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Red Rising (Red Rising Series Book 1) Kindle Edition
“Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field.”—USA Today
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Entertainment Weekly, BuzzFeed, Shelf Awareness
“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.”
“I live for you,” I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he toils willingly, trusting that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.
But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.
Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.
Praise for Red Rising
“[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown’s dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender’s Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow.”—Scott Sigler
“Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch
Don’t miss any of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga:
RED RISING • GOLDEN SON • MORNING STAR • IRON GOLD • DARK AGE • LIGHT BRINGER
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherDel Rey
- Publication dateJanuary 28, 2014
- File size4046 KB
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Get to know this book
What's it about?
A man named Darrow infiltrates a school for the ruling class to bring them down from the inside.Amazon editors say...
By turns brutal and heartfelt, Brown's novel blazes its own dystopian trail with nonstop action and unforgettable characters.
Seira Wilson, Amazon EditorPopular highlight
We grew together, and now are grown. In her eyes, I see my heart. In her breath, I hear my soul. She is my land. She is my kin. My love.5,663 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
I am the spark that will set the worlds afire. I am the hammer that cracks the chains.4,294 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
I was forged in the bowels of this hard world. Sharpened by hate. Strengthened by love.4,285 Kindle readers highlighted this
From the Publisher
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
An Amazon Best Book of the Month, February 2014: Look beyond the inevitable comparison to The Hunger Games--Red Rising is the first book of a gritty, complex trilogy that blazes its own trail. On desolate Mars, the protagonist, Darrow, is caught in a class system that thrives on oppression and secrecy. He is a Red, the lowest member of society, born to toil in the bowels of the planet in service to the sovereign Golds. When Darrow suffers a devastating loss and betrayal he becomes a revolutionary, taking on a dangerous role in an attempt to bring about social justice. Questions of fate, duality, and loyalty, evolve in a cruel test of war between the sons and daughters of the ruling elite. By turns brutal and heartfelt, Red Rising is nonstop action with surprising twists and unforgettable characters. --Seira Wilson
From Booklist
Review
“[A] top-notch debut novel . . . Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field.”—USA Today
“Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch
“A story of vengeance, warfare and the quest for power . . . reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Fast-paced, gripping, well-written—the sort of book you cannot put down. I am already on the lookout for the next one.”—Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of The Sword of Shannara
“Pierce Brown has done an astounding job at delivering a powerful piece of literature that will definitely make a mark in the minds of readers.”—The Huffington Post
“Compulsively readable and exceedingly entertaining . . . a must for both fans of classic sci-fi and fervent followers of new school dystopian epics.”—Examiner
“[A] great debut . . . The author gathers a spread of elements together in much the same way George R. R. Martin does.”—Tordotcom
“Very ambitious . . . a natural for Hunger Games fans of all ages.”—Booklist
“Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow: Pierce Brown’s empire-crushing debut is a sprawling vision.”—Scott Sigler, New York Times bestselling author of Pandemic
“A Hollywood-ready story with plenty of action and thrills.”—Publishers Weekly
“Reminiscent of . . . Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games . . . [Red Rising] will captivate readers and leave them wanting more.”—Library Journal (starred review)
About the Author
Pierce Brown is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Rising, Golden Son, Morning Star, Iron Gold, and Dark Age. His work has been published in thirty-three languages and thirty-five territories. He lives in Los Angeles, where he is at work on his next novel.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Helldiver
The first thing you should know about me is I am my father’s son. And when they came for him, I did as he asked. I did not cry. Not when the Society televised the arrest. Not when the Golds tried him. Not when the Grays hanged him. Mother hit me for that. My brother Kieran was supposed to be the stoic one. He was the elder, I the younger. I was supposed to cry. Instead, Kieran bawled like a girl when Little Eo tucked a haemanthus into Father’s left workboot and ran back to her own father’s side. My sister Leanna murmured a lament beside me. I just watched and thought it a shame that he died dancing but without his dancing shoes.
On Mars there is not much gravity. So you have to pull the feet to break the neck. They let the loved ones do it.
I smell my own stink inside my frysuit. The suit is some kind of nanoplastic and is hot as its name suggests. It insulates me toe to head. Nothing gets in. Nothing gets out. Especially not the heat. Worst part is you can’t wipe the sweat from your eyes. Bloodydamn stings as it goes through the headband to puddle at the heels. Not to mention the stink when you piss. Which you always do. Gotta take in a load of water through the drinktube. I guess you could be fit with a catheter. We choose the stink.
The drillers of my clan chatter some gossip over the comm in my ear as I ride atop the clawDrill. I’m alone in this deep tunnel on a machine built like a titanic metal hand, one that grasps and gnaws at the ground. I control its rockmelting digits from the holster seat atop the drill, just where the elbow joint would be. There, my fingers fit into control gloves that manipulate the many tentacle-like drills some ninety meters below my perch. To be a Helldiver, they say your fingers must flicker fast as tongues of fire. Mine flicker faster.
Despite the voices in my ear, I am alone in the deep tunnel. My existence is vibration, the echo of my own breath, and heat so thick and noxious it feels like I’m swaddled in a heavy quilt of hot piss.
A new river of sweat breaks through the scarlet sweatband tied around my forehead and slips into my eyes, burning them till they’re as red as my rusty hair. I used to reach and try to wipe the sweat away, only to scratch futilely at the faceplate of my frysuit. I still want to. Even after three years, the tickle and sting of the sweat is a raw misery.
The tunnel walls around my holster seat are bathed a sulfurous yellow by a corona of lights. The reach of the light fades as I look up the thin vertical shaft I’ve carved today. Above, precious helium-3 glimmers like liquid silver, but I’m looking at the shadows, looking for the pitvipers that curl through the darkness seeking the warmth of my drill. They’ll eat into your suit too, bite through the shell and then try to burrow into the warmest place they find, usually your belly, so they can lay their eggs. I’ve been bitten before. Still dream of the beast—black, like a thick tendril of oil. They can get as wide as a thigh and long as three men, but it’s the babies we fear. They don’t know how to ration their poison. Like me, their ancestors came from Earth, then Mars and the deep tunnels changed them.
It is eerie in the deep tunnels. Lonely. Beyond the roar of the drill, I hear the voices of my friends, all older. But I cannot see them a half klick above me in the darkness. They drill high above, near the mouth of the tunnel that I’ve carved, descending with hooks and lines to dangle along the sides of the tunnel to get at the small veins of helium-3. They mine with meter-long drills, gobbling up the chaff. The work still requires mad dexterity of foot and hand, but I’m the earner in this crew. I am the Helldiver. It takes a certain kind—and I’m the youngest anyone can remember.
I’ve been in the mines for three years. You start at thirteen. Old enough to screw, old enough to crew. At least that’s what Uncle Narol said. Except I didn’t get married till six months back, so I don’t know why he said it.
Eo dances through my thoughts as I peer into my control display and slip the clawDrill’s fingers around a fresh vein. Eo. Sometimes it’s difficult to think of her as anything but what we used to call her as children.
Little Eo—a tiny girl hidden beneath a mane of red. Red like the rock around me, not true red, rust-red. Red like our home, like Mars. Eo is sixteen too. And she may be like me—from a clan of Red earth diggers, a clan of song and dance and soil—but she could be made from air, from the ether that binds the stars in a patchwork. Not that I’ve ever seen stars. No Red from the mining colonies sees the stars.
Little Eo. They wanted to marry her off when she turned fourteen, like all girls of the clans. But she took the short rations and waited for me to reach sixteen, wedAge for men, before slipping that cord around her finger. She said she knew we’d marry since we were children. I didn’t.
“Hold. Hold. Hold!” Uncle Narol snaps over the comm channel. “Darrow, hold, boy!” My fingers freeze. He’s high above with the rest of them, watching my progress on his head unit.
“What’s the burn?” I ask, annoyed. I don’t like being interrupted.
“What’s the burn, the little Helldiver asks.” Old Barlow chuckles.
“Gas pocket, that’s what,” Narol snaps. He’s the headTalk for our two-hundred-plus crew. “Hold. Calling a scanCrew to check the particulars before you blow us all to hell.”
“That gas pocket? It’s a tiny one,” I say. “More like a gas pimple. I can manage it.”
“A year on the drill and he thinks he knows his head from his hole! Poor little pissant,” old Barlow adds dryly. “Remember the words of our golden leader. Patience and obedience, young one. Patience is the better part of valor. And obedience the better part of humanity. Listen to your elders.”
I roll my eyes at the epigram. If the elders could do what I can, maybe listening would have its merits. But they are slow in hand and mind. Sometimes I feel like they want me to be just the same, especially my uncle.
“I’m on a tear,” I say. “If you think there’s a gas pocket, I can just hop down and handscan it. Easy. No dilldally.”
They’ll preach caution. As if caution has ever helped them. We haven’t won a Laurel in ages.
“Want to make Eo a widow?” Barlow laughs, voice crackling with static. “Okay by me. She is a pretty little thing. Drill into that pocket and leave her to me. Old and fat I be, but my drill still digs a dent.”
A chorus of laughter comes from the two hundred drillers above. My knuckles turn white as I grip the controls.
“Listen to Uncle Narol, Darrow. Better to back off till we can get a reading,” my brother Kieran adds. He’s three years older. Makes him think he’s a sage, that he knows more. He just knows caution. “There’ll be time.”
“Time? Hell, it’ll take hours,” I snap. They’re all against me in this. They’re all wrong and slow and don’t understand that the Laurel is only a bold move away. More, they doubt me. “You are being a coward, Narol.”
Silence on the other end of the line.
Calling a man a coward—not a good way to get his cooperation. Shouldn’t have said it.
“I say make the scan yourself,” Loran, my cousin and Narol’s son, squawks. “Don’t and Gamma is good as Gold—they’ll get the Laurel for, oh, the hundredth time.”
The Laurel. Twenty-four clans in the underground mining colony of Lykos, one Laurel per quarter. It means more food than you can eat. It means more burners to smoke. Imported quilts from Earth. Amber swill with the Society’s quality markings. It means winning. Gamma clan has had it since anyone can remember. So it’s always been about the Quota for us lesser clans, just enough to scrape by. Eo says the Laurel is the carrot the Society dangles, always just far enough beyond our grasp. Just enough so we know how short we really are and how little we can do about it. We’re supposed to be pioneers. Eo calls us slaves. I just think we never try hard enough. Never take the big risks because of the old men.
“Loran, shut up about the Laurel. Hit the gas and we’ll miss all the bloodydamn Laurels to kingdom come, boy,” Uncle Narol growls.
He’s slurring. I can practically smell the drink through the comm. He wants to call a sensor team to cover his own ass. Or he’s scared. The drunk was born pissing himself out of fear. Fear of what? Our overlords, the Golds? Their minions, the Grays? Who knows? Few people. Who cares? Even fewer. Actually, just one man cared for my uncle, and he died when my uncle pulled his feet.
My uncle is weak. He is cautious and immoderate in his drink, a pale shadow of my father. His blinks are long and hard, as though it pains him to open his eyes each time and see the world again. I don’t trust him down here in the mines, or anywhere for that matter. But my mother would tell me to listen to him; she would remind me to respect my elders. Even though I am wed, even though I am the Helldiver of my clan, she would say that my “blisters have not yet become calluses.” I will obey, even though it is as maddening as the tickle of the sweat on my face.
“Fine,” I murmur.
I clench the drill fist and wait as my uncle calls it in from the safety of the chamber above the deep tunnel. This will take hours. I do the math. Eight hours till whistle call. To beat Gamma, I’ve got to keep a rate of 156.5 kilos an hour. It’ll take two and a half hours for the scanCrew to get here and do their deal, at best. So I’ve got to pump out 227.6 kilos per hour after that. Impossible. But if I keep going and squab the tedious scan, it’s ours.
I wonder if Uncle Narol and Barlow know how close we are. Probably. Probably just don’t think anything is ever worth the risk. Probably think divine intervention will squab our chances. Gamma has the Laurel. That’s the way things are and will ever be. We of Lambda just try to scrape by on our foodstuffs and meager comforts. No rising. No falling. Nothing is worth the risk of changing the hierarchy. My father found that out at the end of a rope.
Nothing is worth risking death. Against my chest, I feel the wedding band of hair and silk dangling from the cord around my neck and think of Eo’s ribs.
I’ll see a few more of the slender things through her skin this month. She’ll go asking the Gamma families for scraps behind my back. I’ll act like I don’t know. But we’ll still be hungry. I eat too much because I’m sixteen and still growing tall; Eo lies and says she’s never got much of an appetite. Some women sell themselves for food or luxuries to the Tinpots (Grays, to be technic about it), the Society’s garrison troops of our little mining colony. She wouldn’t sell her body to feed me. Would she? But then I think about it. I’d do anything to feed her . . .
I look down over the edge of my drill. It’s a long fall to the bottom of the hole I’ve dug. Nothing but molten rock and hissing drills. But before I know what’s what, I’m out of my straps, scanner in hand and jumping down the hundred-meter drop toward the drill fingers. I kick back and forth between the vertical mineshaft’s walls and the drill’s long, vibrating body to slow my fall. I make sure I’m not near a pitviper nest when I throw out an arm to catch myself on a gear just above the drill fingers. The ten drills glow with heat. The air shimmers and distorts. I feel the heat on my face, feel it stabbing my eyes, feel it ache in my belly and balls. Those drills will melt your bones if you’re not careful. And I’m not careful. Just nimble.
I lower myself hand over hand, going feetfirst between the drill fingers so that I can lower the scanner close enough to the gas pocket to get a reading. This was a mistake. Voices shout at me through the comm. I almost brush one of the drills as I finally lower myself close enough to the gas pocket. The scanner flickers in my hand as it takes its reading. My suit is bubbling and I smell something sweet and sharp, like burned syrup. To a Helldiver, it is the smell of death.
Product details
- ASIN : B00CVS2J80
- Publisher : Del Rey (January 28, 2014)
- Publication date : January 28, 2014
- Language : English
- File size : 4046 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 401 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #875 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author
Pierce Brown is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Red Rising Saga. He spent his childhood building forts and setting traps for his cousins in the woods of six states and the deserts of two. He now lives in Los Angeles, where he scribbles tales of spaceships, wizards, ghouls, and most things old or bizarre.
www.PierceBrown.com
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Customers find the plot intriguing, confusing, and complex. They also appreciate the fantastic worldbuilding and writing style. Readers enjoy the storyline, describing it as science fiction with love, action, and philosophical principles. They find the characters relatable, believable, and flawed. They describe the emotional tone as raw and rage-inducing. However, some find the book starts out slow and the action becomes formulaic. Opinions differ on readability, with some finding it hard to put down and others finding it easy to love or hate.
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Customers find the storyline enjoyable, good, and intense. They also say the book has the opportunity to be the best science-fiction novel they've ever read. Readers also mention the story is raw and painful.
"...Pierce Brown crafts a masterful narrative that hooks readers from the very first page and refuses to let go until the final, heart-pounding..." Read more
"...He’s brilliant and strong but not infallible; a leader, but one who must trust and rely on others for his ultimate success...." Read more
"...There's a setting with an awesome backstory -- Mars -- and that is described in a way that periodically reminds you of what is so that it never..." Read more
"...I don’t want to give too much away...the book is just so good and I want everyone to experience every little bit of it…..." Read more
Customers find the plot intriguing, complex, epic, profound, and cunning. They also say it takes elements of dystopias and elevates them nicely. Readers say the book appeals to fans of all action genres and surprises them every chance it gets.
"...Darrow is a protagonist for the ages, a complex and deeply flawed hero whose journey from oppressed miner to revolutionary leader is nothing short..." Read more
"...At other times, though, there were moments of true greatness, where I glimpsed the tremendous potential of this trilogy...." Read more
"...They are wicked, yet redeeming, sultry, yet vulnerable, beautiful, yet deadly. They are complex, which makes them real and relatable...." Read more
"...The most profound, beautifully lyrical lines are the cleanest. They’re not weighed down by an abundance of adjectives but are still lofty in ideas...." Read more
Customers find the writing style well-written, rich, and engaging. They also appreciate the author's unapologetically clever, thought-provoking, and brilliant writing style. Readers also mention that the book improves with re-reading, and that the author has clearly created a world with defined language and hierarchy.
"...Brown's prose crackles with energy and intensity, drawing readers into the heart of the action and never letting up until the final page is..." Read more
"Red Rising is definitely one of those books that improves with re-reading...." Read more
"...Not to say it was bad. It wasn't. It was a very well-written book and excellent on many fronts...." Read more
"...They are wicked, yet redeeming, sultry, yet vulnerable, beautiful, yet deadly. They are complex, which makes them real and relatable...." Read more
Customers find the characters in the book incredible, believable, and flawed.
"...With its richly imagined world, unforgettable characters, and heart-stopping action, it's a book that deserves every bit of its five-star rating...." Read more
"...Here we go! At last! A large, diverse caste of characters with a range of personalities, who are all fully fleshed out even when they have little..." Read more
"...The characters are very realistic, very believable, and very flawed. They are wicked, yet redeeming, sultry, yet vulnerable, beautiful, yet deadly...." Read more
"...The character interactions are hilarious and brotherly...." Read more
Customers find the emotional tone of the book raw, loving, and family oriented. They also say the characters come alive and you feel their pain, elation, sorrow, loyalty, and gripping full of unexpected twists and turns. Readers describe the book as immersive, real, and addictively readable.
"...My imagination danced along with this text, creating vivid imagery and emotional attachment...." Read more
"This book was superbly phenomenal. Heartrendingly painful and breathtakingly sweet. The first book to give me goosebumps every other page!..." Read more
"...But the author is great at portraying the emotions and points of views of many characters and factions." Read more
"...Because this book is addictively readable and rage-inducing in equal measure...." Read more
Customers find the worldbuilding fantastic, excellent, and impressive for a new author. They also say it's an excellent intro to a trilogy.
"...What sets "Red Rising" apart is its richly developed world-building...." Read more
"...Pierce does an excellent job of introducing the reader to characters of all colors and stations. And all shortcomings...." Read more
"...Brace yourself for catchphrases.The world building is astounding...." Read more
"...Relatable characters, an intriguing world, and a great premise to kick off a series that grows into one of the greatest space operas of this era." Read more
Customers are mixed about the readability. Some mention it's very hard to put down, the setup happens pretty quickly, and then 50 pages in you start a thrilling, grim story. Others say they're into the series and it'll be difficult to put it down.
"...Most of the time, the narrative style is engaging, easy, but intelligent...." Read more
"I have to say, I hate this book. I hate it because I literally could not put it down...." Read more
"...a few chapters to get into this book but once I did it was very difficult to put down...." Read more
"Amazing book. Nearly impossible to put down...." Read more
Customers find the opening of the book slow and overly rushed. They also say the events are just for shock value.
"...Certainly. It can be overwhelming at times, slow at others, and there are moments when it feels like Brown is writing not a story, but Ideas, with a..." Read more
"The beginning 1/4th to 1/3rd of the book is slow...." Read more
"...Once Darrow is in the battlefield, parts of that just got too slow and boring for me...." Read more
"...To me it started off slow, kind of hard to follow in the beginning but after a while it grew on me...." Read more
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From the outset, Brown introduces us to Darrow, a member of the lowest caste in a color-coded society that mirrors the hierarchy of ancient Rome. His world is one of backbreaking labor and brutal oppression, where the ruling Golds maintain their power through fear and manipulation. But when tragedy strikes and Darrow discovers the true extent of the Golds' cruelty, he embarks on a quest for vengeance that will reshape the fate of the entire solar system.
What sets "Red Rising" apart is its richly developed world-building. Brown paints a vivid picture of a future society where technology and mythology intertwine, where towering cities scrape the skies and sprawling mines stretch deep into the earth. Each color-coded caste is meticulously crafted, with its own customs, traditions, and societal norms, creating a vibrant tapestry that is as immersive as it is compelling.
But it's not just the world itself that captivates; it's the characters who inhabit it. Darrow is a protagonist for the ages, a complex and deeply flawed hero whose journey from oppressed miner to revolutionary leader is nothing short of epic. Along the way, he encounters a cast of equally memorable characters, from the fierce and loyal Mustang to the enigmatic and deadly Sevro. Each character is fully realized, with their own motivations, desires, and inner demons, adding depth and dimension to an already richly layered narrative.
And then there's the action. "Red Rising" is a non-stop thrill ride from start to finish, with pulse-pounding battles, daring escapes, and breathtaking feats of bravery that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. Brown's prose crackles with energy and intensity, drawing readers into the heart of the action and never letting up until the final page is turned.
But beneath the pulse-pounding excitement lies a deeper message about power, privilege, and the nature of freedom. "Red Rising" is a story about the fight for equality and justice, about the lengths we will go to for the ones we love, and about the sacrifices we must make to create a better world. It's a story that is as timely as it is timeless, resonating with readers long after the final chapter has ended.
In conclusion, "Red Rising" is a tour de force of science fiction storytelling. With its richly imagined world, unforgettable characters, and heart-stopping action, it's a book that deserves every bit of its five-star rating. Pierce Brown has crafted a modern masterpiece that will stand the test of time, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
There were times when I struggled with the believability of Brown’s world, when I felt he wasn’t being consistent with his characterization or was losing the thread of his story. At other times, though, there were moments of true greatness, where I glimpsed the tremendous potential of this trilogy.
When six months had gone by and I still couldn’t stop thinking about Red Rising, I decided to buy a copy and read it again. The second time, I was blown away. I found myself describing it to friends as “epic,” “spectacular,” and “out of this world,” and it's become one of my favorite books.
Red Rising takes place on Mars hundreds of years in the future, when a person’s station and function are determined by the Color they’re born into. The Reds, for example, are tasked with toiling in the underground mines of Mars to collect the elements that will be used make the planet inhabitable.
One of these Reds is Darrow, a young man respected and loved by his people for his quick hands and sharp mind. Working conditions may be hellish, living conditions bleak, but Darrow is proud to do his part for the good of humanity. His wife, on the other hand, views the Reds’ toil as slavery and urges Darrow to use his reputation and talents to free their people. Darrow, head-over-heels in love with his wife and unwilling to risk her safety and the life they’ve built together, resists.
It’s only after tragedy strikes that Darrow is forced to rethink his world view and realize his wife’s dream is one worth fighting for. Transmuted by grief and rage, Darrow joins a rebel force in a plot to bring down the Golds, the elite who rule all the other Colors. Darrow undergoes an extensive and painful transformation to pass as a Gold, the plan being for him to fight the Golds from within and rise through the ranks to a position of influence where he can start a revolution.
The first step in this ascension is to enroll in the Institute, a training ground for young Golds. Unlike traditional schools, the Institute is less of a college, more of an immense, high-stakes game of Capture the Flag or Risk. The students are divided into 12 houses and thrown into the wilderness, the objective being for one house to conquer all of the others.
This is where most people begin comparing Red Rising to The Hunger Games. While there are definite similarities, such as the fact that young people are fighting one another in an arena-like field, there are key differences between the two. The principle way Red Rising differs from The Hunger Games is that the game of Capture the Flag is not a free-for-all where only one can be left standing at the end. To succeed in the Institute you need allies, an army. You need to become a leader, bring people to your side, rally and unite your troops. You need strategy and inspiration. Watching Darrow figure out how to become not just a victor, but a leader and a legend, is one of the biggest selling points of the book.
I would say Red Rising feels more reminiscent of Braveheart than The Hunger Games, mostly due to the setting and to Darrow himself. The game of Capture the Flag is played out in a land of castles, highlands, forests, and vales. There are battle cries, ferocious warriors galloping around on horseback, animal pelts, and war paint. And like William Wallace, Darrow is fighting against oppression and has an inner fire and charisma that win people’s hearts and loyalty.
Darrow is everything you could ask for in an epic hero. For one thing, he’s self-aware and able to make sacrifices and tough decisions because he knows they are required. He regrets some of the things he must do in order to get ahead but recognizes that those actions must be taken in order to realize his wife’s dream. He’s brilliant and strong but not infallible; a leader, but one who must trust and rely on others for his ultimate success. His victories are epic, but so are his failures. I’m in awe of him and can’t wait to see his meteoric rise continue in the rest of this series.
The supporting characters in the Institute also played a huge part in winning me over. Darrow may be the grand hero, but don’t let that fool you into thinking the rest of the story's cast are lesser beings. There are some serious power players in this book, and they each feel like real, distinct, memorable people. They’re not just characters, they’re titans, and without them Red Rising wouldn’t be half so successful.
Were there problems with Red Rising? Certainly. It can be overwhelming at times, slow at others, and there are moments when it feels like Brown is writing not a story, but Ideas, with a capital "I." Ultimately, though, this is a brilliant book. It wowed me, moved me, and left me stunned, and I am rabid to know how the trilogy will proceed.
This review can also be found on my blog,http://AngelasLibrary.com.
Top reviews from other countries
I loved this novel and am already reading the trilogy , ‘Golden Son’.
Reviewed in India on May 18, 2024
I loved this novel and am already reading the trilogy , ‘Golden Son’.
The character development in this book is truly exceptional. The protagonist, Darrow, is a complex and relatable character whose journey from a humble Red to infiltrating the elite Gold society is nothing short of epic. His struggles, triumphs, and sacrifices kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
The world-building is equally impressive. Brown has created a richly detailed universe filled with political intrigue, social hierarchy, and breathtaking action sequences. From the sprawling mines of Mars to the opulent halls of the Golds, every aspect of this world feels vivid and alive.
What truly sets Red Rising apart, however, is its thought-provoking exploration of themes such as power, oppression, and the nature of humanity. Brown doesn't shy away from tackling difficult topics, and the result is a story that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.
Overall, I cannot recommend Red Rising highly enough. It's a thrilling rollercoaster of a ride that will leave you breathless and eager for more. Whether you're a fan of science fiction or simply enjoy a well-crafted story with compelling characters, this book is an absolute must-read. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!