I have to preface this review by absolutely recommending everyone check out Extinguishing The Stars: An Amaranthe Short Story before divinI have to preface this review by absolutely recommending everyone check out Extinguishing The Stars: An Amaranthe Short Story before diving into this book. Is it 100% required? Ehh…maybe not 100%. Does it offer some important context and fuel character development in The Universe Within? Definitely. Grab it for free from your favorite ebook retailer, or get the audiobook for a mere 99¢.
Anyway. As much as I loved The Thief (y’all know how I feel about Eren), I was very much looking forward to this book because I really liked the sound of a good old-fashioned adventure with Alex and Caleb. And “good old-fashioned� is truly an apt descriptor for this story. It had a sense of wonder and exploration that hearkened back to the days of the Aurora Renegades trilogy (er�Amaranthe II: Rebellion…I guess I’m being a little old-fashioned myself). Without spoiling anything, a certain hiccup right at the beginning of the story regarding Calex™’s usual companions—Valkyrie and Akeso—renders the whole setup even more nostalgic. This is even addressed by the characters themselves.
While each of these Cosmic Shores novels has had stakes that are plenty high, they’re all still very contained stories and offer a bit of a respite from the massive, universe-altering stakes we’ve been seeing in the main series. Since they can’t help themselves, Alex and Caleb still end up having to save a planet—nay, a whole galaxy—from destruction, with a big assist from their new Elakri allies. The Elakri, who first appear in Extinguishing The Stars, are a peaceful, artistically inclined race with a very interesting culture and backstory; after being introduced to dozens of other alien races and cultures over the course of the previous 21 books, creating a new one that still feels fresh and unique deserves major props. The two primary Elakri characters in the story, Laurent and Deunan, have incredibly disparate personalities and backgrounds, which makes their interactions with Calex� and each other all the more compelling.
But a peaceful society focused solely on art and fashion and architecture has to be too good to be true, right? There’s got to be some sort of conspiracy and cover-up involved, riiiight? I am here for it.
Now I’m excited to return to the Amaranthe universe at large. Despite these three Cosmic Shores books being marketed as standalone, they each still contributed something to the overall story, from the smallest character development details to the biggest scientific breakthroughs. I can’t wait to see how everything comes into play....more
I volunteered to read this book without having read the first book in order to help gauge its readability by others in my same situation; I've had theI volunteered to read this book without having read the first book in order to help gauge its readability by others in my same situation; I've had the series on my TBR forever, so this seemed like a good opportunity to finally dive in! And considering I enjoyed it a lot, I'd say it's perfectly readable even if you haven't read the series opener. Yes, you kind of get thrown into the middle of a situation in this book and there are some things you feel like you may have missed out on, but there's enough background info shared that you still get a sense of what happened and what's currently going on. All it did was make me want to go back and read the first book even more!
I listened to the audiobook of this, and the narration was absolutely fantastic. Every primary character had a unique voice, and the pacing and drama came across great. I did have a little bit of trouble keeping track of who some of the characters were (though I think I had everybody figured out pretty well by the end) but I mainly attribute this to me being a very visual learner and I wasn't able to see the names written on the page.
This one does start out a little slow, but the world-building is rich and I love the concept behind the telepathy ("magic system" if this was a fantasy book). The Gentle Hands vs. Archons setup feels very Star Wars, a classic Jedi vs. Sith scenario. Much of the tension throughout the book was interpersonal or political, but the last several chapters consist of a final battle sequence that was very cinematic. I was picturing everything in my head exactly like a movie. There was also a nice plot twist about halfway through that caught me by surprise, although looking back now, I see how things were leading up to it. Very nicely executed.
I'll definitely be checking out the remainder of the series now!...more
If you’ve followed my Amaranthe reviews since…well, since Relativity, you know it’s no secret that I adore Eren with all my little heart. If you’ve followed my Amaranthe reviews since…well, since Relativity, you know it’s no secret that I adore Eren with all my little heart. Which is actually kind of interesting, because he’s such a chaotic character—you’d think he’d stress me out. But he’s just so well-written (I can hear him speaking on the page) and the rollercoaster of a character arc he’s gone through since his introduction has been nothing short of spellbinding.
It’s actually been about 2.5 years since I learned this book was coming down the pipe, and I have spent that entire time eagerly awaiting it. Readers, if you’re new to the Amaranthe series, this book is a fantastic introduction to the type of characters, action, and galaxy-spanning intrigue you’ll find throughout the rest of the saga. There may be a few details you’ll have questions about, but otherwise you can enjoy this book with no prior knowledge of the series. Like Medusa Falling, this is a fast-paced, standalone adventure story, but if you’re an Amaranthe veteran, you already know that Eren is capable of making a story fast-paced and adventurous merely by existing, regardless of what else might be happening in the plot.
In this installment, Eren quickly finds himself entangled with the Hesgyr, a unique new alien race with a knack for thievery. But naturally, a situation that seems pretty cut and dried on the surface turns out to be much more complicated and nuanced than he anticipated (do we expect anything else from this series?). There’s a mystery to be solved and a sinister plot to thwart, and since all the Hesgyr’s attempts at fixing these problems themselves have failed thus far, who better to call on for some solutions—especially some unconventional ones—than Eren?
But he’s hardly alone in this endeavor. In addition to assistance from his new Hesgyr allies—who are fresh and compelling in their own right, which is quite a feat after 20 books—he’s got backup from none other than Aeryn Sun our favorite ex-Inquisitor. I’ve loved Nyx’s character even since her days of terrorizing the main cast as a diati-wielding tool of the Anaden Directorate, and I’ve needed her evolving dynamic with Eren injected directly into my veins over the last few books. Their clashing personalities and methods of operation made for a unique and exciting approach to problem solving, and I can’t wait to see how the two of them continue to grow and build off each other in the future.
(Truly, the only thing that would have made this book completely flawless was more Corradeo. Half of my reviews give disproportionate attention to my three Anaden cinnamon rolls.)...more
When these Cosmic Shores novels were first announced, I was really excited by the prospect of some shorter, fast-paced stories set in the When these Cosmic Shores novels were first announced, I was really excited by the prospect of some shorter, fast-paced stories set in the Amaranthe universe…not that the rest of the series isn’t fantastic and fast-paced in its own right, but the idea of something new was intriguing.
I was, however, admittedly a little leery of an entire novel with Marlee serving as the protagonist. Full disclosure: I have often struggled with her character (at least the adult version we’ve seen beginning in Riven Worlds). At some point, I concluded that it is simply because she is the antithesis of everything I am, what with her recklessness and constant and overt need to prove herself—she is not someone I would get along with in real life. In that sense, I went into this book somewhat cautiously.
But I was glad to be…if not proven wrong, at least pleasantly surprised. Medusa Falling takes place 3 years after Duality, so Marlee has matured a solid bit since we last saw her. It almost felt like she matured even more just throughout the course of the novel, since she’s separated from literally everything and everyone familiar to both her and the reader (side note: you can still easily enjoy this book without having read the rest of the series). She’s still far from my favorite character in this saga (can’t wait for the next Cosmic Shores installment, omg), but in this book, she still became someone I could root for.
MF is a far more contained story than anything we’ve ever seen in Amaranthe, both in the sense that it focuses on issues involving a single planet AND, with the exception of a trip to an orbital station, all events take place on that single planet. Nonetheless, there is still an incredible sense of scale. Since the rest of the series is this sprawling, galaxy-spanning epic, it’s sometimes hard to remember that all the individual worlds the characters visit have their own histories and politics and problems. The focus has so often been on the Big Bad Aliens� bent on galactic destruction, not on the sketchy shadow government and secret band of rebels fighting on a single world. The characters and culture of this new world are rich, and still somehow new and fresh and unique even after 19 other books in this series (major kudos there). It was the ability to really delve into the details of those characters and that culture that made the whole story feel so much bigger than it truly was.
The story itself was a ton of fun, assuming you consider conspiracies and rebellions and hostage rescues fun. It’s fast-paced, but not at the expense of character development. You finish the book feeling as though you’ve made new friends, and I hope we’ll see more of the Belascocians in future Amaranthe installments....more
When you have a series spanning nineteen books—particularly an epic space opera series like this that has become so huge in scope—you would probably eWhen you have a series spanning nineteen books—particularly an epic space opera series like this that has become so huge in scope—you would probably expect any form of finale to be proportionately spectacular.
Duality certainly doesn’t disappoint on that front. If you thought your mind was blown at the end of Chaotica, you ain’t seen nothin� yet.
The last few pages of Chaotica hinted at kind of a calm before the storm, and it was refreshing to have Duality open that way after the…well, chaos that was its predecessor. This left time and space for some of the secondary plot threads from the last few books to reach resolutions: Malcolm and his personal convictions, Enzio Vilane and his cartel shenanigans, Eren and Nyx (lordy I love them) and their thwarting of assassination plots, Joaquim and Cassidy dealing with what it means to be alive…just to name a few.
That’s not to say the rest of our primary heroes were doing nothing this whole time. Deep, meaningful character interactions were plentiful as Alex, Caleb, Miriam, Nika, Dashiel, et. al. came to terms with everything the impending battle would require of them. Not only would they all have to make sacrifices, but there was no telling when exactly they’d need to make them. As the reader, I felt like I was holding my breath for half the book, just waiting for the inevitable final showdown with the Rasu.
And that final showdown was space opera at its finest, fast-paced and shifting masterfully between action-packed battle sequences and high-stakes character-driven scenes. You know the good guys are going to win—they just have to—but given all the factors that have been at play for the past several books, you’re not quite sure how they’re going to pull it off, and it was a lot of fun to see that all unfold. And it wouldn’t be high-stakes if there weren’t moments where some characters� fates were called into question.
But when you get to the end of that sequence and see that there’s still an entire section + an epilogue left in the book, you can pretty much guess you’re about to get another bombshell dropped on you. I won’t go into any more detail than that—you’ll just have to experience it for yourself. I will say that I never would have predicted said bombshell…at least before this book. There was an exchange of dialogue about halfway through that made me go “hmmm,� and then once the big reveal hit, so many things made sense. In Chaotica, I was suddenly stricken by an observation about the relationship between two long-time characters, and it turned out to be a major factor in the revelation. Out of context hint: light and shadow.
It should come as no surprise that this isn’t truly a finale, just like Requiem and The Stars Like Gods weren’t. The final battle with the Rasu set our heroes� sights on yet another enemy—a very ancient and powerful one—and even some of the sub-plots that got resolved opened the door for future conflict. But I’m particularly excited for the next few character-focused installments in this universe. How or if they’ll tie in to the overall storyline, I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out.
And here I thought this review might end up being shorter than some of my others�...more
You mean I have to talk about something other than just Eren, Corradeo, and Nyx in this review?
Because I could literally make the entire*checks notes*
You mean I have to talk about something other than just Eren, Corradeo, and Nyx in this review?
Because I could literally make the entire thing about them, you guys.
Ahem. Anyway. When I first received this book for review, I was informed that it would be quieter. More contemplative. Somewhat of a reprieve for both the characters and readers alike after a chaotic last couple of books. I found that to be exactly accurate. That’s not to say there wasn’t still plenty of excitement and intrigue (because what Amaranthe book hasn’t had those things?), but for the most part, our main recurring cast—Alex, Caleb, Nika, Miriam, etc.—spent a good portion of the book recovering from and reflecting on the events of Inversion. Certain relationships have been jeopardized by lies and subterfuge. Lessons have been learned from previous battles—both on a galactic and personal scale—that are certain to shape character growth and events to come.
I will say that Alex and Caleb do get to go on a good old fashioned adventure à la the Aurora Renegades days, one that sheds some light on a mystery that, if my memory serves me correctly, was first introduced in Continuum. Who they meet and what they learn are sure to be game changers.
While the more primary characters have it a little easier this time around, that leaves the more minor characters to have all the fun…that is, if things like life-threatening encounters with cartel leaders, assassinations of perverted tyrants, and the disarming of some seriously nasty bombs can be considered fun (I vote they can). I am here for anything Eren is doing at any time, and have been since he was first introduced (gosh, remember Re/Genesis? *sheds a tear* it seems so long ago). After a rough go of things in the last couple of books, the poor guy is finally starting to find some purpose again, if in a somewhat unorthodox way, but Echo Rift also introduces a whole new manner of shenanigans for him to get caught up in and I’m over here like�
[image]
Speaking of characters I’ve loved since they were first introduced, let’s talk about Corradeo and Nyx now (!!). We haven’t seen the two of them a whole lot since the Aurora Resonant trilogy, but based on the way Inversion ended, I had a hunch they’d be playing a larger role in upcoming events. In that sense, Echo Rift D E L I V E R E D. Even as his alias Danilo Nisi, leader of the anarchs, Corradeo has always been flawlessly written and has commanded every scene he’s in, regardless of which other characters are present (sorry Miriam, it’s true). And even though she’s no longer an antagonist, Nyx still carries that calculating, mysterious-verging-on-sinister air about her that so effectively captured my attention when she first appeared on the page as a ruthless Inquisitor (*gestures around* pssh, what on Earth would give you the impression I enjoy those types of characters??). Given certain Things That Happened� in this book, I’m very much looking forward to seeing what comes next for these two. And Eren.
*checks to see when my last G.S. Jennsen book review was*
*barely 6 months ago*
Hm yep sounds about right.
The worlds of and *checks to see when my last G.S. Jennsen book review was*
*barely 6 months ago*
Hm yep sounds about right.
The worlds of and collided in spectacular fashion in (fair warning that this review does contain Continuum spoilers). But as the case often is in any trilogy—even in a trilogy that’s part of an overarching series—the second installment tends to be where things take a little bit of a darker turn (perhaps the most popular example is The Empire Strikes Back). In that sense, the gamer in me finds it entirely appropriate that the green, yellow, and black color scheme gives the Inversion cover a little bit of an irradiated look, because the vast majority of the book focuses on the characters dealing with the *ahem* fallout of everything that happened in the last installment.
First and foremost, we have the entire Solovy family dealing with the impact of Miriam’s death and subsequent regenesis. Perhaps the most interesting part is seeing how the experience affects Miriam herself, considering the tough-as-nails military persona we’ve always known. Then we’ve got Caleb trying to figure out how to deal with Marlee being trapped on Namino, seeing as how any excursion to find her is almost certainly going to exacerbate a more…personal problem he’s having. Mia is dealing with Malcolm’s disappearance, and in turn Malcolm is dealing with having disappeared. Our good friend Eren is dealing with loss too, as well as the consequences of some of his own actions. Almost every single character is dealing with something in some way, and as a result, this story is a very emotional journey for all parties involved. The book’s title is fitting in that sense; after all the excitement of these two worlds coming together, everyone’s lives have now been turned upside down, and some of the choices characters have made as a result will surely continue to affect events to come.
That’s not to say we don’t see many of the same thrilling heroics we’ve grown accustomed to throughout this saga. On the contrary, ever-evolving technology brings new pizzazz to combat, both in space and on the ground. Characters—namely Marlee and the rest of the group stranded on Namino—are forced to improvise in order to survive, and it seems as though some unlikely new alliances/relationships are brewing. There’s also plenty of intrigue; spies and moles abound on all sides, so we spend quite a bit of time with Casmir, a character I never would have expected to be so significant back when he was first introduced. We haven’t seen a lot of Nyx and Nisi/Corradeo since the trilogy, but they remain some of my favorite minor characters and I’m particularly excited to see what comes of the action they took in this book (two words: “Daddy’s home�).
This story has gotten so huge that I can’t even imagine what comes next, but I’m here for it....more
So you think you can write a science fiction saga.
Let’s be real. You can’t. Or at least not one like this.
If you’ve followed the Auror—I mean, [image]
So you think you can write a science fiction saga.
Let’s be real. You can’t. Or at least not one like this.
If you’ve followed the Auror—I mean, the Amaranthe saga from the beginning, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. This story is huge, and it’s only getting bigger. The Aurora Rhapsody series of course consisted of nine full books, followed by the Asterion Noir trilogy...the end of which saw the collision of the two series.
That collision continues (*ba dum tss*) in full force here in Continuum, which is set fourteen years after the events of Aurora Rhapsody and mere weeks after the events of Asterion Noir. We get a glimpse of how the Humans have adapted to their new life in Amaranthe among the Anadens and all the other alien races we met in AR, and the events of ANR—particularly the imminent arrival of the sinister Rasu—are still fresh in our minds. The book does include an appendix with recaps of all the individual trilogies this series consists of, and I’d still recommend taking a peek at it to refresh your memory even if you’ve been a die-hard fan of these books from the beginning. There’s just a LOT going on, and I admittedly had to pause occasionally while reading and remind myself which galaxy I was in. But that by no means affected my enjoyment of the book overall.
Our old friends Alex, Caleb, and Nika of course reprise their roles as the protagonists in this book, but one can hardly call them the “main characters� simply because we have so many other people—including Dashiel and returning fan favorites like Miriam and space-boyfriend Eren—playing critical roles. With such a large cast and major events happening on so many fronts in the plot, some characters don’t always get much “screen time,� but in a way, that was actually what kept me glued to the book. Many chapters picked up from what had essentially been mini-cliffhangers the last time we saw certain characters, and I was always eager to find out what shenanigans they might get into next.
Shenanigans do abound in this book, some more�dire than others. There’s action, intrigue, espionage, and some epic space battles. And then of course there’s always going to be someone somewhere who would rather cause trouble for the good guys than focus on, you know, helping prepare for the looming threat of a virtually indestructible shape-shifting alien race hell-bent on wiping out all galactic life. Personal battles also abound; Caleb and Eren in particular are each dealing with some issues that are most definitely going to shape events to come, and I can’t wait to see how those issues do or don’t get resolved. And would it surprise anyone to know the Kats are once again up to something behind the scenes?
< insert obligatory closing statement about always being excited to see what comes next in this ever-growing series >
Also of note: reading this book over the holidays unfortunately meant I was dealing with a somewhat loud environment, so I made use of earbuds and ambient noise. Depending on what was going on in the book at any given moment, I’d switch back and forth between this space station ambience and this space battle ambience, and it made for a really fun immersive experience! ...more
The Stars Like Gods has a quieter opening than previous books, centering on all the characters we’ve gotten to knowFirst things first: that cover tho.
The Stars Like Gods has a quieter opening than previous books, centering on all the characters we’ve gotten to know throughout Exin Ex Machina and Of A Darker Void as they begin the process of regaining some measure of composure and organization after the disasters they dealt with at the conclusion of OADV. But it doesn’t take long for the action to pick up—after all, the characters can’t afford to let their guard down for long, because something sinister is on its way.
While OADV had a little more of a space opera feel, TSLG taps back into Asterion Noir’s cyberpunk roots as Nika, Dashiel, and the rest of the cast desperately search for some way to combat the seemingly-unstoppable Rasu. With assistance from some new allies—including my personal favorite, cavalier military man Lance Palmer—and some crucial information from a couple of unexpected, enigmatic sources, they may just concoct a crazy plan to stop the Rasu from wiping out more if not all of the Asterion race…that is, if they can survive the treacherous actions of dissidents among their own people.
You would expect the third installment in an epic sci-fi series like this to conclude with some sort of grand space battle where the heroes band together to defeat the enemy and come away victorious. While there’s nothing wrong with that, we already saw it—several times, in fact—throughout the more space-opera-oriented Aurora Rhapsody saga. What we get instead here in TSLG is a real treat, something I’d certainly never seen before in anything I’d read. It’s executed flawlessly, both in the way it’s written and in relation to the tone of the story. I won’t say any more than that, but you’ll know it when you read it.
And for anyone who has followed the Aurora Rhapsody and Asterion Noir series in their entirety, there are some fun, familiar elements that should keep you turning pages and making one or both of the following faces. They certainly did for me.
[image][image]
And as this particular book draws to a close, it becomes obvious that there’s much more to come. If you thought this was going to be the end of this series, you were kidding yourself. This is G.S. Jennsen we’re talking about....more
Picking up virtually right where Exin Ex Machina left off, Of a Darker Void gets the ball rolling by immediately plunging our heroes into all sorts ofPicking up virtually right where Exin Ex Machina left off, Of a Darker Void gets the ball rolling by immediately plunging our heroes into all sorts of new trouble, and it doesn’t let up until the final page (and even then�).
EEM introduced us to Nika and Dashiel, two characters separated by a tragedy and reunited in their quest to solve a series of mysteries…mysteries that in turn exposed a much larger and more sinister secret than either of them expected. A secret that originally contributed to Nika’s psyche-wipe and caused the two of them to be separated in the first place. A secret that has impacted thousands of lives across the galaxy and is on the verge of impacting thousands more. And as Nika struggles to fix all of these problems, she’s still struggling to fix herself. As reader and writer who’s a complete sucker for broken characters (psshh, who, me?), this makes the story all the more interesting.
Void includes more space travel than EEM did, so it has a little more of a space opera feel to it (but with all the same cyberpunk elements, of course). New worlds are visited, and more of Amaranthe’s alien races are introduced, but despite these things, the story still has a close-knit feel, as opposed to the Aurora Rhapsody series that was on such a big scale all the time. Yes, AR had plenty of mysteries to be solved as well, but I think the difference is that the mysteries here in ANR are so personal to the characters. They either were/are involved directly or else have some sort of individual stake in the issues. I think that makes for a unique story and continues to create contrast between the two series, even though they take place in the same universe.
The technology the characters use also never ceases to fascinate me. You would think that in a setting where the options for technology and tools are virtually limitless, it would be easy to use these things as plot devices and allow the characters to succeed too much. But that’s never the case here. Where the heroes are capable of one thing, the villains are capable of something else, and it’s always very imaginative.
And while G.S. Jennsen always creates great lead characters, one of my favorite things about her books is how she also creates compelling side characters. Sometimes I even find myself rooting for the secondary characters more than the leads! And better yet, they all have unique voices and personalities that make them jump off the page as if they’re real people. One of the neat things here in Void is that some very unexpected combinations of characters with different views and backgrounds end up sharing “screen time� and working together, which made for some really fun dynamics.
I—and the characters—still have a million questions about what will happen next, and I can’t wait to find out....more
One of my biggest concerns as an author is eventually needing to move on to a new story with new characters, but ending up simply making it a recycledOne of my biggest concerns as an author is eventually needing to move on to a new story with new characters, but ending up simply making it a recycled version of old material for fear of letting go.
G.S. Jennsen did no such thing with Exin Ex Machina, and it was encouraging to see.
This new Asterion Noir series is much more cyberpunk than what we've previously seen throughout the Aurora Rhapsody saga—in fact, there's very little space travel at all. But despite the difference in tone, I thought EEM still had a very familiar feel, and whether that's because I subconsciously knew it was taking place in the Aurora Rhapsody universe or because I've gotten to know G.S. Jennsen's method of storytelling so well, I'm not sure. Either way, readers old and new alike should feel perfectly at home here.
EEM introduces Nika and Dashiel as the two primary characters, though the focus is on Nika more often than not. I know I keep using the Aurora Rhapsody books as a comparison, but I think it's important to say that both of these characters have unique roles, personalities, and voices, completely different from a certain other pair of protagonists whom established readers have gotten to know. The skill with which that separation was created—and subsequently maintained—is impressive. And as usual, we are introduced to an entire cast of secondary characters who have unique voices and personalities of their own and will no doubt become even more interesting and likable as the series progresses.
In many ways, this book had kind of a "renegade" feel to it. Many of the characters are operating outside the law and are considered the bad guys by most of the people inhabiting their universe. This of course makes for lots of juicy intrigue, espionage, and action. There's combat, but it's got more of a rebellious-outlaw flare that I really enjoyed. There are investigations and inquests for information, but anything done by NOIR—the organization most of the main characters have formed—is kind of underhanded and on the sly. Then come to think of it, investigations conducted by actual law enforcement personnel have a little bit of a hard-boiled feel to them, which puts a whole new spin on the "noir" concept.
Some of my favorite parts of the book revolved around the technology in this world of Asterion Noir. I'll admit a lot of the scientific concepts in Aurora Rhapsody kind of flew over my head. The difference is that rather than follow the characters as they make new discoveries and learn new concepts like we did in AR, we just get thrown into this world of AN where all the tech already exists. It's no secret based on EEM's blurb that all the main Asterion characters are a half-organic, half-synthetic race, which of course opens the door for a lot of really intriguing personal augmentations. Other devices and tech available to them throughout their everyday lives are super awesome and I want ALL OF IT. Some of the ideas and concepts are really clever, and it's all very well done. (Side note: if you're a geek like me, you may get a kick out of the pet names given to a couple of those pieces of tech).
And what would a G.S. Jennsen series opener be without a devastating cliffhanger at the end?? Just kidding—it's actually not that devastating, simply because the book's actual final pages contain softer information that leaves us with more of a sense of focused anticipation. But then when I go back and think about how high the stakes now are for these new characters, I find myself very much looking forward to reading more....more
And then Meridian is the new installment exclusive to the collection, showcasing how David Solovy and Richard Navick met. If you're already familiar with the characters, the story's opening quote is all you need to know:
"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed." - Carl Jung
Thinking back (not so very long ago, really) to the conclusion of the Aurora Rising trilogy, I was satisfied. Despite the fact thOh boy, you guys.
Thinking back (not so very long ago, really) to the conclusion of the Aurora Rising trilogy, I was satisfied. Despite the fact that it was left open and we knew there was more to come, it still felt like a reasonable conclusion. I thought, "What more could there be? What could be bigger than this magnificent final battle with the Metigens?"
And then came the Aurora Renegades trilogy, where we started to get glimpses of what might be coming next. There was a ton of information thrown at us and a ton of character development, and by the time we reached the end of Abysm, there was so much momentum that we were launched directly into the Aurora Resonant trilogy. The story had just continued building and building and building, and events in Relativity and Rubicon were such that I knew the finale in Requiem was going to be huge (not to mention the implications of a title like 'Requiem' at the end of a musically-themed series were sure to be interesting).
And Requiem proved to be the epitome of a conclusion. Events and information from as long ago as Starshine and Vertigo were still relevant. The story accounted for all the major character development that took place over the last few books, and we continued to see growth and development among the newer characters we just met a couple of books ago.
At this point I almost find it hard to talk about Alex and Caleb (no offense whatsoever to the characters) because, while they're obviously running the show, it's the newer characters like Eren and Nisi who steal the spotlight for me. I've loved Eren since his introduction, but there's been something about Nisi I've really loved too, especially in light of information we learned at the end of Rubicon and despite the fact that he hasn't done anything particularly exciting. He just has a presence on the page and kind of commands all the scenes he's in (although Miriam gives him some competition at times 😉). Nyx has also come to be a favorite because I have a soft spot for antagonistic lady assassin-type characters (no way!).
After all of this, though, I still had no idea how the story was going to end. I had my theories, of course, some of which had been in development since the beginning of the Resonant trilogy, and it some ways bits of each of them ended up being correct. But in the end (*ba dum tss* the finale ended up being bigger and more spectacular than I expected. And up until the last few pages, we actually didn't know for sure what direction the story was going in regards to certain characters, and events were such that I personally would have found any of the options totally appropriate.
Regardless, it was a satisfactory ending for an incredible 9-book ride. I'm so glad to have been along for that ride and I can't wait to see what G.S. has in store next!
Side note: now that it's all said and done, I think Relativity was still my favorite out of all the books, but THIS cover is my favorite out of all of them. I know I've said that about several......more
Forever Carlyle has found her way onto my list of favorite female characters. Full review .Forever Carlyle has found her way onto my list of favorite female characters. Full review ....more
I admit to being a graphic novel neophyte, but wow I'm loving this. Full review .I admit to being a graphic novel neophyte, but wow I'm loving this. Full review ....more
Loading...
