A couple of years ago, I fell in love with the Historical Fantasy series Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat (check out my spoiler free series review here). Without a doubt, this trilogy will forever remain one of my favorites. When it was announced that the author would publish a new series, I had mixed feelings: joy, of course, but I was a bit wary about the fact that it would be a young adult story this time (while Captive Prince was clearly adult). Nevertheless, I immediately pre-ordered Dark Rise. Curious to know what I thought about it? Read on!
Dark Rise
Dark Rise is the story of a sixteen-year-old orphan, Will, who is desperately trying to hide from his mother’s murderers. He soon learns he’s involved in something far bigger, however, as the ancient forces of good and evil stir and ready themselves for a final clash.
Unexpected from start to finish
I have to admit, Dark Rise managed multiple times to truly surprise me. So much so that I noted down “whiplash twists and turns” in my reading journal. In hindsight, I should have seen a couple of things coming, but I really didn’t. This alone should be a good reason to start this trilogy, as it is unusual for me to be this surprised by a plot.
I wasn’t taken with the story as of the beginning though. I have always had a distaste for superheroes and while this book is fantasy, it certainly flirts with the Superhero genre. Imagine the story you would get if Marvel were to make a remake of Lord of the Rings. I’m not too big of a fan of Epic Fantasy either (I know, I know, blasphemy), so kudos to the author for having succeeded to make me change my mind about this.
And boy, did I love this book once I got lost in the story. I loved the way in which Will and James’s characters were built (and by the way: James <3), and I adored all the unexpected plot turns. The combination of surprises and interesting characters made me forget that the genre was not at all up my alley.
The writing style is fluent, although it has the same “weirdness” to it as the style of Captive Prince. I’ve never been able to pinpoint what exactly is so different about it. Originally, I thought the author was not a native speaker, but that was an incorrect assumption. It’s just an unusual way of writing I guess.
I, for one, cannot wait to start book two! Four out of five gemstones:
Age Category: Young Adult
Representation: LGBTQ+ main characters
Do you want to discover more?
If my review inspired you to pick up the book, don’t hesitate to check it out at Goodreads or at the below online stores.
Amazon.nl: Hardcover Edition
Amazon.nl: Paperback Edition
Amazon.nl: eBook Edition
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The second book in the Dark Rise Series, Dark Heir, will be published in November this year.
I cannot recommend the Captive Prince Trilogy by the same author enough. Do check out the trigger warnings, though, as this series might not be everyone’s cup of tea. My series-review will tell you all there is to know about this brilliant story.
It’s quite difficult for me to recommend similar titles this time, as I am not a fan of Epic Fantasy nor of the Superhero genre. I did get some Sands of Arawiya vibes, even though that was limited to the characters of the Lions. As I loved that duology by Hafsah Faizal, I would love for you to check it out if you haven’t done so already. More information can be found in my series review.