The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

Review

The wait for the sequel is going to drive me crazy!

This was another really fun read from Aiden Thomas and reminded me of some of my favorite series. The comparisons to Percy Jackson & the Hunger Games are well earned but the Sunbearer Trials remains a unique experience.

From the get go we jump into some fantastic world building with the creation story of the dioses, the Sunbearer Trials, and the world of Reino del Sol. I was instantly captivated by this world and I think that’s one of the strongest parts of the book. I loved getting to see all of the different cities throughout Reino del Sol and seeing their connection to their dioses and the contestants of the games. I also think it’s super unique that we have a semidios, or demigod, main character that actually comes from a more minor deity with limited powers: flight and talking to birds. I loved Teo’s journey of accepting and honing his wings, though I was a little disappointed the bird connection didn’t make more of an appearance.

The trials as a whole were entertaining and having challenges and puzzles were a great way to make them a unique and separate idea from the common comparison to Hunger Games. It also serves as a great juxtaposition between the true meaning of the trials, a “willing” sacrifice to Sol, as well as evidence of why these trials are different. The trials themselves are much closer to a reality show like Survivor or Big Brother, making it easy to ignore or forget what’s really at stake but also more eerie when the competitors become more violent towards each other.

Following that point, I must confess that I made a mistake while reading. I took a break near the beginning and rather than wade through my ebook to refresh my memory, I decided to do a quick google search for what should’ve been a simple and innocuous answer only to spoil the entire plot twist for myself. This was before the first trial had even begun. I did not go in knowing the entire ending, but I knew a good chunk of it and that was enough for me to make some good guesses on the rest of it. So I can’t really comment on whether it was an effective twist, but I had a lot of fun looking for details and actions that could hold double meanings. I had hoped my conclusions could be construed differently or taken in a different context but that was not the case. However, that means I am even more eager for the explanations and drama I expect to be present in the sequel. I’m also super excited to see how Teo & Aurelio’s relationship develops going forward as well as the ramifications of the ending on the wider world. We definitely got some sections of commentary/critique on the hierarchy of the dioses and the ethics of the Sunbearer Trials, but I’m eager to see the ramifications now that more people are forced to act and deal with the fallout.

(Also just had a final thought about the ending. While I love the direction it’s taking, the final chapter would’ve fit much better as the beginning of the second book. The second to last chapter, while certainly not a resolution, feels much more like the end of the first in a series and has enough of a cliffhanger to leave you wanting more. The last chapter is a bit jarring because we get the start of a quest to fix what went wrong but I just ends instead of continuing)