The Long Goodbye: "Morning Star" by Pierce Brown

It took me a long time to write this review. In fact, I've read several books in the time between when I finished this book and wrote this review. In part, this is because I have been busy getting ready for the new school year. However, a larger part is that I wasn't quite sure what to say about it.

I got to learn how the story ends. I thoroughly enjoy the narrator's style and voice. I wasn't unhappy with the way the saga wrapped up. However, I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied with this installment. While many trilogies slump in the middle (and this was no exception), most rise to new heights at the end. Morning Star, however, seems on par with Golden Son.

Both the second and third books of this trilogy had issues with pacing and balance. Unfortunately, Pierce Brown did not manage to sustain the vigor and intensity of Red Rising. As our characters grow and mature, they tend to do so through long and tiresome introspection. I really love a good inner monologue when done right, but this final book seemed to fly between winding and sometimes repetitive inner monologue and action so quick and so high-level that it is hard to care about the reactions and fates of individual characters. Space battles are never as compelling to me as intimate combat (hence, Red Rising's better review). There's some intimate combat here, but not enough to counterbalance the broad, galactic scope.

To be fair, this final installment of the series had plenty of twists and surprises -- enough to earn 4 stars (not too shabby, right?). It still maintains its place as a generally compelling, interesting, and fun science fiction YA series. If my first two reviews didn't convince you to pick up a copy, do (affiliate). You'll love Red Rising the most, but the other two are definitely still worth your time!

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