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

Why we're reading this: Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy May BOM. Click here to get to the discussion…more
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What Members Thought

Jan 20, 2018 Vicky rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, z-author-american-usa, series-in-progress, dystopia, own-book, setting-space, zz-cover-color-red, zz-cover-color-black, setting-kessel

I have so many thoughts about this book and none of them make sense.

This book came highly recommended to me by several people whose reading tastes I generally agree with. I was excited about its comparisons with Ender's Game (a series that I adore) and overall it sounded like something I would enjoy. But it also came with a hype train and my track record is not good with the hype train.

I didn't dislike this book and, in fact, there is a ton of stuff about this book that I loved. You're probably I have so many thoughts about this book and none of them make sense.

This book came highly recommended to me by several people whose reading tastes I generally agree with. I was excited about its comparisons with Ender's Game (a series that I adore) and overall it sounded like something I would enjoy. But it also came with a hype train and my track record is not good with the hype train.

I didn't dislike this book and, in fact, there is a ton of stuff about this book that I loved. You're probably wondering, "what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Well, me too.

I was drawn into Pierce Brown's writing style from the beginning - it's harsh, gritty and amazingly unique. The setting of this world is intriguing, I love the idea of the color hierarchy and the sci-fi dystopia that it creates. In my experience, dystopias set in space are kind of rare - there are plenty of sci-fi books where there are conflicts and wars, but not many with this level of dystopian oppression built into the world. I liked it.

There were characters in this book that I loved and there were characters in this book that I loved to hate. I loved that the conflicts these characters have to overcome are not morally black and white - there is a ton of grey moral ground and anti-heroic characters in this book and those are things that I love.

I honestly can't think of a single thing that I disliked about this book, but I just can't say that I loved the book overall. It was really easy for me to set aside and I can't pinpoint why. (I will mention here that three weeks into January I have read my 6th book of the year and all of them but Red Rising have been audiobooks - so I'm wondering if it's less the book and more that I'm just not really in the right frame of mine to sit down and read. Case in point - I read the first chapter of Golden Son, got major feels, and immediately put the book down to go do something else. What even. It's a shame that I'm unimpressed by the audio recordings of this series, or I would totally give that an attempt.) ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jan 23, 2015 Katie rated it really liked it

toss jasper ffordes shades of grey, Harry potter's Hogwarts houses, the 1%-ocracy and colosseum bloodsport of the hunger games into a blender; season with just a dash of classical history and there you have it. a lit crit would sniff 'hopelessly derivative!' if they read such things. most folks would just call it a shameless ripoff of successful series. and it's actually a good read for alla that. keeps you engaged. what the hell, if the formula didn't have some serious traction it wouldn't work ...more

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