Brand of Light
Summary
Brand of Light is the first book of Ronie Kendig’s Christian space opera epic series The Droseran Saga. On a low-tech planet, a prophecy is formed that will shape the fate of the space-faring civilizations around it. Kidnapping, regicide, forbidden technology, corruption in the military, conspiracies in the nobility, ancient prophecies, and illegal human experimentation are all wrapped up in this first foray into Kendig’s richly woven tetrology. With a subtle, well-placed thread of Christianity running through the story, Kendig throws the reader into a world of treachery, danger, and just enough romance to keep things interesting without coming across as preachy.
Assessment
Brand of Light shines brilliantly as a space opera, whether in the Christian or secular realm. Despite being written like an old epic with kings, conspiracies, and dozens of foreign words, the characters remain entirely approachable and the worldbuilding engaging. The story is incredibly well-paced with no “sagging middle” as some longer novels tend to have; every page is filled with either action or intrigue of some kind. The novel is a little cyclical in some ways, with some themes and tropes repeated at least once, sometimes twice, but this repetition often feels intentional and is part of how the story is told.
While the book isn’t overtly Christian, there is a definite Biblical moral presence in its message. Lines are clearly drawn between good and evil, characters strive to better align themselves with good — i.e. Scriptural — principles, and there are references of a religion that closely mirrors several elements of Christianity (with worship of “the Ancient”, which appears to be a stand-in for the One True God).
Written on a more or less YA level, the story is for the most part clean. Conventional cuss words are replaced with expletives that are relevant to each fictional culture within the narrative. There is little to no nudity of any kind — perhaps some revolving around medical emergencies/treatment, but nothing sexual or described in a graphic way. In terms of romance, there is definite attraction and some kissing bordering on making out, but nothing beyond that. There are also definite lines drawn between the mature, self-controlled love of the main characters and the ravenous lust of the villains.
Light-o-Meter
Writing Style: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Plot: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Worldbuilding: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Characters: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Age Appropriateness: Appropriate for older YA; somewhat intense near-SA scenes (only ever from the villains)
Theological Message: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Overall: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Talk
Okay, I first want to apologize for Ronie Kendig because I really, really enjoyed this book and I have next to zero idea how to express exactly what I liked about it in this review. “It’s a good book, just trust me” does not a sufficient review make. However, I will do my best!
I think the first thing that I like about the book is how it handles some of the more mature themes and how it’s able to present heroes that are flawed without subjecting the reader to a lot of on-screen, in-your-face sin. For the most part, the book is incredibly clean while also delving into heavier topics such as attempted SA, torture, human experimentation, and so on and so forth. None of these heavier topics are really dwelt upon, as the book’s pace is pretty fast, so for somewhat sensitive readers this should still be fine. The same thing goes for the ramifications of these sins; there definitely are some lasting effects on the victims, but nothing is dwelt upon it forever and ever.
Next, I love the characters. The characters feel real, kind of flirting with archetypes and tropes, but maintaining plenty of their own originality. Not going to lie, I thought Kersei — the female main character — was going to be super annoying at first but she ended up being both an excellent, stalwart pillar of feminine strength and a beautiful representation of innocence to be protected. Likewise, Marco and Tigo (the two male leads in terms of POV, not love triangle-ness!) present two different, flawed, but ultimately heroic depictions of masculinity. Marco is the hunter and the honor-bound man with no lack of gentleness for the innocent. Tigo, on the other hand, is the soldier-protector, led by his convictions and pulled away from his philanderer’s ways by a genuine emotional connection. There’s a whole roster of other, equally dynamic side characters and villains to choose from that make the story’s cast feel complete and alive.
Finally, there is the worldbuilding and ohhhhh, do I love it. While I did struggle a bit to keep track of all of the foreign or made-up terms for both jobs, titles, and technologies, that same mechanic kept me fully engaged in the world. It was easy to slip back into the story with all of the unique vocabulary thrown around (and, truth be told, there wasn’t that many odd words, just more than most books I typically read). The worldbuilding was rich culturally and technologically, with plenty of room for internal and external strife in and among the various human nations and communities.
I think the only area I felt the story struggled in was the last few chapters seemed a bit rushed. Nothing major, of course, as the book went at a pretty fast clip, but I wish it had slowed down just a tad with some of the big revelations and moments in the end. That being said, it’s a pretty small issue when compared to how enjoyable and complete the rest of the book is!
Where to Enjoy
Barnes & Noble: Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®
Christianbook.com: Brand of Light, #1: Ronie Kendig: 9781621840930 - Christianbook.com
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