mars-misc

[mars-misc]

Review: Partials Series by Dan Wells

Hello, everyone! (Salwa, aerkhastisnau!) - Target Audience: Teens & YA - Genre: Science Fiction - One-Sentence Summary: A girl named Kira wants to save humans from a disease and goes on an adventure enlisting the help of Partials (bio-engineered machines) along the way. The Partials series was a series I read when I was young, but have enjoyed it even now. I go back and reread it every once in a while when I feel like delving into that interesting world again where humans and partials are struggling in a post-apocalyptic world. However, as I have gotten older, I do see the strangeness of a 16-17 year old doing all that she has done. I will not spoil it but certain dialogue and the fact that she does things throughout the 3 books that none of the adults and smartest people in the surviving world have managed to do, does stick out to me as silly. But! It is easy to forget that she is her age and just think of her as an adult. So, I found that I can still enjoy it even now and here are some reasons why.

Character development is good. She changed throughout the books and doesn't remain static. Same with the other secondary characters.

Interesting concept of super-soldiers. This is probably the reason why I like it so much. The Partials, being what they are, are pretty cool! They look human but are grown in vats, have a link-system that connects them through breathing, command and rank is built in which can lead to problems because they are literally made not to be able to disobey orders from superiors, and they have the typical super strength, speed, senses; and highly intelligent. They are also built in batches of different models, making each model have a different specialty. From infantry, officers, generals, espionage, drivers, pilots, and etc. They are loosely a hive-mind concept and were treated before the fall like property of the US. Pretty awesome! I found myself wishing that we could delve into them more, see what its like in their "society" during the apocalypse. Just any bit more of information! However, the author did what was good for the books as if we went and dragged it out by showing all the bits about the Partials then it would mess with the flow of the story, probably. But, I want another novella that is set during the present time of the series, Wells!!

The story seems simple, girl finds cure. Incorrect. The 3 books are nicely put together and the cure thing is just a means to get to the real goal, coexistence. The books have ups and downs and inner plots and big plots. Overall, I enjoyed the flow of the story. The first book, I do warn is kind of slow during the first half, but after that the books keep up a good pace and add in little things that you don't see coming. I have a couple smalls mysteries though that I need answers to, Wells! Was it Skinny or Scruffy??? And what was up with the Partial that ran over to them and said something while they were high-tailing it to the bridge???? If I remember correctly, he didn't get to finish what he said or explain why he seemed to be almost friendly to the group.

Con, I did notice that some other reviews mentioned that the last book felt rushed near the end and I do have to agree with them. It has been a bit since I read it, honestly, but I do recall feeling like something was amiss. Like he was trying to wrap it all up and get it all finished and out. He might've been tired of the series and writing it or so. However, it wasn't horrible and totally fine for an ending. Do I wish there was more to read? You bet I wish!! What reader that enjoys a book's world wants to see it end? Anyone that said "yes", are you crazy?! Just kidding, just kidding!.....There better not be anyone that said "Yes". :P

Lastly, this book is pretty friendly towards young people and those who don't want crudeness and a lot of cussing.

As always, if this piqued your interest.... Go try the book out and come back and let me know what you thought! If anyone found something interesting or figured something out in the story, I'd love to read what you found.

Fahl!

#books #book review #book recommendations #dan wells #Partials #Partials Sequence #Book series #science fiction #scifi #dystopia #post apocalypse

[mars-misc]

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

Hello, everyone! (Salwa, aerkhastis!)

If you are looking for a book that mixes history and fantasy, try this one!! You will have plenty to read with 9 books in the series!

From what you've probably gathered and why you might've clicked on this book review is that this book is a historical fantasy fiction about a world set during the time of Napoleonic wars. I am not usually one for historical fiction but this one involved dragons, so I decided to give it a try. I will not spoil it beyond what you would be able to gather from the summary, so here is a small bit of what's going on. Our main character, Laurence, is a captain of a British naval vessel when he captures a French ship that has a little surprise for him; a dragon egg. Ready to hatch before they can make it to shore, someone must be its chosen rider (a created bond between dragon and human). This dragon, as you might of guessed, chooses Laurence. This tears him away from his life and into the less known life of an Aerial Corp officer. I enjoyed learning about the little things of the Aerial Corp that make it more like a secret society than a branch in the military. If I had a choice, I would definitely choose it over the more prestigious branches! There is something about it as you will learn that just makes it worth its downsides.

The book in general, I was very pleased with! I found myself sitting for hours and not wanting to put it down or for it to end. I enjoyed the relationship built between the two main characters. It was wholesome and would put a smile on someone's face. The relationships between riders and dragons is something neat in this book. You see.... the dragons have different levels of intelligence, with some being highly intelligent on level of a human or better while others are hardly able to string a proper sentence together. And yes, if you caught that last little bit -- the dragons can talk.

Don't let talking dragons discourage you from reading! It adds to the quality of the book rather than detracts! One of my concerns was that dragon genre is more childish but I was wrong, this book is definitely catering towards young adults between the 16-35. I would say. You can enjoy it and the writing is well-done as the writer took in how people act and speak back in those days. You might find yourself thinking like they speak after reading it for a good few hours! haha

So, if your worried about it being childish, dispel that thought!

A couple more pros of her writing was it did not get vulgar, a few words might be used, but it was not filled with cussing throughout the pages. The same with any crude scenes, the author does not go into writing crude scenes in this book. There is a night in the book, but it simply connotes what happened discretely. You just understand, like a movie that has two people go into a bedroom and then the door shuts and it cuts to morning. It was something I appreciated because I am not interested in reading crude scenes.

If you don't want crude scenes, you won't have them in this book!

I'm pretty sure I shed tears at some point in this book, I can't remember what scene it was though I know a scene near the end hit pretty hard if you thought about it. (I'll put it at the very bottom if you are interested in knowing it. It won't actually ruin anything in the story. So, its not a huge spoiler.) The book creates this huge bond and it pretty much ties everything together throughout the books. You are tied to the series because here is a bond that you know if something happens to it, it is devastating. And it hits you with this knowledge of how hard must it be to go into a battle or into a war, out of duty and the need to protect your homeland... knowing that you are flying into with a brother or sister, practically.

"Sometimes, the most unexpected frienships are the ones that last a lifetime." - Naomi Novik, "His Majesty's Dragon. (Found on bookey.app.)

Be ready to be invested in a relationship that'll keep you worried about the future of both characters as you read the series.

I don't know how to sum up writing that did really well at keeping me entertained even with much less action than I am typically used to in fantasy and science fiction genres. The point is, it was very good! I want to be able to write like she does where even when parts are long, it is good, and her ability to write in a historical setting and world.

The book is good, but don't take it from me! Go read it and come back and let me know what you thought!

If you are worried about price, don't be. The book is a good price on Amazon. And definitely go for the blue and white cover!!! It's beautiful and as you buy the series, you'll create a picture by putting them in order together. I just wanted to recommend that in case someone does decide to give it a try.

"The world may be a chaotic place, but it is still up to us to make it a better one." - Naomi Novik, "His Majesty's Dragon. (Found on bookey.app.)

Have a happy day and enjoy the miscellaneous! See you next time!

Mars Misc.

(Spoiler spoken about is below.)

________

SPOILER: ||A totally unnamed soldier on the French side had his dragon sprayed in the face with acid. Instead of abandoning like his crew, he stayed, climbed up the neck, put his friend out of his misery, and died with him. They plummeted into the ocean. It really shows the bond that these dragons and riders make that exists on both sides of the war.||

#books #book review #temeraire #his majesty's dragon #naomi novik #book recommendations