Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
Simon Bonaventure won the Ascent of Angels. He became the first Dun ever raised to Seraphim. Raphael made sure everyone knew about it. Not out of justice — out of strategy. A lowborn in the ruling class is the most powerful argument against revolution that exists: proof the system rewards merit, proof the Dun should stop complaining and start climbing. A year inside the Higher Angel hierarchy, and it's working. Simon is starting to forget what he came to change. Then Layla Temperatus — sister of Raphael, mother of the heir Simon killed to win his freedom — decides a Dun among angels is an unforgivable sacrilege. And launches a war to correct it. The Sword doesn't want reform. It wants purges. It will poison entire districts and vent others into space to make an example of the lowborn who dared rise. The only force capable of stopping them is Raphael. To save his people, Simon has to stand with the regime he swore to destroy. Class war, civil war, and a reckoning with what winning actually costs. For readers of Red Rising and The Hunger Games.
Tags
The Sword War: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This book contains strong violence including mass civilian casualties (poisoning districts, venting people into space) in a political war setting, plus significant class-based oppression and genocide themes. Mature teen-to-adult material.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, no sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include genocide, murder, and mass death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Fans of morally complex heroes facing impossible choices in brutal political systems will find this gripping.