Reviews

Dark Rise, Volume 1 by C.S. Pacat

shinizzel's review against another edition

4.0

Slow start with a lot of mysteries to unfold in the following book. Can't wait for more to happen though! I gotta see more of the characters and especially of JAMES

beaa_reads's review against another edition

5.0

This was an amazing book. The worldbuilding was great, and I absolutely loved the characters.

cloudatlas25's review against another edition

It was not up my alley. The storyline was all over the place, and random flashbacks would happen. I did like the in depth plot, but it made it hard to read

hopelincoln's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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? Yes

4.0

athanassia's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA i love this book so so so so so so so so so so so so so so much. (I'm pretty sure I've read it over 6 times.)

i love the writing style too. the way that it's kind of mysterious, but not overly complicated in a way that matches the MC's age. and the main charaters are great! (im tryna think of stuff to say without just screaming..)

Okay, maybe unpopular opinion, but I don't actually like Justice that much. Like he's cool of course, he's just not my fav.

Alright so. The first time I read it was probably 2021. Then I kind of forgot about it. Then (in 2023) I was like. Wait a minute . . . what was that book about

that-guy-who-was-definitely-called-Will-and-his-mum-tried-to-kill-him-at-some-point-and-she-said-run-but-not-to-him

called again? And Google was being very unhelpful so I had to go and find my library records. Anyway, my point is, I don't really remeber my thoughts the first time I read it, but oh well.

The first chapter is just . . . interesting? It's fun. :)

I really, really, really, like Violet. She is just very cool.

Mathew!!! The part where Will sheaths the sword :00. ehe. And when she hits Justice over the head and he later saved her was kind of funny. And when Violet runs away and finds her dad on the doc . . .

"She can't be dead," said her father. Violet was taking a step forward, opening her mouth to say I'm right here, when her father said. "I need that stupid mongrel back alive. (...) [Tom] can't come into his true power without killing another like him."

Poor Violet, honestly.

So, that's fun. I don't know why i like the scene when Violet and Will are being shown to their rooms and then the next morning. It's just very vibey for some reason. Cyprian is a tad annoying. The part when Violet and Will go back to London is so saddd (for Violet). And Katherine is interesting. She's a simple girl, and all she wants is a rich life for her and her sister.

I forgot when the part with the Shadow Stone happens but AAAAAAAAAAA. I really love all the forshadowing that you pick up once you've read it more than once. Also all the quiet things off Will having trauma from his mum trying to choke him to death . . .

(I can't find the quotes now that I look for it, of course.) (Also, I keep getting distracted thinking about the second book soooo.)

I mentioned this in my review of Dark Heir (which I wrote first for some reason...) but it's a theme of this series where the "light" is not necessarily the "good" guys, and also that once people think your bad—even if you've done so many good things—that's all they see. You see this with the Stewards finding out Violet is a Lion and then throwing her and Will straight in the dungeons, not listening to a word she says. Even though what she's trying to tell them is something that could really help them. Oh, and that when they find out this and kind of dehumanise her, she lashes out (which is fair because they're trying to capture her) which "proves" who she is. Like, for lack of a better way to put this, they started it.

But Cyprian came and let them out. So.

The part with Devon was mysterious and also made me kind of uneasy (the first time at least...) because he seems to know something that you don't. He's implying something and we have no clue what. Even when I do know what he's saying, it still makes me a bit uneasy for some reason, even if it's just on Will's behalf.

And then they capture James . . . (Cyprian is an idiot; James magic hands are pretty cool.)

"That thing is not my son."

This is another instance of the whole we-found-out-who-this-person-rEalLy-iS-so-now-we're-going-to-ignore-everything-else-about-them thing. Like, James was eleven (uh, I think) when they found out. You're just kicking out an E L E V E N year old kid who has spent his whole life semi-sheltered in this fancy citidale?? Of course he's going to end up living with someone. Imagine trying to survive London; the food is gross, the water too, it's loud, it's dirty, the streets aren't nice, it's everyone for themselves.

Like, mate. You are making your villain. Anywayyyyyy . . . over to the homoerotic unicorn horn stabbing scene . . .

This scene is actually so funny, mainly because of the tension between James and Will—please, you are being stabbed. Stop. And then James just mouthing off everyone which is one hundred percent not getting him anywhere.

"You weren't the Dark King's general. You were his catamite," said the High Janissary. "you were in his bed. Just like you're in Simon's."

James's lips dreew back from his teeth, not quite a smile. "If I were the Dark King's lover, Father, don't you think I'd stay faithful to him?"

:( Do I even have to say anything to this . . . ? (That is your son Jannick, your son who you kicked out when he was eleven years old.) Safe to say, i don't like Jannick very much.

(Then there's like a whole page of Will just . . . I actually don't know what he's doing. Discribing? Thinking? Cool discriptive language whatever the case—it makes you feel something; suspence, anticipation, maybe.

"Does it hurt?" said Will.

"Yes," said James through gritted teeth, and the furious look in his eyes was mixed with something else. Panic.

The pure panic when Will starts asking about Gaunthier is just sajflajljfjaljflsasadskadaaaaa. Feels.

(Okay, I feel like i should say, I really like "truth" scenes. Where the character is like made to tell the truth or they just drop some law and everyone is like WHAT. Who knows why. It's fun.)

"You want me to tell the truth?" said James. "I will. I'll tell it to all the Stewards in the Hall."

"Then do so," said Jannick sternly.

(I'm so excited . . .)

"I'll tell you why my father's so desperate to get Marcus back," said James.

The way Jannick immediately backpeddles is so funny. He's just like Oh, shit! Also, the way Will discribes the blood and gore-but-not-gore-and-i-don't-know-the-word. Very cool (as you can see, my vobulary is very large).

And then the dungeons . . . the d u n g e o n s . . . it's insane, I'm actually going to go insane.

I'm not sure if I'm reading into stuff that's not there but James is being sassy and Will stops and recalls, "rather forcefully, that James had thrown the Stewards into chaos, just by talking". Hm, are you implying that you're falling for his charms . . . ?

"Unlace my shirt."

Whatever you say, James.

(Something else before I forget: the way this book never openly discusses sexuallity. It makes sense for the time—I think—and it just adds to the kind of atmosphere that it has going on. That is something that sometimes annoys me; when the book is set in the past, in a time where lots of people probably would not have been accepting of certain things and they just having detailed conversations about it? Uhm, I'm not a historian, don't quote me on that.)

Poor James. :( (Good angst, though.)

And the conversation after. (I have too many quotes I wanna use because these two are just so . . . quotable?)

"Are you jealous?" said James. "He liked the idea of his name on me."

"It's not his name," said Will.

He felt the exact moment when he got James's full attention. It was like a snap, James suddenly present. Will thought, There you are. Will hadn't lifted his hand, and James's pulse was a slow throb under his warm skin.

"Do the Stewards realise you're clever?"

(I could just keep going aaaaaaaaaaaa-)

(...) James said, "Do you remember her? The Lady?"

"No," said Will, feeling unsteady. He made himself say, "But I'm a descendant. You're a reborn. You were there."

YOU THINK I DON'T SEE YOU THERE, WILL??? This line makes me scream everytime I read it.

This scene is the best one in the book (that's a lie, maybe). Everything about it is so perfect; the atmosphere, their weird tension, James being sassy, Will being smart, just all-in-all very cool.

Then you have the Stewards freaking out about Shadows—which is fair. And Katherine!!! And the tree!!! (Okay, we are not going to talk about the fact that they are technically siblings. Nope. Because they are not. Will has other shit going on, they are not related.)

And then they all die. Lovely. :D

Ha, and this is funny: Violet beats up Devon. Plot twist, he's a unicorn. Violet gives him his horn. Then he stabs his . . . friend (?), lover (?) with it . . . I don't know, the whole thing about Devon being a unicorn is funny for some reason.

O MY LORD these two. The kitchen. Mate was tied to an oven. Why are you discribing his neck like that, Will? James feelings and dialogue before this, when he was talking to Gauthier, was interesting though.

"He had to saw though your throat because it doesn't come off. Did you know that?"

Wow, Will. Are you being rude, or do you just have no social skills because you spent your life on the run and then your mum tried to kill you?

Put it on, and make him mine.

Honestly, Will's inner voice in any of the scenes with dark objects in them is mildy entertaining. A tad disturbing, but mostly entertaining.

Uh oh. Quotes incoming.

"(...) The man you trusted wanted to enslave you. But you couldn't leave him."

:(

"What's to stop me taking to Collar and killing you right now?" James said."

"Nothing."

"And Simon? I thought you couldn't stop him without me."

Will felt his lips curl, a brittle new feeling pushing inside of him. "Don't underestimate me."

"I'm not going to help you fight him."

"I know that."

Still, James didn't take the Collar. He just looked at Will with that strange, searching look.

"I don't understand you."

"I know that too."

That last line. I don't what, but Will just saying that so calmly, content to just let James on his way while Will tries to save the world or whatever is just very . . . cool? Then Violet and Cyprian being like What the fuck why would you do that??

And then you have Bowhill. And Simon. And Katherine. And Devon. When he kills all of the Reminants and then shows up to Simon and is like Ha, you think you can take me? Is badass as fuck. Take that, Simon. And then Devon. And Will realises what he's done.

James turns up. Sometimes, I forget what happens in the scene because, in 2022 when there were like 20 fics on AO3, I read like all of them and most had this scene end differently . . . (That is not supposed to sound as suspicious as it does.)

But the way he just . . . gives himself over to Will. It breaks my heart a little.

"I'm here to follow you."

Will said, "Of course you are."

(I will never get over this. Ever)

(Actually, what the fuck am I doing? Today, I have written like nearly 3k words of reviews for absolutely no reason. I have shit I need to do. 😭😭 But, oh well. At least I had fun . . .)

miranduh_'s review against another edition

4.5

This book grabbed me by the hair and PULLED me out of my reading slump that I’ve pretty much been in since March! 

So obsessed with this world, these characters, the writing! All of it 10/10

mystifiedpear's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

3.75

dorkjrdan's review against another edition

5.0

i already knew the plot twist but still WHAT THE FUCK

bonersniper's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

teenykins's review against another edition

4.0

This is my first C.S. Pacat book. Will it be my last? Heck no!

The writing was marvelous and I was really swept away in it. Epic Fantasy with lovely imagery, fleshed out characters and an amazing good Vs evil battle BUT but with major twists!!!

Frankly I'm expecting Will

Spoiler

to become the champion and cleanse the sword, because even at the end of this part of the story, he fought off his deep inside dark influences

. As it is, the way the story left us I'm still wondering

Spoiler

who the heck is the villainous evil, because I highly doubt Will would be it. As I said I expect him to become the champion

. I was thinking that maybe Catherine after

Spoiler

touching the sword she'd somehow become evil, but nope, she froze over so *shrugs*

.

Amazing, marvelous narration of a new to me narrator, Christian Coulson. Hoping I'd find him in other LGBTQIA titles, but since Dark Rise is Queer YA, and not technically full on out M/M Epic Fantasy Romance, I have my doubts.

I'm going with 4 stars for a couple of reasons:
- 1. I know there is no parthenogenesis in art, but there is also quite the gap between a story reminiscing strongly of other famous Epic Fantasy stories in a point here and there and doing so frequently. Here we had the frequent kind.
- 2. Catherine was such a cliché! It was exasperating! Even Violet and Elizabeth touched a bit of the street urchin and the bratty younger sister clichés but their roles being so much more dynamic than Catherine's was, it was easier to just bypass those.
- 3. And the last cliché was of course who Will, Catherine and Elizabeth truly were. Although depending on how Pacat will decide to move the story, and let me tell you is quite ambivalent right now, that can actually change.

I will always ship James and Will! And I'm truly curious to fit the puzzle of Simon being engaged to Catherine, because there are pieces missing there!