Red Rising

Written by Pierce Brown

Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds

Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow."-- Scott Sigler Pierce Brown' s relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender' s Game by Orson Scott Card. " I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. " That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them." " I live for you," I say sadly. Eo kisses my cheek. " Then you must live for more." Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow-- and Reds like him-- are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity' s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society' s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781470380281

Reviews for Red Rising

[Eric Villa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow, what a great book! This is the boys hunger game.

[alexandernckelly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a prime book my fellow goodman. This book and the rest of the series have completely invaded my life. This book really grabs you. Sometimes I find myself wondering what *insert character* is doing right now. The world-building and storytelling approach you can tell has been carefully thought out. This is one of those books that you find something new in every read. I usually read high fantasy and wanted to try something a little new and I'm glad I did. The audio book really brings the story alive and the voice actor does an incredible job. He has a nice smooth voice and isn't annoying at all (We all have that one). Basically READ THIS! You won't regret it.

[jeking1602 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story and excellent reader. Recommend if you love revenge without to much romance

[Kira Robertson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this series. Epic tale that I enjoyed so much.

[Tate Brown · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Describing the novel as “Katniss, Ender, and now Darrow” took cojones. And if you base your expectations on that description you’ll be disappointed. It’s a solid story. A little cliche at this point. But definitely worth the read. It’s a good story, just a small fish in a big pond.

[brittany selken · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was okay book I honestly just didn’t connect with the characters in the book and it really all over the place

[keri8christensen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's an interesting world the author created. I want to see what happens next.

[anjelicawebb2124 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From the building of the worlds, the introduction of characters, and the flow of the story- it was all amazing. Great narrating, great book! While the book was good I found myself taking forever to make some gain, the audio book did wonders.

[thebriarlys · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the world building; felt a bit like an overused plot though

[יהודית עמית · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story is unexpected, surprising in any curve of the way and you are enthralled and can't stop even a second to breath and comprehend what had happened till now. Amazing narrator to a complicated and emotional story

[Helin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Highly recommend to people, who do like a strategically well written storyline.

[forrestcerda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Incredible book. I cried at the very beginning and I felt Darrows pain. I can’t wait to see how the characters grow and what happens in the next books.

[Matt Gonzalez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is easily one of the greatest works of science fiction ever penned. It flawlessly combines elements from a variety of inspirations with a deeply moving and engaging style. Absolutely one of the best books I’ve encountered in years!

[Z Allen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent story. I couldn’t put it down. While there are some minor plot holes and moments that seem to momentarily pull you from the story, as a whole it carries you with wings.

[calebsfox97 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

About halfway through the book, I saved the rest of the series to listen to. It's instantly one of my favorite books of all time. I couldn't recommend it more.

[Sariah Cormack · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was amazing. Definitely on my list as a favourite

[Ron · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don’t think there is a better, more engaging, more enthralling series of books than Red Rising. More emotional attachment to its characters! I’ve read all 6 and now listening to the audiobook. I’m still in love.

[Ishada Fernando · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Bloody Damn! Amazing. I did feel the plot kinda drag about 10 chapters after the Passage and it does get a little Hunger Gamesish but, BLOODY DAMN!

[Tasha NÍ Mhiacháin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

*POTENTIAL SPOILERS*

“Funny how a single word can change everything in your life."
"It is not funny at all. Steel is power. Money is power. But of all the things in all the worlds, words are power.”

Tim Gerard Reynolds made this book for me. I read it myself last year, and I couldn’t quite grasp the brilliance of this story. I found the change in Darrow too much, but when you get to hear his inner thoughts as himself, it makes it different. You get to hear the divide between Red and Gold. Not only that but Tim read with emotion, something that I’m so glad of because he made me feel Darrow's sorrow, his fear and his rage.

There was a scene towards the end where he spoke of being the hope of his people and it actually gave me chills. The song at the end of the audio broke me and I cried my damn heart out.

If you like audios, I highly recommend this one. Be prepared for the feels.

The story itself is honest, and brutal. It’s a story of a world divided into colour based on your worth. Gold, Pink, Red… The high colours rule and live in luxury while the rest make the world liveable for them. Like Darrow I feel a deep rage towards the Golds but then, not all Golds are the same.. Sevro.. Roque.. That makes Darrow’s mission even harder.

I love that it wasn’t just about his mission, or about learning the lessons or war but also about trust, hope, love and what a people are capable of with power.

I cannot wait to see where this series goes, if it’s anything like this I know my heart is going to be hurting.

“Personally, I do not want to make you a man. Men are so very frail. Men break. Men die. No, I’ve always wished to make a god.”

[esplanades · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Actual rating: 2.5/5

I really wanted to like this book. After all, I did enjoy Hunger Games, even if I'm not enthralled with most YA. This book, however, seems really too much like a "dark" (Games of Thrones-level life-doesn't-matter darkness) Hunger Games.

The protagonist was not really that likable. He's 16, I know, but he's overly sure of himself and a borderline Gary Stu -- he is somehow super intelligent and can solve puzzles with ease, despite being a risk-taking driller with no formal education. He takes on the mantle of a revolution because his wife cared about it? It really was just hard to believe.

The Hunger Games section was pretty boring, I felt. I got the purpose of it, but after reading Hunger Games series, it really felt like a cheap clone. Proctors vs donors, a rigged game, etc., and the ending felt like a weird let down. A lot of the violence just felt like it was there to shock us and didn't really add much to the plot.

I'm not sure I'll continue with the next one, though I hear the story does get better.

[Sara Cervantes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was ok. I mean, it felt like reading a play by play strategy of a football game. Most of enjoy watching football, but sometimes games move slow and this felt like a quarterback explaining a very slow game and yet super excited about it. Entertaining though to a degree.

[Liz DiBenedetto · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Why have I waited so long to read this book? It is full of honor, love, betrayal, and brotherhood.

[Ceniza · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pierce Brown reminded me that words can be beautiful and powerful, and that the two aren't mutually exclusive. This was more enjoyable to me than Game of Thrones or The Hunger Games (I enjoyed both well enough but did not connect to them on the level that I did with Brown's Darrow and gladiator-like slave world). Social and economic hierarchies; psychological explorations; enough future gadgetry to make you drool; and Brown hits all the feels, peeps. Dig in. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. - Cat

[Miss Dev · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this series a few years ago and it remains in my top 5 of all time. This first book is a stand-alone great! This time around I did not plan on listening to it in it's entirety (I NEVER reread books or re-watch movies, with the exception of the Wheel of Time series) - I only turned it on to verify that it was well narrated before recommending it to my sister. Little did I know that I would get hooked all over again! It is beautifully written, with a solid and perfectly flawed hero. The narrator did a great job - however, I do recommend listening to it at a speed of 1.2x. Highly recommend if you love a good story - you do not have to be a sci-fi or fantasy fan to fall in love with this one.

[Josh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

By far the best audiobook I have ever listened to! Amazing story with an amazing voice actor. After years of listening to audiobooks, this is the first review I have ever thought to write. I 100% recommend it.

[David · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A book in the style of "the hunger games", but with a few twists. Very well written and stays true to the universe. The audiobook reader has a pleasant northern english accent that fits perfectly. I'm sure to look for more of his performances! A warm recommendation.

[Sarah Vinson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Came for the plot, stayed for the world building that is both intricate and gigantic. I re-read this series every year, and each time it feels like I’m discovering it again. People compare it to Hunger Games and Harry Potter, maybe because those series also have large casts of loveable characters, but I think Red Rising is on a different level in terms of character development and scope. There are common tropes just like with every book, but I really like this author’s take on the hero with a thousand faces.

[Beno Pincu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can't put into words how much I loved this book; just read it.

[Jeff Ross · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book started very slowly. The world-building required to set the stage for the rest of the story was not super interesting. I was not sure I would be able to continue. However, after the first act concluded this book becomes a whirlwind of action. The concept was not original, but the plot would rival any of the popular dystopian science fiction totals.

[Adam & Michelle · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I am disgusted by the way women are portrayed and treated in this book. I would most compare the book to Game of Thrones.