The Sons of Ares: A Red Rising Saga Podcast

Lo Rusters! Darrow, Mustang, Holiday, and Ragnar crash land in the icy wastes of the Obsidian homelands. The crash didn't kill them but the creatures and the weather and landscape of this carved, ruthless land me do the trick. And if that all doesn't get them there are some dangerous Golds hunting them.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! With a Red Rising movie in some phase of pre-production, we thought it might be fun to get all the pods together for a group discussion. Here is the result - a Frankenstein’s monster of an episode featuring @fadetoobsidian, @howlerpod, @hailreaper, @bigalexanderreads, @sharkbatesbookshelf, @highkeyobssessed, @lej_s, @theforvm, and yours truly. It was a fun chaotic bit of mess in which we pretty much all just agreed we are buzzing for what’s in store. 
-
First up @bigalexanderreads and @sharkbatesbookshelf talk Fannibals, the Hunger Games team, naked Viggo Mortensen, and how the fandom can welco...

Lo Rusters! Darrow and the gang are leaving town and along their way they see what the Rising really means; the violent nuts and bolts that make up a revolution. Then an old friend (maybe) ends up following them and then the shit hits the fan and the ship hits the ice.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow and Holiday and Ragnar leave the street fighting on Phobos in search of an army. They pick up an old friend and head out into the Martian skies that are now a battlefield as the Rising takes its new, bloody form. 

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Today we have return appearance from  ⁨@alyshafortunereads⁩  breaking down some big questions - is Darrow above the Republic? Should he be? Did Mustang make a mistake? Where is Sevro? What happened to Wulfgar? Huge spoilers so beware - go read the damn books!

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow is channeling Churchill in this chapter as he and Sevro and the Howlers go to war. They get all the pieces moving and execute a brilliant strike against the Jackal's hold on Phobos. And in the process, Darrow delivers a war aims defining speech, maybe top 3 or 4 in the whole series.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! The long simmering pot has finally boiled over as Darrow and Sevro duke it out. The boys need to get back to basics and being brothers. Scott of Backbone Wrestling Network and @ShiffReads and @indie_artbox join us to break episode down.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Qucksilver is talking! And talking. And talking....and talking. Lots of history and philosophy and economics in this one as Regulus ag Sun breaks down some hard truths for Darrow and Sevro. He holds up a big enough mirror to the little terrorist warlord that Sevro kind of breaks.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow and Sevro and the Howlers take a quick spacewalk and then get straight to business. Kavax is a prisoner and has information Darrow wants. Quicksilver is a prisoner and has information Darrow needs, But in both cases Sevro is a bit of a stick in the mud.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! While Charles continues his campaign against the boiler we figured we would pause the chapter crawl until he can hop back on mic (which will be this week with chapter 19!). In the meantime we had on Indieartbox and Cicerostories for a little fanfic fun. Sit back, relax, and enjoy! 

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Charles is out this week so we have Leland stepping in as we find out what happened in the conference room after the Howlers broke up Quicksilver's little meeting. How will Darrow and the Gang get out of this pickle? And what's going on with Sevro?

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow finds Quicksilver in the middle of meeting with two very important people - Mustang and Cassius. Before he can try to figure out why if enemy is meeting with his ex, things get a little manic. 

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow stumbles his first teacher and old friend Matteo while he and the Howlers seek Quicksilver. It is not a happy reunion, nor is it the last confused, unhappy, violent reunions for our hero and his friends. They do find their target but Reugulus ag Sun is not alone.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow and the Howlers are on the hunt for Quicksilver as they go through the silver tycoons headquarters. Slowly Darrow is realizing that Sevro's plans are not great and he has to do something and fast. If he doesn't, the Rising might be in a very bad way, very soon. But how does he manage the ego of his best friend and commanding officer?

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow, Victra, and the Howlers head to the martian moon of Phobos to raise some Cain. The Goblin is planning to escalate shit by blowing shit up, maybe not the most well thought out strategy but one that will feel good. Can Darrow figure out a way to channel the blast in the right direction while not undermining his best friend?

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Howlers! Donslatestart on IG joins us at the top of this episode to talk about his amazing artwork. Check his stuff out on IG where right now you have a chance to win his "Ashvar", a huge, stunning piece. Clang, clang, clang! Then Chris covers the chapter in which Darrow and Victra finally become real deal Howlers. Finish the bucket or get the box!

@donslatestart on IG
To win Ashvar follow him, like this post, share with two friends in the comments. 
His also got a 15% off sale right now, go to InPrnt and u...

Lo Rusters!  The spotlight shines brightly on Victra, rightfully so as she may well be the best damn character in the series. Darrow grapples with his own past mistakes, but he is going to trust her and hope she trusts him. At the very least he understands her motivation: revenge.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Chapter crawl is coming back Monday, but today we have a true tourney to break down! Leland of @deflagrated_designs, a pyrography artist in the Red Rising world, joins the show to break down his round by round battle to the death of the series' characters. We also talk about his style of art, inspirations, and how he got into the world of the Society. Go to Instagram and vote now one who you think would win in these single combat bouts!

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! @bigalexanderreads on IG and TikTok joins the show to give her hottakes on the world of Red Rising. Whats the deal with Volga? Who had the right of it; Darrow or Sevro? Would Eo go to the Red Hand? All this in more, back to the chapter crawl on Friday with Chapter 12 The Julii.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow is struggling to come to grips with the news of Sevro's gambit. Ragnar talks some sense into him and then puts him in touch with some Reds recovering from battle. In the process Darrow finds his way back to his people and the Rising. Jack joins us to find out what color the boys are, explain why humor is so important, and tell one of the greatest Titanic jokes of all time -- stick around until the very end for some comedy gold.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow gets the lowdown on where the war is at, how the Sons are doing, and how the Society is countering. It's not great news for you guy but he takes it all in stride. That is until Sevro reveals one of his major countermoves, a betrayal of truth? Darrow needs a moment.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Chuck breaks down where he's been, what Rags and Sevro have been up to, and what the hell Tinos really is. The city of Ares is amazing but not beautiful.

-

Know someone that might need a companion - https://www.vetdogs.org/

-

Support a fantastic group - https://nscda.org/

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow has made it out of the Jackal's clutches and is home, or at least surrounded by loved ones and safe. Maybe not in Lykos but the next best thing, Tinos. Darrow's mom and uncle and the old rogue Dancer all welcome their golden son back to the worlds. He gets a very truncated update on the war but decides that all can hold, he wants to spend some time with his family as simply Darrow.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! The boys are back and we dive right into Darrow's return. Chris covers two quick but important chapters here as we get Trigg's showdown with Aja and the Reaper's rescue. It's not a painless or cost free operation by any means. But, Sevro and Ragnar are finally back on the stage!

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Another week, another series of stuff got in the way. Chuck and Chris will be back soon but in the meantime Jen was good enough to hop back in the hot-seat. We both took the same prompt and wrote a fanfic off it. What was Eo thinking about? How did she come to her final decision? And why? We dive deep into the first of many pivotal moments in the series! (All head-cannon, fysa)

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! The Boys are out today but we'll be back this week with your regularly scheduled chapter crawl. In the meantime we have a fanfic for you; what was the burning of Rhea like and how did the Ash Lord feel about it? All head canon but an interesting bit of Society history. Enjoy!

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo rusters! The boys are all over the place this week so the chapter crawl will have to continue next week. Instead of the normal chapter dive we had Phil from @HailReaperPod come on and riff all things Red Rising. Had a great time and learned loads!! ---- Cullen

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow, Holi, and Trigg make their way through the Jackal's prison fortress and try to escape. As they go, shit inevitably escalates. We see the two Terran born twins in their most prime form as they usher the Reaper(light) to freedom.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Vixus, Vixus, Vixus...why did you have to go and say that? Darrow learns a lesson in mercy and the band of three becomes four as they pick up one of the most loyal friends Darrow has and thought he'd lost.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Hello Holi and Trigg! Our two favorite Terran-born children of Ares make thier way to the stage in this action-packed chapter. They bring the Reaper to his senses and get the rickety shell of a man back on his feet. With a little jump-start from momma, of course. 

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow has been an unwitting dinner date of the Jackal's for a fairly significant period of time but that unwanted arrangement has now come to an end as a couple of Olympic Knights have arrived to take him to Luna. Once in Luna, Octavia, has extreme plans for our favorite little helldiver, none of which sound particularly fun.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! We are on to book three, Morning Star. The fallout from the triumph is...a lot. But the Rising lives and Darrow is trying his best to keep it together. But can he escape the prison of the mind and the box?

Music by Deepgrave Studios

As we ramp up for Morning Star (starting 6/29) we thought it might be a good idea to change things up a bit. In this episode Cullen talks Book of Lorn, reads a fanfic he wrote about Cassius and Tiberius au Bellona, and also does a bit of an act out with the Prologue for MS. Chapter crawl for MS starts with the next episode! Nut to butt everyone!

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow has an interesting, crazy conversation with Nero and then goes to the party of his life. Everyone is excited for him to get the reward he earned with his successful rain, particularly the Jackal. We wrap up the second book in the series and next up, Morning Star!

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Chuck is back in the driver's seat as he and Darrow take us into the mines. Mustang (Tang) has seen all she needs to and is ready to render her judgement upon Darrow, but will Ragnar have a say in how things unfold? How will the "Queen of the Golds" see the plight of our favorite Helldiver? Will she follow him into the Rising or will she go her own way?

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! How to the Reds continue to find hope? Why do they sing? Darrow brings Mustang home and leaves her with a choice and then we have a chat between mother and son that goes way beyond just a simple reunion. Special guest @indieartbox joins us to dive into Darrow's homecoming.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Ugly Dan and Podginus make their unwanted return to the story as Darrow takes a walk down memory lane. Darrow and Rags check in on the bubble garden, how the mine is being managed, and see to it that their is a feast for Darrow's hometown. Mustang shows up and she and Darrow embark on their own journey deeper into Darrow's past.

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! Darrow gets to see his daddies. Dancer and our favorite helldiver reconnect and discuss the betrayals of Harmony, the origins of bloddydamn, and their brotherhood/father-son relationship. Dancer gives his thoughts on Sevro and on the fact a Gold is the match that lit the Red powder keg of rebellion. Mickey, weirdo that he is, comes in weeping and kissing all over Darrow. He has been forced to come to the realization that he was a monster but wants to be better and Darrow, big hearted bastard that he is, says that’s good enough to ride in...

Lo Rusters! Chuck's favorite character gets a moment alone with Darrow, things are all better now! Darrow visits the Jackal and Victra but it's not just a friendly drop in to say hello, he's on a mission for Ares. 

Music by Deepgrave Studios

Lo Rusters! ***Spoilers abound and Red God theories are in play***Today we have a conversation with author and historian Janelle Rhiannon in which we dive deep into the many connections between the Iliad, the Odyssey, and Red Rising. How are Achilles and Darrow similar? How are they different? Where do Lightbringer and the Odyssey connect? And what might these ancient Greek tales tell us about Red God? Checkout Janelle's own book series, the Homeric Chronicles, and give her podcast, Greek Mythology Retold, a listen and a sub!

Music by Deepgrave Studios