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kaetheluise_nckl's review
Disclaimer: I was contacted by Nicholas Conley with the request to review his book. I was provided with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I am not being paid for writing this review, and Mr. Conley’s request to review his book in no way affects the opinion I have of his work.
However, due to the circumstance that Knight in Paper Armor includes some heavy topics I decided not to rate this book.
My review will also include spoilers and will go into detail about my feelings about this book.
For reader discretion, I advise you to check the list of trigger warnings below, which I have compiled to the best of my abilities. Should you find any of the there mentioned content triggering, please do not read this review and do not purchase the book in order to avoid trauma.
Trigger Warnings: racicm, sexism, antisemitism, slavery, (attempted) genocide, emotional abuse, on screen death, violence and substance abuse, mention of the holocaust, national socialism and terrorism, exploitation of children and minorities, blackmailing, substance abuse, guns, trauma
Review in short form
Issues I had with this book
• Conley did not provide a list of trigger warnings in the description of the book on Amazon or in the beginning pages of the book itself, which is a huge no go, especially in times like these, and especially considering the content of this book.
• I don’t know what the target audience of this book is.
• In its essence, Knight in Paper Armor is like every Sci-Fi book I have read so far.
• The world-building was mediocre
• A sprinkle of representation here and there is definitely not enough.
• The villain is generic and uninteresting
• Too much unnecessary violence
Things that I enjoyed
• Billy's characteristics
• future Natalia's activism in politics
If you'd like to read my in-depth review of Knight in Paper Armor, click https://acorporalkireads.wordpress.com/2020/09/16/knight-in-paper-armor-review/
I am not being paid for writing this review, and Mr. Conley’s request to review his book in no way affects the opinion I have of his work.
However, due to the circumstance that Knight in Paper Armor includes some heavy topics I decided not to rate this book.
My review will also include spoilers and will go into detail about my feelings about this book.
For reader discretion, I advise you to check the list of trigger warnings below, which I have compiled to the best of my abilities. Should you find any of the there mentioned content triggering, please do not read this review and do not purchase the book in order to avoid trauma.
Trigger Warnings: racicm, sexism, antisemitism, slavery, (attempted) genocide, emotional abuse, on screen death, violence and substance abuse, mention of the holocaust, national socialism and terrorism, exploitation of children and minorities, blackmailing, substance abuse, guns, trauma
Review in short form
Issues I had with this book
• Conley did not provide a list of trigger warnings in the description of the book on Amazon or in the beginning pages of the book itself, which is a huge no go, especially in times like these, and especially considering the content of this book.
• I don’t know what the target audience of this book is.
• In its essence, Knight in Paper Armor is like every Sci-Fi book I have read so far.
• The world-building was mediocre
• A sprinkle of representation here and there is definitely not enough.
• The villain is generic and uninteresting
• Too much unnecessary violence
Things that I enjoyed
• Billy's characteristics
• future Natalia's activism in politics
If you'd like to read my in-depth review of Knight in Paper Armor, click https://acorporalkireads.wordpress.com/2020/09/16/knight-in-paper-armor-review/
avoraciousreader68's review
dark
medium-paced
4.0
Book source ~ ARC. My review is voluntary and honest.
Billy Jakobek is a super powerful psychic who popped up on a super powerful egomaniac’s radar when he was only a child. Now 16, Billy is stuck in Heaven’s Hole, the latest and star guinea pig for Caleb Thorne’s evil enterprise and megacorporation, Thorne Century. Heaven’s Hole is where Billy meets Natalia Gonzalez, a fellow student and gifted herself. But not in a way that interests good ol’ Thorne. Lucky for her at the time. But after she meets Billy she’s suddenly front and center in Thorne’s sights. Trust me. That’s not a good thing. At all. *shudder* All Billy wants is to help people with his powers and to be with Natalia. But that’s not going to happen while Thorne controls everything around him. It’s up to Billy and Natalia to break the back of Caleb Thorne, but are they strong enough to do it?
This isn’t just Sci-Fi, Young Adult, and Dystopian. It’s also Horror. Yikes. The things that Caleb Throne is capable of are shudder-worthy. And then you add the Shape that stalks Billy and if that doesn’t give you nightmares then you are one tough SOB.
This is a future I would prefer not to see become reality. Caleb Thorne is completely unbalanced. And he runs a megacorporation that exploits his workers big time. Sound familiar? There are a lot of parallels to this world, but hopefully we can fix the mess before it gets to this point. Of course, I don’t know of anyone who has super powers, not even rumors of them, so we’d be on our own on that front.
Billy and Natalia’s POVs are the majority of the book, but there are chapters for Caleb and another character named Roseanna to give a well-rounded feel for this world. The plot is a bit murky, but gets clearer as the story flows along. The characters of Billy and Natalia are in-depth, Roseanna not as much, and while Caleb Thorne is also front and center he seems too evil and also a bit pathetic at the same time. I’m leaning towards the feeling that it’s deliberate, but I can’t say for sure.
This book is one hell of a gut-wrencher. If you seek out that type of book then don’t hesitate to pick this one up.
popthebutterfly's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Knight in Paper Armor
Author: Nicholas Conley
Book Series: Standalone for now
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Guatemalan side character
Recommended For...: ya readers, sci-fi readers
Publication Date: September 15, 2020
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 14+ (immigration TW, human experimentation, Holocaust mentioned, poverty, violence, gore, grief)
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing LLC
Pages: 426
Synopsis: Billy Jakobek has always been different. Born with strange and powerful psychic abilities, he has grown up in the laboratories of Thorne Century, a ruthless megacorporation that economically, socially, and politically dominates American society. Every day, Billy absorbs the emotional energies, dreams, and traumas of everyone he meets—from his grandmother’s memories of the Holocaust, to the terror his sheer existence inflicts upon his captors—and he yearns to break free, so he can use his powers to help others.
Natalia Gonzalez, a rebellious artist and daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, lives in Heaven’s Hole, an industrial town built inside a meteor crater, where the poverty-stricken population struggles to survive the nightmarish working conditions of the local Thorne Century factory. Natalia takes care of her ailing mother, her grandmother, and her two younger brothers, and while she dreams of escape, she knows she cannot leave her family behind.
When Billy is transferred to Heaven’s Hole, his chance encounter with Natalia sends shockwaves rippling across the blighted landscape. The two outsiders are pitted against the all-powerful monopoly, while Billy experiences visions of an otherworldly figure known as the Shape, which prophesizes an apocalyptic future that could decimate the world they know.
Review: I really liked this one! It was cute but it had the perfect blend of social issues and fantasy. The book doesn’t shy from the horrors of the world and the characters are well written. The world building is also well done and I loved the plot.
The only issue I had with the book is that there was a lot going on all at once. The amount of information in this book and historical/social/racial/etc issues presented in this read was great, but a little overwhelming for what would be the target audience, not to say that they shouldn’t know about these issues, it’s just too much for one book in my opinion.
Verdict: It was great!
Book: Knight in Paper Armor
Author: Nicholas Conley
Book Series: Standalone for now
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Guatemalan side character
Recommended For...: ya readers, sci-fi readers
Publication Date: September 15, 2020
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 14+ (immigration TW, human experimentation, Holocaust mentioned, poverty, violence, gore, grief)
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing LLC
Pages: 426
Synopsis: Billy Jakobek has always been different. Born with strange and powerful psychic abilities, he has grown up in the laboratories of Thorne Century, a ruthless megacorporation that economically, socially, and politically dominates American society. Every day, Billy absorbs the emotional energies, dreams, and traumas of everyone he meets—from his grandmother’s memories of the Holocaust, to the terror his sheer existence inflicts upon his captors—and he yearns to break free, so he can use his powers to help others.
Natalia Gonzalez, a rebellious artist and daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, lives in Heaven’s Hole, an industrial town built inside a meteor crater, where the poverty-stricken population struggles to survive the nightmarish working conditions of the local Thorne Century factory. Natalia takes care of her ailing mother, her grandmother, and her two younger brothers, and while she dreams of escape, she knows she cannot leave her family behind.
When Billy is transferred to Heaven’s Hole, his chance encounter with Natalia sends shockwaves rippling across the blighted landscape. The two outsiders are pitted against the all-powerful monopoly, while Billy experiences visions of an otherworldly figure known as the Shape, which prophesizes an apocalyptic future that could decimate the world they know.
Review: I really liked this one! It was cute but it had the perfect blend of social issues and fantasy. The book doesn’t shy from the horrors of the world and the characters are well written. The world building is also well done and I loved the plot.
The only issue I had with the book is that there was a lot going on all at once. The amount of information in this book and historical/social/racial/etc issues presented in this read was great, but a little overwhelming for what would be the target audience, not to say that they shouldn’t know about these issues, it’s just too much for one book in my opinion.
Verdict: It was great!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Gore
literarygiraffe's review
adventurous
dark
fast-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
3.75
rosebudreading's review
4.0
If you are looking for a good science fiction read then look no further. This book is a fast paced hard hitting read. It covers a lot of social issues such as discrimination, segregation, and capitalism.
The plot of this book was intense. Every time I thought I knew where the book was going something happened to throw it all off. There was a lot going on in the ending ending that made it a little hard for me to follow at times and I found myself having to reread so that I could make sure I had what was happening straight in my head because it was a lot of jumping around.
The characters were interesting. I thought they were pretty well developed. I definitely felt invested in how their lives turned out throughout the story. I also need to say that this book had some pretty graphic violence that made me super uncomfortable.
Another thing I really struggled with while reading this book was the world. The way people were treated and discriminated against. It just hit really close to home with the way the world is today in 2020.
This book definitely has a lot going for it and I would recommend go anyone who enjoys dystopian, science fiction books.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
The plot of this book was intense. Every time I thought I knew where the book was going something happened to throw it all off. There was a lot going on in the ending ending that made it a little hard for me to follow at times and I found myself having to reread so that I could make sure I had what was happening straight in my head because it was a lot of jumping around.
The characters were interesting. I thought they were pretty well developed. I definitely felt invested in how their lives turned out throughout the story. I also need to say that this book had some pretty graphic violence that made me super uncomfortable.
Another thing I really struggled with while reading this book was the world. The way people were treated and discriminated against. It just hit really close to home with the way the world is today in 2020.
This book definitely has a lot going for it and I would recommend go anyone who enjoys dystopian, science fiction books.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
triciab04's review
5.0
I love when a story grabs you right from the very beginning! Knight in Paper Armor did just that and didn't let go till the very last page. Even after, I think this one will stay with me for awhile. As much as I love reading as a form of escapism, especially in times like this where you feel the extra weight of world issues weighing heavily, I also read to feel. To be moved, whether to laughter, or tears, or suspense, etc. This book moved me. Not only was it a solid dystopian/fantasy novel it also had a lot of heart and it pulled from real societal issues both past and current that was masterfully weaved throughout this story. Sometimes it was hard to look at, some lines were hard to read, mostly because there was a realness in it and that had the sharpest sting. As bleak as it seemed at times, there was an unyielding undercurrent of hope and light, selflessness and voices that would not be silenced. It brought not only a great balance to the story, but also a great reminder to me as a reader. It's so easy to get bogged down in the seemingly endless onslaught of negativity, the pain and the suffering, sometimes you forget how much beauty and hope there is amidst it and how powerful those things can truly be.
Another thing that stood out to me, and gave me some Stephen King vibes, was how the author highlights the young. And like King, he pulls no punches with them either. But Conley also shines a light on the hope and brilliance of them. There's a strength in youth, a drive and an untempered sense of the world and right vs wrong there and Conley plays this up in the best ways.
“And what I mean is, well... achievement comes from failure. From trying, knowing we can’t succeed, and trying again.” He stirred his coffee. “So yes, I have hope in people. Because even though humanity is flawed, it never stops trying to be better. Every generation is one step closer than the last. There’s always a forward thrust..."
I too believe this of each generation. I see it in my own kid. In what she believes in, what she is passionate about and how she translates those passions into momentum. I see it in kids like Emma González and David Hogg too.
All in all Knight in Paper Armor was riveting dystopian/fantasy with a lot of heart. The mix of supernatural and realnesss was perfectly balanced and it will undoubtedly have you thinking throughout and afterwards. I truly look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest review.
Another thing that stood out to me, and gave me some Stephen King vibes, was how the author highlights the young. And like King, he pulls no punches with them either. But Conley also shines a light on the hope and brilliance of them. There's a strength in youth, a drive and an untempered sense of the world and right vs wrong there and Conley plays this up in the best ways.
“And what I mean is, well... achievement comes from failure. From trying, knowing we can’t succeed, and trying again.” He stirred his coffee. “So yes, I have hope in people. Because even though humanity is flawed, it never stops trying to be better. Every generation is one step closer than the last. There’s always a forward thrust..."
I too believe this of each generation. I see it in my own kid. In what she believes in, what she is passionate about and how she translates those passions into momentum. I see it in kids like Emma González and David Hogg too.
All in all Knight in Paper Armor was riveting dystopian/fantasy with a lot of heart. The mix of supernatural and realnesss was perfectly balanced and it will undoubtedly have you thinking throughout and afterwards. I truly look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest review.
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