Winter's Orbit Audiobook By Everina Maxwell cover art

Winter's Orbit

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Winter's Orbit

By: Everina Maxwell
Narrated by: Raphael Corkhill
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"Narrator Raphael Corkhill deftly navigates a range of situations and voices in this novel, a blend of romance, mystery, and space opera.... A satisfying love story with plenty of political machinations, this audiobook will please fans of romance and sci-fi alike." (AudioFile)

Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue in Winter’s Orbit, Everina Maxwell’s gut-wrenching and romantic debut.

A famously disappointing minor royal and the emperor's least favorite grandchild, Prince Kiem is summoned before the emperor and commanded to renew the empire's bonds with its newest vassal planet. The prince must marry Count Jainan, the recent widower of another royal prince of the empire.

But Jainan suspects his late husband’s death was no accident. And Prince Kiem discovers Jainan is a suspect himself. But broken bonds between the empire and its vassal planets leaves the entire empire vulnerable, so together they must prove that their union is strong while uncovering a possible conspiracy.

Their successful marriage will align conflicting worlds.

Their failure will be the end of the empire.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

©2021 Everina Maxwell (P)2021 Macmillan Audio Adventure Romance Royalty Science Fiction Space Opera Fiction Marriage Feel-Good Heartfelt Winter

Critic reviews

ALA Alex Awards Winner (Adult for Young Adults): Winner

"Everina Maxwell's writing has everything you could ask: impossible choices, divided loyalties, dry wit, and operatic struggle with bureaucracy. I don't know how she's managed to write a book that's simultaneously an elegant comedy of manners, a charming slow-burn romance, and an adventure in space politics, but whatever her secret, I'm wildly envious." (A. K. Larkwood, author of The Unspoken Name)

"Everina Maxwell is brilliant at creating atmosphere and drama. Her light touch and considering eye are applied thoughtfully, warmly, and yet without mercy to the failures of an interstellar bureaucracy and the people who both make those failures happen; to the difficulties of diplomatic ties between planets that rely on personal ties between human beings; to the ways people try to get what they want from each other, and the ways they fail to understand each other. The combination of sweeping space opera backdrop and real human drama is as compelling as it comes." (Emily Tesh, author of Silver in the Wood)

Editor's Pick

Romance and interplanetary politics collide
When I saw Everina Maxwell’s debut sci-fi novel described as Red, White & Royal Blue meets Ancillary Justice, well, there was just no hope for me. I think I’ll add the following plug: if you enjoyed Bridgerton for its maddeningly calculated courtships and you also have an inclination for sci-fi, get on this one, stat. Maxwell combines high-stakes political intrigue and conspiracy with a romance between an unlikely pairing: a playboy prince and a widower count whose arranged marriage is required to renew a treaty between their two planets. No pressure, right? —[Sam D., Audible Editor]

Engaging Plot • Complex Characters • Political Intrigue • Excellent Worldbuilding • Diverse Representation
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this is hands down the best book I've read all year. I'm hooked. I want more books by Everina Maxwell.

oh wow!

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This story was a bit slow to start, but picked up quickly through act 2. The two protagonists were interesting, well developed characters with great chemistry. The writing rose and fell, carrying me through it and making me excited for each next part.

The narrator was good, but not great. Some of the characters sounded a bit too alike, and the accents blended together at times. still, it didn't detract much from the story overall. The narrator is very expressive in their dialogue.

World building, Deep Characters, Satisfying Ending

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I loved this story! The journey of Kiem (whom I adore) and Jainan with their impromptu and rushed marriage and the path that leads to...well you know. This was a great adventure, one which has the listener on the edge of their seat, while coming to terms to the cruelty of life and the unexpected joys that spring forth. I know that much of this probably didn't make sense, but I am required to write a certain number of words for the review. All I really want to say is that "I LOVED THIS STORY"...I definitely recommend if you like the Sci-Fi edge with mystery and a bit of love...

Loved this...

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I had reservations when I picked this up. Not about the quality, but about whether the plot lines would be my cup of tea. Diplomacy? Space Treaties? M'kay. Turned out, it was a pleasant universe change for me. The rest was delightful. 😊

An Idiots To Lovers Slow Burn with a plot!

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Story held pretty strong until the last act. Conclusion was underwhelming and not gratifying. Wished there was more finality with political arrangement. Loved the couple dynamic and mystery was set up well.

Strong Forefront

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I first read this book on my Kindle and loved it enough to want to listen as well. I'm so glad I bought this audiobook. The narrator brings it to life perfectly and adds even more depth and feeling to an already incredible book. This is one anyone will enjoy and everyone should love.

A perfect listen

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Already a near perfect book, but then it is brought to life so PERFECTLY in narration. Possibly my new favorite audiobook ever.

AMAZING

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absolutely loved this book! fantastic from character development to political intrigue. highly recommended! it's not often i find myself rooting for or honestly worried about the characters. read this book

space opera done right

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If you want a massive LGBTQ+ Science Fiction universes, political intrigue, character driven story-lines, and unpredictable twists, then Winter's Orbit may be the novel for you. I truly hope Everina Maxwell will continue this story into a series and explore the characters further. We only explored Jainan in book 1, but there are so many things about Prince Kiem that we could learn about or his aide to camp. The universe is uniquely set up for epic Sci-Fi, I can easily see a series of adventures for all these characters from internal strife to revolutionaries/terrorist radical groups to clandestine subterfuge from other major interstellar powers as the story hinted, along with more details about the Resolution and its mysterious Auditors.

Winter's Orbit delivered a marvelous science fiction story, a very compelling character story about emotional abuse from a spouse and his recovery, a murder mystery with political intrigue, and introduced a wonderful cast of characters.

Excellent Science Fiction

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I love the couple in this story! Although there were a few times I wish I could hit them over the head and tell them to just talk to each other!!!!

Lovely couple

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