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ractorawk's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
nenacall's review against another edition
5.0
How to attain peace? Three brothers, three different paths. Rabban the youngest thought innovation and technology was the way. Darmatus the middle brother thought knowledge was indeed the path to take. Sarcon the eldest brother thought power was the only way. Sarcon started on this path of peace by force and began a war as his brothers set out to stop the violence. No brother walked away from The Battle of Har'muth.
Seven hundred years later their people are still at odds and fighting. Our story starts with two teams of four cadets at the graduation tournaments when it is announced that their border is being attacked so all soldiers and cadets alike are called to action. When the plane our eight cadets are on starts going down they must learn to work together to survive.
Science and magic are working together as never before.
Seven different peoples.
But evil is still evil and it's going to take maybe more good than we can find to bring it down.
The seeds are sown so let's water them with our tears and see if they will grow. So on to Remnant to see how we will fare against this greatest of all evil.
Seven hundred years later their people are still at odds and fighting. Our story starts with two teams of four cadets at the graduation tournaments when it is announced that their border is being attacked so all soldiers and cadets alike are called to action. When the plane our eight cadets are on starts going down they must learn to work together to survive.
Science and magic are working together as never before.
Seven different peoples.
But evil is still evil and it's going to take maybe more good than we can find to bring it down.
The seeds are sown so let's water them with our tears and see if they will grow. So on to Remnant to see how we will fare against this greatest of all evil.
hope97's review
4.0
I thought this was a promising debut novel by Christopher.
The book took a short while to get into after the prologue, but the nearly 50 page prologue was quite explosive and gave a good backdrop to the world and previous events that started it all.
I did find myself caring about certain POVs more than others and sometimes I felt some chapters/POVs were cut short but that was most likely down to my own interest in certain individuals over others.
This was a solid first book, with a lot of different cultures, magic and worldbuilding which felt very expansive and well written in most areas. The start of the book felt a bit overwhelming with information, lore and worldbuilding but once past this I was more invested in the characters.
Again, a good debut novel, thanks for the copy!
The book took a short while to get into after the prologue, but the nearly 50 page prologue was quite explosive and gave a good backdrop to the world and previous events that started it all.
I did find myself caring about certain POVs more than others and sometimes I felt some chapters/POVs were cut short but that was most likely down to my own interest in certain individuals over others.
This was a solid first book, with a lot of different cultures, magic and worldbuilding which felt very expansive and well written in most areas. The start of the book felt a bit overwhelming with information, lore and worldbuilding but once past this I was more invested in the characters.
Again, a good debut novel, thanks for the copy!
storiedadventures's review
Full review on my blog, Storied Adventures!
I LOVED this book! I thin it is highly underrated. I can't believe this is Russell's first book. He really hit it out of the park! He is definitely one to watch. You can tell he is inspired by Sanderson without being a copycat.
The world building is solid, the magic system cool, the magic variety is unique, the characters were well rounded, and the plot was so good! I highly recommend to any one who loves fantasy!
I LOVED this book! I thin it is highly underrated. I can't believe this is Russell's first book. He really hit it out of the park! He is definitely one to watch. You can tell he is inspired by Sanderson without being a copycat.
The world building is solid, the magic system cool, the magic variety is unique, the characters were well rounded, and the plot was so good! I highly recommend to any one who loves fantasy!
davidgreenwriter's review
5.0
There's only one place to start when talking about Divinity's Twilight. That an author has pulled this off as their debut novel is downright remarkable, and frankly unfair!
Mixing fantasy with science and steampunk, Twilight tells a riveting tale over the course of its 500 or so pages, deftly showing us differing points-of-views from protagonists and antagonists alike.
Where the book excels is in its worldbuilding. There's a living, breathing world here with astonishing detail and logic applied to all things within. The prologue is super, and could easily have been taken and expanded into its own standalone tale. Imaginative and deep, it sets the tone for the rest of the book.
I've seen the author speak of Brandon Sanderson before, and the influence of his Stormlight Archive is clear to see here. However, Sanderson only tackled a series of that scope after multiple Mistborn novels, and working on the Wheel of Time. Christopher Russell's achievement with his debut shouldn't be underestimated.
Mixing fantasy with science and steampunk, Twilight tells a riveting tale over the course of its 500 or so pages, deftly showing us differing points-of-views from protagonists and antagonists alike.
Where the book excels is in its worldbuilding. There's a living, breathing world here with astonishing detail and logic applied to all things within. The prologue is super, and could easily have been taken and expanded into its own standalone tale. Imaginative and deep, it sets the tone for the rest of the book.
I've seen the author speak of Brandon Sanderson before, and the influence of his Stormlight Archive is clear to see here. However, Sanderson only tackled a series of that scope after multiple Mistborn novels, and working on the Wheel of Time. Christopher Russell's achievement with his debut shouldn't be underestimated.
the_bookish_raven's review
4.0
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Three kingdoms, with vastly different ideologies, reign, reflecting the three brothers who provided the inspiration for the founding theologies of each. The kingdoms they left behind do not get along, fighting for control of the continent or their own safety; the Sarconians, in particular, wish to conquer. When an ancient evil from the time of the three brothers reappears and takes a side, it greatly affects the entire world. Death and destruction follow, ushering in a dark era like so many others sought to prevent several hundred years ago.
The world-building in this book is extremely impressive. Masterfully done, it transports the readers to a world where magic and science work together in harmony. Society functions thanks to both new and improving technologies as well as magic. The author does a wonderful job of blending the two to create weapons, transportation, combat techniques, etc. If you need any assistance keeping track of things, there are some very helpful resources in the back of the book for reference!
There is a wide cast of characters in this book. The reader switches back and forth from the perspectives of various characters as the story moves along. Sometimes a perspective is introduced seemingly at random only for it to fit into the story later. I really enjoyed getting the hear the thoughts of several of the characters as the story moved on—some of the thoughts they have are very interesting! One of the good characters has an intense internal struggle regarding their past and desire for revenge at times and another is a coward trying to find a way past their fear and take a stand for something. The main characters are really a ragtag bunch and I enjoyed watching their attempts to get along and survive together. Watching them grow as the story progressed was also a cool thing to see! A lot of the other perspectives from other characters were also entertaining, though I shall refrain from mentioning names to prevent from spoiling things for future readers!
Ultimately, I was blown away by this book! From the sheer impressiveness of the world and everything in it, to the variety of characters, to the storyline itself, this book takes the reader on a journey like no other. I loved embarking on this journey with the characters, and it was truly an enjoyable experience! For readers who love a good epic fantasy or beautiful and extensive world-building, this book is definitely something you should grab a copy of!
Three kingdoms, with vastly different ideologies, reign, reflecting the three brothers who provided the inspiration for the founding theologies of each. The kingdoms they left behind do not get along, fighting for control of the continent or their own safety; the Sarconians, in particular, wish to conquer. When an ancient evil from the time of the three brothers reappears and takes a side, it greatly affects the entire world. Death and destruction follow, ushering in a dark era like so many others sought to prevent several hundred years ago.
The world-building in this book is extremely impressive. Masterfully done, it transports the readers to a world where magic and science work together in harmony. Society functions thanks to both new and improving technologies as well as magic. The author does a wonderful job of blending the two to create weapons, transportation, combat techniques, etc. If you need any assistance keeping track of things, there are some very helpful resources in the back of the book for reference!
There is a wide cast of characters in this book. The reader switches back and forth from the perspectives of various characters as the story moves along. Sometimes a perspective is introduced seemingly at random only for it to fit into the story later. I really enjoyed getting the hear the thoughts of several of the characters as the story moved on—some of the thoughts they have are very interesting! One of the good characters has an intense internal struggle regarding their past and desire for revenge at times and another is a coward trying to find a way past their fear and take a stand for something. The main characters are really a ragtag bunch and I enjoyed watching their attempts to get along and survive together. Watching them grow as the story progressed was also a cool thing to see! A lot of the other perspectives from other characters were also entertaining, though I shall refrain from mentioning names to prevent from spoiling things for future readers!
Ultimately, I was blown away by this book! From the sheer impressiveness of the world and everything in it, to the variety of characters, to the storyline itself, this book takes the reader on a journey like no other. I loved embarking on this journey with the characters, and it was truly an enjoyable experience! For readers who love a good epic fantasy or beautiful and extensive world-building, this book is definitely something you should grab a copy of!
ellysamarin's review
5.0
It’s really difficult to put into words the exceptionality of this story. It is one of my top, if not my top, reads so far this summer. After taking Christopher Russell’s Author Games quiz, and a subsequent small chat about his book in which he sold it as a “cross between Lord of the Rings and Star Wars” I decided to give it a whirl. Christopher, you do not do your book justice by selling it as a blend of LotR and Star Wars—it is so very much more than that.
The story opens with a (very lengthy) prologue that describes the battle of Har’muth—the ‘ending’ of the previous civilization and the start of modern Lozaria. Three brothers—Sarcon, Darmatus, and Rabban—are at odds with one another, causing the entirety of the continent and all seven races to plunge into war. During this battle, much to the horror of Darmatus and Rabban, Sarcon employs the use of dark magic and risks eradicating Lozaria in order to bring peace. Supposedly, all three brothers died at the end of this battle, their followers building modern Lozaria and its three nation-states in the image of each brother’s vision for the future. Of course, each nation-state believes their vision of the future to be better and, thus, all are at constant war with each other, even 700 years after the Battle of Har’muth.
The backbone of the storyline centers on a group of eight cadets at the Darmatian academy and their experiences and crucibles as the world of Lozaria descends into chaos and all out war. Sarconia, with the employ of an ancient mage and Old Magic, decimates the Darmatian fleet in order to not only assert complete domination and control, but also to retrieve a mythical powerful artifact. Each of the eight cadets bring a different set of powers, backgrounds, and prowess, creating a motley crew that is both talented and at a disadvantage in a world now controlled by Sarconia.
Russell uses an incredible number of POVs but I never found them to be jumpy or difficult to grasp what was happening. Each new POV gives backstory and understanding to one of the many major characters in Divinity’s Twilight, which creates a great baseline for which to grow these characters throughout the series. There are also minor characters that have POVs, particularly at the end and the beginning, that help to further the plot line—most of these add some serious shock value to the storyline as a whole. While I’m not too keen on Sylette at the current moment, I feel that she and Vallen could have some incredible character arcs as the series progresses. I am a huge fan of Matteo and Velle; though the latter annoyed me at the beginning of the book, I began to enjoy her character as some of her motivations are revealed. I also thoroughly love Leon and am very interested in what is going to happen with his character—I have some suspicions, and am excited to see if they come to fruition.
The magic system is complex and relies on crystals (Illyrium) as a conduit in addition to an individual’s aptitude (men’ar). Most individuals, at least thus far, appear to have some aptitude for wielding their men’ar in different manners, some more proficient than others. The men’ar functions much like the midichlorians and the Force in Star Wars, so I do see that parallel. In addition to the magic system, much of the tech in the series functions on illyrium and their crystal counterparts. The tech ranges from communicators and radio and tv-esque devices to tanks, hovercrafts, and airships. I really liked the blend between the futuristic tech and the magic system with a dash of religion and religious cults thrown in the mix.
There were many points throughout the book where I went “oh no way” and got super excited for the coming plot line. I don’t want to give anything away for other readers, but I so badly want to discuss what happened! In my opinion, the book ended way too soon and I would’ve been tickled to read even 500 pages more. That feeling aside, Rebirth ends on a very satisfying note with all players moving in different directions, which I believe is a perfect set-up for book two and the remainder of the series.
Russell has opened up so many plot lines, races, and systems that I am hoping that this is a very long series as I want each of the aforementioned categories to have their time in the sun.
The story opens with a (very lengthy) prologue that describes the battle of Har’muth—the ‘ending’ of the previous civilization and the start of modern Lozaria. Three brothers—Sarcon, Darmatus, and Rabban—are at odds with one another, causing the entirety of the continent and all seven races to plunge into war. During this battle, much to the horror of Darmatus and Rabban, Sarcon employs the use of dark magic and risks eradicating Lozaria in order to bring peace. Supposedly, all three brothers died at the end of this battle, their followers building modern Lozaria and its three nation-states in the image of each brother’s vision for the future. Of course, each nation-state believes their vision of the future to be better and, thus, all are at constant war with each other, even 700 years after the Battle of Har’muth.
The backbone of the storyline centers on a group of eight cadets at the Darmatian academy and their experiences and crucibles as the world of Lozaria descends into chaos and all out war. Sarconia, with the employ of an ancient mage and Old Magic, decimates the Darmatian fleet in order to not only assert complete domination and control, but also to retrieve a mythical powerful artifact. Each of the eight cadets bring a different set of powers, backgrounds, and prowess, creating a motley crew that is both talented and at a disadvantage in a world now controlled by Sarconia.
Russell uses an incredible number of POVs but I never found them to be jumpy or difficult to grasp what was happening. Each new POV gives backstory and understanding to one of the many major characters in Divinity’s Twilight, which creates a great baseline for which to grow these characters throughout the series. There are also minor characters that have POVs, particularly at the end and the beginning, that help to further the plot line—most of these add some serious shock value to the storyline as a whole. While I’m not too keen on Sylette at the current moment, I feel that she and Vallen could have some incredible character arcs as the series progresses. I am a huge fan of Matteo and Velle; though the latter annoyed me at the beginning of the book, I began to enjoy her character as some of her motivations are revealed. I also thoroughly love Leon and am very interested in what is going to happen with his character—I have some suspicions, and am excited to see if they come to fruition.
The magic system is complex and relies on crystals (Illyrium) as a conduit in addition to an individual’s aptitude (men’ar). Most individuals, at least thus far, appear to have some aptitude for wielding their men’ar in different manners, some more proficient than others. The men’ar functions much like the midichlorians and the Force in Star Wars, so I do see that parallel. In addition to the magic system, much of the tech in the series functions on illyrium and their crystal counterparts. The tech ranges from communicators and radio and tv-esque devices to tanks, hovercrafts, and airships. I really liked the blend between the futuristic tech and the magic system with a dash of religion and religious cults thrown in the mix.
There were many points throughout the book where I went “oh no way” and got super excited for the coming plot line. I don’t want to give anything away for other readers, but I so badly want to discuss what happened! In my opinion, the book ended way too soon and I would’ve been tickled to read even 500 pages more. That feeling aside, Rebirth ends on a very satisfying note with all players moving in different directions, which I believe is a perfect set-up for book two and the remainder of the series.
Russell has opened up so many plot lines, races, and systems that I am hoping that this is a very long series as I want each of the aforementioned categories to have their time in the sun.
korinneech's review
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It took me a good while to get my reading pace figured out. I was feeling a little dumb at first, i wont lie, because its been a long time that i have read anything where i had to truly think about what the author was trying to convey. It was very descriptive and wordy (which isnt a bad thing - just not very common in my opinion) Once i found my groove, i was rolling through it as best i could with work and kids 😬 I abandoned the children, lets be honest.
I enjoyed the action and the very different personalities of the characters. They all had their own stories and flaws. I think Sylette and Lilith may be my favorites. I am really excited to see this place they end up at 😬 No spoilers. Solid 4.5 stars and now my brain is mush 🤣
thehamsterreads's review
5.0
4.5 stars
Divinity’s Twilight: Rebirth is a fascinating debut fantasy! It’s the beginning of what looks to be a very promising epic fantasy series. The world and characters are complex, and the story is well written. I particularly liked the combination of magic and technology in this book! The many races present in Lozaria can use men’ar, magic in their blood, to perform many fantastic feats, and magical illyrium crystals are now used to power all sort of technology such as lightbulbs and airships. The world building is one of this books strongest features. I could talk about it all day, but really you should just read the book!
Overall the pacing of the story is well done. Every now and then there is a slower portion to the story, but this is balanced by plenty of action throughout. At the very beginning is a lengthy prologue that ultimately explains how the current states came to be. I found it threw a lot of info at me in a short time so it took a bit to get into it despite being chock full of action. I have a feeling that if I reread this book (and I’m sure that I will) that it will be easier to read since I’m already familiar with the magic and backstory. After the prologue I was really sucked into the story as I got to know the cast of characters and see where the story was going.
I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy epic fantasy, and I eagerly await the sequel!
I received an ARC of this book and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Divinity’s Twilight: Rebirth is a fascinating debut fantasy! It’s the beginning of what looks to be a very promising epic fantasy series. The world and characters are complex, and the story is well written. I particularly liked the combination of magic and technology in this book! The many races present in Lozaria can use men’ar, magic in their blood, to perform many fantastic feats, and magical illyrium crystals are now used to power all sort of technology such as lightbulbs and airships. The world building is one of this books strongest features. I could talk about it all day, but really you should just read the book!
Overall the pacing of the story is well done. Every now and then there is a slower portion to the story, but this is balanced by plenty of action throughout. At the very beginning is a lengthy prologue that ultimately explains how the current states came to be. I found it threw a lot of info at me in a short time so it took a bit to get into it despite being chock full of action. I have a feeling that if I reread this book (and I’m sure that I will) that it will be easier to read since I’m already familiar with the magic and backstory. After the prologue I was really sucked into the story as I got to know the cast of characters and see where the story was going.
I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy epic fantasy, and I eagerly await the sequel!
I received an ARC of this book and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
booknookbella's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
3.5
Divinity's Twilight: Rebirth
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐.5
World: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐.5
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: N/A
Overall, I enjoyed this. The world-building was great, and I didn't mind the long prologue as it gave plenty of depth. I struggled with some of the characters, though, and the pacing at the start (after the prologue) had me somewhat confused. I didn't know who I was supposed to follow as a reader, but once the cadets were introduced, that was settled. Might continue the series.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐.5
World: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐.5
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: N/A
Overall, I enjoyed this. The world-building was great, and I didn't mind the long prologue as it gave plenty of depth. I struggled with some of the characters, though, and the pacing at the start (after the prologue) had me somewhat confused. I didn't know who I was supposed to follow as a reader, but once the cadets were introduced, that was settled. Might continue the series.