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yoshiluvstoread's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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
5.0
farmerkristyn's review
3.0
A worthwhile addition to the Overwatch lore and universe. I would die for Efi Oladele. Orisa is so gosh darn cute. Lucio was a little cringey but he's my main so I must excuse him.
I would recommend this book to any Overwatch fan. :)
I would recommend this book to any Overwatch fan. :)
mrz_owenz's review against another edition
4.0
This is a delightful read about a girl and the decommissioned and damaged police robot she's determined to turn into a hero for her city. The story is set in a fictional, futuristic city in Nigeria in the world of the Overwatch video game. Initially, Efi just wants to makes robots that help people with chores or small normal tasks. But after witnessing a terrorist attack extremely close up, she decides to build an AI protector that will keep people physically safe from super-villain level danger. I really enjoyed the cultural richness that Drayden added to the city and the people of Numbani. The MC is a genius 11 year old that even while she's trying to train her robot to protect the citizens of her city, still has to be home in time for Sunday dinner. Her two friends are realistic but still gifted teenagers. Despite the focus on a pre-teen girl in a made up world, Draydon manages to weave in nuanced critiques of modern police practices, corporate greed, as well as thoughtful reflections of potential repercussions of living through violent and traumatic events.
hidekisohma's review against another edition
3.0
So....finally got around to reading an overwatch novel. i tend to read novels based on the lore of games i play (warcraft, old republic, hitman, mass effect, etc) and i wanted to give this one a shot as i actually do like Orisa. However, that's the problem with this book. it's not really about Orisa.
Legit, she doesn't even show up until EXACTLY 50% of the way through the novel. and even when she does, she's not the focus of the story. the focus instead, is on this genius preteen inventor named Efi. and honestly, i couldn't have cared less.
I'm not here for a book about Efi and her friend/family drama. i'm here for Orisa. I know this is an origin story but Jesus Huffington Christ does this story take a long time to get anywhere. I feel like, with this story, they could have just had 1-2 chapters of Efi and her background, and then activate Orisa and have the story basically just be about her learning stuff and then joining overwatch. I cared ZERO percent about Efi's friends getting mad at her, or her parents being upset at her spending so much time making robots instead of normal girl stuff. I know it's a very hard concept for this author to grasp, but i ONLY CARE ABOUT THE GAME CHARACTERS. i want to know about Orisa. I want to hear about her struggles fitting into Overwatch. i DO NOT GIVE A SINGLE CRAP about Efi's love of Lucio and her weird obsession with this food called "puff puffs". If you wanted to make a book about a little girl who makes robots on the side and it's a story about human personal growth, FINE..but don't write an Overwatch book. write your own.
This book felt like it took WAY longer than it should have. for a YA book, it took me TWO WEEKS and that's a long time for a YA novel for me. It just felt like this book wouldn't die.
Orisa's a fine character, and the last 20 pages are pretty cool, but that's the problem. it's THE LAST 20 PAGES. 280 pages of this book are dedicated to Efi feeling bad and having family issues and I just didn't give a single crap about that.
Considering all the overwatch characters, only 3 are actually featured. instead watch out for... Dayo and Naade. yeah. characters i really want to invest my time in. how did you know my favorite overwatch character was... some random kid named Sam?
An origin story of Orisa is a good idea. unfortunately we got an origin story on Efi. and....that's not what we needed.
The book felt really slow, even though the wording itself read very easy. It was just the subject matter i had no interest in. I wish this had been a book about Orisa, but sadly, it wasn't. I REALLY wanted to like it, but i just couldn't. it wasn't good, it wasn't bad, it was just...not an overwatch book. I hope the one about Ashe and McCree is better.
Overall, 2.5/5 rounded up to a 3.
Legit, she doesn't even show up until EXACTLY 50% of the way through the novel. and even when she does, she's not the focus of the story. the focus instead, is on this genius preteen inventor named Efi. and honestly, i couldn't have cared less.
I'm not here for a book about Efi and her friend/family drama. i'm here for Orisa. I know this is an origin story but Jesus Huffington Christ does this story take a long time to get anywhere. I feel like, with this story, they could have just had 1-2 chapters of Efi and her background, and then activate Orisa and have the story basically just be about her learning stuff and then joining overwatch. I cared ZERO percent about Efi's friends getting mad at her, or her parents being upset at her spending so much time making robots instead of normal girl stuff. I know it's a very hard concept for this author to grasp, but i ONLY CARE ABOUT THE GAME CHARACTERS. i want to know about Orisa. I want to hear about her struggles fitting into Overwatch. i DO NOT GIVE A SINGLE CRAP about Efi's love of Lucio and her weird obsession with this food called "puff puffs". If you wanted to make a book about a little girl who makes robots on the side and it's a story about human personal growth, FINE..but don't write an Overwatch book. write your own.
This book felt like it took WAY longer than it should have. for a YA book, it took me TWO WEEKS and that's a long time for a YA novel for me. It just felt like this book wouldn't die.
Orisa's a fine character, and the last 20 pages are pretty cool, but that's the problem. it's THE LAST 20 PAGES. 280 pages of this book are dedicated to Efi feeling bad and having family issues and I just didn't give a single crap about that.
Considering all the overwatch characters, only 3 are actually featured. instead watch out for... Dayo and Naade. yeah. characters i really want to invest my time in. how did you know my favorite overwatch character was... some random kid named Sam?
An origin story of Orisa is a good idea. unfortunately we got an origin story on Efi. and....that's not what we needed.
The book felt really slow, even though the wording itself read very easy. It was just the subject matter i had no interest in. I wish this had been a book about Orisa, but sadly, it wasn't. I REALLY wanted to like it, but i just couldn't. it wasn't good, it wasn't bad, it was just...not an overwatch book. I hope the one about Ashe and McCree is better.
Overall, 2.5/5 rounded up to a 3.
rebelbelle13's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to like this more than I did. My kids recently got me into playing Overwatch, and I was interested in the lore behind the origin of the characters. I stumbled upon this book in a store without knowing it existed and immediately purchased it and dove in. I loved the representation of African culture (specifically Nigerian) because it's a space of the world I'm completely unfamiliar with. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the clothing, food and everyday interactions Efi had with her family, friends, and at school. I liked the inclusion of Lucio and Doomfist and their abilities (which lined up very well with the game). The origin story of Orisa made sense within the context of the story and the ability of the builder.
The downside here is that it took SO LONG for the story to get started. Orisa isn't even a character until more than halfway through the story, and the most interesting chapter was within the last 20 pages. The author was so focused on the setting, culture and setup that they forgot that it was supposed to be about Overwatch characters. The three already mentioned are the only players here- there are a few that get a mention or two, but we don't ever see them. I wish there were more action/fight scenes and less scenes about Efi's friends being offended and her mother clutching her pearls.
Overall, it was an okay story, slow to get going, but a good start for Orisa, and I'd love to see more.
The downside here is that it took SO LONG for the story to get started. Orisa isn't even a character until more than halfway through the story, and the most interesting chapter was within the last 20 pages. The author was so focused on the setting, culture and setup that they forgot that it was supposed to be about Overwatch characters. The three already mentioned are the only players here- there are a few that get a mention or two, but we don't ever see them. I wish there were more action/fight scenes and less scenes about Efi's friends being offended and her mother clutching her pearls.
Overall, it was an okay story, slow to get going, but a good start for Orisa, and I'd love to see more.
afro8921's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. It’s the right mix sci for and Nigerian culture. The main character is a twelve year old girl who is a brilliant robotocist tasked with building a robot that will stop the dreaded doomfist from rising to power. I loved the adventure and the realistic friendships in the story. Perfect for fans of Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor.
mgmiddlebrooks's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
wilshires1's review against another edition
5.0
This is such a cute story. I’m 34, so I was worried it would be too “teen” for me, but it was just right. Orisa is my main tank, and she’s an awesome Overwatch character in general. Being able to read her dialogue and see her emotes in my mind while reading was a real treat that made me smile many times.
littleredh00ds's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Very sweet and endearing! I don’t think I am the target audience but I appreciated the narrative and learning more about the lore of Overwatch!