Close menu

Ranking the best of African Literature

Madam KoiKoi
Ranking the Top 20 Nigerian Romance Novels since 2020
In Defense of Reading and Gaming
8 Third-Person Omniscient Examples for the Plot
A Trade of Blood book review
Upcoming Movies and TV Shows to Watch this October 2026
15 Popular African Books Published Since 2020
The 10 Best Examples of Flash Fiction to Inspire Your Next Project
15 Most Popular Characters in Contemporary Nigerian Literature
Élékéré Press Shortlists Seven Writers for its Inaugural Short Story Prize
The Creator's Guide to Cartoon Style
The Sports and Reading Paradox
8 Outstanding Anthologies on African Contemporary and Classical Literature
4 African Literature Books to Look Out for in October 2026
AFLI Press Conference
Autofiction 101
Five 6th Grade Books like The Giver
Reading Parties 101
In Defense of Loose Book and Movie Character Alignments
Fictional Voices
Fall Trips
10 TV Shows like Special Ops: Lioness
Six 5th Grade Books like Wonder
Literary Devices But Make Them African
7 Literary Destinations Every Book Lover Should Visit
Are Early Edition Books Worth the Fuss?
Reading and Writing
10 Best Black Sci Fi Authors Worth Discovering
Book Review: Stanley – The Unveiling
Authors Spotlight: Buchi Emecheta
8 Hobbies That Can Make Reading More Fun and Inclusive
University student books
5 Best Places to Read in Nigeria for Book Lovers
Running through the 10 Best Apps Goodreads Alternatives
The Evolution of Gore Art
The Case for the Slow Burn Romance Novel
Author’s Perspective in Contemporary Literature
Cricket Films Work Best When the Match Means More
How Adults Can Develop a Reading Habit and Actually Stick to It
Top Movies and TV Shows to Watch this September
5 Movies That Predicted the Future — Or Got Really Close
Author Spotlight: Sefi Atta
The Case for Forbidden Love Romance Books and Movies
Crafting a Compelling Static Character
The Genius of We Should All Be Feminists
Titles, Hooks, and High-Concept Premises
Entrepreneur Habits
Five Classic Translations Every Reader Should Read
The Most Powerful DC Heroes, Ranked
The Eternal Debate: Round vs Flat Character
The Case Against Friends to Lovers Books and Movies
Show, Not Tell: Theme in Literature
One Piece Live Action Review
Gaming
Epic Fantasy Series
Author Spotlight: Musih Tedji Xaviere
Evolution of Storytelling
The Eternal Debate: The Internet and Reading
Authors like Sarah J Maas to Savour
Sọna e-reader App Review
Élékéré Press Launches Inaugural Fiction Prize for Black Writers
Dominion II Wants to Pay Pro Rates for Your Wildest Black Speculative Fiction
Upcoming Movies and TV Shows to Watch this August
Author Spotlight: Chika Unigwe
The Smartest Marvel Characters, Ranked
Book Storage Ideas For Hoarders
Book Ideas for Your Next Draft
6 Shakespeare Insults for Your Next Argument
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Review
The Literary Prize Lists Worth Reading Every Year
Little Rot Book Review
Little Rot Book Review
The Author's Guide to a Coming of Age Story
A Glimpse Into Love and Fear in Horror Romance
Spider Man Brand New Day Comic and Spider-Man 4 Explained
The Fantasy Heroine Factory

Red Rising (Red Rising Saga #1) by Pierce Brown

A few pages in, and I was reminded of Hunger Games and Divergent. Instead of Districts and Factions, there are Colours, almost like Lightbringer.

Akinwale
Published on November 30, 2021
2 min read
Red Rising
Share this blog on:

Shame on me! I left this book unread for 11 months, even when dear Heather told me it was a great read. To think I’ve been reading such balderdash of late when something this good was lying unread!

It’s a great story. A few pages in, and I was reminded of Hunger Games and Divergent. Instead of Districts and Factions, there are Colours, almost like Lightbringer. It’s a dystopian/post-apocalyptic world, just like the two books mentioned above. But that’s where the similarities end. It’s a better storyline than Hunger Games. It’s got better characters than Divergent. The setting is even better, being sci-fi in nature. The badass fighting is reminiscent of war video games.

The writing is sweet. It’s suspense all through. Action-packed. It’s a wonderful story that packs plenty of surprises between pages.

The only problem I have with the book is the cover. Books that aren’t half as good have far better covers! I suppose it’s one of the reasons why I didn’t read this book for so long. Authors need to start realizing the importance of a great book cover. For readers like me, it goes a long way in determining whether we’ll read the book or not. Just ask Daniel Polansky… I was so taken in by the cover of Those Above that I immediately delved into the book. I didn’t reach the midway point before I dropped the book… 

Written by Akinwale

The Tyrant Overlord. Fantasy buff and avid football fan.

    Share your thoughts

      Trending Posts

      Monthly 50 CTA

      More Related Posts

      Morning Star

      Morning Star (Red Rising Saga #3) by Pierce Brown

      November 29, 2021 .

      morningstar, piercebrown, redrising, redrisingsaga

      When we talk about character development in literature, this book is the perfect stereotype. It should be the yardstick through which other character development levels in literature are measured. ...

      READ MORE

      Keyboard Arrow Right Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com
      Littafi Banner

      Loved reading this piece?

      Subscribe to our Newsletter and get curated book reviews, recommendations, and all things literary.