Glad you gave Red Rising a try, Regan! I think if Golden Son does not get better for you, feel free to drop the series. Imo, Golden Son is a huge upgrade over Red Rising! The transition from a dystopian novel into an epic space opera series is crazy. Now that I've read Light Bringer, it made me feel nostalgic just how relatively small the problems the characters are facing in the first book :')

The worst issue with Red Rising as a book is using the "gf dies" trope to force the main character into action. Not to mention the amount of unnecessary 🍇 of female characters in the book. It was a five star read for me that I gave two stars because of these misogynistic tendencies. YET, I don't know who told Pierce Brown to get his ish together, but the rest of the books fix all of the issues I had with the first one, and it gets pretty great.

The red rising series book two and on are unbelievable. I always tell people if you can get through book one and get halfway into the second you will be hooked. Books 4 through 6 are straight up space opera, gory bloody horrifying yet amazing. It’s so good.

Like everyone else in these comments has said, the series gets exponentially stronger starting with Golden Son and turns into an epic space opera with incredible characters and interesting relationships between them - hopefully you continue! It matures as Pierce matures, and I love his exploration of themes. Although I will say that his writing style remains quite dramatic, which worked for me but may not work for you.

it is my favorite book series in the world - have a tattoo of it on my back. TRUST me, Golden Son WILL change your mind and Eo is absolutely NOT a fridged girlfriend later on. She comes across that way in book 1 but I promise you the further we go, the better it gets. Especially female characters like Virginia and the up and coming Victra.

I love that you're using your platform for important information that affects us all

Thought the same of book 1 and I think Pierce realized the criticism was right because he gave us victra, my queen. If you wanna give book 2 a try I feel like you will be fully invested. It is truly the best story I have ever been invested in. ❤❤

This series is definitely worth continuing. I hope you do!

All of your points you've made are the reasons why I can't seem to go beyond the first book. Reading through the comments section does make me want to move forward with this series though!

Honestly, i hate this trend of people seeing dead female characters romantically related to the main character and going "fridged girlfriend" over it. Like dang, an author can't even write a proper motivation for their character. Like, y'all wouldn't have a problem if the genders were reversed? There are many instances that it is reversed. Why do people have these double standarts? Eo was a fighter, a dreamer, a symbol, and I love her, and I love her role in this story, but even if she died just for her husband's character, then it would be a legit character arc too. Like, authors are allowed to have characters for one purpose and not add more to them if it's not relevant to the story they want to tell.🙄

Really appreciate you bringing up the water issue!! Wild how PFAS are in so many places now. Also, def have been waiting for your Red Rising thoughts because I've been on the fence about picking it up for years

I really appreciate your PSAs! Also, you reminded me how much I miss P Terry's 🥲 Thanks for another lovely vlog! 💜

I loled at the guy who brought his whole multiple screen setup to the coffee shop 😅 vibes 😂

omnis vir lupus, tattooed on my arm. book 5 obliterated me. still scared to open book 6. keep going, because book 1 I DNFed half way through, went back a few months later because i didn’t understand the high rating-and then I did understand, and again, tattooed on me. i don’t think Darrow is many folks fav character, honestly, but sevro, mustang, victra, the telemanus’ and the fox, the howlers ❤️

Finally, I've made so many people read it and they all fell in love and I couldn't finish the second series because my heart cannot tolerate more cliffhangers after golden son 😂 can't wait to see how you react to book two!! And the rest of course lol

As luck or coincidence would have it I also spent this last weekend reading Red Rising so I was very excited to see this post and your reactions were so validating because I felt the same. It really felt like a dude book which is fine but it does keep me from being truly deeply invested. I will keep reading the series but I can’t say that I am currently chomping at the bit for it.

Just introduced this series to my nurse he’s already on book 4 my bf isn’t a reader but read all the books and is now rereading it ❤ sevro

THANK YOU for bringing up PFAS chemical contamination. Such a scary problem that flies under the radar way too much. So many ppl are having their health permanently damaged by this and don’t even know.

I definitely had identical feelings about Book 1 as you, but Book 2 & 3 raised the stakes, opened up the world, added more and better characters, and helped develop the initial ones. It also has MUCH more of a sci-fi feel with space battles and political intrigue... It still isn't my favorite series of all time, but I'm SO glad I continued! Edit: Also, his writing is just a lot more polished going forward, too. He still has a very iconic style, but I didn't find it as confusing or... over the top. He clearly refines his craft over time, and i was happy to see!

your vlogs are so cozy and comforting :)

I’ve been thinking about picking up this series and I’m very glad I watched this first - nothing pisses me off more than violence against women used gratuitously/as a plot point. Doesn’t matter to me if the books get better from there, no thank you.

the fact I was refreshing my KZfaq waiting for this

When red rising first came out, I thought was good but nothing *special* and never got around to the rest until recently.. I binged them all lol 2nd book & onwards is just on another level, I regret not continuing back then! really feel author got better as the books continue on. 🥰 hope you do get around to second!

You should watch ‘Dark Waters’ with Mark Ruffalo if you have interest in the chemicals in the water. It’s a movie based on a true story about a lawyer discovering what’s in the water and where it’s coming from. Good movie!

this book this week as well! I am so happy that my feelings are valid and I’m not the only one in how I felt with this book. I actually do still want to continue on especially seeing everyone’s comments about how good it gets. Also got that same green pumpkin candle on my last target run and it smells sooo good. Never to early for fall 😅

It's not a series I've read, and not one I would prioritise but did consider from all the recent hype with the new book. Your thoughts confirm my view on it not being a priority 😅

I just finished this book today and I agree with pretty much everything you said about it!! I spent a lot of the book wishing that this was Eo's story instead of Darrow's, but after seeing everyone's comments I have a lot more hope for the rest of the series

22:22 lol. I got distracted by that guy who brought his entire office setup to the coffee show

I really enjoyed the tap water section - a great use of the platform

I read red rising last month, and while there were elements i didnt like (like the sexual assault to women), i really liked it, and heard everywhere that this series keeps getting better so yesterday i started golden son and its completely different and a while other level and im eating it up!

I didn't finish this one for a lot of reasons you stated but also because I couldn't stand the narration. My goodreads review is just "A narration choice was made, and it was made in 2013."

ngl but your reading vlogs are what's keeping me sane

Awesome vlog ‼️💖😊😅🥰💯I have been trying to decide whether I should start this series. 😊

Book 1 is very 2010 YA Dystopian which really is not reflective of the rest of the series. I really recommend you read book 2 and then decide if it isn't for you, because book 1 is really so different in tone and plot from the remainder of the series-which becomes a much deeper character focused story with heavy politics.

I live in Wellington & many of us here ( possibly all over NZ ) fill up water containers from deep spring water stations. There's one in Petone Wellington if you want to google what I'm explaining badly, lol. And it's delicious .

-not even 10 mins in and you became a humanitarian. love to see it. i have this book on kindle and ive been hesitant to read it bc scifi scares me lol

I have just finished this book myself and totally agree with your comments. I thought there were too many layers, too many characters. I’m really not sure about continuing with the series just based on reading this and felt quite disappointed after all the hype. I thought it was just me but I’m glad you agreed.

I just finished this yesterday and even though I liked it a lot (not a 5 star but I enjoyed it) I agree with your points against it (fortunately they didn’t bother me too much), especially the lack of good female characters and I also wanted to know more about the society and politics and I really hope we get to see more in the following books.

Please, please, please read book 2. Shit Escalates.

Does anyone know of a good summary of red rising? All these comments have convinced me to carry on but I don’t want to have to reread book 1 when I didn’t enjoy it.

U have to get through book 2 at least golden son is mind blowing ..not kidding

I was very curious on your thoughts about this series! I’ve also been debating on whether or not to read it!

Going to second the rest of the comments, it gets much stronger as you go on. The characters become much more dynamic and get a lot of depth - especially the female characters. I think there's always a bit of a ra-ra boy's club feel to it, but it becomes much more fun for me when the female characters are fleshed out more. I also found the influence of political theory and roman history becomes stronger and more interesting in later books as well!

The original trilogy definitely gets stronger as it goes. I gave both Golden Son and Morning Star 5 stars. I am finally moving on to Iron Gold in November

Yayyyy! I was having such a crappy day, saw you had a new vlog and like magic, the day is better! ❤

I just started Red Rising, and I'm so confused🫠 Reading Sci-fi in English(which is not my first language) is giving me headaches.

You definitely need to keep going and get past book one. Golden Son shows a lot more detail. The first book is so different than the rest of the series. The other problem is that it is being compared to Y.A. books but it is definitely not a Y.A. series.

only 1:28 into the video so idk if you mention it later BUT the audiobooks for this series are SO good !!

That is truly the cutest coffee pot I've ever seen

i couldn't get into it, had to DNF :( i envy ppl who love it, cause apparently it gets so much better

The water at my house is totally undrinkable. All the agencies and companies I reach out to tell me to just buy water filters. Like, excuse me, my water is brown...

Can you do a close up on your wedding ring? I'm curious to see it but since you hold your camera with your left hand all we've had so far are glimpses! It looks pretty!

Try the audio books for the red rising series! I read book one and didn’t love it but fell in love with the audio version and book two.

Hard to remember this was the authors debut book so yeah its gotten better as the series has gone along

Bought and started reading red rising after reading all of your comments

I had very similar thoughts while reading the first book and was slightly confused about the isolated setting and what it meant for the politics of this world. But, the world get SO much bigger, and the following 5 books are very different from this one, imo! The politics get so good and based on your thoughts and critique, I think you will enjoy the character development!

It's interesting that you didn't love Darrow's perspective/characterization when I feel like the MC in The Will of the Many was so similar! I thought Vis was a bit of an annoying Gary Stu, but I know you liked that one much better than Red Rising! The voice of the story in the Red Rising series is very melodramatic 😅 someone described it as "Shakespearean" in drama, which I think fits. I agree with the sentiment of a lot of other people in that the series only gets better from here, especially the first trilogy. Also! If you haven't read The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis, it's great. R.F. Kuang actually blurbed it and said "...if you enjoyed Red Rising and Mass Effect and wanted to see more women and queer characters, this [The First Sister] is absolutely for you..."

theres a red rising board game that you should try!

Your videos make me even more conflicted about wether I should reach for my book or my switch 😂

How lovely are our forearms stringed with veins, oh but we are the world's most cursed guitars. Our lovely former chorus in a grave where tab-progression hieroglyphics are. A pretty woman poses out of tune. Her costume strangling the lyre’s prayer. Oh song the label didn’t want produced, ten thousand penguins would’ve loved to hear. Some folded arms suppress a timeless chord, too scared to dive into the polar sea but pale and goosebump strings should vibrate more! Our solos written when the waves we meet. The water droplets are the tabs we need; the fated song discovered on thy arm.

Hope you had a good Labor Day weekend xoxo 😚 🎃🤎🤎👻📙🍁🎃👻❤️❤️📖📖📚🍃🍃📚📖🤎👻🎃🍁📙📙🍁🎃🤎🤎🎃🍁📙📙📙🍁👻🤎🤎👻🍁🍁🍁👻🤎🤎❤️❤️❤️📖📖🤎👻🎃📙📙📙🍁🎃👻🤎🤎👻🤎❤️❤️📖📖📚📙📙

Three words, READ GOLDEN SON!

I got 80% in the book before I “gave up” I would like to give it a try again eventually

I think the comments trying to tell you you’re wrong about Eo being fridged are like????? Like Pierce has said himself retrospectively it was fridging and tgat he recognized the issue in it and wanted to actively make the rest of the series have the women around Darrow be well rounded, well written characters, which he does succeed at very well! The series starts off meh w Red Rising, but where I agree with the comments is now stunning the following books are!!!!

The original trilogy are some of my favorite books of all times. But I'm not too thrilled about the sequels (final opinion depends on the last book). I loved the first three books and was hooked from the first page. But book 4 to 6 drag on for me. They are good, solid, but not amazing for me. I still have hopes though that the final book and ending might change my opinion a little bit. Especially book 6 was just preparation for the hopefully final stage. And yes, his writing style is quite dramatic. Personally, I love it, but it understand some might dislike or even hate it.

I have the book. I might read it next year

I live in rural Tennessee and get a letter in the mail every year informing me that the drinking water will cause cancer after 70 years of consumption. How lovely...

I read the first red rising book years ago I didn't enjoy it I decided to dnf the series

I totally get everything you were saying with this book. I am so on the fence. I felt like they were like 3-4 star books but 5 star series after the fact. It’s so weird

I really hope you love this series one of my favorites Regan xoxo 😚 📙🎃👻🎃🍁📙🤎📙📖📖📖📚📚🍃🤎🤎📙🍁🎃👻👻📙🤎📙📖📖🍃🍃📚📖📖📚🍃🤎📙🍁👻👻👻🎃📙🤎🤎📙🎃👻👻👻🎃🍁🤎📙🍁📖📖❤️📚📚🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎🎃🎃👻👻🍁🤎🤎🤎📙❤️📖❤️📚

Came to watch her read, learned about tap water 10/10

I felt the exact way about red rising. I’ve read the first 3 books, while I never fell in love or really enjoyed it, for what it’s worth the books do get better…. They just don’t get good enough for the hype they get. Hope you enjoy it more though ❤ The Will of the Many will always have my heart because I think it was so much better done, especially the main character

Watching football is exactly where I get a lot of my reading in, too 😂

i recently read the trilogy and it was so good! i agree red rising is the weakest book (i literally almost DNF'd it), but then i read golden son and gave it a 5⭐. i wasn't a huge fan of the "hunger games" aspect, but the world expands so much more in book 2 and 3. it's one of those series where you realize you just need to really take your time with it and the payoff will be so worth it.

I read Red Rising and thought it was just ok. I didn’t care enough to read further. Might have to change my mind.

I thought the first 25% of red rising was so cool phenomenal and then idk what happened. But Man I was not impressed lol.

Hmmm I don’t think I will read that book. Thanks for the recap!

I'm really excited to hear the thoughts because I...really did nkt like it.

Love your video keep these videos coming

I’m in two minds of this series - some of the books I enjoyed, the others I didn’t 😅

❤️📚❤️...thanks for the review!

SO EXCITED!! Xoxo 😚 👻📙🤎📙📖📖🍁📙🤎❤️❤️🎃🍃🍃🍃🍃📚📚📚🎃❤️❤️🤎🤎👻🍁📖📖📖👻📙📙📙🍁🍁👻📙📙🤎❤️❤️🎃📚🍃🍃📖📖📖🍁👻🤎🤎👻🍁📖🍁👻🤎🤎🤎❤️❤️🎃📚📚🍃📖📖📖📖🍁👻🤎🤎🤎👻

I read the first book this spring. It was good but nothing overwhelming. However, I heard a lot that the frist is the weakest book in this series. But so far I haven't been in the mood continuing, although I've the second and third book at home.

The series gets better. The politics feel fairly one dimensional, more dues ex machina. The characters get a little better. Ultimately i read it the same way i read Brandon Sanderson, as a palette cleanser between more draining adult fantasy and scifi books. I probably would have like it more, if i read it when i mostly read YA.

I still have to start red rising 😬

Hi hi! I have a quick question and if it's a spoiler I understand if you can't say! I'm confused about something, you said the main character lived isolated with just like his own red group. Is it like that for all the colors? Do the groups just interact with their own? Or is that just the red group? I hope that made sense, sorry! PS love your videos!

Your thoughts are so valid for book one, but it’s honestly vastly different from the rest of the series. It gets much more sci fi, complex, violent, political, emotional & introspective, and amazing. I would def suggest reading the second book too to get a better idea of where the series is going as a whole. And in the second half of the series (book 4) we get multiple pov’s including female povs so that may help your opinion too

I’m gonna be “that person” … his name is pronounced Dare-oh.

So many strong female characters in this series

I first tried to read this book in 2014 according to my Amazon purchase history. DNFd. I tried again last month. I gave it 1 star and that was for myself for finishing it. I've not given up on the series per se but I'm not rushing out for book 2. The beginning was okay for me. They lost me with the body "enhancement." Really, it would have been easier to put his brain into a body of a Golden. And stop, if they have the technology to do what they did, it's conceivable the author could have done that. EVERYthing was replace down to his eyeballs. But I muscled through it - pardon the unintended pun. He lost me the second time with the war games going on and on and on and on. I love science fiction. I love military science fiction. This could have been edited down *a lot* and still made the point of what the character had to experience. Apparently it's just not my cuppa. It's okay; read as thou wilt. That's why there's so many authors and books out there for us.

i could not finish the first book oop

First book is definitely the”weakest” of the whole series it gets amazing later as new things are introduced and a certain thing but I won’t tell you for spoiler reasons if you continue on with the next five books. But I really think you’ll love the rest as Darrow and Pierce grow as an author and an character

I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it didn't have all the needless violence against women. Completely unnecessary. My eye was twitching so bad when after Virgina captured another woman she spanked her. Oh PUHlease!!! I also felt the violence was a bit over the top.

I read the first three Red Rising books are rated them all 3 stars. They were very meh to me.

I'm tired of "guy" fantasy fiction (and video games; and movies). It's why I don't care for a lot of popular fiction, though I try to give it a shot. But it's their di*k lit. Chick lit or other gender centered novels fantasize about ideal lifestyles, and stereotypes their ideal love interests. So to each their own I guess. I'm glad we live in an age where we have outstanding female and other/non-gendered authors so we choices beyond macho male-centered fantasy.

YES agree with you about the violence against women. Just so not needed. It leaves a very bad taste in my mouth when I think of the trilogy as a whole which was just ok. Totally overrated

I couldn’t get through the second book.

I didn't like red rising...I even gave book 2 a chance

❤📚

It is my favorite series! I loved it so much and absolutely most amazing so and inspiring incredible written and amazing author adventures warrior and awesome super cool xoxo 😚 🍁🍃🎃🍃🍁🎉🍁🎃🎃🍁🍁🍁🎃🎃🤎🤎🤎💕📖📖📙📖📚📚📚📚📚📚📙📙📚📙📙📖📖🤎📙🍁🎃🎃📚🍁🎃🍃❤️❤️❤️🎃🍁📚📙📙🤎🤎📖📖📙📙👻👻👻👻👻