[amphibian]

I quite liked Dark Age being willing to take the characters into deeper conflict with factions who resist the Red Rising + multi planetary social remaking.

I did have a wee bit of an issue with the sidelining of Mustang and the launch out to the way beyond, but we'll see if Lightbringer does well.

I'll pick it up this weekend.

[Abyss]

CH 9

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAwheeeeee

Spoiler

HE'S BAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

CH 11


oh crap

Spoiler

oh crap he's going to do the sleeper agent buried mind programming he's fine no he isn't thing isn't he????? argh

[Abyss]

Meanwhile, Chs 10, 11, 12,,,

Spoiler

...Lysander continues to have an interesting storyline. He's working every side except Darrow's... Rim, Core, Minotaur, and to Brown's credit his various motivations, to build power, to get revenge on various people for various things, AND to be liked/loved, are well handled. I've mentioned issues w Lysander back in IRON GOLD and DARK AGE, but so far, 11 chapters in, i'm enjoying his storyline as a contrast to Darrow. It's a little strange to me to have a supporting character from books 4 and 5 building his power base in bk 6, but Brown gets around that by having Lysander step into the events already in progress.... Atalantia's domination of the core, the antagonism of the Rim Carthage faction for the Core, Apollonius seizing the docks and building power, he's part of it.

Brown also ties things together better. Events in Darrow's story trigger a battle between Apollonius and the Carthage, that battle has direct consequences for Lysander.

Darrow's a mess, but Cassius thinks he can rebuild him better faster stronger. Yay

And now Lyrea is back and we get to see whether she's interesting engaged superpowered DARK AGE Lyrea or boring IRON GOLD Lyrea.

[amphibian]

Abyss, on 25 July 2023 - 05:33 PM, said:

Three chapters into LIGHT BRINGER... versus the massive action piees that started prior books this is a much quieter, focused on the messy aftermath of the end of DARK AGE. No recap, just bare suggestions of where everyone is at other than Darrow. It works even if i did have to find a recap before proceeding.

"Minimal carnage" AHAHAHHAHAHAheeee i love this series.

I'm a third of the way through. So much has happened in a way that I am really enjoying the moves from explaining what's been the fallout of previous books into action into people connecting or breaking apart.

[Abyss]

amphibian, on 31 July 2023 - 07:18 PM, said:

Abyss, on 25 July 2023 - 05:33 PM, said:

Three chapters into LIGHT BRINGER... versus the massive action piees that started prior books this is a much quieter, focused on the messy aftermath of the end of DARK AGE. No recap, just bare suggestions of where everyone is at other than Darrow. It works even if i did have to find a recap before proceeding.

"Minimal carnage" AHAHAHHAHAHAheeee i love this series.

I'm a third of the way through. So much has happened in a way that I am really enjoying the moves from explaining what's been the fallout of previous books into action into people connecting or breaking apart.

Just past the third mark myself, there was a bit of quiet time, i may have cried once, and now holy spacecrap he is pulling zero punches.

[amphibian]

I'm at the 50% zone. Wow.

[Nicodimas]

Im glad so many here still are teading

[Abyss]

Ch 46 here....

Spoiler

Atlas' ambush of the Rass fleet was amazing and insane and holy crap Lysander! I oved the way this was all set up, from Lysander's poisoning to his decision to join the Rim fleets, to Atlas - of course it's fucking Atlas - replacing Helios and setting off the ambush and damn, what an ambush!
Lysander saving Diormedes was a nice touch, and oooo the betrayal by his Praetorians was just scorching.

Darrow and crew just found Diormedes... this is gonna be good.

Also, just to back up a few chapters...

Spoiler

Lyrea telling Sevro about Ulysses damn near broke me.

[Abyss]

The friendship between

Spoiler

Cassius and Lyrea

is too cute for words.

[amphibian]

I finished. I think there was a denouement that didn't work well for me, yet there was a rise into a full end that really did work. Very happy I read the book and I believe that Red God should be a hell of a ride.

[champ]

amphibian, on 03 August 2023 - 10:46 AM, said:

I finished. I think there was a denouement that didn't work well for me, yet there was a rise into a full end that really did work. Very happy I read the book and I believe that Red God should be a hell of a ride.

Wait... so this book isn't the end to the second series?! God dammit... I thought it was... I had been waiting for it to be finished before starting Iron Gold...


Not sure whether to get back to waiting or dive in now...

[Abyss]

Just Finished LIGHT BRINGER ok that's a lie i finished weeks ago but needed a pause and a relisten before commenting...

Short version: loved this. Not quite as dark or gripping as DARK AGE but fully a satisfying follow up and penultimate book ahead of the finale.

SPOILERS NOW

Spoiler

Darrow - Brown really went deep on Darrow this time. Not that he hasn't in the past, he is the MC and POV of the series after all but the sheer emo ripping of not being able to go back to Mars, the repeated setbacks and defats on the rim, and finally losing Cassius, the realization and owning everything he did wrong even when they were the right things at the time... then the triumph against Volsung in an absolutely glorious extended fight of fights. Loved it all, even the emo.

Cassius - admittedly i was reasonably certain Cassius was dead man walking around when Sevro reappeared... there was no way we were in book 6 of 7 and Darrow would get to keep both his besties. Still, Brown gave Cassius a solid arc, staying true to himself as a glory of a Gold yet trying to be a better man. His friendship w Lyrea was wholly unexpected and funny and a treat that made his inevitable messy death all the more painful.

Sevro - is BACK. And wow what a return, saving his own rescuers. I loved the moment when Darrow saw the bite marks on Appolonius and realized. The moment he discovered what happened to his son was viscerally wrenching.

Lyrea - rejected superpowers, which was a really nice touch. I cannot believe how much i enjoyed this character from hos much i disliked her when she was introduced.

Lysander - needs to die. a lot. ...but i did enjoy his storylines.

Great book.