Blacklight Born is the third and final installment of Alexander Darwin’s Combat Codes Trilogy. If you’re looking for a high-energy action fantasy with a strong cast of characters, then definitely consider checking the series out.
If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, then don’t read any further. You can check out my review of the first book, Combat Codes, here.
What Is Blacklight Born?
Grievar’s Blood left the world of the Grievar’s on a knife edge. Rebellion had fomented and Cego was reunited with his brother, Silas, leader of the rebels. But what about the found family he left behind?
Silas wants to brutally crush not only those who oppose him but also those who don’t agree with everything he says. This includes Cego’s old teacher and his friends from the Lyceum. Change is coming to Kiroth, but which side will Cego choose?
Why Read Blacklight Born?
If you’ve read the first two books in the Combat Codes series, you’ll want to read Blacklight Born. Where I found Grievar’s Blood a little uneven, Blacklight Born smooths out the bumps. There are some great reveals here, from seeds planted during the earlier two books. We are also treated to more of Darwin’s trademark high-stakes arena combat.
Overall, this book delivers a satisfactory riff on the “academy students save the day” trope that is popular in SFF at the moment. It does this by splicing in some social politics and meaningful relationships between those academy students. The meat of the narrative is not about will-they/won’t-they save the world, but more about whether friendships can survive the strain the battle will put them under.
Once again the fight scenes in the book keep the reader hooked, especially the titanic final scenes, in which not only is the choreography off the charts, but the book’s plot reveals come thick and fast, keeping us readers on our toes! The series is complete, but what is next for Alexander Darwin? I look forward to finding out.
If you would like to pick up a copy of Blacklight Born you can do so here, in the US, and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
