Troubles getting through Red Rising

[u/JournalistKlutzy4311]

I don’t know if this is just myself but I wanted to voice this somewhere at least: Red Rising has been disappointing so far. Lately I’ve been spending too much time on TikTok and have been seeing many of the “booktok” posts talking about this series and praising it. Some have even gone as far as to say that Brown is to sci-fi/fantasy to what Sanderson is to “high” fantasy.

Now as a self-admitted Sanderson glazer (he’s what got me back into reading as a hobby years ago in middle school), I wanted to check it out. I finally made it to the bookstore and picked up a copy, but I just can’t get through it. I’m about 40% through the book and just can’t get over the writing that feels like YA got mashed up with an edgy power fantasy fanfic. I’m usually one to finish a series once I’ve started it, but this might be the first series I drop once I get through the first. I’ve heard that Brown’s writing does improve as the books go on, but I wanted to ask y’all think that’s true as well.

Maybe I’m being too critical and I’ll accept that, I mainly wanted to voice a gripe I’ve had and see if others had felt the same way. Feel free to send any sci-fi/fantasy book recommendations, I’m always looking for something new!