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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Why do I start series that are not done?? This is a story full of death, magic, fantasy, and love. What could be better? It’s not like a lot of Nora Roberts books I’ve read. I look forward to the next one.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think this just hit too close to home with Covid-19 and the idea of a virus wiping out 80% of the world's population just terrified me. I also feel like this was a mix of [b:The Stand|56793452|The Stand|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1611419400l/56793452._SY75_.jpg|1742269] [b:The Cobra Event|376613|The Cobra Event|Richard Preston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388251409l/376613._SY75_.jpg|817262] (if you have not read this is will scare.the.shit.out.of.you) and mix in some walking dead adventure trekking all around to gather supplies and not get raided and overrun from your settlement. The magic system really needs to be heavy in the second book or else I will not finish the trilogy. This is my first Nora Roberts book...although my mom has read pretty much all of them. I would not exactly call this a "romance" although there are storylines with romantic partners.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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:
No
I’ve never read a Nora Roberts book before, but I obviously know she’s a very prolific writer and it shows in Year One. Even if this wasn’t the type of story I like, it would have been hard to put the book down. This is the kind of book you want to rush through to see what happens next, rather than the kind where you want to savor each chapter.
The story takes place during a massive, and mysterious, pandemic that ultimately wipes out the majority of the human race. Though it follows the pattern of most sci-fi type pandemic stories - if you’ve read Station 11, or The Passage, you’ll recognize the plot beats of the first section - it appears to actually have a fantasy origin, starting with an accidental killing on ancient Celtic holy ground in Scotland. As the population dies off, a subset of the survivors begin to develop unusual abilities, becoming witches, elves, fairies, etc. As the story goes on and ideas like vaccines and military intervention fade, the mystical elements become a bigger part of the story and it becomes more pure fantasy. Roberts handles the genre mixing of the mystical elements with the sci-fi pandemic/collapse of civilization storyline well. This is largely because she focuses on the experiences of a handful of people - Arlys, a determined reporter trying to keep news flowing as communications networks break down; Jonah and Rachel, healthcare workers who take on responsibility for saving a new mother and three infants; and Max and Lana, a pair of witches who find themselves at the center of mystical events they don’t fully understand. While Lana and Max are clearly the main characters, all the characters get their moments to shine and even minor characters fell well-drawn and unique.
My only issue with the book was the pacing of the last section, which I felt became very abrupt.After a lot of focus on slowly bringing in the main cast together and building a new community, in the last section, that community is attacked, Max is killed and Lana is forced to flee on her own to protect her unborn child, who is being hunted. There was plenty of foreshadowing that this would happen eventually - there was a prophecy that all but said that Max would die, and Lana had visions of being alone and pregnant - but this moment coming at a time of celebration was still jarring. And that would be fine, but then the book dropped all the other characters and focused only on Lana for the last few chapters. We have no idea which characters survived in New Hope. And the last chapter especially, which covered several months and involved Lana falling in love again, felt like it should have been in the second book, or at least been given its own section of this one to breath. I like her new love interest but after all the time spent on Lana and Max’s relationship her being with someone else at the end of the story felt very strange.
The story takes place during a massive, and mysterious, pandemic that ultimately wipes out the majority of the human race. Though it follows the pattern of most sci-fi type pandemic stories - if you’ve read Station 11, or The Passage, you’ll recognize the plot beats of the first section - it appears to actually have a fantasy origin, starting with an accidental killing on ancient Celtic holy ground in Scotland. As the population dies off, a subset of the survivors begin to develop unusual abilities, becoming witches, elves, fairies, etc. As the story goes on and ideas like vaccines and military intervention fade, the mystical elements become a bigger part of the story and it becomes more pure fantasy. Roberts handles the genre mixing of the mystical elements with the sci-fi pandemic/collapse of civilization storyline well. This is largely because she focuses on the experiences of a handful of people - Arlys, a determined reporter trying to keep news flowing as communications networks break down; Jonah and Rachel, healthcare workers who take on responsibility for saving a new mother and three infants; and Max and Lana, a pair of witches who find themselves at the center of mystical events they don’t fully understand. While Lana and Max are clearly the main characters, all the characters get their moments to shine and even minor characters fell well-drawn and unique.
My only issue with the book was the pacing of the last section, which I felt became very abrupt.
Not normally a Nora Roberts reader but I enjoyed this dystopian fiction about a plague and its aftermath
I really like Nora Roberts, but I haven't read her other series, that I hear lots of people talk about how good they are( I take that back, I've read the 2 books of the Becoming series, Which I enjoyed, Can't wait for the third and final book)
Did I enjoy this? I did, Nora Roberts can write a damn story, I do have to say that the story is not that unique, I admit it. It has a little bit of the feel of Stephen King's "The Stand", but in a less vulgar and a million times shorter.
Having have lived through Covid-19 for about 2 years now, this book resonates with me for many reasons. Now onto book 2 :)
Did I enjoy this? I did, Nora Roberts can write a damn story, I do have to say that the story is not that unique, I admit it. It has a little bit of the feel of Stephen King's "The Stand", but in a less vulgar and a million times shorter.
Having have lived through Covid-19 for about 2 years now, this book resonates with me for many reasons. Now onto book 2 :)
I have been on a severe book hangover for the past three or four months and while I have mildly enjoyed (read: gotten through) many of the books I've read this year, none of them have tickled me like this one. I am so glad to be out of my slump and into a series that I can sink my teeth into. I love the varied characters in this book. The setting is rich and palpable. The concept is intriguing, yet also familiar as we are in the second year of a pandemic ourselves, though nothing quite like what is happening in Year One. I cannot wait to see what is next for these people that I've come to care about and root for.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
The story wasn't half that bad and it was fast-paced enough to keep me on listening. Also, it was good escapism.
I have the third part in the trilogy as another audiobook, so I purchased the second part a used paperback and will be starting to read it shortly.
I have the third part in the trilogy as another audiobook, so I purchased the second part a used paperback and will be starting to read it shortly.
Great book - Really loved the characters. I enjoyed it so much that I went back and re-read it to pick up on things I missed the first time around. Nora Roberts did a phenomenal job of creating characters that I cared so much about. The plot is packed full of suspense, sadness and many moments of joy.