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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
I do not like apocalypse novels, but that's not the reason for this rating. I was going to avoid not rating it, but honestly, there was something about this book that seemed superficial, I think is the best way for me to put it. The idea was cool, and at first the story and how it was written enthralled me. But then it really dragged on, and the magic portion just seemed like something slapped on to make this book different as opposed to actually a part of it.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
In a world where the Walking Dead, Z Nation, Zoo, Contagion and I am Legend are popular television shows and movies, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that books about apocalyptic, world-ending scenarios are becoming common as well. Year One is the beginning of a new series called the Chronicles of The One in which Nora Roberts joins this growing trend in popular culture. She does it in a fashion that is similar to a few of her other trilogies with the themes of magic, witches, and the Tuatha Dé Danann as her motivating factor.
On the last day of the year, an unintentional offering his made in a Scottish fairy circle which breaks a seal between this world and another. The result is a sickness that kills in a matter of days, with no cure in site. Within a month, two billion people are dead. By month four, five billion people are dead and those that remain are fighting for their lives. Even amongst all the chaos and death, people are still people, they have broken into groups of liked minded individuals. Those trying to build communities and work together to survive and those that have become predatory and are praying on the weak. Amongst it all, there are now also those that have developed or grown unexpected talents or abilities. They are quickly becoming known as the Uncanny, and are the main target of the predatory individuals.
As chaos reigns, we follow the personal stories of multiple characters as they learn to navigate and survive the unrest of New York, and eventually other parts of the country. One of these characters learns that she’s pregnant with a prophesized child that will eventually fight back the dark, The One. This first year of the new world is all about survival, banning together and learning to trust people when in fight or flight situations. Is there a way to tell which people are good and which are more inclined to destruction before they attack?
Ms. Roberts does an excellent job of creating this apocalyptic world and successfully represents human nature. With magic and mystical powers thrown into this extreme situation, it was interesting to read and leaves readers with an anticipation for the rest of the series. It will be interesting to see how many years forward the next book in the series will jump.
On the last day of the year, an unintentional offering his made in a Scottish fairy circle which breaks a seal between this world and another. The result is a sickness that kills in a matter of days, with no cure in site. Within a month, two billion people are dead. By month four, five billion people are dead and those that remain are fighting for their lives. Even amongst all the chaos and death, people are still people, they have broken into groups of liked minded individuals. Those trying to build communities and work together to survive and those that have become predatory and are praying on the weak. Amongst it all, there are now also those that have developed or grown unexpected talents or abilities. They are quickly becoming known as the Uncanny, and are the main target of the predatory individuals.
As chaos reigns, we follow the personal stories of multiple characters as they learn to navigate and survive the unrest of New York, and eventually other parts of the country. One of these characters learns that she’s pregnant with a prophesized child that will eventually fight back the dark, The One. This first year of the new world is all about survival, banning together and learning to trust people when in fight or flight situations. Is there a way to tell which people are good and which are more inclined to destruction before they attack?
Ms. Roberts does an excellent job of creating this apocalyptic world and successfully represents human nature. With magic and mystical powers thrown into this extreme situation, it was interesting to read and leaves readers with an anticipation for the rest of the series. It will be interesting to see how many years forward the next book in the series will jump.
Wonderful. Nora spins a tale with just the right balance of emotions... Is it a suspense, romance, tragedy, action, drama, thriller? There’s a bit of it all.
Can’t wait to start book two.
Can’t wait to start book two.
I mean, Nora Roberts writes readable books, but that doesn't necessarily mean there's a reason to read them. The fantasy in this is weird and tacked on, the "end of the world" is bland and overdone, and the characters are all flat and one dimensional (with really, really bad dialogue).
A plague has broken out. 1/3 of the world's population is dead from it, possibly another third is dead from the violence that has come after it.
You've read this book before. Heck, you watch it every week on AMC. The catch here?
This plague creates(?) Magick folk out of the survivors. Elves, fairies, sorcerers, shapeshifters, healers, seers.... All the storybook lore returns to reveal itself in the people who seem immune to the plague.
So, uh. That's weird.
The setup is borderline for me. I don't necessarily trust it... everything *fantastical* I've read in the past leads me to understand that some of those Magical categories can apply to humans (seers, healers, sorcerers), but others are actual different *species* (elves, fae). So to find that they're latent in human DNA, or whatever? Tenuous at best.
But also, that "or whatever" I just gave you? That's kind of how this phenomenon is presented in the book. There no attempt to look scientifically-- or even deeply at all-- into the magic abilities of the survivors; they're just accepted as The Way Things Are Now. I needed a scientist character who'd be doing research on DNA, or a literature prof character who'd be lugging out old Hans Christian Andersen books and whatnot to try to piece the ancient lore together with the current phenomena. Just "Oh ok she's a fairy and I'm a telekenetic witch, I guess" DOES. NOT. CUT. IT. FOR. ME.
And then there was some stuff at the very end that got vaguely Christian/Saviory and made me squirm a little.
Whatever.
3 stars, may not continue with the series unless you guys tell me the next book is AMAZING.
You've read this book before. Heck, you watch it every week on AMC. The catch here?
This plague creates(?) Magick folk out of the survivors. Elves, fairies, sorcerers, shapeshifters, healers, seers.... All the storybook lore returns to reveal itself in the people who seem immune to the plague.
So, uh. That's weird.
The setup is borderline for me. I don't necessarily trust it... everything *fantastical* I've read in the past leads me to understand that some of those Magical categories can apply to humans (seers, healers, sorcerers), but others are actual different *species* (elves, fae). So to find that they're latent in human DNA, or whatever? Tenuous at best.
But also, that "or whatever" I just gave you? That's kind of how this phenomenon is presented in the book. There no attempt to look scientifically-- or even deeply at all-- into the magic abilities of the survivors; they're just accepted as The Way Things Are Now. I needed a scientist character who'd be doing research on DNA, or a literature prof character who'd be lugging out old Hans Christian Andersen books and whatnot to try to piece the ancient lore together with the current phenomena. Just "Oh ok she's a fairy and I'm a telekenetic witch, I guess" DOES. NOT. CUT. IT. FOR. ME.
And then there was some stuff at the very end that got vaguely Christian/Saviory and made me squirm a little.
Whatever.
3 stars, may not continue with the series unless you guys tell me the next book is AMAZING.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
The first 100 pages were so so good unlike any end of days thing I ever read! Ugh and then it quickly went off rails into dribble- became exactly the urban survivor story you have read 100 x before-
The crows circling overhead couldn’t save this one
The crows circling overhead couldn’t save this one
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Timely dystopian novel. I was surprised to see this was published in 2017, given the virus subject matter. There were moments when I was invested in the story and other moments where I felt a little bored with it. The development of the uncanny individuals, to me, felt a little jolting - it seemed like people were surprised to find they have a gift but then were using it pretty effectively right off. This does get addressed some as the book goes on and they discuss growth, but it felt more told than shown.