Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
New York : Del Rey, [2016]
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Science Fiction. Thriller. HTML:#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.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member melaniehope
The last of the book in the series and it was fantastic. I don't enjoy books with lots of fighting, blood and gore...so why do I enjoy these books so much. Amazing characters, unique storyline, and just fantastic writing in my opinion. It is so fun to read these books!
LibraryThing member DabOfDarkness
Note: You really need to read the previous books in this series to understand this book.
Book 2, Golden Son, left us on a hell of a cliffhanger. Luckily, Book 3 picks up where things were left, which was right in the middle of a mess. Our hero-to-be Darrow, the Reaper, is in desperate straights.
The author doesn’t disappoint with this book. The mix of tension, action, betrayals, loyalties, saving people, executing people, adventure, dismemberments, and body enhancements continues to be excellent. Darrow continues to yank the feels out of me by a fishook! He’s at the center of this rising, doing his best to maintain his own humanity and yet sometimes he has to sacrifice it in order to bring it out in others. In Book 1, Red Rising, the story started off with Darrow and his Red family. Book 2 hints that Darrow’s family is at his core, the thing that makes him strong. In Book 3, it’s very satisfying to see that come full circle with Darrow’s family, both biological and the family of friends he’s built, standing strong behind him.
This book should get an award for creative cursing. Oh, dear Severo! He made me laugh so hard, and sometimes inappropriately, with his flagrant curses. He’s such a harsh man and he seems to revel in being crude or disgusting. While Darrow was temporarily out of the picture, he had to rise above and become more than he thought he could be. However, the eventual, and perhaps inevitable, butting of heads between these two friends had me gnashing my teeth! After the unexpected betrayal at the Book 2, I was constantly on the look out for the next breaking of friendship or betrayal or splitting of paths. I need a back massage just from being so tense throughout this book!
Without giving much away, I really enjoyed the visit to Ragnar’s homeland. It was so different from what we had seen so far. And his isn’t the only alien landscape our heroes visit. There’s the moons of Jupiter as well. The author did a great job of maintaining realistic travel times between all the points of interest in the solar system.
Towards the end, when I was down to the last 6 hours or so, I wasn’t sure how the author was going to wrap up everything that still had to be done. I was a bit worried that things would get rushed towards the end, unrealistic compromises, etc. tossed in just to wrap things up. However, our author wasn’t that clumsy. Things did unfold in a realistic way and everything got wrapped up nicely. I was quite satisfied by how things came to be in the end. Yes, there were plenty of deaths and sacrifices. Yes, not every person who committed some despicable act was killed. Yet I felt that Darrow and his close friends have laid solid ground work for a new regime. In the end, I so enjoyed this book I wanted to go back and listen to the series all over again.
The Narration: Tim Gerard Reynolds once again does this series justice. I really enjoyed his accent and voices for the new characters we meet on Ragnar’s home world. His creative cursing as Severo is very entertaining! His range in accents and character voices make this an excellent listen!
Book 2, Golden Son, left us on a hell of a cliffhanger. Luckily, Book 3 picks up where things were left, which was right in the middle of a mess. Our hero-to-be Darrow, the Reaper, is in desperate straights.
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Things went horribly wrong with an unexpected betrayal. Friends and allies have been killed or imprisoned. Others, such as Mustang, are off on their own, their intentions unknown.The author doesn’t disappoint with this book. The mix of tension, action, betrayals, loyalties, saving people, executing people, adventure, dismemberments, and body enhancements continues to be excellent. Darrow continues to yank the feels out of me by a fishook! He’s at the center of this rising, doing his best to maintain his own humanity and yet sometimes he has to sacrifice it in order to bring it out in others. In Book 1, Red Rising, the story started off with Darrow and his Red family. Book 2 hints that Darrow’s family is at his core, the thing that makes him strong. In Book 3, it’s very satisfying to see that come full circle with Darrow’s family, both biological and the family of friends he’s built, standing strong behind him.
This book should get an award for creative cursing. Oh, dear Severo! He made me laugh so hard, and sometimes inappropriately, with his flagrant curses. He’s such a harsh man and he seems to revel in being crude or disgusting. While Darrow was temporarily out of the picture, he had to rise above and become more than he thought he could be. However, the eventual, and perhaps inevitable, butting of heads between these two friends had me gnashing my teeth! After the unexpected betrayal at the Book 2, I was constantly on the look out for the next breaking of friendship or betrayal or splitting of paths. I need a back massage just from being so tense throughout this book!
Without giving much away, I really enjoyed the visit to Ragnar’s homeland. It was so different from what we had seen so far. And his isn’t the only alien landscape our heroes visit. There’s the moons of Jupiter as well. The author did a great job of maintaining realistic travel times between all the points of interest in the solar system.
Towards the end, when I was down to the last 6 hours or so, I wasn’t sure how the author was going to wrap up everything that still had to be done. I was a bit worried that things would get rushed towards the end, unrealistic compromises, etc. tossed in just to wrap things up. However, our author wasn’t that clumsy. Things did unfold in a realistic way and everything got wrapped up nicely. I was quite satisfied by how things came to be in the end. Yes, there were plenty of deaths and sacrifices. Yes, not every person who committed some despicable act was killed. Yet I felt that Darrow and his close friends have laid solid ground work for a new regime. In the end, I so enjoyed this book I wanted to go back and listen to the series all over again.
The Narration: Tim Gerard Reynolds once again does this series justice. I really enjoyed his accent and voices for the new characters we meet on Ragnar’s home world. His creative cursing as Severo is very entertaining! His range in accents and character voices make this an excellent listen!
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LibraryThing member sherribelcher
After being raised a Red, Darrow became a Gold and fought gloriously for his people's freedom.
Darrow knows where he's from and what the world should be, but who are his friends? Who are his enemies? Can he find peace? Can he find love? Will he die before he breaks the chains of the Golds?
Okay,
PIERCE BROWN ROCKS Y'ALL!!!
I don't really want to say anymore than that because I don't want to spoil one little thing. Darrow and friends are the fiercest warriors I've seen in a long time! It was all I could do to wait for this book to come out and the wait was not in vain. I had to drag out my reading and savor it. There have been so many unexpected turns to this series and I've loved them all! Once again, the author has left us with a nice surprise at the end.
Have your armor on and the tissue box nearby when you read this because you'll need it! As for myself, I can't wait to see what Mr. Brown has in store for us next!
Darrow knows where he's from and what the world should be, but who are his friends? Who are his enemies? Can he find peace? Can he find love? Will he die before he breaks the chains of the Golds?
Okay,
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seriously?PIERCE BROWN ROCKS Y'ALL!!!
I don't really want to say anymore than that because I don't want to spoil one little thing. Darrow and friends are the fiercest warriors I've seen in a long time! It was all I could do to wait for this book to come out and the wait was not in vain. I had to drag out my reading and savor it. There have been so many unexpected turns to this series and I've loved them all! Once again, the author has left us with a nice surprise at the end.
Have your armor on and the tissue box nearby when you read this because you'll need it! As for myself, I can't wait to see what Mr. Brown has in store for us next!
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LibraryThing member mountie9
The Good Stuff
I don't think I have the words to express how much I loved this bloodydamn series. Quite frankly if you didn't love all three books, I am afraid you are a pixie and we cannot be friends
So many twists and turns I was constantly on the edge of my seat - you never know what is going to
The scene between Darrow and Cassius was brilliant
As always the dialogues between characters are marvelous
I love Sevro - that man gets to say the best stuff
Sevro's speech (Hard to write this review as I don't want to give away anything) and what he does is one of the best scenes I have ever read
I fell in love with each and every character, they felt like they were friends
So many universal truths brilliantly woven into a fictional tale
My favorite book used to be The Stand by Stephen King - it has now been overtaken by the Red Rising series - this my friends is epic
I love reading this series but I gotta tell ya even better is listening to Tim Gerard Reynolds read it - god I could hear him say Helldiver over and over
Fabulous satisfying ending
The Not So Good Stuff
The book ended
My heart was ripped out and I don't think I can recover from that one death
Scared the shit out of the dog when I bawled out loud or was shouting at certain plot points (won't let out any spoilers)
I hate writing reviews for books that mean so much to me - I wish I had Pierce Brown's gift with words to express my love for this series
Favorite Quotes/Passages
“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.”
"If the need arises I got a goblin-sized fighter jet"
“I’m a bloodydamn Helldiver with an army of giant, mildly psychotic women behind me and a fleet of state-of-the-art warships crewed by pissed-off pirates, engineers, techs, and former slaves.”
“I said it once. Now I’ll say it twice. If there’s two things in this world that can’t be killed, it’s the fungus under my sack and the Reaper of bloodydamn Mars. Haha!”
“It’s a man I would die to protect even as he dies to save the soul of this rebellion.”
“Go on. What about her? Come on, man. You killed my brothers. I killed Fitchner. It’s already awkward.”
"What kind of parent would want their children to have servants? The moment a child thinks it is entitled to anything, they think they deserve everything."
5 Dewey's
I purchased this book and no one is making me write a review - I just gory damn love this book and the whole brilliant series
I don't think I have the words to express how much I loved this bloodydamn series. Quite frankly if you didn't love all three books, I am afraid you are a pixie and we cannot be friends
So many twists and turns I was constantly on the edge of my seat - you never know what is going to
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happen. Honestly my heart hurt at times and I was constantly shouting out loud while listening to this one. I even talked to Jeff about the book and I rarely ever talk about books to my hubby who doesn't like to readThe scene between Darrow and Cassius was brilliant
As always the dialogues between characters are marvelous
I love Sevro - that man gets to say the best stuff
Sevro's speech (Hard to write this review as I don't want to give away anything) and what he does is one of the best scenes I have ever read
I fell in love with each and every character, they felt like they were friends
So many universal truths brilliantly woven into a fictional tale
My favorite book used to be The Stand by Stephen King - it has now been overtaken by the Red Rising series - this my friends is epic
I love reading this series but I gotta tell ya even better is listening to Tim Gerard Reynolds read it - god I could hear him say Helldiver over and over
Fabulous satisfying ending
The Not So Good Stuff
The book ended
My heart was ripped out and I don't think I can recover from that one death
Scared the shit out of the dog when I bawled out loud or was shouting at certain plot points (won't let out any spoilers)
I hate writing reviews for books that mean so much to me - I wish I had Pierce Brown's gift with words to express my love for this series
Favorite Quotes/Passages
“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.”
"If the need arises I got a goblin-sized fighter jet"
“I’m a bloodydamn Helldiver with an army of giant, mildly psychotic women behind me and a fleet of state-of-the-art warships crewed by pissed-off pirates, engineers, techs, and former slaves.”
“I said it once. Now I’ll say it twice. If there’s two things in this world that can’t be killed, it’s the fungus under my sack and the Reaper of bloodydamn Mars. Haha!”
“It’s a man I would die to protect even as he dies to save the soul of this rebellion.”
“Go on. What about her? Come on, man. You killed my brothers. I killed Fitchner. It’s already awkward.”
"What kind of parent would want their children to have servants? The moment a child thinks it is entitled to anything, they think they deserve everything."
5 Dewey's
I purchased this book and no one is making me write a review - I just gory damn love this book and the whole brilliant series
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LibraryThing member JenLamoureux
THIS TRILOGY. Okay, so you know how usually in a trilogy, there's a book you can kind of ignore? Like one that's kinda slow and easily discounted? That is not true with Red Rising. Every Single Book in this trilogy brings it all to the table. The pacing will leave you a little breathless. There is
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not a single wasted or superfluous character in the entire series. They are all whole, real, interesting people with their own lives and personalities. Their intricate interplay is what makes the story, and their evolutions are fascinating to watch. I cannot recommend the series highly enough, and I really need people I know to read it so I can have someone to talk to about ALL THE FEELINGS I HAVE RIGHT NOW. Show Less
LibraryThing member agarcia85257
Morning Star by Pierce Brown is the conclusion to the Red Rising trilogy that began with Red Rising and followed with Golden Son. This trilogy got off to a terrific start with Red Rising and with Golden Son it actually developed into a far better story growing in epic scope and character
Gorydamn!
Gorydamn!
Gory...mother...@#$**&....DAMN!!!
Darrow is captured. Held prisoner and tortured by his friend, his surrogate brother, Adrius Augustus known as The Jackal. Isolated in a box, the size of a coffin, used by The Jackal as little more than a coffee table. A decoration. To show off to the rest of the empire the fall of the great Reaper. The Golden Son lies in ruins. Broken and shattered. Betrayed by the friends that he himself was deceiving. So begins Morning Star.
It is difficult to give background on this book without reaching back into the two prior novels and giving away spoilers. Something I detest doing because I do so believe in the enjoyment of reading the tale myself. So I will be concise and quick with the background and give as little away as possible.
The world of Red Rising tells the story of humanity, 700 years after it has ventured into space and colonized the galaxy. But little has changed for mankind. Men are separated into classes based on the color they are branded with. At the top of the hierarchy are the golds, physically and mentally superior, they rule with impunity and ruthlessness. At the bottom of the classes are the lowly Reds, who serve deep underground, mining and terraforming so that the other races who live on the surface can survive the inhospitable planet of Mars.
Darrow is one such Red. Living his life of poverty and darkness with his wife Eo and his family. Until the day Eo is accused of treason and hanged. But with the lack of gravity, it is up to a loved one to end her suffering on the noose by pulling her legs as she hangs and killing her. As Eo prepares takes the stand to be executed she sings out her song. A cry for freedom for all. As she dies, Darrow ends her suffering by pulling on her legs and strangling her as the whole community watches. In grief, Darrow cuts down his wife's body and buries her. An act for which he also is accused and hung. But Darrow is not allowed to die and wakes to find himself in the hands of a rebellion. The Sons of Ares are a group of rebels who have banded together to fight back against the oppression of the Golds. With the song sung by Eo as their battle cry and with the grief and desire for revenge in Darrow, they hatch an incredible plan. They will surgically change the lowly Red Darrow into a Gold. With such a disguise, Darrow will infiltrate the Golds and become one of them. But to do so he must pass a challenge that all young of Golds do. He must be trained in the art of warfare and kill off the weaker Golds, so only the strongest of the Gold survive. His reward for surviving this test will be to become part of the ruling families. His choice of family is none other than that of Mar's Governer, Nero Au Augustus, the man who ordered the death of Darrow's wife, Eo.
Darrow becomes one of the Gold's greatest young warriors and is called the Reaper. Ignorant and uncaring of the Red Rebellion below them, the Gold's are in a civil war of their own and Nero decides to rebel against the Empress Octavia Au Lune. The legend of the Reaper grows in the ensuing war and it is as he wins his greatest battle that he is betrayed and unmasked by his friend,
Adrius Au Augustus.
Which brings us to Morning Star and the conclusion of the Red Rising trilogy. Trapped in a box, his spirit broken and his body crushed, Darrow does not know if he is alive or dead. All of the Sons of Ares believe him perished except for the madman Sevro, his greatest friend and leader of the renegade Howlers. When Sevro comes into contact with a communication between The Jackal and the emissaries of the Empress Octavio, he becomes convinced that Darrow is alive and hatches a mad plan to free his friend. But how much of the Reaper still lives in Darrow. Can Sevro free him and can Darrow take his place back at the head of the rebellion and fight against the Golds?
Gorydamn!
With each tale, the story of Darrow changes as does the character of Darrow himself. He has gone from grieving and vengeful spouse, to powerful and terrifying warrior, to finally this last variation of Darrow. A warrior who has grown tired of war and a widow who does not even remember the love of his wife. All he has left is the cause and the need to finish his work. But with every move he makes, every life that is taken or forfeited, Darrow feels them. His betrayal of his friends and their betrayal of him are scars that are deeper and more painful than anything the Jackal has done to him in captivity.
Morning Star is epic. A finale that does not simply bring this terrific story to its conclusion, but rises it even higher in plot and subterfuge. Brown has done an incredible job with his characters. This is not the story of just one man but of a group of men and women who must battle not only that which is around them, but with their own inner selves.
Read Red Rising.
Read Golden Son.
Read Morning Star.
Read these books before the movie comes out, because it will.
This is Ender's Game, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones lever of epic and grand scale storytelling. It is intense and bloody. It is just a hell of a lot of fun!
Show More
development. So the expectations for Morning Star were very high indeed. To that all I can say is - Gorydamn!
Gorydamn!
Gory...mother...@#$**&....DAMN!!!
Darrow is captured. Held prisoner and tortured by his friend, his surrogate brother, Adrius Augustus known as The Jackal. Isolated in a box, the size of a coffin, used by The Jackal as little more than a coffee table. A decoration. To show off to the rest of the empire the fall of the great Reaper. The Golden Son lies in ruins. Broken and shattered. Betrayed by the friends that he himself was deceiving. So begins Morning Star.
It is difficult to give background on this book without reaching back into the two prior novels and giving away spoilers. Something I detest doing because I do so believe in the enjoyment of reading the tale myself. So I will be concise and quick with the background and give as little away as possible.
The world of Red Rising tells the story of humanity, 700 years after it has ventured into space and colonized the galaxy. But little has changed for mankind. Men are separated into classes based on the color they are branded with. At the top of the hierarchy are the golds, physically and mentally superior, they rule with impunity and ruthlessness. At the bottom of the classes are the lowly Reds, who serve deep underground, mining and terraforming so that the other races who live on the surface can survive the inhospitable planet of Mars.
Darrow is one such Red. Living his life of poverty and darkness with his wife Eo and his family. Until the day Eo is accused of treason and hanged. But with the lack of gravity, it is up to a loved one to end her suffering on the noose by pulling her legs as she hangs and killing her. As Eo prepares takes the stand to be executed she sings out her song. A cry for freedom for all. As she dies, Darrow ends her suffering by pulling on her legs and strangling her as the whole community watches. In grief, Darrow cuts down his wife's body and buries her. An act for which he also is accused and hung. But Darrow is not allowed to die and wakes to find himself in the hands of a rebellion. The Sons of Ares are a group of rebels who have banded together to fight back against the oppression of the Golds. With the song sung by Eo as their battle cry and with the grief and desire for revenge in Darrow, they hatch an incredible plan. They will surgically change the lowly Red Darrow into a Gold. With such a disguise, Darrow will infiltrate the Golds and become one of them. But to do so he must pass a challenge that all young of Golds do. He must be trained in the art of warfare and kill off the weaker Golds, so only the strongest of the Gold survive. His reward for surviving this test will be to become part of the ruling families. His choice of family is none other than that of Mar's Governer, Nero Au Augustus, the man who ordered the death of Darrow's wife, Eo.
Darrow becomes one of the Gold's greatest young warriors and is called the Reaper. Ignorant and uncaring of the Red Rebellion below them, the Gold's are in a civil war of their own and Nero decides to rebel against the Empress Octavia Au Lune. The legend of the Reaper grows in the ensuing war and it is as he wins his greatest battle that he is betrayed and unmasked by his friend,
Adrius Au Augustus.
Which brings us to Morning Star and the conclusion of the Red Rising trilogy. Trapped in a box, his spirit broken and his body crushed, Darrow does not know if he is alive or dead. All of the Sons of Ares believe him perished except for the madman Sevro, his greatest friend and leader of the renegade Howlers. When Sevro comes into contact with a communication between The Jackal and the emissaries of the Empress Octavio, he becomes convinced that Darrow is alive and hatches a mad plan to free his friend. But how much of the Reaper still lives in Darrow. Can Sevro free him and can Darrow take his place back at the head of the rebellion and fight against the Golds?
Gorydamn!
With each tale, the story of Darrow changes as does the character of Darrow himself. He has gone from grieving and vengeful spouse, to powerful and terrifying warrior, to finally this last variation of Darrow. A warrior who has grown tired of war and a widow who does not even remember the love of his wife. All he has left is the cause and the need to finish his work. But with every move he makes, every life that is taken or forfeited, Darrow feels them. His betrayal of his friends and their betrayal of him are scars that are deeper and more painful than anything the Jackal has done to him in captivity.
Morning Star is epic. A finale that does not simply bring this terrific story to its conclusion, but rises it even higher in plot and subterfuge. Brown has done an incredible job with his characters. This is not the story of just one man but of a group of men and women who must battle not only that which is around them, but with their own inner selves.
Read Red Rising.
Read Golden Son.
Read Morning Star.
Read these books before the movie comes out, because it will.
This is Ender's Game, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones lever of epic and grand scale storytelling. It is intense and bloody. It is just a hell of a lot of fun!
Show Less
LibraryThing member jmoncton
Wow! What a series! I have a small number of books that after I finish I want to reread and this entire series falls into that category. This was a fabulous combination of exceptional world building, great characters, and so many jaw dropping plot twists. Add to that the mashup of sci-fi with
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Ancient Rome allusions and this entire series was a great one for me. Sorry to see it over, but eager to read other books by this author! Show Less
LibraryThing member djriave
The first two books of this trilogy were great, the third was good.
The difference is in the character development.
Morning Star read more like a Space Opera and felt anti-climatic when compared to the ground-breaking books that precede it.
The difference is in the character development.
Morning Star read more like a Space Opera and felt anti-climatic when compared to the ground-breaking books that precede it.
LibraryThing member DanTarlin
Fantastic conclusion to a riveting trilogy. The book begins with Darrow, our first-person protagonist being rescued after a year of imprisonment and torture at the hands of his long-time enemy, the Jackal. His friends have continued the war in his absence, but now Darrow must take charge of the
The story is loaded with multiple twists and turns- a little too much, in my opinion- when the shocking twist feels like a cliche, you might have overdone it. At the same time, Pierce Brown executes the twists effectively and satisfyingly in the end.
And this isn't just about a rebellion and good vs. evil (though it is a bout that). The big theme is about the power of friendship and how we all need to lean on others to keep us centered, especially in stressful times.
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rebellion once more and find a way to win despite long odds.The story is loaded with multiple twists and turns- a little too much, in my opinion- when the shocking twist feels like a cliche, you might have overdone it. At the same time, Pierce Brown executes the twists effectively and satisfyingly in the end.
And this isn't just about a rebellion and good vs. evil (though it is a bout that). The big theme is about the power of friendship and how we all need to lean on others to keep us centered, especially in stressful times.
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LibraryThing member Liviania
I didn't know how Pierce Brown could finagle his way out of the cliffhanger of GOLDEN SON or tie off all the dangling plot threads. The heft of MORNING STAR alone shows what a daunting task it was to finish off this story. But Brown managed.
I have a few, tiny complaints. I felt that I didn't get to
I read MORNING STAR with a giant grin on my face. (Exceptions made for the death scenes. I knew characters would die, but I hated saying goodbye to some of my favorites.) Darrow and Sevro reunite! Darrow and Mustang reunite! Harrowing battles! Clever ruses! Unlikely allies! MORNING STAR is more of what I loved in RED RISING and GOLDEN SON.
Absolutely, positively, do not start with this book. Go back to the beginning, pass Go, and collect $200. (You won't actually get any money, but you might feel like you did.) This is a satisfying science fiction saga about one man managing to make a difference with the help of good friends against terrible enemies. I'm so happy Brown didn't punt the landing.
I have a few, tiny complaints. I felt that I didn't get to
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know the new characters in MORNING STAR, such as Sefi, as much as I needed too. This book was a bit lighter on the character and relationship development overall than the other too, since so much action was needed to complete the war. Nitpicking, however, is all I can do.I read MORNING STAR with a giant grin on my face. (Exceptions made for the death scenes. I knew characters would die, but I hated saying goodbye to some of my favorites.) Darrow and Sevro reunite! Darrow and Mustang reunite! Harrowing battles! Clever ruses! Unlikely allies! MORNING STAR is more of what I loved in RED RISING and GOLDEN SON.
Absolutely, positively, do not start with this book. Go back to the beginning, pass Go, and collect $200. (You won't actually get any money, but you might feel like you did.) This is a satisfying science fiction saga about one man managing to make a difference with the help of good friends against terrible enemies. I'm so happy Brown didn't punt the landing.
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LibraryThing member melissarochelle
Read from February 25 to March 01, 2016
Pierce Brown! How did you trick me into reading a space opera?! This series starts out as a readalike for The Hunger Games/Ender's Game/Lord of the Flies with the whole Institute battle stuff, but after that...BAM! Space battles. Iron rain. Spaceships. The man
I don't want to give anything away about this last story, but there are twists and turns the entire time. A bloodydamn good series.
Pierce Brown! How did you trick me into reading a space opera?! This series starts out as a readalike for The Hunger Games/Ender's Game/Lord of the Flies with the whole Institute battle stuff, but after that...BAM! Space battles. Iron rain. Spaceships. The man
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takes these super complex battles and the society's complicated caste system and makes it so darn interesting. Plus he writes characters with depth and flaws and emotions and it's just great. I don't want to give anything away about this last story, but there are twists and turns the entire time. A bloodydamn good series.
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LibraryThing member wkeblejr
Darrow had been captured at the end of Golden Son and that is where we find him in the beginning of Morning Star. He obviously doesn't stay captured (or where would the book go?), and it's a roller coaster from there. There's just too much that goes on to write a brief synopsis and let it do the
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book any form of justice. Just know that if you loved the first two, this book will not let you down. The epic battles with Roque, the verbal and emotional sparring with Virginia, the fantastic bromance with Sevro, there's too much to love and so much to hate as my favorite characters were killed off! I thought the ending was so fantastic, absolutely appropriate for the series and an epilogue that will make you cry tears of joy! Such a great conclusion! Show Less
LibraryThing member PardaMustang
***This book was reviewed for the San Francisco Book Review***
Morning Star is the last book in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising trilogy. I devoured this book as fast as the other two! It's fast-paced, yet still can focus on deep topics- the cost of friendship, the horrors of war and terrorism, the value
The Colour schema of social stratification is the result of intensive genetic manipulation. Each Colour has been...cultivated...to fulfill very specific niches. Blues sacrifice emotion for logic and can link to machines. Obsidians were bred for size, strength, and ferocity. Yet, Darrow proves again and again that people are more than their Colour. Reds can command armies, a Blue can captain a ship, an Obsidian need not be a slave, but can lead others, need not kill, but can temper it with mercy.
When we meet Darrow this time, he has been a prisoner for many months, left to starve and rot in a cramped, dark hole with tubes to feed him. He is finally found and rescued, returned to the fold of the Sons of Ares, and reunited with his family, including people he believed dead. Sevro has taken over as Ares, which turns out not to be the best thing. While I like Sevro- he’s one of my favourite characters-, he is not geared to lead an entire rebellion. His methods are brutal and harsh, turning the Sons into true terrorists.
Darrow must regain both the strength and stamina he gained in captivity, and control of the splintered rebellion, before he can face his nemesis Cassius, the Morning Knight, and bring the fight fully to Luna. It isn't an easy road he has to follow, and he finds new friends and enemies along the way. Through it all, Darrow struggles to embrace what he was, and what he's become, and keep his morals and ethics intact.
If you enjoyed Red Rising, and Golden Son, you’ll love their fast-paced followup. If you love dystopias in general, and have yet to make Darrow's acquaintance, I strongly urge you to check out Pierce Brown's Red Rising trilogy, recently completed with the release of Morning Star.
Morning Star is the last book in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising trilogy. I devoured this book as fast as the other two! It's fast-paced, yet still can focus on deep topics- the cost of friendship, the horrors of war and terrorism, the value
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of compassion over violence, and above all, the capacity of humanity to change. The Colour schema of social stratification is the result of intensive genetic manipulation. Each Colour has been...cultivated...to fulfill very specific niches. Blues sacrifice emotion for logic and can link to machines. Obsidians were bred for size, strength, and ferocity. Yet, Darrow proves again and again that people are more than their Colour. Reds can command armies, a Blue can captain a ship, an Obsidian need not be a slave, but can lead others, need not kill, but can temper it with mercy.
When we meet Darrow this time, he has been a prisoner for many months, left to starve and rot in a cramped, dark hole with tubes to feed him. He is finally found and rescued, returned to the fold of the Sons of Ares, and reunited with his family, including people he believed dead. Sevro has taken over as Ares, which turns out not to be the best thing. While I like Sevro- he’s one of my favourite characters-, he is not geared to lead an entire rebellion. His methods are brutal and harsh, turning the Sons into true terrorists.
Darrow must regain both the strength and stamina he gained in captivity, and control of the splintered rebellion, before he can face his nemesis Cassius, the Morning Knight, and bring the fight fully to Luna. It isn't an easy road he has to follow, and he finds new friends and enemies along the way. Through it all, Darrow struggles to embrace what he was, and what he's become, and keep his morals and ethics intact.
If you enjoyed Red Rising, and Golden Son, you’ll love their fast-paced followup. If you love dystopias in general, and have yet to make Darrow's acquaintance, I strongly urge you to check out Pierce Brown's Red Rising trilogy, recently completed with the release of Morning Star.
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LibraryThing member brakketh
A disappointing conclusion to the series for me. The focus on the importance of those who surround us was a pleasant surprise as I expected the series to conclude on a 'meritocracy/free-market-capitalism is the best' note.
LibraryThing member krau0098
This was a decent conclusion to this series, things play out in a pretty predictable way. The whole book reads like an action-packed space opera of sorts; with billions of people dying and our characters catapulting from one battle to the next.
Some of the issues I had with the last two books were
There is a ton of action which was very engaging...some of the time. Again some of the action scenes get very wordy and repetitive. The overall plot suffers from the same issue. I really liked the beginning of the book but the middle and end were repetitive. Basically this is plot: Darrow comes up with something ridiculously daring and crazy, they try it, they almost die, they win the day...rinse and repeat in battle after battle.
If this book had been about 200 pages shorter it would have been absolutely stunning...this book had a serious case of book bloat.
All the bitching aside….a lot of the characters do change and mature throughout this series. You see a lot of how they have grown in this book. Darrow has realized that this isn’t about his revenge for his wife; this is about so much more. There is also a good in-depth look at war and how every side thinks they are right; there is no black and white in war...only grey.
Overall this was a good read though and I thought it tied up the series nicely. If you liked the first two books you will enjoy this one. If you thought the first two books were wordy, overly dramatic, dry, and a bit repetitive...well this one is worse than the first two for that.
Some of the issues I had with the last two books were
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worse in this book. The book is very very wordy. This is one of those books where you can skip pages (then feel guilty and go back and read them) and not miss anything vital….I am talking like you can skip 20 pages here and not miss a darn thing. Darrow spends a lot of time talking about his emotions and feelings in something strange parts of the story (like the middle of battle). I got to the point where I was like “Oh, Darrow is being all emo again...we can skip those 15 pages”. The same with characters rehashing discussions over so and so’s loyalty again and again and again. There was just so much fluff here. I don’t mind some fluff but the dialogue is flat and dry and not at all witty and entertaining.There is a ton of action which was very engaging...some of the time. Again some of the action scenes get very wordy and repetitive. The overall plot suffers from the same issue. I really liked the beginning of the book but the middle and end were repetitive. Basically this is plot: Darrow comes up with something ridiculously daring and crazy, they try it, they almost die, they win the day...rinse and repeat in battle after battle.
If this book had been about 200 pages shorter it would have been absolutely stunning...this book had a serious case of book bloat.
All the bitching aside….a lot of the characters do change and mature throughout this series. You see a lot of how they have grown in this book. Darrow has realized that this isn’t about his revenge for his wife; this is about so much more. There is also a good in-depth look at war and how every side thinks they are right; there is no black and white in war...only grey.
Overall this was a good read though and I thought it tied up the series nicely. If you liked the first two books you will enjoy this one. If you thought the first two books were wordy, overly dramatic, dry, and a bit repetitive...well this one is worse than the first two for that.
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LibraryThing member veeshee
what I will say is that I was definitely happier with this novel than I was with the second book in the trilogy. The battles and politics were more interesting and there were a lot of unexpected twists and turns to keep the story line engaging. I'm still not completely happy about the character
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development of Darrow; he still seems fake and scripted in some areas. But there is a definite improvement. I am also on the fence about the ending: there were things I liked and things that I thought were just plain ridiculous. Either way, this trilogy hooked me in and kept me engrossed until the end and I'm sad to have to let it go. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie they make out of it (although it won't be as good as the books)! Show Less
LibraryThing member auntmarge64
Excellent finish to this solid 5-star trilogy. Superior space opera, centering on Mars and the uprising of a caste of humans long held in ignorance of the wealth their work produces for the rest of humankind. The series must be read in order.
LibraryThing member Jadedog13
Government is never the solution, but it is almost always the problem.
- Chapter 21
The Reaper has come. And he's brought hell with him.
- Chapter 48
Everything grand is made from a series of ugly little moments. Everything worthwhile by hours of self-doubt and days of drudgery. All the works by
- Acknowledgements
This is a wonderful ending to an amazing series. I couldn't wait to see what would happen, but I didn't want it to end. At one point I was so upset by an event that I wanted to scream. That's a sign of a great book!
Recommended to:
If you enjoy reading, adventure, sci-fi, or pretty much any amazing story, try this series.
- Chapter 21
The Reaper has come. And he's brought hell with him.
- Chapter 48
Everything grand is made from a series of ugly little moments. Everything worthwhile by hours of self-doubt and days of drudgery. All the works by
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people you and I admire sit atop a foundation of failures.- Acknowledgements
This is a wonderful ending to an amazing series. I couldn't wait to see what would happen, but I didn't want it to end. At one point I was so upset by an event that I wanted to scream. That's a sign of a great book!
Recommended to:
If you enjoy reading, adventure, sci-fi, or pretty much any amazing story, try this series.
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LibraryThing member utbw42
The trilogy ends on a solid note, an impressive effort by fairly new author Pierce Brown. Brown does a magnificent job of describing the conflict and pain Darrow feels as he escapes capture and reunites with his friends and colleagues to form the backbone of the Red Rising Rebellion (I made that
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phrase up). I continue to be impressed with how Brown really opens up the different classes of society by using the solar system as a backdrop, and he really places an emphasis on how Darrow relies not just on his story of revenge, but his friends as well to complete the uprising. The twists in the plot near the end are really well set up and revealed and it really pulls the story along to the concluding scenes. Brown uses a little more graphic and violent descriptions in this one, but considering what is going on and what is at stake, it seems only natural here. This series truly was Hunger Games in Space. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tabatha014
Man I love this series so much! And frankly I'm a little sad it's over. There were a few parts that I felt I was just dredging through but Pierce definitely made up for it in other places! In fact, I'm pretty sure I had a couple of mini heart attacks while reading. And he wrapped the end up nicely
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with a big bow slapped on top! Can't wait to see what this author comes up with next. Show Less
LibraryThing member KeriLynneD
FINALLY!!! I have finally finished this book! It took WAY longer than I though it would. The first two in the series took me longer than usual to finish but I had heard such amazing reviews on this one that I thought it would be different. Once I was about 80% done with it I finally got to the
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point where I couldn't put it down. I think it is a good book that is written really well, unfortunately it just not the type of book that could keep my attention. I guess a little too science fiction for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Verkruissen
Where do I even begin with how amazing this book....this series....it's breathtaking. Sometimes with trilogies you get to a point where the pace slows...the characters may become a bit tedious or lose interest. This...this was epic. I found myself reading this book slower because I was sad that it
The story picks up with Darrow having been kept prisoner by the Jackel in a box for nearly nine months...being fed intraveniously with no room to stand or stretch out. His muscles have become atrophied and his state of mind is slowly becoming shattered. He can hear Jackel and his cronies having dinner over this box/prison just to torture him even more. He is finally broken out of his prison with the help of the Sons of Ares and the Red Divers of Mars with their mining equipment. He is then brought back to full health by his original creators and reunited with Sevro and his Howlers where they plan more and more attacks against the golds.
Darrow of course makes epic speeches that seriously give me goosebumps. He slowly leads the rebellion into a full scale war together with Mustang, Sevro, the Valkyrie and others to make this one of the best series I have seriously ever read.
PS: The ending is perfection.
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would be ending. I also found myself ecstatic for the next time I would read this series. The story picks up with Darrow having been kept prisoner by the Jackel in a box for nearly nine months...being fed intraveniously with no room to stand or stretch out. His muscles have become atrophied and his state of mind is slowly becoming shattered. He can hear Jackel and his cronies having dinner over this box/prison just to torture him even more. He is finally broken out of his prison with the help of the Sons of Ares and the Red Divers of Mars with their mining equipment. He is then brought back to full health by his original creators and reunited with Sevro and his Howlers where they plan more and more attacks against the golds.
Darrow of course makes epic speeches that seriously give me goosebumps. He slowly leads the rebellion into a full scale war together with Mustang, Sevro, the Valkyrie and others to make this one of the best series I have seriously ever read.
PS: The ending is perfection.
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LibraryThing member SESchend
Great finish that really lives up to the promise the first two books set up.
LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
Action packed conclusion to the Red Rising trilogy where "red" Darrow of Lykos brings the revolution to the ArchGovernor and also his arch nemesis Adrius, Mustang's sister. Filled with action, adventure, plot twists and loss, Morning Star satisfies.
LibraryThing member BefuddledPanda
Done!! Satisfying conclusion. Such great writing on so many levels.
Subjects
Awards
International Thriller Writers Award (Nominee — Young Adult Novel — 2017)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2016)
Language
Original publication date
2016-02-09
ISBN
0345539842 / 9780345539847