Pierce Brown
person or faction need? Who supplies it? Why do they need it?” he added. “It fleshes out the world in such a fun way because everything in the ‘Red Rising’ world is political. And what is politics except need and someone else having something?”
His stratified society can feel strangely relevant. “The strength of science fiction is to be able to create an alternate universe and peep into our world through it,” he said.
But he notes a difference in his creation, a caste system with Golds at the top and Reds at the bottom.
“It’s a post-racial society in the ‘Red Rising’ world,” he said. “The fact the skin tones don’t represent their color is important to me. The races are mixed up at that point, so that people would be virtually unidentifiable as to what their ethnic background was. I wanted to clear the slate, then throw this color system on the page and see their biases, based completely on the world of ‘Red Rising,’ and not on ours.”
His books are popular with the LBGTQ community. “I think it’s because a lot of characters are disenfranchised in a way or have been made to feel small by society,” he said. “The entire thesis of the books is a rejection of that.”
Brown works quickly, delivering a book about once a year. “It comes in a torrent often enough,” he said. “At this point in my life, I don’t have a wife or kids. So I can devote all my energy to one thing.”
He says there will be one more “Red Rising” book, yet untitled, and it should be out in a year or two. He is also working on a “Red Rising” TV series and plans to share details soon.
“I put together a pretty good team,” Brown said. “We’ve been developing it in private so that when we take it out, it fully reflects the vision.”
Brown said he hopes an undiscovered actor will play central character Darrow. “It’s Hollywood. You’re never in control,” Brown added. “By putting the team together myself, I have an unusual vantage point. In the end, I’ll have to trust the What: When: 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5
Where: Barnes & Noble, Colonial Plaza Mall, 2418 E. Colonial Drive in Orlando
Details: showrunner and director.”
His own story is inspiring. He sold “Red Rising,” the first book, while working as an NBC page. He learned he had a book deal after giving a studio tour.
“My parents were always just hoping I’d put myself through something,” Brown said. “They knew I liked to do stuff. They just didn’t know what I liked to do.”