True North (True Born Trilogy), by L.E. Sterling – 3.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

400 Pages

Synopsis: Abandoned by her family in Plague-ridden Dominion City, eighteen-year-old Lucy Fox has no choice but to rely on the kindness of the True Borns, a renegade group of genetically enhanced humans, to save her twin sister, Marot. But Nolan Storm, their mysterious leader, has his own agenda. When Storm backtracks on his promise to rescue Margot, Lucy takes her fate into her own hands and sets off for Russia with her True Born bodyguard and maybe-something-more, the lethal yet beautiful Jared Price. In Russia, there’s been whispered rumors of a Plague Cure.

While Lucy fights her magnetic attraction to Jared, anxious that his loyalty to Storm will hurt her chances of finding her sister, they quickly discover that not all is as it appears…and discovering the secrets contained in the Fox sisters’ blood before they wind up dead is just the beginning.

As they say in Dominion, sometimes it’s not you…it’s your DNA.

I’ve been looking forward to True North since I finished its predecessor, True Born, and although I think it suffers a slight case of the dreaded “sequelitis”, there were still parts I enjoyed. I think my biggest problem was that there just didn’t seem to be as much action in this as there was with the first. After the exciting conclusion in True Born, I assumed that in addiction to more action-packed fight scenes, we’d also get a better picture of Russia and how it differs from Dominion. I was also expecting more information regarding the different societal factions, as well as more revelations about the Fox sisters. While there are some more answers given about Lucy and Margot, they don’t come until near the end, and there is nothing new imparted about the Preachers or the True Borns, which left me a bit frustrated. My last complaint is in regards to Lucy and Jared’s romantic relationship, or rather the lack of one. Jared drove me absolutely up the wall with his hot and cold attitude toward her, and even when he finally explained himself, I just didn’t buy it. He reminded me too much of Edward Cullen in Twilight, (which is a whole other topic for another day). But, there were also some positive aspects to balance the negatives. Lucy, who I really liked in the previous book, continued to grow and find herself here. She was more self-confident and willing to rely on her own instincts even if it meant going against what others were telling her. I have a feeling that she’s truly going to be a force to be reckoned with. There was also a new character named Alistair who I thought was intriguing and likable, and I hope there’s much more about him in the next book. Nolan Storm, the enigmatic leader of the True Borns, came across even more interesting here, and left me wondering what his true motivations are toward Lucy and Margot. Thankfully the action did pick up a little in the second half and the ending was a satisfying set-up for the third book. While True North was a little disappointing, I’m still hopeful that the next book will regain all the excitement that True Born was filled with. 

About the Author:

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature–where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit YA novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate. Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt–inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

 

 

 

 

 

Defy The Stars (Defy the Stars #1) ~ By Claudia Gray – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Friendship, Science Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young People for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 4th, 2017

512 Pages

Synopsis: Noemi Vidal is a teen soldier from the planet Genesis, once a colony of Earth that’s now at war for its independence. The humans of Genesis have fought Earth’s robotic “mech” armies for decades with no end in sight.

After a surprise attack, Noemi finds herself stranded in space on an abandoned ship where she meets Abel, the most sophisticated mech prototype ever made. One who should be her enemy. But Abel’s programming forces him to obey Noemi as his commander, which means he has to save Genesis–even though her plan to win the war will kill him.

Together they embark on a daring voyage through the galaxy. Before long, Noemi begins to realize Abel may be more than machine, and for his part, Abel’s devotion to Noemi is no longer just a matter of programming.

I was a big fan of Claudia Gray’s YA paranormal Evernight series and Defy the Stars, which is set in the year 2295, is about as different a departure as you can get, but it is every bit good, if not even better! To be honest, the first few chapters were a little slow for me and I was thinking “Oh God! How am I going to get through over 500 pages of this?” There’s a lot  of sci-fi technology being introduced, and while I think fans of this genre wouldn’t give it a second thought, for someone like me it slowed the pace down a bit. But then I started getting completely falling for the two main characters Abel and Noemi and from then on, I was completely entranced. Noemi at first comes off as prickly, but she winds up being everything you could want in a heroine. She’s courageous, feisty, loyal, and more than willing to sacrifice herself to save her planet. Abel, definitely starts off as more machine than human and in some ways he appeared to me a sort of space age Pinocchio, but it’s soon apparent that there’s much more to him than meets the eye. He not only develops human emotions, but he displays such a witty sense of humor, that there were several instances that he had me laughing out loud. The relationship between these two go from distrustful enemies, to friends, to the beginnings of a lovely romance. The world-building is breathtaking and combines with very real questions of faith and religion, terrorism, the effects of climate change, colonialism, and the ethics of artificial intelligence and robotic. The ending is a perfect set up for the next book, but it left me wishing that the sequel was coming out now! Defy the Stars is a highly original and beautifully told story that definitely lives up to the hype surrounding it. It will take you on a breathtaking journey across the galaxy, where you’ll discover dark conspiracies, sinister and powerful enemies, and unexpected friends and allies. I highly recommend it for both teens and adults who enjoy an exciting science fiction tale filled with characters you can’t help but fall in love with.  

 

Alone (The Generations Trilogy#3) ~ By Scott Sigler – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Science Fiction, Thrillers, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: March 7th, 2017

240 Pages

Synopsis: “We thought this place was our destiny–not our doom.”

Pawns in a millennia-old struggle, the young people only known as the Birthday Children were genetically engineered to survive on the planet Omeyocan–but they were never meant to live there. They were made to be “overwritten,” their minds wiped and replaced by the conscious of the monsters who created them.

Em changed all that.

She unified her people and led a revolt against their creators. Em and her friends escaped an ancient ghost ship and fled to Omeyocan. They thought they would find an uninhabited paradise. Instead, they found the ruins of a massive city long since swallowed by the jungle. And they weren’t alone. The Birthday Children fought for survival against the elements, jungle wildlife, the “Grownups” who created them…and, as evil corrupted their numbers, even against themselves.

With these opponents finally defeated, Em and her people realized that more threats were coming, traveling from across the universe to lay claim to their planet. The Birthday Children have prepared as best they can against this alien armada. Now, as the first ships reach orbit around Omeyocan, the final battle for the planet begins.

I’ve loved this trilogy from the beginning so I’m happy to say it ends on a high note. All the characters, especially Em have gone through so many changes since the first book, and it’s been  wonderful watching them grow. They all have their flaws, but this just makes them more realistic. And the villains aren’t even completely evil, not even the worst of them, Matilda. While I absolutely despised her in the previous two books, after finally learning her backstory, I was surprised to find myself feeling some sympathy for her. There’s plenty of action which keeps the story moving swiftly along, and the ending is bittersweet yet satisfying. The best part is that any lingering questions are answered so there are no frustrating plot holes. I would caution that because of some of the brutality that takes place in this series, it’s definitely more for older teens. That said, this is one of the strongest finales I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I highly recommend The Generations trilogy to YA and adult fans of science fiction and thrillers.

Denton Little’s Still Not Dead ~ By Lance Rubin – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Family Relationships, Friendship, Science Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date February 7th, 2017

352 Pages

Synopsis: You only live once–unless you’re Denton Little!

The good news: Denton Little has lived through his deathdate. Yay! The bad news: He’s being chased by the DIA (Death Investigation Agency), he can never see his family again, and he may now die any time. Huh. Cheating death isn’t quite as awesome as Denton would have thought…

Lance Rubin’s debut novel, Deanton Little’s Deathdate, showed readers just how funny and poignant imminent death could be. Now in this sequel, he takes on the big questions about life. How do we cope, knowing we could die at any time? Would you save someone from dying even if they were a horrible person? Is it wrong to kiss the girl you’re best friend is crushing on if she’s really into you instead? What if she’s wearing bacon lip gloss?

I absolutely loved Denton Little’s Deathdate and as it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, I’ve been anxiously awaiting the sequel in this duology. As soon as it popped up on NetGalley about a month ago, I immediately requested and waited, and waited, and WAITED! Until finally it became clear that my request was frozen in the dreaded “pending” process, which anyone who’s requested eARCS on the site is probably more than familiar with. I was getting extremely depressed until it occurred to me to contact the author on Goodreads and see if he could help. Which I did and much to my surprise he quickly got back to me and within an hour I received a notification from Knopf via NetGalley that I was approved! I’d like to thank Lance Rubin who has proven to me he definitely cares about his readers! So, was this everything I hoped it was going to be? For the most part I give a resounding YES! Denton Little’s Still Not Dead retains much of the light-hearted humor as the first book, but it has a lot more action. Denton is still the same awkwardly endearing teen who’s trying to not only cope with the fact that he survived his deathdate and the mother he was told died in childbirth is alive, but he’s in hiding with a resistance group he knows nothing about and doesn’t really trust. And if that’s not enough, he’s worried about his best friend Paolo whose deathdate is fast approaching, and is determined to save him. As was the case in the first book, the very best part of this story is the friendship between Denton and Paolo. Amidst all the clever banter between these two is one of the most touching relationships I’ve come across in all my years of reading. These two may not be technically related, but they are most definitely brothers. They are so loyal to each other that not even a brief love triangle can permanently break up this dynamic duo. And speaking of love triangles, I know I always grump about them, but this one is such a momentary blip, that it didn’t annoy me at all. Besides. It led to one of my favorite quotes from Paolo:

Wow, I’ve been in the world for eighteen years, and I’ve never been in a love triangle, and now I get to be in one with two of my favorite people in the whole world. How awesome is that?

Trust me. This is classic Paolo! There are several other characters from the first book who also make appearances, which leads to the only criticisms. One of them is Paolo’s sister Veronica, and while I was initially happy to see her, for the most part nothing is done with her character and her inclusion added little to the story. I also was a little disappointed that the relationship between Denton and his brother Felix wasn’t developed more, but honestly, these are just minor complaints. Amidst car chases, and hiding from a secret and nefarious government agency, the story also takes a look at some serious real life lessons. Denton finally meets his birth mother, and learns what the true definition of motherhood is. And then there’s the question of the deathdates themselves. Is it better to know how long you have to live, or is it more important to live every day as if it may be your last? These all lead to Denton’s growth as a character, and makes him even more relatable, especially to teen readers. And finally, I have to admit the ending left me with mixed feelings. While I understand and respect Lance Rubin’s decision to make this a duology, I’m left with a certain sadness at having to say goodbye to characters which I’ve become so attached to. Denton Little’s Deathdate and Denton Little’s Still Not Dead are going on my shortlist of favorite YA novels of all time. They’re a little bit wacky, and some of the situations strain incredulity, but they’re fun-filled science fiction, whose memorable characters will appeal to a wide audience of teens and adults. I can’t wait to see what Lance Rubin comes out with next!

 

Martians Abroad ~ By Carrie Vaughan – 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Science Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 17th, 2017

288 Pages

Synopsis: Polly Newton has one single-minded dream, to be a starship pilot and travel the galaxy. Her mother, the director of the Mars Colony, derails Polly’s plans when she sends Polly and her genius twin brother, Charles, to Galileo Academy on Earth–the one planet Polly has no desire to visit. Ever.

Homesick and cutoff from her desired future, Polly cannot seem to fit into the constraints on Earth, unlike Charles, who deftly maneuvers around people and sees through their behavior to their true motives. Strange, unexplained, dangerous coincidences centered on their high-profile classmates begin piling up. Charles may be right–there’s more going on than would appear, and the stakes are high. With the help of Charles, Polly is determined to find the truth, no matter the cost. 

I absolutely loved Carrie Vaughn’s urban fantasy Kitty Norville series so I was excited when I heard she was trying her hand at a YA science fiction series. Martians Abroad has some issues, but it was still a fairly fun read. The first problem I ran into was with the characters. Polly is likable enough, but compared to Kitty she makes for a somewhat bland heroine. There’s just not anything that makes her stand out. Her enigmatic twin, Charles, is much more intriguing, but he doesn’t get all that much page time as most of the focus is on Polly. The secondary characters are straight out of central casting from your typical high school cliques. And finally, the boarding school, while set on a future Earth has nothing to distinguish it from what’s become a ubiquitous trope. Carrie Vaughn in some instances displays her talent for fantastic world building here. I really enjoyed the comparisons between Polly and Charles’s lives on Mars and the difficulties they encounter on Earth because of the differences in not only gravity but culture. There’s a lot of fascinating details such as: how the difference in gravity effects both the body and mind, and what life in space is like. Everything is included from the management of space colonies, to piloting a spaceship, to fashion choices. Thanks to this, I felt as though I were part of the story. The mystery behind who is orchestrating the dangerous circumstances Polly, Charles and their classmates is intriguing but is a bit spoiled by an anticlimactic ending. It’s also unclear whether this is standalone. I’m hoping it’s not because I think the story and its characters show promise. I know this sounds like I really didn’t care for Martians Abroad, but there were some enjoyable aspects to it and it was a quick read. It’s also receiving many 4 and 5 star reviews on Goodreads, so maybe I’m being overly fussy. I think this is one of those books you need to try for yourself, especially if you like YA science fiction or you’re a fan of Carrie Vaughn.

Fate Of Flames (Effigies #1) ~ By Sarah Raughley – 3.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Fantasy, Paranormal, Science Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for providing an eARC  in exchange for an honest review.

368 Pages

Synopsis: When Phantoms–massive beasts made from nightmares and darkness–suddenly appeared and began terrorizing the world, four girls, the Effigies, each gained a unique power to control one of the classical elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Since then, four girls across the world have continually fought against the Phantoms, fulfilling their cosmic duty. And when one Effigy dies, another girl gains her power as a replacement. 

But now, with technologies in place to protect the world’s major cities from Phantom attacks, the Effigies have stopped defending humanity and instead have become international celebrities, with their heroic feats ranked, televised, and talked about in online fandoms.

Until the day that New York City’s protection against the Phantoms fails, a man seems to be able to control them by sheer force of will, and Maia, a high school student, unexpectedly becomes the Fire Effigy.

Now Maia has been thrown into battle with three girls who want nothing to do with one another. But what the first human villain that the girls have ever faced, and an army of Phantoms preparing for attack, there isn’t much time for the Effigies to learn how to work together

Can the girls take control of their destinies before the world is destroyed forever?

Fate Of Flames is a a little rough around the edges, but I think it’s a promising start to this new YA series. I’m going to get the negatives out of the way first. I found the characters for most of the book extremely annoying, although they did start to grow on me in the latter half of the book. Maia is likable but she comes across as being immature even for sixteen-years-old. She makes some questionable decisions that left me a tad frustrated. The other Effigies are, well, there’s really no other way to put this, brats. I understand that they’re forced into this dangerous life of battling the Phantoms, and that the life-expectancy for Effigies isn’t very long, but honestly! They spend so much time sniping and fighting each other, that they lose sight of who the real enemy is. Towards the end of the story though, they begin to work as a team, which gives me hope for the sequel. There are two male characters, Rhys and Saul who are actually much more interesting than the girls. At the beginning of the book, one is a hero and one a villain, but as the story unfolds, things get complicated and they may not be what they seem. There’s the beginnings of a romance between Maia and Rhys, but with all the action going on it stays mainly in the background. What saved this story for me was the unique storyline and fabulous world-building. It’s sort of a cross between Sailor Moon and Pacific Rim with maybe a little of The Avengers thrown in. It starts off with a bang, and the pace never slows down, which had me finishing this in two sittings. Despite my issues with the characters, I believe Fate Of Flames will have wide appeal for fans of YA fiction filled with action, paranormal, science fiction and fantasy. I’m hoping that the wrinkles with the characters are ironed out in the next book, because I think Effigies could truly be a great series. 

The Operator (The Peri Reed Chronicles #2) ~ By Kim Harrison – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mysteries, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thrillers

Thanks to NetGalley and Pocket Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 22nd, 2016

512 Pages

Synopsis: Peri Reed’s job eats her mind, but for a special task agent in hiding, forgetting the past can be a blessing. 

Betrayed by the man she thought she loved and the agency who turned her into the very thing she fought against, Peri abandoned the wealth and privilege of Opti for anonymity riddled with memory gaps and self-doubt. But when a highly addictive drug promises to end her dependency on those who’d use her as a tool for their own success, she must choose to remain broken and vulnerable, or return to the above-the-law power and prestige she once left: strong but without will–for whoever holds her next fix, will hold her loyalty.

Yet even now as then, a love based on lies might still save her life.

Before I begin my review let me first stress that The Operator is the sequel to The Drafter, and it absolutely CANNOT be read as a standalone. If you try to read it without having read the previous book you will be completely lost and possibly wind up with a very bad headache! So, now that I’ve done my duty and warned you all, I can now tell you how awesome this book is! Some of you might be familiar with Kim Harrison’s urban fantasy series, The Hollows, which I’m still lamenting the end of. While the Peri Reed Chronicles features a kick-ass heroine, in the same vein as the beloved Rachel Morgan, that is the only similarity between the two series. This series is set in Detroit in the year 2030. Peri Reed is part of a select group of people who can manipulate time. She works for a covert government agency called Opti and her talents as a drafter come into good use because if a mission goes bad, she can skip back in time, not far, just a minute or two. But in most cases it’s more than enough to turn a failure into a success. Unfortunately there are consequences to having this ability. Living through two different timelines can completely destroy the mind, so drafters are partnered with “anchors” to help blend the timelines together. Even then, memories are usually lost, but Peri used to believe that what she was doing was worth the sacrifice. Without going into spoiler territory, let’s just say that by the end of The Drafter everything pretty much blew up in her face, and she was left betrayed, hurt and confused and on her own. The Operator opens almost a year later, with Peri hiding out from the same people she used to trust and love. She’s determined to have nothing to do with Opti and her former colleagues but sadly, they’re intent on getting her back. They’ve concocted a drug that will stop the memory loss associated with drafting without destroying the mind and try to draw Peri back into the fold with this tempting offer. Of course there’s a catch: the drug is highly addictive and when Peri initially rebuffs their overtures, they inject her without her consent. So now she spends almost the entire book running for her life and fighting the addiction. Just like Rachel Morgan was in The Hollows, Peri is a character you can’t help but root for. She’s smart, tough, has mad skills, and is independent, yet she also makes her fair share of mistakes. Which makes it a good thing that she has friends who stand by her. Chief among these is Silas, who is a gorgeous scientist/anchor that I regretted not seeing enough of in the first book. He and Peri have a rather complicated history which is revealed fully in this story. Because of his intelligence, love, and unwavering loyalty to Peri, he’s the perfect partner for her, even when she doesn’t want to admit it. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s quite handy to have around in a fight. There are quite a few secondary characters which, could have derailed the main plot, but not in Kim Harrison’s skilled hands. While a good chunk of the novel is told in the third person from Peri’s POV, you get to see things from the other characters’ perspectives, even the villains, which really brings them to life. The one complaint I had about The Drafter was that initially it was a little confusing mainly because poor Peri didn’t know what was going on half the time because the very people she trusted were playing her. In The Operator though, everything is pretty above board. You know who the villains are and Peri’s objectives are clearly set out. The only reason why I didn’t rate this a perfect 5 is because I think (I can’t even believe I’m saying this), it could have been a little shorter. At 512 pages, it’s a hefty book, and while the book was action-packed from beginning to end, I think the story could have been just a little bit tighter if say, 50 pages or so had been shaved off. But honestly, this is just one small flaw in what otherwise is an absolutely outstanding read. The ending perfectly ties things up while setting the stage for the next book. If you enjoyed The Drafter, I guarantee you’ll love The Operator even more. If you’re a fan of The Hollows but have been unsure of Kim Harrison’s transition from urban fantasy to science fiction, I encourage you to give this series a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. And finally, if you’ve never even heard of Kim Harrison (Really? Where have you been? Not judging!), but you love fast-paced science fiction, with fantastic world-building, awesome car chases, and memorable characters, I think you might want to give this series a look. As for me, the third book can’t come soon enough!

The Jekyll Revelation ~ By Robert Masello – 3.75 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Thriller

Thanks to NetGalley and 47North for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 8th, 2016

477 Pages

Synopsis: While on a routine patrol in the tinder-dry Topanga Canyon, environmental scientist Rafael Salazar expects to find animal poachers, not a dilapidated antique steamer trunk. Inside the peculiar case, he discovers a journal, written by the renowned Robert Louis Stevenson, which divulges ominous particulars about his creation of “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” It also promises to reveal a terrible secret–the real identity of Jack the Ripper.

Unfortunately, the journal–whose macabre tale unfolds in an alternating narrative with Rafe’s–isn’t the only relic in the trunk, and Rafe isn’t the only one to purloin a souvenir. A mysterious flask containing the last drops of the grisly potion that inspired Jekyll and Hyde and spawned London’s most infamous killer has gone missing. And it’s definitely fallen into the wrong hands.

Argh! There was so much I LOVED about this book, but there were problems with it that try as I might, I just couldn’t ignore. After much deliberating this is why I finally decided on the bizarre rating of 3.75 stars. First, I found the premise just too good to resist. A story combining Jack the Ripper, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and Robert Louis Stevenson? For me, this was the literary equivalent of a box of Godiva chocolates. The story alternates between the past with Stevenson, and the present with Rafe. The historical chapters which are Stevenson’s journal entries, are absolutely brilliant and mix fact with fiction. They begin by focusing on Stevenson’s struggle with tuberculosis which lead him down a dark path which eventually leads him to write The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and to cross paths with the notorious Jack the Ripper. When I was reading the journal entries I was completely captivated. The settings of a health clinic in Switzerland, the foggy gaslit streets of Victorian London and finally a South Pacific paradise are beautifully detailed, and Robert Masello does an outstanding job of bringing to life one of my favorite childhood authors. My problem was with the present day chapters involving Rafe. He is a likable character, but for chapters on end there’s little development with his story. By the time I was midway through the book, I was basically skimming his sections. I honestly think if the author had completely cut out his story and simply made this an historical fiction thriller, it would have been a perfect read. That all said, I still found this an imaginative and enjoyable read. I was already a fan of Robert Masello’s and The Jekyll Revelation just proved to me why I always look forward to a new book by him. I think anyone who is intrigued by the mystery of Jack the Ripper, and is a fan of Robert Louis Stevenson and in particular The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, will enjoy this book.

Faller ~ By Will McIntosh – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Adventure, Apocalyptic Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

352 Pages

Synopsis: Day One

No one can remember anything–who they are, family and friends, or even how to read. Reality has fragmented and Earth consists of islands of rock floating in an endless sky. Food, water, electricity–gone, except for what people can find, and they can’t find much.

Faller’s pockets contain tantalizing clues: a photo of himself and a woman he can’t remember, a toy soldier with a parachute, and a mysterious map drawn in blood. With only these materials as a guide, he makes a leap of faith from the edge of the world to find the woman and set things right.

He encounters other floating islands, impossible replicas of himself and others, and learns that one man hates him enough to take revenge for actions that Faller can’t even remember.

Faller’s premise is definitely unique, which is why I was drawn to it to begin with, and for the most part the story lives up to it. The chapters alternate between the man who calls himself Faller, and a man named Peter Sandoval, a Nobel Prize winning physicist who’s developed a technology which could literally save the world. Peter’s chapters are set in a not so distant future from our own, where World War III has broken out over depleted energy sources. These are truly frightening because you can see this coming to pass. Faller’s chapters are set in the aftermath of the mysterious events that led to everyone’s memories wiped and the survivors living on all these different fractured “worlds”. These narratives seem unrelated at first, but they soon begin to converge much like a giant jigsaw puzzle, answering the most burning questions including who Faller really is. While I don’t read a lot of science fiction, Will McIntosh is one of my favorite authors in this genre because I know I can always count on something completely different from what’s already out there and Faller is a perfect example of why he’s such an appealing author. While the world-building here is incredibly detailed and takes center stage, the story itself is filled with characters who are relatable and believable. What kept this from being a perfect read for me were several questions that were never answered. For example: No matter what world Faller landed on, everyone spoke English. And, everyones autobiographical memories were wiped clean, but they do remember how to perform functions like opening cans and using weapons. They don’t know how to drive vehicles or read though. This made no sense to me. There’s a few other burning questions I have, but I can’t really list them here without including spoilers. While I was frustrated by the lack of logical explanations concerning these, the rest of the book is so well-written that this didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of it. Faller is a real page-turner that looks at everything from quantum physics to cloning, singularities, bio-weaponry, the ethics of using this technology and of course, the apocalypse. Somehow, McIntosh manages to juggle all these topics without slowing down the story one iota. If you’re a fan of science fiction and you haven’t been introduced to the incredible mind of Will McIntosh, I urge you to try him. 

 

The Diabolic ~ By S.J. Kincaid – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Science Fiction, YA Fiction

 

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 1st, 2016

416 Pages

Synopsis: A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.

Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sister. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.

When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia–a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.

As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life–and the Empire.

The Diabolic has been receiving a lot of publicity and attention in YA book circles, and it’s being compared to The Hunger Games and Red Queen. After reading it I can understand why–because it’s fantastic! From the very first moment that Nemesis is introduced, I instantly connected with her. In the beginning she’s cold and detached to everyone except Sidonia, who she’s been bonded to. Because of the opening scene which is heartbreaking, you can’t help but feel empathy for her, even when she murders someone in order to protect Sidonia. None of this is her fault. She was created to do what ever it takes to safeguard Sidonia. But as the story unfolds, a transformation begins, and Nemesis slowly begins to develop deeper human emotions. These are completely foreign to her, so watching her try to understand and deal with them was one of the most interesting aspects of the book. Except for the first and latter parts of the novel, Sidonia actually isn’t in a lot of scenes, but that said, she still has a huge impact on metamorphosis of Nemesis. It’s Sidonia who keeps telling her that she’s not is worthy of love and for all of Nemesis’s physical strength and fierceness, Sidonia is equally protective and loyal to her. Tyrus who becomes Nemesis’s love interest is also an intriguing character who is more than an equal partner for Nemesis. Their relationship isn’t your typical sweet romance but that doesn’t make it any less compelling. The world-building is very creative and adds a lot of unique qualities that makes it stand out from the usual space operas. The story starts out a little slow, but the action really picks up once Nemesis arrives at the Court, and keeps going with many twists and turns that kept me guessing right up until the end. While I don’t think the conclusion perfectly wraps things up, overall, it satisfied me. The Diabolic is a standalone, which is actually a little disappointing because I wound up liking the characters so much. I’m kind of hoping with all the positive reviews it’s already receiving, that maybe the author will reconsider and write a sequel. I highly recommend this book for teens and adults even if you don’t usually read science fiction. This is storytelling at it’s very best. 

* In case you’re wondering why I used such a large image of the cover, it’s because not only is it gorgeous, but it’s also perfectly describes the development of Nemesis’s humanity.