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A review by imogen_
Generation One by Pittacus Lore
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
In Generation One, Pittacus Lore has done it again. Continuing from where his Lorien Legacies left off after the invasion, Generation One follows six humans as they develop legacies, are taken from their homes and start schooling in a specialised academy.
Now, you don't need to have read the Lorien Legacies to enjoy this book. It's been so long since I forgot many of the events in the last novel of the series United As One, nor have I read The Lost Files. Some of the events are referred to, and there are appearances from characters of the other series, so it may increase your enjoyment. But Generation One outlines enough that you can keep up.
I love this story and the universe Lore has created so much that it's hard to explain why. The characters are complex and loveable, and it's got a good heroic story that often puts you on edge. You can feel the characters being pushed to the limits. It's a classic superhero feeling. But Generation One, especially, doesn't paint the world in a righteous black and white. At points, it asks you to question whether the 'good guys' are actually good. Are they acting from a place of control and exploitation? Following multiple characters, you can understand their motivation to fight. Seeing battles through their eyes shows you their discomfort with the brutality of the fight and what keeps them going. The book was captivating as a whole, though it was a bit of a rough start for me.
As we know, at the beginning of a story, there is a lot of ground to cover to set the scene. With six characters spread across the globe, I felt lost for the first few chapters of Generation One. Jumping from perspective to perspective every chapter, without any connection between them, made it a bit hard to follow. By about eighty pages in, I was convinced there were at least ten main characters we were going to follow. I had to continue flicking back and forth between chapters, trying to connect names to events so that I could keep everything straight in my head. It made me reminiscent of the different fonts used for different character perspectives, which Lore has used before to help keep track. Let's say I was glad when everyone came together.
I don't like recommending books; I think vibe goes a long way in whether someone enjoys a novel or show. But Pittacus Lore has always been in my top recommendations if you like action and sci-fi. Generation One doesn't change that. You might need a bit of patience while the story is set up, but once it gets going, man, it's exciting. I'm looking forward to reading the next books in the series and might even have to go back to reread Lorien Legacies.
Now, you don't need to have read the Lorien Legacies to enjoy this book. It's been so long since I forgot many of the events in the last novel of the series United As One, nor have I read The Lost Files. Some of the events are referred to, and there are appearances from characters of the other series, so it may increase your enjoyment. But Generation One outlines enough that you can keep up.
I love this story and the universe Lore has created so much that it's hard to explain why. The characters are complex and loveable, and it's got a good heroic story that often puts you on edge. You can feel the characters being pushed to the limits. It's a classic superhero feeling. But Generation One, especially, doesn't paint the world in a righteous black and white. At points, it asks you to question whether the 'good guys' are actually good. Are they acting from a place of control and exploitation? Following multiple characters, you can understand their motivation to fight. Seeing battles through their eyes shows you their discomfort with the brutality of the fight and what keeps them going. The book was captivating as a whole, though it was a bit of a rough start for me.
As we know, at the beginning of a story, there is a lot of ground to cover to set the scene. With six characters spread across the globe, I felt lost for the first few chapters of Generation One. Jumping from perspective to perspective every chapter, without any connection between them, made it a bit hard to follow. By about eighty pages in, I was convinced there were at least ten main characters we were going to follow. I had to continue flicking back and forth between chapters, trying to connect names to events so that I could keep everything straight in my head. It made me reminiscent of the different fonts used for different character perspectives, which Lore has used before to help keep track. Let's say I was glad when everyone came together.
I don't like recommending books; I think vibe goes a long way in whether someone enjoys a novel or show. But Pittacus Lore has always been in my top recommendations if you like action and sci-fi. Generation One doesn't change that. You might need a bit of patience while the story is set up, but once it gets going, man, it's exciting. I'm looking forward to reading the next books in the series and might even have to go back to reread Lorien Legacies.