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Rising is the thrilling conclusion to the Relic Trilogy by Bronwyn Eley, a dark fantasy series about magic and the war on it. Continue reading to find out what I thought about this last installment.
*Warning* The synopsis and the review will contain spoilers for book 1 & 2 in the series, Relic and Riven.
Synopsis:
Time is running out.
With two Relics now in her possession, Kaylan must claim the final three before rebel leader Bellamy De Winter does. Then she must find a way to destroy the stones, once and for all.
But the magic is different now… and so is Kaylan.
After losing so much, she has forged a new bond with the Relic. It is more than mere magic, more than just a stone. Kaylan sees the dead Lord of Edriast, the man she killed to save herself, standing by her side.
The Relic is the only one who understands her now. But every word it whispers in her ear could be a lie. Every chance she gives it could be her final error.
As Kaylan pits her power against the men who seek to take it from her, she finds herself – and those she cares for – in more danger than ever before. And through it all, the Relic claims to be her ally… But as the perils of magic become clearer, Kaylan begins to wonder: will trusting the Relic lead to victory – or to death? (goodreads)
Book: Rising | Series: The Relic Trilogy #3 | Author: Bronwyn Eley | Publisher: Talem Press | Release Date: 13.05.2021 | Pages: 468 | Genre: Fantasy YA | TW: blood, death, death of loved ones, manipulation
What did I think?
Throughout the whole series, I have loved how much these books focus on Kaylan and her thoughts and journey. And Rising was no exception in that. I really, really love when books are character driven and Kaylan really was a complex character, especially ever since acquiring her first relic. There is the constant twist between magic and her loved ones, power and peace, both around her and inside her. That inner conflict was really well written, a back and forth that is sometimes more, sometimes less strong, depending on the situation. There was this war within Kaylan, her old life and new life and the possibilities yet to happen fighting with each other. But still, Kaylan was still herself, even though her character grew and grew.
But when it comes to loved ones, I feel like there was something missing there. While I loved that this book, and the rest of the trilogy, weren’t focused on romance, I think it was kind of unnecessary to even put it in there. While I liked Markus’ and Kaylan’s relationship in the second book especially, I don’t think it really added much to the story. They would have been perfect as best friends, too. Especially because Markus doesn’t get a lot of page time in this last book.
I really enjoyed reading more of Shae, though. She’s passionate about what she loves and about her freedom, she’s strong, both mentally and physically and she knows how to act in this world. She is the one constant in Kaylan’s life, who is always by her side when Kaylan needs her. Shae is loyal to her friends while still being mostly loyal to herself.
Generally, I loved all the female characters. I loved Via, who needs her husband, her ship and her crew. I loved Carter who loves what she is doing and is good at it and who is loyal to her friends. I loved Shae and Kaylan.
I also enjoyed the story and where it was going. It was full of action with gentler moments in between. I liked how the relic was acting and how people reacted to it in different ways but also how people interacted with each other.
Overall, I really, really liked this book and if you’ve read the previous books, then I’d definitely recommend this! It’s such a great finale that has everything from bloody action, to tense moments and tender interactions. An awesome conclusion!
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