Sci-Fi books

Jun 17

Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: Freedom is not as sweet as Trella thought it would be. As she struggles with the expectations that she continue to lead Inside when all she wants to do is explore and get to know Riley, disaster strikes. There is something Outside. And it wants In.

I’m always a bit hesitant when it comes to a sequel, especially if I really enjoyed the first book. I was a bit worried that Outside In would not live up to my expectations. But Maria V. Snyder has delivered just like she always does.

It quickly becomes evident that the lessons Trella learned in the first book, Inside Out, have been forgotten, as often happens to real people – we change in the heat of the moment but once everything stabilizes, it is easy to fall back into your old routine. But despite her reverting to her old ways, the plot is anything but routine. As the story unfolds, we are thrown into a believable fantasy/sci-fi world full of intrigue and suspense.

The characters we fell in love with in Inside Out continue to grow, with greater depth added to their personalities and new, realistic motives thrown into the mix. In addition, we are introduced to a new enemy and a new level to the history of the world of Inside.

A great sequel and a wonderful addition to Maria V. Snyder’s resume.

May 13

Numbers, by Rachel Ward

Rating: 5 out of 5

(Summary taken from Goodreads) Whenever Jem meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die.

Burdened with such an awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. But while they’re waiting to ride the Eye Ferris wheel, Jem notices that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!

I loved this book. My one complaint is that the back cover copy is slightly deceptive. I thought I was getting something different than what I got. Of course, it’s probably a good thing that it was different from what I expected because had I known what it was really about, I probably wouldn’t have read it and I would have missed out on a great book.

In reading the summary of Numbers, I expected more of a dystopia/paranormal type book. In actuality, with the exception of the main character, Jem’s, ability to know when people will die just by looking at them, this book was extremely realistic. Throughout the pages of Numbers, Rachel Ward weaves together what seemed like a very realistic insight into life in the slums of London, exposing the reader to the harsh realities of the lower class, a class you cannot hope to escape once you’ve landed there.

Jem is painted in a very real, honest way, with real flaws, real strengths, and an authentic voice. Jem grows throughout the book, but in a more subtle, realistic way than you might find in other books. I think it takes real talent to make something so far-fetched as being able to know when people will die come out seeming so real. Hats off to Rachel Ward and I can’t wait to read the sequel, The Chaos.

May 06

Virals, by Kathy Reichs

Rating: 2 out of 5

(Summary taken from GoodReads) Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage “sci-philes” who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their new-found physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer’s scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends they’re a pack. They are Virals.

Based off of the book’s description, Virals seemed like it would be an intriguing, good read. I found it refreshing to find a werewolf book with a scientific take on the mythological creature. Sadly, the book did not live up to my expectations.

I praise Reichs for coming up with a scientific explanation for the changes that the teen friends undergo, but the book read as though it were several books spliced into one. The lack of cohesion left me confused as a reader. I felt like I was reading at least 3 different plots – sci-fi paranormal, mystery murder, and awkward teen vs. mean girls. While these could all go together, the way these plot elements played out in Virals seemed awkward and disjointed.

A great setting cannot salvage a not-so-great plot

The book was set on an isolated island with monkeys and cute wolf dogs. The setting could have contributed in a big way to the plot, but I didn’t feel that Reichs explored the possibilities as much as I would have liked, sticking to the expected possibilities while ignoring the unexpected.

I also felt like the middle section of the book was a bit drawn out. It took an extremely long time for the teens transformations to be complete. This dragged down the story. We didn’t get much insight to the characters during this long section and it didn’t contribute very much to the overall story.

The Evil Popular Girl cliche

The book also contained evil rich girls that felt like a cliche. There was no motivation for their mean behavior. Maybe I went to a tame high school, but I just don’t think this stereotype holds true. No one at my school was mean just for the sake of being mean and I was a poor girl at a wealthy private school in the south, same as Tory.

All in all, I was left feeling lukewarm about Virals. Whereas the book description suggested a fast-paced, exciting read, I found the story slow and disjointed. It was an interesting concept, but fell a bit short for me. It’s worth reading if you have nothing else on your list, but I’d recommend saving your money and getting it from the library.

Apr 01

Inside Out, by Maria V. Snyder

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

(Summary from GoodReads)

Keep Your Head Down. Don’t Get Noticed. Or Else.

I’m Trella. I’m a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I’ve got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

I’m a big fan of Maria V. Snyder. I loved the Study Series and was a bit shocked when I learned about this series because the worlds are so very different. Whereas the world in the Study Series lives in the realm of fantasy books, Inside Out is more in line with sci-fi. Despite the different genres, Snyder has succeeded yet again in creating a rich world full of characters you quickly fall in love with.

The book is pretty faced-paced. I read it in one weekend. Had I not been in the middle of a move, I probably would have read it in one sitting. Right from the beginning of the book, you sense the urgency of the story as Trella wakes up to the rush of water and only just escapes the pipe she was sleeping in. And from then on, the movement of the book continues. Although the setting is more or less static – a giant metal structure with thousands of people enclosed inside – you never feel that the narration is constrained.

The world of Inside that Snyder has created is intriguing and very detailed, not that I would expect anything less from her. She manages to turn this small world into a complex system, turning something as mundane as the pipe system into a key feature of the environment.

Her characters are also complex and interesting, each with their own series of flaws, including Trella who not only has many flaws, but comes to understand them and grow as the story progresses. And laced through it all are series of betrayals, but you cannot hold them against the characters because once you understand the motivation behind their betrayals, you realize that they are only human, acting as any human would. Snyder’s ability to make her characters human is one of the things I most enjoy about her books and I think she shows growth as a writer in this area when compared to the Study series (not that the Study series was lacking in this department).

While on the subject of character, Inside Out is told in first person, and I’d say that Snyder has done an excellent job capturing the voice of Trella. I really felt I knew who she was and nothing sounded out of place. If looking for a good example of first person narration, you should definitely give this book a read.

My only complaint, a complaint I have with a lot of books, is that elements of the ending became a bit confusing. Fight scenes prove time and time again to be difficult to write. But with this being the only real weakness of the book, I’d say Maria V. Snyder has created a successful, well-written book definitely worth reading.

As a side note, Inside Out had some similarities with Across the Universe. If you enjoyed Across the Universe, you should give Inside Out a read. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Jan 14

Feed, by M.T. Anderson

Rating: 4 out of 5

Feed provides a haunting glimpse into what the future holds. Set in an America of the future, where citizens have feeds implanted into their brains and the planet is on the brink of collapse, the book follows the story of Titus, a rebellious teen who, through the course of the book, learns that actions have consequences, and even the simplest moment can change everything.

I struggled with this book when I first picked it up. In many ways, Feed reminds me of Catcher in the Rye (not my favorite book). This, coupled with the language Anderson has created, full of rich slang and an authentic voice, took some getting used to. But once I had gotten past the second chapter, I became immersed in the story.

The similarities to our own society were disturbing. The feed has been implanted directly into the brains of the majority of the population. The feed can be used to message a friend or watch a t.v. show or a movie. When you enter a store, ads flash through the feed. The feed even follows individual trends and maps out consumer identities, all to offer customized ads. Does any of this sound familiar?

Today you may find yourself at the dinner table, sending text messages or checking your email, watching YouTube clips on an iPhone or iPad, or sharing everything about your life through Facebook. In Feed, no specialized hand-held device is needed. The only way you can tell someone is using the feed is by their dazed, distracted look. And it’s completely normal. Gone are the days when these activities would be seen as rude. Gone is the sanctity of technology free dinners. And the scary thing is, I can see the Feed being invented in my lifetime.

I don’t usually read books like this, but I’m happy I gave Feed a chance. Not only was Anderson’s creation of voice outstanding and authentic, but his world building was honest and his message was clear. If you want a haunting read or a book that raises questions about the direction our society is heading, this just might be the book for you.

Nov 12

I have a confession to make. I love sci-fi. This is something I do not often admit. An interest in sci-fi is not exactly the coolest thing. Despite the resurgence of Dr. Who and and the success of Avatar, sci-fi has maintained it’s stigma. So I’m sure you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon Pittacus Lore’s I am Number Four, a YA sci-fi book that has reached enough popularity to earn it movie status.

I am Number Four takes place on Earth, but revolves around an Alien from Lorien, known to his people as Number Four but known to Earthlings as John. After his planet was attacked, John fled with nine other children to Earth. A spell was placed on the Lorien children making it so that they could only be killed in order, Number 1 first, 2 second, etc. The race that destroyed their planet is hunting them, and it’s Number Four’s turn to run.

The book has all the things you would expect from a YA book – coming of age, not fitting in, struggle over a first love – but it adds the extra element of aliens, a refreshing change from vampires, werewolves, and wizards (not that there is anything wrong with those). All in all I found the book to be exciting (I read it in one sitting). The story was engaging, the unraveling of the back plot was nicely done and the characters were interesting. Some of the action scenes at the end dragged on a bit and became confusing, but all in all my only real complaint is that I have to wait until next summer for the next book in the series, The Power of Six, which, you guessed it, will no be about Number 6.

Book Review Friday – Outside In

Book Review Friday – Numbers

Book Review Friday – Virals

A great setting cannot salvage a not-so-great plot

The Evil Popular Girl cliche

Book Review Friday – Inside Out

Book Review Friday: Feed

Review of I Am Number Four