Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wild Sun is set in a planet called Corvos whose people have been invaded and enslaved by another people, the Vitaari. The Corvos people are made to work in mines for mineral resources. If you think of oil as an equivalent in our real world, this makes this story feel very important and current despite the obvious Sci-Fi twist.
While Cerrin and Sonus are the two characters we follow through the rebellion, we also follow Vellerik, who is a bad guy but it is exactly why I enjoyed him. I found refreshing to get a point of view on the opposite side.
Despite the intricate premise, this is definitely a character driven story, which is my favourite kind of story. The condescendence with which the people of Corvos are treated is so unbearable and yet very realistic. Don’t get me wrong, the plot is there (although a little predictable) but the characters are really fleshed out and you really believe in their plight. They are why I enjoyed the book.
The first half of the book is pretty slow but thankfully the chapters are short which picks up the pace a little. Also, the book is pretty short too, so it doesn’t really drag along anyway.
I appreciated that even though Cerrin’s people are resigned to slavery, the writers chose to give them a real history and culture. They’re not simple zombies walking around doing what they’re told (like the skaa in Mistborn for exemple), they’ve been conquered but they have lives still and a culture. Hopefully we will see more of that if there is a next book ?
I loved how everything converged in the end. Knowing seperate characters and then seeing their stories come together is the most satisfying thing to read. But we honestly need more. That ending was a good tease though, a smart way to end it and make us want more.
This was a solid book and I’m excited for the next one.