Red Rising (International Edition)

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.

Red Rising by Pierce Brown 5 Stars!! I'm not going to recap the plot because the book's summary does a great job of explaining what the book is about: The Earth is dying. Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it. The Reds are humanity's last hope. Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labor, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought. Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda. I'm sure by now it's obvious I love romance novels. I wasn't originally going to read this book because it's listed under science fiction. I was going to have a friend read it and do a guest review (he still is going to review), but somehow I found myself intrigued by this book and all the praise that it has received. It is compared to Hunger Games and I really liked Hunger Games so I decided to give it a try...why not? Well...I'm so happy I decided to read this book. I'm not sure it does this book justice to compare it to Hunger Games. While I can see some similarities, Red Rising has added layers of depth. The writing and story is so good. You will be sucked in. First, it is quite obvious the Pierce Brown is well read. He created his own unique story but managed to borrow and weave the concepts of some great works. The first thought I had was that this book reminded me of Golding's Lord of the Flies with a twist on Homer's Iliad. There's a lot of references to Greek mythology in this story. The Golds like to play God and they interfere a great deal. It was interesting how I would forget this novel is actually set into the future. The school is basically set up to imitate ancient times where Darrow and the other students have to learn to conquer but also learn to establish order and civilization. This is where I see many similarities to Lord of the Flies. The books incorporates major themes about the conflict within human nature: civilization versus savagery. It highlights Nietzsche's concept that the driving force behind human nature is the "will to power, " or the long standing question of "does the end justify the means?" This is what I love about the novel...it's not just entertainment; it's entertainment with layers that question morality and the true nature of humanity. It has all the entertainment of Hunger Games, but the depth of the some well know classics. It's interesting to think about how this book is futuristic and technology has advanced far beyond what we can imagine, but no matter how advanced the world becomes, human nature is constant: our drive for power and our inclination for savagery always exists; it is a fine balance to keep civilization and morality in the forefront. This book has a lot of action in it and it is INTENSE. I was so stressed reading it, which is crazy since it's a trilogy and I automatically know Darrow will live through to at least the last book. I'm terrified that Pierce Brown will not give me a happy ending. I'm a happy ending girl and I want it SO bad for Darrow. There is love in this story and love is the major driving force for all of Darrow's actions, but this is not a romance story. It's a story about many things: love, war, survival, redemption, strength, fear, humanity, etc. I LOVED this book. If you are looking for a good book that has it all...love, action, science fiction, philosophical principles, something you can learn from...then READ this book. I hear it's going to be made into a movie. So READ this book before the movie comes out!! Onto book 2...here we go.

I think this book was overall quite interesting, a good start to a series, but not without some flaws in my opinion. I thought the introduction into this world started off extremely strong and hooked me from page one. Moving through the chapters however, I did find Darrow to be a rather dull character at times. There would be stilted sentences threaded throughout that I found to be kind of comical. Thanks to the other elements and promises of what was to come, that kept my head in the story and to keep pushing forward. I thought the major loss in the beginning, happened a little too soon for me to even care. And, the age of Darrow was also something I found myself battling. I feel like the fact that Darrow is a minor (as well as the entirety of the main cast of characters) is probably very intentional to solidify the brutality and inhumane way that this society functions....however, it was still an internal battle for me to remember that these are just teenagers in such incredibly mature situations. Anyways, I felt that the movement into the next phase of Darrow having a new mission and going behind enemy lines was well done. I felt very excited on what was to come next....but, I'm not going to lie. Once Darrow entered into The Institute I felt the writing got a little messy and chaotic. I had to pretend that it was sort of set in the past rather than the future; because these were kids being thrown into this OTT, severely unforgiving game that adults were acting as if it was all some sort of video game/soap opera. At times it was a little absurd and things did go over my head. And it was during this time that I actually starting losing focus on Darrow. He continued to appear as a very simplistic, nearly "caveman" mentality manchild...which, is fair being that he is just a teenager. But, I do feel that the writing didn't quite support who Darrow thought he was as a character. As this is the first book in the series, I didn't personally see Darrow exhibit anything that stood out to me as character development, but I am very eager to see how he grows in the next installments! Sevro aka Goblin was probably the character that carried this book for me. I loved him from the first scene he appeared in. He was everything I love in a character, a severe underdog that does not back down. He was a beast, period. I loved all of his contributions in scenes and seeing the little bit of his story get revealed was perfect for me. And he is one of the biggest reasons I want to keep reading this series. Victoria aka Mustang was another character that kept me going in this story as well. She was jus awesome. She kept me interested and I loved how she had her own convictions and even though she's quite petite, she's full of fight, and bravery. I enjoyed the influence she seemed to have over Darrow. I think she was a strong character for Darrow to learn from and look up to, throughout the story and made me like Darrow a bit when the two shared scenes. Cassius was the second MVP of this book for me. I felt that his character was solidly constructed and I loved how he stuck to his beliefs and also could back up his talk. I think his character arc made sense and I am eager to see how his story unfolds in the next installments. Even though there were certain things that I felt kind of got out of hand and the plot went a little crazy astray from what I thought I was getting into with this series...I am eager to jump into the next book. I want to see what happens now. I have high hopes that the second installment will only strengthen what foundation Brown has laid down for this series.

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!

Red Rising é uma obra impactante que explora profundamente temas como opressão de classes, hierarquia social e desenvolvimento pessoal. A trama acompanha Darrow, um Vermelho cuja visão de mundo é desmantelada ao descobrir verdades ocultas sobre a sociedade em que vive. Motivado por essas revelações, ele inicia uma jornada de ascensão e rebelião contra a estrutura vigente. A construção de mundo é imersiva e detalhada, povoada por personagens complexos que evocam reações genuínas, variando da empatia à aversão. A narrativa possui um ritmo consistente e a escrita em primeira pessoa cria uma conexão real, permitindo que o leitor experimente as emoções e dilemas de Darrow de forma intensa. Vale ressaltar que este é apenas o primeiro volume de uma saga, servindo como uma porta de entrada explosiva para este universo. Leitura altamente recomendada.

A visceral, high-octane introduction to a dystopian universe that feels both hauntingly familiar and grandly operatic. Set on a terraformed Mars, the story follows Darrow, a Red laborer mining helium-3 for a future he believes he is building. The narrative begins with a crushing revelation: the surface has been habitable for centuries, and Darrow’s people are enslaved to support the decadent Gold caste. This betrayal sparks a revenge-driven mission as Darrow undergoes a grueling transformation to infiltrate the Golds and dismantle their Society from within. The novel’s strength lies in its relentless pacing and brutal world-building. Once Darrow enters the Institute—a proving ground where young Golds wage war to earn their status—the story shifts from a "chosen one" trope into a savage study of leadership and survival. Brown doesn't shy away from the horrific costs of war; the stakes feel lethal, and Darrow’s internal conflict is palpable. He must adopt the cold, calculating traits of his oppressors to defeat them, risking his own humanity for the sake of justice. While drawing inspiration from The Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies, it distinguishes itself through a rich Roman-inspired aesthetic and philosophical weight. The supporting cast is equally compelling, featuring the enigmatic Mustang and the volatile Sevro—the kind of loyalist who proves you haven't lived until you get yourself a friend that will hide in a dead horse for you. These allies challenge Darrow to look beyond vengeance toward a new social order. 🍵Final Verdict A gripping exploration of power, sacrifice, and the morality of revolution. Red Rising is a rare debut that manages to be both a page-turning epic and a thoughtful commentary on class struggle. It sets a formidable foundation for the series, leaving readers eager to see if a man born in darkness can truly bring the dawn.

Bloodydamn Perfect!