Red Rising is a book that contains all the elements we loved from The Hunger Games, a bit of Greek mythology and a post-apocalyptic narrative. Since this book was released a couple of years ago, I had no expectations for it. I thought this plot would be sci-fi focused. However, I was pleasantly surprised when other themes appeared after the book’s first half.
The book was a slow read for me at the beginning since I wasn’t immediately trapped by the characters. But once the flame was ignited, I couldn’t stop reading.
Let’s do a deep dive into this post-apocalyptic world.
Author
Pierce Brown is a science fiction author who is prominently known for the Red Rising series, which includes books such as Red Rising, Golden Son, Morning Star, Iron Gold, Dark Age, and Light Bringer. In addition to his novels, he has also authored a six-issue prequel comic book series titled Red Rising: Sons of Ares, which was published back in 2017.
Overview
Red Rising follows the story of Darrow, a helldiver from Lykos whose mission, the same as the one from the rest of Lowreds, is to excavate Mar’s and prepare it for humanity’s arrival. Working long hours and being fearless to increase the productivity of his clan, Darrow’s goal is to win the Laurel, which will provide more food and commodities to his loved ones.
Unfortunately, Darrow’s efforts are in vain since the competition has been rigged from the beginning, and the opposite clan wins again. Disappointed and angry, Darrow spends the night with his wife, Eo, who takes him to a hidden garden in the mines. But they are caught by guards, and as a consequence, Eo is executed after signing the Forbidden Song.
Blinded by grief, Darrow recovers Eo’s body and buries her (a practice that is banned). For this, he is sentenced to death. Fortunately, Darrow’s uncle was able to save him by slowing his heart with a poison.
Now, Darrow is part of the Sons of Ares, a terrorist group that wants to expose the truth. In the following days, Darrow discovers that Mars is already being habited, and he has been living a lie all his life working as a slave. As part of the resistance, his mission will be to transform into gold and become a society leader to liberate all reds. Will Darrow have the strength to infiltrate the society and turn into the hero his clan has been waiting for?
Personal Thoughts
Let’s start by saying that I’m not a fan of sci-fi themes, whether it is movies, shows or books. I do enjoy some popular ones like Star Wars or Star Trek, but that is not what I’m drawn to. I was a bit scared once I got this series because if I didn’t like it, I still had five more books to read, but the author proved me wrong.
Pierce Brown has a unique way of writing sci-fi that also attracts fantasy readers. All of us who read The Hunger Games and were into fantasy in the mid-2010s can be trapped by these characters and narrative.
I must say sci-fi world-building is too slow for me, but once you get to know all the elements, it gets easier to follow. Overall, this is a great book, and I keep hearing amazing reviews about the rest of the series.
Plot & Structure 9/10
One thing you need to know before picking up this book is that the plot is confusing since the author combines a lot of themes and classic references. What helped me here was looking at character cards online, and this gave me a better sense of their place in this post-apocalyptic society and what that meant in Pierce Brown’s world.
The structure is chronological and easy to follow. The only references we get to the past are through anecdotes from the characters or memories.
Character Development 9/10
Through two-thirds of the book, the character development is mainly focused on Darrow. I understand this approach since this is a book that is driven by the character’s journey. But I was happy to get more out of the secondary characters during the last chapters, and I hope Pierce Brown gives us more information about them in the upcoming books.
Dialogue 8/10
Pierce Brown is an amazing descriptive writer, and that is his strength. However, in this case, when you have a lengthy description of the scenery, the characters’ internal feelings, and moral dilemmas, the dialogue always takes second place. Though there was nothing wrong with it, it didn’t contribute any additional information to the plot.
Unanswered Questions 9/10
Red Rising was just the beginning of a trilogy that promises many plot twists, betrayals and sparks of revolution. Darrow turning into a favourite of the Golds at the end of this book is just the beginning of the character’s journey, and there are many unanswered questions at this point of the story. Will he be discovered? Is it possible that Darrow can betray his kind?
Voice 10/10
If it weren’t for Pierce Brown’s unique writing style, I wouldn’t have read past page 50. But when you are just about to put the book down, there is another cliffhanger the reader needs to follow: a discovery that can’t be left alone. I’m happy I discovered his voice and this story; my only regret is that I wasn’t part of the community that got to experience this at the peak of its popularity.
Personal Note
Try new genres; I know as readers, sometimes we get stuck on something we like and need more courage to try a new book. I advise looking for different books and reading some reviews before making any purchase. You might be surprised by the stories you can find out there.