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Coin #2
Quantum Coin
Ephraim thought his universe-hopping days were over. He's done wishing for magic solutions to his problems; his quantum coin has been powerless for almost a year, and he's settled into a normal life with his girlfriend, Jena. But then an old friend crashes their senior prom: Jena's identical twin from a parallel world, Zoe.
Zoe's timing couldn't be worse. It turns out that Ephraim's problems have just begun, and they're much more complicated than his love life: The multiverse is at stake—and it might just be Ephraim's fault.
Ephraim, Jena, and Zoe embark on a mission across multiple worlds to learn what's going wrong and how to stop it. They will have to draw on every resource available and trust in alternate versions of themselves and their friends, before it's too late for all of them.
If Ephraim and his companions can put their many differences aside and learn to work together, they might have a chance to save the multiverse. But ultimately, the solution may depend on how much they're willing to sacrifice for the sake of humanity...and each other.
Zoe's timing couldn't be worse. It turns out that Ephraim's problems have just begun, and they're much more complicated than his love life: The multiverse is at stake—and it might just be Ephraim's fault.
Ephraim, Jena, and Zoe embark on a mission across multiple worlds to learn what's going wrong and how to stop it. They will have to draw on every resource available and trust in alternate versions of themselves and their friends, before it's too late for all of them.
If Ephraim and his companions can put their many differences aside and learn to work together, they might have a chance to save the multiverse. But ultimately, the solution may depend on how much they're willing to sacrifice for the sake of humanity...and each other.
340 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
11 people are currently reading
675 people want to read
About the author
E.C. Myers
108 books404 followersE.C. Myers was assembled in the U.S. from Korean and German parts and raised in Yonkers, NY by his mother and the public library. He is a graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop and a member of the prolific NYC writing group Altered Fluid. In the rare moments when he isn't writing, he blogs about Star Trek at The Viewscreen, reads constantly, plays video games, watches films and television, sleeps as little as possible, and spends far too much time on the internet. His first novel, FAIR COIN, won the 2012 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy.
WATTPAD: http://www.wattpad.com/user/ecmyers
WATTPAD: http://www.wattpad.com/user/ecmyers
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
October 25, 2012
If you're having girl troubles I feel bad for you son... you got 99 parallel universes and a girlfriend in every one.
Quantum Coin is the follow up to Fair Coin, which was a fun YA romp about a geeky kid named Ephraim Scott who discovers a quarter in his locker that lets him jump into parallel universes. And in some of them, Jena Kim, the girl of his dreams, actually likes him.
The sci-fi twist is that in a more futuristic version of their world, Jena, Ephraim and his best friend Nathan are reality-hopping explorers. The 'quarter' that Ephraim discovers is actually one half of a device keyed specifically to his biometrics that allows them to universe-hop.
But the three teens encounter alternate versions of themselves called 'analogs' in almost every universe they visit, and trouble starts when one of the Nathans turns out to be a psychopath who strands Ephraim in a terrifying alternate-reality.
But by the end of Fair Coin Ephraim gets the girl (in this case a hard-edged 'analog' of Jena Kim named Zoe Kim), thwarts Evil Nathan, and returns to his home reality. The coin's power is used up and all seems to be restored to normal.
Quantum Coin picks up a year later. Ephraim is now dating the Jena Kim from his own reality and everything seems peachy. Until Zoe Kim shows up, having escaped from her own parallel universe, to tell Ephraim that things are falling apart and the Multiverse itself is at stake!
Yes, really.
Something is causing the fabric of the parallel universes to unravel and Ephraim and Zoe, with Jena tagging along, need to figure out what.
High-schoolers saving the very existence of the universe may seem a little bit cheesy, and it is, but this ludicrous plot-line is more than made up for by the joys of watching Ephraim squirm while jealous alternate-reality versions of his girlfriend fight over him. Although sexual tension abounds and all the characters are constantly talking about sex, no one ever actually does the deed.
Often when sci-fi stories feature teenagers, their personal dramas are groan inducing while the plot is fascinating. In Quantum Coin, it's the other way around. Author E.C. Myers draws vivid characters who relate to each other in realistic ways. He also makes their analogs believable. It's interesting meeting Ephraims, Jenas and Nathans who differ in dramatic yet plausible ways thanks to their experiences in their own universes.
But Quantum Coin has a much more sci-fi driven plot than its prequel, and here's where it stumbles. Ephraim and his friends are called on to help their older, reality-traveling analogs put the multiverse back to rights when things start going haywire. While the rules of universe-hopping were spelled out pretty clearly in the first book, in this one those rules pretty much go out the window. There are multiple controllers for changing realities and sometimes you don't even need one, and the more the mechanics of the Myers' multiverse are explained the less they make sense.
This book also suffers from a lack of a strong central villain like the first one had. There isn't really a villain in Quantum Coin, just some occasionally misguided people who are trying, along with the reader, to figure out what the heck is happening.
It will ultimately come down to a choice for Ephraim: what version of his girlfriend does he really want to be with, and what version of himself does he want to be? This is a much more compelling story than the highly dubious multiverse plot. Fortunately the author realizes that by the end, and brings the focus back to where it should be: on Ephraim, Nathan, and Jena/Zoe.
Worth reading, but definitely pick up Fair Coin first.
Quantum Coin is the follow up to Fair Coin, which was a fun YA romp about a geeky kid named Ephraim Scott who discovers a quarter in his locker that lets him jump into parallel universes. And in some of them, Jena Kim, the girl of his dreams, actually likes him.
The sci-fi twist is that in a more futuristic version of their world, Jena, Ephraim and his best friend Nathan are reality-hopping explorers. The 'quarter' that Ephraim discovers is actually one half of a device keyed specifically to his biometrics that allows them to universe-hop.
But the three teens encounter alternate versions of themselves called 'analogs' in almost every universe they visit, and trouble starts when one of the Nathans turns out to be a psychopath who strands Ephraim in a terrifying alternate-reality.
But by the end of Fair Coin Ephraim gets the girl (in this case a hard-edged 'analog' of Jena Kim named Zoe Kim), thwarts Evil Nathan, and returns to his home reality. The coin's power is used up and all seems to be restored to normal.
Quantum Coin picks up a year later. Ephraim is now dating the Jena Kim from his own reality and everything seems peachy. Until Zoe Kim shows up, having escaped from her own parallel universe, to tell Ephraim that things are falling apart and the Multiverse itself is at stake!
Yes, really.
Something is causing the fabric of the parallel universes to unravel and Ephraim and Zoe, with Jena tagging along, need to figure out what.
High-schoolers saving the very existence of the universe may seem a little bit cheesy, and it is, but this ludicrous plot-line is more than made up for by the joys of watching Ephraim squirm while jealous alternate-reality versions of his girlfriend fight over him. Although sexual tension abounds and all the characters are constantly talking about sex, no one ever actually does the deed.
Often when sci-fi stories feature teenagers, their personal dramas are groan inducing while the plot is fascinating. In Quantum Coin, it's the other way around. Author E.C. Myers draws vivid characters who relate to each other in realistic ways. He also makes their analogs believable. It's interesting meeting Ephraims, Jenas and Nathans who differ in dramatic yet plausible ways thanks to their experiences in their own universes.
But Quantum Coin has a much more sci-fi driven plot than its prequel, and here's where it stumbles. Ephraim and his friends are called on to help their older, reality-traveling analogs put the multiverse back to rights when things start going haywire. While the rules of universe-hopping were spelled out pretty clearly in the first book, in this one those rules pretty much go out the window. There are multiple controllers for changing realities and sometimes you don't even need one, and the more the mechanics of the Myers' multiverse are explained the less they make sense.
This book also suffers from a lack of a strong central villain like the first one had. There isn't really a villain in Quantum Coin, just some occasionally misguided people who are trying, along with the reader, to figure out what the heck is happening.
It will ultimately come down to a choice for Ephraim: what version of his girlfriend does he really want to be with, and what version of himself does he want to be? This is a much more compelling story than the highly dubious multiverse plot. Fortunately the author realizes that by the end, and brings the focus back to where it should be: on Ephraim, Nathan, and Jena/Zoe.
Worth reading, but definitely pick up Fair Coin first.
February 5, 2019
“We're deciding the fate of the multiverse with a flip of a coin. Heads or tails, doc. If that isn't a game, I don't know what is.”
I think maybe it'd just been too long since I'd read book 1. I just didn't find myself really enjoying this one.
The cast of characters felt big and I never really remembered who had what role. I didn't find much adventure in the story, like I'd hoped, but again, I think a lot of this had to do with the amount of years since I'd read the first one and just no longer having a tie or story to pull together. I will definitely keep this one and read book 1 and then this one again and see if I enjoyed it more.
I think maybe it'd just been too long since I'd read book 1. I just didn't find myself really enjoying this one.
The cast of characters felt big and I never really remembered who had what role. I didn't find much adventure in the story, like I'd hoped, but again, I think a lot of this had to do with the amount of years since I'd read the first one and just no longer having a tie or story to pull together. I will definitely keep this one and read book 1 and then this one again and see if I enjoyed it more.
November 30, 2012
This triumphant follow-up to Fair Coin has the advantage of having a clear genre from the get-go. While the previous book suddenly revealed a hidden premise, this one can skip some of that world-building and head straight to the good stuff. It makes for a more even read overall.
The logistics involved get pretty complex, as might be expected from a book featuring alternate universes. I suspect I might be able to poke some holes if I tried--but there's never any point at which I wished to try. Excellent pacing sweeps the story along, even if some of the explanations get a little complex.
The real joy here is the characters. Given that there are multiple versions of almost everyone running around, Myers makes the most of the opportunity to play with the idea of might-have-been and whether any individual is actually replaceable. YA often features the endless love triangle--here, the concept is freshened up by the fact that the two people Ephraim must choose between are essentially different versions of the same person. Even more entertaining, the different time speeds between some of the universes means that there are also older versions of each of them running around, with their own attractions and loves. Love decahedrons are completely plausible when people find they have a chance to start over on failed romances with other versions of their old flames. Watching the shifting alliances, crushes, and rivalries between several versions each of Ephraim and his friends is one of the best parts of the book.
The tiny twists of humor scattered throughout, mostly in dialogue, also keep the prose crackling. Each character has his or her own unique sense of humor, so there's probably something here that will appeal to nearly everyone, whether your taste runs to geeky references, double-entendres, self-deprecation, or bad puns.
Fair Coin ended fairly, but in a way I found somewhat unsatisfying. The developments in Quantum Coin fully lay my initial objections to rest--enough of the questions are answered and emotions are sorted out that the ending is thoroughly satisfying, even if not every single thread is tied up. It's well worth the read.
Disclaimer: the author is a friend of mine.
The logistics involved get pretty complex, as might be expected from a book featuring alternate universes. I suspect I might be able to poke some holes if I tried--but there's never any point at which I wished to try. Excellent pacing sweeps the story along, even if some of the explanations get a little complex.
The real joy here is the characters. Given that there are multiple versions of almost everyone running around, Myers makes the most of the opportunity to play with the idea of might-have-been and whether any individual is actually replaceable. YA often features the endless love triangle--here, the concept is freshened up by the fact that the two people Ephraim must choose between are essentially different versions of the same person. Even more entertaining, the different time speeds between some of the universes means that there are also older versions of each of them running around, with their own attractions and loves. Love decahedrons are completely plausible when people find they have a chance to start over on failed romances with other versions of their old flames. Watching the shifting alliances, crushes, and rivalries between several versions each of Ephraim and his friends is one of the best parts of the book.
The tiny twists of humor scattered throughout, mostly in dialogue, also keep the prose crackling. Each character has his or her own unique sense of humor, so there's probably something here that will appeal to nearly everyone, whether your taste runs to geeky references, double-entendres, self-deprecation, or bad puns.
Fair Coin ended fairly, but in a way I found somewhat unsatisfying. The developments in Quantum Coin fully lay my initial objections to rest--enough of the questions are answered and emotions are sorted out that the ending is thoroughly satisfying, even if not every single thread is tied up. It's well worth the read.
Disclaimer: the author is a friend of mine.
Want to read
April 3, 2012*taps foot impatiently*
December 11, 2012
Read the full review at www.appraisingpages.com
This sequel takes the story to the next level quite literally. Ephraim thinks his experiences in the multiverse are over now that he’s back in his home universe and the controller dismantled (or so he thinks) but a new adventure is just beginning. It can be so hard for sequels to live up to their originals but Myers keeps his original idea of the fascinating multiverse and created a new adventure for them.
I love the complex and layered story Myers crafted for this sequel and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first book. The only thing I found myself wishing for was a little more depth to the new characters he introduced. The “villain” had a very heartbreaking story that could’ve used a little more page time in my opinion, even if it was only a conversation or two exploring those parts of his or her past. If anything I would’ve made the book a little longer or made it into two books so that I could have this great story AND a little more quality time with the characters.
This sequel takes the story to the next level quite literally. Ephraim thinks his experiences in the multiverse are over now that he’s back in his home universe and the controller dismantled (or so he thinks) but a new adventure is just beginning. It can be so hard for sequels to live up to their originals but Myers keeps his original idea of the fascinating multiverse and created a new adventure for them.
I love the complex and layered story Myers crafted for this sequel and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first book. The only thing I found myself wishing for was a little more depth to the new characters he introduced. The “villain” had a very heartbreaking story that could’ve used a little more page time in my opinion, even if it was only a conversation or two exploring those parts of his or her past. If anything I would’ve made the book a little longer or made it into two books so that I could have this great story AND a little more quality time with the characters.
September 7, 2012
I bought this for my 13 year old son after he read Fair Coin(at Dracon*Con the author signed it for him) after devouring that book he then begged me to get this one. He ate these books up like candy, he tells me about it in an excited run on sentence but I get the fact that he LOVES these books...read each one very quickly and can tell you every detail...he said give it 5 stars !
July 30, 2023
Very good and scientific
September 20, 2012
4.5/5 stars.
I really hope this isn't the last book in this series, guys. "Quantum Coin" goes to even more crazy places (and finds crazier people) compared to book one, and yet at the same time, I was pretty satisfied with the ending we're given here. Hands down, the "Coin" universe is a pretty great one and one of my favorites of the year so far. If you like your YA full of action and wonderful surprises, be sure to check out the second book in the "Coin" series, "Quantum Coin".
In this second book, the stakes have been hugely raised to the point where EVERYTHING in almost every arena is at stake. And it all might be all Ephraim's (well, his older self in the future alternate universe within the multiverse as a whole) fault. Myers really does a great job of building tension this entire book, and it feels like he's really hit his stride in this second book in all areas. There are more love rombuses (or is it rombii?), more alternate selves (three Jena/Zoes, holy crap), more mysteries put forth and later answered, and everything is starting to fall apart. I just absolutely love how dire everything is in this book. There is tension on literally every page, and those books are the best kinds of books.
The world that Myers has created (well, the Multiverse) gets expanded in this volume in the series - both in terms of more worlds, and also in terms of the past, present, and future. To expand your world in terms of locales is great, but to expand it along the time axis of things is just downright ballsy, and I applaud Myers for doing worldbuilding with time as well as places. Along with this worldbuilding with time, we also get an expansion of characters - older Nathaniel, Ephraim, and Jena as well as Earth's ultimate, horrible future that gets its Big Reveal at the end of the book. And all of these older versions of our characters knit back into the expanded world so very well (one of my marks of good worldbuilding? check!), and it was generally such a satisfying thing to read that by the end of the book, I was sad that it was all over.
The characters get even more real, with their present and future selves, and they explore themselves in a way that they really couldn't in book one. Book one really sets the stage, and in this book, we really get to explore the world through the characters' eyes. There's tons of conflict between the characters and their analogs (alternate selves), and that's always gratifying. There's no free lunch and no easy answer in this book, and you really get to see the characters try to find an answer that will save their individual worlds and the multiverse as a whole, you get to see them work for that answer. And it may not be the one that they want in the end - it may be, in fact, the worse solution out of the lot. Yet, it's their only choice. Just like I love books that hit on the "there may not be any salvation/redemption/happy ending" theme in life, this book also hits on those themes, too. What do you do when there may be no happy ending? The characters have to go through that, and it bonds you to them.
The sensory imagery/language still kind of has a way to go, but at the same time, it's come a lot farther in this book. I would say that this is Myers' weakest area in the entire book, but it's still better than it was in book one. Good going, Myers!
I loved the ending, but I still have the feeling that things may not be entirely finished in the "Coin" universe. At least, I hope that's the case. But at the same time, I'm really satisfied with the ending we were given - definitely a HEA for our immediate main characters (Nathaniel, Jena, Zoe, and Ephraim). And it was a believable HEA, too. So I'm pretty satisfied there.
Final verdict? If you've read book one, you definitely have to read this book! But if you haven't read book one, warning - you might be a little confused by this book alone. Still, this is definitely one of the best books of 2012 so far, so either way, definitely give the "Coin" books a try! "Quantum Coin" will be out from Pyr/Prometheus Books on October 2, 2012 in North America, so be sure to check it out then!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
I really hope this isn't the last book in this series, guys. "Quantum Coin" goes to even more crazy places (and finds crazier people) compared to book one, and yet at the same time, I was pretty satisfied with the ending we're given here. Hands down, the "Coin" universe is a pretty great one and one of my favorites of the year so far. If you like your YA full of action and wonderful surprises, be sure to check out the second book in the "Coin" series, "Quantum Coin".
In this second book, the stakes have been hugely raised to the point where EVERYTHING in almost every arena is at stake. And it all might be all Ephraim's (well, his older self in the future alternate universe within the multiverse as a whole) fault. Myers really does a great job of building tension this entire book, and it feels like he's really hit his stride in this second book in all areas. There are more love rombuses (or is it rombii?), more alternate selves (three Jena/Zoes, holy crap), more mysteries put forth and later answered, and everything is starting to fall apart. I just absolutely love how dire everything is in this book. There is tension on literally every page, and those books are the best kinds of books.
The world that Myers has created (well, the Multiverse) gets expanded in this volume in the series - both in terms of more worlds, and also in terms of the past, present, and future. To expand your world in terms of locales is great, but to expand it along the time axis of things is just downright ballsy, and I applaud Myers for doing worldbuilding with time as well as places. Along with this worldbuilding with time, we also get an expansion of characters - older Nathaniel, Ephraim, and Jena as well as Earth's ultimate, horrible future that gets its Big Reveal at the end of the book. And all of these older versions of our characters knit back into the expanded world so very well (one of my marks of good worldbuilding? check!), and it was generally such a satisfying thing to read that by the end of the book, I was sad that it was all over.
The characters get even more real, with their present and future selves, and they explore themselves in a way that they really couldn't in book one. Book one really sets the stage, and in this book, we really get to explore the world through the characters' eyes. There's tons of conflict between the characters and their analogs (alternate selves), and that's always gratifying. There's no free lunch and no easy answer in this book, and you really get to see the characters try to find an answer that will save their individual worlds and the multiverse as a whole, you get to see them work for that answer. And it may not be the one that they want in the end - it may be, in fact, the worse solution out of the lot. Yet, it's their only choice. Just like I love books that hit on the "there may not be any salvation/redemption/happy ending" theme in life, this book also hits on those themes, too. What do you do when there may be no happy ending? The characters have to go through that, and it bonds you to them.
The sensory imagery/language still kind of has a way to go, but at the same time, it's come a lot farther in this book. I would say that this is Myers' weakest area in the entire book, but it's still better than it was in book one. Good going, Myers!
I loved the ending, but I still have the feeling that things may not be entirely finished in the "Coin" universe. At least, I hope that's the case. But at the same time, I'm really satisfied with the ending we were given - definitely a HEA for our immediate main characters (Nathaniel, Jena, Zoe, and Ephraim). And it was a believable HEA, too. So I'm pretty satisfied there.
Final verdict? If you've read book one, you definitely have to read this book! But if you haven't read book one, warning - you might be a little confused by this book alone. Still, this is definitely one of the best books of 2012 so far, so either way, definitely give the "Coin" books a try! "Quantum Coin" will be out from Pyr/Prometheus Books on October 2, 2012 in North America, so be sure to check it out then!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
April 30, 2015
This is the sequel to Fair Coin, and it picks up about a year after the other novel resolves. I give much credit to the author for making the first book a complete novel--I'm weary of the current affliction of writing a novel, tearing it in half, and publishing it in two volumes, pretending they are both stand-alone offerings.
Myers did an excellent job of making relatable characters. His protagonist, especially, was someone the reader wanted to succeed. The science in the sequel got murky and eyebrow-raising, and I kept waiting for the villain of the first story to make a return, which let me down in the expectations department. Still, taking both books together, when I consider how much I enjoyed the characters, I'm willing to award another star to the review.
I'm hoping the author will continue writing. I wouldn't mind revisiting his characters again. Or meeting new ones.
This is an excellent introduction to science fiction for readers who generally avoid the genre.
Myers did an excellent job of making relatable characters. His protagonist, especially, was someone the reader wanted to succeed. The science in the sequel got murky and eyebrow-raising, and I kept waiting for the villain of the first story to make a return, which let me down in the expectations department. Still, taking both books together, when I consider how much I enjoyed the characters, I'm willing to award another star to the review.
I'm hoping the author will continue writing. I wouldn't mind revisiting his characters again. Or meeting new ones.
This is an excellent introduction to science fiction for readers who generally avoid the genre.
May 5, 2013
Three and a half stars, really. Also, full disclosure: the author is a friend of mine, so I may not be as objective as I might be with other books. Having read and very much enjoyed "Fair Coin", I was eager to read its sequel. I enjoyed "Quantum Coin", but it didn't have the same magic for me as its predecessor. First of all, I felt that the story didn't really get going until about halfway through, at which point it took off with a zoom and became as non-put-downable as "Fair Coin". Second of all, despite the fact that, technically, the stakes were higher in this book than they were in "Fair Coin", I didn't feel the same sense of tension and urgency in the story as I did in that one. For whatever reason, Ephraim's original journey through the multiverse seemed more personally driven and compelling there. Regardless, however, I still admire Myers' ability to write an unabashedly nerdy YA novel that doesn't dumb itself down in the least. I can't wait to get both books into my future classroom and say, "I know him!" but also "Look! These are my people!"
October 16, 2012
I didn't think I could like this sequel more the Fair Coin--that book just got more and more fascinating as Ephraim discovered more about the situation he was in--but I definitely did. Here the complications are right out there from the start, and I really enjoyed watching the characters try various ways of fixing things, forcing themselves to keep moving forwards despite some painful failures. I especially enjoyed seeing the characters struggle with moral issues. I appreciated that, like Fair Coin this was an adventure but also thoughtful--a powerful combination. Highly recommended.
December 8, 2012
I was so excited to see that the sequel to "Fair Coin" came out... but then I read it. "Fair Coin" was fast paced and really kept me involved. I don't really know what happened to "Quantum Coin." I didn't like a single character in it. I didn't particularly like the plot. Given that, I did find the writing to be solid and it was action packed. Although I wasn't fond of the sequel, it won't keep me from reading further works by this author.
October 9, 2012
I received a copy of Quantum Coin through First Reads and I finished it today and let me say it was great! I really like how Myers expanded all the characters introduced in the first novel. The plot took some turns I didn't expect and we learned more about the multiverse, which is always enjoyable. Overal I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story !
December 21, 2021
Definitely not the as good of a story as the first book but well worth the read. 3.5 stars
December 14, 2012
Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.
Obviously, you should be cautious reading this review unless you've already read Fair Coin. I will keep things as spoiler-free as possible for book one, but that's pretty tricky. First and last paragraph will be spoiler-free totally. Now, if you've read my review for Fair Coin, you know that I quite liked it, but did have some reservations. Happily, Quantum Coin proves that the second book in a series can be stronger than its predecessor. If you were on the fence about reading Fair Coin, I'm telling you now that the awesomeness of this the sequel should cause you to choose the universe where you read E.C. Myer's Coin series.
Where Fair Coin has a fantasy feel for much of the book, Quantum Coin is straight science fiction, and I revelled in that, since I don't get nearly enough of that genre. In the first book, I had some difficulty grasping the concepts, though not to the point of frustration, but I felt less a fish out of water on this second go round. I'm not saying that I completely understood everything, but I didn't have any real WTF IS HAPPENING moments either. Myers does an excellent job keeping things on a manageable level of detail.
My main stumbling block in the first book were the characters, who, while not entirely unlikable, did venture into the unbelievable sometimes. They got better as they went along, and continued to develop and grow throughout this book as well. Ephraim and Nathan are way better in this book, and I liked how everyone got to be important at some time or other, though the Jenas really did rule the whole figuring things out part. Doug may be one of the cutest kids in literature, as he charmed my miserly heart. Dick made me laugh; you'll find out why towards the end.
I did not like the Jenas/Zoe, though. They are just not very nice women, despite being gorgeous geniuses. At least, Jena was less of a manicpixiedreamgirl this time. I will say, though, that Jena probably has the most in common with me, aside from bring super useful in crisis, Asian, and attractive to everyone. You know, little differences. Jena loves to read, and one of my favorite touches Myers put in the book was how when they went to different universes, books that aren't finished in our world ARE, like Jane Austen's Sanditon. I WANT TO GO TO THERE. For her love of fiction, I can't completely hate her. I mean, the world might be ending, but she still spends a lot of her time with her nose shoved in a book; I like those priorities.
The romance aspects I must admit I'm rather torn about. The whole love triangle with alternate reality versions of the same person is both very cool and very annoying. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. I think I'm coming down more towards the 'fascinating concept' side, just because Ephraim doesn't act like a complete jerk in that situation, when he could have tried to date both in some creepy, manly fantasy. Thankfully, he didn't do that, because I would have reached into the book and slapped him silly.
The beauty of Quantum Coin lies in the details. If you read closely enough, Myers throws in a bunch of nerdy wordplay and references, some of which made me laugh out loud, even though this isn't a humor book. Though I want to leave most of the references for you guys to find, I just have to share my very favorite one, because it was so subtle and wonderful. This is from the ARC, so it could be changed, but I hope it's not. High five for everyone who gets the reference!
"'Imagine: If shifting from one universe to another is like moving up or down to parallel layers, overlapping with one universe, then going to another timeline is like taking a jump to the left.'
'Or a step to the right,' Jena said wryly."
It's a truly rare thing to encounter a second book that improves on the first, but Quantum Coin truly does. On the down side, this series does appear to be complete. I've gotten so used to trilogies that I was totally expecting more. I will eagerly await E.C. Myers' next writerly endeavor!
Obviously, you should be cautious reading this review unless you've already read Fair Coin. I will keep things as spoiler-free as possible for book one, but that's pretty tricky. First and last paragraph will be spoiler-free totally. Now, if you've read my review for Fair Coin, you know that I quite liked it, but did have some reservations. Happily, Quantum Coin proves that the second book in a series can be stronger than its predecessor. If you were on the fence about reading Fair Coin, I'm telling you now that the awesomeness of this the sequel should cause you to choose the universe where you read E.C. Myer's Coin series.
Where Fair Coin has a fantasy feel for much of the book, Quantum Coin is straight science fiction, and I revelled in that, since I don't get nearly enough of that genre. In the first book, I had some difficulty grasping the concepts, though not to the point of frustration, but I felt less a fish out of water on this second go round. I'm not saying that I completely understood everything, but I didn't have any real WTF IS HAPPENING moments either. Myers does an excellent job keeping things on a manageable level of detail.
My main stumbling block in the first book were the characters, who, while not entirely unlikable, did venture into the unbelievable sometimes. They got better as they went along, and continued to develop and grow throughout this book as well. Ephraim and Nathan are way better in this book, and I liked how everyone got to be important at some time or other, though the Jenas really did rule the whole figuring things out part. Doug may be one of the cutest kids in literature, as he charmed my miserly heart. Dick made me laugh; you'll find out why towards the end.
I did not like the Jenas/Zoe, though. They are just not very nice women, despite being gorgeous geniuses. At least, Jena was less of a manicpixiedreamgirl this time. I will say, though, that Jena probably has the most in common with me, aside from bring super useful in crisis, Asian, and attractive to everyone. You know, little differences. Jena loves to read, and one of my favorite touches Myers put in the book was how when they went to different universes, books that aren't finished in our world ARE, like Jane Austen's Sanditon. I WANT TO GO TO THERE. For her love of fiction, I can't completely hate her. I mean, the world might be ending, but she still spends a lot of her time with her nose shoved in a book; I like those priorities.
The romance aspects I must admit I'm rather torn about. The whole love triangle with alternate reality versions of the same person is both very cool and very annoying. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. I think I'm coming down more towards the 'fascinating concept' side, just because Ephraim doesn't act like a complete jerk in that situation, when he could have tried to date both in some creepy, manly fantasy. Thankfully, he didn't do that, because I would have reached into the book and slapped him silly.
The beauty of Quantum Coin lies in the details. If you read closely enough, Myers throws in a bunch of nerdy wordplay and references, some of which made me laugh out loud, even though this isn't a humor book. Though I want to leave most of the references for you guys to find, I just have to share my very favorite one, because it was so subtle and wonderful. This is from the ARC, so it could be changed, but I hope it's not. High five for everyone who gets the reference!
"'Imagine: If shifting from one universe to another is like moving up or down to parallel layers, overlapping with one universe, then going to another timeline is like taking a jump to the left.'
'Or a step to the right,' Jena said wryly."
It's a truly rare thing to encounter a second book that improves on the first, but Quantum Coin truly does. On the down side, this series does appear to be complete. I've gotten so used to trilogies that I was totally expecting more. I will eagerly await E.C. Myers' next writerly endeavor!
July 16, 2016
Originally posted on Fables Library
Quantum Coin is the second book to Fair Coin, and I think the last since no other has been announced (to my knowledge). First I would love to start off by expressing my love for Fair Coin. In my other review, I went on and on about how much I loved it and how it wasn’t your typical YA cookie cutter novel. This is so true, even for Quantum Coin, but Quantum Coin was in my opinion, not needed. Fair Coin would have been better off had it been an only book, the ending pretty much wrapped things up. However, I must admit Quantum Coin did manage to explain a lot about the Charon device, and the whole travel between worlds deal.
Traveling between worlds was a really cool concept to me. I enjoyed how each of the characters reacted differently to the new worlds, how they acted to one another, how they were unique yet analogs of each other. However I disliked how they acted, it is a conflicting feeling… Lets admit it, if we had the power to travel to parallel universes, would our parents really just go with it? Eph’s mom isn’t a very good parent, but nevertheless she gives him permission to travel between worlds in a few sentences. It’s to easy. Every character goes with it to quickly, there is no doubt, no hesitation, nothing. *Tiny Spoiler, early on… even when his twin friends Mary and Shelly (love their names haha) combine into one person due to the merging of worlds Nathan, Jena, and Eph don’t even freak out. They kind of just act like… “Oh, look they are one person now… cool.” Yes Jena does cry but no, she doesn’t cry for long. That felt unnatural to me, like he missed the whole confusing feeling part. The part where people normally would freak our and run in circles, or scream or something. None of the characters did that. Eph and Zoe were used to it, but Jenna and Hugh were not.
I felt like the story was very interesting but lacked in some places. Their wasn’t a bad guy, there was no villain, just opposing ideas. That was interesting but still, I do love evil villains!
I didn’t like the ending for a reason I won’t go into to avoid major spoilers. The characters moved on to easily, they separated and came together and the “bad guy” gave up just like that. No fight, no epic battle or cool last words.
This is a 3/5 book for me mostly because it was good. I enjoyed the characters and their uniqueness, their flaws, their human like qualities. E. C. Myers has a really good writing style, not my favorite but close. I love his descriptions and witty, fast paced dialog. I enjoyed the plot for what it’s worth, which is a lot.
Read this book if you enjoy unique story, realistic yet science fiction like plots, and by far cool characters.
Quantum Coin is the second book to Fair Coin, and I think the last since no other has been announced (to my knowledge). First I would love to start off by expressing my love for Fair Coin. In my other review, I went on and on about how much I loved it and how it wasn’t your typical YA cookie cutter novel. This is so true, even for Quantum Coin, but Quantum Coin was in my opinion, not needed. Fair Coin would have been better off had it been an only book, the ending pretty much wrapped things up. However, I must admit Quantum Coin did manage to explain a lot about the Charon device, and the whole travel between worlds deal.
Traveling between worlds was a really cool concept to me. I enjoyed how each of the characters reacted differently to the new worlds, how they acted to one another, how they were unique yet analogs of each other. However I disliked how they acted, it is a conflicting feeling… Lets admit it, if we had the power to travel to parallel universes, would our parents really just go with it? Eph’s mom isn’t a very good parent, but nevertheless she gives him permission to travel between worlds in a few sentences. It’s to easy. Every character goes with it to quickly, there is no doubt, no hesitation, nothing. *Tiny Spoiler, early on… even when his twin friends Mary and Shelly (love their names haha) combine into one person due to the merging of worlds Nathan, Jena, and Eph don’t even freak out. They kind of just act like… “Oh, look they are one person now… cool.” Yes Jena does cry but no, she doesn’t cry for long. That felt unnatural to me, like he missed the whole confusing feeling part. The part where people normally would freak our and run in circles, or scream or something. None of the characters did that. Eph and Zoe were used to it, but Jenna and Hugh were not.
I felt like the story was very interesting but lacked in some places. Their wasn’t a bad guy, there was no villain, just opposing ideas. That was interesting but still, I do love evil villains!
I didn’t like the ending for a reason I won’t go into to avoid major spoilers. The characters moved on to easily, they separated and came together and the “bad guy” gave up just like that. No fight, no epic battle or cool last words.
This is a 3/5 book for me mostly because it was good. I enjoyed the characters and their uniqueness, their flaws, their human like qualities. E. C. Myers has a really good writing style, not my favorite but close. I love his descriptions and witty, fast paced dialog. I enjoyed the plot for what it’s worth, which is a lot.
Read this book if you enjoy unique story, realistic yet science fiction like plots, and by far cool characters.
December 17, 2014
My mind is officially boggled and blown. But mostly boggled. Quantum Coin was an awesome sequel and conclusion! Of course there had to be some lingering side effects to Ephraim using that coin so much! I wasn't sure what this one could possibly be about since Fair Coin seemed to wrap up quite nicely, but there's plenty of new and exciting stuff happening to Ephraim and his friends as they try to set the multiverse right. He was hoping to be done with jumping from universe to universe, but then Zoe crashes the prom after some weirdness has been occurring. Once again the fate of the universe (well, all universes technically) is in the hand of a group of teenagers.
Quantum Coin is Science Fiction through and through! There is a ton of scientific explanations throughout. Some of it is based on facts, some of it is theory, and some of it, I suspect, is just made up. While it could seem info-dumpy to many readers, I actually loved all of these lengthy conversations about parallel universes and decoherence. I am a science geek, and while physics isn't my field, I still find it all fascinating! At times it was a bit much at once, and I found myself confused, but even Ephraim who is living it didn't full understand, so I felt much better about that.
This time instead of being on his own or with some Nathan analog, Ephraim is mostly working with Zoe and Jena. This of course results in a really bizarre and awkward love triangle. The romance is definitely not the focus, but it does have a larger presence in Quantum Coin than in the previous book. Jena and Zoe may be genetically identical, but they are very different young woman. I think it's fairly obvious who Ephraim will pick early on, but he's kind of oblivious. Everyone figures it out before he does. Silly boy, but he was busy trying to save billions upon billions upon billions of lives.
I loved this duology! I'm sad it's over, but Quantum Coin was an almost perfect ending for these characters. I do still have questions about what happened to a few of the secondary characters though. It has also left me slightly paranoid. You know how sometimes you'll walk into a room and forget what you were doing? What if that's because you've just shifted into a parallel universe and switched places with one of your analogs...
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Quantum Coin is Science Fiction through and through! There is a ton of scientific explanations throughout. Some of it is based on facts, some of it is theory, and some of it, I suspect, is just made up. While it could seem info-dumpy to many readers, I actually loved all of these lengthy conversations about parallel universes and decoherence. I am a science geek, and while physics isn't my field, I still find it all fascinating! At times it was a bit much at once, and I found myself confused, but even Ephraim who is living it didn't full understand, so I felt much better about that.
This time instead of being on his own or with some Nathan analog, Ephraim is mostly working with Zoe and Jena. This of course results in a really bizarre and awkward love triangle. The romance is definitely not the focus, but it does have a larger presence in Quantum Coin than in the previous book. Jena and Zoe may be genetically identical, but they are very different young woman. I think it's fairly obvious who Ephraim will pick early on, but he's kind of oblivious. Everyone figures it out before he does. Silly boy, but he was busy trying to save billions upon billions upon billions of lives.
I loved this duology! I'm sad it's over, but Quantum Coin was an almost perfect ending for these characters. I do still have questions about what happened to a few of the secondary characters though. It has also left me slightly paranoid. You know how sometimes you'll walk into a room and forget what you were doing? What if that's because you've just shifted into a parallel universe and switched places with one of your analogs...
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
August 4, 2013
Fair Coin
felt like a complete story, but Quantum Coin proves that, in reality, it was only the setup for the REAL story. This follow-up novel fully embraces the sci-fi premise of the first book, forgoing the "wishing coin" story and delving into hard science fiction. The fate of the multiverse is at stake, and E.C. Myers tackles parallel universes, analogs and the identity issues thereof, time travel, quantum mechanics, and other concepts, not to mention the sort of love polygons you don't see outside of Fringe.
The first book's strength lay in its characters, and Quantum Coin expands on them by introducing us to even more versions of them, which, of course, raises the question of how alike or different they may be and whether those personality traits are a result of their nature or nurture. For the most part, Myers doesn't dig too deep into these issues, but it comes up often enough that it's clear he's interested in the implications. Ephraim finds himself caught between two versions of his girlfriend and faces some difficult decisions; to my surprise, although I found the initial jealousy between Jena and Zoe annoying, I liked how the story resolved. Unfortunately, however, we don't technically know the Jena in this book, so it's hard to see her perspective. Of course, that in itself is part of the fun, seeing the different versions of characters and comparing them, wondering what our own analogs in other worlds might be like.
Quantum Coin also builds on its predecessor by expanding on the worldbuilding, and the book really shines when it distills quantum mechanics down to the YA level and plays with the multiverse and what these interdimensional travelers have been doing to it. We learn more about the history of the device that allows travel between worlds. We learn the fates of characters whose whereabouts were unclear in the first book. In short, it's a sequel that deftly answers questions you didn't even know you wanted answered in a satisfying, non-retconny way.
It's exciting, it's genre-savvy, it's full of pop culture references, it's basically Fringe on overdrive for teens. Quantum Coin hits all my sweet spots.
The first book's strength lay in its characters, and Quantum Coin expands on them by introducing us to even more versions of them, which, of course, raises the question of how alike or different they may be and whether those personality traits are a result of their nature or nurture. For the most part, Myers doesn't dig too deep into these issues, but it comes up often enough that it's clear he's interested in the implications. Ephraim finds himself caught between two versions of his girlfriend and faces some difficult decisions; to my surprise, although I found the initial jealousy between Jena and Zoe annoying, I liked how the story resolved. Unfortunately, however, we don't technically know the Jena in this book, so it's hard to see her perspective. Of course, that in itself is part of the fun, seeing the different versions of characters and comparing them, wondering what our own analogs in other worlds might be like.
Quantum Coin also builds on its predecessor by expanding on the worldbuilding, and the book really shines when it distills quantum mechanics down to the YA level and plays with the multiverse and what these interdimensional travelers have been doing to it. We learn more about the history of the device that allows travel between worlds. We learn the fates of characters whose whereabouts were unclear in the first book. In short, it's a sequel that deftly answers questions you didn't even know you wanted answered in a satisfying, non-retconny way.
It's exciting, it's genre-savvy, it's full of pop culture references, it's basically Fringe on overdrive for teens. Quantum Coin hits all my sweet spots.
January 6, 2013
I have to say that I enjoyed the first book more. Across both books however, I really enjoyed the characters. Dealing with multiple universes, there are multiple incarnations of each character and it was fun to see all of the various personalities of one person. If you thought the first book had too many Nathans, this book is definitely a Jena overload. At some points the dialogue could be confusing because of all the different analogs of the same person involved.
The plot of this book is that the multiverse is starting to merge all of the different parallel universes, meaning that Ephraim's world is changing and some people aren't surviving the merge. The quest is to figure out why this is happening and how to stop it. In the first book there was a lot of world hopping and exploration, which I felt was lacking in this book. Quantum Coin deals more with theory and at times could feel like a classroom lecture. I didn't mind the 'lectures', but I thought there were too many of them since I wasn't having much trouble following. It's a very talky book, and the action grew tedious because literally what would happen is someone would get stranded in a universe only to find that, surprise!, someone left them with a secret travelling device. This happened at least 3 times, and I eventually got tired of the same old tricks.
Toward the end of the book, I was frantic for our heroes to pull off their plan, but I felt like I had a bucket of cold water thrown over me because, oh wait, we have to stop and have a long dialogue to discuss theory some more. With only like 15 pages left, I just wanted them to stop talking and start acting! The ending wasn't what I would call a happy ending, but it was as happy as this plot could afford, so I appreciated the realism, and that there wasn't a Magic Wand Effect where everything ended up perfect despite the direction the rest of the plot was heading. It also left you with a sense of closure, which I appreciate.
I have really enjoyed this series. I think it's a unique topic in YA fiction. With today's themes of dystopia and supernatural it's good to have a good old sci-fi book once in a while. I think this series handled the idea of parallel universes well and interestingly. I recommend. :)
The plot of this book is that the multiverse is starting to merge all of the different parallel universes, meaning that Ephraim's world is changing and some people aren't surviving the merge. The quest is to figure out why this is happening and how to stop it. In the first book there was a lot of world hopping and exploration, which I felt was lacking in this book. Quantum Coin deals more with theory and at times could feel like a classroom lecture. I didn't mind the 'lectures', but I thought there were too many of them since I wasn't having much trouble following. It's a very talky book, and the action grew tedious because literally what would happen is someone would get stranded in a universe only to find that, surprise!, someone left them with a secret travelling device. This happened at least 3 times, and I eventually got tired of the same old tricks.
Toward the end of the book, I was frantic for our heroes to pull off their plan, but I felt like I had a bucket of cold water thrown over me because, oh wait, we have to stop and have a long dialogue to discuss theory some more. With only like 15 pages left, I just wanted them to stop talking and start acting! The ending wasn't what I would call a happy ending, but it was as happy as this plot could afford, so I appreciated the realism, and that there wasn't a Magic Wand Effect where everything ended up perfect despite the direction the rest of the plot was heading. It also left you with a sense of closure, which I appreciate.
I have really enjoyed this series. I think it's a unique topic in YA fiction. With today's themes of dystopia and supernatural it's good to have a good old sci-fi book once in a while. I think this series handled the idea of parallel universes well and interestingly. I recommend. :)
August 10, 2016
So, Quantum Coin picks up the story a year later. Ephraim, Jena, Nathan, Mary and Shelley are attending their prom when something peculiar happens. As Jena returns from the powder room Ephraim has a huge shock when he realises it's not Jena but Zoe. Jena appears behind her with Mary and Shelley. As the friends wonder what is happening Nathan is being Nathan and recording the events on his camera...and he captures something truly bizarre.
Ephraim thought he had finished with shifting through parallel universes when he and Zoe agreed to destroy the controller. It seems a normal life wasn't to be, the controller hadn't been destroyed and Ephraim's problems were beginning all over again. Nathaniel needs Ephraim's help and Zoe has come to take him back. So Ephraim and Zoe, along with Jena this time, are thrust into another multi universal adventure.
Ephraim, Jena, Nathan and Zoe have grown and developed into more likeable, rounded characters. Ephraim's romantic dilemma between Jena and Zoe is quite understated but never the less intriguing because the girls are different aspects of the same personality.
The friends find themselves in a pretty desperate situation with the universes merging and disappearing along with the people who inhabit them. Ephraim, Jena, Zoe and Nathaniel and their analogues are doing their utmost to sort out the unimaginable problems and it seems like it's on their shoulders to decide which universe(s) survive. How can they condemn multiple universes and all the people who inhabit them to oblivion.
Performance
A sensitive and solid narration, portraying the characters precisely and with feeling, making the listener care about them.
Thoughts
This book is much faster paced with lots more going on than than Fair Coin and the scientific aspect much deeper and a lot more complex.
The Quantum physics and the ins and outs of multiverses left me far behind, racing to catch up and knowing I can never run fast enough. Not that this detracts from the story at all, the characters are engrossing, the story compelling and what an ending!
Ephraim thought he had finished with shifting through parallel universes when he and Zoe agreed to destroy the controller. It seems a normal life wasn't to be, the controller hadn't been destroyed and Ephraim's problems were beginning all over again. Nathaniel needs Ephraim's help and Zoe has come to take him back. So Ephraim and Zoe, along with Jena this time, are thrust into another multi universal adventure.
Ephraim, Jena, Nathan and Zoe have grown and developed into more likeable, rounded characters. Ephraim's romantic dilemma between Jena and Zoe is quite understated but never the less intriguing because the girls are different aspects of the same personality.
The friends find themselves in a pretty desperate situation with the universes merging and disappearing along with the people who inhabit them. Ephraim, Jena, Zoe and Nathaniel and their analogues are doing their utmost to sort out the unimaginable problems and it seems like it's on their shoulders to decide which universe(s) survive. How can they condemn multiple universes and all the people who inhabit them to oblivion.
Performance
A sensitive and solid narration, portraying the characters precisely and with feeling, making the listener care about them.
Thoughts
This book is much faster paced with lots more going on than than Fair Coin and the scientific aspect much deeper and a lot more complex.
The Quantum physics and the ins and outs of multiverses left me far behind, racing to catch up and knowing I can never run fast enough. Not that this detracts from the story at all, the characters are engrossing, the story compelling and what an ending!
August 14, 2014
I made the mistake of starting this book right before beginning a personal project, so ignore that it took me so long to read. I just re-started it a few days ago and flew through it. It's smart, approachable, and funny. There were a few times I had to re-read the science, because I'm not an avid sci-fi reader, but that's all that ever gave me pause. There was a lot more science in Quantum Coin than in Fair Coin, but I was into it.
One of Meyers' biggest strengths is giving each analog a unique character. Even though there are two or three of every "person," you're aware of their differences and you end up rooting for different analogs of each of them at different times. In case you're wondering, Nathan is my favorite and I was so glad he made an appearance in this book! His role was always so small, but he's hilarious and smart.
There's also good pacing. Pretty sure I almost walked into a light post while reading on my commute, because I couldn't put this down. At about 60% complete, I didn't think it could get any deeper. Then, it did. Then again. The plot is fresh and, while I didn't see everything coming, it also made perfect sense as it unraveled.
Lastly, one of my favorite things about this series is that the teenagers read like teenagers. They think (and talk) about sex, make bad jokes, have immature moments--but they're also smart and insightful and feel intensely; they're not watered down. It reads more like a sci-fi book with teenaged characters than a YA book, which is often geared towards readers a few years younger than the main characters.
Please let there be another one of these coming. And more Nathan!
One of Meyers' biggest strengths is giving each analog a unique character. Even though there are two or three of every "person," you're aware of their differences and you end up rooting for different analogs of each of them at different times. In case you're wondering, Nathan is my favorite and I was so glad he made an appearance in this book! His role was always so small, but he's hilarious and smart.
There's also good pacing. Pretty sure I almost walked into a light post while reading on my commute, because I couldn't put this down. At about 60% complete, I didn't think it could get any deeper. Then, it did. Then again. The plot is fresh and, while I didn't see everything coming, it also made perfect sense as it unraveled.
Lastly, one of my favorite things about this series is that the teenagers read like teenagers. They think (and talk) about sex, make bad jokes, have immature moments--but they're also smart and insightful and feel intensely; they're not watered down. It reads more like a sci-fi book with teenaged characters than a YA book, which is often geared towards readers a few years younger than the main characters.
Please let there be another one of these coming. And more Nathan!
January 31, 2013
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Ephraim thought he was completely done universe hopping and he's settled in at home, dating Jena Kim and having a great time with his bestie. But then at the Prom things begin to go wrong. Jena leaves for the restroom and when she returns she's wearing different clothes and grabs him for a kiss. But who's that behind her? One Jena...one Zoe.
Apparently the multiverse is unraveling and Zoe has kept in contact with Nathaniel and they need help fixing it. Who better to help fix it than someone who has traveled it?
The writing is excellent and the details and information are outstanding. The characters are individuals and they never get confusing, even when 3 or more analogs of the same person are in the same room. They are all individuals, with their own personalities. It's interesting to see how one person could turn out so many different ways due to circumstances and upbringing. It really shows nature vs. nurture!
I really love how E.C. Myers throws in little nerdy pop culture references. They made it a lot of fun! There's a good amount of humor in the book, even though it's a serious matter, what with worlds unraveling and all. Jena still reads a lot, the boys still talk about sex (but no one does it) and there's always time for a good joke/reference. It's more like real life, I think.
Another great book by E.C. Myers! I really hope that there's more to come, he does a great job explaining things and making learning fun.
Ephraim thought he was completely done universe hopping and he's settled in at home, dating Jena Kim and having a great time with his bestie. But then at the Prom things begin to go wrong. Jena leaves for the restroom and when she returns she's wearing different clothes and grabs him for a kiss. But who's that behind her? One Jena...one Zoe.
Apparently the multiverse is unraveling and Zoe has kept in contact with Nathaniel and they need help fixing it. Who better to help fix it than someone who has traveled it?
The writing is excellent and the details and information are outstanding. The characters are individuals and they never get confusing, even when 3 or more analogs of the same person are in the same room. They are all individuals, with their own personalities. It's interesting to see how one person could turn out so many different ways due to circumstances and upbringing. It really shows nature vs. nurture!
I really love how E.C. Myers throws in little nerdy pop culture references. They made it a lot of fun! There's a good amount of humor in the book, even though it's a serious matter, what with worlds unraveling and all. Jena still reads a lot, the boys still talk about sex (but no one does it) and there's always time for a good joke/reference. It's more like real life, I think.
Another great book by E.C. Myers! I really hope that there's more to come, he does a great job explaining things and making learning fun.
November 30, 2012
Quantum Coin is the sequel to Fair Coin, and if you follow me on Goodreads you already know I gave the first book 5 Stars. While I enjoyed its sequel a lot, I hesitated when it came time to give it a rating. The story is once again superb, the characters loveable and hate-able (which is always important), but there were a few spots in the book where it felt as if time slowed down. Maybe it did! The multiverse was falling apart…
More important than those hiccups, was the feeling I had at the end of the book. I’m fairly certain this was the last book, it had the right amount of closure and a happy ending–for who I won’t say. Ephraim had to make choice and in this instance he made the choice I wanted.
After a little back and forth I decided to give Quantum Coin 4 Stars. It may not have wow’d me to the same degree as Fair Coin, but it was still top notch YA SciFi. I hope YA literature continues to see more male protagonists. Ephraim’s point of view is refreshing in a market overflowing with female hormones.
More important than those hiccups, was the feeling I had at the end of the book. I’m fairly certain this was the last book, it had the right amount of closure and a happy ending–for who I won’t say. Ephraim had to make choice and in this instance he made the choice I wanted.
After a little back and forth I decided to give Quantum Coin 4 Stars. It may not have wow’d me to the same degree as Fair Coin, but it was still top notch YA SciFi. I hope YA literature continues to see more male protagonists. Ephraim’s point of view is refreshing in a market overflowing with female hormones.
January 23, 2014
Actual Rating: 4.5
After having read Fair Coin and completely falling in love with it, you could say that I started this book with exceedingly high expectation. And for the most part, it managed to achieve just that! But if I had to choose one book out of the two, it would most definitely be Fair Coin. Not to say that this book was bad, far from it! I just personally felt like something was missing from this book that the first one had, but I'm not exactly sure what it was.
Don't get me wrong, this was still a damn friggin' awesome book. The portrayal of the characters were rich just as before. And the dialogues between characters were always very fun to read. Especially when references to sci-fi related stuff pop up every now and then. Personally, my favourite part of the book was when ***very minor spoiler*** Ephraim and Zoe went grocery shopping. I just really loved how the characters interacted with each other.
Overall, great characters, grand-scaled plot, and very fun to read!
After having read Fair Coin and completely falling in love with it, you could say that I started this book with exceedingly high expectation. And for the most part, it managed to achieve just that! But if I had to choose one book out of the two, it would most definitely be Fair Coin. Not to say that this book was bad, far from it! I just personally felt like something was missing from this book that the first one had, but I'm not exactly sure what it was.
Don't get me wrong, this was still a damn friggin' awesome book. The portrayal of the characters were rich just as before. And the dialogues between characters were always very fun to read. Especially when references to sci-fi related stuff pop up every now and then. Personally, my favourite part of the book was when ***very minor spoiler*** Ephraim and Zoe went grocery shopping. I just really loved how the characters interacted with each other.
Overall, great characters, grand-scaled plot, and very fun to read!
June 14, 2013
Quantum Coin is E.C. Myers’s second book, following the adventures of Ephraim Scott and his friends as they hop from universe to universe by means of a magical coin, er, I mean, a coheron drive disguised as a quarter. In this outing, the very multiverse is collapsing and universes are merging, with unpredictable results. It appears that only Ephraim, Jena Kim, Zoe (an “analog” of Jena from a dystopian universe) and Nathan can stop it — but is that even the right thing to do?
In Quantum Coin, the action starts right up, as Jena and Ephraim have their senior prom interrupted by Zoe. In short order, Ephraim, Jena, Zoe and Nathan are in a future-timeline universe where the prototype coheron drive is located. Nathaniel and Dr. Jena Kim, who are about twenty years older than our heroes, advise them that the universes are collapsing and that the only ... Read More:
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In Quantum Coin, the action starts right up, as Jena and Ephraim have their senior prom interrupted by Zoe. In short order, Ephraim, Jena, Zoe and Nathan are in a future-timeline universe where the prototype coheron drive is located. Nathaniel and Dr. Jena Kim, who are about twenty years older than our heroes, advise them that the universes are collapsing and that the only ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
April 28, 2013
I really enjoyed
Fair Coin
, which was a stealthy sci-fi book that introduced a lot of great sci-fi concepts in a fun and different way. Quantum Coin continues on that, but with a lot of crazy multiple universe theories and fringe science.
The book bogs itself down in a lot of science that probably isn't really relevant or necessary for a sci-fi audience, but makes up for it in being very readable. With the establishment of all the prior universes, it just allows the characters to exist in this crazy world that's been created, and solve the problems that they made.
Absolutely unreadable unless you've read the first book, but it's definitely a great, under-noticed series that more people should check out.
The book bogs itself down in a lot of science that probably isn't really relevant or necessary for a sci-fi audience, but makes up for it in being very readable. With the establishment of all the prior universes, it just allows the characters to exist in this crazy world that's been created, and solve the problems that they made.
Absolutely unreadable unless you've read the first book, but it's definitely a great, under-noticed series that more people should check out.
October 6, 2012
I won this on Goodreads. This is a sequel to Fair Coin which I did not read. Even without reading the first book, I was able to follow the story line and plot without too much difficulty. The story does refer to events in the first book but you can understand what is happening without having read it. I plan to read the first book as well to see if there is additional backstory. I'm sure my boys will enjoy this book a lot. The story follows teenagers who travel to alternate universes which places them in different times. These alternate universes have multiplied to a point where they are overlapping and eliminating each other. The teenagers are trying to save their world as well as alternate realities. It is a quick read and is a new take on alternate dimensions.
December 23, 2012
A decent sequel. I was a little skeptical going into it, thinking it would likely have some weak reason for the story continuing, as it was fairly resolved after Fair Coin. But that wasn't really an issue in my opinion. There were a few interesting twists, one to get things started and more along the way. And nothing that seemed to really violate the first book, just expand on it. And it came to a nice resolution. I would imagine the series would be over here, then again I would have said that after the first book as well. Not amazing, as it is still sort of a teen SF novel, which leads to some silly dialogue/plots, but good.
August 27, 2013
Quantum Coin took a good 100 pages or so to build up steam. Following up a fairly well wrapped up story makes it hard for a sequel to find it's own ground. Quantum Coin manages that and more with a really unique sci-fi premise and some mind bending twists. Myers moves away from the first books weakness which was in it's characters but still gets caught in that trap in the end. All in all a good book but not as gripping as it could be.
July 17, 2014
Not as good as the first book. I was so excited to start this book since I really enjoyed reading Fair Coin so much. However, I think my expectation might have been too high. The pace was too slow for me. While I really liked the concept and everything, the characters were just not how I remembered them from book 1.
Rating: 2.5 (roundup to 3)
Rating: 2.5 (roundup to 3)
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