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A review by joshgauthier
The Killing Light by Myke Cole
5.0
With The Killing Light Myke Cole brings The Sacred Throne trilogy to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion.
From the start, this series has been brutal and heartbreaking in its presentation of the world--not to shock or revel in the violence, but because the world can be a harsh and violent place. In slim volumes (for the fantasy genre), Cole builds an entire world out of a very contained story. Seen through the eyes of a single character, Cole's craft of world building and story telling is truly an accomplishment.
And his central hero of Heloise, a girl just trying to do the best she can for the people she cares about, is engaging in her complexity and simple humanity. Young girl and revered hero, daughter and leader, lover, commander, child, and savior--the tensions in Heloise's character add depth and drama to her unfolding story. She is not a heroic figure cut from some story--and she is. In her vulnerability, she is more human and more true for her weaknesses and doubts. She is the sort of hero we need, because most heroes are truly people who feel they do not belong--but who press on regardless in order to achieve "just one more impossible thing."
Cole's handling of the story rests comfortably within fantasy and military fiction. But in the same moment, he does not follow what is comfortable or familiar. With diverse voices, shocking twists, and lingering themes that defy easy answers--this trilogy succeeds on many levels. It is bold, finely crafted, exciting from start to finish--and lands with bittersweet weight across every beautiful, tragic moment.
From the start, this series has been brutal and heartbreaking in its presentation of the world--not to shock or revel in the violence, but because the world can be a harsh and violent place. In slim volumes (for the fantasy genre), Cole builds an entire world out of a very contained story. Seen through the eyes of a single character, Cole's craft of world building and story telling is truly an accomplishment.
And his central hero of Heloise, a girl just trying to do the best she can for the people she cares about, is engaging in her complexity and simple humanity. Young girl and revered hero, daughter and leader, lover, commander, child, and savior--the tensions in Heloise's character add depth and drama to her unfolding story. She is not a heroic figure cut from some story--and she is. In her vulnerability, she is more human and more true for her weaknesses and doubts. She is the sort of hero we need, because most heroes are truly people who feel they do not belong--but who press on regardless in order to achieve "just one more impossible thing."
Cole's handling of the story rests comfortably within fantasy and military fiction. But in the same moment, he does not follow what is comfortable or familiar. With diverse voices, shocking twists, and lingering themes that defy easy answers--this trilogy succeeds on many levels. It is bold, finely crafted, exciting from start to finish--and lands with bittersweet weight across every beautiful, tragic moment.