There are eight books out right now. The latest one is A Parade of Horribles, which came out in May 2026.
The author plans to wrap things up with two more books. The next one is expected to be called The Beautiful Place, and it might be split into two volumes. So the series isn't finished yet.
It's a book series, not a game. It's written by Matt Dinniman. The story has a lot of game-like stuff in it—levels, loot, stats—because it's LitRPG. But it's still a novel. You read it, you don't play it.
Yeah, it's definitely worth reading. People go absolutely nuts over it. The series has sold millions of copies and has a super high rating on Goodreads. Most readers say it's a wild, fun ride that they can't put down.
The humor is a huge part of the appeal. It's hilarious, a little vulgar, and totally ridiculous in the best way. A lot of the jokes hit hard, especially if you're into gaming or D&D style stuff. Fair warning though—some of the humor is pretty crude, and a few readers have pointed out that the jokes can feel a bit "male humor" focused.
But it's not just comedy. The action is fast and intense. The story is surprisingly brutal and dark at times, even though it's funny. People also get really attached to the characters, especially Carl and his cat, Princess Donut. A lot of fans say they binged the whole series in a week and felt empty when it was over.
So, if you like dark humor, fast-paced action, and a story that's way more emotional than it has any right to be, give it a shot. A lot of people say the audiobook version is fantastic too.
Just read them in the order they came out. It's pretty straightforward.
Here's the list:
The first three are the original trilogy. That's one complete story. The next three are a sequel series that takes place about 10 years later.
There's one more book coming called Red God. It's supposed to be the final one.
So just go straight down that list. You won't get lost.
There are six books out right now in the Red Rising series. A seventh and final book, called Red God, is still on the way.
So you've got a good chunk to read before the series wraps up.
Not yet. There are six books out so far. The seventh one, Red God, is supposed to be the last. It's expected in 2026, but the author has said it's still being written.