Starside (Starside #1), by Alex Aster (softback, english edition)

🇬🇧 This Book Is In English

Power isn’t inherited. It’s claimed.

Starside by Alex Aster
(Starside Series, Book 1)

The instant #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller that has fantasy readers completely obsessed.

Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals — descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic. Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest for magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life.

Everyone has their reasons for entering. Aris has only one: vengeance against the gods who killed her family. Winning one of the fifty spots won’t be easy — an orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, she doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords are not inherited or bought. They are claimed. And when Aris claims one, it makes her not just a real competitor — but a target. With a blade most would kill to take, she can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious knight who betrayed her years ago — and who may now be the key to her survival.

Why readers can’t put it down:

• ⚔️ A heroine driven by vengeance in a world where power must be earned
• 🖤 A morally complex enemies-to-allies dynamic that crackles with tension
• ✨ A richly built world split between immortal paradise and mortal struggle
• 🔮 Magic-infused swords, deadly quests, and gods with blood on their hands
• 📚 512 pages of immersive, unputdownable fantasy from a #1 NYT bestselling author

Perfect for readers who love:
dark fantasy · enemies to lovers · quest narratives · magic systems · morally grey characters · BookTok favourites · Alex Aster · Lightlark

She entered for vengeance.

She didn’t expect to become the thing the gods fear.

🖤 A Sword That Cannot Be Inherited — Only Claimed
🖤 A Quest Where Everyone Is a Threat
🖤 A Betrayer Who May Be Her Only Ally
🖤 A Secret Tied to Her Family’s Death
🖤 Gods Who Should Have Known Better
🖤 What Happens When the Mortal Refuses to Lose

At Dark Rose, we believe the best fantasy stories are the ones where the underdog doesn’t just survive — they become the thing the powerful were always afraid of.

👤 Recommended Age: 16+

⚠️ Content Notes:
Violence • Death of family • Vengeance themes • Morally grey characters • Fantasy peril

✨ Best for readers who love:
Dark Fantasy • Quest Narratives • Enemies to Allies • Magic Systems • Alex Aster

⚠️ Probably not for readers looking for:
Contemporary Settings • Low-Stakes Romance • Light Reads • Simple World-Building

📚 Format & Details

• Format: Softback
• Pages: 512
• Genre: Dark Fantasy
• Series: Starside Series, Book 1
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Archer
• Published: 31 March 2026

“Enter the enchanting and deadly world of Starside, where swords have magic and power isn’t inherited — it’s claimed.”