Morning Star: the explosive third book in the globally bestselling dystopian science fiction series RED RISING (Red Rising Series)

What an incredible book. I've pretty much abandoned all the books on my TBR so that I can read the entirety of the Red Rising saga. This series is so compelling, so utterly addictive, that I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Morning Star is the third book in the series, and we follow Darrow and his friends as they continue on their mission to overthrow the Sovereign and the colour system that governs their world. I am not a particularly big sci-fi reader, but this has got to be my all time favourite sci-fi series. It's fast paced, it's full to the brim with action and political intrigue, and quite honestly, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Over the course of the three books, I've become pretty attached to the characters in this story, and I love seeing how they grow and how their relationships have changed as allegiances shift and secrets are revealed. There are some really sad, harrowing moments in this story, and Pierce Brown certainly doesn't hold back when it comes to letting the characters suffer. There are plenty of dark and bloody moments in this story, and I am equal parts excited and terrified to see where the story is going to go in Iron Gold. I feel like I'm the last person on the planet to pick up the Red Rising series, but if you haven't had the chance to try it out yet, I can't recommend this one highly enough, it's an absolute must read.

I loved the opening of this book. Coming from Golden Son with all the additional characters, the character building/arcs, continuous world building and ultimate conclusion of it all... fantastic. A proper trilogy that then moves into a new era starting with Iron Gold. The hype is real, its justified around this series in general. There's inevitably lulls and highs but overall its just a great read.

The long awaited conclusion to the Red Rising trilogy finally arrived in the beginning of February. People all over the world were eagerly waiting to read what had happened to Darrow and the uprising after the events in Golden Son. I was one of those people. I pre-ordered the book as soon as I could and practically screamed when it turned up on my doorstep the day of its release in the UK. I had expected to devour it in a day, but surprisingly I felt better giving it time. Brown has created an amazing trilogy, with Morning Star as a solid end. Well, it’s not really an end is it? Soon after its release, Brown revealed that he is writing another trilogy that focuses on life in Darrow’s world after what happened in Morning Star. But back to this book. Expectations for the final book in a series are always high and it can be very tricky to get it just right. Morning Star picks up more than a year after the end of Golden Son. The end of Golden Son left many gasping for breath and even more impatient for the follow-up. Things weren’t looking good for Darrow and the Sons of Ares. Brown uses these kind of setbacks perfectly to make the characters grow and develop their relationships a bit more. It’s hard to come back from what most of them went through, but it’s defining how they all deal with it. All of them have come a long way since Red Rising. They are not children anymore and they are now so wrapped up in this war, that the only way forward is straight through. As Darrow puts it: “I am not alone. I am not his victim. So let him do his worst. I am the Reaper. I know how to suffer. I know the darkness.” Almost all our favourite characters share Darrow’s spotlight and those that were lost in the previous books have certainly not been forgotten. Readers favourite, Sevro, livens up the whole book again with his foul language, his crazy plans and his unwavering loyalty. But readers of the series know that what happened in Golden Son will have a severe impact on our favourite Howler. I was glad to see Sevro rise to his full potential in this book (with some guidance from Darrow and his friends). Victra’s fate was unclear and I’m really happy with the road Brown took with her character. She is such an interesting addition to the story and I enjoyed reading about her from the very first moment she appeared. Mustang obviously also plays a vital role in this war. She is easily one of the smartest people in this war and her bond with Darrow is one that was tentatively and delicately explored throughout the book. Roque and Cassius’s storylines also get a satisfying end, something I was a bit afraid of in the beginning, but unjustly so it seems. Brown’s signature plot twists are back again and I have to admit that it’s only because I know his writing and I know how the plot twists in his previous books that I didn’t stop reading at one point towards the end. It wasn’t because something was wrong with the writing or the story, but he almost did something to break my heart. It was only my solid belief in the fact that this couldn’t be all, that there was more to it, that kept me reading. But damn, Pierce, you know how to toy with our emotions. Throughout the book, Brown again succeeded in impressing me with his writing. He wrote some beautiful and powerful quotes like this one: “And I wonder, in my last moments, if the planet does not mind that we wound her surface or pillage her bounty, because she knows we silly warm things are not even a breath in her cosmic life. We have grown and spread, and will rage and die. And when all that remains of us is our steel monuments and plastic idols, her winds will whisper, her sands will shift, and she will spin on and on, forgetting about the bold, hairless apes who thought they deserved immortality.” Morning Star is again a powerful mix between an almost lyrical style and the fluid prose that keeps you flipping the pages. As soon as you start reading, time seems to pass by without you noticing. I was beyond excited when I started this book and it definitely didn’t let me down. It delivered a satisfying ending to the trilogy and all the storylines. I’m curious to see what the next trilogy will bring, though at this point I’m quite happy with how things ended. If you’re still wondering if you should start reading the Red Rising Trilogy, here’s me giving you a firm “DO IT!”. The Red Rising Trilogy is one of the best I’ve read in a while and I can’t recommend it enough.

What a fantastic conclusion to a high octane Sci-fi trilogy moving at the pace of a action movie meets thriller novel. This third book is excellent in characters really going through everything possible with each one of those built up by the series getting their big moment. The emotional impact here is so high and you're pulled from shock and awe, to laughter and fun all the way to sorrow and even the odd tear. I don't was to spoil any plot points but I do remember in the middle of Red Rising that it was all a but too much hunger games after a great start. Push through that middle part of book 1 and you will not be disappointed with how it builds on the characters, world and incredible political system so very representative of what we could become. I'll also add this has the best use of pop culture references and even a full meme written woven into the action. I'm tempted to re-read to find any I missed. Wonderful book series, I'm ready for the next era with Darrow to start!

It’s a page turner. It adds a necessary layer of complexity to the overall story, and all the dilemmas that arise when you play the “change the world” game. Are heroes pure? How does a hero rise?

This is a fantastic finish to an amazing book trilogy. I won't give away any spoilers but will rather speak to the merit of the book. For his first series, the Red Rising Trilogy went so far above and beyond my expectations that I am truly amazed. So many new series and trilogies start strong but face and fizzle as you progress from start to finish. If anything, I would say this series gets stronger as it progresses rather than weaker and by the climax, I find myself wondering if he could have finished it any better. Brown beautifully builds up to the conclusion and leaves his readers satisfied and fulfilled. This series is everything you want the Hunger Games to be but its just so much better. As I worked my way through Morning Star I found myself sharing the book with anyone that would listen. I ended up getting my wife, brother, sister, and sister-in-law to all read the series and not a one of them was disappointed. If you are looking for an amazing new series, this is the trilogy you should be reading. I am a certified English teacher and I have read several reviews of his work that criticize his writing which is just asinine. I love fantasy and science fiction, but I also have a great appreciation for classic literature. I have read everything from Dickens to Melville to Dostoevsky, so I know what beautiful writing looks like. I am not saying that Brown is on the same level as the aforementioned authors, but he is nothing to scoff at. His writing flows well and he also has a knack for developing enthralling characters and intertwining plot lines. There is nothing not to like about this book and if you see people leaving negative comments then just disregard them, fools and less talented people will always find reasons to complain or nitpick the genius of others. Red Rising was great, Golden Son was a worthy successor, and Morning Star is the perfect conclusion. My prediction is that this series will blow up in the next year or two once we get closer to seeing a Red Rising movie. Do yourself a favor and read this book.

Great

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

Sin dua una de las mejores sagas de siencia ficccion, una historia epica espacial, recomendadisimo.