by Pierce Brown
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR, BUZZFEED, AND BOOKLIST • “Gripping . . . On virtually every level, this is a sequel that hates sequels—a perfect fit for a hero who already defies the tropes. [Grade:] A”—Entertainment Weekly
As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.
A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.
He must live for more.
Praise for Golden Son
“Stirring . . . Comparisons to The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones series are inevitable, for this tale has elements of both.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Brown writes layered, flawed characters . . . but plot is his most breathtaking strength. . . . Every action seems to flow into the next.”—NPR
Don’t miss any of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga:
RED RISING • GOLDEN SON • MORNING STAR • IRON GOLD • DARK AGE • LIGHT BRINGER
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR, BUZZFEED, AND BOOKLIST • “Gripping . . . On virtually every level, this is a sequel that hates sequels—a perfect fit for a hero who already defies the tropes. [Grade:] A”—Entertainment Weekly
As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.
A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.
He must live for more.
Praise for Golden Son
“Stirring . . . Comparisons to The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones series are inevitable, for this tale has elements of both.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Brown writes layered, flawed characters . . . but plot is his most breathtaking strength. . . . Every action seems to flow into the next.”—NPR
Don’t miss any of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga:
RED RISING • GOLDEN SON • MORNING STAR • IRON GOLD • DARK AGE • LIGHT BRINGER
Reviews-
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October 13, 2014
Misdirection and chaos mark the twisty second book of Brown’s SF trilogy (after Red Rising), set mostly on a near-future Mars divided between the ruling Golds and the peons called Reds. Red-born Darrow has been recruited by radicals, disguised as one of the elite, and sent to spark a revolution, but Brown makes it clear (often through scenes of mopey self-reflection) that Darrow’s not suited to the task. As a sleeper agent, he is forced to manipulate both friend and foe, a burden described vividly and to great effect. Brown shows everything organically, from the Roman influences on the culture to the exciting potential hidden in both halves of society. Dramatic battles with a real sense of loss, and a final chapter that slams into both Darrow and the reader, make this the rare middle book that loses almost no momentum as it sets up the final installment. -
November 1, 2014
Brown presents the second installment of his epic science-fiction trilogy, and like the first (Red Rising, 2014), it's chock-full of interpersonal tension, class conflict and violence.The opening reintroduces us to Darrow au Andromedus, whose wife, Eo, was killed in the first volume. Also known as the Reaper, Darrow is a lancer in the House of Augustus and is still looking for revenge on the Golds, who are both in control and in the ascendant. The novel opens with a galactic war game, seemingly a simulation, but Darrow's opponent, Karnus au Bellona, makes it very real when he rams Darrow's ship and causes a large number of fatalities. In the main narrative thread, Darrow has infiltrated the Golds and continues to seek ways to subvert their oppressive and dominant culture. The world Brown creates here is both dense and densely populated, with a curious amalgam of the classical, the medieval and the futuristic. Characters with names like Cassius, Pliny, Theodora and Nero coexist-sometimes uneasily-with Daxo, Kavax and Sevro. And the characters inhabit a world with a vaguely medieval social hierarchy yet containing futuristic technology such as gravBoots. Amid the chronological murkiness, one thing is clear-Darrow is an assertive hero claiming as a birthright his obligation to fight against oppression: "For seven hundred years we have been enslaved....We have been kept in darkness. But there will come a day when we walk in the light." Stirring-and archetypal-stuff. Comparisons to The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones series are inevitable, for this tale has elements of both-fantasy, the future and quasi-historicism.COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Starred review from December 1, 2014
The second entry in Brown's trilogy picks up two years after the first, Red Rising (2014), with teenage Darrow, a low-born Red sent to infiltrate the ruling Gold society, securing a position in the household of Augustus, the man who ordered the execution of Darrow's wife. Darrow loses Augustus' favor after a battle against a rival house goes poorly and thus must grapple with a major setback in his plan to overthrow the Gold sovereigns. Facing expulsion from Augustus' house, Darrow is tasked with setting off an explosive at a gala held by the Sons of Ares, the revolutionaries who set Darrow on this path. The mission creates a fair amount of emotional turmoil for Darrow, who, despite himself, has grown close to more than a few members of the elite society, including Mustang, Augustus' spirited, brilliant daughter. Darrow's decision ultimately propels him on a new course, forcing him to wrestle with his identity and what lengths he will go to in order to achieve his goals. The stakes are even higher than they were in Red Rising, and the twists and turns of the story are every bit as exciting. The jaw-dropper of an ending will leave readers hungry for the conclusion to Brown's wholly original, completely thrilling saga.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.) -
August 1, 2014
In Brown's debut, Red Rising, a rigidly hierarchical society on Mars keeps Reds slaving beneath the soil under the pretense that they are building for a life the dominant Golds already enjoy. But a Red named Darrow manages to rebel. The book, a LibraryReads top pick and a New York Times best seller, was quickly snatched up for film. This second in the "Red Rising" trilogy continues Darrow's saga. Buzzing like mad.
Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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Starred review from November 15, 2014
After winning the Institute in Red Rising, Darrow has pinned his star to that of Mars governor Augustus. He continues to work toward the goal with which he started this journey: bring down the society that subjugates his people and empowers a mostly spoiled and vicious ruling class. Darrow still moves undetected among the Golds, having been genetically altered from his Red nature to pass as one of the ruling elite. However, when a rival from a Mars family feuding with House Augustus schemes to bring him down, Darrow will have to take extreme measures to stay near Augustus and keep assisting the Sons of Ares, the rebels working to end the society. VERDICT Moving the story from the tight confines of the Institute actually makes this an even better novel than Brown's breakout debut. The scope of the conflict is larger--it's not a child's game anymore but a real battle for the future of the solar system. Darrow remains a fascinating yet tortured martyr, never able to grab any personal happiness when he knows how much rests on his shoulders. [See Prepub Alert, 7/7/14.]
Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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November 15, 2014
After winning the Institute in Red Rising, Darrow has pinned his star to that of Mars governor Augustus. He continues to work toward the goal with which he started this journey: bring down the society that subjugates his people and empowers a mostly spoiled and vicious ruling class. Darrow still moves undetected among the Golds, having been genetically altered from his Red nature to pass as one of the ruling elite. However, when a rival from a Mars family feuding with House Augustus schemes to bring him down, Darrow will have to take extreme measures to stay near Augustus and keep assisting the Sons of Ares, the rebels working to end the society. VERDICT Moving the story from the tight confines of the Institute actually makes this an even better novel than Brown's breakout debut. The scope of the conflict is larger--it's not a child's game anymore but a real battle for the future of the solar system. Darrow remains a fascinating yet tortured martyr, never able to grab any personal happiness when he knows how much rests on his shoulders. [See Prepub Alert, 7/7/14.]
Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
- Entertainment Weekly "Gripping . . . Both author and lead character have cranked up the emotional stakes. . . . With Golden Son, [Pierce] Brown avoids the sophomore slump, charging the novel with the kind of dystopia-toppling action you'd expect in a trilogy ender, not a middle volume. On virtually every level, this is a sequel that hates sequels--a perfect fit for a hero who already defies the tropes. [Grade:] A"
- Tor.com "It's a far superior sequel, in fact: one of the rare breed of reads that improves upon its predecessor in every conceivable category. . . . In a word, Golden Son is stunning. Never mind how little we've seen of 2015: Among science fiction fans, it should be a shoo-in for book of the year."
- Publishers Weekly "Pierce Brown is a prodigy. As great as the first book of the Red Rising Trilogy is, Golden Son is even better. A wild ride full of suspense, intrigue, and serious ass-kicking bravado, it's expertly written and emotionally engaging, with top-notch universe-building that begs for further exploration. I want more!"--Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Snowblind "The stakes are even higher than they were in Red Rising, and the twists and turns of the story are every bit as exciting. The jaw-dropper of an ending will leave readers hungry for the conclusion to Brown's wholly original, completely thrilling saga."--Booklist (starred review) "Dramatic . . . the rare middle book that loses almost no momentum as it sets up the final installment."
- The Huffington Post "[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown's dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender's Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric."--Entertainment Weekly "[A] top-notch debut novel . . . Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field."--USA Today "Compulsively readable and exceedingly entertaining . . . [a] must for both fans of classic sci-fi and fervent followers of new school dystopian epics."--Examiner.com "A story of vengeance, warfare and the quest for power . . . reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones."--Kirkus Reviews "Fast-paced, gripping, well-written--the sort of book you cannot put down."--Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of The Sword of Shannara "Pierce Brown has done an astounding job at delivering a powerful piece of literature that will definitely make a mark in the minds of readers."
