After taking some time to think about my thoughts on this series overall I can say that it is one of my favourite series of all time! There are so many positive notes on the series: the characters, the style of writing (documents, IMs, etc) and the overall plot. The only cons I can think of over the top of my head is the fact that some of the conversations between the teens were so obviously adults writing it (a little over the top). But even then I was never disappointed in plot or use of art to depict certain aspects of the plot.
Characters:
Ezra: I really liked his character especially watching him experience agism with the other people on the ship. I wasn't surprised to see that older adults wouldn't want to follow him. I can't blame them and can relate in my field of work (and I'm 24 not 18). I think that his romance with Kady is incredible and I was so worried about his safety as per usual.
Kady: She is just a geek badass that I can get behind. An amazing role model for young women who are into programming and computer sciences. I loved her and I was so happy to see her character in full again. I will say watching her make mistakes with AI was hard. And seeing her grow a relationship with Aidan only to have it end in such an intense climax was really hard to stomach.
Hannah: Now she's a badass fighting and tactical genius. I just think that the woman in this series is so well written! I love the way that they kick as and take names in so many different ways. I also enjoyed that she and Nik didn't have an instantaneous relationship and that the authors gave her time to grieve because that's something that would be realistic to the characters and the situation.
Nik: He is my favourite male love interest in the series. I won't lie I love the bad boy vibe, the misunderstood bad boy with the heart of gold is kind of my shit. I loved that he gave Hannah time to grieve and even was willing to let her go if she wanted. While he flirted he didn't push her in any direction per se.
Ella: Again, another badass female doing her thing. I think that her disabilities are truly her abilities, due to the fact that she lives so much of her life thanks to technology, she is fantastic with it. I was happy to see her regain a father figure and a family of sorts.
Asha: Another badass, but not because she was trained with technology, tactical fighting, or strategy. She is a badass because she chose to rebel and give anything she can to fight against her oppressors. I loved her characters compassion towards those she cared for and her strength in her fight for those around her.
Rhys: I could do without him. I think he was a good look at how the military doesn't always know what's going on in different factions and don't always agree with what they sign up for. I do think that we could have done without the romance between him and Asha, but it was ok.
Aidan: We could argue about whether or not it is a character but I do think that he is. I honestly think that he gained the ability to care about those around him. Especially Kady, obviously. I also think that while it is viewed as heartless the action he took was for the greater good and no one else would have done it. I hoped that he wouldn't have to but it is in who he is. (Also I know that Aidan is genderless, I just imagine the voice to be more masculine).
I really loved this series and recommend it for anyone who is even a little interested in it. What are your favourite parts of the series?
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Obsidio
Authors: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
Series/Standalone: The Illuminae Files (Book #3)
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 615
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2018
Format: Hardcover Copy (Own It)
First Line: "Perhaps we should get proceedings under way?"
"Kady, Ezra, Hanna and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza- but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion?
Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys- an old flame from Asha's past- reappears on the Kerenza, the two find themselves on the opposite sides of the conflict.
With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken."
My Rating: 5/5
This! This right here might be my favourite read of the year. I was expecting not to enjoy this one as much as I had enjoyed the first book. I enjoyed the second book just not as much as the first and I had heard that many people didn't enjoy this one or it was their least favourite. I felt completely the opposite. I think this one was my favourite out of the three in the series. And I can say this with complete certainty as I have read all three in the course of the year.
I think that the use of characters and the different sources of media throughout the series is amazing. I also enjoyed the change of plot points in this third instalment.
Would recommend to lovers of sci-fi, and adventure plots alike. Or if you're looking for a different read than your norm.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Gemina
Authors: Jay Kristoff & Amy Kaufman
Series/Standalone: The Illuminae Files (Book #2)
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 659
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2016
Format: Hardcover Copy (Own it)
First Line: "...over seven hundred thousand employees across dozens of colonized worlds. Is it that difficult to believe?"
"Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna's social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.
The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.
Hanna is the station captain's pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.
When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren't fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia- and possibly the known universe- is in their hands.
But relax. They've totally got this. They hope."
My Rating: 4.5/5
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this reread. I remember the first time I read this I wasn't thoroughly impressed by it and expected to enjoy it a bit less upon reread. Just for the reason that you would suspect. I know what is about to happen and the overall plot. I think that I actually teared up multiple times during this reread. I love the character and romance. I do look forward to finishing the trilogy!
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Series/Standalone: The Illuminae Files (Book #1)
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Romance
Pages: 602
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2015
Format: Physical Copy
First Line: "So here's the file that almost killed me, Director."
"This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she'd have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that's little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra- who are barely even talking to each other- are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what's really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of date to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to the light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.
Brief noting: Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents- including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more- Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes."
My Rating: 4.75/5
This reread still held up surprisingly well. It wasn't such a shock to read the dossier this time around. I enjoyed the time period and the idea of plague in space it kept the book fast-paced and interesting. There were certain aspects that I forgot about. Characters reactions to certain aspects that happened, different twists and turns that I forgot. I was also impressed at the way the authors wrote the horror aspects in the story. I will say the relationship was a little forced at some points for me but I'm looking forward to continuing my reread of the story.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Gemina
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Series/Standalone: The Illuminae Files (Book #2)
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Pages: 659
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2016
"Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna's social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.
The saga that began with Illuminae continues on board the space station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of BeiTech's assault. Hanna is the station captain's pampered daughter, Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza Invasion.
When an elite Beitech team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum may be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren't just fighting for their own survival. The fate of everyone of the Hypatia- and possibly the known universe is in their hands.
But relax. They've totally got this. They hope."
My Rating: 5/5
So I finally read this book. I'm so excited that I finished this book today. So excited that apparently, my body felt the need to be instantly awake at 6am on a Saturday. UGH! My poor sad tired soul is still filled with the emotions from this dang book. This book was amazing. I'd heard before this book is considered a companion to the first novel, but as you can probably tell by the description (only read it if you've read the first the book) there are some appearances from other characters. I thought that the continuation with the media format was perfect and I could not have asked for more. If you're looking for an action packed science fiction series, I would highly suggest the Illuminae Files series. I hope this review made sense without spoiling anything..... let me know you're thoughts below.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So this is the second book in the Illuminae Files series and I can finally understand what everyone has been talking about. I'd heard alot of things about this second book but mostly it was a companion novel type series. That I shouldn't expect the same characters and then wham! The authors hit me with multiple huge surprises. To start, I love the new characters they are incredible to read about. I thought that the continuation of the mixed media writing helps to tell this story even more. I also thought that it was interesting to see another type of ship in this world and a different life style. It made logical sense to follow up the first book with this one at Heimdall.
Characters:
Hanna: I thought that it was such a different character to read from, other than Kady or Ezra. While in the first book they were badass in different ways. Hanna is physically bad ass. She was able to sort through the chaos that was happening to her and fight for those around her. I also thought that her media was helpful because of her journal entries. I can't wait to see where her story continues especially after the deaths she witnessed.
Nik: Nothing says unique quite like a space drug dealer. He was unique and in the end soft hearted. To see what he did for his brother and the crap he dealt with growing up. I do wonder how he turned out the way he did with his childhood. I thought his flirtation was cute and fun to get the story started.
Ella: I'm excited to see what happens with her and Kady on a team together. The two tech geniuses working together. I'm interested in knowing more about The House of Knives and how it started. She takes no shit and I can appreciate that.
Jackson: This little piece of work threw me for a loop. I didn't expect him to be the rapier. I thought that he would die and naturally Hanna would move onto Nik who she liked more anyways. Clearly. That way it wouldn't be cheating. But instead, he has to be a jerk who was playing with a girls feeling. I do hope that his death was slow and painful after all the things he put the station through.
Chief Grant: Did he get to see his daughter again? I sure hope so.
Falk: A villain who always smiles, even while killing is someone to be frightened off. I thought the way this character spoke was completely unique and kind of gave me a creep.
Kady: Yay. This girl is back!!! Awe hell yeah.
Aiden: I missed it/him. And his crazy ways. I'm excited to see what happens with him as well now that he has more power at his disposal. I thought that he might even out, but he's perfect.
Leanne: The best kind of villain is the one who is at the top. Their pure evil without showing it. So what else did she do with her company and all this power? Who else will she punish?
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Series/Novel: The Illuminae Files_01
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fiction
Pages: 599
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2015
First Line: "So here's the file that almost killed me, Director."
"This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she'd have to do today. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that's little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra- who are barely even talking to each other- are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutuating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what's really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to the light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more- Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth and the courage of everyday heroes."
My Rating: 5/5
I've never read a book quiet like this before. I found that it was so interesting in format as well as in the type of story it is. I find that I haven't read a true Science Fiction YA book for a while that didn't involve a dystopian earth. And don't get me wrong I love dystopian which is one of my favorites but this book was crazy. The use of files and documents made it an interesting read and a quick one at that, although it is large in size. If someone was going to read this book I would strongly suggest that you get a physical copy as it's pages are beautiful and help to tell the story so well. I found that the first 100 pages or so seemed to drag and I wasn't interested but after I read for a longer amount of time I fell in love. I finished it this afternoon in 2 hours and just couldn't get it read fast enough. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, and am sorrily disappointed that it doesn't come out until October. Don't worry, ladies and gentleman I am putting it on preorder at this very moment. I'm super excited to see where this story leads and would recommend this to anyone who loves science fiction as well as plagues. Something for everyone.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
This was an incredible story and I was really impressed by how the documents were laid out and how the story was told. It was extremely creative, as well as beautiful. I also think that the story was very unique. I haven't seen anything about space and a universe set in space. I mean I've watched Star Wars, but this is so different and incredible. I hope that the next book is just as good. It was fantastic.
I also think that the characters were amazing. In the first one hundred pages I thought that I wouldn't like the book because I found the characters annoying, but the more I read the more I loved. I also found that the quick changes in the fleet was what kept me in this book and will continue to interest me. I also wonder how the next book will be written.
Characters:
Ezra: He's a great character, fun and has amazing banter. I was so surprised when Aidan tells her he's dead, but then the relief that he was alive hit and I may have cried. I look forward to see what happens next. I was really intrigued by his family and their past and hope to learn more about it.
Kady: She's incredible. She's a badass and full of humour although her life has not lead her where she wanted it to go (none of them did) she stays strong. She sacrifices and although she is scared she is incredible. I can't believe how incredible she is and hope to find out so much more about her.
Byron: I also liked him but then he went all crazy eyes and I thought that what he did to save Kady was extremely brave. Looking death in the face, even in madness is something that many wouldn't have the strength to do.
Aidan: Was it crazy? I'm not sure. But I think that he was trying to do what he thought was best, but didn't realise the damage that he took when they picked up the refugees. I also look forward to seeing him in the next book.
Moments to Read:
Final Line: "Illuminae: Now run"
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
