Books Archives - Page 65 of 71

Yzabel / November 14, 2012

Review: Fifty Shades of Grey

My rating: [rating=1]

Summary:

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Review:

This book being all the hype, I borrowed it to know what exactly it was all about. Because whether I say “this is great” or “this is crap”, formulating an opinion when I haven’t actually read the book is unfair. Then I wondered if I should bother writing a review or not. And then I thought, screw that, a lot of things in FSoG bothered me, so I might as well write them out in the open.

First, this book is way too long. I don’t plan on reading #2 and 3, but I’m positive that the three of them would just deserve to be condensed into one novel, not more. While I found the first half okay-ish, the second one just bored me, hot scenes included, and mostly I had to force myself to finish and not skim too much. The plot is pretty much inexistant, since what is at stake is given to us fairly quickly, and the ‘twist’ at the end didn’t feel like one at all (in fact, it even felt forced to me, in a “oh, heh, so it took her THAT LONG” way).

Second, I don’t understand what’s all the hype about the sex scenes. I’ve read better fanfic porn than that. Hell, I write better porn myself, and I’ve got, what, two porny short stories under my belt, at most? Maybe it feels hot if all you’ve ever had in your life is sex for the only sake of procreating; or if you’re a virgin and only have had books/movies to enlighten you about what it’s like. And please, authout, please, stop ruining sexy scenes by inserting WTF reality-check moments in them. For instance, we women know very well what it’s like to be on our period; but do we really need to read about Christian removing Ana’s tampon? Or being given the image of Ana lying naked in a hotel bed afterwards… probably putting blood in the sheets? Sorry, E.L. James; not aroused here.

Third, I also don’t get all the “this book is empowering” talk. It isn’t. Ana’s telling of her relationship just looked like abused woman thinking—including moments when she’s afraid of Christian, speaks in terms of “being hit” (and not spanked/other BDSM/sex play terms), and so on—and I just can’t fathom that this would be “empowering” in any way, to anyone. As for the BDSM aspects, even though I’e never been attracted to that kind of play and don’t know that much to it, I fairly doubt that people who enjoy such relationships behave like those characters. Just like I don’t appreciate the underlying message of “every person into BDSM is necessarily like that because s/he’s fucked-up deep inside”. Uhm, (bad) cliché much? (Any review reader who’s into it, please, enlighten me if I’m wrong.)

The characters themselves didn’t do much for me. What we are told about Ana and the way she behaves are mostly contradictory. Just like the way she treats her friends and family doesn’t show her as a kind person, but as egotistic persona who’s only able to bitch and criticize. E.g. almost everything we’re presented with regarding her best, excellent friend Kate is derogatory, when all Kate’s wrongdoings are being pretty, catching a cold, getting into a relationship with a handsome man, and questioning Ana about what she instinctively perceives as being a fucked-up relationship (I guess *I* would like a friend to be like that with me if I’m ever heading into a dangerous love affair with a manipulative man who hits and frightens me—yeah, so empowering, that). As for the cliché of the pale, thin clumsy brunette who sees herself as ugly/not deserving attention: so tiring, especially when the author TELLS us that, but all the other characters seem to consider her as beautiful… and her clumsiness is presented as her only flaw (such a mighty flaw at that…) while her real flaws (like, being a shitty friend) are overlooked.

Also, do your homework before characterizing things like “subconscious” and “inner goddess”, especially since they’re so present in the novel. If we want to dive into psychology here, Ana’s “subconscious” is really her Superego—it’s way too reasonable and logical to be anything else. And her “inner goddess” is definitely an Id in disguise, which is why the author using that expression is another of my pet peeves. (Seriously, the wording”inner goddess” would naturally mean to me “every woman is like a goddess and deserves to be respected, worshipped, etc.” Here, it’s all but that. My Id/reptilian mind/instincts are allowed to call for sex and/or pain; not my “inner goddess”. And let’s not delve into how that goddess of hers is almost constantly compared to a child, jumping up in expectation for ice-cream or play, which is… disturbing when put on the same level as sex.)

There are nice things in FSoG, though. I enjoyed a lot of the e-mails between Ana and Christian, much like I enjoyed their use of Mr. Grey/Miss Steele in their conversations (now that’s the kind of play that can easily become pleasant if, like me, you enjoy teasing banter). But all its flaws definitely put me off too regularly to allow me to enjoy even those fully.

Yzabel / November 7, 2012

Review: Tales The Wind Told Me

Tales the Wind Told Me by Rachel Eliason

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

A collection of imaginative tales of myth and magic. Enter a world where a woman must seek her sleeping beauty, a girl must dance with death and trolls walk the streets of Des Moines, Iowa. This is the world of Rachel Eliason, where myth and magic are interwoven with everyday life. It is a place of far flung science fiction and imaginative prose. Aliens manipulate their DNA to create the ultimate caste system, corporations conspire to make you fat and just this once, the sissy gets to be the hero.

Review:

(Book provided by the author through ARR #52 in the We ♥ YA Books! group, in exchange for an honest review.)

This collection of short stories I found particularly enjoyable, focusing as it did around two sets of themes that were both explored in interesting ways: folklore and tales (trolls, the Boondangle spirit, Sleeping Beauty…), and LGBT-related issues (which would definitely deserve to be ‘advertised’ more, because they’re part of the book’s strong points). The author’s own evolution is reflected in those stories, and what’s at stake in them is carried in ways that seem just natural—in the open, but also with a certain subtlety that makes them flow.

As usual with short stories, every reader has his/her favourite ones. I definitely liked the “Troll stories” a lot, for the way they integrate myths and changeling creatures into urban everyday life. “Dancing with Death” was really poignant, and a beautiful lesson about how to accept death, leaving your beloved ones with dignified memories of yourself. “The Boondangle” had me reflect on quite a few things, especially how we may think we have accepted parts of ourselves that we actually dread, and how easy—yet also damageable—it would be if those were to be taken away from us. Finally, “Gemone” was a wonderful story that definitely holds potential for more, for being even turned into a novel, in terms of plot, world building, characters and thoughts; the society developed in it was, simply put, fascinating.

As for editing matters: I noticed a few typos and editing issues here and there; the only one that bothered me was in “Gemone”, with a tense shift whose role I didn’t understand (either it’s just me, or it was remnants of an original version written in the present tense?).

Yzabel / November 5, 2012

Review: A Vision of Green

A Vision of Green by L.H. Cosway

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

Since moving to Chesterport Flo has discovered new friends and a hidden world.

After spending seventeen years as an Empath, thinking she was either delusional or very, very different, she has found others who are different too. She helped battle a coven of dark witches and watched as their leader got sent to her judgement. All now seems peaceful in her new town, but it’s not going to last.

For one, Flo’s dad is back on the scene and has taken over her dead grandmother’s house with his new girlfriend. Dealing with him makes Flo think that maybe everyday people can be monsters too, as he blackmails her into giving up the one person she needs the most. Secondly, Flo hears a story about strange goings on in the nearby forest, and becomes obsessed with the magical things that might lie in its green depths.

A Vision of Green is the second instalment in the Florence Vaine trilogy, where Flo finds herself yet again immersed in mystery, romance and things that are just a little bit scary. She will come across new adversaries, supernatural and otherwise, discover more about her own identity and grow in ways she had never anticipated.

Review:

(Ebook version kindly sent to me by the author herself, in exchange for an honest review.)

A few months ago, I had read the first volume of L.H. Cosway’s Florence Vaine series, “A Strange Fire”, and had liked it a lot. This second installment doesn’t disappoint either.

We find here characters from the previous novel: Florence, the girl with the power to see and modify people’s auras; Frank, her boyfriend, and his family, most of which share the same particularity of being inhabited by a demon’s soul; Josh, the unpleasant school mate; but also Terry, Florence’s father, who is much more present in this book. All of their personae were enjoyable in their own rights, and I was glad to see more of them, and in a way that didn’t make them lose their appeal compared to the first novel (something that, I’ve noticed, sometimes happens in second volumes, as if everything had been said about those characters, and there’s nothing new left to expect). Flo is both strong and awkward, fighting with the predicaments she’s in, yet never giving up. Frank is adorable, always ready to help her, yet also respecting her wishes, even though this may go against his nature. Josh is also interesting, in that he’s clearly a negative mirror of Florence: what she could (have) become if she had let herself being completely crushed by her father… yet I could still sense a hope for redemption in him (his behaviour could have been much worse). Even Florence’s father is not made of so many shades of black, because for all his dark sides and awful behaviour, there are a few things that explain how he became this way.

In this novel, Florence also seems to take matters in her own hands more readily than in the first story, a sign that her character has been evolving; her decisions may seem unwise at times (why stay with her abusive father, of all things?), but understandable, for they show her will to fight by herself, and not simply run away and let other people protect her. This I find always enjoyable in a character, even though I know it often also brings more problems that it solves.

We also get to learn more about what dwells in the forest near Chesterport, and are offered an insight into another part of the supernatural world, as well as more information about how Florence acquired her powers… and a hint that, much like she learnt how to manipulate and not only see auras, those powers may not be done ‘growing’ (but is this for in her best interests?). The plot centering about the forest is wrapped up nicely at the end—no frustrating cliffhanger—yet it’s also clear that the bigger picture isn’t completed yet, and that there is more to come. I’m definitely eager to see how everything will resolve in the next book.

Yzabel / October 31, 2012

Review: Blood Warrior

Blood Warrior by H.D. Gordon

My rating: [rating=2]

Summary:

When her home is attacked by murderous vampires, 17-year-old Alexa is forced to leave her mother for dead in order to save her sister. She soon learns that she is the last known member of an elite race of supernatural Warriors, and is thrust into a world full of vampires and werewolves who all seem to regard her as some sort of savior. Meanwhile, Alexa battles a monster within herself that seeks to gain control; a monster that seeks blood.

The hidden city she finds herself in appears perfect, but Alexa’s instincts tell her that all is not right within its walls. When she is asked to attend a school of fighters, whose exams consist of gladiator-style competitions, she must decide who she can trust among the smiling faces. And, when she meets Kayden, a vampire she feels undeniably drawn to, she must decide if she can trust herself.

Review:

I picked this book because I had read another novel from the same author (“Joe”) and had absolutely loved it. This time, though, I unfortunately didn’t enjoy my read as much. (However, I’m also aware that this is the author’s debut novel, and you can really feel the difference between this one and her latest work, which is definitely a good point.)

The world developed in “Blood Warrior” is an interesting one, especially on the political level, where something’s definitely amiss and has a nice smell of utopian society on the outside, while being probably rotten to the core on the inside. But I’d have liked this world to be more developed–or rather, to know more about the supernatural creatures that people it, for while we’re told that there are werewolves and three species of vampires, I found it somewhat hard to distinguish some things from others. Sometimes I’d lose the ‘feeling’ of what exactly differenciate those species from each other.

The characters in general, while likeable enough, with their strong points and weaknesses, seemed a little bland to me. Alexa’s emotions were strong, too strong at times, yet I couldn’t feel close to her, and the way she went through them left me quite detached along the story. Also, I didn’t enjoy the love triangle between Alexa and the boys, because I felt as if it was kind of mandatory to have. I doubt the story would have been less interesting if those guys had been/remained friends, without all the banter and allusions about “she’s mine”, “no she’s my girlfriend”, and so on (maybe those lines were delivered as jokes, but it still was a little weird). As if a triangle wasn’t enough, we actually get a square with Tommy’s arrival, which made me wonder what was the point here. Or perhaps I’ve read too many YA novels in too little time, and am getting bored with love triangles, girls surrounded with handsome males, and special, unique heroines who gets everyone’s attention? I don’t know. It just seemed somewhat forced to me, and none of the love interests appeal to me nor make me care about who gets the girl in the end.

In terms of writing, I regularly found spelling and grammar mistakes in the text (their/they’re…), enough to annoy my eyes much too trained to spot typos and the likes. It wouldn’t prevent me from going on reading, but it was still annoying.

I think the biggest problem I had with this novel was that once I was done reading, I was under the impression that it was mostly a backdrop for the real plot to come, instead of a story in itself–the ‘cliffhanger’ at the end would have been good to close the first part of a book, but not a whole book, so to say. Now, as I mentioned before, the world developed here seems to be interesting, and probably will be much more once more is known about it. So maybe I’ll still check the next volume at some point to see where it leads me.

Yzabel / October 30, 2012

Review: Duplicity

Duplicity by Nikki Jefford

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

If Graylee Perez thought sharing a body with her twin sister was bad, dealing with a duplicate of herself is two times worse. Gray the second doesn’t seem to get that Lee’s boyfriend, Raj McKenna, is off limits. Then there’s the problem of Adrian Montez. He expects one of the Grays to be his.

Nearly a year later, the council is onto them for past misdeeds; Lee, along with the rest of the coven, has lost control of her powers; and Gray is being stalked by what looks like the Grim Reaper.

If they work together, they may stand a chance of setting things right and making it out alive.

Review:

I found this second installment as good as the first one, although in different ways, and due to different reasons. As is normal in second books in a series, there was no need to introduce the reader to the world and characters, so the whole story started fast. What was at stake felt more important this time, more serious, and better justified (I must admit that the reason to Gray’s death in the first book was kind of… cheesy in my opinion). And there was no Charlene. I’m not fond of Charlene, that is.

Seeing Lee and Gray interact and progress through the plot was interesting, because of both being basically the same person, yet with diverging personalities and conflicting interests; Gray’s situation was the more problematic from the start, arriving as she was in a world that had gone on spinning without her, and I could quite understand her feelings of being the extra wheel. Also, I really enjoyed seeing more of Adrian in this novel; I had already taken a liking to him in “Entangled”, and here I found his character fascinating. He’s got the markings of someone with a serious potential to do evil, yet it seems to me that there’s much more to him, and that he didn’t start being ‘the Avenger’ just for show; I seriously hope we get to learn about his past in the third book.

On the other hand, I found Gray’s behaviour somewhat odd at times; she was supposed to be the one who hadn’t changed, who came back just as she was one year ago, without having evolved in the meantime, but she all of a sudden seemed muchmore manipulative. Perhaps because she didn’t have much left to lose? I don’t know. The other character that somewhat annoyed me (or whom I felt sorry for) was Raj. He had such a diminished presence compared to what was his in “Entangled”–not in terms of ‘screen time’, but of charisma–and I couldn’t find back the Raj I had learnt to enjoy.

Despite those flaws, I’m still givine 4 stars to this book. It was a light, entertaining read, it made me spend a fairly good time, and this was precisely what I wanted out of it.

Yzabel / October 18, 2012

Review: Dark Tidings

Dark Tidings by Ken Magee

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

What happens when ancient magic meets the internet? One thing is certain, modern life will never be the same again.

A thousand years ago, a young thief, Tung, and a disgraced wizard, Madrick, are thrust together in an executioner’s dungeon.

In the darkness, Madrick reveals an incredible secret about a legendary spell. The great spell helps them escape their prison cell… and eventually their century.

Catapulted into the present day, their lives collide with Michael, a computer hacker who plans to destroy the world’s largest bank. But sinister people are tracking their every move and they will stop at nothing to steal their spell.

Review:

(Book provided by the author through ARR #421 in the Making Connections group, in exchange for an honest review.)

The premise of this book made it look like the kind of story I could enjoy—magic and technology mixed with a hefty dose of humour—and enjoy it I did. Granted, I thought the two storylines would converge much sooner; instead, they do after a while only, and at first I wondered when that would be. However, when the author brings them together, it all makes up for it. Besides, Tung’s and Madrick’s antics in their own era provided for very fun moments, that made me laugh a lot; not to mention I have a soft spot for such characters with a definite ‘loser’ streak, yet are able to get through their problems in the end.

The overall plot flew nicely and fast enough, with magic of old intertwined with conspiracy theories and modern means of action. The ending, while a cliffhanger and reminding me that there is a sequel, was of the kind I’d find brilliant—from the moment the characters made their decision, it spelled (pun intended) something grand and terrible in the making.

There were two things that bothered me in this novel, though. The first was the style itself, that I found at times a little too dry and descriptive, thus keeping the characters at a distance from the reader, so to speak; there were plenty of inserts such as “little they did they know at the time that…”, and while those were, in a way, in line with more traditional “tales formatting”, I’m just too keen about that. Also, I’d have liked to see more of Tung’s and Madrick’s reactions to the modern worled (the way things went, they just seemed to adapt much too quickly, in spite of a couple encounters and mishaps, and I think this removed some potential for more funny situations and interactions).

Still, I’ll probably pick the second installment along the way, as I want to know more about what the three heroes left behind.

Yzabel / October 14, 2012

Review: Here Lies Death

Here Lies Death by Harlan Vaughn

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

On December 21, 2012, the processes of death and aging stop completely. Here Lies Death is the story of Kelsey and April, sisters who are forced to explore their own mortality because of unprecedented supernatural phenomena. As the world struggles to understand the psychological and sociological implications, Kelsey and April dive deeper into hopelessness and depravity. While the slow realization of life without death begins to burn itself into a new reality, the human race threatens to implode.

What happens when there is no more death?

Part fantasy, part science fiction, and part story of survival, read the acclaimed novel that sweeps across the human experience and digs into the darkest corners of the mind.

Review:

(Book provided by the author through Read It & Reap #100 in the Shut Up And Read group, in exchange for an honest review.)

I rated this book 3 stars, because I’m not exactly sure what to make of it, so I went for the middle ground.

It was a puzzling read, first for the questions and hypotheses it raised about human nature and how people may react if death didn’t exist anymore, if everyone was eternally stuck in the same body, a body that would regenerate almost instantly if hurt or killed. This theme was intriguing, and as I suspected (and probably would’ve written myself if I had been the author of such a story), the ‘answers’ weren’t pretty—while reading, I would tell myself “actually, I’m not surprised”. Some characters (Sean, Kes…) were quite the positive ones about it, enjoying the ‘gift’ as it was given to them; for others, it triggered terrible feelings, causing them to spiral downwards into darkness they might never have known nor suspected had they been able to go on just as they had always believed they would. In that, this novel was pretty interesting.

It was also a page-turner for me, in quite an odd way… Much like a train wreck in the making, in fact: somehow you feel that something’s horribly wrong, yet you can’t help but go on, because you have to see it brought to an end, no matter what kind. Let’s say it prompts you to wonder about many things, about your own reactions if you were in such situations as presented in the book, about whether you’d enjoy such eternal life or not. Because it’s probably easier to say “yes, I’d enjoy it” if you were stuck in your prime… but what if you were stuck eternally in the body of a kid, because you were only 6 when it happened, and then your mind would grow old in a clearly inadequate body? Or what about being 80 and wishing it had happened sooner, when you were still young and beautiful? I don’t think giving a definite answer is so evident.

That said, while the story was fascinating, albeit not the kind of read I’d recommend if you’re depressed yourself, I wasn’t so thrilled about the writing itself, which I found often too cold, too clinical. I couldn’t exactly relate with the characters, whose actions and emotions were relayed rather than shown. And thus I couldn’t really empathize either.

Also, we’re provided no clear explanation about why the Restoration occurred. In a way, I’d like to say that this is not what’s important about the story, that what matters is how the whole concept of immortality is explored; nonetheless, I’d still have wanted to know, especially given how it all concludes.

Yzabel / October 12, 2012

Review: Soul Screamers (volume 1)

Soul Screamers Vol. 1: My Soul to Lose • My Soul to Take • My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

It starts with a scream…

My Soul to Lose
—The prequel: never before in print!—
Kaylee is just your average girl shopping at the mall with friends—until a terrified scream bursts from her that cannot be stopped. Taken to a hospital ward, will she be able to save her mind—and her life?

My Soul to Take
She’s always felt different, but now Kaylee discovers why. The screams that cannot be denied mean that someone near her will die—and she can never save them. Because saving one life means taking another.

My Soul to Save
Going on dates with her boyfriend is still new to Kaylee. But when the singer of the band they’re seeing dies onstage and Kaylee doesn’t scream, she knows something crazy is going on. Soon she discovers souls can indeed be sold.

Review:

3 stars, but actually it’s more like a 3.5. That’s pretty much because I liked book #2 a little less than book #1.

Overall, I enjoyed discovering and reading this series’ beginning, first because bean sidhes aren’t so represented in YA books (not that I know of, at least), so it was quite a nice change from the usual vampires/werewolves I’ve read about so far. Besides, I really liked the world developed by the author here; it seems to be grounded in solid bases, with consistent rules, and it’s definitely the kind of world I want to read more about (especially the Netherworld and the reapers). Finally, contrary to many paranormal YA novels these days, the romance part isn’t the main focus of those stories, and that their plot doesn’t revolve around a love triangle (even though I can sense one coming); they stand for themselves, and the problems to solve aren’t related to those relationships. (Since I picked this series for the bean sidhes aspect and not for the romance one, I expected to read about bean sidhes and a paranormal world first and foremost; in that, I was rewarded.)

I was a little less thrilled about the characters, though. While I liked Nash in the first book, I found he lacked impact in the second one. I liked Tod better, especially because of his disjointed morality: his reactions and decisions were good reminders that he’s an ally… but one of those allies you’d better not trust *too much*. As for Kaylee, she’s OK in general, but I couldn’t really relate to her; also, I found that she was extremely naive regarding some things (which was normal, considering she was quite new to that world and revelations), but oddly not so regarding others (stuff she accepted too fast, or how she always has to right ideas, when those would rather be expected from the more experienced characters). I understand she’s the heroine; still, that was weird. Also, Addison and Regan in book #2 seemed a little too ‘weak’ for readers to understand why such a concern for them: it’d have been better, in my opinion, if Kaylee and Nash had known them beforehand (if Addy had been a girl from school, for instance), as it’d have made the connection deeper, and not only a case of “we’re doing that because it’s the right thing to do”.

That said, I still plan on reading the next omnibus once it’s out.

Yzabel / October 8, 2012

Review: Claus

Claus: Legend of the Fat Man by Tony Bertauski

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

Some legends are forged in fire.
Others are born in snow.

In the early 1800s, Nicholas, Jessica and Jon Santa attempt the first human trek to the North Pole and stumble upon an ancient race of people left over from the Ice Age. They are short, fat and hairy. They slide across the ice on scaly soles and carve their homes in the ice that floats on the Arctic Ocean.

The elven are adapted to life in the extreme cold. They are as wise as they are ancient. Their scientific advancements have yielded great inventions — time-stopping devices and gravitational spheres that build living snowmen and genetically-modified reindeer that leap great distances. They’ve even unlocked the secrets to aging. For 40,000 years, they have lived in peace.

Until now.

An elven known as The Cold One has divided his people. He’s tired of their seclusion and wants to conquer the world. Only one elven stands between The Cold One and total chaos. He’s white-bearded and red-coated. The Santa family will help him stop The Cold One.

They will come to the aid of a legendary elven known as… Claus.

Review:

I must admit I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the other one I read from the author. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable in its own right, and proved a gripping read.

It was also a somewhat weird novel, in that some things in it that might have thrown me off-course actually proved palatable in the end. The idea of the elves as a science-based civilization is so different than the usual take on the whole North Pole/Santa Claus/elves vision that even though it seemed weird at first, it very soon left me going all “Sure, why not?”, and discovering it became an enjoyment in and of itself. Same went with Jack’s antics: in the very beginning, I thought they’d be unnerving… but then, all of a sudden, I realized that I was actually waiting to see him come into the story again, with his crazy ways of acting and the way he would treat the people around him.

The story also tackles touchy themes, such as the loss of memory (which is probably worse than dying for some people, at least) and how gestures (or lack thereof) seen as insignificant, or overlooked, in the past may give birth to a monster. Those are part of the themes I can easily be brought to appreciate in a fictional setting.

I think the one thing that left me hesitant was the 19th century aspect of “Claus”. I couldn’t relate to those parts of the story—being an avid reader and student of 19th century litterature, I didn’t find the ‘feeling’ I would expect from the chapters about the Santas’ life before arriving amon the elves. I probably wouldn’t have minded as much hadn’t I already had quite a pile of previous readings behind me, though. Still, it happened. That’s too bad.

Otherwise, if you like different takes and original twists on very traditional tales, go for it.

Yzabel / October 3, 2012

Review: The Tube Riders

The Tube Riders by Chris Ward

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

Mega Britain in 2075 is a dangerous place. A man known only as the Governor rules the country with an iron hand, but within the towering perimeter walls of London Greater Urban Area anarchy spreads unchecked through the streets.

In the abandoned London Underground station of St. Cannerwells, a group of misfits calling themselves the Tube Riders seek to forget the chaos by playing a dangerous game with trains. Marta is their leader, a girl haunted by her brother’s disappearance. Of the others, Paul lives only to protect his little brother Owen, while Simon is trying to hold on to his relationship with Jess, daughter of a government official. Guarding them all is Switch, a man with a flickering eye and a faster knife, who cares only about preserving the legacy of the Tube Riders. Together, they are family.

Everything changes the day they are attacked by a rival gang. While escaping, they witness an event that could bring war down on Mega Britain. Suddenly they are fleeing for their lives, pursued not only by their rivals, but by the brutal Department of Civil Affairs, government killing machines known as Huntsmen, and finally by the inhuman Governor himself.

Review:

(Book provided by the author through ARR #534 in the Making Connections group, in exchange for an honest review.)

A long book packed with action and events, for sure, and one that I had a hard time putting down whenever I had to.

First, the theme. A book about young people riding trains, barely hanging onto them with tiny boards, and using them first for games, then to escape and run for their lives. In Tube stations and tunnels. In the hands of a reader who’s been known to ride the London Tube and explore corridors and stairwells there just for fun. Awesome. Also, I think the author did a good job depicting his world. Granted, there were a few points on which my suspension of disbelief was somewhat stretched at times (some of the experiments, and a couple of plot junctures). But Chris Ward quickly falls back on his feet, giving us explanations about Mega Britain’s shortcomings, that make it more understandable why a group of fugitives manages to outsmart officials for some time. If anything, I would’ve liked to know a little more about how exactly that country and government came to be; on the other hand, the books is already quite long, and this probably isn’t absolutely essential in order to enjoy it (it’s just me being curious).

The characters portrayed throughout the story were all heroic in their own ways, while remaining very humane, with both merits and flaws. Among the heroes, I especially liked the street-savvy Switch, always so resourceful, and Jess, who had to wade through so much grief and try to find her own answers. And I really wasn’t happy about seeing Simon go… but with such unjuries as he sustained, at best he’d have had to be ‘left behind’ to heal, so from the moment it happened, I kind of suspected what would happen… The villains themselves had humane sides and redeeming points, in spite of their vices; the Huntsmen were clearly victims before being monsters, and Dreggo herself had a vulnerable side and a very hard past that made her anger and resentment all the more understandable. For sure, she was a resilient and interesting adversary.

I’m still hesitant about the ending, to be honest: I can’t decide whether I’d like to see a sequel or not. So much may still happen—the Bristol guys, the person left on the beach at the very end…—yet at the same time, the story still feels self-contained no matter what. It’s hard to tell.