Golden Son

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.

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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.

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.

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.