Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer; narrated by Reba Buhr
Harper Audio
Release date: September 29, 2020
ISBN: 9780063033160
Alyssa Farshot is happy to be removed from the intrigues of the star system empire her Uncle Astar governs. Her adventuring is cut short when his husband, Alyssa’s Uncle Charley, contacts her with the urgent message that the emperor is dying, Rather than naming Alyssa his successor, he initiates a crownchase–a contest that will involve all of the prime families’ named heirs in a interplanetary scavenger hunt with potentially deadly consequences but a payoff of the wealth and political power that comes with being named emperor.
Though the plot isn’t groundbreaking and some of the language is present-day colloquial, Coffindaffer has created a plot akin to a perpetual barroom brawl with shifting alliances and plenty of action. Reba Buhr handily creates a galaxy of characters with interpretations that are consistent and spot on. In short, this is a listen that is rollickingly fun with characters that are diverse in every way.
Readers of the Amie Kaufman/Jay Kristoff Aurora Cycle, Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward series or The Disasters by M. K. England will appreciate this take that is mostly a hero’s journey with a heaping side of political intrigue in space.
– Jodi Kruse
Other Nominated Titles
- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer; narrated by James Fouhey (June 1, 2021)
- From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement by Paula Yoo; narrated by Catherine Ho (April 20, 2021)
- In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland; narrated by Lauryn Allman (May 18, 2021)
The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the suggestion form (closed for this year), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.
Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten. The previous years’ lists are available on The Hub.