Book Review: The Titan Crown (Part 1)

Reviewed by Chelsey Tucker

The Titan Crown captivates with non-stop intergalactic warfare and shady politics.

 The Titan Crown introduces new kinds of fully imagined planets, beasts, and races. But three of those races are vying for major changes within the system’s power structure: the Kalicos, the Reduzen, and the Yatavra.

The Kalicos have been relocated to the Reduzen’s home planet by the Yatavra-System Lords. King Grandres Volaxi not only possesses extreme hatred and disgust against the Reduzen, especially Queen Fasjey, but also a distaste for his current position beneath the System Lords. He is committed to reclaiming the Titan Crown, a relic of the Kalicos, currently in the hands of a System Lord master.

After the relocation of the Kalicos was forced upon them, the Reduzens fall under the System Lords’ control. Queen Fasjey has beast warriors on her side as she continues to grow her influence through queens, traders, and warlords who support her. Her top military confidant General Jarkepe “embodying the Reduzen race’s humanoid and beastly characteristics, was the most formidable-looking Reduzen male. With wide, slightly swollen eyelids, dark purple pupils, and rough, tar-like black skin, Jarkepe epitomised Reduzen traits, including pronounced jaws and thick, muscular bodies.” The general claims that the Yatavra-System Lords favor the Kalicos, further threatening the elimination of the Reduzen people.

The council of Yatavra-System Lords is led by Supreme Lord Master Mocowas, who has ruled for thirty cycles. There are rumors of his declining health which has caused the other members of the council to begin speculating about his succession plan and perhaps making plans of their own. 

Deceit and discontent threaten all those who hold some type of power or authority. Genocide and military coups threaten everyone else. Those who are fed up with the betrayal and aggression turn to form a new group: the United Retaliation Force.

The Titan Crown is nothing short of immersive—thorough, richly detailed descriptions are in nearly every paragraph. At times, the amount of description can feel overwhelming with so many new names and places, but there is a handy glossary at the back which helps add a bit of mental mapping for the reader. The dialogue is a bit more sparse, making it occasionally difficult to connect with specific characters. This first book in the series does a lot of groundwork in setting us up, so deeper character development is expected to arrive with the books to follow.

The Titan Crown is a tantalizing first look into the Dark Conqueror Universe. Political turmoil and racial warfare run rampant in this rich universe. For many space opera fans and sci-fi military enthusiasts, this book will mark the beginning of a dark and immersive series. Come for the action, stay for the full & imaginative worldbuilding.

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