Red Rising

"Red Rising" is an electrifying journey into a future society where class divisions are stark and rebellion is the only path to justice. Pierce Brown crafts a masterful narrative that hooks readers from the very first page and refuses to let go until the final, heart-pounding conclusion. 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.

It took me a minute to get into this, but then I really loved it. It was definitely a violent book, but I feel the violence made sense with the plot. After I adjusted I really enjoyed the writing style and I loved the characters. The story itself was interesting and I was genuinely engaged when reading it. I think this was a great book and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

So this book was a proof of my sometimes-lameness in reading certain book. I purchased the kindle copy last year, started reading it for the first time around February, and now 3 months later I just finished it after having long battle with side of me that wanted to keep putting it down. I swear this was my first time of needing such a long time to finish a fiction. I personally was in total awe with this book and Pierce Brown. Red Rising was a debut novel and the author outdid himself with all the rich details and the unthought-of plot, ever. And not to forget his imagination to build up a fantasy of the whole Mars and all its complexity, it was dead awesome. Bloodydamn. Just where did he gather the inspiration to write this trilogy? ‘I was not raised in palaces. I did not ride horses through meadows and eat meals of hummingbird tongues. I was forged in the bowels of this hard world. Sharpened by hate. Strengthened by love.’ (Prologue, Red Rising) Sixteen years old Darrow was a Red. A Red by all means was meant to be a slave to higher colors, specifically Gold. Sad truth Reds sat on the very bottom of society which made them slaves to every color. Darrow never dreamt of living more than what his current life offered now. He was a helldiver, the youngest in history, the best in history. He married a beautiful brave girl named Eo. He had his family all living together even though his father was long gone when he was still a kid. He thought no more than spending all his life in Lykos as Red Lambda where song and dance was the comforts to their rough life. But nothing remained forever in life. “I live for you” “Then you must live for more.” (Chapter IV, Red Rising) The day the nightmare happened, all Darrow wanted was to follow the smell of death. And that was what about to happen except a group of rebels wanted a different path for him. Away from Lykos, family, and all familiar thing back in Red ground, Darrow was shaped to a whole different form. Red Darrow was now a Gold. Well, at least that was what shown on the outside. Darrow was still Red in heart and sure he would never change. Disguised as Gold, Darrow tried a risky step to infiltrate the evil color from the inside. And just like another teenage Gold, he stepped up to join a Gold institution where he could pick a start of revenge. Little did he know that the institution wasn’t at all like its simple name. It was not a school. It was more like a life-and-death battle to be the only one ArchPrimus. Darrow used all his strength to be the said Primus and found along the way how exactly it was to be a real Gold: mean, unforgiving, and unstopped. He began to question himself about all he’d done to get the title, wondered if that would make him no less than an evil Gold. But he did it all for Red, for people back in Lykos, for every Red blood who put their faiths on his shoulder. Surely that would make a different, right? As he questioned himself that, he was faced with another surprising fact that Gold could be a loyal friend if treated right. Struggling with all these complicated dilemmas, Darrow was once again reminded by the fact that in the end, after all the torture, blood, pain, and death, it was only just a beginning. I remembered became all teary inside once I finished it. Not because the story, though, but because the fact that I was finally able to reach the last page. My first impression about Red Rising was hardcore dystopian. But first thing first, let me say something. I NEVER like dystopian book. I hate it. I do. Dystopian infuriates and depresses me at the same time. I always avoid this genre at all cost. I believe that reading is a joy where we could fully escape to the story without having to worry about being lost because we can always close the page any moment to come back. But the ‘misery’ from reading this genre seemed to haunt my soul forever no matter just when I decided to stop reading it. So we could easily conclude that I’d hate this book. What with each violence scene was being described very casually here. But here I was going to say something that would make my whole speech above pointless: I loved Red Rising. I know, I am being confusing here but this was what exactly I felt. This book had me at mental battle between loving and hating this book. I hated this book that I couldn’t stop wincing at all those miserable scenes which practically on EVERY page. Yet my mind was in a superb awestruck condition by all the details that I could not forget this book until this very second. Hell, Red Rising might be the first dystopian book that I ever loved. The author did characterizations to each character very well. Darrow was my top favorite. I loved that Pierce Brown didn’t make him as this flawless hero but simply as human who made mistakes and learned from it to be better. I loved Darrow’s way of thinking despite his young age. He was so much mature, well, being Red it was common though. The other character, Eo, also took special place in my heart. There was this one particular scene where she did something that later became the turning point of Red Rising. I loved Darrow for loving her so deep. Never once he forgot her while doing his risky mission. After all, what he’d done was all started because of Eo’s move first. ‘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.’ (Chapter I, Red Rising) I super loved the details about Mars, how separate the life of each colors there. I kept saying about rich details here because that was what the author did. He went all out with details for everything. When devouring all these details, for a second there, I could easily forget my hope to get an HEA from this book. Clearly, the author knew very well what he wrote and what to do to engage readers to stay put until the end of the book. Anyway, there was one thing that bothered me a lot about the title. First time I read the title ‘Red Rising’, all I could think of was this book would be about Red people fighting their rights, like they were having actual war of getting justification somewhere in the middle of the book. Instead it was focusing more on the preparation of rising, like how Darrow went through all those awful phases transforming into Gold, then more about how Gold’s world worked. Gold took like 80% of the book. I kept thinking when the rising would occur only to find out on the last page that everything was just a beginning. The actual rising didn’t even really happened here. It annoyed me when the title of the book misleading what I thought about the story inside. Oh, another complaint: just how many odd terms on this book made it rather difficult sometimes for me to immerse into the story. This might be one of the reasons I kept putting it down. Just put glossary in the end of the book then problem fixed! So, despite my complaints and my speech about hating dystopian book, here I said that I loved this book, or more like awestricken by this book. I wanted so bad to read the continuation of Red’s rising under Darrow’s command but I still don’t know when I’d read the next book because clearly I needed time to recover from the torture caused by Red Rising before firing it up again with second book. Well, hopefully soon.

somehow sit through the begining , i am saying this because of few others i know felt like that , but i liked it from start to finish. forever changed me..

Blog: irenadams.com Caution, mild spoilers ahead. "Funny thing, watching gods realize they’ve been mortal all along." I was going to leave for a trip for 3 weeks and couldn’t bring physical copies of the books with me. At least not as many as I would want to. So, for the first time in years I bought kindle versions of a few books. I decided to clean my want-to-read and owned-to-read shelves and this is one that’s been on one of those lists for a long time. I don’t think the synopsis really convinced me and I wasn’t sure the book would be worth buying. I regret that I formed an opinion before giving it a real chance. I think I might want to have it on a shelf of my bookcase so I can re-read it or just flip through the pages to savor the good passages. This is one of those books that really surprised me. There was action, a bad-ass character, suspense… Everything you want in a good novel that takes you in its grip and doesn’t let go before you flip the last page. The future that this book is painting is simple but evil. It has been compared to The Hunger Games, and I thought the same by the middle of the book but P. Brown created something new. It may be another dystopian future, another example of our flaws and habits, but it is also an example of what we might become if a handful few can grab the seats of power and impose their will, hiding the rest of us in the dark for the next centuries. If I only knew that there would be Greek and Roman mythology involved I would have picked the book sooner. P. Brown used the names of the gods and their characteristics and attributes to show the different battling houses of the Golds, but at the same time mentioning the differences between Greek and Roman mythology. The main character is not perfect, but deep and easy to connect to. He might be above average in his skills or strength, but then again, it was all built for him. And throughout the pages P. Brown shows us the change in the protagonist, his doubts, his fears, but also his never ending will to push forward.We get to presence his evolution and the adjustment to his new role in the society. The story is gripping and full of twists. Even though some of the turns of the events are easy to foresee, the story is ever changing. The fluid relationship between the characters and the protagonist is sometimes surprising like with Tactus, Servo and Pax, other times not so much as with Mustang. But the author is not afraid to kill one or several of the characters you liked or started to like, leaving you on the edge of the seat to see what will happen next. It was a good ride and I hope you will take it too.

Red Rising is een spannend, goed geschreven verhaal wat lijkt op The Hunger Games, maar dan volwassener. Een aanrader voor iedereen!

Uma das maiores surpresas positivas que tive esse ano. Sem dúvidas é uma das melhores leituras de ficção que tive o prazer de ler ultimamente. Pernagens carismáticos e bons diálogos sobre que questões que envolvem as relações em sociedade. Não vejo a hora de seguir com a série!

Bloodydamn Perfect!