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libraryjen's review against another edition
3.0
The actual ending to the series was satisfying (meaning what he did with each of the characters). This book, however, was WAY TOO REPETITIVE and about 200 pages too long. Going from POV to POV for each of the characters was interesting at times, but there was just too much. I felt like Horowitz just wanted to make it epic and tried too hard to do so. The first 5/6ths of the book dragged on and on, then the last 1/6th was so rushed there was no real suspense.
Overall, I enjoyed the series, but if somehow you're reading this review because you're contemplating whether or not you should start the series, my advice is only start it if you can handle repetition - almost 600 pages of it! The first 5 books are so much better, but you have to read this one if you read those because you have to know how it all plays out in the end. So, prepare yourself.
Overall, I enjoyed the series, but if somehow you're reading this review because you're contemplating whether or not you should start the series, my advice is only start it if you can handle repetition - almost 600 pages of it! The first 5 books are so much better, but you have to read this one if you read those because you have to know how it all plays out in the end. So, prepare yourself.
theartofgoldsorrow's review against another edition
I'm actually not going to rate this book, because I read it such a long time ago I can barely remember it, but I will write about it because I do remember the impact it had on me.
It might have just been because I was so young, barely a teenager, reading about such a horrid world and the ending of it that I remember being terrified. The ending of this book felt twisted to me and it gave me such restless sleep for the remaining nights of the week. I remember being horrified and scared and disturbed, and not knowing what to do with myself. And I do not mean this as a bad thing - i think that's exactly what Horowitz wanted to do with this ending. He wanted the reader, I think, to feel the pain and horror of war and the end of the world, and the cruelties of those who think they are immortal. Even years after finishing this book, I still shudder at seeing it when I go to the library.
It might have just been because I was so young, barely a teenager, reading about such a horrid world and the ending of it that I remember being terrified. The ending of this book felt twisted to me and it gave me such restless sleep for the remaining nights of the week. I remember being horrified and scared and disturbed, and not knowing what to do with myself. And I do not mean this as a bad thing - i think that's exactly what Horowitz wanted to do with this ending. He wanted the reader, I think, to feel the pain and horror of war and the end of the world, and the cruelties of those who think they are immortal. Even years after finishing this book, I still shudder at seeing it when I go to the library.
indiepauli47's review against another edition
4.0
3.5-4 stars.
It was a good ending, I quite enjoyed it, even so I'm also glad I've finally finished this series.
Some elements were good, some were too easy, but in the end, I had a good time reading those books.
It was a good ending, I quite enjoyed it, even so I'm also glad I've finally finished this series.
Some elements were good, some were too easy, but in the end, I had a good time reading those books.
jillhardacre's review against another edition
4.0
I almost didn't realise quite how much I was enjoying these until I finished this last one and kind of don't really know what to do with myself. Always a good sign when you finish a series and want to let it settle a bit before plunging straight into something else.
It is a little bit tropey of the fantasy genre (which if you actually are the intended audience is probably a fantastic way to get into more adult fantasy), but it's done really well, and fair play to Horowitz he does seem to absolutely nail any genre he turns his hand to.
I was also impressed as to how the series expanded their scale with book 1 feeling like it could be it's own discrete thing, all set in a small village in Yorkshire to book 5 multiple countries, time hopping, 3 different worlds etc etc. And yet they still feel like part of a set.
Glad I picked these back up again so long. I have thoroughly enjoyed my Anthony Horowitz lockdown binging.
It is a little bit tropey of the fantasy genre (which if you actually are the intended audience is probably a fantastic way to get into more adult fantasy), but it's done really well, and fair play to Horowitz he does seem to absolutely nail any genre he turns his hand to.
I was also impressed as to how the series expanded their scale with book 1 feeling like it could be it's own discrete thing, all set in a small village in Yorkshire to book 5 multiple countries, time hopping, 3 different worlds etc etc. And yet they still feel like part of a set.
Glad I picked these back up again so long. I have thoroughly enjoyed my Anthony Horowitz lockdown binging.
shay23's review against another edition
5.0
See more of this review on - http://theblogoftheteenagenobody.blogspot.com/2013/08/review-oblivion-by-anthony-horowitz.html
A Short Review -
I don't know what to say, I'm honestly a little speech-less about this book. First of all I loved it, it was so much better than I thought it would be, but it was slow and boring at parts. The characters were all even better and more developed and just awesome in this book, the author did a good job with the growth of the characters, you can feel them changing but at the same time its still the characters you love. The only bad thing is I felt at times that it was dragging on and just boring like all the author was trying to do is make sure the book is really long and just adding random details. The last half of the book is definitely the best it picks up sped pretty fast and just doesn't stop. The last half completely makes up for the slower boring parts, in my opinion. It definitely makes you feel, from hating parts to pure boredom to almost crying because of the end, and because I did not want it to end, it definitely pulls on your heart strings. I felt that it was definitely a really good ending I didn't feel cheated at all, I felt like it was the best possible ending for this series. On a scale of Maximum Ride to Harry Potter for book endings I say it's definitely closer to Harry Potter, but I hated the epilogue but I hate epilogues period I just don't like them they just make me sad. =(
A Short Review -
I don't know what to say, I'm honestly a little speech-less about this book. First of all I loved it, it was so much better than I thought it would be, but it was slow and boring at parts. The characters were all even better and more developed and just awesome in this book, the author did a good job with the growth of the characters, you can feel them changing but at the same time its still the characters you love. The only bad thing is I felt at times that it was dragging on and just boring like all the author was trying to do is make sure the book is really long and just adding random details. The last half of the book is definitely the best it picks up sped pretty fast and just doesn't stop. The last half completely makes up for the slower boring parts, in my opinion. It definitely makes you feel, from hating parts to pure boredom to almost crying because of the end, and because I did not want it to end, it definitely pulls on your heart strings. I felt that it was definitely a really good ending I didn't feel cheated at all, I felt like it was the best possible ending for this series. On a scale of Maximum Ride to Harry Potter for book endings I say it's definitely closer to Harry Potter, but I hated the epilogue but I hate epilogues period I just don't like them they just make me sad. =(
natashak1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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.