Name: Morning Star
Series: Red Rising #3
Author: Pierce Brown
Publisher: GraphicAudio
Format: Audiobook
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction / Fantasy, Romantasy, Dystopian
Spice Rating: 🌶️
Rating:
Synopsis: Goodreads
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.
Review:
Morning Star is the third book the original Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown. For a while, this was the end. There may be spoilers for Red Rising and Golden Son in the review, however any spoilers for Morning Star will be hidden as normal.
“Forget a man’s name and he’ll forgive you. Remember it, and he’ll defend you forever.”
I could never have predicted that I would rate Morning Star 5 Stars. Spoilers, I suppose for the fact that I absolutely loved this installment in the Red Rising Saga. I switched to the GraphicAudio version of the audiobook for Morning Star and this was phenomenal. All of the narrators were excellent, the music and the sound effects made me feel like I had a movie on – a 20 hour long movie that I wasn’t physically watching, but nonetheless, it was excellent.
And honestly at first I thought perhaps it was the production that was making me love Morning Star but then when I thought about it, I realised I had been hooked from the moment I started. The story was action packed and non stop. The writing was as good as it always was, it was just that prior to this I had a real issue with pacing and being bored and losing interest. I simply did not have that issue (again this was partially why I thought perhaps the production was the main reason for me loving it).
But when I tell you I felt a wide range of emotions when listening to this… I was laughing, I was sobbing my heart out, I was swearing and yelling at characters that absolutely cannot hear me, I was cheering, fist pumping the air to celebrate alongside characters… I loved this.
When I consider that I almost gave up because of how little interest I had during Golden Son, it really bothers me. Because you shouldn’t have to push through something you didn’t enjoy in order to get to something as outstanding as this… And yet, I am so so glad that I did.
Lets talk spoilers – please, please, do not read this if you haven’t read Morning Star. These comments are only for the people who have read this book. Do not spoil this experience for yourself!
We started out right away with Darrow being locked away in the dark for 9 freaking months. Torture. We have to suffer through losing Ragnar on the ice. Torture. We have to suffer through the confrontation of Roque, and his subsequent suicide. Torture. We have to suffer through Thistle and that whole situation in the cells. Torture. DARROW’S UNCLES UNNCESSARY DEATH! Torture. We have to suffer through Sevro’s death. Torture. And we have to witness Darrow’s further torture at the hands of the Jackel & Cassius… Torture.
And yet, this book didn’t just cause pain (though it did, and I cried so freaking much with this one), because we got Darrow & Cassius’ bromance, Sevro & Victra’s wedding (please remember I listened to this, so I may spell names wrong!!), Mustang & Darrow’s CHILD for crying out loud… This book made me laugh, and giggle, and fist bump my cheers and cry happy tears…
Pierce Brown wrote an epic piece of work that really took hold of my heart strings and pulled and owned them… And I would thank him for all of the pain he put me through, because the ending of Morning Star was absolutely worth getting through all of that, to reach…
We have established, that I loved Morning Star… I am terrified of the Second Arc though. I’ve heard it’s darker, much more emotionally tough, and of course… it’s incomplete. So, I am scared. But also, I can’t wait to dive in. I’m going to be spending more money on audiobooks than normal in the coming months to get through this series now given that GraphicAudio versions are multi part installments. But they’re absolutely worth every penny.
“If you’re watching, Eo, it’s time to close your eyes. The Reaper has come. And he’s brought hell with him.”
Reading With Tyler 
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