BATTLE OF SURVIVAL STORIES: SCI-FI VS. HISTORICAL

Do you like survival stories? I do. Today I have two for you. 

One set in the past, the other one in the future. Which one won me over?

GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: SONS OF ARES BY PIERCE BROWN

Pierce Brown's Red Rising: Sons of Ares
(Sons of Ares #1-6)
Written by: by Pierce Brown, Rik Hoskin
Illustrated by: Eli Powell

Source: ARC by publisher

Published by: Dynamite Entertainment

Release date: March 6th 2018

      
       

From the world of the best-selling YA series Red Rising comes a story of love and loss and rage!

In the future, when mankind has spread across the stars, the hierarchy of man is dictated by the color of one's caste. The Golds rule all, but what will happen when one falls for a lowly Red? See how a forbidden love will set the course of events for the future and lead to the formation of the formidable Sons of Ares!

Written by author Pierce Brown (The Red Rising Trilogy) and Rik Hoskin (Heroes of Skyrealm, Brandon Sanderson's White Sand), with art by Eli Powell (Yakuza Demon Killers, The 13th Artifact), comes the in-continuity story of revolution and Red Rising!

REVIEW: IRON GOLD BY PIERCE BROWN

Hello everyone, long time no see. I apologize for being silent for so long but I simply didn't have anything worthy to write about. However, last week I finally read a book that inspired me to write proper review to share with you.

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
(Red Rising Saga #4)
Published by: Del Rey Books
Genre: Science Fiction / Dystopia
Release date: January 16th 2018

      
        

They call him father, liberator, warlord, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls toward the pale blue planet, his armor red, his army vast, his heart heavy. It is the tenth year of war and the thirty-second of his life.

A decade ago, Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. But the Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk everything he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself?

And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever:

A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp and achieves for herself a new life she could never have imagined.
An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life.
And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

Red Rising was the story of the end of one universe, and Iron Goldis the story of the creation of a new one. Witness the beginning of a stunning new saga of tragedy and triumph from masterlyNew York Times bestselling author Pierce Brown.

REVIEW: EMPRESS OF A THOUSAND SKIES

Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza
(Empress of a Thousand Skies #1)
Published by: Razorbill
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Release date: February 7th 2017

     

         

Empress

Rhee, also known as Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta’an, is the sole surviving heir to a powerful dynasty. She’ll stop at nothing to avenge her family and claim her throne.

Fugitive

Aly has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. But when he’s falsely accused of killing Rhee, he's forced to prove his innocence to save his reputation – and his life.

Madman

With planets on the brink of war, Rhee and Aly are thrown together to confront a ruthless evil that threatens the fate of the entire galaxy.

A saga of vengeance, warfare, and the true meaning of legacy.

NO MORE WAITING #6: STARBOUND SERIES

Are you fed up with cliffhangers? Are you not patient enough to wait months for next instalment when reading series? Or do you just prefer to completely lose yourself in story and marathon all the books together? If you answered "yes" to at least one of these questions, this post is for you. NO MORE WAITING is a feature on my blog that spotlights completed series. You can look forward to spoiler-free reviews and graphic arts to accompany it.

Starbound Trilogy

Written by: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Genre: YA Sci-Fi Romance

Purchase: Amazon / B&N

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive – alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth.

The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

MORNING STAR BY PIERCE BROWN (QUICK SPOILER-FREE REVIEW WHERE I DO NOT DISCUSS PLOT AT ALL!)

Morning Star (Red Rising #3)

Written by: Pierce Brown

Published by: Del Rey

Genre: Sci-Fi / Dystopia

Purchase: Amazon / B&N

Release date: February 9th 2016

     

      

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.

TWO QUICK REVIEWS: BOOK VS. MOVIE - THE MARTIAN

This month I decided to do something different for my Two Quick Reviews post. Instead of comparing two books as I usually do, I will talk about last year's bestseller The Martian and movie of the same name that is based on this book.

(check my Rating System for detailed explanations of my quick rating)

REVIEW: GOLDEN SON BY PERCE BROWN

I'm starting new year with a bang. My first review in 2015 is of the book I read couple of weeks ago but still can't stop thinking about. It is completely spoiler-free so you can read it even if you haven't started this series yet (in such a case, I suggest you put everything aside and read first book Red Rising right now!)

Golden Son (Red Rising #2)
Written by: Pierce Brown
Published by: Del Rey

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / BD
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

       
        

With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.

REVIEW: RED RISING BY PIERCE BROWN

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

(Red Rising Trilogy #1)

Published by: Del Rey

Genre: Sci-Fi / Dystopia

Release date: January 28th 2014

    
      

The Earth is dying. Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it. The Reds are humanity's last hope.

Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.

Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda.

MY REVIEW:

Wow, what a page-turner! I am impressed. Red Rising is outstanding debut novel by Pierce Brown, phenomenal introduction into new series and my personal new favorite of this year.

I'm not going to provide summary of this book. It would be too long and it wouldn't do this complex story justice. You need to read this book yourself, experience it all on your own without having any knowledge of storyline or spoilers. After all, this is kind of the book that, plot-wise, you should definitely go into blind. But what I can tell you is how this story made me feel, what kind of impression it left on me. And let me tell you, it affected me big time!

Red Rising is one of the most creative and captivating stories I have had the pleasure of reading. Its imaginary took my breath away and heart-stopping situations often left me in goose bumps. Moreover, world building is done perfectly. This great introduction into dystopian society will grab your attention from the first pages of this novel and its twists will keep you anxious and entertained till the very end.

Red Rising is story about death and sacrifice, about big dreams and broken ideals. It is story that most definitely won't let you indifferent. Power, freedom, justice, politics and loyalty. All these topics have been used countless times in the books before. ButPierce Brown gives them new shining, he shows them in his own singular light. And result is awe-inspiring and enthralling.

Most importantly, I can't forget to mention writing style. I absolutely loved how author managed to narrate this novel. It was straightforward, fast-paced and attention-grabbing. There was not a single thing I would not love about it and I can't recommend this book enough to all those who love great storytelling.

This novel shows us one thing. When you live for the dreams of others, you can easily lost your true self in the process. Will that be Darrow's fate? I already can't wait to read next instalment - Golden Son!

Never Miss a Post:

Follow