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rubyroses's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I’m screwed… I already rated the first book in the series 5 stars… After reading Golden Son I think I’m going to need more stars. This book truly captured my heart and broke it in two.
Unlike the first novel in the series (Red Rising) which focused on a Hunger Games inspired battle arena this novel expands into a galactic civil war. If you enjoyed Enders Game but would have liked more violence this is for you. Not to mention the amount of twist and turns you will never see coming is chefs kiss.
Pierce Brown does well to make even the characters who are evil seem compassionate. In return he also makes the characters you believe to be good grotesquely dark and twisted. In this book you’ll never know who is going to stab Darrow in the back or be his saviour.
But… at least you can always put your faith in Darrow & Servo. Darrow is a man born Red & made Gold but Servo… Servo is a man of two colours. If anything bad happens to Servo in this series I will throw a fit.
Unlike the first novel in the series (Red Rising) which focused on a Hunger Games inspired battle arena this novel expands into a galactic civil war. If you enjoyed Enders Game but would have liked more violence this is for you. Not to mention the amount of twist and turns you will never see coming is chefs kiss.
Pierce Brown does well to make even the characters who are evil seem compassionate. In return he also makes the characters you believe to be good grotesquely dark and twisted. In this book you’ll never know who is going to stab Darrow in the back or be his saviour.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
josiah17's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Pierce Brown...what a ride. I'm really starting to enjoy the first person perspective because of how well Brown writes in Darrow's voice. Something about the prose, which I find to be super consice yet insanely profound, just makes this narrative so digestible.
This book just an insane step up from the first book, which was already a solid entry. Brown just took more time with the right scenes and so much happened. My only critique is the action sometimes feels lacking in setting description, but that's minor and does not hinder the reading experience for Golden Son whatsoever. Best read so far this year.
Edit 11/25/23: Bumping down to a 4.5 I think.
This book just an insane step up from the first book, which was already a solid entry. Brown just took more time with the right scenes and so much happened. My only critique is the action sometimes feels lacking in setting description, but that's minor and does not hinder the reading experience for Golden Son whatsoever. Best read so far this year.
Edit 11/25/23: Bumping down to a 4.5 I think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cannibalism
joshoonet's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
- I had a bit if a hard time getting into this book, mostly because the feeling of having to read another ~1200 pages to finish the series was kind of daunting
- But then I ended up finishing the majority of the book in one day, so it was absolutely captivating!
- Almost as good as the first one, but of course higher stakes and more complicated politics
- Lost focus a bit during the big fighting bits
- Love how nothing is ever quite how it seems, everyone is scheming all the time
- Starting the third book immediately!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Genocide, Torture, and Excrement
War and pretty much all the violent and gory stuff:bibliorama's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Enjoyment - 5
Ah the part where shit hits the fan. My favorite!
Also I'd like to preface this by saying the terror that these Golds cause, while entertaining to me in book form, does not mean I want real life politics to emulate it in the slightest (even though I think sometimes it does to our detriment).
Start - 4.5
Once the book gets going, it doesn't stop. It's full steam ahead.
Characters - 5
Faves are still my faves (Sevro and Virginia looking straight at you). Though some new dynamics were introduced that by the end caused some major heartbreak and backstabbyness.
These are some of the most chaotic characters I have ever read, like every intrusive thought wins out. The theatrics of this book are also top tier and its politics are such a show. This book has one of my all-time favorite scenes being where Darrow challenges Cassius to a duel in the most dramatic fashion. It serves a political purpose while also being satisfying to see a character not half ass anything, he just takes it there.
Best quote: “My honour has been pissed upon. And I demand satisfaction.”
Atmosphere - 5
We get a lot more of the world in this book and more of the Sci Fi elements which were fun.
Plot - 4
Again, is it plot or is it vibes? It's very much just characters doing the absolute most and then having to deal with the consequences of their own actions. This creates a fascinating journey to watch go down, and man that ending was . . . the worst in the best way.
Ending - 5
Everything culminates to that ending and I'm not entirely sure how Darrow gets himself out of this one. There are betrayals where some I could see coming, but they still hurt. The characters are the stars of the show being complex, messy, and endearing.
and dammit I second guessed Virginia again. She's my literal fave and yet there's the feeling that her and Darrow are going to have a tragic end.
Style - 3
Writing is good, it has to be for me to connect as much as I did to the characters.
Overall - 4.5
After finishing this review, I want to go pick up the third one now. I've waited long enough.
Ah the part where shit hits the fan. My favorite!
Also I'd like to preface this by saying the terror that these Golds cause, while entertaining to me in book form, does not mean I want real life politics to emulate it in the slightest (even though I think sometimes it does to our detriment).
Start - 4.5
Once the book gets going, it doesn't stop. It's full steam ahead.
Characters - 5
Faves are still my faves (Sevro and Virginia looking straight at you). Though some new dynamics were introduced that by the end caused some major heartbreak and backstabbyness.
These are some of the most chaotic characters I have ever read, like every intrusive thought wins out. The theatrics of this book are also top tier and its politics are such a show. This book has one of my all-time favorite scenes being where Darrow challenges Cassius to a duel in the most dramatic fashion. It serves a political purpose while also being satisfying to see a character not half ass anything, he just takes it there.
Best quote: “My honour has been pissed upon. And I demand satisfaction.”
Atmosphere - 5
We get a lot more of the world in this book and more of the Sci Fi elements which were fun.
Plot - 4
Again, is it plot or is it vibes? It's very much just characters doing the absolute most and then having to deal with the consequences of their own actions. This creates a fascinating journey to watch go down, and man that ending was . . . the worst in the best way.
Ending - 5
Everything culminates to that ending and I'm not entirely sure how Darrow gets himself out of this one. There are betrayals where some I could see coming, but they still hurt. The characters are the stars of the show being complex, messy, and endearing.
Style - 3
Writing is good, it has to be for me to connect as much as I did to the characters.
Overall - 4.5
After finishing this review, I want to go pick up the third one now. I've waited long enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
nicoledelairs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
*Listened to the Audiobook narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Misogyny, Cannibalism, and Toxic friendship
cami_stokes3859's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Warfare, increased violence, character development, science fiction
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
berglindsh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, War, and Classism
lilylaflair's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Torture
bookwisp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is another excellent, bloody and brutal entry into the series.
Having survived the brutal war games of the Academy, Darrow is launched into Gold society. Here he must survive and negotiate planetary politics, blood feuds and shifting agendas to further his own revolutionary designs.
I wondered how the scope of the story would change following Red Rising and Brown did not disappoint. Gold politics are integral to Golden Son and it’s impossible for these sections to be dry, on account of all the bloodshed. If you’re not into fictional politics, you might struggle with this book but, to be honest, there’s probably enough action to carry you through even if that’s not your exact cup of tea. This book is packed with combat ranging from one-on-one duels to interstellar warfare. And, if that’s not enough, Ares is unmasked in this book; a reveal I found to be narratively satisfying.
The cast of characters is, quite literally, colourful: Ragnar, an Obsidian, Orion, a Blue, and Theodora, a Pink, were my favourite additions. As before, friendship, trust, and loyalty stay on as key themes. As an aside, I do wish Mustang had been more developed in this second outing. Her character absolutely has potential, but I thought she was criminally under-used in this novel.
Epic Fantasy is a recognised sub-genre – with Golden Son, I’d be able to make a pretty strong case for this series being Epic Sci-Fi. This book is very much about building the legend of the Reaper and, after THAT ending, I’m deeply intrigued to see how the legend unfurls.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Rape and Torture
laguerrelewis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
All your favorite (surviving) characters from the last book + a few new faces move to battle in space with this installment. The political intricacies, violence, and undercurrent of revolution are all still present in mostly the same ways, but now instead of the Institute, Darrow and his allies have entered the actual society. While there was a lot that I liked that carried over, there was also a lot that I didn’t like. The writing style of these books makes it hard for me to truly get into them. Pretentiousness with little substance, undercutting the few moments where it’s actually fitting. I especially don’t like how women are discussed—this book is incredibly horny, which is distracting, off-putting, and hurts the female characters. If you can get past all that the action is great, the build is pretty engaging, and this book at least meets the level of its predecessor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail