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Maurice Broaddus
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Sweep of Stars (Astra Black Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Maurice Broaddus (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 35 ratings
Editors' pick Best Science Fiction & Fantasy

Maurice Broaddus's Sweep of Stars is the first in a trilogy that explores the struggles of an empire. Epic in scope and intimate in voice, it follows members of the Muungano empire – a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretches from O.E. (original earth) to Titan – as it faces an escalating series of threats.

Locus Award Finalist

"The beauty in blackness is its ability to transform. Like energy we are neither created nor destroyed, though many try." - West African Proverb

The Muungano empire strived and struggled to form a utopia when they split away from old earth. Freeing themselves from the endless wars and oppression of their home planet in order to shape their own futures and create a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretched from Earth and Mars to Titan.

With the wisdom of their ancestors, the leadership of their elders, the power and vision of their scientists and warriors they charted a course to a better future. But the old powers could not allow them to thrive and have now set in motion new plots to destroy all that they've built.

In the fire to come they will face down their greatest struggle yet.

Amachi Adisa and other young leaders will contend with each other for the power to galvanize their people and chart the next course for the empire.

Fela Buhari and her elite unit will take the fight to regions not seen by human eyes, but no training will be enough to bring them all home.

Stacia Chikeke, captain of the starship Cypher, will face down enemies across the stars, and within her own vessel, as she searches for the answers that could save them all.

The only way is forward.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Astra Black
  2. Print length
    368 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Tor Books
  5. Accessibility
    Learn more
  6. Publication date
    March 29, 2022
  7. File size
    4.7 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Sweep of Stars Maurice Broaddus

Sweep of Stars Maurice Broaddus James Rollins quote

Sweep of Stars Maurice Broaddus J.S. Dewes quote

Sweep of Stars Maurice Broaddus Publishers Weekly quote

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Powerful, sweeping Afrofuturist space opera … A hugely ambitious and notable work of postcolonial science fiction. This takes the genre in an exciting and challenging direction.”―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Takes off with an epic array of characters and plotlines that will enmesh readers in the politics and power struggles set across the stars.”―Library Journal, starred review

“Richly detailed and intricately plotted … will draw in readers of epic science fiction.”―Booklist

“Not to be missed.”―Washington Post

About the Author

MAURICE BROADDUS is a fantasy and horror author best known for his short fiction and his Knights of Breton Court novel trilogy. He has published dozens of stories in magazines and book anthologies, including in Asimov's Science Fiction, Black Static, and Weird Tales.

Broaddus was born in London, but grew up in Indianapolis. His mother is from Jamaica, where she and many of his relatives still live.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0927CXQN5
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 29, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.7 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250264923
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ Astra Black
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 35 ratings

About the author

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Maurice Broaddus

Maurice Broaddus

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An accidental teacher (at the Oaks Academy Middle School), an accidental librarian (the School Library Manager which part of the IndyPL Shared System), and a purposeful community organizer (resident Afrofuturist at the Kheprw Institute), his work has appeared in Magazine of SF&F, Lightspeed Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Asimov’s, and Uncanny Magazine, with some of his stories having been collected in The Voices of Martyrs. His novels include the urban fantasy trilogy, The Knights of Breton Court, the steampunk novel, Pimp My Airship, and the middle grade detective novel series, The Usual Suspects. As an editor, he’s worked on Dark Faith, Fireside Magazine, and Apex Magazine. His gaming work includes writing for the Marvel Super-Heroes, Leverage, and Firefly role-playing games as well as working as a consultant on Watch Dogs 2. Learn more about him at MauriceBroaddus.com.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
35 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Rodney
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Break Out Voice
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Wholly original and everything I never knew I needed in space opera. Sweep is hands down one of my favorite books of this year already. Definitely looking forward to the next book.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Jennifer Dawson
    3.0 out of 5 stars Cliff-hanger first book of a new trilogy
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2022
    Sweep of Stars is the first book in a new space opera trilogy by Maurice Broaddus. It explores the struggles of the Muungano empire to remain independent of their home planet and live up to their ideals of a utopian community of city-states stretching from Mars to Titan.

    When a wormhole gate is discovered in Muungano space, they face not only intrigues from beyond the wormhole, but from the Earth they left behind. Treachery unfolds throughout the empire, and fates are left in the balance when Sweep of Stars ends. It is definitely a cliff-hanger.

    I struggled with this book, mainly due to the changes in point of view. Not because there are many characters, but because Broaddus chose to explore different approaches to storytelling for different characters. It may not bother anyone else, but it was jarring for me, and I had to readjust after every chapter. Broaddus switches from first person point of view, to third person, to second, and back, depending on the character. I’ve never experienced that before, and I didn’t like it.

    I did love, however, that he uses the title’s phrase, ‘sweep of stars” several times throughout the book. I found that delightful. I also loved the characters themselves, and cared about their fates. The plot is engaging, the writing has depth and beauty, and the concept is lovely.

    So while this book wasn’t particularly my favorite, it has much to recommend it.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Stephen Bridge
    5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting new Afrofurism space adventure that might define the term
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2023
    The fascinating and complex first book in a new science fiction series, “Astra Black,” by Maurice Broaddus. Broaddus is on his way to becoming a major writer in both juvenile and adult books.

    African and African-American pioneers saw space travel as their opportunity to leave lower caste status behind, once and for all; but there is always opposition wherever they go. Thy have moved their culture to colonies on the moon, asteroids, and Titan, jointly calling their culture “Muungano.” The focal point of the story is the discovery of a wormhole beyond Titan that appears to allow access to some other part of the galaxy. Muungano secretly (they think) has an exploration team ready to go through the wormhole, but the competition is fierce. What is on the other side is unpredictable and (because this is an SF novel) probably dangerous.

    Like many modern SF writers, the author dumps readers right into the middle of the action, leaving them to take a deep breath and go with the flow until they can adjust. It starts right out with words, traditions, and ceremonies based on many African cultures. Fortunately, Broaddus supplies an extensive Glossary to help us along. There are seven founding families of Muungano to keep track of, and action begins quickly with a bombing, a murder, a spy, and inter-family quarrels over leadership. The novel is made even more complex by ten different point-of-view narrators, written in ten different styles.

    It took about 1/3 of the novel before I became aware that I was no longer struggling with the language and number of main characters. And that point I stopped merely admiring Broaddus’s audacious reach and just got sucked into the accelerating drive of the story. Internal sabotage, old emotional scars, and the conflicts of past centuries threaten to tear Muungano apart.

    This isn’t easy to start, but the end result more than justifies the re-orientation necessary to become involved. It is certainly not one to jump into as your first science fiction novel ever, but I am very excited for the sequel.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Paul C
    2.0 out of 5 stars Experimental in some ways. some will like that, some will not.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2022
    Unbalanced in regards to characterization, plot, and, pacing. After reading Broaddus's Pimp My Airship, I was ready for an Afrocentric adventure set in space. I got a bit of that, but also added extras, maybe too much at times, like art and culture that took the place of other kinds of setting development... I'm speaking specifically about the poetry that tries to compliment the plot, but without a strong plot or characters, the poems fell flat for me. And the POVs were overwhelming: too many and too different.
    A real mixed bag here.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Sarah Shotts
    5.0 out of 5 stars Top Recommended Sci Fi
    Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2023
    Can’t wait for the sequel.
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  • Darrell Grizzle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Space Opera from an Afrofuturist Viewpoint
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2022
    I'm a big fan of Maurice Broaddus' writings in other genres (horror, steamfunk, urban fantasy, YA), so I was really looking forward to reading his science fiction. For the most part, this was an enjoyable read. He switches viewpoints between characters from chapter to chapter, and while most are written in third person, two are in first person and one is in second person, which I found disconcerting. The characters can be hard to follow at times. Overall, though, this is a novel well worth reading, and I think this has the potential to be the first novel in a grand epic series. I was glad to read a space opera from an Afrofuturist viewpoint.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • William Bentrim
    3.0 out of 5 stars Confusing
    Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022
    Sweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus

    This appears to be a dystopian novel. I never got a clear picture on that. Sometime in the future society is split apparently along racial lines but I’m sure of either. I found the book confusing. Sometimes interesting with the drop troops but the in-depth sociology was less than exciting. The jump gate seemed more exciting than it was. Overall, I didn’t care for the book, it may be the bees knees (very dated reference) to somebody but not for me.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    1.0 out of 5 stars Too far out there
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2022
    1 star, Too far out there

    SWEEP OF STARS
    by Maurice Broaddus

    This book was too far out into fantasy land for me. I tried repeatedly from different sections of the book, simply was unable to get interested in the story.

    I received a complimentary copy of #sweepofstars from #tor I was not required to post a review. #fantasy
    3 people found this helpful
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