A Stage Over Ruthless Stars

by J.J. Clapton

Aznan is a chronically ill high school drop out living on a space station with an illness that hates gravity. But he's going to be a famous inventor… That's if he can win the biggest tech competition in the system. Held at his space station's circus, and judged by titans of industry, it's one massive showcase to demonstrate his homemade tech in front of a live audience.

To win, he'll need his ex-best friend's help. Kairo hasn't spoken to him in three years, not since he left school to join the circus as an aerialist, but Aznan can handle that. Oh, and the local favourites just turned up dead. That, not so much.

Everyone's saying sabotage. Murder and riches. A competition worth killing for.

And when a second team dies right in front of Aznan's eyes, the official reassurances of glitches and accidents no longer hold. The body count is rising. The Grand Showcase is blasting closer. With nobody willing to stop the show, Aznan and Kairo must unearth the truth or risk their lives with one final act.

Genres: Queer, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fiction

329 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2025

About the author

JJ Clapton is a queer, autistic writer of science fiction and fantasy across multiple age ranges. Originally from London, she grew up retreating from life into the stories in her head. When she became sick with a chronic illness as a teen, she relied on the stories to help her escape. JJ loves to write stories in which characters like her exist and have adventures even if she doesn’t get to have many herself. Apart from being an avid reader, she also loves to craft. She now lives in Lanzarote where she enjoys meowing at all the local cats (of which there are many!). And has a lovely, vicious, cute little cat of her own called Rocky.

Reviews

[Gretal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so happy to say this really worked for me. Sci-fi isn't a genre I always reach for or enjoy as much as others, but this was great! I loved the characters and the themes and especially the exploration of disability and chronic illness in a higher tech future.

[thwipy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an eARC!

A Stage Over Ruthless Stars is a novel with a very unique premise and setting: A tech competition held at a circus on a space station. Aznan, an inventor, would be top choice for the university of his dreams if he won—but winning means getting help from his old best friend Kairo, a circus performer who just wants to prove he’s worth keeping around. The real trouble arises when their competitors start ending up dead. But, as they say in the business, the show must go on…

I found this novel to be a standout among others in its genre. I’ve read circus books, competition plots, and (a lot of) outer space settings, but I’ve never seen something like this before. The worldbuilding is especially well thought out: It’s explained how heavier gravity affects Aznan’s disability, how the station is always alive and active because there is no default night and day, and how phrases like “thrown under the bus” are now “thrown out of the airlock”. Little things really make the world feel inhabited.

Aznan’s POTs (Orthostatic Intolerance in the novel) and ADHD as well as Kairo’s autism were very realistically portrayed, compared to my experience with all three. Everyone experiences these things differently, of course, but I felt they were quite close to my own familiarity with them. This representation in the novel was written respectfully, and I hope more authors in the future take Clapton’s route and write characters like these in their works. This novel proves any setting can include disabled and neurodivergent protagonists.

The tension really heats up ~50% due to an agonizing quasi-miscommunication, and it stays that way until the end.

The theme of everlasting friendship is woven into every interaction Aznan and Kairo have together, and although they have their ups and downs, it’s a very sweet relationship.

I definitely recommend this one, to anyone really. I think there are elements that can appeal to any reading style.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. The plot was pacy and interesting and I especially liked the design of the space station, but it was the characterisation which made this a 4* book for me (and I almost never give 5*). I felt I knew the central characters well and I was deeply invested in their story arcs. To weave the frustrations and limitations of chronic illness seamlessly through the story without it becoming the actual focus of the story was skilful and unique. A great first book.

[Catherine Clapton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing page turner 👏🏼 ❤ I rarely say that every chapter is nail-bitingly brilliant but this story about Az and Kai had me on the edge of my seat every time. I had to put the book down between chapters to stop my heart racing!! But the last 3 or 4 chapters were unstoppable I just couldn't put the book down! This is a must read and I can't wait to read more from this talented writer!
Also the acknowledgement/ author info at the end gives a great insight into the character building of the story.
I will definitely be recommending this to my book club👍

[Ev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved A Stage Over Ruthless Stars. The plot is great, the pacing is excellent, and I felt really invested in the main characters and their friendship. The book is written in dual point of view, alternating between Kairo and Aznan. This felt like a perfect choice; there are some key points of miscommunication which drive aspects of the plot and the insight into how both Kairo and Aznan had viewed the same interaction worked really well for exploring that.

As an autistic and adhd reader the representation I found in both main characters was incredibly important to me; there were points where the descriptions of their experiences really did feel like someone had reached into my brain and laid it out on page (in particular Az's emotional dysregulation and Kai's overstimulation). The exploration of self-worth (and fears about being worth keeping around) in the context of neurodivergence and disability really hit home for me. The character development and growth throughout the book was superbly written and came to a really emotionally satisfying conclusion by the end.

I'm incredibly excited to read more from this author in future!

[Sally Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHERE DO I START?!? I absolutely LOVED this book. I was lucky enough to get an early read and it was even better than I could have hoped for.

It's told in dual PoV and the character development is stunning. There's a brilliant, realistic and insightful portrayal of chronic illness, ADHD and autistic representation. And the plot. The PLOT. I was unbelievably invested, my heart in my mouth for much of the book. Set on a space station, Aznan and Kairo are both desperate to win the grand competition for their own differing futures. But the competitors are being picked off one by one, and their lives hang in the balance. Literally. Gripping and intense. I could not recommend this book more.

[AlexLikesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book with well-written characters. It was able to build and drag out tense moments so well I could barely put it down. Both Aznan and Kairo are easy to root for and watching how they interact with the world around them is one of my favourite parts of the entire book. Honestly, it's picky but the only reason I didn't give this a 5 is I was expecting (or coping) that Kairo and Aznan would get together to solidify their relationship for good but I don't hate the angle of Kairo learning that he has friends who care for him.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely positively amazing. Breathtaking prose and an immersive story to begin 2025.

Full review to come!