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Showing posts with label Defiance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Defiance. Show all posts

Monday, December 29, 2014

Deliverance by C.J. Redwine

C.J. Redwine delivers a fantastic conclusion to her debut series. Deliverance is the third and final book of this trilogy and while I really enjoyed the first book, I thought the sequel fell a little short because of repetition and lack of plot. However, the author redeemed herself with this last book because, while I wasn't really sure where she was leading us with this story, I was sad, surprised and shocked throughout the whole book.

This story is as much about the ability to overcome oppression as it is about the fragility of the human spirit. Rachel and Logan have been fighting against the Commander of the now fallen city-state, Baalboden, for what seems like forever. Torn apart again, they each find themselves in dark situations where they have to push through in order to fight against their enemies, and hopefully find peace for their friends and loved ones. Rachel is taken hostage by Rowansmark trackers and forced to travel toward Rowansmark to face imprisonment and possible death. The trackers hope that Logan will do anything to save Rachel including bringing back the piece of Rowansmark technology that was stolen by the Commander, via Rachel's father. However, before saving Rachel, Logan embarks on a different quest to find allies to bring to Rowansmark's gates in order to fight their crazy leader that is obsessed with pain atonement. Trusting allies isn't easy for Logan, especially when he must learn to trust the most unlikely person. One of his new allies really makes you hate the expression, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

The writing doesn't get too touchy or emotional because Logan and Rachel are separated for most of the book. Personally, I think the separation allowed the characters to really evaluate their feelings and acknowledge what they have together is the real deal. I love these two as a couple and I think the author made the right choice in not letting the romance overpower the story. While I love a good love story, this book was primarily about fighting for freedom in a dystopian world, and the author achieved a good balance between the action and the romance.

C.J. Redwine proved in the previous books that she wasn't afraid to kill off important characters, even characters that were very close to the main characters, like a certain mentor or a very good friend. Again, in this book, many notable characters died fighting, even some that I truly believed would make it to the end. Obviously, don't get too attached to any character. On the other hand, we are also introduced to many new characters, some that are quite important in the continuation of the story.

While I'm sad to see this series end, I think C.J. Redwine made the right choice writing this series in only three parts. I don't think there's any room for more books and she leaves me satisfied with this ending. This last book answers all the questions that were left unanswered in the previous ones. Redwine created a wonderful dystopian world, and while the apocalypse is a little far fetched with its dragon like creatures that destroyed pretty much every city, I enjoyed seeing how human nature could create such hatefulleaders and the protagonists that were able to stand up to their evil. Deliverance  is the epic conclusion to a wonderful series that I really hope many of you will take the time to enjoy.

stephsig moon

Monday, December 01, 2014

Deception by C.J. Redwine

I was really impressed by the first book of this series, DEFIANCE, when I read it a few years back. I loved the dark dystopian world the author created and the two main characters really held the story together. Unfortunately, I expected a little too much out of this sequel. It left me wanting more action and more romance.

I loved the two main characters, Rachel and Logan, in this novel as much as I did the first time around. A great pair, they make an exceptional team in leading the Baalboden survivors, especially for being so young. Normally, I don't like it when authors continuously switch back and forth between two point of views, but in this case, it does make sense because they're not always together, and they don't always fight the same mental battles. Rachel is plagued by the blood she shed, when she killed a man who was simply following orders from a twisted leader to keep his wife safe. She also blames herself for the death of Oliver, her surrogate grand-father. As for Logan, at nineteen years old, he's tasked in leading a group of people who never accepted him into their society in the first place, until he stood up to their autocratic leader, Commander Chase.

Right from the beginning of the novel, the survivors of the ravaged city-state Baalboden feel defeated, but together Rachel and Logan encourage them into fleeing Commander Chase, in order to keep their freedom. For a good part of the novel, not a whole lot happens as the 100 plus group of survivors flee from Commander Chase and his army. This is the part of the novel I really had a hard time getting through because they walk (and walk) for the majority of the novel. We travel with them into the Wastelands towards another city-state, always mindful of a possible attack from the Commander's army or from the Cursed One, the giant reptilian beast that destroyed their city in the first place. What they didn't expect is an attack from within the group. When people in the group start to die, they soon realize they're travelling with a traitor. A traitor that always seems one step ahead of them.

Honestly the last 60 pages or so are actually the best part of the book. The action picks up and the author throws us a nice twist. I really wasn't expecting what we learn about Logan and this changes the whole story around. We finally have some answers for so many events and actions, and just as things were about to get interesting, the book ends on a cliffhanger. I think DECEPTION does set up the last book of the trilogy rather well, but still, it feels like this book was just filler. I had high hopes for this trilogy and I'm really hoping the last book doesn't let me down.

stephsig moon

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