The Red Rising trilogy is a book series based in the future where society is ranked by colours. The reader experiences Darrow’s fight up to the Gold rank in order to change what has been lied about to his people for so long. Darrow believes he and his people are working all day in order to make the surface of Mars livable for future generations. However he soon realizes that humanity reached the surface generations before, the Reds are no more than slaves for the higher colours.
The science fiction novel by Pierce Brown published in 2014 has been a hit since its release, possibly due to the subversive writing style of Brown or the not so future feel of it. Darrow first wants to find the truth and get revenge after he and his wife Eo are found in a forbidden area, where after Eo and Darrow are whipped and killed for their crime. Darrow wakes up not so long after finding he is not dead and craving for revenge.
The Red Rising read is an immersive experience seen through the eyes of Darrow, we experience and develop as he does. “I forget to breath. Then I gasp. My body shivers. Hugs the sword. I smell Cassius’ neck.” This small quote makes the reader feel as if they are Darrow and in the same experience due to the small sentences Brown wrote as well the intense word choice he used. Due to the plot being a first person narrative we never know the whole story and only see it evolve as darrow does. “I don’t want to do this. I can’t explain how badly I don’t want to hurt Julian. But when has what I wanted ever mattered? My people need this. Eo sacrificed happiness and her life. I can sacrifice my wants.” Darrow is willing to do anything to get what is right for his people, during the quotation the reader may have their own opinion with the decision he makes to fight Julian imposing the ‘real feeling’ again.
In conclusion the Red Rising book and trilogy is a must read, it includes an immersive experience with an action packed plot through the eyes of the lowest colour in a colour-coded society and his journey through the ranks. Pierce Brown did a fantastic job with implementing the feelings and experience Darrow and the reader will go through.
Some similar reads to a book like Red Rising include Golden Son and Morning Star which are the other two books in the trilogy. As well as futuristic books like Ready Player One and The Rule of Three series. All of these science fiction novels include an immersive experience that makes you feel like the main character going through their unique experiences.
Overall Rating
9.0
Written by Nathan Fitzgerald
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