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The Droseran Saga #1
Brand of Light
There's a price on her head, and it has everything to do with the brand on her arm.
Tertian Space Coalition has blessed every planet in the quadrants with high technology, save one: Drosero. But in spite of their tenuous treaty with the ruling clans, TSC has plans for the backward planet. And they're not alone.
After a catastrophic explosion, Kersei Dragoumis awakens in a derelict shuttle, alone, injured, and ignorant of the forbidden technology that has swept her into a nightmare. The brand she's borne since childhood burns mysteriously, but the pain is nothing to that when she learns her family is dead and she is accused of their murders.
Across the quadrants, Marco Dusan responds to the call of a holy order-not to join them, but to seek a bounty. Gifted-or cursed-with abilities that mark him a Kynigos, a tracker sworn to bring interplanetary fugitives to justice, Marco discovers this particular bounty has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with prophecy. One that involves the hunter as much as the hunted.
Tertian Space Coalition has blessed every planet in the quadrants with high technology, save one: Drosero. But in spite of their tenuous treaty with the ruling clans, TSC has plans for the backward planet. And they're not alone.
After a catastrophic explosion, Kersei Dragoumis awakens in a derelict shuttle, alone, injured, and ignorant of the forbidden technology that has swept her into a nightmare. The brand she's borne since childhood burns mysteriously, but the pain is nothing to that when she learns her family is dead and she is accused of their murders.
Across the quadrants, Marco Dusan responds to the call of a holy order-not to join them, but to seek a bounty. Gifted-or cursed-with abilities that mark him a Kynigos, a tracker sworn to bring interplanetary fugitives to justice, Marco discovers this particular bounty has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with prophecy. One that involves the hunter as much as the hunted.
388 pages, Hardcover
First published December 3, 2019
62 people are currently reading
1400 people want to read
About the author
Ronie Kendig
67 books1,240 followersRonie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a nearly ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share--sometimes--with Benning the Stealth Golden and AAndromeda the #mwdwashout. Ronie's degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.
Since launching onto the publishing scene, Ronie’s Rapid-Fire Fiction has hit the CBA Bestseller List, won the prestigious Christy Award, Carol Award, the RT Reviewers' Choice Award (twice), the HOLT Medallion, the IRCA, and FamilyFiction’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
Ronie loves people and helping other writers through speaking, workshops, and/or mentoring. Find Ronie at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction) , Twitter (@roniekendig), GoodReads, and Instagram (www.instagram.com/kendigronie ).
Since launching onto the publishing scene, Ronie’s Rapid-Fire Fiction has hit the CBA Bestseller List, won the prestigious Christy Award, Carol Award, the RT Reviewers' Choice Award (twice), the HOLT Medallion, the IRCA, and FamilyFiction’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
Ronie loves people and helping other writers through speaking, workshops, and/or mentoring. Find Ronie at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction) , Twitter (@roniekendig), GoodReads, and Instagram (www.instagram.com/kendigronie ).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
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August 11, 2019No rating since--hello--it's my book. But I did read it (for the second time) just this week as a galley. And I'm still in love with this story. :-D
November 16, 2019
This book caught me right from the first page and I was hooked every page after that too. The characters, world, action, EVERYTHING was so so insane. Brand of Light is absolutely phenomenal!!
Each of the characters is so real and grabbed my emotions. They're so masterfully crafted and I loved or hated each character (as fit their role) so fiercely. It was like I was in the story and the intensity of that experience never wavered for a second.
Kersei was so realistic, and a perfect example of what a well-written strong female character can be! I loved her more than I expected to.
Tigo and his squad were so much fun. Their 'motley crew' family-like emotions got me every time, and I loved them.
I have to admit that (as expected) Marco was by far my favourite character. His powers are so intriguing and his personality so engaging. He holds a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to see where book #2 takes his story.
The plot is so intense and complex, but not too confusing! I really appreciated that because some sci fi stories can turn my brain into mush, but this one was the perfect balance of complex but understandable. And OH SO INTENSE.
The action sequences were so amazing, the moments for breath in between were always perfectly timed. And THE ENDING. It left me sobbing and screaming. My actual words as I read the final chapter were "I hate this book! It's the woooorst!" It was such a whirl of emotions, who knows if I'll ever recover. 😭😂
Content: (major spoiler warning!)
Overall, this book has me floored. I can't wait for the sequel! And all the books after that! The characters and story has absolutely stolen my heart and torn it in two. Definitely recommended! (Mature readers.)
Each of the characters is so real and grabbed my emotions. They're so masterfully crafted and I loved or hated each character (as fit their role) so fiercely. It was like I was in the story and the intensity of that experience never wavered for a second.
Kersei was so realistic, and a perfect example of what a well-written strong female character can be! I loved her more than I expected to.
Tigo and his squad were so much fun. Their 'motley crew' family-like emotions got me every time, and I loved them.
I have to admit that (as expected) Marco was by far my favourite character. His powers are so intriguing and his personality so engaging. He holds a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to see where book #2 takes his story.
The plot is so intense and complex, but not too confusing! I really appreciated that because some sci fi stories can turn my brain into mush, but this one was the perfect balance of complex but understandable. And OH SO INTENSE.
The action sequences were so amazing, the moments for breath in between were always perfectly timed. And THE ENDING. It left me sobbing and screaming. My actual words as I read the final chapter were "I hate this book! It's the woooorst!" It was such a whirl of emotions, who knows if I'll ever recover. 😭😂
Content: (major spoiler warning!)
Overall, this book has me floored. I can't wait for the sequel! And all the books after that! The characters and story has absolutely stolen my heart and torn it in two. Definitely recommended! (Mature readers.)
March 19, 2023
Re-read (3/19/23)
This book killed me just as it did the first time I read it back in 2019. 😭 I am so thankful that I can binge the whole series now instead of having to wait for the next book! Marco has stolen my heart all over again and I am both excited and scared to see where Mrs. Kendig brings us in the next three books!!
Original Review (12/20/19)
This book killed me. I am so emotional and in pain right now it hurts. Why?! I need book 2 now. I need that vision to come true and I need Darius to go die in a stickin hole.
Everything about this book is beautiful and painful. When people told me the ending was painful, I never realized how painful....I literally sobbed. Mrs. Kendig did a fabulous job with her plot twists but there was one that I wish never happened. I understand that it is for the best intention of this book but I honestly wish it never happened. Mrs. Kendig proved to me once again that she is a master at the craft of writing. I loved this book so much even though it was painful.
The characters were amazing. Kersei was a doll and I wish I could take her away from her current predicament so badly. She was so strong and brave yet still had real emotions like everyone else. Marco was a cinnamon roll who I wish with all my heart could be happy. I feel for him so badly right now. Tiggo was a hoot and reminded me to Thorne. He was amazing and I can honestly see why everyone LOVES him!! He is adorable and needs his own story! There are some characters though that I could literally send assassins to go kill for me right now.
The plot was amazing and so unique. I loved it!!! Honestly y'all this was a beautifully written book...just it was super painful at times too. This book was unique but also so amazing. I love it so much. Mrs. Kendig did a fabulous job and now I have some more tears to go cry as I ponder my life desicions that led up to this point.
*FTC: I received this book from the author through Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.*
This book killed me just as it did the first time I read it back in 2019. 😭 I am so thankful that I can binge the whole series now instead of having to wait for the next book! Marco has stolen my heart all over again and I am both excited and scared to see where Mrs. Kendig brings us in the next three books!!
Original Review (12/20/19)
This book killed me. I am so emotional and in pain right now it hurts. Why?! I need book 2 now. I need that vision to come true and I need Darius to go die in a stickin hole.
Everything about this book is beautiful and painful. When people told me the ending was painful, I never realized how painful....I literally sobbed. Mrs. Kendig did a fabulous job with her plot twists but there was one that I wish never happened. I understand that it is for the best intention of this book but I honestly wish it never happened. Mrs. Kendig proved to me once again that she is a master at the craft of writing. I loved this book so much even though it was painful.
The characters were amazing. Kersei was a doll and I wish I could take her away from her current predicament so badly. She was so strong and brave yet still had real emotions like everyone else. Marco was a cinnamon roll who I wish with all my heart could be happy. I feel for him so badly right now. Tiggo was a hoot and reminded me to Thorne. He was amazing and I can honestly see why everyone LOVES him!! He is adorable and needs his own story! There are some characters though that I could literally send assassins to go kill for me right now.
The plot was amazing and so unique. I loved it!!! Honestly y'all this was a beautifully written book...just it was super painful at times too. This book was unique but also so amazing. I love it so much. Mrs. Kendig did a fabulous job and now I have some more tears to go cry as I ponder my life desicions that led up to this point.
*FTC: I received this book from the author through Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.*
Read
May 19, 2022I both liked and seriously disliked this book, therefore I am not giving it a rating.
Ronie Kendig is incredibly talented and can definitely create amazing worldbuilding and character arcs and plots. The mix of science fiction and fantasy was exceptionally intriguing and well done. And the premise was just fascinating. If not for the major issue, I'd give this book a solid five star.
The issue I have is with the implied rape. Perhaps not so much the implied rape itself as a certain character's reaction--or lack thereof-- to it. For being the book's hero, and an intriguing hero at that up until this point, Marco was an utter wimp and coward during this section of the book. He did nothing to save Kersei as she was dragged off and raped (it doesn't say raped, but it's heavily implied) by that utterly abominable scumbag. He just passively stands by. Come on, dude. The girl you love is being molested. Stand up, use your training, and do something. Rescue her or at least make an attempt to.
To recap, I like a lot about this book. The worldbuilding especially is just so detailed and astounding in its complexity, and I hope to one day possess the ability to create worlds like Ms. Kendig. But I can't condone what Marco did/didn't do.
Ronie Kendig is incredibly talented and can definitely create amazing worldbuilding and character arcs and plots. The mix of science fiction and fantasy was exceptionally intriguing and well done. And the premise was just fascinating. If not for the major issue, I'd give this book a solid five star.
The issue I have is with the implied rape. Perhaps not so much the implied rape itself as a certain character's reaction--or lack thereof-- to it. For being the book's hero, and an intriguing hero at that up until this point, Marco was an utter wimp and coward during this section of the book. He did nothing to save Kersei as she was dragged off and raped (it doesn't say raped, but it's heavily implied) by that utterly abominable scumbag. He just passively stands by. Come on, dude. The girl you love is being molested. Stand up, use your training, and do something. Rescue her or at least make an attempt to.
To recap, I like a lot about this book. The worldbuilding especially is just so detailed and astounding in its complexity, and I hope to one day possess the ability to create worlds like Ms. Kendig. But I can't condone what Marco did/didn't do.
March 21, 2021
Well, that was quite a ride! There is not enough sci-fi in my reading life, so I wanted Brand of Light ever since it was released. Thankfully, there was a sale on the hardcover not too long ago and I was able to get it sooner than I'd hoped. My mom actually tried to read it first and had trouble following its complexity. She's also not a superfan of made up fantasy/sci-fi words and names that she finds hard to pronounce, so she quit. But once I gave it a shot I was fine with both of these things.
The plot is indeed complex, but handled skillfully. You have to keep your brain engaged and give yourself a few chapters to adjust to Kendig's unique writing style and the flow of things. Referencing the maps is helpful until you get the place names down. Once I understood that 1) We have three major POV characters, with only one other occasionally added in, and 2) Kendig can be trusted to feed you the information you need EXACTLY when you need it and no sooner (No info dumps with her!), it helped a lot.
As for the story, I really enjoyed. The characters are engaging, interesting, (though often flawed in realistic ways), and boy oh boy, was there a lot of political and sci-fi drama! It really kept my brain working, trying to figure out who was doing what and why, which is a good feeling when I'm in the mood for it. The stuff about the "brands of light" was also an interesting element.
The action did get a tad intense sometimes. Intense enough that I can't recommend this to my more sensitive friends. Had I been in a vulnerable place emotionally, it may have been too much for me, too, but thankfully I picked it up at a good time and was okay. Poor Kersie especially experiences some tough things, and her struggles go on for a long time. (Someone give her a snuggly blanket and some hot chocolate, ASAP!) I did appreciate, though, that in the case of violent occurrences, the author never went too far (in my opinion) with description. She'd tell you just enough, but never went on and on about blood and gore or anything like that, which is a large part of the reason I didn't get bothered to the point of anxiety by the intense stuff. (Thank you, Ms. Kendig! You don't know how much I appreciate that!)
Speaking of content stuff, this is very much a book intended for the adult market. I just want to point that out so nobody thinks it's YA because Kersie is 19. All the other main characters are over 20 and some things that happen (psychological torture, one attempted rape, and some occasional, though never graphic, hints at sexual things) that make it not suitable for anyone under 16. Maybe 18 depending on maturity. See my content advisory for more information.
For things I specifically didn't like... there actually wasn't a lot? The main villain was a positively horrible, sociopathic, MONSTER of a man and I hated his guts for every single moment he was on the page. But I was *supposed* to feel that way about him, so... *shrug*
Occasionally, Tigo could be annoying because, well, he reminded me of Captain Kirk of "Star Trek" in some ways. He's a strong leader, willing to stand up to authority to do what's right, BUT he's also one who likes the ladies. A lot. And many ladies like him, except for the ones who get annoyed with him. :-P At the same time, he only flirted and sometimes kissed them, (actually, he only ever kissed one woman on the page. Any other kissing experience he had was more assumed.) he WASN'T jumping in bed with them, AND his treatment of them, like admiring them instead of really listening to the words coming out of their mouths, was presented as a flaw AND he got called out for it. He also seemed to be trying to correct himself on it by the end. So, it was another instance where I didn't like something I was supposed to not like, but in this case the situation actually got better later in the story.
The ending was actually a little sad. Not hopeless, but we aren't getting a happy ending quite yet. There was, however, hope given that things can and will work out someday in the future, presumably in the upcoming book(s), so I wasn't too bothered by it.
Overall, I did enjoy this book a lot and am actually glad I didn't know much about it going in (very few of my GR friends have read this yet) because trying to figure things out was part of the fun. It's not a book for everyone...I'd recommend it most to those who are already familiar with the genre (While I don't read much sci-fi, I do watch a lot of it)... and it did get a little intense sometimes, but overall, it was never too much for me, I think it deserved the two Realm Maker awards it won this weekend (07/18/2020), and I'm excited to get the second book and learn how things work out.
*desperately hopes someone shoots certain villainous characters out an airlock* :-P
CONTENT ADVISORY:
Again, this is a book intended for adult audiences. I do not recommend it for readers under 16, or possibly 18 depending on maturity and sensitivity levels.
Violence:
The action is pretty non-stop. People get punched somewhat frequently, shot with pulse guns, zapped with electricity, etc. Pain and bruises get described often, but blood is mentioned infrequently and these mentions are never graphic or drawn-out.
A mention of the crunch of cartilage when someone's nose gets broken in a fight.
Poor Kersie goes through the wringer in this story. First, she's badly bruised in a joust. (A joust she insisted on participating in) and the bruise and her pain are described. Then, she ends up in an spaceship accident where her leg gets impaled. (The wound is only barely described, but blood is mentioned and she vomits once and passes out from the pain. Smell of vomit mentioned.)
As the book's synopsis states, Kersie gets accused of murdering her own family (she didn't). Because of this accusation, Kersie undergoes psychological torture in which the very evil man accusing her also sentences her without trial and puts her in a simulation room (that has been declared inhumane and isn't supposed to be on his ship at all) where she is forced to watch a simulation of her family's deaths over and over and over for days. If she closes her eyes, the suit she's forced to wear shocks her and the simulation starts over. We see from her perspective inside this room in one short chapter. Her family's bodies are described briefly and these images and her trauma from watching them get referenced several times during the story. (Note: The reader is aware during all this that there are good people working desperately to get Kersie out of the room.)
The same evil man mentioned above later puts a shock collar on Kersie to keep her from escaping when she's moved to another location. She gets zapped a few times, sometimes because she tries to take it off, and twice because the evil man shocks her on purpose. Pain described briefly.
Someone gets killed by a pulse gun shot through the helmet during a mission. Mention of the person's body slumping, but no further description.
A woman Kersie has only known briefly gets injured trying to keep Kersie from being captured by bad people. Kersie only realizes this when she finds a bleeding wound in the woman's side (barely described). It's implied later on that the woman bled out and died, but this happens "off screen".
An alien gets impaled. (Not described.)
Two characters have "brands" on one arm (not actually burned or tattooed into their skin. These markings appeared on their own in their childhoods.) that sometimes glow and cause burning pain intense enough to make them pass out.
Kersie sees a man who looks so pale he appears dead strapped to a metal table. He has tubes up his nose, and it becomes apparent that an alien is using him for something nefarious. Tigo and co see a spy video in which the same man appears to be in great pain. Later, Marco
TRIGGER WARNING: ATTEMPTED RAPE. ...she gets loose and fights back with everything on hand until he's knocked unconscious. Blood mentioned briefly in relation to the man's injuries.
Later, when Marco and Kersie are traveling on the same transport ship, Marco smells from a distance that Kersie is in distress, and when he finds her, she is fighting off two men who Marco notices smell like lust. (He kicks their butts and chases them off.)
Sexual: There are two couples in the book who share about two passionate kisses each. In one case, the man is shirtless, having recently showered. All of these kisses are pretty described, but the descriptions never go "below the belt", nor do the couples ever do anything more than kiss.
Both couples experience a lot of physical (and emotional) attraction. At one point, Kersie walks in on Marco doing his training and admires his muscles from afar.
Tigo likes women a lot. It's not constant, but he flirts with women freely, apparently sometimes kisses them without much thought, but he draws the line at sex. We learn this fact when his father accuses Tigo of taking women to bed and Tigo is very offended by this and denies it. However, Tigo quickly realizes his father thought this because Tigo's father (who is a divorcee) is sleeping with a woman he's not married to. (Tigo realizes this because a woman they both know quickly left his father's apartment when Tigo entered it. There are no further details on this relationship.)
Tigo gets taken to task on his treatment of women by a female officer he is close friends with, and it seems by a certain point in the book he has started to realize he needs to not act toward women the way he has been acting.
A terminally ill woman comes to talk to Tigo in his quarters and her illness is making her so weak, he allows her to lie down on his bed to rest. They lay next to each other and talk but it is not sexual in any way. When a female officer knocks on the door to get Tigo to come to a meeting, she sees the woman asleep on the bed and glares at Tigo, but he assures her they did nothing but talk.
The Kynigos are not allow to marry, but are allowed to take "chatlains" (Prostitutes. Once, it is mentioned that Marco sees one of his brethren and a chatlain headed for a private room, but there are no further details.) Marco, however, is completely against this practice and turns down a chatlain who flirts with him.
A woman is forced into marriage with a man she does not love. After the man takes her away, Marco can smell her grief from a great distance, as well as her husband's pleasure.
Spiritual: "The Ancient" seems to be what characters in this book universe call God. There aren't a lot of details about The Ancient, but the name gets referenced multiple times and sometimes prayed to. A character asks Kersie if she trusts the Ancient (implying that she should, if she does not.) The Ancient seems to have a will for what happens in people's lives and in the universe as a whole. The Ancient is also apparently responsible for the "brands" that appear on select people's arms as well as the prophecies that go with those brands.
There are also beings called "The Ladies". I wasn't super clear on if these beings were meant to be spiritual beings or if they might be a very powerful, incorporeal, alien race. (Or maybe something along the lines of angels?) Some people worship them as if they are gods. Kersie herself tends to call on both the Ancient and the Ladies for help in times of extreme distress. Marco, however, didn't seem to have much respect for the Ladies specifically.
The reason I wondered if the Ladies may actually be powerful incorporeal aliens rather than spiritual beings is because they apparently are destructible. They went around giving people gifts in the ancient past, but had to go into hiding to keep from being destroyed when people discovered those gifts could be used for bad as well as good. The Ancient on the other hand seems to be untouchable by the wiles of evil people.
There is a planet where a religious sect known as the "Iereas" live. They have temples, shave their heads, and dress a certain way. Some of them seem to worship both the Ancient and the Ladies, but some seem to only worship the Ancient. As with any religious organization, some of the Iereas are genuine about their faith and some are not. Some are outright corrupt.
Two characters, when they finally learn what the prophecy connected to their brands are, see a "Lady." She is surrounded by white light, and after telling them the prophecy, touches the one person's eyes and the other person's heart, apparently gifting them with special abilities. In the case of the person whose eyes she touched, we learn he is suddenly able to look in people's eyes and see a light there that tells him if their hearts are "pure".
Other: One character has a terminal disease, common on their planet, that makes them bruise and bleed very easily and eventually die. Their bruises caused by the disease are mentioned sometimes. A passionate kiss is enough to make this person's mouth bruise. (The person who kissed them feels awful about this when it is realized.) This character does eventually succumb to the disease. The death is sad, but peaceful.
Mentions of alcoholic drinks in social settings. Marco has a weakness for a drink called "cordi", which is normally not alcoholic, but once, in a moment of great emotional distress, he does drink the fermented variety and seems to get slightly drunk. (He doesn't do anything in his drunken state besides verbally express his anger and pain.)
The plot is indeed complex, but handled skillfully. You have to keep your brain engaged and give yourself a few chapters to adjust to Kendig's unique writing style and the flow of things. Referencing the maps is helpful until you get the place names down. Once I understood that 1) We have three major POV characters, with only one other occasionally added in, and 2) Kendig can be trusted to feed you the information you need EXACTLY when you need it and no sooner (No info dumps with her!), it helped a lot.
As for the story, I really enjoyed. The characters are engaging, interesting, (though often flawed in realistic ways), and boy oh boy, was there a lot of political and sci-fi drama! It really kept my brain working, trying to figure out who was doing what and why, which is a good feeling when I'm in the mood for it. The stuff about the "brands of light" was also an interesting element.
The action did get a tad intense sometimes. Intense enough that I can't recommend this to my more sensitive friends. Had I been in a vulnerable place emotionally, it may have been too much for me, too, but thankfully I picked it up at a good time and was okay. Poor Kersie especially experiences some tough things, and her struggles go on for a long time. (Someone give her a snuggly blanket and some hot chocolate, ASAP!) I did appreciate, though, that in the case of violent occurrences, the author never went too far (in my opinion) with description. She'd tell you just enough, but never went on and on about blood and gore or anything like that, which is a large part of the reason I didn't get bothered to the point of anxiety by the intense stuff. (Thank you, Ms. Kendig! You don't know how much I appreciate that!)
Speaking of content stuff, this is very much a book intended for the adult market. I just want to point that out so nobody thinks it's YA because Kersie is 19. All the other main characters are over 20 and some things that happen (psychological torture, one attempted rape, and some occasional, though never graphic, hints at sexual things) that make it not suitable for anyone under 16. Maybe 18 depending on maturity. See my content advisory for more information.
For things I specifically didn't like... there actually wasn't a lot? The main villain was a positively horrible, sociopathic, MONSTER of a man and I hated his guts for every single moment he was on the page. But I was *supposed* to feel that way about him, so... *shrug*
Occasionally, Tigo could be annoying because, well, he reminded me of Captain Kirk of "Star Trek" in some ways. He's a strong leader, willing to stand up to authority to do what's right, BUT he's also one who likes the ladies. A lot. And many ladies like him, except for the ones who get annoyed with him. :-P At the same time, he only flirted and sometimes kissed them, (actually, he only ever kissed one woman on the page. Any other kissing experience he had was more assumed.) he WASN'T jumping in bed with them, AND his treatment of them, like admiring them instead of really listening to the words coming out of their mouths, was presented as a flaw AND he got called out for it. He also seemed to be trying to correct himself on it by the end. So, it was another instance where I didn't like something I was supposed to not like, but in this case the situation actually got better later in the story.
The ending was actually a little sad. Not hopeless, but we aren't getting a happy ending quite yet. There was, however, hope given that things can and will work out someday in the future, presumably in the upcoming book(s), so I wasn't too bothered by it.
Overall, I did enjoy this book a lot and am actually glad I didn't know much about it going in (very few of my GR friends have read this yet) because trying to figure things out was part of the fun. It's not a book for everyone...I'd recommend it most to those who are already familiar with the genre (While I don't read much sci-fi, I do watch a lot of it)... and it did get a little intense sometimes, but overall, it was never too much for me, I think it deserved the two Realm Maker awards it won this weekend (07/18/2020), and I'm excited to get the second book and learn how things work out.
*desperately hopes someone shoots certain villainous characters out an airlock* :-P
CONTENT ADVISORY:
Again, this is a book intended for adult audiences. I do not recommend it for readers under 16, or possibly 18 depending on maturity and sensitivity levels.
Violence:
The action is pretty non-stop. People get punched somewhat frequently, shot with pulse guns, zapped with electricity, etc. Pain and bruises get described often, but blood is mentioned infrequently and these mentions are never graphic or drawn-out.
A mention of the crunch of cartilage when someone's nose gets broken in a fight.
Poor Kersie goes through the wringer in this story. First, she's badly bruised in a joust. (A joust she insisted on participating in) and the bruise and her pain are described. Then, she ends up in an spaceship accident where her leg gets impaled. (The wound is only barely described, but blood is mentioned and she vomits once and passes out from the pain. Smell of vomit mentioned.)
As the book's synopsis states, Kersie gets accused of murdering her own family (she didn't). Because of this accusation, Kersie undergoes psychological torture in which the very evil man accusing her also sentences her without trial and puts her in a simulation room (that has been declared inhumane and isn't supposed to be on his ship at all) where she is forced to watch a simulation of her family's deaths over and over and over for days. If she closes her eyes, the suit she's forced to wear shocks her and the simulation starts over. We see from her perspective inside this room in one short chapter. Her family's bodies are described briefly and these images and her trauma from watching them get referenced several times during the story. (Note: The reader is aware during all this that there are good people working desperately to get Kersie out of the room.)
The same evil man mentioned above later puts a shock collar on Kersie to keep her from escaping when she's moved to another location. She gets zapped a few times, sometimes because she tries to take it off, and twice because the evil man shocks her on purpose. Pain described briefly.
Someone gets killed by a pulse gun shot through the helmet during a mission. Mention of the person's body slumping, but no further description.
A woman Kersie has only known briefly gets injured trying to keep Kersie from being captured by bad people. Kersie only realizes this when she finds a bleeding wound in the woman's side (barely described). It's implied later on that the woman bled out and died, but this happens "off screen".
An alien gets impaled. (Not described.)
Two characters have "brands" on one arm (not actually burned or tattooed into their skin. These markings appeared on their own in their childhoods.) that sometimes glow and cause burning pain intense enough to make them pass out.
Kersie sees a man who looks so pale he appears dead strapped to a metal table. He has tubes up his nose, and it becomes apparent that an alien is using him for something nefarious. Tigo and co see a spy video in which the same man appears to be in great pain. Later, Marco
TRIGGER WARNING: ATTEMPTED RAPE. ...she gets loose and fights back with everything on hand until he's knocked unconscious. Blood mentioned briefly in relation to the man's injuries.
Later, when Marco and Kersie are traveling on the same transport ship, Marco smells from a distance that Kersie is in distress, and when he finds her, she is fighting off two men who Marco notices smell like lust. (He kicks their butts and chases them off.)
Sexual: There are two couples in the book who share about two passionate kisses each. In one case, the man is shirtless, having recently showered. All of these kisses are pretty described, but the descriptions never go "below the belt", nor do the couples ever do anything more than kiss.
Both couples experience a lot of physical (and emotional) attraction. At one point, Kersie walks in on Marco doing his training and admires his muscles from afar.
Tigo likes women a lot. It's not constant, but he flirts with women freely, apparently sometimes kisses them without much thought, but he draws the line at sex. We learn this fact when his father accuses Tigo of taking women to bed and Tigo is very offended by this and denies it. However, Tigo quickly realizes his father thought this because Tigo's father (who is a divorcee) is sleeping with a woman he's not married to. (Tigo realizes this because a woman they both know quickly left his father's apartment when Tigo entered it. There are no further details on this relationship.)
Tigo gets taken to task on his treatment of women by a female officer he is close friends with, and it seems by a certain point in the book he has started to realize he needs to not act toward women the way he has been acting.
A terminally ill woman comes to talk to Tigo in his quarters and her illness is making her so weak, he allows her to lie down on his bed to rest. They lay next to each other and talk but it is not sexual in any way. When a female officer knocks on the door to get Tigo to come to a meeting, she sees the woman asleep on the bed and glares at Tigo, but he assures her they did nothing but talk.
The Kynigos are not allow to marry, but are allowed to take "chatlains" (Prostitutes. Once, it is mentioned that Marco sees one of his brethren and a chatlain headed for a private room, but there are no further details.) Marco, however, is completely against this practice and turns down a chatlain who flirts with him.
A woman is forced into marriage with a man she does not love. After the man takes her away, Marco can smell her grief from a great distance, as well as her husband's pleasure.
Spiritual: "The Ancient" seems to be what characters in this book universe call God. There aren't a lot of details about The Ancient, but the name gets referenced multiple times and sometimes prayed to. A character asks Kersie if she trusts the Ancient (implying that she should, if she does not.) The Ancient seems to have a will for what happens in people's lives and in the universe as a whole. The Ancient is also apparently responsible for the "brands" that appear on select people's arms as well as the prophecies that go with those brands.
There are also beings called "The Ladies". I wasn't super clear on if these beings were meant to be spiritual beings or if they might be a very powerful, incorporeal, alien race. (Or maybe something along the lines of angels?) Some people worship them as if they are gods. Kersie herself tends to call on both the Ancient and the Ladies for help in times of extreme distress. Marco, however, didn't seem to have much respect for the Ladies specifically.
The reason I wondered if the Ladies may actually be powerful incorporeal aliens rather than spiritual beings is because they apparently are destructible. They went around giving people gifts in the ancient past, but had to go into hiding to keep from being destroyed when people discovered those gifts could be used for bad as well as good. The Ancient on the other hand seems to be untouchable by the wiles of evil people.
There is a planet where a religious sect known as the "Iereas" live. They have temples, shave their heads, and dress a certain way. Some of them seem to worship both the Ancient and the Ladies, but some seem to only worship the Ancient. As with any religious organization, some of the Iereas are genuine about their faith and some are not. Some are outright corrupt.
Two characters, when they finally learn what the prophecy connected to their brands are, see a "Lady." She is surrounded by white light, and after telling them the prophecy, touches the one person's eyes and the other person's heart, apparently gifting them with special abilities. In the case of the person whose eyes she touched, we learn he is suddenly able to look in people's eyes and see a light there that tells him if their hearts are "pure".
Other: One character has a terminal disease, common on their planet, that makes them bruise and bleed very easily and eventually die. Their bruises caused by the disease are mentioned sometimes. A passionate kiss is enough to make this person's mouth bruise. (The person who kissed them feels awful about this when it is realized.) This character does eventually succumb to the disease. The death is sad, but peaceful.
Mentions of alcoholic drinks in social settings. Marco has a weakness for a drink called "cordi", which is normally not alcoholic, but once, in a moment of great emotional distress, he does drink the fermented variety and seems to get slightly drunk. (He doesn't do anything in his drunken state besides verbally express his anger and pain.)
June 13, 2020
There's a price on her head, and it has everything to do with the band on her arm.
Terrain Space Coalition has brought tech to every planet of the quadrant, except for Drosero. But the TSC has plans for the little backward planet, whether they want it or not.
An explosion has left Kersi Dragoumis spinning. She wakes in a derelict shuttle, ignorant of the tech around her, alone, and hurt. The brand she's had since childhood burns, but that pain is nothing to the pain of hearing her family is dead, and the TSC think she's the murderer.
Marco Dusan is a hunter, and one of the best. Called by a holy order to deliever Kersi to their temple, he begins to realize that maybe theres more to to this Decree - and the maiden - then he first thought.
•
•
•
I've never read much scifi. I love Star Wars, think Star Trek is interesting, but reading it? Yeah, not so much.
Ronie has changed my mind on that now!
This book, I devoured it in three days. While the beginning is a little confusing, jumping between characters and trying to keep the strange names and place clear, once you find the rhythm there is no stopping!
Her characters are real, raw, and honest about their mistakes. I can wait for the second book to find out what happens to Tigo, Kersi, Marco, and the rest of their friends!
•
•
•
Five stars!
Ages 16 and up!
Terrain Space Coalition has brought tech to every planet of the quadrant, except for Drosero. But the TSC has plans for the little backward planet, whether they want it or not.
An explosion has left Kersi Dragoumis spinning. She wakes in a derelict shuttle, ignorant of the tech around her, alone, and hurt. The brand she's had since childhood burns, but that pain is nothing to the pain of hearing her family is dead, and the TSC think she's the murderer.
Marco Dusan is a hunter, and one of the best. Called by a holy order to deliever Kersi to their temple, he begins to realize that maybe theres more to to this Decree - and the maiden - then he first thought.
•
•
•
I've never read much scifi. I love Star Wars, think Star Trek is interesting, but reading it? Yeah, not so much.
Ronie has changed my mind on that now!
This book, I devoured it in three days. While the beginning is a little confusing, jumping between characters and trying to keep the strange names and place clear, once you find the rhythm there is no stopping!
Her characters are real, raw, and honest about their mistakes. I can wait for the second book to find out what happens to Tigo, Kersi, Marco, and the rest of their friends!
•
•
•
Five stars!
Ages 16 and up!
July 9, 2021
Loved this book! I felt like reading it in one sitting!!! 😍😍😍
September 1, 2021
I really, really wanted to like this book. And honestly, if you ignore certain things, there is a lot to enjoy about this book. The concept of a world that has rejected all technology surrounded by a solar system of high-tech planets had a lot of potential. Especially when a citizen of that planet gets unintentionally swept out into a world she knows NOTHING about and is completely unprepared for.
The hunters were an interesting concept. Gifted with the ability to smell people's pheromones, they are paid to hunt and bring fugitives to justice. There was some confusion for me as to how these hunts were orchestrated. It was hinted that they chose which hunts to accept...and yet when they go to the Ierean Temple and Marco is questioning the validity of a particular hunt, his superiors tell him he can't refuse it. In this case, the particular target was not guilty of any crime...and it sure seems like this could have happened before--people hiring Hunters to track down people for a multitude of reasons. Sure, the Hunters can smell emotions like deceit and such, but I sure bet some of the people hiring them for VALID jobs still smell questionable because they have poor character, and I bet half-truths are extremely hard to sort through. On top of all of that, even if Hunters had a 100% record of only tracking guilty parties...it still boggles my mind a little that these other human societies fully trust them to administer justice? The Hunters aren't tied to religion or government. They are MERCENARIES. Maybe I missed something. But when it was implied that Hunters are incapable of committing crimes...What moral code do they follow, exactly? And does it conveniently line up with the moral codes of every world in the solar system? Confusing.
On to the plot!
The book has at least four POV's (I could have sworn there were one or two more thrown in now and again), three of which are in completely different locations, with their own world-building and special terms. You are thrown into the deep end from the beginning. The first five or six chapters I kept having to reread whole paragraphs sometimes 3x just to figure out what was happening, and to try and keep track of character names and all the specialized alien vocabulary. It made me feel a bit dim-witted, which was frustrating. I firmly, FIRMLY believe complex worldbuilding can be introduced seamlessly and organically, but that was not what happened here. Still, I was intrigued enough to keep reading, so that says a lot.
The first half of the book feels like a giant question mark in multiple settings where the political/religious worldbuilding is muddy and unclear. There is a lot of tail-chasing. The main characters are virtually set aside to wait until the second half of the book while the side characters try to figure out what's going on and keep endlessly hitting walls until late in the book. From what I could tell, there were no subplots to speak of(except one very small romance). Absolutely everything is tied into the main plot, but no progress is actually made until over halfway through the book. This was kind of infuriating to me, especially with the rapid scene changes and relentless tension building. I couldn't sink my teeth into anything and there was no room for proper character development. I felt like I was constantly being strung along, but the author had done nothing to earn my trust.
For taking up such a big portion of the first half of the book, I honestly have no idea what the Chamber had to do with anything. It doesn't connect to the main plot. (It was NOT a pre-requisite for certain later experiments, because the Poster-Boy was never placed in the chamber. And Kersei was even though she isn't a hunter.) It sure seemed like a lot of angst not to have anything to do with the plot. They could have just held Kersei in custody and it still should have raised questions for certain other characters. Trying to convince her she was responsible for certain crimes really didn't make sense or add anything to the plot. And telling the reader through another character that she was going to escape (pg91) really took all of the suspense out of the "Will she escape?" question and made the rest of her captivity tiresome. Oh look. More torture. (She isn't freed until pg203) I was so tired and frustrated that I very nearly put the book down halfway through.
Believe it or not, we haven't even come to my main issues yet.
The book finally gets some drive halfway through when our main characters meet up. It was all much more interesting after this point and the last third had some major Jupiter Ascending vibes which I enjoyed, in spite of my issues.
But something else began to catch my attention: how many men want Kersei. And it got worse and worse as the book went on. Every man in the universe seems to want her, but only the priests want her for the prophecy. Through the course of the book she is proposed to 2x, almost raped 2x, molested 2x, there is another man who intends to marry her, at least 2x there is a young side character said to be "jealous" on account of her, there are 2 men unhealthily obsessed with her who drive a huge portion of the plot, and one man who loves her and she returns his love--but even with him, their "love" is disappointingly shallow. He pretty much loves her based on first sight, based on her "scent" of vanilla and something else. Over the course of a couple of weeks they have a handful of conversations, during which the physical appearance of each is mentioned over and over again. That is what their love is based on. This was extremely disappointing to me, especially after all of the unhealthy attention shown to Kersei.
And can we just talk about that for a second?? I am disappointed that to add to ALL of this, Kersei has absolutely no agency for 90% of the book. I don't think it's an understatement to say that her value in this book comes partially from the fact that the Priests need her in a physical location at a certain time to put an arm in a slot and fulfill a prophecy, and largely from the fact that she is physically attractive. This completely breaks my heart. In the first couple chapters, she is training as a warrior on her planet despite her family's wishes and arguably causing them real pain. The rest of the book she is a complete victim being kidnapped, tortured, rescued, sexually assaulted, obsessively protected, and made to fulfill a prophecy. I can only remember her actively making 2 choices the entire book.
I do not think this was the author's intent, by any means, but the overwhelming message of this book is that the way to show a female character is interesting and valuable is to make male characters desire her. And the way to show she is strong is to constantly torture her. And the way to make her sympathetic is to victimize her. And I vehemently disagree with all three of these.
To have a few men interested in her would not have been a big deal. But to have 4 men actively vying for her with 3+ on the sidelines attracted to her, to have this attraction drive huge portions of the plot, and then to have her forced into an unwanted marriage at the end and raped by her husband, made her into a sort of disturbing sexual McGuffin.
Anyway, those are my observations and opinions on this book. Many readers have enjoyed it despite all of that. So it's up to you to decide whether you want to give it a try. I just felt strongly compelled to share my honest thoughts.
The hunters were an interesting concept. Gifted with the ability to smell people's pheromones, they are paid to hunt and bring fugitives to justice. There was some confusion for me as to how these hunts were orchestrated. It was hinted that they chose which hunts to accept...and yet when they go to the Ierean Temple and Marco is questioning the validity of a particular hunt, his superiors tell him he can't refuse it. In this case, the particular target was not guilty of any crime...and it sure seems like this could have happened before--people hiring Hunters to track down people for a multitude of reasons. Sure, the Hunters can smell emotions like deceit and such, but I sure bet some of the people hiring them for VALID jobs still smell questionable because they have poor character, and I bet half-truths are extremely hard to sort through. On top of all of that, even if Hunters had a 100% record of only tracking guilty parties...it still boggles my mind a little that these other human societies fully trust them to administer justice? The Hunters aren't tied to religion or government. They are MERCENARIES. Maybe I missed something. But when it was implied that Hunters are incapable of committing crimes...What moral code do they follow, exactly? And does it conveniently line up with the moral codes of every world in the solar system? Confusing.
On to the plot!
The book has at least four POV's (I could have sworn there were one or two more thrown in now and again), three of which are in completely different locations, with their own world-building and special terms. You are thrown into the deep end from the beginning. The first five or six chapters I kept having to reread whole paragraphs sometimes 3x just to figure out what was happening, and to try and keep track of character names and all the specialized alien vocabulary. It made me feel a bit dim-witted, which was frustrating. I firmly, FIRMLY believe complex worldbuilding can be introduced seamlessly and organically, but that was not what happened here. Still, I was intrigued enough to keep reading, so that says a lot.
The first half of the book feels like a giant question mark in multiple settings where the political/religious worldbuilding is muddy and unclear. There is a lot of tail-chasing. The main characters are virtually set aside to wait until the second half of the book while the side characters try to figure out what's going on and keep endlessly hitting walls until late in the book. From what I could tell, there were no subplots to speak of(except one very small romance). Absolutely everything is tied into the main plot, but no progress is actually made until over halfway through the book. This was kind of infuriating to me, especially with the rapid scene changes and relentless tension building. I couldn't sink my teeth into anything and there was no room for proper character development. I felt like I was constantly being strung along, but the author had done nothing to earn my trust.
For taking up such a big portion of the first half of the book, I honestly have no idea what the Chamber had to do with anything. It doesn't connect to the main plot. (It was NOT a pre-requisite for certain later experiments, because the Poster-Boy was never placed in the chamber. And Kersei was even though she isn't a hunter.) It sure seemed like a lot of angst not to have anything to do with the plot. They could have just held Kersei in custody and it still should have raised questions for certain other characters. Trying to convince her she was responsible for certain crimes really didn't make sense or add anything to the plot. And telling the reader through another character that she was going to escape (pg91) really took all of the suspense out of the "Will she escape?" question and made the rest of her captivity tiresome. Oh look. More torture. (She isn't freed until pg203) I was so tired and frustrated that I very nearly put the book down halfway through.
Believe it or not, we haven't even come to my main issues yet.
The book finally gets some drive halfway through when our main characters meet up. It was all much more interesting after this point and the last third had some major Jupiter Ascending vibes which I enjoyed, in spite of my issues.
But something else began to catch my attention: how many men want Kersei. And it got worse and worse as the book went on. Every man in the universe seems to want her, but only the priests want her for the prophecy. Through the course of the book she is proposed to 2x, almost raped 2x, molested 2x, there is another man who intends to marry her, at least 2x there is a young side character said to be "jealous" on account of her, there are 2 men unhealthily obsessed with her who drive a huge portion of the plot, and one man who loves her and she returns his love--but even with him, their "love" is disappointingly shallow. He pretty much loves her based on first sight, based on her "scent" of vanilla and something else. Over the course of a couple of weeks they have a handful of conversations, during which the physical appearance of each is mentioned over and over again. That is what their love is based on. This was extremely disappointing to me, especially after all of the unhealthy attention shown to Kersei.
And can we just talk about that for a second?? I am disappointed that to add to ALL of this, Kersei has absolutely no agency for 90% of the book. I don't think it's an understatement to say that her value in this book comes partially from the fact that the Priests need her in a physical location at a certain time to put an arm in a slot and fulfill a prophecy, and largely from the fact that she is physically attractive. This completely breaks my heart. In the first couple chapters, she is training as a warrior on her planet despite her family's wishes and arguably causing them real pain. The rest of the book she is a complete victim being kidnapped, tortured, rescued, sexually assaulted, obsessively protected, and made to fulfill a prophecy. I can only remember her actively making 2 choices the entire book.
I do not think this was the author's intent, by any means, but the overwhelming message of this book is that the way to show a female character is interesting and valuable is to make male characters desire her. And the way to show she is strong is to constantly torture her. And the way to make her sympathetic is to victimize her. And I vehemently disagree with all three of these.
To have a few men interested in her would not have been a big deal. But to have 4 men actively vying for her with 3+ on the sidelines attracted to her, to have this attraction drive huge portions of the plot, and then to have her forced into an unwanted marriage at the end and raped by her husband, made her into a sort of disturbing sexual McGuffin.
Anyway, those are my observations and opinions on this book. Many readers have enjoyed it despite all of that. So it's up to you to decide whether you want to give it a try. I just felt strongly compelled to share my honest thoughts.
December 16, 2019
3.5 stars
Wwwwell. That was mind-blowing.
This is gonna be a long, lovely review, folks, so buckle up ;)
I really enjoyed this book! Ronie Kendig spins an absolutely amazing story. This is my first book by her, and it certainly won't be the last. For the first, I'm definitely following up on the rest of the series. For the second, her Abiassa's Fire trilogy sounds incredible and I'm gonna check it out after this.
But. On to this review.
Plot~ Omyword this storyline was so twisty and full and just WHAT A RIDE. The pacing was fantastic. The plot twists were spot-on. The subplots-that-weren't-really-subplots... the best kind there is. This was one aspect of the story that I think was done to near perfection.
Worldbuilding~ Phenomenal! As you ALL know, I'm a sucker for good worldbuilding. There's just not enough of it these days. Kendig doesn't leave much to be desired; this 'verse was sci-fi with a dash of fantasy and it was sooo cool. Of course, this was a sci-fi... Which means that now that I've finished it, I'm pretty sure my vocabulary has doubled. Plus there were a lot of words made-up, but thanks to the contexts and roots behind them, I could make sense of most of them. But guys, sci-fi tech is not my thing and it's miracle I actually understood what was happening when. I appreciate that. The descriptions were like Marissa Meyer's! I could understand them! Sometimes! (... Took a while, to be honest)
Romance~ Meh. I'm not a huge fan of romance nowadays-- thanks a lot, YA cliches. To be honest, I felt that the main romance was too rushed and based on attraction. I would've liked some... I don't know, non-attraction between them before all that. Beyond that, the secondary romance possibility-- :)))))
Characters
Kersei: I didn't like her at first, but only for the first 10%! Then she became much deeper and relatable. What, you all gasp! A heroine Merie actually likes?? She was strong, but I don't like it when people in the book keep pointing it out; it kind of wears away the strength. Sometimes less is more, you know?
Marco: :/ *takes deep breath before angry fangirls come to mob me* So... Marco was dark, brooding, and mysterious. *dramatic cloak swirl* I don't mind that. It's just that he had the most POV chapters, and therefore became the least mysterious and intriguing of these characters. It did not help that the very first scene of him was his using his Kyrigos gift. Very dramatically. Plus, he's intense, but do we really need everyone pointing that out? It ruins the intensity!
Tigo: TIGOOOOOOOO. He was my favorite by far! *more angry fangirls* He reminds me so much of Thorne from the Lunar Chronicles, except like so much better-- *angry TLC fangirls*-- and he has so many relationship issues and he's just the best. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I wish there was more Tigo. And his crew. They were awesome.
Side Characters: Yyyyyesss. Well done, Kendig.
Baddies: *shudders* You know well what that means, I hope.
~~~
So yes, 3.5 stars overall. I am totally continuing this series. I recommend it to mature readers, though, for some content (which is handled tastefully and, truth be told, much better than a lot of stuff you see in so-called YA books these days). 500000000 stars for Tigo Deken. Seriously, if there was one reason to read this book, Tigo should be it. Although the worldbuilding is great too. And Kersei's neat. And there were some awesome plot twists. BUT MOSTLY TIGO.
All of you space opera/sci-fi/Carswell-Thorne-loving peeps out there-- read it. As long as you can handle the romance (... *looks at ceiling*), which you might even like, because it's probably totally just me, but anyway-- yeah, I definitely recommend. Especially Tigo.
Wwwwell. That was mind-blowing.
This is gonna be a long, lovely review, folks, so buckle up ;)
I really enjoyed this book! Ronie Kendig spins an absolutely amazing story. This is my first book by her, and it certainly won't be the last. For the first, I'm definitely following up on the rest of the series. For the second, her Abiassa's Fire trilogy sounds incredible and I'm gonna check it out after this.
But. On to this review.
Plot~ Omyword this storyline was so twisty and full and just WHAT A RIDE. The pacing was fantastic. The plot twists were spot-on. The subplots-that-weren't-really-subplots... the best kind there is. This was one aspect of the story that I think was done to near perfection.
Worldbuilding~ Phenomenal! As you ALL know, I'm a sucker for good worldbuilding. There's just not enough of it these days. Kendig doesn't leave much to be desired; this 'verse was sci-fi with a dash of fantasy and it was sooo cool. Of course, this was a sci-fi... Which means that now that I've finished it, I'm pretty sure my vocabulary has doubled. Plus there were a lot of words made-up, but thanks to the contexts and roots behind them, I could make sense of most of them. But guys, sci-fi tech is not my thing and it's miracle I actually understood what was happening when. I appreciate that. The descriptions were like Marissa Meyer's! I could understand them! Sometimes! (... Took a while, to be honest)
Romance~ Meh. I'm not a huge fan of romance nowadays-- thanks a lot, YA cliches. To be honest, I felt that the main romance was too rushed and based on attraction. I would've liked some... I don't know, non-attraction between them before all that. Beyond that, the secondary romance possibility-- :)))))
Characters
Kersei: I didn't like her at first, but only for the first 10%! Then she became much deeper and relatable. What, you all gasp! A heroine Merie actually likes?? She was strong, but I don't like it when people in the book keep pointing it out; it kind of wears away the strength. Sometimes less is more, you know?
Marco: :/ *takes deep breath before angry fangirls come to mob me* So... Marco was dark, brooding, and mysterious. *dramatic cloak swirl* I don't mind that. It's just that he had the most POV chapters, and therefore became the least mysterious and intriguing of these characters. It did not help that the very first scene of him was his using his Kyrigos gift. Very dramatically. Plus, he's intense, but do we really need everyone pointing that out? It ruins the intensity!
Tigo: TIGOOOOOOOO. He was my favorite by far! *more angry fangirls* He reminds me so much of Thorne from the Lunar Chronicles, except like so much better-- *angry TLC fangirls*-- and he has so many relationship issues and he's just the best. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I wish there was more Tigo. And his crew. They were awesome.
Side Characters: Yyyyyesss. Well done, Kendig.
Baddies: *shudders* You know well what that means, I hope.
~~~
So yes, 3.5 stars overall. I am totally continuing this series. I recommend it to mature readers, though, for some content (which is handled tastefully and, truth be told, much better than a lot of stuff you see in so-called YA books these days). 500000000 stars for Tigo Deken. Seriously, if there was one reason to read this book, Tigo should be it. Although the worldbuilding is great too. And Kersei's neat. And there were some awesome plot twists. BUT MOSTLY TIGO.
All of you space opera/sci-fi/Carswell-Thorne-loving peeps out there-- read it. As long as you can handle the romance (... *looks at ceiling*), which you might even like, because it's probably totally just me, but anyway-- yeah, I definitely recommend. Especially Tigo.
May 19, 2021
I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars, but since that's the highest, I give it a resounding 5!
Now for my review:
“To boldly go where no man had gone before.”
“Long time ago in a galaxy far far away . . .”
These are taglines you think of when you think of spectacularly epic, space stories and movies. These lines will also go through your head as you read this book by Ronie Kendig because this will be a spectacularly epic book series, based in space.
When I first heard about this book, I was excited because I’ve read many books by Ronie Kendig and knew it would be powerful and impressive.
I didn’t know this one would top all her other books. It truly has become one of my favorite books by this author.
From the stunning book cover to the last words on the pages, this book is full of colorful imagery which will capture your interest and not let you go.
I completed reading this book in a few days and yet, I needed to let it sit in my brain to know just how to share my thoughts. I didn’t know how to say, WOW, adequately enough to not sound like a teenager gushing over a movie star! But, WOW OH WOW!
I love Ronie Kendig's books, they are always full of action, suspense, drama, and romance. This book is no different, however, add to that a bit of exhilarating space travel, out of this world technology, fun parkour stunts, and you have a book which will keep your head in the clouds. I had a really difficult time working my day job because all I wanted to do was find out what was happening to Kersei and Marco. Now I must wait to read the next book and see how the story continues.
It’s like so many have said before, “Sometimes I forget myself in a book. And when I need to stop reading it takes me a minute to remember where I am. Or who I am.” That’s exactly how I’ve felt since reading this book! You will find yourself breathing and dreaming of this story.
I genuinely enjoyed being introduced to this new series. I highly recommend reading the book. Pick it up and start on the adventure of your life.
I was given this book by the publisher which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Now for my review:
“To boldly go where no man had gone before.”
“Long time ago in a galaxy far far away . . .”
These are taglines you think of when you think of spectacularly epic, space stories and movies. These lines will also go through your head as you read this book by Ronie Kendig because this will be a spectacularly epic book series, based in space.
When I first heard about this book, I was excited because I’ve read many books by Ronie Kendig and knew it would be powerful and impressive.
I didn’t know this one would top all her other books. It truly has become one of my favorite books by this author.
From the stunning book cover to the last words on the pages, this book is full of colorful imagery which will capture your interest and not let you go.
I completed reading this book in a few days and yet, I needed to let it sit in my brain to know just how to share my thoughts. I didn’t know how to say, WOW, adequately enough to not sound like a teenager gushing over a movie star! But, WOW OH WOW!
I love Ronie Kendig's books, they are always full of action, suspense, drama, and romance. This book is no different, however, add to that a bit of exhilarating space travel, out of this world technology, fun parkour stunts, and you have a book which will keep your head in the clouds. I had a really difficult time working my day job because all I wanted to do was find out what was happening to Kersei and Marco. Now I must wait to read the next book and see how the story continues.
It’s like so many have said before, “Sometimes I forget myself in a book. And when I need to stop reading it takes me a minute to remember where I am. Or who I am.” That’s exactly how I’ve felt since reading this book! You will find yourself breathing and dreaming of this story.
I genuinely enjoyed being introduced to this new series. I highly recommend reading the book. Pick it up and start on the adventure of your life.
I was given this book by the publisher which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 25, 2021
I... have a lot of feelings. Some good, some meh, but overall, the experience of reading this was just so fun. It gave me all the Star Wars feels with a plot that kept me engaged the entire way. Kendig's writing is excellent, the pacing was perfect, the descriptions were great, ahh, I had such a good time going along for the ride.
I understand why everyone is a little in love with Marco (I admit I'm a little in love with him myself), and Tigo was a delightful surprise I'd heard nothing about (he gave me all the Carswell Thorne vibes and I love him!). I liked Kersei a lot, and though everyone is obviously entitled to their own opinion, I didn't hate the insta-attraction/insta-love? Like, I don't mind that trope (though it can be done wrong, lol), I thought its use here was pretty cute.
The world-building is fascinating, I want to keep reading the series if only for the chance at learning more about the way everything works!
Gotta be honest, I hate the ending. Mostly because I'm a fan of a happy ending. But since this is the first in a series, I can forgive it. (And yes, I am very glad I have the next book on hand already, lol!)
Content warnings for attempted sexual assault and violence. (Nothing is too graphic by my standards, but it's there)
Overall, four stars from me, and I'm intrigued to see where the story goes next!
I understand why everyone is a little in love with Marco (I admit I'm a little in love with him myself), and Tigo was a delightful surprise I'd heard nothing about (he gave me all the Carswell Thorne vibes and I love him!). I liked Kersei a lot, and though everyone is obviously entitled to their own opinion, I didn't hate the insta-attraction/insta-love? Like, I don't mind that trope (though it can be done wrong, lol), I thought its use here was pretty cute.
The world-building is fascinating, I want to keep reading the series if only for the chance at learning more about the way everything works!
Gotta be honest, I hate the ending. Mostly because I'm a fan of a happy ending. But since this is the first in a series, I can forgive it. (And yes, I am very glad I have the next book on hand already, lol!)
Content warnings for attempted sexual assault and violence. (Nothing is too graphic by my standards, but it's there)
Overall, four stars from me, and I'm intrigued to see where the story goes next!
December 3, 2019
Oh. My. Goodness.
Where do I even start?
I’m not a reader who naturally gravitates towards science fiction, much less space opera, but I AM a reader who gravitates towards brilliant storytelling, and that is what this book is. Completely, utterly, all-other-synonyms-for-100% brilliant storytelling. The kind of storytelling that sucks you in heart and soul before delivering an ending that simultaneously eviscerates you and leaves you begging for more.
Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
The worldbuilding is superb. It’s vivid, varied, and complex, yet never overwhelmingly so, as can often be the case for me in scifi/fantasy, and that’s partly because this world is so logically constructed that the reader discovers it intuitively as the story unfolds. And the political undercurrents and power plays… Not only is this world is loaded with them, but I get the feeling we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface in this first book in the series.
But it’s the characters that really sell this story. Tigo, Kersei, and don’t even get me started on Marco, because I will not shut up about him once I do. I mean, the guy is a highly trained tracker with an enhanced sense of smell (every person has their own unique scent and he can smell emotions), and his parkour skills are crazy! He’s so intense!!! Argh! One of my favourite characters EVER!!! (I told you I wouldn’t shut up if you let me get started!!!) Not that this surprises me, since Ronie Kendig’s characters are ALWAYS brilliant. Some of the most well developed characters you will ever come across. She knows how to push them to their limits and beyond, and this is arguably her most compelling plot yet!
Basically, I couldn’t put this story down, and you better believe I can’t get my hands on the next in the series soon enough.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Where do I even start?
I’m not a reader who naturally gravitates towards science fiction, much less space opera, but I AM a reader who gravitates towards brilliant storytelling, and that is what this book is. Completely, utterly, all-other-synonyms-for-100% brilliant storytelling. The kind of storytelling that sucks you in heart and soul before delivering an ending that simultaneously eviscerates you and leaves you begging for more.
Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
The worldbuilding is superb. It’s vivid, varied, and complex, yet never overwhelmingly so, as can often be the case for me in scifi/fantasy, and that’s partly because this world is so logically constructed that the reader discovers it intuitively as the story unfolds. And the political undercurrents and power plays… Not only is this world is loaded with them, but I get the feeling we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface in this first book in the series.
But it’s the characters that really sell this story. Tigo, Kersei, and don’t even get me started on Marco, because I will not shut up about him once I do. I mean, the guy is a highly trained tracker with an enhanced sense of smell (every person has their own unique scent and he can smell emotions), and his parkour skills are crazy! He’s so intense!!! Argh! One of my favourite characters EVER!!! (I told you I wouldn’t shut up if you let me get started!!!) Not that this surprises me, since Ronie Kendig’s characters are ALWAYS brilliant. Some of the most well developed characters you will ever come across. She knows how to push them to their limits and beyond, and this is arguably her most compelling plot yet!
Basically, I couldn’t put this story down, and you better believe I can’t get my hands on the next in the series soon enough.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
November 22, 2019
“Brand of Light” by Ronie Kendig is the first book in the “Droseran Saga.” This space opera has plenty of action and suspense to please even those who don’t normally enjoy science fiction. It is full of adventure and contains a story of epic proportions!
In order to understand the setting of “Brand of Light,” think of “Star Wars” and the “Lunar Chronicles,” except with its own unique spin. Ronie Kendig does an amazing job with world building (I highly recommend you get a physical copy of the book so you can easily access the map and other materials in the front, as it is a little confusing in the beginning). There is a myriad of characters and the story goes back and forth from many points of view. It definitely took me awhile to figure out who all the characters were. Once I was hooked though, I wanted to keep reading because there are some crazy secrets and twists in the story that will blow your mind out of this world (literally). I love the good versus evil aspect and how the characters have to face some tough moral decisions. If you like sci-fi, “Star Wars” and epic adventures, you will love this book!
Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: mention of women’s breasts; mention that someone shared a bed with another person; there are prostitutes; characters drink alcohol; a man curses, but the words aren’t actually written; mention of sex; a man tries to rape a woman, but doesn’t succeed.
Rating: I give this book 4 stars.
I want to thank Ronie Kendig, Celebrate Lit and Enclave Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.
In order to understand the setting of “Brand of Light,” think of “Star Wars” and the “Lunar Chronicles,” except with its own unique spin. Ronie Kendig does an amazing job with world building (I highly recommend you get a physical copy of the book so you can easily access the map and other materials in the front, as it is a little confusing in the beginning). There is a myriad of characters and the story goes back and forth from many points of view. It definitely took me awhile to figure out who all the characters were. Once I was hooked though, I wanted to keep reading because there are some crazy secrets and twists in the story that will blow your mind out of this world (literally). I love the good versus evil aspect and how the characters have to face some tough moral decisions. If you like sci-fi, “Star Wars” and epic adventures, you will love this book!
Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: mention of women’s breasts; mention that someone shared a bed with another person; there are prostitutes; characters drink alcohol; a man curses, but the words aren’t actually written; mention of sex; a man tries to rape a woman, but doesn’t succeed.
Rating: I give this book 4 stars.
I want to thank Ronie Kendig, Celebrate Lit and Enclave Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.
May 27, 2020
"He never promised His ways to be easy, only true and freeing - but remember that your perspective is particularly one-sided. You know the pain, but not the plan or what will come to fruition."
I am absolutely besotted. Yes, I have been a fan of Ronie Kendig's writing since the Quiet Professionals series and have loved every one of her books I have read so far.... but this book tops the last one I read (sorry, Leif). How does the author continue to rack up more action, adrenaline, and mind-spinning plot twists with every book she writes? Incredible.
Even if you're not a fan of space operas or fantasy genre, you will be missing out greatly if you don't read this book. This is book 1 of the Droseran Saga so it spends a good deal of time laying out an entire universe and the ways of different planets and cultures, very reminiscent of the Star Wars movies. The action and plot move quickly and the questions shrouded in suspense that build with each chapter are answered with a big finale at the end....but the ending of this book will also leave you impatient for the next book in the series to release. The complex, passionate, loyal natures of Kersei, Marco, and Tigo will draw you into their worlds and hearts as good fights evil in a galaxy where nothing is as it seems.
Ronie Kendig needs to write faster and release the next books in quick succession!
I received a copy of the book from Enclave Publishing via Celebrate Lit Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
I am absolutely besotted. Yes, I have been a fan of Ronie Kendig's writing since the Quiet Professionals series and have loved every one of her books I have read so far.... but this book tops the last one I read (sorry, Leif). How does the author continue to rack up more action, adrenaline, and mind-spinning plot twists with every book she writes? Incredible.
Even if you're not a fan of space operas or fantasy genre, you will be missing out greatly if you don't read this book. This is book 1 of the Droseran Saga so it spends a good deal of time laying out an entire universe and the ways of different planets and cultures, very reminiscent of the Star Wars movies. The action and plot move quickly and the questions shrouded in suspense that build with each chapter are answered with a big finale at the end....but the ending of this book will also leave you impatient for the next book in the series to release. The complex, passionate, loyal natures of Kersei, Marco, and Tigo will draw you into their worlds and hearts as good fights evil in a galaxy where nothing is as it seems.
Ronie Kendig needs to write faster and release the next books in quick succession!
I received a copy of the book from Enclave Publishing via Celebrate Lit Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
November 19, 2020
When I bought this book, I didn’t know what i was getting myself into. People were talking highly of it and the cover looked interesting.
And then I slugged through the first third of this book. Because I didn’t understand a lot of what was going on. There were so many names and places and shifting scenes and technical terms that I couldn’t put together in my brain.
Then I raced through the rest of the book and things slowly started making sense. I finally started understanding who the characters were and their goals.
And in the end I had feelings about the characters and their story and I believe that matters most.
The writing was excellent, though personally some of the jargon was difficult to sift through, and I’ll assume that is mostly on me unless proven otherwise. There are other little things I don’t care for, like when their speech is 99% like American English, but then they’ll say “Mayhap” instead of “maybe” but that’s more of a critique of how these kinds of books are written than this book in particular.
In the end, it’s a good, intricate story, with more to tell. Even if it was difficult for me to get to the point where I understood that to be the case. I feel like people more invested in the genre or similar genres would have an easier time getting into it than I did. Maybe?
And then I slugged through the first third of this book. Because I didn’t understand a lot of what was going on. There were so many names and places and shifting scenes and technical terms that I couldn’t put together in my brain.
Then I raced through the rest of the book and things slowly started making sense. I finally started understanding who the characters were and their goals.
And in the end I had feelings about the characters and their story and I believe that matters most.
The writing was excellent, though personally some of the jargon was difficult to sift through, and I’ll assume that is mostly on me unless proven otherwise. There are other little things I don’t care for, like when their speech is 99% like American English, but then they’ll say “Mayhap” instead of “maybe” but that’s more of a critique of how these kinds of books are written than this book in particular.
In the end, it’s a good, intricate story, with more to tell. Even if it was difficult for me to get to the point where I understood that to be the case. I feel like people more invested in the genre or similar genres would have an easier time getting into it than I did. Maybe?
February 7, 2025
Pleasantly surprised and surprisingly impressed!
Recently, I’ve gotten into binge watching Star Wars. Specifically Rogue One, which I re-watched twice in a week. Since then, I have been on an expedition—a quest of sorts— find good quality, Christian sci-fi novels. I’ve looked through tons of them and when I came across this whole series reasonably priced on Amazon (5 hardback books under $40) I knew the time had come. Time to buy and read my first Sci-Fi/Space Opera book series.
I was pleasantly surprised by the story within. As someone who has never enjoyed science fiction books, I was very hesitant going into this one, and I was genuinely praying that I would enjoy it. I am so glad I did. The mystery, intrigue, action, world (or should I say worlds? lol) building, and romance were expertly done, and even though tough topics were tackled, they were done so tactfully. Tough topics tackled tactfully. Try saying that five times fast 😆. (Yes, it’s late at night where I’m at and I’m pretty tired if you can’t tell haha).
Overall, I highly recommend this, especially as an introduction to science fiction reading. I was impressed!
Recently, I’ve gotten into binge watching Star Wars. Specifically Rogue One, which I re-watched twice in a week. Since then, I have been on an expedition—a quest of sorts— find good quality, Christian sci-fi novels. I’ve looked through tons of them and when I came across this whole series reasonably priced on Amazon (5 hardback books under $40) I knew the time had come. Time to buy and read my first Sci-Fi/Space Opera book series.
I was pleasantly surprised by the story within. As someone who has never enjoyed science fiction books, I was very hesitant going into this one, and I was genuinely praying that I would enjoy it. I am so glad I did. The mystery, intrigue, action, world (or should I say worlds? lol) building, and romance were expertly done, and even though tough topics were tackled, they were done so tactfully. Tough topics tackled tactfully. Try saying that five times fast 😆. (Yes, it’s late at night where I’m at and I’m pretty tired if you can’t tell haha).
Overall, I highly recommend this, especially as an introduction to science fiction reading. I was impressed!
October 19, 2022
This was my first time reading a space opera so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But then again it’s a Ronie Kendig book so I did know it was going to be good! She just blows me away with the amount of detail she includes in her books. Her books leave me feeling way too much. I need the next book!!
May 31, 2024
1.5
An enjoyable book ruined by a very wild and disappointing ending.
There are parts that feel tedious and like too much info, it could use some editing down but as far as content and triggers:
On page sexual assault, attempted rape, off page spousal rape of FMC, pregnancy of FMC by other man than MMC, mental and emotional torture, kidnapping and imprisonment, forceful marriage, that’s just off the top of my head.
An enjoyable book ruined by a very wild and disappointing ending.
There are parts that feel tedious and like too much info, it could use some editing down but as far as content and triggers:
On page sexual assault, attempted rape, off page spousal rape of FMC, pregnancy of FMC by other man than MMC, mental and emotional torture, kidnapping and imprisonment, forceful marriage, that’s just off the top of my head.
March 3, 2025
I can't recommend listening to the audiobook enough! If you want something immersive with great effects, you have to listen to this book. I can't wait to continue the series.
December 19, 2019
BRAND OF LIGHT is the start of a new space opera series full of action and romance. The various peoples and planets are intriguing, the characters are easily likable, and the plot is non-stop from beginning to end. Recommended to readers who enjoy adult scifi and fantasy.
From reading previous books by this author I knew that she writes fantastic fight scenes and action. She did not disappoint. The action sequences were intense and well-written. I expected the plot to be totally engrossing and full of political intrigue. It was and more. There was so much going on and a couple of different plots in play with hints of what's to come in the future. I also expected to like the characters. I ended up completely in love with Kersei and Marco, as well as some other key characters, particularly Tigo. I know there are several surprises yet to come in the series and am looking forward to it! I could totally see this playing out on the big screen.
There wasn't a whole lot that I had issues with in this story. There were some places that could have used a little more editing or typos corrected. One thing that felt overdone was that it seemed everyone was trying to assault Kersei, enough that it turned my stomach in a few places. And then at the end I didn't really agree with one woman just going along with things like she did, especially as it felt inconsistent with her character, and a man knowing what was going on - maybe just a little too much for me.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was definitely a page-turner. Full of action, suspense, danger, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and romance set in a scifi world that was interesting and unique. Definitely worth the read.
Content: Some references to prostitutes, attempted rape, innuendo, references to affairs, and violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit and also purchased a copy, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
From reading previous books by this author I knew that she writes fantastic fight scenes and action. She did not disappoint. The action sequences were intense and well-written. I expected the plot to be totally engrossing and full of political intrigue. It was and more. There was so much going on and a couple of different plots in play with hints of what's to come in the future. I also expected to like the characters. I ended up completely in love with Kersei and Marco, as well as some other key characters, particularly Tigo. I know there are several surprises yet to come in the series and am looking forward to it! I could totally see this playing out on the big screen.
There wasn't a whole lot that I had issues with in this story. There were some places that could have used a little more editing or typos corrected. One thing that felt overdone was that it seemed everyone was trying to assault Kersei, enough that it turned my stomach in a few places. And then at the end I didn't really agree with one woman just going along with things like she did, especially as it felt inconsistent with her character, and a man knowing what was going on - maybe just a little too much for me.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was definitely a page-turner. Full of action, suspense, danger, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and romance set in a scifi world that was interesting and unique. Definitely worth the read.
Content: Some references to prostitutes, attempted rape, innuendo, references to affairs, and violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit and also purchased a copy, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
May 23, 2021
This is hands down my favorite audiobook ever! I read this story when it first came out and it is amazing - one of my all time favorite stories! My original review of the book is below. Now, pair it with this narrator and WOW! This is such an immersive listen. The narrator brings these characters and this story to life! He voices Marco perfectly! Trust me on this, you do not want to miss this one!
This story is BRILLIANT! The worldbuilding, the characters, the storyline, the pacing, it is EPIC!! I was sucked in from chapter one and I barely put the book down. And when the story ended? I may have shouted “Nooooo!” I was not ready for it to be over and I really need book 2, right now! I’m not sure that I have ever wanted to read a sequel as badly as I want to read this one! I am dying to see what happens next!
I loved so many things about this story, but I’ll keep this review about my two favorite characters, mainly because of spoilers. Marco...you really just can’t help but love everything about him! He’s a bounty hunter who has a heightened sense of smell, so much so that he can smell emotions, like fear or happiness. And, boy oh boy does this set us up for some really...intense situations, especially with Kersei! Speaking of Kersei, she is fierce, tough, immensely likable and perfect for Marco. Some of the things she goes through will just break your heart. I really want to say so much more, but I can’t or I will definitely head into spoiler territory.
Do yourself a favor and pick up this story! It is beautifully written, impossible to put down, and you will be sucked into this incredible world of which you will not want to leave!
This story is BRILLIANT! The worldbuilding, the characters, the storyline, the pacing, it is EPIC!! I was sucked in from chapter one and I barely put the book down. And when the story ended? I may have shouted “Nooooo!” I was not ready for it to be over and I really need book 2, right now! I’m not sure that I have ever wanted to read a sequel as badly as I want to read this one! I am dying to see what happens next!
I loved so many things about this story, but I’ll keep this review about my two favorite characters, mainly because of spoilers. Marco...you really just can’t help but love everything about him! He’s a bounty hunter who has a heightened sense of smell, so much so that he can smell emotions, like fear or happiness. And, boy oh boy does this set us up for some really...intense situations, especially with Kersei! Speaking of Kersei, she is fierce, tough, immensely likable and perfect for Marco. Some of the things she goes through will just break your heart. I really want to say so much more, but I can’t or I will definitely head into spoiler territory.
Do yourself a favor and pick up this story! It is beautifully written, impossible to put down, and you will be sucked into this incredible world of which you will not want to leave!
December 21, 2019
Wow! What a story! This is one of those sagas that wraps itself around you and pulls you into its realm. I generally don’t read science fiction or space operas, so it took me a little while to figure out the the jargon and set up for this amazingly creative world. But, once I did, and once some major events took place, I couldn’t look away. I had to know what happened.
This author is so good at creating worlds and making me feel as if these people and places actually exist, no matter how different their world is from mine. The characters have incredible depth, the story is packed with action, intrigue, and adventure, and there is some seriously sigh worthy romance, as well. I am on edge to know what happens next in this adventure!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
This author is so good at creating worlds and making me feel as if these people and places actually exist, no matter how different their world is from mine. The characters have incredible depth, the story is packed with action, intrigue, and adventure, and there is some seriously sigh worthy romance, as well. I am on edge to know what happens next in this adventure!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
December 3, 2019
No words for all the feels I had in this book. It’s a roller coaster ride through space full of mystery, adventure, and romance that has me begging for the next book. How to write more without giving away endings...
Masterfully woven storytelling, artistically gorgeous from the front cover to the very ending. This is an epic series in the making that will stay long with me through the years. I do not say this lightly... It just surpassed my expectations and flew to the top of my list of best reads. If you read one book this year this is it! Yeah, it’s that good!
I received an advanced reader copy from the author and publisher, Enclave. All opinions are my own.
Masterfully woven storytelling, artistically gorgeous from the front cover to the very ending. This is an epic series in the making that will stay long with me through the years. I do not say this lightly... It just surpassed my expectations and flew to the top of my list of best reads. If you read one book this year this is it! Yeah, it’s that good!
I received an advanced reader copy from the author and publisher, Enclave. All opinions are my own.
November 8, 2019
Holy. Slag.
Epic. Pure epicness. And now I’m sitting here crying at the fact I have to wait for the next instalment 😭
All realness here...this book is gold. From the characters to the writing to the adventure, you’re taken on a trip that will remind you of the beauty of Middle Earth to the audacity of the best science fiction. Ronie Kendig has set the bar higher than ever, and you come away from this book knowing it.
I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Epic. Pure epicness. And now I’m sitting here crying at the fact I have to wait for the next instalment 😭
All realness here...this book is gold. From the characters to the writing to the adventure, you’re taken on a trip that will remind you of the beauty of Middle Earth to the audacity of the best science fiction. Ronie Kendig has set the bar higher than ever, and you come away from this book knowing it.
I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
June 27, 2019
This book was INCREDIBLE!! It’s been a really long time since a single book had me laughing, cheering, worried, chilled, angry, extremely happy, and also brought tears to my eyes. Brand Of Light accomplished all of the above and I’m dying to read book 2!! I’m not even a big fan of sci-fi but Kendig’s world building skills and talent for weaving an incredibly vivid story ensured that this book is now one of my all time favorites from her!!
January 31, 2021
I may write a better review of this book in the future, but then again I may not.😂My mind is so clouded by shock and all the feels that I can’t really string together much of a review!! Also, because of the risk of spoiling the whole thing, I can’t say much about the story itself!😉
WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK?!?!???!!? I can’t believe myself. I should have trusted the recommendations and read it ASAP. If you are hesitating to read Brand of Light, STOP WAITING AND READ IT NOW!!! Trust me, you won’t regret it.
The only reason to account for my not reading this book quickly was I started reading it but at first, I had a hard time getting into the book. So I set it aside and picked it up again recently. While it was still slow during the first few chapters while everything was being introduced, once the action picked up HOLY COW it pulled me in!! Though I wasn’t able to binge-read it due to life (why must life always get in the way of reading a good book???), I totally would have if I had had a whole day to just sit and soak up the goodness!
Ronie Kendig wrote Brand of Light with such skill that I was on my toes the whole time and was constantly surprised by plot twists and OH MY GOSH ALL THE THINGS!!!! It was amazing! Everything was so intricate and not a detail was forgotten. I don’t know how she did it, but it is awesome.
I didn’t really like sci-fi much before this book, but now you can bet I’ll be gobbling up Dawn of Vengeance (and other science fiction, though I don’t know how they’ll stack up against this brilliant saga)! I have questions that need answers and prophecies to be fulfilled!!
WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK?!?!???!!? I can’t believe myself. I should have trusted the recommendations and read it ASAP. If you are hesitating to read Brand of Light, STOP WAITING AND READ IT NOW!!! Trust me, you won’t regret it.
The only reason to account for my not reading this book quickly was I started reading it but at first, I had a hard time getting into the book. So I set it aside and picked it up again recently. While it was still slow during the first few chapters while everything was being introduced, once the action picked up HOLY COW it pulled me in!! Though I wasn’t able to binge-read it due to life (why must life always get in the way of reading a good book???), I totally would have if I had had a whole day to just sit and soak up the goodness!
Ronie Kendig wrote Brand of Light with such skill that I was on my toes the whole time and was constantly surprised by plot twists and OH MY GOSH ALL THE THINGS!!!! It was amazing! Everything was so intricate and not a detail was forgotten. I don’t know how she did it, but it is awesome.
I didn’t really like sci-fi much before this book, but now you can bet I’ll be gobbling up Dawn of Vengeance (and other science fiction, though I don’t know how they’ll stack up against this brilliant saga)! I have questions that need answers and prophecies to be fulfilled!!
December 18, 2019
I'm not a big fan of science fiction novels, but I LOVE Ronie Kendig's ability to tell a story, so I was really excited to read Brand of Light. I had no idea what I was stepping into when I read this novel. Kendig accomplishes the high fast pace of her novels in this book too. She starts the novel with an exciting incident with Kersei and then follows with destruction. The story made me want to keep reading. I wanted to know why Kersei ended up in the situation she was in. Why was it so important? Besides seeing her point of view, Kendig introduces readers to Tigo and Marco. I wandered what they had to do with the overall story. So I kept reading. They do play important parts. There is a hint of romance between Kersei and some guy, no spoilers here. There are a bunch of twists in the last ten percent of the novel, begging me to come back and read book two, which I definitely will be doing. Overall, Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig may take place on unfamiliar planets with different codes than Earth, but I still enjoy the ride to see what was happening and why. I believe fans of Kendig's wriitng should pick up this book. It was a joy to spend time with.
I received a complimentary copy of Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig through Celebrate Lit tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.
I received a complimentary copy of Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig through Celebrate Lit tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.
February 1, 2020
In a galaxy far, far away...where everything and everyone is interconnected...
I had fun reading this story! I'm not usually into sci-fi, but as this story felt more character-driven to me, I flew through it! The characters are unique and well-rounded, the plot is intricately woven. Although I saw a few of the twists coming, a few were nice surprises.
There was a few things in the writing style that felt awkward to me (using too many fragments in awkward places), but I think that was just Kendig's style choice. It didn't really affect my overall enjoyment of the story, but it pulled me out a couple of times.
Overall, though, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys speculative fiction. :)
Ronie, I can't wait for Book 2!!!
I had fun reading this story! I'm not usually into sci-fi, but as this story felt more character-driven to me, I flew through it! The characters are unique and well-rounded, the plot is intricately woven. Although I saw a few of the twists coming, a few were nice surprises.
There was a few things in the writing style that felt awkward to me (using too many fragments in awkward places), but I think that was just Kendig's style choice. It didn't really affect my overall enjoyment of the story, but it pulled me out a couple of times.
Overall, though, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys speculative fiction. :)
Ronie, I can't wait for Book 2!!!
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November 12, 2020DNF 9%
I know that's very early to DNF, but I knew I was ever going to finish this.
I was quite excited as I waited for this book to show up in my mailbox, unfortunately, my enthusiasm didn't last much longer than that.
The cover is beautiful! The two maps are gorgeous!
This gets 4-5 stars on Goodreads so I was expecting to fall in love with this story.
Sadly, it just wasn't for me. :(
I did not like her writing style. It was too flowery for my taste.
I was very confused during my short time in this book. I kept getting irritated as I was constantly having to look up words.
I sluggishly turned the pages and I never felt motivated to pick it up.
I guess this story was just too complex for me. 🤷🏼♀️
I know that's very early to DNF, but I knew I was ever going to finish this.
I was quite excited as I waited for this book to show up in my mailbox, unfortunately, my enthusiasm didn't last much longer than that.
The cover is beautiful! The two maps are gorgeous!
This gets 4-5 stars on Goodreads so I was expecting to fall in love with this story.
Sadly, it just wasn't for me. :(
I did not like her writing style. It was too flowery for my taste.
I was very confused during my short time in this book. I kept getting irritated as I was constantly having to look up words.
I sluggishly turned the pages and I never felt motivated to pick it up.
I guess this story was just too complex for me. 🤷🏼♀️
December 22, 2019
I had no doubt that Brand of Light would be awesome because all of Ronie Kendig's book are. My only concern was if I could follow the tech in a space opera novel.
Rest assured, Ms. Kendig makes this book captivating and easy to follow. I found each person's pov interesting and my mind was constantly trying to guess how everything is connected. I can't wait to read book 2 but I'm also nervous because of how book 1 ended (yes it's a cliffhanger type ending). But knowing Ms. Kendig's writing, I know book 2 will be just as amazing.
* I received this book as a gift, no review was required nor influenced.
Rest assured, Ms. Kendig makes this book captivating and easy to follow. I found each person's pov interesting and my mind was constantly trying to guess how everything is connected. I can't wait to read book 2 but I'm also nervous because of how book 1 ended (yes it's a cliffhanger type ending). But knowing Ms. Kendig's writing, I know book 2 will be just as amazing.
* I received this book as a gift, no review was required nor influenced.
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