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teachinsci's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book as part of a Goodreads first reads contest.
To start off with, this book had a very interesting combination of ideas. An (initially) semi-benevolent invasion of Earth, resistance fighters, worm holes, inter-species romance, androids, and alien parasites.
The varying perspectives of the story allow for a first-person narrative while still allowing the reader to act as the near-omniscient narrator. This frequently altering narration can be a bit confusing (when it happens in the middle of an action sequence, for example), but does allow a greater understanding of the wider world of the story than a purely first person story.
As a reader, I found the story interesting, if a bit predictable. But, then, I am rather older than the YA target audience. There were some surprises however, and the narrative was entertaining enough to make me want to read the next book.
To start off with, this book had a very interesting combination of ideas. An (initially) semi-benevolent invasion of Earth, resistance fighters, worm holes, inter-species romance, androids, and alien parasites.
The varying perspectives of the story allow for a first-person narrative while still allowing the reader to act as the near-omniscient narrator. This frequently altering narration can be a bit confusing (when it happens in the middle of an action sequence, for example), but does allow a greater understanding of the wider world of the story than a purely first person story.
As a reader, I found the story interesting, if a bit predictable. But, then, I am rather older than the YA target audience. There were some surprises however, and the narrative was entertaining enough to make me want to read the next book.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
2.0
Was intrigued to get into another sci-fi series but unfortunately it didn't work for me. The world building or the alien character works didn't work for me. Won't be continuing with the series
kittic's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
This is a cracker of a young adult science fiction novel. Set in post alien invasion, near future Scotland the initial chapter reads similar to the great classic War of the Worlds. The humour and heart of John Connolly's other stories are evident in this collaboration with Jennifer Ridyard. The world building, as is standard in the first book of a trilogy such as this isn't arduous and continues at pace throughout the story. The characters are well developed and I found myself invested in their progress and look forward to following them in the sequel.
thegeekyblogger's review against another edition
1.0
Listened for Review (Random House Audio)
Overall Rating: DNF
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: I gave Conquest by John Connolly 7 hours but I just couldn't get into the story. It took forever for things to start happening and even at my stopping point only one major thing had happened :(
*note* I did really enjoy the narrator though!
Overall Rating: DNF
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: I gave Conquest by John Connolly 7 hours but I just couldn't get into the story. It took forever for things to start happening and even at my stopping point only one major thing had happened :(
*note* I did really enjoy the narrator though!
seak's review against another edition
3.0
Apparently aliens are the new vampires and I guess I'm a sucker for aliens because this is the second YA book about aliens I've read in a year's time.
In this one, out of nowhere, a wormhole appears at the end of the solar system. This spells the doom of mankind because an alien race has come to dethrone mankind, thus, Conquest.
Except, while these aliens take over the governments of Earth, they have also brought technology which can not only cure diseases such as cancer, but expand the human lifespan. I've hit on this topic recently, but here it comes again, are the trade-offs worth it?
What makes this one different?
This one takes a different spin than I was prepared for. Usually, and especially with a name like "Conquest," it's a story of survival, of a rogue squad who's fighting back. While there is a bit of that, this story mostly follows the aliens themselves, in fact, one of them who is the first born alien on earth.
So instead of a fight for the world, you really get a bigger glimpse of the nature of the aliens, the culture, and the political machinations and infighting of the political parties.
This is good and bad.
Why it doesn't quite work
Well, first, why did it work. I thought this was a great take on the alien story ... at first. It's almost like reading a fantasy book because you're reading more about the society of this alien species and getting to know them and on the side you get some of the story of the rebel humans fighting against them.
What doesn't work is that some of the tension is gone or really never intended to be there. I know it's not really fair, but I expected more of a fight, which is there, but it's in a very small degree. The culture is interesting but I can't say I cared all that much about it, but that's probably for a different reason.
The Characters
The characters are for the most part, quite bland. I did listen to this on audiobook, so that could account for some of this, but by the end of the book I was still having to remember and figure out who some of the main people were. You get to know the main character, Syl, who's as interesting as a prepubescent teen can be to a non-creepy male of 30 (spoiler, there's not much we have in common).
But, by the end of the book, I really should have been able to keep track of the insurgent boys who help Syl out in the beginning and play a big part in the story, or Syl's best friend who also played a consistent part in the story.
Again, it's not all the novel's fault, I take some of the blame, but I don't think it's all mine.
I enjoyed many parts of this book, but for the most part, it didn't work for me. The alien societies were interesting, but a tad boring. The characters were mostly flat. I wanted to read this because I have some friends who are huge into John Connolly, but I'll have to check out some of his other works for an actual understanding.
2.5 out of 5 Stars (Okay to good)
In this one, out of nowhere, a wormhole appears at the end of the solar system. This spells the doom of mankind because an alien race has come to dethrone mankind, thus, Conquest.
Except, while these aliens take over the governments of Earth, they have also brought technology which can not only cure diseases such as cancer, but expand the human lifespan. I've hit on this topic recently, but here it comes again, are the trade-offs worth it?
What makes this one different?
This one takes a different spin than I was prepared for. Usually, and especially with a name like "Conquest," it's a story of survival, of a rogue squad who's fighting back. While there is a bit of that, this story mostly follows the aliens themselves, in fact, one of them who is the first born alien on earth.
So instead of a fight for the world, you really get a bigger glimpse of the nature of the aliens, the culture, and the political machinations and infighting of the political parties.
This is good and bad.
Why it doesn't quite work
Well, first, why did it work. I thought this was a great take on the alien story ... at first. It's almost like reading a fantasy book because you're reading more about the society of this alien species and getting to know them and on the side you get some of the story of the rebel humans fighting against them.
What doesn't work is that some of the tension is gone or really never intended to be there. I know it's not really fair, but I expected more of a fight, which is there, but it's in a very small degree. The culture is interesting but I can't say I cared all that much about it, but that's probably for a different reason.
The Characters
The characters are for the most part, quite bland. I did listen to this on audiobook, so that could account for some of this, but by the end of the book I was still having to remember and figure out who some of the main people were. You get to know the main character, Syl, who's as interesting as a prepubescent teen can be to a non-creepy male of 30 (spoiler, there's not much we have in common).
But, by the end of the book, I really should have been able to keep track of the insurgent boys who help Syl out in the beginning and play a big part in the story, or Syl's best friend who also played a consistent part in the story.
Again, it's not all the novel's fault, I take some of the blame, but I don't think it's all mine.
I enjoyed many parts of this book, but for the most part, it didn't work for me. The alien societies were interesting, but a tad boring. The characters were mostly flat. I wanted to read this because I have some friends who are huge into John Connolly, but I'll have to check out some of his other works for an actual understanding.
2.5 out of 5 Stars (Okay to good)
lindzee's review against another edition
4.0
Took a while to get into, mostly because there was a lot of world building, but it really picked up in the second half. No conclusion though, the last 30 pages or so were just set-up for the next book.
vailynst's review against another edition
3.0
Notes:
3.5 Stars
Good start to the trilogy. The world building is intriguing! The characters have a decent start, but I think the story would have been stronger if it was written for the story being told vs making sure it fits into a genre, YA.
*Keep an eye out for the other audiobooks to go on sale.
3.5 Stars
Good start to the trilogy. The world building is intriguing! The characters have a decent start, but I think the story would have been stronger if it was written for the story being told vs making sure it fits into a genre, YA.
*Keep an eye out for the other audiobooks to go on sale.
beckylej's review against another edition
4.0
They are called the Illyri and after discovering how to find and use wormholes for travel, they set about colonizing planets like their own. They arrived on Earth just over sixteen years ago and have ruled the planet ever since.
Syl Hellais holds no hate for this planet. It is her home after all; she was the first of her kind born here. But her movements are restricted. As the daughter of the governor of the islands of Britain and Ireland she is forever protected and guarded. Much of the human resistance has been quashed over the years, but militant parties still exist and Edinburgh is home to one of the most active. Still, the area near the castle Syl and her father call home is generally free of such worries. So When Syl escapes on her sixteenth birthday, intent on exploring the nearby village, she has no way of knowing that she's walking straight into a war zone.
Paul and Steven Kerr are part of the resistance but aren't involved in the bombing that almost kills Syl and her friend. In fact, they come to the rescue saving Syl from the blast and hiding her from the search party. By the time they meet again, Paul and Steven are to be executed for a crime Syl knows they're innocent of.
CONQUEST kicks off a brand new series coauthored by John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard. This first installment in the Chronicles of the Invaders is awesome in scope and premise. Not only do we have conquering aliens, which of course means an almost certain looming all out war between humankind and the invaders, but the politics of the Illyri are in question as well. There are some pretty big revelations in Conguest, some twists I didn't quite see coming that leave much to look forward to in subsequent books. And while it's clear throughout CONQUEST that this is only the beginning - there's an obligatory cliffhanger-esque ending, too - it's a highly engaging first book.
Connolly and Ridyard seem to work together fairly seamlessly. The collaboration here has resulted in a smooth and well written series debut with great characters, lots of intrigue, and pretty fantastic world building. No word yet on when we can expect the second book in the series, but it's already on my must have list!
Syl Hellais holds no hate for this planet. It is her home after all; she was the first of her kind born here. But her movements are restricted. As the daughter of the governor of the islands of Britain and Ireland she is forever protected and guarded. Much of the human resistance has been quashed over the years, but militant parties still exist and Edinburgh is home to one of the most active. Still, the area near the castle Syl and her father call home is generally free of such worries. So When Syl escapes on her sixteenth birthday, intent on exploring the nearby village, she has no way of knowing that she's walking straight into a war zone.
Paul and Steven Kerr are part of the resistance but aren't involved in the bombing that almost kills Syl and her friend. In fact, they come to the rescue saving Syl from the blast and hiding her from the search party. By the time they meet again, Paul and Steven are to be executed for a crime Syl knows they're innocent of.
CONQUEST kicks off a brand new series coauthored by John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard. This first installment in the Chronicles of the Invaders is awesome in scope and premise. Not only do we have conquering aliens, which of course means an almost certain looming all out war between humankind and the invaders, but the politics of the Illyri are in question as well. There are some pretty big revelations in Conguest, some twists I didn't quite see coming that leave much to look forward to in subsequent books. And while it's clear throughout CONQUEST that this is only the beginning - there's an obligatory cliffhanger-esque ending, too - it's a highly engaging first book.
Connolly and Ridyard seem to work together fairly seamlessly. The collaboration here has resulted in a smooth and well written series debut with great characters, lots of intrigue, and pretty fantastic world building. No word yet on when we can expect the second book in the series, but it's already on my must have list!