Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, dystopia
Hardcover: 596 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: January 16, 2018

Series:  Red Rising, #4

Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

They call him father, liberator, warlord, Slave King, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls toward the war-torn planet, his armor red, his army vast, his heart heavy. It is the tenth year of war and the thirty-third of his life.

A decade ago Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. But the Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk all he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself?
               
And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever:
               
A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp, and achieves for herself a new life she could never have imagined.
               
An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life.
               
And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the Sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

Ever since I found out there was going to be more of Darrow's story, it's been harder than anticipating Christmas! We needed answers to see what happened to the broken-in-pieces Republic. Don't go thinking this is the "same story" as we've heard before. It's quite an adjustment from the last series since there are four narrators.

I found it hardest to get used to the switching viewpoints, though I do understand why it had to happen this way to understand the chronology of plot events. Just when you were really, REALLY interested in seeing what was going to happen next, the narrator changed and as a reader who basically reads for "what happened next", I was super frustrated. Doesn't mean I didn't like or appreciate the different viewpoints. In fact, I really enjoyed getting to know Lyria and Lysander. The one I was most frustrated with was Ephraim, but I also saw what he brought to the story. And I especially relished seeing him spar with Pax and Electra. I'll come back to that in a minute.

Let's talk about Darrow for a second. Darrow isn't our noble, "always think he's right/justified in his actions" hero that we've come to love. Here, he's garnered quite a bit of mistrust among the new Republic. Is he capable of stopping the bloodshed? Is he capable of acting like a man versus an animal? Is his way of thinking right, as we've been conditioned to assume throughout the first three novels, or is he paranoid? I don't think any of these get answered, but it'll be interesting to see how he redeems himself. (Or goodness, I hope he proves his credibility again...) There's also the question of his motivations regarding his family. Virginia is still Sovereign and Darrow's recent actions have called her leadership into question, jeopardizing everything they've worked for and potentially causing a civil war. Darrow also doesn't have a good relationship with his son, Pax, now a tween, making the same choices his own father did when Darrow was young. Additionally, he has made his niece Rhonna as one of his lancers to protect her from getting killed at the request of his brother, and though Rhonna has more than proven her capabilities, he's still holding her back from real responsibilities.

When we talk about Darrow, we also have to talk about some of our other beloved characters. Sevro and Victra are doing splendidly having had four daughters already, the eldest being Electra. Victra is very pregnant, and has some super memorable moments in this novel -- for good or ill. One impressive thing is how Victra crushes herself into battle armor while eight months pregnant and flies a ship AND has a dogfight in said ship. This is like Wonder Woman x4. I actually missed seeing more of Victra in this novel, but I expect that is definitely going to change in the next one due to some key plot developments. Back to Sevro, who is so much more emotional now that he's had four daughters. He really wears his love for his family on his sleeve just like his love for Darrow. It's sweet and endearing, but also entirely expected with his Howler/pack mentality. In fact, this love for his family comes into direct conflict with his love for Darrow and you'll see which side he chooses when all is said and done. I missed more of Sevro here too. His personality didn't have many chances to shine.

I also think Brown was trying to rectify some comments others had made about the first three books and include more world building, but I found it parts of it confusing, especially descriptions of the Syndicate. I actually didn't like very many settings in this novel except when Lysander and Cassius are on their spaceship. Maybe because they are so very different, or it was just hard to notice the setting since both characters and setting changed so rapidly. My final opinion? I don't love this as much as the first three but we'll definitely see where it leads. It had to change sometime, and actually, the very different plot structure reminds me of Gabaldon with her different arcs for each novel.

Saved the best for last! My absolute FAVORITE quote in this book was when we're allowed to finally see Virginia breathe a bit and grow some claws: "If you attempt to escape, or if you defect to the Syndicate, know this as a certain fact: your friend will die.  And be it on Mars, Luna, Earth, the Rim, or Venus itself, one night you will wake in the middle of the dark and find a shadow standing over you. If you are lucky, it will be me. If you are unlucky, it will be Sevro or my husband, and you will die shitting yourself in a foreign bed." YAASS QUEEN!

What did you all think?

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Del Rey, Dystopian, Iron Gold, Pierce Brown, Red Rising, Science Fiction  Leave your mark

The Reclamation by Thorn Osgood

The world as Corilan knows it is dying and taking humankind with it.  This is the ultimate ending to the series of disappointments that is her life along with trouble at work that required her to move her home and her problems with her family.  She gains only small comfort from the one place she could always expect it, the voice that only she can hear, the one calls Innerme.  What can old family ties and voices from the past do help Corilan?  Can they help others?

This is the beginning Reclamation by Thorn Osgood.  It is the first book in the dystopian series The Ancestral Guidance Saga.  This is a story with a wealth of science fiction, paranormal occurrences and some social and societal commentary for good measure. It is all presented in a style that tries for something between high fantasy and science fiction.

The problem with the story is not in the story itself.  The premise is really a unique take on some familiar elements.  I do not want to get in to the premise too much too avoid spoilers but, I do like the more orginal direction this story starts to take the reader.  The problem comes in the way the story is presented.

This book gives some of the best and worst examples of the show don't tell concept.  The problems arises with lackluster descriptions whether from the characters or the narrator.  This yet another example of the need for texture in scenery. Giving monochrome visuals can help sell the idea of a world bereft of vibrant colors but, intensifying the others senses is a good way to bring the reader into the story.  The narrative is further let down by dialog that looks like it was written by a middle school kid trying get good marks for proper grammar.  It's just not the way people really talk and takes the reader out of the story further with each conversation.

The Reclamation by Thorn Osgood is a book with lofty goals and a unique perspective.  It is unfortunately in need of text that seems like something more that just, well, text.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Dystopian, Mind Wings Audio Publisher, Netgalley, Review, Science Fiction, The School of Ancestral Guidance Saga, Thorn Osgood  Leave your mark

Aberrant by Ruth Silver

I have mixed feelings about this book. I usually like all dystopian books I read, but lately I've been disappointed. Aberrant is similar to The Hunger Games, A Brave New World and Divergent, but at least it's different enough to make it original. Early in the book, we learn that the main character Olivia is different from everyone else, being the first and only baby to be conceived naturally in generations. In a world where fertility is non-existent, all babies are created in labs, and the government controls who and when you can get pregnant.

Usually, I really enjoy fast paced books but in this case, I think it was the book's downfall. It lacked detail and description, which made everything feel rushed. As a reader, you're left in a haze of confusion, wondering what is real and what is a lie. With every new place Olivia and Joshua visit, you would think we could learn more about this dystopian world, but on the contrary, we're left with more questions. Everywhere they go, there seems to be someone in charge but ultimately, we still have no clue who runs the "government" and what their endgame is.

Except for the possibility of fertility, Olivia isn't very special. She isn't especially strong or intelligent, and she doesn't inspire much confidence. She is loyal to Joshua, and their friendship could possibly lead to something more, however both are slow to make a move. As for Joshua, there's nothing memorable about his character. Even his loyalty to Olivia is questioned at some point when he pushes her away to spend time with strangers. Also, when he learns that his mother has lived a double life for most of his life, he doesn't really react to the news. He acknowledges it without question or emotion.

What I enjoyed the most about the book is the premise of infertility caused by medical science. I'm definitely pro-vaccination and I alway will be, but I'm also a strong believer in the scientific method. To use an untested vaccine globally is bound to cause some problems and while I have no clue whether infertility is a probable repercussion for vaccines, it's still a very interesting premise. While we did get this small bit of information, the story lacks so much more information about the history of society, the structure of the isolated cities and the government.

The ending was also very confusing. The author threw in some paranormal elements near the end but it wasn't great timing. Overall, I do think the idea behind the book is great but the book itself lacked detail and good editing, which doesn't inspire much confidence in the rest of the series.

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Posted by Tynga at 03:56

 Aberrant, BEA, bea16, Dystopian, Lazy Day Publishing, Review, Ruth Silver, young adult  Leave your mark

Dissolution by Lee S. Hawke

DISSOLUTION was an interesting dystopian novella that had great authentic ideas but lacked in detail and execution. I really liked the idea of corporations owning its employees and seeing them as assets to be traded and sold. However, the world building felt incomplete and the characters underdeveloped.

Madeline has waited her whole life for her Auctioning. After 18 years of waiting, after countless hours of training, she's ready for the next step in her life. In her city of Unilox, five corporations exist: ANRON, MERCE, HARLIN, PERCO, and DRAYTH. As an asset of ANRON, the pharmaceutical company, she hopes to be sold to MERCE where she'll be free to "build and fix things." One of the major problems with the novella is that we don't really know what these corporations do. The author doesn't really go into much detail about the individual companies but has a strong disliking for some. I don't know if the lack of information was done purposely, but either way, it leaves the reader confused.

The story spans only a couple of days and it's interesting to see Madeline go from an elite asset, to a hunted fugitive and then on to a merciless negotiator. I love Madeline's strength and devotion to her parents and boyfriend, but her motivations seem to lack foundation. Her relationship with her parents seems cold and the details about her relationship with her boyfriend Jake is sketchy. The fact that she has to pay to spend time with him is just bizarre, which kind of makes him seem like a escort. As an asset of ANRON, she learns, on what should have been her auctioning day, that she will never be able to be sold and will always remain the property of ANRON. As an experiment of the medical company, she's worth too much to be auctioned, but we never really learn what makes her so special. She seems to have incredible healing abilities and stamina, but the author never goes into details about what makes her so incredible, why she was never told and the details of her origin.

I love the way the author shows us how corporations are considered legal entities yet are uncaring and cold. I guess when you're looking for the ultimate antagonist, corporations are probably one of the best and strongest candidates. They have many of the rights humans have yet are very hard to hurt or kill. When it comes to facing off against ANRON, it's difficult to see how Madeline will succeed.

When it comes to description, it was hard to follow the details of the action. I think the author was trying to be too visual, and failed to give us the necessary information to follow the story. However, some of the descriptions were on par, for example, the use of implants to stay connected to society and the scene which I will simply call the river scene because I want to avoid spoilers.

Overall, the author had great ideas but as a whole, the story lacked information and detail. The characters were underdeveloped, the action was hard to follow, and the world needed more building. Personally, I believed this story would have more potential as a detailed novel, instead of a novella.

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Posted by Tynga at 03:43

 Blind Mirror Publishing, Dystopian, Lee S. Hawke, Review, Science, Xpresso Book Tours  1 Person left their mark

The Crown by Kiera Cass

The Crown is the last book of this series, and while it isn't the greatest ending, I think it gives us better closure than the third book (the series was originally meant to be a trilogy). I've never really been a big fan of this series. I've always felt like the writing was immature and the character were never the greatest, but I've always been curious about the story. Almost like you can't help but slow down and look at the car crash.

Eadlyn Schreave is the heir to the throne of Illéa, the country that was once USA, Canada and Mexico (yes, I know, unrealistic and will never happen). She was born to rule, and although she knew she would eventually have to choose a suitor to help her do so, she never thought she would be force to choose someone so quickly. The selection was meant to help her find a husband, but for Eadlyn, it just seems to have made things more complicated. She's forced to go on awkward dates, to keep her country apprised on the progress of the selection, all while running the country as her father, the King, temporarily steps down to take care of her sick mother. She was able to it cut down to the top six quite easily, but she still hesitates to give her heart out to anyone. Raised to one day be ruler, she has always kept her feelings to herself, which is making it difficult to find someone to love.

Personally, I'm disappointed in final book of this series. Eadlyn fell short as a main character in the previous book and I thought she would redeem herself in this one. Her suitors also felt flat. There wasn't any real connection between them. She does end up falling in love with the most unlikely boy, but it doesn't feel real. I feel like it happened too quickly, like there isn't anything holding them together except a few awkward moments and a few stolen kisses. I actually thought there was a better connection with another boy but she dismissed him completely, actually banning him from the palace.

My favorite scene is near the end, the one between Eadlyn and her father, King Maxon. I think it's the most touching and insightful scene of the book. For once, Eadlyn shows some real emotion and finally gathers her courage to make a decision for her happiness, not just because it's the right choice for her country. I admire her for following her heart for once. I also admire the major decision she makes for the future of her country. It might be an unconventional choice in a time of turmoil, but ultimately, I think she did the right choice.

This series has been fun for the most part, but it's definitely not my favorite. More conflict, more struggles and better a execution would have been necessary in order to make it great. After five books, the writing and the characters still feel immature and unpolished. I love Eadlyn's final speech, and I think it's a good ending to a mediocre series, but ultimately, I regret having invested so much time in this series.

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Posted by Tynga at 03:04

 Dystopian, Futuristic, Harper Collins, Harper Teen, HarperTeen, Kiera Cass, Purchased, Review, royal, The Selection  Leave your mark

Golden Son by Pierce Brown

This book is absolutely amazing. The world, the characters, the story, the writing... Everything about it is noteworthy. I thought the first book in the series was great, but somehow Golden Son was able to surpass it. In this sequel, the series heads for space and continues Darrow's mission to ultimately crumble the current society's hierarchy.

Now that the Institute is over, Darrow and his friends are thrown into real life situations and conflicts. The Institute may have been viewed as a "game" to some, but the characters soon realized that the Institute wasn't a game and enforced no rules. If the Institute taught them one thing is that life has no rules and only the resilient survive. Darrow may be fresh out of the Institute, but he's as intelligent and analytical as his superiors. He never imagined working under his arch nemesis's banner, but he figures it's probably the best way to play out his mission.

I'm not a big fan of violence in real life but I've gotten used to Pierce Brown's writing. It's brutally honest, and he while I'm sure he thinks twice about killing off important characters, no one's really safe. Death seems to follow Darrow, but his mission demands sacrifices, even if that means putting his friends and allies at risk. Darrow is a born leader. There's a quality in him that inspires people and makes them want to follow him, even if it's foolish. Eo saw this in him, even before everything started. She saw the potential he had, that he was born to be more than a Red miner, although I doubt she had this in mind for his future. In the end, she knew she had to sacrifice herself in order to motivate him, to inspire revenge and vengeance. Darrow's feelings for his murdered wife never seems to fade, and I find it very touching how much he still cares for her, despite the fact that she came from a very different world.

I love a good space novel for all the science and navigation details, but this series doesn't really need all the minor details of space travel and battles. The story is more about the characters and their own development. Darrow's inner dialogue is the root of the story and makes us understand his reason for persevering and suffering through the pain. I also really appreciate his continuously evolving relationship with Mustang. He definitely hesitates when it comes to Mustang, probably because he feels like he's cheating Eo's memory by getting close to someone else. Mustang has proven herself to him time and time again, and despite her family's reputation, would probably understand Darrow's situation. I kind of want the two of them to end up together, but then again, as a loner, Darrow could probably accomplish so much more.

Sevro is probably my favorite character. Darrow's most trusted advisor and ally, I consider them friends. Although, Sevro would probably hate the term friends. He leads the Howlers who are the unlikeliest but most cunning graduates of the Institute. It's Sevro's loyalty that I admire the most, and despite learning some of Darrow's most damaging secrets,  he still follows him. With Sevro, Darrow's goal to overturn society might just be possible. Darrow hopes to eliminate the coloured classes and free the bottom colours from slavery. I find it ironic how this coloured hierarchal society shuns demokracy despite being inspired by greek mythology and philosophy. As most of us know, ancient Greece is the birthplace of democracy which makes their system is so hypocritical and wrong.

Pierce Brown is a pure genius with words and storytelling. I'm sure the last book of the trilogy will be as thrilling and brutal as the first two. In a way, I'm glad it took me this long to discover this amazing series because this way, I've been able to read them back to back and avoid suffering the cliffhangers. If you want my opinion, this is the one series you have to read and finish this year. It's brilliant, brutally honest, and doesn't shy away from the truth.

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Posted by Tynga at 04:01

 Del Rey, Dystopian, Epic, Pierce Brown, Purchased, Random House, Red Rising, Review, sci-fi, Science Fiction, Space  1 Person left their mark

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Red Rising is brilliant. I have no clue why I didn't read this book sooner because it's right up my alley. It's a science fiction and a dystopian book at the same time, but it feels like so much more than that. It's also about how deceitful humanity can be, the lies and the control leaders can have over their people if they don't know any better. The book is also about rebellion and the struggle for power, and how a simple dream can become reality, if only one works hard enough and believes enough.

Darrow was raised in a mining society where he knew he would always end up mining for Helium-3, a substance necessary to terraform Mars. His whole life, he was told he was a pioneer, helping shape Mars into a habitable planet once the terraforming process was done. The conditions of this mining society are unacceptable, but for Darrow and his family, it's all they know. With very little food and even less hygiene and medical products, these mining societies are expected to live out their short lives as slaves. Most of them don't realize that they're slaves. They truly believe they're pioneers, simply living in harsh conditions because they can't have any better. Darrow's wife, Eo, may not have known the whole truth, but she knew how they were living wasn't right.

Strangely enough, I personally live in a mining town where miners actually make a very decent living. Upper-middle class, if not better. They do hard work underground and are rewarded accordingly, so it's a little bit hard for me to associate mining to the low class. Darrow and the rest of the mining society are classified as Red, the colour of Mars, the lowest colour of in the societal hierarchy. Your colour is imbedded in your genetic code and switching colour is unheard of. So when Darrow's wife is taken from him and he's given the mission of infiltrating the Golds, the highest colour there is, he realizes through sweat and pain that switching colours might actually be possible. And this is how Darrow's slow rebellion again society and the Golds begin. After transforming his body and his mind, Darrow  is integrated into Gold society by being accepted in their Institute, where only the best and the brightest of Golds are accepted.

Between the Reds and the Golds, there are multiple colours, like Whites (Law), Greys (soldiers), Pinks (pleasure), Yellows (medicine and science), and so many more. As soon as society is separated into classes such as these, at some point or another there's bound to be a rebellion or a revolution. We've seen it countless times in dystopian books, but for some reason, the way it's done in this book feels original and unique.

I really like the fact that language and lingo was an integral part of this book. Language evolves with any society and I especially liked the fact that different lingo is used by different colours. For Darrow, he has to learn to say prime instead of righto, and gorydamn instead of bloodydamn. Also, weapons and technology are important and are given different names. People's names are also different, such as Darrow's assumed identity, Darrow au Andromedus.

As I said before, this book is brilliant. The author was able to give us an amazing story along with hard lessons and cold truths about humanity. The struggle for power is obvious through the different the colours but the author also shows us the fight for power within individual colours. The story is full of emotions and themes, whether it's love, anger, friendship, duty, and so many more. And everything is so authentic, everything feels real. Red Rising has been compared to many books like The Hunger Games and Divergent but I think it surpasses them all. Honestly, it's the best book I've read in a long time.

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Posted by Tynga at 04:00

 Del Rey, Dystopian, mars, Pierce Brown, Purchased, Random House, Red Rising, Review, sci-fi, Science Fiction  Leave your mark

Calamity: The Reckoners Book 3 by Brandon Sanderson

This is the review for Calamity: The Reckoners Book 3 by Brandon Sanderson.  This is, obviously, the third book in this series and this review will likely contain spoilers.  If you have not yet read, though plant read, this series, read Steeheart and start the journey.  Otherwise, please continue to read!

At the end of Firefight, the second book in the series, we were left with a much damaged band of Reckoners.  The cell that was in charge of the city Babilar (formerly known as New York City) is nearly annihilated and the one-time patriarch, founder, leader of all the Reckoners, and father-figure to David, Prof , has let the darkness of Calamity take him over.  Also taken out was the Epic Regalia who was in control of Babilar.  Final count, Prof is gone, Megan is on the Reckoner's side and the Reckoners are on the run.

The series up to this point has been action packed and full of twists and turns.  This installment is no different.  We start off with the new leader of the remaining crew, David.  Yes, the kid who was barely allowed to join after pulling a dangerous stunt to get their notice, now runs the operation.  We get a good idea how that happened as time goes on.  David uses his leadership to keep the Reckoners and the story going.  Brandon Sanderson has always been a master at pacing and it really shows in this series and especially in this book.

One thing a reader can usually look forward to in a book sequel is character growth and that is exactly what we get this time.  Not only do we witness David's growth within the group but also with him as an individual.  David isn't the only one who grows.  We actually get some good looks into the lives and motivations of some of the others like Abraham, Cody and Megan.

Calamity: The Reckoners Book 3 is a very exciting and entertaining book that could be used to round out this series.  I think Mr. Sanderson hinted or outright said so but, I can see a way he could keep things going if he chose to.  This is marketed as a YA book and I would give it a PG13 due to it's violence.  There's no really objectionable language or mature content to worry about.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Action amp; Adventure, Brandon Sanderson, Dystopian, Purchased, Random House Children's Books, Review, superhuman, The Reckoners, young adult  Leave your mark

Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning

This series has been one of my favourites, however, I had a hard time getting through this book. I thought it dragged on at times, despite having really good scenes. In my opinion, the first five books of this series were the best ones, and lately, the books seem to be coasting.

I was overjoyed when I realized Mac would be the main narrator again, however, I've come to believe that maybe it's time to let other characters, like Jada, shine. Mac and Barrons are without a doubt a great pair but I feel like their story has come and gone. They're great together, don't get me wrong, but I just feel like there's nothing new happening there. I believe it's time for Jada and Ryodan to finally have their own story and hopefully it will come soon.

Speaking of Jada, I'm still a little bit confused about how Dani became Jada. I'm not completely satisfied with Moning's explanation on the transformation, but in a way, I think it was necessary for Dani to become Jada in order to be taken seriously. She spent years in the Silvers, which turned out to be weeks for everyone else. I understand her need to reinvent herself in order to be taken seriously and viewed as an adult, and not just some untrained teen. Now that she's older, hopefully she'll be able to work on whatever she and Ryodan have. Whatever they do have does seems a little bit creepy but I'm curious on how everything will work out.

I'm also curious about this new character, Shazam. I still don't know what to make of him, whether he's real or not. I kept wondering if he was a figment of Jada's imagination, a way for her to cope with everything that's been going on. I think Shazam is a way for her to keep holding on to her childhood, whether he's real or not.

As for the main conflict in this book, it seems there isn't much driving the characters. Sure, the black holes and the Sinsar Dubh are ever present, and I love the fact that Mac, Barrons, Jada, Ryodan and even Christian are teaming up to fight these problems, but I feel Feverborn was missing action. There were some epic scenes towards the end, but the beginning and the middle of the book was filled with filler and repetition.

Personally, I think it's time for Karen Marie Moning to move beyond Mac and Barrons. At this point, her series is coasting and it could definitely benefit from new blood. I would welcome more about Jada and Ryodan, and honestly, I think Christian deserves his own story too. Because of my early addiction to this series, I haven't given up on it yet, however, something dramatic and new needs to happen in order to keep my interest. Here's to hoping the next book will be much better!

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Posted by Tynga at 04:15

 Delacorte, Dystopian, fae, Fever, Karen Marie Moning, Library, Paranormal, Random House, Review  2 People left their mark

Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh

I very recently read and loved Shovel Ready, the first Spademan novel, so I was not surprised at all to end up loving Near Enemy!  (Yes, you read that right:  this is a sequel.  Check out my review of Shovel Ready HERE.)

Near Enemy begins very much the same way Shovel Ready began... and it also starts off much differently.  The story begins with Spademan getting a call- just a name, no other info, no introductions, then a click.  Spademan waits a few minutes for the money to clear his bank account, then begins looking for the person behind the name.  That's the similarity.  The difference?  At the end of the day, Spademan now has a "family" to go home to!  Mark has moved in with him, and he's also helping to look after Persephone and her daughter.

In Near Enemy, Spademan is supposed to "take care of" Lesser, a guy who creeps about in the limnosphere, peeping on other people's dreams.  No one would miss a creep like that.  However, when Spademan arrives at Lesser's apartment, he arrives at just the right moment, when Lesser wakes up screaming.  He was creeping on a guy's nasty orgy fantasy when all of a sudden a woman in a burqa shows up and blows up the guy, killing him.  Remember the rules from Shovel Ready?  You're not supposed to be able to die in the limnosphere.  Suddenly Lesser and Spademan are hearing reports of others getting blown up in the limnosphere by the same strange woman.  Just as in Shovel Ready, Spademan is intrigued enough to keep Lesser alive and investigate these strange doings.

There are so many things to love about these books:  they're super snarky (totally my favorite sense of humor), dystopian (taking place in a not-so-distant future after someone nuclear bombs NYC), and mysterious.  Adam Sternbergh manages to keep me guessing all the way to the end!

I gave a very short excerpt in my review of Shovel Ready.  Sternbergh uses the same composition tactics in this book- no quotation marks and no declaration of who's speaking.  But it works!  I wasn't sure about it at first, but I got used to it really quickly.  And y'all, I'm someone who is usually overly bothered by unconventional composition.  I read a book once in which the author would use two or even three exclamation points at the end of sentences and it totally distracted me from the entire point of the book.  For whatever reason, Sternbergh's lack of quotation marks didn't distract me at all.  It even feels right- the conversation in the book is very sparse, as is the landscape, so it seems perfect to have the physical type on the pages be sparse also.

I do so hope this turns into a whole mystery series.  I've really come to like Spademan, and I want to hang out with him more.  The mysteries in the first two books are so completely different from each other as well- no formulaic mystery here!  In Near Enemy, the mystery lies with a female Middle Eastern suicide bomber in the limnosphere... kind of like terrorism 2.0.  As I've mentioned, these mystery aspects to the story are really well plotted out, keeping the reader guessing.  Spademan is a truly reluctant hero:  who would guess that the hit man would turn detective/rescuer?

If I hadn't already given Shovel Ready five of five stars, I'd rate Near Enemy even higher than it.  (Alas, not mathematically possible.)  Perhaps because I already "knew" the main character, and was therefore all the more invested in his story?  I would've never guessed that I'd enjoy two books with a hit man as the main character so much!

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Action amp; Adventure, Adam Sternbergh, Crown Publishing Group, Dystopian, Free, Mystery, Noir, NYC, Review, Spademan  Leave your mark

Meridian by Josin McQuein

A quick heads-up:  Meridian is the sequel to Arclight.  You can read my review of Arclight HERE, and there may be slight spoilers for Arclight in the review below.

When Meridian opens, the Arclight community is relatively stable.  Folks are back to somewhat regular routines.  Anne-Marie is now a teacher, Tobin is a perimeter guard, and Marina works in the Arbor.  Everyone knows now what Marina was, and what she is now, and most are ok with it.  At least they tolerate her.  And Marina is discovering that she may not have been 100% "cured" anyway.  For about 8 pages, the reader thinks that things may have finally settled down in the Arclight.  Marina even seems moderately happy when working in the Arbor, and with Tobin.

Then everything goes nuts again.  Of course!  It wouldn't be a very exciting book if Marina and Tobin and Anne-Marie simply grew up and lived happily ever after, right?  Before you can blink an eye, Tobin and Marina start having horrible, horrible nightmares.  In them, the Fade form a flood and drown them.  Anne-Marie's brother, Silver, and Dante all start to turn Fade.  What is going on?  The Fade are supposed to be somewhat neutral now- they keep to their own place in the Dark, but they're not active enemies, either.  So why are people starting to turn again?  How are the Fade even getting into the Arclight, with the perimeter back up and running?

This is a NONSTOP book.  Every time you start to think that the characters have the next challenge figured out, NOPE.  There they go again- change in plan, change in challenge.  In Arclight, they thought they'd figured out the Fade in general- turns out (in Meridian) that there might actually be an even bigger threat.  One that even the Fade they know are frightened of.  On a positive, there might also be other human survivors out there.  I'm reflecting back on the book this evening, and I don't think that any of the main characters sleep at all for the last 2/3 of the book.  That's how much action is in there!

(On sort of a side note to all the action... a coworker recently challenged all of us to come up with a list of YA books that don't involve romance.  While Tobin and Marina definitely care about each other, there is absolutely no time for any romance in this book.  I think there was one quick kiss.  No handholding, no declarations of love, no monologues about how beautiful the other is.)

As I wrote in my review of Arclight, Marina is a difficult character to connect to/empathize with.  It took me most of Arclight to start to empathize with her, and I never really came around to fully liking her.  Same in Meridian... maybe she's just hard to read?  But her actions and words never came across as very emotionally available.  She comes across very cold and indifferent.  Perhaps also there's just too much going on.  Only half of the chapters are from her point of view (the other half are from Tobin's), and there's so much plot going on that character development takes a backseat.  I couldn't even physically describe most of the secondary characters to you, they're so underdeveloped.

On the plus side- lots of plot!  As I mentioned, tons of action.  There's also plenty of description of setting.  Y'all, this is a very dark book.  Literally.  Most of it takes place at night, of course, and the characters are being pursued/attacked by clouds and swarms of dark nanites.  These are described as being black, like grains of iron, that drip off of the Fade and off of the trees and puddle in the ground.  I'm so glad that the author spends time on description.  The whole theory of sentient nanites that can be in a person's blood or in their skin, or even operate independently, is so foreign to my worldview that I needed the descriptions to be able to picture it at all.  There is, however, very little explanation of the theory or origin of the nanites in Meridian; you'll need to read Arclight first to understand.

Overall, not a bad read.  I definitely flew through it, because I couldn't put it down in the midst of all the action!  However, there was very minimal character development or growth, so that takes a few half-stars off my rating.  Also, the ending really feels like it sets up a third book, but the author's website makes no mention of any more Arclight books.  Bummer!

[inlinkz_linkup id=611473]

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Action amp; Adventure, Arclight, Dystopian, Greenwillow Books, Josin McQuein, Publisher, Review, Science Fiction, YA, young adult  Leave your mark

Arena by Holly Jennings

How thin is the veil between real and imagined?  How much of reality is real and how much of fantasy is imagined?  These questions are at the core of Kali Ling's struggle in a life dominated by image, story and the competing realities of actual and virtual.

In Arena by Holly Jennings, the real and surreal clash into a vortex around one warrior: Kali Ling.  To paraphrase Mr. Rod Serling: This is an adventure of sight, sound, smell, feel and mind.  The ultimate question being can Kali and her team Defiance make it to the end intact.

Holly Jennings brings us deep into the not too distant future and the world of eSports in a way that is plausible and sometimes disturbing.  The story takes place almost entirely in and around the training facility of team Defiance.  At times this made the place feel either isolating or confining or even protective to the character’s different times.  Most of all, it helps elevate or even create tension and conflict within the story.

When we first meet Kali and her team, they all seem oddly two dimensional.  That does not last very long.  Soon, we are drawn into Kali's world and witness how she handles all the situations that arise from that one event that altered her world forever.  We also get a good view of the effect the event and Kali's changes have on them.  Since the story is written in first person from Kali's perspective, we only get the development in the others from her observations.

Although this book is described as dystopian but, I find that doesn't quite fit.  It does show the problem that society has with eSports and could be seen as allegory to current times sports or entertainment industries.  What we don't see is the downfall of a society, social order or government like we do in most dystopian stories.  I see this as a very well-constructed hard science fiction.

Arena by Holly Jennings is a hard hitting science fiction story that is very forward thinking in many ways.  This book both touches on and tackles some very sensitive subjects in a bold and clear manner.  If it weren't for the language, the violence and mild sex scenes, I would recommend this for teens everywhere.  With those two things in mind, I have to give this an R rating but, suggest parents look into it for teens seventeen and up.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Dystopian, eSports, Holly Jennings, Penguin, Review, Romance, Science Fiction, VR  1 Person left their mark

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

THE SCORPION RULES might seem like your generic Young Adult dystopian novel but I was pleasantly surprise. It is original and very well written. The world building is exceptional and while it might be a little far fetched, it's based on a real world problem that could, in theory, happen. Global warming is a reality in this book, and the world is drying up. Drinking water is becoming rarer. Four hundred years in the past, people started wars over water, and so, an artificial intelligence being took it upon himself to end all wars by blowing up cities around the world in order to control the world populations. The AI knew blowing up cities wouldn't work in the long term, so he decided to take world leaders' children hostage to help them keep the peace. And so began Talis's rule.

As a Child of Peace, Greta has been prepared to die for her country. If she can survive past her her 18th birthday, she'll be free, but until then she's a hostage for the Pan Polar Confederacy, what used to be Canada. As the Crown Princess of the Confederacy and the Duchess of Halifax, she doesn't get special treatment. Like all the other Children of Peace, she has been raised humbly on how to survive off the land. Since she was five, she has lived in one of the many Preceptor schools with other world leaders' children. What happens the weeks following the arrival of a new hostage, Elián, will forever change Greta's life. Greta's attracted to this new boy. As a 16 year old teenager, she is confused over the feelings she has for him. He's trouble, alway saying and doing the wrong things, which he gets punished for time and time again. I think she's simply awed by someone who is willing to break the rules despite the obvious repercussions. However, he's definitely trouble because Elián represents the possibility of death. Their two countries are on the brink of war, and if war is declared, they're both dead.

The slow world building is necessary to understand the chilling situation these characters are in. And while it was necessary to understand their daily lives, I kind of didn't want to know about goat breeding. But again, it was necessary to understand that these children are taught how to live off the land, and the goats are kind of important in the long run. I would have appreciated a little bit more background information about many of the characters. Greta spends her days with her cohort but not much is known about these characters beyond the fact that their parents are world leaders.

I applaud the author's audacity to include LGBTQ relationships in this YA novel. I feel like it kind of came out of nowhere, especially since I thought the attraction between Greta and Elián was obvious. I thought the author might expand this relationship, seeing how their two countries are enemies. However, Greta develops (or realizes she has) strong romantic feelings for her female roommate. I totally didn't see that coming, and I think Greta didn't either. Still, I applaud the author for trying for a different kind of romantic triangle.

Although I don't like Greta's final decision towards the end of the book, I understand why she did it. The whole concept of artificial intelligence and copying one's thoughts and psyche in order achieve a sort of immortality isn't something new, but the way it's described in this book is quite original.

THE SCORPION RULES was a thought provoking, science and technology based book that I highly recommend. It might not be as action packed as other dystopian books on the market, but this book should not be overlooked. Just because the female protagonist isn't taught self-defence doesn't mean she can't be a strong leader. Greta, while a bit naive, is a clever and respected girl who might have what it takes to help control world peace. I really enjoyed reading her story and can't wait to find out what happens next.

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Posted by Tynga at 03:00

 artificial intelligence, Canadian, Dystopian, Erin Bow, Margaret K. McElderry, Prisoners of Peace, Purchased, Review, Simon amp; Schuster, Simon Schuster, young adult  2 People left their mark

Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh

Shovel Ready is a dark, fast-paced, adult, dystopian noir novel.  I read mostly Juv and YA, so I always expect adult books to go a little more slowly.  Y'all, I flew through Shovel Ready!  It's a true page-turner.  There's not a single unnecessary sentence in the whole novel.

Shovel Ready is a dark dystopian- it takes place in a future NYC, about a year after nuclear bombs were set off in Times Square.  Most people fled the city, so it's a little odd to be reading about the main character moving about downtown so quickly and easily.  There's never a wait for transportation or traffic to contend with.  In fact, the main character, Spademan, doesn't even have a legit job anymore- he was a garbageman, but there just isn't that much garbage to collect.  Now he has the illegitimate job of hired assassin.  Very convenient that he used to be a garbageman- he knows how to get rid of "trash."  I found it interesting, though, that as the book progressed, I liked Spademan more and more!  I never thought I'd find myself liking a hit man!  I think it was at least partly his snark.  I do love me some snarky characters.  I'll take "dark" or sarcastic humor over slapstick any day of the week.

One thing about the book, though- the layout of the text.  This is not usually a detail worth talking about, but it is in Shovel Ready.  You see, there are no quotation marks.  At first this gave me a little pause, but I got used to it really quickly.  There is still indentation to signify that a new thought or new speaker was beginning, so that's good.  I loved the flow of the writing so much, though.  I put a snippet from the first chapter down below to try to entice you to try this book.

Beyond the book taking place in a dystopian NYC, there's also futuristic tech featured.  After the world went to pot, some enterprising entrepreneurs came up with a new kind of internet called the limnosphere.  People can "tap in" through special beds- they go unconscious in physical body while their subconscious hangs out in the limnosphere, where they can be anything and do anything they want.  Some of the richest people left in America even pay special nurses to come by and give them IV nutrition so that they never need to leave the limnosphere.  This ends up playing a huge part in the book, with the main characters interacting both in the physical world and the limnosphere.

I loved Shovel Ready, and plan to read the sequel, Near Enemy, soon!  Here's a small snippet from the book so that you can see the way it's laid out, and how sarcastic Spademan is:

People get upset when you say you kill people.

Fair enough.

But wait.

What if I told you I only kill serial killers?

It's not true, but what if I told you that?

Now what if I told you I only kill child molesters?  Or rapists?  Or people who really deserve it?

Wavering yet?

Okay, now what if I told you I only kill people who talk loudly in movie theaters?  Or block the escalator?  Or cut you off in traffic?

Don't answer.  Think it over.

Not so self-righteous now.

I'm just kidding.

There's no such thing as movie theaters anymore.

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Posted by Tynga at 07:16

 Adam Sternbergh, Dystopian, Fiction, NYC, Purchased, Review, Spademan, Urban  Leave your mark

Insurgent (Divergent Series) by Veronica Roth

This is the second book in the  Divergent Series by Veronica Roth.  The review will definitely touch on subjects that are major plot points in the first book.  So, if you are not a big fan of spoilers and think you may want to read this book, stop reading this review here.  You can always read the review of Divergent and decide to read the book and then read this review later.

By the end of the first book, Tris and Tobias (Four) had shut down the Erudite's simulation they were using to control the Dauntless (at least those who weren't Divergent).  They were not in time to save a great many Abnegation (including Tris' mom and dad) that were slaughtered during that invasion.  This was all done with the bonus task of bringing Tobias out of a simulation that was engineered to worked on Divergents.  This brings us to the point where Tris and Tobias try to rally support from all the other factions as well as the Factionless.

I really liked the first book.  Maybe it was the clear and concise goals  and the movement towards them that seemed to be set out for the characters.  Maybe it was the rhythm of the story and the feeling of always climbing towards a greater reveal or resolution.  It might have been the interesting introduction and exposition of each of the principle characters in the story.  It was likely a combination of all these factors that I felt were done well in the first book yet, lacking in the second.

Character development was a bit stifled in the second book.  There were a handful of new characters brought in but, none of them seemed to be brought to life quite in the same way the ones in the first book had.  As far as already established characters like Tris, Tobias and Caleb were concerned, there was some continuing development and growth though not enough to keep my interest up.  Some characters were so incomplete I kept confusing them with each other.

Part of my problem with the characters could have been rooted in the slow pace of the story as a whole.  Where the first book climbed a spiral staircase of events and revelations to and ultimate event, the second book felt mired in trying to accomplish a single goal.  Maybe that was on purpose and the author was trying to express the futility of the struggle.  I really don't think that's the case.  Either way,  it leaves plenty of time for readers to grow bored with the progress of the protagonists and look for more exciting selections.

As a whole,  Insurgent is not a bad addition to the series.  It just suffers from being the slower, more deliberative sequel used to get readers ready for the more thrilling conclusion in the third of the series.  It does have some very graphic violence and the interpersonal is getting a lot more personal in spots.  All of which lands this one as solid PG13.

 

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Divergent, Dystopian, Harper Collins, Love amp; Romance, Purchased, Review, Veronica Roth, young adult  2 People left their mark

Son by Lois Lowry

This is such a neat quartet of books! You really need to read all four to get the best appreciation, but each one could also be a standalone. That really impresses me, that Lois Lowry pulled that off. If you read The Giver, Gathering Blue, and Messenger you are in for a real treat in Son: the main characters from the previous three books are all present and accounted for in it!

Son is told in three parts, with multiple chapters in each part. There is Before, Between, and Beyond. In the first part, Before, we meet Claire. She's a young girl, 13 years old, and is at her first work assignment in her community. She is a Vessel. Come to find out, Vessels are young girls (13-16 years old), and their "job" is to produce Products. Products being babies. Older girls, who have already Produced one or two Products tell Claire what to expect. There will be a little bit of pain, and she'll be blindfolded, and then it will be over and she'll get to rest for 6 months before Producing again. Are you weirded out yet? I sure was! Anyway, it gets worse: when it comes time for Claire to Produce, something goes wrong. The pain is intense. She ends up undergoing a c-section, although it's not called that in the book. Because of this, Claire is allowed a little time to recover and then released from being a Vessel and reassigned to the fish hatchery. In her society, everyone takes "vitamins" every day, and the vitamins damp down feelings. There's a clerical error or something and Claire ends up not taking the vitamins, even after being reassigned to the fish hatchery. She finds reasons to visit the infant care center, and ends up discovering which baby she produced. No surprise here: she loves the baby, Product 36, and daydreams of taking him and raising him herself. Of course that can't happen. She ends up sort of befriending a nursery worker guy, who is taking extra special care of Product 36.

So that's Before. And I feel like there'd be spoilers if I went into too much detail with Between and Beyond. Lets see... so in the official back-of-book description it does say that there's a culmination to the battle between good and evil. So you know that's coming. And you know from the back of the book that Claire will stop at nothing to get her son back. And I mean nothing. Claire has to work long and hard, like, for years, to get back to her son. She also ends up having to make a pretty huge sacrifice. I'm an adult reading this book and I got all kinds of emotionally invested and my heart just broke for Claire. I was so rooting for her!

I listened to this book on CD and loved it. I thought the narrator did a great job. The pacing was great and the narrator kept me engaged and focused. There were a few times I was tempted to sit in my car in the parking lot and just keep listening.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Dystopian, Library, Listening Library, Lois Lowry, Review, The Giver Quartet, young adult  1 Person left their mark

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Unwind was not what I was expecting. At all. I don't remember now what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. The plot is this, essentially: there's been a civil war in America over the abortion issue, and the end truce was that fetal abortion is illegal, but parents can choose to "unwind" their child at age 13 if they're unhappy with how they're turning out. If a kid makes it to 18, they're safe; no one can be "unwound" after that point. What is unwinding? Healthy teens are portioned out to others for medical or cosmetic needs. Need a kidney? There's an Unwind you can cut open and grab one from. Every single part of the Unwinds is used, so society is told that they're not "dead;" they "live on" in others.

So this YA book was a lot deeper and more thought-provoking than I ever would have thought!

Connor, Risa, and Lev have all been set aside to be unwound for various reasons, and this brings them together into an unlikely partnership to survive. Connor is a "difficult" kid for his parents. Risa is a ward of the state. Lev has been set aside since birth as his family's "tithe" to the program. So there are many issues at discussion in this book! Teens with discipline problems: how they view the situation, how the adults in their lives view the situation, and what the ideal solution is. Orphan rights: even as minors, what are their rights? What decisions can they reasonably expect adults around them to make in their name? When do they stand up for themselves? Religious freedom: at what point should someone outside step in? When the parents are about to sacrifice their child in the name of their beliefs?

Neal Shusterman is such a fantastic writer. Even as I cringed at the issues being presented, I laughed at the characters' witty banter. Even as I feared for the characters' safety and stayed up too late reading, I thoroughly enjoyed watching them continue to triumph over the horrible circumstances in which they'd been placed. Every time I thought the characters might be safe... nope! There's danger at every turn for these three teens on the run. While they are definitely still teens, with very little "life experience," they repeatedly make well thought-out and mature decisions.

I went into Unwind years after it's publication, knowing that it's the first in a trilogy. But the ending really wraps up well! You could stop at the end, but why would you want to? By the end, you're going to be rooting for the teens and will want to know what happens next.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Dystopian, Library, Neal Shusterman, Review, Simon and Schuster, Unwind, young adult  1 Person left their mark

The Selection by Christine Castle and Jayne Faith [Review and Book Tour]

The notion of a selection, where young adults are more or less given away like property, sounds a bit barbaric. We’ve seen it in the Hunger Games, and in another series with the same title as this one by Kiera Cass. All are similar in the sense that the powers that be host a competition. In the Hunger Games, they fight to the death for entertainment with one (supposedly) victor at the end. In Kiera Cass’ series, the winner ends up with prince charming. In this book however, it’s a little of both. The surviving winners ends up in the Lord’s employ while the rest end up…dead. The girl who wins ends up in the Lord’s harem, while the winning boy ends up as a servant for that same lord.

Although it feels as if this story has been told multiple times, I enjoyed this version very much. Not only is it sci-fi, but it does have a magical feel to it, with the prophesies and mystical themes.  I loved the idea of a race humans that abandoned Earth long ago that are now back to reclaim the planet, now called Earthenfell, while fighting an alien race. It took me while to understand the whole concept and the world the characters lived in but I loved how the writers slowly incorporated the necessary details as the story progressed. I thought it was very well written although I wish it could have been even more detailed.

Usually, I dislike female leads that are naive and fragile, but in Maya’s case, I think it was necessary. Her whole life she thought she would be safe from the selection since her community had preselected a girl that would be trained and prepared for the competition, to be the Obligate of Maya’s clan when the time came. However, because this preselected girl dies right before the bi-annual ceremony that would announce her as the next Obligate in the deadly game, Maya is randomly selected instead. Maya has no clue what the selection really entails. As she mourns her fate with her family and friends during her last night on Earthenfell, I believe she comes to terms with her possible fate. “An Obligate entering the competition with no training was walking into almost certain death (loc 215).” However, once in the competition, Maya proves to everyone that she might just have what it takes in order to survive the physical and mind games they are putting her through.

When we first learn of Lord Toric through Maya’s point of view, he’s made out to be an evil and sadistic leader. However, the more we learn, the more we see the humanity in him. He has a dark past which has forged him into the man he is, and we slowly realize that he’s not the real enemy. Actually, he singles out Maya the first time he sees her and she becomes his obvious favourite. I love the rapport they build. It’s simple and modest, and Toric does his best not the intimidate the shy and innocent Maya.

One of my critics would be the length of the book. Not only does the story finish on a cliffhanger,  but I find the book was too short. It’s almost as if the writers purposely cut the story in order to make it fit into a trilogy. The ending makes you want more so if their goal was to leave me wanting more, they certainly achieved it in the most evil of ways. I definitely plan on reading the next book, however the release date has yet to be announced.

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This review is part of an online Book Tour organized by Expresso Book Tours. Click on the tour banner for other stops and reviews. There is also a tour wide giveaway. To enter, use the rafflecopter below.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:36

 aliens, Christine Castle, Dystopian, future, giveaway, Jayne Faith, Review, Sapient Salvation, Science Fiction, Self Published, Space, Xpresso Book Tours, young adult  1 Person left their mark

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Little Brother is a scarily realistic dystopian novel that probably everyone in North America should read.  (Maybe only a slight exaggeration there.)  The book is set in what could be current times.  There's no date mentioned, making it nearly timeless, and all the social customs and technology match up with what we have now.  That's what makes it scary:  what happens to Marcus (the main character) and his friends could happen to any of us tomorrow.

Marcus, aka w1n3t0n (pronounced "Winston" for you non-techies out there), is your average 17-year-old.  He loves hanging out with his friends, playing video games, participating in ARGs (augmented reality game) and LARPs (live action role-playing game), and doing the bare minimum in school.  His school in San Francisco is pretty heavily guarded; students have to go through metal detectors to get into school, then gait-recognition cameras follow their movements in the halls, and their school-issued laptops can be monitored remotely.  Marcus and his friends also have fun hacking the laptops to run their own programs (non-traceable) and using little Macgyver-like hacks to get past the gait-recognition cameras.

All of this sounds pretty harmless, right?  There are already metal detectors and cameras at lots of high schools across North America.  What's the big deal?  And why shouldn't a school be able to monitor their laptops?  Marcus' activities also sound pretty harmless.  He only hacks the computer to the extent necessary to run a little IM program to chat with his friends during class, and only tricks the gait-recognition cameras to cut class occasionally (and what high schooler hasn't cut class a couple times?).

The problem comes when San Francisco is hit by a terrorist attack, and a bridge is blown up, killing thousands of people.  Marcus and his friends had chosen the wrong day to cut class.  And unfortunately, they cut class in order to ARG, so they have lots of homemade tech on them when the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) shows up.  Next thing they know, they're rounded up, with their tech confiscated, and put into jail cells for nearly a week.  When they're released, their world is an entirely different place, run by the DHS.  There are even more cameras up now, all over town.  The internet itself is being monitored.  Citizens are being tracked by their FastPass (for going through tolls) and their FastTracs (passes for using public transportation) and even their library books (with implanted RFID tags).  Marcus fights back.

I know that was a lot of summation, but I had to set up the fright factor.  Can you imagine being a teen, with very little power or voice in society, seeing all of this happening and knowing how bad it is, and having so few avenues to fight it?  Marcus is, arguably, a tech genius.  He uses his smarts and not violence to fight to reclaim his city.  He teams up with others to spread a message of forgotten freedoms rather than inciting riots.

More than just a story of fighting terrorism and "the man," Little Brother is also a coming-of-age book.  Over the course of many months we see Marcus really grow and develop as a character.  He goes from an aimless teen to a strong young man.  Yes, he makes some mistakes, but more often than not he makes the right decision.  This is a YA protagonist that a teen could inspire to.  He's even a YA protagonist that adults can admire!  I know that I cheered for Marcus over and over while I read the book.  I know of at least two teens that I regularly see at the library that I'm going to try to sell this book to.

I give Little Brother a full five of five (enthusiastic) stars, and would totally recommend this to everyone!

 

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Cory Doctorow, dystopia, Dystopian, hacking, Library, Review, Tor Teen, young adult  2 People left their mark

Divergent by Veronica Roth

A young person who has the feeling of not quite fitting in.  Not even at home does this person feel comfortable or truly accepted.  Then comes a crucial moment where one decision could lead to fulfillment or even worse disappointment and failure.  Beatrice finds herself in just that moment as this story begins.

This is one of those stories that is primarily character driven.  Many may say that with all that is going on around Beatrice, or Tris as she is later named, that it is plot focused.  This book spent a great deal of time defining the main character and her change from Beatrice to Tris.  Along with Tris, we get learn about her family and fellow initiates.  It is the initiates where we start to get a feeling for not only who they are but, who Tris is as well as who she is becoming.  I will admit, there are some archetypes that border on stereotypes in this book.  Most of those are clearly for plot development and don't require real character development so, I tend to overlook them.

Ordinarily, I like to have, as I put it, texture in a story.  I like the author to pain a picture with words that gives me texture, smell and sound so I can feel the world of the book.  This book does not do that because, it does not need to.  It's one of those exceptions that makes the rule.  The lack of these stimuli tends to highlight some of the bleaker parts of the narrative and help the reader stay focused on what is important: the characters.  That said, we do get a feel for Tris' world as well as an understanding how it has helped shape her outlook as well as those around her.

While this is a character driven story, that doesn't mean it is bereft of story.  It has a modern take on a few tropes we've seen in the past but, they are handled well for the most part.  I won't go into the twist and turns that comes with this type of social/political intrigue because that's where much of the entertainment is.

Though these are not new ideas for a story, in Divergent by Veronica Roth they are brought together in a way to make an engaging tale.  It is a thought provoking tale that I would recommend for anybody high school age and above.  There is violence in it but, none that is glorified which in my mind earns it a PG13.

 

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Divergent, Dystopian, Harper Collins, Purchased, Review, Veronica Roth, young adult  Leave your mark