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A review by novoaust
Light Bringer by Pierce Brown
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
When I finished Dark Age, I was excited as it topped Golden Son as my new favorite of the series. Well, along comes Light Bringer, and it now is my new favorite of the series. To me, it feels like the most complete Red Rising book. As solid as IG and DA are, there was a disconnect between them and the original trilogy, and LB remedies that perfectly.
We are given the complex space operatic dynamics and dark themes covered in the previous two novels, while character development and emotional moments also shine as they did in the original trilogy. I love how Brown is still able to add new elements to our favorite characters, making them feel even more real.
I obviously cannot talk much about the plot without risking spoilers, but I found this one to be the best paced RR novel thus far. We have a great mix of action and massive space battles while still incorporating tons of philosophical, political, and emotional aspects. It really was an "edge of your seat" experience that felt cinematic, and I hated having to put the book down.
I think the main reason I loved this one so much is that the stakes made the tension feel as though everything was at it's breaking point. I no longer felt that main characters were safe "just because," and that resulted in me caring for Darrow much more in this one than the previous. The internal struggle of Darrow and Sevro as they both fight their desire to be good fathers against the fight to save the world was written so well. Themes such as sacrifice, duty, and the mess that is righteousness made this book impactful to me. The character work surrounding Lysander was fantastic, and LB really elevates his complexity. I want to cheer for him, sympathize with him, and love him....but his decisions are so frustrating.
Really my only complaint is that I missed characters like Virginia and Victra. The story is very much a Darrow and Lysander show, and while entertaining, the two aforementioned characters were sorely missed.
Not sure if Red God can top this, but I will eagerly awaiting its release.
We are given the complex space operatic dynamics and dark themes covered in the previous two novels, while character development and emotional moments also shine as they did in the original trilogy. I love how Brown is still able to add new elements to our favorite characters, making them feel even more real.
I obviously cannot talk much about the plot without risking spoilers, but I found this one to be the best paced RR novel thus far. We have a great mix of action and massive space battles while still incorporating tons of philosophical, political, and emotional aspects. It really was an "edge of your seat" experience that felt cinematic, and I hated having to put the book down.
I think the main reason I loved this one so much is that the stakes made the tension feel as though everything was at it's breaking point. I no longer felt that main characters were safe "just because," and that resulted in me caring for Darrow much more in this one than the previous. The internal struggle of Darrow and Sevro as they both fight their desire to be good fathers against the fight to save the world was written so well. Themes such as sacrifice, duty, and the mess that is righteousness made this book impactful to me. The character work surrounding Lysander was fantastic, and LB really elevates his complexity. I want to cheer for him, sympathize with him, and love him....but his decisions are so frustrating.
Really my only complaint is that I missed characters like Virginia and Victra. The story is very much a Darrow and Lysander show, and while entertaining, the two aforementioned characters were sorely missed.
Not sure if Red God can top this, but I will eagerly awaiting its release.