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A coworker told me he was judging me so hard for reading Nora Roberts, but I just told him to judge away. I've read a couple of Nora Roberts romantic suspense books in my day, as well as a chunk of the J.D. Robb In Death series, and I've always found Roberts to be quite a good writer. I don't commit to reading all of her books because a) I'm just not that into romance anymore (although I would like to go back and finish In Death one day) and b) she writes so much I'd never have time for anyone else, it feels like. But if I see something of hers where the description catches my attention, I'll be happy to read it.
Insert Year One. It sounded like it was going to be different from the average dystopia, and boy was it. This thing was compulsively readable from the very first page. Even though the characters from the first chapter don't really play an on-page role in the rest of the book, she developed their characters so quickly and so well that the reader is already invested in them when they become the first victims of the plague that wipes out humanity. There are several stages in the book, from the characters learning to survive to learning to live again to the last part that I won't give away, and each one is equally engaging and I was sad for each part to end. I gather that this book is the first in a trilogy, but I think it could have been lengthened into a trilogy itself! Such a perfect combination of characterization and plot, with characters both relatable and hateable and a continually surprising narrative that is a strange mixture of adventure/suspense, fantasy, and science fiction. One word I use incredibly rarely in a review is cinematic, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it here - plot, characters, descriptions... I could totally see this on the big screen. It was certainly playing on the screen in my mind. I'm not entirely sure about the direction it seems like the second book will be going in (perhaps more fantasy), largely because I just didn't get enough of the content of this one (the dystopian sci fi). Still, can't wait!
Be warned that this is not your mom's Nora Roberts - lots of dark themes, language, and violence. But if that doesn't worry you, I highly, highly recommend it.
Insert Year One. It sounded like it was going to be different from the average dystopia, and boy was it. This thing was compulsively readable from the very first page. Even though the characters from the first chapter don't really play an on-page role in the rest of the book, she developed their characters so quickly and so well that the reader is already invested in them when they become the first victims of the plague that wipes out humanity. There are several stages in the book, from the characters learning to survive to learning to live again to the last part that I won't give away, and each one is equally engaging and I was sad for each part to end. I gather that this book is the first in a trilogy, but I think it could have been lengthened into a trilogy itself! Such a perfect combination of characterization and plot, with characters both relatable and hateable and a continually surprising narrative that is a strange mixture of adventure/suspense, fantasy, and science fiction. One word I use incredibly rarely in a review is cinematic, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it here - plot, characters, descriptions... I could totally see this on the big screen. It was certainly playing on the screen in my mind. I'm not entirely sure about the direction it seems like the second book will be going in (perhaps more fantasy), largely because I just didn't get enough of the content of this one (the dystopian sci fi). Still, can't wait!
Be warned that this is not your mom's Nora Roberts - lots of dark themes, language, and violence. But if that doesn't worry you, I highly, highly recommend it.