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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
This is not the type of Sci-Fi I normally read, but it was enjoyable and honestly very post-apocalyptical. It was a very fine line between this could never happen and whoah we are heading for this like a freight train. As with many other reviewers I don't want to give away the main plot details, but this book was awesome. You should read it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!
Firebreak is a near-future sci-fi novel in which the US has been divided up between two major corporations, Greenleaf and Stellaxis. The two corporations periodically fight over territory, and they have complete control over their citizens and the resources in their districts. Water is particularly tightly controlled, and citizens compete in a virtual war game to help themselves gain more access to resources in the real world. The story centers around Mal, who was orphaned by the war between the corporations and has been given an opportunity to help expose some of the lies the corporations have been telling. In many ways, the plot is a typical "bring down the controlling entity by exposing lies" plot, but it is definitely fun and fast-paced, and Mal is an interesting character. She is a bit of a reluctant leader, and she has trouble connecting with people, which makes the relationships that she does form all the more precious. The one negative aspect for me was that I wasn't particularly surprised by any of the "twists" in the plot. It is obvious (at least to me) from the outset what the corporations are lying about, and it left me wondering a little how the characters in the book could have been so fully taken in by the corporations and the reality they are selling.
Overall, a fun, fast-paced, futuristic sci-fi novel, which I would recommend to fans of the genre, both adult and YA audiences!
Firebreak is a near-future sci-fi novel in which the US has been divided up between two major corporations, Greenleaf and Stellaxis. The two corporations periodically fight over territory, and they have complete control over their citizens and the resources in their districts. Water is particularly tightly controlled, and citizens compete in a virtual war game to help themselves gain more access to resources in the real world. The story centers around Mal, who was orphaned by the war between the corporations and has been given an opportunity to help expose some of the lies the corporations have been telling. In many ways, the plot is a typical "bring down the controlling entity by exposing lies" plot, but it is definitely fun and fast-paced, and Mal is an interesting character. She is a bit of a reluctant leader, and she has trouble connecting with people, which makes the relationships that she does form all the more precious. The one negative aspect for me was that I wasn't particularly surprised by any of the "twists" in the plot. It is obvious (at least to me) from the outset what the corporations are lying about, and it left me wondering a little how the characters in the book could have been so fully taken in by the corporations and the reality they are selling.
Overall, a fun, fast-paced, futuristic sci-fi novel, which I would recommend to fans of the genre, both adult and YA audiences!
ARC Received by the publisher in exchange for a review.
Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace is a story that feels reminiscent of Cline's Ready Player One, but differs significantly once delved into. It's a female driven story which was exciting to read. Sci-Fi novels that center on a duo of female gamers is something you don't often see in this genre. The plot is fast paced and often makes the reader question- how far is corporate greed willing to go? Many of the plot points are very relevant to what an ultra tech society could look like in the future if the US experienced another civil war. For this reason alone, it made for a very interesting story to read.
Unfortunately, there were many downfalls outside of the plot. The history of the US, is really poorly done. So much is left unexplained, which often made me feel like I needed to scramble to understand the information the characters were learning. It felt like the author wanted the reader to assume it's a typical dystopian setting (police brutality, technology driven, war torn, etc.) without explaining how any of these factors are relevant or play a role in the current story.
Another huge critique I have is the lack of character descriptors and growth. Unless I somehow missed it, all characters are given the briefest of physical descriptions. It makes a lot of the appearances be up to the reader's imagination. On top of that, Mallory goes through very little character growth. Her motivations to uncover the truth are barely touched on outside of, "it is the right thing to do." We know the gist of her background, but are not given the details. This is also true for side characters (if they get a background at all). One character is never named at all, which was a huge disappointment. Jessa was given the most personality, and therefore, was the most fun character to read. It made it difficult to connect to the characters overall. Finally, I read from the author that Mallory is meant to be an asexual character. Had the author not said this explicitly, I would have had no idea. There are no love interests in the story, and instead of making that a part of Mallory's character, it just felt like the author chose to not write a love interest. I would have loved for Mallory to take a moment and explain her asexuality to the reader and make that fact more salient. Love interests are not an essential part of a story, so if they are intentionally excluded because of the main character's sexuality, that should be explained.
Overall, I did enjoy Firebreak. It was refreshing to read a female centered Sci-Fi story and the plot was well done. I wish the world was better explained and characters had more depth overall. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you enjoyed Ready Player One and want a similar story that is female driven!
Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace is a story that feels reminiscent of Cline's Ready Player One, but differs significantly once delved into. It's a female driven story which was exciting to read. Sci-Fi novels that center on a duo of female gamers is something you don't often see in this genre. The plot is fast paced and often makes the reader question- how far is corporate greed willing to go? Many of the plot points are very relevant to what an ultra tech society could look like in the future if the US experienced another civil war. For this reason alone, it made for a very interesting story to read.
Unfortunately, there were many downfalls outside of the plot. The history of the US, is really poorly done. So much is left unexplained, which often made me feel like I needed to scramble to understand the information the characters were learning. It felt like the author wanted the reader to assume it's a typical dystopian setting (police brutality, technology driven, war torn, etc.) without explaining how any of these factors are relevant or play a role in the current story.
Another huge critique I have is the lack of character descriptors and growth. Unless I somehow missed it, all characters are given the briefest of physical descriptions. It makes a lot of the appearances be up to the reader's imagination. On top of that, Mallory goes through very little character growth. Her motivations to uncover the truth are barely touched on outside of, "it is the right thing to do." We know the gist of her background, but are not given the details. This is also true for side characters (if they get a background at all). One character is never named at all, which was a huge disappointment. Jessa was given the most personality, and therefore, was the most fun character to read. It made it difficult to connect to the characters overall. Finally, I read from the author that Mallory is meant to be an asexual character. Had the author not said this explicitly, I would have had no idea. There are no love interests in the story, and instead of making that a part of Mallory's character, it just felt like the author chose to not write a love interest. I would have loved for Mallory to take a moment and explain her asexuality to the reader and make that fact more salient. Love interests are not an essential part of a story, so if they are intentionally excluded because of the main character's sexuality, that should be explained.
Overall, I did enjoy Firebreak. It was refreshing to read a female centered Sci-Fi story and the plot was well done. I wish the world was better explained and characters had more depth overall. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you enjoyed Ready Player One and want a similar story that is female driven!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I loved the book archivist wasp by the author and was excited to read her newest. While on the balance, I have to say that I liked it, I generally loved the first half of the story better than the second half.
I really did love the ideas of corporations at war and how water rights played an issue in this book. I loved how the corporations used the war in VR games and especially how the supersoldiers were used inside the game. I loved the main character, Mal, and her relationship with her roommate. I also loved those soldier superstars and their relationship with each other.
The problem for me is that the book is set into several sections. I really enjoyed the set-up in parts one and two. Once the truth is out, I found it to be not very interesting and the mechanism for saving the world to be lackluster too. There were parts of part three that I did enjoy. But once the showdown with corporate begins in earnest, it felt a bit drawn out and seriously unrealistic. I know that be super vague but further details lead to spoilers and I do think that many readers will love how everything plays out. There were just plot points in here that are generally not to be taste. I wanted the VR game to have more importance and impact. At least the ending did redeem the middle part a bit for me.
I have no regrets reading this one and will continue to read the author's work. I need to get the sequel to the first book in the Wasp Saga and she is apparently writing a third in that world. Plus I have another Nicole Kornher-Stace book lined up later in the year. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Saga Press!
I loved the book archivist wasp by the author and was excited to read her newest. While on the balance, I have to say that I liked it, I generally loved the first half of the story better than the second half.
I really did love the ideas of corporations at war and how water rights played an issue in this book. I loved how the corporations used the war in VR games and especially how the supersoldiers were used inside the game. I loved the main character, Mal, and her relationship with her roommate. I also loved those soldier superstars and their relationship with each other.
The problem for me is that the book is set into several sections. I really enjoyed the set-up in parts one and two. Once the truth is out, I found it to be not very interesting and the mechanism for saving the world to be lackluster too. There were parts of part three that I did enjoy. But once the showdown with corporate begins in earnest, it felt a bit drawn out and seriously unrealistic. I know that be super vague but further details lead to spoilers and I do think that many readers will love how everything plays out. There were just plot points in here that are generally not to be taste. I wanted the VR game to have more importance and impact. At least the ending did redeem the middle part a bit for me.
I have no regrets reading this one and will continue to read the author's work. I need to get the sequel to the first book in the Wasp Saga and she is apparently writing a third in that world. Plus I have another Nicole Kornher-Stace book lined up later in the year. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Saga Press!
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 rounded down. The premise of this book is interesting, but it kind of just jumps right in, and I started it three times before I actually buckled down to understand what the heck was going on. Then it ended rather abruptly, leaving me feeling like some elements were still unresolved.
It's a dystopian sci-fi future, with some elements of our own technology from present day wrapped into it, like a Black Mirror episode spun out into an entire novel. I liked it, but don't know if I'd return to it...I want my literature heroes to win in the end, and I wasn't sure if this one had won?
It's a dystopian sci-fi future, with some elements of our own technology from present day wrapped into it, like a Black Mirror episode spun out into an entire novel. I liked it, but don't know if I'd return to it...I want my literature heroes to win in the end, and I wasn't sure if this one had won?
I am not big into gaming, virtual reality or really anything from that world, so some concepts were harder for me to grasp. I loved the vibes that one of the characters was asexual, which is something not often seen represented. Once I got into the story, I could not put it down. You will cry.
I still consider Nicole Kornher-Stace’s Archivist Wasp one of the best YA fantasies of the past several years, and its sequel, Latchkey, did not disappoint. So imagine my delight when I received an advance copy of her latest stand-alone novel for adults (old or young), Fiirebreak. And to my even greater delight, Firebreak proved to be as satisfying and thought provoking as its predecessors. There’s no question that Kornher-Stace is a writerly force to be reckoned with, and she deserves a much wider audience.
Kornher-Stace is a master of “in medias res”: Archivist Wasp opens with its protagonist fighting for her life, and Firebreak immerses us immediately in a game-world where RL players in a virtual battle-field struggle for points and, more importantly, followers and sponsors, who will pay the fighters not just in boosts and equipment but in RL commodities like water. Mallory (Mal), the gamer, lives in an all-too possible dystopian near-future, where two global corporations battle for territory and control not just of the media but of life-supporting commodities like food and water.
After Mal and her partner have a close encounter in the game-world, they are approached by a potential sponsor, who enlists them to investigate a secret she believes she has discovered. This secret threatens to blow the corporation that controls the city where they live wide open, and the central conflict concerns Mal and her friends responding to it. To say more would be spoilerish, but suffice it to say that the novel asks how far one would go to defend against moral … not just injustice, but _wrongness__.
This novel is about taking a stand, even when the odds seem to be totally not in your favour. One thing I really enjoyed is that we see the way one character’s actions inspires and invigorates broader acts of protest. Mal is a flawed protagonist, not some effortless “chosen one,” and I thoroughly enjoyed the way she is forced almost despite herself to overcome her social awkwardness to become a leader. The parallels with our own world, with events and protests everywhere, but perhaps especially in the US in 2020, give this novel an immediacy and a sense of urgency that will stay with the reader long afterwards.
This novel is thought-provoking but also action-packed, un-put-downable, and just plain fabulous. It will be released next year: watch for it!!
I am grateful to Nicole Kornher-Stace for providing me with an ARC.
Kornher-Stace is a master of “in medias res”: Archivist Wasp opens with its protagonist fighting for her life, and Firebreak immerses us immediately in a game-world where RL players in a virtual battle-field struggle for points and, more importantly, followers and sponsors, who will pay the fighters not just in boosts and equipment but in RL commodities like water. Mallory (Mal), the gamer, lives in an all-too possible dystopian near-future, where two global corporations battle for territory and control not just of the media but of life-supporting commodities like food and water.
After Mal and her partner have a close encounter in the game-world, they are approached by a potential sponsor, who enlists them to investigate a secret she believes she has discovered. This secret threatens to blow the corporation that controls the city where they live wide open, and the central conflict concerns Mal and her friends responding to it. To say more would be spoilerish, but suffice it to say that the novel asks how far one would go to defend against moral … not just injustice, but _wrongness__.
This novel is about taking a stand, even when the odds seem to be totally not in your favour. One thing I really enjoyed is that we see the way one character’s actions inspires and invigorates broader acts of protest. Mal is a flawed protagonist, not some effortless “chosen one,” and I thoroughly enjoyed the way she is forced almost despite herself to overcome her social awkwardness to become a leader. The parallels with our own world, with events and protests everywhere, but perhaps especially in the US in 2020, give this novel an immediacy and a sense of urgency that will stay with the reader long afterwards.
This novel is thought-provoking but also action-packed, un-put-downable, and just plain fabulous. It will be released next year: watch for it!!
I am grateful to Nicole Kornher-Stace for providing me with an ARC.
Probably 3.5 because it’s an easy and fast paced read.
I liked it and the characters however, for me in lost something in the second half - especially in the last 25%. And I can’t help but think it would have been better if it had the perspective of another character as well.
I liked it and the characters however, for me in lost something in the second half - especially in the last 25%. And I can’t help but think it would have been better if it had the perspective of another character as well.
the representation of vr and video games is on the better end of those i've read, but the plot and characters feel quite lacking. the world is built as a heavy critique of capitalism, but i felt that there was such a lack of nuance or complexity, that it did not feel impactful or even believable. it just feels like. omg capitalism bad !!!
the writing feels drawn out because mal's narration tends to be very repetitive, and i found her uninteresting. lol and her excessive swearing sounded unnatural .. so edgy. the ending is unsatisfying in that we never get to see the results of her efforts.
it's okay though because there was some sick mecha shit and also 22 who is cool and my favourite. operative 22 im love you sm
the writing feels drawn out because mal's narration tends to be very repetitive, and i found her uninteresting. lol and her excessive swearing sounded unnatural .. so edgy. the ending is unsatisfying in that we never get to see the results of her efforts.
it's okay though because there was some sick mecha shit and also 22 who is cool and my favourite. operative 22 im love you sm