A crew on Requiem faces threats and enters a deadly trial to secure protection, while dealing with a new enemy and old vendettas. Action-packed cyberpunk adventure with found family dynamics, romance, and high stakes in a neon-lit underworld.

Reader Review Summary

City of Vicious Night by Claire Winn is a spectacular sequel that not only lives up to the high expectations set by City of Shattered Light, but manages to surpass them in both thrilling action and emotional depth. This neon-drenched, heart-pounding cyberpunk adventure takes readers on an unforgettable journey back to the gritty outlaw colony of Requiem, where danger lurks around every corner and the only way to survive is to fight tooth and nail for those you love.

Picking up a few months after the explosive events of the first book, City of Vicious Night finds Asa, Riven and their tight-knit crew of misfits struggling to lay low and recover from their losses. But peace is short-lived on Requiem, and soon they find themselves targeted by a mysterious hacker known as Redline, who seems hell-bent on destroying Asa and pinning the blame for the devastating rogue AI incident on Riven's crew. With bounty hunters and rival gangs closing in from all sides, and nowhere left to hide, Riven makes a desperate gamble to secure protection for her found family - vying for control of Requiem's underworld in a deadly series of trials to claim the recently vacated throne of a matriarch.

What follows is a breakneck thrill-ride filled with daring heists, pulse-pounding shootouts, devious sabotage, and shocking betrayals, as Riven and Asa fight to uncover Redline's true identity and motives while competing in the treacherous underworld trials. The stakes have never been higher, with not only their lives but the fate of all Requiem hanging in the balance. And when horrifying secrets from the past resurface, forcing them to confront the crew member they thought lost forever, Asa and Riven must decide how far they're willing to go to protect the city that reviles them.

Winn's masterful writing shines through on every blood-spattered, neon-lit page. The worldbuilding is lush and immersive, making the labyrinthine cyberpunk dystopia of Requiem come alive in vivid detail. The plot strikes a perfect balance between high-octane action and quiet moments of raw emotion and character development. Riven and Asa's romance is tender and poignant, made all the more heart-wrenching by the deadly circumstances constantly threatening to tear them apart. The side characters are equally well-drawn and compelling, from Asa's brilliant sister Kaya to the delightfully ruthless bounty hunter Morphett. Every relationship, whether friendship, found family, or romance, feels authentic and earned.

Perhaps the book's greatest strength lies in its unflinching exploration of weighty themes - the true meaning of sacrifice, the fight to carve out a future in a hostile world, the unbreakable bonds of a family forged by choice rather than blood. Riven's reckoning with her own mortality and what it means to leave a legacy is especially powerful and moving. By the time the book reaches its downright explosive climax, you'll be breathless and glued to the edge of your seat, desperate to see how it all ends.

Packed with jaw-dropping twists, complex morally gray characters you can't help but root for, and an imaginative sci-fi setting that will make you desperate to explore more of this world, City of Vicious Night is an electrifying ride from start to finish. It's the rare sequel that elevates the series to dazzling new heights. While the book delivers a satisfying conclusion to Riven and Asa's story, it leaves the door open just enough for more potential adventures in Requiem's neon-soaked underbelly. One can only hope Winn will return to this world again soon, and drag readers along for the ride. An absolute must-read for any fans of smart, stylish queer sci-fi with heart.