Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Shards of Earth has the politics, usurping madness, power grabs, cultists—all the things you want in a space opera. You follow Idris, a war hero, make a discovery that sets the anticipation and fear for the rest of the book. It’s intellectually challenging, but the payoff is fulfilling and philosophical. I crossed into dark places reading this. I wondered if people deserve the chance to save their world from destruction! —Morgan