Dark Age by Pierce Brown — Review
Dark Age - Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: I’m not sure there is a right mood for this book. You just gotta do it.
Length: 752 Pages
Genre: Sci-Fi
Source: Self Purchased
Where to Buy: Libro.FM | Amazon.com | Bookshop.Org | Kobo
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Vibes Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
CAWPILE rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: Emotional turmoil, but make it a space opera.
Synopsis:
Dark Age is book five in the Red Rising saga and the second installment in the series that picks up ten years after Morning Star.
We follow Darrow, Lysander, Lyria, Ephraim, and Virginia as they each face their own Dark Age—political, emotional, and literal —through shifting POVs.
I’m not going to add too much here to avoid spoilers, but just know: you’re in for an epic, brutal, high-stakes ride.
My Thoughts:
Be prepared - I have a lot of them.
While I write this blog post, I can only assume Pierce Brown is in a dark, damp basement, huddled over some altar made to the writing gods—because I genuinely don’t understand how else he’s able to craft a story like this. (It can’t just be talent, significant research, and working hard.)
I’ve sat down to write this review ten times. Each time, I go back through the notes and tabs I made while reading, and I end up rating it even higher. It’s such a phenomenally crafted book.
In a way that only Pierce Brown can, it lures you in, crushes your soul all at once, and then gives you the tiniest bit of relief, just enough that you’re somehow happy about it by the end.
This is my favorite of the series and a top contender for one of my all-time favorite books. (I’m not sure anything is going to dethrone Babel, though. And yes, this and Babel being my top books says a lot about me and my apparent need for stories that torment me emotionally.)
“You know I believe we all begin equal parts light and dark. I fear you think your strength lies in your darkness. But the measure of a man is not the fear he sows in his enemies. It is the hope he gives his friends.”
It took me a while to start this one. While I did love the evolution of the characters in this one, and the new layers of plot that brought us deeper into this universe and forced us to grapple with the aftermath of the rebellion… I felt like I had to mourn the versions of the characters I knew before I was ready. (Yes, I’m overly attached to fictional characters.)
My favorite part of Dark Age was the character development. It’s phenomenal. I didn’t expect to end up loving Ephraim, but here we are. The addition of Virginia’s POV was such a great decision—getting to hear her internal thoughts added a whole new layer to her character. I am also (begrudgingly) starting to understand Lysander. I don’t like him, but I do feel like I know his motivations more clearly now (more on that below).
Dark Age truly lives up to its name. Every character’s POV is battling their own apocalypse. Darrow is making questionable decisions (as per usual). Lysander is living in the fallout of his Iron Gold choices. Sevro is taken. Virginia is… [redacted for spoilers]. New enemies emerge, and old enemies are around every corner. Everyone is going through it.
This book pushes the story forward with sheer, brutal momentum. And I don’t say this lightly: there were moments where I said, “What the f*ck” out loud. More than once. But it’s not all despair—there’s always a sliver of hope tucked in somewhere. And that’s what makes the heartbreak land even harder.
Swear to god, though, if Mr. Brown harms Sevro, I will have to quit this series.
The CAWPILE of Dark Age
Characters - 9
The depth of every single one of these characters is stunning. They’re going through the aftermath of the rebellion, but they’re also grappling with being parents, dealing with their long-term friendships and relationships, and so much more.
Ephraim’s arc was so unexpected. I was floored by the end of Iron Gold and genuinely thought I’d hate him in this book. But his development in Dark Age is next level. He reminded me a lot of Tyrion Lannister’s arc in Game of Thrones—morally gray, deeply flawed, and yet still compelling. He’s not a good guy, but he’s not the villain either. He lives in that messy in-between space, where survival and guilt blur the lines of right and wrong. And somehow, despite everything, you find yourself rooting for him.
I also hate to say it, because I don’t like Lysander, but he is such a well-developed character. His formative years were shaped by the propaganda his grandmother fed him, and while he wants to do the right thing and live up to what Cassius tried to teach him, he can’t see beyond his own circumstances to do so. Despite being filled with rage every time I read his POV chapters, he is a realistic, deep character. How many of us can’t see past the things we were taught to empathize with those around us, truly. It’s clear, by the way 50% of our country is acting right now, that’s something deeply ingrained in us. Lysander is a hated character because we see the darkest parts of our souls in him. While I don’t think I will ever like Lysander, I do appreciate him as a character, what he says about us, and what we can genuinely learn from the choices he makes.
The only reason this is a 9 and not a 10 is that these books really love to bury their gays. It’s a tired trope, and while it may not be intentional, it’s still harmful. I’m 120 pages into Light Bringer right now, and I’m hoping this is the end of it.
Note: I already know that Pierce Brown has mentioned in a few AMAs and interviews that Cassius, Victra, and other characters are bisexual, but that context isn’t in the books, and the majority of readers are not aware of it. Representation only counts when it’s in the actual books (it definitely makes some of the fanfic much more enjoyable to know they’re not making up sexualities though haha).
Atmosphere/Setting - 8
This world is brutal and beautifully built, and you feel that weight in every setting.
Writing Style - 8
I love that the elite Golds lend themselves to using complex language in a way that makes sense. One of my biggest gripes with books that attempt this kind of writing is that it often feels like the author just used a thesaurus and arbitrarily replaced words throughout the book. In this series, though, the word choice for each character is so deliberate.
The nature of the society’s setup gives an excuse to use a rich, elevated vocabulary, but it’s also blended in a way that feels specific to each voice. It’s never just flowery for the sake of sounding smart.
Plot - 8
This is a book that earns its pages—every single one of the seven hundred and fifty-two.
Intrigue - 9
The first part of the book was a bit hard to swallow. There was a lot to establish, and it did lag a bit. But once it found its rhythm, I couldn’t put it down.
Logic/Relationships - 9
I need Darrow to stop always making the dumbest choice available. Please. Sometimes it’s a little unbelievable that he really doesn’t ever learn from his choices.
Enjoyment - 10
I don’t know if emotional torture counts as enjoyment, but if it did, then 10/10.
Overall score = 66/7 = 9.42 = 5 Stars
Final Thoughts
Gorydamn.
I love the experience of growing with a character. There are 16 years from Red Rising and The Institute to the end of Dark Age, and you can feel that when you read these books—the plot development, the character growth, the emotional fallout that builds book after book.
It’s why I’ve sat down to write this review ten times and still don’t feel like I’ve said enough. I cannot stop recommending this series, and honestly, there aren’t enough words in the English language to explain how good this book is.
“Hic est Lupus, motherfucker.”
Dark Age by Pierce Brown FAQ:
Why do you have two different star ratings?
The vibes rating is always my immediate ‘this was probably X star,” the CAWPILE is after I have reflected, thought about it more in-depth. Sometimes the vibes are lower than the CAWPILE, sometimes it’s the other way around.
What book comes after Dark Age in the Red Rising series?
Is Dark Age the last book in the series?
No, it’s the 5th book in the Red Rising saga. Two more books follow, Light Bringer and Red God (release date pending)
Do I need to read the original Red Rising trilogy before Dark Age?
Absolutely. The original three books take place 10 years before the events in Iron Gold and you will not appreciate all of the character dynamics or world if you don’t start at the beginning.
How long is Dark Age and is it worth it?
752 and absolutely yes. It’s not just my opinion; the book has a 4.52 on Goodreads and is highly regarded as one of the best books in the series by most readers.
Trigger Warning for Dark Age by Pierce Brown
Source: StoryGraph
Graphic
Violence, Child death, War
Moderate
Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Minor
Incest, Homophobia, Slavery, Bury Your Gays
5 Book Club Questions for Dark Age by Pierce Brown:
Do you think Darrow is still a hero by the end of this book? Or has he crossed a line he can’t come back from?
(Bonus: What do we even mean when we say “hero” in this series?)What was your emotional breaking point while reading this?
If you didn’t audibly gasp, curse, or throw the book across the room at least once—are you okay?Did your opinion of Lysander change at all by the end of Dark Age?
Do you think he actually believes he’s doing the right thing?Let’s talk about Virginia.
How did her POV chapters shift your understanding of her—and did that make you more or less sympathetic to her leadership?How does Dark Age challenge the idea of “the greater good”?
