murrayscottferguson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Kidnapping
samuelbrown23's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This definitely surpass the Red Rising, there were so many tense moments and pure entertainment scene from both Darrow and Servor. I do like how the author have made character development for Tatutis, Mustang and Darrow. I would recommend continuing reading this series, I spent every day reading it and wanting not to put it down.
My top 3 moment are:
1. Darrow fitting with cassius, like the reveal of how Darrow knew how to fight. The sovereign making political decision mistake which led to spark for civil war created by Darrow.
2.Darrow showing mustang whom he is, while visiting his mom for the first time again. This whole scene felt like huge stupid part on for him, at the same time how to remind you whom he is as person. I could have sworn that Ragnar would have killed Mustang but instead just show more emotion of humanity.
3. The betrayal scene, thinking everything was perhaps good but keep tense in the air. Really like how munch foreshadowing of Roque will betrayed Darrow, like not keep him close or multiple time you see him only concern for gold
My top 3 moment are:
1. Darrow fitting with cassius, like the reveal of how Darrow knew how to fight. The sovereign making political decision mistake which led to spark for civil war created by Darrow.
2.Darrow showing mustang whom he is, while visiting his mom for the first time again. This whole scene felt like huge stupid part on for him, at the same time how to remind you whom he is as person. I could have sworn that Ragnar would have killed Mustang but instead just show more emotion of humanity.
3. The betrayal scene, thinking everything was perhaps good but keep tense in the air. Really like how munch foreshadowing of Roque will betrayed Darrow, like not keep him close or multiple time you see him only concern for gold
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Violence, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Slavery
haley49's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
…I’m traumatized with that ending. What
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, War, Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Child death, Cursing, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery, Colonisation, Trafficking, Blood, Body horror, Vomit, Child abuse, Genocide, Torture, Classism, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
Minor: Cannibalism and Rape
ohyeah_karyn's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, Cursing, Murder, Suicide, Slavery, Classism, Death of parent, Body horror, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, and War
lilibethh'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
it’s not a full 5 🌟 bc I don’t fuck with space battles…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Violence, War, Cursing, Death, and Gore
chinburgmitch's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Rape
praaliine's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
where do i even start? golden son was really something, only one other book (series) has ever put me through an emotional wringer like this. every little detail in this book was worth paying attention to because pierce brown leaves no stone unturned. this was in no way a senseless science fiction, it really explored the tragedy of human nature and the relationships developed in this book were the most profound and complex i’ve ever read. there’s a big cast of characters and not one was irrelevant, pierce brown breathed so much life into the supporting characters that i cried at their pain. I could go on all day about every single character, but i’ll stop here. it took me longer than i would have liked to finish the book, but that’s on me because i’m pushing through a slump. golden son was epic, i’ll always recommend it.
Spoiler
i really love how Darrow, as hot headed as he was (rightfully so), remained self aware through it all, he’s broken, confused, (stupid)ly brave and gets ahead of himself way too much, yet he realizes this and isn’t afraid to say so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Medical trauma, and Vomit
Minor: Alcohol
cmjohnson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
oh man. though i was a little bored in the first few chapters, it quickly sucked me in. i liked the change of pace and how we didn’t feel as stuck in one place like we did in the second. a whole lot more violence here too 😅 some critique is that i feel like darrow sometimes repeats himself too much and i feel a bit hit over the head with all the eo and “this is my past” stuff.
Spoiler
i saw the jackal and roque’s betrayal coming from a mile away, but the end was still shocking with just how many people (critical characters nonetheless) died. still curious as to how they found out that darrow was red, and i wonder how this can all proceed now that his secret is out and so many are dead… can’t believe there’s three more books 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, War, and Gore
Minor: Homophobia
zephyrscape's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Now, I have no problem with sad books. I have absolutely enjoyed being wrecked by books before. But in order for that to happen for me, there needs to be enough happy or heartwarming or moving material between the sad parts for me to actually build up an attachment to characters. And in Golden Son, the vast majority of those sorts of moments between sad events are instead subbed out for action sequences where Darrow is angsting over his choices and the world he lives in. Maybe this will work for you if you get a thrill from battle sequences. But it didn't work for me. It left me with a sour taste in my mouth as the book hammered me again and again and again with things that I think were meant to shock and upset me, but only ended up annoying me. I kept internally snapping, "I *know* we can't have nice things, you've already said as much several times!"
The stars I'm giving this book are for the quality of the prose, which is admittedly quite good, and also for fleshing out some of the story's female characters in a way that I felt was missing in book one, which I did appreciate. But I finished this book without the enjoyment of a new idea to chew on and in a markedly worse mood than when I started it.
The stars I'm giving this book are for the quality of the prose, which is admittedly quite good, and also for fleshing out some of the story's female characters in a way that I felt was missing in book one, which I did appreciate. But I finished this book without the enjoyment of a new idea to chew on and in a markedly worse mood than when I started it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Vomit, Violence, and War
Minor: Torture
luxxltyd's review
adventurous
challenging
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Grief, Blood, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Child death and Sexual content