The Last Sun

The Last Sun (2018) K.D. Edwards (The Tarot Sequence)

My name is Rune Saint John.

I am, before anything else, a survivor: of a fallen House, of a brutal assault, of violent allies and complacent enemies, of life among a people who turned their back on me decades ago.

KD Edwards recently published several short stories, and although I read these not that long ago, I had to go back and reread the series. After all, I tend to speed read, so I always catch things the second time through.

First off, bad things happened to Rune in the past. And one of the bad guys tries to make him relive those horrors. This is NOT torture porn, but he does talk about the upsetting things that happened to him, and although there are not lurid details, it could be upsetting.

Rune definitely has PTSD, and although he is functioning, he’s still a bit broken.

One of the things I particularly love about this series is the deep friendship between Brand and Rune.

“(Y)ou skipped over the part where you complimented me on my derring-do.”

“Yes, awesome job, thank you for not dying after you left me behind. I baked cookies.”

The love each other and actually show it.

At the edge of the showers, Brand pivoted and strode back to me. He grabbed me in a wet hug. Into my hair he said, “You hate when I say that, I’m sorry.”

I also love how protective Rune and Brand are of those in their care.

“You’re a Lovers. But your dreams make no sense. Just what on earth did they do to you?”

Brand went very still. I went stiller. I said, to Ciaran, “Back down.”

Publisher: Pyr

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