Grim Reaping

Seems like every other book I listen to is so highly derivative that my opinion hinges almost solely on whether it is a worthwhile step forward or a redundant rehash. Red Rising, after a promising start, slowly but inexorably proved itself to be a cynical exercise in cashing in on the popularity of The Hunger Games.

RR: hero is from the mines, HG: heroine is from the mines. RR: 12 tribes, HG: 12 districts. RR: kids go through a "draft" before being sent to a carefully designed course to compete in games against each other, with help from proctors, while being watched from afar by the privileged class. HG: ditto, ditto, ditto, except that they called them mentors instead of proctors and they call it a reaping instead of a draft. RR: young girl sings a song of rebellion before dying. HG: young girl sings a song before dying that becomes the theme of rebellion. RR has the Reaper, HG has the reaping.

This is not inadvertent similarity. This is either willful ignorance (especially on the part of the editor, who should have known better) or outright plagiarism. If you're going to do this, you have to add something. Especially in characterization, especially to the main character.

In that respect, Red Rising is retrograde. Katniss (like Harry Potter and Tris from Divergent) is never that sure of herself, is the last to recognize her power, is always the reluctant hero. Darrow/Reaper, from the very first scene, is the best ever, and he knows it. And yet as brilliant as he will tell you he is, he falls for four, five traps in a row, getting many of his friends killed in the process. And when faced with a choice between doing the right thing or getting revenge, the always self-righteous Darrow inevitable chooses bloody revenge.

Jeez, if you're going to rip off a beloved story, don't reverse all of its best qualities. To which you can add the central conceit of Red Rising: social, political and economic inequality is embodied in a facile color-coding system. Hunger Games presents the same issues in a far more nuanced way (even down to the subtleties of fashion and mannerism) without resorting to obvious gimmickry.

Other bones to pick: the level of violence is off the charts for a supposedly YA entry, and the internal logic of this world fails early and often, especially the technology. I for one will not be moving on to the ensuing episodes in this trilogy.

295 people found this helpful

I don't understand the hype. Very obnoxious book.

The best way I can describe the plot is that it just felt childish. The main character is supremely intelligent to borderline supernatural levels and able to think six steps ahead of his enemies whenever the plot demands it, and then unfathomably stupid and repeatedly walking into obvious traps whenever the plot demands that.

I almost stopped listening by the third time that happened.

We are also just expected to believe that the main character is a prodigy at everything, he is perfectly skilled in combat and all things physical, despite minimal training compared to those who trained their whole lives.

I would have loved this book when I was 14 maybe, but I really don't understand where all the praise for this book comes from by adults.

99 people found this helpful

An Ayn Rand wet dream

Wow. Just wow. It’s rare to see a book so far up its own main characters ass. He is the chosen one. For the people. But is the best ever. He uses potions of intelligence that for some reasons no one else does. And it’s all his cleverness that’s brings him to victory... except for being saved by deus ex machine CONSTANTLY. stay away from this.

36 people found this helpful

Brutal and Violent

I tried for almost a year to listen to this book but gave up with only two hours to go. I could not enjoy or like this book, it is a bitter nasty book about vengeance in a dystopian society. There is forced natural selection and culling among students. “He didn’t score like I did on the tests, so he was a sacrificial lamb. 100 students and the bottom 50 are only here to be killed by the top fifty... I know they made me do it … what other choice was there? I do not understand how this series could have received so many positive reviews but I will return my book.

28 people found this helpful

this is awful

took hours to get just okay, but then went back to awful. don't buy it.

26 people found this helpful

Wow, what a performance and what a story

I don't remember the last time I stayed up all night to read a book, but this one had too much intensity too much momentum to put down. I just had to finish. Darrow's story is rich with memorable characters and emotion and had plenty of suspense. It's one that I'll remember for a long time. I can't wait for the second novel.
Tim Gerard Reynolds makes it come alive. his accent brings the story a perfect edge and he does the wide variety of characters justice.
A must read.

141 people found this helpful

I couldn't get past chapter 3

Slow, monotone story that just didn't make me want to listen . Gave up by chapter 3 and returned the book.

15 people found this helpful

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

Total snore fest. Good if you want to while away your time in a total haze of nonsensical drivel.

15 people found this helpful

Man I didn't even want to write this.

I guess this counts as an updated review because I didn't remember writing one to begin with. Some of the negative reviews of this book are honestly utter garbage. I see a lot of comparisons to Hunger Games and I think that is fair but I think at a certain point the book definitely comes into its own and the series as a whole is nothing like Hunger Games. Most important to me, the main character is just so completely different. I think there are plenty of reasons for people not to like this book but I don't think it starting similar to HG is a good one. I am not sure if some of these people even made it past the first 3 chapters honestly. This book is the reason I started listening to audiobooks actively. I went from a Library of like 10 to 50+ because of this book. I wish people would be more fair in their criticisms.

13 people found this helpful

Go ahead and download the next two as well

Any additional comments?

What a tremendous series. This was one of my favorite listens in a long time. The first book starts off a little bit slow, but picks up the pace quickly and maintains it all the way through the end of the trilogy.

One of the biggest draws of this book, for me, was how deep and rich the character development was. Each character is so multidimensional. And the complexities of the characters' personalities are reflected very well in the dialogue and the plot.

The narration was one of the best I've heard. I loved hearing TGR's representation of Darrow mature with the character over the course of the trilogy.

I highly recommend this book. And the next two as well!

85 people found this helpful