Red Rising

Author: Pierce Brown

Red Rising is the kind of story that takes traditional science fiction ideas, mixing them with allegory and metaphor, and then puts it all together in a form that emphasizes strong character development and tight plotting. Here, we are given a strictly-enforced division between people of different ‘colors’. The elite are the golds, while the reds toil as workers beneath the surface of Mars, mining helium-3 so that the golds can terraform the Red Planet. Class tensions burn, and Darrow, a Red whose wife was hanged for treason, is disguised as a Gold to infiltrate and bring them down from within. The shades of The Hunger Games are obvious, but Brown manages to infuse a lot more roman mythology, and an impressive amount of tactical detail in the warring fortresses maintained by the Houses. The battle between the Houses is incredible, especially when viewed in light of classic science fiction works like Dune, only put into a context that appeals to newer readers of the genre. Those battles and intrigue show that Red Rising is steeped in the military science fiction tradition. Why it’s on the list One of the most popular novels of the last few years, and one that will appeal to lovers of science fiction of all forms.

Books in Red Rising Trilogy Series (5)

Red Rising

Golden Son

Morning Star

Iron Gold

Dark Age

Similar Recommendations

For more action-packed dystopian science fiction that's going to captivate YA readers, the obvious choice is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. In a post-apocalyptic America ruled by tyranny, 12 boys and 12 girls are chosen by lot each year to take part in a televised fight to the death. Over the course of the two sequels, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, the victory of our heroine Katniss in the Hunger Games turns into a rebellion to overturn the oppressive government.

You can't help but compare Red Rising to Ender's Game -- a group of talented youngsters forced into military games of life and death to prove their competence. Absolutely read Ender's Game if you like Red Rising.