Review: Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig

Let’s see if I can coherently convey my feelings about this book, because this is pretty much me right now:

My Brain: Fjkjaihreoiantoiatgajgmaj!!!!!?????!!!!????

Me: **grabs face and screams silently** **cries** **checks the calendar to see how many days until Book 2 comes out**

Yeah… it’s a bit of an exaggeration. But not much. LOL!

I enjoy the vast majority of the books I read, and really LOVE the majority of those that I enjoy. I follow the work of many authors and have an ever growing list of favorites. But even among all those incredible authors and books, there have been few books/series that have made me reach squealing fan-girl status.

Let me interrupt myself long enough to share the GORGEOUS cover and back cover blurb of this Star Wars meets Marvel meets something entirely unique of its own Space Opera.

There’s a price on her head, and it has everything to do with the brand on her arm. 

Tertian Space Coalition has blessed every planet in the quadrants with high technology, save one: Drosero. But in spite of their tenuous treaty with the ruling clans, TSC has plans for the backward planet. And they’re not alone. 

After a catastrophic explosion, Kersei Dragoumis awakens in a derelict shuttle, alone, injured, and ignorant of the forbidden technology that has swept her into a nightmare. The brand she’s borne since childhood burns mysteriously, but the pain is nothing to that when she learns her family is dead and she is accused of their murders. 

Across the quadrants, Marco Dusan responds to the call of a holy order-not to join them, but to seek a bounty. Gifted-or cursed-with abilities that mark him a Kynigos, a tracker sworn to bring interplanetary fugitives to justice, Marco discovers this particular bounty has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with prophecy. One that involves the hunter as much as the hunted.

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For some reason, I have read very little SciFi or Fantasy novels. However, I LOVE movies in these genres, so when I saw Brand of Light would be coming out and it sounded/looked interesting, I figured why not try it out. If I love movies like this so much, why would I not like books in these genres, too?

And oh, boy… I’m so glad I decided to take that leap outside my reading comfort zone.

From the first chapter, I was hooked. By about chapter four or five, I was saying, “Oh my goodness, this is soooo GOOD!�? And I kept saying it over and over throughout the story. 

I could have read this book in one sitting if I’d had the time. I didn’t want to put it down! Seriously, I’d be at work or doing house work and I couldn’t wait to be able to curl up in my reading chair or on my bed and dive back into the adventure. 

I loved the juxtaposition of Kersei’s medieval-esque world and the cold, metal, technologically advanced world of the Symmachians. And speaking of worlds—Ronie’s world building is superb. The Herakles Quadrant came alive in my imagination. Part of me would love to visit there, but with all the chaos and war going on there… I’m not sure I’d survive the trip! Ha!

Of course, I’m a sucker for romance, so I was thrilled that there is plenty of that in the story as well as non-stop adventure. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so deeply invested in a book couple. Marco and Kersei remind me so much of Gabi and Marcello from the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren—one of my favorite series ever—though they are still special in their own way. Marco’s abilities as a Kynigos hunter, allowing him to smell people’s emotions and their personal scents, gave their relationship a unique element and made for some swoon-worthy moments.

As for the plot, I was left guessing, for the most part, until the very end. And by the time I read the final page, I was reeling, wondering how in the world things will play out in book two and how in the world I’m supposed to wait months until the book comes out? Seriously, I’m still processing that ending. Come on, Ronie! You’re killing me! I have at least a dozen questions I need answers for STAT. 

If Goodreads had the option to give a book more than five stars, I would give this one ten! But since they don’t let you do that, I’ll settle for 5/5 Stars. I’m counting down the days until the cover reveal of book two next moth, and then until the day I can travel back into space and find out what happens next!

Oh and one last note before I finish my gushing: if there was ever a book series that would make amazing movies it’s this one! Hollywood, take note. You could have a winner on your hands!