Sometimes I grew weary, other times I was spellbound by the scope of the story. This might as well be a Metabarons book wrapped in a Young Adult blanket, for better or for worse.

Lots of things happen without conflict or explanation, then other times there's struggle and overt explanation of this incredibly detailed universe. I honestly can't tell if it's fully original or not, it seems like half fantasy/half sci-fi which is a really hard line to walk.

That being said, I wasn't bored and the last 100 pages or so really kept me going. There's no chance this could be a live action movie, the budget would soar like crazy, but I'd be thrilled to see an animated version of it. I had a bit of a hard time telling all the Golds apart (how many people can be seven feet tall, gorgeous and killers in combat?) so I resorted to looking up a few fan made images and that definitely helped.

I liked it enough to keep going with Book 4, but I don't know if I would necessarily recommend this series. It's fun, really fun. It has teeth and consequences. It's sometimes mindless and breakneck and Darrow seems to know a billion things happening at once, but enjoyable nonetheless. ( )

Oh my gosh!! This book almost gave me several heart attacks in the last 25% of the book. This is the best book I've ever read. ( )

I have never felt this way before about a series… just wow. I literally love everything about this. It genuinely went from calm to insane with some genuinely heartbreaking plottwists. Like literally, parts of this book ripped my heart out. But somehow the ending felt like it was trying to stitch it back together kind of. This was the best ending to a trilogy I have ever read and I don’t think I will be able to forget it anytime soon. Imma read this again whenever I can. Because oh how I wish to give this book 6 stars. ( )

The Conservative Mask Slipped

This book broke me.

I adored Red Rising, looking past the sexism, homophobia, and downplay of the seriousness of sexual assault and torture. This love continued through Golden Son, which continued with alarm bells starting to ring, but the quality of writing and my emotional hook to the characters pulled me through.

I made the mistake of believing there might actually be something to this series and the message the author was trying to get across, but the mask slipped badly here. The sexism and homophobia continued throughout this series, hitting new highs with a confrontation that vaguely implied that noone is out as Queer in the Society without any kind of thought or discussion, the reversal of nostalgia into misogynistic denigration of Eo, and the 'pro-life' discussion of her pregnancy. Revealing a founding member of the Sons of Aeries as an 'ethical' capitalist who soliloquies about how capitalism is the only way for innovation and exploration, without any questioning or exploration is disgusting, false, and propaganda.

I long had concerns about the 'great man' approach of Darrow and authoritarian organisation of the resistance, but him as figurehead and those with the knowledge and skills to lead in the consuming war was one thing, but the utter callousness with which abhorrent decisions are made that effect hundreds of millions of innocent people and the 'acceptable' civilian casualties that are given no emotional weight in a series that has stood out because of the strength of inner conflict and emotion, especially when juxtaposed with the reverence with which a fascist former friend is lovingly laid to rest made me sick.

This book left me uncontrollably sobbing, but not for the right reasons. I cried because a series I had become so invested in and an author I thought I could have at least a little trust in their political message truly showed centre right, liberal conservative hand, disregard for human life, and a seeming lack of understanding of their own characters and their motivations. People and characters can do awful things, but when shown to have emotional intelligence and capability to wrestle with difficult emotions and situations, but when they don't seem to care and the author clearly doesn't care enough to discuss them, that's vile. There's also a difference between being unable to feel and discuss, and just not including it.

I tried to come back and push through that last quarter, but funeral for a fascist and not a thought for those left in bondage and needlessly murdered in what was never addressed to be a monumental atrocity of a war crime left me in tears of rage again.

I had no expectations of this series actually aligning with my anarchist communist leanings, but I didn't expect this to be the literature equivalent of 'soft boys' using progressive language to manipulate and abuse, but honestly that's what this is.

I'm beyond disappointed. ( )

And on it goes. The exciting, but unbelievable final battle scene has put an end to the evil empress! However, what does the hero do now that everything has been destroyed? A few pages of winning the girl, but living happily ever after is not to be. I, however, can no longer accompanying him on his journey. I admit, I read these books quickly, but I feel guilty about it. Of course, if you like to binge on the Marvel universe, they might be what you are looking for. I prefer Dune. ( )