Joint Discussion: Iron Gold

Hello all! Carole and I will be discussing "Iron Gold" by Pierce Brown. I am in green and Carole in red.  

Author: Pierce Brown

Title: Iron Gold (Red Rising Saga #4)

Genre: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Pages: ebook

Being Published: Jan 16th, 2018 

Where I Got It: My Shelf (Amazon)

A decade ago, Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. But the Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk everything he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself?

And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever: 

A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp and achieves for herself a new life she could never have imagined.

An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life.

And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

Do you want to start? ;)

Sighssss I guess. LOL! Soooo. The first half was awesome. Second half? No. Just a big fat ol’ yawn. What about you?

Omg omg, it was so DULL LIKE boring, horrible. Blergh. LOL. Honestly everything was boring except for Darrow and even he had dull moments.But he was the saving grace cos else this would have been a DNF. I was very disappointed.

Yes, Darrow wasn’t bad, but he irritated me. I feel like all he wanted was war even when some sort of peace was there. IDK. But I agree, I would’ve DNFed this without Darrow. I am so bummed. This really felt like a copy-paste from his past books. He tried to introduce new characters but they were super bleh. No one cares. Keep to the original cast. I didn’t want to read those POVs. Only the main people’s.

Exactly! That girl Lyria, yawn! Ephraim, double yawn, Lysander, well he had moments but mostly yawn.

Darrow’s lust for war this not bother me, that place needs war cos everyone are idiots. It is not a society that can stand as it is now either. A senate, psawh, I say every planet and moon needs their own senate. Now everyone is running wild and dying.

But yes wtf 10 more years of war? Why was this book even necessary!?

And why did Darrow think it a good idea to settle down with someone FROM the senate? Like that was a great idea. SMH. And I agree this society sucks. I just wished that we didn’t have this book and just went over the last couple of years of the war and be done with it. This was a veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy loooooooooooooooooongggggggggg bridge to the next book which I think is the finale? Gawd knows.

Are you sure. You know so there are not one in between? Ugh. But yes how the F can they even save this place? And since I do not care for anyone except for Darrow and the Howlers and I say LET THEM BURN

I’m not 100% sure. I hope there is just one more….this series cannot be dragged out anymore! I agree...terrible place. Let it burn. Darrow should’ve taken his kid and wife ages ago and live somewhere remote. Not worth the price in blood honestly.

I certainly not like the wife anymore either. Sigh, I mean, sure book 1 had issues but it made it up in the end. But this one, everything was all blargh. POVS I could not care for att all. I mean that thief, I remember nothing? Lyria, why are the big shots even giving her the time of the day? Make us care. Instead we have the same stupid society. Nothing changed! I was still horrified for all the poor Pinks. Anyone that seemed to have made it out were Reds and they were in camps.

Ugh that wife. I liked her in the past but she did go overboard. I get the law is the law, but c’mon...Sighs. Poor Pinks. Poor everyone.

I am sure he is gonna kill Darrow and I will never ever ever ever forgive him. ...EVER

Of COURSE HE WILL! Last book, last paragraph. BOOM dead. He saved the world and everyone is happy, but he dies. That is how it will end. I would be surprised if it doesn’t end that way. SMH. I honestly do not think I want to read the next one. How about you?

Sometimes I have a really difficult time letting go. If there is only one left then I can skim through it. If there are two then I will just read reviews.

Sighssssss I do want to know how this terrible world ends. And it better end in flames. It better not win. I will be SO mad if nothing happens and everything ends the same and Darrow dies for nothing. Nope. I’ll fling the book! Soooo I’ll play it by ear when the next one comes out ;) Hopefully it is the final one.

Ugh, that would be soooooo depressing!!! After everything he dies and nothing changes! I feel that these planets need someone *coughs* like the Emperor to hold everyone in check. AT least it sort of worked then ;) Darrow for Emperor. And there is another trilogy when someone takes him down. Ok let aliens come and wipe them all out.

Hahaha. That would be fun! Darrow would crumble though too many enemies.

True. I am sad. I liked the trilogy cos it was dark and bloody and I was all WAR!!!! Bloodlust!!! And this one felt like politics and bureaucracy.

I can see that. I am bummed too because all the others were good. Nothing great, but this one? Super boooo. The first half had me hooked, but then things fell apart for me. He should’ve ended after 200 and the rest could’ve been part of the final book (a more edited version).

Gosh, yes it was way too long. Almost 600 pages of boring. No thanks. I say that read the trilogy and then do NOT continue.

Agreed. Not worth it. Maybe skip this and read the next one (maybe - it hasn’t come out yet).

I was reading an interview, 2 more, sigh, 2 freaking more. Oh and there might be a tv series, damn, that will be bloody and considering there are rapes there too...maybe too dark for telly. It has to be adult then, considering that this is YA.

Oh oh, how is this still YA? Everyone was adults now! As they were before too when thinking of it

OH.MY.GOD. 2 MORE????? Ugh. I am curious about the TV series tho...maybe a Netflix show or something? Too bloody to be put on TV unless it is a late night show. Mhmmm intriguing.

AND I forgot this was a YA to be honest. Woah...he certainly has pushed the limits of the genre. *blink* *blink* Sooooo much blood.

A 33 year old main character, yup very YA ;)

But I still want to know what happens! I will skim the last one. The second one I can read reviews of

That might be the plan. Skip the next one and read the final. HAHAHA we are horrible people.

But then again, we have read 4 books for this. We should continue. Put on a brave face and just do it

I guesssssssss we came this far I suppose. Maybe I’ll just read Darrow’s POV. Skip the rest. I do not care about them AT all.

Yes, Darrow only! We have a deal. And so sorry for picking a crappy one but we read the previous ones. Sigh. Hope is evil

Hope is evil. BUT who knows? Maybe the next two will be good? This was just a crap on in the series? I’ve experienced that before. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE!!!!!! THE PINKS WILL RISE AGAIN!

Power to the pinks!

PINNNNNNNNNK!!!!!!!!!!

Lol, time is running way. SO the end?

Yesss, the end! Until next time!

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

Joint Discussion: Morning Star - Pierce Brown

This month Carole and I will be discussing "Morning Star" by Pierce Brown

Author: Pierce Brown

Title: Morning Star (Red Rising #3)

Genre: Sci-FI, Fantasy, & YA

Pages: ebook

First Published: February 9th 2016

Where I Got It: Library

Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society’s mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within.

Finally, the time has come.

But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied—and too glorious to surrender.

B: BOOM! The end. Let us begin.

C:Yes! SO what shall I say? I honestly did NOT expect ANYTHING with the ending...especially the bit about Mustang.

B: No, it came as a surprise. A happy surprise...sort of. A surprise I will not give the world for. I still think that universe will burn.

C: Yes. I agree. I was shocked. I wanted to know SO badly what was going to happen. I think I sped through this faster than the other two books and those were WAY smaller than this. B: Same, I did read 400 pages in a day. That is what vacation is for. Mostly I was so surprised (again) that I did not hate the beginning ;) And I just could not put it down, I needed to know what would happen. In my opinion, this truly was the strongest one of all 3, though, I do like the last 200 pages of book 1 the most. That was so mothereffing brutal, loved it. C: The beginning had me hooked from sentence one. Poor Darrow. >_< I rather have the physical torture...not that. That was brutal. Same here. I flew through the first few chapters. And then I flew through the last ones too. A small lag in the middle, but I still couldn’t put it down even during the drag because I HAD to know what was going to happen. The brutality and bloodshed was not as bloody as the last two. What do you think? B: I missed the brutality and bloodshed, I think I am a bookish sociopath. But I just did not get that same feeling, it was toned down, this one really was more YA. And they were older, so that was strange. I wanted gore and guts because that is what he gave us before. Now I just got the feeling that I totally could take Darrow in a fight...not in hand to hand combat, but playing on those pesky feelings he have and then I’d stab him in the eye! Yikes, look at me! What about you? C: Same here! I missed the brutal world from the other two books. Maybe it was because they were older and had to be more tricky! Darrow was super weak in this. Reality smacked him in the face. I think the Gold version and Red version of Darrow blended into this one. Sooooo it makes sense? Gah. Lots more feely-feel emotions in this one. B: You make so much sense, yes he was more Red in this one. Letting go of that Gold coldness. So I can forgive him...not that there was anything to forgive. How about other characters? I still do not care for Mustang, I just do not know. I like Servo, that is one messed up weirdo. Cassius...still want to stab him for being an idiot. Valkyries rule! That was the only time I had chills. C: I go back and forth on Mustang. I personally liked Victora (or however you spell it) more. I wanted them to be together. Valkyries were kickass. Cassius and Aja needed to be stabbed. xD After reading all the books, have you decided what color you would be if they forced you? B: After meeting the Outer Rim Golds, aye, those were smarter and did not send their kids to a slaughter house. So yes I am still Gold, or Pixie, I want the easy life, but without being sent to be raped and killed by my friends. C: I think I would be a Pixie myself. The Golds (even the outer rim golds) are all cra-cra. LOL B: Did you see that there will be another series set in the aftermath of these events? 2017 something. oHHH yes I need it. C: Really??? Had no idea. Will Darrow still be the hero/main character? I am tired of him. I want to see the world through another pair of eyes. Maybe a gold’s eyes or something. Knowing this...I stick to my theory that the world will still burn. B: The name is Iron Gold, sounds promising for some Gold action. But from the blurb I do not know, but I believe it will be about someone else. And we will see them from the sides of it all. Since stuff is going down for sure. After some of the events, chaos, so much chaos. C: Interesting. I am curious. We should check it out for sure!! There was something I did want to say…..mhmmm...blanking. You go - I’ll think. B:10 years after the rebellion, so can’t be Darrow then, he is OLD then. Hahhaha. Ok let me think. Best so far, I am even giving it a 4 since he managed to create a good beginning. I did not think he had it in him. It is rare a series ends on a high note for me. Since I wanted to dnf book one, except those glorious last pages that were so effed up. Good times. Anything yet? C: Can’t remember what I originally had in mind to say. But you did bring up an excellent point. It is a rare thing that a series ends so well. I was worried, super worried, that this would be a fail. I’m leaning towards a 4 myself. I feel this better than the other two! The second book was crap to me, but this sure made up. B: Book 1, crap beginning, excellent ending. So that was a 3. Book 2 was overall good, so a 3. And since this one was better overall it had to be a 4. It did surpass those other two for me, he just got better at what he was doing. But the series as a whole would get a 3. How long is your lunch? Should we wrap it up? C: My sad lunch is drawing to a close...so we should sadly wrap up. I wish I could say more, but there are so many things that I could spoil, so I shall refrain. There were lots of surprises and the writer kept me on my toes. I whipped through this a crazy person and I enjoyed the journey. There were a couple of parts that made me roll my eyes and could have been cut to shorten the story. This was calm compared to the other two...not as much brutality which I wanted! Final thought dearie? B: He upped his game, kudos to that, and to make it short, I agree with everything you say in your paragraph. On to the next book! C: *charges* TO THE NEXT BOOK! *cough* Who’s turn is it? I am confused. LOL B: No idea...you, I say you. C: FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE! ;) *charges again* B: ;) Eeek my laptop is dying! Enjoy the rest of the day!

Joint Discussion: Red Rising - Pierce Brown

This month Carole and I will be discussing "Red Rising" by Pierce Brown

Author: Pierce Brown

Title: Red Rising (Red Rising #1)

Genre: Sci-FI, Fantasy, & YA

Pages: ebook

First Published: January 28th 2014

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies... even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.  

B: Ok, let us begin. I can start. First I just HAVE to complain..I mean really have to. See for me the first 100 pages were pure torture. It was such a DNF. I had been trying to read it for days and then came today when we were supposed to do this and I had read...20 pages! Yikes. So skimmed most of those first 100 boring pages. Then half skimmed the next 50, then after 150 it picked up somewhat, like to Grade 2 territory. Then after 200 it started to get semi interesting. Them after 250 I sat down and paid attention and it ended with a bang. But really, if this had been a normal book for a normal day then it would have been a DNF! However got it got to be in the end.  You? ;)

C: I honestly didn’t have a hard time. I actually enjoyed the first 200 pages! I enjoyed the slow journey and then everything exploded once they were forced to battle and all that. Yes, the beginning was slow, but I liked it. However….some things seemed SO ridiculous at times. Like the “Passage”. 

B: I guess the Golds are just fucked up people. But I really do not get how the can function as a society. If I made it through the passage fine, but then, the rest, there were rapes. One would think women would not want to send their daughters their, or fathers their sons. If I made it through I would have just gone killer crazy when I graduated. And no one does? Damn, people would have to pay, in blood!

C: Precisely! They tried to compare themselves to the Spartans, but hell, Spartans still have rules and didn’t have half the crazy notions the Golds do. It just seems….crazy. If I was part of this world I would wanna be a Pink or something. Too much for “power”. 

B: But weren’t all pinks whores? I think I would want to be Green, creativity, at least that would get people off my back. I could never be red. Golds are insane. Green I do not know them, but yikes, what a world.

C: I can’t remember who the Greens really were….I would need to learn more. I know for sure I do not want to be a Red or a Gold. Being a Pink (aka prostitute/whore) would be the best of the three until I learn more about the negatives of the other colors not really discussed. Yeah…..poor Darrow. 

B: I know not all Golds go through that horrible horrible place. But as a parent I would not want my kid there to become some crazy mofo. 

Also, the Reds, I know the upper management makes them marry young, but hello, if you want more kids then the answer is not to marry at 14. Bodies are not really meant for that and if you want like 20 new slaves then like wait a bit. 

C: Yeah. Agreed. My question is…..how did the higher-ups keep the city a secret from the LowReds. How? I don’t get it. There are a lot of people flying around...it just seems impossible. 

B: I could believe if it had been a generation or so, but hundreds of years? And no one spilled the beans? No, I can not believe that. I just can not

C: There were a lot of things I questioned….lots of plot holes for my liking. Maybe some of these will be answered in the next book(s). I think this is my only complaint about this book. The journey was fun, the characters interesting, the storyline addicting, but the plotholes? Too many for me. 

B: My complaint, make that complaints, are of course it was so boring, oh my god, so effing boring in the start. I did not care. I do not even know why he was taken prisoner, I just did not care. I only got into it when the killing started, yes, I am dark. But it went from blergh to interesting when they tried to build their effed up society and some did realise the flaws. Like that matters. And that end, BOOM! Oh yes, that was a good one. That made me want to read the next book, I just hope the beginning will not drag there too, I just can not handle that

C: I think it’s funny we disagree on this. ;) But yeah - the best part was for sure the killing and darker part. I think it’s insane how seriously they all took this “schooling”. WTF? It is like High School on steroids! I can’t even fathom what is going to happen the next. I do want to read the next book, but I am scared it won’t be as good. There are three books. I feel the events in the second one will be bleh, while the last book will be epic. 

B: And that is why we are not Golds..well actually those pixie golds would more be my thing. I’d eat cake and more cake and could not stop. Let the rest kill themselves stupid buggers. 

Let me think, I should say something more. Damn that end was epic, I can not get over it. If the book had been all way through like that then it would have been a 4. Now it’s a mercy 3 because of a boring dnf beginning.

 Oh oh let’s read all 3 together. Mouwhahahahahahahahahaha

C: LOLLLL a pixie gold wouldn’t be a bad fate. I must say kuddos to the author...he took the story to a whole different level and direction!! I expected more politics and etc….not death and war and the like. Major kuddos. YES. The ending was good! Loved it and totally worth the “slower” parts ;). We should read the next one together! I’m game. 

B: Before me go, I have to mention the whole, any book where kids are killed is compared to the hunger games. For me the hunger games was a sweet silly book where kids killed each other to survive..ahem. But this, these kids were sociopaths, I mean wtf! The raping, murdering, butchering, torture, some did it for fun! This was not a Hunger games book, more like Battle Royale.

C: Well - I have not read the Hunger Games books….I have seen the first movie *ducks behind barricade* This really is a Hunger Games meets Mad Max meets 1984. Dark and bloody.

B: Ha, we have most talked about one thing, but that is a discussion for you :) So the end?

C: Well, it's hard to really talk about other things without MAJOR spoilers ya know? LOL. But yes, the end. ^_^

B: Until next time then my lady

C: *Waves* Who’s turn is it next?

B: This was my pick, so you

C: *dives behind barricade again* OH NO!! Wish me luck!

B: Do NOT mess it up!

C: 0_0