Golden Son by Pierce Brown

Off the rip, this series still does not pull its punches, and some of those punches go straight for the vitals.

This is a brutal story set in a harsh world with even more ruthless characters than the first book. If you thought Red Rising was intense, buckle up. This sequel said, “Oh you thought that was bad?” and then upped the stakes in every single way.

We jump forward a couple of years into the future, skipping past the rest of Darrow’s time at the academy and dropping straight into the chaos of the real world. And it is brutal. Cruelty, betrayal, manipulation, this book does not let you breathe.

One of my favorite things about this installment is that it doesn’t waste time trying to marinate in the romance subplots. This book is fully committed to the politics, the war, the power plays, and the sheer mess of navigating a system built on control and destruction. Relationships here are transactional. Friendships are complicated. Loyalties are always shifting. And behind every alliance is a knife waiting to be turned.

Now, I’ll say it again, this series gives me big Ender’s Game energy. Just brutal strategy layered with emotional and psychological trauma.

And okay, I have to say it: this is definitely what I call “male-written fantasy.” If you know, you know... It’s not a bad thing, but there’s a noticeable tone shift that comes with it. I tend to prefer the emotional nuance that female authors often bring to the table, but that doesn’t mean this doesn’t absolutely slap. The story and pacing are strong enough to keep me fully invested.

Clearly, I liked the series enough to make it through book two and head straight into book three. So while the writing style may not be my favorite in the broader sense, the story itself is more than worth sticking around for.