Red Rising

WELCOME TO THE 77th ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES!!!!

For… grown-up’s?

That’s right ladies and gentlemen! Instead of dealing with 12 districts on the North American continent in a dystopian future, we’re looking at 10+ Colors on planets in a dystopian future. Despite the similarities, this was still an amazing first novel from Pierce Brown, who gives us a fantastic blend of world-building, characterization, and plot progression at a fast and steady pace!

He’s created a realistic setting that ranges across the Milky Way, from the depths of Mars to the gravity-defying surfaces above. There’s a caste system and carefully constructed lifestyles of each social class therein. There’s Golds who are at the top, the gods of the universe, if you will. And there’s Reds who are the lowest of the low, slaves and they don’t even know it. (*SPOILERS AHEAD!*)

We experience the story through the eyes of Darrow, giving his own unique voice in a rugged yet intelligent manner. Starting out as a lowly Red, he would be content to live out the days of his impoverished existence, as long as he could be with Eo – his childhood sweetheart and fairly new bride. As fate would have it, she is unsatisfied with their reality, and believes that there is more “behind the curtain” than what they’re being led to believe by their superiors. So certain she is of this speculation that she forfeits her life on a stage before all the worlds (unbeknownst to her) in order to defy the elitist tyrant who oversees them all, the Archgovernor Augustus. When she is hung at the gallows, Eo struggles in suffocation due to the reduced gravity of Mars, and Darrow is faced with the excruciating task of pulling her legs to snap her neck… and thus alleviate the extent of her suffering.

Without love, life becomes meaningless to Darrow. So within days, he commits a crime that he knows will result in execution: taking his wife’s corpse from the gallows, and giving her a respectful burial. Sure enough, his trial and sentence quickly follow, and he too is buried.

Except… he’s not really dead, and this comes as much a surprise to him as it does the audience. While on his way to the public execution, his uncle slips him a drug in the swill they normally drink – inducing him into a state very similar to death. Right before his uncle pulls his own legs at the gallows, Darrow sees him wink before passing out. He wakes up in a coffin some time later, only to be introduced to the renegade rebels: the Sons of Ares. One of the leaders, Dancer, reveals that everything Darrow was led to believe is a lie. Mars has been inhabitable for over several centuries, despite the messages all the Reds get from their Sovereign Octavia au Lune. They do not work in order to save the people from earth by terraforming the planet, no. They slave away for the profit of Golds, and are left to live in a shit-hole while others stand in luxury on the shoulders of their life’s toil.

Because of his wife’s sacrifice, Darrow’s life has been given purpose once again. She has become a beacon of light and a martyr to all the other low-Colors in the solar system. Her dying message was broadcast across the galaxy, carrying the fire of revolution.

Darrow’s mission is simple, but not easy. The leaders of this underground network believe that he will be the most impactful to their cause by stripping him of everything that makes him outwardly a Red… and turning him into a Gold. He is to infiltrate their training Institute, where he should rise in rank, and act as a double-agent on behalf of Ares. The ultimate goal is to destroy the structure of society the Golds have set, by sabotaging them from the inside as one of them.

The transformation process is brutal. Darrow suffers his entire body to be removed, one layer at a time, and replaced with other skin, organ, bone, eye, and sigil implant grafts. He is then given rigorous cultural etiquette training in addition to grueling exercise reconditioning. The Sons of Ares forge an identity and back-history for him, pillaged from a dead Gold’s family in an outlier location of the galaxy. Darrow is finally ready for their Institute. However, there is one detail he refuses to adapt to – a name change. He doesn’t care that “Darrow” is not a traditional Gold’s name. His birth-given name is the last echo of his prior existence, and he will not give up that portion of himself.

That is something to be said for his character. Not only does he know who he is, but he will not compromise his nature. While it may not be practical for the situation, it is commendable nonetheless. (Although I am sure others would argue that this is childish stubbornness which could blow the entire cover and result in the loss of many more lives… yes, yes, I know.) He is acknowledging on a conscious level that no matter what glorious and privileged circumstances may come as a result of his new appearance, he will not forget his roots or who he is as a person. If he must be deceptive by his looks, then he will remain true in character. This decision is not only for himself, but for those who surround him in his past, present, and future.

Entering the Institute for adolescent Golds will inevitably determine the outcome of each one’s rank in the near future. Darrow is handpicked by the ugliest of Golds (if there is such a thing) Fitchner, the proctor of House Mars. Darrow becomes fast friends with some of his other House mates. Among them is Cassius and Julian, brothers of the Bellona family, and Sevro – a scrawny Gold with a rugged attitude to match his own.

After the first night of camaraderie, no one expects their initial trial to take place within hours of their sleep. Each student is stripped, beaten, bound, blindfolded, gagged, and released by pairs into locked rooms where they are commanded to fight to the death with nothing but their bare hands. This is the first culling to take place at the Institute, separating the weak from the strong. What’s more is that every remaining student is a bona fide murderer… and guess who Darrow was paired with? Julian. Haunted and deeply ashamed by this action, Darrow cannot bring himself to confess to Cassius that he killed his brother, a kind soul who didn’t deserve it.

The next trial is a battle royale held on a vast secluded landscape under the proctors’ supervision from their Mount Olympus hovering in the sky. The students are given scant resources for survival, each unique to their House’s HQ. The goal is not only to become the leader (Primus) of your given House, but to conquer every other House in the landscape… by use of a caste/slave system.

The ordeal goes on for months, possibly over the course of a year. During this time, Sevro separates from the others in House Mars, first alone and stalking about in a wolf-cloak. Later, he’s got a band of Howlers loyal to himself and Darrow, while engaging in guerrilla warfare tactics. Darrow gets to know a sharp-witted beauty who goes by the nickname “Mustang” and leads House Minerva, in addition to her enormous guardian Pax au Telemanus.

After achieving numerous successes, Darrow must confront the atrocious nightmare that has taken place in House Mars. Titus has endorsed an overindulgence of humiliating, vulgar, and violent practices against the slaves and others who are weaker than the band that rallies around him. Darrow must quell the bloodthirsty menace, and is horrified in the final moments before Titus’ penance that his adversary is in fact a Red, refashioned to be a Gold just like him! The difference between them is that Titus chose to become a vile spirit of hateful vengeance, instead of a force for true change and revolution. Darrow barely maintains his cover, and allows Cassius to execute the undercover Red, whom he believes murdered his brother Julian.

A foreboding message comes to Cassius, courtesy of the one feared as the “Jackal”, and threatens to disrupt the alliance between him and Darrow. Cassius laughs it off, taking the Holo and storing it in his boot, planning to toss it later. In a fit of paranoia, Darrow sends Sevro (now nicknamed the “Goblin”) to retrieve it in secrecy. Cassius catches on and views the Holo, then lures Darrow out by saying he found one of their dying friends (Roque, the humble poet.) Alone in the wilderness, Cassius delivers a mortal wound to Darrow, confronting him for his role in the death of his brother Julian.

Miraculously, and with the help of Mustang (whom he allowed to escape when conquering her House) Darrow survives in the cold snowy recesses of a cave. It’s here they share tender moments where Mustang relives memories of her past, and recalls Eo’s song. She and Darrow believe in the same dream for a better future in their society. They decide (for the trial) on a strategy of cultivating loyalty by freeing slaves instead of making them. He cannot help but open up in some measure of vulnerability to her. As a result, he becomes fiercely protective of her life when threatened by natural elements and ambushing students alike.

Fitchner approaches Darrow privately, urging him to give up the victory. Apparently, all of the proctors were either threatened or bribed into setting up the game for the Jackal to win, since he is the son of the Archgovernor of Mars. Fitchner hates the twisted cheating of the game, but also doesn’t want Darrow to die – which is what he’s going to be facing at the hands of the other proctors if he doesn’t heed Fitchner’s warning. It was for this reason that the Jackal was supplied a Holo of Darrow killing Julian in the first place. Darrow is infuriated, since the one system that seemed to be based off merit is only another set of corrupt lies and rigged results. If anything, this lights a fire under him even more to defy their hierarchy-based rules.

Darrow and Mustang team up with the Howlers, and go on to conquer House Ceres, where they first implement their ideology of freedom for the slaves. Infighting ensues, and Darrow metes out punishment for the offenders. What no one expects is for him to kneel beside the criminals in the matter, and order an additional punishment for himself – communicating a unity of their group’s body. This confounds the other Golds, who have never seen a leader humble themself before their lessers. This manages to earn their loyalty and respect all the more. (One thing I have to say about this: I believe the writer placed too much faith in humanity, as Darrow tells all the onlookers that for every crime they commit, he will be flogged with them. This could easily be broken if enough people hated him within his own ranks–and there were those who did. They could all just commit several crimes, and have him flogged into oblivion, putting him out of leadership commission. The alternative would have forced him to break his word, and maintain the leadership role while losing respect and loyalty as a byproduct.)

Renewed with more allies at his side, Darrow, Mustang, and Sevro take House Apollo. Darrow is consequently set upon by a demon bear at the hands of proctor Apollo, and barely (haha) manages to escape with his life. Fitchner approaches him once again, repeating his warning on behalf of Darrow’s well-being. He assures Darrow that even if he loses, he has gained massive accolades from prestigious benefactors. Fitchner is indeed furious about the state of affairs – wishing that the system was different and fair, for the sake of his own merit as well as that of his son (to which Darrow realizes that Fitchner is Sevro’s father.) However, Fitchner reiterates that he wants Darrow to live, despite everything. Darrow appreciates the sentiment, but promptly knocks out his proctor, and has him stored in Apollo’s dungeon to prevent him from returning to the other proctors.

Darrow marches on the pitiful remains of House Jupiter, where they come across severely weakened stragglers. A meek boy who identifies himself as Lucian informs them that their leaders have left with the warriors, and Darrow’s band is welcome to stay in their shelter. He only asks that they not be made into slaves. Darrow shares food and clothing. His army makes a show of getting drunk and partying. He talks with Lucian one-on-one for hours, until the boy begins to relax and open up to him as well. After lulling the boy into a sense of safety, Darrow slams a dagger through his hand, pinning it securely to the table. With no where to run, Darrow confronts him for what he truly is – the Jackal.

By doing so, he is taunting the proctors and attempting to lure them out. He tells the Jackal that he will only let him escape if he does what a real jackal would do… cut off his hand. Because Darrow values his own hands so much (as a Helldiver of Lykos) he could never imagine that anyone would do such a gruesome act to themself. But he severely underestimated the willpower of his adversary, and the Jackal saws his hand off right before their eyes. As Darrow stands with Pax in stunned silence, a proctor shows up and throws a sonic detonator through their window, giving the Jackal the upper hand (bah-dum-psshh!) He uses the surprise to murder Pax, the loyal guardian, who gives his life to protect Darrow. The Jackal escapes and the proctor announces that they’ve taken Mustang. They will “ruin” her if he doesn’t fall to the Jackal at their next encounter… for all to see.

Darrow has had enough! Strapping on some Gravboots, he flies the Howlers to Mount Olympus. If the proctors won’t play by the rules, then why should he? Darrow and his team take Olympus by storm; crippling, restraining, and slaughtering one proctor after another, until Darrow is faced alone with Jupiter. Because he knows their rings are recording the events, Darrow gets Jupiter to admit everything about the trial being rigged, and the game corrupted. Jupiter is about to finish Darrow off, but Darrow tosses his weapon to Sevro, who’s been lurking invisible in one of the stolen Ghostcloaks of a fallen proctor.

Following the defeat of Mount Olympus and daring rescue of Mustang, Darrow releases Fitchner who is surprisingly in good spirits about the whole ordeal. However, the trial still isn’t over. There is one last House to conquer: Mars, where Cassius still reigns as Primus, and the Jackal is running free as well. Mustang leaves to retrieve the Jackal, and all seems well as Darrow prepares to reclaim Mars. Fitchner fumes, wishing that he’d told Darrow sooner that Mustang is the twin sister of the Jackal, and is most likely going to betray him.

Making haste to the Mars fortress, Darrow finds all of his friends (including Roque) weakened from starvation. Cassius surrenders the badge of Primus to Darrow, but vows a bloodfued between the two. The next time they meet, one or the other must die… on behalf of Julian.

Darrow hustles his people together to prepare for the Jackal and Mustang’s advance… only for her to fly in with a gift of her brother bound and naked, thus handing the victory to Darrow on a metaphorical silver platter. She is somewhat hurt when she realizes his mistrust, but understands that she should have told him about her family relations sooner. However, her actions have proven that she has been true to her word, and the ideals they share for a better future.

Holding title as supreme Primus of the game (as well as being the first in all of history to conquer the proctors) political benefactors have poured in from all over the galaxy to take Darrow under their wing. The most powerful families are the Bellona (Cassius and Julian’s family – who hate him) and the Augustus (Jackal and Mustang’s family, with the Archgovernor of Mars being the father.) This Archgovernor gives Darrow one and only chance to side with him, and promises him power beyond anything he’s ever known – exactly what the Sons of Ares need! But this is the man who ordered Eo’s death…

Swallowing every instinct in him to assassinate the Archgovernor on the spot, Darrow kneels and swears fealty to him instead. Thus, he is accepted into the Augustus ranks as an adopted son.

And so the journey continues in the sequel… Golden Son.

Any other fans present? Or are you new to this bloodydamn legacy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section!

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