How on Earth am I going to wait until January to find out what happens next?!?! I loved the first book in the series, Red Rising, and this one was even better. I honestly could not put it down, as evidenced by the fact that I finished it in a couple of days. It was like a non-stop thrill ride with an ending that left me stunned. 
 Golden Son picks up a couple of years after the events of the previous novel. Darrow and many of his allies from the Institute (view spoiler)[ are finishing up their training at the Academy, when they are unexpectedly defeated. The ArchGovernor, disappointed in Darrow's progress, plans to auction off his contract, potentially leaving Darrow exposed to the Bellona. As a result, Darrow is forced into an unlikely alliance in order to survive and continue to advance his plans for the destruction of the Society. (hide spoiler)] 
 Throughout this novel, Brown continues to expand on the themes of class and friendship introduced in Red Rising as Darrow's relationships develop in both expected and unexpected ways. 
 The wait until January 2016 to find out how this story ends will truly be difficult. I highly recommend this series, but you might want to wait a couple of months before jumping into it if you're like me and can't handle not knowing how it ends!