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Sons of Ares #1-6
Red Rising: Sons of Ares
From the world of the best-selling YA series Red Rising comes a story of love and loss and rage!
In the future, when mankind has spread across the stars, the hierarchy of man is dictated by the color of one’s caste. The Golds rule all, but what will happen when one falls for a lowly Red? See how a forbidden love will set the course of events for the future and lead to the formation of the formidable Sons of Ares!
Written by author Pierce Brown (The Red Rising Trilogy) and Rik Hoskin (Heroes of Skyrealm, Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand), with art by Eli Powell (Yakuza Demon Killers, The 13th Artifact), comes the in-continuity story of revolution and Red Rising!
In the future, when mankind has spread across the stars, the hierarchy of man is dictated by the color of one’s caste. The Golds rule all, but what will happen when one falls for a lowly Red? See how a forbidden love will set the course of events for the future and lead to the formation of the formidable Sons of Ares!
Written by author Pierce Brown (The Red Rising Trilogy) and Rik Hoskin (Heroes of Skyrealm, Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand), with art by Eli Powell (Yakuza Demon Killers, The 13th Artifact), comes the in-continuity story of revolution and Red Rising!
159 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2018
1038 people are currently reading
6418 people want to read
About the author
Pierce Brown
55 books53.7k followersHello. I'm Pierce Brown, the author of the Red Rising Saga, a NYT #1 bestseller.
I figured I'd write you myself than have corporate copy pasted below my totally natural author photo.
In my books you'll find stories of men and women finding their inner strength when all seems lost. You'll also find me exploring themes of love, violence, hope, and power--what it means, why people seek it, and how they hold onto it.
IG @piercebrownofficial
Twitter @pierce_brown
I figured I'd write you myself than have corporate copy pasted below my totally natural author photo.
In my books you'll find stories of men and women finding their inner strength when all seems lost. You'll also find me exploring themes of love, violence, hope, and power--what it means, why people seek it, and how they hold onto it.
IG @piercebrownofficial
Twitter @pierce_brown
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 474 reviews
February 11, 2018
Mini review
A good prequel to the Red Rising Saga but it's missing many things that makes the main series fantastic.
Having read all four books in the Red Rising Saga, I figure it's about time to read this prequel graphic novel to the entire saga now that it's completed already. Sons of Ares focused around the foundation of Ares and we also get to see three familiar characters from the main series in their younger days.
I think it's mandatory to have read at least the first trilogy before reading this book. Although technically can read it on its own, there will be a lot of missing contexts that would benefit the readers so much more. I am a huge fan of Red Rising Saga, it's one of my favorite series of all time, but honestly, this was just an okay to a good experience. The main problems are the short length (less than one hour to finish) and most of all, Brown's missing prose that made the series a fantastic experience for me.
Overall though, it's still an enjoyable read that offers a little more background to the saga and if you're a fan of the main series and also a completionist, I recommend you to give this graphic novel a try.
You can find the rest of my Adult Epic/High Fantasy & Sci-Fi reviews at BookNest
A good prequel to the Red Rising Saga but it's missing many things that makes the main series fantastic.
Having read all four books in the Red Rising Saga, I figure it's about time to read this prequel graphic novel to the entire saga now that it's completed already. Sons of Ares focused around the foundation of Ares and we also get to see three familiar characters from the main series in their younger days.
I think it's mandatory to have read at least the first trilogy before reading this book. Although technically can read it on its own, there will be a lot of missing contexts that would benefit the readers so much more. I am a huge fan of Red Rising Saga, it's one of my favorite series of all time, but honestly, this was just an okay to a good experience. The main problems are the short length (less than one hour to finish) and most of all, Brown's missing prose that made the series a fantastic experience for me.
Overall though, it's still an enjoyable read that offers a little more background to the saga and if you're a fan of the main series and also a completionist, I recommend you to give this graphic novel a try.
You can find the rest of my Adult Epic/High Fantasy & Sci-Fi reviews at BookNest
January 5, 2018
This is a graphic novel that takes place in the world of Pierce Brown's Red Rising series.
I have not read the Red Rising series so I am not sure if this is a prequel, sequel or spin-off of the main story. However, it's not necessary to read the series to be able to enjoy this graphic novel, it stands on its own.
The story takes place in outer space where mankind has spread to. In this world, people are designed to perform certain tasks and are referred to by a color. The color is not their actual skin color but rather refers to the task they perform, red being the lowest caste in this world.
In the novel, a high "gold" falls in love for a lowly "red" and the story revolves around the challenges they face. The book is richly illustrated and the word bubbles are colored based on the person's caste.
Overall the novel is ok, although I enjoy science fiction I did not love this story.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.
I have not read the Red Rising series so I am not sure if this is a prequel, sequel or spin-off of the main story. However, it's not necessary to read the series to be able to enjoy this graphic novel, it stands on its own.
The story takes place in outer space where mankind has spread to. In this world, people are designed to perform certain tasks and are referred to by a color. The color is not their actual skin color but rather refers to the task they perform, red being the lowest caste in this world.
In the novel, a high "gold" falls in love for a lowly "red" and the story revolves around the challenges they face. The book is richly illustrated and the word bubbles are colored based on the person's caste.
Overall the novel is ok, although I enjoy science fiction I did not love this story.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2018
4/3/18 - Pre-order ON SALE for $3.99:
http://amzn.to/2EaF6qE
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
Over the course of the RED RISING trilogy, we learned of a Gold who didn’t meet the exacting standards of his peers. He wasn’t as tall, as bright, as shiny, as his gilded brethren, but rather than having the decency to die in the passage, he lived to become a peerless scarred.
And turned their world upside down.
RED RISING: SONS OF ARES is Fitchner’s story.
It’s the story of how he fell in love with a Red and how that love became the foundation of a rebellion that brought his world to its knees.
It fills in the gaps of the things we thought we knew . . .
But we were wrong.
Fitchner didn’t fall in love with a Red and live a peaceful, happy life with her until the aberration was discovered.
Nothing in Fitchner’s life was ever peaceful or happy, so we should’ve known better.
Maybe you did.
But I didn’t.
Either way, Fitchner’s story is not one that should go unread.
Now it’s your turn to learn his truth. Highly recommended.
http://amzn.to/2EaF6qE
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
Over the course of the RED RISING trilogy, we learned of a Gold who didn’t meet the exacting standards of his peers. He wasn’t as tall, as bright, as shiny, as his gilded brethren, but rather than having the decency to die in the passage, he lived to become a peerless scarred.
And turned their world upside down.
RED RISING: SONS OF ARES is Fitchner’s story.
It’s the story of how he fell in love with a Red and how that love became the foundation of a rebellion that brought his world to its knees.
It fills in the gaps of the things we thought we knew . . .
But we were wrong.
Fitchner didn’t fall in love with a Red and live a peaceful, happy life with her until the aberration was discovered.
Nothing in Fitchner’s life was ever peaceful or happy, so we should’ve known better.
Maybe you did.
But I didn’t.
Either way, Fitchner’s story is not one that should go unread.
Now it’s your turn to learn his truth. Highly recommended.
April 28, 2018
I was to be his lesson. His first kill. A lamb to slaughter....
But I'm no fucking lamb.
Sons of Ares is the gorydamn prequel to the sci-fi action novel series Red Rising, and this comic book centers around the origin of Ares, the mysterious anarchist who shall remain unnamed in this review because it's a freakin spoiler for the novel series. So probably don't read this comic book if you are planning on reading the novel.
The story switches between Ares's past and a dangerous illegal mission headed by him in the present day. The whole past ties to the present, showing what the mission is all about.
In my opinion, the story adds only a little to the Red Rising universe. Yes, it is good to know Ares's origin, but there is nothing unexpected about it. We already know the layout of this story through Red Rising novels, the only thing Pierce Brown did here is fleshing it out. Thankfully, there are a lot of good scenes and throwbacks to make the story entertaining.
I would've rated it higher if the art was good, as this is the first official visual representation of the World of Red Rising. Unfortunately, the art lacked details I was looking for.
Overall, It's only a passable prequel to the excellent novel series.
April 30, 2021
3.75 Stars
"They had put me in the house of madmen. And so I obliged them by descending into madness."
A great prequel graphic novel for the Red Rising series. I enjoyed reading the backstory and development of Fitchner, which we have already seen in parts in the original trilogy and I think the implementation as a graphic novel is super entertaining and nicely made. The story is told well, the characters are likeable and I liked the style of the drawings (although they could be a little more detailed). So all in all a pretty cool prequel.
"They had put me in the house of madmen. And so I obliged them by descending into madness."
A great prequel graphic novel for the Red Rising series. I enjoyed reading the backstory and development of Fitchner, which we have already seen in parts in the original trilogy and I think the implementation as a graphic novel is super entertaining and nicely made. The story is told well, the characters are likeable and I liked the style of the drawings (although they could be a little more detailed). So all in all a pretty cool prequel.
February 25, 2020
If your heart beats like a drum
and your leg’s a little wet,
it’s 'cause the Reaper’s come
to collect a little debt.
Yeah, you know, that Reaper guy?! He’s not in this book.
I was only half expecting him to make a cameo. Because this is a side-story, right? Wrong!
Note to self: At some point you should really start reading blurbs or just take a look at the cover. IT'S ON THE COVER! Idiot.
So, as the cover told you already, this is a prequel. If you haven’t read Pierce Brown’s original Red Rising trilogy than What. Are. You. Waiting. For? Seriously!
If you plan to read Pierce Brown’s original Red Rising trilogy, do not read this graphic novel. Because it is a huge spoiler for the first AND second book.
Thankfully, as dumbluck would have it, I've already read the first three novels. And I'm a huge fan of the original trilogy.
So, as was the plan all along *cough*, I picked up this graphic novel after I had finished Morning Star. Curious to learn more about this fascinating world Pierce Brown has built.
For you this may be the point to turn away from this review (it doesn't get much better anyway), because there are SPOILERS FOR THE MAIN SERIES AHEAD!
The first question was, how does Brown's, should we call it pompous, prose transfer to the medium. Well, it doesn’t. And that’s a good thing. I don’t need nor do I want pages littered with text. That’s not what I’m reading comics for. The story is still told convincingly. It’s just a lot different from what we’re used to from the novels.
So what story does this graphic novel tell? Well, it’s actually the one of Fitchner and how he became Ares. How he fell in love with a Red and what happened to them thereafter. It’s quite interesting, especially for fans like me, I suppose. But it’s also not really new. We know the basics of that story already. And we crave for more, no? Yes! Well, that wish gets granted only partially. More details, yes. Surprises? No, not really.
Still, with the added fanboy bonus, this would probably land somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, if it weren’t for the art. I’m sorry, but this thing, for the most part, is pretty ugly. While buildings and landscapes are okay, the characters look terrible.
I mean, those are the Golds. These perfectly built humans. The cream of the crop. Eh. Riiight.
This thing could do with a change of artist, or a change of style at least, for the next volume. If there even is a next volume.
Oh, and why are all the curse words blacked out? That’s ███████ annoying.
2.5 stars
Lots of room for improvement. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading it. Somewhat.
February 15, 2018
As a huge fan of Red Rising saga I was grateful for every new insight into this fictional world created by Pierce Brown. I did enjoy reading this graphic novel, yet I have to admit that I had expected so much more from it... More depth, more feels, more everything. Guess I have been spoiled by Pierce Brown’s prose and storytelling in this format wasn’t enough for me.
However, I really liked artistic side of this graphic novel. Art in Sons of Ares is enigmatic and gritty. It has this gloomy quality to it which fits the mood of the story perfectly.
Fair warning: In my opinion, it is required to read Red Rising trilogy first before starting this graphic novel. Not only you would be a bit lost without prior knowledge of Red Rising universe, society and history, but you would also find spoilers for huge twists that take part in Golden Son (book #2). So if you haven’t started Red Rising novels yet but you plan to read them, do it before diving into Sons of Ares.
Recommended for all true fans of Red Rising series!
"ARC provided by publisher as an exchange for honest review."
However, I really liked artistic side of this graphic novel. Art in Sons of Ares is enigmatic and gritty. It has this gloomy quality to it which fits the mood of the story perfectly.
Fair warning: In my opinion, it is required to read Red Rising trilogy first before starting this graphic novel. Not only you would be a bit lost without prior knowledge of Red Rising universe, society and history, but you would also find spoilers for huge twists that take part in Golden Son (book #2). So if you haven’t started Red Rising novels yet but you plan to read them, do it before diving into Sons of Ares.
Recommended for all true fans of Red Rising series!
"ARC provided by publisher as an exchange for honest review."
February 9, 2019
داستان تکراری اما دلنشین.
قبل از خواندنش باید دو جلد نخست قیام سرخ را مطالعه کرده باشید چون سوژهای مهم در این کمیک اسپویل میشود.
قبل از خواندنش باید دو جلد نخست قیام سرخ را مطالعه کرده باشید چون سوژهای مهم در این کمیک اسپویل میشود.
May 8, 2019
"I was to be his lesson. His first lesson. A lamb to slaughter... But I'm no fucking lamb."
January 14, 2018
Red Rising: Sons of Ares is a prequel to the Red Rising series that was originally released as 6 comics (which of course being a superfan I've already purchased!), I believe the comics are now out of print and only available as ebooks so I think it's fantastic for fans that we're now getting this hardback bind-up of the whole series. The hardback is available in two versions signed or unsigned which is slightly cheaper. I've preordered the signed copy and I can't wait to see it on my shelves.
Now you've got more of an idea what you're actually getting let's get to the interesting stuff like the artwork and the story. This is a prequel so it's set before Red Rising but I definitely wouldn't recommend starting here - you'll end up giving yourself spoilers for the main books if you do. I think fans of the series will love getting to see a younger Fitchner and learning how he met his wife (although this story is slightly different to how it's told in the books) and we also get to see baby Sevro which is pretty cool. It's very easy to see where Sevro gets his attitude from that's for sure! This also shows the reasons that the Sons of Ares was originally founded so it gives us a chance to see the very beginning of the revolution that changes everything for Darrow in Red Rising.
The artwork is wonderful, quite dark in colour but that fits the gory and violent tone of the story perfectly. I love the added touch that each conversation bubble is coloured to match the birth colour of the character speaking. I really enjoying being back in this world but via a more visual format and it left me wanting to reread the rest of the series again. This is one of my all time favourite series so I'll jump at any chance for more from this world and this was a lovely addition.
_________________________
There's a signed edition of the hardback bind up of the Sons of Ares graphic novel? Yup of course I have to pre-order it LOL.
Current prices for UK peeps (as at 4th December):
£24.83 (+ £5.50 shipping so it's actually £30.33) - Forbidden Planet
£35.99 - Amazon
I can't find it on Wordery or Book Depository (they both have the unsigned version though)
There's a cheaper unsigned version so be careful when ordering to make sure you get the one you want.
Now you've got more of an idea what you're actually getting let's get to the interesting stuff like the artwork and the story. This is a prequel so it's set before Red Rising but I definitely wouldn't recommend starting here - you'll end up giving yourself spoilers for the main books if you do. I think fans of the series will love getting to see a younger Fitchner and learning how he met his wife (although this story is slightly different to how it's told in the books) and we also get to see baby Sevro which is pretty cool. It's very easy to see where Sevro gets his attitude from that's for sure! This also shows the reasons that the Sons of Ares was originally founded so it gives us a chance to see the very beginning of the revolution that changes everything for Darrow in Red Rising.
The artwork is wonderful, quite dark in colour but that fits the gory and violent tone of the story perfectly. I love the added touch that each conversation bubble is coloured to match the birth colour of the character speaking. I really enjoying being back in this world but via a more visual format and it left me wanting to reread the rest of the series again. This is one of my all time favourite series so I'll jump at any chance for more from this world and this was a lovely addition.
_________________________
There's a signed edition of the hardback bind up of the Sons of Ares graphic novel? Yup of course I have to pre-order it LOL.
Current prices for UK peeps (as at 4th December):
£24.83 (+ £5.50 shipping so it's actually £30.33) - Forbidden Planet
£35.99 - Amazon
I can't find it on Wordery or Book Depository (they both have the unsigned version though)
There's a cheaper unsigned version so be careful when ordering to make sure you get the one you want.
February 23, 2018
I downloaded a copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley
This was fun, but I have to say I was a little underwhelmed. While it was great to get a visual on the Red Rising universe, as well as a background prequel tale, this somehow lacked the magic that made the main series so memorable.
It's a good treat for Pierce Brown fans, but I probably wouldn't recommend to someone that hasn't read his work. Besides what I mentioned above, the material would spoil some of the good stuff in those books.
This was fun, but I have to say I was a little underwhelmed. While it was great to get a visual on the Red Rising universe, as well as a background prequel tale, this somehow lacked the magic that made the main series so memorable.
It's a good treat for Pierce Brown fans, but I probably wouldn't recommend to someone that hasn't read his work. Besides what I mentioned above, the material would spoil some of the good stuff in those books.
May 5, 2019
Hot damn, this just be my favourite graphic novel I’ve ever read! Put together the brilliant writing of Pierce Brown and the sickeningly beautiful illustrations and you get this one hell of an amazing package. I couldn’t have been happier when I found out this gave the back story to Ares and the Sons of Ares and how they came to be. I’ve always wanted to know the details behind what sparked the revolution and I’m over the moon that I finally have the answers! My only complaint, and it’s not really a complaint, is that now I want more Red Rising graphic novels!
February 6, 2021
Careful reading anything about the Sons of Ares if you haven't read Red Rising.
If you know anything about Red Rising or who the Sons of Ares are, then you know who this follows. I haven't read a graphic novel in quite some time but I really enjoyed this one and will be reading the second part here shortly. I always wanted to see more about the creation of the Sons of Ares and how Fitchner and Quicksilver went about creating this group.
This is very clearly Fitchners story and helps to show how poorly treated even "low" Golds can be. This whole society is fucked and it's no wonder Sevro grows up as such an angry little goblin. Fitchner goes through a lot of shit and heartbreak and I'm sure Part 2 will drive that point home.
If you know anything about Red Rising or who the Sons of Ares are, then you know who this follows. I haven't read a graphic novel in quite some time but I really enjoyed this one and will be reading the second part here shortly. I always wanted to see more about the creation of the Sons of Ares and how Fitchner and Quicksilver went about creating this group.
This is very clearly Fitchners story and helps to show how poorly treated even "low" Golds can be. This whole society is fucked and it's no wonder Sevro grows up as such an angry little goblin. Fitchner goes through a lot of shit and heartbreak and I'm sure Part 2 will drive that point home.
July 31, 2018
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
A graphic novel spin off of Pierce Brown's Red Rising series... It tells the tale of a forbidden love between members of opposing castes that lead to the formation of the Sons of Ares. In the future, the hierarchy of man is dictated by the color of one's caste. "The Golds rule all, but what will happen when one falls for a lowly Red?"
It took a bit to get my feet under me with this graphic novel because the art was... disturbing. I can appreciate the dark and heavy art style that gave the story the feel of a film noir... BUT why were the faces obscured?! UH HELLO!!! THE FACES ARE ALL THAT MATTER!!! DUH ITS A ROMANCE! Yeah no art style will work if we can't see the faces. There is so little internal dialogue that we NEED the faces to tell us what the characters are feeling. The nuances of emotion. ALL LACKING! Gorgeous art is beautiful but graphic novel art MUST communicate... otherwise it doesn't perform its function.
Fitchner was someone that intrigued me from the get go even though the world was brutal and he wasn't a particularly good person. At first I was confused who was his lover and who was her sister but I eventually got it straight that Brynn was who I was rooting for. I actually quite enjoyed the fact this was told more from Fitchner's POV that Brynn (who would have been the typical POV). And while it was confusing what they were racing to do (because I was still trying to establish who was who) it did add tension that wouldn't have been there with a linear story. And by the end I was screaming at my tablet I was so caught up in the outcome.
In the start of this volume you are told that this is to explain the uprising that happens in Pierce Brown's Red Rising series. I can't say that I understand how these events lead to the uprising... even the last few pages said little to me. But I did ENJOY the events of the graphic novel, the love story between a highly ranked, Fitchner and a red, Brynn! It was tragic how their love caused their downfall but also gave hope (I think!?) for the future generations to act on.
I read this because I wanted to see if I would like the world that Red Rising is set in... and I have to say that I am pleased. It seems complex and worthy of some serious story. It really helped that I enjoyed the plot arc of this volume of issues. I don't really understand WHY they fell in love or the events that lead them both to take such risks. I'd need more story in between events; instead the story relies too heavily on well worn romantic tropes, instead of giving us an individual story. Still the outcome of that love was something I could root for and felt genuine.
This was a great attempt at giving us a glimpse of the Red Rising world that Pierce Brown has crafted. I'd be willing to give the first book a shot due to this graphic novel... but missteps were made in the art and the story lacked the nuances that could have made this mind blowing!
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆⭐ Art
BOTTOM LINE: For fans of Red Rising or those who want to get a glimpse of the world.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Diamond Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. This has not influenced my opinion.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews in a special feature called Saturday Morning Cartoons...
April 17, 2018
I'll preface this with I haven't read the Red Rising novels yet. But I figured since this is a prequel I shouldn't need to. A lot of the world building that I'm sure is in the novels, has been glossed over here, so in that respect, I felt a bit lost in the first issue. Once it started focusing on Fitchner's history, I was fine, especially after he heads to Titan. The book is Fitchner's life story, or at least the highlights. I hated the art. Powell can only draw one facial expression, a scowl. The art was so dark and scratchy, I often didn't know what has happening. Those who compare it to Sean Murphy's need to do a double take. The only way this compares to Murphy's art is if he penciled it with one of those jumbo pencils for kindergartners.
March 25, 2018
This was a fun little backstory for Fitchner, and how he became who he was.
The story is a fast paced action adventure about Fitchner trying to get by despite being the outcast, the black-sheep, yet he excels past his peers. When he falls in love and has a baby with a Red all is good...or so he thinks. When you find out what happens to his wife and kid he must go on a mission to save the ones he loves.
Good: I enjoy the art at parts a lot, gritty and fucked up. I also thought Fitchner had a interesting point of view and gave a little bit more meat to the characters. The fights were fast paced and exciting as well.
Bad: It didn't give any big surprises and if I didn't read it no big loss. I also thought sometimes the art made it really hard to understand what was happening.
This was a fun little add on to the Red Rising series. While not as good as any of the novels it still was solid enough to recommend. A 3 out of 5.
The story is a fast paced action adventure about Fitchner trying to get by despite being the outcast, the black-sheep, yet he excels past his peers. When he falls in love and has a baby with a Red all is good...or so he thinks. When you find out what happens to his wife and kid he must go on a mission to save the ones he loves.
Good: I enjoy the art at parts a lot, gritty and fucked up. I also thought Fitchner had a interesting point of view and gave a little bit more meat to the characters. The fights were fast paced and exciting as well.
Bad: It didn't give any big surprises and if I didn't read it no big loss. I also thought sometimes the art made it really hard to understand what was happening.
This was a fun little add on to the Red Rising series. While not as good as any of the novels it still was solid enough to recommend. A 3 out of 5.
March 1, 2018
Really intriguing graphic novel here for someone who doesn't read a lot of graphic novels but wants to read more.
Obviously what makes this novel great is the Red Rising connection of course and that was my reasoning for requesting this in the first place, I wasn't disappointed by it in the slightest.
Sons Of Ares is a great glimpse into what happened in the years before Red Rising and the rise of The Sons Of Ares, boy, did this make a great stepping off point for Red Rising and makes things that happen in the Red Rising series make a lot more sense as you have a better idea of why The Sons Of Ares do/did the things they did, why they believe what they believe and why they say what they do.
It really is fun and interesting read that I personally loved!
Obviously what makes this novel great is the Red Rising connection of course and that was my reasoning for requesting this in the first place, I wasn't disappointed by it in the slightest.
Sons Of Ares is a great glimpse into what happened in the years before Red Rising and the rise of The Sons Of Ares, boy, did this make a great stepping off point for Red Rising and makes things that happen in the Red Rising series make a lot more sense as you have a better idea of why The Sons Of Ares do/did the things they did, why they believe what they believe and why they say what they do.
It really is fun and interesting read that I personally loved!
January 3, 2018
The Red Rising trilogy was a very pleasant surprise for me. I'm not a huge fan of scifi or dystopias, but after hearing all the blurb about these books I gave them a chance, and ended up falling in love with the world and characters created by Pierce Brown. I'm really excited to see this world in full color and to learn more about Ares, about what happened before Darrow's time and in that sense, this comic works perfectly. If you haven't read the books, it might be difficult to keep track of everything that's happening, plus major spoilers of the main story, so be warned. For the fans of the trilogy though, this a great treat. I enjoyed every bit of it. I'm giving it 4/5 starts only because the art style wasn't 100% my cup of tea, but will definitely keep reading. Great read to start 2018!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
February 17, 2023
Update:
The Graphic Audio was a fun addition to the graphic novel. It doesn’t follow the story directly and I found myself flipping back and forth so I wouldn’t recommend reading and listening together. But a really good audiobook.
2018 review:
Artistry? 2 stars
Story? 4 stars
Wow. Hello and welcome to the first book by Pierce Brown I’ve rated below 5. Truly it’s because of the artistry. I get that Fitchner is weathered/rugged... but you never see his eyes and I’m sorry but a gold should not have that many wrinkles boo. I wished we got to see people’s eyes in all their hues.
Great story that shows how far Fitchner went for his family and a bloodydamn great way to show how he became Ares.
I’d *love* to see more from this world, especially graphic novels of the first Iron Rain!!!! But please, get you an artist who does eyes. And doesn’t make the faces look like unfinished blobs with wrinkles.
The Graphic Audio was a fun addition to the graphic novel. It doesn’t follow the story directly and I found myself flipping back and forth so I wouldn’t recommend reading and listening together. But a really good audiobook.
2018 review:
Artistry? 2 stars
Story? 4 stars
Wow. Hello and welcome to the first book by Pierce Brown I’ve rated below 5. Truly it’s because of the artistry. I get that Fitchner is weathered/rugged... but you never see his eyes and I’m sorry but a gold should not have that many wrinkles boo. I wished we got to see people’s eyes in all their hues.
Great story that shows how far Fitchner went for his family and a bloodydamn great way to show how he became Ares.
I’d *love* to see more from this world, especially graphic novels of the first Iron Rain!!!! But please, get you an artist who does eyes. And doesn’t make the faces look like unfinished blobs with wrinkles.
April 19, 2018
So this was a good-but-not-great sidepiece to Brown's Red Rising series, covering the backstory of [REDACTED], [REDACTED #2]'s birth, and the origins of the Sons of Ares. For fans of the series, it was interesting to read, but nothing happened that really shocked me (though there's a few characters I'm reeeeeeeeeeeally hoping come up in the series proper at some point).
The art was very rough, in a deliberate way. On the one hand it fits the feel of the series very well, but on the other hand it did make it a little hard to read at times. I had difficulty telling characters' faces apart.
All told, well worth reading for fans of the series, but not really a good entry point if you're not.
The art was very rough, in a deliberate way. On the one hand it fits the feel of the series very well, but on the other hand it did make it a little hard to read at times. I had difficulty telling characters' faces apart.
All told, well worth reading for fans of the series, but not really a good entry point if you're not.
May 22, 2025
reading this after the trilogy💔
January 6, 2018
Not a great fan of the art in this, but it was nice to see things like the torchships and spring razors in action. The art's kind of muddy and sketchy throughout--would love to see this in the hands of a more talented artist. But the story is what makes this worthwhile. You get to see the youth and background of Fitchner and what motivated him to start the revolutionary group The Sons of Ares. Fitchner was born a Gold but became disenchanted with his society, eventually falling in love with and marrying a Red, who gives birth to fan favorite Sevro (featured as a baby/toddler in many sequences here). But this marriage is heretical in this society. Good lead-in/prequel to the Red Rising series. It helps a lot to have read at least one Red Rising book before this comic, though I imagine non-readers could follow this story, too. It just won't be as meaningful (there are a number of characters and Easter eggs here that tie-in to the larger series). I'd be very interested to see what a film version of this (not necessarily this graphic novel, but the Red Rising storyline in general) might look like some day.
March 5, 2018
“Red Rising: Sons of Ares” is a must for any diehard Red Rising fan. The backstory of how it all began is interesting, and I hope it continues. One of my favorite touches was that the text bubbles matched the color of whoever was speaking. Anyone who hasn’t read the books first probably won’t find it enjoyable, so please read the wonderful series first!
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
October 2, 2023
3.5 stars—-
This was entertaining and an interesting look into the early life of Ares from the originally Red Rising trilogy. No spoilers, but the plot was interesting, and the razor battles and black ops missions were what I needed after rereading the novels in preparation for Light Bringer.
I don’t love the art style in this installment, but the introduction to the world in a visual format was enough to distract me from my problems I had with it.
This was entertaining and an interesting look into the early life of Ares from the originally Red Rising trilogy. No spoilers, but the plot was interesting, and the razor battles and black ops missions were what I needed after rereading the novels in preparation for Light Bringer.
I don’t love the art style in this installment, but the introduction to the world in a visual format was enough to distract me from my problems I had with it.
May 12, 2018
4.5 Stars!
April 17, 2018
The Red Rising series, aka "the shit men will do to avenge their dead BAEs"
**READ THE RED RISING SERIES BEFORE READING THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL, as it definitely comes with a pretty big spoiler wrapped in a gigantic red bow**
The story---
Nothing very original, felt very "been there, done that." Did Ares' story really need to be fleshed out? Eh, for $10 maybe, for $22 is stretching it. Ares, a gold, was the runt of the litter. The golds, ala Spartan style, left him on a rock as a baby to survive for 3 days (which he did) and then found other obstacles to throw in his way because they thought of him as weak (which he wasn't). After going through the brutal school we all know and love his friend turns his back on him, and so Ares needs to go carve out a space for himself in the universe. He takes a job on a down on its luck planet, and there he meets the love of his life (who happens to be a red). They marry, have a son, and soon enough the forces of golds are out to get them.
The only truly interesting part of the story was the relationship between Ares and his best friend, Arturius. Was it just me, or did anyone else get that there was some sexual tension coming from Arturius? I think Arturius loved Ares, and that is why he was so butt hurt that Ares ended up choosing a red woman over him. Or maybe I am reading too much into it, but I thought that this could have been an interesting factor to explore in the story. Alas, it might have been only in my head.
On the other hand his love with the red lacked everything. She loved him because he is perhaps the only gold who would have thrown his life away in order to save a red, and he loves her because... I don't know? She barely seemed to have a personality. Very little character development, we are just supposed to go with it. THEY JUST FELL IN LOVE OKAY?! BTW why did they need to bring the red's sister along for the ride? They never even explain that. Such a short graphic novel that isn't supposed to make you attached to any of the characters, it is just showing you what happened in gritty art form.
The Art-
Not my favorite. I understand why Pierce Brown would lean towards this kind of art for the series, it is very gritty and masculine with a dark color scheme, but I felt like it really lacked clarity and at times felt very repetitive (the setting was also not very creative or imaginative, just bland and boring). Everything felt like it was drawn without much details, specially faces and backgrounds. I did like getting to see the gold's weapon of choice in action! Also, the artists drew an Iron Rain! Woohoooo.
I think Pierce Brown was meant to write long-ass paragraphs that punch you in the gut, instead of this water down version of his talents. Definitely read the original saga before hitting this bad boy so you don't miss Pierce Brown in all his glory (plus extra perk: then you would understand that THAT tiny baby is SEVRO and that just seems crazy to me! How cute is THAT? I guess he wasn't just born a full fledged wolf) HOWWWL.
**READ THE RED RISING SERIES BEFORE READING THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL, as it definitely comes with a pretty big spoiler wrapped in a gigantic red bow**
The story---
Nothing very original, felt very "been there, done that." Did Ares' story really need to be fleshed out? Eh, for $10 maybe, for $22 is stretching it. Ares, a gold, was the runt of the litter. The golds, ala Spartan style, left him on a rock as a baby to survive for 3 days (which he did) and then found other obstacles to throw in his way because they thought of him as weak (which he wasn't). After going through the brutal school we all know and love his friend turns his back on him, and so Ares needs to go carve out a space for himself in the universe. He takes a job on a down on its luck planet, and there he meets the love of his life (who happens to be a red). They marry, have a son, and soon enough the forces of golds are out to get them.
The only truly interesting part of the story was the relationship between Ares and his best friend, Arturius. Was it just me, or did anyone else get that there was some sexual tension coming from Arturius? I think Arturius loved Ares, and that is why he was so butt hurt that Ares ended up choosing a red woman over him. Or maybe I am reading too much into it, but I thought that this could have been an interesting factor to explore in the story. Alas, it might have been only in my head.
On the other hand his love with the red lacked everything. She loved him because he is perhaps the only gold who would have thrown his life away in order to save a red, and he loves her because... I don't know? She barely seemed to have a personality. Very little character development, we are just supposed to go with it. THEY JUST FELL IN LOVE OKAY?! BTW why did they need to bring the red's sister along for the ride? They never even explain that. Such a short graphic novel that isn't supposed to make you attached to any of the characters, it is just showing you what happened in gritty art form.
The Art-
Not my favorite. I understand why Pierce Brown would lean towards this kind of art for the series, it is very gritty and masculine with a dark color scheme, but I felt like it really lacked clarity and at times felt very repetitive (the setting was also not very creative or imaginative, just bland and boring). Everything felt like it was drawn without much details, specially faces and backgrounds. I did like getting to see the gold's weapon of choice in action! Also, the artists drew an Iron Rain! Woohoooo.
I think Pierce Brown was meant to write long-ass paragraphs that punch you in the gut, instead of this water down version of his talents. Definitely read the original saga before hitting this bad boy so you don't miss Pierce Brown in all his glory (plus extra perk: then you would understand that THAT tiny baby is SEVRO and that just seems crazy to me! How cute is THAT? I guess he wasn't just born a full fledged wolf) HOWWWL.
March 2, 2018
Strictly for fans of the series, the story itself is good, the art disappointing for an overall mediocre experience.
Not enough of the world is shown for newcomers to appreciate the world of Red Rising, those who will come from reading the series will be disappointed with the limited scope of the events covered in the graphic novel.
The storytelling is on the events leading to the foundation of Son of Ares. The focus is on Fitchner, his younger days and how he met his wife, them having Sevro and the reason why he became Aries.
The art was good in very few panels, mostly it is dark, with rough sketches and obscured faces. With all faces looking identical, most of the background plain, it just didn’t work for me.
Well, with little dialogue and dull art it’s a quick read, so go ahead and give it a shot but don’t expect anything special from it.
Not enough of the world is shown for newcomers to appreciate the world of Red Rising, those who will come from reading the series will be disappointed with the limited scope of the events covered in the graphic novel.
The storytelling is on the events leading to the foundation of Son of Ares. The focus is on Fitchner, his younger days and how he met his wife, them having Sevro and the reason why he became Aries.
The art was good in very few panels, mostly it is dark, with rough sketches and obscured faces. With all faces looking identical, most of the background plain, it just didn’t work for me.
Well, with little dialogue and dull art it’s a quick read, so go ahead and give it a shot but don’t expect anything special from it.
May 22, 2018
This graphic novel is a prequel to the Red Riding series and gives us the backstory of Fitchner Au Barca and the beginning of Sevro. I really enjoyed seeing how Ares came to be, along with visually seeing all the colors and even seeing a Razor in action. Pretty cool.
May 8, 2018
Great art work and great background to one of the most interesting characters in the Red Rising series.
July 2, 2023
This was great, despite some art that didn't really appeal to me whatsoever. I really like the fact that this is penned by Pierce Brown rather than an adaptation. This guy can write and Red Rising remains one of my favorite ongoing Sci-fi series atm. The guy can just plain write and I was overjoyed to be back in this universe. This time we turn back the clock and focus on on Fitchner Au Barca and the story that set things in motion for the societies inevitable implosion some 25 years later.
I think it's worth noting that some of the first trilogies biggest reveals would be spoiled if you read the graphic novels first So unless you don't plan on reading the novels you need to do so first. Like wise I think this was meant to enjoy more as a companion though it had an interesting infiltration storyline along with Peerless scarred origin story filled with time at the institute etc.
Can't wait for Lightbringer, even though I don't think I will have time to re-hash the series this is a good primer to get me excited for Book 6.
I think it's worth noting that some of the first trilogies biggest reveals would be spoiled if you read the graphic novels first So unless you don't plan on reading the novels you need to do so first. Like wise I think this was meant to enjoy more as a companion though it had an interesting infiltration storyline along with Peerless scarred origin story filled with time at the institute etc.
Can't wait for Lightbringer, even though I don't think I will have time to re-hash the series this is a good primer to get me excited for Book 6.
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