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A review by cassiealexandra
Light Bringer by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
5.0
After the struggles of Iron Gold and Dark Age, this felt like a homecoming. The battles and politics of the previous two books were, at times, tough to follow, as was getting to know so many new characters. This book was the perfect pick-me-up, if one can actually call it that. After so much darkness, it brought hope and a certain amount of lightness that had nearly been snuffed out.
I tried counting all the times I got misty, teary, or outright sobbed, but I lost count after a little while. There were reunions I didn’t imagine could happen, characters who met for the very first time, redemption arcs I was not expecting, and missed connections that I’m still lamenting a bit. The humor and callbacks to specific scenes and times at the Institute in Red Rising were welcome additions to what was already a story with a lot of heart.
I make this sound like there was so much brightness to it, and there was, but our characters were not without heartache and suffering. Twists and turns abound. Questions about good and evil continue to be asked. Ideas about tribes and culture and family are explored. Plot points and storylines that seemed unconnected in prior books were resolved and tied together here. And the final 75 pages are absolutely heart-wrenching. Just when I thought I’d be able to come up for air, I found myself crying again.
It’s difficult to put into words how much I loved this book. It made me want to start the series all over again and remember every detail of its almost 3500 pages. These characters are like family to me now, and I will sorely miss them while I await Red God with the rest of the howlers.
The bottom line: This is exactly what was needed after the long journey through Iron Gold and Dark Age. Expect a nostalgic return to the feel of the original trilogy while keeping multiple points of view and a complex take on humanity and culture.
— NOTES —
Genres: science fiction, dystopian, war, space opera
POV: 1st-person, multiple
Content: crude humor, language, violence, death
— MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS —
(all out of 5)
Pace: 5
Enjoyment: 5
Craft: 5
My Gut Feeling: 5
Total Stars: 5
I tried counting all the times I got misty, teary, or outright sobbed, but I lost count after a little while. There were reunions I didn’t imagine could happen, characters who met for the very first time, redemption arcs I was not expecting, and missed connections that I’m still lamenting a bit. The humor and callbacks to specific scenes and times at the Institute in Red Rising were welcome additions to what was already a story with a lot of heart.
I make this sound like there was so much brightness to it, and there was, but our characters were not without heartache and suffering. Twists and turns abound. Questions about good and evil continue to be asked. Ideas about tribes and culture and family are explored. Plot points and storylines that seemed unconnected in prior books were resolved and tied together here. And the final 75 pages are absolutely heart-wrenching. Just when I thought I’d be able to come up for air, I found myself crying again.
It’s difficult to put into words how much I loved this book. It made me want to start the series all over again and remember every detail of its almost 3500 pages. These characters are like family to me now, and I will sorely miss them while I await Red God with the rest of the howlers.
The bottom line: This is exactly what was needed after the long journey through Iron Gold and Dark Age. Expect a nostalgic return to the feel of the original trilogy while keeping multiple points of view and a complex take on humanity and culture.
— NOTES —
Genres: science fiction, dystopian, war, space opera
POV: 1st-person, multiple
Content: crude humor, language, violence, death
— MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS —
(all out of 5)
Pace: 5
Enjoyment: 5
Craft: 5
My Gut Feeling: 5
Total Stars: 5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Torture