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The Cendrillon Cycle #3
The Star Bell
Elsa Vogel has left her cinder’s life behind to sail with her companions aboard the Sovereign as it embarks on an exploratory mission. The crew’s destination is past the star bell, the last marker of civilization, into uncharted territory.
Elsa is determined to find out what lies beyond the star bell or perish in the attempt. But life aboard a Fleet frigate isn't at all how she dreamed, and old ties to the Tremaine Mining Company—and to her past on Anser—are not so easily severed.
Pick up the story where A Cinder's Tale, published in the internationally best-selling anthology Five Glass Slippers , left off! And don't miss the first volume in The Cendrillon Cycle, The Battle of Castle Nebula .
Elsa is determined to find out what lies beyond the star bell or perish in the attempt. But life aboard a Fleet frigate isn't at all how she dreamed, and old ties to the Tremaine Mining Company—and to her past on Anser—are not so easily severed.
Pick up the story where A Cinder's Tale, published in the internationally best-selling anthology Five Glass Slippers , left off! And don't miss the first volume in The Cendrillon Cycle, The Battle of Castle Nebula .
336 pages, Paperback
Published May 27, 2016
214 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Ricker
7 books107 followersStephanie is the internationally bestselling author of A Cinder's Tale, published in the Five Glass Slippers anthology. The story continues in The Cendrillon Cycle, a series of novellas set in the same universe. Volume 1,
The Battle of Castle Nebula
, released in December of 2014, and
The Star Bell
launched in May of 2016.
Stephanie enjoys reading books and climbing trees (simultaneously, whenever possible). If forced to choose her favorite books, she would pick Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dune by Frank Herbert. All three are desert-island novels: long enough to keep her happy for a good while, and heavy enough to kill small animals with, if she were hungry. Stephanie adores the cold and the snow, but lives in North Carolina anyway with her incomparable husband. She enjoys archery, hiking, canoeing, and exploring with friends.
Stephanie enjoys reading books and climbing trees (simultaneously, whenever possible). If forced to choose her favorite books, she would pick Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dune by Frank Herbert. All three are desert-island novels: long enough to keep her happy for a good while, and heavy enough to kill small animals with, if she were hungry. Stephanie adores the cold and the snow, but lives in North Carolina anyway with her incomparable husband. She enjoys archery, hiking, canoeing, and exploring with friends.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 14, 2016
This story was everything I hoped it would be! Lots of interesting connections to the previous two stories in the Cendrillon Cycle, but plenty of new adventure and new characters as well. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but let me say that the world-building was, as always, top notch, the excitement was gripping, and the characters (always Stephanie Ricker’s strongest point) were fascinating and endearing by turns. I particularly liked the passages concerning exploration of the new planet, but also really enjoyed the twists and turns of the climax. (Did NOT see that particular character coming! Such a cool tie-in to “A Cinder’s Tale,” and yet so unexpected!)
I am seriously hoping for more in the series. This story ends satisfactorily, but I can’t help but think there is plenty more adventure to be had for everyone. The world only gets more compelling with each story told, and I don’t feel ready to say goodbye to these characters yet . . .
I am seriously hoping for more in the series. This story ends satisfactorily, but I can’t help but think there is plenty more adventure to be had for everyone. The world only gets more compelling with each story told, and I don’t feel ready to say goodbye to these characters yet . . .
December 13, 2016
I cannot even express how much I’ve enjoyed “The Cendrillon Cycle” books by Stephanie Ricker. I don’t even normally think of myself as a sci-fi reader—I tend to watch sci-fi on TV than I read it—but these books have been exactly the kind of sci-fi that I do like reading. One of the things I’ve liked the most about these books is the characters. Elsa and her friends are so likable and fun. If I were a space traveler, I would want to be best friends with them!
In “The Star Bell” we find out what happened to Elsa and co. after the events in “A Cinder’s Tale” (which can be found in the “Five Glass Slippers” anthology, in case you want to go read it. And you definitely should read it. Now. No, seriously, why are you still here? Go. Read it right now, and read “The Battle of Castle Nebula” too, while you’re at it. Then come back and read this one.) I don’t want to say too much about what happened in this book because part of the fun of this story was discovering things alongside the characters, but there’s action, adventure, political intrigue, space exploration, crazy-awesome space animals, a murder mystery, and a little touch of sweet, clean, romance. What more could you want?
My only complaint is that the story ended. I didn’t want it to end! And I really, Really, REALLY hope these characters’ adventures aren’t truly over yet because I want sooooooo very much to know what happens next! If I give Stephanie Ricker the puppy dog eyes, do you think she’ll write more stories? ‘Cuz I’m gonna do it.
How could you say no to that face?
For those who want to know: There is a little swearing in this book, but it is infrequent and mild. Never anything worse than d**n or h***. There is also action violence, but it never gets graphic or bloody. You know how the violence was in Star Trek: The Original series? It’s basically like that. I would recommend this book to a wide range of readers, except perhaps very young children, simply because of the language. But otherwise, I think lots of people would enjoy this book!
P.S. My mom also sends her recommendation. When I bought this book and the one before it, she literally snatched them away and read them herself before I could because she enjoys them too!
In “The Star Bell” we find out what happened to Elsa and co. after the events in “A Cinder’s Tale” (which can be found in the “Five Glass Slippers” anthology, in case you want to go read it. And you definitely should read it. Now. No, seriously, why are you still here? Go. Read it right now, and read “The Battle of Castle Nebula” too, while you’re at it. Then come back and read this one.) I don’t want to say too much about what happened in this book because part of the fun of this story was discovering things alongside the characters, but there’s action, adventure, political intrigue, space exploration, crazy-awesome space animals, a murder mystery, and a little touch of sweet, clean, romance. What more could you want?
My only complaint is that the story ended. I didn’t want it to end! And I really, Really, REALLY hope these characters’ adventures aren’t truly over yet because I want sooooooo very much to know what happens next! If I give Stephanie Ricker the puppy dog eyes, do you think she’ll write more stories? ‘Cuz I’m gonna do it.
How could you say no to that face?
For those who want to know: There is a little swearing in this book, but it is infrequent and mild. Never anything worse than d**n or h***. There is also action violence, but it never gets graphic or bloody. You know how the violence was in Star Trek: The Original series? It’s basically like that. I would recommend this book to a wide range of readers, except perhaps very young children, simply because of the language. But otherwise, I think lots of people would enjoy this book!
P.S. My mom also sends her recommendation. When I bought this book and the one before it, she literally snatched them away and read them herself before I could because she enjoys them too!
September 11, 2016
I really enjoyed this story. Great continuation from "The Cinder's Tale" and connects back to events in "The Battle of Castle Nebula." It starts a little slow, but stick with it and discover a fun and action-packed sci-fi story!
May 19, 2016
The only thing better than nautical adventures, are nautical adventures IN SPACE!
The Star Bell is significantly larger than the first book (and subsequent short story), but even so, it moves by at a fast clip. There's a lot of action going on here, and Ricker knows how to end a chapter with a good cliffhanger. Expect to read for longer than you intended.
My favorite part of the previous Cendrillon stories was the world building, and Ricker does not disappoint here. Hardly a chapter goes by without the reveal of something new and weird. You feel like an explorer along with the cast.
And I wasn't kidding about the nautical adventures. The CS Forester influences are clearly evident. Her starships aren't powered by drives, but Cendrillon sails that require rigging and manual adjustment. Besides being a cool idea, it gives the cast something else to do besides fiddle with consoles, only adding to the tension.
The first and second halves could well have been their own separate books. About halfway, the characters rush off to a new plot that is almost entirely disconnected from the initial one. Had it been more clearly delimited with a PART II, I might not have noticed at all.
The Star Bell provides some much-needed resolution to the series, and it wraps things up in a satisfying way. That's not to say that it's over, there's plenty of room for sequels (nudge nudge)!
The Star Bell is significantly larger than the first book (and subsequent short story), but even so, it moves by at a fast clip. There's a lot of action going on here, and Ricker knows how to end a chapter with a good cliffhanger. Expect to read for longer than you intended.
My favorite part of the previous Cendrillon stories was the world building, and Ricker does not disappoint here. Hardly a chapter goes by without the reveal of something new and weird. You feel like an explorer along with the cast.
And I wasn't kidding about the nautical adventures. The CS Forester influences are clearly evident. Her starships aren't powered by drives, but Cendrillon sails that require rigging and manual adjustment. Besides being a cool idea, it gives the cast something else to do besides fiddle with consoles, only adding to the tension.
The first and second halves could well have been their own separate books. About halfway, the characters rush off to a new plot that is almost entirely disconnected from the initial one. Had it been more clearly delimited with a PART II, I might not have noticed at all.
The Star Bell provides some much-needed resolution to the series, and it wraps things up in a satisfying way. That's not to say that it's over, there's plenty of room for sequels (nudge nudge)!
November 20, 2023
Reread: I'm not sure I've ever read a sci fi story that so perfectly fits my fictional tastes. Space opera with enough realism to feel plausible without descending into techy jargon, a well-developed world that's complex without throwing in too many pieces, and vivid characters who are sensible, well-adjusted people. The parts with Elsa exploring her place on the ship and on the new planet are my favorite, feeling like episodes of a great tv series. The investigation thread is interesting, but a little jarring given the focus of the rest of the story. The ending still feels abrupt, and a little like the characters are taking these world-shattering events too casually--there's going to be a *lot* of fallout from this--but it's still a fantastic story worth five stars that makes me wish there was a long-running series beyond this book.
I love these characters and this universe. (I find myself wishing for a TV series because then I'd get a new story every week). Loved the way this continued the journey of the characters from "A Cinder's Tale" in unexpected ways, and the way it expanded the universe. The ending felt abrupt (I checked to make sure I hadn't missed a chapter at the end), but was mostly satisfying. But there'd better be more books coming! It'd be cruel to end it here!
I love these characters and this universe. (I find myself wishing for a TV series because then I'd get a new story every week). Loved the way this continued the journey of the characters from "A Cinder's Tale" in unexpected ways, and the way it expanded the universe. The ending felt abrupt (I checked to make sure I hadn't missed a chapter at the end), but was mostly satisfying. But there'd better be more books coming! It'd be cruel to end it here!
February 8, 2026
The Star Bell is a captivating continuation of Elsa Vogel’s journey, blending wonder, danger, and emotional depth beyond the edge of known space. Stephanie Ricker expands the world beautifully, delivering rich world-building, strong character growth, and a sense of adventure that keeps you turning pages. A must-read for fans of A Cinder’s Tale and imaginative sci-fi fantasy.
September 15, 2025
This picks up where “A Cinders Tale” leaves off. I enjoyed this a great deal more than “The Battle of Castle Nebula”. The supporting characters were well written and I loved the continuance of the story. Would love to see this series continue.
June 3, 2022
A compelling finale! Threads from the first two stories tied together neatly and interspesed with exciting and unexpected adventures. I'd watch a series of further Sovereign exploits, to be sure. My one complaint was that the chapters were long, so in trying to get to a good stopping point, once the climactic elemented started chaining together, I finished it faster than I meant to. ;)
Also, the whole trilogy felt like a blend and extension of so many beloved sci fi tales that I created a playlist for optimal immersion. Please accept my homage: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ev...
Also, the whole trilogy felt like a blend and extension of so many beloved sci fi tales that I created a playlist for optimal immersion. Please accept my homage: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ev...
August 19, 2016
Are you ready for a nautical adventure set in the vastness of space, charted and uncharted?
'The Star Bell' is the third installment in Stephanie Ricker's highly-intriguing series The Cendrillon Cycle. For readers who are new to the series, it would be best if you start with "A Cinder's Tale," a short story published in the 'Five Glass Slippers' anthology, and continue to the next installment in the series, a novella entitled "The Battle of Castle Nebula," before embarking on this volume; otherwise you will be quite confused.
'Star Bell' opens on Elsa's unexpected struggles to integrate herself into the Fleet, a task which she had not anticipated would be as difficult as it turns out to be. It doesn't help that every other member of her tight-knit group of friends seems to have settled right in. Soon, however, Elsa's attention is drawn to matters outside herself: her ship, the Sovereign, is preparing for a year-long exploratory voyage into previously-uncharted space, and an old friend from Anser arrives on board just in time to make waves in more than one of Elsa's relationships. Most important of all, however, is the ghost of Elsa's past, which comes back to haunt her in unexpected ways with repercussions that will shake the Common Union to its core.
Ricker's immersion in established nautical and science fiction rings through every part of Star Bell. The influence of C.S. Forester is felt every time a character steps outside to work on the rigging. (Yes, rigging on a spaceship. I am deeply regretting my lack of knowledge in physics in reading this book.) The Fleet's mission of exploration and scientific discovery makes the reader want to go back and watch old Star Trek favorites, and be sure to watch out for the Firefly reference near the end.
There are only a few faults to be found with Star Bell. One is that the book felt rather rushed, even compressed; it seemed like one big event happened right after another throughout the entire book, with little breathing room allowed in between for characters (and the reader) to do anything besides catch their breath.
This relates to my second quibble: with so many things happening in so little time (or so few pages, relatively speaking), there is almost no time for the new characters to develop properly. The person who turned out to be the villain was a static, one-dimensional character suspicious from the moment of introduction. With such little development, the only really surprising thing about the character was the relationship to Elsa personally. There is a debate among writers as to which type of story is better, plot-driven or character-driven, and my personal preference is for the character-driven work; readers who favor plot may not notice this issue as much as I did.
Even with these quibbles, however, I thoroughly enjoyed The Star Bell, and I was sad to see it end. I heartily recommend it to fans nautical and science fictional, old and new.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
'The Star Bell' is the third installment in Stephanie Ricker's highly-intriguing series The Cendrillon Cycle. For readers who are new to the series, it would be best if you start with "A Cinder's Tale," a short story published in the 'Five Glass Slippers' anthology, and continue to the next installment in the series, a novella entitled "The Battle of Castle Nebula," before embarking on this volume; otherwise you will be quite confused.
'Star Bell' opens on Elsa's unexpected struggles to integrate herself into the Fleet, a task which she had not anticipated would be as difficult as it turns out to be. It doesn't help that every other member of her tight-knit group of friends seems to have settled right in. Soon, however, Elsa's attention is drawn to matters outside herself: her ship, the Sovereign, is preparing for a year-long exploratory voyage into previously-uncharted space, and an old friend from Anser arrives on board just in time to make waves in more than one of Elsa's relationships. Most important of all, however, is the ghost of Elsa's past, which comes back to haunt her in unexpected ways with repercussions that will shake the Common Union to its core.
Ricker's immersion in established nautical and science fiction rings through every part of Star Bell. The influence of C.S. Forester is felt every time a character steps outside to work on the rigging. (Yes, rigging on a spaceship. I am deeply regretting my lack of knowledge in physics in reading this book.) The Fleet's mission of exploration and scientific discovery makes the reader want to go back and watch old Star Trek favorites, and be sure to watch out for the Firefly reference near the end.
There are only a few faults to be found with Star Bell. One is that the book felt rather rushed, even compressed; it seemed like one big event happened right after another throughout the entire book, with little breathing room allowed in between for characters (and the reader) to do anything besides catch their breath.
This relates to my second quibble: with so many things happening in so little time (or so few pages, relatively speaking), there is almost no time for the new characters to develop properly. The person who turned out to be the villain was a static, one-dimensional character suspicious from the moment of introduction. With such little development, the only really surprising thing about the character was the relationship to Elsa personally. There is a debate among writers as to which type of story is better, plot-driven or character-driven, and my personal preference is for the character-driven work; readers who favor plot may not notice this issue as much as I did.
Even with these quibbles, however, I thoroughly enjoyed The Star Bell, and I was sad to see it end. I heartily recommend it to fans nautical and science fictional, old and new.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2016
This is the most fully realized of the three volumes in the Cendrillon Cycle thus far. Ricker, as author, manages a fascinating juggling act in this volume in particular. Still present are the fairy tale origins to the story, but cloaked inside the genre-robe of science fiction and space travel. So, what we have here is a unique story and a third part of (thus far) a trilogy of tales that has the arduous task of furthering the story, telling us things we did not know so far, and, as trilogies tend to do, letting us know certain things we thought we knew we were mistaken about.
Though the author claims the work to be imperfect, I have to give Ricker credit for the mastery of her craft. Her science fiction elements have the grit, analytics, and specifications of an Asimov or Heinlein. The fantasy plot points and set pieces are well-imagined, intriguing, and, if anything, underemployed in my opinion. The characters she employs and the dialogue they have between one another is striking to me. None of her characters are ignorant or talk with anything other than near perfect intelligence and politeness with few notable exceptions. This reminds me of Tolkien's works, and here, as within his works, it serves to band the characters together more closely and show the juxtaposition and impact of the harsh environs on the otherwise sensible and intelligent characters. It does not go unnoticed.
The author did a great job of pacing throughout the novel. Many of the chapters end on a cliffhanger, tantalizing the reader to just read a bit more. Just savor a bit more. I feel like that was my feeling after completing the novel. I wanted more. Sometimes this can be a bad thing with a novel, but I think I wanted more for the right reasons. The book ends in such a way that it can be the jumping off point for another novel or another series of novels. The political, military, and romantic implications of the ending leave open near endless options for creativity and intrigue for future generations of readers. I think, in time, this author will pay off that expectation and desire to learn more about the extraordinary universe she has crafted. At least, that's my hope.
Though the author claims the work to be imperfect, I have to give Ricker credit for the mastery of her craft. Her science fiction elements have the grit, analytics, and specifications of an Asimov or Heinlein. The fantasy plot points and set pieces are well-imagined, intriguing, and, if anything, underemployed in my opinion. The characters she employs and the dialogue they have between one another is striking to me. None of her characters are ignorant or talk with anything other than near perfect intelligence and politeness with few notable exceptions. This reminds me of Tolkien's works, and here, as within his works, it serves to band the characters together more closely and show the juxtaposition and impact of the harsh environs on the otherwise sensible and intelligent characters. It does not go unnoticed.
The author did a great job of pacing throughout the novel. Many of the chapters end on a cliffhanger, tantalizing the reader to just read a bit more. Just savor a bit more. I feel like that was my feeling after completing the novel. I wanted more. Sometimes this can be a bad thing with a novel, but I think I wanted more for the right reasons. The book ends in such a way that it can be the jumping off point for another novel or another series of novels. The political, military, and romantic implications of the ending leave open near endless options for creativity and intrigue for future generations of readers. I think, in time, this author will pay off that expectation and desire to learn more about the extraordinary universe she has crafted. At least, that's my hope.
October 3, 2016
This book did not disappoint. For the third book in the series, the plot simultaneously expands and answers old questions. It is also the longest book to date and makes me wonder fiercely where the story will go next. Elsa and her faithful team end up exploring far reaches of space, old mysteries from their past, and how far they can trust each another.
How many fellow fans are there for this Cendrillon Cycle? I want to know if you also wanted to see how much closer Elsa and Karl would become, how far Bruno's and Elsa's father/daughter bond could stretch, and what exactly The Sovereign is capable of. The Star Bell answers a lot: What are Kasimir Sails? How did Elsa's dad die? Is the Fleet meant for exploration of the stars or an unseen, foreboding war? In truth, the story may take too much on. It wouldn't have hurt if it were published as two shorter books. But the characters are genuine, the dialogue is clever and energizing, and the plot now spans multiple planets and spacecraft. As I said, the book does not disappoint.
How many fellow fans are there for this Cendrillon Cycle? I want to know if you also wanted to see how much closer Elsa and Karl would become, how far Bruno's and Elsa's father/daughter bond could stretch, and what exactly The Sovereign is capable of. The Star Bell answers a lot: What are Kasimir Sails? How did Elsa's dad die? Is the Fleet meant for exploration of the stars or an unseen, foreboding war? In truth, the story may take too much on. It wouldn't have hurt if it were published as two shorter books. But the characters are genuine, the dialogue is clever and energizing, and the plot now spans multiple planets and spacecraft. As I said, the book does not disappoint.
June 5, 2016
Star Bell was an enjoyable story. The imagery is beautiful and i love her design for the ships. Tt reminds me a bit of something out of treasure planet, maybe.
The only reason i'm not giving it a full five stars is for the language. I was very disappointed to find at least four instances of H*** and two D***. This was jarring and completely unnecessary. It rather ruined what otherwise would have been a wonderful tale.
The only reason i'm not giving it a full five stars is for the language. I was very disappointed to find at least four instances of H*** and two D***. This was jarring and completely unnecessary. It rather ruined what otherwise would have been a wonderful tale.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews