Sneak Peek for The Demon Star

“The genre hybridization—particularly the utilization of horror elements—is an undeniable selling point. Comparable to John Meaney’s cult classic Bone Song (2008) in its hellish descriptions and stygian atmospherics, Aragon’s prose creates a highly immersive reading experience.” —Kirkus Reviews

“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, author of The Emperor’s Blades

“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, author of Behooved

“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, Nebula Award-winning author of The Dragonfly Gambit

“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, author of The Gryphon King

“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, author of Under Fortunate Stars

“This had it all and covered a span of genres like sci-fi, fantasy, and horror; how Aragon managed to take so many different aspects of things I love and combine them into a fearless, action-packed and thought-provoking story is a mystery, but The Demon Star did it all. And most importantly, did it well. I cannot recommend this book enough. It felt like I was living the story in my mind whenever I closed my eyes, and the ways in which Aragon twisted phrases felt like something unique and new.” —Grimdark Magazine