Pierce Brown Books in Order: Red Rising Saga, Sons of Ares, and More

Pierce Brown’s name is now closely associated with the Red Rising Saga, an ambitious science-fiction series that begins with a rebellion on Mars and eventually expands into a massive interplanetary conflict. What starts as Darrow’s personal fight against a rigid caste system develops into a story about revolution, war, political power, loyalty, sacrifice, and the difficult consequences of changing an entire civilization.

The reading order is unusually straightforward. Unlike some large science-fiction universes, there is no need to rearrange the novels chronologically or insert companion books between them. Start with Red Rising and follow the six published novels in publication order. Brown’s official site and Penguin Random House both present the six novels in this sequence.

Pierce Brown Books in Order

The first three books are commonly called the Red Rising Trilogy. Iron Gold, Dark Age, and Light Bringer continue the same story with a broader cast and a larger political and military scope. Red God is planned as the seventh and final novel.

Red Rising Saga Books in Order

1. Red Rising (2014)

Red Rising introduces Darrow, a young Red living beneath the surface of Mars. Darrow belongs to the lowest level of a color-coded society and has been raised to believe that Reds are sacrificing themselves to make Mars habitable for future generations.

That belief collapses when Darrow discovers that Mars has been habitable for generations and that his people have been deliberately kept in ignorance. Driven by the memory of his wife Eo and the injustice surrounding his people, Darrow joins a rebellion and undergoes a transformation that allows him to infiltrate the ruling Gold class.

The novel combines dystopian fiction, science fiction, military strategy, political intrigue, and coming-of-age elements. It also establishes the central conflict between the Reds and the Golds that drives the entire saga. Penguin Random House identifies it as Brown’s debut and the first book in the series.

2. Golden Son (2015)

Golden Son picks up Darrow’s story after the events of Red Rising. He has moved much deeper into Gold society, but his ultimate goal remains the destruction of the system that keeps billions of people in servitude.

The second book dramatically expands the scale of the story. Darrow is no longer simply trying to survive the Institute or prove himself among the Golds. He is becoming a major force in a growing rebellion, surrounded by powerful allies and increasingly dangerous enemies.

The novel also pushes the political side of the series much further, showing that winning a revolution requires more than defeating an opponent on the battlefield.

3. Morning Star (2016)

Morning Star concludes the original Red Rising trilogy and brings the first major phase of Darrow’s rebellion to its climax.

After the betrayals and losses of Golden Son, Darrow must find a way to rebuild his position and continue the fight against the Society. The story brings together many of the relationships and conflicts developed throughout the first two novels.

This is an important stopping point for readers who want to experience the original trilogy as a complete story. However, the larger saga does not end here. Iron Gold jumps forward and explores what happens after the revolution Darrow helped create. Penguin Random House lists Morning Star as Book 3 of the Red Rising Saga.

4. Iron Gold (2018)

Iron Gold begins the next phase of the Red Rising story. The events of the original trilogy have changed the political order, but the promised peace has not arrived.

The story jumps approximately a decade forward and introduces multiple perspectives, including Darrow, Lysander au Lune, Lyria, and Ephraim. This is a significant structural change from the original trilogy, which is centered much more closely on Darrow’s first-person perspective.

The result is a broader and more complicated story about the consequences of revolution. Darrow is no longer simply a rebel fighting an oppressive government. He is now a powerful figure dealing with the consequences of decisions made during the war.

5. Dark Age (2019)

Dark Age continues directly from Iron Gold and dramatically increases the scale and brutality of the conflict.

The Rising is struggling, political alliances are breaking apart, and the war has spread across multiple worlds. The novel continues the multi-perspective approach introduced in Iron Gold, giving readers a broader view of the conflict and its effects on different groups.

This is also one of the most demanding books in the series because the story has moved far beyond the relatively contained structure of Red Rising. The consequences of Darrow’s revolution are now being experienced throughout the solar system. Penguin Random House identifies Dark Age as Book 5 of the Red Rising Saga.

6. Light Bringer (2023)

Light Bringer follows the devastating events of Dark Age and brings Darrow back into the center of the story.

Darrow has been separated from many of the people closest to him and faces an increasingly powerful enemy in Lysander. The book becomes a journey back toward his allies, while also forcing Darrow to confront what the war has made him.

The novel reunites major characters and advances several long-running conflicts involving Darrow, Virginia, Cassius, Sevro, and Lysander. Published in July 2023, Light Bringer is currently the sixth and most recent published Red Rising novel.

Red God: The Planned Final Book

7. Red God (Forthcoming)

Red God is planned as the seventh and final novel in the Red Rising Saga. It follows Light Bringer and is expected to conclude the larger story that began with Red Rising in 2014.

However, this is one place where readers should be careful with online book-order pages. Some retailers and third-party databases have displayed 2027 dates, but there is currently no publisher-confirmed publication date on Penguin Random House’s Red Rising series page. As of September 2026, Brown was still working on the manuscript, so a specific release date should not be presented as confirmed.

That makes Light Bringer the current endpoint for readers who want to read only the published novels.

The Two Main Parts of the Red Rising Saga

Although all six published novels belong to one saga, it is useful to understand the story in two broad sections.

The Original Red Rising Trilogy

1. Red Rising
2. Golden Son
3. Morning Star

These three books tell the core story of Darrow’s transformation and the original Rising against the Society.

The Later Red Rising Books

1. Iron Gold
2. Dark Age
3. Light Bringer
4. Red God (forthcoming)

This later arc explores what happens after the revolution. The books introduce additional viewpoints and deal more heavily with the political, military, and personal consequences of the Rising.

It is important not to treat Iron Gold as a separate series that can be started independently. It assumes that you already know the events and characters of the original trilogy. Penguin Random House continues to number all six published novels as part of the same Red Rising Series.

Red Rising Graphic Novels in Order

Pierce Brown has also expanded the Red Rising universe into comics. These are not replacements for the six novels and are better treated as supplementary stories.

Red Rising: Sons of Ares

The Sons of Ares comics explore the history of Fitchner au Barca and the origins of the organization that becomes central to the rebellion.

The series provides additional background on the world before and around the events of the main novels. Pierce Brown co-wrote the comics with Rik Hoskin, with artwork by Eli Powell. Brown’s official site describes Sons of Ares as an in-continuity story connected to the Red Rising revolution.

The graphic novels are:

1. Red Rising: Sons of Ares
2. Red Rising: Sons of Ares, Volume 2: Wrath
3. Red Rising: Sons of Ares, Volume 3: Forbidden Song

They can be read after the main novels, particularly if you want more background on Fitchner and the early rebellion.

Red Rising Short Fiction

Pierce Brown has also contributed short fiction outside the main novels.

Desert Son

Brown contributed the short story “Desert Son” to the Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View anthology, which was published for the 40th anniversary of Star Wars.

This is completely separate from the Red Rising universe. It is a Star Wars story rather than a companion piece to Darrow’s saga. Penguin Random House lists the anthology among Brown’s published works.

Should You Read the Red Rising Books in Order?

Absolutely.

This is one series where publication order and recommended reading order are effectively the same thing. The novels build directly on previous events, character relationships, political developments, and revelations.

Starting with Iron Gold because it is described as the beginning of a new phase is not recommended. The book assumes that you already understand the original trilogy and the world created in those novels.

The best order is therefore:

Red Rising → Golden Son → Morning Star → Iron Gold → Dark Age → Light Bringer → Red God

with Red God added once it is actually published.

Where Should You Start With Pierce Brown?

If you are completely new to Pierce Brown

Start with Red Rising.

It is Brown’s debut novel and establishes the characters, caste system, political structure, and central conflict that the rest of the saga builds upon.

If you have already read the original trilogy

Continue with Iron Gold.

Do not skip directly to Dark Age. Iron Gold introduces the multiple-POV structure and several characters who become essential to the later books.

If you only want the completed portion of the story

Read through Light Bringer.

That is currently the sixth and latest published novel. Red God remains forthcoming.

Why Red Rising Became Pierce Brown’s Breakthrough

Brown’s debut arrived with a premise that initially looked familiar: a young protagonist from an oppressed class enters an elite institution controlled by the ruling class. But the series quickly grows beyond that initial setup.

The later books become much more interested in the consequences of revolution. Darrow does not simply defeat the old system and live happily afterward. The Rising creates new political problems, new enemies, competing visions of freedom, and difficult questions about what happens when a revolutionary becomes one of the most powerful people in the world.

That expansion is one of the reasons the series changes noticeably between Red Rising and Light Bringer. What begins as dystopian science fiction develops into a large-scale space opera involving military campaigns, political alliances, multiple worlds, and several competing perspectives.

Pierce Brown’s Background

Pierce Brown was born in Denver and grew up in several U.S. states before attending Pepperdine University. Before becoming a full-time novelist, he worked in several different fields, including social media at a technology startup, at ABC Studios, as an NBC page, and as an aide on a U.S. Senate campaign. He lives in Los Angeles.

Red Rising became a major bestseller and established Brown as a prominent science-fiction author. The series has since expanded beyond the novels into graphic fiction and other media, with Brown remaining directly involved in the development of the Red Rising universe.

For readers discovering the series through recommendations comparing it with The Hunger Games, Dune, or other modern science fiction, it is worth remembering that those comparisons describe aspects of the reading experience rather than indicating that the books belong to the same fictional universe.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Pierce Brown Red Rising books are there?

There are currently six published Red Rising novels: Red Rising, Golden Son, Morning Star, Iron Gold, Dark Age, and Light Bringer. A seventh novel, Red God, is planned as the final book.

Is Red God the last Red Rising book?

Yes. Red God is planned as the seventh and final novel of the Red Rising Saga. However, it has not yet been published and does not currently have a publisher-confirmed release date.

When will Red God be released?

There is currently no confirmed publication date. Some third-party listings show 2027, but those dates should not be treated as official until Brown or his publisher confirms them.

Is Red Rising a trilogy or a series?

Both descriptions can be correct depending on what someone means. Red Rising, Golden Son, and Morning Star form the original trilogy, but the larger Red Rising Saga currently contains six published novels, with Red God planned as Book 7.

Should I read Iron Gold after Morning Star?

Yes. Iron Gold is the fourth novel in the overall saga and should be read immediately after Morning Star. It takes place roughly a decade after the events of the original trilogy and expands the story through several points of view.

Are the Sons of Ares comics necessary?

No. The Sons of Ares comics are supplementary material. You can understand the main Red Rising novels without reading them. They are worth exploring if you want additional history about Fitchner and the origins of the Sons of Ares.

What is the correct Pierce Brown reading order?

The main order is:

1. Red Rising
2. Golden Son
3. Morning Star
4. Iron Gold
5. Dark Age
6. Light Bringer
7. Red God when published

Is Light Bringer the latest Pierce Brown book?

Light Bringer is the latest published Red Rising novel. It was originally published in July 2023. Brown is working on Red God, the planned final novel.

Final Verdict

If you are looking for the correct Pierce Brown reading order, there is no complicated chronology to solve. Start with Red Rising and read straight through Golden Son, Morning Star, Iron Gold, Dark Age, and Light Bringer.

The first three books work as a powerful original trilogy, but the story does not really end there. Iron Gold opens a much larger second phase in which Brown explores what happens when a successful revolution creates a new political order that is just as difficult to control as the old one.

For now, Light Bringer is the latest published stopping point. Red God is expected to close the saga, but because no publisher-confirmed release date exists yet, it should be listed as forthcoming, not as a published 2027 book.

Written by

Emon Anam

Hi, I’m Emon. I’m the voice and heart behind Whimsy Read. After nine years in the world of banking, I followed my passion for storytelling into the world of SEO and content strategy. Now, I blend that analytical eye with a deep love for literature to bring you book reviews that are thoughtful, honest, and always focused on the stories that stay with you. When I’m not reading or writing, you’ll find me enjoying joyful chaos with my wife and three kids, getting lost in a new series, or revisiting my old loves: theater, music, and gaming. At the end of the day, I believe great books are meant to be shared, and I’m so glad you’re here to share them with me.