Written by Susan English
When a book builds towards a cliffhanger that increases its world’s scope monumentally—as is the case with the first book in Susan English’s Shambhala Saga, Callisto 2.0 (you can read my thoughts by clicking here)—it is perhaps reasonable to assume the second book will carry that scope forward. Yet, however reasonable an assumption may appear, it can still be grossly incorrect. Such was the case with my assumptions about Cupid’s Arrow. Yet, rather than disappointment, the series’ sophomore effort filled me with delight.
My incorrect assumptions aren’t to say Cupid’s Arrow doesn’t continue the story started in its predecessor, nor are they to say the book doesn’t operate on a broader canvas. It does both, and it does both well. And yet it does both of these things in a way that is unexpected. Much like Callisto 2.0 before it, Cupid’s Arrow places its characters at the forefront of the story, with its plot being a secondary concern. Given the events that brought the first book to a close, it is perhaps inevitable that this sequel would have a deeper plot and provide further glimpses of the story being told throughout the series. But rather than bombast and over-the-top set pieces, it instead presents as a quiet, intimate tale.
Despite these similarities, Cupid’s Arrow takes a different approach to the story. Following the events covered in Callisto 2.0, Calli and much of the Shambhala Space Station’s crew are missing, somewhere in the vastness of space. Instead of telling that story, the focus—and point of view character—shifts to Pavani, who shares a close, personal connection with Calli. At its core, the story is about Pavani (and the remaining crewmembers) dealing with the loss of Calli (and the rest of the crew), not knowing where they are, or even if they’re alive. While wrestling with the unknown, Pavani et al must deal with the fallout of the previous book’s major twist, drawing them into a world of intrigue and corporate espionage. It’s an entertaining plot that will draw the reader in, with more connective tissue holding it all together.
At an estimated 318 pages on Kindle (the book is unavailable via other means), Cupid’s Arrow is shorter than its predecessor. With more plot to get through, you may expect the pacing to be faster. However, it somehow isn’t, and moves at a similar pace, drawing the story out gradually. While I appreciate Callisto 2.0’s pacing, with more plot to get through, Cupid’s Arrow’s overall pacing and flow of the story works better than it did there. Like that book, Cupid’s Arrow diverges from the story at various points, presenting a slice of life viewpoint of the lives of the characters working from the moon. While these can sometimes hurt the book’s pacing, some of these slices connect back to the main story in intriguing and entertaining ways.
The novel also conveys similar themes to its predecessor, which are as important to the tale as its plot and characters. The major theme of the book is about togetherness, similarly to its predecessor. It is once again a piece of feminist literature with strong LGBTQI+ themes. English expands on this theme; where the original book focused on lesbians, Cupid’s Arrow touches upon transgender people, and places some emphasis on a nonbinary character. Like its predecessor, it isn’t a case of these characters being present, but the book emphasising these traits and making some strong points about them, and questions the prospect of an all-female workplace that the first book championed. Religion is once again present in the book, and while it doesn’t feature as heavily, it provides some insight about the Hopi Tribe’s beliefs (while touching upon Christianity, Buddhism and Greek mythology again), and commentary about the damaging impacts religion can have. The book also discusses love, and how this relates to monogamy versus polyamory. The themes, often presented via conversations, sometimes interrupt the flow of the book, but I was always keen to read what English has to say about them.
Instead of the standard first person narration, Cupid’s Arrow is told via letters Pavani has written for Calli. While this achieves a similar result, English has balanced the emotion that comes from letters with the need to tell a story well. It helps add insight into Pavani as a person while also telling a story for the book’s readers. The writing is clear throughout the book and the prose’s style is engaging. The dialogue doesn’t fare as well, with some of the conversations feeling stilted. With that said, overall, it improves upon the original story.
Much like Callisto 2.0, Cupid’s Arrow is populated by entertaining characters. Some characters are more clearly defined and have more depth than any of those in the first book, and seeing their journey is fun. Pavani is a fully formed protagonist who is generally well written, but her character is less entertaining than Calli. While I can empathise with the character, there isn’t as much to relate to.
As the second book in a series, Cupid’s Arrow doesn’t entirely stand on its own, particularly following the previous book’s cliffhanger. If, for some reason, you opt to read this before the first book, it does an admirable job of quickly catching the reader up. Despite it being part of a series that continues from entry to entry, it feels like a complete experience.
Cupid’s Arrow is an admirable follow-up to Callisto 2.0. Some of the dialogue doesn’t ring true, and the asides have a tendency of interfering with the book’s flow. Despite those caveats, it remains an entertaining novel. I’m curious to see where the series goes from here, and I’ll be sharing my thoughts about books three and four with you next week.
Favourite Passage
Finally, the big day arrived—we moved the pikas to their new home on the farm this morning. These past few days have been hard, giving you up, Calli, and honestly, I don’t know why I keep writing. Maybe it’s the hope that we may one day be able to send messages. I suppose the only way would be via warp bubbles, though they would have to be initiated on your end. And replies would be tricky, because we don’t know where you are.
I’m usually not like this, my tendency is to accept with equanimity those things in life I cannot change, but it had felt so real, the possibility of finding you, of being with you. It might be time to put this writing project to rest, move on like Naomi said, find a way to live without you. But not yet. Maybe it’s my stubborn nature, but I’m just not ready to close this chapter of my life.
Cupid’s Arrow: Book two of the Shambhala Saga, “Saturday, 22 March, 2098”
Cupid’s Arrow: Book Two of the Shambhala Saga was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review.
Cupid’s Arrow is available on Kindle, exclusive to Amazon.
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Interested in purchasing Cupid’s Arrow: Book Two of the Shambhala Saga?
Please find a link below; please note I do not collect any proceeds from the sale.
Cupid’s Arrow: Book 2 of the Shambhala Saga LGBTQ+ Science Fiction series
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