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Red Rising
(Red Rising Saga #1)
by
"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them."
"I live for you," I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing t ...more
"I live for you," I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing t ...more
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Kindle Edition, 401 pages
Published
January 28th 2014
by Random House LLC
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Start your review of Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)

Jul 19, 2013
Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Actual rating: 2.5
I suppose boredom is a feeling. Not a single tear was shed. Not for a single instance was a single emotion heightened. It was by no means a bad book, but the message got lost in the telling, and there is just. So. Much. Telling. The writing is fantastic, but the plot just didn't ...more
“Darrow. Come here. Come.” He grabs my shoulder and pulls me in. “Others may have failed. But you’ll be different, Darrow. I feel it in my bones.”I'm sorry, was I supposed to feel something?
I suppose boredom is a feeling. Not a single tear was shed. Not for a single instance was a single emotion heightened. It was by no means a bad book, but the message got lost in the telling, and there is just. So. Much. Telling. The writing is fantastic, but the plot just didn't ...more

May 29, 2013
Navessa
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
EVERYONE WITH EYEBALLS
*I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review and honestly? I BLOODYDAMN LOVED IT*
You think you’ve read a dystopian book? Quit lying to yourself. That was teenage angst wrapped in a shiny new package, cashing in on the popularity of this genre.
You think you’ve read about evil futuristic regimes? Nope, those were one dimensional villains that will look cartoony compared the assholes in this book.
You think you’ve seen hurt and suffering and despair and heartache? You’ve seen nothing.
You th ...more
You think you’ve read a dystopian book? Quit lying to yourself. That was teenage angst wrapped in a shiny new package, cashing in on the popularity of this genre.
You think you’ve read about evil futuristic regimes? Nope, those were one dimensional villains that will look cartoony compared the assholes in this book.
You think you’ve seen hurt and suffering and despair and heartache? You’ve seen nothing.
You th ...more

“I am the Reaper and death is my shadow.”
2 1/2 stars. Red Rising isn't really a bad book - 2.5 stars still means halfway between "it was ok" and "I liked it", after all. And many other reviews will tell you how amazing most people found it, but I struggled to locate the magic that so many other people seem to have found within its pages.
Red Rising is considered and marketed as dystopian/sci-fi, which technically it is, but it reads with a dense wordiness that is reminiscent of high fantasy ...more

(Minor spoilers follow) Red Rising introduces us to Darrow, a sixteen-year-old miner who toils deep in the mines of Mars a few hundred years in the future. In Darrow's world, humanity has spread across the solar system, and has been organized into a strict caste system of colors, with Gold at the top and Red at the bottom. Darrow is a Red, but he is making the most of his hard life in the mines. He is good at his work. He has a beautiful wife Eo (they get married young and die young down in the
...more

BIGGGGGG DNF
Holy effing hell, people.
Or should. I say. Holy. Effing. Helldiver.
All I can say is...
Seriously though, I was expecting some uber Sci-Fi awesomeness here and I feel like I got shafted with some broke ass YA that took itself waaaaaaay too seriously without having any actual sincerity.
There is NO way I could have been reading the same book as everyone else.
That's gotta be it.
My local library must have accidentally supplied me with the staccato-speak, melodramatic version of this t ...more
Holy effing hell, people.
Or should. I say. Holy. Effing. Helldiver.
All I can say is...

Seriously though, I was expecting some uber Sci-Fi awesomeness here and I feel like I got shafted with some broke ass YA that took itself waaaaaaay too seriously without having any actual sincerity.
There is NO way I could have been reading the same book as everyone else.
That's gotta be it.
My local library must have accidentally supplied me with the staccato-speak, melodramatic version of this t ...more

I picked up Red Rising because a *lot* of the people at Worldbuilders were goofy over the books, and, by extension, the author Pierce Brown.
Earlier this year, when I went to a convention where he was going to be in attendance, the Worldbuilders team told me that if I didn't capture Pierce like a Pokemon and bring him back to the office with me, I shouldn't bother coming home at all....
I got to hang out with Pierce there, and he was irritatingly polite, witty, and charming. That, combined with th ...more
Earlier this year, when I went to a convention where he was going to be in attendance, the Worldbuilders team told me that if I didn't capture Pierce like a Pokemon and bring him back to the office with me, I shouldn't bother coming home at all....
I got to hang out with Pierce there, and he was irritatingly polite, witty, and charming. That, combined with th ...more

Gah!! Look at the new FairyLoot Editions I got!




UPDATE:OMG! Look at the new B&N hardback edition! I can't even people! There is some artwork inside too but the cover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I first read the book I must have been on crack, because it went from 4 stars to 5 and my favorites list! It's bloodydamn awesome! Let me just say the second time around listening to it on audio was fanfreakingtastic! The narrator nails it and there is a song in the book and a w ...more




UPDATE:OMG! Look at the new B&N hardback edition! I can't even people! There is some artwork inside too but the cover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I first read the book I must have been on crack, because it went from 4 stars to 5 and my favorites list! It's bloodydamn awesome! Let me just say the second time around listening to it on audio was fanfreakingtastic! The narrator nails it and there is a song in the book and a w ...more

true confessions: i bought this book because i thought the author was really attractive in his picture on the back cover flap. the interesting synopsis and the fact that 200+ of you have this added on GR also helped, but mainly it was because pierce brown is a total babe. lol.
so what a delightful bonus to also find out this is an absolute wonder of a story. a rough, brutal and vengeful wonder. i could relate to darrow on such a spiritual level - it almost felt as if his emotions were my emotions ...more
so what a delightful bonus to also find out this is an absolute wonder of a story. a rough, brutal and vengeful wonder. i could relate to darrow on such a spiritual level - it almost felt as if his emotions were my emotions ...more

Jan 28, 2014
Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Every-frickin'-body
5/3/18 - ON SALE for $1.99:
https://amzn.to/2w9QBPK
1/27/16 - Updated Review:
Pierce Brown would be a Gold in the society he built, and it kind of pisses me off.
This is the third time I've read RED RISING, it's the first time I've read it since reading GOLDEN SON, and, more than ever, I'm convinced he's a bloodydamn genius.
AND he's beautiful.
It's not fair.
You don't get to be brilliant AND talented AND have those eyes AND those arms:


You're welcome.
In heels, I might be taller than him, but who the ...more
https://amzn.to/2w9QBPK
1/27/16 - Updated Review:
Pierce Brown would be a Gold in the society he built, and it kind of pisses me off.
This is the third time I've read RED RISING, it's the first time I've read it since reading GOLDEN SON, and, more than ever, I'm convinced he's a bloodydamn genius.
AND he's beautiful.
It's not fair.
You don't get to be brilliant AND talented AND have those eyes AND those arms:


You're welcome.
In heels, I might be taller than him, but who the ...more

Darrow has lived his entire life underground.
“Break the chains, my love.”
He lives, breaths and works thousands of meters below the surface as part of the "Reds" (lowest caste of his society) whose task is to teraform Mars for the generations to come.
Despite the cold, the dark and the damp, he is happy.
His society is poor in food but rich in love, dance and song. He married Eo, the love of his life, and they are ready to start a family.
But then, he learns.
He learns that humanity is already on ...more

Oct 06, 2016
Petrik
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Sci-fi & Dystopian fans
4.5/5 Stars
Buddy reading this with my favorites:
Sweet Mary, Sister Sarah, Tweebie, Jennymort, Innocent May
Let’s get the two most asked questions about this book out of the way first.
1. Is this book geared towards YA audience?
No, it’s not. The only thing in this book that fits the YA genre is that Darrow’s (The MC) age starts at 16 years old in the beginning, that’s it. Everything else; the writing, plot, themes, and world-building, in my opinion, belongs in the adult territory.
2. Is this book ...more
Buddy reading this with my favorites:
Sweet Mary, Sister Sarah, Tweebie, Jennymort, Innocent May
Let’s get the two most asked questions about this book out of the way first.
1. Is this book geared towards YA audience?
No, it’s not. The only thing in this book that fits the YA genre is that Darrow’s (The MC) age starts at 16 years old in the beginning, that’s it. Everything else; the writing, plot, themes, and world-building, in my opinion, belongs in the adult territory.
2. Is this book ...more

It's like The Martian marries the hunger games, then the hunger games gets into an affair with the game of Thrones.
I think that speaks for itself, but let's elaborate further just for the sake of my sanity shall we??
I want to first of all point out what really gripped me in this book, because even though I liked it very much, I was 30% confusion, 20% outrage, 50% admiration. I'm not to great at math, but thats a 100% of how I felt. The gripping part to me was not the romance( which was pretty g ...more
I think that speaks for itself, but let's elaborate further just for the sake of my sanity shall we??
I want to first of all point out what really gripped me in this book, because even though I liked it very much, I was 30% confusion, 20% outrage, 50% admiration. I'm not to great at math, but thats a 100% of how I felt. The gripping part to me was not the romance( which was pretty g ...more

**4.5-stars rounded up**
Shout it from the rooftops. Red Rising is a damn blessing!!!

I am so thankful that I finally made this series a priority. I had heard so much about it, so many rave reviews, so much love, so much hype...

...but, would it work for me?
I am late to the party, perhaps the thrill is gone?

Fortunately, I am happy to report, the thrill lives on! I adored this. In the very beginning, I'll admit, I was on the fence. It started out rather slowly and the tone was a bit morose, but onc ...more
Shout it from the rooftops. Red Rising is a damn blessing!!!

I am so thankful that I finally made this series a priority. I had heard so much about it, so many rave reviews, so much love, so much hype...

...but, would it work for me?
I am late to the party, perhaps the thrill is gone?

Fortunately, I am happy to report, the thrill lives on! I adored this. In the very beginning, I'll admit, I was on the fence. It started out rather slowly and the tone was a bit morose, but onc ...more

May 19, 2015
Darth J
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
disappointing,
kids-killing-kids

Red Rising reads like a 12 year old boy’s fever script for an action movie. It lacks originality and borrows heavily from The Hunger Games. Don’t believe me? Both have a society split up into different fractions, depending on what they provide the world. Both have arenas with teens killing each other, while patrons look on and provide gifts for their favored participants. Both have protagonists who have signature weapons from a hunter/gatherer society. There are a few differences, but it’s the s ...more

Jul 11, 2017
Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction
”Brave pioneers, always remember that obedience is the highest virtue. Above all, obedience, respect, sacrifice, hierarchy…”
It’s been quite a while I last dove into a science fiction series but “Red Rising” definitely was worth it!
This book was so well made and always forced me to think ahead, to anticipate what would come next and to try to figure out how the MC would handle the situation! Just like Darrow I constantly found myself wondering who was going to stab him in the back and who would ...more
It’s been quite a while I last dove into a science fiction series but “Red Rising” definitely was worth it!
This book was so well made and always forced me to think ahead, to anticipate what would come next and to try to figure out how the MC would handle the situation! Just like Darrow I constantly found myself wondering who was going to stab him in the back and who would ...more

“I would have lived in peace. But my enemies brought me war.”
A man, whose life is about to change in every way possible. From the bones of his body to the colour of his eyes, from the place he lives to the way he talks. He's got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
I was incredibly intrigued to start this series. I watched Red Rising go from underrated to hyped and now that the final installment of the series was released, I had to give it a try as well.
I first started the book and put it down ...more
A man, whose life is about to change in every way possible. From the bones of his body to the colour of his eyes, from the place he lives to the way he talks. He's got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
I was incredibly intrigued to start this series. I watched Red Rising go from underrated to hyped and now that the final installment of the series was released, I had to give it a try as well.
I first started the book and put it down ...more

Dec 06, 2014
✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Actual rating: 1.5 stars
Brace yourselves, this is not going to go well.
YES, I only gave this book 1.5 stars when 99.99% of the world population gave it a 5 star rating. But it could have been worse and I'm actually marvelling at the fact that I was able to finish the book at all. Granted, I skimmed through most of the last chapters because there is only so much boredom I can take.
First off, let's get something straight: when everyone tells you you need to get past the first 35% of a book before ...more
Brace yourselves, this is not going to go well.
YES, I only gave this book 1.5 stars when 99.99% of the world population gave it a 5 star rating. But it could have been worse and I'm actually marvelling at the fact that I was able to finish the book at all. Granted, I skimmed through most of the last chapters because there is only so much boredom I can take.
First off, let's get something straight: when everyone tells you you need to get past the first 35% of a book before ...more

2nd read:
I'm a dumbass. I fully admit to being a dumbass.
I don't know what the hell I was doing the first time I read this book..because I gave it 3.5 stars. After reading so many shitty books this year I know now what a great book this really is.
This time it gets it's full five stars. Five frigging, huge, screaming stars. Stars for SeVRo, Pax, Mustang and the rest of these characters.
1st read: When I was a dumbass.
Unpopular opinion time. I'm sorry fangirls. I just didn't love this book.
...more
I'm a dumbass. I fully admit to being a dumbass.
I don't know what the hell I was doing the first time I read this book..because I gave it 3.5 stars. After reading so many shitty books this year I know now what a great book this really is.
This time it gets it's full five stars. Five frigging, huge, screaming stars. Stars for SeVRo, Pax, Mustang and the rest of these characters.

1st read: When I was a dumbass.
Unpopular opinion time. I'm sorry fangirls. I just didn't love this book.
...more

❝I will rise. I will attend the Academy. I will learn to lead fleets. I will win. I will sharpen myself into a sword. I will give my soul. I will dive to hell in hopes of one day rising to freedom. I will sacrifice.❞
HOLY CRAP. What a ride. I don't even know where to begin! I knew there had to be a reason why everyone was talking about this series but WOW. Red Rising was really something else. I expected a typical YA "chosen one" type of fantasy novel but this book was so much more co ...more

2 Stars
Overview:
ALRIGHT EVERYBODY. HOLD ON TIGHT.

BECAUSE IT’S TIME FOR UNPOPULAR OPINIONS
To my all GR friends who loved this book and/or recommended it to me:

I'm really glad you loved it! This just didn't work for me...

Pros:
This is brutal. Pierce Brown does a fantastic job of creating a treacherous and gritty world. Almost all dystopias rely on a sense of danger, but most of the characters are safe. Not here. It wasn’t just that characters could die, but there was absolutely no mercy if th ...more
Overview:
ALRIGHT EVERYBODY. HOLD ON TIGHT.

BECAUSE IT’S TIME FOR UNPOPULAR OPINIONS
To my all GR friends who loved this book and/or recommended it to me:

I'm really glad you loved it! This just didn't work for me...

Pros:
This is brutal. Pierce Brown does a fantastic job of creating a treacherous and gritty world. Almost all dystopias rely on a sense of danger, but most of the characters are safe. Not here. It wasn’t just that characters could die, but there was absolutely no mercy if th ...more

4.5 ⭐️
Weeks after I started this buddy read with Fares I finally finish way late because I’m useless. Enjoyed reading with you bud - please don't give up buddy reading with me forever!
“I am the spark that will set the worlds afire. I am the hammer that cracks the chains.”
Well bloodydamn! This was fantastic! Full of violence and secrets, politics and betrayals, all tied up with intricate and believable world building.
Darrow is a Red. The Red’s live on Mars and work as miners. It is hard and dan ...more
Weeks after I started this buddy read with Fares I finally finish way late because I’m useless. Enjoyed reading with you bud - please don't give up buddy reading with me forever!
“I am the spark that will set the worlds afire. I am the hammer that cracks the chains.”
Well bloodydamn! This was fantastic! Full of violence and secrets, politics and betrayals, all tied up with intricate and believable world building.
Darrow is a Red. The Red’s live on Mars and work as miners. It is hard and dan ...more


Holy bloody gory damn shit. This book you guys.
THIS. BOOK.
I feel like Darrow would benefit from some basic life advice so here it goes.
Basic Life Advice 101.
(view spoiler) ...more

Feb 23, 2014
Robin (Bridge Four)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Robin by:
Ash Wednesday
I might have liked this even more the second time through. Fantastic.
Dystopian novels seem to be a dime a dozen lately, some good, some horrible, so it is great to see a book set itself apart and really capture my imagination. Red Rising is a combination of The Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies if you turned the volume up to 11.
I am the spark that will set the worlds afire. I am the hammer that cracks the chains.
The beginning was a little predictable, I mean to create a man with an epi ...more

Dystopian novels seem to be a dime a dozen lately, some good, some horrible, so it is great to see a book set itself apart and really capture my imagination. Red Rising is a combination of The Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies if you turned the volume up to 11.
I am the spark that will set the worlds afire. I am the hammer that cracks the chains.
The beginning was a little predictable, I mean to create a man with an epi ...more

Darn this book is GOOD!

Pierce Brown is a freaking mastermind. Red Rising is a blend of science-fiction and dystopia with reference to History's greatest conquerors and Greek mythology, and the result is savage.
Darrow is a Red, working in the mines below the surface of Mars in order to make Mars inhabitable and secure the future of mankind. Reds are mostly slaves, but he has accepted his fate, thinking he's making sacrific ...more

Pierce Brown is a freaking mastermind. Red Rising is a blend of science-fiction and dystopia with reference to History's greatest conquerors and Greek mythology, and the result is savage.
“I would have lived in peace. But my enemies brought me war.”
Darrow is a Red, working in the mines below the surface of Mars in order to make Mars inhabitable and secure the future of mankind. Reds are mostly slaves, but he has accepted his fate, thinking he's making sacrific ...more

I just did a re-read to prep myself for Golden Son.
*squeals*
For me, it was definitely the right choice.
I would have missed a lot of references...mainly, because my tiny dinosaur brain can't hold onto/recall information like it used to.
So.
Was it still as good as I remembered?

Original 2013 review:
This review can also be seen at Addicted2Heroines.
There's a lot of hype surrounding this book, and for once it's totally deserved.
How often can you really say that?!
When I first started reading it, I w ...more
*squeals*
For me, it was definitely the right choice.
I would have missed a lot of references...mainly, because my tiny dinosaur brain can't hold onto/recall information like it used to.
So.
Was it still as good as I remembered?

Original 2013 review:
This review can also be seen at Addicted2Heroines.
There's a lot of hype surrounding this book, and for once it's totally deserved.
How often can you really say that?!
When I first started reading it, I w ...more

One of the most exciting books I've read in awhile! So glad I finished it now I can talk to Pierce about his book! Book talk coming soon on my channel!
...more

Jan 21, 2018
Caz (littlebookowl)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites,
owned
Well. That was a hell of a ride! Fantastic. Action-packed. Love to love, and sometimes hate, all of the characters we meet. I need MORE!
I can't believe it has taken me SO long to get to this series, but I'm so glad I finally have. ...more
I can't believe it has taken me SO long to get to this series, but I'm so glad I finally have. ...more

Jan 18, 2017
sunny
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
boring-af,
i-dont-get-the-hype,
endless-pain,
literal-garbage,
romance,
dystopian,
young-adult,
bf
Initial Reaction:
*screams and throws book across the room*
WTF I WAS SUPPOSED TO LOVE THIS. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AS GOOD AS THE AUTHORS FACE.
I am so disappointed and was not expecting to be DYING OF BOREDOM.
○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●
Here is my rant:
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, but when it hit around the 80 page mark, I started to lose interest and get bored. I know, for many people the first 70 or 80 pages were very boring and it got bet ...more
*screams and throws book across the room*
WTF I WAS SUPPOSED TO LOVE THIS. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AS GOOD AS THE AUTHORS FACE.
I am so disappointed and was not expecting to be DYING OF BOREDOM.
○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●
Here is my rant:
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, but when it hit around the 80 page mark, I started to lose interest and get bored. I know, for many people the first 70 or 80 pages were very boring and it got bet ...more

Sep 12, 2015
Matthew
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
sci-fi,
library,
fantasy,
gr_awards_2014,
post-apocalyptic-dystopian,
2016,
young-adult,
series
I really was hoping to go higher with the rating, but I found myself struggling to really get into this book. The plot was interesting enough that I will be moving on to the next one in the series, but I was definitely expecting more based on the reviews and ratings I was seeing.
For me, this was a confusing mash-up of sci-fi and fantasy. Throughout the book, the storyline jumped around so much I was often unsure what was going on or why people were doing what they were doing. I was never entirel ...more
For me, this was a confusing mash-up of sci-fi and fantasy. Throughout the book, the storyline jumped around so much I was often unsure what was going on or why people were doing what they were doing. I was never entirel ...more

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Red Rising is the oldest ARC I have on my TBR. One of my 2017 goals was to read and review it, because I always felt so much pressure when I'd think about picking it up, because this is such a beloved book in the community.
In this world that takes place in our universe, mostly on Mars, everyone is subdivided into color categories based on their skill sets, income, hair color, and what last name they possess (informatio ...more
Red Rising is the oldest ARC I have on my TBR. One of my 2017 goals was to read and review it, because I always felt so much pressure when I'd think about picking it up, because this is such a beloved book in the community.
In this world that takes place in our universe, mostly on Mars, everyone is subdivided into color categories based on their skill sets, income, hair color, and what last name they possess (informatio ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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YA and Wine: Red Rising | 47 | 16 | Apr 13, 2021 12:44PM |
Hello. I'm Pierce Brown, the author of the Red Rising Saga, a NYT #1 bestseller.
I figured I'd write you myself than have corporate copy pasted below my totally natural author photo.
In my books you'll find stories of men and women finding their inner strength when all seems lost. You'll also find me exploring themes of love, violence, hope, and power--what it means, why people seek it, and how th ...more
I figured I'd write you myself than have corporate copy pasted below my totally natural author photo.
In my books you'll find stories of men and women finding their inner strength when all seems lost. You'll also find me exploring themes of love, violence, hope, and power--what it means, why people seek it, and how th ...more
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Red Rising Saga
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“You do not follow me because I am the strongest. Pax is. You do not follow me because I am the brightest. Mustang is. You follow me because you do not know where you are going. I do.”
—
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“I would have lived in peace. But my enemies brought me war.”
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