Morning Star by Pierce Brown is in fine bookstores now! It is a fantastic achievement by a new author. Two years ago, Pierce published his debut novel, Red Rising. I was given an early manuscript of the book and read it long before it published. When I got to about page 100, I knew it was something special. I finished Red Rising on a drive from Lake Tahoe back to Seattle, sitting in the back seat, so immersed in the novel that I didn't know where I was most of the time. I shared my love of it here on Suvudu. I shared it elsewhere online. And soon, people were writing me and thanking me for bringing the book to their attention. When I got Golden Son, the sequel to Red Rising, my only wish was that it didn't succumb to the sophomore slump. It did not. In fact, it felt a lot like Empire Strikes Back, an improvement over a flawless beginning—with a paralyzing ending. But would Pierce be able to take that ending and make it believable in the next book? And would he deliver a great finale to a fantastic trilogy? He does. I just finished it and it's amazing. He pulls no punches, no one is safe, and the prose is just as top-notch as ever. Pierce brings deftness to his trade, weaving multiple stories through the only point of view character he uses—the story of Darrow, the Red that would see the Gold fall. He also does a wonderful job expanding the worlds of our universe. So good. The trilogy ranks as one of my favorite trilogies of all time. Pretty high praise, I think! If you haven't read Red Rising, Golden Son, and Morning Star, what are you waiting for? A completed trilogy! It's the weekend! Spend it reading these! Happy Friday!
Shawn Speakman is the author of The Dark Thorn, an urban/epic fantasy hybrid novel bestselling author Terry Brooks calls, "a fine tale by a talented writer." He also edited the bestselling anthology Unfettered.
When Shawn isn’t lying for a living, he runs The Signed Page and Grim Oak Press. Follow him on Facebook and @shawnspeakman!
