Morning Star: Book III of the Red Rising Trilogy

The story of Darrow and his compatriots has been one of the purest pleasures of my recent memory. It is at once literary on the grandest of scales, comparable to Tolkien or Herbert, yet manages to encapsulate pulsating and driving action. There is an inaudible, but extremely present, heart thumping beat throughout this series and this finale.

I have long been a fan of the third act in a trilogy- for example I am more of a Jedi fan than Empire, even though I know Empire is objectively the better movie. I feel similarly about this book. Golden Son was, I feel, a better book. But, I love Morning Star the most because we have, in its words, the conclusion and driving point of the sword. It has hit its mark, deep in our souls. I, for one, am a better person for having heard this story. The message contained within is not one of violence for violence's sake, but rather one obsessed with the perils of humanity. What drives us. What makes our souls weep in joy and sadness. This is not to say that vengeance isn't part of the story- some of the most important moments in history and humanity have been fueled by vengeance. As it is with violence. But also love, forgiveness, and the capacity to change. Honor. Loyalty.

Brown takes us on a journey that tries, and succeeds, to balance these ideas masterfully. We are plunged into sadness and taken to the heights of victory, only to have the two become one in the end. Death begets death, begets death.

I was afraid, ever so slightly, that Brown would lose the momentum in this third book, that he would fall into some trap of writing or storyline inconsistency. This was, thankfully, a deeply unfounded fear. The storylines merged seamlessly in the end, to a truly satisfying conclusion. Please notice that this does not spoil anything- only that I thought the ending fit. There were many options and I am content with the one Brown chose.

At the beginning of this review I spoke of Tolkien and Herbert. I am going to say something which many may find offensive or wrong- I believe Brown has beaten them both, as well as many others. This series is, in my most humble opinion, the pinnacle of science fiction or fantasy. It does not matter in this listener's opinion if others agree since I have had the absolute joy of experiencing this story; for this I am quite thankful.

My highest marks possible, the book (and series) against which all others are judged. Magnificent.

Gonna keep it simple and just say this is one of the best books in one of the best series I've experienced. Stands right up there with Song of Ice and Fire, Harry Potter, The Dark Tower and others. Also the first series I've listened to in entirety on Audible. Perfect narration for the story. The final book was every bit as good as the first if not better. Full of twists and turns, excitement and sadness. Brilliant work.

I usually have 2 audiobooks going at once since I listen to one book while commuting and another while running. For the most part, the two books stay in their assigned places but occasionally one of the two books will grab my attention and cause me to listen to it continuously across both activities. Morning Star was such a book.

As this series has gone on I have found myself more and more invested in it. Red Rising was good but I felt that it contained a few standard YA tropes that forced me to keep my distance. Golden Son was better but as the middle story of the trilogy it was a bridge that went nowhere ending with a cliffhanger. That left Morning Star with a built in obligation to build upon the unfinished foundation laid before it and it does not fail to deliver. For me it was the best book of the series.

Darrow's exploits in this one contain highs and lows alike and he finds that he must make a final determination of the trustworthiness of almost every person in his life. From the dead who helped shape him to the living who still try to manipulate him, Darrow melds all of their influences together with his own opinions to finally become himself. He no longer fights for Eo's vision or Ares' cause but rather for his own reasons. He has all sigils removed from his hands and transforms himself into a simple human that is neither red nor gold. He has no color at all and represents the future that he desires to create for all of humanity.

Pierce Brown takes you a non-stop wild adventure ride in this one and he keeps you guessing. Sometimes you are in on the plans, and sometimes you are not, but you never lose interest in the outcome. The events build to a final showdown with the Sovereign and every character is eventually forced to pick a side to stand on. Loyalties are up in the air until the very end but this one is no cliffhanger.

Tim Gerard Reynolds is brilliant once again and without a doubt enhances the written word with his narration. Is this book perfect? No it isn't but I am not going to dwell on any negatives as they are easy to overlook. It grabbed my attention from the start and didn't let go until it was over which makes this the best book of the series.

Break the chains!

Morning Star, Pierce Brown's thrilling conclusion to the Red Rising trilogy more than lives up to expectations based on the the first two volumes. What begins from the low point with Darrow's capture at the end of volume 2, proceeds through a series of two steps forward and one step back as Darrow must constantly second guess both his friends and enemies while he continues to excel at doing the unexpected. The core of the resolution of the multiple eight balls Darrow finds himself behind is to methodically pick apart the societal hold by exploiting the weaknesses and animosities among the outer worlds, Mars (meaning the jackal) and the core. Rather than a systematic, well executed take-down, the denouement morphs into one potential catastrophe after another until even in the face of eventual victory Brown still manages to surprise with left field turn of events.

The sci-fi elements are muted with no new elements relative to earlier installments and stay well in the background as a supporting role. Beyond the thriller aspects of the storytelling, Brown explores relationships along with differing attitudes and beliefs that drive the main characters around Darrow. Each supporting character, Mustang, Cassius, Sevro, Victra, Roque, Quicksilver, etc. have different, but equally valid perspectives on their drives and ambitions. The intimacy of their various interactions is poignant and moving and is a compelling component of the appeal of the tale. At the same time, Darrow is continually making tough, less than ideal choices that completely satisfy few and leave many worse off than before. In this way, the tale is closer to "real life" than expected, especially in utilizing the "fog of war". Finally, while Darrow succeeds in achieving his overarching goal, Brown leaves the reluctant revolutionist with the unenviable task of remolding society while bracketed by potential enemies and the disillusioned,leaving plenty of fodder for future installments. One glaring omission was the noticeable absence of Harmony.

The narration is simply outstanding with sheer mastery of the range of voices of both genders. Tone, pace, and mood are expertly handled to render a nonstop can't put down attraction that dovetails nicely with the author's "seat of the pants" writing pace.

Split the atom's heart, and lo!
Within it thou wilt find a sun.
-Persian Mystic Poem

Not great, but good enough. Finished the series. It was popcorn with butter. And, sometimes, what you want is popcorn with butter. This isn't Isaac Asimov or Philip K Dick. Pierce Brown isn't aiming for great SciFi lit. He's aiming for movie rights, readers, and finds an unplowed row between Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, Divergent, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones. It is a steroid Space Opera with the subtlety of a freight train filled with frat boys.

I think the strength of Brown is his characters and his occasionally artful phrase. His weaknesses is he sometimes runs into SciFi cliche, his plots are fairly predictable, and the whole set-up is far too clean. It was written to be a large-budget movie more than a novel. It was written to sell, too option, and yes read, but not to feed or inspire.

When I remember they are written more for my teenage kids, I am more forgiving. Not everyone can write with the messy heart of Philip K Dick or the control of Dan Simmons. Brown can write about death and suffering and still make it feel warm and sunny. His prose lacks the gravitas to REALLY pull off suffering. When Brown writes about death, it feels like a teenager writing about sex or a white man writing about racism. I know I'm probably taking this review and the whole series way more serious than I need too. I don't think it breaks any new ground. I don't think the stakes are huge. It is entertainment for the masses. It is SciFi bread and circuses, and I guess that is fine for a couple days. Watching gladiators battle in space is always good for a bit of blood and even made me forget Trump for a couple minutes every day. And that IS a good thing.

I had been looking forward to the third installment to Brown's trilogy since finishing Golden Son. I was not disappointed. It was a bit slow starting, but as time passed, the story line became much tighter and focused. Brown did an outstanding job keeping the plot plausible, edgy, suspenseful, emotional, dark (but not too dark). There are some very humorous and even touching moments in the story that are very endearing. The characters are flawed, but what depth in terms of their development. They deal with difficult choices, horrific events, and real loss. Tim Gerard Reynolds pulls out all the stops with this story and treats the listener to another wonderful performance. It is the relationships that have been forged in the first book that make this trilogy so special. The end is wonderfully done, very satisfying. Kudos to the team of Pierce Brown and Tim Gerard Reynolds that have given us a story for the ages.

I just finished this book today and it was fantastic. It did not disappoint me in any way. So good!

it couldn't be easy to stand up to the previous books and close the story in a meaningful, satisfactory way, but it did

Pierce Brown has threaded the needle with book 3. He has successfully delivered satisfying conclusions to all the plot threads without breaking the spell. You will not find contrived or arbitrary plot devices here! (This had been my largest concern before hand)

You'll find moments of real jeopardy, and possibly wish the story to be told a little faster or even to wonder if Pierce Brown has lost it. What ever you do, don't stop listening! By the end you'll appreciate those moments for the richness and contrast they bring to the story.

If you enjoyed books one and two then you'll love book three!

What an outstanding ride! The entire trilogy is so much fun you'll have a hard time putting it down. The performance is one of the best I've ever heard!