Pierce Brown Books in Order
Pierce Brown wrote the first draft of Red Rising while working at a political job in Los Angeles, was rejected dozens of times, and then watched the series become the most compulsive science-fiction marathon of its generation - a Roman-colored class war across the solar system that begins as a Hunger Games and becomes something much darker. Six novels are out, the seventh has a title but no date, and the television adaptation is dead as of March 2026, which makes this a books-only fandom for now. This page maps the saga and its reading-order question, which has one real fork (2014–present).
Where to start
Red Rising (2014), always - the first book is a different genre from the rest, and that is the point.
The complete list
Tick the boxes off as you read, or for the bookshelf.
| Year | Title | Series / type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Red Rising | #1 — start here | |
| 2015 | Golden Son | #2 — the twists | |
| 2016 | Morning Star | #3 — closes the first arc | |
| 2017 | Sons of Ares | comics prequel — anywhere after #1 | |
| 2018 | Iron Gold | #4 — the era change | |
| 2019 | Dark Age | #5 — the brutal peak | |
| 2020 | Sons of Ares: Wrath | comics #2 | |
| 2023 | Light Bringer | #6 | |
| 2023 | Sons of Ares: Forbidden Song | comics #3 | |
| 2026 | Red God | #7 — no date yet |
Does the reading order matter?
Publication order, with the fork explained. The original trilogy - Red Rising (2014), Golden Son (2015), Morning Star (2016) - is Darrow's story in first person, young-adult pace, a complete arc. The Iron Gold era then restarts the saga ten years on with multiple points of view and a far harder tone: Iron Gold (2018), Dark Age (2019), Light Bringer (2023) - the gap between Dark Age and Light Bringer was four years and the book was worth it. The fork: readers who loved the trilogy's YA speed sometimes stop at Morning Star, which does end; readers who want the full saga read on, and the tetralogy is the better half. Red God, the seventh and final novel, has a title but no release date as of October 2026. Around the novels: Sons of Ares, the comics prequel trilogy (2017, 2020, 2023), slots anywhere after the first trilogy. The honest adaptation note: the TV version stopped moving forward in March 2026 by Brown's own account
Which one is the best?
Golden Son (2015), the twist machine; Dark Age (2019), the brutal peak; Red Rising (2014), the door.
Related guides
Readers finishing this shelf usually want the map next door: Red Rising books in order, The Hunger Games books in order, Fourth Wing books in order. Every guide follows the same format — the shelf, the entry point, the honest answer about order.
Make it a project
Pick a session size and let the days accumulate — at the pace our reading speed test measures, most shelves above clear in a few weeks of half-hours. Every guide on the books in order shelf follows this same format, and when a book lands, its 8-question quiz is waiting on the original book quiz.
Frequently asked questions
What order should you read Pierce Brown books in?
Publication order 2014→2023; Red God undated; the trilogy stands alone if you stop.
Where should I start with Pierce Brown?
Red Rising (2014); the fork comes later.
How many Pierce Brown books are there?
Six novels out of a planned seven (2014-2023), the Sons of Ares comics trilogy, and Red God awaiting a date - the saga's screen version is not moving forward as of March 2026. As of October 2026 this list is current.
What was Pierce Brown's first book?
Red Rising (2014) — the first row of the list above.