Is Red Rising Finished?
Not yet — but close. The original trilogy (Books 1–3) is complete. The second trilogy has 2 of 3 books published. Red God (Book 7, the finale) is in progress. The series is active.
Complete Reading Order
| # | Title | Year | Arc |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Rising | 2014 | Trilogy 1 |
| 2 | Golden Son | 2015 | Trilogy 1 |
| 3 | Morning Star | 2016 | Trilogy 1 |
| 4 | Iron Gold | 2018 | Trilogy 2 |
| 5 | Dark Age | 2019 | Trilogy 2 |
| 6 | Light Bringer | 2023 | Trilogy 2 |
| 7 | Red God | TBD | In Progress |
Should you wait for Red God? The original trilogy (Books 1–3) ends on a satisfying note and can be read as a self-contained story. Most fans read all the way through and accept the wait for Book 7. Pierce Brown has been actively working on Red God.
What Is Red Rising About?
Set in a future solar system where humanity has been divided into colour-coded castes (Golds rule, Reds mine on Mars in slavery), the series follows Darrow — a Red who infiltrates the ruling class to destroy it from within. Think The Hunger Games meets Ender's Game meets Roman epic.
The first book is YA-adjacent in scope. By Books 4–6, the series has expanded into a full political-military epic with multiple POV characters and a massive cast.
Should You Read Both Trilogies?
The original trilogy (Books 1–3) is complete and satisfying on its own. Many readers stop there — it's a finished arc. The second trilogy expands the world significantly, shifts to multiple POVs, and is more ambitious but also more demanding. Dark Age (Book 5) in particular is one of the most brutal books in recent sci-fi.
Content warning for Dark Age: Book 5 contains extremely graphic violence, including scenes that many readers found traumatizing. Go in prepared. It's considered the best book in the series by many fans but not for the faint-hearted.
Start with Red Rising — Book 1 hooks within the first 50 pages and you'll know immediately whether the series is for you.
View on Amazon →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Red Rising sci-fi or fantasy?
Science fiction. The series is set in a future solar system with space travel, terraformed planets, and genetic engineering. The Roman mythology and naming conventions give it an epic fantasy feel, but it's firmly sci-fi.
How long is the wait for Red God?
Pierce Brown has been working on Red God since 2023. No release date has been confirmed, but Brown has been posting updates regularly. The gap between Books 4 and 5 was 1 year; between 5 and 6 was 4 years (partly due to the pandemic). Expect 2025 or 2026 at the earliest.
Is Red Rising better than The Hunger Games?
Different books for different moods. The Hunger Games is faster, younger, and more emotionally direct. Red Rising is more brutal, more politically complex, and more epic in scope. Both are excellent; Red Rising fans tend to say it "graduates" you from Hunger Games.