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kadesdoorway's review against another edition
4.0
3.75⭐
I can't really gather my thoughts and put into words what i feel about this book. I finished it last night and all i want to say is that i didn't enjoy the way it was written and that it was unnecessary to drag Holly throughout the whole book.she could've helped jamie and got herself to safety and that'd have been enough. Just like the boy that helped pedro. everything else i enjoyed.
I can't really gather my thoughts and put into words what i feel about this book. I finished it last night and all i want to say is that i didn't enjoy the way it was written and that it was unnecessary to drag Holly throughout the whole book.she could've helped jamie and got herself to safety and that'd have been enough. Just like the boy that helped pedro. everything else i enjoyed.
mwko123's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
saerryc's review against another edition
1.0
At one point this was one of my favorite series, and part of my problem with this last book might be that it took Horowitz too long to finish it and I've aged too far out of the target demographic. Still, I can't help feeling that this is by far the weakest book in the series; honestly it sort of pisses me off how bad it is after how much I liked its predecessors. I had a number of big problems with both the ideas and the writing:
No more of the cool mythology tie-ins that made Evil Star and Nightrise (in particular) great – This is just straightforward post-apocalyptic good verses evil fantasy.
Incredibly repetitive – There's no need to keep recapping stuff that happened in previous books and rehashing how the Old Ones are like super evil and stuff over and over again.
Random use of first person – I don't care about the jumps between characters, but the jumps between first- and third- person are jarring and totally unnecessary. To be honest I'm not sure there's much point to Holly's character existing at all.
Overlong – It's established pretty early on that the Five are headed to Antarctica for the final battle. Once the reader knows that the stage for final battle is set, most of the details involved with their getting there become fairly inconsequential. As a result, the first three-quarters of this 700+ page book are little more than filler. For example, the episodes with are pointless. There's no real threat there; they're just arbitrary obstacles along the way.
Horrible plot devices – I really, really hate how
The ending sequence in Antarctica is somewhat better but nothing ever happens that isn't overly telegraphed, totally predictable, or in any way interesting.
No more of the cool mythology tie-ins that made Evil Star and Nightrise (in particular) great – This is just straightforward post-apocalyptic good verses evil fantasy.
Incredibly repetitive – There's no need to keep recapping stuff that happened in previous books and rehashing how the Old Ones are like super evil and stuff over and over again.
Random use of first person – I don't care about the jumps between characters, but the jumps between first- and third- person are jarring and totally unnecessary. To be honest I'm not sure there's much point to Holly's character existing at all.
Overlong – It's established pretty early on that the Five are headed to Antarctica for the final battle. Once the reader knows that the stage for final battle is set, most of the details involved with their getting there become fairly inconsequential. As a result, the first three-quarters of this 700+ page book are little more than filler. For example, the episodes with
Spoiler
Scarlett in the casino or Matt in the slave campHorrible plot devices – I really, really hate how
Spoiler
Matt is given the future in the Library, and how everything he does from that point onward is just him acting out what he's been told is going to happen. It feels like a huge cop out on Horowitz' part. How much more dramatic would it have been if Matt had been forced to actually make choices when he didn't know the outcome in advance, when it wasn't given from the start that everything was going to turn okay? How much cooler would it have been if the Library had only given Matt vague hints to point him in the right direction, and he had only realized in the moment that they could win if he sacrificed himself? How much more interesting would it have been if he had been allowed to come up with this idea on his own, instead of having it given to him, if the emphasis had been placed on the choices of the main character rather than on predestination? I was waiting for there to be some twist, for things to not go according to plan in some way, maybe for this to have been a trap set by the Old Ones to bait Matt into giving himself up, for him to have to actually do something instead of following instructions, but it never happened. I feel that the trip to the Library goes a long way toward undermining Matt as a character.The ending sequence in Antarctica is somewhat better but nothing ever happens that isn't overly telegraphed, totally predictable, or in any way interesting.
alexis_michelle's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
One of my favorite series. I loved it when I was younger and that hasn’t changed.
fennmidwinter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kitkatscanread's review against another edition
5.0
Ahh man this was an epic conclusion to the series!
Kinda sad that it's over now, but it was wrapped up so well!
More people need to read this series.
Paul did a great job of narrating it as I listened to it on Audible.
I can't believe I have now finished this beast of a book! xD
If you want a series with adventure and action as well as amazing suspense and mystery, then you need to try this series.
I completely recommend it.
Kinda sad that it's over now, but it was wrapped up so well!
More people need to read this series.
Paul did a great job of narrating it as I listened to it on Audible.
I can't believe I have now finished this beast of a book! xD
If you want a series with adventure and action as well as amazing suspense and mystery, then you need to try this series.
I completely recommend it.
samantho1's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Just, wow. What an amazing end to a series.
Review: http://thesecretlifeofabookworm-x.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/review-oblivion-by-anthony-horowitz.html
Review: http://thesecretlifeofabookworm-x.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/review-oblivion-by-anthony-horowitz.html
mahnoorraza's review against another edition
4.0
An amazing ending <3 This series will stay with me forever.
Advice: Don't read the last part of this book in public areas. I read it in class and couldn't concentrate the rest of the day. And crying in class is embarrassing, even for fangirl reasons.
As amazing this book was, I must say that some chapters held me up because I found them boring and repetitive, unlike the previous books. The so many POVs, scattered confusingly all over the book didn't help either. Holly was a nice addition to the group, though. And I wish Anthony Horowitz had added some more details about the two people who come from the past. I mean, we already know them from when Jamie when back, but... the ending was just too rushed for me.
Spoiler
Cried so hard when Matt and Scott die, and when they all have a mother in the dreamworld. I knew Matt was going to die, but the way he did was something of a shock. I mean, it was obvious that Richard would use the knife for something he'd hate doing, but killing Matt-? Plunging the knife into his heart?Advice: Don't read the last part of this book in public areas. I read it in class and couldn't concentrate the rest of the day. And crying in class is embarrassing, even for fangirl reasons.
As amazing this book was, I must say that some chapters held me up because I found them boring and repetitive, unlike the previous books. The so many POVs, scattered confusingly all over the book didn't help either. Holly was a nice addition to the group, though. And I wish Anthony Horowitz had added some more details about the two people who come from the past
Spoiler
(Matt and Flint)chlai42's review against another edition
4.0
I confess, this book has been one of the books I have taken the longest to read this year, though I mostly blame it on exams. But actually, I've just realised it's really only been two weeks. That's one of the things that confuse me a lot about other people: how can someone read a book over a period of a couple of months? I have trouble keeping up with the plot is I neglect the book for a couple of days, so I really don't know how one can remember where they are up to and what has happened if it has been for so long.
But back to the book.
My first reaction upon seeing it for the first time around the start of the year was its incredulous size. The first four books in the series are relatively normal sized, and then BAM, the fifth one it's about three or four times the others. I suppose it did take him around five years to write it, I think, so it does make sense how big it is.
But actually plot-wise, not a lot happens compared to how big the book is. There are many different things that are happening at the same time so the perspectives switch a lot. However, this meant that a lot was repeated where the events overlap and lot of the time you would be reading about the same thing just from a different person's point of view.
Like I have mentioned about many other books, I really, really hate it when an author finishes a book on a cliffhanger and then leaves the sequel for a few years later. I am left angry at the author and wondering what has happened and wanting to read the next book, but by the time it does come out I forget basically all of what has happened and is momentarily confused for the first few pages. So this was exactly the same with this book, although being told where the last book finished off in around four different views does refresh your memory.
I am a bit annoyed with the ending as it does leave you wondering what happens but it is not a bad way to conclude. Overall, I am very pleased with how this series has ended, and yet again I have that slightly nostalgic feeling of having to part an old friend, as with every other book series I finish.
But back to the book.
My first reaction upon seeing it for the first time around the start of the year was its incredulous size. The first four books in the series are relatively normal sized, and then BAM, the fifth one it's about three or four times the others. I suppose it did take him around five years to write it, I think, so it does make sense how big it is.
But actually plot-wise, not a lot happens compared to how big the book is. There are many different things that are happening at the same time so the perspectives switch a lot. However, this meant that a lot was repeated where the events overlap and lot of the time you would be reading about the same thing just from a different person's point of view.
Like I have mentioned about many other books, I really, really hate it when an author finishes a book on a cliffhanger and then leaves the sequel for a few years later. I am left angry at the author and wondering what has happened and wanting to read the next book, but by the time it does come out I forget basically all of what has happened and is momentarily confused for the first few pages. So this was exactly the same with this book, although being told where the last book finished off in around four different views does refresh your memory.
I am a bit annoyed with the ending as it does leave you wondering what happens but it is not a bad way to conclude. Overall, I am very pleased with how this series has ended, and yet again I have that slightly nostalgic feeling of having to part an old friend, as with every other book series I finish.
cecilrain's review against another edition
5.0
Best last book to the series ever! Even though it made me cry. This is a series you want to stick with! It's so action-packed that you can't put it down!