Red Rising (Red Rising, #1)

by Pierce Brown

[kimbacaffeinate]

The tale begins beneath Mars’ crust where men and woman are born and die helping to mine minerals needed to prepare Mars’ surface for humans to one day occupy it. Darrow is a red, the lowest caste in this future society. He digs and sacrifices for the greater good of man. He does so for you, for me, for your children’s children. It is all a lie. Humanity has been living on the surface for generations. He and his fellow Reds are nothing more than slaves for the ruling class. Events cause Darrow to join the resistance, where he will infiltrate the ruling class. The tale that unfolds is brutal, spectacular and spellbinding.

Darrow is such a complex hero. We witness the changes in him like the changing of the seasons. We see him adapt and outwit as he works to contain his rage. We feel his emotions; suffer with him when he is betrayed, laugh even as it breaks him, and weep when the loss becomes to great. Brown makes us experience it all. We meet colors from all of the castes. Some we loathe, some make us laugh and others freak us out as we slowly shiver and back away. The author does an excellent job of giving them a voice. Even those we wish to hate, we come to understand and admire. While the tale can be brutal, there is humor and pain. The character Pax au Telemanus is a fine example of the emotions Pierce brings to the reader through his characters. He made me laugh, giggle aloud and even weep. I absolutely loved that the characters wrought all kinds of emotions from me. Each character had depth and I was completely captivated by their stories.

Red Rising is a dark dystopian, with elements of science fiction and high fantasy. With its epic world-building and Mars setting I was caught up in this compelling and complex society. For those who love solid, controlled world-building you will be impressed. From the castes to the leaders the world is fleshed out, leaving me little to question and yet aching for more. Brown takes us through their society as he exposes the flaws, politics, and drive for control. We see the brutal reality of power and its corruption. Even as we hope Darrow succeeds we feel for others, become angered by the political games and feel the chains of the casting system. This is dark, at times violent, and there is very little light. Brown had me rooting for the underdog and hoping for a better society. The tale ended at a good point and gave us a sense of where the second novel will begin. I for one can hardly wait.


Copy received in exchange for unbiased review​. Full review originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer​​