Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series begins with a young miner beneath the surface of Mars and eventually grows into an enormous space opera filled with revolutions, political betrayals, devastating wars, and unforgettable characters.
That transformation is one of the things I enjoyed most about Red Rising. The first novel feels like a fast-moving dystopian survival story, but it is only the beginning of something much larger. Every sequel expands the world, raises the stakes, and forces Darrow to confront the consequences of trying to change an entire civilization.
If you are starting the series for the first time, the reading order is refreshingly simple. You should read the main Red Rising novels in publication order, beginning with Red Rising and continuing through Light Bringer. The upcoming seventh novel, Red God, will complete the main saga.
There are also three optional Sons of Ares graphic novels and additional companion material for readers who want to explore more of Pierce Brown’s universe.
Here is the complete Red Rising reading order without major spoilers.
Red Rising Books in Order at a Glance
The main Red Rising novels should be read in this order:
- Red Rising (2014)
- Golden Son (2015)
- Morning Star (2016)
- Iron Gold (2018)
- Dark Age (2019)
- Light Bringer (2023)
- Red God (forthcoming)
There are currently six published novels in the main series. Red God is planned as the seventh book and the conclusion to the saga, but it does not yet have an officially confirmed release date.
Penguin Random House’s official Red Rising series page lists the six published books in this same order.
The Original Red Rising Trilogy
The first three books form the original Red Rising trilogy:
- Red Rising
- Golden Son
- Morning Star
These books tell a largely self-contained revolutionary story. Readers who want a natural stopping point can finish Morning Star before deciding whether to continue.
However, Darrow’s story does not truly end there. The later novels explore what happens after a revolution succeeds and how difficult it is to build something better after destroying the old system.
1. Red Rising
Red Rising introduces Darrow, a young Red who works beneath the surface of Mars. He has been taught that his people are sacrificing their lives to prepare the planet for future generations.
That belief is a lie.
Humanity has already reached the surface, and the Reds are being exploited by a powerful color-based hierarchy ruled by the Golds. After a personal tragedy changes his life, Darrow joins a rebellion and undergoes a dangerous transformation that allows him to infiltrate Gold society.
Much of the novel takes place inside the Institute, where the children of the ruling class compete in a brutal test of intelligence, leadership, survival, and warfare.
The Institute is what initially makes Red Rising feel similar to books such as The Hunger Games and Ender’s Game. But even in this first installment, Brown is already laying the foundation for a much bigger conflict.
New readers should always begin here. You can also read our spoiler-free review of Red Rising to learn more about why the first book is still worth reading.
2. Golden Son
Golden Son continues Darrow’s mission, but it dramatically expands the scale of the series.
The contests and rivalries of the Institute give way to political alliances, family conflicts, military campaigns, and battles that stretch across the Solar System. Darrow must navigate the dangerous world of the Golds while trying to remain loyal to the cause that placed him among them.
This is where the series begins its transition from dystopian fiction into a full space opera.
Many of the friendships, rivalries, and political relationships established in Red Rising become far more complicated. Brown also increases the number of factions competing for power, making the world feel much larger than it did in the first novel.
Do not skip directly from Red Rising to one of the later books. The novels tell a continuous story, and Golden Son contains essential developments that shape everything that follows.
3. Morning Star
Morning Star concludes the original trilogy and brings the first stage of Darrow’s revolution to its climax.
By this point, the conflict is no longer about one infiltrator secretly working against the Golds. The future of the Society is at stake, and Darrow must decide what kind of leader he wants to become.
The novel delivers enormous battles and major confrontations, but its most important questions concern loyalty, sacrifice, justice, and the cost of revolution. Darrow is not merely trying to defeat his enemies. He is trying to create a future that does not repeat the cruelty of the system he wants to destroy.
Readers who only want to complete the original trilogy can stop after Morning Star. It provides a genuine conclusion to the series’ first major story arc.
Still, anyone invested in Darrow and the world Pierce Brown created will probably want to continue.
The Later Red Rising Books
The second part of the saga begins with Iron Gold and continues the story approximately ten years after the original trilogy.
This portion of the series includes:
- Iron Gold
- Dark Age
- Light Bringer
- Red God
Unlike the first trilogy, which primarily follows Darrow’s perspective, the later novels introduce multiple point-of-view characters. This allows Brown to examine the revolution from several sides and show how Darrow’s decisions affect people throughout the Solar System.
4. Iron Gold
Iron Gold begins roughly a decade after the events of Morning Star.
The revolution has changed the worlds, but it has not produced the peaceful future Darrow once imagined. War continues, political divisions are growing, and the new Republic faces threats from both outside and within.
The multiple narrators make Iron Gold feel noticeably different from the first trilogy. Darrow remains central to the story, but readers also experience the conflict through people with very different histories, loyalties, and opinions of the Rising.
The change in structure can take time to adjust to, especially after spending three books so closely connected to Darrow. Yet those additional perspectives become increasingly important as the series progresses.
5. Dark Age
Dark Age continues directly after Iron Gold and pushes nearly every major storyline into more dangerous territory.
The title is an accurate warning. This is one of the darkest, most violent, and most emotionally demanding books in the series. The Republic is under enormous pressure, old enemies are gaining power, and Darrow’s choices continue to carry painful consequences.
The multiple storylines introduced in Iron Gold begin to intersect more significantly here. Brown uses those perspectives to show that revolution looks very different depending on where a person stands and who has paid the price for it.
Because Dark Age relies heavily on the political and character groundwork established in Iron Gold, the two books should be read back-to-back and in order.
6. Light Bringer
Light Bringer is the sixth published Red Rising novel and the direct sequel to Dark Age.
After the relentless darkness of the previous book, Light Bringer turns toward questions of hope, friendship, responsibility, and whether people can return from the worst decisions they have made.
Darrow remains caught in a massive conflict over the future of the Republic, but the book also feels more personal. Relationships that have developed across the entire series return to the center of the story as Darrow attempts to find a path forward.
According to the official publisher description, the novel follows Darrow’s long journey home as alliances form, old friends reunite, and competing forces prepare to determine the future of the worlds.
Light Bringer is currently the final published novel in the main reading order.
7. Red God
Red God will be the seventh book in the series and is currently planned as the conclusion to the Red Rising Saga.
It will continue directly after Light Bringer, so readers should complete all six published novels before picking it up.
As of September 2026, Pierce Brown and Del Rey have not announced an official publication date for Red God. Any exact date displayed by an online retailer should be treated as unconfirmed unless Brown or his publisher announces it.
Brown has been working on the novel, but readers should avoid assuming it will arrive in a particular year until the publisher reveals a finalized date. We are tracking the latest confirmed information in our dedicated guide to the Red God release date.
Where Do the Sons of Ares Graphic Novels Fit?
Red Rising: Sons of Ares is a prequel graphic-novel series written by Pierce Brown and Rik Hoskin. It explores the history of Fitchner au Barca and the origins of the Sons of Ares.
The collected volumes are:
- Red Rising: Sons of Ares
- Red Rising: Sons of Ares, Volume 2: Wrath
- Red Rising: Sons of Ares, Volume 3: Forbidden Song
The three volumes are also available together in a Sons of Ares Omnibus.
Although these stories take place before Red Rising, first-time readers should not begin with them. The prequels assume familiarity with characters, organizations, and revelations from the main novels.
The safest approach is to read the original trilogy first and then begin Sons of Ares. Readers who want to avoid every possible revelation can wait until after Light Bringer.
Pierce Brown’s official comics page identifies Sons of Ares as an in-continuity story within the Red Rising universe.
Should You Read Red Rising in Chronological Order?
No. Publication order is the best reading order for first-time readers.
The Sons of Ares stories may occur before Darrow’s journey, but reading them first can change how certain characters and mysteries are introduced. The main novels were written to reveal the world gradually through Darrow’s experiences.
For the smoothest first read, follow this order:
- Read Red Rising, Golden Son, and Morning Star.
- Continue with Iron Gold, Dark Age, and Light Bringer.
- Read Red God when it is published.
- Explore Sons of Ares and other companion material after becoming familiar with the main saga.
Readers doing a reread can place Sons of Ares before Red Rising if they want to experience the events chronologically.
Can You Stop After Morning Star?
Yes. Morning Star completes the original trilogy and provides a satisfying stopping point.
However, stopping there means missing the series’ more complicated examination of revolution.
The first trilogy asks whether Darrow can help overthrow an unjust society. The later books ask a harder question: What happens after the revolution?
Iron Gold, Dark Age, and Light Bringer explore the political divisions, new conflicts, and unintended consequences that follow. They are darker and structurally more ambitious, but they turn Red Rising from a compelling dystopian trilogy into a much larger generational saga.
How Many Red Rising Books Are There?
There are six published novels in the main Red Rising series:
- Red Rising
- Golden Son
- Morning Star
- Iron Gold
- Dark Age
- Light Bringer
Red God is the announced seventh book and planned finale. Once it is released, the completed main saga is expected to contain seven novels.
The three Sons of Ares graphic-novel volumes are optional prequels and are not counted as numbered entries in the main series.
Is the Red Rising Series Finished?
No. The main series is not finished yet.
Light Bringer is the most recently published novel, while Red God is expected to conclude the saga. There is currently no officially confirmed release date for the final book.
What Should You Read After Red Rising?
Readers who finish the published books and want another large-scale science-fiction or science-fantasy series have several great options.
Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio is probably the closest match for readers who want another enormous, politically complicated space opera. The Will of the Many by James Islington captures some of the infiltration and academy competition that make the first Red Rising novel so exciting.
Other strong choices include Dune by Frank Herbert, The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter, Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey, and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.
For more recommendations, see our list of books like Red Rising.
Final Thoughts on the Red Rising Reading Order
The best way to read Pierce Brown’s Red Rising books is in publication order.
Begin with Red Rising, continue through the original trilogy, and then move into the later saga with Iron Gold, Dark Age, and Light Bringer. When Red God is finally published, it will become the seventh and concluding book in the main sequence.
Save the Sons of Ares graphic novels for after the original trilogy or after all six published novels if you want the main story to reveal its characters and secrets exactly as Brown originally presented them.
What begins as a brutal competition on Mars eventually becomes a sprawling story about revolution, friendship, power, government, and the price of trying to build a better world. That growth is what makes Red Rising such an addictive series and why reading the books in the correct order matters.
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