kevinscorner 's review for:

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

4.5

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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Sunbringer is the second book in Hannah Kaner’s epic fantasy Fallen Gods trilogy. Reeling from King Arren’s betrayal, knight Elogast is determined to bring down his former best friend and would-be god-king. Beside him is orphaned noble Inara, out for vengeance for the destruction of her House while also searching for answers about her emerging powers and her god companion Skediceth. Across the sea where a greater threat is rising, godkiller Kissen is back in the homeland that nearly killed her, only to find it transformed into a theocracy where the fire god Hseth is being reborn as a god of war.

This second installment expands the world further beyond the more focused, quest-like journey of Godkiller. It splits the central cast into separate storylines and adds a few perspective chapters from King Arren himself. While not exactly disjointed, this fragmented structure weakens the emotional cohesion of the found-family dynamic that made the first book so heartwarmingly compelling. With constant perspective shifts, we are only given glimpses of each character before being pulled into the next storyline. However, these strands converge in a breathtaking third act that justifies the build-up.

The character development remains a highlight. Elogast is a man unmoored—once willing to die for the king, now leading a rebellion against him, even facing off against knights he once trained or called brothers. His inner conflict, especially when forced to reconcile the boy he once knew and perhaps loved with the man who was willing to sacrifice a friend for power, adds emotional depth. Kissen goes from hating all gods to being their vessel as she sees how her homeland has changed for the worse and preparing to invade her new home. Inara, still a child, is fiercely committed to using her mysterious powers for her cause, while Skediceth’s primary goal is to protect her and to discover the truth of his own identity as a god and Inara’s companion. King Arren’s inclusion adds a welcome complexity; his dark choices are never excused, but they are made chillingly understandable.

While it may lack the intimacy of its predecessor, Sunbringer’s scope and emotional depth set the stage for a powerful conclusion to the trilogy.