Aurora Burning
- Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
- Albany, WA
- April 30, 2023
GOODREADS BOOK BLURB:
Our heroes are back… kind of. From the bestselling co-authors of the Illuminae Files comes the second book in the epic series about a squad of misfits, losers, and discipline cases who just might be the galaxy’s best hope for survival.
First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.
Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.
And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.
Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.
When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.
Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.
First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.
Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.
And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.
Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.
When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.
Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.
SERIES / GENRES:
FIRST WORDS:
The disruptor blast hits the Betraskan right in her chest.
MY REVIEW:
almost perfect:
☆☆☆☆☆ 4.5/5
Aurora Burning felt like a big step up from Aurora Rising. The characters developed more unique personalities, the stakes managed to get higher, and there were way too many heartbreaking moments. I feel like I’ve been put through the wringer after finishing this book.
I’ve managed to maintain my soft spot for Kal and Auri, but it seems to have expanded to include this entire found family. Zila is still quiet, but with more information and some action on her part, she’s not only becoming more interesting, but she’s also now one of the most capable crew members. Scarlett didn’t have as much focus on her this time other than through Finian’s perspective. His attitude has settled now that he’s more comfortable (thankfully), and it’s easier to see how he uses his personality to support those around him. His interactions with Scarlett help to ground him, and through him, she becomes a more complex character as well. I was not expecting a lot of what happened in Aurora Burning – the series may be fairly predictable overall, but it still manages to have surprising moments – and Tyler seems to take the brunt of unexpected consequences this time around.
I’ve managed to maintain my soft spot for Kal and Auri, but it seems to have expanded to include this entire found family. Zila is still quiet, but with more information and some action on her part, she’s not only becoming more interesting, but she’s also now one of the most capable crew members. Scarlett didn’t have as much focus on her this time other than through Finian’s perspective. His attitude has settled now that he’s more comfortable (thankfully), and it’s easier to see how he uses his personality to support those around him. His interactions with Scarlett help to ground him, and through him, she becomes a more complex character as well. I was not expecting a lot of what happened in Aurora Burning – the series may be fairly predictable overall, but it still manages to have surprising moments – and Tyler seems to take the brunt of unexpected consequences this time around.
I’m pretty angry with how the squad turned on Kal with his big revelation. He may be reserved, but he’s clearly shown many times that he’s on their side. He often endangers himself to keep them (and especially Auri) safe. The fact that she could conveniently forget how demonstrative he has been about how much he cares for her, especially as a Syldrathi… I know it was necessary for this whole ‘burn it all away‘ thing, but it was not believable. Poor Kal has to pay the price for the authors needing a plot hole to push the narrative forward. Add on the dumb cliffhanger, and the ending here almost ruined how much I enjoyed the rest of this book.
I’m nervous to read Aurora’s End. Aurora Rising was a solid start, Aurora Burning was even better (which is very surprising for the second book in a trilogy – middle books are usually overloaded with the information needed for a big finale) – I’m almost convinced that Aurora’s End will be a letdown. Especially with that ending and with the hints that have been coming since very early in Aurora Rising. Here’s hoping I’m wrong…
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