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turrean's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The story progresses!
The author has begun to rectify the sad lack of female characters in the first book, and gave this impatient reader a bit more of Cass’s backstory.
One of the most interesting features of this book is that the characters don’t see a perfectly ethical path no matter which way they look. The story touches on the moral implications of law, technology, and psychology…which might sound deeply boring but actually made for some very tense situations.
The author has begun to rectify the sad lack of female characters in the first book, and gave this impatient reader a bit more of Cass’s backstory.
One of the most interesting features of this book is that the characters don’t see a perfectly ethical path no matter which way they look. The story touches on the moral implications of law, technology, and psychology…which might sound deeply boring but actually made for some very tense situations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Minor: Trafficking
meemzter's review against another edition
2.0
I loved the first book, but this one was such a chore. Not sure exactly what went wrong here. Plot was very silly, character relationships received less focus, too much pseudo-philosophizing.
I’m not giving up on the series. Here’s hoping book 3 is better.
I’m not giving up on the series. Here’s hoping book 3 is better.
mathkid's review
4.75
CASSSSSSS RUSSSSSSEL!!!!!
That's how I say her name in my head.
Cas Russell is a babe who makes terrible life choices, but I still love her. Also, fuck McCabe.
That's how I say her name in my head.
Cas Russell is a babe who makes terrible life choices, but I still love her. Also, fuck McCabe.
usandalgona's review
5.0
SPOILERS GALORE - PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
I love how we only get little peeks and hints of Cas's past in each book. Also, I love Cas and Rio's mutual trust, it's something really private and I don't know. I rarely see relationships like this written in books and not revealed instantly. Like, it was literally the first line of the first book, and we still dunno what is going on, and I love it because I know there's gonna be substance behind it. A good reason. So thank you, Ms. Huang.
But many questions. A good 80% of them have to do with Rio and his background, which will hopefully be given in tiny morsels because that's how I like it, to be honest. Building up suspense instead of instant gratification. But also, something a little trivial (?): what is Rio's first name? I'm pretty certain Cas doesn't even know. It's not like his name is Rio Sonrio, right? Btw, Sonrio is a very ironic choice name. I appreciate it. And Cas's other name means something really, really intriguing. I can go on about their names for a while, especially especially Cas Russell's. Anyway, lots of suspicions around Rio and I'm still entertaining all of these theories with nothing to go on, like a lovesick fool for this series.
I also have a feeling Null Set is supposed to make us feel like we can more or less guess at Cas's history and be more or less right, but I'm pretty certain Huang has way more in store for us than just that. This series doesn't have a set number of books determined yet, after all.
I also love how the idea of mind control was explored in this book, and how Rio respects the choices Cas makes and lets her make her errors, if we should call them that. It's so refreshing and kind of encouraging that she was so resistant to telepathy even if that was a possible cure for her. And also, thank you so much for addressing romance clichés and giving a huge fuck you to that. It's really hard to write about someone who loses her own past and decides she doesn't want anything to do with it and the past chases her anyway, as if almost forcing her to give up her present self. So I loved Cas's reluctance and stubbornness and her unwavering belief in at least this. She has an attachment to herself in the present, and that's something I admire. And yes, I liked her hypocrisy. I read for hypocritical characters, because it's just the way life goes.
I'm so psyched for Critical Point. More Cas and more Rio, please. Because wow, the last chapter finally brought up the question all the readers have but nope, we only get a teeny tiny answer for it. So many theories in my head right now, and I'm not sure if I hope all of them are wrong or a few of them are right, because quite a few of them are clumsy and... underwhelming. And I know Arthur's background will come up, too (the question was brought up by Checker's slip-up) but... I'm a lot less attached to him. I think because he likes to fix people. I'm all in for more Checker. God, I love it so much when he and Cas bicker. And Sonya is seriously cool and underrated and I'm sort of hoping she might come back? Heh. I feel like I'm writing a wishlist here.
I love how we only get little peeks and hints of Cas's past in each book. Also, I love Cas and Rio's mutual trust, it's something really private and I don't know. I rarely see relationships like this written in books and not revealed instantly. Like, it was literally the first line of the first book, and we still dunno what is going on, and I love it because I know there's gonna be substance behind it. A good reason. So thank you, Ms. Huang.
But many questions. A good 80% of them have to do with Rio and his background, which will hopefully be given in tiny morsels because that's how I like it, to be honest. Building up suspense instead of instant gratification. But also, something a little trivial (?): what is Rio's first name? I'm pretty certain Cas doesn't even know. It's not like his name is Rio Sonrio, right? Btw, Sonrio is a very ironic choice name. I appreciate it. And Cas's other name means something really, really intriguing. I can go on about their names for a while, especially especially Cas Russell's. Anyway, lots of suspicions around Rio and I'm still entertaining all of these theories with nothing to go on, like a lovesick fool for this series.
I also have a feeling Null Set is supposed to make us feel like we can more or less guess at Cas's history and be more or less right, but I'm pretty certain Huang has way more in store for us than just that. This series doesn't have a set number of books determined yet, after all.
I also love how the idea of mind control was explored in this book, and how Rio respects the choices Cas makes and lets her make her errors, if we should call them that. It's so refreshing and kind of encouraging that she was so resistant to telepathy even if that was a possible cure for her. And also, thank you so much for addressing romance clichés and giving a huge fuck you to that. It's really hard to write about someone who loses her own past and decides she doesn't want anything to do with it and the past chases her anyway, as if almost forcing her to give up her present self. So I loved Cas's reluctance and stubbornness and her unwavering belief in at least this. She has an attachment to herself in the present, and that's something I admire. And yes, I liked her hypocrisy. I read for hypocritical characters, because it's just the way life goes.
I'm so psyched for Critical Point. More Cas and more Rio, please. Because wow, the last chapter finally brought up the question all the readers have but nope, we only get a teeny tiny answer for it. So many theories in my head right now, and I'm not sure if I hope all of them are wrong or a few of them are right, because quite a few of them are clumsy and... underwhelming. And I know Arthur's background will come up, too (the question was brought up by Checker's slip-up) but... I'm a lot less attached to him. I think because he likes to fix people. I'm all in for more Checker. God, I love it so much when he and Cas bicker. And Sonya is seriously cool and underrated and I'm sort of hoping she might come back? Heh. I feel like I'm writing a wishlist here.
captaincrunchabunch's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
susanatherly's review
4.0
This is the middle book of a trilogy and handles that role better than most books do. It also leave the end hanging a bit, as one would expect the middle book of a trilogy to do.
distantplanet's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
aaaugello's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
kblincoln's review
4.0
I loved the first books so much, this one was a tiny bit of a letdown for me. Don't get me wrong-- there was tons of action, conspiracy, fight scenes, allusions to Cas' mysterious past, and good fun. However, most of the central conflict of the book, while a super-cool use of current or near-future technologies, was a result of decisions made by Cas that didn't ring true for me.
Not that I couldn't see her grey morality allowing her to do it, but it was along the lines of what the bad guys, Pithica, did in the first book that horrified her, and she did it knowing full well that the one person in the world she trusted and relied upon, Rio, would stop her.
So...huh. That felt wrong. And then there was a bit too much of her returning memories encroaching on her real life as she experienced mental breakdown. What I wanted was to have a more solid sense of who was talking during those mental breakdowns, but we often got just the dialogue and no sense of who was saying it....so we are still completely in the dark about Cas/Rio's past (don't even get me started on the cliffhanger ending where some of that stuff is just about to be revealed).
Besides all the usual action/conspiracy stuff that i enjoyed, a new character is introduced into the book , a female administrative helper for Checker, who acts as a kind of barometer of the craziness as she is fairly normal and reacts in kind of normal, outraged ways whenever the worst of Cas' life (Rio) interacts with her. I liked that.
No question I'll go on to reading the third book!
Not that I couldn't see her grey morality allowing her to do it, but it was along the lines of what the bad guys, Pithica, did in the first book that horrified her, and she did it knowing full well that the one person in the world she trusted and relied upon, Rio, would stop her.
So...huh. That felt wrong. And then there was a bit too much of her returning memories encroaching on her real life as she experienced mental breakdown. What I wanted was to have a more solid sense of who was talking during those mental breakdowns, but we often got just the dialogue and no sense of who was saying it....so we are still completely in the dark about Cas/Rio's past (don't even get me started on the cliffhanger ending where some of that stuff is just about to be revealed).
Besides all the usual action/conspiracy stuff that i enjoyed, a new character is introduced into the book , a female administrative helper for Checker, who acts as a kind of barometer of the craziness as she is fairly normal and reacts in kind of normal, outraged ways whenever the worst of Cas' life (Rio) interacts with her. I liked that.
No question I'll go on to reading the third book!