So I broke down and got the second Installment of Pierce Brown's trilogy:Golden Son. As always, I got the Audible.com version, so it took me some time to get through it (it forces me to pace myself), but I "cheated" a bit and listened to it on headphones around the house instead of limiting myself to my commute. Seriously, this series is addictive.

The middle installment of this series follows the same pattern of most trilogies before it. In the first book, our hero discovers his abilities and his enemies and, in the end, defeats them in the short term. In the second book, our hero continues his campaign, discovering his weaknesses and leaving us with an unresolved conflict, just asThe Empire Strikes Backdoes. (I don't think that clue spoils much in the way ofGolden Son'splot). If you're hoping for a neat ending, you won't find that here.

However, while some second-of-three stories simply drag on for the profits of its author, I do think thatGolden Songenuinely adds to our understanding of this world and Darrow's place within it. His friendships are tested and his understanding of how friendships are built, maintained, and potentially destroyed deepens. Darrow continues to have his preconceived notions of privilege challenged without abandoning sight of his own people's oppression.

All in all, this is a solid continuation of Darrow's story. While I will wait this time for my next Audible credit before purchasing the final installment of the series, I am eagerly awaiting the completion of his journey from Hell Diver to ... whatever it is that he becomes.

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