Scan barcode
babyleo's review
4.0
Note: I was provided a copy of this book by the author to review.
The Other Tree is a story that is clever, secretive, and mysterious. It is about two regular people trying to do something extraordinary, driven by determination and personal motives, all the while having a dangerous enemy biting at their heels who is also after the same prize: the Tree of Life. Both parties are after the Tree for very different reasons and we watch as Chris and Luke race against SinaCorp to decipher ancient texts and solve riddles to find the location of the other mystical tree from the Garden of Eden.
The story started off slowly but it was not without some interest. It picks up in the middle and as the story progressed it gradually became more engaging, as all good adventure stories should. This has been catagorised as a fantasy but surprisingly I kept thinking of it not just as an adventure style story, but one that actually seemed quite realistic. I know that sounds strange considering it is a story about the hunt for the Tree of Life and the Garden of Eden, but so much of this novel made me happy because it played out like reality would. Chris and Luke are not professionals, they aren't even part of an organisation, they are a botanist and a priest trying to beat a massive corporation, a corporation who have access to the latest technologies, unlimited funding, and specially trained mercenaries, and Mok doesn't forget that. It's slowness in part makes it realistic, being untrained and slightly unskilled, the way Chris and Luke tackle the adventure is believable, as another character mentions, they keep stopping regularly for food, they also sleep in motels, have to drive long distances and catch commercial flights to other countries. There is no fast solution, and how they gain their information differs from SinaCorp because it cannot just be bought or analysed with equipment. However, being unskilled doesn't make them unprepared and a lot of their own unique skills come in handy during their search.
Another great part of the story is the relationship between Chris and Luke. Their friendship is enjoyable and as a result makes the story enjoyable to read. The realism in their relationship becomes more profound as the book continues and the banter, dialogue and support between them are what make it special; it's natural and reflects how people behave with one another. This realism is also shown with other character relationships.
There is a lot of great humour, jokes between friends, great banter between characters and a great mix of sarcasm and fear that makes for an interesting read. Throughout this story Mok balances the seriousness, humour, religion, mystery, and adventure elements perfectly meaning each aspect is evident at the appropriate time and nothing is too overbearing. Mok also includes some great profound statements, not just by characters but also in the narrative, each time never feeling out of place or unwelcome, and offering that serious nature amongst what could be mistaken as a jovial quest in parts.
I liked the approach Mok takes with this story and how religion is dealt with. And while it does centre on these religious elements, The Other Tree is more action based story involving religion rather than solely an in-depth religious analysis in itself. What religious aspects that are present are presented in a way that is respectful yet basic, while also being realistic, well placed, and properly used. This presentation is helped a lot by the characters, something that not only brought out the story and the themes really well, but got you to know who these characters were.
With no spoilers I will say I liked the way Mok ends the book. While I had a few theories running on how it would pan out I think how it was concluded leaves you satisfied. Mok has rounded off this mass adventure and ordeal with respect not just to the characters, but to the reader; it is done without rushing, without being unrealistic for the reality it has created, and it also stays true to the characters and what we've come to expect from them. Overall The Other Tree is an adventurous and enjoyable story that gives you the unexpected, the unique, and the unusual all in an interesting story about faith, humanity, and botany.
A longer version of this review was posted on my blog http://lostinagoodbk.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/the-other-tree-by-d-k-mok/
The Other Tree is a story that is clever, secretive, and mysterious. It is about two regular people trying to do something extraordinary, driven by determination and personal motives, all the while having a dangerous enemy biting at their heels who is also after the same prize: the Tree of Life. Both parties are after the Tree for very different reasons and we watch as Chris and Luke race against SinaCorp to decipher ancient texts and solve riddles to find the location of the other mystical tree from the Garden of Eden.
The story started off slowly but it was not without some interest. It picks up in the middle and as the story progressed it gradually became more engaging, as all good adventure stories should. This has been catagorised as a fantasy but surprisingly I kept thinking of it not just as an adventure style story, but one that actually seemed quite realistic. I know that sounds strange considering it is a story about the hunt for the Tree of Life and the Garden of Eden, but so much of this novel made me happy because it played out like reality would. Chris and Luke are not professionals, they aren't even part of an organisation, they are a botanist and a priest trying to beat a massive corporation, a corporation who have access to the latest technologies, unlimited funding, and specially trained mercenaries, and Mok doesn't forget that. It's slowness in part makes it realistic, being untrained and slightly unskilled, the way Chris and Luke tackle the adventure is believable, as another character mentions, they keep stopping regularly for food, they also sleep in motels, have to drive long distances and catch commercial flights to other countries. There is no fast solution, and how they gain their information differs from SinaCorp because it cannot just be bought or analysed with equipment. However, being unskilled doesn't make them unprepared and a lot of their own unique skills come in handy during their search.
Another great part of the story is the relationship between Chris and Luke. Their friendship is enjoyable and as a result makes the story enjoyable to read. The realism in their relationship becomes more profound as the book continues and the banter, dialogue and support between them are what make it special; it's natural and reflects how people behave with one another. This realism is also shown with other character relationships.
There is a lot of great humour, jokes between friends, great banter between characters and a great mix of sarcasm and fear that makes for an interesting read. Throughout this story Mok balances the seriousness, humour, religion, mystery, and adventure elements perfectly meaning each aspect is evident at the appropriate time and nothing is too overbearing. Mok also includes some great profound statements, not just by characters but also in the narrative, each time never feeling out of place or unwelcome, and offering that serious nature amongst what could be mistaken as a jovial quest in parts.
I liked the approach Mok takes with this story and how religion is dealt with. And while it does centre on these religious elements, The Other Tree is more action based story involving religion rather than solely an in-depth religious analysis in itself. What religious aspects that are present are presented in a way that is respectful yet basic, while also being realistic, well placed, and properly used. This presentation is helped a lot by the characters, something that not only brought out the story and the themes really well, but got you to know who these characters were.
With no spoilers I will say I liked the way Mok ends the book. While I had a few theories running on how it would pan out I think how it was concluded leaves you satisfied. Mok has rounded off this mass adventure and ordeal with respect not just to the characters, but to the reader; it is done without rushing, without being unrealistic for the reality it has created, and it also stays true to the characters and what we've come to expect from them. Overall The Other Tree is an adventurous and enjoyable story that gives you the unexpected, the unique, and the unusual all in an interesting story about faith, humanity, and botany.
A longer version of this review was posted on my blog http://lostinagoodbk.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/the-other-tree-by-d-k-mok/
spencerhillpress's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
bookadventurer's review
5.0
This book is heartfelt, exciting, suspenseful, and poignant. About a young woman's quest for the Tree of Life in a race against an evil corporation and time, it deals with bigger questions, about humanity, love and loss, acceptance and striving, hope, reconciliation, and redemption.
Chris, an under-appreciated, under-funded cryptobotanist, discovers her sense of purpose when the giant technical and scientific corporation, SinaCorp, invites her to participate in its second search for Eden. She blames SinaCorp for her mother's death, and can't let the company get its hands on the Tree of Life, to sell it at extortionate prices to the already powerful and wealthy. She drags a young assistant priest along with her, and it is their partnership that makes the book really shine. They travel the world, hunting clues to the treasure, dodging assassination attempts and threats along the way, always half a step behind the well-funded SinaCorp extraction team. One of whose members is an old college friend of Chris's.
Luke decides to go along because he is disillusioned, and troubled in his faith. Also, Chris's enthusiasm, her determination and optimism, fascinate him and draw him in like a magnet. He's a bit morose, but funny, a good foil for Chris's energy. Although almost polar opposites, with very different outlooks on life, they get along remarkably well, joking in the face of danger and dealing with quirks and moods.
Throughout, the humor and witty banter made me laugh out loud. Though there are sad moments, too, as Luke and Chris deal with their memories and as SinaCorp makes its way across the playing field.
The characters are each flawed in various ways, but are realistically dynamic: their experiences change and shape them, giving them the chance to figure out what is really important to them in life. Opposed to the flawed protagonists is the CEO of SinaCorp, who is ruthless, almost sociopathic, and determined at any cost to live forever. Some of the most surprising (and interesting characters) are the members of the SinaCorp extraction team.
Narration is extremely well done. Every character was interesting, each had a very different worldview and attitude, which showed through in dialogue and in the different voices. I loved the switches of points of view, which brought to life each character's take on a particular situation. Some of the best character development was done through one character's insight into another.
With all that I've said above, it seems pretty clear that the characters were my favorite part about this book. But the plot also kept me turning pages. The quest involves world travel, riddles, secrets, dangerous creatures and a terrifying underground ordeal. There are creepy moments involving nasty, frightening critters, scary near-death moments, tense and suspenseful encounters between the SinaCorp extraction team and Chris and Luke, and high octane adventure.
It's Indiana Jones, but better. Seriously.
Recommended for absolutely everyone - it is my favorite book this year and surely to remain in the top 10 (yes, even though it's still January!).
Check out the read-alikes on The Book Adventures.
Chris, an under-appreciated, under-funded cryptobotanist, discovers her sense of purpose when the giant technical and scientific corporation, SinaCorp, invites her to participate in its second search for Eden. She blames SinaCorp for her mother's death, and can't let the company get its hands on the Tree of Life, to sell it at extortionate prices to the already powerful and wealthy. She drags a young assistant priest along with her, and it is their partnership that makes the book really shine. They travel the world, hunting clues to the treasure, dodging assassination attempts and threats along the way, always half a step behind the well-funded SinaCorp extraction team. One of whose members is an old college friend of Chris's.
Luke decides to go along because he is disillusioned, and troubled in his faith. Also, Chris's enthusiasm, her determination and optimism, fascinate him and draw him in like a magnet. He's a bit morose, but funny, a good foil for Chris's energy. Although almost polar opposites, with very different outlooks on life, they get along remarkably well, joking in the face of danger and dealing with quirks and moods.
Throughout, the humor and witty banter made me laugh out loud. Though there are sad moments, too, as Luke and Chris deal with their memories and as SinaCorp makes its way across the playing field.
The characters are each flawed in various ways, but are realistically dynamic: their experiences change and shape them, giving them the chance to figure out what is really important to them in life. Opposed to the flawed protagonists is the CEO of SinaCorp, who is ruthless, almost sociopathic, and determined at any cost to live forever. Some of the most surprising (and interesting characters) are the members of the SinaCorp extraction team.
Narration is extremely well done. Every character was interesting, each had a very different worldview and attitude, which showed through in dialogue and in the different voices. I loved the switches of points of view, which brought to life each character's take on a particular situation. Some of the best character development was done through one character's insight into another.
With all that I've said above, it seems pretty clear that the characters were my favorite part about this book. But the plot also kept me turning pages. The quest involves world travel, riddles, secrets, dangerous creatures and a terrifying underground ordeal. There are creepy moments involving nasty, frightening critters, scary near-death moments, tense and suspenseful encounters between the SinaCorp extraction team and Chris and Luke, and high octane adventure.
It's Indiana Jones, but better. Seriously.
Recommended for absolutely everyone - it is my favorite book this year and surely to remain in the top 10 (yes, even though it's still January!).
Check out the read-alikes on The Book Adventures.
tsana's review
4.0
The Other Tree by DK Mok is the author's first novel and the second thing I've read of hers, the other being a story in One Small Step. The Other Tree is an amusing adventure story that takes our Australian protagonists around the world (well, to Europe and the Middle East anyway).
The story follows Chris, a cryptobotanist, and Luke, the hapless priest she drags into her mission. With a few starting advantages, they race against the big corporation's cronies to locate and get to the Tree of Life first. I would have been more sceptical about their ability to even come close to competing with the corporation if it weren't for the fact that Chris and Luke generally took different paths and different approaches (and to some extent were lucky). After three intercontinental flights I was pretty sceptical about their finances, however...
The Other Tree was a mostly entertaining read with quite a bit of humour thrown in throughout. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it a comedy, but it was definitely light hearted most of the time (basically, apart from the bits with high body counts or weird creatures trying to eat the protagonists). As an adventure tale, I thought it dragged a bit in the second half. They got pretty close to their goal not far past the half-way mark — which made me sceptical about how the climax would play out, but the climax climaxed as it should — and then a lot of words were spent getting from just outside Eden to the inner part where the climax happened. I suspect it didn't help that there were fewer jokes (because there was more almost dying) in the latter half also. I wouldn't go quite so far as to say it was boring, but the writing could have been tighter.
I was also half-expecting Luke to have some kind of mysterious secret — since there was a definite mysterious past vibe about him — and maybe turn out to be a vampire or something vaguely supernatural. (Especially after a bit implying that the power had a tendency to flicker in his presence, but maybe I misinterpreted that.) Alas the only supernatural things that made an appearance were plants and animals. And sort of Eden, but Eden turned out to be really damned weird.
While I enjoyed reading about Chris and Luke I wasn't that attached to the premise. I suspect that's why I didn't like that so many words were given over to the goal (or well, the bits close to the goal) and I think it's similar to my dislike of angel books, ie personal preference. I thought the best bits were Chris and Luke's banter and random high jinks along the way. There were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. Also, Mok's approach to some of the players on the corporation side was refreshing and somewhat plausible, especially in the case of Emir, the most important fleshed-out lackey.
I should also mention the setting. Chris and Luke are based in Australia and, although there's a significant amount of travel, there's also a significant amount of Australian setting. The Australian locations are all fictional and yet feel very familiar. I always enjoy reading Aussie settings and, despite its fictitiousness, The Other Tree did not disappoint in that department.
I would recommend The Other Tree to fans of contemporary-set fantasy looking for something different to most urban fantasy or paranormal romance books. At it's heart it's an adventure story, following two adventuring laypeople in their quest to find the Tree of Life (or, well, on their quest to find out what happened to Chris's mother and also to see what happens next). A fairly enjoyable read.
3.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
The story follows Chris, a cryptobotanist, and Luke, the hapless priest she drags into her mission. With a few starting advantages, they race against the big corporation's cronies to locate and get to the Tree of Life first. I would have been more sceptical about their ability to even come close to competing with the corporation if it weren't for the fact that Chris and Luke generally took different paths and different approaches (and to some extent were lucky). After three intercontinental flights I was pretty sceptical about their finances, however...
The Other Tree was a mostly entertaining read with quite a bit of humour thrown in throughout. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it a comedy, but it was definitely light hearted most of the time (basically, apart from the bits with high body counts or weird creatures trying to eat the protagonists). As an adventure tale, I thought it dragged a bit in the second half. They got pretty close to their goal not far past the half-way mark — which made me sceptical about how the climax would play out, but the climax climaxed as it should — and then a lot of words were spent getting from just outside Eden to the inner part where the climax happened. I suspect it didn't help that there were fewer jokes (because there was more almost dying) in the latter half also. I wouldn't go quite so far as to say it was boring, but the writing could have been tighter.
I was also half-expecting Luke to have some kind of mysterious secret — since there was a definite mysterious past vibe about him — and maybe turn out to be a vampire or something vaguely supernatural. (Especially after a bit implying that the power had a tendency to flicker in his presence, but maybe I misinterpreted that.) Alas the only supernatural things that made an appearance were plants and animals. And sort of Eden, but Eden turned out to be really damned weird.
While I enjoyed reading about Chris and Luke I wasn't that attached to the premise. I suspect that's why I didn't like that so many words were given over to the goal (or well, the bits close to the goal) and I think it's similar to my dislike of angel books, ie personal preference. I thought the best bits were Chris and Luke's banter and random high jinks along the way. There were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. Also, Mok's approach to some of the players on the corporation side was refreshing and somewhat plausible, especially in the case of Emir, the most important fleshed-out lackey.
I should also mention the setting. Chris and Luke are based in Australia and, although there's a significant amount of travel, there's also a significant amount of Australian setting. The Australian locations are all fictional and yet feel very familiar. I always enjoy reading Aussie settings and, despite its fictitiousness, The Other Tree did not disappoint in that department.
I would recommend The Other Tree to fans of contemporary-set fantasy looking for something different to most urban fantasy or paranormal romance books. At it's heart it's an adventure story, following two adventuring laypeople in their quest to find the Tree of Life (or, well, on their quest to find out what happened to Chris's mother and also to see what happens next). A fairly enjoyable read.
3.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
More...