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imzadirose's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't like the changes with this one in the beginning, but it got sooooooooo freaking good. I LOVED this trilogy, I wish it continued, I want more adventures of Tom and his friends!! Fantastic books!!
okichan's review against another edition
5.0
Le di la oportunidad a esta saga, por cierta necesidad de mi parte, de una historia en torno a la tecnología y los videojuegos (irónico, me llaman un montón la atención las historias relacionadas con videojuegos, pero hace años que no juego a uno X"D). En fin, después de mi gran decepción con SAO en el anime, le tenía miedo… pero por suerte le di una oportunidad, y acá estoy sufriendo por su conclusión siendo feliz de haber disfrutado esta historia.
Es una saga que disfrute por completo, pero esta última parte de la saga tuvo una conclusión que realmente amé.
Continúa la reseña en Okilandia
Es una saga que disfrute por completo, pero esta última parte de la saga tuvo una conclusión que realmente amé.
Continúa la reseña en Okilandia
karola_smd'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ahinds's review against another edition
5.0
This was a amazing conclusion to a pretty good trilogy of books. It was full of twists and turns and I didn't want to put it down. Unlike the last book I have no criticism for this book and the author did an excellent job of tying up all the lose ends. I will definitely being rereading this series again.
rahinroy's review against another edition
5.0
wow ok yeah. a radically anti capitalist plotline with some of the most well written pschological terror ive ever read. this books 100% radicalized some children and is scarily prescient of the future in a way alot of dystopian sci fi isn't.
mindless rant about the ending:
its really interesting because conceptually, theres nothing really wrong with it. i cant think of any real plotholes and the psych horror (hereby referred to as ph) was so well written that the gambit was actually compelling. my only issue is it just feels way too idealistic given the like the entire 3 books of context for the book. as i was reading the acknowdlegment, it felt bad to criticize this - being idealistic, especially now, is very needed consdiering the state of everything. i wish there was more subtle and less overt (i know, reptitive, but it feels different in my heart) while still conveying the same idea.
i also especially liked blackburns death - his arc was absoleutly fantastic (altho i will say i was never really against him bc im way too pragmatic and tom is annoying) and his death meant something and espcially, his deaht meant somthing good. one of the most well written flawed characters ive ever read, basically absoelutyly destroys how snape was written.
on characters:
tom:
actually wild how much the authro read me. every single time that i texted a friend about how annoying tom was because he got on the edge of my nerves, there was ssome intervention to make him better on the next page. it was so well done im actually shcoked. i need to have more faith in authors. still fairly annoying.
on all side characterS:
i know im an actual hack for literally any vaguely well written side character but i honestly think literally every single one was nearly flawless.
the main friend group - wyatt, vik (and yuri) had like fairly realsitic teen personalitieis that developed and matured as they aged in like a realisitc way. they acted reasonably to the situation and werer just like great characters. id want to be friends with like all of them. tom is so annoying tho literally the only character flwa of the side characters is that theyre friends with him for so long.
wyatt:
thought about her character alot. glad shes happy
vik:
one of the best written teen boy characters ive seen. all the dumb shit he does is so accurate. him maturing and regretting said dumb shit (even from like 15 to 16 and stopping "man hands") is also great. actually funny or maybe im also teen boy and ideal demographic.
heather:
even though i had literally read this book i still was suprised by her having character development beyond just hot girl who can fight. the poltical manuevering and stuff she does makes the story more interesting and develops a character i didnt expect to be developed whic was great.
elliot:
love it. pedestal complexes are bad, even better when the actual person is so good. from the love arc to wanting better for the world it was great. its also great because hes also still flawed but still desires to be good - its just an amazing character. both him trying to get tom in line and him being mad at himself for lack of more aggresive or earlier action is great - hes the best example of there being no perfect position and its great. i also just especially love his personality - his speeches, his actions in calisthetics, theyre all so good. simialr to the unexpected development, i really did think it was interesting that he got to live his life for a bit but still got jailed. it really highlighted the depressing realitieis of the system and the limited length and power of public attention under a pure surveillence state. just a great character.
blackburn:
particulary interesting bc this is usually a trope im annoyed by. knowledgable character with depressing backstory and single purpose in life now is usually obnoixus and irritating - see: Snape - but this one was so much better written. from small moments like wyatt's candle on his desk to his pragmatic outlook on so much of life that we get to see in the programming class, hes a character tom dislikes yet we find a reason to appreciate. furthermore, his rededemtion arc was great especially because it *wasnt* a redemption arc, rather it was just character development to the point of becoming a valued character who we didnt want to die. i can ramble about last minute deaths not being subverssive, but this was different becasue:
1. vegnenerngovs death was his purpose - a death is not sad, its an acknoledgment of the completetion of purpose
2. he didnt die to kill veng which was insanely suprising - he died to protect wyatt, which is acknowledgfment of that development mentioned early and it was supring and subversive.
neil:
just reminded me way too much of slime's dad
there might be more, im tired.
really did appreciate it.
read this book in silence lol
mindless rant about the ending:
its really interesting because conceptually, theres nothing really wrong with it. i cant think of any real plotholes and the psych horror (hereby referred to as ph) was so well written that the gambit was actually compelling. my only issue is it just feels way too idealistic given the like the entire 3 books of context for the book. as i was reading the acknowdlegment, it felt bad to criticize this - being idealistic, especially now, is very needed consdiering the state of everything. i wish there was more subtle and less overt (i know, reptitive, but it feels different in my heart) while still conveying the same idea.
i also especially liked blackburns death - his arc was absoleutly fantastic (altho i will say i was never really against him bc im way too pragmatic and tom is annoying) and his death meant something and espcially, his deaht meant somthing good. one of the most well written flawed characters ive ever read, basically absoelutyly destroys how snape was written.
on characters:
tom:
actually wild how much the authro read me. every single time that i texted a friend about how annoying tom was because he got on the edge of my nerves, there was ssome intervention to make him better on the next page. it was so well done im actually shcoked. i need to have more faith in authors. still fairly annoying.
on all side characterS:
i know im an actual hack for literally any vaguely well written side character but i honestly think literally every single one was nearly flawless.
the main friend group - wyatt, vik (and yuri) had like fairly realsitic teen personalitieis that developed and matured as they aged in like a realisitc way. they acted reasonably to the situation and werer just like great characters. id want to be friends with like all of them. tom is so annoying tho literally the only character flwa of the side characters is that theyre friends with him for so long.
wyatt:
thought about her character alot. glad shes happy
vik:
one of the best written teen boy characters ive seen. all the dumb shit he does is so accurate. him maturing and regretting said dumb shit (even from like 15 to 16 and stopping "man hands") is also great. actually funny or maybe im also teen boy and ideal demographic.
heather:
even though i had literally read this book i still was suprised by her having character development beyond just hot girl who can fight. the poltical manuevering and stuff she does makes the story more interesting and develops a character i didnt expect to be developed whic was great.
elliot:
love it. pedestal complexes are bad, even better when the actual person is so good. from the love arc to wanting better for the world it was great. its also great because hes also still flawed but still desires to be good - its just an amazing character. both him trying to get tom in line and him being mad at himself for lack of more aggresive or earlier action is great - hes the best example of there being no perfect position and its great. i also just especially love his personality - his speeches, his actions in calisthetics, theyre all so good. simialr to the unexpected development, i really did think it was interesting that he got to live his life for a bit but still got jailed. it really highlighted the depressing realitieis of the system and the limited length and power of public attention under a pure surveillence state. just a great character.
blackburn:
particulary interesting bc this is usually a trope im annoyed by. knowledgable character with depressing backstory and single purpose in life now is usually obnoixus and irritating - see: Snape - but this one was so much better written. from small moments like wyatt's candle on his desk to his pragmatic outlook on so much of life that we get to see in the programming class, hes a character tom dislikes yet we find a reason to appreciate. furthermore, his rededemtion arc was great especially because it *wasnt* a redemption arc, rather it was just character development to the point of becoming a valued character who we didnt want to die. i can ramble about last minute deaths not being subverssive, but this was different becasue:
1. vegnenerngovs death was his purpose - a death is not sad, its an acknoledgment of the completetion of purpose
2. he didnt die to kill veng which was insanely suprising - he died to protect wyatt, which is acknowledgfment of that development mentioned early and it was supring and subversive.
neil:
just reminded me way too much of slime's dad
there might be more, im tired.
really did appreciate it.
read this book in silence lol
lunarfire's review against another edition
5.0
I just love this whole series so much. Everything about it is so logical and funny and fits with a realistic but also fantastical plot. I just wish more people would read it so they could understand my obsession too.
onemanbookclub's review against another edition
5.0
Check out my Booklikes Blog, Dan Grover: Cover to Cover
Totally Surprised...
The Insignia Trilogy was very good, and actually through the first two books I was surprised by how much I enjoyed them. This was just supposed to be a fun, easy popcorn read for kids. I never expected that by the end of the third book it would become great.
If you read my review of Vortex, book 2 in the Insignia Trilogy, you read how I felt like the books had become nothing more than another YA Dysto series—a fantastically well done YA Dysto series, but it fit the mold just the same. Now that I’ve finished Catalyst, I’ve got one thing to say regarding that review: Never mind.
I love being surprised in books, and Catalyst surprised me most pleasantly. I think it best to let those interested experience it for themselves, so I I’ll leave out the details, except to say that the story that begins simply in Insignia then blasts off in Vortex comes to a completely unexpected, powerful, dramatic, and most importantly (for me) happy end with Catalyst. And I don’t just mean the ending of the last book was good. I mean the whole book was fantastic. I was completely blindsided by the direction the story took, growth of the characters, the maturity with the way the conflicts were resolved, and the highs and lows of emotions the story dragged me through. Seriously--this feels blasphemous to say, maybe I’ll edit it out later--I don’t remember feeling quite so satisfied with an ending since Harry.
All the things I loved best about the first two books are still present in the third. The teenagers act their age and their relationships are age appropriate (I’m looking at you Divergent. Barf.). The writing is sharp, witty, and often laugh-out-loud funny. The conflicts are appropriately resolved. The characters are well written and endearing. There is no bad language. The characters have aged from 13 to 18 over the course of the three books, and their boy/girl relationships have matured along with them. There are some hints in the third book about a progression of the physical parts of their relationships, but it’s never part of the story or given more than a passing reference. The violence gets a bit more real in book three as the stakes get higher. There are some timely and thoughtful lessons on the role of government and the power of the people to govern themselves. Really, really great stuff.
For the benefit of those of you who are particular about stuff like this…the science fiction in all three books leans more heavily toward the fiction than it does to the science. If that’s going to bother you, I hope you’ll still give the books a try. But maybe just go into with eyes wide open. These books are often explained as a cross between Enders Game and Harry Potter, but I’d say it’s more Harry-ish than Ender-ish when it comes to the reality of the science.
I’m moving this one up the priority list of what I’ll be recommending to my kids. Appropriate for mature 11 year olds, but in general boys and girls 13 and up and fun loving adults could enjoy the Insignia Trilogy.
Now go read something awesome!
Totally Surprised...
The Insignia Trilogy was very good, and actually through the first two books I was surprised by how much I enjoyed them. This was just supposed to be a fun, easy popcorn read for kids. I never expected that by the end of the third book it would become great.
If you read my review of Vortex, book 2 in the Insignia Trilogy, you read how I felt like the books had become nothing more than another YA Dysto series—a fantastically well done YA Dysto series, but it fit the mold just the same. Now that I’ve finished Catalyst, I’ve got one thing to say regarding that review: Never mind.
I love being surprised in books, and Catalyst surprised me most pleasantly. I think it best to let those interested experience it for themselves, so I I’ll leave out the details, except to say that the story that begins simply in Insignia then blasts off in Vortex comes to a completely unexpected, powerful, dramatic, and most importantly (for me) happy end with Catalyst. And I don’t just mean the ending of the last book was good. I mean the whole book was fantastic. I was completely blindsided by the direction the story took, growth of the characters, the maturity with the way the conflicts were resolved, and the highs and lows of emotions the story dragged me through. Seriously--this feels blasphemous to say, maybe I’ll edit it out later--I don’t remember feeling quite so satisfied with an ending since Harry.
All the things I loved best about the first two books are still present in the third. The teenagers act their age and their relationships are age appropriate (I’m looking at you Divergent. Barf.). The writing is sharp, witty, and often laugh-out-loud funny. The conflicts are appropriately resolved. The characters are well written and endearing. There is no bad language. The characters have aged from 13 to 18 over the course of the three books, and their boy/girl relationships have matured along with them. There are some hints in the third book about a progression of the physical parts of their relationships, but it’s never part of the story or given more than a passing reference. The violence gets a bit more real in book three as the stakes get higher. There are some timely and thoughtful lessons on the role of government and the power of the people to govern themselves. Really, really great stuff.
For the benefit of those of you who are particular about stuff like this…the science fiction in all three books leans more heavily toward the fiction than it does to the science. If that’s going to bother you, I hope you’ll still give the books a try. But maybe just go into with eyes wide open. These books are often explained as a cross between Enders Game and Harry Potter, but I’d say it’s more Harry-ish than Ender-ish when it comes to the reality of the science.
I’m moving this one up the priority list of what I’ll be recommending to my kids. Appropriate for mature 11 year olds, but in general boys and girls 13 and up and fun loving adults could enjoy the Insignia Trilogy.
Now go read something awesome!
rfulleman's review against another edition
5.0
Definitely great to have a wrap-up for this 3 book series. This book was far and above the first two books in intensity. The "spoiler" of saying there was a brain-washing sequence in the story is probably not too revealing, but it was intense. It made me uncomfortable, so much so that I almost skipped some of it just to get out of that situation. I'm not a dystopian reader, normally. This was an interesting series. The ending had its share of twists. Well done!
leticiatoraci's review against another edition
5.0
All the feels and themes in this book! If you have to choose only one dystopian YA trilogy to read in your whole life choose this one!
sadmou's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a satisfying ending to the series without losing the charm that the series originally had. It definitely grows in maturity along with the characters and is much darker than the first two. There were several parts in the second half that had me in tears, both happy and sad.
Overall, I could not more highly recommend this series as an easy, fun, yet still highly engaging young adult science fiction series.
Overall, I could not more highly recommend this series as an easy, fun, yet still highly engaging young adult science fiction series.