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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
I finally finished this book! I really liked this one. The story is great and the characters are well developed. Reminded me of the ya version of red rising
This was a fun book to read. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I started to I was hooked! I loved the dystopian, sci-fi, futuristic storyline. Political dysfunction, so much deception, and a star crossed romance all flying through space above planets filled with "Excess" people hungry for forbidden history and science knowledge. So many thought provoking characters, events, and quotes.
This book is not something I would have picked for myself; I rarely pick up sci-if. Thanks to LitJoyCrate for helping it get to my bookshelf.
This book is not something I would have picked for myself; I rarely pick up sci-if. Thanks to LitJoyCrate for helping it get to my bookshelf.
This is going to be a really hard book to review because I kind of have mixed feelings regarding it. Overall, it was a good book that kept my attention, there wasn't any point while reading it that i felt i needed to put it down. But it also didnt continuously give me the wow factor that i so love to feel. This was a high action book, some say its a standalone and that would make sense considering there was a lot happening that could easily been expanded upon into three books and maybe that is what i needed. For the suspension to build continuously, until i was dying to know what would happen next. For the relationship between Tyrus and Nemesis to really grow and evolve, until I was rooting with all my heart for their bond to triumph over all the possible corruptions present. I liked Nemesis character as well and I enjoyed Tyrus and his calculating mind and I wished we had those three novels to look into them more indepth. Maybe this will end up a trilogy, who knows, goodreads seems to think so with #1 they put next to the title. But the ending felt like a final conclusion and one I was satisifed with.
Final rating for me will be a 3.5 rounded up. Enjoy and Happy Reading.
Final rating for me will be a 3.5 rounded up. Enjoy and Happy Reading.
“ Some might call us a monstrous pair, and they would be right. Tyrus and I are both scorpions in our own way, dangerous creatures crossing the most treacherous of rivers together.
Together, we might sting- but we also would float.”
“ The emperor wishes me to send my innocent little lamb to the slaughter. No. Instead, I’ll send him my anaconda”.
Nemesis is a diabolic, a genetic engineered humanoid bred to protect the elite and wealthy. Diabolic date bonded to one person and they defend that person against any threat, even if it means death.
Together, we might sting- but we also would float.”
“ The emperor wishes me to send my innocent little lamb to the slaughter. No. Instead, I’ll send him my anaconda”.
Nemesis is a diabolic, a genetic engineered humanoid bred to protect the elite and wealthy. Diabolic date bonded to one person and they defend that person against any threat, even if it means death.
I'm giving this book 5 stars because I love S.J. Kincaid and she is an amazing writer. I loved this world she's built so much, and I really grew to love Nemesis. She's a fantastic main character who has really been developed deeply. This book was super fast-paced, and the political intrigue was REAL. I could not stop reading it! All of the minor characters were super interesting too, and I found myself becoming attached and invested in them as well.
That being said, the ending was definitely a bit unsettling. However, I feel like it was a fitting ending considering the characters in this book weren't the textbook definition of "good" or "redeemable." It shows that she put a lot of thought into the complexity of this novel and just how deep the influence of manipulation and deception can go. I just hope for everyone's sake that if this book had an epilogue, it would be a good one.
That being said, the ending was definitely a bit unsettling. However, I feel like it was a fitting ending considering the characters in this book weren't the textbook definition of "good" or "redeemable." It shows that she put a lot of thought into the complexity of this novel and just how deep the influence of manipulation and deception can go. I just hope for everyone's sake that if this book had an epilogue, it would be a good one.
This was quite an interesting read. The society was fascinating and some of the characters were beautifully written but I'm still not certain how I feel about Nemesis (the main character) for someone who isn't supposed to feel emotions, she sure has a lot of them. I understand she is supposed to conflicted about her blossoming humanity but it's very frustarting to read. For all that she's a badass, emotionally, she's a total wimp, and that was kind of annoying. Still, I'll read the next one.
Nemesis is created to be the perfect bodyguard. She has superhuman strength, high substance tolerance, increased senses, and above all, an exceptional love for the person she was purchased to protect. Nemesis is a Diabolic. With all of these super-human traits, she is still a humanoid-subhuman. To protect her person, Sidonia, Nemesis must traverse the political and social dangers of the empire posing as Sidonia. Perhaps the threat Nemesis is protecting Sidonia from is more than even she can bear?
This novel has every YA trope you can think of. However, this novel does each trope in a way that is new and refreshing. It caught me by surprise at every twist and turn. I loved this concept and the world building here.
S.J. Kincaid is the kind of author who cares far more about the authenticity of the story being told than for what the audience wants. I appreciate this so much. I haven't experienced a YA novel that has broken my heart and had me on the edge of my seat like this in a long time. YA authors seem far too interested in handing the readers whatever they want in a book, and this dilutes the stories and creates a bland under-developed cast. This is not so in The Diabolic. Kincaid wrote a damn good book, and broke my heart while doing so. I love her for it.
My biggest criticism is the genre. I really think this book would have lent itself to an adult book, rather than sticking to YA. There was a significant amount of violence and sexual tension within these pages. A lot of it was watered down in order to keep it kosher for the intended audience. Sometimes this made me feel as though I was being cheated a chance to really get into the heads of some of the characters.
Even as a YA novel, though, The Diabolic was a solid novel.
That cliffhanger should be illegal. I will be moving on to the sequel ASAP!
This novel has every YA trope you can think of. However, this novel does each trope in a way that is new and refreshing. It caught me by surprise at every twist and turn. I loved this concept and the world building here.
S.J. Kincaid is the kind of author who cares far more about the authenticity of the story being told than for what the audience wants. I appreciate this so much. I haven't experienced a YA novel that has broken my heart and had me on the edge of my seat like this in a long time. YA authors seem far too interested in handing the readers whatever they want in a book, and this dilutes the stories and creates a bland under-developed cast. This is not so in The Diabolic. Kincaid wrote a damn good book, and broke my heart while doing so. I love her for it.
My biggest criticism is the genre. I really think this book would have lent itself to an adult book, rather than sticking to YA. There was a significant amount of violence and sexual tension within these pages. A lot of it was watered down in order to keep it kosher for the intended audience. Sometimes this made me feel as though I was being cheated a chance to really get into the heads of some of the characters.
Even as a YA novel, though, The Diabolic was a solid novel.
That cliffhanger should be illegal. I will be moving on to the sequel ASAP!
At first I was a bit skeptical about this latest YA science-fiction dystopian novel. I kept seeing the blurb that it was The Hunger Games meets Red Queen. My reaction to Red Queen was tepid and I'm exhausted with booksellers hyping the next Hunger Games find.
However, as I read the plot summary about a future where genetically engineered creatures called Diabolics act as the perfect body guards for the elite, I was intrigued. Nemesis, the Diabolic protecting Sidonia, daughter of the Senator von Impyrean, must protect her charge by taking Sidonia's place at the galactic court.
A perfect killing machine impersonating a human? Even now my fingers steeple in a Mr. Burns-like gesture. Yes! Release the hounds!
Violence ensues. Characters die.
However, the scenes of violence are not graphic. They're actually quite perfunctory. Nemesis' instinct is to protect Sidonia at all costs. Essentially, she's an assassin thrown into a nest of manipulative royal elites who have no idea that not only is the person claiming to be Sidonia not Sidonia, she's not even human.
Therein lies the next interesting dilemma. Nemesis is genetically engineered. We meet her in the Pens before she is bonded to Sidonia. Later, Nemesis suffers more than one flashback to her time in the Pens where she was taught to kill, even the helpless. Kincaid plays with the nature versus nurture argument throughout the story. For an assassin, Nemesis is highly reflective. Not always emotionally intelligent, but constantly assessing her thoughts and actions.
This book also explores the value of knowledge, specifically scientific knowledge. Within the religious fervor of the Helionic religion, Sidonia's father has been branded a hypocrite for advocating for a return to education. Nemesis does not care for the father because he has placed Sidonia in danger:
“Privately, I resented Senator von Impyrean as well, for he’d endangered his daughter by publicly speaking on those matters that were supposed to be left unvoiced. He questioned the wisdom of forbidding education in the sciences. He possessed strange ideals and an absurd devotion to learning. It was one reason he collected old databases containing scientific knowledge, those databases the Matriarch and I had hastily concealed from the Inquisitor. He believed humanity needed to embrace scientific learning again, and he never gave a second thought to how his actions would impact his family.
He was reckless.”
This world depends upon technology invented hundreds of years ago. No one alive know how to maintain anything. The machines repair themselves. I sniff a bit of a Terminator warning here.
When Nemesis must travel through hyperspace to reach the galactic court, she's nervous about the spaceship breaking apart.
“Such disasters didn’t merely kill the people onboard the ships, they damaged space itself. A death zone would form in that area of space, which devoured any starship or planetary body near it. It was called ‘malignant space.’”
Later, Nemesis sees malignant space and thinks the light is beautiful. Another character explains to her the true problem. Their technology keeps breaking from wear and tear. The damage to space is consistent. Without the means to fix their own spaceships, the people of this world are doomed.
“‘That light? It isn’t coming from malignant space. Those are the hydrogen gases of stars that have been ripped apart by it. The light is being drawn into the ruptures—eaten, you could say. We’re seeing the death of solar systems, Nemesis. This is what frightens the Luminars. They’re three light-years away from here. We’ve used the same engines over and over for thousands of years, and we’ve now made ourselves forget how they even work. This right here is the end result of our ignorance: a problem we cannot solve.’”
And solving problems requires people working together. Politically. And that's the other aspect of this book that's too savory! The political intrigue.
Nemesis suffers through the vapid girls at court vying for power. She knows she must appear to be Sidonia, but sometimes her sarcasm seeps through:
“‘Such a sturdy, handsome group of Servitors,’ said Credenza Fordyce. She made a point of snubbing me until now and seemed stiff in her new role as acolyte. ‘You really must tell me what you feed them.’
’Food,’ I replied. ‘They eat food.’
’Food. How interesting!’ she trilled.
I looked at her She looked at me. The silence thickened.”
A Diabolic impersonating a human is just one of the maneuvers Kincaid uses within her story. A few of her moves are predictable. One character is clearly going to ally with Nemesis and another character is going to do obvious things I can't even remotely describe without being spoilery.
Even though I expected the actions of these two characters, I didn't predict all of their actions. As the plot nears the climax, Kincaid sows doubt about the true intent of multiple characters. And it makes for fantastic reading. Who's loyal? To who? Why? Will Nemesis figure it all out?
And that's all the detail I can safely reveal.
Do not let yourself be spoiled. If you love YA science-fiction, then The Diabolic seems poised to be the next big thing. When I originally picked up this book, it was billed as a stand-alone, but since then Goodreads shows a second book slated for 2017 and a third book in 2018. I'm guessing late in these years since The Diabolic released in November 2016.
However, as I read the plot summary about a future where genetically engineered creatures called Diabolics act as the perfect body guards for the elite, I was intrigued. Nemesis, the Diabolic protecting Sidonia, daughter of the Senator von Impyrean, must protect her charge by taking Sidonia's place at the galactic court.
A perfect killing machine impersonating a human? Even now my fingers steeple in a Mr. Burns-like gesture. Yes! Release the hounds!
Violence ensues. Characters die.
However, the scenes of violence are not graphic. They're actually quite perfunctory. Nemesis' instinct is to protect Sidonia at all costs. Essentially, she's an assassin thrown into a nest of manipulative royal elites who have no idea that not only is the person claiming to be Sidonia not Sidonia, she's not even human.
Therein lies the next interesting dilemma. Nemesis is genetically engineered. We meet her in the Pens before she is bonded to Sidonia. Later, Nemesis suffers more than one flashback to her time in the Pens where she was taught to kill, even the helpless. Kincaid plays with the nature versus nurture argument throughout the story. For an assassin, Nemesis is highly reflective. Not always emotionally intelligent, but constantly assessing her thoughts and actions.
This book also explores the value of knowledge, specifically scientific knowledge. Within the religious fervor of the Helionic religion, Sidonia's father has been branded a hypocrite for advocating for a return to education. Nemesis does not care for the father because he has placed Sidonia in danger:
“Privately, I resented Senator von Impyrean as well, for he’d endangered his daughter by publicly speaking on those matters that were supposed to be left unvoiced. He questioned the wisdom of forbidding education in the sciences. He possessed strange ideals and an absurd devotion to learning. It was one reason he collected old databases containing scientific knowledge, those databases the Matriarch and I had hastily concealed from the Inquisitor. He believed humanity needed to embrace scientific learning again, and he never gave a second thought to how his actions would impact his family.
He was reckless.”
This world depends upon technology invented hundreds of years ago. No one alive know how to maintain anything. The machines repair themselves. I sniff a bit of a Terminator warning here.
When Nemesis must travel through hyperspace to reach the galactic court, she's nervous about the spaceship breaking apart.
“Such disasters didn’t merely kill the people onboard the ships, they damaged space itself. A death zone would form in that area of space, which devoured any starship or planetary body near it. It was called ‘malignant space.’”
Later, Nemesis sees malignant space and thinks the light is beautiful. Another character explains to her the true problem. Their technology keeps breaking from wear and tear. The damage to space is consistent. Without the means to fix their own spaceships, the people of this world are doomed.
“‘That light? It isn’t coming from malignant space. Those are the hydrogen gases of stars that have been ripped apart by it. The light is being drawn into the ruptures—eaten, you could say. We’re seeing the death of solar systems, Nemesis. This is what frightens the Luminars. They’re three light-years away from here. We’ve used the same engines over and over for thousands of years, and we’ve now made ourselves forget how they even work. This right here is the end result of our ignorance: a problem we cannot solve.’”
And solving problems requires people working together. Politically. And that's the other aspect of this book that's too savory! The political intrigue.
Nemesis suffers through the vapid girls at court vying for power. She knows she must appear to be Sidonia, but sometimes her sarcasm seeps through:
“‘Such a sturdy, handsome group of Servitors,’ said Credenza Fordyce. She made a point of snubbing me until now and seemed stiff in her new role as acolyte. ‘You really must tell me what you feed them.’
’Food,’ I replied. ‘They eat food.’
’Food. How interesting!’ she trilled.
I looked at her She looked at me. The silence thickened.”
A Diabolic impersonating a human is just one of the maneuvers Kincaid uses within her story. A few of her moves are predictable. One character is clearly going to ally with Nemesis and another character is going to do obvious things I can't even remotely describe without being spoilery.
Even though I expected the actions of these two characters, I didn't predict all of their actions. As the plot nears the climax, Kincaid sows doubt about the true intent of multiple characters. And it makes for fantastic reading. Who's loyal? To who? Why? Will Nemesis figure it all out?
And that's all the detail I can safely reveal.
Do not let yourself be spoiled. If you love YA science-fiction, then The Diabolic seems poised to be the next big thing. When I originally picked up this book, it was billed as a stand-alone, but since then Goodreads shows a second book slated for 2017 and a third book in 2018. I'm guessing late in these years since The Diabolic released in November 2016.
this just further proved that chloe gong's taste is immaculate as usual
Predictable and messy. I swear I got whiplash from the amount of times Nemesis changed her mind about something; same goes for the "twists" the plot took. My favourite part about that book? The cover.