Dark Age is the fifth book of the Red Rising Saga. It may also be referred to as the second book of the Iron Gold Trilogy, which takes place ten years after the third book, Morning Star, with Darrow as one of the four narrators in the series. The book title was announced by Pierce Brown on his Facebook page on December 15, 2017.
"Oy Howlers. Sleigh bells are in the air, cider is on the stove, and I'm hard at work on book five. It is bloodydamn pleasure to announce DARK AGE will be coming soon. Quite soon."
The book's original scheduled publication date was September 11, 2018,[1] however, it had been pushed back to February 12, 2019, then to July 9, 2019.
The actual publication date was July 30, 2019.
Pierce announced on social media that he had completed and turned in the manuscript on April 19, 2019.
On June 12, 2019, Pierce showed off the hardcover edition of the book via social media.[2] An icon of House Grimmus is displayed on the spine.[3]
Summary
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Morning Star returns to the Red Rising universe with the thrilling sequel to Iron Gold.
For a decade Darrow led a revolution against the corrupt color-coded Society. Now, outlawed by the very Republic he founded, he wages a rogue war on Mercury in hope that he can still salvage the dream of Eo. But as he leaves death and destruction in his wake, is he still the hero who broke the chains? Or will another legend rise to take his place?
Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile, has returned to the Core. Determined to bring peace back to mankind at the edge of his sword, he must overcome or unite the treacherous Gold families of the Core and face down Darrow over the skies of war-torn Mercury.
But theirs are not the only fates hanging in the balance.
On Luna, Mustang, Sovereign of the Republic, campaigns to unite the Republic behind her husband. Beset by political and criminal enemies, can she outwit her opponents in time to save him?
Once a Red refugee, young Lyria now stands accused of treason, and her only hope is a desperate escape with unlikely new allies.
Abducted by a new threat to the Republic, the children of Darrow and Mustang must trust in a thief for their salvation—and Ephraim must look to them for his chance at redemption.
As alliances shift, break, and re-form—and power is seized, lost, and reclaimed—every player is at risk in a game of conquest that could turn the Rising into a new Dark Age.[4]
Plot
WARNING: This section reveals MAJOR SPOILERS from this and prior books. It is meant to be used as a reference for those who have already read the book and need the information or a refresher on the story line. By no means is this meant to be an alternative to reading the book. Read at your own risk.
Prologue
- DARROW
(Prior to the Prologue, there is a speech by Virginia, Sovereign of the Solar Republic. She address her people, to gain their trust and support for the upcoming battle on Mercury. Her last thoughts are for her husband, to endure, for she will come for him. The prologue takes place two months prior to this speech.)
With a skeleton crew, and Sevro having parted ways to go back to Luna to help find his daughter Electra from whomever kidnapped her, Darrow arrives at Mercury three weeks too late from the attack by Atalantia au Grimmus. However, he and those with him, including Thraxa au Telemanus, Alexandar au Arcos, Colloway xe Char, Tongueless, and his niece Rhonna, attempt a rescue of one of his most loyal, Orion xe Aquarii, from the ship the Blood Medusa. Though they are successful in rescuing Orion, it's obvious she has endured torture.
Part I: Mischief
- DARROW
Darrow is on Mercury looking at what's left of his army, over three thousand injured and no longer able to fight. He happens across a lowRed, and coincidentally, it's Dago of Gamma, the infamous Helldiver from a rival tribe. Dago is blind and weakened and offers Darrow some soil from Lykos to keep with him.
There on Mercury, Darrow's set up his headquarters in the city of Tyche, where he's also had his flagship, the Morning Star, docked for repairs. When he goes to check or Orion, he already knows that despite her passing her psychiatric evaluation and completing her duties on schedule, she's different somehow.
Once on Mercury, they meet with Glirastes the Master Maker and start to uncover the Storm God machines that were hidden on the planet by Octavia. Darrow then gathers up the reliable veterans there and tells them of his plan of how to annihilate Atalantia and Atlas, and how they're his "insurance policy", under the name Operation Tartarus. But the plan falls through as soon as they realize that Atlas is not going where they had planned, and Darrow orders Orion to go to BlueReach One, a location off the coast of Tyche.
Before Darrow could arrive in the city of Angelia, where Atlas was said to be, he had already been lost to Alexandar and the rest of Darrow's men due to exhaustion and lack of sleep. By the time he arrived, the soldiers were already defeated, left dying on vertical poles, booby-trapped for anyone who dare try to rescue them. But as they look further into the city, they realize the city's reactor is being overloaded to explode the city and any other city reactors connected to it. Darrow and his team make it out in time, but Angelia and several other cities are bombed. Darrow makes live Operation Tartarus.
As Atalantia begins her Iron Rain, Darrow loses many of his men in the atomic bombs that go off around their area. He has Colloway take what's left of the First Army to aid Thraxa and make their way to Tyche, while he takes his Second Army, the Helldiver Legion, with him to Tyche directly.
When the Storm God is activated, Darrow's army intercepts one of the enemy's divisions and are able to take down several legions, as well as Primus Scorpio au Votum.
When they finally arrive at Tyche, Darrow realizes that Orion defied his order to keep the Storm God level to a minimum and has already destroyed much of the city and killed millions, Golds and civilians alike. He is forced to use his master switch on her, killing her. Rhonna brings him an enemy in Fulminata uniform, but when they reveal his face, he knows it's Screwface, who was carved to go undercover in Atalantia's army. Screwface tells him of Ajax's legion going towards Heliopolis, and Darrow tells Rhonna to find the Morning Star and Thraxa and go to Heliopolis by way of the Waste of Ladon. He then allows Alexandar and his men to help the civilians of Tyche escape the destroyed city, after giving him status as a Howler by giving him his wolfcloak, temporarily.
- LYSANDER
Lysander travels with Diomedes au Raa and Seraphina au Raa to board the Annihilo orbiting Mercury and meet with Atalantia au Grimmus and Ajax au Grimmus. Once they land on the ship, the Fear Knight, Kalindora au San, who Lysander thought dead, and Ajax meet them skeptically. They test Lysander to see if it's really him, and once it's confirmed, Ajax makes an effort to show his dislike of Diomedes and Seraphina.
After he meets alone with Atalantia, she, along with Ajax and Kalindora, as well as the Primuses of House Carthii, House Votum, and House Falthe via hologram. Lysander tells him of how he had become a ward to Cassius, and of Cassius' death and the whereabouts of his body. When Diomedes and Seraphina are brought in, they explain Darrow's involvement in the Ganymede Dockyard destruction and of the death of their father, Romulus au Raa, and offer their aid to help in this war. Atalantia at first seems to reject having the Rim's help, but with some convincing, she agrees. When asked to join in the Iron Rain they have planned, Diomedes tells Atalantia he cannot join as that is not what he's there for, but Seraphina requests to join in his place, despite her brother's disapproval. Lysander, who had just been hit and berated by Ajax moments prior for allowing himself to be ward to Cassius, also states his desire to join the Iron Rain, alongside Ajax.
As Ajax prepares his legion, the Iron Leopards, for the battle, he lets them know they are not going to assist Scorpio au Votum to take Tyche as agreed upon by Atalantia, but they are going to take Heliopolis instead, much to Lysander's disappointment.
When the Iron Rain starts, Lysander and the rest of them shoot towards the ground while bombs are going off all over the planet. Though Lysander no longer feels comfortable about their attack on possible civilians, Kalindora reminds him they're in a war. As they get ready for their next plan, they are notified of a storm coming. Lysander then tells them of a Storm God, which only he in the group knows about. Lysander and Seraphina volunteer to go destroy the Storm God. Unfortunately, when they reach it in painstaking effort, even while being aided by Cicero au Votum's Scorpian Legion, Seraphina is killed by an incoming rail slug.
PART II: CRAFT
Virginia's narrative
Ephraim's narrative
Darrow's narrative
Lysander's narrative
Lyria's narrative
PART III: TREASON
Virginia's narrative
Ephraim's narrative
Darrow's narrative
Lysander's narrative
Lyria's narrative
PART IV: PRIDE
Virginia's narrative
Lysander's narrative
Darrow's narrative
Lyria's narrative
Dramatis Personae
- Darrow of Lykos/The Reaper - Former ArchImperator of the Republic, husband to Virginia, a Red
- Virginia au Augustus/Mustang - Reigning Sovereign of the Republic, wife to Darrow, Primus of House Augustus, sister to the Jackal of Mars, a Gold
- Pax - Son of Darrow and Virginia, a Gold
- Kieran O'Lykos - Brother to Darrow, Howler, a Red
- Rhonna - Niece of Darrow, daughter of Kieran, lancer, Pup Two, a Red
- Deanna - Mother to Darrow, a Red
- Sevro au Barca/The Goblin - Imperator of the Republic, husband to Victra, Howler, a Gold
- Victra au Barca - Wife to Sevro, née Victra au Julii, a Gold
- Electra au Barca - Daughter of Sevro and Victra, a Gold
- Dancer O'Faran/Senator O'Faran - Senator of the Republic, former Ares lieutenant, Tribune of the Red Bloc, a Red
- Kavax au Telemanus - Primus of House Telemanus, client of House Augustus, a Gold
- Niobe au Telemanus - Wife to Kavax, client of House Augustus, a Gold
- Daxo au Telemanus - Heir of House Telemanus, son of Kavax and Niobe, senator, Tribune of the Gold Bloc, a Gold
- Thraxa au Telemanus - Praetor of the Free Legions, daughter of Kavax and Niobe, Howler, a Gold
- Alexandar au Arcos - Eldest grandson of Lorn au Arcos, heir to House Arcos, allied to House Augustus, lancer, Pup One, a Gold
- Cadus Harnassus - Imperator of the Republic, second in command of the Free Legions, an Orange
- Orion xe Aquarii - Navarch of the Republic, Imperator of the White Fleet, a Blue
- Colloway xe Char - A pilot, reigning kill-leader of the Republic Navy, Howler, a Blue
- Glirastes The Master Maker - Architect and inventor, an Orange
- Holiday ti Nakamura - Dux of Virginia's Lionguard, sister to Trigg, client of House Augustus, Centurion of the Pegasus Legion, a Gray
- Quicksilver/Regulus ag Sun - Richest man in the Republic, head of Sun Industries, a Silver
- Publius cu Caraval - Tribune of the Copper Bloc, senator, a Copper
- Theodora - Leader of the Splinter Operatives, client of House Augustus, a Rose Pink
- Zan - ArchImperator of the Republic following Darrow's removal, commander of Luna's defense fleet, a Blue
- Clown - Howler, client of House Barca, a Gold
- Pebble - Howler, client of House Barca, a Gold
- Min-Min - Howler, sniper and munitions expert, client of House Barca, a Red
- Screwface - Howler, client of House Augustus, a Gold
- Marbles - Howler, hacker, a Green
- Tongueless - Former prisoner at Deepgrave, an Obsidian
- Felix au Daan - Bodyguard to Darrow, client of House Augustus, a Gold
Chapters
Darrow | Blood Red
- Darrow | Till the Vale
- Lysander | Annihilo
- Darrow | Storm God
- Lysander | Ajax, Son of Aja
- Darrow | Voyager Cloak
- Lysander | Carnivores
- Darrow | The Calm
- Lysander | The Machine
- Darrow | Angelia
- Lysander | The Ash Rain
- Darrow | Red Beach
- Lysander | White Golems
- Darrow | Plains of Caduceus
- Lysander | Into the Storm
- Darrow | Tyche
- Lysander | Rider of the Storm
- Darrow | Heliopolis
- Virginia | Sovereign
- Virginia | Stiletto
- Virginia | Politicos
- Ephraim | Mauler, Brawler, Legacy Howler
- Ephraim | Unshorn
- Ephraim | Queen
- Ephraim | Skuggi
- Virginia | Oligarchs
- Virginia | The Goblin's Prey
- Virginia | Pack
- Ephraim | Karachi
- Virginia | The Dust of Reverie
- Virginia | Ocular Sphere
- Virginia | Day of Red Doves
- Darrow | In Wake
- Darrow | The Devil's Deal
- Lysander | Shadows of War
- Darrow | Endure
- Lyria | Victim
- Ephraim | Heart of Venus
- Lysander | The Horizon
- Lysander | The Mind's Eye
- Ephraim | Kjrdakan
- Ephraim | Obsidian Rising
- Lysander | A Chorus upon the Pale
- Lysander | The Enemy
- Ephraim | Hunt of the Last Light
- Ephraim | Nightgaze
- Ephraim | Whirlpool
- Lyria | They Are Sleeping
- Lyria | Monsters
- Lyria | Run
- Lyria | Parasite
- Lyria | Jade Witch
- Ephraim | Pale Rain
- Virginia | Pandemonium
- Virginia | Justice of the Meek
- Virginia | The Wolf and the Mother
- Virginia | A Maze with No Center
- Virginia | Black Cathedral
- Darrow | Sevro's Palace
- Lysander | The Impaler
- Lysander | Pup One
- Darrow | Hero of Tyche
- Lysander | The Warlord and the Libertine
- Darrow | Unremarkable
- Lysander | To Master a Maker
- Lyria | Ulysses
- Lyria | The Julii's Bill
- Lyria | Numb
- Lyria | Shh
- Lyria | The Childwives
- Lyria | Thunder Battle
- Ephraim | From the Static
- Lyria | One Last Tooth
- Lyria | At Last, She Screams
- Ephraim | Son of the Rising
- Ephraim | Grarnir
- Ephraim | He Who Walks the Void
- Ephraim | Worthy
- Lysander | A Visitor
- Darrow | Bad Blood
- Lysander | Heir of Arcos
- Darrow | Dark Age
- Lysander | This Summons Legions
- Darrow | Hazard Bedlam
- Darrow | Meat Straw
- Lysander | Lune Invictus
- Darrow | Legion's End
- Lysander | Ghost
- Lyria | Mercury Has Fallen
- Lysander | Triumph of the Long Night
- Lysander | The Love Knight
- Virginia | Salvation or Vengeance
- Lysander | Graveyard of Tyrants
Trivia
- In a signing, Pierce had stated that listening to movie soundtracks can sometimes influence what he writes. For example, he was listening to the Jurassic Park soundtrack when he wrote in a metaphor that involved velociraptors attacking a tyrannosaur, which is in Chapter 13. [5]
References
- ↑ Penguin Random House - Dark Age page
- ↑ Pierce Brown, Twitter - Beautiful baby - June 12, 2019
- ↑ Pierce Brown, Twitter - Spine sigil reveal - June 12, 2019
- ↑ Howler Life - Dark Age Official Description Teases Death, Destruction, Redemption And… A New POV? - May 9, 2018
- ↑ This was a Red Rising blog after all, Sons of Ares Vol. 2: Wrath signing, February 22, 2020.