

Desertcart purchases this item on your behalf and handles shipping, customs, and support to Ireland.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Red Rising thrilled readers and announced the presence of a talented new author. Golden Son changed the game and took the story of Darrow to the next level. Now comes the exhilarating next chapter in the Red Rising Saga: Morning Star. ITW THRILLER AWARD FINALIST • “[Brown’s] achievement is in creating an uncomfortably familiar world of flaw, fear, and promise.”— Entertainment Weekly Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society’s mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within. Finally, the time has come. But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied—and too glorious to surrender. Praise for Morning Star “There is no one writing today who does shameless, Michael Bay–style action set pieces the way Brown does. The battle scenes are kinetic, bloody, breathless, crazy. Everything is on fire all the time.” —NPR “ Morning Star is this trilogy’s Return of the Jedi . . . . The impactful battles that make up most of Morning Star are damn near operatic. . . . It absolutely satisfies.” — Tordotcom “Excellent . . . Brown’s vivid, first-person prose puts the reader right at the forefront of impassioned speeches, broken families, and engaging battle scenes . . . as this interstellar civil war comes to a most satisfying conclusion.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A page-turning epic filled with twists and turns . . . The conclusion to Brown’s saga is simply stellar.” — Booklist (starred review) Don’t miss any of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga: RED RISING • GOLDEN SON • MORNING STAR • IRON GOLD • DARK AGE • LIGHT BRINGER Review: An Amazing Conclusion! - This story was incredible. It was a nail-biting emotional roller coaster that brings the entire trilogy to an insanely dramatic, swift, brutal, and tumultuous close. If I could give this story 6 out of 5 stars, I would. While I came into the trilogy with a less than favorable opinion (I gave Red Rising only 4 stars), this series has only gotten better and better. Without question, collectively this is my all-time favorite trilogy. When last we left Darrow, his Triumph on Mars following the routing of the Sovereigns forces was sabotaged. Nero, Lorn, and Fitchner (Ares) were killed, along with many others, due to Roque's surprise betrayal (along with Adrius [ Jackal ], but we knew he was going to betray Darrow at some point). And right before the book closes, it's made clear that Darrow's secret is known, at least by those in power: he's actually a Red in disguise. Morning Star picks up right at the end of Golden Son ... and things are not pretty. One thing I have to give to Pierce Brown is that he does not shy away from killing characters and bringing harm to the protagonists, and while this is nothing but stressful for the reader, it's ultimately better than creating a sense of invulnerability that would otherwise make things drag along with no real suspense. So, without spoilers ... the opening to Morning Star does not find Darrow in a good place. And the rest of the book proceeds with the same sense of dread and doom hanging over most scenes, this sense that, at this point, 3 books in, anyone could turn out to be a spy or a turncoat, that a given plan could go disastrously, that a favorite character could die horribly. And, again without spoilers, that is sometimes the case. Morning Star is nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. In the final 10% of the book, I found myself so caught up in a sudden turn of events that I all but speed-read through the rest to find out what the conclusion would be, because I couldn't just stop reading in the middle of such drama! And without a doubt, the final 10% is intense. Before you get to this point, make sure you have 30 minutes to an hour to finish without interruption. Yet despite all this, Pierce manages to somehow find little moments here and there in the narrative to slip in some levity. Most of the time these are interactions between Darrow, Sevro and Ragnar, and occasionally a few other characters. He manages to perfectly pace this story so that it is an even and changing mix of drama, tension, suspense, levity, genuine emotional explorations, and action. He also manages to slip in a few sly and kind of funny pop-culture references without breaking stride. And of course, 3 books in, there is a lot of deep character exploration and soul-searching, not only for Darrow, but for those around him. Whereas in Red Rising, Darrow was the star, and the story was all about him doing the impossible on a quest that was ostensibly about vengeance, Morning Star steps back and looks at all of the OTHER characters around him to show that we've now reached a scale that involves more than just petty revenge. Among all this, there's a few minor gripes I have, nothing that breaks anything. Pierce continues to falter on occasion with adequately explaining a scene, or occasionally adopts a skimming pace that just hits you with bullet points rather than actual narrative. But this is few and far between, and mostly happens between major scenes to help with time dilation or to keep the overall pace from getting dragged down. And while Pierce actually gave, to date, the most description regarding what EXACTLY the Razor is (it has a toggle switch and a thumbstick or pad or something! THAT'S how they make the shapes of the weapon, you guys!), he still fails to really adequately describe some weapons or devices (I still have no idea what a pulseFist is. At times I imagined it like the weaponized thruster on the hand of the Ironman suit, but then another scene would indicate it had a barrel and a trigger, so then I thought it was wrist mounted). Additionally, a lot of characters in this book take a lot of damage and injuries, and at times this really stretches the bounds of believability. Yes, I know Golds are super-humans compared to us modern day apes, but there were some things I was just left thinking "Really? All that happens, and he's walking around like nothing?" And finally, during the epilogue, there is a final little twist thrown in that, while really poignant, seemed a bit out of left field. It's not anything like a deus ex machina, but the chances it would happen seem PRETTY STEEP. Overall, an amazing book. I'm still reeling from the final 10% of this novel. As with Red Rising and Golden Son, this book is full of twists and turns, political intrigue, suspense, action, emotion, brutality, intelligence, and humor, and by the end of it you'll be drained. Review: A near-perfect finale 🎖️👍 - (I’m aware that Morning Star isn’t the final book in the series, but at the time I read it, it was. So, this review reflects my thoughts as I experienced them back then.) After the explosive and emotionally devastating ending of Golden Son, my expectations for Morning Star were sky high, and somehow, Pierce Brown still managed to exceed them. This book is a masterclass in payoff, delivering a story that is both thrilling and highly satisfying, filled with the same political intrigue, action, and heartbreak that made the first two books so compelling. The entire series is an emotional roller coaster, but nearly every aspect of the plot is extremely well thought-out. Brown isn't just throwing twists at you for shock value, every reveal, betrayal, turning point, sacrifice, and loss is either earned or makes sense within the wider story. The unpredictability of the story only adds to that impressiveness 🤔. The narrative shifts in directions that are completely unexpected, but at the same time feel completely right. Pierce Brown seems like he's mastered the art of the build-up. As Darrow rises from the ashes, builds his army, discovers what is precious to him, and copes with the weight of losing it, you can just feel that something is coming throughout the book. It has an intensity about it. And the final showdown is one of the best: epic in its implications but deeply personal in its execution. We’d heard for so long how dangerous Aja was, and when we finally got to see what she was capable of, it was every bit as intense and jaw-dropping as expected 💪😲. “You do not fight a river. You do not fight Aja” - Lorn au Arcos. It’s rare for a trilogy to deliver a conclusion that not only meets expectations but surpasses them. So many series stumble at the finish line, but Red Rising sticks the landing and is without a doubt my favorite series. ❤️




| Best Sellers Rank | #1,301 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3 in Hard Science Fiction (Books) #4 in War & Military Action Fiction (Books) #5 in Dystopian Fiction (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 60,299 Reviews |
A**Y
An Amazing Conclusion!
This story was incredible. It was a nail-biting emotional roller coaster that brings the entire trilogy to an insanely dramatic, swift, brutal, and tumultuous close. If I could give this story 6 out of 5 stars, I would. While I came into the trilogy with a less than favorable opinion (I gave Red Rising only 4 stars), this series has only gotten better and better. Without question, collectively this is my all-time favorite trilogy. When last we left Darrow, his Triumph on Mars following the routing of the Sovereigns forces was sabotaged. Nero, Lorn, and Fitchner (Ares) were killed, along with many others, due to Roque's surprise betrayal (along with Adrius [ Jackal ], but we knew he was going to betray Darrow at some point). And right before the book closes, it's made clear that Darrow's secret is known, at least by those in power: he's actually a Red in disguise. Morning Star picks up right at the end of Golden Son ... and things are not pretty. One thing I have to give to Pierce Brown is that he does not shy away from killing characters and bringing harm to the protagonists, and while this is nothing but stressful for the reader, it's ultimately better than creating a sense of invulnerability that would otherwise make things drag along with no real suspense. So, without spoilers ... the opening to Morning Star does not find Darrow in a good place. And the rest of the book proceeds with the same sense of dread and doom hanging over most scenes, this sense that, at this point, 3 books in, anyone could turn out to be a spy or a turncoat, that a given plan could go disastrously, that a favorite character could die horribly. And, again without spoilers, that is sometimes the case. Morning Star is nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. In the final 10% of the book, I found myself so caught up in a sudden turn of events that I all but speed-read through the rest to find out what the conclusion would be, because I couldn't just stop reading in the middle of such drama! And without a doubt, the final 10% is intense. Before you get to this point, make sure you have 30 minutes to an hour to finish without interruption. Yet despite all this, Pierce manages to somehow find little moments here and there in the narrative to slip in some levity. Most of the time these are interactions between Darrow, Sevro and Ragnar, and occasionally a few other characters. He manages to perfectly pace this story so that it is an even and changing mix of drama, tension, suspense, levity, genuine emotional explorations, and action. He also manages to slip in a few sly and kind of funny pop-culture references without breaking stride. And of course, 3 books in, there is a lot of deep character exploration and soul-searching, not only for Darrow, but for those around him. Whereas in Red Rising, Darrow was the star, and the story was all about him doing the impossible on a quest that was ostensibly about vengeance, Morning Star steps back and looks at all of the OTHER characters around him to show that we've now reached a scale that involves more than just petty revenge. Among all this, there's a few minor gripes I have, nothing that breaks anything. Pierce continues to falter on occasion with adequately explaining a scene, or occasionally adopts a skimming pace that just hits you with bullet points rather than actual narrative. But this is few and far between, and mostly happens between major scenes to help with time dilation or to keep the overall pace from getting dragged down. And while Pierce actually gave, to date, the most description regarding what EXACTLY the Razor is (it has a toggle switch and a thumbstick or pad or something! THAT'S how they make the shapes of the weapon, you guys!), he still fails to really adequately describe some weapons or devices (I still have no idea what a pulseFist is. At times I imagined it like the weaponized thruster on the hand of the Ironman suit, but then another scene would indicate it had a barrel and a trigger, so then I thought it was wrist mounted). Additionally, a lot of characters in this book take a lot of damage and injuries, and at times this really stretches the bounds of believability. Yes, I know Golds are super-humans compared to us modern day apes, but there were some things I was just left thinking "Really? All that happens, and he's walking around like nothing?" And finally, during the epilogue, there is a final little twist thrown in that, while really poignant, seemed a bit out of left field. It's not anything like a deus ex machina, but the chances it would happen seem PRETTY STEEP. Overall, an amazing book. I'm still reeling from the final 10% of this novel. As with Red Rising and Golden Son, this book is full of twists and turns, political intrigue, suspense, action, emotion, brutality, intelligence, and humor, and by the end of it you'll be drained.
J**E
A near-perfect finale 🎖️👍
(I’m aware that Morning Star isn’t the final book in the series, but at the time I read it, it was. So, this review reflects my thoughts as I experienced them back then.) After the explosive and emotionally devastating ending of Golden Son, my expectations for Morning Star were sky high, and somehow, Pierce Brown still managed to exceed them. This book is a masterclass in payoff, delivering a story that is both thrilling and highly satisfying, filled with the same political intrigue, action, and heartbreak that made the first two books so compelling. The entire series is an emotional roller coaster, but nearly every aspect of the plot is extremely well thought-out. Brown isn't just throwing twists at you for shock value, every reveal, betrayal, turning point, sacrifice, and loss is either earned or makes sense within the wider story. The unpredictability of the story only adds to that impressiveness 🤔. The narrative shifts in directions that are completely unexpected, but at the same time feel completely right. Pierce Brown seems like he's mastered the art of the build-up. As Darrow rises from the ashes, builds his army, discovers what is precious to him, and copes with the weight of losing it, you can just feel that something is coming throughout the book. It has an intensity about it. And the final showdown is one of the best: epic in its implications but deeply personal in its execution. We’d heard for so long how dangerous Aja was, and when we finally got to see what she was capable of, it was every bit as intense and jaw-dropping as expected 💪😲. “You do not fight a river. You do not fight Aja” - Lorn au Arcos. It’s rare for a trilogy to deliver a conclusion that not only meets expectations but surpasses them. So many series stumble at the finish line, but Red Rising sticks the landing and is without a doubt my favorite series. ❤️
B**E
strong close to a highly recommended series
Pierce Brown’s RED RISING TRILOGY comes to a satisfying close with the just-released Morning Star, which despite a few missteps ultimately delivers on the series’ great promise, so evidently clear from the very beginning. A few spoilers will follow for books one and two, so if you haven’t read those books, this is where you’ll want to stop reading this review and go order read those first two books, because the series is well worth your time. Book two, Golden Son, ended with a major cliffhanger, with the series’ protagonist, Darrow, brought low at what seemed to be his highest point. It was a devastating close for our hero, and the beginning of Morning Star makes it clear things have only gone downhill for Darrow since, what with the months of torture (mental and physical), the reversal of the “carving” that made him a superhuman, and the whole being kept in a tiny, tiny box thing. In fact, Darrow is on the verge of committing suicide when his torturer, the Jackal, decides to unbox him for some gloating and then transport to more torture. And if you’re reading this and thinking to yourself, “Hmm, this sounds a bit like Han Solo getting frozen in carbonite at the end of Empire Strikes Back, being gloated over by Jabba, and . . . “ now’s about the time you’ll wonder about the daring rescue attempt in the villain’s stronghold. And that’s just what we get, and soon, though not without cost, Darrow is back with the Rising and plotting against the Gold’s Empire. And when I say, “plotting” I mean plotting. As with the prior two novels, but especially Golden Sun, Morning Star is intricately, deeply plotted with nested schemes, red herrings, betrayals, re-betrayals, secrets, etc. I’m not going to delve into the plot, both due to its complexity and so as to avoid spoilers, but I’ll say that we see a wider spectrum of the trilogy’s universe than in the past, visit several new settings, are treated to the same operatic space battles, Dumas-like razor duels, and wrenching losses and realizations as in the earlier books. Thus the satisfying close. The positives are many. While some might wish for maybe one or two fewer set fight/battle scenes, there’s not doubt that Brown is a master at them, whether he’s dealing with large-scale space fleet battles or one on one hand-to-hand combat. They are epic in scope, vivid in detail, operatic in spectacle and language. One could use that same word — operatic — to describe the many relationships in the text and the language, which whether in dialog or internal monologue often rises to a lyrical grandiloquence. As with the battle scenes, some might wish for the language to be a little less elevated, or at least less frequently so; at times one gets a sense the characters are reading/thinking from a refined script rather than simply talking or thinking, but for the most part I’d say it works quite well given the canvas. And given that the Gold’s society is built upon an idealization of the ancient Greeks and Romans, who weren’t always known for their humble nature. And it doesn’t hurt that the elevated language is paired with a lot of, well, less elevated language (so less elevated that there’s no way I’m quoting any of it here), especially from the mouth of Sevro, who just may be my favorite character in the series. In fact, for all that Darrow obviously remains our protagonist, and it’s his narration that drives the book, it seems to me that in Morning Star his friends steps forward a bit more than in the past (though they’ve always been major elements) and Darrow steps back a bit. Part of that is due to that long imprisonment, which Brown nicely refuses to simply gloss over as a speed bump in the Chosen One’s progression toward success. On the one hand, it forced the other players, particularly Sevro, but others as well, to take on a bigger role in the rebellion. It also slows Darrow’s progression down purely logistically, as he has to be recarved, has to get back to “game speed,” has to find his place in a rebellion that had thought him dead. This last part adds a nice bit of tension between him and the rebellion’s current leaders, including his friend Sevro. Finally, while this has always percolated beneath the surface of this story, and it really was the question of the last book, the idea of “what comes next” seems to take on a more urgent, more central role in Darrow’s thinking, at least in part due to his experience being capture and then his learning of what has gone in in his absence. The idea that there needs to be something to take the place of the Golds, that it can’t just be destruction and death, is driven home by a phrase repeated throughout the latter half of the novel: “death begets death.” That repetition is, along with perhaps a few of the aforementioned too much/too many aspects, is another of those missteps. Once would have been fine, and certainly appropriate in the context of the novel’s events, but the repetition becomes a little too ham-handed, and this isn’t the only example of such overkill. While I’m mostly a fan of Darrow’s narration, at times he’s a bit too on the nose with things; I would have preferred to have come to certain realizations, certain emotional responses on my own as a reader rather than be guided so directly by the narrative voice/author. And I do think the narration is a bit problematic at the ending, though I won’t say anything more for spoiler-avoidance. The missteps though are relatively few and relatively minor, and the ending brings us to a welcome point, one that is both somewhat surprising (the degree may vary) and also somewhat inevitable if you’ve been paying attention. As a whole, the trilogy is a page-turning mix of spectacle and space opera that takes its time with its characters and isn’t afraid to take a pause from all the pulse explosions and light saber (er, razor) duels to let the wrought emotionality of scenes, both present and past (and the way the past haunts the present and perhaps the future is handled in excellent fashion throughout) linger over the reader. Morning Star is a strong close to an excellent trilogy and one I highly recommend.
B**D
Per aspera ad astra.
2023-07-04: The end. Or, what we thought was the end, back then, seven years ago. Now we know that the story goes on. More to tell, and far from over. But back then... it was the end. A new beginning for the Society, but the end of the story of the Rising. The end for Darrow of Lykos, Sevro au Barca, Virginia au Augustus, Victra au Julii, Cassius au Bellona. For Dancer and Mickey and Orion. For Ragnar, Roque, and Fitchner. For all that Pierce Brown built between these pages, one of the coolest settings in sci-fi/fantasy, for my two cents. This was goodbye, for a while. And I believe it hit its mark. While not the strongest book of the trilogy (that honor belongs to Golden Son, I think) Morning Star does hold some of the most unforgettable scenes in the series, and some of the highest highs. It is the culmination of Eo's dream, and the work of all those like Ares who believed in living for more. It is the answer to the question: what comes next? It is the understanding that one cannot break without building, and it is the time when the Reaper, and the friends who have bound themselves to him, must become something more. A light in the dark. A new age. But fostering that light, and shepherding in that age... That is the true test, and that is what's to come. — [4.5] 2016-02-18: Bloodydamn.. it's over. And I'm sad that it is. Though, I've only just heard to today that Pierce is hard at work on a new trilogy set in this universe, so I'm not as bummed out as I otherwise would be at having finished this excellent series of books. I don't remember why I bought Red Rising, but I did so on a whim, and because it was cheap. On sale for $1.99 I believe. I'm so glad that I did. It is a fun thing following along with a series you love, anticipating its releases, pondering each new installment. And as the last piece of the trilogy, Morning Star did not disappoint. I tell everyone that I recommend these to that Pierce Brown has a gift for plot. And he does! These books grip you at some point during Red Rising and they just do not let you go until the very last page here. Readers new to the series have the advantage of being able to read the story in its entirety back to back to back. I envy you. If you are looking for an action-packed, fast-paced, emotional rollercoaster of a sci-fi series then look no further. Here it is. I feel the need to voice a minor quibble with the book. I stand by my 5-star rating wholeheartedly. However I found myself a little bothered by the editing of this one. I'm not sure if this was an issue specifically with the Kindle version or the print as well, but I noticed too many mistakes. A word missing here or a word added there, grammatical errors that made no sense, etc. Typically you might see two or three of these in a novel, and I felt like I noticed at least ten here. Maybe I'm being anal but it bothered me. With that being said, a minor editing quibble is nothing compared to the time I had reading this trilogy. It was a ride I'm sad to get off of. And if you've yet to ride it yourself well, what are you waiting for?
K**R
A stunning conclusion to one of my favorite series.
Morning Star is the third and final book in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising science fiction trilogy. After the explosive ending of Golden Son and revelation of Roque’s betrayal, I immediately dived into Morning Star, eager to see what the fate was of Darrow and friends. The story picks up right away and quite literally doesn’t stop until the last page. There are no slow moments in this story. I was in awe after finishing this book. It is such a fantastic end to this trilogy and easily the best book in the series. I expected the same bloody fight scenes and the war that has been brewing in the previous two stories, but I did not expect the incredible character development we see from each and every character. Of course I cared about Darrow, I’ve been with him through this entire trilogy. What I didn’t expect is for Pierce Brown to make me hate, and then love characters again. He made them all so very real and it made me even more invested in this story. Morning Star begins months after the aftermath of the final scene in Golden Son. Darrow is imprisoned by Adruis, and after being tortured and starved, he is a shadow of his former self. If you thought Darrow questioned his mission before, it isn’t until now that we truly see defeat. And honestly, these chapters were difficult to read because we haven’t seen Darrow this broken. It was devastating. Darrow eventually escapes and although it is not a short road to recovery, his ragtag crew of various colors are there to support him. In Morning Star, we get to see more of Darrow’s world than any of the previous two books. The world-building continues to be brilliant as Darrow and crew is forced to look for allies in unexpected places to go up against both the Jackal and the Sovereign. The Howlers also play a large part in this story- Sevro is as loyal as ever but him and Darrow definitely have their own issues to work out in their friendship as Darrow resumes his role as leader. I adored each of these characters- the book was very dark and bloody, and yet I couldn’t help but love the friendship between Sevro, Ragnar, Darrow, Victra and even Mustang. Finally, the last 30% of the book was honestly one of the best endings I have ever read in a series. I’m usually pretty good at guessing where a book is headed, but I can honestly say I was not expecting things to go the way they did. You will be absolutely amazed at how well Brown tied everything together. Each piece of the story was so well thought out and through all the death and loss you experience through these three books, we are still able to get to a satisfying ending. This is not necessarily a happy book- it is filled with death, betrayal and war. This book made me feel a range of emotions. I was crying and laughing and so sad to say goodbye to my crew when I finished this book. If you have any hesitations about this series, please continue to read it. I only have the highest praise for this book and this series has made its way on to my favorites list. I can’t wait to see what you think of it!
O**L
I almost quit this book, glad I didn't
I made the mistake of reading all 3 of these in a row. I loved Red Rising, Golden Son was good, but by the time you get to Morning Star it felt like the same tired theme. The middle of Morning Star is comparable to Red Rising..fast paced & exciting....awesome. But as you read along you get to revisit the same story arc. It felt predictable and redundant. I almost quit 80% through. Glad I didn't and saw it through...solid ending. As a whole, the writing and character development are awesome. This is one of those book series that will do great as a movie or tv series.
/**N
Triumphant Conclusion: A Five-Star Review of Morning Star
"Morning Star" by Pierce Brown is a breathtaking and triumphant conclusion to the Red Rising trilogy, delivering a masterful blend of high-stakes action, intricate political maneuvering, and profound emotional depth. This final installment cements the series' status as a modern classic in science fiction, earning every bit of its five-star acclaim. From the very first page, "Morning Star" grips readers with its relentless pace and unwavering intensity. Picking up from the devastating cliffhanger of "Golden Son," we find Darrow imprisoned and at his lowest point. Yet, even in the darkest of times, his resolve to topple the oppressive Gold regime and bring justice to the galaxy burns brighter than ever. Brown expertly navigates Darrow's journey from desolation to resurgence, crafting a narrative that is as exhilarating as it is inspiring. The world-building in "Morning Star" reaches new heights, expanding the already vast and complex universe established in the previous books. Brown's meticulous attention to detail and imaginative vision breathe life into the story, making every setting—from the war-torn battlegrounds to the opulent palaces of the elite—feel vividly real. The intricate social hierarchy, technological advancements, and cultural nuances of each caste are explored with a depth that enhances the story's authenticity and immerses readers in its rich tapestry. Character development is where "Morning Star" truly shines. Darrow's evolution from a vengeful insurgent to a wise and compassionate leader is both compelling and believable. His inner struggles and moral dilemmas add layers to his character, making him relatable and deeply human. The supporting cast is equally remarkable, with standout performances from familiar faces like the fierce Mustang, the enigmatic Sevro, and the steadfast Ragnar. Their individual arcs are handled with care and precision, adding emotional weight to the narrative and heightening the stakes of their collective fight for freedom. The action sequences in "Morning Star" are nothing short of spectacular. Brown's vivid and dynamic writing style places readers in the heart of the conflict, capturing the chaos and intensity of battle with cinematic flair. Each skirmish and strategic maneuver is meticulously crafted, blending visceral combat with intellectual warfare in a way that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The tension is palpable, and the twists and turns are expertly executed, ensuring that the story remains unpredictable and thrilling to the very end. Beyond its adrenaline-fueled plot, "Morning Star" is a story of resilience, sacrifice, and the enduring power of hope. It delves into themes of loyalty, redemption, and the cost of revolution, offering poignant reflections on the human condition. Brown's exploration of these themes adds a profound layer of meaning to the narrative, making it not just a tale of rebellion, but a meditation on the struggles and triumphs of the human spirit. In conclusion, "Morning Star" is a triumph in every sense of the word. Pierce Brown has delivered a stunning finale that exceeds all expectations, providing a satisfying and emotionally resonant conclusion to an extraordinary series. With its unforgettable characters, masterful storytelling, and unyielding intensity, "Morning Star" deserves its place among the best of science fiction. This is a five-star epic that will leave readers breathless and longing for more.
C**Y
Farewell Howlers, you will be missed!!
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS This is it. The final book in the “Red Rising” trilogy. As such, it’ll be my shortest review (which is never that short) because honestly, if you’ve read my review for the others and are bothering with this one… I don’t know why you are reading this if you HAVEN’T at least started the series yet. Either way, this is the final chapter, final straw, final act for Darrow as he goes about completing his mission of bringing equality and freedom to a society that feels both in the future and also back in time with its views. A bit like Star Wars really, but you know, without Jedi’s and the like. This book starts up where we left off, with Darrow captured. We finally really see the depravity the Gold’s are capable of. It had always been implied before, you saw it through members of the Sons of Ares as they retold their own subjugation but mainly we saw it through how Golds treated other Golds in the academy which was never all that good to begin with. Now, they have broken Darrow and he has to be rebuilt, again, in order to finish the job he set out to do. The story gets a bit repetitive in this. While Brown is amazing when it comes to putting a twist on the Roman culture and military tactics he’s borrowed so heavily from (and which this mythology geek always appreciated), he does tend to have the same instances repeat themselves. In every one of his books, Darrow goes through the hero’s journey each and every time. While his story is compelling and I adore Sevro as a character, it does make each book following the first a little slower for me to get through. They are fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but with each book, it becomes just a bit less of a page turner. Some of that comes with the “easy outs” Brown tends to give Darrow and how “soft” he makes Darrow at times. In the last book, Darrow forgets to tell us that he’s been training secretly with the best Gold warrior of their time. I understand why he did it, to illicit a feeling of surprise, but it still comes off as a bit of an unwelcome twist because it felt too convenient. That happens again in “Morning Star”. There is a moment where you believe so fully someone dies only to have it be all part of a plot twist. Which is fine except our narrator never hints that he has this plan, never even subtly shows us that this betrayal was all part of an act. Again, I know why he did it, but some hints about it would make the twist feel satisfying rather than overly convenient. Honestly, this is the most troublesome thing because it happens so often, even in the epilogue! I won’t lie, the epilogue made me roll my eyes a bit… Also, Darrow also really, really loves his people. Which is awesome because a leader should love his people. But he loves them to the point in this last book where I am wondering if Darrow is bisexual or something. Which kudos if he is but I don’t really think he is. Which is why it felt a bit weird when he went on and on about how beautiful both the male and female Golds are. In addition, Darrow is broken so much mentally and generally does not feel as strong mentally as he once was. It shows that Darrow is changing and evolving which is great, but it does feel a bit as if he is mentally incapable of doing what’s necessary. He does them anyway so no big deal, but it felt a bit whiny at times. My only other real “complaint”, if you can call it that, is with the villain. He always seems to be two steps ahead like he’s psychic into all of Darrow’s plans. No matter how clever Darrow and friends are, the jackal and crew are expecting exactly what they do. You can only chalk that up to spies so much to where it just feels unbelievable. The Jackal is formidable on his own but he felt too smart, too clever because he just seemed to know what Darrow and team planned for every mission save one or two. The Jackal is a scary bad guy all on his own, this seemed to lessen that in its mild un-believability. All in all though, I am a big fan of this series and Brown as a writer. His research and the “colorful” characters he’s created are marvelous. I recommend this series to anyone who likes a sci-fi fantasy steeped in old Roman culture and who also enjoy a good YA series. Like the rest of his books, I’m giving it a solid 4 out of 5 stars and the series as a whole a 4.5. Definitely worth a read!
R**S
Great book
Great
B**�
Red Rising Saga- 5 Star ⭐
People usually write the review of the book here but that's already plenty of present here. So I want to say the book I got was really in nice condition.
E**A
Packender Abschluss der Red-Rising-Trilogie
Inhalt Darrow hätte in Frieden gelebt, doch seine Feinde brachten ihm den Krieg. Als Roter war Darrow dazu bestimmt, sein Leben in den Minen von Mars zu verbringen. Doch die Hinrichtung seiner große Liebe führte dazu, das Darrow als Goldener wiedergeboren wurde. Erfolgreich infiltrierte er die goldene Gesellschaft und gewann schließlich die Schlacht um Mars. Doch der Moment, der Darrows größter Triumph sein sollte, wurde zu seiner schrecklichsten Niederlage: Verraten von ehemaligen Freunden, befindet er sich in der Gefangenschaft seines grausamsten Feindes. Doch trotz des vernichtenden Schlages, der Darrow und den Söhnen von Ares zugefügt wurde, lebt die Revolution noch immer. Als Darrow endlich frei ist, findet er die Revolution im Zerfall vor, während seine mächtigen Feinde gnadenlos und ohne Skrupel handeln. Um zu gewinnen muss Darrow einmal mehr die im Dunkeln Gefesselten dazu bringen, ihre Ketten zu sprengen und die Welt umzustürzen, die ihre grausamen Meister geschaffen haben. Kann Darrow die Revolution hinter sich vereinen und zum Sieg führen? Meinung Was ich schon an den vorherigen Bänden mochte, wird hier nun ganz deutlich: Es gibt keine strahlenden Helden, an ihrer aller Händen klebt das Blut. Zudem ist der Grat zwischen Revolution und Terrorismus ein nur zu schmaler. Darrow beweist sich im dritten Band als Realpolitiker und schreckt nicht davor zurück, seine eigenen Leute zu opfern oder „false flag“-Operationen durchzuführen. Es gibt Führungskrisen und Meutreien, die ungewöhnliche Lösungen erforderlich machen. Und natürlich immer wieder wunderbar ausgebuffte Pläne, die für einen Plottwist nach den nächsten sorgen. Im Vergleich zu den vorherigen Bänden werden hier verhältnismäßig wenig neue Charaktere eingeführt, dennoch hat Pierce Brown auch dieses Mal einige faszinierende Figuren geschaffen. Während Darrow in den ersten beiden Bänden die Verbündeten scheinbar nur zu zuströmten, muss er zudem in diesem abschließenden Teil hart dafür arbeiten, Neue für sich zu gewinnen und Alte an seiner Seite zu halten. Denn je größer die Revolution wird, desto fragiler wird das Gleichgewicht zwischen den Lagern. Insgesamt gibt es auch im finalen Band wieder all die geschätzten Zutaten, die schon die beiden Vorgänger so groß machten, genannt seien halsbrecherische Aktionen, wagemutige Diplomatie und epische Weltraumschlachten. Was ich besonders an der Trilogie liebe, ist der Realismus: Statt eines einsamen Helden ist die Zusammenarbeit vieler nötig, um das Imperium zu stürzen – und mehr als einmal scheint Darrow alles um die Ohren zu fliegen, bevor es zur finalen Schlacht kommt. Auch der Schluss gefiel mir gut: Es herrscht nicht eitel Sonnenschein, sondern es ist allen bewusst, dass dies nur ein Etappensieg war. Ich verbeuge mich an dieser Stelle vor Pierce Brown, denn mit dieser Trilogie hat er aus meiner Sicht ein Meisterwerk geschaffen. Ein Meisterwerk, dass Krieg in all seiner Grausamkeit zeigt und was der Kampf für eine gerechte Sache kostet. Diese Trilogie ist am Puls der Zeit. In einem Satz Der epische Abschluss einer fantastischen Trilogie, die selbst auf den letzten Metern noch immer wieder Plottwists vollführt. 5 Sterne
A**Z
Tremendo libro
Sin dua una de las mejores sagas de siencia ficccion, una historia epica espacial, recomendadisimo.
A**S
Un final de saga a la altura de las expectativas
Un final de trilogía absolutamente explosivo que no decepciona. Pierce Brown cierra la saga Red Rising con una historia llena de acción, emociones y giros inesperados que mantienen enganchado hasta la última página. Lectura obligatoria para los fans de la ciencia ficción distopíca.
Trustpilot
2 months ago
1 day ago