# Pierce Brown

> After six unpublished novels and more than a hundred agent rejections, he wrote a space opera about a Martian miner in about two months above his parents' garage, and it became the Red Rising Saga.

- Novelist · Red Rising Saga
- Known for: The Red Rising Saga, six science-fiction novels published by Del Rey from 2014 to 2023, which had sold six million copies by September 2024, according to Wikipedia.[1]
- Born: January 28, 1988
- Last updated: 2026-11-14
- Editorial review: approved 2026-11-15
- Web page: https://authorbackstories.com/authors/pierce-brown/
- Reading list (PDF): https://authorbackstories.com/authors/pierce-brown/reading-list.pdf

## Featured book: Start here

*Red Rising* (2014). Darrow, a miner from the lowest caste on Mars, learns that the surface his people are told is uninhabitable is home to a ruling class, and infiltrates the academy that trains its elite.[3] In October 2026 TheWrap reported that Paramount is developing a film of the novel with Francis Lawrence directing.[5]

## At a glance

- Born: January 28, 1988, in Denver, Colorado[1]
- Education: Pepperdine University, political science and economics[1]
- Before writing: Social media for a tech start-up, a production job at ABC Studios, NBC page, and aide on a U.S. Senate campaign[3]
- Publisher: Del Rey (novels); Dynamite Entertainment (comics)[1]
- Best known for: The Red Rising Saga, six novels published 2014–2023[1]

## Pierce Brown's Backstory

### Early life

Pierce Brown was born on January 28, 1988, in Denver, Colorado.[1] His family moved seven times before he turned 18, and he went to more than ten schools; he has said his grandfather's tall tales gave him his love of stories.[2] He studied political science and economics at Pepperdine University.[1]

### Six books first

Brown began writing the summer after high school, and over five years he wrote six novels and received more than a hundred rejections from literary agents; he has said he nearly gave up at 22.[2] Meanwhile he worked in social media for a tech start-up, in production at ABC Studios, as an NBC page and as an aide on a U.S. Senate campaign.[3]

### Red Rising

The idea for *Red Rising* came on a mountaineering trip: he had been reading Sophocles' *Antigone* on the drive, and while climbing at dawn he began to wonder what kind of man a girl who defied cold power would love, and what would become of him without her.[4] That question became Darrow. He wrote the book in about two months above his parents' garage in Seattle, drawing on a long fascination with Roman history.[4]

Del Rey published *Red Rising* on January 28, 2014, his 26th birthday, and the next month Universal Pictures bought the film rights in a seven-figure auction.[1] The book entered the New York Times best-seller list at No. 20; *Golden Son* (2015) reached No. 6, and *Morning Star* (2016), which closed the trilogy, reached No. 2.[1] Goodreads readers voted him best new author of 2014.[1]

### The second sequence

*Iron Gold* (2018) picked up the story ten years later and began a new run of books, followed by *Dark Age* (2019) and *Light Bringer* (2023).[1] With Rik Hoskin he also wrote *Sons of Ares*, a prequel comic published by Dynamite.[1] By September 2024 the series had sold six million copies, according to Wikipedia.[1]

### Red God and the screen

A seventh and final novel, *Red God*, was announced in July 2022 and has no release date; Brown said in 2026 that he wanted the book to be better before it is finished.[6] In the meantime he began *The Book of Lorn*, a mix of prose and comics drawn by Giannis Milonogiannis, first released to his Patreon supporters.[2][1] The Universal film rights eventually reverted to Brown.[1] In October 2026 TheWrap reported that Paramount is developing a *Red Rising* film with Francis Lawrence directing and Brown as an executive producer.[5]

## Fun facts

- Before *Red Rising* he wrote six novels over five years and collected more than a hundred rejections from literary agents.[2]
- The idea came to him on a mountaineering trip with two friends, while climbing at 5 a.m., after he had read Sophocles' *Antigone* on the drive there.[4][2]
- He wrote the rest of the book in about two months above his parents' garage in Seattle.[4]
- *Red Rising* was published on his 26th birthday: he was born on January 28, 1988, and the book came out on January 28, 2014.[1]
- Before writing full time he was an NBC page, held a production job at ABC Studios and worked as an aide on a U.S. Senate campaign.[3]
- His family moved seven times before he turned 18.[2]
- He wrote "Desert Son," a story in Del Rey's 2017 *Star Wars* anthology *From a Certain Point of View*.[1]
- He says he didn't outline the books, though each one ended the way he had always intended.[4]

## Books

In order of first publication; each series is kept together in reading order.

Titles and first-publication dates from the bibliography in Brown's Wikipedia entry, checked against Penguin Random House's Red Rising series listings.[1][3]

- **Red Rising Saga** (series, 6 books, 2014–2023). Books 1–3 are the original trilogy; books 4–6 continue the story ten years later, and a seventh, *Red God*, is planned as the end.[1][6]
  - 2014: Book 1, *Red Rising* (Novel). His first published novel, released on his 26th birthday.[1] ISBN 9780345539809. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780345539809) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780345539809)
  - 2015: Book 2, *Golden Son* (Novel). ISBN 9780345539830. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780345539830) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780345539830)
  - 2016: Book 3, *Morning Star* (Novel). Reached No. 2 on the New York Times best-seller list.[1] ISBN 9780345539861. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780345539861) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780345539861)
  - 2018: Book 4, *Iron Gold* (Novel). ISBN 9780425285930. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780425285930) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780425285930)
  - 2019: Book 5, *Dark Age* (Novel). ISBN 9780425285947. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780425285947) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780425285947)
  - 2023: Book 6, *Light Bringer* (Novel). ISBN 9780425285992. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780425285992) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780425285992)
- **Red Rising: Sons of Ares** (series, 3 books, 2018–2023). A prequel comic, co-written with Rik Hoskin and published by Dynamite.[1]
  - 2018: Book 1, *Sons of Ares, Vol. 1: Songs of Ares* (Graphic novel, with Rik Hoskin). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Sons%20of%20Ares%2C%20Vol.%201%3A%20Songs%20of%20Ares%20Pierce%20Brown)
  - 2020: Book 2, *Sons of Ares, Vol. 2: Wrath* (Graphic novel, with Rik Hoskin). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Sons%20of%20Ares%2C%20Vol.%202%3A%20Wrath%20Pierce%20Brown)
  - 2023: Book 3, *Sons of Ares, Vol. 3: Forbidden Song* (Graphic novel, with Rik Hoskin). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Sons%20of%20Ares%2C%20Vol.%203%3A%20Forbidden%20Song%20Pierce%20Brown)

## Latest news

- Nov. 4, 2026: The seventh and final Red Rising novel, *Red God*, still had no release date or publication window, Books of Brilliance reported; in October Brown had called his draft a "B plus" and said the book would come out when it was ready.[6]
- Oct. 16, 2026: TheWrap reported that Francis Lawrence, director of four *Hunger Games* films, will direct a film of *Red Rising* for Paramount, written by Justin Rhodes, with Brown as an executive producer.[5]

## Adaptations and other media

### Audio and radio

- *Red Rising (Dramatized Adaptation)* (2023). Based on *Red Rising*. A full-cast audio dramatization in two parts from GraphicAudio, with 40 credited performers.[9]

### Video and tabletop games

- *Red Rising (board game)* (2021). Based on *Red Rising*. A card game for one to six players designed by Jamey Stegmaier and Alexander Schmidt and published by Stonemaier Games.[7] Reviewing it for The A.V. Club, Keith Law called it a "surprisingly simple, elegant game."[8]

## Timeline

- Jan. 28, 1988: Born in Denver, Colorado.[1]
- Jan. 28, 2014: Del Rey publishes *Red Rising*, his first novel.[1]
- February 2014: Universal Pictures buys the film rights in a seven-figure auction; the rights later return to Brown.[1]
- Feb. 9, 2016: *Morning Star* completes the first trilogy.[1]
- Jan. 16, 2018: *Iron Gold* begins a second sequence of books, set ten years later.[1]
- July 25, 2023: *Light Bringer*, the sixth novel, is published.[1]
- Oct. 16, 2026: TheWrap reports that Paramount is developing a *Red Rising* film with Francis Lawrence.[5]

## What's next

*Red God*, announced in July 2022 as the final book of the saga, has no release date; Brown has said it will come out when it is ready.[6]

## Sources

1. [Pierce Brown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce_Brown). Wikipedia. (reference)
2. [About Pierce](https://www.piercebrown.com/aboutpierce). Pierce Brown (official site). (primary record)
3. [Red Rising by Pierce Brown](https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/221552/red-rising-by-pierce-brown). Penguin Random House. (website)
4. [An Interview with Pierce Brown](https://bookpeopleblog.com/2016/02/11/an-interview-with-pierce-brown). BookPeople. (primary record)
5. ['Hunger Games' Vet Francis Lawrence to Direct 'Red Rising' for Paramount](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/francis-lawrence-red-rising-pierce-brown-paramount/). TheWrap. (news)
6. [Red God Release Date: Everything We Know](https://booksofbrilliance.com/2026/08/07/red-god-release-date-pierce-brown/). Books of Brilliance. (news)
7. [Red Rising (board game)](https://dicetower.com/board-game/329465). The Dice Tower. (reference)
8. [Red Rising board game review](https://www.avclub.com/red-rising-board-game-review). The A.V. Club. (news)
9. [Red Rising (Part 1 of 2) (Dramatized Adaptation)](https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0BVGS2ZXP). Audible. (website)