Morning Star (Red Rising, #3)

by Pierce Brown

Micaela Alcaino (Illustrator) and AVENDELL (Illustrator)

#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.

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.

• Publish Date: January 2024 (first published 3 February 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Hodder & Stoughton
• Edition: FairyLoot Iron Edition
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 518
• Language: English
• Special: Exclusive Design Sprayed Edges

Reviews

[inlibrisveritas]

I don't think I have the proper words to fully describe how much I enjoyed this book. It was a rollercoaster, full of twists and turns that were both shocking and intriguing. The mind of Pierce Brown is a scary place, but I bow to his ability to find loopholes and have characters who value ruthless strategy going up against each other. I think what I love the most about these is that it acknowledges and embraces that no rebellion is ever neatly done, it can't be tied up in a timely manner, and people don't simply coast through without losing something or someone. It's messy, gruesome, and all-consuming.

I will definitely be grabbing the next set of books in this universe in the future!

[Mercy]

OH MY. I GIVE THIS BOOK ALL THE STARS 😍.

[lizarodz]

Quite the Novel Idea https://quitethenovelidea.com https://quitethenovelidea.com/liza-reviews-morning-star-by-pierce-brown/"So let him do his worst.
I know how to suffer.
I know the darkness.
This is not how it ends."

Wow! Morning Star is the long awaited last book of the Red Rising trilogy and I couldn't be more happy with it. This book deserves ALL the stars, the moons and planets in the universe! Bravo! Standing Ovation! (you get the idea right?) Please read my reviews for Red Rising and Golden Son to get up to speed.

I don't even know were to start with this review. The plot of these books is SO intricate and complicated that it's difficult to really explain everything that happened. However, I will tell you as much as I can without spoiling it for you.

Morning Star starts about a year after the excruciating ending of Golden Son. It finds Darrow being held captive by the Jackal, but circumstances change pretty soon. We learned what the Sons of Ares have been up to while he was absent. It takes Darrow some time to get back to normal and it takes him and Servo a few tries to share the responsibility of what the Sons started.

"Man is no island. We need those who love us. We need those who hate us. We need others to tether us to life, to give us a reason to live, to feel."

Pierce Brown is a genius. I have no idea how he could come up with a story this complex and keep track of it all. It makes perfect sense to the reader, but we only know what he wants us to know and when he wants us to know it. It's so enthralling, thought provoking, and full of twists and turns. The writing is not the easy banter of a contemporary romance, but rather the talk of the magnificent sci-fi, roman inspired universe that he created. This story has one of the best worlds ever build. From the setting, to the technology, to the weapons, it such an amazing read.

Darrow has been trough so much. When the series started he was 16, about eight years passed until the end of this book and so much has happened to him and because of him. He's trying to change a world that is used to being oppressed, of injustice, of inequality and it's no easy task. He finds help, he's betrayed, he finds redemption, forgiveness, condemnation, he's an inspiration to many and a threat to just as many. I adore his story and being in his mind, which is not always easy.

All the characters, Mustang, Servo, the Jackal, Ragnar, Darrow's family, Holiday, Victra... I can feel a page with character's name and how amazing they all are. Brown is a master in characterization, in giving each one of them a distinct personality and traits. Besides Darrow, Servo is my absolute favorite :)

"To build we must break."

Overall, Morning Star is the perfect ending to an Epic series. Red Rising is one of THE BEST series I have ever read. It's a story of doing what's right even if it there are insurmountable mountains to cross to get there. It's a story of sacrifice, of bringing change to the world, of friendship and family. And underlying it all is a love so big, so deep, so right, that it changed the worlds. I cannot wait for his new trilogy, Iron Gold, to be published sometime next year. I honestly will read anything that Pierce Brown writes. Anything.This review was originally posted on Quite the Novel Idea

[ross91]

So, the thing is: I had really high expectations for this book. I loved Red Rising and Golden Son, they were among my favorite books of 2015, so of course I was really excited to read this one. I was also really afraid that it wouldn't have lived up to my expectations.
Now I know I didn't have anything to be worried about: this book is pure perfection.
I laughed, I cried (A LOT), I was completely into the story from page 1 till the very end.
The best thing of all is that everything here happens for a reason, nothing occurs just because the author says so or because the story requires it. I especially loved how villains were written: everyone has his or her motive, no one is bad just to be bad.
Every character knows exactly what to do, in what to believe, even when they are full of doubts. No single action is out of character and that is the thing that I valued the most in this book and it's also the reason why the characters are so well done: they feel complete, like real people and it is so easy to feel for them, to ache when something awful happens to them and to be overwhelmed when they are in pain.
I especially liked also the fact that Red Rising portrays a society at war and nothing is sugarcoated: a lot of bad things happens to a lot of people, regardless of their being good or evil.
Lastly, the thing that I will always remember the most vividly about this trilogy is how it portrays friendship: it warmed my heart and I was on the verge of tears several times because it felt real and important.
This is my favorite book of the year so far and it will forever stay with me.
(I feel so overwhelmed right now)

BREAK THE CHAINS.

[mackhazelwood]

It would have been a 5 star if not for parts of the story that were too predictable and familiar.

[Stephanie]

I DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL BECAUSE I HAVE EMOTIONAL WHIPLASH. Holy crap.

[adamfortuna]

The 3rd book in Browns Red Rising series doubles down on some of the grit that makes it different than other scifi books around while putting strategy in the forefront. The deceit and planning kept me on my toes -- even when guessing I knew what was going to happen I was constantly second guessing myself. A great ending to one of the best series I've read since The Hunger Games.

[kimbacaffeinate]

“Break the chains”

The Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown is a personal favorite. This is a science fiction fantasy series that I purchase for friends and family. I find myself recommending it to young and old almost weekly. Skillfully written, with unique, troubled and complex characters I fell on Mars and never looked back.

“So let him do his worst. I am the Reaper. I know how to suffer. I know the darkness. This is not how it ends.”
Morning Star for me was darker than its predecessors and Brown begins by taking our hero to a very dark place. He strips away the “god” we cheered for in Golden Son and reveals the raw man beneath. Morning Star is not about our hero its focus is the rising and those who are part of it. Fear not for Darrow certainly holds the stage as Brown moves us into the final battles between the Rising and the Golds.
“Absent love, fear will do nicely in a pinch.”

At first, I was shaken by the darkness and Darrow’s humanization, but as the story progressed, I devoured the brilliantly woven tale that lay before me. Brown’s complex, controlled world and the unique characters, caste system and politics have long impressed me but with Morning Star, he brought the war into perspective. He shared its costs, the impact on Darrow, his friends and the universe he has so lovingly created.

“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.”

I thoroughly enjoyed both old and new characters. Brown peeled back the layers on some of my favorite characters, allowing us to gain insight. We faced down enemies who were once adversaries and we mourned some. Brown made us feel even for our enemies and once again, we saw and understood the wisdom of Darrow’s words.

“Government is never the solution, but it is almost always the problem.”

At over five hundred pages, Morning Star held me captive and led me on an emotional rollercoaster. I found myself angry, exhilarated and heartbroken. I shook my fist at ruthless villains and yelled in rage for those lost. I became a Howler and shouted, “Break the chains.” I was shocked at the violence and decisions made for the greater good. I shameless screamed for victory when an opponent fell and surprised myself by weeping.

“But they shared a dream. One of a free world. Not built on corpses, but on hope. On the love that binds us, not the hate that divides. We have lost many. But we are not broken. We are not defeated. We fight on. But we do not fight for revenge for those who have died. We fight for each other. We fight for those who live. We fight for those who don’t yet live.”

Brown’s characters leapt to life within the pages of the Red Rising series, but none more so than in Morning Star. They became my friends and some my enemies. I laughed with Servo, wept with Darrow and plotted against the Jackal. It was brilliant and every gorydamn word Brown put to paper held weight.

“I used to think the life strands of my friends frayed around me, because mine was too strong. Now I realize that when we are wound together, we make something unbreakable. Something that lasts long after this life ends.

Morning Star was actioned packed and gory as Brown held nothing back. He introduced conflict, fear, and political maneuvering even among his own. Despite how intense the story became, he gave us moments of laughter, love and friendship. I loved the banter between this motley crew and the incredible stunts they pulled. Of course, I also wept, and screamed out as Brown threw in plot twists, and unexpected loss, encounters and secrets.

“Today I feel the silent screams of a civilization that has been stepped on for hundreds of years.” This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[KitsuneBae]

Pierce Brown, my goodman, you really stepped up your game with this series finale. It was all that I hoped for and more. The twists left me breathless and there were a lot of moments that I have to stop reading just to absorb all the things that are happening. The romance and the bromance have rendered me a bloodydamn idiot.

Thank you, my goodman. I hope your next series would be as prime as this one, dominus!

[Rinn]

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Also posted on my blog, Rinn Reads.

I’d like to blame my lateness for this review on how long it has taken me to gather my thoughts on this book – which was an absolutely EPIC thrill ride of a conclusion to what has quickly proved to be one of my favourite science fiction series.

However, whilst the latter is true, I really have no excuse for how long it has taken me to write this other than I have not been particularly active in the blogosphere for the past few months (my list of currently waiting reviews is rather daunting). So I’d like to apologise to Hodder, who sent me an ARC of Morning Star, and were very careful about who they sent them to. When I received this in the post, I’m pretty sure I screamed, had a little celebratory dance and then immediately settled down to read it, because Golden Son left me with so many questions that HAD to be answered as soon as possible. So I actually finished this in February and planned my review around the release date – and never got round to it. So here we are.

Like Golden Son, Morning Star began a few months later than the previous book, and was completely brutal and action-packed from the very beginning. Pierce Brown excels at serious dramatic moments and action scenes, as well as humorous ones – basically he is one truly talented author. He writes characters so fantastically; the character development throughout this trilogy has been astounding, especially for Sevro. The friendships and complicated relationships shine through, and despite the fact that this is a book sent in space, far into the future, everyone feels so real. It truly makes you wonder whether Darrow would have made it this far without these friendships – I highly doubt it.

Expect more shocks, deaths and devastation from Morning Star than the first two books combined – all the more painful because the reader has now had the time to get to know these characters, has grown attached to them. Brown is unafraid to kill off major players, from both sides, and most of these are completely unexpected and utterly heartbreaking. However, this is war, and that’s what happens. The reader must learn to move on with the story and with Darrow, because death is just a part of war. Watching Darrow push on through all of the heartbreak and pain made for an amazing read that simultaneously made me want to cry, and cheer them all on even more.

The events of the story are made even more horrific by the fact that Darrow’s enemies were once friends and acquaintances. Friends who are now tearing each other apart in order to achieve their goals, some of whom do not care how many people they hurt or kill along the way. With so many twists and turns (in my notebook I just have written ‘THAT TWIST’, but I don’t want to add anything else for fear of spoilers!), Morning Star is sure to leave your heart racing, your hands shaking and your head pounding – for all its brutality and violence, it truly has heart. It provides a perfect, beautiful ending to a fantastic series that I have loved the whole way through, and am going to miss. I may have to do a re-read of all three books back to back…