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Paladins of the Republic #1
The Inevitable Singularity
Sean is a mercenary who works as the bodyguard of Grand Master Caila of the Order of the Paladins of the Republic. A fact that the entire Order, except for Caila herself, resents deeply since they kicked Sean out almost twenty years earlier. It doesn’t help matters that Caila has taken a vow of Celibacy, but everyone knows that she and Sean have feelings for each other.
Sean’s presence is only tolerated because Caila is the official Seer of the Paladin Order. While all Paladins can see the future to a limited extent, Caila’s gift with foresight exceeds even the head of the order.
But when a mine destroys Caila’s ship just as they arrive in the Ptolemy system to settle a dispute over a hyperspace route, it quickly becomes clear that someone doesn’t want their mission to succeed.
With only Reagan, a Paladin with a personal grudge against Sean for support, Sean and Caila make their way to Ptolemy, recruiting allies along the way to help them complete their mission, but each time they look into the future, Caila sees a vision showing her that Ptolemy will be reduced to a lifeless cinder if they leave, and Sean receives a warning that Caila will die if they stay.
Can they avoid disaster, or will Caila be forced to sacrifice herself to save an entire world?
Sean’s presence is only tolerated because Caila is the official Seer of the Paladin Order. While all Paladins can see the future to a limited extent, Caila’s gift with foresight exceeds even the head of the order.
But when a mine destroys Caila’s ship just as they arrive in the Ptolemy system to settle a dispute over a hyperspace route, it quickly becomes clear that someone doesn’t want their mission to succeed.
With only Reagan, a Paladin with a personal grudge against Sean for support, Sean and Caila make their way to Ptolemy, recruiting allies along the way to help them complete their mission, but each time they look into the future, Caila sees a vision showing her that Ptolemy will be reduced to a lifeless cinder if they leave, and Sean receives a warning that Caila will die if they stay.
Can they avoid disaster, or will Caila be forced to sacrifice herself to save an entire world?
ebook
First published November 21, 2023
12 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Molly J. Bragg
9 books202 followersI’m a trans woman with a degree in Astro-physics and a love of storytelling. I love science fiction, superheroes, and giant robots. My hobbies include collecting transformers, watching way too many crafting videos on YouTube, and complaining bitterly about the way a certain comic book company treats my favorite superhero.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 26, 2023
i have a broken brain and can barely remember what i read a month ago but i think this might be my favourite from the last year or so.
11/10
11/10
December 4, 2023
3.5 Stars
A copy of the book was provided to Sapphic Book Club in exchange for an honest review.
The Inevitable Singularity follows Sean, a paladin bodyguard for her protectee/long standing pining buddy, Calia. Sean has spent years protecting Calia and working for an organization that hates her, all in the hope that Calia will one day embrace the emotions between them. Calia, the only true seer amongst the paladins, has been tasked with resolving a dispute between two worlds. However, not everything is as routine as they were thinking, resulting in Calia, Sean, and another paladin stranded and fighting to right the balance.
Prophecies/seer stories are hit or miss for me. A well written seer story can be very mysterious and enjoyable but sometimes they can be overly convoluted or too vague to be useful to the story. I actually like how seers and their powers are described here. They are portrayed as possibilities not certainties, with room for choices to influence outcomes and directions. However, it became obvious early on that one of the MC's was not going to survive.
MAJOR SPOILERS
At first, it seemed like Sean may not make it, but it quickly became clear that Calia was not meant to survive the encounter they were gearing up for. Which was heartbreaking because this of course happened right after Calia decided to leave the paladins and live the rest of her life with Sean, just as Sean wanted. This is important for me, because I am a happily-ever-after reader and not a fan of bittersweet books. While this is expected to be 6 books in the series, and there is a good chance that Sean and Calia were never the happily-ever-after pairing, but instead Sean and Gwen. However with Calia still around (maybe?), who knows where it is going and I find myself uncertain if I want to continue until the entire series is out. I have loved Braggs books, and while I am hopeful this will all work out, I have a feeling its going to get depressing before the end.
All in all, the book was well written and I like how the seers powers worked but I find myself hesitant about whether the series will ultimately be the happy book that I personally want out of my books.
A copy of the book was provided to Sapphic Book Club in exchange for an honest review.
The Inevitable Singularity follows Sean, a paladin bodyguard for her protectee/long standing pining buddy, Calia. Sean has spent years protecting Calia and working for an organization that hates her, all in the hope that Calia will one day embrace the emotions between them. Calia, the only true seer amongst the paladins, has been tasked with resolving a dispute between two worlds. However, not everything is as routine as they were thinking, resulting in Calia, Sean, and another paladin stranded and fighting to right the balance.
Prophecies/seer stories are hit or miss for me. A well written seer story can be very mysterious and enjoyable but sometimes they can be overly convoluted or too vague to be useful to the story. I actually like how seers and their powers are described here. They are portrayed as possibilities not certainties, with room for choices to influence outcomes and directions. However, it became obvious early on that one of the MC's was not going to survive.
MAJOR SPOILERS
At first, it seemed like Sean may not make it, but it quickly became clear that Calia was not meant to survive the encounter they were gearing up for. Which was heartbreaking because this of course happened right after Calia decided to leave the paladins and live the rest of her life with Sean, just as Sean wanted. This is important for me, because I am a happily-ever-after reader and not a fan of bittersweet books. While this is expected to be 6 books in the series, and there is a good chance that Sean and Calia were never the happily-ever-after pairing, but instead Sean and Gwen. However with Calia still around (maybe?), who knows where it is going and I find myself uncertain if I want to continue until the entire series is out. I have loved Braggs books, and while I am hopeful this will all work out, I have a feeling its going to get depressing before the end.
All in all, the book was well written and I like how the seers powers worked but I find myself hesitant about whether the series will ultimately be the happy book that I personally want out of my books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2024
My inclination is to describe this as Star Wars done right?
In any case, it’s got some Star Wars (think of a null lance as a lightsaber and you’ll be good to go), some generic space opera (struggles over the future of various planets in the Republic, invasion fleets being readied, while the heroines arrive in a junker and avoid certain death via an escape pod), some military sci-fi (sniper cannon and elaborate personal armor), but at its heart it’s about the characters.
Sean, who carries much of the story, was kicked out of the Paladin order young. And now, she’s essentially the one that the fate of many things relies on. Never trust those organizations to identify and support the most promising youngsters, eh? So they’re busy looking down on her while she’s busy saving the planet, the galaxy, the whatever. The thing is, she carries that weight well.
Though one of the mystical powers available to Paladins is seeing into the future, at best it comes down to possibilities and probabilities, and that element was handled well too. It ends up giving Sean just enough information to be difficult, rarely enough to make her choices clear.
Meanwhile, we’ve got Reagan and Caila, both in the order, both with complex relationships with Sean, which are revealed over the course of the book. Then there’s the Red Lady, and eventually Gwen, Miriam, Ren, and, of course, the villains. All of those characters were well done, and in many cases we learn important things about them as well as the story progresses.
The scenery was great as well, from various kinds of ships to human and alien cities and bases to outdoor battles and more. It definitely felt like a fully-formed galaxy, though we only saw a tiny fraction of it in person.
All in all, it was a hard book to put down. And though it’s not a cliffhanger, there are enough open issues that I’m really looking forward to the next book.
In any case, it’s got some Star Wars (think of a null lance as a lightsaber and you’ll be good to go), some generic space opera (struggles over the future of various planets in the Republic, invasion fleets being readied, while the heroines arrive in a junker and avoid certain death via an escape pod), some military sci-fi (sniper cannon and elaborate personal armor), but at its heart it’s about the characters.
Sean, who carries much of the story, was kicked out of the Paladin order young. And now, she’s essentially the one that the fate of many things relies on. Never trust those organizations to identify and support the most promising youngsters, eh? So they’re busy looking down on her while she’s busy saving the planet, the galaxy, the whatever. The thing is, she carries that weight well.
Though one of the mystical powers available to Paladins is seeing into the future, at best it comes down to possibilities and probabilities, and that element was handled well too. It ends up giving Sean just enough information to be difficult, rarely enough to make her choices clear.
Meanwhile, we’ve got Reagan and Caila, both in the order, both with complex relationships with Sean, which are revealed over the course of the book. Then there’s the Red Lady, and eventually Gwen, Miriam, Ren, and, of course, the villains. All of those characters were well done, and in many cases we learn important things about them as well as the story progresses.
The scenery was great as well, from various kinds of ships to human and alien cities and bases to outdoor battles and more. It definitely felt like a fully-formed galaxy, though we only saw a tiny fraction of it in person.
All in all, it was a hard book to put down. And though it’s not a cliffhanger, there are enough open issues that I’m really looking forward to the next book.
February 17, 2024
I was drawn to the science fiction theme when I bought this book and really enjoyed it.
The first few chapters were a bit difficult because of so many strange things, new words, new concepts, but after getting through them, they become clearer - I got through half the book before I really understood what a "null lance" was.
I could easily imagine the different worlds, the order of paladins. A fine description of the world of Leucomela.
Anyway, this is an excellent science fiction book, about the struggle between feelings and the right choice.
Will you choose to save one person, "the only one", or will you save millions of people you don't know, and be prepared to face up to your choice?
A very interesting way of talking about the ability to see, to predict the future.
I look forward to the sequel.
The first few chapters were a bit difficult because of so many strange things, new words, new concepts, but after getting through them, they become clearer - I got through half the book before I really understood what a "null lance" was.
I could easily imagine the different worlds, the order of paladins. A fine description of the world of Leucomela.
Anyway, this is an excellent science fiction book, about the struggle between feelings and the right choice.
Will you choose to save one person, "the only one", or will you save millions of people you don't know, and be prepared to face up to your choice?
A very interesting way of talking about the ability to see, to predict the future.
I look forward to the sequel.
March 3, 2024
4.5
I BLOODY LOVE MOLLY J. BRAGG! All her books have been completely different from the last and i've loved every 1. I'd dont even care that I sometimes dont quite get all the sciency stuff lol. This 1 had destiny/fate, life long love, saving the universe. Need I go on. The twist about 2/3 in nearly broke me. Like Molly how could you!! I desperately need #2, I need to know what happens next.
I BLOODY LOVE MOLLY J. BRAGG! All her books have been completely different from the last and i've loved every 1. I'd dont even care that I sometimes dont quite get all the sciency stuff lol. This 1 had destiny/fate, life long love, saving the universe. Need I go on. The twist about 2/3 in nearly broke me. Like Molly how could you!! I desperately need #2, I need to know what happens next.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews