RED RISING by Pierce Brown

It takes some time for a great book to become part of our universal consciousness much like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Divergent. There is a book languishing on the shelf despite the fact that it might well be the best book published last year, and I thought I might give it a push for the students of HPSS. Last fall I recommended Red Rising to a reluctant reader in grade 11; he was back in the library yesterday anxious for the sequel, Golden Son. We talked about the book and his praise reminded me of just how good this series is.

Here is a review.

Sometimes an author comes along and writes a book so fascinating that it takes readers by storm. RED RISING is THAT book. Debut Novelist Pierce Brown blends the past, present and future together in a novel that if you haven't read yet, you'll want to soon because it is all you're going to be hearing about.

Darrow is a Red. He is sixteen years old and a slave. He is what is known as a "Helldiver". He drills deep into the miserable bowels of the planet Mars mining for elements that would make the surface of the planet inhabitable as Earth has become overpopulated and dominated. All Reds are slaves. Only, they don't really know it.

Darrow is married to Eo. They grow up much more quickly living under the surface of Mars. Eo is beautiful, and also a Red. She loves Darrow and has dreams that they will escape this life under the surface. Eo knows they are enslaved. And she's willing to go to her grave for freedom. And she does exactly that in an act of rebellion.

Heartbroken and determined to avenge Eo's death, Darrow allows himself to be recruited by a mysterious faction whose plan it is to infiltrate the Golds. The Golds are those who are the elite; those who enslave the Reds; and those who hold the lie that the surface of Mars is uninhabitable when it is already inhabited. To do this, Darrow must become a Gold. He must undergo a complete and painful transformation to make him stronger, taller and more golden.... And only then, will he be accepted into their "Academy" where he will compete against other Golds for prestigious placement in their hierarchy.

The battle in the academy among the "students" who are separated into 12 houses is brilliant writing. Utterly brilliant. Words form the artwork in your mind that creates vivid canvases that come to life as the battle scenes play out. Many of the scenes are gruesome. All of the scenes are vivid, meticulous and smart.

The characters that are created in this whole new world that takes the mystery of the Roman gods and combines it with the sad history of slavery and class warfare and today's societal ills, are built upon, nuance by nuance, until they seem as if they're fighting for you. Not only are we given the gift of Darrow as our main character, but watch for other players in this game, especially Servo, Mustang and Rogue. These are exciting and complex characters.

This is supposed to be a book for young adults. And it is, I suppose. But don't be fooled by the genre, this book has it all~~the dystopian society, science fiction, romance, mystery and it THRILLS. Though comparisons could be made to THE HUNGER GAMES, DIVERGENT and THE PARK SERVICE, this book is somehow different, somehow, more evolved. Anxiously awaiting January 2015 to find out what happens in GOLDEN SON (Red Rising Trilogy #2).