens, and the gods themselves. The truths they unearth are deeper and more sinister than anything they could have imagined.
In this cinematic thrill ride, Jesse Aragon plunges us into a world as intricate and inventive as it is brutal.
Genre: Science Fiction
Praise for this book
"Mythic, propulsive, and rich with characterization, The Demon Star is one hell of a debut." - Pierce Brown
"Jesse Aragon's thrilling and ambitious debut kicks down the door between genres, summoning an existential dread that skitters and crawls through the pages. The Demon Star is a horror-infused science fantasy with epic stakes, astonishing worldbuilding, a biting examination of religious trauma, and deeply incisive character work that flays open the story's emotional core." - Ren Hutchings
"Aragon's science-fantasy epic infected me with wonder and creeping dread. The Demon Star is a testament to how desperation turns the power-starved into monsters, and in a brutal world oppressed by alien gods, I would bow at Ysira and Jacen's feet." - Sara Omer
"The Demon Star is my favorite kind of fantasy, one filled with mystery, eldritch civilizations, tormented protagonists, and plot twists that just keep coming. Aragon is a massively ambitious writer - this book is stuffed with enough material for two or three novels, but somehow she yokes it all together for one unrelenting, unputdownable story." - Brian Staveley
"Both epic and intimate, The Demon Star is a piercing examination of faith and tyranny that grips readers by the throat and drags them on a devastating journey to the stars and back. Readers who crave richly painted world building and morally complex characters will be obsessed with this sweeping science fantasy that burrows under the skin and lingers." - M Stevenson
"'I was possessed by Aragon's ambitious debut! The Demon Star is an exploration of family bonds, faith, and sacrifice on an astronomical scale, driven by a human heart. If you are a fan of body horror, messy, relatable, and painfully mortal characters, and worldbuilding that is both intricate and grandiose in scale, this one is for you. The Demon Star sets off to answer the question 'what is a god?' and it damn well delivers on its promise." - A D Sui
"Jesse Aragon's thrilling and ambitious debut kicks down the door between genres, summoning an existential dread that skitters and crawls through the pages. The Demon Star is a horror-infused science fantasy with epic stakes, astonishing worldbuilding, a biting examination of religious trauma, and deeply incisive character work that flays open the story's emotional core." - Ren Hutchings
"Aragon's science-fantasy epic infected me with wonder and creeping dread. The Demon Star is a testament to how desperation turns the power-starved into monsters, and in a brutal world oppressed by alien gods, I would bow at Ysira and Jacen's feet." - Sara Omer
"The Demon Star is my favorite kind of fantasy, one filled with mystery, eldritch civilizations, tormented protagonists, and plot twists that just keep coming. Aragon is a massively ambitious writer - this book is stuffed with enough material for two or three novels, but somehow she yokes it all together for one unrelenting, unputdownable story." - Brian Staveley
"Both epic and intimate, The Demon Star is a piercing examination of faith and tyranny that grips readers by the throat and drags them on a devastating journey to the stars and back. Readers who crave richly painted world building and morally complex characters will be obsessed with this sweeping science fantasy that burrows under the skin and lingers." - M Stevenson
"'I was possessed by Aragon's ambitious debut! The Demon Star is an exploration of family bonds, faith, and sacrifice on an astronomical scale, driven by a human heart. If you are a fan of body horror, messy, relatable, and painfully mortal characters, and worldbuilding that is both intricate and grandiose in scale, this one is for you. The Demon Star sets off to answer the question 'what is a god?' and it damn well delivers on its promise." - A D Sui
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