From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)

Pierce Brown

Start date: May 12, 2015

Finish date: May 31, 2015

Discussion: Books of the Month

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What Members Thought

Feb 09, 2016 Ronyell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction-futuristic-romance, sexy-bad-boy-hero, young-adult-teen-books, strong-heroine, best-of-2016, my-blog-reviews, dystopian-world, read-in-2016, strong-hero, 1st-person-pov

"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."

I have read many books that were similar to “The Hunger Games” and they all had the same setup as the main character has to take down an oppressive government to save their people from a life of ruin. But, Pierce Brown’s book “Red Rising” proved to be somethin ...more

21 likes · Like · see review

Feb 09, 2015 Trisha rated it really liked it

"Steel is power. Money is power. But of all the things in all the worlds, words are power."

Wow, what a crazy story. I kept trying to find similarities in it to think "oh it's like this book" but....NONE, I have none to compare it to.

This story is gritty and ugly. First, it's confusion and trying to understand the world in which Darrow lives.

Then it changes and is war. It's all war. And, as always with war, the rules are out and power and destruction and ugly terror rules the land. This story w ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Jun 14, 2016 Nancy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, ya

I started this book twice - the first time it didn't grab me, but I came back to it due, if nothing else, to the fact the narrator had a lovely Irish accent and it seemed a shame not to listen. And aren't I glad I persevered. I felt the book didn't really pick up until about Chapter 7 but from there I simply couldn't stop listening. Perhaps because I have just finished listening to Ender's Game, I was open to the kind of story which pitted young people together for the sake of a game, controlled ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 30, 2025 Rachel N. rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, space, read-in-2025, mars

Darrow is a Red who lives underground and is part of a community mining Helium to help terraform Mars so people from Earth can one day inhabit it. After a series of tragedies Darrow is recruited by the Sons of Ares and he learns everything he has been told is a lie. Mars has been inhabited for hundreds of years and is ruled by the Golds. Darrow's task is to infiltrate the Golds in order to bring them down. The world building was really good. I mostly liked Darrow though he is very rash at times. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jan 26, 2016 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopian

For fans of Legend, Divergent, and Hunger Games, this is a must-read. The author does an excellent job building worlds and characters. The book has some mature content and issues; however, it is handled in an appropriate way. Readers will experience all of Darrow's tribulations first hand and question his moral compass along with their own. Get comfortable and grab some snacks... You won't want to put this book down. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 10, 2018 Kelly rated it really liked it

Shelves: library

So, I got turned on to this series from a FB live feed from either Bookstr or Bookbub in which they were making book recommendations including the recently released third book in this series. I am always on the lookout for good sci-fi to recommend to my husband who loves to read, but is much more selective than I am. So, while sci-fi is not my favorite genre, my husband is my favorite person, so I thought I would check it out. While it was a bit slow on the start, I did, ultimately like it very ...more

Like · see review