Pierce Brown’s “Red Rising” is a dystopian novel set on Mars. A rigid color-based caste system divides society, and the protagonist, Darrow, is a Red. The Reds are the bottom caste suffering a harsh life below the earth’s surface, terraforming the planet in preparation for the other colors to join them.
A swift series of events forces a reluctant Darrow to reinvent himself to free his people. The Reds are not owned in the true sense of a slave, but it quickly becomes clear that they have no other choice in how they lead their dreary lives.
It’s like a horrific mashup of “The Prince and the Pauper” by Mark Twain and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. Darrow must learn to speak and think like the highest caste, the Golds, and he must also go through agonizing surgery to dramatically change his body.
His tutors can hardly be described as nurturing, but the task ahead of him is more brutal than anything he could ever imagine. In fact, the phrase “I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy” has quite an ironic twist.
The novel was slow initially, but once I got over the world-building and into the action, it was a straight, steep chute to the ending.
As I read this story, I couldn’t help but think of the 12 stages of Joseph Campbell’s Heroes Journey. Pierce followed the stages so well.
The Ordinary World is Darrow’s impoverished life mining underground, never seeing the light of day. However, I am conflicted about the Call to Adventure and the Refusal of the Call. In the secret garden with his wife, Eo, Darrow learns there is more to his world than he ever imagined.
I thought Eo’s challenge for Darrow was the call to adventure, followed by his immediate refusal. On the other hand, perhaps the call to adventure comes later as he is confronted by tragedy and still refuses the call.
I don’t want to give away any more of the story, so I’ll end here. If you can stomach a steady series of gory battles with lots of twists, I think you’ll find this story captivating.
