Book Review: Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

Fallen Gods #2 | Fantasy | Published 2024

Read my review of book one, Godkiller, here

Overall Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

A slightly unfair but totally deserved five stars. Sunbringer is everything I wanted and more—epic, emotional, and steeped in character development. Despite a touch of “middle-book syndrome,” I loved nearly every minute of it.

Spoiler Warning

This review contains spoilers for both Godkiller and Sunbringer. If you haven’t read them yet and prefer to go in blind, consider coming back after finishing the books!

The Road So Far

After nearly dying in battle against the fire god Hseth, Kissen is saved by Osidien, who warns her of a war on the horizon. Meanwhile, Inara, Skediceth, and Elogast return to Lesscia. As they each follow their own paths—uncovering godly origins, rejoining the rebellion, and warning the kingdom—their stories eventually converge in the capital, Sakre, where tensions rise and the gods stir once again.

King Arren: New POV, New Layers

I have to admit—I loved Arren in this book. He becomes a POV character, which I thought was a brilliant move. I’m really hoping for a redemption arc in book three after spending more time in his head. His final confrontation with Elogast was especially powerful. It becomes clear that Arren deeply loves Elo, and at the heart of his actions is a yearning for the love and family he never had. He was always “his mother’s unloved son,” and all he wants is to be “more than a lonely prince who won a war and no longer had the commander who won it with him.” I’m very curious to see if he survives the trilogy—and whether Elo will ever return his love in the same way.

Split Party, Strong Arcs: where are our characters?

Kissen

I wasn't the biggest fan of how Kissen was separated from the others for most of the book, but her story arc was strong. She ends up working with the gods—an unusual position for a godkiller—and ultimately delivers the warning of war. I appreciated that her story began in Talicia, her homeland. It gave us insight into what she gave up when she chose another country and another life. I think it's a feeling a lot of people can connect with, and it added a layer of emotional depth to her journey. That said, I do wish we’d seen more of the trio together.

Elogast

Elogast’s chapters were, honestly, a bit slow for me. The battle in Lesscia felt long and drawn out. While I liked seeing Elo in command—especially after hearing how capable he is—the pacing could have been tighter. Still, I found myself admiring him more, especially in his interactions with Lord Yether and Arren. His internal conflict leading up to his decision to kill Arren is one of the strongest emotional threads. In the end, he delivers the killing blow—but to a magical twig-illusion, courtesy of the King. This ends up taking Elo and the King, along with Inara and Skediceth to Arren’s actual whereabouts in Sakre. This is how they end up reuniting with Kissen and Lessa Craier.

Inara and her mother

Speaking of Craiers, I suspected early on that Lessa was alive—she’s the only one who can offer Inara the answers she needs. I’m curious how their relationship will develop in the next book. When we meet her, Lessa is leading a successful assault on Sakre, while the King heads for Lesscia. She’s visibly irritated by Kissen and fearful of what Kissen says about Inara. She immediately tries to assert control over her daughter, and I expect that power struggle to continue.

Inara, meanwhile, is angry, scared, and eager to take part in the fight. When Elo leaves her behind, she takes matters into her own hands. In Lesscia’s archives, she stirs up trouble—but also connects with several gods still alive in the city. I particularly liked her scenes with Scian, the god of the archives, and the rose god Makioron. Makioron’s death was expected but still heartbreaking—he was easy to love. I also found the connection to Yusef fascinating.

Skediceth

Skedi’s journey was equally compelling. He learns more about his power and identity, and the bond between him and Inara becomes more flexible, allowing for distance - at least for a while. I did feel for him as Inara formed new alliances with other gods, but I think this shift will help him grow.

Final thoughts

Overall, this is a tough review to write. I really loved the book—the characters, the worldbuilding, the emotional arcs—but it did suffer a bit from pacing issues and that classic middle-book slump. Still, the setup for the finale is fantastic. Hseth is reborn, merged with the very metal meant to kill her. Inara must confront her mother and uncover the truth about Lessa. I’m still rooting for Arren’s redemption, and since I’m not fully on board with Kissen and Elo’s romance, I wouldn’t mind seeing Elo move closer to the King and lean fully into his role as a commander.

Have you read Sunbringer yet? I'd love to hear your thoughts or theories!