Slow-burn romances abound in these queer space operas
by Shuyler Clark
All too often, stories with promising premises can be bogged down by underwhelming or undeveloped romance. These two science fiction novels strike a balance between plot and relationships with minimal sacrifice.
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer
With Earth succumbing to climate change, the planet is quickly becoming uninhabitable. A spacefarer travels to Saturn’s moon Titan, the nearest habitable landscape, only to face unknown peril shortly after her arrival. In an attempt to retrieve the spacefarer, humanity’s two remaining countries send out one delegate apiece on their high-tech spaceship, the Coordinated Endeavor.
Ambrose and Kodiak are complete strangers forced to trust each other despite their countries’ tensions. However, both soon realize that they may have worse problems than each other’s company lurking within the Coordinated Endeavor itself.
Behind this title’s slow but steady beginning is a plot laced with twist after twist, each one skillfully developing the suspense and stakes. Although Ambrose and Kodiak’s relationship is robustly developed as well, the untold mysteries behind their voyage are this book’s greatest strength. Considering teen fiction often features unsatisfying romances against standard writing tropes, The Darkness Outside Us presents a refreshing narrative that still carries the familiar tone of a young adult tale. Readers may want tissues ready for the novel’s heart-wrenching moments.
Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
People have always considered Kiem a useless prince, not good for much other than appealing to the masses as a happy-go-lucky simpleton. He doesn’t seem like the ideal candidate for an arranged political marriage, but that is what he finds himself thrust into following his cousin Taam’s untimely death.
As Kiem and Jainan, Taam’s widowed husband, struggle to connect in the wake of their sudden communion, they learn that Taam’s death may have been no accident; because of that, the fate of a critical treaty between the planets of their star system hangs in the balance. In order to renew the treaty, Kiem and Jainan have to solve the mystery of Taam’s death while sorting out their feelings for each other.
Whereas The Darkness Outside Us complemented its plot with romance, Winter’s Orbit goes all out on Kiem’s and Jainan’s slow-burn relationship. Through the use of multiple perspectives, readers gain insight into each character’s viewpoint of the other. This paves the way for entertaining, if somewhat excessive, dramatic irony as Kiem and Jainan constantly misread each other. This strategy in turn helps amplify their individual character arcs, which are at times more satisfying than the romance itself. Although billed as an adult novel, the romantic aspects stay out of risque territory; however, readers may find brief depictions of sexual abuse disturbing.
Summary
Readers who appreciate slower, character-driven storytelling will enjoy these reads. Of note in both works is the embracing of diversity, particularly in regards to gender identity as well as sexual orientation. Both Schrefer and Maxwell envision futures where humanity is striving toward inclusivity, showing optimism for our own future.
Shuyler Clark is a graduate of Stockbridge High School and Lansing Community College. When she is not reading or writing, she can be found snuggling with her birds.
