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Sara’s Review: Remnants: Season of Fire by Lisa T. Bergren
Remnants: Season of Fire
written by Lisa T. Bergren
published by Zondervan, 2015
find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Book Depository, Goodreads
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Did I enjoy this book: Let’s just say I tried . . . I really tried! This is kinda my genre. I love sci fi/fantasy YA dystopian societies, and even though I hadn’t read the first book in the series, I still had high hopes that I would enjoy this one. I was wrong.
It didn’t hit me in the face right away, but there was definitely something that bugged me from the very beginning. About a quarter of the way through I realized what it was–this isn’t just a fantasy story with a god (the Maker); it’s a fantasy story about “G”od written by a “C”hristian author . . .
Now. I don’t have anything against Christian authors. I can enjoy a good story regardless of the beliefs of the author. That is unless they do one of two things — use their fiction as a platform to preach or use the omnipotent god character as a lazy man’s way of writing yourself out of a corner. I feel like Bergren did both.
The characters were mostly believable, but I had a hard time with the villains. I enjoy understanding the psychology of a good villain because they believe they’re truly doing things for the best. However, when the side of “good” is always righteous and never wrong (because they have the Maker on their side), it leaves the villains with no interesting motives other than to just be bad, and that’s not fun or exciting.
So is Remnants a bad book? No, not at all. There’s a lot of action, the protagonists are very lovable, and the plot is original . . . I just couldn’t get behind it for reasons I’ve mentioned above.
Would I recommend it: If you are a fan of Christian fiction and you also enjoy dystopian fantasy, then I would say go for it! If Christian fiction is not your cup of tea, then I would suggest you look elsewhere to satisfy your need.
About the book – from Goodreads: After tackling her first mission and coming to terms with her power of empathy, Andriana discovers her first battles were only a taste of what is to come. She and her knight, Ronan, have admitted their feelings for each other, but their bonds are tested when Dri is captured by their mortal and spiritual enemy—Sethos—and his master, Keallach, emperor of Pacifica.
Andriana is certain Keallach can be convinced to follow the Maker’s plan and join the other Remnants . . . but in time, she must decide whether she really can pull him back to the Way, or if Sethos’s web of darkness has slowly and thoroughly trapped them both . . . forever.
