by Elsa Rowe
If you have ever said to me that you like science fiction, I can say with 100% certainty that I’ve recommended the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown. It’s a series of doorstop sized books, so few have taken me up on that. However, I am thrilled to announce that Miss Mary, who is more of a fantasy reader, is currently reading and enjoying these books. Woo hoo!
So, what’s the story? It’s a dystopian world, because of course it is. The first book was published in 2014, when dystopian fiction was at its peak.
From our library catalog, “Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow and Reds like him, are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.”
Reasons that I like it: interesting characters with diverse perspectives on life and their places in it. A hero who is incredibly heroic and willing to do anything to make society better and more just. And finally, oddly, there is quite a large amount of military strategy. I never would have thought I’d find that interesting, but in this series it is fascinating. It is also a well-written page turner.
Reasons why Mary is liking it: To quote, “Darrow always has an Ace up his sleeve” and the continuing contrast between leaders with grit and leaders with vision.
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