“Is a man a coward if he realizes that bravery is just a myth the old tell the young so they line up for the meat grinder?” – Dark Age, Pierce Brown
Have you heard of the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown yet? No? Do you perhaps live under a rock? For those of you who are unaware of the magic that is the Red Rising Saga, the fifth book of the series, Dark Age, was recently released on July 30th but let’s start at the beginning. At its core, the saga is based on Roman history set in outer space – how does that not sound incredible?
The Gist
The first book, appropriately named Red Rising, begins our journey with our main hero – Darrow. The saga takes us through Darrow’s struggle to begin and lead a vengeful rebellion with twists and turns you never see coming, with action that feels like it comes right off the page, and with friendship and loyalty that many an Instagrammer longs to inspire (check out the Howlers on Insta!).
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Why do I love these books so much? Because the world building, character development, and plot lines are out of control! Pierce Brown writes a story that you can’t put down and that you want to ingest all in one go. I can’t even begin to describe how good this series is. I’ve been telling everyone I know to drop everything and immediately run out to start reading these books. And I petition the HBO gods to make this book saga into a television series – it would more than fill the void left behind by Game of Thrones!
Beware, however, you readers that are looking for a young adult book like Hunger Games. This is no such thing! These books are dark, sinister, action-packed, and brutal. Characters you fall in love with may be fodder for later battles. But as a reader, you become completely invested in Darrow’s call for retribution and equality so don’t let the dark themes keep you from reading the series.
It’s no surprise that each book in the Red Rising Saga has over a 4.2 rating on Goodreads because they are just that good! Get reading now and spread the word my little Howlers. You won’t regret it for a second.
Alyssa Flores
Alyssa reads hundreds of books a year and is on a never-ending quest to find the perfect book.
