Crownchasers

Written by Rebecca Coffindaffer

Narrated by Reba Buhr

A deadly race across 1,001 planets will determine more than just the fate of the empire.

This explosive first book in a duology jam-packed with tension and thrills is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Aurora Rising, and Three Dark Crowns.

Alyssa Farshot has spent her whole life trying to outrun her family legacy, even leaving behind the Kingship and her uncle, the emperor, for a life of exploring.

But when her dying uncle announces a crownchase—a search for the royal seal hidden in the empire that will determine the next ruler—Alyssa is thrust into her greatest, most dangerous adventure yet. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Sep 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9780063033160

Rebecca Coffindaffer

Rebecca Coffindaffer (they/she) grew up on Star Wars, Star Trek, fantastical movies and even more fantastical books. They waited a long time for their secret elemental powers to develop, and in the interim, they started writing stories about magic and politics, spaceships, far-off worlds, and people walking away from explosions in slow motion. These days they live in Kansas with their family, surrounded by a lot of books and a lot of tabletop games and one big fuzzy dog. Follow them on Twitter and Instagram, or visit their website at www.rebeccacoffindaffer.com.

Reviews for Crownchasers

[Shealea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A huge level up from YA from the 2010s. A bit formulaic in terms of plot, but I still enjoyed the ride. Very entertaining and exciting despite some predictability. Also, pansexual space pilots!!!

[Erica Dellinger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well narrated with good voice inflection, I liked this space race novel with a twist of cutthroat royal politics. The characters are well developed, and I found them likable. At times it dragged a bit, but overall it was a fun read with mostly good pacing. Looking forward to the sequel!

[Kayla Pratt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! The way this ended was quite disrespectful! But all the more reason for me to hop into book 2. This was good and I am anxious to find out what happens next.

4 stars

[jennybeast · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic, rip-roaring space adventure. Wonderfully compelling characters and a fast paced plot had me on the edge of my seat — until the inevitable, terrible realization that this is the first in a series. Crushing! I wasn’t ready for it to end, but it certainly left on a high note.

Advanced readers copy provided by Edelweiss

[thewallflower-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s a fun YA adventure book about a space race. The characters are interesting, but the plot follows a path deeply tread by The Hunger Games. I wouldn’t call it “Katniss in Space”, but it has the same themes of adventure, reluctant heroes, clear lines between friends and enemies, and mass media attention.It ends on a cliffhanger, and I can’t tell if I care enough to continue. The book just doesn’t seem like it takes itself that importantly, like these are the most important stories in these people’s lives.

[sennebec · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

YA space opera with numerous pluses. Those include an intriguing plot, how friendships change (both good and bad) as we get older, family connections, nice universe creation, plenty of action, and a satisfying ending that has room for more. I look for more good stuff from this author.

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Crownchasers duology. I got an eGalley of this through Edelweiss to review.Story (5/5): This was an absolutely stunning book. I read the Prologue and was completely hooked, from there it just got better and better. The premise is relatively simple. Alyssa is the daughter of the emperor, but has been making her living as an explorer...that is until the emperor passes away. Right before his death the emperor instituted an ancient custom, the Crownchase. Each prominent family will be able to put one of their members into the Crownchase. The Crownchase will lead these contestants across the galaxy in an effort to determine who will be the next ruler. This was incredibly fast-paced as our characters constantly dodge dangers and struggle with puzzles in an effort to find the royal seal. We get to journey to amazing worlds and see amazing things. It was an astounding story that was entertaining, witty, and funny but also had a lot of heart to it.Characters (5/5): Okay so the characters are hands down amazing. There are many Crownchasers that we follow, yet somehow Coffindaffer made me engage with them all and made me love them all. I have never been so quickly engaged in so many characters’ stories so easily. The main character we follow is Alyssa and I loved her. She is snarky and witty and daring, yet still concerned with her father’s last wishes and with what is best for the people of the planets he ruled. She is just sooo much fun. She travels with an engineer named Hell Monkey and he won my heart right away. He is a badass engineer, who somehow manages to let Alyssa do all her crazy shenanigans while still managing to be supportive. Oh, I loved all of these characters soooo much.Setting (5/5): I absolutely loved this world and setting. While there isn’t as much depth to the world-building as some sci-fi stories, we do get to journey to a lot of amazingly deadly and interesting worlds. We are talking about fire tsunamis and acid storms here, so interesting and so breathtaking. The worlds are put together well and do form a cohesive whole with the empire that these Crownchasers are looking to rule. Writing Style (5/5): This book is perfectly written and exactly the type of thing I love to read. The story is mostly from Alyssa’s POV, but we also hear from another one of the Crownchasers off and on. Each series of breathtaking scenes is followed by a look into Alyssa’s past and some scenes from when she was a kid growing up with these other kids who are now her fellow Crownchasers. The book is snappy, action-packed, and full of wit. It’s a wonderful blend of adventure, action, politics, and heartfelt (yet uncomfortable) scenes between Alyssa and those she is competing against.My Summary (5/5): Overall this was amazing and one of my absolute favorite books of the year. I grabbed this to review on a whim and am soooo glad I did. I was in the mood for a good sci-fi and boy did this deliver. The worlds are amazing, the characters engaging, the action non-stop and the puzzles and politics complex and intriguing. I loved so much about this book and want the 2nd book immediately!!! Alyssa has such a unique and fun voice throughout the book. I need more of her, Hell Monkey, and all these crazy Crownchasers. If you are looking for an action-packed sci-fi with a snarky heroine who doesn’t have a good sense of self preservation this is the book for you. Highly recommended!!!!