From the Bookshelf of Appomattox Regional Library System…

Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)

Pierce Brown

Discussion: Fiction

Discussion leader: Jen

Why we're reading this: Wow. Well I was in the mood for a Hunger Games-like young adult dystopian series, and Red Rising delivere…more
[close] Wow. Well I was in the mood for a Hunger Games-like young adult dystopian series, and Red Rising delivered.
This novel has it all: superb writing, an engaging plot, creative post-Earth world, and well-developed characters (some of them very likable...some not so much...the ones you dislike, you hate intensely).
Chris and I did have a discussion about how we both felt the writing and voice of Darrow was far above that of a teenager (indeed, I didn't even realize he was that young until most of the way into the book); it really had the feel of being more an adult novel than a young adult one.
All in all, I thought it was fantastic. Did I think it was up to par with the Hunger Games...meh...not really. The truth is, we have so many stories about boys. Boys coming of age, finding themselves, seeking their destinies...I'm tired of hearing stories about boys. What I loved so much about the Hunger Games was that you had a real, strong female lead who, at the same time she was being strong, was not also being set up as a sex object. This is, frankly, too rare. I know a lot of male writers shy away from writing the female voice, but I would REALLY like to see Brown take it on. He has all the marks of a great sci-fi writer...any writer, come to that...but we just don't need any more of the same old stories about boys. It's been done. Exhaustively.

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What Members Thought

Feb 16, 2014 Teri rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars
Thank you to my lovely friend Julie for the recommendation.
I have not read Ender's Game (I know...) but I did some resemblance to The Hunger Games, but I think this is better.
I loved the writing. The first 60 pages or so about killed me. It was so vivid, so painful. Tears, ugly crying and I hate to cry...but anyway.
The rest turned into something else entirely. Doing what must be done for survival, to "win" all the while being watched by those that reign up on high. There have been a few ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Mar 03, 2019 Joan Barnett rated it liked it

Shelves: 2019-aty-challenge, 2025-aty

It took me about halfway through to get invested in this book. I more or less stuck with it because I knew a lot of people who loved the series. I was confused on the world building and hopefully I’ll catch up on that more in the series to come.

5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 11, 2013 Cwiegard rated it it was amazing

This is a quality product; yes the buzz is justified! Brown has all the tools: plot, dialog, character. He uses them to great effect in creating a future dystopia in which a human race suffers under a class tyranny- because the overlord class has been able to modify itself to actually be "better" than the other classes! There is too much brutality in this story for it to be a young adult novel, strictly speaking- but many teens may try it out anyway in addition to the adult audience.

Bottom line, ...more

3 likes · Like · see review