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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
This would absolutely SNAP as a Netflix TV show, to be honest.
This was a re-read for me, but because I read this book before I had this blog, I figured I would write up a review for it. I only re-read books I really love, so the fact that I re-read this one means something. My first time reading this book, I absolutely fell in love with this world and the characters. I can say this proved true the second time around!
I absolutely adore books that take place in space. This book primarily takes place in the Six Star galaxy. I loved the world and the setting Kincaid created. There are humanoid creatures created for the Grandiloqy (basically the rich who control the rest of the galaxy.) Nemesis is one of these humanoid creatures called a diabolic. She was specifically created to be a bodyguard to the daughter of a Senator, Sidonia. Nemesis is bonded to Sidonia to love and protect only her and no one else.
As the book progresses, you can see how Nemesis grows as a character. From the day she was created, she was told she is incapable of love or humanity. Throughout the book, Nemesis proves this to be false. I loved watching her character develop and how she grew a sense of love and understanding not only for herself, but for those around her.
There are some plot twists thrown into the story line which I really appreciated. I always enjoy being surprised by a book. I can say that this book was in no way predictable, which to me is great. I really don't like when I can predict the outcome of a book.
Overall, I think The Diabolic has a great mix of world-building, plot, and characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves space and fantasy. I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars!
I absolutely adore books that take place in space. This book primarily takes place in the Six Star galaxy. I loved the world and the setting Kincaid created. There are humanoid creatures created for the Grandiloqy (basically the rich who control the rest of the galaxy.) Nemesis is one of these humanoid creatures called a diabolic. She was specifically created to be a bodyguard to the daughter of a Senator, Sidonia. Nemesis is bonded to Sidonia to love and protect only her and no one else.
As the book progresses, you can see how Nemesis grows as a character. From the day she was created, she was told she is incapable of love or humanity. Throughout the book, Nemesis proves this to be false. I loved watching her character develop and how she grew a sense of love and understanding not only for herself, but for those around her.
There are some plot twists thrown into the story line which I really appreciated. I always enjoy being surprised by a book. I can say that this book was in no way predictable, which to me is great. I really don't like when I can predict the outcome of a book.
Overall, I think The Diabolic has a great mix of world-building, plot, and characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves space and fantasy. I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars!
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
SUCH A GREAT BOOK! I WISH THAT I COULD FORGET IT JUST SO I COULD READ AND EXPERIENCE IT ALL OVER AGAIN!
I will begin this review, as I usually do, with my comments about the cover. While at first glance, I was not the biggest fan of the simple white background, I came to like the cover for the centerpiece. The butterfly with serrated knives for bottom wings is exceptionally detailed, and the metallic sheen on the metal parts of the butterfly add to the quality and effect of the illustration. Once I’ve read the book, I also realized just how well this butterfly represents Nemesis the Diabolic.
The story itself was very original (and I say this based on the books and films which I have encountered in my lifetime), and it was also unpredictable. I caught on to some things before certain characters, but I was unable to predict how most major plot points wrapped themselves up, as well as the story’s ending. The story in The Diabolic kept me intrigued as well as on the edge of my seat. I was unable to put the book down for long periods at a time.
The writing was very good, and easy to read. I found myself captivated by the writing as well as the story numerous times. And I ended up reading the entire book in less than 2 days, despite being busy with getting ready for a long journey from Romania to Canada. I’m also grateful that it was there for me when I was anxious about the trip and unable to sleep, haha.
The characters were interesting, diverse, and multifaceted. They were also realistic in that they were not always predictable, and did not stick to any stereotypes. There was a lot of work put into fleshing out these characters, and I was able to recognize and appreciate it, as a reader. Character relationships were also interesting and unpredictable.
As for the setting, it was almost one of my favourite aspects of this book. All of the settings were imaginative, and some of the history behind each place was also explained in some detail. I especially enjoyed the Galactic court, as I believe it to be very original and imaginative. Kincaid also used language very effectively to describe places such as the Galactic court, to the point where a reader can be transported to that place, experiencing the setting as if they were a character in the story themselves.
OVERALL, THIS BOOK WAS FANTASTIC AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO THOSE WHO ENJOY SCI-FI, POLITICS, COURT LIFE, AND ROMANCE.
I will begin this review, as I usually do, with my comments about the cover. While at first glance, I was not the biggest fan of the simple white background, I came to like the cover for the centerpiece. The butterfly with serrated knives for bottom wings is exceptionally detailed, and the metallic sheen on the metal parts of the butterfly add to the quality and effect of the illustration. Once I’ve read the book, I also realized just how well this butterfly represents Nemesis the Diabolic.
The story itself was very original (and I say this based on the books and films which I have encountered in my lifetime), and it was also unpredictable. I caught on to some things before certain characters, but I was unable to predict how most major plot points wrapped themselves up, as well as the story’s ending. The story in The Diabolic kept me intrigued as well as on the edge of my seat. I was unable to put the book down for long periods at a time.
The writing was very good, and easy to read. I found myself captivated by the writing as well as the story numerous times. And I ended up reading the entire book in less than 2 days, despite being busy with getting ready for a long journey from Romania to Canada. I’m also grateful that it was there for me when I was anxious about the trip and unable to sleep, haha.
The characters were interesting, diverse, and multifaceted. They were also realistic in that they were not always predictable, and did not stick to any stereotypes. There was a lot of work put into fleshing out these characters, and I was able to recognize and appreciate it, as a reader. Character relationships were also interesting and unpredictable.
As for the setting, it was almost one of my favourite aspects of this book. All of the settings were imaginative, and some of the history behind each place was also explained in some detail. I especially enjoyed the Galactic court, as I believe it to be very original and imaginative. Kincaid also used language very effectively to describe places such as the Galactic court, to the point where a reader can be transported to that place, experiencing the setting as if they were a character in the story themselves.
OVERALL, THIS BOOK WAS FANTASTIC AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO THOSE WHO ENJOY SCI-FI, POLITICS, COURT LIFE, AND ROMANCE.
Reseña en: http://www.navegandoentrelibros.cl/2017/06/diabolica-sj-kincaid.html
3.5 estrellas porque a pesar de todo el libro me entretuvo bastante. No me gusta mucho que hayan decidido sacar una continuación porque ya me había hecho la idea de que era autoconclusivo, de todas maneras lo leeré porque quiero saber ¡¡¡SPOILER!!! no puedo decir más.
3.5 estrellas porque a pesar de todo el libro me entretuvo bastante. No me gusta mucho que hayan decidido sacar una continuación porque ya me había hecho la idea de que era autoconclusivo, de todas maneras lo leeré porque quiero saber ¡¡¡SPOILER!!! no puedo decir más.
Also posted on Rally the Readers.
Promotion for The Diabolic around its release date drew my attention to the book, so when the opportunity to read it popped up, I totally went for it. A cool cover and a protagonist named Nemesis? Sign me up!
Nemesis certainly lives up to her daunting name. She is a Diabolic, engineered to protect only Sidonia von Impyrean, the daughter of a galactic senator, at all costs. Nemesis is a born killer, and her unique skill set is on display several times throughout the book. Nemesis and Sidonia inhabit a futuristic world where scientific advancement is banned and the elite Grandiloquy, led by the galactic Emperor, wield all the power. Politics are brutal in this world, and gentle Sidonia, the heir to her father’s title, is not cut out for them. So when the Emperor orders Sidonia to the galactic court as punishment for her father’s misdeeds, it’s Nemesis who’s sent in her place. All of the preparations involved in pulling off the impersonation reminded me of the transformation the main character in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising must undergo to also infiltrate the upper echelon of society. Unfortunately, I ended up having some of the same issues with The Diabolic that I had with Red Rising.
I’d seen some other reviewers mention that The Diabolic got off to a slow start for them and then picked up. I definitely found the pacing slow at the beginning, but it never gained any momentum for me. I also found the world-building rather thin, with a heavy reliance on titles to differentiate social rank. The details of the world just scratched the surface of it; I never felt immersed in it.
Politics and intrigue at the galactic court, which often resembles the Roman Empire with all of the debauchery that goes on there, take up a lot of the book. That would have been fine if there also hadn’t been so much telling. I couldn’t find much investment in the plot or the characters. I kept reading, hoping that I’d finally discover some aspect of the novel that would spur me on to read, but alas, I slogged through to the end.
Something that I do think the book does well is examining Nemesis’s increasingly conflict thoughts on her increasingly human behavior. Sidonia has always treated Nemesis like a sister—like a human being. Nemesis has always drawn the line, fully aware that she was created by science to be a killer. The novel touches on the nature vs. nurture debate, and it’s rather thought-provoking. It’s too bad that the rest of the book spends so much time on the excesses and scheming at court because the gray area Nemesis finds herself in, between human and a product of science, provides a really solid plot foundation. Or maybe I’m just feeling this way because I’ve been binge watching Westworld.
Promotion for The Diabolic around its release date drew my attention to the book, so when the opportunity to read it popped up, I totally went for it. A cool cover and a protagonist named Nemesis? Sign me up!
Nemesis certainly lives up to her daunting name. She is a Diabolic, engineered to protect only Sidonia von Impyrean, the daughter of a galactic senator, at all costs. Nemesis is a born killer, and her unique skill set is on display several times throughout the book. Nemesis and Sidonia inhabit a futuristic world where scientific advancement is banned and the elite Grandiloquy, led by the galactic Emperor, wield all the power. Politics are brutal in this world, and gentle Sidonia, the heir to her father’s title, is not cut out for them. So when the Emperor orders Sidonia to the galactic court as punishment for her father’s misdeeds, it’s Nemesis who’s sent in her place. All of the preparations involved in pulling off the impersonation reminded me of the transformation the main character in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising must undergo to also infiltrate the upper echelon of society. Unfortunately, I ended up having some of the same issues with The Diabolic that I had with Red Rising.
I’d seen some other reviewers mention that The Diabolic got off to a slow start for them and then picked up. I definitely found the pacing slow at the beginning, but it never gained any momentum for me. I also found the world-building rather thin, with a heavy reliance on titles to differentiate social rank. The details of the world just scratched the surface of it; I never felt immersed in it.
Politics and intrigue at the galactic court, which often resembles the Roman Empire with all of the debauchery that goes on there, take up a lot of the book. That would have been fine if there also hadn’t been so much telling. I couldn’t find much investment in the plot or the characters. I kept reading, hoping that I’d finally discover some aspect of the novel that would spur me on to read, but alas, I slogged through to the end.
Something that I do think the book does well is examining Nemesis’s increasingly conflict thoughts on her increasingly human behavior. Sidonia has always treated Nemesis like a sister—like a human being. Nemesis has always drawn the line, fully aware that she was created by science to be a killer. The novel touches on the nature vs. nurture debate, and it’s rather thought-provoking. It’s too bad that the rest of the book spends so much time on the excesses and scheming at court because the gray area Nemesis finds herself in, between human and a product of science, provides a really solid plot foundation. Or maybe I’m just feeling this way because I’ve been binge watching Westworld.
I loved how the themes of this book felt familiar and timely, even though it's set in the far future.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
Mmkay. I read this book last year, but I return periodically to complain about it. I thought I'd make a review, especially because it's a well-rated book and the review I liked disappeared from the front page.
Before I get to my main rage point, here's some other bad things.
- The whole thing is set in space, with some fancy names and whatnot, seemingly because the
author watched some Star Wars and liked the aesthetic. NO. If you set a story in a cool place, I want to SEE you USE the cool place, not just some star-coloured wallpaper
- Sidonia was... not an engaging character. I guess she gets points for being nice?
- The Romance, with a capital R. It felt forced and all love at first sight (despite the fact Nemesis is a KILLING ROBOT and is supposed to be developing emotions THROUGH the novel).
- Everyone dies. Angst, much?
But here's the thing that kept frustrating me.
Nemesis' job is to protect Sidonia, even to the point of killing. She's fiercely loyal, and it's basically her primary motivation - impersonate Sidonia to protect her. So WHY is she so useless at it?
1. She randomly kills a person even BEFORE she's sent to the court, for no reason other than the Rule of Badass
2. She impersonates Sidonia for a few minutes in a Virtual Fancy Party. It goes as well as you'd expect.
3. At the court, she draws massive attention to herself. She fights back when Sidonia wouldn't be able to, she kills stuff left and right, she even saves a slave? animal? (don't remember) despite it being seen as wayy out there
*(I'd let it slide if she was a "good person", but this is literally in the same section as her killing a different Diabolic. I'm not sure where the sudden Moral Justice came from)
5. At one point, she even thinks something along the lines of 'I know what Sidonia would do in this situation. But...' and proceeds to do the exact opposite.
GAL, CAN YOU JUST USE YOUR ROBOT CHIPS FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND??? I could do a better job of protecting Sidonia than Nemesis. The utter incompetence and sheer disregard for Basic Reasoning makes me want to puke.
Before I get to my main rage point, here's some other bad things.
- The whole thing is set in space, with some fancy names and whatnot, seemingly because the
author watched some Star Wars and liked the aesthetic. NO. If you set a story in a cool place, I want to SEE you USE the cool place, not just some star-coloured wallpaper
- Sidonia was... not an engaging character. I guess she gets points for being nice?
- The Romance, with a capital R. It felt forced and all love at first sight (despite the fact Nemesis is a KILLING ROBOT and is supposed to be developing emotions THROUGH the novel).
- Everyone dies. Angst, much?
But here's the thing that kept frustrating me.
Nemesis' job is to protect Sidonia, even to the point of killing. She's fiercely loyal, and it's basically her primary motivation - impersonate Sidonia to protect her. So WHY is she so useless at it?
1. She randomly kills a person even BEFORE she's sent to the court, for no reason other than the Rule of Badass
2. She impersonates Sidonia for a few minutes in a Virtual Fancy Party. It goes as well as you'd expect.
3. At the court, she draws massive attention to herself. She fights back when Sidonia wouldn't be able to, she kills stuff left and right, she even saves a slave? animal? (don't remember) despite it being seen as wayy out there
*(I'd let it slide if she was a "good person", but this is literally in the same section as her killing a different Diabolic. I'm not sure where the sudden Moral Justice came from)
5. At one point, she even thinks something along the lines of 'I know what Sidonia would do in this situation. But...' and proceeds to do the exact opposite.
GAL, CAN YOU JUST USE YOUR ROBOT CHIPS FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND??? I could do a better job of protecting Sidonia than Nemesis. The utter incompetence and sheer disregard for Basic Reasoning makes me want to puke.
I listened to the audio of this, and it was great! I had added The Diabolic to my to-read list on the strength of the synopsis, thinking that it could be fun or it could be very, very bad. It ended up being the former, if you subscribe to a violent and manipulative definition of fun. I do, so that worked out well for me indeed.
This book is being labeled as young adult, but I'd say that it's young adult in the same sense as Pierce Brown's Red Rising. It is violent. The world is dark. Bad things happen. A lot. If you don't enjoy those kinds of things in your books, then this book is truly not for you. Personally, I wouldn't call it young adult at all. The only way it qualifies is based on the age of the protagonist, to my mind, which isn't a good qualification at all. Instead, I would call this a dytopian science fiction.
I think that my favorite part of this book was Nemesis. She's a genetically modified human with heightened aggression and strength, and she's been trained from birth to kill without mercy. Needless to say, emotions are really rough for her. In fact, at the beginning of the book, she's pretty much convinced that she doesn't have emotions. Seeing her discover that she actually does is pretty awesome. I felt like S. J. Kincaid did a really good job of gently easing her into that discovery and forcing her to confront what she was feeling. I had a great time following along with Nemesis's emotional journey, no matter how painful it may have been at times.
I also enjoyed the romance between Tyrus and Nemesis. At first, I thought it was going to be terrible. Their very first meeting was textbook terrible romance. However, things got much better from that terrible starting place. Tyrus turns out to be a complex character in his own right, and watching Nemesis develop feelings for him was great fun.
The other notable aspect to this story that I really enjoyed was the twisted politics. Especially at the end of story. Things are not straightforward in this book, and there are plots upon plots. Actually, my husband and I are still debating whether we actually believe the way that the sequence of events at the end played out is true. I'm not sure I will ever be able to decide. It's pretty fun.
On the other hand, I did have some problems with suspension of disbelief at times. There were some aspects of the civilization that struck me as kind of inconsistent and didn't quite make sense. Also, the story could be a bit over the top at times. Still, I really enjoyed the experience of reading it, and I'd definitely like to take a shot at Kincaid's work in the future.
This book is being labeled as young adult, but I'd say that it's young adult in the same sense as Pierce Brown's Red Rising. It is violent. The world is dark. Bad things happen. A lot. If you don't enjoy those kinds of things in your books, then this book is truly not for you. Personally, I wouldn't call it young adult at all. The only way it qualifies is based on the age of the protagonist, to my mind, which isn't a good qualification at all. Instead, I would call this a dytopian science fiction.
I think that my favorite part of this book was Nemesis. She's a genetically modified human with heightened aggression and strength, and she's been trained from birth to kill without mercy. Needless to say, emotions are really rough for her. In fact, at the beginning of the book, she's pretty much convinced that she doesn't have emotions. Seeing her discover that she actually does is pretty awesome. I felt like S. J. Kincaid did a really good job of gently easing her into that discovery and forcing her to confront what she was feeling. I had a great time following along with Nemesis's emotional journey, no matter how painful it may have been at times.
I also enjoyed the romance between Tyrus and Nemesis. At first, I thought it was going to be terrible. Their very first meeting was textbook terrible romance. However, things got much better from that terrible starting place. Tyrus turns out to be a complex character in his own right, and watching Nemesis develop feelings for him was great fun.
The other notable aspect to this story that I really enjoyed was the twisted politics. Especially at the end of story. Things are not straightforward in this book, and there are plots upon plots. Actually, my husband and I are still debating whether we actually believe the way that the sequence of events at the end played out is true. I'm not sure I will ever be able to decide. It's pretty fun.
On the other hand, I did have some problems with suspension of disbelief at times. There were some aspects of the civilization that struck me as kind of inconsistent and didn't quite make sense. Also, the story could be a bit over the top at times. Still, I really enjoyed the experience of reading it, and I'd definitely like to take a shot at Kincaid's work in the future.
When I started reading this novel I found myself unimpressed with the manner in which the character is portrayed. While I understand the time and the circumstance in which the character is written and therefore acting towards, but it was rather off putting. Character interactions felt so forced, relationships between individuals was more of a "we're-best-friends-because-the-author-says" and less "there's-actual-substance-here". I did force myself to continue reading.
But about halfway through the book, I was actually rather impressed. It turned into a rather impressive tale, showing characterization and actual development. I'm not certain if my initial hatred for the writing made the shock of what eventually took place to be possible, but there was several times where I was stunned, so many situations I wasn't anticipating that really ended up making the whole push to finish the novel worth it.
I plan on reading the second in the series and hope that the drag of an introduction isn't something I have to work through again. Ultimately, this novel was worth the read, and very worth holding out for.
But about halfway through the book, I was actually rather impressed. It turned into a rather impressive tale, showing characterization and actual development. I'm not certain if my initial hatred for the writing made the shock of what eventually took place to be possible, but there was several times where I was stunned, so many situations I wasn't anticipating that really ended up making the whole push to finish the novel worth it.
I plan on reading the second in the series and hope that the drag of an introduction isn't something I have to work through again. Ultimately, this novel was worth the read, and very worth holding out for.