New Release Review | Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
Red Rising #4
Science Fiction
Del Rey Books | January 16, 2018

About the Book: They call him father, liberator, warlord, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls toward the pale blue planet, his armor red, his army vast, his heart heavy. It is the tenth year of war and the thirty-second of his life.

A decade ago, Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. But the Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk everything he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself?

And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever:

A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp and achieves for herself a new life she could never have imagined.

An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life.

And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

I can tell you right now, this is going to be impossible to review. Everything I noted to talk about is a spoiler! Everything. So, instead I’m going to talk about the range of emotions I went through while reading Iron Gold. (If anyone who’s read this wants to hear my rant, go ahead and email me. I’ve got a lot to say.)

Maybe it sounds like I was unhappy with Iron Gold; like my anger is about the book or writing. It’s not. The range of emotions I went through is a testament to the writing of Pierce Brown, honestly. When you are so wrecked over a story it gives you insomnia, you know you’ve got something brilliant in your hands. That’s exactly what reading Iron Gold made me feel. Wrecked. I was full of excitement, because I’m back with Darrow and Sevro, but I was filled with so much anger at the same time. Choices were made that got me so upset I put the book down for a whole day, just to brood about it. I was totally spun.

Then, the new characters were just as interesting. Of course we’re all initially reading for more of Darrow and Sevro, and obviously they were my favorite to read, but I was just as captivated by Lyria. I think she was my second favorite POV. I even liked reading about Lysander and Cassius. I’d already forgiven Cassius, but in Iron Gold I only loved him more. He may be my newest favorite character. Character redemption will always be one of my favorite tropes. I was also surprised by how much I loved Kravax. I feel like in the first trilogy we were left with good feelings, but his actions in Iron Gold really cemented him as truly one of the good ones, whereas I’m not sure how I feel about Victra overall.

So much goodness, guys. I feel like I search for those books that steal your mind from you. The ones where even after you put them away you’re just replaying scenes in your head, or imagining future arguments, because you’re so consumed you can’t think of anything else. That’s what you get when you read Iron Gold. You get hijacked.