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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Before This is Over in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The blurb of this book, sounds a little bit like the one for the dystopian book, where everybody dies and you survive, but it was far away from it. This was really dark and emotional journey, where wrong decisions could kill your family.
The main character in this book was Hannah, a wife and mother of two boys. Normally I really enjoy reading books, told from different perspectives, but in this case, the whole story was told from Hannah’s perspective only, and it didn’t leave me disappointed. I really liked the relationship which this family was sharing: the support and understanding between Hannah and her husband were very strong, and I also enjoyed reading about their parenting techniques, there is something new to learn. 🙂 The characters who really annoyed me were the children. I am not a very big fan of kids, and they got on my nerves really bad in this book (children will remain, children, I get it…) I really liked Hannah as a character, she was doing everything she could to survive those horrible weeks in isolation, and I really respected her decisions, even though sometimes they used to be really harsh.
The plot of this book was concentrated around Hannah’s house, sometimes including some news about next door neighbours. This book was quite long, and sometimes the chapters used to drag a little, but one thing I liked, that when you think everything is going to be ok, Hickie throws in a challenge for the family to face. That’s what kept me going and interested in this book. I was curious whats next, how and when this all epidemic is going to finish.
The writing style was very creative and pleasant to read. The chapters were too long for my liking and it really dragged sometimes. I really liked the idea of using a calendar symbol to mark the new chapters, I think it was creative and something new. The ending of this book rounded the whole story quite good. However, it left me wondering, what happened to the other characters, who came along the way. So, to conclude, this is a really emotionally challenging novel about survival and choosing whats best for your family. I do strongly recommend to give it a try, I really enjoyed this adventure.
The main character in this book was Hannah, a wife and mother of two boys. Normally I really enjoy reading books, told from different perspectives, but in this case, the whole story was told from Hannah’s perspective only, and it didn’t leave me disappointed. I really liked the relationship which this family was sharing: the support and understanding between Hannah and her husband were very strong, and I also enjoyed reading about their parenting techniques, there is something new to learn. 🙂 The characters who really annoyed me were the children. I am not a very big fan of kids, and they got on my nerves really bad in this book (children will remain, children, I get it…) I really liked Hannah as a character, she was doing everything she could to survive those horrible weeks in isolation, and I really respected her decisions, even though sometimes they used to be really harsh.
The plot of this book was concentrated around Hannah’s house, sometimes including some news about next door neighbours. This book was quite long, and sometimes the chapters used to drag a little, but one thing I liked, that when you think everything is going to be ok, Hickie throws in a challenge for the family to face. That’s what kept me going and interested in this book. I was curious whats next, how and when this all epidemic is going to finish.
The writing style was very creative and pleasant to read. The chapters were too long for my liking and it really dragged sometimes. I really liked the idea of using a calendar symbol to mark the new chapters, I think it was creative and something new. The ending of this book rounded the whole story quite good. However, it left me wondering, what happened to the other characters, who came along the way. So, to conclude, this is a really emotionally challenging novel about survival and choosing whats best for your family. I do strongly recommend to give it a try, I really enjoyed this adventure.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Revealed in Books
Sep 6, 2019
4.5 stars
I received this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just love the cover of this! Dont you agree it just grabs the attention?
Im a big fan of dystopia stories and this sounded different, so I thought, Why not?
The USA has been mostly destroyed with only a few states remaining. Lily is the daughter of a politician running for President, along with another man, Roderick Westerfield, who Lilys family used to be close to. Roderick has a son, Kai, a year older than Lily and someone she used to be close to until the politics got in the way.
Lily has been marked to be taken by the Revealeda group of people with abilitiessince her 18th birthday and like every other 18 year old in the city is being kept at home until they reach their 19th and are safe from being taken. Truly believing theyll come for her despite all the precautions she just wants to live life to the fullest until then.
I really liked the concept. It was dystopia but had a very different take on it, it wasnt all deserted and every man for themselves or strict dictatorship, it was like now, only with billions less people populating the planet and with a need to bring the world back into some semblance of working order.
Now to the characters. Lily is our main character and we see her struggle to do what she wants while being a member of such an influential family and the effect her actions have on them. Then theres Kai. I wasnt sure about him to start with but he grew on me a lot. Then Rory, Lilys best friend, shes pretty awesome.
The story was pretty much continuous action, there was always something happeningwhich stops boredom from creeping inand it kept me reading, and wanting to read it when I was busy. It was politics and supernatural and romance. I cant really say much else without spoiling the plot but it was right up my street and I really enjoyed it!
If youre looking for something dystopian and a little different then you should try this. If youre looking for a new name to read, then this is a good story.
Id definitely recommend this book/series! Its a great start.
I received this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just love the cover of this! Dont you agree it just grabs the attention?
Im a big fan of dystopia stories and this sounded different, so I thought, Why not?
The USA has been mostly destroyed with only a few states remaining. Lily is the daughter of a politician running for President, along with another man, Roderick Westerfield, who Lilys family used to be close to. Roderick has a son, Kai, a year older than Lily and someone she used to be close to until the politics got in the way.
Lily has been marked to be taken by the Revealeda group of people with abilitiessince her 18th birthday and like every other 18 year old in the city is being kept at home until they reach their 19th and are safe from being taken. Truly believing theyll come for her despite all the precautions she just wants to live life to the fullest until then.
I really liked the concept. It was dystopia but had a very different take on it, it wasnt all deserted and every man for themselves or strict dictatorship, it was like now, only with billions less people populating the planet and with a need to bring the world back into some semblance of working order.
Now to the characters. Lily is our main character and we see her struggle to do what she wants while being a member of such an influential family and the effect her actions have on them. Then theres Kai. I wasnt sure about him to start with but he grew on me a lot. Then Rory, Lilys best friend, shes pretty awesome.
The story was pretty much continuous action, there was always something happeningwhich stops boredom from creeping inand it kept me reading, and wanting to read it when I was busy. It was politics and supernatural and romance. I cant really say much else without spoiling the plot but it was right up my street and I really enjoyed it!
If youre looking for something dystopian and a little different then you should try this. If youre looking for a new name to read, then this is a good story.
Id definitely recommend this book/series! Its a great start.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2656699288">Scythe</a>; - ★★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2998629500">Thunderhead</a>; - ★★★★★
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3080800725">The Toll</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://i2.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Book-Review-Banner-22.png?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1"/>;
Scythe by Neal Shusterman is my favourite read for 2019 so far! I had this book on my TBR shelf since last Christmas, I don’t even know why I waited so long to read it!
<b><i>“2042 is the year we conquered death, and also the year we stopped counting. Sure, we still numbered years for a few more decades, but at the moment of immortality, passing time ceased to matter.”</i></b>
In a perfect world, where immortality exists, the only way to die is to be gleaned by a scythe. Citra and Rowan are both living different normal lives, when they both have separate encounters with Scythe Faraday that will change their lives. They are both chosen to be his apprentice, a role neither of them wants to have.
<b><i>“Every child is told from the day he or she is old enough to understand that the scythes provide a crucial service for society. Ours is the closest thing to a sacred mission the modern world knows.”</i></b>
They have no choice, but to learn the art of gleaning – a word that has replaced killing many centuries ago, as it sounds better. Citra and Rowan are on their way to find out about the world of scythes, and what it takes to be one, and take on the terrifying responsibility of choosing their victims.
In a perfect world though, corruption still exists, and Citra and Rowan will have to join forces to defeat it. But one day, they are told that one of them has to kill the other…
<img src="https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49756919_2262745213737085_5615474919803453440_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_oc=AQkoqPoPl1eisjDoqn31z6Y15KstI6wZhbP5LJjjiyvG8OGBdP1ohu5FEv41nMNGD_CnITluEVGXyf5agIA-vyE5&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=22d38a236c494f78f4c3ac26c8d31a2a&oe=5E2F74A8"/>;
Neal Shusterman is a maestro with his words and world building. He managed to create this dystopian world where good and evil exist, where we have beaten immortality and a big machine called the Thunderhead controls everything – apart from death. Because death is an act that must be performed by another human.
Every scythe must reach of quota of number of people to glean, and within that number there must be diversity and percentages met (a few fisherman, one Latino woman, one child, etc.) Each scythe has all the weapons available and all means in order to perform the gleaning, and it is up to them to choose the ways to do it. Some scythes are compassionate, and some scythes are brutal. And every day, all the scythes have to write an entry in their diary of their day, and this information is available to the public. And through Scythe Faraday, Scythe Curie and Scythe Goddard, we learn different personalities and see this responsibility, this gift (or is it a curse) from different points of view.
<b><i>“Was there ever a time when people weren’t plagued with boredom? A time when motivation wasn’t so hard to come by?”</i></b>
It is a great responsibility, deciding who lives and who dies, and performing the gleaning itself. That is why not everyone becomes a scythe. Not everyone can handle this responsibility.
I loved how through Citra and Rowan we learn a lot about the Scythe world, but also learn a lot about compassion and caring, about love and respect. And even though Citra and Rowan have different qualities, we can see them connect over at least one – compassion!
With an incredible plot, incredible world-building and unexpected plot twists – this is a book that has left me speechless many times. I don’t often highlight pages and quotes in books, but I did here. It left me wanting for more, and I couldn’t put it down until very late in the night. I was so engrossed by the whole Scythedom world, that I cannot wait to read the next one!
If you love Young-Adult Series, dystopian worlds, many amazing characters, love stories, quotes to remember for life and a little bit of spookiness – this is the book for you. This is what you have been waiting for all along. Go and grab it!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2656699288">Scythe</a>; - ★★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2998629500">Thunderhead</a>; - ★★★★★
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3080800725">The Toll</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://i2.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Book-Review-Banner-22.png?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1"/>;
Scythe by Neal Shusterman is my favourite read for 2019 so far! I had this book on my TBR shelf since last Christmas, I don’t even know why I waited so long to read it!
<b><i>“2042 is the year we conquered death, and also the year we stopped counting. Sure, we still numbered years for a few more decades, but at the moment of immortality, passing time ceased to matter.”</i></b>
In a perfect world, where immortality exists, the only way to die is to be gleaned by a scythe. Citra and Rowan are both living different normal lives, when they both have separate encounters with Scythe Faraday that will change their lives. They are both chosen to be his apprentice, a role neither of them wants to have.
<b><i>“Every child is told from the day he or she is old enough to understand that the scythes provide a crucial service for society. Ours is the closest thing to a sacred mission the modern world knows.”</i></b>
They have no choice, but to learn the art of gleaning – a word that has replaced killing many centuries ago, as it sounds better. Citra and Rowan are on their way to find out about the world of scythes, and what it takes to be one, and take on the terrifying responsibility of choosing their victims.
In a perfect world though, corruption still exists, and Citra and Rowan will have to join forces to defeat it. But one day, they are told that one of them has to kill the other…
<img src="https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49756919_2262745213737085_5615474919803453440_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_oc=AQkoqPoPl1eisjDoqn31z6Y15KstI6wZhbP5LJjjiyvG8OGBdP1ohu5FEv41nMNGD_CnITluEVGXyf5agIA-vyE5&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=22d38a236c494f78f4c3ac26c8d31a2a&oe=5E2F74A8"/>;
Neal Shusterman is a maestro with his words and world building. He managed to create this dystopian world where good and evil exist, where we have beaten immortality and a big machine called the Thunderhead controls everything – apart from death. Because death is an act that must be performed by another human.
Every scythe must reach of quota of number of people to glean, and within that number there must be diversity and percentages met (a few fisherman, one Latino woman, one child, etc.) Each scythe has all the weapons available and all means in order to perform the gleaning, and it is up to them to choose the ways to do it. Some scythes are compassionate, and some scythes are brutal. And every day, all the scythes have to write an entry in their diary of their day, and this information is available to the public. And through Scythe Faraday, Scythe Curie and Scythe Goddard, we learn different personalities and see this responsibility, this gift (or is it a curse) from different points of view.
<b><i>“Was there ever a time when people weren’t plagued with boredom? A time when motivation wasn’t so hard to come by?”</i></b>
It is a great responsibility, deciding who lives and who dies, and performing the gleaning itself. That is why not everyone becomes a scythe. Not everyone can handle this responsibility.
I loved how through Citra and Rowan we learn a lot about the Scythe world, but also learn a lot about compassion and caring, about love and respect. And even though Citra and Rowan have different qualities, we can see them connect over at least one – compassion!
With an incredible plot, incredible world-building and unexpected plot twists – this is a book that has left me speechless many times. I don’t often highlight pages and quotes in books, but I did here. It left me wanting for more, and I couldn’t put it down until very late in the night. I was so engrossed by the whole Scythedom world, that I cannot wait to read the next one!
If you love Young-Adult Series, dystopian worlds, many amazing characters, love stories, quotes to remember for life and a little bit of spookiness – this is the book for you. This is what you have been waiting for all along. Go and grab it!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated American War in Books
Sep 27, 2017
Amazing character development (1 more)
All-too plausible future
An amazing debut dystopia
By now you probably know there are a few things I tend to enjoy in novels. Dystopias, Fantasies, Debut Novels, and Diversity tend to peak my interest, and American War is a dystopian debut novel by an Egyptian-Canadian author.
And it’s FANTASTIC.
El Akkad did an absolutely amazing job of weaving together the North/South rivalry of the US, climate change, the changing nature of energy generation, and US wars in the middle east to write an all-too-plausible novel about the US, seventy years from now.
Alternating between narrative chapters following his protagonist, and “historical documents” about the time period, he masterfully tells the story of how a terrorist is made. Because that’s what Sarat, his protagonist, is. Let’s make no bones about that. She is a terrorist. But she is a terrorist whose reasoning makes sense to us. Perhaps because the territories and the peoples are familiar to us, perhaps because we see how she grew up and what drove her to it – but the end result is a terrorist act on an unheard-of scale.
I’d like to think this book would make people look at refugees and terrorists in a new light – with more understanding and compassion and maybe with ideas to help actually combat the attitudes and circumstances that lead to terrorist acts. But I doubt it. I doubt this will change any minds that don’t already understand the underlying reasons.
My only quibble with this book is while he manages to weave together so many other issues facing our country right now, he doesn’t really wrap in racism. And I have a hard time believing our country is past racism 70 years from now.
I was very pleasantly surprised to find the protagonist is a bisexual, gender non-conforming woman of color. How awesome is that? And her bisexuality isn’t mentioned, it’s shown, her one on-screen sex scene (and it’s only barely on-screen) being with a woman. (She’s also attracted to a man in the book.)
The author was born in Egypt, grew up in Qatar, and lived in Canada, earning at least one award for his investigative reporting while working at The Globe and Mail. He’s one of the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s 17 writers to watch this year, and I see why. American War is definitely one of my favorite books of 2017.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
And it’s FANTASTIC.
El Akkad did an absolutely amazing job of weaving together the North/South rivalry of the US, climate change, the changing nature of energy generation, and US wars in the middle east to write an all-too-plausible novel about the US, seventy years from now.
Alternating between narrative chapters following his protagonist, and “historical documents” about the time period, he masterfully tells the story of how a terrorist is made. Because that’s what Sarat, his protagonist, is. Let’s make no bones about that. She is a terrorist. But she is a terrorist whose reasoning makes sense to us. Perhaps because the territories and the peoples are familiar to us, perhaps because we see how she grew up and what drove her to it – but the end result is a terrorist act on an unheard-of scale.
I’d like to think this book would make people look at refugees and terrorists in a new light – with more understanding and compassion and maybe with ideas to help actually combat the attitudes and circumstances that lead to terrorist acts. But I doubt it. I doubt this will change any minds that don’t already understand the underlying reasons.
My only quibble with this book is while he manages to weave together so many other issues facing our country right now, he doesn’t really wrap in racism. And I have a hard time believing our country is past racism 70 years from now.
I was very pleasantly surprised to find the protagonist is a bisexual, gender non-conforming woman of color. How awesome is that? And her bisexuality isn’t mentioned, it’s shown, her one on-screen sex scene (and it’s only barely on-screen) being with a woman. (She’s also attracted to a man in the book.)
The author was born in Egypt, grew up in Qatar, and lived in Canada, earning at least one award for his investigative reporting while working at The Globe and Mail. He’s one of the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s 17 writers to watch this year, and I see why. American War is definitely one of my favorite books of 2017.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Chelsea (449 KP) rated The Bachman Books in Books
Sep 6, 2017
Intro, Why I was Bachman:
WARNING read this LAST! It has spoilers in it, but definitely read it after the books. Very interesting. Why would such a famous author decide to write as someone else and keep it a secret?
Rage:
The infamous story that has been pulled from shelves due to its supposed influence in the Columbine shootings... well, this was a pretty good story. Yes, there's shooting, but it's more about the lives of teenagers. This definitely did not make me want to go shoot up a school.
The Long Walk:
Can you walk at 4mph? Nonstop? For days on end? With no sleep because you are not allowed to go below 4mph? The Long Walk is about a yearly contest where 100 teenage boys VOLUNTEER to walk until there is only one left. Nonstop. If your speed drops below 4mph, you get a warning. If you can keep up the pace for 1 hour then the warning disappears. If you do not speed up after 30 secs, you get another warning. If you collect 3 warnings and slow again you are shot dead. If you are the last walker, you win whatever your heart desires. You are fed and allowed to carry what you think you will need, but you cannot stop. No one is allowed to interfere with a walker's progress, not even spectators. Of course the whole country is watching you, many from along the side of the road just waiting a chance to grab some discarded souvenir. If you have to poop? Yup that could be a souvenir too. Make it quick though so you don't rack up warnings! The guards have no mercy and will shoot you with zero emotion on their face.
This book is brutal. You ARE in the boy's shoes. Why is he there? How do they get SO MANY volunteers EVERY YEAR? So many that they turn away most? This isn't like the hunger games. The boys are not out to kill each other. The situation is just completely bizarre.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the very end. The end wasn't an "ending" it just kind of lingers.. This wasn't enough of a problem for me to drop the rating though.
Roadwork:
I couldn't get into this one. It is about a man who is upset about needing to leave his home because of a new roadway.
The Running Man:
A slightly creepy and action-packed dystopian future story. A man signs up for a game show whose premise is all too real! Basically, he has to run for his life. Great story.
WARNING read this LAST! It has spoilers in it, but definitely read it after the books. Very interesting. Why would such a famous author decide to write as someone else and keep it a secret?
Rage:
The infamous story that has been pulled from shelves due to its supposed influence in the Columbine shootings... well, this was a pretty good story. Yes, there's shooting, but it's more about the lives of teenagers. This definitely did not make me want to go shoot up a school.
The Long Walk:
Can you walk at 4mph? Nonstop? For days on end? With no sleep because you are not allowed to go below 4mph? The Long Walk is about a yearly contest where 100 teenage boys VOLUNTEER to walk until there is only one left. Nonstop. If your speed drops below 4mph, you get a warning. If you can keep up the pace for 1 hour then the warning disappears. If you do not speed up after 30 secs, you get another warning. If you collect 3 warnings and slow again you are shot dead. If you are the last walker, you win whatever your heart desires. You are fed and allowed to carry what you think you will need, but you cannot stop. No one is allowed to interfere with a walker's progress, not even spectators. Of course the whole country is watching you, many from along the side of the road just waiting a chance to grab some discarded souvenir. If you have to poop? Yup that could be a souvenir too. Make it quick though so you don't rack up warnings! The guards have no mercy and will shoot you with zero emotion on their face.
This book is brutal. You ARE in the boy's shoes. Why is he there? How do they get SO MANY volunteers EVERY YEAR? So many that they turn away most? This isn't like the hunger games. The boys are not out to kill each other. The situation is just completely bizarre.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the very end. The end wasn't an "ending" it just kind of lingers.. This wasn't enough of a problem for me to drop the rating though.
Roadwork:
I couldn't get into this one. It is about a man who is upset about needing to leave his home because of a new roadway.
The Running Man:
A slightly creepy and action-packed dystopian future story. A man signs up for a game show whose premise is all too real! Basically, he has to run for his life. Great story.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Nirvana (Nirvana #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Imagine a world without any bees. That is the world that J. R. Stewart conjures up in this new dystopian series, <i>Nirvana</i>. Twenty years from now, the bees have become extinct. There are no more trees, flowers, fruits or vegetables; and more animals have become extinct as a result. Young adult, Larissa, is living in a world that seems unimaginable, but not only is she dealing with this new way of life, she is also grieving the loss of her husband, Andrew.
Andrew was a scientist, an occupation that earned himself and Larissa a place in the Barracks where he could continue with his important research. They both believed they were lucky to receive this opportunity, but then Andrew went out on a mission and never came back. No matter how hard people try to convince her, Larissa cannot accept that her husband is dead, especially as she has seen him in <i>Nirvana</i> – a virtual reality world. As she struggles to piece together what is real and what is not, secrets are being uncovered that blur the lines between reality and the cybernetic domain.
<i>Nirvana </i>is an interesting concept. Firstly, the issue with the extinction of the bees is a very real concern for scientists at the moment. If bees were to die out there would be no pollination of the vital plants that humans use daily. Humanity would be faced with a future not unlike Larissa’s. Secondly, with the advance in computer technology, virtual reality has become a popular phenomenon in contemporary society, and with more expansion it is likely that something similar to Nirvana will be produced.
As a story, however, nothing exciting really happened. There was no major build up to the ending. Characters were suspected of hiding the truth from the very beginning and therefore it was no surprise when certain facts came to light later in the novel. <i>Nirvana</i> is also a very short first installment of the series, which does not give the story much chance to develop at an adequate pace, thus it is difficult to get our heads around the virtual reality concept that Stewart writes about.
Despite these misgivings there is the chance that the following novels in this series will become more thrilling as the truth begins to unravel about Andrew’s disappearance or death.
Imagine a world without any bees. That is the world that J. R. Stewart conjures up in this new dystopian series, <i>Nirvana</i>. Twenty years from now, the bees have become extinct. There are no more trees, flowers, fruits or vegetables; and more animals have become extinct as a result. Young adult, Larissa, is living in a world that seems unimaginable, but not only is she dealing with this new way of life, she is also grieving the loss of her husband, Andrew.
Andrew was a scientist, an occupation that earned himself and Larissa a place in the Barracks where he could continue with his important research. They both believed they were lucky to receive this opportunity, but then Andrew went out on a mission and never came back. No matter how hard people try to convince her, Larissa cannot accept that her husband is dead, especially as she has seen him in <i>Nirvana</i> – a virtual reality world. As she struggles to piece together what is real and what is not, secrets are being uncovered that blur the lines between reality and the cybernetic domain.
<i>Nirvana </i>is an interesting concept. Firstly, the issue with the extinction of the bees is a very real concern for scientists at the moment. If bees were to die out there would be no pollination of the vital plants that humans use daily. Humanity would be faced with a future not unlike Larissa’s. Secondly, with the advance in computer technology, virtual reality has become a popular phenomenon in contemporary society, and with more expansion it is likely that something similar to Nirvana will be produced.
As a story, however, nothing exciting really happened. There was no major build up to the ending. Characters were suspected of hiding the truth from the very beginning and therefore it was no surprise when certain facts came to light later in the novel. <i>Nirvana</i> is also a very short first installment of the series, which does not give the story much chance to develop at an adequate pace, thus it is difficult to get our heads around the virtual reality concept that Stewart writes about.
Despite these misgivings there is the chance that the following novels in this series will become more thrilling as the truth begins to unravel about Andrew’s disappearance or death.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Resistance in Books
Sep 20, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
A dystopian sci-fi tale in which people ("elementals") are split into 4 classes (air - artistic types, water - scientific types, fire - law-enforcing types, and earth - working class grunts) with a strict set of rules and beliefs to be followed. Any attempt to betray these rules would result in swift punishment by the peacekeepers.
Anaiya, one such peacekeeper, is tasked with finding and infiltrating a group of rebels who have started painting the word "resistance" on walls. In order to infiltrate them, she has to undergo a new untested treatment that tries to change her class from fire to air. Thereafter the tale is a pretty standard one of intrigue, plotting and red herrings.
For me the ideas behind the world were interesting, but not very well explained or explored early on. I realise with a book like this any attempt to do so would jar with the atmosphere it is trying to get at, but there are ways to deliver the information needed.
The storyline was pretty much paper-thin and sacrificed in order to have some lengthy, overly descriptive poetic narrative (for example at least 6 pages of the book is devoted to blow by blow accounts of pool matches). The supposed revelation at the end was such an obvious anti-climax as to be ridiculous. I took it to be a symbol of how Anaiya's treatment warped her judgement of who the main suspect is, but it was delivered as a big revelation.
The use of technology in sci-fi always annoys me - new tech that is not described and overly used, with a ridiculous name (a wristplate that can immediately tell you what substances are in your blood as well as heart rate etc, and also be used to download music, play music, communicate, pay for things etc etc).
Similarly, the plot to reveal the head of the resistance hinged on the use of some new technology invented by a member of the resistance itself. This was so flimsy as to be laughable. Also, the fact that a heavy-handed police force like the peacekeepers would look for such tenuous proof of the leadership of the resistance before acting is just plain wrong. The first few chapters, and some of the conversations Anaiya has after her change, serve to show how heavy-handed they are, and any hint of someone's involvement in such treasonous activity would result in swift action.
Overall, the book is atmospheric and interesting but quite badly executed.
And the word "trajectory" is massively overused and at times wrongly used.
Anaiya, one such peacekeeper, is tasked with finding and infiltrating a group of rebels who have started painting the word "resistance" on walls. In order to infiltrate them, she has to undergo a new untested treatment that tries to change her class from fire to air. Thereafter the tale is a pretty standard one of intrigue, plotting and red herrings.
For me the ideas behind the world were interesting, but not very well explained or explored early on. I realise with a book like this any attempt to do so would jar with the atmosphere it is trying to get at, but there are ways to deliver the information needed.
The storyline was pretty much paper-thin and sacrificed in order to have some lengthy, overly descriptive poetic narrative (for example at least 6 pages of the book is devoted to blow by blow accounts of pool matches). The supposed revelation at the end was such an obvious anti-climax as to be ridiculous. I took it to be a symbol of how Anaiya's treatment warped her judgement of who the main suspect is, but it was delivered as a big revelation.
The use of technology in sci-fi always annoys me - new tech that is not described and overly used, with a ridiculous name (a wristplate that can immediately tell you what substances are in your blood as well as heart rate etc, and also be used to download music, play music, communicate, pay for things etc etc).
Similarly, the plot to reveal the head of the resistance hinged on the use of some new technology invented by a member of the resistance itself. This was so flimsy as to be laughable. Also, the fact that a heavy-handed police force like the peacekeepers would look for such tenuous proof of the leadership of the resistance before acting is just plain wrong. The first few chapters, and some of the conversations Anaiya has after her change, serve to show how heavy-handed they are, and any hint of someone's involvement in such treasonous activity would result in swift action.
Overall, the book is atmospheric and interesting but quite badly executed.
And the word "trajectory" is massively overused and at times wrongly used.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Extraordinary Means in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Extraordinary Means</i> is a coming of age novel by Robyn Schneider that promises to live up to the expectations of John Green and Stephen Chbosky fans. Set in the near future, Lane Rosen has spent his seventeen years studying and making sure he is always achieving his best at school. With high hopes of getting into Stanford, he is distraught when he is sent to Latham House, a sanatorium in the Santa Cruz Mountains, after contracting tuberculosis.
Although in today’s society tuberculosis is curable, Schneider has invented a total drug resistant TB, which is highly contagious, therefore needs to be contained. Lane finds himself in the middle of nowhere surrounded by other teenagers with the incurable disease. Here he meets Sadie Bennett with whom, after a shaky start, he develops a close relationship.
Ironically, whilst suffering with an illness that could kill him, Lane learns there is a lot more to life than school. With his new friends: Sadie, Nick, Marina and Charlie; Lane begins to become more adventurous and starts to relax and have fun whilst they wait for scientists to come up with a cure. The only trouble with this waiting game is that the odds of some of them not living long enough to see this cure is fairly high.
Narrated by both Lane and Sadie, <i>Extraordinary Means</i> is a love story with a heart-breaking ending. The readers really feel for the teens as they are separated from their family, and forgotten about by their friends. Unlike other potentially terminal illness, they cannot have support from their loved ones because of the risk of spreading the disease.
There is an underlying sadness to the novel, as the reader knows that no matter how much fun the characters have and no matter what their hopes and dreams, chances are something dreadful could happen. With this in mind, the story becomes much more powerful and moving as Sadie, Lane and friends determine to keep on going and enjoy their lives on a day-to-day basis.
Schneider is an excellent writer who has created a contemporary romance with a unique setting. The imagination involved with the tuberculosis could almost describe the novel as dystopian minus the science fiction genre. <i>Extraordinary Means</i> is the perfect novel for young adult fans, but warning: it could break your heart!
Extraordinary Means</i> is a coming of age novel by Robyn Schneider that promises to live up to the expectations of John Green and Stephen Chbosky fans. Set in the near future, Lane Rosen has spent his seventeen years studying and making sure he is always achieving his best at school. With high hopes of getting into Stanford, he is distraught when he is sent to Latham House, a sanatorium in the Santa Cruz Mountains, after contracting tuberculosis.
Although in today’s society tuberculosis is curable, Schneider has invented a total drug resistant TB, which is highly contagious, therefore needs to be contained. Lane finds himself in the middle of nowhere surrounded by other teenagers with the incurable disease. Here he meets Sadie Bennett with whom, after a shaky start, he develops a close relationship.
Ironically, whilst suffering with an illness that could kill him, Lane learns there is a lot more to life than school. With his new friends: Sadie, Nick, Marina and Charlie; Lane begins to become more adventurous and starts to relax and have fun whilst they wait for scientists to come up with a cure. The only trouble with this waiting game is that the odds of some of them not living long enough to see this cure is fairly high.
Narrated by both Lane and Sadie, <i>Extraordinary Means</i> is a love story with a heart-breaking ending. The readers really feel for the teens as they are separated from their family, and forgotten about by their friends. Unlike other potentially terminal illness, they cannot have support from their loved ones because of the risk of spreading the disease.
There is an underlying sadness to the novel, as the reader knows that no matter how much fun the characters have and no matter what their hopes and dreams, chances are something dreadful could happen. With this in mind, the story becomes much more powerful and moving as Sadie, Lane and friends determine to keep on going and enjoy their lives on a day-to-day basis.
Schneider is an excellent writer who has created a contemporary romance with a unique setting. The imagination involved with the tuberculosis could almost describe the novel as dystopian minus the science fiction genre. <i>Extraordinary Means</i> is the perfect novel for young adult fans, but warning: it could break your heart!
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated The Purge: Election Year (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Sen Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) was the only member of her family to survive the Purge as a youth. Years later she runs on the platform of ending the Purge and exposing the various factors and rationale in its implementation and continuance. She and many others see the Purge as nothing more than a way for the powers that be and the wealthy to stay in power at the expense of the poor and people of color. As the Purge approaches, the American people are being torn as to the direction that their nation should take. The New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) see the threat that Sen. Roan poses and seek out to use the annual purge as a way to rid themselves of her and those that seek to change the system that they have put into place.
Purge: Election Year is not about mindless killing as those who are unfamiliar with the series would assume. The films are a mirror being held back on American Society to make us think about what we would do in similar situations if faced with them. The horror of the film is not in the shocking scenes, violence, or gore. What we can find to be truly scary is that many people only need to be given the option of financial gain or the removal of any repercussions in order to engage in such nefarious activity. The Purge: Election Year allows us to live vicariously through the trauma presented on-screen and the ability to leave at any time that we feel too uncomfortable with what is being presented. The films, especially this third iteration demonstrates to its audience what class warfare looks like and what happens when the populace is truly deceived by its media and politicians. It is a true dystopian reality that some people might welcome for all the wrong reasons.
The action of the film is inventive. The plot is on par with what you would expect for an action-horror film. It is the touch of reality and characters that are not limited to two dimensions that truly allows the film to create a deeper connection with the audience so they find themselves rooting for the “good guys” to not just win, but to survive the night. Viewers and fans of action, horror, political drama, and suspense will all be satisfied with The Purge: Election Year. Fans new and old of this franchise will leave theaters hoping for this to become a lasting franchise that has fresh ideas and storylines each time.
Purge: Election Year is not about mindless killing as those who are unfamiliar with the series would assume. The films are a mirror being held back on American Society to make us think about what we would do in similar situations if faced with them. The horror of the film is not in the shocking scenes, violence, or gore. What we can find to be truly scary is that many people only need to be given the option of financial gain or the removal of any repercussions in order to engage in such nefarious activity. The Purge: Election Year allows us to live vicariously through the trauma presented on-screen and the ability to leave at any time that we feel too uncomfortable with what is being presented. The films, especially this third iteration demonstrates to its audience what class warfare looks like and what happens when the populace is truly deceived by its media and politicians. It is a true dystopian reality that some people might welcome for all the wrong reasons.
The action of the film is inventive. The plot is on par with what you would expect for an action-horror film. It is the touch of reality and characters that are not limited to two dimensions that truly allows the film to create a deeper connection with the audience so they find themselves rooting for the “good guys” to not just win, but to survive the night. Viewers and fans of action, horror, political drama, and suspense will all be satisfied with The Purge: Election Year. Fans new and old of this franchise will leave theaters hoping for this to become a lasting franchise that has fresh ideas and storylines each time.
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated X-Force/Cable: Messiah War in Books
Nov 30, 2020
Still continuing on my journey, to consume all of the X-FORCE (Vol. 3) stories. Next up: X-FORCE/CABLE: MESSIAH WAR.
Scanning the existing reviews, the general opinion seems to be that this is the way to do a crossover. And having finished it today, I am drawn to the same conclusion as well. From the writing to the art to the overall story progression, everything about this story is a win!
This was my second time reading this story, the first time was when the issues first came in 2008. I liked it first time round, but I felt it made a lot more sense during the second read.
Only thing that still doesn't make sense is Hope and the pseudo-prophetic vision Bishop has in regard to her. All the build-up as far as her character leads one to expect bigger things ahead, but nothing like ever occurs in the post-MESSIAH WAR Hope's life. It doesn't detract from the story, nor do I consider it a true Spoiler, just something I wanted to share. As always I welcome comments, good and bad.
The art was definitely better than the last arc of X-FORCE (Vol. 2: OLD GHOSTS). I found the art styles of both Clayton Crain and Ariel Olivetti, as well as Jamie McKelvie and Mike Choi, suited to the story's dystopian setting. I was especially pleased to see Laura Kinney (X-23) drawn like a 17-year-old girl rather than a 17-year-old with breast implants (I'm looking at you, Mike Choi! #disappointment)!
Despite running through two different titles, CABLE and X-FORCE, the writers - Duane Swierczynski (who is one of my favorite of the modern noir writers) and Christopher Yost/Craig Kyle (I've already spoken highly of their talent in the other X-FORCE reviews I've submitted) - managed to weave together a tapestry both epic as well as grand in its overall finish! Easiest way to sum it up? It was like experiencing a top notch action and suspense-driven science fiction movie!
One of the best things about this crossover is it allows for the character of Cable to show a different side. He genuinely cares about Hope, not just because of her being the "mutant messiah". No, I took it is as a sort of paternal instinct, regarding as a surrogate daughter. I quite liked it. Solid character development!
I like to close my reviews thus: I liked it, but that doesn't mean you will. Give it a shot, and maybe you, too, can offer forth a review (good, bad, or otherwise). Cheers..
Scanning the existing reviews, the general opinion seems to be that this is the way to do a crossover. And having finished it today, I am drawn to the same conclusion as well. From the writing to the art to the overall story progression, everything about this story is a win!
This was my second time reading this story, the first time was when the issues first came in 2008. I liked it first time round, but I felt it made a lot more sense during the second read.
Only thing that still doesn't make sense is Hope and the pseudo-prophetic vision Bishop has in regard to her. All the build-up as far as her character leads one to expect bigger things ahead, but nothing like ever occurs in the post-MESSIAH WAR Hope's life. It doesn't detract from the story, nor do I consider it a true Spoiler, just something I wanted to share. As always I welcome comments, good and bad.
The art was definitely better than the last arc of X-FORCE (Vol. 2: OLD GHOSTS). I found the art styles of both Clayton Crain and Ariel Olivetti, as well as Jamie McKelvie and Mike Choi, suited to the story's dystopian setting. I was especially pleased to see Laura Kinney (X-23) drawn like a 17-year-old girl rather than a 17-year-old with breast implants (I'm looking at you, Mike Choi! #disappointment)!
Despite running through two different titles, CABLE and X-FORCE, the writers - Duane Swierczynski (who is one of my favorite of the modern noir writers) and Christopher Yost/Craig Kyle (I've already spoken highly of their talent in the other X-FORCE reviews I've submitted) - managed to weave together a tapestry both epic as well as grand in its overall finish! Easiest way to sum it up? It was like experiencing a top notch action and suspense-driven science fiction movie!
One of the best things about this crossover is it allows for the character of Cable to show a different side. He genuinely cares about Hope, not just because of her being the "mutant messiah". No, I took it is as a sort of paternal instinct, regarding as a surrogate daughter. I quite liked it. Solid character development!
I like to close my reviews thus: I liked it, but that doesn't mean you will. Give it a shot, and maybe you, too, can offer forth a review (good, bad, or otherwise). Cheers..