Partly due to the success of The Hunger Games , the Young Adult genre swerved into the survival/sci-fi/dystopian genres that also allowed The Maze Runner to have a ready and willing audience. With this being the case, I’d almost say The Maze Runner has more utopian sensibilities since the narrative encourages teamwork for survival, instead of a “winner take all” emphasis presented in The Hunger Games that valued selfish ambitions over communistic altruism. Plus, if you put 50 teenage boys in a box with no adult supervision, I think the logical conclusion would be more along the lines of Lord of the Flies instead of solving a deadly maze.
While the premise was interesting and allowed for a constant and steady pacing of inciting events, I felt there was not enough explanation in this first part of the trilogy, with very few questions being answered by the end and a lot of hand-waving to push the characters forward to a conclusion. In fact, having seen the movie adaptation, I was hoping the book was better suited to explain the ending, but it was equally as confusing. That being said, there were key elements in the book (like the telepathy) that didn’t make it into the movie.
Overall, the few main characters in The Maze Runner were interesting and unique, even if it took some of them two years to even figure out the simplest parts of the maze. Still, fear can be a huge hindrance toward progress, so I guess I understand their predicament. Additionally, despite using a euphemistic system of swears as part of the characters’ unique jargon, I couldn’t help but think that this book would have been a lot more inappropriate for a young adult audience if the actual swear words were used instead.
An interesting premise with engaging characters, I give The Maze Runner 3.5 stars out of 5.
Partly due to the success of The Hunger Games , the Young Adult genre swerved into the survival/sci-fi/dystopian genres that also allowed The Maze Runner to have a ready and willing audience. With this being the case, I’d almost say The Maze Runner has more utopian sensibilities since the narrative encourages teamwork for survival, instead of a “winner take all” emphasis presented in The Hunger Games that valued selfish ambitions over communistic altruism. Plus, if you put 50 teenage boys in a box with no adult supervision, I think the logical conclusion would be more along the lines of Lord of the Flies instead of solving a deadly maze.
While the premise was interesting and allowed for a constant and steady pacing of inciting events, I felt there was not enough explanation in this first part of the trilogy, with very few questions being answered by the end and a lot of hand-waving to push the characters forward to a conclusion. In fact, having seen the movie adaptation, I was hoping the book was better suited to explain the ending, but it was equally as confusing. That being said, there were key elements in the book (like the telepathy) that didn’t make it into the movie.
Overall, the few main characters in The Maze Runner were interesting and unique, even if it took some of them two years to even figure out the simplest parts of the maze. Still, fear can be a huge hindrance toward progress, so I guess I understand their predicament. Additionally, despite using a euphemistic system of swears as part of the characters’ unique jargon, I couldn’t help but think that this book would have been a lot more inappropriate for a young adult audience if the actual swear words were used instead.
An interesting premise with engaging characters, I give The Maze Runner 3.5 stars out of 5.
This takes place in the same universe as Bardugo's other series, The Grisha Trilogy, but with different characters. It follows Kaz Brekker, a criminal prodigy who is offered to pull off the heist of a lifetime: to break into the Ice Court (which has never been breached) to rescue a hostage. He puts together a team of five other outcasts, which includes Inej Ghafa, a silent spy, Nina, a Grisha, Matthias, a convict, Jesper, a gunslinger, and Wylan, a runaway, to help break into the Ice Court. Keep in mind, my description of the characters is incredibly weak and do them no justice.
While the heist itself is brilliantly written and thrilling to read with twists and turns, this is a very character driven story, and these are incredibly well written characters. They each have their own voices, thoughts, feelings, way of expressing emotions, motivations, and backstories.
They are so complex and feel so real. While this book takes a while to get into (due to some confusing terminology) I got the hang of the world building reasonably well, it just took a bit. This is a very unique world, and along with the characters, makes for a strong, compelling, beautifully written read that makes me desperate to find the next book.
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment" by James Patterson is about a group of kids (called the Flock for their avian abilities) who were experimented on, but escaped. When one of their own is kidnapped, they go on a mission to get her back. I found the concept of this book interesting, and the characters had a lot of potential, but I feel there was an element missing from the story. Max, the protagonist, didn't seem to develop throughout the book. Nor did her love interest Fang. There were parts of this story that didn't make sense plot-wise either. But, I don't regret reading it
-- it's a fun adventurous story with lots of humor. I'd still recommend it regardless.
Jane's parents died when she was quite young, but she never felt like an orphan due to the amazing parenting skills of her quirky Aunt Magnolia. When Aunt Magnolia heads off to a photography expedition to Antartica never to return, Jane feels unmoored. She drops out of college and continues her dead end job at the university bookstore. When a surprise visit from an old friend results in an invitation to a mysterious mansion, Tu Reviens, Jane jumps on the chance to experience something new. Not only that, but Aunt Magnolia has told her to NEVER turn down an opportunity to visit the enigmatic island retreat, and Jane is eager to learn more about Magnolia's connection to the place.
That was a hard synopsis to write, as this is a book that somewhat defies description. The book starts off as kind of an Agatha Christie meets Jane Eyre meets John Fowler's the Magus, and then quickly turns into an almost Whitehead inspired choose your own adventure. Jane makes the same choice several times with different consequences each time, and the result is a compilation of strange, horrifying, thrilling and delightful stories and plot twists. Cashore's storytelling abilities are on full display here as she seamlessly weaves together a number of different genres. Character development, while it seems like it would be secondary, is also an integral part of the story. I loved all of the side characters (some of them almost eclipse Jane), and would read an entire book about almost any of them.
Jane, Unlimited is a book that I'll reread in a year or so, because there was a lot of intricate plotting and connections that I'm sure that I missed. I actually don't think I've ever read something quite like this, and that's saying something because I read a lot. The unique format of the book was attractive to me, though I can see it being frustrating for some readers; it's not until Jane makes her second choice that you really start to realize what is happening. If you read this book (and you should), I'd say just relax and enjoy the ride - it's a wonderfully weird one. I can't wait to see the art in the final copy, as I think that the right images before certain stories will add to the peculiar ambiance that permeates the book.
The ending felt both forced and rushed to me, but I think I'll enjoy it more the second time around (as I said earlier, this book practically demands to be reread). I almost loved this one, and now I really can't wait to see what Cashore comes up with next. 4.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this eBook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
In this, the fourth installment of the Robert Langdon series, Dan Brown has continued to successfully marry science to art, albeit with the same tropes and trappings that occur in the book’s predecessors. With Inferno, we get the same race across Europe explored in Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code, with the ambiguity of the antagonist’s motives that fueled The Lost Symbol . All throughout this adventure, the now-standard “female who is an expert in her field” accompanies Langdon as he tries to unravel the mystery and save the world. Langdon continues to be part Indiana Jones and part James Bond, that’s for sure.
Utilizing the standard “temporary amnesia” plot device, Brown refines his style while also increasing the stakes. While previous books in the series had potential impacts on the local and national levels, Inferno takes the antagonist’s plan to a global scale. With the main character as talented with memory as Robert Langdon is, taking away his recent memories was a good way to have him re-learn the situation at the same time the audience does. This also allows for some entertaining twists and turns as characters’ motives are revealed, often taking the plot in a quick 180° turn.
While much of the historical plot of Inferno focuses on the titular work by Dante, the scientific side of the story is incredibly relevant. Previous Brown books like Angels & Demons or The Lost Symbol certainly had some interesting scientific intertwining, but Inferno examines one of the most pressing issues within the scientific community right now. This issue, much like global climate change, has no easy answer, and Brown’s solution through the book’s antagonist is certainly a terrifying answer, even if it is probably the most humane way to go about implementing it.
The best book in the Robert Langdon series to date, I give Inferno 4.0 stars out of 5.
As time marches on, predictions of the future made in the past are tested against reality. In 1984, we didn't have George Orwell's dystopian government. In 2001, we didn't have Arthur C. Clarke's interplanetary travel. Sure, these authors did have a few interesting ideas that did come true, eventually. Still, they were writing well before the events in their books would come to pass. Robert J. Sawyer's Flashforward did not have that luxury. Written in 1999, Sawyer only imagines a future set a decade in the future. For those keeping track at home, Flashforward takes place in 2009, with a vision of a future 21 years ahead of that. Since 2009 has come and gone, there were a few things Sawyer got right, but many he could not have predicted.
The crux of this story is similar to that explored by Machine of Death: everyone in the world gets a glimpse of their future in 2030, thus causing everyone to react based on what they saw. Some were encouraged by what they saw, others despondent and suicidal. The people who had negative visions hoped the future could change, especially if their lives were on the line. Many of the "effects" of the look into the future were logical conclusions, which added an amount of interest to the story but with a cheap cop-out to keep from killing off all the characters. With all the different characters and POVs, it was somewhat difficult to follow along each time the
focus changed, since there was nothing to indicate a change of view.
I also appreciated the conversation this book had in regards to science and the many existing theories about the future. While this exploration of science also included the discovery of the Higgs Boson (which didn't happen until 2012), I was continually distracted by the narrator's pronunciation of "CERN," which sounded more like "sairn" instead of how I thought it was pronounced ("sirn"). I did appreciate the narrator's ability to mimic multiple accents, but that one pronunciation threw me.
A recent book about the "future" that gets a few things correct, I give Flashforward 3.5 stars out of 5.
If you have not read this book please...DO! This is a fantasy/adventure book that is unpredictable. It does have a cliffhanger at the end. It is the fifth book out of a seven book series. This book will make a lot more sense if you read all the books in order. While some parts of the story may be relatable to the reader (teen drama and romance) other parts aren't relatable to the reader. It is one of the best books I have read this year so far!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
If you have not read this book please...DO! This is a fantasy/adventure book that is unpredictable. It does have a cliffhanger at the end. It is the fifth book out of a seven book series. This book will make a lot more sense if you read all the books in order. While some parts of the story may be relatable to the reader (teen drama and romance) other parts aren't relatable to the reader. It is one of the best books I have read this year so far!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
If you have not read this book please...DO! This is a fantasy/adventure book that is unpredictable. It does have a cliffhanger at the end. It is the fifth book out of a seven book series. This book will make a lot more sense if you read all the books in order. While some parts of the story may be relatable to the reader (teen drama and romance) other parts aren't relatable to the reader. It is one of the best books I have read this year so far!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
If you have not read this book please...DO! This is a fantasy/adventure book that is unpredictable. It does have a cliffhanger at the end. It is the fifth book out of a seven book series. This book will make a lot more sense if you read all the books in order. While some parts of the story may be relatable to the reader (teen drama and romance) other parts aren't relatable to the reader. It is one of the best books I have read this year so far!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
If you love fantasy/adventure books PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! This is such an awesome book! It is not predictable and contains a cliffhanger at the end.
Some of the characters’ drama is relatable to the reader (such as the teenager dating scene). This is the fourth book in a seven book series. The books will make a lot more sense if you read the books in order. This was definitely one of the best books I have read this year!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
If you love fantasy/adventure books PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! This is such an awesome book! It is not predictable and contains a cliffhanger at the end.
Some of the characters’ drama is relatable to the reader (such as the teenager dating scene). This is the fourth book in a seven book series. The books will make a lot more sense if you read the books in order. This was definitely one of the best books I have read this year!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” is an amazing book to read. It is a fantasy book with some adventure in it. It is the third book in a seven book series. The story will make a lot more sense if you read the books in order. This book is not predictable and does not have a cliffhanger. However, there are some parts of the book that will leave you on the edge of your seat in suspense. Some of the characters are relatable to the reader but the story isn't at all. This was one of the best books I have ever read!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” is an amazing book to read. It is a fantasy book with some adventure in it. It is the third book in a seven book series. The story will make a lot more sense if you read the books in order. This book is not predictable and does not have a cliffhanger. However, there are some parts of the book that will leave you on the edge of your seat in suspense. Some of the characters are relatable to the reader but the story isn't at all. This was one of the best books I have ever read!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” is an amazing book to read. It is a fantasy book with some adventure in it. It is the third book in a seven book series. The story will make a lot more sense if you read the books in order. This book is not predictable and does not have a cliffhanger. However, there are some parts of the book that will leave you on the edge of your seat in suspense. Some of the characters are relatable to the reader but the story isn't at all. This was one of the best books I have ever read!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” is another great book to read.
It is the second book in a seven book series. I recommend reading the books in order, so the story makes a lot more sense. For people that enjoy fantasy and adventure books this is a great book for you! This book is full of surprises and cliff-hangers to the reader. The story isn't relatable to the reader however some of the characters are. This is another great book I have read this year!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is a great book to read. This is the first book in a seven book series. If you like fantasy and adventure books this is a great book for you! This book is completely unpredictable with many twists and turns. Some of the characters are relatable to the reader but the story isn’t relatable at all. This is one of the best books I have read all year!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is a great book to read. This is the first book in a seven book series. If you like fantasy and adventure books this is a great book for you! This book is completely unpredictable with many twists and turns. Some of the characters are relatable to the reader but the story isn’t relatable at all. This is one of the best books I have read all year!
Reviewer Grade: 8th
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is a great book to read. This is the first book in a seven book series. If you like fantasy and adventure books this is a great book for you! This book is completely unpredictable with many twists and turns. Some of the characters are relatable to the reader but the story isn’t relatable at all. This is one of the best books I have read all year!
Reviewer Grade: 8th