Dark Age (2 of 3) [Dramatized Adaptation]: Red Rising 5

by Pierce Brown, Full Cast (Narrator)

He broke the chains. Then he broke the world….

A decade ago Darrow led a revolution, and laid the foundations for a new world. Now he’s an outlaw.

Cast out of the very Republic he founded, with half his fleet destroyed, he wages a rogue war on Mercury. Outnumbered and outgunned, is he still the hero who broke the chains? Or will he become the very evil he fought to destroy?

In his darkening shadow, a new hero rises.

Lysander au Lune, the displaced heir to the old empire, has returned to bridge the divide between the Golds of the Rim and Core. If united, their combined might may prove fatal to the fledgling Republic.

On Luna, the embattled Sovereign of the Republic, Virginia au Augustus, fights to preserve her precious demokracy and her exiled husband. But one may cost her the other, and her son is not yet returned.

Abducted by enemy agents, Pax au Augustus must trust in a Gray thief, Ephraim, for his salvation.

Far across the void, Lyria, a Red refugee accused of treason, makes a desperate bid for freedom with the help of two unlikely new allies.

Fear dims the hopes of the Rising, and as power is seized, lost, and reclaimed, the worlds spin on and on toward a new Dark Age.

Adapted from the novel and produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects and cinematic music!

Narrated by Jenna Sharpe, Stewart Crank, Alex Hill-Knight, Elena Anderson, and Christopher Tester. Featuring Christopher Tester as Ephraim, Jenna Sharpe as Virginia, Tia Shearer as Volga, Elena Anderson as Lyria, Alex Hill-Knight as Lysander, Chris Davenport as Ozgard, Robb Moreira as Pax, and Stewart Crank as Darrow. With additional performances by Karen Novack, Stephanie Németh-Parker, Andrew James Spooner, Laura C. Harris, Todd Scofield, Jon Vertullo, Nanette Savard, Matthew Schleigh, Su Ling Chan, Rana Kay, Ken Jackson, Danny Gavigan, Jonathan David Bullock, Liam Gerrard, Martin Dickinson, Christopher Williams, Matthew Bassett, Danny Montooth, RJ Bayley, Christopher Walker, Michael John Casey, Bradley Foster Smith, Dawn Ursula, Jessica Threet, Natalie Van Sistine, Ian Putnam, Scott McCormick, Nhea Durousseau, Peter Stanley, Colleen Delany, Julie-Ann Elliott, Damon Alums, Eric Messner, Carolyn Kashner, Kimberly Gilbert, Christopher Graybill, David M. Jourdan, Delton Engle-Sorrell, Marni Penning, and Nora Achrati.

Genres: Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published January 9, 2026

About the author

Hello. I'm Pierce Brown, the author of the Red Rising Saga, a NYT #1 bestseller.
I figured I'd write you myself than have corporate copy pasted below my totally natural author photo.

In my books you'll find stories of men and women finding their inner strength when all seems lost. You'll also find me exploring themes of love, violence, hope, and power--what it means, why people seek it, and how they hold onto it.




IG @piercebrownofficial
Twitter @pierce_brown

Reviews

[Ziva McD · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have struggled with this book. Even with magic of Graphic Audio voice actors, this was a difficult one.

There is too much war and bloody murders, well I know I know we are on book 5 and should be used to it, but even for red rising levels, this was too much. Building a character to then kill it in a scene few chapters later is a norm in this book. I can’t stand Lysander chapters. I never connected with Ephraim, he goes really boring in this one. Virginia turns into a self-obsessed I regret everything wife. I still have lots of hope for Lyria character tho…

I still have the physical book, that will be put in DnF shelves for later. Maybe I come back to it later, maybe not…

[Hannah Nowakowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to give a full review once I am done the whole book but OMG I have to say part 2 was pure insanity! Screaming crying throwing up during the whole 10 hour long audiobook! I think Dark Ages topples Golden Son as my favourite of the series and the book isn’t even done yet! Part 3 better be released soon!

[David Naroznowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s all flooding back to me listening to this audiobook. All the high stakes, awesome plot twists and turns. Even though I know it’s happening, it still feels epic all the same. I know part 3 will crush me, but still such a big fan of this medium to tell the Red Rising story in. Hopefully they can finish and start Lightbringer before Red God is released!

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shout out to Stewart Crank for narrating, “Lady, I fucked you up” with APLOMB. I was waiting for it and it did not disappoint 🫡

[Madelyn Baehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good that I couldn’t wait until the 3rd part of the dramatized audio comes out on May 29th. Had to pick up with the regular audio bc I NEED to know what happens

[Michael Sivenbring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magiskt serie, denna del är kanske något långsammare än Red Rising men trots det, är det en jädrigt bra story.

[Mark Noizumi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.7 stars. Things build to a crescendo but the problem is this is the last dramatized adaption, so it will be June until the final part of this book is out.

[Whitney Reid Drebot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do I listen to the rest in the regularrrrrrr audiobook or wait until June 18th when Part 3 of the Graphic Audio comes out? Vote below.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theodora did not deserve to go out like that😭.