Book Reviews from a Teacher's Perspective

Author: Pierce Brown Genre: Science Fiction Themes:Rebellion/Revolution; Family; Friendship; Leadership This is the second book in the Red Rising series, and it was even better than the first book.  That's saying a lot because I absolutely loved the first book, but it took me a while to get into it.  This book hooked me much sooner, but it's probably because I had much of the background knowledge needed to understand what was going on from the first book. The time frame of the story is a couple of years after the first book finished.  Darrow has been "adopted" essentially by the Arch Governor, and has taken the "Augustus" name.  In this book, Darrow's work for the Son's of Ares really begins. Some of the same characters introduced in the first book are also in the second book, such as Mustang, Servo, Cassius, Tactus, Fitchner, The Jackal, Harmony, and Evie. I strongly suggest re reading the first book it's been awhile since readin

Author: Pierce Brown Genre: Science Fiction Themes:Rebellion/Revolution; Family; Love; Leadership Recommended Age for Reading: Upper High School This book is probably one of the best books I've read in a long time.  It is kind of like Hunger Games meets Star Wars in some ways.  It definitely has the dystopian society with a super corrupt government plot, much like the "Hunger Games," but has the science fiction twist since the story takes place on Mars.    Also, the reader is rooting for the underdogs in the society...which are the people born red. The time period of this story is years into the future.  Humans have colonized many of the planets and moons of the solar system. The society in this book is a caste system based on the color one is born into.  The society builds on the backs of those who are born red, though the reds don't realize it.  The truth is kept from them to avoid an uprising.  The red people mine a substance called Helium 3 that the so