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martinkm87's review against another edition
3.0
*Received an advanced copy from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review*
This book was pretty fast paced. It again reminded you of previous happenings. But this book kept me more entertained and I wanted to know what happened next. I just didn't want to put it down. I love that it didn't have a traditional happy ending. It also left room for another potential break off trilogy or series.
This book was pretty fast paced. It again reminded you of previous happenings. But this book kept me more entertained and I wanted to know what happened next. I just didn't want to put it down. I love that it didn't have a traditional happy ending. It also left room for another potential break off trilogy or series.
timbrrwolfe's review against another edition
4.0
A stunning end to a(n, if you'll pardon the pun) Brilliant trilogy.
As much as I praise Animorphs for being accurate to the potential effects of war, this series does almost as good a job. Though this series has the advantage of not having had to be pumped out at a breakneck pace. And (probably because of that) it's more of a pure story. By which I mainly mean that it doesn't have nearly as much filler as Animorphs does (perhaps pure isn't the best word). But I digress.
Written in Fire was an intense and enjoyable ride, delivering in the same way as the rest of the trilogy. The ending is satisfying and the epilogue is....something.
If you liked the other books in the series, you'll most likely enjoy this one.
As much as I praise Animorphs for being accurate to the potential effects of war, this series does almost as good a job. Though this series has the advantage of not having had to be pumped out at a breakneck pace. And (probably because of that) it's more of a pure story. By which I mainly mean that it doesn't have nearly as much filler as Animorphs does (perhaps pure isn't the best word). But I digress.
Written in Fire was an intense and enjoyable ride, delivering in the same way as the rest of the trilogy. The ending is satisfying and the epilogue is....something.
If you liked the other books in the series, you'll most likely enjoy this one.
moreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Immediate spoiler for A Better World!
It is juxtaposition that weighs heavy on my heart – how I like Nick Cooper a lot because he’s That Cop and I enjoy rooting for That Cop, but how I also wish he was dead. Like a bummer of a record stuck in the same skip, I just can’t review this book without getting this out of the way – I wish the dude was dead. I am still bitter about it.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with him. He’s got the requisite ex-wife and kids, he originally believed in the rightness of his mission, then had his his faith shaken, then started to see the world differently and now he doesn't know What Side He's On. When Millicent, the little girl who can read people too well for her age and is thus jaded & monstrous calls him “pure” – well, of course she does, because that’s who he is. He’s the one who does the bad things only because he has to. He doesn’t like to be a meanie and torture people and all that, but sometimes the world demands it, and when the killing’s done, he can go home and have a wry yet tender relationship with his ex and play with his kids.
Ok, now that that's out of the way, this was a swell book until the end. It’s not often that books make me talk out loud to the room at large and this one had me say, “Oh, that’s bad,” not once but twice, so it’s got that going for it. I was thinking that it was practically a four-star book because I’m mad for a good vector of infection, but on the other hand, the end is a little too pat for me.In the midst of the fighting in the Holdfast, I would’ve liked maybe a little of the cavalry charge from, say, Natalie’s perspective? To go from her believing that it was basically all over and that she was going to have to fight to the death but then it’s a little while later & everything is A-OK because Nick saved the day with his broadcast was a bit much for me. Wouldn’t the time when everyone was transfixed by their d-pads watching Nick be the best time for the NSOL (ugh) to finish their so-far-triumphant charge? It’s too pat to say, well the military showed up just in time & bluffed & everyone who’d been thus far prepared to messily slaughter everyone in Tesla just stood down like NBD.
This gave me a lot of the same feeling that Abbadon’s Gate did, which was the reason I wanted to take a bit of a break from that series. The impotent rage I feel over dudes with guns that put everyone else in dangerthe death of Sam, the use here of children as human shields after killing most of the adults who were taking care of them & the justification of war & horror because someone else struck first & you need to get revenge – it’s probably monstrous of me, but I was totally unable to relate to Luke's actions or the actions of any of the other militia guys no matter whom they’d lost on December 1st even as I found the deaths of Luke's sons and "The thousands of times you told them you loved them provided no shelter" to be completely heartbreaking. I hate the concept of the New Sons of Liberty and militia bullshit with every fiber of my being, so I’m a total hypocrite and I was never going to be the person rooting for the “patriots.”
But the epilogue had me swooning because it’s PERFECTalthough I was thinking that John had told Hawk that it was Tabitha who was supposed to intercept Soren when he was freed so the reader knows that she’s been killed but Hawk doesn’t. Any thoughts on that? Was that Tabitha or not? so the high end of three stars on this one. On the whole, a fine series that ended well if you look past the forced ease of the end of the entire catalyst that drove the series in the first place.
It is juxtaposition that weighs heavy on my heart – how I like Nick Cooper a lot because he’s That Cop and I enjoy rooting for That Cop, but how I also wish he was dead. Like a bummer of a record stuck in the same skip, I just can’t review this book without getting this out of the way – I wish the dude was dead. I am still bitter about it.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with him. He’s got the requisite ex-wife and kids, he originally believed in the rightness of his mission, then had his his faith shaken, then started to see the world differently and now he doesn't know What Side He's On. When Millicent, the little girl who can read people too well for her age and is thus jaded & monstrous calls him “pure” – well, of course she does, because that’s who he is. He’s the one who does the bad things only because he has to. He doesn’t like to be a meanie and torture people and all that, but sometimes the world demands it, and when the killing’s done, he can go home and have a wry yet tender relationship with his ex and play with his kids.
Ok, now that that's out of the way, this was a swell book until the end. It’s not often that books make me talk out loud to the room at large and this one had me say, “Oh, that’s bad,” not once but twice, so it’s got that going for it. I was thinking that it was practically a four-star book because I’m mad for a good vector of infection, but on the other hand, the end is a little too pat for me.
This gave me a lot of the same feeling that Abbadon’s Gate did, which was the reason I wanted to take a bit of a break from that series. The impotent rage I feel over dudes with guns that put everyone else in danger
But the epilogue had me swooning because it’s PERFECT
vailynst's review against another edition
4.0
Mini-Review:
This book is how the whole series should have been. I wonder if there will be anymore stories written in this world because the most interesting parts are left as guesses for the future.
The brilliants are the 1% of people who are born with a knack or skill that seems like magic. The way they might easily learn languages, figure out behavioral patterns, predict other's actions or read emotions can seem to be effortless. A line between those who are brilliant and not are drawn. Various forces connive to fan the flames of distrust and fear until the whole of the US is caught up in a personal war.
Cooper is a brilliant. He's knack is a hyper intuition that allows him to read people and situations to figure out what may happen next. He had a rough childhood because he was different but he had a loving home. He grew up with a strong sense right & wrong and the drive to protect others from danger. It's the reason why he became a government agent and hunted down criminal brilliants. In this installment, Cooper is in a race against time to stop another civil war from wrecking the US.
Some of my issues with the series were addressed in this book. There's a lot of harsh sequences that hammer in the horrible violence that can be done by people who believe they are doing the right thing. This was a good action thriller that gave a hard look at what could happen when people give in their fears, let their actions be driven by hate and allow lies to form stabbing cocoons to hide beneath. I really liked the core ideas but feel that the overall effects were lost in trying to be too complex. Origin & answers felt too simplified in the way they were displayed and that made an awkward contrast. Still, the family & friendship bonds were great. The action felt personal and brutal. This was the best book of the saga.
This book is how the whole series should have been. I wonder if there will be anymore stories written in this world because the most interesting parts are left as guesses for the future.
The brilliants are the 1% of people who are born with a knack or skill that seems like magic. The way they might easily learn languages, figure out behavioral patterns, predict other's actions or read emotions can seem to be effortless. A line between those who are brilliant and not are drawn. Various forces connive to fan the flames of distrust and fear until the whole of the US is caught up in a personal war.
Cooper is a brilliant. He's knack is a hyper intuition that allows him to read people and situations to figure out what may happen next. He had a rough childhood because he was different but he had a loving home. He grew up with a strong sense right & wrong and the drive to protect others from danger. It's the reason why he became a government agent and hunted down criminal brilliants. In this installment, Cooper is in a race against time to stop another civil war from wrecking the US.
Some of my issues with the series were addressed in this book. There's a lot of harsh sequences that hammer in the horrible violence that can be done by people who believe they are doing the right thing. This was a good action thriller that gave a hard look at what could happen when people give in their fears, let their actions be driven by hate and allow lies to form stabbing cocoons to hide beneath. I really liked the core ideas but feel that the overall effects were lost in trying to be too complex. Origin & answers felt too simplified in the way they were displayed and that made an awkward contrast. Still, the family & friendship bonds were great. The action felt personal and brutal. This was the best book of the saga.
_nothankyou_'s review against another edition
4.0
While on vacation last week, I reread the trilogy in preparation for this final installment. While I doubt it's going to win literary awards any time soon, it's a fun beach read if your tastes veer more to the government conspiracy thriller end of the spectrum.
sassejenn's review against another edition
3.0
I still think this is a tight, well-paced trilogy that keeps you turning the pages when you should have gone to bed hours ago. Like so many great plot-driven stories, though, Written In Fire suffers from third act problems. The ultimate resolution is pat and anti-climactic, lacking the nuance and realistic human behavior that makes the trilogy overall so compelling. It felt like the generic end to an action movie when the author is written into a corner. I expected a lot more from Sakey.
anothercurleyhairbooklover's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant series (pun intended) strong story arcs through all three books, with great writing and strong characters. Suitable ending letting you fill in what happens next.