On the new volume, writer Pierce Brown shared, “All rebellions mythologize their beginnings. The French stormed the Bastille. The Americans tossed their tea. The Reds of Mars have their very own god of war in Ares. While the first two volumes of the Sons of Ares trilogy explored the genesis and evolution of Fitchner au Barca into the rebel leader who would lead the revolt against the color-coded Society that rules from Mercury to Pluto, the third and final installment in the trilogy focuses on the first great act of rebellion. Finally, the Rising explodes out from the shadows into the light of day.”
“That is why I am so excited for fans to return to this series and dive into its third installment. As Fitchner’s actions begin to shake the foundations of his civilization, he’ll come closer to the halls power where fan-favorite heroes and villains will obstruct his path or join his cause. The new volume offers fresh opportunities to explore unseen facets of the Red Rising world while supplying enough twists and turns to make Fitchner and his friends piss their gravity boots. I can’t wait for readers to go along for the ride.”
The last two entries had protagonist Fitchner on his heels and on the run. Initially, he was driven by love and desperation to save his wife Brynn before her execution at the hands of the Board of Quality Control. Then Fitchner went head to head with Arturius and Quicksilver, both former trusted allies. His wrath left the former dead and set back Quicksilver’s dreams of expanding exploration and human habitation to other stars. Now in Forbidden Song, Ares may not always be in control, but he has a plan…One part Ocean’s Eleven, one part Les Misérables, Red Rising Sons of Ares: Forbidden Song sets and ignites the fuse for the rising that Darrow will inherit in the series of novels that follow this essential prequel tale. The 120-page hardcover original graphic novel is available to preorder now.
Co-writer Rik Hoskin adds, “When I read Pierce’s plot it left my head spinning. Fitchner’s always been an uncompromising antihero, but this time he’s even more ambitious, more devious and more brutal than ever. What’s more, we have incoming artist wunderkind Kewber Baal adding a layer of detail to this world that we’ve not seen before, and handling his own coloring to create something incredible.”
PIERCE BROWN’S RED RISING SONS OF ARES: FORBIDDEN SONG will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ January 2023 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in March 2023. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the issue with their local comic book retailers. It will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, ComicsPlus, and more!