After coming to the stark realization that they were deceived by a close and trusted ally, the surviving members of the Collective struggle to find purpose in the new apocalyptic, war-torn world around them.
I was granted complimentary audiobook acccess to Barrenworld: Rise of the Red Sun by the author, J. Edwards Holt, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you as always for the opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
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About the Book
Rise of the Red Sun
Barrenworld Book Three
by J. Edwards Holt
Print/eBook
Published 1 January 2023
Page Count: 223
Audiobook
Published 6 April 2023
Length: 6 hours and 59 minutes
Narrator: Joel Jackson
Genre: Fantasy
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After coming to the stark realization that they were deceived by a close and trusted ally, the surviving members of the Collective struggle to find purpose in the new apocalyptic, war-torn world around them. When their paths inevitably cross, they begin a new quest to discover the truth and secrets behind the Warlord’s Chalice. Their journey soon leads them into new and uncharted territory, where they must face trials unimagined with nothing to rely on but blind faith and the words of ancient texts.
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My Review
My Rating: 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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I was granted complimentary audiobook acccess to Barrenworld: Rise of the Red Sun by the author, J. Edwards Holt, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you as always for the opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
This is quite possibly the best installment yet in the Barrenworld series! It has all the whimsical adventure of the previous books, and all the classic high fantasy elements that were instilled as essential by the great fantasy authors long ago. It’s also funny at times, and remembers not to take itself too seriously. This one, though, this one is also touching, heartbreaking, and full of treasured characters making noble, selfless decisions. This is both the sort of book that could serve as a very satisfying conclusion to a great series or be used to bridge the gap between eras in an ongoing story. Whichever it proves to be, I think it’ll be my favourite of the Barrenworld books.
I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but this is a reluctant hero/unlikely hero choses to make the ultimate selfless act sort of story, and although I had a pretty good idea of where the story was going partway through, the payoff was so much better, so much more devastating, and so much more uplifting than I expected.
Oh, and that comic relief? Best set of lines in the book: “Did you EAT him?” “I told you I was hungry!” (Forgive me if that’s not exact. I was listening to the audiobook, after all!)
As always, Joel Jackson’s narrative performance was a pleasure to listen to. The story is easy to listen to, the multiple characters and points of view easy to keep track of, and the pacing is perfect. If there are more Barrenworld books to come, I hope that Joel continues to get the narration job, because at this point he is the voice of this wonderful world.
About the Author
Born in North Carolina, United States, J. Edwards Holt always knew that he wanted to be a writer. After graduating high school, he attended college and pursued a degree in education, but later decided to change course and follow his dream to become a novelist and children’s author.
Now a full-time writer, editor, and blogger, Holt spends his free time dreaming up stories and reading. He is passionate about spreading Christian messages through his writing, watching science fiction and super hero movies, and collecting comic books.
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