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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
A stunning dystopia that is rivaled by Stephen King's "The Stand". For fans of Norah Roberts the stark contrast of "Year One" to her other novels may be too jarring but it is well worth the effort. Roberts tells a story of a virus that wipes out billions and those that remain are being torn into factions. Survivors try to rebuild their lives as those who are drawn to the dark attempt to tear them apart. Year One is clearly a setup for the books to come and that may make it seem the novel ends abruptly but I cannot wait for the next installment in Nov. 2018.
Although drawn to the (very fitting for 2020) pandemic themes, I probably would have not started this book series as it also moves into magical / fantasy themes. However, it came as a highly recommended series from a book crossing friend and I had a surgery with a 6 - 8 week recovery ahead so I thought I'd give it a go...
... and it is soooo good! I was really drawn in by the characters and plot lines so that by the time the magic begins I could suspend my disbelief and enjoy this thrilling ride. It was a fabulous way to pass the time and before I knew it, I'd finished and couldn't wait to jump straight into book two.
... and it is soooo good! I was really drawn in by the characters and plot lines so that by the time the magic begins I could suspend my disbelief and enjoy this thrilling ride. It was a fabulous way to pass the time and before I knew it, I'd finished and couldn't wait to jump straight into book two.
I won an ARC copy of this amazing book in a Goodreads giveaway. Roberts explains that this title is a departure for her, and she hopes fans are willing to give it a chance. I honestly don't think this story is all that much of a change because the writing is as compelling as ever; the magical and the mundane coexist, not always peacefully, and the stakes are high for the well drawn characters. The story asks the reader to imagine a virus decimates the world population. Survivors fall into two main camps: Raiders and Uncannys. The latter have magical abilities, and whether they use their magic for good or evil, they become targets for the Raiders. Chaos reigns, but there is hope. A Savior is coming, and with her, the prospect that the factions of the world can be reunited in peace. I am looking forward to the next installment.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-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
Year One, book 1 of the Chronicles of The One by Nora Roberts @norarobertsauthor. This is a reread for me, obviously. LOL! I originally read it in hardback. Now in ebook.
Such a great first installment of this series! I loved Lana & Simon's story! I cried so much! Such a twist at the end! On to the next book! Tropes: Dystopian, MF, Pandemic, Magic, Found Family, Pregnancy & HFN!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
3.5*
Ok, I must admit I really like Nora Roberts’s books. Through the disguise of giving us a romance, she offers us what I call ‘dream lives’ where you get friends, family and work that give you meaning - not ‘just’ the romantic componant. I particularly like it when she adds a thriller element, as she does in the In Death series.
Year One from early on felt very different and intriguing. Roberts can create suspense very quickly and expertly as well as pull you into her worlds. She does this to great effect here, the first few chapters painting a bleak but fascinating world falling into chaos. A pandemic swipes across the land, decimating a huge portion of society, leaving a handful of survivors. Yes, it did remind me of Stephen King’s [b:The Stand|149267|The Stand|Stephen King|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1213131305s/149267.jpg|1742269], especially since those few characters divide themselves into two factions: the ‘Good’ and the ‘Evil’ ones, all setting up for a decisive battle in the future. The big difference is that the author goes a lot deeper into the fantasy aspect by giving her protagonists new superpowers. Roberts has used ‘magic’ in the past, as for instance in her Age of Seven trilogy, which I enjoyed, but here, I wasn’t totally sold on it. This mixture of fantasy and dystopia is an interesting one but weirdly didn’t make me connect as much as I would have liked. Still, a good read but not what you might expect.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and to Nora Roberts for the opportunity.
Ok, I must admit I really like Nora Roberts’s books. Through the disguise of giving us a romance, she offers us what I call ‘dream lives’ where you get friends, family and work that give you meaning - not ‘just’ the romantic componant. I particularly like it when she adds a thriller element, as she does in the In Death series.
Year One from early on felt very different and intriguing. Roberts can create suspense very quickly and expertly as well as pull you into her worlds. She does this to great effect here, the first few chapters painting a bleak but fascinating world falling into chaos. A pandemic swipes across the land, decimating a huge portion of society, leaving a handful of survivors. Yes, it did remind me of Stephen King’s [b:The Stand|149267|The Stand|Stephen King|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1213131305s/149267.jpg|1742269], especially since those few characters divide themselves into two factions: the ‘Good’ and the ‘Evil’ ones, all setting up for a decisive battle in the future. The big difference is that the author goes a lot deeper into the fantasy aspect by giving her protagonists new superpowers. Roberts has used ‘magic’ in the past, as for instance in her Age of Seven trilogy, which I enjoyed, but here, I wasn’t totally sold on it. This mixture of fantasy and dystopia is an interesting one but weirdly didn’t make me connect as much as I would have liked. Still, a good read but not what you might expect.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and to Nora Roberts for the opportunity.
This was a blind-buy, and didn't know what I was really reading up until maybe 50 pages in. Great start to this trilogy. Interesting concept and great start! Looking forward to picking up the sequel and anticipating the third book in this series.
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Some chapters are 3.0, some are 4.0.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Geweldig verhaal, adembenemend. Erger dan de realiteit, zoals we die met corona hebben meegemaakt, maar dezelfde menselijke aspecten komen aan bod. Ik verwacht dat deel 2 nog meer op het fantasy-genre zal doorgaan, en daar kijk ik enorm naar uit.