"Sunbringer" picks up right where Godkiller left off. We follow multiple perspectives, including Kissen, Inara, Elo, Arren, and Skedi, each character having their own story line that intertwines with the others.

Some of the things I absolutely love about this second installment are that we get to see so much representation. There is a really great LGBTQ representation in this book, with many gay and lesbian families seemlessly written into the story, including Telle and Yatho, Elo's parents, and a few other side characters. These families are able to have children in this society and its just so effortlessly written into the world, and it makes me hope that one day our own world can be so accepting that this is just the norm.

There is also a great representation of people with disabilities; Telle being deaf, Yatho being confined to a wheelchair, and Kissen missing a limb. It shows the struggles that they face but also how society is able to come together to ease their difficulties (many people speak sign language).

The story is a lot more action packed than the first book, follow multiple different perspectives as they fight for what they think is right. I felt like the 2nd half of the book really picked up speed, and I flew through the story. This novel once again ends on a cliffhanger, keeping me on the edge of my seat and making me excited to read the next book!

Somethings that detracted from this novel are that there are so many characters, so many gods, and so many places to keep track of, and all of them have crazy names that make it hard to keep track of. I had a hard time remembering which god was which, and an especially hard time knowing which cities were in which kingdom and where they were located. (My ARC did not come with a map, so that may have made things worse). I also hope this novel goes through at least one more round of editing before being published, because there were quite a few spelling and gramatical errors.

Overall, I enjoyed this installment more than the first book, would absolutely recommend and cannot wait to read more! This series might be for you if you are interested in political fantasy, where gods have the power to help or hinder society.

4/5 stars

Thank you so much to netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sunbringer was my first book of 2024, and I could not have gotten off to a better start. Godkiller was in my top 5 last year, and I can see the sequel following in its footsteps for this year. This is a perfect blend of high fantasy, political fantasy, and mythology elements combined with tons of disability and lgbt+ representation and complex, realistic characters.
We pick up right where we left each of our beloved characters at the end of Godkiller: in a state of grief and dismay. Each of them has to figure out how to pick up and keep going after everything they’ve been through, and we really see the essence of each person as they navigate new challenges. Inara in particular shines in this book; she gets some truly quality, almost painful to read character development. Her thoughts and feelings are so realistic for a child who got dropped into a terrible situation and is trying so hard to grow up and make a difference. Meanwhile, the adults around her want nothing more than to protect her from suffering any more harm. I think this is a big part of what makes this series so compelling: each character has such achingly understandable motivations.
This installment really raises the stakes in preparation for the final book in the trilogy, but it does take some time to get momentum going. The last 30-40% are incredibly action-packed, and the first half is tense and a bit slow-paced. However, I think Sunbringer does a good job of not falling into the second book lull that so many trilogies suffer from. I absolutely cannot wait to read the rest of this incredible story. 4.5/5 stars.

If you enjoyed the first book as I so greatly did, then this book will not disappoint. It falls into second book syndrome a bit as it's not as good as the first (but that's common that's why there's a name for it💀) but you could see all the ways it was setting up for a compelling conclusion. It was fast paced, atmospheric, intricate, and with well written characters this is shaping up to be a top notch series.

Godkiller was one one of my stand-out faves of last year, so as soon as the sequel was announced, I was already buzzing with excitement to dive into it. And, I gotta say, for me, this book delivered on all counts. The story takes place pretty quickly after the ending of Godkiller. While I loved the first book for the building up of a found family, this book focuses more on the characters as individuals. There's excellent explorations of grief and how the manifests; the preservation of history; the ways in which a religion can be twisted and how the fervor surrounding it can burn and hurt. The setting is mostly in the city, while Godkiller was a travelogue of sorts, but I quite enjoyed the familiarity because it allowed for other characters that were in the background a chance to shine. As for the main characters, I feel like this story really allowed Inara to shine and she broke my heart, even as she frustrated me at times.

There's a lot of set-up happening for the conclusion of the trilogy, but I was never bored. I love these characters and I'm both excited and terrified for what the author has planned for the finale.

Thank you Netgalley & Harper Collins for an ARC of Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner in exchange for an honest review

When I finished Godkiller, I was blown away by Hannah Kaner’s ability to write an intricate, interesting fantasy world in under 300 pages. I’m happy to say that she further impressed me with this sequel! Kaner also had the ability to make me care so deeply for each character, to the point where there wasn’t one perspective that I liked less than the others (which, if you know me, split perspective books can be the bane of my existence, there’s always one character’s chapters I just want to skip entirely)

With this series, Kaner has created a masterful world and I truly can’t wait for the conclusion! Fans of high fantasy who don’t have the energy for 800 page tomes will not be disappointed by this high stakes, low page count series.

A thrilling return to Kaner's brilliant world where the lives of gods and mortals are intertwined far more than either would like.

Sunbringer is my most Anticipated Sequel and it did not disappoint for a moment. I love the way Kaner continues to balance character-driven plot against the rapid, ever-increasing danger of outside forces. I adore this little found family of a feral godkiller, a broken baker-knight, and this young woman with strange connections to the gods.

My feelings can be summarized with the classic "Fire Elmo gif" which is, incidentally, wildly appropriate for the story.

I can't wait for the grand finale!

I genuinely adore these books; easily one of my favorite fantasy series (trilogy I'm guessing) of the past few years. Kaner continues her feud of dying gods and mortals in a wonderfully well-realized fantasy world with a great cast of characters. This is my go-to recommendation lately for readers looking for that classic epic fantasy feel with a more inclusive vibe and great prose. Will be eagerly awaiting the next volume!

I will admit that I bought the first book soley because of the cover...but the story and characters were amazing. This second book goes even further and I really enjoyed the adventure. This one is longerand the plotis much more involved, but still great. And the cover! *chef's kiss*

Sunbringer was even better than the first one. I found it to be more engaging and exciting now that the world had been well established.

A great second book in the Godkiller series by Hannah Kaner, Sunbringer picks up where the last left off

I love this series! It reminds me a lot of old-school fantasy, adding in lots of diversity. After the cliffhanger at the end of Godkiller, I was really excited to jump into the sequel. I thought all of the characters went through a lot of development over the course of the book, especially Inara and Skedi. While I enjoy reading about their relationship, one thing I missed was interactions between Kissen and Elo. Although hopefully we'll get more scenes with the two of them in the next book.

Continuing from the first book Godkiller, the sequel Sunbringer picks up where all of our characters left off. No time is between the end of the first book and beginning of the second book. Rebellion is growing across the land, from human to human and also humans against gods.

I continued to enjoy the different perspectives that the various characters give with each chapter. Because I was already setup from the first book I was able to understand immediately all the characters.

However I feel like not much happens for most of the book. Things are kind of moving forward but overall it seemed a bit murky. However at the 70% mark there was a good twist and then the last bits of the book were great. It still did make me interested in the finale of the trilogy!
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This is such a highly anticipated release for me so shout out to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC! I absolutely could not put this book down. Godkiller was such an incredible book and Sunbringer was just as incredible. The covers of these books are also so beautiful, so much love and attention went into creating this book. Hannah Kaner is such a talent and I cannot wait for her works in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

WOW! Just wow! I didn’t think it could get better than Godkiller but boy did this book not disappoint! So good! I highly recommend! It was a book I couldn’t put down.

A fabulous follow up to a beautiful debut. Inara, Skedi, and Elo went through so much in this book. There was so much action, and twists that took my breath away. Kissen being on her own made sense for the middle book, but I’m glad with where the story ended. This book did a great job ramping up to the third. I loved it and can’t wait to recommend it to friends and patrons.

Easy to read, comfortable to slip into the story, and moves at a good pace. I did find it similar in feeling to her first work, so fans should be pleased. I stopped after chapter 3 (6%), but I imagine it’s an easy three stars, four to five for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

"Sunbringer" by Hannah Kaner is a thrilling sequel to the #1 internationally bestselling fantasy debut, set in the world of Godkiller. In this epic fantasy odyssey, the kingdom of Middren is facing the resurgence of forbidden gods, stirring and whispering of war. The fire god Hseth, thought to be vanquished by the Godkiller Kissen, is attempting to reform with even greater strength and a thirst for vengeance.

As tensions escalate, the kingdom desperately needs its Godkiller. However, Kissen sacrificed herself, leaving a void that needs to be filled. Young noble Inara, along with her little god of white lies, Skedi, embark on a quest to discover more about the true nature of their bond. In the widening divide between gods and humans, they uncover secrets that could determine the fate of the impending war.

Simultaneously, Elogast, once a loyal knight of King Arren, is tasked with a difficult mission—to kill the man he once called a friend. The king, who vowed to eradicate all gods, has now entered into an unholy pact with the most dangerous of them. The story weaves together the journeys of these characters, exploring themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the consequences of wielding godly power.

"Sunbringer" promises to be a richly rendered world filled with action and intrigue. As tensions rise and the characters face new challenges, the novel delves into the complexities of the human-god relationship and the consequences of the choices made by those in power.