To say that my to-be-read list for 2023 is looking both exciting and a bit daunting would be an understatement, especially when I factor in my goal to reread all five Red Rising books before Book 6 — titled Light Bringer — makes its grand arrival later in the year. And now it looks like I’ll need to add a reread of the first two Sons of Ares graphic novels to my TBR list as well, as Volume 3 is expected to arrive this year.

Happy New Year, Howlers! We certainly have som exciting things to look forward to in 2023!

We’ve known that Sons of Ares: Vol. 3 was in the works for quite some time, but it looks like its arrival is now just a few months away. Per Dynamite’s website, the third and final installment of the Sons of Ares graphic novel series will arrive in March 2023. As of this writing, the specific date listed there is March 29, 2023. Pierce Brown and Rik Hoskin are once again credited as the writers, with Kewber Baal credited as the artist. 

If you’re caught up on the first two volumes of the Sons of Ares graphic novel series, then you know that the story follows Fitchner in the time period before the events of the Red Rising series. Per Dynamite’s description for Volume 3, subtitled Forbidden Song:

“In Forbidden Song, Ares may not always be in control. But he has a plan – and it’s a doozy. FORBIDDEN SONG is one part Ocean’s 11, one part Les Miserable, and it sets the fuse for the Rising that Darrow will inherit.”

As though that weren’t intriguing enough, Comic Crusaders shared even more information about Forbidden Song, including what Pierce Brown and Rik Hoskin had to say about it. While Brown speaks of “fresh opportunities to explore unseen facets of the Red Rising world,” Hoskin says Fitchner is “even more ambitious, more devious and more brutal than ever.” You can read more about what both had to say in the Comic Crusaders article from December 2022. 

While you might prefer to preorder your copy of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising: Sons of Ares Vol. 3: Forbidden Song at your favorite local comic book shop if it’s available there, I’ve seen it available to preorder at some of the major bookstore chains online, as well as directly from Dynamite. (Though it may be worth noting that, as present, both Amazon and Barnes & Noble have the release date listed as April 24, 2023.)

And if you haven’t read the Sons of Ares graphic novels, you still have plenty of time to get caught up on Volumes 1 and 2 before the third and final volume arrives.