Hello Fellow Journeyers,
I've stalled on writing this review for quite some time because I was intimidated by what I could say. Before going further, Red Rising is the first book in the Red Rising trilogy (and now saga) that is at the very top of my science fiction favorites by far. I will do my best not to ramble. Warning: This will be as dramatic and over the top as the Red Rising series deserves, so if that is not your thing, know that you have been warned. Let's begin.
What's the story about: Red Rising is a first-person present, single POV story of a young man who will go on a journey to overthrow a color-based caste hierarchy. Humanity has conquered the solar system and evolved past Earth and its lowly beginnings.
Some context: the first time I read this book nearly 6 years ago, I quit reading it after the first 80 or so pages did not grip me. That being said, after giving it another shot, forcing myself through Part 1, I was totally, completely, and utterly entranced the rest of the way through (not only the first book, but the trilogy).
I'm not exactly sure what it was about the first part that gave me reservations; at first, it appeared to be underwhelming because the main character isn't that interesting, compelling, and has no problems with his lowly life. I was not patient enough because, obviously, all that changes. I simply didn't give the story time to get going. And it is well worth the patience. Another area that causes some hesitation initially is Pierce Brown's writing style. It's very choppy, short, and doesn't really hold your hand in trying to help you understand it like some authors. He expects his readers to be sci-fi literate and open to connecting the dots themselves. If you pay attention and stick with it, it will pay off.
After seeing the blerb on the front cover, I have to say that this book could hardly be compared to The Hunger Games; it has so much more depth than The Hunger Games did (and I'm a big fan of that series as well). Darrow is my favorite first-person MC, because even though he's basically impervious to defeats of a physical nature, his emotional volatility is what really causes his humanity to show through. Many people who've read this story claim he never fails, but that's a narrow view of him as a character. While he is basically a super solider, he has the mind of an adolescent who's thrown into situation after situation that is far beyond him, so he does what he can, like an angrier Captain America. (And besides the fact that he's the protagonist, I think his win/lose ratio is about right without being ridiculous. At least in this book.)
But there is more than just the main character going for this book. The other characters, while being completely over the top and gaudy, are made to be completely ridiculous because they're exaggerated caricatures of people in society. But more than that, there's just so much to gorydamn love about them. It's hard to think about any of these characters as simply side characters, from the poetic and illustrious Roque, endearing and relatable Cassius, to the amazingly strong and intelligent Mustang. And those are three. Other amazing characters include Fitchner, a terrible but necessary proctor, Sevro, who is too hard to describe, and Pax (AU TELEMANUS), who is just the most lovable giant of all-time. Even the characters you love to hate: Titus, Adrius, Nero, and Tactus. Everyone had a fully fleshed out personality of craziness in their own right and it fits so perfectly with the universe Brown created.
Finally, the whole space opera with Roman ties works to a tee for me. It didn't need that much convincing to believe that genetically enhanced beings chose to emulate their "colors" based on Roman history and it really adds more flair to everything that goes on during the story. The first book revolves around Darrow finding out how to take down the oppressive empire that has enslaved his people and he has so many problems in his wake, the tension, intrigue, and drama never ceases from beginning to end.
★★★★★ 5 Bloodydamn Stars - Red Rising is a perfect introduction to a trilogy of flawless books, in my opinion. It's characters are incredibly written, the plot is engaging and dynamic, the pacing never slows (even if it takes time getting going), the action is clear and brutal; there is beauty in this broken universe and the poetic prose used by Brown is endlessly enjoyable to read. Definitely Essential Reading!
Let me hear from you! If you like what you read, want to hear more thoughts on this book, other reviews, or talk book recommendations and Essential Reading, leave a comment below.
Rating system:
★★★★★ 5 Stars: It was amazing; I loved it. Read this book; it is definitely Essential Reading!
★★★★★* 4.5 Stars: It was fantastic, I really loved almost every aspect of it.
★★★★ 4 Stars: It was very good and worth reading; highly recommend.
★★★★* 3.5 Stars: I enjoyed a lot of aspects of this story, but it was lacking in certain areas.
★★★ 3 Stars: It was good, but could've been better or improved upon significantly.
★★★* 2.5 Stars: I wanted to enjoy it. Certain aspects were good, it was worth finishing, but many issues.
★★ 2 Stars: It was okay, I didn't feel strongly about it.
★ 1 Star: I did not like it. It was not worth finishing or I did not finish it.
*I round up based on the system on Goodreads. Also, there is no 1.5 Stars because it does not seem to have enough differentiation.
