Review: Red Rising
From the red dust of Mars rises Darrow, Helldiver of Lykos. As a member of the Mars colony harvesting helium-3 to make Mars a habitable place, Darrow and his family are told that someday - when Mars if habitable and all colors have settled - the brave red pioneers will rise up and be held in high esteem.
Darrow's world is torn apart when he learns that they are not, in fact, pioneers... but are slaves to the HighColors. As a Red, Darrow's life is worthless, and his wife's is taken away from her for a song. Denied his own death, Darrow is remade, body and mind, to become one of those he hates - for only a Gold can rise high enough to bring change and free his people.
Red Rising tells the story of a man who has nothing to live for except the possibly freedom of his people. Darrow becomes a sheep in wolf's clothing, surrounded by wolves. In this mixture of romance, fear, battle, and intrigue, Red Rising combines elements of stories told throughout history and becomes it's own future. Nothing is straight forward and the rules of the game are changed by the people playing it... especially Darrow.
I really enjoyed Red Rising. Starting in the colony of Lykos beneath the red sands, we rise to a penthouse towering above the world, and then to a battlefield filled with the best of the Golds. With a contest devised to test loyalties and strength, and to create warriors and leaders, this book is an epic adventure that becomes even more spectacular when you realize that this is just the beginning, with Darrow's story to continue.
The most important question isn't if the author can keep the momentum going in the next book. No, the most important question is if Darrow can keep his soul when surrounded by political intrigues, murder, and brutality beyond belief. Red Rising will leave you with a hunger to know what happens next and a secret yearning for Darrow to succeed in freeing both himself and his people.
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