The books goes back to when the group depart each other and go their separate ways to carry on the fight, to save the people from the gods. But it’s not as straightforward as good or evil when Kissen is saved by a god after sacrificing herself to the defeat the fire god Hseth. I enjoyed the book, it’s full of surprises and twists and sets up the final instalment nicely, but it wasn’t as good as the first because the characters are split and I think the first book was so good because of the character dynamics. I’m looking forward to their next adventure together.

Sunbringer has simply never heard of second book syndrome. Kaner builds masterfully on the work of Godkiller here, expanding on everything- on the world, on the characters, and on the themes she approaches with nuance and clarity. Her prose remains gorgeous and evocative, and her characters compelling, complex, and extremely loveable. I know other reviewers were disappointed by the characters' separation, but I found their quests to reunite a fantastic fuel to the fire, and found it to be equally fascinating to watch them develop in isolation. I also think it's worth noting the care with which Kaner is tackling some immensely difficult topics- the depictions of war and oppression here were at times difficult for me to get through, but I think this was a huge strength. She never loses the human element or cost in favour of giving the reader some flashy spectacle, which would undermine the themes here terribly. That said, the denouement feels justifiably huge and harrowing- a very worthy close to this novel. I gasped aloud more than once, and I think the setup for the finale is extremely clever and exciting- Kaner consistently takes the story in the direction that, in my opinion, is the most interesting, rather than settling for obvious resolutions. I could not be more eager to get my hands on the final book in the series.

"Sunbringer" by Hannah Kaner is a captivating fantasy novel that transports readers into a richly imagined world filled with magic, adventure, and complex characters. The story follows a young protagonist who discovers her extraordinary abilities as a "Sunbringer," a title that comes with immense power and responsibility. As she grapples with her newfound identity, she must navigate political intrigue, ancient prophecies, and the looming threat of darkness that seeks to consume her realm.

Kaner’s writing is vibrant and immersive, creating a vivid tapestry of settings and cultures. The character development is particularly strong, with relatable struggles and growth that resonate throughout the narrative. The friendships and alliances forged in the face of adversity add depth to the story, highlighting themes of loyalty, courage, and self-discovery.

The pacing is well-balanced, with a mix of action-packed sequences and introspective moments that allow readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level. The plot twists are cleverly woven, keeping the tension high and the reader engaged.

Overall, "Sunbringer" is an enchanting debut that will appeal to fans of fantasy. Kaner successfully blends adventure and emotional depth, delivering a compelling tale that leaves readers eager for more. It's a promising addition to the genre that showcases her talent for storytelling.

I was so excited to dive into Sun Bringer, and Hannah Kaner did not disappoint. This sequel builds beautifully on the strengths of Godkiller, pulling me even deeper into the world of gods, veigas, and impossible choices. The stakes are higher than ever, with war looming and the characters I loved from the first book facing new challenges that tested their limits.

Kissen’s story continues to captivate me. Her resilience and determination shine through, and I loved seeing her grow even more as a character. Inara and Skedi’s bond becomes even more intriguing as their connection takes center stage, and Elo’s personal quest brought such emotional weight to the story. Each character felt vital, and their arcs added so much depth to the plot.

One of my favorite parts of Kaner’s writing is how immersive the world feels. The descriptions of gods and their powers are as vivid as ever, and the tension between divine and mortal realms kept me hooked. I also appreciated how seamlessly the book continues to offer great disability representation through Kissen and how casually queer the world remains—it feels authentic and refreshing.

That said, I did find the pacing a bit uneven in the middle, with some transitions between storylines feeling slightly jarring. But the explosive and emotional finale more than made up for it. I finished the book eager to see where the series goes next.

If you enjoyed Godkiller, I think you’ll love this sequel. Sun Bringer is a powerful continuation that delivers on character growth, emotional stakes, and a rich, dynamic world.

I enjoyed it and it was good in the way it continued the story. But it was slow going and missed some of the dynamic between the characters as they were separated.

Will I read book 3 - of course.

Hannah Kaner did it again! This continues along the lines of the first installment and is even better
Full review on my goodreads

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner is an absolute powerhouse of epic fantasy—prepare to be blown away! Kaner’s world-building is breathtaking, immersing readers in a universe as vast and vivid as it is brutal. From the first page, Sunbringer pulls you into a gripping tale where gods walk among mortals, the stakes are sky-high, and every character leaps off the page with complexity and fierce determination.

Our protagonist is a force of nature, bringing strength, vulnerability, and fire to a story filled with epic battles, deep magic, and simmering intrigue. Kaner weaves myth, raw emotion, and action into a tapestry that’s both intensely personal and grandly sweeping. It’s the kind of book that keeps you up all night, gripping the pages as each twist and revelation unfolds.

If you’re a fan of fantasy that’s not only exhilarating but packed with heart and depth, Sunbringer is your next obsession. Kaner has set a new standard in the genre, and this book is a must-read for every fantasy lover out there.

Gritty epic fantasy, though not 'grimdark' - well, not quite yet anyway, and the prologue of Godkiller came close... I really enjoyed this, it had a good cast of main characters and I do like a bit of creative mythology in my fantasy world building.

Book 2 was a little slower for me and it didn't have quite the same impact with most of our main characters now apart. I did really enjoy the expansion of the mythology and getting to know a few other gods and am looking forward to book 3 Faithbreaker due 13/03/2025.

Let me preface this review by saying I genuinely loved Godkiller, with it being my favourite book if the year when I read it. When I got the arc for Sunbringer I was absolutely ecstatic, and couldn't wait to read it. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I definitely did not enjoy it as much as Kaner's first installment.

Riddled with pacing issues, I found the middle of this book to drag extensively. Additionally, it felt like the thing that I loved the most about the previous book, being the relationships between the core four characters, had been ripped out of this book. While each of the characters had to go on their own journeys, following the devastating effects of the ending of Godkiller, it felt that the relationships that were the heart of the last book were stretched to their limits.

Despite this slight gripe, I did genuinely enjoy this book, and where the characters have been placed for the final book has me absolutely dying for its release.

Following the very dramatic end of Godkiller, Sunbringer picks up right where we left of – with Elogast, Inara and Skedi mourning the loss of Kissen, following her sacrifice to take down fire god Hseth. Elogast is also dealing with the betrayal of King Arren, his former friend, and Skedi is dealing with the backlash of manipulating Inara as he did.

What’s interesting about this book is how every character has been impacted from the actions of the first book, Elogast’s loyalty to Arren has tarnished and he battles the mental turmoil of whether he can one day kill the man he once vowed his life to. Elogast is a grittier man here, he’s wounded, he’s mourning Kissen and the guilt of her giving her life for his, he is still a good man but the world has started to change him. In the first book, Inara was, well, annoying at times, yes she’s a child and of course there are allowances for that, and she was being manipulated, but she was also quite an entitled girl who was unnecessary at times. In Sunbringer, Inara is forced to grow up. Of course that doesn’t mean that Inara still isn’t a child, and you get to experience her fears of being unwanted, after losing both her mother, and Kissen, and the trust in Skedi she once had. Here, Inara is trying to find her place, and her value, and how to use her newfound powers to make a difference and you get to experience the start of her transformation to a young woman. Similarly, Skedi is dealing with the consequences of his actions, betraying Inara’s trust in manipulating her, he is the little god of white lies after all, but Inara no longer trusts him and he is losing his power without her love.

Then there’s Kissen, while the other characters have had to find their hardness, for Kissen, her true battle will be to find her reason, in fact her role will be to stop war while the rest are embroiled in fighting it. It’s like taming a wild cat, we know from the traumatic start to Godkiller alone that Kissen has just reason to be angry at the world, but here you see her start to settle because there’s worse ahead that can’t be faced alone.

This isn’t a perfect book, for one thing it is frustrating that the characters become so separated as they work through their own journeys, Kissen very much literally, when the character dynamics themselves are one of the best parts of this series. That said, the characters, while flawed at times, are very easy to root for (even Inara with her frustrating impulsivity). What makes this book so special for me is how diverse and inclusive it is, Kissen is a scarred character, she has a prosthetic leg, at one point a God even gives her the opportunity to be healed – and she turns it down because she is fine how she is. Kissen’s disability is rightly not treated as a weakness, it’s just part of her character and she’s a total badass.

Pacing is another bit of an issue, however this is the middle book and a lot of that does involve using the middle of a story to set things up – and you see the start of this pay off at the end of Sunbringer as Arren and Elogast’s confrontation looms. While this book isn’t as strong as Godkiller, it did the job in making me excited for Faithbreaker, the next instalment. Yes I would like more action, more interactions between the characters, more Kissen and more of the complex mess that is Arren, however this book makes it clear that stick with this series and you will get that – the scattered pieces at the end of Godkiller just took their time to align again. The world building is still fantastic, I love the gods Hannah Kaner introduces, the vision is a vast and colourful one and this really is a special series.

I now eagerly await Faithbreaker!

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Kaner's gripping Godkiller sequel, Sunbringer, explores the complex world of gods and rebellion in greater detail. I adored how the epic tale kept going strong, with its compelling story and nuanced cast of characters. The tale gained depth and authenticity from the deep and intentional integration of the handicapped and LGBTQIA+ portrayal. Kaner gave a powerful and poignant representation of Inara's hardships and her relationship with the little deity Skedi. I was captivated by the complex world-building and high stakes in this part, which was just as enjoyable as the first. Fans of diversely represented immersive fantasy should not miss this book!

SUNBRINGER is a good sequel that has plenty of character growth and action while also gearing up for the final book.

The four POVs from the previous book return, with the addition of Arren as a minor POV. I liked getting that little glimpse into what he was doing and hope he gets a bigger part in the next book so I can really get a sense of who he is and what motivates him. He is a bit of an enigma at the moment, only really seen through Elo's eyes, and I'd like to better understand why Elo was so loyal to him originally.

I really liked Inara coming into her own this book. She doesn't have adult supervision in the same way this book as there are other problems taking their attention. Plus she is starting to get an idea of what she can do. And she takes it from there and runs with it (often very recklessly, which feels absolutely in keeping with her age and experience of people being torn away from her.)

Through Kissen, we get a glimpse of another country and the way gods powers can be harnessed by people. Plus she has to actually ask for help and trust certain gods, and the irony (as well as growth) was a lot of fun there.

The finale sets up a pretty epic set of stakes for the last book, FAITHBRINGER, as well as some very fun interpersonal conflicts (Arren and Elo is the one I'm most looking forward to, so I hope they get forced together as they have only been together a few chapters in the first two books and A LOT has happened between them in that time!)

After falling in LOVE with Hannah Kaner’s writing in Godkiller I was over the moon to receive the sequel. The main thing I couldn’t stop thinking about in the first instalment was how amazingly the world was built on the pages…it’s been a while since I’ve experienced fantasy that had me envisioning everything. This continued into this one I’m very happy to say!
I will admit I found the middle part kind of slowed down a bit too much to me but I was right back there in the final third of the book! The tension snapped so quickly, it gave me whiplash and I loved every minute of it. The switch up from loooong chapters to one page chapters was PERFECT for pacing. And the back and forth between character POVs. *chefs kiss*

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE.

Hannah Kaner's "Sunbringer" is a mesmerizing fantasy novel that captivates with its rich world-building and dynamic characters. Set in a realm where the sun holds powerful secrets, the story masterfully blends adventure, mystery, and introspection. Kaner's unique magic system and vividly detailed settings draw readers in, while well-developed characters and their emotionally charged interactions keep the narrative engaging. Fast-paced and thought-provoking, "Sunbringer" is a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts.

A great continuation on the previous world-building and I loved the introduction of some new characters and great development of already existing characters. At times I couldn't keep track of all the need understandings (felt a little like I needed a notebook!) but overall its a good book.

Let me preface this review by saying, I LOVED Godkiller and I love the world that Hannah Kaner has built for this series. I love the three individual (human) protagonists, as well as Skedi (the god), the lore and the writing. Coming from such a strong start with Godkiller, I was hoping the high levels would carry on into book two, but unfortunately, for me, they did not. I honestly really struggled getting through Sunbringer. I think there's two main reasons for this, the first being that the trio that I came to love by the end of Godkiller all have separate journeys in Sunbringer. I really missed the way they played off of one another and I feel that much of their personality was seen in the dialogue. Overall, this book was very transitional and much of what happens could've been edited out entirely, making this series a duology, and I think it would've been just fine. Sunbringer felt longwinded and didn't really add much to the overall plot. The last quarter picks up a bit and while I'm still very much interested in continuing the series, this one just felt like a long intermission with a couple of side stories that we could've skipped. Additionally, my ARC copy was riddled with so many typos and errors it was distracting at times. Obviously, the final publication would have resolved all of these errors, but I do feel it worth mentioned as it may have played a part in my enjoyment of reading.

A brilliant read, that I adored. I loved being brought back into this magical world Hannah Kaner has created, and definitely feel that I have found a new favourite auto-buy author.

A fantastic sequel!

After the whirlwind of the first book, I didn't think I could fall deeper for this author's writing, but oh boy I did. The stakes are higher, the action scenes stronger and more intense, and the development of each character reached peak heights in this sequel to godkiller. Immersed in this world, I found the worldbuilding to only expand, the lore deepening and pulling me into the story. I saw someone else on the train reading this book and was itching to ask their thoughts! Overall, such a fun sequel- this series definitely lives up to the hype!

I wanted to love this book far more than I actually ended up enjoying it. I think the plot needed some more tightening as I still loved the characters, but there is a lot that's different as well, i cannot put my finger as to why it feels almost like a different tone of the first book.
Still a solid 3 stars, but... And also about the king... ohhh hello?! anyway.

I love everything about this series so far. Mostly, I am so impressed that such a vibrant world can be built on so few pages!! Thank you for packing so much into such small books.

I love a found family story, and I always cheer for the underdog. This series delivers on both of these themes so well!!