Red Rising (Red Rising Saga #1) by Pierce Brown -- Restarting August 1st 2025

[Tessa]

Description: The war begins...

Darrow is a Helldiver, one of a thousand men and women who live in the vast caves beneath the surface of Mars. Generations of Helldivers have spent their lives toiling to mine the precious elements that will allow the planet to be terraformed. Just knowing that one day people will be able to walk the surface of the planet is enough to justify their sacrifice. The Earth is dying, and Darrow and his people are the only hope humanity has left.

Until the day Darrow learns that it is all a lie. Mars is habitable - and indeed has been inhabited for generations by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. The Golds regard Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.

With the help of a mysterious group of rebels, Darrow disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside.

But the command school is a battlefield. And Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda...

Me and Tayla are going to read this. Feel free to join us! >.O

[Tayla]

whoop

[Tessa]

Tayla, did you start with this one?

[Tessa]

10% in
Donno what to say, the world building is going ok, but it's kinda slow, the story hasn't even started yet and I've been reading this for a while. This book seems really long...

[Tayla]

hey sorry i am behind on buddy reads

[Tessa]

Don't worry, I won't be particularly fast with this one. My enjoyment level is pretty low for it right now, which is a shame, because it looks like a really good book, donno why I can't seem to get into it.

[Tayla]

Okay I'm starting now :)

[Tayla]

10% I disagree with you on that. I am really getting into this

[Tessa]

Tayla wrote: "10% I disagree with you on that. I am really getting into this"
You can't disagree with me on my enjoyment level, you can just claim to not feel the same XD.

[Tayla]

Hahaha okay grammar police ;)

[Sarah Elizabeth]

I'm with you Tessa, I thought this was rubbish. The whole book changes and becomes something totally different at the 30% mark as well. Keep reading until you get to the 14-15% mark though as something really sad happens which I think was the best part of the book, and I think you'll like!

[Tessa]

Ok, got to that part, yup, dropped series. I'm sorry Tayla, but I really can't go on with this book. And I did try, I really did.
(view spoiler)[Nooooo! Eoooo!!! I really liked her :( . (hide spoiler)]
It took me longer to realize I won't like this book because of the beautiful writing. I do think Pierce Brown is a talented author and does have his way with words. He's writing is not shallow in any way, yet his main character is.
This book had potential, but the main character kinda ruined this for me. If he would have died and the story followed Eo from there on I would have probably liked it more. Eo is the type of character I want to see in a dystopia: enraged, smart, hopeful, courageous. Unfortunately, Darrow is non of those, he's just daring. (view spoiler)[When his wife died he was not enraged enough to think of a way to beat the system, he just went to die for her, like that's what she would have wanted from him... stupid. (hide spoiler)]
The world building is not bad, but after reading 20% I still don't understand who rules what and what every color represents. I will probably get enraged comments because of this, but Hunger Games was better. More simplistic writing, but a straight forward story that managed to keep you interested until the end. A little mystery is good, but too much mystery in a dystopia will make you loose interest.

Dropped series, but not dropped author. I do think he has potential. If he decides to write another book I think I'll try it.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

(view spoiler)[ I was super sad about Eo too, the bit where she died was so beautiful but sad, I cried buckets! The whole story changes at the 30% mark though, and goes from a dystopian to a war novel, and not a good one. I got so so bored with this book. I won't be reading the second one. (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

I didn't like this one either.
(view spoiler)[ I was upset when Eo died too. (hide spoiler)]

[Tessa]

Sarah wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

I had a feeling it was going in a bad direction since the author didn't bother to explain the world properly. I also cried. :(

[Tayla]

60%

[Tayla]

Finished last night! I totally agree with you guys. I was thinking that I wasnt going to give this anything higher than 3 stars but the ending was wonderful.

I would love to read the next one

[Tessa]

Tayla wrote: "Finished last night! I totally agree with you guys. I was thinking that I wasnt going to give this anything higher than 3 stars but the ending was wonderful.

I would love to read the next one"

Maybe one day I'll try to finish this one again :) .

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Restarting March 12th 2015. Happy Reading ☺

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[Jamie]

I'll try and join this one

[[deleted user]]

I'm reading this one too, so you won't be alone :)

[➳♡Natalie➳♡]

I will join!

[[deleted user]]

Yay, more people!

[Marga]

I'll also join for this!

[Jamie]

Chapter 1 (view spoiler)[that was a dark prologue. And they marry so young! (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[They were jipped! Figures... after all that work and risk... (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie]

Hope others join this soon. Meanwhile 22% done (view spoiler)[Eo was foolish, asking to die like that. I would have figured out a better way I think. So now they want to make him a fake gold, eh? (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie]

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[Interesting how class affects eye and hair color. (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie]

Chap 20: (view spoiler)[The initiate process does not seem fun. Especially the killing for position. yikes! (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie]

Chap 25 (view spoiler)[Tribal war games are interesting here. Loving Darrow's character! Curious to see how he is going to react to this recent kill. (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie]

Chapter 32 (view spoiler)[Intense! This battle is wonderfully crafted and riveting to read. (hide spoiler)]

I think I'll be finishing the book tonight or early tomorrow (allergies have me sleepy so I might not be awake much longer)

[Jamie]

Done! loved it!

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Restarting April 21st 2015. Happy Reading ☺

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[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Restarting May 11th 2015. Happy Reading ☺

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[Markus]

Chapter 11: Really slow and to be honest, kind of boring as well. I like Darrow and find the revolution aspect cool, but all these new terms are being thrown at me and I just don't understand what's going on. Hope it gets better and picks up.

[Markus]

Chapter 16: It's really picking up now, the world is fascinating but I would want to know more about the hierarchy. It is a bit too adult and also too sci-fi for me, but I am enjoying it so far.

[Markus]

Chapter 27: Really enjoying it, very adult, but super interesting. I am still kind of confused, but it's clearing up. Darrow is a really cool main, hope he develops more and gets more powerful.

[Markus]

End: What an engrossing and gripping story, cool sci-fi read! Had a few problems, more in my review.

[Abi]

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Reading from August 19th 2015.

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[Abby]

I'll be starting this today. Can't wait!

[Abby]

Chapter 3: All this color nonsense reminds me of Red Queen. Why does red equate to poor?

[Abby]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[Wow this book is morbid. Already Eo's dead. (hide spoiler)]

[Abby]

Chapter 20: (view spoiler)[How Darrow had to kill Julian makes me sick. Which is some good writing on Pierce Brown's part. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

I'm still waiting for the book to come in at the library so once I get it, I'll read it if I have time.

[Abby]

Finished: (view spoiler)[I don't like how Darrow became such a terrible person by the end of this book. I'm hoping he becomes better as the series goes on. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

I will be starting this tomorrow.

[Ashley]

Chapter 13: (view spoiler)[ It's okay so far but I'm anxious for stuff to start happening. The colours and society reminds me of Red Queen at the moment. At first I found all the weird vocabulary confusing but I think I've got everything down now. Hope the action starts soon. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

Chapter 25: (view spoiler)[ This is turning into a strategy game and I'm actually really enjoying it. A lot of people disliked this book because of the sudden change but it's making me more interested. This reminds me of a strategy video game so that's probably why I'm enjoying it so much. Excited to see what comes next! (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

Chapter 35: (view spoiler)[ I'm liking this book a lot and it I would rate it a 4 at this point. It would be a 4.5 if I didn't find it so predictable. I predicted that the message to Cassius told him who really killed Julian, that Cassius would turn on him and that he would lose his house. I quite like Mustang as a character and I hope she lives. I would've thought she was Eo if not for Darrow having already buried her. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

Done: (view spoiler)[ I really enjoyed it but still found it a bit predictable. I wouldn't have guessed that Mustang was Jackal's sister unless she didn't mention she had lost a brother. I was nearly certain when both of them said the same phrase. I think Brown did a good job of making it uncertain whether or not Mustang would really betray Darrow, though. I had hoped she wouldn't but I wouldn't have put it past her. (hide spoiler)]