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zepp1978's reviews
205 reviews
Light Bringer by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
After an incredibly long wait, Light Bringer is finally here. I had my fingers crossed for an ARC but the publisher ghosted me for whatever reason. But when I had Pierce Brown on the channel he said “I got you” and that he did. I was sent an uncorrected proof by Pierce personally in exchange for an honest review.
With so much time between books the theory crafting and speculation can go a little crazy. 4 years is a long time but definitely not in the Song of Ice & Fire kinda long wait that made my theories and speculation dry up. I had many coming into this book and I gotta say; I was wrong on all of them.
What Pierce has done in this book is take the series back to its roots in that this is Darrow’s book. One of the gripes in Iron Gold and Dark Age was too much time away from the OG. Darrow gets the bulk of the page time outside of one stretch in part II where he’s gone for almost 100 pages. But trust me, it’ll be worth it.
We spend so much time with Darrow and his companions (you’ll find zero spoilers here!) that you feel a bond like you haven’t felt those early days back at the Institute. Pierce gives me some team ups and group adventures I’ve been waiting for since Golden Son. And it’s just special.
On the other hand, I do wish we had gotten more Victra and Kavax in this one. Part II has maybe the biggest space battle the series has ever had and it’s amazing, but if you’re hoping for a lot of Victra like we had in Dark Age you might be missing her a little. Characters go MIA the second half of the book but I think it’s for good reason.
The events happening in each Part (4 parts in total) are paced in such a way that to hop across the solar system might be a little jarring. When you’re in a massive space battle over Ilium, the last thing you want is to jump to Luna for a territory dispute. Less hopping makes the book more cohesive but you will miss some of those side characters for long stretches.
I don’t like to say too much, but the last 50 pages of Light Bringer hit me harder emotionally than any other similar stretch in the series. While I didn’t sob I will say that I rolled a manly tear but if I wasn’t at my office I may have wailed. Pierce continues to write a sci-fi epic that hits emotionally every bit as hard as he does with his action (clang clang clang! …you’ll see 😏). That’s what makes this series so special. In the end, he always examines his characters humanity and what makes them tick.
For those worried this will feel like a “bridge” or set up book, fear not. Pierce has delivered another stunning volume to what is my favorite modern sci-fi series and has taken things in a direction I didn’t expect but I’m anxious to see the conclusion for in Red God. Pick this one up on day one because you don’t want that final act spoiled for you. Hail Reaper.
With so much time between books the theory crafting and speculation can go a little crazy. 4 years is a long time but definitely not in the Song of Ice & Fire kinda long wait that made my theories and speculation dry up. I had many coming into this book and I gotta say; I was wrong on all of them.
What Pierce has done in this book is take the series back to its roots in that this is Darrow’s book. One of the gripes in Iron Gold and Dark Age was too much time away from the OG. Darrow gets the bulk of the page time outside of one stretch in part II where he’s gone for almost 100 pages. But trust me, it’ll be worth it.
We spend so much time with Darrow and his companions (you’ll find zero spoilers here!) that you feel a bond like you haven’t felt those early days back at the Institute. Pierce gives me some team ups and group adventures I’ve been waiting for since Golden Son. And it’s just special.
On the other hand, I do wish we had gotten more Victra and Kavax in this one. Part II has maybe the biggest space battle the series has ever had and it’s amazing, but if you’re hoping for a lot of Victra like we had in Dark Age you might be missing her a little. Characters go MIA the second half of the book but I think it’s for good reason.
The events happening in each Part (4 parts in total) are paced in such a way that to hop across the solar system might be a little jarring. When you’re in a massive space battle over Ilium, the last thing you want is to jump to Luna for a territory dispute. Less hopping makes the book more cohesive but you will miss some of those side characters for long stretches.
I don’t like to say too much, but the last 50 pages of Light Bringer hit me harder emotionally than any other similar stretch in the series. While I didn’t sob I will say that I rolled a manly tear but if I wasn’t at my office I may have wailed. Pierce continues to write a sci-fi epic that hits emotionally every bit as hard as he does with his action (clang clang clang! …you’ll see 😏). That’s what makes this series so special. In the end, he always examines his characters humanity and what makes them tick.
For those worried this will feel like a “bridge” or set up book, fear not. Pierce has delivered another stunning volume to what is my favorite modern sci-fi series and has taken things in a direction I didn’t expect but I’m anxious to see the conclusion for in Red God. Pick this one up on day one because you don’t want that final act spoiled for you. Hail Reaper.
Of Darkness and Light by Ryan Cahill
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-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? No
4.25
Well, I think you can throw out any concerns of a sophomore slump. In fact, I think you could declare Of Darkness and Light Cahill’s breakout. While I thoroughly enjoyed Of Blood and Fire, this book tops it in every single way.
I think what I liked best this trip to Epheria was just how massive the world feels by comparison. Seeing things mostly through Calen’s eyes in book 1 helps here, as small-town kid hits the world’s stage and is blown away by what he never could have imagined was out there. You’re taken all over the continent, meet new characters, visit new lands and kingdoms, and are thrust into a world rich with lore and history that feels very lived in.
Speaking of new characters, I found myself saying out loud more than once “another new POV?” While that may be concerning to some, I think it’s a great thing because it helps the world feel bigger. Getting a POV from each of these new territories is an excellent decision and Dayne has quickly become a character/plotline that I’m most intrigued by moving forward.
Also, much grander this time is the number of traveling parties. Instead of 2 or 3 like in Of Blood and Fire, you’ll easily shift back and forth between 7 to 9 of them this go around. However, Cahill masterfully balances between the groups and paces it well so you’re rarely wondering where a character disappeared to (though I do wish this book had more Dann and Rist…where my boys at, Ryan?!) nor are you disgruntled at a return to a character.
The villains take on a whole new spin this go around as we see there is much more to Farda that maybe we originally thought, and we see that even he takes orders. You get many peaks behind the curtain of what makes the Empire and the Dragonguard tick and its fascinating to experience. And the Circle of the Magi stuff is top notch and I need more of it.
So many characters get great development here, such as Ella, Farda, Vaeril, Kallinvar, Arden, Aeson, Ihvon, and even Faenir (the bestest boy)! And holy shit, that ending. My jaw was literally on the floor. Incredible set up.
In short, within the span of one book this series has went from I really liked it to I can’t wait to return to this next month. I’m planning to read The Exile in June and Of War & Ruin in July/August. Very much looking forward to it!
I think what I liked best this trip to Epheria was just how massive the world feels by comparison. Seeing things mostly through Calen’s eyes in book 1 helps here, as small-town kid hits the world’s stage and is blown away by what he never could have imagined was out there. You’re taken all over the continent, meet new characters, visit new lands and kingdoms, and are thrust into a world rich with lore and history that feels very lived in.
Speaking of new characters, I found myself saying out loud more than once “another new POV?” While that may be concerning to some, I think it’s a great thing because it helps the world feel bigger. Getting a POV from each of these new territories is an excellent decision and Dayne has quickly become a character/plotline that I’m most intrigued by moving forward.
Also, much grander this time is the number of traveling parties. Instead of 2 or 3 like in Of Blood and Fire, you’ll easily shift back and forth between 7 to 9 of them this go around. However, Cahill masterfully balances between the groups and paces it well so you’re rarely wondering where a character disappeared to (though I do wish this book had more Dann and Rist…where my boys at, Ryan?!) nor are you disgruntled at a return to a character.
The villains take on a whole new spin this go around as we see there is much more to Farda that maybe we originally thought, and we see that even he takes orders. You get many peaks behind the curtain of what makes the Empire and the Dragonguard tick and its fascinating to experience. And the Circle of the Magi stuff is top notch and I need more of it.
So many characters get great development here, such as Ella, Farda, Vaeril, Kallinvar, Arden, Aeson, Ihvon, and even Faenir (the bestest boy)! And holy shit, that ending. My jaw was literally on the floor. Incredible set up.
In short, within the span of one book this series has went from I really liked it to I can’t wait to return to this next month. I’m planning to read The Exile in June and Of War & Ruin in July/August. Very much looking forward to it!
Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice
3.0
Again, I think this series was better in my memory. I'll definitely be taking a break for now.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
5.0
Every bit as good as the reputation it has received over the years. While it doesn't quite come close to knocking Dune out of the top spot of my favorite science-fiction novels, it has set up a residence in the same town. Highly recommended, for all ages.
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
4.0
While I will read anything by King, my personal favorite author of all time, I avoided this one when it came out. Reading one of his books without a horror/supernatural element has always been in the lower spectrum of his works for me. But with the Mr. Mercedes TV series coming out, I decided to go ahead and give it a shot. To no surprise, King is a talented enough writer to step outside of his comfort zone and completely nail a genre he doesn't usually touch. Unlike other crime drama detective stories, the cat & mouse game between Hodges & Brady is as fun as it is suspenseful. The final act had me chewing my nails as I read. Great book & I'm looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.
Gerald's Game by Stephen King
4.0
My re-read of all the Stephen King novels I read when I was a young teenager continued with Gerald's Game being read earlier than expected because of the Netflix movie dropping in a couple of weeks. The first time I read this one, I was a 16 year old that was pretty confused by some of the subject matter. Reading King's books in my now late-30's has been a revelation. While most of the subject matter that flew by me as a young kid clicked this time, the "Space Cowboy" but was ever as freaky as it was the first time. To anyone who has ever been afraid of the dark, suffered from night terrors, or simply been absolutely sure that someone (or something) was standing in the dark corner of your bedroom in the middle of a dark night, the chapters with this apparition will still give you absolute chills. I will add that the flashback to Jessie's childhood trauma might be a bit uncomfortable to read. But this is what King does; he makes us squirm. An excellent book that steps outside of his usual formula and a high recommend. I still think this book is unfilmable, so I'm anxious to see just how Mike Flanagan pulls it off with the movie landing on 9/29.
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
5.0
I read this book for the first time at 14 years old and not a care in the world. While it was spooky, it didn't affect me the same way that IT did (which I read right before Pet Sematary). Reading this again at 39 years old and the father of two young children, it exemplifies every fear that a parent can have. Losing a child is the scariest thing imaginable and readers that are parents of young kids might have a difficult time blaming Louis for some of his actions in this story. I never got how so many people considered this King's scariest book when I read it the first time. An older gentlemen once told me that "you'll understand when you have kids." That guy nailed it. In doing my great Stephen king re-read project, the most rattled I've been is reading Louis describing Gage's life had he lived, only to pull cover back a few pages later. Absolutely heartbreaking.
1922 by Stephen King
4.0
The story of 1922 is sold as something quite different than what it ends up being. When you have "The Master of Horror" behind the pen, it's easy to assume this is just another ghost story; and it is for the most part. But like all classic Stephen King, things are left to interpretation. Was the supernatural events that Wilfred describe in his confession letter actually happening? Again, the answer is quite ambiguous. If you go into this story expecting frights and ghouls, then the answer to that question is a resounding yes. But after decades of reading King's stories, the real answer here is two-fold. While I believe there is a haunting going on, I also believe that the crux of the story is how even if you think you've gotten away with the crime, the guilt you have to live with can eat away at you faster than any type of incarceration ever could. Wilfred has so much guilt and anxiety over not only what he does, but involving his young son in the crime, that he's unable to live a normal life afterwards. The ending of the story leaves that decision up to the reader with it's suggestion. not the best story in "Full Dark, No Stars," but a chilling one, to be sure.
*Actual Rating 3.5 out of 5*
*Actual Rating 3.5 out of 5*