A few months ago the Canadian Audible store gave Red Rising away for free for a month. I of course took advantage. Haven’t listened to it yet though, but damn... it sounds very good! And quite grim. Great review!
Love this review, Allen! Your enthusiasm is so clear and you made some excellent points. The analysis on power was spot on! Makes me want to go back and do a reread. 📚
I read this book years ago when the last book in the original trilogy came out and really enjoyed it. The series solidified itself as a favorite with book 2 for me =) always love your reviews and the real world history you bring into them =)
I really enjoyed this book once you get past the inciting incident. I loved all the name references to the Roman's. I felt the end of the book was much more gritty then the Hunger Games. I also really enjoyed that there are Golds in Darrow's group that you get attached to them. You can see how through the series this will be more of a challenge for Darrow to take them down. I am down to the last 100 pages of Golden Son and love it even more than Red Rising. Can't wait for the discussion on that!
So glad to hear you enjoyed Red Rising. It's definitely my favourite science fiction series. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the rest of the series! I'm really looking forward to the release of the latest book! 🖤
I have seen 3 or 4 different people review this book on Booktube and Allen you have done the best job reviewing this book! Great Job. I have read the first two books in this series and I have started reading Golden Son again thanks to you and your re-along. Can't wait for your other reviews in this series.
This is such a fantastic review! I could listen to you just recap each of these books-it really takes me back to the good times I had reading them! Can’t wait for your Golden Son review😊
I liked the first book enough to continue the series but the second book I just absolutely loved. Within the first 100 pages it had a duel which I find as good as most, if not all, of the duels present in the Greatcoats. Looking forward to live show.🙂
Fantastic review, Allen! That's such a good point about how Brown used language distinctions in the caste system. Those kind of details add depth to the world. I'm excited for Sunday. I'm aiming to finish Gold Son today!
I was definitely in the camp of DNFing the series after reading Red Rising. It was such an interesting concept and I loved Sevro but couldn’t stand Darrow. He never felt like a real character to me because he so often succeeded at everything he did. However, I do like the points you bring up in this so maybe I’ll come back to it at some point and see if Golden Sun is enough to change my mind.
I already knew I loved red rising but hearing you talk about it makes me want to reread it right now! I'm going to have to speed read golden son now to tune into the live show 😂
I’m SO SURPRISED it’s considered a YA novel. I wasn't really hooked until half way through the book when the events at the Institute started; but I’m glad I kept at it. I heard that Golden Son is a lot better so I’m excited to give it a read, and see your review on that as well!!
I am so conflicted about this series, I love the first third of book 1, barely remember the next third, hated the final third until the very end which I suddenly loved... the sequel was hard for me to get into until about halfway through, then I loved it except for the parts that most connected to the first third of book 1, which, as I said, I loved. I can't even remember if I read book 3. I need graphing paper and a therapy session just to figure it my opinion on all this lol.
I also hated the tense of this book. Overall, I thought it was kind of a drag. I wasn't a fan of the "fridging" of his wife at the beginning, I thought the prose was too choppy and jarring like you were saying. I felt that too many of the side characters were too similar. Also, aside from BEST SERVED COLD, I do not like revenge stories. I also found it to be way too action-heavy for my tastes. I've heard that the series improves so I'd be interested to see what you think as you continue on.
I think the writing is better in Book 2 and there are some excellent character moments and some great themes on identity and loyalty but there is MORE action than in the first book. Like, by a lot lol
While I've been interested in reading this series, your analysis has gotten me more interested. I do own the first book but I think I'll get the other two and binge read them.
I didn't even mind the first person, and I was hooked from the beginning. I wouldn't categorize it as YA as it was supposed to have been marketed. I really enjoyed the world building and the book as a whole. I REALLY enjoyed Golden Son. I look forward to that review. 😊
I don't think this should have been classified as YA for sure. I enjoyed it, but not as much as everyone else. I still need to read the 2nd book though because the end is where it started getting good for me.
Amen... It seems like everyone goes for first person these days (a ton of YA is in first person... one of the main reasons I avoid it). But I just can't get into first person. And I REALLY dislike Present Tense. I thought fiction had dropped it by now. The main reason I've been holding back on the Greatcoats series is because of the First Person. It sounds like it's up my alley (swashbuckling, heroic, great swordfights, dashing rogues), but I just can't get over that First Person.
Read it last month and until the Institute I was really bored, and then it got interesting. With all the betrayls and relationships. Also I just finished Golden Son yesterday and this one is much better and definitely worth reading. I really like the questions the books ask (about equality, what comes next after a revolution and so on), but for now there are no actual answers. I hope Morning Star gets to some answers (within this universe, of course)
@@TheLibraryofAllenxandria I even stopped noticing choppy writing and first person, present tense in this book. It also bothered me a lot when I read Red Rising. And having started the third book, this writing style fits really well at the beginning of that book
I'm about 40% through Red Rising and so far I really like it. Took a bit to get used to his writing style and some of the story seems super rushed but it's been entertaining.
I’m so pumped for the live show and to continue the series. It may not be for everyone but it’s 100% for me 😂
A few months ago the Canadian Audible store gave Red Rising away for free for a month. I of course took advantage. Haven’t listened to it yet though, but damn... it sounds very good! And quite grim. Great review!
The narrator is also excellent!
@@KFoxtheGreat Im looking forward to it, especially after this review.
Love this review, Allen! Your enthusiasm is so clear and you made some excellent points. The analysis on power was spot on! Makes me want to go back and do a reread. 📚
I read this book years ago when the last book in the original trilogy came out and really enjoyed it. The series solidified itself as a favorite with book 2 for me =)
always love your reviews and the real world history you bring into them =)
Nice review. I loved books 2 and 3
I’m convinced you started this channel just to show off your thumbnail skills!
I loved doing this buddy read in your discord! The trilogy is quickly becoming one of my favorites of all time and made me want to pick up more scifi!
That's awesome! I saw you couldn't resist starting book 3! 😃
@@TheLibraryofAllenxandria I may or may not be 3/4 of the way through Morning Star already 😅
I haven't gotten to Red Rising yet but listening to this review, I was like wow! This is like everything Allen loves in a book!
I really enjoyed it!
I really enjoyed this book once you get past the inciting incident. I loved all the name references to the Roman's. I felt the end of the book was much more gritty then the Hunger Games. I also really enjoyed that there are Golds in Darrow's group that you get attached to them. You can see how through the series this will be more of a challenge for Darrow to take them down.
I am down to the last 100 pages of Golden Son and love it even more than Red Rising. Can't wait for the discussion on that!
Gosh darn it Allen!! I already tried and DNF'd this book... but your enthusiasm has got me wanting to give it another go.
hahahahhah you DNF early though...you are a pro-DNFer. Honestly though Darrow isn't very likeable as a main character lol
Man this book was fun. I enjoyed your thoughts on it.
So glad to hear you enjoyed Red Rising. It's definitely my favourite science fiction series. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the rest of the series! I'm really looking forward to the release of the latest book! 🖤
I have seen 3 or 4 different people review this book on Booktube and Allen you have done the best job reviewing this book! Great Job. I have read the first two books in this series and I have started reading Golden Son again thanks to you and your re-along. Can't wait for your other reviews in this series.
This is such a fantastic review! I could listen to you just recap each of these books-it really takes me back to the good times I had reading them! Can’t wait for your Golden Son review😊
I liked the first book enough to continue the series but the second book I just absolutely loved. Within the first 100 pages it had a duel which I find as good as most, if not all, of the duels present in the Greatcoats. Looking forward to live show.🙂
That duel was FANTASTIC
Fantastic review, Allen! That's such a good point about how Brown used language distinctions in the caste system. Those kind of details add depth to the world. I'm excited for Sunday. I'm aiming to finish Gold Son today!
I should be finishing it up today as well! I'm excited to talk about it!
I was definitely in the camp of DNFing the series after reading Red Rising. It was such an interesting concept and I loved Sevro but couldn’t stand Darrow. He never felt like a real character to me because he so often succeeded at everything he did. However, I do like the points you bring up in this so maybe I’ll come back to it at some point and see if Golden Sun is enough to change my mind.
Awesome review!! Brandon Sanderson loves to write his fiction as treatises on power, too. I think you'll really enjoy him as you dig in.
I already knew I loved red rising but hearing you talk about it makes me want to reread it right now! I'm going to have to speed read golden son now to tune into the live show 😂
I’m SO SURPRISED it’s considered a YA novel. I wasn't really hooked until half way through the book when the events at the Institute started; but I’m glad I kept at it. I heard that Golden Son is a lot better so I’m excited to give it a read, and see your review on that as well!!
I'm really enjoying GS so far! I'm with you in that I didn't really enjoy it until the Institute. And yeah, this is definitely not YA lol
I really want to hear your spoiler filled thoughts on these books. I just finished the series in January. So good!
I am so conflicted about this series, I love the first third of book 1, barely remember the next third, hated the final third until the very end which I suddenly loved... the sequel was hard for me to get into until about halfway through, then I loved it except for the parts that most connected to the first third of book 1, which, as I said, I loved. I can't even remember if I read book 3. I need graphing paper and a therapy session just to figure it my opinion on all this lol.
I def would've preferred more RED from a book called Red Rising
I also hated the tense of this book. Overall, I thought it was kind of a drag. I wasn't a fan of the "fridging" of his wife at the beginning, I thought the prose was too choppy and jarring like you were saying. I felt that too many of the side characters were too similar. Also, aside from BEST SERVED COLD, I do not like revenge stories. I also found it to be way too action-heavy for my tastes. I've heard that the series improves so I'd be interested to see what you think as you continue on.
I think the writing is better in Book 2 and there are some excellent character moments and some great themes on identity and loyalty but there is MORE action than in the first book. Like, by a lot lol
You’ve got to look up the song of Persephone on you tube, there are some amazing covers I listened to after completing the series
I listened to it! It's awesome!!
While I've been interested in reading this series, your analysis has gotten me more interested. I do own the first book but I think I'll get the other two and binge read them.
I actually strongly suggest that very thing. I think they're super bingeable!
This series wasn't for me but really happy to see everyone loving it in the discord and hearing about everythint you got out of it
I didn't even mind the first person, and I was hooked from the beginning. I wouldn't categorize it as YA as it was supposed to have been marketed. I really enjoyed the world building and the book as a whole. I REALLY enjoyed Golden Son. I look forward to that review. 😊
I'm also really enjoying GS! I should finish it tonight!
I'm glad to see that you've been loving most of what you've been reading! Do you think this has potential to be a top 10, top 5 series for you?
I don't think this should have been classified as YA for sure. I enjoyed it, but not as much as everyone else.
I still need to read the 2nd book though because the end is where it started getting good for me.
Jessi!! Read the second book! Fast!! 😛
@@TheLibraryofAllenxandria im working on it! Trying to finish before the live show lol
Amen... It seems like everyone goes for first person these days (a ton of YA is in first person... one of the main reasons I avoid it). But I just can't get into first person. And I REALLY dislike Present Tense. I thought fiction had dropped it by now. The main reason I've been holding back on the Greatcoats series is because of the First Person. It sounds like it's up my alley (swashbuckling, heroic, great swordfights, dashing rogues), but I just can't get over that First Person.
Yeah I agree first person is tough, but for some reason it never bothered me in Greatcoats. Not sure why!
Read it last month and until the Institute I was really bored, and then it got interesting. With all the betrayls and relationships. Also I just finished Golden Son yesterday and this one is much better and definitely worth reading. I really like the questions the books ask (about equality, what comes next after a revolution and so on), but for now there are no actual answers. I hope Morning Star gets to some answers (within this universe, of course)
Loving Golden Son so far!
@@TheLibraryofAllenxandria I even stopped noticing choppy writing and first person, present tense in this book. It also bothered me a lot when I read Red Rising. And having started the third book, this writing style fits really well at the beginning of that book
I'm about 40% through Red Rising and so far I really like it. Took a bit to get used to his writing style and some of the story seems super rushed but it's been entertaining.
Yes! That feeling of being rushed doesn't go away but it gets really good!
Great review! I read this one and didn't love it but was deciding on continuing or not. I think this series just isn't one for me.
I totally get how it wouldn't be for everyone. I'm glad you gave it a shot!
I'm waiting until the last book comes out to read dark age cus I've heard it's sad
Couldn’t get into this book didn’t care about the main character and I hate the whole high school kids murdering each other crap ugh