Constellis Voss is the masterful product of an author wrestling with internal and external demons, who emerges victorious. What initially seems like a slick sci-fi novel in Volume 1 evolves into something much more complicated, exciting, devastating, but ultimately hopeful by the end of Volume 3.
We as readers are given ciphers to glimpse into what is really happening. With Volume 1, it's color theory. With Volume 2, it's pattern recognition. Then, with all those tools at our disposal, all is revealed for the Reformat in Volume 3. It's a story where each new revelation chips away at the deceptive facade until the truth is laid bare; where you see the truth and can look back and see that it was all there from the very start. Every detail is part of a grand plan orchestrated by Kira Leigh.
The character building is top notch. Kira makes it so easy to fall in love with his characters flaws and all. As each one enters the stage, the story is enriched. As they discover more of themselves, they come into higher resolution. As they find power, they spring into vivid, distinct colors. You will most certainly find a character you identify with because the cast is richly diverse in a thoughtful way.
Constellis Voss is a balancing act that is perfectly executed. Indulgences in cool anime cyberpunk action and half-cocked revolutions based on bravado are offset by trauma and societal oppression. There is darkness but there is light and hope. There are clear eyed, sobering glimpses into what our current reality can fall towards, but Kira's defiant response via his characters' actions opposes and rejects all of that.
Constellis Voss is art in the truest sense of the word. It has a clear message, driven deliberately by the passionate words and constructs of its creator: for people to love themselves, to be good to others, and to be awesome. It's a book trilogy that I hope many people read to get them through dark times like these. It's a call for community and solidarity to overcome greed, pride, and cynicism. CV proclaims that our destiny is in our own hands, all of our hands, and it's up to us to make a dark world brighter.