Golden Son - Pierce Brown

⭐ 8.0/10

(Originally written by Tim)

In some ways I liked the sequel to Red Rising more than the first, and in other ways it is less memorable. I love that it starts with a huge time jump, and I have come to find that time jumps as a story telling device really work for me. We don't go through all the mundane stuff that has happened, but see Darrow as an evolved character.

The downside to that is that the story still does this annoying this that I complained about last time. It is told in the first person, but Darrow often has knowledge we don't, and let's us know about it at many crucial points so that he can pull a rabbit out of a hat. I find it very frustrating, since we are really inside the characters head but then get betrayed by him when we find out he's keeping things from us.

Still, this book had a wild ride of a last 100 pages, with some crazy reveals and epic battles. Betrayal! Heartbreak! Reunions! Also, this series never lacks for constant action. Although not always the easiest to follow, and sometimes tough to comprehend the scale, Brown is really good at writing exciting and descriptive battles, leaving the perfect amount up to your imagination by not over-explaining. I also love the pace of his books, not bogging us down with chapters of philosophizing, and being a bit more subtle when making his points.

Overall, I think I liked this more than the first, but the first has that easy to relate plot that makes it easier to follow and remember. This 2nd installment does a good job building the world and setting the stage for an uphill battle in the third.