Sign in with Facebook
dan's Reviews > The Atlas Six
The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1)
by
by
BookClub: Cat & Dan *
Month: August, 2024
* BookClub Cat & Dan is just a "book club" where me and Cátia pick up a book from the 24 previously selected each month and have to "force" ourselves to read a book.
-------------------------------------------------------
“The moral of this story is:
Beware the man who faces you unarmed.
If in his eyes you are not the target, then you can be sure you are the weapon.�
Synopsis:
The Library of Alexandria burned but all its secrets, knowledge and power was harvest and kept secure and safe for more than two thousand years by a secret society of magical academics. Those fortunate enough to be chosen are given a life of power, wealth and prestige � that is, if they can survive the initiation.
“Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications.� - taken from the synopsis
Atlas Blakely has recruited these candidates himself and he believes in their full potential. For an entire year, they’ll be given restricted access to the Library’s archives and discuss various topics: time and space, luck and thought, life and death.
Six chosen. Five initiated. One eliminated.
Who will survive? And who will not?
Review:
The best thing about a book that thinks itself sophisticated and attempts to be elitist and classicist is that, every now and then, you get great quotes in the midst of nonsensical bullshit.
It’s baffling how a book/series that focuses so much on dark academia and has, in its core, THE LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA mixed with magic and still manages to miss so many marks.
I might be getting ahead of myself. I don’t think the book was bad � if I did, I wouldn’t have given it 3 stars. I truly believe that the premise, the idea and the concept was fucking amazing, innovative and it would’ve been groundbreaking in a few decades if it had been executed properly.
As a History lover (I’m a Historian at heart) and an Ancient Egypt enthusiast (best civilisation say what?!), I added this book to my TBR pile as soon as I heard of it. So why haven’t I read it sooner? Well, if there is one thing I learned from BookTok (and life) is to not trust other people’s opinions.
The usage of the Library of Alexandria, blending it with magic and science would’ve been fucking fantastic. However, the magic was often explained instead of demonstrated. You can count with one hand (probably) the amount of times magic was truly shown and used instead of discussions of its potential use, its consequences and impact and some Goddamned pseudoscientific and philosophical discussions.
The book is divided into acts and, in each act, a theme is approached and discussed in detailed philosophical conversation that � as someone who took multiple philosophical courses and loves those kind of conversations � was full of bullshit. The discussions would come from nowhere, in the middle of a seemingly normal, ordinary conversation and it would interwoven into a nonsensical long ass chapter where nothing was achieved other than my absolute boredom.
Let me tell you: it’s fucking hard for me to be bored with philosophical questions.
I think the author wanted to make the book intellectual, elitist and classicist, full of wonders about hypothetical questions but all it managed was to create a book where nonsense reigned and nothing was really approached or shown.
All those philosophical questions and they were never approached in “real life�. There wasn’t a moment where those philosophical topics were necessary to move the plot. There wasn’t a confrontation with those topics. They talk about the perception of time, of death, overpopulation, but none of that is approached in the book other than those fucking stupid ass rants.
The author wanted the book to be philosophical but the plot got lost in the words.
The characters literally wander through the library � which only has one library actually -, go to classes which are only discussed and no magic is used � which is strange because the Library of Alexandria is not only for intellectuals � it is for the medeians, the “mutants�, if you will, that differ from non-magical humans.
The characters were pretentious (and not the good kind), there is essential no character growth, their relationships stay superficial, they’re all annoying (some more than others), and they all seem too focused on a power struggle rather than real intimacy. For a book that is supposedly character-driven, there is very little character growth and action in here.
One of the things used to sell the book in the market and, unironically, to sell the Library of Alexandria to the characters is the power of the library. But�. What power? The plot tells you the characters are willing to do anything and everything to obtain the power but there is literally no mention of the what kind of power that is. (view spoiler)
Reina was often forgettable, only being there to show how much plants like to talk to her.
Nico was one of the few characters I actually liked and Libby, though a pot of anxiety and insecurity, seemed to be in the right track to do something useful. The author used the fact they had similar powers to constantly put them against each other or use them as allies but little of it was actually seen, only told.
This whole book is a big TELL, NOT SHOW example and how much that can damage a story.
Parisa used the powers of seduction to gain leverage over other people. Though I love a character who embraces her sexuality and uses it for their own benefit, it felt hollow when that is ALL she did. (view spoiler)
Callum is presented as an empath, but then suddenly can tell a person’s whole life story only by looking at them (?) Bro, it works in BBC Sherlock and even he managed to get it through observation and power of deduction, not vision.
Tristan seemed the only one who was lost there. Accepting as a way to leave his life behind and search a new meaning but he seemed to get involved with EVERYONE.
Every characters seemed to be a performer, acting as if spewing nonsensical words will somehow give them personalities. The author wanted the characters to be appear edgy, deep and thoughtful but all it got was a bunch of pretentious, one dimensional, surface-level characters whose purpose, I believe, was to piss me off.
300 pages of absolute obnoxious characters, with barely any plot. It is meant to dazzle the readers with cryptic concepts and purple prose that only works in the beginning and very little throughout the rest of the book. It is a cheap trick to keep readers invested in the narrative, eagerly waiting for something to happen without providing any substantial content.
Frankly, I don't know if I will continue this series. The reviews for the sequel are not the best and I don't know if I can handle any more of this pretentious nonsense.
Month: August, 2024
* BookClub Cat & Dan is just a "book club" where me and Cátia pick up a book from the 24 previously selected each month and have to "force" ourselves to read a book.
-------------------------------------------------------
“The moral of this story is:
Beware the man who faces you unarmed.
If in his eyes you are not the target, then you can be sure you are the weapon.�
Synopsis:
The Library of Alexandria burned but all its secrets, knowledge and power was harvest and kept secure and safe for more than two thousand years by a secret society of magical academics. Those fortunate enough to be chosen are given a life of power, wealth and prestige � that is, if they can survive the initiation.
“Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications.� - taken from the synopsis
Atlas Blakely has recruited these candidates himself and he believes in their full potential. For an entire year, they’ll be given restricted access to the Library’s archives and discuss various topics: time and space, luck and thought, life and death.
Six chosen. Five initiated. One eliminated.
Who will survive? And who will not?
Review:
The best thing about a book that thinks itself sophisticated and attempts to be elitist and classicist is that, every now and then, you get great quotes in the midst of nonsensical bullshit.
It’s baffling how a book/series that focuses so much on dark academia and has, in its core, THE LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA mixed with magic and still manages to miss so many marks.
I might be getting ahead of myself. I don’t think the book was bad � if I did, I wouldn’t have given it 3 stars. I truly believe that the premise, the idea and the concept was fucking amazing, innovative and it would’ve been groundbreaking in a few decades if it had been executed properly.
As a History lover (I’m a Historian at heart) and an Ancient Egypt enthusiast (best civilisation say what?!), I added this book to my TBR pile as soon as I heard of it. So why haven’t I read it sooner? Well, if there is one thing I learned from BookTok (and life) is to not trust other people’s opinions.
The usage of the Library of Alexandria, blending it with magic and science would’ve been fucking fantastic. However, the magic was often explained instead of demonstrated. You can count with one hand (probably) the amount of times magic was truly shown and used instead of discussions of its potential use, its consequences and impact and some Goddamned pseudoscientific and philosophical discussions.
The book is divided into acts and, in each act, a theme is approached and discussed in detailed philosophical conversation that � as someone who took multiple philosophical courses and loves those kind of conversations � was full of bullshit. The discussions would come from nowhere, in the middle of a seemingly normal, ordinary conversation and it would interwoven into a nonsensical long ass chapter where nothing was achieved other than my absolute boredom.
Let me tell you: it’s fucking hard for me to be bored with philosophical questions.
I think the author wanted to make the book intellectual, elitist and classicist, full of wonders about hypothetical questions but all it managed was to create a book where nonsense reigned and nothing was really approached or shown.
All those philosophical questions and they were never approached in “real life�. There wasn’t a moment where those philosophical topics were necessary to move the plot. There wasn’t a confrontation with those topics. They talk about the perception of time, of death, overpopulation, but none of that is approached in the book other than those fucking stupid ass rants.
The author wanted the book to be philosophical but the plot got lost in the words.
The characters literally wander through the library � which only has one library actually -, go to classes which are only discussed and no magic is used � which is strange because the Library of Alexandria is not only for intellectuals � it is for the medeians, the “mutants�, if you will, that differ from non-magical humans.
The characters were pretentious (and not the good kind), there is essential no character growth, their relationships stay superficial, they’re all annoying (some more than others), and they all seem too focused on a power struggle rather than real intimacy. For a book that is supposedly character-driven, there is very little character growth and action in here.
One of the things used to sell the book in the market and, unironically, to sell the Library of Alexandria to the characters is the power of the library. But�. What power? The plot tells you the characters are willing to do anything and everything to obtain the power but there is literally no mention of the what kind of power that is. (view spoiler)
Reina was often forgettable, only being there to show how much plants like to talk to her.
Nico was one of the few characters I actually liked and Libby, though a pot of anxiety and insecurity, seemed to be in the right track to do something useful. The author used the fact they had similar powers to constantly put them against each other or use them as allies but little of it was actually seen, only told.
This whole book is a big TELL, NOT SHOW example and how much that can damage a story.
Parisa used the powers of seduction to gain leverage over other people. Though I love a character who embraces her sexuality and uses it for their own benefit, it felt hollow when that is ALL she did. (view spoiler)
Callum is presented as an empath, but then suddenly can tell a person’s whole life story only by looking at them (?) Bro, it works in BBC Sherlock and even he managed to get it through observation and power of deduction, not vision.
Tristan seemed the only one who was lost there. Accepting as a way to leave his life behind and search a new meaning but he seemed to get involved with EVERYONE.
Every characters seemed to be a performer, acting as if spewing nonsensical words will somehow give them personalities. The author wanted the characters to be appear edgy, deep and thoughtful but all it got was a bunch of pretentious, one dimensional, surface-level characters whose purpose, I believe, was to piss me off.
300 pages of absolute obnoxious characters, with barely any plot. It is meant to dazzle the readers with cryptic concepts and purple prose that only works in the beginning and very little throughout the rest of the book. It is a cheap trick to keep readers invested in the narrative, eagerly waiting for something to happen without providing any substantial content.
Frankly, I don't know if I will continue this series. The reviews for the sequel are not the best and I don't know if I can handle any more of this pretentious nonsense.
Sign into ŷ to see if any of your friends have read
The Atlas Six.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
March 19, 2021
– Shelved
March 19, 2021
– Shelved as:
to-read
August 2, 2024
–
Started Reading
August 2, 2024
–
6.0%
"yup....... this is the book that got picked for august for cat & dan bookclub.... did i want to read the book? yes. did i want to read it now? no."
August 7, 2024
–
38.0%
"aside from some unnecessary repeated purple prose descriptions and magical scientific explanations, the book has been easy to read and entertaining"
August 12, 2024
–
45.0%
"to say i'm always halfway through this book is crazy, i thought i would take so much longer reading it"
September 20, 2024
–
Finished Reading
September 29, 2024
– Shelved as:
not-terrible-just-not-good-enough
September 29, 2024
– Shelved as:
it-was-good
