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Black Star Renegades Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Michael Moreci (Author), Dan Bittner (Narrator), Macmillan Audio (Publisher)
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In the tradition of Star Wars, comics writer Michael Moreci presents a galaxy-hopping space adventure about a galactic kingdom bent on control and the young misfit who must find the power within before it's too late.

Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. He didn't ask for it, he doesn't want it, and there's no worse choice to wield it in all of space, but if he doesn't, everyone's totally screwed. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there'll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.

Cade can't hide from Praxis, and he can't run from the destiny that's been shoved into his hands. So he only has one option:

He has to fight.

Cade's not going to let destiny send him on a suicide run, though. With some help from his friends - rebels and scoundrels alike - Cade's going to use this weapon to chart a new destiny for the galaxy, and for himself.

He just has to do so before everyone around him discovers that he's a complete and total fraud.

Blending the space operatics of Star Wars and the swagger of Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Star Renegades is an audiobook adventure that blasts its way from seedy spacer bars to sacred temples guarded by deadly creatures - all with a cast of misfit characters who have nowhere to go and nothing to lose.

Review

Chicago Review of Books 10 Best Science Fiction Books of the Year

“Part 'Star Wars' homage, part unexpected coming-of-age novel...Moreci balances character with plot very well; the story moves at a brisk pace, and the frequent action sequences fit in well with the overall story. [A] complex, self-aware and fun romp through space. Fascinating...Thought-provoking...I was on the edge of my seat." ―Los Angeles Times

"Those who dig Arthurian legend, Guardians of the Galaxy cosmic high jinks and especially Star Wars mythology will find oodles to love....Character relationships, a sense of familial duty and a fast-paced narrative all make Renegades a worthwhile read." ―USA Today (three stars)

"This book really, truly feels like the next big thing. It’s not a shocker that combining Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, Lord of the Rings, and classic pulp would result in an awesome story, but it is surprising at how Moreci is able to take all those elements and make them into something that feels fresh. If you like any of the franchises we’ve mentioned in this review, you’ll like Black Star Renegades. If you’re into kickass space operas filled with action, humor, and heart, you’ll love Black Star Renegades. This is the start of something big."
―Nerdist

"Moreci’s debut novel is a delightful mash-up of genre tropes: a reluctant hero, swashbuckling space adventure, martial arts, an evil empire, a scrappy band of outcasts, and a sentient killer robot. It’s a loving ode to the science fiction Moreci grew up with. The pacing is fast and exciting, strong on action and generous with humor." ―Booklist

"A propulsive space opera that is also an unapologetic love letter to Star Wars. . . . Impossible not to love . . . . From intergalactic space battles to blaster fights to rogue robots and various hives of scum and villainy, this shiny space opera is bound to be a pleasure for fans of all stripes." ―Kirkus Reviews

“Combining Marvel wit with the geeky jokes of Galaxy Quest, the book is set in a universe filled with Jedi-like warriors, star-destroying weapons, and planet-hopping misfits.” ―Chicago Magazine

"Moreci delivers a story that recalls his work for the Star Wars franchise: it brims with exotic locales, weird aliens, an evil empire, and a Jedilike hero with a cohort of misfits. . . . Moreci’s sci-fi adventure delivers plenty of action." ―Publishers Weekly

"Moreci's novel starts off his intended trilogy with flair: it's a bold space opera of a book, and like any good space opera, it introduces us to a wide range of flawed, fascinating characters in a dizzying array of vivid locales. It's funny, fast-paced and full of satisfyingly sudden conflict. . . . The action ― as rapid as the snappy dialogue ― will keep most readers pinned to the page." ―RT Book Reviews

"A beach read for nerds ― like Ready Player One or Andy Weir’s The Martian and Artemis. It’s a lighthearted, nostalgic novel that focuses on vibrant characters and adventure, built out of recognizable parts from the likes of Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Arthurian legend. As such, it’s a genuinely entertaining adventure that understands what people love about grand struggles between good and evil." ―The Verge

"Michael Moreci has tapped into something that feels classically sci-fi but wholly new and refreshing. BLACK STAR RENEGADES hits on a place in our hearts reserved for early childhood recollections of the original Star Wars films and the first time we witnessed a Skywalker losing a hand. This riveting book carries all the clever quips, character melodrama and ship-to-ship combat we could ask for in a Grade-A space opera while also taking common and oftentimes overused tropes and kicking them over." ―Teen Reads

“Engaging and inventive twists on a much-loved genre. A fun ride for space opera fans!” ―John Jackson Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: A New Dawn

"Black Star Renegades is a wonderful Star Wars book that just happens to not be set in the Star Wars universe. . . . The magic of Moreci’s book is in the way he takes these elements and creates a story that blasts off and doesn’t let up. The backdrop is written with care and brings the reader into a universe that, despite first-glance similarities to the familiar Galaxy, stands apart and feels fresh and worthy of its creation. . . . Definitely read this." ―Stardust Pop

"A must-read." ―Michigan Avenue Magazine

About the Author

MICHAEL MORECI is a novelist and author of comic books, who was recently named in Newcity Lit's "Lit 50: Who Really Books in Chicago 2018." His comics include the critically acclaimed sci-fi trilogy Roche Limit and the military horror drama Burning Fields. He's also written Suicide Squad for DC, Planet of the Apes for Boom!, and his other original titles include Curse, Hoax Hunters, ReincarNATE, and Black Hole Repo. As a novelist, Michael is the author of Spy Swap, an espionage thriller for Tor/Forge. He lives in Chicago with his wife, two sons, and dog.
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Black Star Renegades
  2. Listening Length
    11 hours and 45 minutes
  3. Author
    Michael Moreci
  4. Narrator
    Dan Bittner
  5. Audible release date
    January 2, 2018
  6. Language
    English
  7. Publisher
    Macmillan Audio
  8. ASIN
    B077YMZZQS
  9. Version
    Unabridged
  10. Program Type
    Audiobook
  11. See all details
Next slide of product details

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Product details

Listening Length 11 hours and 45 minutes
Author Michael Moreci
Narrator Dan Bittner
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date January 02, 2018
Publisher Macmillan Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B077YMZZQS
Best Sellers Rank #206,362 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#3,240 in Space Opera Science Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#4,096 in Adventure Science Fiction
#12,540 in Space Operas

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
212 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book fun to read with awesome characters. They also say the plot is predictable. Opinions are mixed on the writing quality, with some finding it like a comic book and others saying it's bad.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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EnjoyabilityCharactersWriting qualityPlot
11 customers mention "Enjoyability"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, fun, and rollickingly fun. They also say it's a fantastic debut novel, and an amazing book.

"Black Star Renegades is a fast-paced, passionate ride through everything we love about popular sci-fi...." Read more

"...Such a great read and a fantastic debut novel!" Read more

"...of Cade Sura and his friends (well, friends after a fashion) are exhilarating and hilarious, a great look in on a new series that shows a lot of..." Read more

"Black Star Renegades is an amazing book! Moreci takes you on an awesome adventure through space, and keeps the pedal down the entire time...." Read more

3 customers mention "Characters"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters in the book awesome.

"...In my opinion, this is both good and bad, it makes it easy to like the characters and appreciate the parallels to SW, but at the same time it makes..." Read more

"...known for comics, Michael Moreci gears his talent for exciting, fun characters and disturbing, complex villains very well in "Black Star Renegades."..." Read more

"...like an epic movie while still building out a great world and awesome characters...." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book. Some say it reads like a comic book, while others say it's butchered and besmirched by bad writing.

"It's an OK book. The story has potential and it is what it purports to be, a love letter to Star Wars...." Read more

"...Almost reads like a screenplay, with droid for comic relief (K2SO copy) who is overpowered and takes everything literally (Drax copy)...." Read more

"...Such a great read and a fantastic debut novel!" Read more

"...Characters are one dimensional, and the writing is poor.Reads like bad fan fiction...." Read more

4 customers mention "Plot"0 positive4 negative

Customers find the plot predictable and bad attempt at a space opera.

"...appreciate the parallels to SW, but at the same time it makes it highly predictable...." Read more

"...It's not perfect, but it's fun. And, what more could you ask for in a space cowboy story? I am here for the sequel when it happens." Read more

"...But, this book was just a bad attempt at a space opera. Characters are one dimensional, and the writing is poor...." Read more

"...being butchered and besmirched by bad writing, with a side order of plot and logic errors, then this book is for you. Anyone else, run away!" Read more

A review, barely mentioning the book
2 Stars
A review, barely mentioning the book
As you look at this book cover at all closely you will note some things:It has a variety of SF items (spaceships etc.) that look like they were copied and pasted straight from the 70s and 80s. None of these items are doing anything, they're just for looks.The scale, sizes, and perspective is amateurishly random.The buildings don't serve any purpose.The weird temple looks more like comedy than religion.The human figures are stock, done with little skill and don't relate to one another. They also lack any sign of sex-appeal, meaning they aren't copied from the 70s.The lighting is fuzzy.BUT, despite these flaws (and more) if you don't look closely, or are very non critical, it's somewhat attractive. Or to sum up: Worth a glance, but not a long look...I have NEVER EVER seen a cover that so Perfectly represents the book it contains. In so many ways.Bottom line: I paid $1 for the hardback, if I can get the rest of the series for less... I might buy it.
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Top reviews from the United States

OMG JUNI
5.0 out of 5 stars Rollicking Homage to All That We Love About Pop Sci-Fi
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2020
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Black Star Renegades is a fast-paced, passionate ride through everything we love about popular sci-fi. Moreci captures the feeling we get from nostalgic franchises while crafting a new world and cast from the ground up. If you’re looking for a page-turner or the kind of story that would have killed as a mid-high-budget movie in the late eighties, Black Star Renegades is your book.
One person found this helpful
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Ropsu
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, not amazing, predictable plot.
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2018
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It's an OK book. The story has potential and it is what it purports to be, a love letter to Star Wars. In my opinion, this is both good and bad, it makes it easy to like the characters and appreciate the parallels to SW, but at the same time it makes it highly predictable. This being said, I will continue to read on as the series continues, the material is good and I'd like to see where the story goes, and how Moreci evolves as a book writer.
2 people found this helpful
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Debra Cohen @openbookpost
3.0 out of 5 stars Quest to save the galaxy
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2018
Galaxy hoping, space rebels, evil characters, pilots, friends, foes, robots, sword fights, backstabbing and an epic quest all take place in this book. The galaxy is at war and they need the "chosen one" foretold by legend, to swoop in and save the day. But what happens when the chosen one meets his demise, and another must step up to the plate?

Cade and his older brother, Tristan, are orphans who travel to the caves of Quarry on a mission. There tragedy strikes, and Cade is the sole survivor. He was supposed to walk out with his brother Tristan who was the chosen one, but they were not the only ones in the cave, which left Cade in possession of the Rokura (mystical weapon), and the responsibility to right wrongs and save the galaxy. Cade does not really want to be the "Paragon" and becomes a reluctant hero in this book.

First and foremost: My advice is to read the glossary. I put a book mark in the back of the book, so I could easily turn to the glossary when I had a question as to who a character was, etc. I found it helped me to keep track of everyone and the places they went, implements they used, etc. I didn't realize the book had a glossary initially. I wish I would have discovered the glossary in the very beginning of the book. I was struggling a little in the beginning of this book - keeping everything straight. I do not read a lot of sci-fi books and I have a hard time visualizing things/environments/etc and that do not "exist" so having the glossary helped immensely. Plus, characters and places have unusual words, so the glossary proved helpful again. Eventually, I did not need the glossary, but I did find it very helpful.

There is a lot of conflict in this book as one would expect with a "we-must-save-the-galaxy" book! There are battles, sword fights, revelations, and a rag tag group who ban together to save the day...errr, galaxy! The story is a little predictable but that should not deter anyone. Sometimes it is about the journey. This book is an homage to Star Wars and it shows. I think that this book should be read with that in mind. This book has a strong YA feel to it for me, which is not a critique or a bad thing whatsoever. I believe teens and sci-fi fans will enjoy this. I am not a big science fiction reader and I did struggle with parts of this book. Specifically, I struggled in the beginning but found as the book progressed, I enjoyed it more.

I received a copy of this book form the Author in exchange for an honest review.
3 people found this helpful
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Michael McMillian
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book.
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2018
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I was already impressed by Michael Moreci’s comic book work, but am blown away by his debut novel. If you love Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, or just good old fashioned break-neck paced action adventure story telling, look no further than BLACK STAR RENEGADES. Such a great read and a fantastic debut novel!
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Justin Kase
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and Thrilling
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2018
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Though he is mostly known for comics, Michael Moreci gears his talent for exciting, fun characters and disturbing, complex villains very well in "Black Star Renegades." What happens when the chosen one doesn't quite make it, and someone else has to take up the reins who has absolutely no idea what he's doing?

Part Spaceballs, part Star Wars, the misadventures of Cade Sura and his friends (well, friends after a fashion) are exhilarating and hilarious, a great look in on a new series that shows a lot of promise.

As a side note, Moreci includes a plethora of references to science fiction media. Part of the fun is in parsing out some of these references while enjoying the ride itself.

In all, a great read, and leaves readers looking forward to the sequel, We Are Mayhem.
2 people found this helpful
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DDS1737
5.0 out of 5 stars Black Star Renegades a must buy!
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2018
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Black Star Renegades is an amazing book! Moreci takes you on an awesome adventure through space, and keeps the pedal down the entire time. If you like Star Wars you’ll love this book. A must buy! Even if you don’t love Star Wars, still do yourself a favor and buy this book! It’s awesome!
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Kimberly Sing
2.0 out of 5 stars Derivative
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2019
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Unfortunately, there is nothing new here. Pick the last 5 sci-fi/fantasy novels or movies you saw, put them in a blender, and you get this book. Almost reads like a screenplay, with droid for comic relief (K2SO copy) who is overpowered and takes everything literally (Drax copy). Pass, and try to find something more original.
5 people found this helpful
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Ready Teddy63
4.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a comic book
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2020
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The story held my attention in the same way that Indiana Jones holds my attention. Our self-doubting protagonist is catapulted from crisis-to-crisis. The "ending" is not conclusive, which of course becomes the launching platform for the next yarn I would describe it as highly entertaining mind candy for those moments when you want something to read you don't have to think about.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun; a witty, action-packed, old school Sci-Fi!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2019
Verified Purchase
If you’re in the mood for an easy going romp, that puts its characters through the wringer, but is never without hope or a sense of fun then buckle up.

Michael Moreci’s Black Star Renegades is pacy, and involving. There are times that some elements feel skirted over but, knowing that this is the first in a planned series, this can pretty much be regarded as World building that will obviously be repaid in future volumes.

The writing is evocative, and I was able to visualise pretty much all the scenes, action and otherwise, as I devoured the novel. The characters are flawed and involving. The enigmatic Rokura, the mysterious all powerful weapon that drives the plot is more than just a McGuffin and actually seems to challenge those that covet it in ways I suspect we are only beginning to get a glimpse of.

There was more than enough involving character work, and exciting action pieces, to make me wish that the upcoming sequel was already released.
One person found this helpful
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