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A review by drownedworld
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
5.0
Brilliant.
I first heard about Pierce Brown’s Red Rising last May at Book Expo America in New York City. No matter where I went or who I talked to at the show, people were talking about it and how it was going to be B.I.G. I have to confess, I’m a bit contrary by nature. If something is being described as THE NEXT BIG THING, I will probably ignore it.
A few months later, I was back in New York for Comic Con and I snagged a copy of the galley at the Del Rey booth. I started reading it on the subway ride home to Queens and was immediately hooked, becoming so engrossed in Darrow’s story that I missed my train stop (and three others).
When I got home, I turned off my phone and read straight through until I was finished. I couldn’t have stopped reading even if I had wanted to.
This book has occupied my thoughts since I read it last October. The last time I was this obsessed with a book was about 15 years ago with Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves. My friends and coworkers are probably a little sick of me talking about it as much as I do, but I honestly can’t help myself. I want everyone to read this book! So much that I've even given 17 copies of this book as gifts so far and started a book club with the sole purpose of making it our first discussion book.
It’s frequently compared to Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games and Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, and superficially, that’s accurate but I always felt those comparisons sold Red Rising short. Brown’s characters and world are vastly more complex and detailed and the events are much more visceral. You may have read books with teenage protagonists set in a dystopian society before but you haven’t read anything like Red Rising. Once you do, you’ll realize this is the book you didn't know you were been waiting for. It’s flawless. It’s a Young Adult book for adults.
This is the first book in a trilogy and to say that I’m looking forward to the sequels is obviously an understatement. I’ve read the book twice and I plan on reading it again with a friend in a few weeks.
(ARC obtained at NYCC)
I first heard about Pierce Brown’s Red Rising last May at Book Expo America in New York City. No matter where I went or who I talked to at the show, people were talking about it and how it was going to be B.I.G. I have to confess, I’m a bit contrary by nature. If something is being described as THE NEXT BIG THING, I will probably ignore it.
A few months later, I was back in New York for Comic Con and I snagged a copy of the galley at the Del Rey booth. I started reading it on the subway ride home to Queens and was immediately hooked, becoming so engrossed in Darrow’s story that I missed my train stop (and three others).
When I got home, I turned off my phone and read straight through until I was finished. I couldn’t have stopped reading even if I had wanted to.
This book has occupied my thoughts since I read it last October. The last time I was this obsessed with a book was about 15 years ago with Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves. My friends and coworkers are probably a little sick of me talking about it as much as I do, but I honestly can’t help myself. I want everyone to read this book! So much that I've even given 17 copies of this book as gifts so far and started a book club with the sole purpose of making it our first discussion book.
It’s frequently compared to Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games and Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, and superficially, that’s accurate but I always felt those comparisons sold Red Rising short. Brown’s characters and world are vastly more complex and detailed and the events are much more visceral. You may have read books with teenage protagonists set in a dystopian society before but you haven’t read anything like Red Rising. Once you do, you’ll realize this is the book you didn't know you were been waiting for. It’s flawless. It’s a Young Adult book for adults.
This is the first book in a trilogy and to say that I’m looking forward to the sequels is obviously an understatement. I’ve read the book twice and I plan on reading it again with a friend in a few weeks.
(ARC obtained at NYCC)