Red Rising (Red Rising, #1)

by Pierce Brown

[violetpeanut]

Overall: This is, hands-down, my favorite book of 2014. All of the characters are well-developed, the world is detailed and believable, and the plot is exciting. There are scenes that will make you cry, scenes that will make you cringe, maybe some to make you queasy, and many that will probably make you angry. The story is well-told and I cannot wait to see where Darrow goes from here.

Age: This is an adult title but will have appeal to mature teen readers as well. There is a lot of violence in various forms and some disturbing scenes so not appropriate for younger teens.

Genre: Genre-bending! This book is set in the future and on Mars so it could be classified as Science Fiction. However, there are battle scenes and settings and details which are more familiar in the Fantasy genre. Fans of either will love this. The society is Dystopian so there's that as well.

POV: First person through the main character, Darrow.

World-Building: Darrow's world is a fully-fleshed version of our future where mankind has colonized moons and planets and has segregated society into "colors." Reds are the miners and laborers, violets are the artists, pinks are for pleasure, and there are greys and obsidians and others. Golds are the ruling class. They are the most beautiful, the strongest, the richest and hold all the power. There are explanations of how society came to be this way, vivid descriptions of the settings and a thousand little details that form a complete picture without resorting to info-dumping. Everything you need to know is woven in to the fabric of the story.

Characters: Red Rising has some of the most complex and developed characters of any book I've read in a long, long time.

I love Darrow. He starts the book as a typical cocky 16 year old who thinks he knows everything and is content with his lot in life. Throughout the rest of the book, Darrow makes an amazing transformation, but not without difficulty. He struggles and makes bad choices and must learn to hide his vulnerability and become something stronger than just a Red or a Gold. He's probably one of the most developed characters I've read this year.

The secondary characters were not forgotten in terms of development. They each have a story and are complex. I love Sevro despite his penchant for gruesome tactics and uncouth behaviour. Mustang is a strong female character who is trying to rise above the limitations her family has placed upon her. There are so many others as well. Even your opinion of the "villains" will be colored after learning their motivations.


Romance: There is very little romance here. Darrow's relationship with his wife becomes the catalyst for Darrow's actions throughout the rest of the book. There are some tender scenes between them but romance is not the focus of this book.
Insta-Love: No Love Triangle: No

Plot and Pacing: There are really two halves to this book. The first half tells the story of Darrow's beginnings in the mines and how he comes to transform himself into a Gold. This half of the book is amazingly detailed and sets the stage for the rest of the trilogy. It moves a little slower because we're learning so much. Some readers may think it's a little too slow, but I was drawn so much into the world that I didn't mind it. The second half of the book is action packed and moves very quickly. It tells of Darrow's time at the command school. I was expecting personal drama and schooling and instead got brutal battles and strategy. There have been comparisons to The Hunger Games and I can see the similarities in that these "kids" are fighting for their lives, but this is a very different book. It was a pleasant surprise. There's quite a bit of politicking and strategy involved. There are shades of George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series in terms of the politics involved.

Cliffhanger: No. The immediate questions of book one are resolved but there's still a lot to tell in the overarching story of Darrow's infiltration of the Gold society. No cliffhanger, but you'll be wanting book 2 right away.

This review originally appeared on my blog Cherie Reads.