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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
Ever get about halfway through a book and realize while it is competently written, you have zero desire to continue it?? Me, too. This one.
Full of action but also inexplicably dull. I won’t be reading the other book(s) in the series. I will also give the narrator a miss. His voice is somewhat old fashioned.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm a huge Jules Verne fan so any story about going to the center of the Earth will have me in a chokehold. My only complaint about this book is that characters die and everyone's like "pity" and moves on lol. Kinda funny honestly.
I liked it. Another Jules Verne inspired book. The deaths were brutal and sad. Obviously there were deaths. I don’t know if I will read the rest of the books though.
Better than I expected, some fun imagery and world building. A gruesome take on the children’s story, set in modern day. The characters were very formulaic and didn’t stand out much. I wish it had focused in on a tighter cast and plot generally.
It’s sorta 50/50, not memorable but kinda fun as you read it, if you like monster type stuff at least.
It’s sorta 50/50, not memorable but kinda fun as you read it, if you like monster type stuff at least.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“ Those who descend into the void find monsters. Or become them. „
I've been scared of caves ever since I watched (and was traumatised by) the film Sanctum as a child, so this scifi horror that takes place in the Krubera cave, one of the world's deepest caves, is quite literally my worst nightmare! <3 And it did great! I loved the scifi aspects, and the horror of what our cavers found in the literal depths of hell was pretty scary too.
But that's where my praise ends! Because these characters SUCKED. Get rid of their names and replace them with Main Character, Love Interest, Russian Dude, Evil Guy; one defining characteristic was all they had to differentiate themselves from each other, and some weren't even lucky enough to get that. Every single one of these characters, even the protagonist, felt unnecessary and dispensable.
I wouldn't be surprised if the characters saw their fellow cavers as unnecessary and dispensable as well, because there's no other explanation for how they were able to witness their friends' horrific deaths and then continue to make jokes and banter with one another as if what they had just seen wasn't incredibly traumatising. Yeah, positivity and optimism and all that, but your friend was just devoured!! ALIVE!! Can you maybe hold off on the jokes until after you recover from your PTSD and major depressive disorder brought on by your life threatening experiences and grief???!!!
Not to mention on finally making it out alive and resurfacing, Michael turns back to the cave to say “Goodbye Angela, Jamison, Bruno, Ronnie, and even you, Harry. We'll miss you all” ...did the writer just forget about David? I can forgive forgetting to mention Marcus, because Michael never met him, but David?? Remember, your friend David? The one who died because of you??? Are you gonna say goodbye to him, too?!
It's unfortunate, because I really did enjoy their journey to the centre of the Earth, but I cannot, and will not, forgive these characters for ruining the entire story. And why, for the love of God, did no one have a camera?
I've been scared of caves ever since I watched (and was traumatised by) the film Sanctum as a child, so this scifi horror that takes place in the Krubera cave, one of the world's deepest caves, is quite literally my worst nightmare! <3 And it did great! I loved the scifi aspects, and the horror of what our cavers found in the literal depths of hell was pretty scary too.
But that's where my praise ends! Because these characters SUCKED. Get rid of their names and replace them with Main Character, Love Interest, Russian Dude, Evil Guy; one defining characteristic was all they had to differentiate themselves from each other, and some weren't even lucky enough to get that. Every single one of these characters, even the protagonist, felt unnecessary and dispensable.
I wouldn't be surprised if the characters saw their fellow cavers as unnecessary and dispensable as well, because there's no other explanation for how they were able to witness their friends' horrific deaths and then continue to make jokes and banter with one another as if what they had just seen wasn't incredibly traumatising. Yeah, positivity and optimism and all that, but your friend was just devoured!! ALIVE!! Can you maybe hold off on the jokes until after you recover from your PTSD and major depressive disorder brought on by your life threatening experiences and grief???!!!
It's unfortunate, because I really did enjoy their journey to the centre of the Earth, but I cannot, and will not, forgive these characters for ruining the entire story. And why, for the love of God, did no one have a camera?
Didn't work for me as well as Siberian Incident. It was okay.
I really enjoyed the book. What is not to like? Hollow-earth theories, monsters, red seas, adventures and death abound - a fun read. I noted a lot of similarities to Journey to the Centre of the Earth (2008 movie) and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012 movie), but it did not distract from an enjoyable read. It has some nice original material too.
The action was paced nicely without being too over-the-top. There were genuinely some scary scenes which had me on the edge of my seat. The monsters were terrifying and rather unique. While character development normally suffers in most action novels, I found myself actually caring about some of the characters in the book. Even the "villain", if you can call him that, was a rather interesting and even likeable character.
I am hoping there will be a sequel which seems probable considering the final pages. Oh, by the way, read Greig Beck's Cate Granger series too. Although there are only two books in the series so far, I am hoping a new one will be forthcoming soon.
The action was paced nicely without being too over-the-top. There were genuinely some scary scenes which had me on the edge of my seat. The monsters were terrifying and rather unique. While character development normally suffers in most action novels, I found myself actually caring about some of the characters in the book. Even the "villain", if you can call him that, was a rather interesting and even likeable character.
I am hoping there will be a sequel which seems probable considering the final pages. Oh, by the way, read Greig Beck's Cate Granger series too. Although there are only two books in the series so far, I am hoping a new one will be forthcoming soon.