Hello Fellow Journeyers,
And finally we come to the end of my favorite science fiction trilogy with Morning Star. The series as a whole continues with Iron Gold, but I consider them separate entities. The epic conclusion to the three part masterpiece from Pierce Brown. At the very depths of loss, Darrow must rise, and rise he does.
What's the story about: Morning Star picks up after the devastating end of Golden Son with all hope being extinguished. Darrow must did a way to free himself after being exposed for who he truly is and desperately seeks to bring down the Society he's fought against for years while picking up the pieces of the Sons of Ares.
Putting Darrow into the worst spot imaginable is the running theme throughout this book. He's spent years trying to take down the Society that oppressed billions of people, and it's a race to vanquish those standing in their way. While I assume no one at the time believed Pierce Brown could stick the landing on this series, he does. By now, if you have had any problems with Brown's story up until this point, there is nothing here that will impress or change your opinion because this third part is equal to the first two books in greatness, character development, and climax.
At this point, what is there left to say but revel in Brown's victory lap. Morning Star has been criticized by some that it is not the bombastic heavy hitter that Golden Son is, but I beg to differ. It's every bit as fast, surprising, and has the moments of impact that Golden Son and then some. Without spoiling anything, what lies at the center of Morning Star's greatness is Brown's ability to put characters in the situations that are truly dire, and have them overcome. Darrow finds himself at odds with Sevro, he must contend with his friend turned enemy Roque, he loses more people as he fights against the oppression, and makes deals and decisions that have lasting consequences on his soul in order to win.
Finally, there is something to be said about the ending of this trilogy and book. It's...staggering, to say the least. While a friend of mine said that it almost became predictable, I must be a gullible enough reader that I didn't see how Darrow could win and have a happy ending. I found myself unable to stop reading the last third due to nonstop intrigue and mystery that turns up the pacing far beyond what is reasonable for any book to do to a person. The ending (which is now up for debate since there is a sequel trilogy) is beautiful, full of sadness, redemption, finality, and poise. There are so many series that don't know how to end, but Brown masterfully takes everything, all the pain and glory, and gracefully finishes it with a sweet period that made my heart sing.
★★★★★ 5 Stars - Morning Star, like Red Rising and Golden Son before it is exactly what it needs to be and more. It has amazing characters (some new, most we know) whose arcs move and adjust perfectly to who they are. It has dynamic action-packed scenes of glory and long-lasting impact and loss. The pacing is exceptional and never once falters either in the fast moments or intimate ones. And all the while, at the heart of this story is the ultimate tale of overcoming odds, enduring friendships, and living for more. This trilogy impacted me similar to The Lord of the Rings and I believe it is a classic for the genre. This book and trilogy is everything I want in a sci-fi epic and story! Definitely Essential Reading!
Let me hear from you! If you like what you read, want to hear more thoughts on this book, other reviews, or talk book recommendations and Essential Reading, leave a comment below.
Rating system:
★★★★★ 5 Stars: It was amazing; I loved it. Read this book; it is definitely Essential Reading!
★★★★★* 4.5 Stars: It was nearly perfect. I really loved almost every aspect of it, but a few things kept it from being amazing.
★★★★ 4 Stars: It was very worth reading and satisfying; highly recommend.
★★★★* 3.5 Stars: I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but it was lacking in certain crucial areas.
★★★ 3 Stars: It was good, but could've been better or improved upon significantly.
★★★* 2.5 Stars: I wanted to enjoy it. Certain aspects were good, it was worth finishing, but many issues.
★★ 2 Stars: It was okay, I didn't feel strongly about it.
★ 1 Star: I did not like it. It was not worth finishing or I did not finish it.
*I round up based on the system on Goodreads. Also, there is no 1.5 Stars because it does not seem to have enough differentiation.