This is the second in the “Red Rising” trilogy. It certainly picks up a bit is overall enjoyable. I finished it fairly fast so I suppose that’s a good sign. While it definitely has some of that “Haven’t we read all this before?” aspect to it, it does make for a good read (provided you’ve read the first novel). It’s also pretty much just the first half of the third book. If you buy the first one and like it, just by two and three at the same time.