“Red Rising” by Pierce Brown is a dystopian science fiction novel set thousands of years in the future in a society plagued by a strict social hierarchy and space colonialism. “Red Rising”' is the first book in a six-book series following the main character, Darrow, and his transformation to save his people from the effects of a rigid class system and galactic conquest.
“Red Rising” takes place on Mars, after humanity has colonized the solar system. Society has been split into different castes of genetically-modified “colors”. Darrow belongs to the lowest caste, the Reds, who are tasked with mining valuable helium-3 fuel needed to terraform planets and fuel space exploration in underground colonies. The top of the caste system is the Golds, who are towering, god-like humans with immense strength and intelligence.
At the beginning of the book, Darrow is sixteen and a loving and ambitious character, but his ambitions are limited to providing for his family and terraforming the surface of Mars livable for the preservation of humanity. After experiencing a devastating loss, Darrow learns the truth about the world he lives in: humans have lived on Mars for centuries, and the Reds are no more than slaves producing energy for space exploration. Devastated by a loss and the discovery of the truth about his world, Darrow transforms, both physically and mentally, into a leader of change. Darrow sacrifices almost everything, including his morality and some of the core values he held as a Red, to become a mechanical, precise, and brutal leader.
Darrow joins “The Rising”, a rebellion made of low and high colors, to overthrow society. As a member of the rebellion, Darrow is told that he can further the rebellion by transforming into a Gold through cosmetic surgeries, intense physical training, and education in Gold society and customs. Darrow enters the Institution, a test where young Golds can prove their worthiness to lead galactic conquest. At the beginning of the book, Darrow is young and naïve, content with the world he was born into. As Darrow becomes a Gold, he adopts their cold nature along with their physical appearance. Darrow, a character previously incapable of brutality, commits horrors to integrate himself into Gold society.
As Darrow makes his way to the top of the Gold Society, he meets a variety of other colors. From meeting Blues (the pilots of spacecraft) to Obsidians (elite soldiers), Darrow gathers the knowledge and experience needed to begin a violent, chaotic, yet beautiful transformation of humanity to save his people.
While “Red Rising” has a gripping plot and intricately crafted and nuanced characters, the beginning of the book dragged and was a bit bland in my opinion. Brown delves into the setting and inner workings of the colony where Darrow lives heavily at the beginning of the novel, dragging the pace of the book down. The real substance of the plot begins near the middle. If you can stomach a slow beginning, the middle and end of the book are filled with a plot that immerses the reader into Darrow’s world seamlessly.
Another weakness “Red Rising” holds is its limited display of science fiction. For a book revolving around a future where humans have colonized our universe, genetically modified themselves immensely, and developed incredibly advanced technology, Brown doesn’t properly pay homage to the science fiction genre as a whole. Brown focuses on the politics and complexities of human interactions at the expense of science fiction.
Like any book, “Red Rising” has its weaknesses, but its strengths are unmatched. Brown’s attention to detail, description of character interactions in a way that feels like the reader is watching, and excellent way of immersing the reader into the mind of Darrow are impressive. Brown’s writing is intricate and complex, but easy to understand. At some points, Brown’s descriptions of how Darrow felt and acted made me feel like I was Darrow.
If you’re looking for a book similar to “The Hunger Games” but more complex and space-themed, “Red Rising” is for you.
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