Over the last few years, I have developed a slight obsession with a book series called Red Rising—fair warning to all who are reading or planning to read these books: minor spoilers ahead. However, having read the books is not a requirement for this discussion.

In the sixth and penultimate book of this futuristic, solar system-spanning series, the story’s main protagonist, Darrow, undergoes a philosophical blooming from an unyielding revolutionary warrior to a patient and humble man still driven by his convictions. The Path to the Vale is an ancient text given to Darrow by Aurae and serves as a written guide for this transformation. Darrow’s initial reluctance and gradual acceptance of the words marks one of my favorite character developments in the story.

On my fourth reread of the series, I wanted to dig deeply into The Path to the Vale. Whenever the text was mentioned or quoted in the book, I would note the page and passage to review later. The brief history of The Path to the Vale is that it was a spiritual text written by the “Reds” (lowest members in the series’ unique class system, essentially slave labor) on the moon Triton of Jupiter. The Vale resembles a heaven-like sanctuary the Reds believe they will be admitted to upon death. The excerpts and brief analysis from the all-too-brief passages from The Path to the Vale follow.

“The path is made of many stones that look all the same. When you trod upon evil, do not rest or look down because goodness is only a step away. The next may bring ruin, the next joy, but these stones are not your destination, they are but your journey to the path’s end.”

We are immediately introduced to one of the core tenets of The Path to the Vale. A major theme across its passages is not focusing on perceived ends, destinations, or results. So much of what we do is a step along our journey. When ethical judgments of good or evil are assigned to these stones, they often resemble or feel like the end of a journey. It is also curious how all the rocks or steps in our path look similar, but some are good, and some are evil. Are the stones good or evil, or does our judgment make them so from our perspective?

“To those who wrote that we might read, to those who fell so we might walk, to those who came before so we might come after, gratitude.”

Gratitude. This one is straightforward and to the point. I particularly enjoy how the word is used at the end of the passage. One could easily restructure the sentence to include “I feel gratitude…”, “I am grateful,” etc. But the one-word ending of the sentence sounds clean.

The first understanding: “The path to the Vale is inscrutable, eternal, and perfect. It cannot be seen with the eyes, nor felt underfoot. It winds as it wills. It ends where it must. It climbs when it does. It falls when it should. It stretches deep into the rocks we dig, and deep into our hearts. It winds on before and after us, in all directions and none. Though we may walk it, we may never master it. Though we may see the path, we can never know the truth. The path to the Vale is inscrutable, eternal, and perfect. It must be followed at all costs.”

We get to read five out of at least 11 “understandings.” This is the first one. Harmony is the word that immediately appears in my mind. We can never control or master our path to the vale, but we can live in peace with its journey. The path exists outside of human domination and influence; all we can hope to do is follow it the best we can. It is inscrutable, eternal, and perfect—all things humans constantly strive to be yet can never achieve.

The fourth understanding: “The supreme good is the wind of the deepmines. It flows through rock, around people, and over all lands. The wind is oblivious to obstacles though they shape her path. When you small rust on her breeze, or hear the echo of tools in the dark, smile and be glad. The path is upon you, and you are upon it. All you must do is walk.”

This is my favorite understanding. I love the image of the wind being oblivious to her obstacles. Obstacles are a very human term in this regard, defined by their negative connotation of impeding the pursuit of a goal. But if the only goal is to stay on the path, which is always changing, then an obstacle is no longer an obstacle. Changing the course of the path is often out of our control and not something that must be a bad thing in our lives.  

“The wind is oblivious to the obstacles though her path would not be the same without them.”

Here’s another paraphrased section on the fourth understanding. The slightly different wording here gives a subtle difference, but it’s important to point out that not only does the path get shaped and changed by obstacles, but in doing so, it also changes its very nature. The path and obstacles coexist and are defined by their interactions with each other.

The eighth understanding: “We achieve perfection first by acknowledging our failures. We increase understanding by recognizing our ignorance.”

Humility. Always start with humility. It humanizes and reminds oneself of their significance and perspective. I can never achieve self-knowledge or truth without starting with humility. Ego will always cloud the pursuit of truth and success.

The eleventh understanding: “If you wish to be repaired, you must first be broken.”

If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Acknowledging that we are broken here is important. If we are not broken, then we are perfect. As discussed in the first understanding, only The Path is perfect, and humans can never achieve perfection. We have to acknowledge that and always strive to be repaired or make progress towards The Path.

The tenth understanding: “Forgetting is essential to learning, just as exhaling is essential to breathing. Breathe out, then in. Find the self, then lose it once again. Thus, the path goes ever onward.”

I do not know why these circular truisms offer reflective insight. Is there something to learn from the relationship of these push-pull phenomena by making us pause and understand them? I love the “find the self, then lose it once again.” We never achieve mastery of ourselves, but we can improve every day by practicing and being content without mastery. It is liberating to think that way. There is no end state in self-knowledge but a continuous act of discovery with one’s core being.

“When life springs forth, death follows behind. When goodness is found, evil is close at hand. The path straddles the boundary between these things.”

This one gets into the classic universal balance and harmony dance. The path is not concerned with good or evil and the judgments they cast; it merely flows.

“If you wish to be straightened, you must first be bent crooked.”

Another one of these circular truisms. Similar thoughts as in the previous one. Accept your crookedness before you can properly straighten.

From our partial glimpse into The Path to the Vale, the text heavily emphasizes pursuing genuine self-knowledge and accepting life circumstances. The internal conflicts waging in Darrow throughout the series offer a perfect backdrop to highlight the lessons from The Path to the Vale as he puts them into practice. As the leader of a multi-planetary revolution, Darrow remains humble and selfless. When interacting with the entire spectrum of different people, Darrow prudently casts judgment on others as complex individuals subjected to the realities of their own existence. His ability to empathize with both the good and evil in individuals while remaining steadfast in his conviction for fundamental societal change is inspiring. Through Darrow’s acceptance of his journey on The Path, he ultimately finds grace and understanding in his relationships and true peace within himself. Hopefully, in the final book of the series, we will continue to explore more of The Path to the Vale, its “understandings,” and its continued impact on the series’ characters.