Bruce's Reads

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and give it a three and a half star rating.

A Bright Power Rising is an epic fantasy story involving humans, elves, intertwined religions, saints, politicians and much more. There are a number of subplots in the story, but the overarching plot deals with a leader of elves who issues genocide on humans and other elves who do not share their worldview.

The story is reminiscent of Catholic and other religious overtones, as well as black-hearted politics. Several well-developed main characters carry the story well. This book immersed me into another world and had enough detail to keep me engaged. Though the tension and suspense evaporated midway through the book, and the climax (trained soldiers of war vs. common folk, barely trained) seemed highly unlikely (to my way of thinking), the story was a pleasant read and not a chore. Retaining interest in a long story requires a good amount of skill, which I believe the author has shown. I recommend this to lovers of fantasy who enjoy strong human societal elements mixed with action scenes.