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    Iron Gold
    Iron Gold
    Iron Gold
    Audiobook23 hours

    Iron Gold

    Written by Pierce Brown

    Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, John Curless, Julian Elfer and Aedin Moloney

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Honor and betrayal fuel a caste-shattering revolution in the action-packed new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Rising Trilogy. Ten years after the events of Morning Star, Darrow and the Rising are battling the remaining Gold loyalist forces and are closer than ever to abolishing the color-coded caste system of Society for good. But new foes will emerge from the shadows to threaten the imperfect victory Darrow and his friends have earned. Pierce Brown expands the size and scope of his impressive Red Rising universe with new characters, enemies, and conflicts among the stars.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJan 16, 2018
    ISBN9781501959790
    Iron Gold

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    Reviews for Iron Gold

    4.5/5

    682 ratings28 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 5/5
      Absolutely addicting! I was completely taken with characters and the plot.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book is a begining of a new story. More characters we get to know, more stories from different points of view. It gets more complicated as Daro gets older and wiser. We grow with him too.
    • 5/5
      The actor that did Lyria was magnificent. Apparently an unpopular opinion. Yes it getting used to in the beginning. I’ve listened to this book 4-5 times by now. She does the emotions and tones of others very good. Especially the reds from mars she encounters. Sorry small spoiler.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book as much as I did when I first read it. The narrators were magnificent. Now let's go for the next one!
    • 5/5
      Bloodydamn amazing! This series has kept me on my feet for years! This book is no different. Pierce Brown is a genius.
    • 5/5
      Bloodydamn brilliant. Pierce Brown is a magnificent talent and needs to be read by all.
    • 5/5
      Great!
      It's no necessity that a sequel to a finished trilogy lives up to its predecessors.
      This one does or comes at least close trying out new characters and various storylines.
      The narrative is not as focused as it was in the original trilogy but in exchange it is more diverse.
      As it was with red rising we had a slow start but now I'm very interested and looking forward to seeing how it all turns out!
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this book, however, it is not as compelling as the original series. It is a good continuance of their story though.
    • 5/5
      Continued excellence in the development of the story and characters including new characters that I anticipate learning more about with the next two books. Can’t wait!

    • 5/5
      Loved it. Can't wait for the next one.
    • 5/5
      I love this series and this sequel to the trilogy is just as good if not better.
    • 5/5
      I am so glad this sequel series is being written, showing that the ending we saw at the end of Morning Star isn't the happy ending we thought it was after all. This is a grim, dark story that shows the flaws in every character. And I love it for that. I can't help but love and root for Darrow, but we see here all his flaws in gory detail. It's a lesson in knowing that harm can come from even the best intentions. And that it is all about perspective. There is no good or evil, there is only the conquered and the conquerors. Each side always thinks they are in the right. There is no right. But death begets death begets death. It is a vicious cycle. This book brings to mind for me the question of morality. If you kill a million people to save seven billion more, are you considered a savior or a murderer? What kind of person do you become when you have to make decisions like that. I fear what Darrow is becoming, and yet I still want him to be validated. For it to all come together in the end and show that what he did, what he's become was worth it in the end to bring peace. But I'm not sure if I believe it will end that way. Because of that, this a must read - start with Red Rising obviously. This is a book that hits you hard in the heart and will stick with you for a long time. I can not wait to see what happens this fall.
    • 5/5
      Addition of new character perspectives was refreshing. The series definitely explores new ground in this new trilogy and gives us insight into the consequences of Darrow and the Rising's actions during the first trilogy and allows us to question Darrow's decision making and the drawbacks of Democracy and revolution. Really looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.
    • 5/5
      What can I say, other than so not start the series with this book. You will be lost. But having fawned over the last three books, I was ready and enthusiastically engulfed with this book. What’s new is the Multi-POV, which has three storylines that will soon be meshed into one huge plot. I loved the last few chapters, but Legolas is my favorite character - LOVE HER !!
    • 5/5
      Outstanding follow-up to a great trilogy. Convincing character development and a compelling continuation of the original story. Break the chains!
    • 2/5
      on the plus side it gave the point of view of the Society where earlier books were all about the rising. on the negative side the telling of the tale was depressing and unrealistic. almost all the characters spent their time being melodramatic with occasional thoughts of suicide. I mean Tibbets and Sweeney got on with their life, why can't our melodramatic cast?
      in other news sulfurs melting point is 115c not -115, and hair probably can't freeze.
      Lysander had an interesting moment.
    • 3/5
      The main characters from season 1 spend most of this book whining and crying. The new ones are interesting and give a different dimension to the story but don't inspire. It landed flat compared to the previous books. I may read the next for completion sake.
    • 5/5
      What can I say, other than so not start the series with this book. You will be lost. But having fawned over the last three books, I was ready and enthusiastically engulfed with this book. What’s new is the Multi-POV, which has three storylines that will soon be meshed into one huge plot. I loved the last few chapters, but Legolas is my favorite character - LOVE HER !!
    • 4/5
      This is the 4th book in the Red Rising series, a story that seemed quite finished after the original trilogy. But of course all histories continue, even after successful revolutions, so I guess there's no reason not to revisit this universe.And Pierce Brown doesn't shrink from the likely results of his story 10 years later: Darrow has continued to fight the war, which wasn't actually over with the defeat and death of the Sovereign and her henchmen and women. Many powerful Golds remain, in the Core on Venus that has yet to be conquered, and also in the Rim where there is a truce.The story is very complex, with lots of characters- too many actually. One problem with continuing the story in a plausible way is that the story gets bigger and bigger- this feels realistic to me, but confusing for the story. We follow Darrow, who is on the run from his own government (led by his own wife!) after committing war crimes in his assault on Mercury. He is hatching a plan to finish the war despite the opposition of the peaceniks of the Republic who want to sue for peace. Separately, we have the old Sovereign's grandson Lysander, who is wandering the asteroid belt with Cassius for some reason, and gets embroiled in a political coup in the Rim. A third thread follows Lyria, a young Red woman fleeing Mars after her family is massacred, under the protection of the Telamanus family. Finally, a fourth thread follows Ephraim, a Brown thief who is forced to plan an operation for a powerful crime syndicate that will impact the other stories.It's a lot to take in. There are new characters, old characters, and minor characters from earlier books who are now major- it's too much going on.But the action remains good, and the writing style remains riveting- a page turner.
    • 4/5
      There is one question that haunts this novel: what happens to a man after he's become a legend?

      This is a novel about the death of a hero.

      Okay so. Don't get me wrong. This is a great book, but it is nothing compared to the ones that came before. I find the story gets weaker with each book Brown writes, but there's so much potential here. It's quite possible that the story to come is going to be even better than the one that proceeded... if the cards are played right.

      I'm amazed at how cliched elements are turned around and used in ways that make them feel surprising and fresh. Most of the twists are things I saw coming, or could imagine happening in a political scifi story like this one, yet when they happen, I feel like the ground is shaking beneath me. The story is a good one, but it's mellow and kind of slow. I didn't feel the urgency, or the desire to continue reading that I felt for the other books. There was no "oh my god, I have to read the last 100 pages all at once" feeling because even the ending feels slow. Yet, you can see the tensions building and you KNOW the story is only just getting started.

      I liked the new characters but I found the multiple perspectives took away from the story: with such a slow plot, I had already forgotten what X character was up to by the time we returned to their chapter again. However, I loved loved LOVED how each of these characters hated or had lost faith in The Reaper for their own personal reasons... Darrow included.

      Darrow in this book is different because this is the story of a man who is torn between the man he wants to be, and the man he is. That is the true conflict of the story, and its a conflict the other characters feel the effects of. By the end, you might hate Darrow a little bit, but only because you realize that his ending was really a return to his beginning.

      This is the story of a death of a man.
    • 5/5
      I hardly know where to begin. Brown switches from the single first person POV he used in the original trilogy, to four POV narrators. This gives a much wider scope to the story. There are some great new characters and I am very grateful to Brown for not indiscriminately killing off original characters just for the heck of it (a la GRRM). Yes, there’s a body count, and it’s high. However, the deaths we do see make sense, even though they may be painful.I spent most of the book with my heart in my throat, nervous and nauseated. The ending left me frustrated with Darrow, crying, and inches from tossing my book across the room. This seems to be Brown’s preferred method of ending, so I’m not surprised. I expect to be equally horrified and traumatized by Dark Age and can only hope that the third book of this second trilogy has as much hope at the end of it as Morning Star.
    • 5/5
      You know when you read a book that's so good you do one of two things, devour it in one sitting or try to pace yourself because you already cannot stand the thought of it ending? I was the latter. Ever since I read Pierce Brown's first book "Red Rising" I have been obsessed with this series. I think it may have actually taken the place of my first science fiction love, "Dune" by Frank Herbert. This man is an absolute poet with the way he uses words. I would get this feeling in my chest of pure emotion that made me feel as if I were to burst out cheering or crying. Needless to say, I loved this book. I literally screeched at work when I got the email that I got an ARC of "Iron Gold", and I work in a public library ;)This story takes up 10 years into the rebellion and Darrow and the remnants of his Howlers have gone against the wishes of the government led by his wife Mustang in a last attempt to end the battle that has raged for years. The story is also told from the point of view of three other characters. One is a new character, a young girl by the name of Lyria. Her family has been rescued from the mines of Mars only to live in a refugee camp forgotten by their saviors. Ephraim, survivor of the original rising, he makes his way through life as a smuggler but will he get drawn into something far bigger than he can imagine? And lastly, Lysander, the heir to the throne of the empire. His grandmother was Octavia au Lune, the Sovereign of the Society. He has been hiding from his birthright but his past may have caught up him anyways.This book was, as I knew it would be, incredible. I still recommend the Red Rising Trilogy to anyone not fortunate enough to have read them. It will definitely be part of my all time favorite book series.
    • 4/5
      Ten years after the Red Rising trilogy plot ends, this new book revisit our old friends. This time we see the story unfold from four POVs; a red named Lyria, gold heir to the throne Lysander, Holliday’s brother-in-law Ephraim, and of course Darrow. The novel tackles the impact war has on everyone from the soldiers who fight it to the orphaned children it leaves behind. It was bleak, but good. “I suppose that is what every man must tell himself in war. That there will be an end, and when it is done, enough of himself will remain. Enough to be a father. A brother. A lover. But we know it isn’t true. Don’t we, Darrow? War eats the victors last.”“I know it may be impossible to believe now, when everything is dark and broken, but you will survive this pain, little one. Pain is a memory. You will live and you will struggle and you will find joy.”
    • 5/5
      I LOVE this series. It is the perfect epic fantasy series with flawed heroes placed in impossibly difficult situations. I recommend this to anyone who loves spectacular epic struggles with sacrifice, honor, treachery all mixed in. Can't wait for the next book!
    • 4/5
      Note: Some spoilers for the Red Rising trilogyIron Gold is a new trilogy that follows the story of Pierce Brown’s immensely popular and appealing Red Rising trilogy, picking up ten years later. The first trilogy began with Red Rising and continued with Golden Son followed by Morning Star. The main premise was the existence of a solar-system-wide hegemony of one race (the “Golds”) based on a scaffolding of lies promulgated through propaganda and socialization; the use of violence; and the cultivation of prejudice and internecine conflict among the lower orders. But one man, hand-picked to lead a revolution from below, determined to tear that scaffolding down. That man is Darrow, who has come to be known throughout the solar system as The Reaper.Darrow’s goal wasn’t just to tear down the corrupt ruling autocrats. An idealist, he had a vision of a better world, and a belief that people just want to be valued and not feel alone in the world. Some people responded to his message with hope, but others were too jaded, greedy for wealth or power, or evil. Darrow attempted to keep to the high ground, but when this new story begins, Darrow himself has become corrupted.The war for power in the Solar System has continued with the forces for change and equality battling those who want to restore the old order. Some 200 million lives have been lost so far. This is twice the number killed by the casualties caused when the Golds established their rule. But the conflict continues.There are three new narrators in this book besides Darrow, now 33. They provide new lenses through which to view Darrow and the Republic he helped to establish.Lyria, 18, is a Red from Mars who is disillusioned by the supposed liberation. She and her family eke out the bare bones of existence in a “Gamma” refugee camp. Yes, they were rescued from a life of slavery, but then they were abandoned by the Republic. The Red Hand, a terrorist marauder group, has a vendetta against the previously privileged (by relative standards) Gammas, and Lyria and her blind nephew Liam are the only ones to escape alive from a Red Hand attack. The forces of the Republic finally arrive to help, albeit a little too late for almost everybody. But because Lyria saves the life of Gold, Kavax au Telemanus, during the rescue, he accedes to her request to take her and Liam off the planet and back with him to the moon.Ephraim, 46, is a freelancer in the capital city who, along with a small team, performs heists on contract. He was previously romantically involved with a man from the original trilogy who was killed, so he avoids any “legitimate work” with the Republic because it is too painful for him to be part of the world of his former lover. But unfortunately, Ephraim and his team are a bit too successful at crime, and are coerced into participating into “the heist of the century.” It goes against everything Ephraim believes in, but his life, and the lives of his team, are on the line.Lysander au Lune, 20, is the grandson of the former Sovereign Octavia. He was groomed by Octavia to be her successor. During Octavia’s overthrow, Lysander was rescued from slaughter by Cassius au Bellona, although Cassius is also the one who killed Octavia. With mixed emotions, Lysander now regards him as his teacher and protector. The two travel through the “backwater” of the galaxy helping those who need it. It is the way Cassius is trying to get redemption.Now that he is older, Lysander feels he has “outgrown” Cassius, finding Cassius hypocritically sanctimonious. Furthermore, he retains the racist feeling of Gold superiority and the desire for revenge against Darrow for taking away his grandmother’s power. In his arrogance, he envisions himself as one day being a leader that Cassius would follow, rather than the reverse.Lysander must have been reading the Dune series at one point, because he often needs to invoke the litany against fear taught to him by his grandmother. In Dune, Paul Atreides often recited the litany his mother taught him:"I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.I will face my fear.I will permit it to pass over me and through me.And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”Lysander uses a similar mantra:"Do not let fear touch you.Fear is the torrent.The raging river.To fight it is to break and drown.But to stand astride is to see it, feel it, and use its course for your own whims.”And Lysander in fact has plenty to fear when he and Cassius are captured by hostile forces out in the Rim. Both Lysander and Cassius need to conceal their identities, but they inadvertently get caught in the middle of a power struggle in which exposure is probable. Lysander has his head turned by the daughter of the rulers, and moreover repeatedly ignores Cassius’s advice about how to handle the situation. [He seems not to notice that he keeps saying to himself “Cassius is right, yet again.”] In spite of being wrong over and over again, he never lets go of his high opinion of himself. Lysander is young, but thinks he knows everything. Meanwhile, Darrow is barely home from previous battles when he tells his wife and son Pax he has to leave again. Venus still is controlled by “the Ash Lord,” and Darrow fears they won’t be safe until the Ash Lord is destroyed. The Senate, more interested in peace, tries to stop him. Darrow escapes, but in the process, he kills his friend, a hero of the Republic. Darrow is now considered a villain, by no one more than he himself. Further, because he has left his son again, he also feels like a bad father, not to mention a bad husband. But he is convinced he is doing the right thing.Discussion: The characters of this new trilogy are full of faults. The “good guys” think nothing of raining down death and destruction in pursuit of the goal of “peace.” Darrow seems incapable of gauging reality anymore, as his cohort Sevro says:“Well, slag me sideways. You really are drunk on your own myth, aren’t you? . . . You think you’re a god. You can’t die.”Darrow learns just how right Sevro is, and how disastrous his own hubris has been for everyone. His response to this epiphany is perhaps quintessential Darrow.Note: The Red Rising trilogy was completed two years ago. Those books were best read one right after another because of the large dramatis personae and the changing alliances among all of the parties. This new series has an abbreviated list of characters at the beginning, but if you can’t remember the first trilogy well, you will still be at sea a great deal of the time. I regretted not rereading the whole first series before tackling this new book. I would not recommend starting it without reading or rereading the Red Rising trilogy first.Evaluation: This fantasy series features all the great and timeless epic themes of war, power, fear, hope, family, loyalty. The heroes of the first books have acquired warts, but fans of the first trilogy will find this to be essential reading.
    • 4/5
      Life isn't so simple anymore for Darrow anymore. He has new responsibilities and peace isn't as easy as he thinks it would be. This new series set in in the aftermath of the Red Rising trilogy follows Darrow and three other protagonist as they try to navigate the new world. The writing is great as usual, although much less action and more politics. Pierce Brown seems to have knack for tension, which really shines in this book, but makes the slow parts feel more slow. Seeing the world through three other POVs is nice and refreshing at times. It is difficult though with having different narrators for each voice as I have become use to certain characters portrayal by Tim Gerard Reynolds. Overall a great book, but not as good as the original Red Rising. I'm excited to be back in this world though!
    • 5/5
      I...
      I can't even gather my thoughts right now

      Review:
      If you thought Golden Son and Morning Star were heartbreaking, then buckle up boyo, you're in for one hell of a ride with Iron Gold!

      Iron Gold is set 10 years after the end of Morning Star, we get to see the aftermath of the Rising.
      The story is told from 4 points of view;

      Darrow of Lykos (Reaper): The once hero and savior of the world is now viewed as a devil. Those he once called his friends are now conspiring against him. Those who once cherished him are now rioting against him.
      The boy who saved the world, is now viewed as its breaker. . .


      Lyria of Lagalos: a low Red from the mines of Lagalos, The Republic pulled her and her family out of the mines and put them in a camp, promising them a better future. 10 years later, she is still in the camp and is suffering the rejection and hatred of her own color because she was a Gamma.

      Ephiraim Ti Horn: Remember Trigg? No? He was Holliday's brother who helped break Darrow out of The Jackal's claws.
      Ephiraim is a gray, the husband of the late Trigg Ti Nakamura, once a son of Ares, now a criminal.

      Lysander Au Lune: The grandson of Lorn Au Arcos and the previous sovereign Octavia Au Lune. Barely over 10 when his grandmother was murdered by The Rising, young Lysander was taken care of by Cassius Au Bellona, and is now a 20 years old young man, travelling the galaxy with his mentor and brother, Cassius.


      This book was one hell of a ride! I was kinda dreading the whole idea of having 4 points of views, but I must admit, it was amazing!
      It was so bloodydamn well written as usual, and of course it was heartbreaking.
      At this point it's like, if you don't cry at least four times you can't really call it a Pierce Brown book.

      I loved the dynamic of the world, and how those four characters which were so different from each other made sense and their stories somehow collided (or are about to collide) .

      It was really amazing to see how Pierce took this world that he built throughout three books, and just destroyed it only to build it again. I takes a lot for an author to write about flaws in what was the ultimate goal in his first 3 books, and this says a lot about how much of a great author he is.

      It is really hard for me to review books I adore so I'm just gonna say
      If you haven't read this series yet what on earth are you doing with your life???
      GO READ IT NOW.


      I refuse to believe that Cassius is dead.
      Unless we get an actual body, he is still alive and no one -not even Pierce himself- can convince me otherwise.

      One more thing:

      PAX AU TELEMANUS!
    • 4/5
      I am always worried when I pick up a sequel to a beloved series. Worried I might be disappointed or that something terrible could happen to some of my favourite fictional characters.Halfway through Iron Gold a certain disappointment did start to seep through. I felt like I wasn't connecting with the book and the characters. Thankfully, the second half of the book grabbed me and by the end I was excited to read more.A similar thing happened with Red Rising. I liked it but didn't love it, and then...Golden Son blew my mind.Iron Gold takes place ten years after Red Rising and is told from the point of view of four characters and not just Darrow like Red Rising. At first I didn't really care much for the other characters, and because the first half is mostly set-up and moves considerably slower than the second half it wasn't until much later that I discovered that I was suddenly attached to everyone.Pierce Brown's writing is elegant. He excels at fast-paced action scenes and can really crush your heart with emotional moments.If you liked the Red Rising series don't hesitate and give this one a try.