Break the Chains: Why Red Rising Earned a Perfect 10

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

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 toils willingly, trusting 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 lush wilds 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.

Pierce Brown’s Red Rising touts a couple of firsts. It is book one of the Red Rising Saga and a thunderclap of a debut novel! It is ferocious, poetic, and gripping. It’s not just a sci-fi dystopian novel; it’s a war cry wrapped in blood and rebellion, and I can’t wait to read book 2: Golden Son!

Characters: 10

Darrow, our main character is the most compelling and complex protagonists I’ve read in modern sci-fi. His evolution from a grieving Red miner to a cunning Gold warrior is both heartbreaking and exhilarating. He’s not a flawless hero. He is angry, vengeful, and reckless. Mustang stands out with her intellect and empathy, and Sevro steals every scene with his fierce loyalty. Even the villains are magnetic in their cruelty. Every character feels like they have their own agenda and watching them clash with each other is narrative gold.

Atmosphere: 10

Brown’s Mars is a brutal, cast-stratified world where color determines your destiny. The Institue is where much of the novel takes place. It is a sort of war school, and the atmosphere is thick with tension, violence and betrayal.

Writing: 10

I enjoyed Pierce Brown’s writing style. The first-person perspective is raw and intimate, pulling you deep into Darrow’s psyche. Brown doesn’t flinch from violence or emotion.

Plot: 10

Red Rising was impossible for me to put down. Every chapter ends on some sort of revelation, and Darrow’s mission kept me hooked. You will find that you will constantly question which character to trust and what Darrow is willing to become for revenge.

Logic/Relationships: 10

The relationships and politics in Red Rising are sharp. Loyalty is tested, love is weaponized, and betrayal cuts deep. The social dynamics, while brutal are believable. Darrow’s internal conflict between his red roots and his Gold persona adds emotional complexity to his interactions with the other characters.

Enjoyment: 10

Red Rising is thrilling, devastating, and satisfying. I cheered, raged, cried, and gasped - sometimes all in the same chapter.

Final Thoughts: 10/10! A flawless, ferocious masterpiece.

If you like your sci-fi light on the science and with teeth, Red Rising is highly recommended. It will devour you and you’ll love every second of it. It ignites a revolution in your imagination, a brutal story of sacrifice, identity, and the cost of power.

Break the chains. Live for more. Rise.