Their organizing tactics are a little thin tbh, but it's still a very good time (and everyone is hot & gay). ( )

A solid middle chapter of a bigger story, with plenty of action -- space battles, pirates, bar fights, daring rescues -- and lots of sparks -- romantic and antagonistic -- between the characters.

I hope the next chapter doesn't take four years also, but I know it will be worth the wait if it does. ( )

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss.)

-- 4.5 stars --

The crew of the Valk should be riding high on their victory - after all, Cass and Bee's latest triumph in the ring secured the freedom of another princess - but, truth is, even found family squabbles sometimes. Everyone seems to want something different: newbie Kate is pushing for all out revolution; Cass wants to maintain the status quo; and Bee is keen to expand her inner circle beyond just Cass. Meanwhile, Tara's long-ago message is haunting Pan, and the princess they "saved"? Well, Scottie just accidentally pinged a group of pirates, who are now hot on their heels. Turns out not all princesses need - or even want - to be rescued.

With tensions simmering, it's no wonder that everyone has a different idea about the upcoming tournament. Held on a mining planet called Ironvein, the Cosmoknights aren't just playing for a princess, but for the control of the mines. Scottie's intel has it that the game is rigged, which throws the whole (already dubious) meritocracy mythology of the Cosmoknights into question. Can Pan, Cass, Bee, Kate, and Scottie find a way to beat a system that's stacked against them?

And oh hey! What became of Tara, anyway?

COSMOKNIGHTS BOOK TWO is a fast-paced, fun, super-gay (in all the ways) romp through space - and evisceration of the patriarchy (kyriarchy?). There are several new faces, and none of them disappoint: Kate, Scottie, Liz, Percy, and the pirates - all are excellent additions to the cast. We DO find out what became of Tara (no spoilers!), and it sounds like she's got a pretty captivating backstory, which I so hope Templer will explore in upcoming volumes. Scottie's character arc is pretty great - she starts off sounding a bit like a spoiled princess, but is a total badass with a heart of gold. Speaking of princesses, I feel like Irovein's princess is due a pretty sweet story line as well. And the flashbacks of Tara and Pan as little girls are super-adorable - they bring to mind the "Lil' Amy" strips in SPACE BOY.

COSMOKNIGHTS BOOK TWO is a worthy successor to volume one, although matching the glory and satisfaction of Cass's self-liberation is nearly impossible feat. ( )

This Book 2 kept up the action and quick pace of the original, and resolved some plot points while opening way more. The art is kinetic and tons of fun. I'm excited to read more. I wonder how many volumes total there will be? ( )

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Volume keeps up the quick pace of volume one, and it's so good. This volume delves a bit more into the world, and the questions I had during volume one about the functions of the royalty have been answered! I also like that the characters have conflicting ideologies about how to do direct action. One of them wants to make change while staying within the current system, but the other wants to completely dismantle the system from the outside in. Both of them have the same end goal, but wildly different ideas on methods of how to get there. It's a very real reflection of real life, where you could all agree on what needs to be done, but not on HOW it should be done. I also love how the relationships between several of the characters, both romantic and platonic, are developing in a way that feels so real. It was also great getting to see how Bee and Cass work together in their relationship. They are very different people, who think in very different ways, but they also have such a healthy relationship. I'm always fond of books that have their characters actually talk it out so they can better understand how the other one feels, instead of having them get stuck in a misunderstanding rut. Also, I love the princess character! She's a great example of there's more than meets the eye. The diversity of body types is also something that I loved seeing. It's just casually there, but I love it so much. The plot twist with the one character, I sort of guessed, but I didn't guess how amazing she would look! The rag-tag crew is slowly expanding and feels like it's going to fall squarely into the Found Family trope, which is one of my absolute favorite tropes. The action scenes were fantastic, the artist made them feel so dynamic and intense! So excited for the future third volume! ( )