Sally Dickson

The worldbuilding is where the novel shines: the Dome Militant's rituals, the poison medallions, and the sharp divide between Domeside grandeur and fashion-house attics are fully realized, and a Cinderella-style current runs underneath, with Guy dragged from poverty into a glittering world he never chose. Fans of YA space opera with a Cinderella-meetsEnder's Game flavor will find plenty to love here.

love how the narrative flows naturally from the intense action of space combat tests to the fancy atmosphere of upper-class military banquets. You get heavily invested in the characters, particularly the strong friendships and shared courage that grows between Guy and his squad mates when they are forced to board the enemy ship. The plot keeps you hooked even during the milder moments in London as Guy tries to unravel the puzzle of his birth records. The climax inside the Artemis space platform

https://bookreviewdirectory.com/2026/04/28/born-of-empire-editorial-review/ Title: Born of Empire Author: Sally Ann Melia Genre: YA / Science Fiction Born of Empire introduces the reader to two boys on the cusp of turning fourteen in a future empire of twelve planets, the Dodecahedral. Prince Teodor, shortly to become King of Earth, the second planet in the Dodecahedral, and, if he survives to eighteen, Emperor of the entire Dodecahedral Empire. Guy Erma, who wants to join the Dome...