Sound Judgment Audio Book Review – June 2026
Oftentimes, a book flies under the radar when it is published, only to gain massive attention years later. This could happen for any number of reasons, but sometimes, it is because the story grips its readers and refuses to let them go until the ride finishes. This could be said for plenty of books throughout time. But the one thing that separates our next story, “Red Rising,” is the fact that it is Pierce Brown’s debut novel.
It is a rare feat for a first-time author to craft a story that lives and grows, little by little, in the collective mindset of readers everywhere. One day, you look around and talk to other readers, and you realize that everybody has seemingly already devoured this book, or at least that was my experience. I heard of, learned about and read all of “Red Rising” within a month. After finishing it, I can see why it’s become the phenomenon it is today. While likened to “The Hunger Games,” “Red Rising” has its own distinct voice and story that holds a mirror up to the world we currently live in and forces us to consider it against the world we already know we are being shown.
Social status and wealth are determined fully by the group you are born into, which means someone has to be at the bottom. Someone to do the grunt work that nobody else is willing to do, without any thanks or recognition. With each group designated by a specific color, the Reds are the unlucky color that takes on this role. Under the guise of terraforming Mars, the Reds work deep under the surface, preparing the planet to save their species, the Golds oversee the process and rule over them with an iron (or golden, rather) fist. We are quickly introduced to the cruel system they implement for their personal gain, with no regard for how it affects those under their influence.
Many Reds take pride in the work they do for the human race, including our main character, Darrow. Or at least he does until he is set on a path that shows him the true nature of the world he finds himself in. Darrow must become the center of the resistance to overthrow the Golds, along with the faulty system that has left his people subjected deep beneath the planet’s surface, by infiltrating the Golds and destroying them from within. He gains friends he can never truly trust, and acquires enemies he has to appease, and in the process, becomes someone else entirely. All in the name of liberating his people.
Tim Gerard Reynolds is our narrator and the voice of Darrow, delivering a perfect performance that showcases the changes Darrow is forced to undergo as the story unfolds, as well as the raw emotions on display throughout the process. We could truly expect nothing less from someone who has been nominated for multiple Audie Awards as well as the recipient of many Audiofile Earphone Awards. His accolades and catalog of stories he has narrated are vast, and “Red Rising” is only the latest in a long line of hits that Reynolds is able to lay claim to. A story such as this one deserves to be brought to life with the level of care and intention Reynolds brings to the table.
“Red Rising” is not just a story about a resistance created to overthrow a cruel regime; it’s also the story of the toll it can take on a person. As the Darrow we know changes and evolves into something entirely different, we’re forced to ask ourselves whether we would have the strength to do the same in his situation. Past the fantastical settings and the compelling story is a look into the human condition and what it means to be free. Do yourself a favor and at least consider this as your next listen. LL