Empty Netters Podcast - Sci Fi Section: Red Rising Chapters 13-19

Episode Date: August 12, 2026

We are diving deep into Pierce Brown’s world of the Red Rising saga. Join us for Chapters 13-19 of book 1. Darrow gets a 1600 on his Institute SAT, and gets drafted into House Mars, where wall the hot heads go. But once you learn about the Passage and what this place is all about, maybe this isn’t worth it after all. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 1:26 - Chapter 13 Bad Things 11:08 - Chapter 14 Andromedus 18:21 - Chapter 15 The Testing 30:12 - Chapter 16 The Institute 41:57 - Chapter 17 The Draft 41:11 - Chapter 18 Classmates 53:26 - Chapter 19 The Passage 1:02:52 - The Honors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explorers, warriors, magi, intergalactic voyagers, and hell divers. Man, your battle stations, draw your swords, and prepare for destiny. This is sci-fi section. A journey where we will be taking you through the epic expedition of our favorite fantasy and sci-fi stories. The board is set, the pieces are moving. This adventure will be a deep dive. Dive, dive, rig for deep submergence. into the world of Red Rising.

I am Chris Powers, the last pick of the Institute draft to House Pluto for Deviousness. And by my side is a pink who has made body maintenance, his life's purpose, without a hair follicle, to be seen, Dan Powers. Mr. Relevant, you little bitch. Wands at the ready, and it is a swish and flick on that subscribe button and that like button.

A swish and flick. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it, and those who don't subscribe to this channel will never find these videos. Please subscribe. Please, please, please, please subscribe. Today, we will be talking about chapters 13 through 19 of Red Rising. However, we have read this entire series,

so there will be spoilers galore. If you venture any further, do so with the knowledge that you may hear things that you wish you hadn't. And now we begin. Part 3. Chapter 13, Bad. things. See, that's what I don't get. If I am a good man, then why do I want to do bad things? Brother, don't I? I love when they put the title of the movie in the dialogue. Yeah, it's just like the

chapters. It's great. Darrow is brought to Mateo, a pink whose job is to make Darrow as beautiful as possible. He removes all his hair, manicures his eyebrows, removes his nose hair, and whitens his teeth. Where do I get that treatment? He also teaches Darrow about language, no more bloody damn, That's low red color talk. It's now gory damn and slag. He then shows Darrow a razor. The weapon of a gentleman, a gold. Any other color wielding a razor is death.

They give Darrow his backstory. Son of an old family in the far asteroid belt who will soon die in an accident. Dero, the lone survivor. They tried to rename him Kaius A. Andromedus. But Darrow demands to keep his first name. Dero learns more about manners and how to be a proper orient. it. He learns about dining and other things. And dancer has a long talk with him about his great purpose. So this is the beginning of the metamorphosis. The prim and proper. Coon era. It is beautiful.

I thought, you know how I keep joking, not joking, keep saying that I thought Hunger Games did an all-time bait-and-switch where they go, this is about cat and a psych. It's about Primrose. Yeah. And then it wasn't. I remember reading this the first time and going, holy shit, I have to relearn the main character's name. Oh, fair. Cool. I've never seen a book with that. Interesting. And they were like, just kidding.

It's just going to be Darrow. And when Darrow is such a sick name, I'll tell you what, this may be one of the cooler chapters in the book because this is our full miscongeniality moment. Yes, it is. Pretty wild that in a heavy, hardcore sci-fi book, we get a full-on miscingeniality makeover scene. We know Pierce loves paying homage to great. Projects and Miss Congeniality is a great project, pal. So I don't doubt for a second he had that. He was using that as inspiration. I love how you, we meet Mateo, who is I love as a character. Great character, Mateo. And he immediately makes Darrow shave his pubes. Oh yeah. The first thing, the first thing that happens is we got to shave that bush. It's, I mean, dude, bushes are out. I don't know. They might be coming back in soon. So I have something to say about that. But they're out in gold. They are back. They're fully back?

Oh, yeah. Bushes are back. She's back. Well, not with the golds. So, Dan, I had the thought, too, that you'd think Mickey could have carved him into something with no hair follicles, right? Like, there's the way they described the things that Mickey is capable of. You would think he would have gone, here's your perfect golden body that doesn't grow hair. But instead, he presents this perfect godlike thing to Mateo.

And Mateo was like, you are a disgusting ape bendover so I can wax you. You're asshole. Yes, dude. Spread your cheeks and allow the wax to drip down to the taint because we cannot have any of this hair. But I do love the difference, right? Because it does feel like you've got the, like, Mickey sees Darrow in his purest form. Yeah. It's like he has pulled an orc out of the mud.

Like that's what he's like. He's like, you are the most beat. I think Mickey loves his like power. And yes, he is beautiful because he has crafted the most perfect bone structure you've ever seen. But I don't think he's looking at blackheads too much. Yeah, he's not. Good point. You know, like, I think he's looking deep into, like, the loins of his muscles. That's what he loves.

But Mickey is a, you know, Mickey is Elizabeth Banks in the Hunger Games. Effie. Truly is like, I need those blackheads gone. Mateo is Elizabeth. Yeah, yeah, Mateo is Effie. Like, I need your teeth perfect. The blackheads gone. I need your eye.

I mean, what is it called when you, it's like lacing. Is that what it's called? Threading, threading, threading, threading eyebrows. That's what they're doing here. But this is why I love books so much. We love movies and TV. Getting these little moments here of obviously we always get the makeover scene. We got it with the carving and now this is like step two of the makeover.

I love here the moments of learning about a razor. The moments here of learning about dining and like you're not. I mean, in this chapter they literally talk about you're supposed to eat 80% of your meal to show its quality, but not that you are a slave to your indulgences. That is fucking electric stuff in this book. There's three great introductions. Well, I guess two great introductions, but I flagged that one of them.

I also wondered, Dan, I'll piggyback on you, the seven courses, seven different courses, seven different silverware, I think the stencils to do that. Amazing. I wonder if that holds this whole series. I recall later, certainly not on the Institute because they're fighting for their lives,

and you eat what you can, you eat what you kill. But throughout the whole series, I just feel like they eat the meals. There isn't much reference. of only 80% of that, you know. So I'll be curious on this reread to pay attention to that. Razor got to be one of the best fantasy weapons ever.

Yes. Right? It is just so electric. If you didn't follow in the previous chapter, the Razor... We'll let them hear about it. Yeah, you'll hear about it. But, I mean, it is, it's like you kind of sits on your hip. It's a whip.

And then with a toggle of a button turns into whatever shape blade you want it to turn into. Cut through diamond. Which is just fucking badass. It's like part lightsaber, part. Indiana Jones. It's so cool. So creative. Also, as you said, our first, My Good Man, which is some of my favorite fantasy slang ever. And importantly, you get the difference between Bloody Dam and Gory Dam and stuff like that. To your point earlier about the fashion, Mateo does say, I've never really caught this, but he does say that he's bicked, bald,

bald from the eyebrows down, Darrow, in quote, the newest in italics, the newest Luna fashion. And I was like, I don't buy that golds until recently were full bush. I believe that golds were bicked the whole time. No, I bet they had manicures, though. I mean, we're talking grooming. I'm talking landing strips. I'm talking maybe a joker. Or a riddler question mark.

Maybe the sigil. Sure, maybe that. But I bet there was some manicuring for sure. But, I mean, yeah, it's cool to see that it's even on Luna, fashion. Never stays the same, dude. always change it. Fashion is never over. In the same way Facebook is never over. But I do love, I wrote down this one quote,

what you just said, you know, hearing the first good man, such a great line here for Mateo says, if you're so eager to see red again, let your tongue slip in their presence, good man. And they'll be happy to remind you what color all men bleed. Dan, excellent, excellent quote.

And I flagged this right on top of that. The nest of baby pit viper's story that dancer tells Darrow in this chapter. Yes. Because he says, this is how I got hurt. He goes, I'm a hell diver. And Darry goes, could have guessed that. with those scars. He tells him the nest of baby fit fibers and it's such a good one, both for

Darrow to understand the stakes of what he's going into and for us, because if you train enough, if you train and you fail this entrance to the institute, we failed as the sons of Aries. But that's it. It's just over. We didn't make it. If you train enough to get in, then fuck up, there you will die a horrible death. Oh yeah. And that's why that was such a cool story because this is the second time in this section that we read that these goals are described as baby pit vipers and I really love that copy. Me too and we're in chapter 13 here and we are still getting lessons of Darrow's purpose drilled into him which I really like because it doesn't slack off from the fact that Darrow is still sort of missing that. He's still letting revenge kind

of consume his thoughts. He's still thinking too much about EO and they while they're doing all the stuff, the carving, how insane all that was, they still kind of feel like they need to be like, hey, dude, lock in, please. Lock in because you are very important here. There's this quote, he says, you're of use because you're more than a weapon. When your wife died, she didn't just give you a vendetta. She gave you her dream. You're its keeper, it's maker.

So don't be spitting anger and hate. You're not fighting against them no matter what Harmony says. You're fighting for EO's dream, for your family that is still alive, your people. These moments are so important to keep reminding Darrow because they do see moments where, you know, they talk about Nero, they talk about Octavia. And he's like this. I'm just going to fucking knife them when I can. And they're like, nobody. Like this is, we're talking a 10 year journey here. You've got to stay focused.

And I really like that because it's not this quick montage of, hey, Darrow, here's what's going on. See the big bright city. And this is the whole hierarchy of this whole world, world and the society. And you need to bring it down. Got it? And he's like, got it. Good, done. No, it's a long learning curve for her. I love it. And it's, it highlights to the difference between dancer and harmony. We see that more and more as we grow. At first, it was hard to tell when we first meet them in the, when he's digging out of his own fucking grave. In this one, you said it best, harmony is spitting anger and hate. Yeah. Dancer can help Steer Darrow towards the right way to fight. Oh yeah.

And very coolly in this, at the end of this chapter, Darrow still thinks dancer is Aries. He says to him, he's your Ares. And I think what I liked about it is Darrow's only saying that because of the way the men and women respect dancer in his crew. And that, those lessons Darrow takes to his life moving forward when he will someday lead. Watching the reverence they speak with dancer, he expects that about himself. I thought that was very cool. Unbelievable. Chapter 14. Andromeda.

Soon after you tell them everything, they will kill me, harmony, dancer, and they will kill your family with flesh pealers and stop. on the heads of your nieces and nephews. These are the things they don't put on the H.C. These are the consequences when the rulers of planets are your enemies. Planets, boy. Amazing. Darrow begins taking dancing classes with Mateo. He learns a dance called the Polamides.

He performs so well that Matteo becomes upset. He thinks there's a chance that Darrow isn't who he says he is. He might be a spy. Darrow starts to feel the weight of how intense all of this is. he watches footage of the golds in battle and he can't believe how skilled they are. He starts to feel fear for the first time of what's to come.

Didero, dancer informs Dero that they managed to change his name to keeping it as Dero, which he doesn't appreciate enough. Mateo takes Dero to the stables for riding lessons now, and Dero admits that he thinks horses are scary. They're monsters in his eyes. So he gets on a small pony

that he can barely stay on. He jumps off at one instance and a gold girl calls him a pixie for not being able to ride. First, a little personal interaction with the gold around his age and kind of the first time we see something that Darrow is not just scope of the world

but something he's like, I do not fuck with that. Yes. Which is very interesting. And importantly, and I'll get to more of this later in this section, but importantly for us, something he's not that good at right away. It not only doesn't fuck with

because he's kind of scared of the horses, but also I don't, I'm not, it's not one of those things where he goes, these scare me and then I got on one and I'm immediately incredible. Yeah, I'm dope at it. He goes, this is not that great. Yeah, he's like, I suck at this. Short chapter here, Dan, but a couple really punchy things.

When Mateo gets mad at Darrow, I love it for two reasons. One, it's really cool and important, important to establish that there isn't full trust within the Sons of Ares. Dara has that revelation where he says, oh, you don't even believe what dancer told you. You didn't see me get carved so you don't. even trust I actually was a red from the mind. Very cool rules, very cool foundation for us as we are going to be integrated in these two worlds, who trusts who, who believes what? Awesome to establish right here that we don't know because we are in Darrow's head and we don't know what's going on. And two, again, I've said this a lot, but I need to believe Darrow is gifted in the way that

he moves. He can tell me Uncle Narrell taught him over and over, but I need to believe that for so much of his character that's to come. And having Mateo, a pink, who is designed to, to move beautifully. Darrow even says later in this section, Mateo's the only person faster than him. For Mateo, who can move like he can move to watch Darrow and be in awe, that does a lot for us, the reader going, okay, yeah, Darrow is the Black Swan. Yeah, man, this chapter, and it's cool, I feel like early,

you know, we get some of these spread throughout, but early we get some of these just like quick hitter chapters, which I love, it makes the pace go so great. But it's also almost like when the chapters, short and it's all about this moment of the dancing and the writing. It just sort of emphasizes like the importance of these moments. And I really love this because of that moment with this gold girl, yep, who is like, you pixie, bitch, you can't ride a horse. That's really funny because it makes Darrow seem small. And then when he talks about watching, this is a quote I wrote

down, I watch a hollow of golds in battle and my heart falls into my stomach. They fight like a summer song, not like the thunderous, monstrous obsidians, but like birds banking into a fresh wind insane line. Yeah. They fight in pairs, swerving, dancing, killing, ripping through a field of obsidian and gray as though they were at play with sights and all the bodies that fell to them were like stalks of grain that sprayed blood instead of a sallow chaff. Dude.

That, so that line's sick because like the horse moment after we've seen the car, we've seen the carving after we've seen how good he is in the minds. This is one of the first times. Obviously, we've talked about how huge and big the golds are, but now Darrow's huge and big. And you're kind of like, is he just going to be dope like he's dope everywhere? And him watching this, having this reaction, then getting on a horse for the first time, and sucking at a gold girl being like, you are pathetic. Back to the country. It does make us feel like this is maybe going to be harder than we think. And that's cool. It's well done. The the plotting.

that Pierce does here, and this is one-tenth, one-hundredth of the level of plotting he is about to touch in this book in this series. But the plotting with the poll-mides, is how do you say it, pole-mides? I'm not sure I have to listen to this on tape. Yeah, yeah. I haven't listened to the book on tape. Yeah, the pole-mides is so cool.

The plotting of it is so cool because he says... It might be like the polamides. Yeah, yeah. How it's close to the illegal reaping dance because, A, this explains for us, the reader, justification at why Darrow's already good at it. so great and two so much more importantly this is the dance that they teach young kids as they begin

to learn the razor and that is the what he's seeing in this hollow right when the gold are fighting and swerving they're doing they dance with the blade and darrow this dance that is going to be what he's going to need to master to ever dance with the blade himself one day to ever make an actual difference someday comes from the illegal reaping dance how cool is that that the root of razor fighting is the illegal reaping dance that killed his wife that set this all in motion. That is just awesome. It's awesome plotting. And then Dan to close- I think it's Polymedis. Polamides. Wait, wait, no. It might be Polamides. I don't know. Someone who's read or listened to the book on tape, let us know. So, and then to close it out, Dan, you're so right. I think it's

polymides. This is, Darrow has been, he walked into Mickey's office, lab, lab's a better term, walked into Mickey's lab as a rusty bitch, gets, dies, passes out comas, comes out a gold demigod monster, right? Then goes to Mateo, turns into an elite upper class of high class society man is perfect at everything. And in his literal first, literal first venture out of the world, right? Because this has all been like, oh, it's all good fun. Look how strong I am.

and I'm fucking breaking Mateo's, I'm breaking Mickey's wrists and I'm slapping Mateo in the face. I'm the man. His first steps out to the real world among a gold is he gets absolutely ripped on by some smoke show. And he's like, God damn. I mean, every now and then we forget these characters are 16. Yeah. Is there anything more 16 than that?

Making a fool yourself in front of a hot chick riding a horse. You're like, oh. Actual nightmare. Like, I literally, I'm quitting. After all my training, that is the first thing that happens to me. I'm like, you know what, boys? Hell of a ride. Also, I'm the man now.

I could just blend into Gold Society and live my life. See you later, dude. Thanks for coming out. Sons of Ares suck me. Bye. It's crazy. Chapter 15, the testing.

Then they see how much motion I can take till I vomit. I'm used to riding a 90 meter drill, so they have to give up. Darrow is sent in to take his test. They can fake everything about his life, but his admittance test must be real. Three months

of training and Darrow goes in. During his test, he steals a stylus of a mousy gold who keeps tapping it on her bracelet. One of the Proctor sees this and smiles. They like that kind of behavior. What a crazy world. Another gold girl calls him a cutter for it, a cutthroat, does not like it.

And another gold praises him. The behaviors of golds is hard to pin down. This boy is Cassius. He's as boisterous as they come. He's determined to make a friend of Darrow, but also to show off his family fame. The Bologna's are a major family on Mars, rivaled only by Nero A. Augustus. And of course, the families hate each other.

According to the information on his datapad, these two have been at war for a long time killing each other in the hundreds. Dero turns down an invite to essentially going clubbing with Cassius. He's staying out of social interactions for now. Smart, smart, smart. Then he has put through physical testing. Spunned machines until he pukes, which he doesn't. Small balls are shot at him to test his. hands, his muscles and brain are put through the ringer. After the testing, he sees a girl in the

locker room. She's changing and nude. Darrow, a little bashful. Oh yeah. She was singing the reaping song. Very interesting. Which drew him over to see who this girl is, and it turns out it's the girl who laughed at him on the horse and called him a pixie. Upon Darrow's return, Mateo tells him of the apprenticeship he needs to achieve at the institute. With that, he can ascend to commanding fleets. Derrick can feel his excitement. and it's contagious. This is actually one of my favorite early chapters in the book. I have a lot to say about this because I think Pierce does incredible work here.

Here's my first compliment. Pierce V. Addero, you said this at the top, says, it's interesting how they can fake his entire family history, but they can't fake the admissions test. I actually really appreciate when authors call out potential plot holes, complaints, readers might have. You control the story. Control the story before the story.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't let I control you. Because I am sitting here going, you could definitely fake the admissions test. but right here if Darrow goes, interesting we can't fake the admissions test. I go, okay, apparently they can't. You know what I mean?

The reader, I'm going, fuck that, dude. You just made a gold. You can fake his fucking test. But if I hear the character go, you can't. I go, done. I agree with that, but I also kind of disagree with the take because when you then go and see, I'm like, how are you supposed to fake it if he's supposed to be in there?

Yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah, right? Like, what are they going to do? Put a hologram of someone in there? I think I meant like his test, like, you know, the one. Sure, the written test maybe, but at the same time, like it's all happening at the same time. sitting there watching him do it. I guess the argument is could you go in and literally change the

results in the data screen, but like there's going to be a physical test somewhere. So I'm like, I don't know, man. I buy it. I'm in. They're literally writing with a stylist. Like this is going down. Yep. This part I really dig because, dude, for me, we get a little bit of flip-flopping on Darrow here on, and this happens a lot with how he views the goals. Okay. Yeah, yeah. This is good, mentally he's talking shit about them. But then other times, which we'll get to later in this section, he's like making sure to remind himself that he's not. But like in this one, I love this quote.

Darrow says just Darrow's internal monologue. I thought it would be frightened of these people. I thought they would be little godlings. But aside from Cassius and Antonia, many are unimpressive. There are only 70 in my testing room. Some look like Cassius, but not are all beautiful, not are all tall and imperious. and very few strike me as men and women. For all their physical stature,

they are children with exaggerated senses of self-worth. They don't know hardship, babies, pixies and bronzlies mostly. That is like motherfucking. Yeah, yeah. That is Darrow being like... That's gold talk. Yeah, but he's also just being like,

man, I came in, I got carved, sure, but I thought it would come in and just be so intaminated and all these kids, they're just kids. They're a bunch of little bitches. But again, we will see later times where Darrow's reminding himself to be like, don't underestimate these people. And I think that back and forth and up and down from him is so good as far as, like,

his take and his behavior throughout it with these people. But damn, do I love testing. Yes, dude. This is, I mean, we talk a lot. Darrow's the man. And, like, in these sections, like, this is what, like, the quote you read at the top, or that I read at the top, when he's spinning around in that thing and they literally dial it up as high as they can go and he doesn't puke, and they're eventually like, turn it off.

Like those are the moments where, you know, when Katness shoots the apple and the pigs, the boar's mouth. And you're kind of like, you love the idea of these proctors being like, oh my God. Yes, Dan, it truly, it fires me up so much. So I've said this every episode. I will say this in most episodes. Even before he starts the testing, he says dancers training him in extra, extrapolational, extrapolational, extrapolational thinking. He does the wish side of the fish has more scales thing, right? the outside. And he goes, that's how I knew to eat two cards. And he, again, it's a little quothy,

but he's like, I'm very good at this. But it's cool because here is where the first time he says, he mentions paradigm shifts, which as we know will become a pillar of Darrow's plants in the world. Identify the paradigm shifts and be the master of those. Establishing that here is really, really cool. The girl tapping the stylus scene is peak, peak red rising for me, and I'm going to explain why. Please. That entire scene could have gone like this. I take the test in a bright room.

I do really well. And none of us would bat an eye. I'd go, yeah, cool. I don't need to hear the questions on this. You just explain to me the extrapolating thing. I'm all good. Instead, we get so much out of it. Here's what we get.

Gold girl tapping her stylus. Very annoying. In her monologue, she may be part of the test for all I know, which shows us how insane of a place this is and how paranoid he is. He's here taking a test. This girl's tapping her stylus. and he's like, is that a trick? Right? So already I'm like, whoa, this scene is very interesting because I thought he was just taking a test. Is she part of it?

Then he snatches it from her lightning quick. She thinks it's magic because he's a fucking hell diver. Another reminder for us the reader God Darrow's above them in some ways. Then, as you said, Proctor's rewind on a nanocam. She runs out crying. They see it's him. Reminds us, they're always watching, bud. All these things you thought you did in secret, they see everything. Then when they see what Darrow did they love it, gold's appreciate it. Then another girl's like, you're a fucking scumback. And now we go, oh my God, he's already making enemies. This is a disaster.

Then another voice goes, don't mind her. I fucked her already. She's a bit of a bitch. And you're like, Jesus Christ. You know what I mean? The scene could have been, I take a test in a bright room. And we get all of that. It's an insane amount of exposition of the gold's behavior.

Not just at the institute, but like as people. Like the fact that the proctors were like, that was sick. A girl is like, that's ass. And they're not mad at her for thinking it's ass. And that Cassius is like, that was sick. And also, I had sex with that girl. And you're like, damn, bro. Dude, and it's like, God, and Darrow's paranoid.

He's like, damn. What? Dude, it's like one paragraph, Dan. It's just so fucking good. It's amazing. And I love that moment. So when we said he called her a cutter, there's a line. Darrow says, her words linger, cutter, cutthroat, maccavillian, ruthless.

They all describe what she thinks of me. Funny thing is, most Golds would see the term as an accolade. Yeah. Again, love the element of what he did is good in their eyes. They're like, this is what it takes, dude. Get ahead. B cutthroat. But it's also cool that it is not ridiculous for another goal to be like, I don't like that. But it's also just a good little tidbit. Antonia here, who we will come to know, is like,

fuck you. Yes. Oh, my God. And then you brought up Cassius. Yes. I like to, it occurred to me on this read through Dan that the Cassius, because my God, your hand's like a vice. That's kind of, you have your mother's eyes for Darrow. Like everybody is like, Jesus Christ, your hand. So I love that. I really like that. Ow, my wrist. Shit. So I love a good meet cute between friends in books.

This, here's why I thought this one was cool. Potter goes very black and white with, to start for Harry. When he gets to the Wizarding World. First is, I'm Ron. Ron Weasley. And they help him through the platform. and they're in this they sit together and Harry will take the lot and they eat you know and it's all amazing then you meet Malfoy and he literally his first sentences are like the weasleys are a peasant

inbred family and they have hand me down robes you'll want to go making friends with the right people I can help you there you know I can figure that on my own thanks yeah exactly and you're like that's okay so Ron is his friend and and uh Drako is not there is no wondering whose side we're on in that occasion, right? Darrow and Cassius have a great, great first introduction here, which leaves me very curious. I don't leave that chat with Cassius going, ah, here's best friend for the rest of the series. And I also don't leave it going, oh, this is the bad guy. You kind of leave that, but you get to enough screen time that it's something, but you go, hmm, what just happened here? I said this, I said this to you in the car yesterday.

And this happened, this happened to me the first time I wrote this book, the second, third, fourth, fifth. Yeah, yeah. I've read this book too many times. I my relationship with golds is the most complicated thing in my personal life dude it's like you meet these people and you see the carving and you hear like we said right off the bat in episode in you know part one of sci-fi section we're like we hear what reds are we hear what golds are and we're like we're reds too and then the second this happens to darrow and I'm a gold now I love these people and it's like so difficult because the dynamic is like you've learned to hate these people but now they're your peers and at the end of the day like people are people there might be

be good in everyone and it's very difficult. It's not the hardest thing in my life because I am completely gold. I told you from the beginning, EO is a ruster bitch. Yeah, you did say that. You scumbag. I am so in, I would get carved gold right now and I would make sure all my friends get carved gold too. I don't want to be above my friends. I want everyone to be gold and then we're fine. The test, Dan, are amazing. You said this already, but just I like how Pierce gives us cool info dumps within the test of what gold is capable of. The point of this section is just to go, they test me, but I think it's pretty sick that Pierce goes, they pump the gravity too high.

I'm learning along with Darrow what gold is capable of in this section, which I think is cool. The tests are batching insane. And you called out perfectly. It's like there is the paranoid element of like, is this part of the test? Is this part of, you know, it's a lot. And then I wanted to point this out to just take a beat to, and you said they're 16. I hadn't even thought about that.

This makes it even cooler. Just take a beat to consider 16-year-old Darrow's first two interactions with the horse girl. The first one is he's falling off a horse. Yeah. Which keep in mind, is something Golds should be able to do so easily. It's essentially me tripping down the stairs. Yeah. So it's like the first time I see a hot girl, I have fallen down the stairs.

And the second time I see her completely naked by accident. And I'm like, hey, sorry. It's just an unbelievable run for our guy here as a 16-year-old child meeting a new. person in the wild. He's like, God, my bad. What a world we're living in. Unbelievable chapter, dude, you get so much out of it and the testing. This, I will say this many times, I am fully torched reading this book at many places and ready to run through brick walls. And when he is dominating these tests is one of many. Electric. Chapter 16, the Institute. We did it. Manage your temper, he reminds me, his small voice darkening.

manners, manners, then burn their bloody damn house to the ground. Darrow is visited by members of the Board of Quality Control. They hook him up to a sort of lie detector test to see if he cheated on his exam. Darrell leans into his gold training and insults the shit out of these members, calling one copper a pennyhead. Love that insult. Four weeks later, he has his results. He did not cheat, and he got one question wrong.

One question out of thousands. Dancer and Mateo are flabbergasted. They've done it. Darrow then prepares to leave and he starts to say his goodbyes, dancer, Mateo, Harmony. And there's love in this room. Yes, Dan. There's a lot of love in this room. More so than with Mickey. Yes. Which I felt unfair to Mickey, to be honest with you. Well, Mickey kind of scares him. I know. And me. He hugs Mateo as he gives a pedal from the Haymeath that's blossom into his necklace, beautiful moment. Even Harmony says that they're taking Evie with them to give her a better life than she would have had with Mickey. Darrow, now on the shuttle on the way to the Institute, meets Julian, a sweet gold eager to make a friend.

He seems kind enough and not like a monster, noticeably not like a monster. Then they meet Severo, a small, kind of gross-looking gold full of insults and vinegar. He clowns on Julian so hard that Julian challenges him to a duel, and Severo warns them of the passage. He throws his glove at him down. Literally throws a white glove. Shut the fuck up, Julie. they then arrive at Aegea and get to the columns of the Institute. They're greeted by Nero, that scumbag a bitch.

And behind him in the stars, Darrow sees the great sixth and fifth fleets of Mars. More weaponry and a greater arsenal than Darrow could have ever imagined. Nero gives a speech about the failure of empires through the ages. Romans, Spartans, Muslim rule, even the USA, such a cool element. Yeah. He then references Eo and her pathetic attempt to be a martyr. Daryl almost snaps, but he must be bigger. Can you believe this rat fuck? Keep my wife's name out your fucking mouth. Man, I... It's...

It's perfect meme of all time. Ever. And when you look at the scope of everything going on here, there must be a moment of Daryl in that instance hearing him reference Persephone. Yeah. And him going... Are you fucking kidding me? It's part of your speech? You're still thinking about EO, you piece of shit. Agree, agree.

What's wrong with you? Amazing stuff early with the lie detector, because when that scene first happens, my thought was how in the fuck did dancer, Mateo, and crew not think about this and not been training Darrow the whole time to beat a lie detector? Because I'm like, dude, if you're going to be so good,

they're going to come ask. We need to prep for this. But then I actually thought it was a masterclass, because the way he beats it is because his two control answers are obvious lies. So it's good because they're like, you're gold, right? As a control and he's like, yes. Because the golds can't even comprehend that it's even possible to do what they've done. I thought that was just genius.

How is he going to get away this lie detector? That's how. I was like, oh my God. So, so good. I think this is obviously the test results scene is always amazing. It's like, you know, again, Hunger Games when Katness dominates, you're like, hell yeah. here this is domination like we have never seen. The fact that they have a board of quality control

to be like this, what happened? And he's like, cheating rat. I am a god. I'm him, dude. I am fucking him. I am him. Yeah. It's such a cool moment.

I am in love with the shuttle scene here. Because very interestingly, we have two interactions with golds on this shuttle, both that Darrell likes for insanely different reasons. Julian is as prim and proper as they come. and he is clearly this high-born, you know, stick up his ass type guy, but he's sweet. Like, Darrow makes a point to the reader of being like, he does not seem like a bad person. Yeah. And again, we're in chapter, what, 15, 16 of this book, and we have known nothing, 16, we've no nothing but to hate these golds.

And we're already getting moments that are fucking with Darrell. And being like this, this, he's a fucking. kid, dude. And like, I look just like him now. He looks just like me. This is weird hating him. And then you get Severo, who is just a scumbag. And he's like, I like this dude, too. I think it's really cool. There's the interaction between them. He says, are we bothering you? My sarcasm has a polite nip. Does two dogs humping bother me? Likely, yes, if they are noisy. Julian stands. Apologize, Kerr. Go slag yourself. The small kid says, in half a second, Julian has drawn a white glove from nowhere.

That to wipe my ass, you golden pricklic? What? You little heathen, Julian says in shock. Who raised you? Wolves, after your mother's cooch spat me out. You beast! Yeah. That is just like, again,

two completely opposite goals in chapter 16. I'm like, this is awesome. And Dan, it's amazing because to go back to my previous analogy, it's the Weasley-Malfoy interaction, except Pierce flips it on his head, which he is literally the good. goat at without going, yes, here's the bad guy, here's the good guy, here's his best friend

and his bad guy. It's awesome because you're right. He gives you black and white here and then Darrow doesn't choose because there are seeing, seeing ways to use both. Yeah. And it's interesting that he enters a world where, you know, befriend all you want, but you hate everyone here. He's not looking for friends. He's looking to create allies through duplicitous behavior. That's crazy. One devastating missed opportunity for me from Pierce in this section is in the previous chapter when he was talking to Cassius and they meet and he goes, how'd you fare on the test? And Darrow's kind of being like, I don't know, fucking how'd you fare, bitch? Yeah.

And he's like, wasn't that? I thought it was going to be harder. Darrow makes some one comment that goes, it was actually pretty easy. Other than that one with the candle, I thought I was fine. And Cassius was like, well, you know, blah, blah, blah. Come clubbing with me. When he got every question right but one on this, I wanted it to be the candle one. So a lot of them to be like, you only miss the one about the candle.

He was like, I knew it. Dude, like that would have been so funny. Yeah. I was like, how did you know? It was one chapter ago, dude. Like, we got to hit that call back. That was amazing. A really important quote for me here.

This was, I think, getting on the shuttle from the book. But if I think about, this is Darrow talking. But if I think about my teachers, my father's, plural there, by the way, because he's just implying all these people that have raised him. Yeah, very cool. But if I'm thinking about my teachers, my fathers, Uncle Nero shaped me the most. He taught me to dance. He taught me how to be a man.

Perhaps because he knew this would be my future. And that he tried to stop me from being a hell diver. It was his lessons that kept me alive. I always go back to that quote from his dad at the very beginning. Uncle Nerole's the best of my brothers. I love it when Nerole gets his flowers. Yeah, me too. I mean, it's very, very nice.

I really loved this part. This is when they have just realized that he has passed the test. Yeah. It takes dancer a minute before he has his wits enough to fetch a bottle of champagne, but I still feel his eyes watching me as though I am something different, something strange. It's like they suddenly don't understand what it is they have created. I touch the Haymathus Blossom in my pocket and feel the wedding band around my neck. They didn't create me. She did.

Yeah, yeah, I'm fucking EO, dude. I'm not. No, I'm with you. I'm with you. But that is a cool moment where all of them, I mean, there's the cool, I forget who says it, But after they get the results, I think it's dancer goes, we did it. Yeah. And Mateo goes, he did.

Yeah, yeah. You're right. He did it. Yep. And this is Darrow's going, she did. Yep. But it's all of them in their own way going, what have we done? You know?

Not necessarily in a bad way, but they're like, did we seriously just create something that got the greatest test in the Institute's history potentially? Right. Like that is it they're all like Holy fuck dude It's also like one of these things We're like you make them so good You are you get a little worry You're like make sure that you still are on our team

Yeah brother You have some cool quotes that I'll let you read here from From narrow speech but I really liked The two things I liked about narrow speech the most Is that he brings up EO because I just think Even though it is a little No I would buy that he would bring up EO At the Institute speech that year

Because it kind of just happened Yeah Hyundai and we got to remember they learned that the Greens hacked that system to make sure that message got out. So something actively happened under their nose. They're like, fuck this. Like, this is another uprising. Like, we got to do something here. Yep.

So it's good to address it, I think. Yeah, so I buy it for sure. And I think importantly, it's a reminder. It gives Darrow a reminder of how far this has reached. Right? If he's ever doubting, oh, this was just a girl singing in Lycos. Incorrect. Dude, the cream of the crop is listening to this.

Gives him a little practice on that temper. But I also thought, Dan, this is just. credit to Pierce. The noble lie, in all caps, is such sick propaganda. Oh, yeah. That is, and that's what he's talking about when you gave that speech about, or you were given the rundown about the different, uh, dynasties that have fallen. Oh yeah. It's, it's, it's, you fall, it is democracy. Democracy is the noble lie. All men are created equal. That is specifically the noble lie. Correct. And just that being the like the propaganda phrase from gold that has created the society we have today is fucking awesome. It's legendary. The noble lie. From narrow speech,

we have a couple things here. Society has three states. stages, savagery, ascendance, decadence, the great rise because of savagy, they rule in ascendance, they fall because of their own decadence. Correct. Which is like completely correct. Those moments like watching Avengers where you're like this, Thanos has some points, not all points, but some points. And then right now, the colors who mine this planet are harder than you. They are born with calluses, born with scars and hatred. They are tough as nanosteal. Fortunately, they are also very stupid.

instance, this Persephone you have no doubt heard of is nothing more than a dim girl who thought singing a song was worth a hanging. And what he's wrong about there, Dan? No is a fucking prick. Oh, he's a prick. This guy is absolutely shit. And this is, he's blinded because of his place in society here. Uh-huh. I barely, he's blinded because of his own, his self, but also because it was place in society. But what he's wrong about here is that she, he thinks she thought singing a song was worth a hanging. And what she actually thought was singing a song was worth unleashing her husband. So this is, yes, this is Voldemort, right? Voldemort's great, sorry, he must not be named. Yeah, Jesus Christ, dude. I can't believe I

just, I mean, trying to get us killed. I could have said Tom Riddle and dead named him and be even more trouble. You just dead name me, bro. But Voldemort's big flaw is his inability to think like or about those less than him. Yeah. That's what Nero is doing here. Yeah. He is He can't fathom what that song could have done for the Reds. Could have done for her clan does do for her husband. He can't even think about that. He just sees a ruster bitch who's like, sick, dude. Nice song.

You're dead. You're now dead. You're now dead. Is that worth it? Like he has no possible thought in his head of what that could unleash. And that is his great flaw. Correct. Chapter 17, the draft.

They give me the mad dog. he says, they give me the killers of our race, the ones full of piss and napalm and vinegar. House Moors! Gotta add napalm to that. House Moors, stand up! Tiss and vinegar. Dera begins to meet the proctors where he is to start assigning his loyalties. He learns he could be selected by various proctors and their houses.

This could be beneficial to him in the Institute. We meet several of them, including Fichner. He has two golden wolves emblemized on his collar. Fitchner tells Darrow, he gets. the killers. Then punches Darrow in the face and tells him if he retaliates, he'll be kicked out. So Darrow kicks him in the shin. He says, if you punch me back, you'll be kicked out, and then Darrow kicks us. Oh my God, that's good. So Garrow kicks him in the shin to Fitchner's delight. Yeah. Fitcher loves it. The 100 students are filed into boxes with their accolades listed.

Then the highest of golds make their rounds and begin to draft the students to their houses. Darrow is approached fifth, but is passed over due to his low family background. Finally, Fitchner floats to Darrow with a few others. Here we meet Lorne Aharkos, the rage night, the third most important man on Mars, who chooses to serve the society by safeguarding its compact. Lorne points to Darrow, and he has chosen 10th out of 1,000. Dude, okay, I have, or I'm going to save that, I have a very important question for you, but that is a great moment.

Like, dude, these three chapters in a row where it goes, Darrow is so physically gifted that he's breaking their things. Then he gets the test back. Lie detectors come and he's gotten one question wrong. Then Lorne Aarcos the rage night goes to him. It is napalm time now, Dan.

I'm like, okay. Man, we get a lot of this throughout. This is one of the first... I mean, we see it a lot with, you know, meeting Cassius, meeting Severo, meeting Julian. But here, seeing and meeting some of the proctors,

Fitchner definitely being one of them. I think Suzanne Collins did such a good job in Hunger Games of showing how insane these people are. Like the people of, what is it, in that District 12? I think she's 12. District 1 is like they are fucking lunatics, dude, because they don't know anything but the pampered life. These moments, like the way some of them behave, like Fitchner, like laughing, like kicks him the shin, like all, everything's tests. And they're, you know, even when he steals the stylist and they're like, nice. Yeah.

I don't know because you guys are fucking crazy. And I think Pierce does such a good job of dialing that up to a sadistic level. That's what makes Red Rising so special. And that's what makes all of these high goals. You're like, dude, you guys are fucking tapped. Taped. Dude, on that topic, I die laughing when one of the Proctors comes in to potentially draft him and is doing the Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson, no flinch game.

Slat my hands. Yeah. And I go, buddy. The Greens just came in and had to rewire the pitching machine. to hit him in the fucking head. The balls were coming so fast that he was still catching them. And you want to play no flinch right now. Yeah, dude.

You want to see it in real life. I was like, dude, what are you fucking doing? That just kills me. That he's like, I'm making an extremely important draft pick right now. Let's see if this kid flinches. Then here's my very important question for you, Dan. Jupiter gets first pick. Do you think?

And I'm asking, because we don't know. Pierce would have to tell us. Do you think it's like the NFL and Jupiter was eliminated? first last year, so they finished last, so they get first pick? Nah. I think this shit is nuts, bro. I think this is the rich get richer. Okay. If I know anything about golds in the society. So whoever won last year gets first pick. Correct. And then the next, I also got second gets next pick. Okay. I like that take. Because I was thinking of myself as Jupiter walks up. I was like, damn, Jupiter is kind of high and mighty, especially what, especially what we'll learn about Proctor

Jupiter. Yes, sir. I was like, Jupiter's got to be in the running every year. And then I was like, how did they get first pick? They sucked last year? No, I think it's because they won. I think it's But they won, dude. Yeah. They go reverse. They don't snake at all, dude. No, sir. Picks first every round probably.

Yeah. Like literally, they just go bang. Yeah, Jupiter, Jupiter, Jupiter, Jupiter. Absolutely. Damn, that is fucking tough. It is crazy. I love this one quote. I have two ardent advocates.

One is as tall as Augustus, but her hair flows down to her spine in three golden braids. And the second is broader, not very tall. He's old. Can tell by the scars and wrinkles on his thick hands. Hands that bear the signet ring of an Olympic night. I know him immediately, even without seeing his face, Lorna Aracos, the Rage Knight,

the third greatest man on Mars who chose to serve the society by safeguarding the society's compact instead of reaching for crowns and politics. When he points to me, Finchner grins. Dude. A palm time, dude. Getting the point from Lorne.

Dude, one of the Olympic nights. That's incredible. That's how you get drafted. That's how you make a fucking statement on draft day, Dan. That's not Will Campbell up there crying that he's going to die to protect his quarterback. dude, that's Tom Brady coming up and pointing at you and saying, we'll take him. So here we see Darrow is selected by House Mars with the thumbs up from an Olympic night.

Pretty special. Chapter 18, classmates. Fear trickles down my spine as I realize how thin a line there is to tread. Cassius knows how to duel. I, for all my new skills, do not. He would rip me to pieces, and he looks like he wants to do just that. careful careful the students get filed into a dining hall where their names float above seats at 12 tables darrow is the right of the head of their table and he has a golden bar floating next to it it means

he has earned merit based on his score during testing gas he has a minus one the girl who called him a cutter antonia o'severis is at his table as well she has a minus five cassius is also at their table and he has a minus six so we get a little bit of status with people right off the bat, but then we meet the biggest pretty boy bitch of all, dude. Priam. The most beautiful man Darrow has ever seen also sits with them. He was not drafted because he is a premier.

Selected into this house by his parents. He also has a minus one. He boards first, dude. He's 1K, United 1K. Oh, yeah, brother. That is Delta 1. Yeah. Gets a private ride right to the top of back.

Cassia starts talking down to the other members of their table. He names them screwface, clown, weed, thistle, and pebble, all mean little names. Then we meet a cute gold named Quinn, a massive brute named Titus, and Darrow can feel a sense of his anger. Good to note. A thin, sweet poet named Roke.

All of the golds are quick to like Darrow and desire to be close to him, except for Antonia. Darrow sleeps in his dormitory with a full stomach after sending away a few pinks who tried to smash. Nice. This is just the first. Here we go. Yep. So there's great banter at the table here. Great banter.

And this part specifically Cassie's. How did you cheat? If I had spent less time with girls and more time studying, I would have beaten you. Darrow. You studied? Oh, fucking zing. Such a good chirp. It's incredible.

But it is very cool. I mean, Priam is immediately the biggest, like, I have never met a more proper person ever. He's disgusting. And like, Priam is like, that is appalling. Yeah. And so Darrow's like, okay, like, you're not supposed to insult here, dude, not like that. Dude, he's like, it's like when Channing Tatum pounds the gay kid in 21 Justin, they're like, whoa, dude.

Yeah. Jesus Christ. Yeah. It's, it's abhorrent behavior. You studied. And then it's humiliating. Everyone's pissed. But, but dude, I go back to that moment with Uncle Narrell chapter one, bro, when it says,

you're being a coward, narrow. Then from Darrow's thoughts, calling him in a coward, not a good. way to get his cooperation, shouldn't have said it. This is Darrow right there. So I wrote down this line, in this moment, Chris, Darrow says, I expected the play to go over his head, thought his pride would blind him to my sudden apology. The gold may be proud, but he isn't stupid. None of them are. Have to remember so good. So good. And this is the what that's after he goes, just kidding. I studied so much, dude. Yeah, yeah. And this is what I was referencing chapters ago where he's like looking at all of them. And he's like, they're fucking kids, dude. A bunch of pixies. But then this moment happens and he's like,

They are not stupid. Yep. This is the back and forth where Darrow has to remind himself, like, you don't know everything, dude. Like, these people are very impressive. Stay sharp. And you're right. This chapter's just full of, the first day of school stuff is always awesome. Yeah.

You just meet all these people and it's great. And, you know, the nicknames for the low drafts, which are going to stick. And it's just so, so fun. My favorite part is at the end of this chapter, as you said, they send pinks to have an orgy with Darrow. They literally go orgy him. I mean, Darrow gets back to his dormitory. First of all, single. Yeah.

You get a single room. Dude, as a frosh. That is gas. It's this beautiful room. And he's just stuff in his face with all this food. He even thinks about his family. He's like, dude, they're starving right now. But the fact that that all happens, also after a massage.

And then a bunch of pinks walk in and they're like this, do you want us to crack you off? Do you want to orgy? Yeah. He's like, I mean, I don't know. Maybe. Like in the book, it says he sends them away before his temptation. He's like, get out of here. So he sends it to Cassius's room, which is hilarious.

But what kills me, dude, is, and keep in mind. Also, you know Cassius clapped. He was already orging the ones that were sent to him. And then he went, dude, come on in, the waters war. In all of these moments, like, at that table, I don't love the name, Colin thing. But the way he talks to Antonia, like, Cassius is the coolest dude. Oh, dude, I think. Oh, I know where I put it.

I was like, I have a line, but I saved. Cassius oozes confidence, man. It's insane. But this is the part I just can't believe. Keep in mind, dude, just a second ago when Julian is. doing the Yorkton joke. And he goes, well, that's,

that's an important thing to note here that I didn't mention. Julian, who is at the mid-draft table. Keep in mind, this is a high draft table. Julian comes to this table to say hi to Cassius, and we learned that they are twins. And Darrow was like,

oh, shit. Like, I, you know, I was getting vibes of his family being huge, makes sense that these two are twins. I see it now. Julian just a second ago went, Cassius, Darrow isn't who you think he is. And all he's doing is making a Yorkton joke.

Yeah. But in that moment, Darrow says he's reaching for his steak knife. Literally grabs a knife. So he's like, oh shit. He's that on edge about being found out. Then you're telling me right after dinner, he goes back to his room, they send orgies in there. He goes, no thank you on the orgy. And then it says he goes to his hollow experience room where he can do anything on earth.

And he does a hell diver experience. And I'm like, hey, bro, if you are trying to keep a low pro, if you're so on edge, you almost stabbed Julian with a steak knife when he's. said darrow was and he thinks he is and then you go to your room and you go what if i was what if i was a red from like oh maybe don't pull out the vhs and start watching home videos of your christmas from 1994 you idiot what are you doing well i have an idea hollow experience riding a fucking horse maybe you'll learn how yeah call those pinks back you moron he holl yeah you want to fit in fuck the pinks bang him he hollow dives a hell diving experience i was like you have got to be

fucking kidding me dude they are watching everything crazy choice Truly, truly crazy choice. Chapter 19, the passage. I might cry again. Kill each other, I finish? Yes, that's what they expect. Despite the knot in my throat, I ball my fists, Ero's wedding band tight on my finger. I intend to wear that ring, Julian.

Will you let me have it? Darrow wakes up vomiting. He's being beaten like a dog, and he thinks about fighting back when he assumes. as they found him out, but then he notices their golds. This is a test. A bag is thrown over his head. They beat him more and disorient him. He's flown somewhere for maybe hours as they try to confuse him and make him feel isolated.

Darrow was tossed naked into a stone room. There, he meets Julian. Darrow knows the game. Julian does not. Fitchner arrives in the room and tosses one golden ring and blazoned with a wolf of Mars on it. There's one spot in the class. only one comes out alive. Darrow knows Julian can't compete with him,

but Julian begs. He can't have the shame in his family. Darrow makes his first move, and Julian already begins to plead. Darrow was kind in Lycos. This Darrow is not kind. He cries as he attacks. Julian attempts to fight and even lands a couple of blows,

but rage takes over Darrow. He drives his forehead into Julian's nose. Blood seeps everywhere. He sidesteps and drives his fist into his sternum, shattering the reinforced bones and Darrow cradles Julian's lifeless body as he dies. We have our first murder. And Dan, it is a murder. It is, and Darrow even says that in the chapter.

He says, I've never killed a man before. And he says, I don't even have a scorcher or a razor or he lists a few other things. You're telling me, I'm supposed to take this boy of meat and bone and muscle and just kill him with my bare hands. What a way to your introduction of what this institute is going to be like? what life is a gold is going to be like, this is such a heavy chapter that it's almost hard to process.

Especially following a few fun chapters. It's like as we're reading and we know we're not to trust all of these people, it's cool meeting the new characters, seeing the lavish life the golds have. It's exciting hearing Darrow's successes through the tests and all of that stuff. And then you just get ripped from it,

literally like Darrow. Yeah. And thrown naked into this room. and someone comes in, someone who has been told is your mentor, your leader, who just drafted you for whatever it was about to come goes, kill him. Yep. But naked, kill him. Yeah, yeah. And Dan, there's something so visceral about that. Oh, my God. And it's so cool, too, because it's not a huge callback, but they linger several mentions that I believe first about the passage. And Julian's like, I've never heard of that, right?

It's this lingering thing for a few chapters. And then, of course, the chapter is called the passage, so we the reader know it's coming, but you do kind of go, oh, yeah, the passage, what was that again? And it just, the tests have been so crazy. So you're a little bit going, I'll expect anything here, but I just don't think it's hard for us to do it because we've read it, but I just don't think you're expecting this. You're expecting some gnarly test. Yeah, yeah. But, man, it going, it's one or the other, and no one's getting out till one's gone. It's not a, hey, it's this really hard thing that you two try to do together. And if one of you dies, one of you dies. It's a one of you must die. And whoa, that is wild. Darrow is really observant here, too,

which I like. Dude. Julian doesn't know what's going on right away. Darrow knows right away. Darrow goes, he goes, my left, my right leg. And it doesn't even end up mattering. It's not like he wins that fight because Julian goes, but he's immediately planning. Immediately manipulating. Immediately shifting the paradigm. And then he also goes, Julian pushes himself up with his left hand. He's left handed. That's his dominant. Keep eyes up there. Darrow is picking up on these things because That's what he does. Yes. One part that eases my conscience about Julian a little bit, and a few things happen in this chapter.

I'm sure you have a quote of it. But Julian bitching to Fitchner, do you know who my parents are? Yeah. I'm like, buddy, you're at the institute already. Like, did you even listen to Nero in the speech? Like, gold only goes. Have your parents told you nothing? They've all been through this.

Yes. And I think I'll buy that they haven't. But Nero even goes. The low colors that built this plan. that are tougher than you right now. You will leave this place tougher than me. You can't in the first sign of trouble go, do you know who my parents are? I'm like, oh, Julian, like, those are the moments where I go, you don't belong here. And it's, it's so tough too, because like, you've seen Darrow. You've seen how well he's scored. He's at a high draft table with your twin brother. He clearly

is sharp. He knows what's going on. To not match Darrow's energy. Yeah. And his understanding is just such a failure. And yes, it is, even though he's not a monster, he is a bitch. Yeah. Like, he is a gold bitch here. But it's so tough that even in this, Darrow is preparing for murder. And just the way he speaks to him when he's, I mean, he's just truly trying to make him understand with that quote right at the top. And just the like, I intend to wear that ring, will you let me have it? It's crazy because it's not like there's a concession here where he can go, yes, take it. Darrow's going, will you let me kill you? Make this. make this as painless for you as possible because I am going to kill you.

Right. I can go behind you and snap your neck. Will you let me do it? It's just so heavy. Oh my God. Well, Dan, it's because I don't disagree what Julian is saying based on who he thinks Darrow is. If Darrow is really Darrow-A-odronomous, far mining colony, like orphan, then Darrow should die. Right?

There's no shame in that. No. Julian should go on because of his family name. In the world that we're in with the rules that we have, it's a fair point. Yeah. He's like, I need it, Darrow. Yeah, you don't. Like, if I don't come out of here.

And Julian, you can even say, or you can tell when Julian is like, if I come out of here not placed highly, the shame. Yeah. It's, and he doesn't even process like, dude, you're not going to feel shit. Right. You are dead. Yep. I'm going to kill you. Dude.

Like, Julian can't wrap his head around that. All he's thinking about is the shit, you know, coming out with his tail. tucked between his legs and it's like buddy you aren't you aren't coming out anywhere he keeps thinking the loser is just feeling shame and i wrote julian is digging his own grave by not processing what is really happened correct uh darrow considering what darrow really is what he actually stands for is julian here is why he's so much bigger than julian here and that is not julian's fault that he doesn't know that it's julian's fault for not processing the gravity situation it's not his fault not realizing darrow is a carved red who stands for a dream of an entire people so he's going dude you got to let me

have it. And Darrow's like, buddy, I am going to pummel you. Heavy line here, Dan, considering, I am Julian A. Bologna of the family Bologna, my good man. That actually made me emotional hearing him say that right there. I was like, oh, fuck. And this part kills, because I, Pierce does such a good job of even in these brutal moments, making us know who Darrow is. And he says here, even when I punched Julian in the face and his blood smears my knuckles, it doesn't seem a fight. the room is quiet awkward i feel rude punching him like i'm acting the stone is cold on my feet my skin prickles breath echoes that is those moments where you're like i you're in the room and it's like you are killed i mean it's like literally the scene in forgetting zara marshall where he is killing the pig

i'm sorry i'm sorry i's like yeah yeah it is awful like yeah like he says my how beautiful is that moment he goes, I must be crying because my vision blurs when I make my first move. Yeah. It's like that is so intense. The fight is described so beautifully. And it's like any fantasy series, but any video game, whatever, where you just, you eventually become numb to stuff. And we all know, this is a fantasy book. We all know what there's more violence coming.

Yeah. But that first one is really important how it impacts our character. And I think this one is described so beautifully in the way it hits. Yeah. So you just use the word or the term becomes numb in the. this, the way this is described, it's not numb at all. He's like talking about every, literally talking about the stone cold on his feet, his skin prickling, the breath echoing. He talks about feelings Julian teeth in his forehead the first time he head butts him. He's feeling literally

every bit of this. And that is just so important for Darrow's character. Why we are so with him throughout all the brutality he sees. And like this first murder, butt naked in a room, killing one of the only goals that you have met. so far that you were like this person seems like a good person you had to kill him and how cool is this after all this training and all this dancing and uncle nero taught me and mateo taught me yes in his first fight darrell's like because he's not ready dude you're not ready no for when this first one happens and i really like even though he gets literally murdered i really like how there's just a moment where julian enters a fighting stance and darrell goes oh fuck yeah because he goes oh i don't know what that is and i might

be in trouble. Even though I'm so much stronger than this person, I am now unfamiliar with what gold is capable of and I'm panicking. Yes. And he does panic. It just shows us how little he knows and how much is to come. Yeah. Crazy. Now we're going to get into our sci-fi section honors. Chris, start us off. From the scrolls of Tyrion Lannister, given to the character who provided the most impactful words. This week, we are going with Cassius Abelona. I have a few things to say here. Upon first meeting, Darrow, from the book. Never mind. I'm off to Aegea after the physical tests. Join me. I hear the carvers have done some splendid work with the new ladies at Temptation. And they just had grab floors installed at Trist. We can float about without grab boots. What say you, man? Does that interest you?

Plenty of peaches there, none of them are rotten. When Darrow says no, oh, don't worry about it, my good man. I'll pay and all that. He did, it's like, he's like American psycho. We need to go back to talking this. Agreed. Also, I was thinking this earlier. We need to go back to name and kids this stuff. Yeah. Priam is such a gas. If you don't remember, that is the king of Troy. Yeah.

Priam is such a sick name. Unbelievable. Why'd we stop naming people that? I have no idea. We're naming a kid fucking feather and, and fucking river now. Name a kid, Priam and Cassius. Then to Antonia, Tony, no need for nastiness. He wags a finger.

Now toss me a smile like a good doll. Dude, I'm telling you, he's the fucking man. Then he has the exchange about cheating, which we mentioned, right? Which we loved. But then this is what does it for me. This is Darrow's thoughts later. Tough. This is after Julian visits the high drafts at the end of the table.

Julian is proud to know me. Proud his brother knows he knows me. He looks for Cassius's approval. Cassius isn't oblivious to this either. He gently doles out a compliment and Julian leaves the high drafts and returns to his mid-draft seat halfway down the table with a content smile and squared shoulders. I didn't think Cassius would be the kind sort. Cassius is many things. And he's very boisterous in this first section.

But the way he talks is both fun and inspiring and full of confidence. And also, man, he is at a high draft table and his twin brother is at a middraft and he could be a prick. Yep. But instead, he is just like, Julian, get over here, brother. You know, heart. He's got heart. Heart right here. Love me some Cassius banter.

Yeah. Incredible. The next honor, Dobby, the house elf given to the character who is the unsung hero providing aid behind the scenes. This one has to be Mateo. Yes. in this little band Robin Hood's companions in harmony and dancer in Mickey and Mateo with all of them with Mickey with dancer and harmony

there's an element of either brokenness or arrogance or anger I would say absolutely I think that broken and anger definitely aids each other and Mateo seems for a pink who could be so bitter Mateo seems so clear-eyed on what they're working towards. He is very much the one to correct dancer when dancer's like, we did it. And he's like, he did it.

Yep. He is so kind and lovely when they're departing, like leaving Darrow with things, leaving him with words, literally trinkets to be like, don't lose yourself, dude. That amazing line of fucking burned the bloody down house down. I was just supposed to repeat it. Yeah, manners manners, then burn their bloody damn house down. Mateo is a great teacher here. Of all the people who have literally carved Darrow taught Darrow, Mateo is such a good teacher with, for me,

the most steady needle in the compass. And he's not the one that you think of maybe the most in all of those people. You think of Mickey carving him. You think of dancer and harmony pulling him out. But like Mateo is the one, especially through these most recent ones, Darrow is referencing Mateo's lessons, like kind of more than anything. So like what a fucking glue guy. And as you said, not someone.

who has suffered any less than the other ones. Yeah. Any less at all. What he's gone through, what pinks go through in general. And he, shockingly, just the Pegasus pendant alone, but just shockingly, the affection he feels for Darrow and the gifts, like the things he imparts upon Darrow as he leaves for the Institute, you almost think of all the people he'd be last on the hierarchy. And he so quickly jumps to the top, at least in Darrow's eyes, it seems, and ours too,

that he's very worthy of this honor. The next honor is the way of the bened jessert given to the character who cannot be trusted or shows outright devious nature. Could have been all of House Pluto, every House Pluto draft pick, as is their right. We are going a little abstract on this one,

and we're saying the society in general. Could have been Antonia, because as Cassia said, that one's rotten. But we're going the society for... But Antonio didn't do enough. Yeah. The answer is a double-edged sword for me because the very savagery and paranoia that I'm about to criticize here is what makes them the top of the pyramid.

So I get it, right? There's no, I understand why you do things the way you do. But Darrow does well in his testing and they immediately send the board of quality control to lie, detect to him and delay his results. I get that they want to do their due diligence, but also you're trying, you dream of this as golds, right? Shouldn't you be like, thank God, we found another shining star who will lead the next generation of iron golds and peerless scars. But instead, they're up his ass just because they don't know his family. Yes.

Failure of the society. Yes. You should trust that good could come from anywhere within gold. Nowhere else, but trust that and they are really pissed about the, that he does well, and he's not a big name family. Then they build an institute that picks the best of the very best of their race. Keep in mind, do not forget, you can't even get into the institution. unless you pass obscene tests.

Yeah, bro. So the only people they even take there are the cream of the crop best of the best of their race, and then they kill half of them. That means people who didn't even make the institute, who are way less, who are worse stock, who are less smart, who are less physically gifted, are allowed to live. Insane. Why you kill half of the best of your things.

Again, I get it. It's hardening steel. It's making you peerless scars the best, but I'm like, did we need to do that? I know. Did we need to do that? Chell. Decadence is coming for them. No matter whether Nero warns them or not, what they think is hardship here is a joke to Darrow.

They have full bellies and warm beds. They think this is hard. He's giving speeches about how difficult this is going to be. Plus, dancer and his team are able to fake an entire fucking backstory about Darrow. They never pick up on it. They can't even process that carving a gold as possible. They are so full of themselves. Their failure brought this upon them, the society.

Finally, the sword, axe, and bow. honor given to the character deemed to have earned our loyalty, belief, and trust above all. Perhaps not the last time this happened. Yeah, probably many times. Could go to no one, but Darrow, aw, Andromatous. This fucking kid. What a section for Darrow, dude, what a section for Darrow? I mean, this section is just truly when the nips are hard. The uterus is like a microwave and the cocks are full of blood. because everything he does is just so electric. I mean, Darrow in this section takes every single task that he has given and knocks it out of the park.

To have survived the carving to now get into this section where it's like, all right, dude, yeah, you are, you're massive, you're huge now. How's that mind? Are you going to be able to learn these lessons? And he's like this better than you could have ever imagined. And then when he's thrown into the fire, he thinks, quickly on his feet. He performs well. He literally murders someone. Yep. But he had to. Which was another test. And he does it. Yep. And he does it with his heart remaining true to who he is and to Eos. This heart. This is where you truly live. Dero is absolute perfection in this section. He is

as as the reader going through it. He does everything that he is asked and he does it in a way that we still love him. Yeah. And it's just like, this guy, I cannot see, wait to see what you did. Dude, we've said it a million times, but just I could watch, I could go, I could have gone 10 more chapters, yeah, of just more tests that he's dominating. Oh my God. That's how fun that part.

I'm like, go, keep going, dude. It is on. And even when he's learning to be more well behaved in real life with the people, his zingers are still so awesome when he decides to instigate or, you know, just piss people off. I'm like, God, yes, keep like, he can do anything. Yeah, yeah, he's an absolute weapon. Colin Copper's. pennyheads and shit.

It's perfect, dude. He's becoming the monster we need him to be. Yes, he sure is. That wraps up sci-fi section, Red Rising, part three. Unbelievable stuff from Pierce Brown and this book. Cannot wait to dive into the next several chapters. This journey continues, so sharpen your swords. Get your arrows in your quiver and prepare for the next bit of this journey with us.

We ride for Mars. Thank you.