Red Rising
Darrow is a lowly Red miner on Mars, bred to toil underground so that future generations can colonise the surface. When he discovers the surface is already colonised by the ruling Golds, he infiltrates their society to destroy it from within. The book starts slowly and rewards patience: by the third act it is absolutely relentless. One of the best science fiction debuts of the decade.
Golden Son
Darrow is now inside the Gold elite, climbing the ranks of a society he intends to tear down. Bigger in scope than Book 1, darker in consequence. The final 100 pages contain some of the most jaw-dropping plot turns in modern sci-fi. Golden Son is widely considered the peak of the original trilogy.
Morning Star
The revolution comes. Morning Star resolves the original trilogy with an ambition that matches everything set up across the first two books. Darrow leads a rebellion that spans planets. The emotional payoff is enormous.
Iron Gold
Set ten years after Morning Star. The war is over but the peace is fragile. New POV characters including Lysander au Lune and Lyria of Lagalos expand the world dramatically. Darker and more morally complex than the original trilogy.
Dark Age
The longest and most brutal entry in the saga. Events occur in this book that readers are still arguing about. Over 800 pages that demand commitment and reward every one of them. Not a standalone read.
Light Bringer
The fifth main book picks up directly from the cataclysm of Dark Age. Multiple storylines converge as the war for the solar system reaches its turning point.