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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
This is one of my all time favorite trilogies! I could not wait to absorb each page's words and descriptions of characters I grow to love, or to hate.
Vampires and the remaking of the world done in exactly the right way. The first 50 pages are some of the best writing I’ve experienced. If that doesn't hook you, one of the masterfully crafted storylines absolutely will. Experience carefully woven story telling, character development, and themes that resonate in the collective of human experience for yourself- I fully endorse as brilliant.
Be warned, you follow several different story lines throughout this series. If you can be patient as focus shifts between them, you will be richly rewarded in the mind boggling ways they intersect and come back together. Cronin won't leave you hanging wondering what happened to the characters you form such intimate emotional bonds with.
Be warned, you follow several different story lines throughout this series. If you can be patient as focus shifts between them, you will be richly rewarded in the mind boggling ways they intersect and come back together. Cronin won't leave you hanging wondering what happened to the characters you form such intimate emotional bonds with.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
After reading the second book I wouldn’t recommend even bothering with this one tbqh
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What I am, what I am, what I am.
Hmmm. It is a dirty, dirty trick to put your most compelling characters in the first third of your book, and then hide their fate in the frankly considerably more draggy last two-thirds of the book.
This book is a stunner in a lot of ways. This is an apocalypse-by-vampires epic: it shies away from nothing and has atmosphere and tension coming at you from every angle. In the first section, this is particularly effective: the dread and horror builds, and Justin Cronin gives you just enough information to constantly question where your loyalty as a reader lies. It is gripping, and some of the best and most evocative writing I've ever read.
'You don't have to be afraid.'
'Don't keep saying that.'
'Okay. That's good. I'm glad you're not.'
'Because I'm not afraid. You are.'
And then we get to the post-apocalyptic melodrama section of the book where Cronin really makes that "oh my God, it never ends" impact. Hundreds of pages of humans being so human while trying to survive the monotony of a dangerous world slowly running out of resources. Building dread to similar devastation over and over again. It is well-written and the relationships are beautifully built, but it is a lot. This book took me well over a month to read for a reason.
So, did I like this book? I think so? I think it was very good? Does that mean I'd ever actively recommend it to someone else? I don't think so? Maybe?
???
One thing I know for sure, though - despite that unsatisfying ending, I feel absolutely NO NEED to read 1,500-2,000 more pages of this in order to finish this trilogy. No way, Justin Cronin - you have already pushed me too far.
'I want to know how it ends.'
'How what ends?'
'The dream, Peter.'
Hmmm. It is a dirty, dirty trick to put your most compelling characters in the first third of your book, and then hide their fate in the frankly considerably more draggy last two-thirds of the book.
This book is a stunner in a lot of ways. This is an apocalypse-by-vampires epic: it shies away from nothing and has atmosphere and tension coming at you from every angle. In the first section, this is particularly effective: the dread and horror builds, and Justin Cronin gives you just enough information to constantly question where your loyalty as a reader lies. It is gripping, and some of the best and most evocative writing I've ever read.
'You don't have to be afraid.'
'Don't keep saying that.'
'Okay. That's good. I'm glad you're not.'
'Because I'm not afraid. You are.'
And then we get to the post-apocalyptic melodrama section of the book where Cronin really makes that "oh my God, it never ends" impact. Hundreds of pages of humans being so human while trying to survive the monotony of a dangerous world slowly running out of resources. Building dread to similar devastation over and over again. It is well-written and the relationships are beautifully built, but it is a lot. This book took me well over a month to read for a reason.
So, did I like this book? I think so? I think it was very good? Does that mean I'd ever actively recommend it to someone else? I don't think so? Maybe?
???
One thing I know for sure, though - despite that unsatisfying ending, I feel absolutely NO NEED to read 1,500-2,000 more pages of this in order to finish this trilogy. No way, Justin Cronin - you have already pushed me too far.
'I want to know how it ends.'
'How what ends?'
'The dream, Peter.'
One of those classic cases of scientists doing something they can do without really stopping to question whether they really should.
The government has been playing around with things better left alone. Experiments involving people and South American bats. And, as always happens in post-apocalyptic books of this nature, they have a little "oops!" that results in the downfall of humanity. Vampire-like creatures trick their captors and escape, and they are hungry!
Amy is just a little girl with an unstable life. Raised by a mother who makes bad choices in men and life in general, Amy is quiet and...strange. There is something disconcerting about her, like she knows what you're thinking, but passes no judgement on the world or those stumbling their way through it.
Brad Wolgast is a good man, but a broken man, who has done some things of which he is ashamed. Initially sent to kidnap Amy and bring her to the research lab, as she is viewed as the final key to their government research, he decides instead to be the man his dead baby girl could be proud of and to save Amy, who eventually becomes something of a surrogate daughter. Risking his life to protect her, he becomes the father she never had and earns a daughter's love.
Ninety-two years in the future, Peter is at a crossroads in his life. Living in a settlement of survivors who live under the constant threat of attack by the vampires known as "virals", and always second place to his esteemed older brother, he's feeling restless and uncertain. He eventually becomes the leader of a group of young colony members who set out on a mission to save a girl, and possibly the world.
I absolutely loved this story! It had everything: thrills, chills, horror, love, compassion, terror, suspense, brutality, sensitivity. It hosts a full cast of characters, many of which I fell in love with. I think my favorite character may have been Peter's love interest Alicia-- a strong woman raised by an ex-Colonel who taught her all about survival and fearlessness and selflessness.
This has the feel of a post-apocalyptic zombie story, but with vampire-like creatures instead. It is a bit of a cross between my two favorite books: The Stand by Stephen King and Swan Song by Robert McCammon.
My final word: This book is not for the faint of heart. At over 750 pages and full of brutality, do not go into it lightly, but grab onto it, wrap yourself around it, and live and breathe it. Only through total immersion can you truly appreciate the gentle moments. What a fine example of writing by Mr. Cronin, and I wait with bated breath for the second book in what is to become a trilogy. Awesome!
The government has been playing around with things better left alone. Experiments involving people and South American bats. And, as always happens in post-apocalyptic books of this nature, they have a little "oops!" that results in the downfall of humanity. Vampire-like creatures trick their captors and escape, and they are hungry!
Amy is just a little girl with an unstable life. Raised by a mother who makes bad choices in men and life in general, Amy is quiet and...strange. There is something disconcerting about her, like she knows what you're thinking, but passes no judgement on the world or those stumbling their way through it.
Brad Wolgast is a good man, but a broken man, who has done some things of which he is ashamed. Initially sent to kidnap Amy and bring her to the research lab, as she is viewed as the final key to their government research, he decides instead to be the man his dead baby girl could be proud of and to save Amy, who eventually becomes something of a surrogate daughter. Risking his life to protect her, he becomes the father she never had and earns a daughter's love.
Ninety-two years in the future, Peter is at a crossroads in his life. Living in a settlement of survivors who live under the constant threat of attack by the vampires known as "virals", and always second place to his esteemed older brother, he's feeling restless and uncertain. He eventually becomes the leader of a group of young colony members who set out on a mission to save a girl, and possibly the world.
I absolutely loved this story! It had everything: thrills, chills, horror, love, compassion, terror, suspense, brutality, sensitivity. It hosts a full cast of characters, many of which I fell in love with. I think my favorite character may have been Peter's love interest Alicia-- a strong woman raised by an ex-Colonel who taught her all about survival and fearlessness and selflessness.
This has the feel of a post-apocalyptic zombie story, but with vampire-like creatures instead. It is a bit of a cross between my two favorite books: The Stand by Stephen King and Swan Song by Robert McCammon.
My final word: This book is not for the faint of heart. At over 750 pages and full of brutality, do not go into it lightly, but grab onto it, wrap yourself around it, and live and breathe it. Only through total immersion can you truly appreciate the gentle moments. What a fine example of writing by Mr. Cronin, and I wait with bated breath for the second book in what is to become a trilogy. Awesome!
Well what can I say? I was very much looking forward to this book and fully expected to love it. It started out with a bang and pulled me right in. About halfway through it seemed like a whole different book started. This is where is got weird and confusing, at least for me. It reminded me of a cross between Stephen King's The Stand and Robert R. McCammon's Swan Song.
On a positive side I will say the charactors were very well developed and you quickly bond with them. For me it was Sister Lacey, the nun who first meets Amy Harper Bellefonte when she is dropped off by her mother at their convent. The pace is fast enough to keep your attention but again, I got lost in the chaos that started in the middle and lead to a disappointing ending.
I really wanted to like this book. I think it could have been over-hyped which is unfair, it makes it very hard for a book to live up to the pre-release fanfair.
Don't take my word for it, I didn't like The Stand either and I do think I am the only person who didn't. Pick it up, give it a read and let me know what you thought.
On a positive side I will say the charactors were very well developed and you quickly bond with them. For me it was Sister Lacey, the nun who first meets Amy Harper Bellefonte when she is dropped off by her mother at their convent. The pace is fast enough to keep your attention but again, I got lost in the chaos that started in the middle and lead to a disappointing ending.
I really wanted to like this book. I think it could have been over-hyped which is unfair, it makes it very hard for a book to live up to the pre-release fanfair.
Don't take my word for it, I didn't like The Stand either and I do think I am the only person who didn't. Pick it up, give it a read and let me know what you thought.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
Excellent, utterly believable characters! Plot harrowing in parts but carried very well. The blurb really should mention the character of Peter but nonetheless a great read. Look forward to reading the Twelve.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Mainio alku ja iha jeppisjepulis mutta kyllä aika liian pitkä oli. Kait luen jatko-osat.