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2.9 AVERAGE
2.9 AVERAGE
2021 Thoughts
2.5/5 Stars
Sometimes books are good but they just don't make it into the hands of the right readers. Such is this case. I think this is a really solid premise with good writing and that some lovers of science fiction will enjoy this new portal-esque story.
However, I did not enjoy the cringy love triangle with distantly related cousins and insane teenage boys. And since that feels like a primary motivation for much of the book? It ain't for me.
I was rereading this to see if I wanted to continue with the series but I think I knew from the very first chapter that I would be putting it to rest. Thanks for the memories.
2015 Thoughts
4/5 Stars
Worth It
Honestly I chose this book because it was shiny and I am a judgemental person who picks books based on covers. But I gotta say it works... sometimes.
To begin with, I was incredibly scared of reading this because it was so big and I thought it would put me behind in my reading schedule. And it did. It was kinda worth it though. I really enjoyed the main idea of the book with these people who were meant to do good only to find out that they aren't. Even if I was mislead into thinking this would be more of an assassin book. Mislead, probably, by myself.
At the beginning I had a hard time figuring out some setting details. For instance, I didn't realize we were in somewhat present times until they were talking about tv's and electricity. All that confusion really took away from the overall experience I had with the book. Also it didn't amaze me. It was just another book.. wooh. And I found the author doing this thing where you repeat a certain phrase. I notice things like this too much. The author would say "as though" a lot and it wasn't as repetitive as I'm making it out to be. I mean like a few instances in a span of 4 pages. But to the point where it was noticeable for me.
I really need to stop getting excited for books and just go into them blind because I find myself getting disappointed. But let's be real. I would recommend this book to a number of my friends. The level of fantasy is just wow, yeah, love. And it made me want to give up sleep to finish it. This is a good sign and had I not had a test the next day maybe I would've. I just ended up finishing it after the test and I finished and I didn't want to do anything else. The author is also really good at creating vivid scenes. The action was beautifully depicted and I want to go watch a Marvel movie now because the action was like watching one of those. Personally, I really like when we get multiple view-points because you see what everyone else is thinking and doing. I think the author did a good job of creating different characters that when they would write in that character's POV you could tell it was another person.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes adventurous fantasy with some romance mixed in. Don't be scared by the size and length of the book just go ahead and dive in. Once you get into it the book doesn't seem as long as it actually is. I mean I read it over the week and was able to finish it. Some chapters run longer than others but all of it is worth it for a really good read.
2.5/5 Stars
Sometimes books are good but they just don't make it into the hands of the right readers. Such is this case. I think this is a really solid premise with good writing and that some lovers of science fiction will enjoy this new portal-esque story.
However, I did not enjoy the cringy love triangle with distantly related cousins and insane teenage boys. And since that feels like a primary motivation for much of the book? It ain't for me.
I was rereading this to see if I wanted to continue with the series but I think I knew from the very first chapter that I would be putting it to rest. Thanks for the memories.
2015 Thoughts
4/5 Stars
Worth It
Honestly I chose this book because it was shiny and I am a judgemental person who picks books based on covers. But I gotta say it works... sometimes.
To begin with, I was incredibly scared of reading this because it was so big and I thought it would put me behind in my reading schedule. And it did. It was kinda worth it though. I really enjoyed the main idea of the book with these people who were meant to do good only to find out that they aren't. Even if I was mislead into thinking this would be more of an assassin book. Mislead, probably, by myself.
At the beginning I had a hard time figuring out some setting details. For instance, I didn't realize we were in somewhat present times until they were talking about tv's and electricity. All that confusion really took away from the overall experience I had with the book. Also it didn't amaze me. It was just another book.. wooh. And I found the author doing this thing where you repeat a certain phrase. I notice things like this too much. The author would say "as though" a lot and it wasn't as repetitive as I'm making it out to be. I mean like a few instances in a span of 4 pages. But to the point where it was noticeable for me.
I really need to stop getting excited for books and just go into them blind because I find myself getting disappointed. But let's be real. I would recommend this book to a number of my friends. The level of fantasy is just wow, yeah, love. And it made me want to give up sleep to finish it. This is a good sign and had I not had a test the next day maybe I would've. I just ended up finishing it after the test and I finished and I didn't want to do anything else. The author is also really good at creating vivid scenes. The action was beautifully depicted and I want to go watch a Marvel movie now because the action was like watching one of those. Personally, I really like when we get multiple view-points because you see what everyone else is thinking and doing. I think the author did a good job of creating different characters that when they would write in that character's POV you could tell it was another person.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes adventurous fantasy with some romance mixed in. Don't be scared by the size and length of the book just go ahead and dive in. Once you get into it the book doesn't seem as long as it actually is. I mean I read it over the week and was able to finish it. Some chapters run longer than others but all of it is worth it for a really good read.
I'm DNFing this sucker.
This book could have been so very good. Great premise and the characters aren't bad. It's that I can't figure out what the hell is going on. You have the main character Quin that is training to be a Seeker. What is a Seeker? Who the hell knows. I thought at first it was something good..then it seemed like it was something bad. I never got my answers..so I'm a shallow gal and it pissed me off. Then her love interest John knew what was in store for her..Did he tell her? Nope, Nada, Nil. I don't like that John. *insert mean look*
Then the author decide to tell you during the story how to pronounce words...Does she think we (readers) are complete dumbasses? My flying monkeys will not like that shit.
Then the world-building..At first I think it's Medieval Scotland..then there are cars, and flying thingies..I'm so frigging bored and confused..and I'd rather be that way when I drink than when I read.
So I just can't finish this one. My kindle is getting tired of the mean looks I'm giving it because I know I have to read this book.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book could have been so very good. Great premise and the characters aren't bad. It's that I can't figure out what the hell is going on. You have the main character Quin that is training to be a Seeker. What is a Seeker? Who the hell knows. I thought at first it was something good..then it seemed like it was something bad. I never got my answers..so I'm a shallow gal and it pissed me off. Then her love interest John knew what was in store for her..Did he tell her? Nope, Nada, Nil. I don't like that John. *insert mean look*
Then the author decide to tell you during the story how to pronounce words...Does she think we (readers) are complete dumbasses? My flying monkeys will not like that shit.
Then the world-building..At first I think it's Medieval Scotland..then there are cars, and flying thingies..I'm so frigging bored and confused..and I'd rather be that way when I drink than when I read.
So I just can't finish this one. My kindle is getting tired of the mean looks I'm giving it because I know I have to read this book.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the premise of the story. There are people with the tools and abilities to travel through space (and maybe time? That isn’t explained very well.). These people are meant to help events that benefit humanity come to fruition. However, that isn’t really what happens anymore. Somehow, this part I don’t quite understand, they now take “jobs” that end in murder.
I spent the majority of this book quite confused. There is a lot that is still unexplained, even at the end of the book. For example, John’s family history is way confusing. Also, I have no idea how whipswords and athames could be created hundreds of years ago.
I didn’t really like any of the characters that much. Shinobu seemed to want to help Quin sometimes and at other forget that she existed. And then there are the drugs that he is addicted to for almost the entire of the second half of the book. John just wants revenge and doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process, even if it is the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Then there is Quin. For the majority of the second half of the book she chooses not to remember the first half and so I was even more confused.
Then there is the worldbuilding. It is supposed to be sometime in the future? Maybe? I don’t really know. The setting descriptions seem to imply that everyone knows what Scotland, London, and Hong Kong are like. Well, I don’t. I was just… confused.
This was not a book for me. I’m sure there are others who will love this book, but I didn’t love it. I liked it as an entertaining read.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This review first appeared at CatholicAmanda.com.
I spent the majority of this book quite confused. There is a lot that is still unexplained, even at the end of the book. For example, John’s family history is way confusing. Also, I have no idea how whipswords and athames could be created hundreds of years ago.
I didn’t really like any of the characters that much. Shinobu seemed to want to help Quin sometimes and at other forget that she existed. And then there are the drugs that he is addicted to for almost the entire of the second half of the book. John just wants revenge and doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process, even if it is the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Then there is Quin. For the majority of the second half of the book she chooses not to remember the first half and so I was even more confused.
Then there is the worldbuilding. It is supposed to be sometime in the future? Maybe? I don’t really know. The setting descriptions seem to imply that everyone knows what Scotland, London, and Hong Kong are like. Well, I don’t. I was just… confused.
This was not a book for me. I’m sure there are others who will love this book, but I didn’t love it. I liked it as an entertaining read.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This review first appeared at CatholicAmanda.com.
Seeker is a curious book. It's been compared unfairly to other series, comparisons that don't do it justice and that really aren't supported by the unique texture and atmosphere of this book. Certainly a lot of the Goodreads comments about it right now are not pleased by an appeal made to readers of Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games. This book is not those books. It's an unusual melding of fantasy and science-fiction, set sometime in the future, on Earth or a version of Earth. With no clear time to pin down how far in the future it takes place, and weak on world building in general, Seeker doesn't make it easy for the reader to ground themselves in those terms. Instead, it requires the reader to exist within the bubble of the novel's conflict: a complex power struggle between families, friends, lovers, between doing what is good, what is right, what is best for the many, between loyalties, promises, oaths, training.
The story revolves around four teenagers - Quin and Shinobu who are fifteen when the book begins, John who is sixteen, and the Young Dread, Maud, whose life has been stretched but who is roughly fourteen years old. It was easy to forget at times, that they are so young. Though there's a community nearby, they seem to have been kept very isolated through their childhoods and early teenage years.
The love triangle that develops might have irked me for being the predictable choice in a YA story except that I think the way that these kids have lived, it's a viable outcome. Certainly, everyone could have seen each other as faux-siblings, but given the lack of other potential romantic partners, I think the love triangle worked for me.
That said, for me, John is very one dimensional. While he's got some great motivation and a clear goal, I felt that beyond those things and his love for Quin, there was nothing of substance to this guy. His role is to remain focused on these things through the book and while I think that the questions and ethical dilemmas he faces (or refuses to acknowledge) are some of the most intriguing of the book, his obsession is just too strong to allow for other traits.
Quin and Shinobu have a bit more depth, which is mainly granted by the opportunity they have to live outside of the Seeker life for a brief period of time. I think this allows them to develop beyond their training and the focus of their childhoods on becoming Seekers and so on. They're also easier to empathize with, I think, though John has a pretty compelling back story. I just wish his story in the present was more nuanced.
Maud is tricky because the Dreads - characters who seem to exist to supervise or monitor the Seekers - are such big question marks through most of the book. I'm intrigued to know more, and wasn't really satisfied with all the information we were given about the Dreads.
There is a good balance of thought-provoking, often ethics-related questions and of action in Seeker. There are plenty of pauses to really consider what's at stake, what the potential outcomes are, what motivates each character and so on, but there's also lots of action to keep things moving.
The biggest lull for me occurred during the Interlude section. While Maud's chapter provided some necessary background information about the Dreads and the tension between them, John's sections gave us scenes that we already knew the outcomes of - I felt like we'd already been told these scenes, and now had to see them as well. It was an unnecessary step back in time, for me.
What I would have liked more of is Seeker lore, so that we had a better sense of what it was Quin expected to do as a Seeker. There's also a lot of evidence given that there are other houses of Seekers - what happened to them? Why does Quin have a sense of expectation, having heard stories about the wonderful things done in the past by Seekers, but never question why they haven't been taught a more specific history of Seekers? She and Shinobu have both researched their family lines to determine the degree to which they are related (not very) and it seemed a bit odd to me that in the context of that, they didn't learn more about being a Seeker or the history of the houses themselves. Many of my questions really end up returning back to the weak world building in the book. Seeker has some great concepts, and I like that the world is this combination of Scottish rural countryside and drug-infested Hong Kong, with a dash of aircars and morphing whipswords for good measure. Oh, plus telepathy and time-hopping and... yeah. There's lots of really cool elements brought together here, but the sum of it all feels like a big question mark to me.
Do other people know about Seekers? Are there other telepaths in the world? What other futuristic (as in aircars) technologies exist?
Hopefully book two in the series will tackle some of these questions.
Bottom line:
Seeker is an intriguing book, with a mixture of fantasy and science fiction elements that are tied together around some really tough questions about family, loyalty, justice, revenge, and the overarching "What is the right thing to do?" issue. I think it fell flat on a few fronts, but there's a spark of something really compelling here that I hope is fleshed out more fully in book two. I think this is a book that grows on me the more I think about it, but that was just shy of the mark of being *amazing.*
3.5 stars
For fans of modern fantasy, science fiction, sword fights, love triangles
Received in exchange for an honest review
To find this and other reviews, visit To Each Their Own Reviews
The story revolves around four teenagers - Quin and Shinobu who are fifteen when the book begins, John who is sixteen, and the Young Dread, Maud, whose life has been stretched but who is roughly fourteen years old. It was easy to forget at times, that they are so young. Though there's a community nearby, they seem to have been kept very isolated through their childhoods and early teenage years.
The love triangle that develops might have irked me for being the predictable choice in a YA story except that I think the way that these kids have lived, it's a viable outcome. Certainly, everyone could have seen each other as faux-siblings, but given the lack of other potential romantic partners, I think the love triangle worked for me.
That said, for me, John is very one dimensional. While he's got some great motivation and a clear goal, I felt that beyond those things and his love for Quin, there was nothing of substance to this guy. His role is to remain focused on these things through the book and while I think that the questions and ethical dilemmas he faces (or refuses to acknowledge) are some of the most intriguing of the book, his obsession is just too strong to allow for other traits.
Quin and Shinobu have a bit more depth, which is mainly granted by the opportunity they have to live outside of the Seeker life for a brief period of time. I think this allows them to develop beyond their training and the focus of their childhoods on becoming Seekers and so on. They're also easier to empathize with, I think, though John has a pretty compelling back story. I just wish his story in the present was more nuanced.
Maud is tricky because the Dreads - characters who seem to exist to supervise or monitor the Seekers - are such big question marks through most of the book. I'm intrigued to know more, and wasn't really satisfied with all the information we were given about the Dreads.
There is a good balance of thought-provoking, often ethics-related questions and of action in Seeker. There are plenty of pauses to really consider what's at stake, what the potential outcomes are, what motivates each character and so on, but there's also lots of action to keep things moving.
The biggest lull for me occurred during the Interlude section. While Maud's chapter provided some necessary background information about the Dreads and the tension between them, John's sections gave us scenes that we already knew the outcomes of - I felt like we'd already been told these scenes, and now had to see them as well. It was an unnecessary step back in time, for me.
What I would have liked more of is Seeker lore, so that we had a better sense of what it was Quin expected to do as a Seeker. There's also a lot of evidence given that there are other houses of Seekers - what happened to them? Why does Quin have a sense of expectation, having heard stories about the wonderful things done in the past by Seekers, but never question why they haven't been taught a more specific history of Seekers? She and Shinobu have both researched their family lines to determine the degree to which they are related (not very) and it seemed a bit odd to me that in the context of that, they didn't learn more about being a Seeker or the history of the houses themselves. Many of my questions really end up returning back to the weak world building in the book. Seeker has some great concepts, and I like that the world is this combination of Scottish rural countryside and drug-infested Hong Kong, with a dash of aircars and morphing whipswords for good measure. Oh, plus telepathy and time-hopping and... yeah. There's lots of really cool elements brought together here, but the sum of it all feels like a big question mark to me.
Do other people know about Seekers? Are there other telepaths in the world? What other futuristic (as in aircars) technologies exist?
Hopefully book two in the series will tackle some of these questions.
Bottom line:
Seeker is an intriguing book, with a mixture of fantasy and science fiction elements that are tied together around some really tough questions about family, loyalty, justice, revenge, and the overarching "What is the right thing to do?" issue. I think it fell flat on a few fronts, but there's a spark of something really compelling here that I hope is fleshed out more fully in book two. I think this is a book that grows on me the more I think about it, but that was just shy of the mark of being *amazing.*
3.5 stars
For fans of modern fantasy, science fiction, sword fights, love triangles
Received in exchange for an honest review
To find this and other reviews, visit To Each Their Own Reviews
With such an intriguing premise, this book immediately piqued my interest. Then I saw some of the reviews and was a little hesitant. As it seems, most of those reviews were spot on. While I may excuse the beginning slowness of the book in the long run, none of the book really hooked me. The characters were dull and annoying and I felt no real connection to them -- their relationships felt contrived, mostly told rather than shown. The setting and mystery surrounding the Seekers was really confusing -- and I get that it was probably meant to be that way -- but I mean confusing in a bad way. Not confusing like ooh, I want to know what's going on, but confusing in the way like, what-in-the-world-where-am-I-even-what-is-going-on kind of confusing.
Overall, this book had a lot of potential, but it really failed to deliver.
Overall, this book had a lot of potential, but it really failed to deliver.
I was really excited for this but unfortunately, it's not holding my interest. Maybe I'll come back to it someday. Love this narrator though!
DNF. The writing felt immature and the romance was way too dramatic from the get go. I just couldn't get into this one.
I began this book feeling eager and excited to start. It sounded really awesome. It was kind of slow and I wasn't sure how I felt about Quin or John as characters and I felt like the characters were sort of dumbed down or immature, but I kept reading. I got to a part where John was asking a question and he used a word that isn't common. The author decided to specify the pronunciation in the dialogue, which was a major problem for me because it showed me that any expectations I had that the story would grow into a smart and well written book would be fruitless. I tried to continue, but the writing wasn't strong enough for me to overlook what I consider a terrible mistake in a published novel. Most fantasies contain glossaries to specify definitions and pronunciations of words and it's embarrassing to have someone try to explain it in the story itself. That may sound harsh, but I just could not finish.
Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton
Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton is a Science fiction / fantasy novel, that takes place in Scotland, London and Hong Kong. It’s narrative is told through four POV’s: Quin, John, Shinobu and Maud. I did not really connect with any of these characters as they seemed a bit alienated to me. Quin is the typical do-gooder who wants to be a seeker but when she finds out what it is she has a change of mind. Shinobu follow kind of the same kind of thing. The book fails to give the reader an insight to what a seeker really is, and the true purpose of that role is never revealed. This is the first book in a trilogy, so it might be explained later. Though a good series is often emphasized by the fact that each book in the series can be read as stand-alone-books without leaving the reader with too many questions. Also the “science fiction” part of the novel falls kind of flat as even though it is supposed to have a futuristic setting (I guess), it feels like the setting is set in the present day (apart from a few details).
Seeker is a good start on a series, and it is a great addition to the YA-genre. It strenght lies in the split narrative, which allows the reader to see more aspects of the world and gives the author liberty to explore the world in more than one way. Though it is advertised as a Hunger Games meets Game of thrones, I did not really get the feel of either of those books. Seeker is imaginative and colorful, and though it is a bit slow paced to start with the pace picks up and gives the reader an adventure ride.
Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton is a Science fiction / fantasy novel, that takes place in Scotland, London and Hong Kong. It’s narrative is told through four POV’s: Quin, John, Shinobu and Maud. I did not really connect with any of these characters as they seemed a bit alienated to me. Quin is the typical do-gooder who wants to be a seeker but when she finds out what it is she has a change of mind. Shinobu follow kind of the same kind of thing. The book fails to give the reader an insight to what a seeker really is, and the true purpose of that role is never revealed. This is the first book in a trilogy, so it might be explained later. Though a good series is often emphasized by the fact that each book in the series can be read as stand-alone-books without leaving the reader with too many questions. Also the “science fiction” part of the novel falls kind of flat as even though it is supposed to have a futuristic setting (I guess), it feels like the setting is set in the present day (apart from a few details).
Seeker is a good start on a series, and it is a great addition to the YA-genre. It strenght lies in the split narrative, which allows the reader to see more aspects of the world and gives the author liberty to explore the world in more than one way. Though it is advertised as a Hunger Games meets Game of thrones, I did not really get the feel of either of those books. Seeker is imaginative and colorful, and though it is a bit slow paced to start with the pace picks up and gives the reader an adventure ride.