Disclaimer: While reading the third entry in this series, it was brought to my attention that the author is potentially zionist. While I could not independently verify this claim, there is a noted silence about the atrocities taking place in Gaza. While many may claim that bookish spaces should remain apolitical, books are inherently political. Pierce Brown, specifically, is a dystopian author that writes about injustices in an unjust society. That one so well-versed in the topic should stay silent in the face of injustice speaks volumes. In light of this, I will be posting my written reviews of the first three entries in the series and will not finish the rest. I cannot tell readers that they must research every author that they come across, but I will encourage them to engage thoughtfully with any information they happen to come across.
Golden Son takes everything Red Rising set up and cranks it up to 11. After a bit of a time jump, this middle-book dives headfirst into interplanetary politics, betrayal, and warfare. The scope is bigger, the stakes higher, and the betrayals hit harder.
That said, this book is chaos. Nearly every plan goes sideways and it’s hard to know who can be trusted. It’s exhilarating but exhausting. There were moments where I wasn’t sure if the narrative twists were brilliant or manipulative, but it continued to hold my attention.
Darrow himself still suffers from plot armor, but this time his charisma and adaptability almost make up for it. The book throws us for a bit of a loop regarding the supporting cast, however, as we find many characters initially on either opposing sides or MIA at the beginning of the narrative. The book leans heavily on the theme of shifting alliances, and that tension is where it really shines. That being said, some of the characters do get significantly more refined, like Sevro, Mustang, and the newest Ragnar.
The ending, though, is unforgettable. The kind of finale that makes you sit back and mutter, “well, damn.” It recontextualizes everything and leaves you on one hell of a cliffhanger.
Golden Son is a messy, ambitious sequel that does an incredible job of setting you up for the third installment. If Red Rising intrigued you, this one will either make you a diehard fan or throw it in frustration.
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