Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works the mines of Mars, believing his toil is terraforming the surface for future generations. However, he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago and the Reds are being used as slave labor by the ruling Gold elite. Driven by revenge and the hope of a better future, Darrow undergoes a grueling physical transformation to infiltrate the Institute, where the youth of the Gold caste compete for power, in an attempt to bring down the system from within.

The Artist Edition of Red Rising features unique artwork by Marc Simonetti and Joel Daniel Phillips on the dust jacket, bindings, and slipcase. The original binding artwork is designed to build a continuous image across the spines of the complete seven-book series.