Brown, Pierce - Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy #1) - Informal Buddy Read; December 8, 2014; REVISIT ; Start June 1, 2018

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

This topic is open for discussion of Red Rising by Pierce Brown




Book Synopsis:
The Earth is dying. Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it. The Reds are humanity's last hope.

Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.

Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, 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.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

This book was previously a BOM and you can find discussion questions here

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Reserved

[RachelvlehcaR]

I am in.

[Stacie]

Oh nice. I'm in too

[Kelly]

Will join once I get it from the library later this week.

[Cynthia]

Steven, How far into it are you? I'll post as soon as I've finished Part I.

[Cynthia]

Part I (view spoiler)[ I like it so far, but it's pretty intense. I don't know if I want the entire book to be that way.

I wonder what Eo told her sister on the gallows? I kept wondering if she was pregnant, but that doesn't make much sense in the scheme of things.

More than one person has said this is a very Hunger Games book, but I don't get that idea from what I've read so far. There is the element of an elite group separating the underclasses into factions so that the discontent is toward each other rather than the ruling class. But it's Mars. And that makes all the difference to me. (hide spoiler)]

[Steven]

Oh wow you passed me! I've read most of part one! I can't check the spoilers on my phone so I'll read them in the morning.

Thanks for setting this up so fast, mods!!!

[Cynthia]

DON'T READ THE SPOILER until you've finished Part I.

Do you want to read 2 or 3 chapters/day or a certain # pp? That way we can stay even. I have puhlenty to keep me busy. (Is there a BR support group? Because I am an addict).

[Steven]

Hmmm, no formal schedule or anything. If you feel like reading further go ahead and just comment with spoilers! Then I'll do the same and we can discuss. I'll make sure to mark my spoilers for the section I'm in!

[Stacie]

I plan to start this today or tomorrow. Can't wait!

[kat (wanderfulbooks)]

Cynthia wrote: "Part I I like it so far, but it's pretty intense. I don't know if I want the entire book to be that way..."


I wondered the same thing Cynthia. I was hoping someone would divulge that info but I don't remember it being mentioned again (or maybe it was and I overlooked it?) Do tell if it gets mentioned.

[Cynthia]

Kathleen wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "Part I I like it so far, but it's pretty intense. I don't know if I want the entire book to be that way..."


I wondered the same thing Cynthia. I was hoping someone would divulge ..."

I've read hmmm 16 chapters and no, I haven't heard a word. For good reason, too. (view spoiler)[ I should have known it! The liars! Eo was right. I wonder if she knew how right she was somehow, or if she felt that the little they knew about their situation was slavery enough? I mean, can be a sort of slave? I think you're free or you're not.

I wish Darrow hadn't been so unfriendly to the Cassius guy. I have a feeling he'll need him later. His family being enemies of the Big Evil One is reason enough to make him an ally. (hide spoiler)]

[Steven]

Finished my Netgalley book and now getting back to this one. Excited to read more! :)

[Cynthia]

Steven wrote: "Finished my Netgalley book and now getting back to this one. Excited to read more! :)"

I'm so glad you suggested the BR. I'm devouring it! I'm through part 3 (chapter 33). I'm still not reminded of Hunger Games LOL. Maybe it's been too long since I read it.

(view spoiler)[ Of course Darrow isn't dead. I hate the he and Cassius have parted ways. They would have been stronger together, but it was bound to happen eventually. The Arch Governor is an ass, and I'm sure his son is even worse.

I think Sevro and Darrow will ally, since Cassius will never trust him and Sevro already holds him in such contempt. (hide spoiler)]

[Stacie]

Starting today! I finished the other BR I was doing. Looking forward to reading it with you guys.

[Steven]

I'm glad you're enjoying it, Cynthia!

If you want, you can get an ARC of book two off of netgalley, if you can do kindle/ebooks :)

[Steven]

Welcome, Stacie! :)

[Cynthia]

I'm not very NetGalley savvy. I did register, but beyond that I don't know much. Can I just request it and Presto Magicko I get it?

[Steven]

Cynthia wrote: "I'm not very NetGalley savvy. I did register, but beyond that I don't know much. Can I just request it and Presto Magicko I get it?"

You request it, but it's not a "Read Now" so you'll have to wait to get approved for it. If you get approved, you'll have to log back in and go to the book and click the download/send to kindle button so it shows up on your device :)

[Cynthia]

Thanks - I get emails all the time from them. I'll have to give it a shot.

[Steven]

Cynthia wrote: "Thanks - I get emails all the time from them. I'll have to give it a shot."

It's worth trying. You might get a copy you can read for the price of a review. Or you don't get approved and wasted two or three minutes. Either way, not a bad trade off!

[Stacie]

This book is intense. I read some today. Darrow took his test and just arrived at the school. I'm not sure I like the book yet but I feel like it's building up to something resembling an overthrow of power. I'm just not sure how they plan to do any of this just yet. I may need to read a light book while taking a break because whew, the intensity...

[Cynthia]

I find it pretty intense, too. In a good way. I'm also reading it in big blocks. The problem is, I'm already 2 or 3 days ahead of where I planned to be because I keep picking it up and reading more.

[Logan]

This was one of my favorite YA reads this year. I'm just poking my head in to see what you all think. I can't wait for book 2!

I found that I enjoyed the first part the most. I loved the dystopian Mars mining setting.

[Steven]

Wow, I got to about 25% and it's totally taken a very interesting turn. Didn't expect this to happen so quickly -- considering it's the first in a trilogy, I expected much of this book to be setup and the big lie reveal to be at the end... but it's already happened and the story is moving on. AWESOME.

Loving it. Hoping to tear through my work so I can read at the office today (don't tell my boss hehe)

[Stacie]

Spoilers for later in the book. Way later.

(view spoiler)[This war thing is kind of amazing. Between the backstabbing and the tribal behaviors and then the behavior of the prefects or whatever they are called, it's like watching a game in my head! I'm really interested to see how they tie it all together and if they declare a winner. I was definitely thrown for a loop when Cassius told Darrow that he knew about Julian and then they just left him out in the woods forever. (hide spoiler)] I read a huge chunk last night and before I knew it, I was almost to the end and my husband made me stop and go to bed. I'll probably finish today.

[Cynthia]

I finished. Couldn't help myself. (view spoiler)[ I wish I knew at what point I suspected Mustang was the ArchGovernor's kid, but I'm not sure. It was before the captured the Jackal the first time, because I thought the rumors were intentionally wrong and he DIDN'T have a son but a daughter. Then when Darrow and Jackal are talking, he says the same thing Mustang says, and I realize they must be siblings.

Totally gutted me and I thought they were done for, as I assumed she was going to betray Darrow.

No matter what I thought I knew, the last bit of the book is a total shocker. That I couldn't have predicted, but it is smart.

(hide spoiler)]

Can't wait to read the next one!

[Steven]

The fact that you guys struggled to not rush through it makes me want to hit where it picks up and takes off!!!

I just got to the part where (view spoiler)[ he's about to take his test! (hide spoiler)]

I have got to get out of this "no desire to read" mode I've been in lately. This whole year I've read like crazy and loved it! Now, I'm in this blah mood!

[Stacie]

Wow, wow, wow. For a book that started out slow (imo), it certainly ended with a giant bang!

Steven, that tends to happen to me when it gets colder and darker outside. I just want to curl up and not read. Staring seems more fun sometimes!!

[Steven]

I'm going to push through, and AT LEAST read while I'm at work :) Gotta get to 5 somehow, right?!

[Kelly]

Part 1: Chapter 1-6
(view spoiler)[
Wow. Not often that most of the main characters die in the first tiny part of the book. It almost seems like they're letting people commit suicide by protest if they can't handle the conditions. I'm surprised that they didn't just give the Laurel to the best performing team since that would probably help prohibit some of the uprising. Or maybe they should have just covertly helped the other team so they didn't know.

I'm sad that Eo died so early on though since I liked her.

Seems a lot like hunger games with the different populations fighting for rations.
(hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Cynthia wrote: "Part I"

(view spoiler)[
I saw the hunger games element in the way they pitted the groups against each other to keep them down. They also have the favorite faction (i.e. the higher numbers in the hunger games) and they beat the people who speak up and make people sacrifice themselves to get the rations. Plus the whole cheating thing.
(hide spoiler)]

[Steven]

I'm up to 45%

(view spoiler)[ Now that they're on this battlefield, it's starting to get much more interesting. I'm interested in seeing how the group will be brought back together and how Mars will win the game -- because we know they will. LOL (hide spoiler)]

[Stacie]

Kelly wrote: "Part 1: Chapter 1-6

Wow. Not often that most of the main characters die in the first tiny part of the book. It almost seems like they're letting people commit suicide by protest if they can't hand..."

Me too! I was surprised at how much important stuff happened in the beginning of the book. He just sort of put it all out there.

I finally summed this book up by telling someone that it was the kind of book that sneaks up on you. You're reading it and then BAM, it's 3 am and you've finished it without really realizing it.

[Cynthia]

Very true, Stacie.

[Kelly]

Part 2: Chapter 7-19
(view spoiler)[
Reminds me of Locke being turned into a nobleman to be able to impersonate them. This seems to be a common element to a lot of books these days.


The tests for physical attributes reminded me of a conversation I had last night with a couple who lived in India for a few months for work and all about arranged marriages. They said the families had stat type cards that listed pedigree (only a little physical attribute stuff though), and that was the extent of the negotiation. It almost felt like that here where you get your card and that tells you what you can do.

And then the Harry Potter hat sorting (though meaner) came :)

I wonder if they see themselves as gods and that's why they use the roman god names. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minerva or maybe it's just a planetary thing.

I think it's interesting that they give the whole outliers and averages speech but then just assume that they're the outliers. I've often thought it's strange that we're ok with people having different abilities physically (i.e. athletes vs. others) but having different mental abilities seems to make people squeemish. Always thought it was just better to let everyone excel in their own area since even people who may not be smarter on a pure IQ scale could have an amazing gift in one special area.

It seems silly to carry Eo's flower and wedding ring with him. That seems more likely to get him caught than anything else.

Crazy about the fight to the death part. It's almost like a gang initiation ritual.
(hide spoiler)]

[Steven]

I hit my stride today, finally. It got crazy good and I read until I had to stop to go to sleep for work. Bah, gorydamnit.

[Kelly]

Part 3: Chapter 20-28
(view spoiler)[
I definitely see the hunger games elements in the book with the kids joining sides and alliances forming. I like the capture the flag aspect of it. The kids are all going a bit nuts but...

I wonder how Julian's death will play into this. I assume Cassius will find out at some point since it seems odd to cause a conflict and never let it play out. Maybe they'll know each other well enough by that point, or maybe it will make an ally out of Cassius with him wanting to take down the Golds.

I wonder if they're looking for cruelty in the leaders as well or if they're going to play it more fair at this point.
(hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Steven wrote: "I hit my stride today, finally. It got crazy good and I read until I had to stop to go to sleep for work. Bah, gorydamnit."

Heh, yeah I had to stop halfway through part 3 to go to bed. It's a good book.

[Steven]

Got to 90% but now have to leave for work. Will comment more and finish the book at work. Hehe

[Steven]

I am really loving this book! Even the evil characters are great. Each of the named characters has a personality and can be differentiated, for the most part, and doesn't feel ambiguous or the same as everyone else.

I'm loving the bonds forming as well. I want to know if (view spoiler)[ Darrow is going to discover that his war isn't against ALL Golds or other colors, but against the evil ones. I hope he doesn't wipe people out just because they're Gold, because, to be honest, that's no worse than Golds making Reds slaves just because they're Reds! (hide spoiler)]

[kat (wanderfulbooks)]

I think the ending of Red Rising makes a pretty much good conflict for the second book.

[Steven]

I just have to say...

HOLY EFFING SHIZZNIT.

What a book!

*time for Golden Son!!!*

[Stacie]

Steven wrote: "I just have to say...

HOLY EFFING SHIZZNIT.

What a book!

*time for Golden Son!!!*"

Hehe. Agreed.

[Rebecca]

I just bought this book as a deal on Amazon and am hoping to read it in January sometime, just incase anyone is also late to read it.

[Shannon]

Damn! I should check the Buddy Read request list more often! This has been on my TBR for a long time!

I'll read it!

[Kelly]

RebeccaS wrote: "I just bought this book as a deal on Amazon and am hoping to read it in January sometime, just incase anyone is also late to read it."

A lot of people usually come back and comment with people who join late :) Just join in when you can.

[Steven]

Read it! Soooo good!