While I have copious favourite series that I like to enthusiastically scream to all, “YOU MUST READ THIS OR I WILL EXPLODE IN CAKE CRUMBS”…I’m also aware that not every book is for everyone. Books are notoriously subjective. Just like cake is subjective. Although that I truly struggle to comprehend because how can you not like cake????
BUT WAIT. THIS IS NOT A CAKE POST. (I get distracted sometimes.)
Today I want to talk about the gloriousness that is the Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown. Aaaaand, because I am SO MONSTROUSLY HELPFUL, I am here to help you know if YOU should read this bestselling series or not.
(My ultimate answer is: heck yes you should.)
(But sci-fi isn’t everyone’s THING, so hence this handy post.)
ALSO. I have a small and unhelpfully shriekingly excited review of the final book: Morning Star (!!!!) which will be covered by spoiler tags but it will have NO actual spoilers. See, I am seriously kind and accommodating today. Sheesh. My “evil” overlord status is slipping. I’m going to have to go ferociously eat a planet or something after this.
- YA TO ADULT CROSS OVER SERIES. Which are actually unusual right?! In the first book (Red Rising) Darrow is 16. By the last book (Morning Star) Darrow is 23. It definitely lingers more on the adult side of the scale, just because it reads and smells like an adult book. WHAT? YOU DOUBT ME? Honestly, adult books smell different to YA ones. Sniff them. You’ll see.
- COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF BLOOD GUTS AND GLORY. Like ALL the blood! ALL THE GLORY. Actually, not that much glory all of the time, because mostly everything ALWAYS goes wrong for Dear Darrow Darling. He is what you might call “hero material” which means he suffers from everyone going “dang it I just woke up this morning and want to…want to…MURDER DARROW” all the time. It’s very hard leading a rebellion.
- WHERE EVERYONE IS A MORALLY GREY GRAPE. You know how I just said Darrow was “hero material”? WELL. Hero is a word here which means “one who murders all the things to get to where he needs to go”. So basically anti-hero material? No kidding: people get killed ALL THE TIME in this series. It is extremely bloody. (Oh gooooodie.)
- TECHNOLOGY THAT MAKES YOUR IPHONE LOOK LIKE A TUNA FISH SANDWICH. It is sci-fi after all, dear pineapples. Ergo there is plenty of technological talk and weird inventions and ways to have people get totally beat up and then be up fighting again in 2 chapters. (#convenient) So BE PREPARED for some jargon and moments of technical explanations. Also a very vast expansive world with much details.
- ORGANISATION BY COLOUR. SERIOUSLY. LET’S COLOUR CODE THE WORLD HERE. I love colour-coding. My bookshelf is colour coded for goodness sakes. IT’S GLORIOUS. So I highly approve of an entire civilisation that is ordered by colour. (I’m now trying to colour-code my family but they’re disagreeable.)
- SPACE BATTLES, SHOOTING, BLEEDING, REBELLIONS, AND STABBY STABBINGS. Did I mention bleeding already? You know what…IT NEEDS TO BE SAID TWICE. Because it’s violent. I actually loved this so much (ummm…I swear I’m normal??) because in the books I typically read, the main characters usually get away without a scratch. NOT SO HERE. And there is much rebellion. I used to think of it as a more-violent-version of The Hunger Games? But it’s actually really rather different. DON’T FEAR! It’s epic and actiony and basically it would make the perfect movie. (Which is an excellent coincidence that it is, indeed, becoming a movie.)
- SMALL POCKETS OF HUMOUR. I’m an absolute sucker for humour and this totally slips in the sarcastic quips amongst all the traumatic events. Ergo I am sitting there going “Oh ho ho that was funny that was — NO WAIT. STAHP. DON’T HURT THE PRECIOUS OMG” all in like the space of 2 pages. Lovely. If you like deranged and slightly psychotically humours creatures — you’re gonna love Sevro.
“You! Troll!” Sevro shouts. “I’m a terrorist warlord! Stop throwing me. You made me drop my candy!” Sevro looks at the floor of the hallway. “Wait. Where is it? Dammit, Ragnar. Where is my peanut bar? You know how many people I had to kill to get that? Six! Six!”
- YOUR FEELS IN A PUDDLE OF TERROR. Who needs feelings intact anyway? Ha hahaha, not bookworms. You’re going to love the sheer amount of PAIN this series will cause. I promise.
Aren’t you so excited now??? I’m SO good at convincing people.
Basically if you like hardcore sci-fi with rebellion, blood, and torture — and a dash of friendship and dark humour — you’re going to love this series. And if you don’t, I’ll eat you. HAHAHHAAHA JUST KIDDING. (But really.)
But it will contain slight spoilers for the rest of the series, so it’s in spoiler tags! NO PEEKING if you haven’t started the series yet. But ZERO spoilers for Morning Star itself.
Oh that was good. That was really really good. The ending actually made me feel SO ANXIOUS I NEARLY CURLED INTO A WITHERED BALL TO DIE. But it was so so good. And do you know how nervous I was about this book?! I’ve put it off for like 2 months! SILLY ME. (Actually, dude, wise me. I knew it’d be pain = and it was.)
Because finale reviews are so hard to do without spoilers, here’s a list of my thoughts:
- This series is so very bloody. But Morning Star is like the bloodiest bloody that ever blooded.
- PLOT. TWISTS. PLOT. TWISTS.
- I still low-key ship Sevro and Darrow though. #sorrynotsorry
- I mean, THEY’RE FRIENDS. So I’ll shush.
- The plot was super intense with tons of battles and murder and revenge and war.
- Did I mention torture yet?
- THERE IS SO MUCH FREAKING TORTURE AND IT HURTS.
- Although one of my few negatives is that I felt it was too convenient that every time the characters get beaten up beyond recognition, they just get a Carver to patch them back up. Hmm.
- Apparently “reinforced ribs” is a thing.
- I struggle to like Mustang. #mybad
- Also is she named for the car or the horse? I GOTTA ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
- And I 100% confess that a lot of the sci-fi techy talk went over my head. This is a series I NEED to listen to on audio. I would absorb it so much better. But as was, I struggled and at times felt lost and vaguely like I was drowning in intergalatic soup.
- Sevro is my darling.
- Sevro is also a filthy-tongued bloodthirsty idiot who likes peanut butter chocolate bars AND HE IS MY FAVOURITTTTTTTE.
- I had so many emotions while reading. A book that makes emotions in the reader is AN EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD BOOK.
- Did you know Pierce Brown is writing a new series? I need it.
- I thought the ending was satisfying and RIGHT. But I AM ALSO A DERANGED PSYCHOTIC GRAPE OF FEELS AND SCREECHES SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. My Vulcan soul has abandoned ship.
- THIS REVIEW IS USELESS.
- *shrieks*
- READ THIS SERIES.
THANK YOU TO HACHETTE AUSTRALIA FOR THE REVIEW COPY. Morning Star (Red Rising #3) by Pierce Brown was published in February, 2016.
Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society’s mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within.
Finally, the time has come.
But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied – and too glorious to surrender.
Goodreads Purchase Publisher Red Rising Review Golden Son Review
My sister’s read these and I’d like to someday, but I’m going to leave it for a while yet. Wait til I’m a little older. But they sound reasonably interesting. 🙂
That’s fair!! I think I definitely appreciated Morning Star a lot more from a slightly older perspective. :’)
Yep, I have not read the last one, other than the first heap of free chapters. But I want to and I totally agree that these books are too cool not to read, but they are not for the faint of heart, and I would be very aware of the to Adult crossover so would not be recommending it to younger readers. But the story is amazing. the si-fi is so lovely and technical, and space battles, air battles, blowing things up. And complex people with motives. I don’t like so much how every one is a as you put it “MORALLY GREY GRAPE.” but tis still okay, the pockets of humour are good too. But I NEEEED to know how Morning Star ends WHY WONT the LIBRARY GET IT…. *Goes off to check yet again if the library has got in the book*
I love my library, I love my library, I love my library!!!!! SO I just checked for the millionth time, and millionth time lucky struck! And then I looked up some other books AND THEY WERE THERE TOOOOOOOO! I need to go to the library, why is it not open at night!
AGREED! They aren’t for the faint of heart at all. 😂 Definitely higher-YA levels *nods* And I mostly see them shelved as adult and that works too, I think. I think the originally came out being marketed as YA but now it’s mostly adult? (I just remember downloading the ARC waaaaay back when Red Rising first came out and it was YA then.) AHEM.
I like the morally grey part because I Think life is very RARELY good vs bad decisions. Especially in war. I mean, when is killing people ever okay? Is it okay to kill to get freedom so less will die? I like those kind of questions. *nods*
YAYY THAT YOUR LIBRARY IS BEING REASONABLE AND GIVING YOU THE LAST BOOK!! HUZZAH!
You know, I tried Red Rising AGES ago, like when it first came out, and when Darrows wife died, I was pretty cut-up and upset, but then it got a bit.. boring? I DNF’d. I KNOW EVERYONE SAID TRY A LITTLE LONGER, but it was like snore city, so I didn’t, but I do feel like I want to one day, you know? One day.. Hm, maybe..
Try listing to it on audio, that is what I did.. although you do get to hear all the language which can be slightly worse than reading it….
@Amanda: I’ve actually heard a lot of people say it was boring, but, omg, I was so glued to the page. 😂 😂 So I’m not a good person to talk to about that middle bit BECAUSE I STILL LOVED IT OMG. 😂 (Although I thought Eo’s song was a little Hunger Gamesy, but eh. Can’t have everything. ;D)
My GOSH, this is the best review/gushing thing/whatever that I’ve ever read!
I still haven’t read this series but the more elements you were point out, the more I was like: “Wait, I love blood spillings. Wait, I love fightings. Wait, I love sass and rebellions and ass kickings and WHY ON EARTH HAVEN’T I READ THIS YET?!?!? O_O”
I’m ordering this book online right this second because of you. Just so you know u.u
Yup, you’re good at convincing people.
AHHHH I’M GLAD YOU LIKED IT. :’) SOMETIMES THE FANGIRL CANNOT BE CONTROLLED. *shrieks and hugs this series* But duuuude, omg, I’m so excited that you’re going to read it. 😂 SOMEONE HIRE ME FOR MY MARKETING SKILLS.
LOL, if I were the boss of something, I’D HIRE YOU TO GO FANGIRL TO PEOPLE!!!
I remember when I RED RISING first came out, I read the first 20 pages, and . . . and I put it down. I don’t even know why? I think I was in one of those pesky moods where I liked nothing that I read. And my TBR has been so full that I just haven’t had a chance to read the series. BUT I WILL, GODDAMNIT. I keep hearing exceptional things about it, and it does sound like something I’d like.
I HOPE YOU DO!! It is kind of a mammoth beast *nods* I like read it waaaaay before pre-release because I got approved on Netgalley (like one of my first approvals of ever *shrieks*) So I had no one to fangirl with when I first read it. I NEED A RE-READ EVENTUALLY.
Okay this sounds like exactly the kind of book that I would NOT ENJOY, but you’ve somehow convinced me??? Are you magic?? Although I do like colour-coded things. Hence why it’s like that in Wanderland. OOH OOH and I do like technology. Studying digital and social media is so cool because you learn about things like wheelchairs that work on mind control.
Anyway. Besides the point. I might have to look into these…
I am magic. I am magic and glitter and stabby things. *nods sagely* YES TO WANDERLAND AND COLOUR-CODED THINGS. Tbh, I don’t know why more people don’t do colour-coded things. That was the best part of Divergent too. Like “Hey your’e in this fact and you get to wear BLUE FOREVER”. It would sort out so many wardrobe questions. Ahem.
Wait. Wheelchairs that work on mind control?!?! (Tell me that’s going into Wanderland at some point right??!?! 😂)
LOVE this post, and this series. Honestly I picked up Red Rising just before Golden Son came out purely because people were talking about it so much. I really didn’t think it was going to be my kind of thing but I LOVED it! The series is blimmin’ amazing. I was nervous to read Morning Star too but it was a brilliant end to the series – it made me laugh, squeak, fret and wince in just the right proportions. Oh and Sevro,.. is it just me or does he get better with every book?
YAYYYYY I’m glad you took a risk on it!! I read Red Rising like 6 months before it came out because I was randomly approved on Netgalley (it was like one of my first approvals!!) so I was like alone in loving it for AGES. 😂I kind of feel like a proud pineapple watching it rise to bestseller and seeing so many people adore it. I CALLED IT. BACK BEFORE IT WAS FAMOUS. :’) #hipstermoment
SEVRO IS EVERYTHING.
My colleague at work has been trying to get me to read this series for awhile now…😂 after this post I might actually have to go pick up a copy of the books. Honestly, Sci-fi is not my genre of choice…but I’ve been told this book would change that. Also I do like the whole YA crossover into adulthood idea…many of YA characters rarely age…so this would def be an interesting read 😀
YOUR COLLEAGUE KNOWS WHAT’S UP, KIM. YOU MUST DEVOUR THESE. 😂 Ahem. Sci-fi honestly isn’t much my thing either? Usually. Except for right now apparently. 😂 A lot of the techy stuff still went over my head, but the characters were AMAZING and the plot twists phenomenal…SO THAT SOLD ME.
I WANT TO READ THIS SERIES VERY BADLY NOW. IT SOUNDS WONDEROUSLY MARVELOUS.
IT IS. IT’S THE MOST GLORIOUS THING OF EVER AND TRUST ME. YOU NEED IT.
So I like scifi… but excessive blood is not really up my alley? So maybe I won’t try Red Rising for a while. Still, I really enjoyed your reveiw. I mostly like YA, but as I get older, I might like adult crossover more. I have read some really good crossover books, like Patrick Ness!
It IS pretty gory, so I think one has to be prepared for that *nods* 😂 But yesss…I’m starting to develop a taste for YA/adult crossover books 😍 as I get old and grey probbaly. OMG, AM I GROWING UP? SOMEONE MAKE IT STOP.
I’ve been waiting like FOREVER to read this series! I lurve anything with blood, guts, stabby stabby and deranged humour! 😅 I’m currently marathoning the raven cycle (I’m reading Blue Lily, Lily Blue now! 😆)
DUUUUDE THIS IS SO TOTALLY FOR YOU THEN. except I will never insist on dragging you away from the precious wonder that is The Raven Cycle. THAT IS MY FAVOURITE SERIES. *shrieks* Good luck for The Raven King!! (I’m halfway through. <3)
OMGS I’VE BEEN DYING TO READ RED RISING. I DON’T KNOW WHY I HAVEN’T PICKED IT BEFORE NOW. (probably because I’m stuck underneath 300+ books, but you know, that isn’t really an excuse)
To tell the truth I haven’t read any YA/Adult cross over series, but I have read Adult Fantasy. Is it even possible for YA and Adult to cross over?
I concur with the feeling of being stuck under 300+ books. *cries* *hugs books anyway* THE TBR IS A BIT OF A PROBLEM. 😂 But a good problem. Ahem.
Well, I just called this a YA/Adult crossover, so there you go. 😉
Well then. 😀 I MUST get Red Rising the next time I go to the library. Hopefully they have it *glares at library because they always seem to never have the book I want*
Omg my library is cantankerous about never-having-the-books-I-want too. 😂 AGH, LIBRARIES. They are wonderful but sometimes heartbreaking.
Brought home my new puppy, Sevro Au Barker, today. I guess you could say I’m a bit of a fan of the series.
OMGGG THAT IS THE MOST AMAZING THING I’VE EVER HEARD. 😂 Just a tiiiiiny teeny bit of a fan, right?
(Also hiiiii!! I haven’t talked with you for ages! HOW IS LIFE? :D)
Yeah I haven’t been around much as my life has been resembling the seventh layer of hell, and I was kind of dead inside, so I’ve not been reading much. But my puppy is making me happy now so hopefully I can just forget about all the awfulness and move on. Morning Star has been the only book I’ve been able to get through since The Unpleasantness started.
omg that’s terrible. 🙁 Gahhhh. BUT I’M GLAD SEVRO IS MAKING LIFE BETTER FOR YOU. I mean puppy-Sevro. But also character Sevro too, yes? ALL THE SEVROS. *nods* I hope things get better for you soon though. <3
This is my favourite post you’ve ever done! I constantly tell people READ RED RISING and now instead of trying to put my flailing over-excited puppy noises into actual human words, I’ll just link them over here.
Seriously beyond excited for Pierce’s new series – I just want him to hurry up and finish writing it, because I need more of his work. He’s so wonderful <3
Omgggg, THANK YOU, ALYCE. :’) AFJDSKALD ISN’t PIERCE BROWN A GENIUS THOUGH?!??! I will probably be sold to his ever book of ever now. Hooooow does he make words SO GOOD?!? OMG.
I agree – this series is absolutely amazing!!! Anddddd, Pierce Brown is even hotter in person. Sigh :). I can’t wait for his next series!
BAHHA YOU’RE HILARIOUS. 😂 And yesss, it’s so amazing!! I can’t wait for the new series. EEEP.
I may or may not read this, I screen everything I read, so who knows, but it sounds interesting! I luuuurve sci fi!
On a totally random side note….I may or may not have finished The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut, and I may or may not have totally re-read it, and I also may or may not have explained it to bro in the car from bible study. CAIT!
ZOMG RACHAEL. <3 I'M SO HONOURED YOU READ IT AND AFJDKSLAD I'M SO SO HAPPPPPPY. Thank you. <3 I SHALL JUST SQUISH YOU IN HAPPINESS AND ALSO GIVE YOU CAKE NOW.
I had to read the third book in ebook format ARGH THE PAIN. Okay, I didn’t hAVe to but I was just too in love with all the characters and I didn’t have a physical copy of the third book. Yep I read the entire series in two days, Oops.
I’ve never actually read adult crossovers, but if they’re all like this then I’m sold. Completely and utterly, here – have all my money (jokes because I just spent all my money on books, sigh). Maybe it’s just Pierce Brown’s writing though, it’s magnificent. He creates such wonderful characters and the twists and turns of this book (as well as the overwhelming amount of loyalty from almost everyone) makes my heart sing. Wow that looks weird when I actually write it.
OMG YOU ARE A DEDICATED FAN. 😂 I read Morning Star in two days…OMG BUT I READ RED RISING LIKE 6 MONTHS BEFOR RELEASE AND I LOVED IT AND HAD NO ONE TO FANGIRL WITH. #FangirlProblems hehe
But duuuude, YES. This author is magnificent. I’ve basically been sold to all his books of ever after this. :’)
It pleases me so much that you really enjoyed this series Cait! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT SO MUCH and weeped a bit at Morning Star. Sevro is everyone’s favourite I think and although Darrow is a bit of a special snowflake, I still like the brutality that he goes through. And he seriously makes the best speeches lol. Mustang…she’s an interesting character. Awesome review hun!
AHHHH I’M SO GLAD!! I need to go back and read your review now. 😂 I was avoiding ALL reviews for it until I’d seen it. EEEEK. AND I PROCRASTINATED SO MUCH OMG I’M SO BAD. 😂 I loved Sevro. <3 I didn't think Darrow was too much of a snowflake though? He didn't shy away from having to break bones when he needed too. *gulps*
I think I held off on this one because I’ve been trying to get away from ya for a little to read different things.Also because the hype machine has burned me in the past (like with divergent or throne of glass) but i must not have read the summary. This sounds right up my alley and I didn’t know the main character is older in the final book. That makes me interested because they are closer to my age!
It’s basically marketed as fully adult now? 😜 So if you’re not keen on YA, then definitely give it a go! It reads like adult too mostly *nods*
Cait!!!!! I’m so happy you finally read it!! Your post popped into my inbox this morning and I was all *drop everything, cait finally read morning star* Lol. I’m so glad you loved it! It was definitely the bloodiest of the books and I love how much you stressed the violence because holy shit this series is violent. But ahhh it’s so good. I also ship Sevro and Darrow because they are just perfect. I also have a hard time with Mustang. I don’t dislike her, but I don’t really like her either. I’m kind of indifferent about her so with the way things ended I was kind of meh. But I thought the ending was perfect and everything was tied up and I can’t wait for Iron Golds!!
YESSSSS. I GOT BRAVE. 😂 OMg, I Was such a wimp wasn’t I?? I had this for nearly 2 months before reading it. #Shame BUT LUCKILY IT WAS PERFECT. And duuuude, YES it is violent. I felt like I needed to make sure everyone knows, because my readers are mostly YA-readers and this is waaaaay more than YA gets away with, right? (But I like it. 😂)
I’M THE SAME WITH MUSTANG! I’m just generally “meh” to her? I wnat to re-read because I don’t remember her enough. Gah. Whereas Sevro saved Darrow so many times and fajdsklad I just SPACE SHIP IT OKAY.
WHAT YA to adult is a thing? This is probably the best news I’ve heard sense the release date of Winter. My WIP thing is “supposed” to be YA but the main character is 19 (and despite my better judgement it is a series and she grows up). It is also sci fi. There is also much stabby and much technology. There is no space.
But CLEARLY me and Red Rising were meant to be. How could I have not read this already? It sounds like exactly my cup of tea. Bless you, Cait. What would I do without you?
YES IT IS. *nods* I don’t think it happens very often? It’s more common to have MG to YA crossovers, right?! I guess, this is “supposed” to be NA…but idek. I don’t take New Adult seriously. 😂
What would you do without me? OH, WHO COULD KNOW. THE ENTIRE WORLD WOULD FAIL WITHOUT ME, I SUSPECT. :’)
You had me at “anti-hero”. I’ve been wanting to read more sci-fi for a while, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about this series, so I’ll probably end up checking it out over the summer, library willing.
Yesssss *sends good wishes to your library to be kind and let you have it* I honestly am just an anti-hero addict by this point. ALL THE ANTI HERO LOVE. #IHaveAProblem
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME CAIT?! Now I need to read this ASAP but I have a bunch of books to read. GAHHH. You totally convinced me because of BLOOD and TECHNOLOGY.
BLOOD AND TECHNOLOGY ARE SUPER CONVINCING, YOU MUST AGREE. *nods sagely* Also I’d be sorry but…I’M NOT. Mwahhahahha.
I’m currently listening to Red Rising on audiobook and I’m loving the narrator, but I just haven’t listened to it since last year… Fail. But so far it’s bloodydamn good. (see what I did there?) I like your points, Cait – you’ve convinced me to continue!
I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE. *gives you the Red Rising stamp of approval* I hope you like it when you start it again!! I really want to listen to the audios…I’m kind of begging my library to consider buying them. ;D
Oh, this sounds so awesome! I’ve always wondered about this series but didn’t actually know what it was about? Well, I still don’t. . . except that there are sci-fi stuff, “stabby stabbings,” rebellion, MURDER, JOHN! murder, and dark humor. *nods* I am in!
Also, this review is hilarious! I was grinning the while time. And then you gave that Sevro snippet and I was laughing out loud (and quite thankful that no one else was in the dining room. . .).
MUCH MURDER, JOHN. MUCH.
And Sevro is hilarious. 😂 It’s one of those series that isn’t like HUGE on the humour, but it totally slips it in with a BOOM and it’s perfect. There were several scenes where I was laughing out loud. <3
Though I had already decided I wanted to read this series but now I want to buy it like… RIGHT NOW!!! And it doesn’t help that I’m broke!! *sad tears* This sounds like an amazing series and hopefully I can start it by this year, pray for me!
AHHHH MY WORK HERE IS DONE THEN. *flails in accomplishment* Being broke though, omg, I understand that feel. That’s the bookworm legacy, right?! 😭😂
THESE BOOKS ARE BEAUTIFUL. I started reading it because I’ve started getting library books signed (Red Rising, Cinder, etc). When I got Red Rising signed, I wasn’t planning on reading it, but then Pierce Brown made it sound so good as he was talking about it (oh yeah, and I met Pierce Brown. WHAAAAAT). I decided to read it, and that was it. I was dead. Though I have to admit, I didn’t like Sevro at first. It was only in Morning Star that I started loving him.
Morning Star stressed me out because PEOPLE KEPT DYING, but it was amazing.
OMG YOU MET PIERCE BROWN. THAT IS SO SO COOL THOUGH. *flails* I honestly don’t remember enough of the first book…it’s been nearly over 3 years since I read it! I MUST REREAD. Sevro is my darling. <3 And duude, YES TO THE STRESS. That finale, with the plot-twist-with-Sevro?! Um, yeah, I think I had a minor stroke. 😭😂 😭😂
I’ve got a copy of Red Rising sitting on my bookshelf (signed, even!) but every time I think that I should pick it up my library decides that RIGHT THEN is the time to get in 100000 of my holds. But I will read it! Someday! Possibly! Basically, I very much want to read it but life and library books keeps getting in the way.
Omg signed!! *flails* But noooo. 😂 Libraries LOVE to send all the books at once, right?! My library just got in 10 books that I’ve always wanted to read and my TBR is already massive and and and — *collapses in a heap* LEAST TO SAY I UNDERSTAND THE PAIN. (But it’s good pain so I’m not complaining that much?! 😂) Ahem. ANYWaY. I hope you do try it someday!
I HAVEN’T MANAGED TO READ THIS YET EEK. Red Rising is a super underrated series, in my opinion — like BLOOD and GUTS and GORY and ROMAN-Y THINGS and TECHNOLOGY in space?!? Obviously perfect. I’m very glad that you enjoyed it, and now I think I’ll be off to reserve it from the library. 🙂
It’s definitely underrated amongst the blogosphere, right?! But since it’s a bestselling series, I’m guessing the general world likes it. 😂 IT’S JUST SO FREAKISHLY BRILLIANT.
Ok so: one of my best blogger friends HIGHLY recommended this series to me, and since she read one of the series I PUSHED on her, I felt the need to return the favor 😀 Anyway, I bought the first book and it’s on my bedside table as we speak, which means I WILL get to it sooner rather than later! I love sci-fi, I love lots of action and FEELS combined with some humor here and there. If I wasn’t already sold on this series, YOU WOULD HAVE SOLD ME! XD
YAYYYY. I hope you love it!! And zomg I shall join your blogger friend in HIGHLY recommending it too. :’) It’s not even my usual read style? But that just reminds me I have to stretch myself occasionally or I miss out on awesome stuff. *SHRIEKS* IT’S SO GOOD.
I gorydamn love this series my fellow Howler! I have bought Red Rising for more people than I can count. When someone does it love it I die a little.
*HI FIVES* IT’S GORYDAMN BRILLIANT THAT’S WHAT IT IS. WE CAN DIE A LITTLE TOGETHER IN INTENSE FANGIRLING.
I should probably read this, I keep hearing about it over and over and I do so love to binge read series. Also! I didn’t know that this was a YA to adult type transition. Which is exciting. On top of general excitement for space stuff. I think this will have to be my next series. I’m supposed to read the Wrath and the Dawn but that series isn’t even finished yet. Binge read potential is an important priority. And you gave it 5 stars! It clearly demands my full attention.
Sigh. I got overexcited and pressed comment before I was done.
ANYWAY part of me also wants to read it to see these supposed glaring similarities between it and Red Queen so I can judge for myself. Though I know Red Rising came first. Maybe it’s just the names. And the colours. It’s certainly not the space-stuff
Omg your comment is wonderful. 😂 Hehe.
Isn’t the Wrath and the Dawn just a duology though? And the last book just came out? WHICH IS EXCITING. HUZZAH. (My copy is in the mail, heheh.) BUT OMG, LISELLE!! I MUST TELL YOU: THIS CAME FIRST. Red Queen actually hopelessly ripped off Red Rising. Which is REason #350989 I despise Red Queen. D:
ITS ONLY A DUOLOGY? This changes everything. I’ll need to reevaluate. Also, how amazing is it that duologies are becoming popular now? It makes me so happy.
Yes! I did know that Red Rising came first 🙂 People say that Red Queen super ripped it off so I’m curious about the similarities. I can’t say I’m too surprised you don’t like Red Queen tho, there’s a lot of things to not like about it. I did like the first book and the second is kind of mehhhh. But no one seems to hate Red Rising so even more reason to read the series
Gahhh, Cait, your pictures are always so gorgeous! I could have used 100 more of them. I think we talked about everything else already. xD
OMG I AM SO GLAD. <3 I actually wondered if I'd used too many in this post and gone picture-crazy ... BUT I CAN'T HELP MYSELF SOMETIMES. (I'm so glad I loved Morning Star though...so relieved. 😂)
Sounds like my kind of book, with all the blood and stabbing.
There is nothing like a glorious book of stabby stabbing. :’)
I know how much you love this series Cait, so I am so glad you found this to be a satisfying conclusion. For some reason I always forget to pick this up when I go to the library, but I definitely won’t make that mistake again after reading this list! Complex and gray characters are my favorite types of characters, so that alone makes me want to give this series a try. And yeah for blood, space, and destroyed feels! Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous review! ♥
EEEEEP I HOPE YOU LIKE IT, ZOE!! 😀 It kind of is different to what I usually read but omg it just has the FEELS PUNCHES. <3
Don’t hate me but … I did not like Red Rising at all. I have Golden Son as an audio and I AM planning on listening to it in May, but I just as so meh about the first book that I almost don’t want to listen to the second at all. All my friends love this one but I just could NOT get there and it makes me a sad panda. I do, however, love this post And I agree with all your points about why you will love this series. And I am glad you LOVE this series because I love when people love books. Thanks for another wonderful post, Cait!
Pffft, of COURSE I wouldn’t hate you! 😂 It’s not for everyone (hence I wrote this post, haha) And yessss, it’s so much fun to be a wild fan over books… :’) But they’re also super subjective. Which is kind of cool, right?! Because there’s a book/series for everyone out there!
WHY HAVEN’T I READ THIS SERIES YET?! Everything you listed I need in my life omg. I need to rectify this poor life decision.
I DON’t EVEN KNOW, BEC. YOU SHOULD FIX IT NOW.
I have Red Rising and Golden Son and they are at the top of my two month summer vacation (so nice working for a uni professor) reading list! The last three Raven Cycle books are also on it, along with The Scorpio Races, Wee Free Men, Ruin and Rising, and A Gathering of Shadows. Exciting! I guess I will have to buy Morningstar to read also. 🙂
AHHH I HOPE YOU ENJOY ALL THE STIEFVATER. *shrieks gleefully because Stiefvaterfan* I just downloaded The Scorpio Races from my e-library so I could re-read it. I AM ON SUCH A BOOK HANGOVER RIGHT NOW AHHHHHH. (Also AGOS is so so good. Also the cliffhanger is wicked but excellent.)
Such a helpful post since I just won a copy of Red Rising in a giveaway but have been a little on the fence about reading the series. 🙂 I’ve somehow got it in my mind that it’s dystopian (not actually my favorite), but if you say SciFi, then that might actually work for me. 🙂
Definitely more sci-fi than dystopian! I mean, I think it’s set in a futuristic society to ours? But they really never mention earth. I would say it’s a solid sci-fi. 😂 I HOPE YOU LIKE IT IF YOU DO TRY IT!!
This book series is everything to me. I am probably one of the biggest fans of ever. The interwebs is the only place I can find people that are as obsessed as I am so thank you for this amazing post. I won’t go on and on about my love of the series, author, characters, all the things.
I do my best to spread the gospel and get people reading these books and have been doing so since I devoured Red Rising about 6mths before it published several years ago. Even got my non-reader boyfriend to give them a go and he super enjoyed them.
Being that you are a suuuuper fan (yay, that gives me all the happies to have someone to freak out with and adore Sevro with) I sincerely hope that you knew about and were able to take part in the recent Kickstarter (which has now ended) for the maps, t-shirts, pins, postcards and posters for the Red Rising universe. My charge card was smoking by the time I got done with purchasing everything I could and worth every cent!
Thanks for promoting the awesomeness that is Pierce Brown’s creation with your wide audience of readers! 🙂 #doingthegoodwork
OMGGG *FLAILS WITH YOU* HELLO FELLOW FAN!! And you are a HERO amongst the Red Rising fandom for converting people to reading it. 😂 GO YOU. And omg, I DID THAT TOO WITH RED RISING. I read it SO early because I was unexpectedly approved for an EARC on Netgalley and it was like one of my firsts. And there I was reading this amazing book and had NO ONE TO TALK TO. 😂 Life is tough for we bookworms. Ahem.
I kind of vaguely heard about the Kickstarter thingie?! I didn’t participate or anything BUT IT LOOKED SO AMAZING ADJFKASDLAJD BASICALLY.
Those are awesome reasons to read anything! Oh my gosh those covers are so amazing! They are sleek but beautiful! Nice post 🙂
Nabila // Hot Town Cool Girl
YESSSS. They are so so pretty right?! *pets covers*
Oh good! I have the first book of this trilogy, and I’ll admit that I bought it mostly because I loved the cover. Lol. And it sounds like it has everything I love in a book. Yay!
OH YAYYY!! I hope you enjoy it! And by “enjoy” I mean, you’ll probably get severely traumatised like the rest of us. But that’s normal. *nods*
The series sounds fantastical. Although, I’m not sure about the swearing. How much does it have in it? I can handle it in books…to a certain extent, but not past that.
And I think I do like YA/adult crossovers. Recently I’ve started reading more adult books (ish) and I kind of feel like the level of storytelling is elevated in some ways? But I also like YA because that’s what I’ve grown up with and the characters are closer to my own age, so combining the two can become awesomeness.
Ahhh, omg, I can’t quite remember how much swearing is in it compared to average books? They definitely swear more than in the average YA, I think?
And YES! I think combining the two has such potential to be just plain epic. :’) Although I usually find YA is more concise and fast-paced, which I like. ;D
The Red Rising trilogy is among my all time favorites, Cait. It was so well done, the world-building, the multiple plot-lines, the characters, the fights, the gory-damned fights, the bloody-damned revolution. It was indeed glorious!
And of course, everyone should read it…
YESSSS. Intensely glorious is the perfect description for it. *aggressively hugs this series*
I’m in the middle of Golden Son right now. It’s lagging a bit but I REALLY love it. Oh and SEVRO. IS. M I N E.
YAYYY I’M GLAD YOU’RE A FAN. And omg isn’t Sevro just the best?! *hugs him*