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hfjarmer 's review for:
Red Rising
by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Red Rising. While I’m rating it 5 stars—though that might feel a bit generous for my true feelings—I genuinely can't pinpoint anything I disliked about the book. That’s rare for me, especially when it comes to Sci-Fi.
Red Rising offers a powerful commentary on the caste system, capitalism, and the societal powers that shape our world. Set on a futuristic Mars, it introduces a society where the Golds have colonized much of the universe. (Let’s be honest—if white men had the tech, they’d probably have colonized space by now.) Darrow, a “Red,” works as a Helldiver, mining Helium-3 in harsh conditions. The Reds believe they’re on the frontlines of scientific progress, helping terraform Mars. In reality, Mars is already terraformed, and they’ve been exploited as slaves, with their hard work benefiting the Golds. It’s only when Darrow’s wife, Eo, awakens him to the truth of their society’s oppression that he’s driven to action.
Red Rising is a captivating Sci-Fi novel, but it’s also a chilling exploration of race, class, and capitalistic greed. At its core, it’s about channeling your inner fire and rage for societal change—burning bright rather than burning out in the face of injustice. Brown’s writing is simple yet beautiful. He doesn’t rely on overly poetic flourishes; the raw, direct prose conveys everything the reader needs to understand. The voice is staccato and almost stilted, enhancing the authenticity of the narrative. Brown has created a unique and fascinating world, and while at first I was worried that I was going to be reading about bloodydamn space Footloose, I'm glad this turned out to be so much more than that.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Red Rising. While I’m rating it 5 stars—though that might feel a bit generous for my true feelings—I genuinely can't pinpoint anything I disliked about the book. That’s rare for me, especially when it comes to Sci-Fi.
Red Rising offers a powerful commentary on the caste system, capitalism, and the societal powers that shape our world. Set on a futuristic Mars, it introduces a society where the Golds have colonized much of the universe. (Let’s be honest—if white men had the tech, they’d probably have colonized space by now.) Darrow, a “Red,” works as a Helldiver, mining Helium-3 in harsh conditions. The Reds believe they’re on the frontlines of scientific progress, helping terraform Mars. In reality, Mars is already terraformed, and they’ve been exploited as slaves, with their hard work benefiting the Golds. It’s only when Darrow’s wife, Eo, awakens him to the truth of their society’s oppression that he’s driven to action.
Red Rising is a captivating Sci-Fi novel, but it’s also a chilling exploration of race, class, and capitalistic greed. At its core, it’s about channeling your inner fire and rage for societal change—burning bright rather than burning out in the face of injustice. Brown’s writing is simple yet beautiful. He doesn’t rely on overly poetic flourishes; the raw, direct prose conveys everything the reader needs to understand. The voice is staccato and almost stilted, enhancing the authenticity of the narrative. Brown has created a unique and fascinating world, and while at first I was worried that I was going to be reading about bloodydamn space Footloose, I'm glad this turned out to be so much more than that.