My vote is closer to 3.5 stars, though I read this aloud to my 13-year old son, and he gives it 4 stars. So, I rounded up. 
 I liked the first one better. I loved reading about Darrow's background, and his transformation, and all the new relationships me forged. There was a nice blend of action, drama, and intrigue too. Basically, I found Red Rising well balanced. Golden Son leaned too much on the war and fighting aspect of the series. Then again, that is possibly the purpose of the second book in a trilogy. The second half of the book picked up the pace a bit for me. 
 Brown created some amazing characters, though there were just a bit too many of them. Maybe it's because I was reading it out loud, and trying to do a different voice for every. single. one. I enjoyed Brown's heavy use of metaphors and such in Red Rising, though it felt a little bit more forced in this one. One I liked a lot: "Humans, no matter their Color, are fragile as doves in the meat grinder of war." Later, a character was moving "like a cyclops wading through sheep." Creative, indeed. Just a bit excessive, maybe. 
 Overall, this book ended on a note that solidified my decision to finish the trilogy and read the last title next year. Maybe I'll love that one as I did the first.