Red Rising Series Review
Jump into the Red Rising series, with a series structure overview and thoughts on each book.
This post provides a comprehensive look at Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series, exploring its structure, summarizing each novel, and reflecting on what makes the saga a defining work of modern science fiction.
Series Structure
The Red Rising saga by Pierce Brown currently spans seven novels. While not originally planned with a rigid structure, it is often divided into two main story arcs: the Original Trilogy, which follows Darrow’s rise, and the Second Tetralogy, which explores the consequences and aftermath of that revolution. This division helps readers see the inflection points where the story expands from a single hero’s journey to a sprawling interplanetary epic.
Original Trilogy: Red Rising, Golden Son, Morning Star
Second Tetrology: Iron Gold, Dark Age, Light Bringer, Red God
Series Review
Red Rising
Darrow, a Red miner on Mars, discovers that his entire caste has been enslaved and manipulated by the ruling Golds. After a personal tragedy, he is recruited by a rebel group and transformed into a Gold to infiltrate the elite society and spark a revolution.
The debut novel is awesome, combining action with a vividly imagined solar system. It is more localized than later books, mostly centering on the Institute with less high-tech gadgetry than what shows up in the rest of the series.
SPOILER WARNING: The following events cover major plot points from Red Rising onward.
Golden Son
Darrow infiltrates the Gold ruling class, attending deadly war games, surviving assassination attempts, and forging secret alliances to advance the rebellion. As betrayals unfold, he must navigate shifting loyalties while planning the next moves to challenge the Society’s hierarchy.
Golden Son expands the scale of the conflict beyond Mars, featuring interplanetary battles, strategic maneuvering, and a more complex narrative.
Morning Star
The revolution reaches its peak as Darrow spearheads a full-scale uprising against the Gold hierarchy. Epic battles and devastating personal losses shape the struggle for freedom, while Darrow wrestles with love, vengeance, and the heavy moral cost of overthrowing an entrenched system.
The novel is emotionally charged and provides a satisfying conclusion to the original trilogy.
Iron Gold
Years after the revolution, Darrow grapples with the consequences of his victory. The solar system has been reshaped, but unrest and rebellion continue to threaten fragile peace. Told from multiple perspectives—including new characters—Iron Gold expands the narrative into a larger political and social landscape, exploring the complexities of power, loyalty, and human ambition.
Dark Age
The universe plunges into chaos as wars erupt across the Rim and the Core. Darrow, his allies, and new leaders confront impossible choices amid betrayal, military strategy, and civil unrest. Dark Age is grim, intense, and unflinching, showing the harsh realities of a universe struggling to rebuild after revolution.
Light Bringer
The saga reaches its most dramatic and conclusive battles, tying together character arcs, political struggles, and personal sacrifices. Long-running conflicts and unresolved tensions come to a head, delivering both action-packed sequences and profound emotional payoffs. Light Bringer provides resolution while reflecting on the costs of rebellion, leadership, and humanity’s enduring resilience.
Final Thoughts
The Red Rising series is a sweeping saga that combines fast-paced action with intricate world-building and deep philosophical questions. Pierce Brown blends interplanetary politics, personal sacrifice, and rebellion into a story that is epic in scope but intimate in emotional impact. The series challenges readers with complex characters, morally gray decisions, and the consequences of power, all set against a vividly realized solar system. From the rise of Darrow in the original trilogy to the expanded political and social struggles in the later books, the saga examines loyalty, justice, and the cost of freedom.
