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Golden Son

Pierce Brown

Ages 14–18

Readers rate it 4.5 (2.9K on Hardcover)

508 pages · Released Jan 6, 2015

Content report card

What's inside

High confidence

LGBTQ+ themes

What it offers

A note for parents

Golden Son is a dark, fast-paced dystopian sequel featuring significant violence, moral complexity, and heavy themes of war, betrayal, and revenge. While it explores positive values like love, justice, and sacrifice, the mature content—including combat deaths, strategic brutality, and emotional trauma—makes it better suited for older teens than younger readers. The book rewards critical thinking about systemic oppression and personal ethics, but parents should know this is gritty YA that doesn't shy away from consequences.

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From the publisher

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR, BUZZFEED, AND BOOKLIST • “Gripping . . . O... NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom. 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

Shelved under

  • Fiction
  • Strong Character Development
  • A mix driven
  • Diverse Characters
  • Loveable Characters
  • Unloveable Characters
  • Not Diverse Characters
  • Weak Character Development
  • Plot driven
  • Character driven
  • audiobook
  • Adventurous

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ISBN 9780345539823 · Del Rey