This type of reflection and character growth had to happen at some point in the books, it definitely would not have worked to have Darrow suddenly grow off-screen, but as a result the hype train lost of all its steam and it took some time to regain the momentum provided by Golden Son. While Red Rising and Golden Son jumped out of the blocks, Morning Star takes a far more measured approach, allowing Darrow and the reader to process all of the events that happened at the end of Golden Son. Morning Star takes a while to get going, and I apologise for being vague here but I don't want to spoil anything for you.

The Reds are Rising, and they are taking the rest of the colours with them in an all out assault of the Gold hierarchy.

But from the ashes the Reaper is reborn, and once he is reborn there is no place in the solar system that is sheltered from his fury. His friends manage to free him, but Darrow is a shell of the man he once was, lacking confidence, lacking presence, lacking just about everything. The story commences some time after the events of Golden Son, with Darrow facing unimaginable torture at the hands of his arch enemy. And in my opinion Morning Star lived up to that hype, though it did not exceed the lofty standard set by Golden Son. Morning Star by Pierce Brown is the third and final book of the Red Rising trilogy, a book that was hyped beyond belief given how good Golden Son was.

Morning star review pierce brown