Iron Gold

In Iron Gold, author Pierce Brown builds a science fiction universe, but one that is based in the history of Earth and humankind, framing the narrative as a plausible continuity of real life. Brown’s dystopian world is predicated upon the idea that, at some point in a fictional future, Earth has been colonized by the Society. By placing his fictional narrative in the context of real-life history, Brown adds a sense of verisimilitude to the story. One of the ways that he creates this impression is by using mythology and historical references throughout the novel to develop characterization, establish the epic scale of the narrative, and create the sense of history as both fated and cyclical.

Brown uses the names of his characters to hint at their cultural heritage, adding a layer of historical reference to deepen their characterization. Some characters, like Pax, Cassius, Romulus, Diomedes, or Apollonius, for instance, are named after Ancient Greek and Roman figures. Other names, like Wulfgar, Volga, and Alexandar, are inspired by Germanic and Nordic cultures. The characters also reveal their heritage when they speak, such as Wulfgar wishing “Odin’s fortune” on Darrow, or Alexandar citing the Aeneid: “Then, even then, Cassandra’s lips unsealed the doom to come: lips by a god’s command never to be believed or heeded by the Trojans” (425).