Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)

by Pierce Brown

“Darrow,

Main Character

Patience and obedience, young one. Patience is the better part of valor. And obedience the better part of humanity. Listen to your elders.”

Laurel

Whats a Luarel? One Laurel per quarter. It means more food than you can eat. It means more burners to smoke. Imported quilts from Earth. Amber swill with the Society’s quality markings. It means winning.

Eo

Wife to main Character

Narol,

Uncle to main Character

Loran,

Darrow's cousin and Narol’s son

Gamma

Another mining clan

Lykos,

Mining Colony - 24 clans

I just think we never try hard enough. Never take the big risks because of the old men.

Lambda

Darrow's Clan

Tinpots

the Society’s garrison troops of the mining colony.

Only alone can a boy become a man.”

So what if life isn’t fair? If we have family, that is all that should matter.”

I look down at my hands. They are what Dancer called them—cut, scarred, burned things. When Eo kissed them, they grew gentle for love. Now that she is gone, they grow hard for hate.

“In the densest places of man, humanity most easily breaks down,”

“Power isn’t real. It’s just a word.”

One moment it is soft as hair, but with an organic impulse, it turns harder than diamond. It is the only thing that will cut through a pulseShield. One moment a whip, the next moment a perfect sword. It is the weapon of a gentleman. A Gold. For any other Color to carry it is death.

Aureate

Another name for a Gold.

Golds whose face bear a scar signifying their strength and power. The scar of acheivement is awarded for outstanding performance at The Institute.

Manners will protect you until you can protect yourself

Trimalchian

Praetors.”

Cassius

Bellonas

Whitecowls,

Agea

Praetor

“Society has three stages: Savagery, Ascendance, Decadence. The great rise because of Savagery. They rule in Ascendance. They fall because of their own Decadence.”