What do you think?
Rate this book
Across the Universe #3
Shades of Earth
Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.
But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.
Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.
FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.
But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.
Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.
FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.
369 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2013
About the author
Beth Revis
60 books6,826 followersBeth Revis writes books. She also eats too much chocolate, wishes she could travel more, and prefers puppies to people. Beth lives in rural NC with her boys: one husband, one son, two very large puppies.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,797 reviews
Want to Read
May 5, 2013Updated Version:
LOOK AT THAT UGLINESS!!! I'm exited to read it though :3
****
What in the F*** where this people thinking when they made this cover!!!????
Thank You for Ruining My Collection!!! This will just clash fabulously in my shelf! THANKS A LOT!
LOOK AT THAT UGLINESS!!! I'm exited to read it though :3
****
What in the F*** where this people thinking when they made this cover!!!????
Thank You for Ruining My Collection!!! This will just clash fabulously in my shelf! THANKS A LOT!
February 8, 2013
Minutes after I finished SHADES OF EARTH:
OH. MY. STARS. I CAN'T EVEN. I SERIOUSLY CAN'T EVEN.
SHADES OF EARTH is seriously one of the best finales to a YA trilogy EVER. So much action, so many secrets, so many betrayals, SO MUCH EMOTIONS. I still can't get over how much I adore this book -- and this series.
Guys, you are going to LOVE SHADES OF EARTH. It's definitely my favorite in this trilogy (and I love all of them), and Beth Revis just made this awesome and epic and wonderful and incredible book that made me feel ALL of the feels. Seriously, this book is fantastic.
AND THAT ENDING. OH MY LORD, I THINK BETH REVIS WAS TRYING TO KILL ALL OF US. But still, that ending, and this book in general, is just amazing.
Full review to come after I'm done fanboying. And who knows how long that will take.
My actual review:
WOW. One word: WOW. Beth Revis never disappoints with her novels, and SHADES OF EARTH was one of the best conclusions to a series I have read. Props to Beth for making such an amazing, wonderful and epic trilogy! I'm going to miss these characters.
First off, I should say that SHADES OF EARTH begins with a bang; the action begs right away and never stops. Crash landing is all that comes about Amy and Elder's mission that they have worked towards, and I think the synopsis puts it best: Almost home. But do you remember Orion? The crazy dude from the first book? All I will say is that he may have not been so crazy after all...
Beth Revis's writing style is just incredible, with all of her novels. Right away, I was hooked and sucked back into the story along with these characters that I dearly love. I felt like I was walking around, exploring this unfamiliar and new world with these characters, and I love it that Beth Revis managed to make me feel that way in each of her books.
Speaking of new world, can I just say that the world-building in this book was excellent? The atmosphere and all of the creatures in SHADES OF EARTH terrified me, as well as intrigued me. Gosh, why can't Hollywood finally jump on the AtU trilogy so I can see this world for myself? The author did a wonderful and fantastic job at creating and explaining the world to the reader, and all of the secrets and betrayals that occurred in this new world was brilliant.
Also, there are SO many secrets that are revealed in SHADES OF EARTH. It is insane, yet epic at the same time. Everything that we learned that was being kept a secret from us is brought to light in this book, and when you find out what they are, your jaw will fall open.
And that ending? HA HA HA HA WHAT WAS THAT?! I think Beth Revis was trying to kill us ALL with that ending. I will definitely not spoil it for you, but guys, there are so many turns and surprises in SHADES OF EARTH and you will not see this ending coming.
Overall, SHADES OF EARTH is one of the best finales I have ever read about -- it's also my favorite in this trilogy. Beth Revis, thank you for making this great series. I'm so sad to see it go.
OH. MY. STARS. I CAN'T EVEN. I SERIOUSLY CAN'T EVEN.
SHADES OF EARTH is seriously one of the best finales to a YA trilogy EVER. So much action, so many secrets, so many betrayals, SO MUCH EMOTIONS. I still can't get over how much I adore this book -- and this series.
Guys, you are going to LOVE SHADES OF EARTH. It's definitely my favorite in this trilogy (and I love all of them), and Beth Revis just made this awesome and epic and wonderful and incredible book that made me feel ALL of the feels. Seriously, this book is fantastic.
AND THAT ENDING. OH MY LORD, I THINK BETH REVIS WAS TRYING TO KILL ALL OF US. But still, that ending, and this book in general, is just amazing.
Full review to come after I'm done fanboying. And who knows how long that will take.
My actual review:
WOW. One word: WOW. Beth Revis never disappoints with her novels, and SHADES OF EARTH was one of the best conclusions to a series I have read. Props to Beth for making such an amazing, wonderful and epic trilogy! I'm going to miss these characters.
First off, I should say that SHADES OF EARTH begins with a bang; the action begs right away and never stops. Crash landing is all that comes about Amy and Elder's mission that they have worked towards, and I think the synopsis puts it best: Almost home. But do you remember Orion? The crazy dude from the first book? All I will say is that he may have not been so crazy after all...
Beth Revis's writing style is just incredible, with all of her novels. Right away, I was hooked and sucked back into the story along with these characters that I dearly love. I felt like I was walking around, exploring this unfamiliar and new world with these characters, and I love it that Beth Revis managed to make me feel that way in each of her books.
Speaking of new world, can I just say that the world-building in this book was excellent? The atmosphere and all of the creatures in SHADES OF EARTH terrified me, as well as intrigued me. Gosh, why can't Hollywood finally jump on the AtU trilogy so I can see this world for myself? The author did a wonderful and fantastic job at creating and explaining the world to the reader, and all of the secrets and betrayals that occurred in this new world was brilliant.
Also, there are SO many secrets that are revealed in SHADES OF EARTH. It is insane, yet epic at the same time. Everything that we learned that was being kept a secret from us is brought to light in this book, and when you find out what they are, your jaw will fall open.
And that ending? HA HA HA HA WHAT WAS THAT?! I think Beth Revis was trying to kill us ALL with that ending. I will definitely not spoil it for you, but guys, there are so many turns and surprises in SHADES OF EARTH and you will not see this ending coming.
Overall, SHADES OF EARTH is one of the best finales I have ever read about -- it's also my favorite in this trilogy. Beth Revis, thank you for making this great series. I'm so sad to see it go.
February 13, 2013
***FINAL RATING: 3.30 STARS***
CATCHALL
I love a good sci-fi series, especially the wild ones. It's not often we get to experience an entirely new planet, and it was fun to try that in this novel. It's fast-paced, almost a thriller, but doesn't quite reach this level. Even so, it's a major page turner that kept me up late into the night. This last installment was just as brill as the two books that came before. This review kind of makes it sound like I didn't love this book, but believe me, I did.
THE HERO
ELDER
Elder is okay, I guess. Not the best character ever. I like him more than Amy, which isn't actually saying much but still. He tries to be a good leader, but he's a teenager and we are not the best leaders. He tends to doubt himself when he needs to step up, but he also has no idea when to let go. He's an all right character, but he could have used some improving. I don't hate him, but I have no more real love for him. I used to like him more.
THE HEROINE
AMY
I'm not a huge Amy fan. She irritates the living hell out of me. She has these ideals and she's she freaking stubborn and her way is the right way and that is that. And we're supposed to just take that. Guys, Amy is what, seventeen? I sincerely doubt that she holds all the answers to the universe in her hands and that is not okay. She is always, always portrayed as being right in this book and she just really got on my nerves like nothing else.
THE PLOT
The number one thing that bothered me about this book: It was so freaking ridiculously liberal.
Granted, this is a personal issue. and, speaking frankly, I am a teenager and probably have not settled in permanent political views yet. But I was raised as a conservative, and my parents are conservative, and despite the fact that I am liberal in a few select aspects I am still, at this point in my life, mostly a conservative. So, this did affect me. I was so frustrated by all the things that Amy wanted to do and her ideas to govern the colony. However, those are my personal opinions and this might not bother anyone but me.
So, moving on. Shades of Earth is very, very fast-paced, but at other times it kind of drags. The pacing is weirdly off. It's always fast or slow, and kind of frustrating. I couldn't get a grip on it. I loved when it moved quickly. It was always fun to hear my heartbeat speed up, but that only made it all the more annoying when everything slowed down.
Love the concept, though, and the originality of it. It was fun to explore a new setting. The previous two books took place on the ship, but this one moves away from that. Instead, there's a new planet. New dangers. Unexpected twists. Some things were way too coincidental and unrealistic, but if I let that go and simply enjoyed this for what it was, I had a lot more fun.
All in all, I did love this. It wasn't perfect, but perfection is relative anyway. I truly enjoyed this.
THE ROMANCE
I am not necessarily a huge fan of Amy and Elder's romance. I don't hate it, but it's so goddamn boring. They have no chemistry whatsoever. It's sweet but it lacks substance. I was much more willing to ship Amy with the creepy Chris, who I really didn't like at all, which says a lot. Still, if they want to live a passion-less life together I suppose that's their choice. It felt a lot like a first love thing and just didn't have that extra oomph.
THE WRITING
Beth has gorgeous writing when it comes to description. She describe Centauri-Earth so vividly that it's almost like we're actually there. There's an incredible level of sensory detail. However, I am not a fan of Amy's and Elder's voice. They just come off to me as so immature and irritating. They've improved since the beginning, but they still needed work. They also aren't nearly distinct enough. I understand the dual-POV thing, but if you're going to do that you need to have distinct, separate voices.
THE ENDING
I really think that Shades of Earth reached a wonderful ending. It was far from clean, but it was realistic. There's death and destruction and everything isn't neat. There's going to still be changes that have to be made, and they're going to have to rebuild their lives. But it's not a cliffhanger as much as it simply is an open ending. There's more to come, but for us, the story is over. At least for now. However, I wouldn't object to a novella set in this world in the future.
WRAPUP
Not that the Across the Universe series has come to an end, I absolutely cannot wait to see what Beth spins for us next. I'm sure it'll be full of sparkles and romance, and I'm definitely excited. Whether she moves away from sci-fi or stays within the genre, I have high hopes that I'll love it. For old fans of this series, you need to pick this book up ASAP. If you're new to this series, I highly recommend it even if you're queasy about the sic-fi stuff. It's that good.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
CATCHALL
I love a good sci-fi series, especially the wild ones. It's not often we get to experience an entirely new planet, and it was fun to try that in this novel. It's fast-paced, almost a thriller, but doesn't quite reach this level. Even so, it's a major page turner that kept me up late into the night. This last installment was just as brill as the two books that came before. This review kind of makes it sound like I didn't love this book, but believe me, I did.
THE HERO
ELDER
Elder is okay, I guess. Not the best character ever. I like him more than Amy, which isn't actually saying much but still. He tries to be a good leader, but he's a teenager and we are not the best leaders. He tends to doubt himself when he needs to step up, but he also has no idea when to let go. He's an all right character, but he could have used some improving. I don't hate him, but I have no more real love for him. I used to like him more.
THE HEROINE
AMY
I'm not a huge Amy fan. She irritates the living hell out of me. She has these ideals and she's she freaking stubborn and her way is the right way and that is that. And we're supposed to just take that. Guys, Amy is what, seventeen? I sincerely doubt that she holds all the answers to the universe in her hands and that is not okay. She is always, always portrayed as being right in this book and she just really got on my nerves like nothing else.
THE PLOT
The number one thing that bothered me about this book: It was so freaking ridiculously liberal.
Granted, this is a personal issue. and, speaking frankly, I am a teenager and probably have not settled in permanent political views yet. But I was raised as a conservative, and my parents are conservative, and despite the fact that I am liberal in a few select aspects I am still, at this point in my life, mostly a conservative. So, this did affect me. I was so frustrated by all the things that Amy wanted to do and her ideas to govern the colony. However, those are my personal opinions and this might not bother anyone but me.
So, moving on. Shades of Earth is very, very fast-paced, but at other times it kind of drags. The pacing is weirdly off. It's always fast or slow, and kind of frustrating. I couldn't get a grip on it. I loved when it moved quickly. It was always fun to hear my heartbeat speed up, but that only made it all the more annoying when everything slowed down.
Love the concept, though, and the originality of it. It was fun to explore a new setting. The previous two books took place on the ship, but this one moves away from that. Instead, there's a new planet. New dangers. Unexpected twists. Some things were way too coincidental and unrealistic, but if I let that go and simply enjoyed this for what it was, I had a lot more fun.
All in all, I did love this. It wasn't perfect, but perfection is relative anyway. I truly enjoyed this.
THE ROMANCE
I am not necessarily a huge fan of Amy and Elder's romance. I don't hate it, but it's so goddamn boring. They have no chemistry whatsoever. It's sweet but it lacks substance. I was much more willing to ship Amy with the creepy Chris, who I really didn't like at all, which says a lot. Still, if they want to live a passion-less life together I suppose that's their choice. It felt a lot like a first love thing and just didn't have that extra oomph.
THE WRITING
Beth has gorgeous writing when it comes to description. She describe Centauri-Earth so vividly that it's almost like we're actually there. There's an incredible level of sensory detail. However, I am not a fan of Amy's and Elder's voice. They just come off to me as so immature and irritating. They've improved since the beginning, but they still needed work. They also aren't nearly distinct enough. I understand the dual-POV thing, but if you're going to do that you need to have distinct, separate voices.
THE ENDING
I really think that Shades of Earth reached a wonderful ending. It was far from clean, but it was realistic. There's death and destruction and everything isn't neat. There's going to still be changes that have to be made, and they're going to have to rebuild their lives. But it's not a cliffhanger as much as it simply is an open ending. There's more to come, but for us, the story is over. At least for now. However, I wouldn't object to a novella set in this world in the future.
WRAPUP
Not that the Across the Universe series has come to an end, I absolutely cannot wait to see what Beth spins for us next. I'm sure it'll be full of sparkles and romance, and I'm definitely excited. Whether she moves away from sci-fi or stays within the genre, I have high hopes that I'll love it. For old fans of this series, you need to pick this book up ASAP. If you're new to this series, I highly recommend it even if you're queasy about the sic-fi stuff. It's that good.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
May 19, 2026
2.5 stars. Well, it’s done. I read the whole trilogy. It only took me a decade or so.
I wonder if the author was inundated by feedback that she did plot twists well, after the first two books, and so for this final installment she decided to try the Oops All Plot Twists! approach.
Shades of Earth also takes a rather dark and bloody turn, in comparison to the last two… lots of character death. Again I have to say this entire series fails in terms of YA. Instead of making an attempt to understand and connect with a teen audience, it waffles from being gratuitously dramatic and mired in adult themes to being too stupid for even a teen to bother with. (Especially in the science department. Because heaven forbid a science fiction author bothers to do a little research on basic laws of physics.)
Idk. I didn’t hate the series, as a whole, but there were many things about it I hated. Amy, the FMC, being the biggest example. I liked Elder, I liked some of the themes, I liked the premise even though I didn’t enjoy the execution.
I wonder if the author was inundated by feedback that she did plot twists well, after the first two books, and so for this final installment she decided to try the Oops All Plot Twists! approach.
Shades of Earth also takes a rather dark and bloody turn, in comparison to the last two… lots of character death. Again I have to say this entire series fails in terms of YA. Instead of making an attempt to understand and connect with a teen audience, it waffles from being gratuitously dramatic and mired in adult themes to being too stupid for even a teen to bother with. (Especially in the science department. Because heaven forbid a science fiction author bothers to do a little research on basic laws of physics.)
Idk. I didn’t hate the series, as a whole, but there were many things about it I hated. Amy, the FMC, being the biggest example. I liked Elder, I liked some of the themes, I liked the premise even though I didn’t enjoy the execution.
January 27, 2013
3 1/2 stars
I was so prepared to give this series conclusion four stars right up until that cheesy ending. I knew it was going to happen, I was hoping it wouldn't but, deep down, I just knew it would. I've given the first two books - Across the Universe and A Million Suns - four and three stars respectively, the latter rating being mainly because I thought the characters lacked development and personality, despite the fact that I love the idea behind the story. On that front, I think Ms Revis finally delivered the character development I've been wanting from the start in Shades of Earth and she served it up alongside fast-paced action, well-placed twists and a nice dose of gore.
Revis isn't afraid to give her characters a hard time, none of them make it to the end of this series unscathed and I like the way this book showcases how far they've come and how different they are now from when we were first introduced to them. Also, though it was necessary for the author to bring the romantic subplot to a head here, I admire her ability to keep it firmly in the background and not let it overtake the main issues which are survival and solving the mysteries of Godspeed, Orion and the new planet. Which brings me nicely to the plot of this final installment.
Elder, Amy and the members of Godspeed who decided to join them on the shuttle finally arrive on the new planet but - surprise! - everything doesn't go according to plan and the planet is found to be hiding numerous dark secrets and deadly creatures. The whole mystery gets even bigger with this volume before it is finally solved, Amy and Elder find themselves questioning the loyalty of those around them and the real reason why the past leader of Godspeed wanted to keep them from landing on this new planet. What is Centauri-Earth hiding? What has happened in the centuries that Godspeed has been hovering in space? And most importantly: who are the real monsters?
This series really is a kind of nerd wish-fulfillment for me. Obviously, not everyone is going to feel the same way as I do and your enjoyment of the story will depend on how much this idea appeals to you. But I love it. I don't fear technology and development... it fascinates me. Not much brings me more excitement than the possibility of discovering other planets and other lifeforms in the future. It is scary, of course it is, going into such uncharted waters as is the far corners of space, but I find it equally thrilling. There are only two places that are still so steeped in mystery that I devour stories about them with wild excitement: space and the human brain. And this series has the first completely covered.
Even though my rating has been hovering somewhere around the middle of the scale on these books, I think I can finally say that I am ready to give this series a thumbs up. If you like young adult books that are big on the mystery and action with less focus on romancing, you should love this series. Even with that cheesefest ending.
October 28, 2015
Hace rato ni amaba tanto una trilogía distópica. La verdad es que después de Los Juegos del hambre creí que no iba a encontrar otra distopía que me apasionara tanto. Pero en 2014 encontré Legend y ahora en 2015 encuentro a "Across the Universe"
Los tres libros son maravillosos la historia no deja de sorprenderte en ningún momento y el final es tan inesperado como maravilloso. Me ha encantado. Totalmente recomendada.
Reseña Completa: http://bastvilard.blogspot.com.co/201...
Los tres libros son maravillosos la historia no deja de sorprenderte en ningún momento y el final es tan inesperado como maravilloso. Me ha encantado. Totalmente recomendada.
Reseña Completa: http://bastvilard.blogspot.com.co/201...
January 24, 2013
Seen at Scott Reads It
"Space may be the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
There will be spoilers for Across The Universe and A Million Suns. In this review there are no spoilers for Shades of Earth at all.
You're probably asking yourself: "Why is he quoting the Red Hot Chili Peppers?". I have always wanted to go to space and discover new planets and stars. The likelihood of me going to space is probably is about as likely as me winning the lottery jackpot. Space has never felt so real and tangible until I read the Across The Universe trilogy. I would like to thank Revis for letting me experience the beauty and wonders of space without leaving my sofa. I was dying to read Beth Revis so on January 15th I scrambled to the library to pick up Shades Of Earth.
There's so much I have to say about Shades Of Earth and I don't think any review could do Shades of Earth justice. Shades of Earth leaves off right after that fantastic cliffhanger in A Million Suns. Elder and Amy have finally left Godspeed and are on Centauri-Earth trying to build a new home. The problem is that Centauri Earth is full of secrets and danger that pose a threat to our colonists.
Shades of Earth includes our good ol' favorites like Amy and Elder plus a whole new bunch of people from the military. We finally meet Amy's parents but the meeting isn't as pleasant as I would have hoped. Amy's Dad wants to use any means to colonize Centauri-Earth and I had an immediate distaste for him. He was so way too serious and aggressive even with his own daughter. I understand that a military leader needs to be tough and serious but he doesn't need be that way all the time. We really don't get to know Amy's mom much because Revis really focuses on Amy's Dad instead. There are so many deaths in Shades of Earth and I honestly couldn't care less about the characters who died. A majority of the characters who died in this book lacked characterization and emotional depth so when they died I wasn't affected at all. If you have tons of characters die in a book that's fine as long as affects the reader emotionally but I was rather indifferent.
Even my favorite characters in the book really were frexing annoying in the beginning of the novel. Amy was acting rather childish in the beginning and she evens mentions how childish she was acting a few times. Elder wants to be tried to treated like a leader yet he doesn't act like an adult at all. Elder was constantly whining and moping how everything wasn't working out on Centauri-Earth and how he abandoned his people. I really wanted Elder to take charge and act like a true leader.
There is a love triangle in Shades of Earth and I wasn't a fan of the romance in this book. I really didn't find Chris appealing in anyway and from the start I had a distaste for him. Chris was an integral part of the story but feel like Revis unnecessarily made Chris a love interest. Otherwise Amy and Elder's relationship was really sweet and I really enjoyed the romance aspect of this book.
Shades Of Earth is a great conclusion to Revis's ATU Trilogy. I feel like everything was tied up nicely and the ending of Shades of Earth was just simply incredible. I didn't totally approve of the love triangle in this book and SoE was a little bit slower paced than the other two books. Some of the characters in this book were a bit cliche especially Amy's Dad and Chris. For the most part Shades of Earth had a very original plot with tons of plot twists that really kept me on the edge of my seat. Nevertheless despite it's flaws, I really enjoyed reading Shades of Earth! The mystery in Shades of Earth was simply captivating and engaging. I would definitely recommend reading Shades of Earth and I hope Revis writes a new book soon.
"Space may be the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
There will be spoilers for Across The Universe and A Million Suns. In this review there are no spoilers for Shades of Earth at all.
You're probably asking yourself: "Why is he quoting the Red Hot Chili Peppers?". I have always wanted to go to space and discover new planets and stars. The likelihood of me going to space is probably is about as likely as me winning the lottery jackpot. Space has never felt so real and tangible until I read the Across The Universe trilogy. I would like to thank Revis for letting me experience the beauty and wonders of space without leaving my sofa. I was dying to read Beth Revis so on January 15th I scrambled to the library to pick up Shades Of Earth.
There's so much I have to say about Shades Of Earth and I don't think any review could do Shades of Earth justice. Shades of Earth leaves off right after that fantastic cliffhanger in A Million Suns. Elder and Amy have finally left Godspeed and are on Centauri-Earth trying to build a new home. The problem is that Centauri Earth is full of secrets and danger that pose a threat to our colonists.
Shades of Earth includes our good ol' favorites like Amy and Elder plus a whole new bunch of people from the military. We finally meet Amy's parents but the meeting isn't as pleasant as I would have hoped. Amy's Dad wants to use any means to colonize Centauri-Earth and I had an immediate distaste for him. He was so way too serious and aggressive even with his own daughter. I understand that a military leader needs to be tough and serious but he doesn't need be that way all the time. We really don't get to know Amy's mom much because Revis really focuses on Amy's Dad instead. There are so many deaths in Shades of Earth and I honestly couldn't care less about the characters who died. A majority of the characters who died in this book lacked characterization and emotional depth so when they died I wasn't affected at all. If you have tons of characters die in a book that's fine as long as affects the reader emotionally but I was rather indifferent.
Even my favorite characters in the book really were frexing annoying in the beginning of the novel. Amy was acting rather childish in the beginning and she evens mentions how childish she was acting a few times. Elder wants to be tried to treated like a leader yet he doesn't act like an adult at all. Elder was constantly whining and moping how everything wasn't working out on Centauri-Earth and how he abandoned his people. I really wanted Elder to take charge and act like a true leader.
There is a love triangle in Shades of Earth and I wasn't a fan of the romance in this book. I really didn't find Chris appealing in anyway and from the start I had a distaste for him. Chris was an integral part of the story but feel like Revis unnecessarily made Chris a love interest. Otherwise Amy and Elder's relationship was really sweet and I really enjoyed the romance aspect of this book.
Shades Of Earth is a great conclusion to Revis's ATU Trilogy. I feel like everything was tied up nicely and the ending of Shades of Earth was just simply incredible. I didn't totally approve of the love triangle in this book and SoE was a little bit slower paced than the other two books. Some of the characters in this book were a bit cliche especially Amy's Dad and Chris. For the most part Shades of Earth had a very original plot with tons of plot twists that really kept me on the edge of my seat. Nevertheless despite it's flaws, I really enjoyed reading Shades of Earth! The mystery in Shades of Earth was simply captivating and engaging. I would definitely recommend reading Shades of Earth and I hope Revis writes a new book soon.
February 26, 2018
Español - English
Finalmente llegan a Tierra Centaury, mucha gente se quedó en La Fortuna, pero se agregan mas cuando por fin despiertan a los congelados.
La coexistencia no será fácil ya que al ser los nativos una raza monoetnica desconfían de los descongelados, que a su vez tienen su propia agenda y no aceptan a Elder como líder por ser tan joven.
Al llegar al planeta se encuentran con evidencias de que no solo hubo vida humana, sino que están siendo atacados y no saben si es por animales o si hay vida inteligente.
Es el libro de la serie que más me ha costado leer, me pareció muy aburrido, sabía de antemano quién era el infiltrado, todo lo "interesante" pasa en las últimas páginas, definitivamente el romance entre Elder y Amy se siente forzado y, aunque no esté de acuerdo con los acontecimientos finales y algunas de las muertes, fue un buen final, abierto pero sin posibilidad de otro libro.
✨✨✨
Finally they arrived at Earth Centaury, many people stayed in The Fortune, but they add more when finally awaken the frozen ones.
Coexistence will not be easy since the natives are a monoethnic race, distrusting the thawed ones, who in turn have their own agenda and do not accept Elder as a leader because he is so young.
When they arrive to the planet they find evidence that not only was there human life, but they are being attacked and they do not know if it is because of animals or if there is intelligent life.
It is the book of the series that has cost me most to read, I found it very boring, I knew in advance who was the infiltrator, everything "interesting" happens in the last pages, definitely the romance between Elder and Amy feels forced and, although I don’t agree with the final events and some of the deaths, it was a good ending, open but with no possibility of another book.
Finalmente llegan a Tierra Centaury, mucha gente se quedó en La Fortuna, pero se agregan mas cuando por fin despiertan a los congelados.
La coexistencia no será fácil ya que al ser los nativos una raza monoetnica desconfían de los descongelados, que a su vez tienen su propia agenda y no aceptan a Elder como líder por ser tan joven.
Al llegar al planeta se encuentran con evidencias de que no solo hubo vida humana, sino que están siendo atacados y no saben si es por animales o si hay vida inteligente.
Es el libro de la serie que más me ha costado leer, me pareció muy aburrido, sabía de antemano quién era el infiltrado, todo lo "interesante" pasa en las últimas páginas, definitivamente el romance entre Elder y Amy se siente forzado y, aunque no esté de acuerdo con los acontecimientos finales y algunas de las muertes, fue un buen final, abierto pero sin posibilidad de otro libro.
✨✨✨
Finally they arrived at Earth Centaury, many people stayed in The Fortune, but they add more when finally awaken the frozen ones.
Coexistence will not be easy since the natives are a monoethnic race, distrusting the thawed ones, who in turn have their own agenda and do not accept Elder as a leader because he is so young.
When they arrive to the planet they find evidence that not only was there human life, but they are being attacked and they do not know if it is because of animals or if there is intelligent life.
It is the book of the series that has cost me most to read, I found it very boring, I knew in advance who was the infiltrator, everything "interesting" happens in the last pages, definitely the romance between Elder and Amy feels forced and, although I don’t agree with the final events and some of the deaths, it was a good ending, open but with no possibility of another book.
Want to Read
July 8, 2012no no no no NO NO NO!
I hate these new covers. NO!
I LOVED THE OLD COVERS! WITH A PASSION! <3 <3 <3
And now: < / 3
They will not match as well OHMYFUCKINGGODNOOOOOOO
Not happy. Can you tell?
I hate these new covers. NO!
I LOVED THE OLD COVERS! WITH A PASSION! <3 <3 <3
And now: < / 3
They will not match as well OHMYFUCKINGGODNOOOOOOO
Not happy. Can you tell?
January 20, 2013
OH FREX THAT WAS LOONS!!!! Mind is totally blown!
Maybe I'm just coming off my book high but it is 5am and after not being able to put the book down for longer than to eat and run to the bathroom a couple times I must say I thought it was a fabulously, nerve wracking, intense, epic, mind blowing conclusion!
I was so excited to finally get the Frozens woken up and to see this planet and what is inhabiting it. As expected total epic chaos ensued! Distrust and lies continued. Murders around every corner. WTF! Like serious epic mass destruction! Actually I totally knew who the traitor was but I had no idea how it would all play out with the motives and final goals. It was beyond what I thought. I had a million theories running through my mind the entire time. I was so on edge as pieces slowly turned out to be true and others proven false. I loved watching all the little clues fall into the bigger mystery and story. This planet had so much more history around it than I ever thought going into this series.
I love Amy and Elder! I looked forward to all their sweet stolen moments. I love the trust and confidence that has grown between each other and how well they work together. Elder has become a serious hero. He literally gave up everything to give the literal world to Amy! And even though he was thrown into a leader position that he doesn't really need to follow through with, he will always give up everything and anything for his people. He really was an awesome character.
The planet itself was like its own character. So amazing and kept me on my toes. Ahh I guess I can't say more because I want everyone to be shocked and amazed by it like I was. The ending was great but far from what I was expecting and not exactly perfect. It did take 2348203948203948 disasters to get to the end but I think there is hope for a good life! Twists and turns I truly didn't see coming. Mind totally blown! I will miss this series!
---
"I've lost nearly everything else I love; I can't lose you too."
"I'll always come back to you," I say, pulling her close.
I love my pre-reading thoughts because Jurassic Park is actually mentioned by Amy! LOL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I NEED THIS!!! I'm already in agony trying to figure out what the heck dangerous stuff is on this planet. A whole year to find out is definitely going to kill me! Aliens?! Dinosaurs?! I just watched Jurassic Park lol I kind of picture the planet like that.
Maybe I'm just coming off my book high but it is 5am and after not being able to put the book down for longer than to eat and run to the bathroom a couple times I must say I thought it was a fabulously, nerve wracking, intense, epic, mind blowing conclusion!
I was so excited to finally get the Frozens woken up and to see this planet and what is inhabiting it. As expected total epic chaos ensued! Distrust and lies continued. Murders around every corner. WTF! Like serious epic mass destruction! Actually I totally knew who the traitor was but I had no idea how it would all play out with the motives and final goals. It was beyond what I thought. I had a million theories running through my mind the entire time. I was so on edge as pieces slowly turned out to be true and others proven false. I loved watching all the little clues fall into the bigger mystery and story. This planet had so much more history around it than I ever thought going into this series.
I love Amy and Elder! I looked forward to all their sweet stolen moments. I love the trust and confidence that has grown between each other and how well they work together. Elder has become a serious hero. He literally gave up everything to give the literal world to Amy! And even though he was thrown into a leader position that he doesn't really need to follow through with, he will always give up everything and anything for his people. He really was an awesome character.
The planet itself was like its own character. So amazing and kept me on my toes. Ahh I guess I can't say more because I want everyone to be shocked and amazed by it like I was. The ending was great but far from what I was expecting and not exactly perfect. It did take 2348203948203948 disasters to get to the end but I think there is hope for a good life! Twists and turns I truly didn't see coming. Mind totally blown! I will miss this series!
---
"I've lost nearly everything else I love; I can't lose you too."
"I'll always come back to you," I say, pulling her close.
I love my pre-reading thoughts because Jurassic Park is actually mentioned by Amy! LOL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I NEED THIS!!! I'm already in agony trying to figure out what the heck dangerous stuff is on this planet. A whole year to find out is definitely going to kill me! Aliens?! Dinosaurs?! I just watched Jurassic Park lol I kind of picture the planet like that.
June 12, 2015
I enjoyed this series. I thought it was interesting and unexpected, especially this book. However I just didn't really care for any of the characters or the romance plot line. I really liked everything else though!
January 21, 2013
This has been a really great series for me. I've enjoyed watching Amy and Elder's journey since the beginning, and I think the first chapter in Across the Universe is one of the most well-written first chapters in YA. I've been looking forward to Shades of Earth since I finished A Million Suns in November of 2011, and I'm here to say that this book provides great closure for a great series.
First, I think it's important to note that this book is a lot different than the first two in that it doesn't take place solely on a space ship. We're given a new world, a new setting, and this provides a lot of new options. But while I think Centauri Earth could have felt bigger, could have been this grand setting, Revis didn't necessarily take advantage of that potential. Don't get me wrong: she provided us with a lush world, but it almost felt like Amy, Elder, and the others were still confined to a small space - they really only go to three places: where the shuttle lands, their camp, and a third location I won't mention because of spoilers. They really weren't going to many more places than they did on Godspeed.
For me, that gave this book (and the entire series) an almost play sort of vibe, like where there are only a few sets that actors work with. There's a sense of confinement, and while I was expecting Centauri Earth to be a breakaway from that type of setting, it was definitely not the case. I found it a little odd. Not bad, just odd.
We're introduced to a lot of new characters in this book, namely Amy's parents. There were moments that Revis almost lost me with how she portrayed Amy's father. I think it's really easy to vilify the military - nobody likes the idea of war or weapons. And I think Revis toed the line with cliche; she didn't jump over it, as many authors do, but she got really close. But the tender moments between Amy and her father kept him real, instead of a cardboard cutout of a heartless army guy.
But I WOULD like to rant just a tiny bit about this topic, where I don't think Revis was particularly fair (though she's certainly not the only author/person to have done this). I shall call this section "In Defense of Amy's Dad."
*ahem*
The entirety of Shades of Earth is set in a survival situation. These people are thrown into a circumstance that they know nothing about. They're being attacked by enemies they don't know. They're on a planet that's literally alien to them. And there is zero unity among the group.
Someone HAD to take control of the situation. If not, chaos would have ensued. And no one stepped up to fill this role except for Amy's dad. Amidst the chaos, he brought order. And while Elder and Amy and a lot of other people might not have liked HOW he led, at least he DID lead.
I was particularly annoyed with Elder in this regard, a CHILD who thought he could lead better. And yet, while he constantly complains, he never really does any actual leading. He sulks and sasses to Amy's dad, but he doesn't do much in the way of actually providing different solutions to problems. Forgive me but you, sir, are not in a place to criticize someone else's leadership when you're not willing or capable to take that person's place. If you don't like how something's being done, then you come up with something better; and don't automatically vilify someone who disagrees with you.
/endrant
All that being said, I didn't dislike the book. Not at all! I think the mystery is the most complex in this book than the first three, and the writing is really nice. The romance between Amy and Elder is very sweet, and I loved that Amy finally came to her senses and realized what a good guy Elder is. And I liked watching Amy mature and make responsible choices; she came a long way throughout the series, and I think her character arc was really strong.
I also found the ending satisfying. It didn't turn out exactly the way I would have liked it to, but I think it was still good.
Long story short: I think fans of the series will be happy with this conclusion. I look forward to reading more by Beth Revis, and I'm happy that she wrote a straightforward science fiction novel for teens. There are spaceships, aliens, and new planets. All three of those things are ones I'd like to see more of in YA!
...but A Million Suns is still my favorite.
First, I think it's important to note that this book is a lot different than the first two in that it doesn't take place solely on a space ship. We're given a new world, a new setting, and this provides a lot of new options. But while I think Centauri Earth could have felt bigger, could have been this grand setting, Revis didn't necessarily take advantage of that potential. Don't get me wrong: she provided us with a lush world, but it almost felt like Amy, Elder, and the others were still confined to a small space - they really only go to three places: where the shuttle lands, their camp, and a third location I won't mention because of spoilers. They really weren't going to many more places than they did on Godspeed.
For me, that gave this book (and the entire series) an almost play sort of vibe, like where there are only a few sets that actors work with. There's a sense of confinement, and while I was expecting Centauri Earth to be a breakaway from that type of setting, it was definitely not the case. I found it a little odd. Not bad, just odd.
We're introduced to a lot of new characters in this book, namely Amy's parents. There were moments that Revis almost lost me with how she portrayed Amy's father. I think it's really easy to vilify the military - nobody likes the idea of war or weapons. And I think Revis toed the line with cliche; she didn't jump over it, as many authors do, but she got really close. But the tender moments between Amy and her father kept him real, instead of a cardboard cutout of a heartless army guy.
But I WOULD like to rant just a tiny bit about this topic, where I don't think Revis was particularly fair (though she's certainly not the only author/person to have done this). I shall call this section "In Defense of Amy's Dad."
*ahem*
The entirety of Shades of Earth is set in a survival situation. These people are thrown into a circumstance that they know nothing about. They're being attacked by enemies they don't know. They're on a planet that's literally alien to them. And there is zero unity among the group.
Someone HAD to take control of the situation. If not, chaos would have ensued. And no one stepped up to fill this role except for Amy's dad. Amidst the chaos, he brought order. And while Elder and Amy and a lot of other people might not have liked HOW he led, at least he DID lead.
I was particularly annoyed with Elder in this regard, a CHILD who thought he could lead better. And yet, while he constantly complains, he never really does any actual leading. He sulks and sasses to Amy's dad, but he doesn't do much in the way of actually providing different solutions to problems. Forgive me but you, sir, are not in a place to criticize someone else's leadership when you're not willing or capable to take that person's place. If you don't like how something's being done, then you come up with something better; and don't automatically vilify someone who disagrees with you.
/endrant
All that being said, I didn't dislike the book. Not at all! I think the mystery is the most complex in this book than the first three, and the writing is really nice. The romance between Amy and Elder is very sweet, and I loved that Amy finally came to her senses and realized what a good guy Elder is. And I liked watching Amy mature and make responsible choices; she came a long way throughout the series, and I think her character arc was really strong.
I also found the ending satisfying. It didn't turn out exactly the way I would have liked it to, but I think it was still good.
Long story short: I think fans of the series will be happy with this conclusion. I look forward to reading more by Beth Revis, and I'm happy that she wrote a straightforward science fiction novel for teens. There are spaceships, aliens, and new planets. All three of those things are ones I'd like to see more of in YA!
...but A Million Suns is still my favorite.
June 25, 2017
3.5 stars
I might raise my rating to 4 stars not sure. This book was better than the second, in my opinion. I read it in one sitting and I liked Amy more in this one. However, I can't forget the "love-triangle" maybe it wasn't a major event but it was kinda useless. I hated how Amy acted around Chris oblivious to the fact that she has a "boyfriend".
Full review to come. Maybe.
I might raise my rating to 4 stars not sure. This book was better than the second, in my opinion. I read it in one sitting and I liked Amy more in this one. However, I can't forget the "love-triangle" maybe it wasn't a major event but it was kinda useless. I hated how Amy acted around Chris oblivious to the fact that she has a "boyfriend".
Full review to come. Maybe.
February 22, 2017
3 or 3.5 stars?
This was the most interesting installment of the trilogy to me and there were many moments that made me go 'WHOA' because of how it explored the sci-fi elements. However, some things were really predictable to me and a couple of things didn't feel fully explained in the end.
It's a series that got better as it went along to me, but I would have a hard time giving a blanket recommendation for it. I needed some time to sit with the type of society that was being set up but I can see many people being turned off from the beginning.
Overall, the thing that bothered me the most ended up being the relationship. Throughout the series the male love interest is frequently jealous of Amy talking to any other guys and his inner romantic thoughts about her ALWAYS include the word 'crushing' (he wants to crush her body to his, crush his lips against hers, crush her up against a wall) and this felt too aggressive to me. Many other elements to the story that I was uncomfortable with fell away as the series progressed, but not this. I did think the feeling of jealousy was realistic for some teenage experiences, but as an adult this wasn't a relationship I considered to be romantic at all. The romance is pretty central in this series, so whether or not you like it will probably impact how much you enjoy the books.
I am glad I read this though because I've been curious about the series for so long and I've never read anything by Beth Revis, despite having met her twice. I would read more by her in the future, but as far as this series, there are other YA sci-fi books I'd recommend over it in a heartbeat, such as the Illuminae and These Broken Stars series. I would recommend Across the Universe to readers who want a version of The Maze Runner set in space, but with a more solid conclusion. For some reason, I kept getting Maze Runner vibes from this story. The characters are also trapped in one location for most of the series, are trying to figure out the truth behind their dystopian society, and also have made up curse words (though they aren't used as heavily as in TMR).
This was the most interesting installment of the trilogy to me and there were many moments that made me go 'WHOA' because of how it explored the sci-fi elements. However, some things were really predictable to me and a couple of things didn't feel fully explained in the end.
It's a series that got better as it went along to me, but I would have a hard time giving a blanket recommendation for it. I needed some time to sit with the type of society that was being set up but I can see many people being turned off from the beginning.
Overall, the thing that bothered me the most ended up being the relationship. Throughout the series the male love interest is frequently jealous of Amy talking to any other guys and his inner romantic thoughts about her ALWAYS include the word 'crushing' (he wants to crush her body to his, crush his lips against hers, crush her up against a wall) and this felt too aggressive to me. Many other elements to the story that I was uncomfortable with fell away as the series progressed, but not this. I did think the feeling of jealousy was realistic for some teenage experiences, but as an adult this wasn't a relationship I considered to be romantic at all. The romance is pretty central in this series, so whether or not you like it will probably impact how much you enjoy the books.
I am glad I read this though because I've been curious about the series for so long and I've never read anything by Beth Revis, despite having met her twice. I would read more by her in the future, but as far as this series, there are other YA sci-fi books I'd recommend over it in a heartbeat, such as the Illuminae and These Broken Stars series. I would recommend Across the Universe to readers who want a version of The Maze Runner set in space, but with a more solid conclusion. For some reason, I kept getting Maze Runner vibes from this story. The characters are also trapped in one location for most of the series, are trying to figure out the truth behind their dystopian society, and also have made up curse words (though they aren't used as heavily as in TMR).
August 7, 2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Science Fiction + Young Adult
After spending two books aboard Godspeed, Shades of Earth finally delivers the moment the trilogy has been building toward: Amy, Elder, and the rest of the passengers arrive on Centauri-Earth. Reaching the planet, however, doesn't magically solve their problems. If anything, it creates a whole new set of them.
The book takes a major shift in the setting. Gone are the narrow hallways and the rules that need to be maintained on the ship. Now the colonists need to explore the new alien world where almost everything feels uncertain. This shift gives the book a different identity.
Amy and Elder are still very much the main protagonists of the story. Their goals seem to be different, and their priorities don’t always align. In this installment, Amy’s father has a major role in moving the plot. The author answers many of the questions that were not answered in the first two books, and she also introduces new questions and some new obstacles that keep the tension high. The plot rarely stands still, and there's almost always another problem waiting around the corner.
By the time I reached the ending, I felt the trilogy had said what it wanted to say. Most of the major storylines are wrapped up, and I appreciated that Revis didn't rely on a vague or overly open-ended finale. Some revelations landed better than others, but I never had the sense that she was deliberately holding back answers just to appear mysterious.
Even so, this was probably my least favorite book of the trilogy. I enjoyed reading it, but I also found myself raising an eyebrow more often than I expected. Quite a few plot developments ask the reader to accept things without thinking too hard about them. That's hardly unusual in YA science fiction, and some readers may not mind at all, but I found those moments accumulated over time. Eventually, I was reading more for the momentum than because everything happening felt believable.
Ironically, despite everything that's happening, the book occasionally feels like it's in too much of a hurry. One crisis is barely resolved before another arrives. The premise has some interesting ideas about leadership, civilization, and learning from past mistakes, but I don’t think that these ideas are fully utilized. I also wish a few of the supporting characters had been given more room to breathe. Considering the size of the colony, several end up feeling more like functional pieces of the plot than fully realized people.
Looking back on the trilogy, I'm glad I read it. The premise—a generation ship carrying humanity's future—is still the strongest part of the series, and it's probably what I'll remember most. The execution, though, never quite matched the promise of that concept. That's not necessarily a criticism unique to this series. It may simply reflect the era in which these books were published.
One last gripe has absolutely nothing to do with the story, but it annoyed me every time I looked at my bookshelf. Why do publishers insist on changing a series' cover design halfway through? My copies of Across the Universe and A Million Suns match perfectly, then Shades of Earth suddenly arrives looking like it belongs to a completely different collection. I honestly don't understand the logic. If someone is buying the third book in a trilogy, chances are they already own the first two. Keeping a consistent design seems like the obvious choice. It's a small complaint in the grand scheme of things, but as someone who collects physical books, it's surprisingly frustrating.
https://constantinebooks.blogspot.com...
Genre: Science Fiction + Young Adult
After spending two books aboard Godspeed, Shades of Earth finally delivers the moment the trilogy has been building toward: Amy, Elder, and the rest of the passengers arrive on Centauri-Earth. Reaching the planet, however, doesn't magically solve their problems. If anything, it creates a whole new set of them.
The book takes a major shift in the setting. Gone are the narrow hallways and the rules that need to be maintained on the ship. Now the colonists need to explore the new alien world where almost everything feels uncertain. This shift gives the book a different identity.
Amy and Elder are still very much the main protagonists of the story. Their goals seem to be different, and their priorities don’t always align. In this installment, Amy’s father has a major role in moving the plot. The author answers many of the questions that were not answered in the first two books, and she also introduces new questions and some new obstacles that keep the tension high. The plot rarely stands still, and there's almost always another problem waiting around the corner.
By the time I reached the ending, I felt the trilogy had said what it wanted to say. Most of the major storylines are wrapped up, and I appreciated that Revis didn't rely on a vague or overly open-ended finale. Some revelations landed better than others, but I never had the sense that she was deliberately holding back answers just to appear mysterious.
Even so, this was probably my least favorite book of the trilogy. I enjoyed reading it, but I also found myself raising an eyebrow more often than I expected. Quite a few plot developments ask the reader to accept things without thinking too hard about them. That's hardly unusual in YA science fiction, and some readers may not mind at all, but I found those moments accumulated over time. Eventually, I was reading more for the momentum than because everything happening felt believable.
Ironically, despite everything that's happening, the book occasionally feels like it's in too much of a hurry. One crisis is barely resolved before another arrives. The premise has some interesting ideas about leadership, civilization, and learning from past mistakes, but I don’t think that these ideas are fully utilized. I also wish a few of the supporting characters had been given more room to breathe. Considering the size of the colony, several end up feeling more like functional pieces of the plot than fully realized people.
Looking back on the trilogy, I'm glad I read it. The premise—a generation ship carrying humanity's future—is still the strongest part of the series, and it's probably what I'll remember most. The execution, though, never quite matched the promise of that concept. That's not necessarily a criticism unique to this series. It may simply reflect the era in which these books were published.
One last gripe has absolutely nothing to do with the story, but it annoyed me every time I looked at my bookshelf. Why do publishers insist on changing a series' cover design halfway through? My copies of Across the Universe and A Million Suns match perfectly, then Shades of Earth suddenly arrives looking like it belongs to a completely different collection. I honestly don't understand the logic. If someone is buying the third book in a trilogy, chances are they already own the first two. Keeping a consistent design seems like the obvious choice. It's a small complaint in the grand scheme of things, but as someone who collects physical books, it's surprisingly frustrating.
https://constantinebooks.blogspot.com...
November 9, 2015
This is definitely a 4.5 stars. The entire time I was reading this I was completely at the edge of my seat and dying to know more. This series was INCREDIBLE. WOW.
April 19, 2015
WHY DID I PUT Shades of Earth OFF FOR FIFTEEN DAYS?!!! ARGHHH! Yes. Fifteen days is a long time to put off a book that was number five on your ten most anticipated books of the year. And a book that. Was. Just. Soooooooo. Good. And evil! And Good! No… IT WAS AWESOME!
Okay. So. Beth Revis is evil … a genius … an evil genius. Why can’t all YA authors be like her? Seriously. All those other authors need to step up to the plate and show some true bravery and release their inner mad[wo]man. It’s the words written by the psychopath side of you that will surprise whoever reads your book. It’s true. That’s something that will make me buy and read a book immediately. Speculating about what might happen would just be a huge waste of time and preparing yourself is the best that you can do – I knew since Across the Universe that Beth Revis’s books are just those you have to prepare for. But in Shades of Earth, I didn’t even think to prepare myself – there was no time to. Revis – literally – blew my mind before I had time to prepare my fortifications and protect what little innocence I had left. Her fiery barrages of surprises, twists and turns, smouldered that innocence to ash.
Across the Universe introduced us to Godspeed, to its functioning and purpose, to Amy and Elder, and to a mysterious and thrilling new story in space. A Million Suns raised the stakes aboard Godspeed higher, tearing the civilians in two, while more revelations about Godspeed came to light. Shades of Earth raises the stakes even higher, as high as they can possibly go, as high as the tallest building in the world. Yeah, that’s high. In Shades of Earth we see the shuttle with Amy and Elder, the thousand-and-something other Godspeedians, and the eighty-or-so cryogenically frozen people land on Centauri-Earth despite a few malfunctions. Once they land a number of events occur… And that’s where I’ll stop… Shades of Earth is no happily ever after.
What I would’ve liked to have seen is much more of Centauri Earth and the creatures that inhabit it. There certainly was quite a few twists in what little we did see of it, but just more of it would’ve been nice. Despite that, the world building is pretty incredible. Amy and Elder, the shipboards and the Earthborns, had no idea what they were getting into, had no idea what Centauri Earth is like. So Shades of Earth was quite an absorbing book as we discovered this new planet – or like I said, this corner of it – at the same time the characters did. Revis instills fear in the reader just as she instills fear in her characters, experiencing things together at the same time.
So much has happened to these characters we’ve grown to love or despise since Across the Universe to the end of Shades of Earth. I feel like there’s much more that can happen in this universe, on this planet, with how the trilogy concluded. Beth Revis could write another trilogy or other books, further expanding, further developing, further exploring the entirety of Centauri-Earth. I have already in my dreams thought about story lines that could be written post-Shades of Earth, story lines that a season 4, a season 5, a season 6 could possibly use if these books were ever adapted for the TV. I’d even alter the very ending of Shades of Earth so that the story would further develop and continually roll out the surprises that Beth Revis is known for. If I’m given the opportunity to adapt these books to the TV I would do it with dignity, with respect, with a love for the source material. But I digress.
The plot in Shades of Earth continually evolved, continually kept you questioning, on your feet, running, hiding, gasping for air, in astonishment, in terror, in shock. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! this book went, the explosions galore helping me since I did not have to shave before work the next day. The trilogy arc is something I’ve been quite impressed with – one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Whoever at Razorbill/Penguin told Beth Revis that the story could develop after Across the Universe, whoever pushed Beth Revis to write another two books, whoever believed in Beth Revis and her divine storytelling and the potential in life after Across the Universe should be awarded a medal of some kind. Seriously. Revis had a plan since the start and it ended in ways I did not expect. Shades of Earth was an explosive conclusion, raining down revelations and debris all around.
I must add something that I took notice of and must spotlight. There was this new character Adam. He was made to be a new love interest for Amy, someone to cause tension and conflict between Amy and Elder. But to be honest, whoever calls that a love triangle is seriously mistaken. Yes, she was attracted to his looks. Yes, she flirted. Yes, they spent some time together. But there was a moment where Adam leaned in towards Amy to give her a kiss. But Amy refused it, turning her head away. I had always loved Amy since the beginning, but this moment proved that she was mature, not constantly seeking attention, not wanting to make out and be with every guy she finds attractive under the sun. Because she is with Elder. And Elder is with her. This shows that she’s head-strong. This shows that she’s loyal – to Elder, as well as to others. It was a trait of hers that I found to be the most memorable. I guess I have to talk about Elder now too? Well, Elder was great. He was loyal, driven, brave, and determined to protect Amy and everyone, even those he had rivalled with in the past, putting himself in harm’s way for the betterment of everybody else. He was a hero; she was a heroine. Together they were gold.
The conclusion to this trilogy is one not be missed. Although it might leave you with post traumatic stress disorder for the rest of your life, Shades of Earth is worth it. Whatever other book Beth Revis comes out with will be worth it. Being Beth Revis right at this moment would be a pretty good feeling. If I ever meet Beth… When I meet Beth… oh, man, I cannot fathom not meeting Beth and not being able to stroke the head that holds that brain built from epicness, the brain that produced such an awesome trilogy that is the Across the Universe trilogy.
Hi, Beth! … … … … *flails*
--------
fuckfuckfuckityfuckfuck.... i hate the new covers; I DESPISE THEM! Hopefully UK covers continue the same way they were going so at least my original hardcovers can match in SOME way.
Edit: THANK YOU to the UK publisher for creating a cover along the same lines as the original two, and although it's a bit different it's at least much closer to the originals than the US redesigned.
*I've been seeing pictures of the physical copy of the hardcover and I must say it's not as bad as the so called powers of the internet perceive it to be like.
‘What is in our hearts is real whether we name it or let it exist only in darkness or silence.’
Okay. So. Beth Revis is evil … a genius … an evil genius. Why can’t all YA authors be like her? Seriously. All those other authors need to step up to the plate and show some true bravery and release their inner mad[wo]man. It’s the words written by the psychopath side of you that will surprise whoever reads your book. It’s true. That’s something that will make me buy and read a book immediately. Speculating about what might happen would just be a huge waste of time and preparing yourself is the best that you can do – I knew since Across the Universe that Beth Revis’s books are just those you have to prepare for. But in Shades of Earth, I didn’t even think to prepare myself – there was no time to. Revis – literally – blew my mind before I had time to prepare my fortifications and protect what little innocence I had left. Her fiery barrages of surprises, twists and turns, smouldered that innocence to ash.
Across the Universe introduced us to Godspeed, to its functioning and purpose, to Amy and Elder, and to a mysterious and thrilling new story in space. A Million Suns raised the stakes aboard Godspeed higher, tearing the civilians in two, while more revelations about Godspeed came to light. Shades of Earth raises the stakes even higher, as high as they can possibly go, as high as the tallest building in the world. Yeah, that’s high. In Shades of Earth we see the shuttle with Amy and Elder, the thousand-and-something other Godspeedians, and the eighty-or-so cryogenically frozen people land on Centauri-Earth despite a few malfunctions. Once they land a number of events occur… And that’s where I’ll stop… Shades of Earth is no happily ever after.
What I would’ve liked to have seen is much more of Centauri Earth and the creatures that inhabit it. There certainly was quite a few twists in what little we did see of it, but just more of it would’ve been nice. Despite that, the world building is pretty incredible. Amy and Elder, the shipboards and the Earthborns, had no idea what they were getting into, had no idea what Centauri Earth is like. So Shades of Earth was quite an absorbing book as we discovered this new planet – or like I said, this corner of it – at the same time the characters did. Revis instills fear in the reader just as she instills fear in her characters, experiencing things together at the same time.
So much has happened to these characters we’ve grown to love or despise since Across the Universe to the end of Shades of Earth. I feel like there’s much more that can happen in this universe, on this planet, with how the trilogy concluded. Beth Revis could write another trilogy or other books, further expanding, further developing, further exploring the entirety of Centauri-Earth. I have already in my dreams thought about story lines that could be written post-Shades of Earth, story lines that a season 4, a season 5, a season 6 could possibly use if these books were ever adapted for the TV. I’d even alter the very ending of Shades of Earth so that the story would further develop and continually roll out the surprises that Beth Revis is known for. If I’m given the opportunity to adapt these books to the TV I would do it with dignity, with respect, with a love for the source material. But I digress.
The plot in Shades of Earth continually evolved, continually kept you questioning, on your feet, running, hiding, gasping for air, in astonishment, in terror, in shock. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! this book went, the explosions galore helping me since I did not have to shave before work the next day. The trilogy arc is something I’ve been quite impressed with – one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Whoever at Razorbill/Penguin told Beth Revis that the story could develop after Across the Universe, whoever pushed Beth Revis to write another two books, whoever believed in Beth Revis and her divine storytelling and the potential in life after Across the Universe should be awarded a medal of some kind. Seriously. Revis had a plan since the start and it ended in ways I did not expect. Shades of Earth was an explosive conclusion, raining down revelations and debris all around.
I must add something that I took notice of and must spotlight. There was this new character Adam. He was made to be a new love interest for Amy, someone to cause tension and conflict between Amy and Elder. But to be honest, whoever calls that a love triangle is seriously mistaken. Yes, she was attracted to his looks. Yes, she flirted. Yes, they spent some time together. But there was a moment where Adam leaned in towards Amy to give her a kiss. But Amy refused it, turning her head away. I had always loved Amy since the beginning, but this moment proved that she was mature, not constantly seeking attention, not wanting to make out and be with every guy she finds attractive under the sun. Because she is with Elder. And Elder is with her. This shows that she’s head-strong. This shows that she’s loyal – to Elder, as well as to others. It was a trait of hers that I found to be the most memorable. I guess I have to talk about Elder now too? Well, Elder was great. He was loyal, driven, brave, and determined to protect Amy and everyone, even those he had rivalled with in the past, putting himself in harm’s way for the betterment of everybody else. He was a hero; she was a heroine. Together they were gold.
‘I learned that life is so, so fragile. I learned that you can know someone for just days and never forget the impression he left on you. I learned that art can be beautiful and sad at the same time. I learned that if someone loves you, he’ll wait for you to love him back. I learned that how much you want something doesn’t determine whether you get it or not, that “no” might not be enough, that life isn’t fair, that my parents can’t save me, that maybe no one can.’
The conclusion to this trilogy is one not be missed. Although it might leave you with post traumatic stress disorder for the rest of your life, Shades of Earth is worth it. Whatever other book Beth Revis comes out with will be worth it. Being Beth Revis right at this moment would be a pretty good feeling. If I ever meet Beth… When I meet Beth… oh, man, I cannot fathom not meeting Beth and not being able to stroke the head that holds that brain built from epicness, the brain that produced such an awesome trilogy that is the Across the Universe trilogy.
Hi, Beth! … … … … *flails*
--------
Edit: THANK YOU to the UK publisher for creating a cover along the same lines as the original two, and although it's a bit different it's at least much closer to the originals than the US redesigned.
*I've been seeing pictures of the physical copy of the hardcover and I must say it's not as bad as the so called powers of the internet perceive it to be like.
January 9, 2017
(This is an all-inclusive review for the trilogy.)
★★★★★★★★★★[10/10]
Divergent. The Hunger Games. The Mortal Instruments. I can't believe that they made movies out of those, instead of this. If they deemed twelve crazy districts and five pointless factions fit to be shown on screens, then they should have guessed that people would love to see Godspeed making its way across the universe too. The movie "Passengers" might be a consolation, but I assure you, Amy Martin and Elder Davis's adventure is far more thrilling than that of Aurora Dunn and Jim Preston's.
Trilogies are always a fly in the ointment for readers. It takes all of your patience and that of the entire population of the world to get to the end of the third book (doesn't mean quadrilogies are any better; and I don't even want to think about Mortal Instruments). But, this one rekindled my faith in trilogies all over again. The world of Elder and Amy that Beth Revis painted is as beautiful as that of Harley's Koi Fish. Right from the spaceship Godspeed to the relief and topography of Centauri-Earth and the scientific details of shuttle launch and ship manoeuvring and high-octane landing, she has built the world to spectacular precision. What's better -- the story gets better as it progresses, with a lot of unexpected twists and savoury turns along the way.
▶ STRENGTHS:
CHARACTERS:
There is Amy. She is supposed to be dead many centuries ago, but science has made it possible for her to wake up from her cold sleep like she has just had a catnap. She is smart, thrusty and doesn't believe in "love at first sight". She fights to establish her identity in a place where she finds herself to be a loner. Though she is not our typical kickass belle, she can very easily be one with a bit of touch-up.
And then there is Elder . Describing Elder does the job of describing his mentor Eldest and his supposed-to-be mentor Orion too, but Elder isn't in any way either of them, although they are the same - technically.
You can count the rest of the memorable characters with one hand, but that won't help you to zero in on the potential bad guys in all of the three books. Beth Revis adeptly picks out all the important characters - Kit, Maria Martin, Colonel Martin, Emma Bledsoe, Doc, Dr. Gupta, Harvey - one by one, that at the end of the book, none of the characters that grew on you actually survives -- but, you can never hate her for George Martinesque decisions.
STORY LINE:
At the end of Across the Universe, you get an answer to why Amy was woken up decades before she was due. At the end of A Million Suns, you get an answer to why Centauri-Earth is forever out of reach of the Sol-Earthlings. At the end of Shades of Earth, you are ready to believe that man will always be man's mortal enemy wherever he goes, and will get the much needed answer to why the entire mission was botched up in the first place.
But, that's just it -- you have to wait till the end of every book to know what you are supposed to know; Beth Revis made sure that you'll fail at your guessing game every single time.
And this is the first time I found myself focussing more on the crux of the story rather than waiting for the sporadic romance - it came unexpected, leaving the original flow of the story unhindered, like an appendage that you could remove at your will - whereas in most of the YA series I have read so far, I usually start counting the kisses when I am almost halfway through the third installment -- just to suppress a yawn.
The end was a bit of a cliché, but sometimes, isn't it cliché that we are all looking for?
And, kudos to the author, this is the first time that fiction had me convinced that we are not alone in the universe, and that women can write super-duper, space-trooper novels, that.. well, make a lot of sense.
(The ship - what did I say about Beth Revis being a skilled shuttle designer?)
▶ WEAKNESSES:
I'll tell you if I can think of any. Or, why don't you see it for yourself?
★★★★★★★★★★[10/10]
Divergent. The Hunger Games. The Mortal Instruments. I can't believe that they made movies out of those, instead of this. If they deemed twelve crazy districts and five pointless factions fit to be shown on screens, then they should have guessed that people would love to see Godspeed making its way across the universe too. The movie "Passengers" might be a consolation, but I assure you, Amy Martin and Elder Davis's adventure is far more thrilling than that of Aurora Dunn and Jim Preston's.
Trilogies are always a fly in the ointment for readers. It takes all of your patience and that of the entire population of the world to get to the end of the third book (doesn't mean quadrilogies are any better; and I don't even want to think about Mortal Instruments). But, this one rekindled my faith in trilogies all over again. The world of Elder and Amy that Beth Revis painted is as beautiful as that of Harley's Koi Fish. Right from the spaceship Godspeed to the relief and topography of Centauri-Earth and the scientific details of shuttle launch and ship manoeuvring and high-octane landing, she has built the world to spectacular precision. What's better -- the story gets better as it progresses, with a lot of unexpected twists and savoury turns along the way.
▶ STRENGTHS:
CHARACTERS:
There is Amy. She is supposed to be dead many centuries ago, but science has made it possible for her to wake up from her cold sleep like she has just had a catnap. She is smart, thrusty and doesn't believe in "love at first sight". She fights to establish her identity in a place where she finds herself to be a loner. Though she is not our typical kickass belle, she can very easily be one with a bit of touch-up.
And then there is Elder . Describing Elder does the job of describing his mentor Eldest and his supposed-to-be mentor Orion too, but Elder isn't in any way either of them, although they are the same - technically.
You can count the rest of the memorable characters with one hand, but that won't help you to zero in on the potential bad guys in all of the three books. Beth Revis adeptly picks out all the important characters - Kit, Maria Martin, Colonel Martin, Emma Bledsoe, Doc, Dr. Gupta, Harvey - one by one, that at the end of the book, none of the characters that grew on you actually survives -- but, you can never hate her for George Martinesque decisions.
STORY LINE:
At the end of Across the Universe, you get an answer to why Amy was woken up decades before she was due. At the end of A Million Suns, you get an answer to why Centauri-Earth is forever out of reach of the Sol-Earthlings. At the end of Shades of Earth, you are ready to believe that man will always be man's mortal enemy wherever he goes, and will get the much needed answer to why the entire mission was botched up in the first place.
But, that's just it -- you have to wait till the end of every book to know what you are supposed to know; Beth Revis made sure that you'll fail at your guessing game every single time.
And this is the first time I found myself focussing more on the crux of the story rather than waiting for the sporadic romance - it came unexpected, leaving the original flow of the story unhindered, like an appendage that you could remove at your will - whereas in most of the YA series I have read so far, I usually start counting the kisses when I am almost halfway through the third installment -- just to suppress a yawn.
The end was a bit of a cliché, but sometimes, isn't it cliché that we are all looking for?
And, kudos to the author, this is the first time that fiction had me convinced that we are not alone in the universe, and that women can write super-duper, space-trooper novels, that.. well, make a lot of sense.
(The ship - what did I say about Beth Revis being a skilled shuttle designer?)
▶ WEAKNESSES:
I'll tell you if I can think of any. Or, why don't you see it for yourself?
March 21, 2016
Lo primero que tengo por decir es que este último libro me ENCANTO, pero dios no me gusto para nada el final es por eso que le doy 4 estrellas, y NO, no quiere decir que el final sea malo, simplemente no fue el mejor final para mí.
Luego de terminar de leer el 2 libro quede con las ganas y la angustia de saber que iba a pasar con nuestros personajes, ya que El libro anterior finaliza en que una parte de los habitantes de la nave bajarán a Tierra Centauri para construir allí su nuevo hogar sin ellos tener claras las amenazas que les esperan en esa tierra, y desde ese momento la trama va a tomar unos giros y unos hechos que te van a dejar con mil dolores de cabeza porque no sabemos realmente que es lo que está pasando, la autora mantuvo este libro con un ritmo que no podías ni dejar de leerlo, nos mantuvo en un suspenso y una acción impresionable, vemos que Amy ya no es esa chica débil, asustada por no tener a sus padres, en este último libro la vamos a ver mucho más fuerte y decidida a proteger a sus seres queridos, me encanto esa fase de “chico celoso” de Elder fue demasiado tierno y me dio algo de risa enserio, aun así el desarrollo del personaje en este último libro me fascina, vamos a ver a un líder que se preocupa por su gente, y no va a permitir que nada malo les pase, también vamos a ver a unos personajes (no quiero decir nombres, para que ustedes mismos se lleven la sorpresa) que te van a caer bien y otros que no tanto, a la vez vamos a descubrir secretos que te van a dejar flipando porque no vas a poder creerlo.
Las últimas páginas de este libro te van a mantener con las manos en la boca de los nervios que te van a dar, del desespero por saber que paso, Beth sin duda supo cómo mantenernos adicto a la lectura de este libro, con su escritura ligera que no te vas a aburrir ni un segundo, Across The Universe fue una trilogía fantástica, con muchas aventuras, un romance inolvidable, misterios, drama, acción, mentiras, descubrimientos que me dejaron pensando que es lo que estaba pasando, en resumen FUE UNA GRAN TRILOGÍA, QUE SI NO LA HAN LEÍDO TIENEN QUE HACERLO, DE VERDAD, ESTE ULTIMO LIBRO ES FENOMENAL A PESAR DE EL FINAL NO FUE TAN “DIGNO”, ESPERABA UN POCO MAS NO SE, TAL VEZ UNAS CUANTAS PAGINAS MAS, pero aun así disfrute mucho esta lectura y ya el final llego, así que les recomiendo mucho estos libros, LES VA A GUSTAR MUCHO.
Luego de terminar de leer el 2 libro quede con las ganas y la angustia de saber que iba a pasar con nuestros personajes, ya que El libro anterior finaliza en que una parte de los habitantes de la nave bajarán a Tierra Centauri para construir allí su nuevo hogar sin ellos tener claras las amenazas que les esperan en esa tierra, y desde ese momento la trama va a tomar unos giros y unos hechos que te van a dejar con mil dolores de cabeza porque no sabemos realmente que es lo que está pasando, la autora mantuvo este libro con un ritmo que no podías ni dejar de leerlo, nos mantuvo en un suspenso y una acción impresionable, vemos que Amy ya no es esa chica débil, asustada por no tener a sus padres, en este último libro la vamos a ver mucho más fuerte y decidida a proteger a sus seres queridos, me encanto esa fase de “chico celoso” de Elder fue demasiado tierno y me dio algo de risa enserio, aun así el desarrollo del personaje en este último libro me fascina, vamos a ver a un líder que se preocupa por su gente, y no va a permitir que nada malo les pase, también vamos a ver a unos personajes (no quiero decir nombres, para que ustedes mismos se lleven la sorpresa) que te van a caer bien y otros que no tanto, a la vez vamos a descubrir secretos que te van a dejar flipando porque no vas a poder creerlo.
Las últimas páginas de este libro te van a mantener con las manos en la boca de los nervios que te van a dar, del desespero por saber que paso, Beth sin duda supo cómo mantenernos adicto a la lectura de este libro, con su escritura ligera que no te vas a aburrir ni un segundo, Across The Universe fue una trilogía fantástica, con muchas aventuras, un romance inolvidable, misterios, drama, acción, mentiras, descubrimientos que me dejaron pensando que es lo que estaba pasando, en resumen FUE UNA GRAN TRILOGÍA, QUE SI NO LA HAN LEÍDO TIENEN QUE HACERLO, DE VERDAD, ESTE ULTIMO LIBRO ES FENOMENAL A PESAR DE EL FINAL NO FUE TAN “DIGNO”, ESPERABA UN POCO MAS NO SE, TAL VEZ UNAS CUANTAS PAGINAS MAS, pero aun así disfrute mucho esta lectura y ya el final llego, así que les recomiendo mucho estos libros, LES VA A GUSTAR MUCHO.
January 15, 2016
İlk kitap bir yaz esintisi, ikinci kitap kasırga buysa kıyamet.
Sanırım her kitabı bir öncekinden daha iyi olan, okuduğum ilk seri. Yazar çok cesur. İlk kitapta 'keşke başka bir yazar yazsaymış' demiştim, şu an Beth Revis yazdığı için çok mutluyum. Öyle manevralarla ilerliyor ki seri... İki kitaptır 'tıkanır burada' diyorum, ama tıkanmıyor. Son kitapta bile yepyeni şeyler sunmuş. İlk kitap cidden çok klostrofobikti, ikinci daha az, buysa... neyse söylemeyeceğim =) Teması bu kadar iyi seriler varken ısrarla aptal aptal kitapları çıkarmayı bıraksınlar bence. Seri aşk temalı değil bu arada, seride aşk yok bile, varsa bile çok çok geri planda. Bu seri dizi olsun, film olsun. Çok okunsun, izlensin. İlk kitabı beğenmeyenler pişman olsun. Zalimler, hırsızlar, katiller, zenginler ölsün odamdan selam :P
Eğer bu seriyi sevdiyseniz ve bunun gibi bir şeyler arıyorsanız Kaos Yürüyüşü - Patrick Ness'in serisini okuyun. Bu iki seri birbirini tamamlıyor resmen.
İkisini de okudum, ben ne yapayım?
Kendime çareler bulmakta her zaman daha kötüyüm zaten.
Sanırım her kitabı bir öncekinden daha iyi olan, okuduğum ilk seri. Yazar çok cesur. İlk kitapta 'keşke başka bir yazar yazsaymış' demiştim, şu an Beth Revis yazdığı için çok mutluyum. Öyle manevralarla ilerliyor ki seri... İki kitaptır 'tıkanır burada' diyorum, ama tıkanmıyor. Son kitapta bile yepyeni şeyler sunmuş. İlk kitap cidden çok klostrofobikti, ikinci daha az, buysa... neyse söylemeyeceğim =) Teması bu kadar iyi seriler varken ısrarla aptal aptal kitapları çıkarmayı bıraksınlar bence. Seri aşk temalı değil bu arada, seride aşk yok bile, varsa bile çok çok geri planda. Bu seri dizi olsun, film olsun. Çok okunsun, izlensin. İlk kitabı beğenmeyenler pişman olsun. Zalimler, hırsızlar, katiller, zenginler ölsün odamdan selam :P
Eğer bu seriyi sevdiyseniz ve bunun gibi bir şeyler arıyorsanız Kaos Yürüyüşü - Patrick Ness'in serisini okuyun. Bu iki seri birbirini tamamlıyor resmen.
İkisini de okudum, ben ne yapayım?
Kendime çareler bulmakta her zaman daha kötüyüm zaten.
August 14, 2014
Ah, I'm very excited for this book. Know why?
Aliens are coming. Aliens.
Update: Seriously, what the FUCK is up with that cover? That does not match the first two and probably will look like crap next to my ATU and AMS.
Aliens are coming. Aliens.
Update: Seriously, what the FUCK is up with that cover? That does not match the first two and probably will look like crap next to my ATU and AMS.
February 7, 2017
Wow I'm still reeling...... what a wonderful end to a very well crafted series.
Review to come
Review to come
Want to Read
July 6, 2012Initial Reaction: Damn. I love the title. Can't wait to see the cover!
Final Reaction: That cover is a joke...right?
Final Reaction: That cover is a joke...right?
January 31, 2020
Seri gittikçe guzellesenlerden. Son kitapta bence zirveye ulaştı. Bittiği için üzüldüğüm bir seri oldu. Bilimkurgu tarzı distopya seven benim tam gönlüme göreydi 🤩
March 2, 2020
Το τέλος της τριλογίας φοβερό και τίμιο!
Η ιδέα της τριλογίας αξιοθαύμαστη και πιθανή θα έλεγα... 😉
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Η ιδέα της τριλογίας αξιοθαύμαστη και πιθανή θα έλεγα... 😉
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
July 2, 2013
I'm going to apologize in advance to all the people who are going to get real mad at me when they read this. Sorry!
I read a lot. Like, a lot of lot. Just this summer alone, I've read 30 books. So I get around. I've run the gamlet of emotions when it comes to books. From the good to the bad. Few books have made me as utterly and compeltely angry as this book has. I mean. I can't even. The one star I'm forced to give it feels extremely generous.
I will start by saying I enjoyed the first book. Across the Universe was bad ass, and a new kind of ideal. I'd never run into a YA book set in space. And I loved it! I love dsytopians and all the bat shit crazy things that the correupt government throws thecitzens way. Really, I do! But that being said, things steadly went down hill until Shades of Earth arrived (which, feels like a ploy on 50 Shades of Gray, but who am I to say?).
Where to start?
CHARACTERS
Why did all of the decent characters have to die? Honestely, sitting through Amy and Elder moan and whine through the entire novel. And yes, all they did was whine. Elder would whine about Amy's father taking control (for good reason. You're a sixteen year old boy. Pipe the fuck down and let someone actually trained in weapondry and battle tactics lead this one, okay?), the fricken flying birds, Amy talking to Chris, ect. Amy complains that daddy isn't giving her enough attention, (briefly) how does she feel about Chris, she can't see Elder, daddy is mad at her. Like, it never ends.
And can I just say, I hate the Elder-Amy pairing? Like, I despise it. Revis makes it seeming like "omg TRUE LOVE!!!!!111one", and even throughs in the obligatory YA love trainge with Chris in an attempt to prove this. But here's the thing, that's not love. If anything, it's closer to Stockholm Syndrome than an actual relationship. Elder wakes her up, knowing damn well that this isn't the time, for no other reason than his desire to bone her. He does it to the point where she's almost killed. Then he estentially leaves her to the wolves where almost everyone but him treats her poorly. The few people who are okay with Amy's exsiatance off themselves or die on some horrible way, leaving Amy's only option for positive social interaction Elder. Her relationship with the people on the ship also servers to effectively isolate her from her own people once they had woken up.
True love, right.
In relatriy Amy doesn't have a choice BUT to love Elder. A part of her probably feels indepted to him for treating her kindly. That, and he's the only age approtraede person on the shuttle. Yes, Chris was there, briefly. And yes, Amy does go through this train of thought that she only cares for Elder because he's her age. But then she dismisses this because she knows Chris now, and hey, she doesn't love him.
Are you fucking kidding me?
Amy, you are a supposedly smart girl. That's what Revis tries to tell me anyway. You've known Chris for a fucking week. Not even, and you're already ruling him out? I know YA authors expect the reader to buy into the ideal of love at first sight, but that is bullshit. You can't make a judgment about love and who you're going to spend the rest of your life with based off of a week.
And that really awkward sex scene? Like, really? Amy, dear, you walk out of your mother's laboratory, while you were supposed to be helping her, with someone your parents don't trust, with crazy aliens clearly attacking y'all to bang Elder. Seems legit. In any normal world, mummy and daddy would have followed, demanding that you get your ass in line and have walked in on that.
Which, speaking of her parents. For a military family they certainly haven't disciplined Amy well. At all. I enjoyed her mother's character, a lot, and her father too. I feel like Revis killed them off to allow Elder to finally rule, and to let the two of them to sleep together. Just my theory though.
THE SCIENCE
Oh God, the science. Can we please talk about the horrible atrocities that Revis committed with the science? That point was what bothered me the most.
Revis tries to paint genetic engineering as a terrible thing, without a full understanding of how genetic engineering works. Spoiler alert, Revis, what you had happen to Amy? Impossible.
Amy is injected with a vaccine that turns whomever is injected into a super human freak without a mind of his or her own. Doing so rewrites that individual's DNA, turning them into something other than human. This is down within, say, five minutes.
Let's break this down. It's impossible for increased strength, eyesight, etc. to occur from a vaccination. Just... The human body does not work that way. There is nothing that can occur to that degree with the vaccination. Perhaps, if it's something like supplements and vitamins and a person is malnourished their capabilities can improve marginally, but not to that degree. One wrong point.
The vaccine also shuts down the person's senses and turns them into mindless drones. This, I can buy that some substance can effect the brain and turn people agreeable and mindless to everything. I'm not sure I buy that it's a permanent treatment, but I can let that slide. Anseathia, for example, creates a somewhat similar effect (not being aware) and hypnosis proves that people can be influenced (NOTE: Hypnosis though is voluntary and has limits, still), so I can buy the science in this one. One possible point.
Okay, the genetic code of the person being completely transformed. Just no... High school biology, not possible. Once a person is formed, especially a full grown adult, their genetic makeup cannot be so radically changed. True, cells can mutate and start growing on their own, such as with cancer, but not even the badest cancer can completely change every single cell in the body.
Also, the rate of infection is impossible. Even a disease like rabies, or the flu can't effect a human and overtake their immune system in five minutes.
The space travel was sketchy.
OTHER PLOT HOLES AND FRUSTRATIONS
I'm going to keep this short, because I'm tired of typing and talking about this book.
Amy's poor logic. The Financial whatever attempted to trick the Godspeed crew into taking the vaccination with accusations that the Centari sun made people sick. Amy, of course, blindly jumped on who wrong this was, because of course, she knew better. Amy, sweetie, just because you've been someplace for a week doesn't mean you know everything. It's entirely possible that the sun could have been deadly, just slower and causing onset diseases (see: melanoma, which is also a sun born illness. SCORE FOR SCIENCE.)
Also, Amy's sassiness at the end? Like, unwarranted. I kinda wished that the aliens would laid down the hoe down showdown smack down on her and put her in her place.
And Elder somehow surviving that impossible crash?
And Amy going all emo when she thought he was dead, including the dramatic line along the lines of "I won't feel anything again, ever". Ummm, okay.
The cover on this was was terrible. I was hoping for something as beautiful as the first two.
All in all, I'm happy to be done with this book.
I read a lot. Like, a lot of lot. Just this summer alone, I've read 30 books. So I get around. I've run the gamlet of emotions when it comes to books. From the good to the bad. Few books have made me as utterly and compeltely angry as this book has. I mean. I can't even. The one star I'm forced to give it feels extremely generous.
I will start by saying I enjoyed the first book. Across the Universe was bad ass, and a new kind of ideal. I'd never run into a YA book set in space. And I loved it! I love dsytopians and all the bat shit crazy things that the correupt government throws thecitzens way. Really, I do! But that being said, things steadly went down hill until Shades of Earth arrived (which, feels like a ploy on 50 Shades of Gray, but who am I to say?).
Where to start?
CHARACTERS
Why did all of the decent characters have to die? Honestely, sitting through Amy and Elder moan and whine through the entire novel. And yes, all they did was whine. Elder would whine about Amy's father taking control (for good reason. You're a sixteen year old boy. Pipe the fuck down and let someone actually trained in weapondry and battle tactics lead this one, okay?), the fricken flying birds, Amy talking to Chris, ect. Amy complains that daddy isn't giving her enough attention, (briefly) how does she feel about Chris, she can't see Elder, daddy is mad at her. Like, it never ends.
And can I just say, I hate the Elder-Amy pairing? Like, I despise it. Revis makes it seeming like "omg TRUE LOVE!!!!!111one", and even throughs in the obligatory YA love trainge with Chris in an attempt to prove this. But here's the thing, that's not love. If anything, it's closer to Stockholm Syndrome than an actual relationship. Elder wakes her up, knowing damn well that this isn't the time, for no other reason than his desire to bone her. He does it to the point where she's almost killed. Then he estentially leaves her to the wolves where almost everyone but him treats her poorly. The few people who are okay with Amy's exsiatance off themselves or die on some horrible way, leaving Amy's only option for positive social interaction Elder. Her relationship with the people on the ship also servers to effectively isolate her from her own people once they had woken up.
True love, right.
In relatriy Amy doesn't have a choice BUT to love Elder. A part of her probably feels indepted to him for treating her kindly. That, and he's the only age approtraede person on the shuttle. Yes, Chris was there, briefly. And yes, Amy does go through this train of thought that she only cares for Elder because he's her age. But then she dismisses this because she knows Chris now, and hey, she doesn't love him.
Are you fucking kidding me?
Amy, you are a supposedly smart girl. That's what Revis tries to tell me anyway. You've known Chris for a fucking week. Not even, and you're already ruling him out? I know YA authors expect the reader to buy into the ideal of love at first sight, but that is bullshit. You can't make a judgment about love and who you're going to spend the rest of your life with based off of a week.
And that really awkward sex scene? Like, really? Amy, dear, you walk out of your mother's laboratory, while you were supposed to be helping her, with someone your parents don't trust, with crazy aliens clearly attacking y'all to bang Elder. Seems legit. In any normal world, mummy and daddy would have followed, demanding that you get your ass in line and have walked in on that.
Which, speaking of her parents. For a military family they certainly haven't disciplined Amy well. At all. I enjoyed her mother's character, a lot, and her father too. I feel like Revis killed them off to allow Elder to finally rule, and to let the two of them to sleep together. Just my theory though.
THE SCIENCE
Oh God, the science. Can we please talk about the horrible atrocities that Revis committed with the science? That point was what bothered me the most.
Revis tries to paint genetic engineering as a terrible thing, without a full understanding of how genetic engineering works. Spoiler alert, Revis, what you had happen to Amy? Impossible.
Amy is injected with a vaccine that turns whomever is injected into a super human freak without a mind of his or her own. Doing so rewrites that individual's DNA, turning them into something other than human. This is down within, say, five minutes.
Let's break this down. It's impossible for increased strength, eyesight, etc. to occur from a vaccination. Just... The human body does not work that way. There is nothing that can occur to that degree with the vaccination. Perhaps, if it's something like supplements and vitamins and a person is malnourished their capabilities can improve marginally, but not to that degree. One wrong point.
The vaccine also shuts down the person's senses and turns them into mindless drones. This, I can buy that some substance can effect the brain and turn people agreeable and mindless to everything. I'm not sure I buy that it's a permanent treatment, but I can let that slide. Anseathia, for example, creates a somewhat similar effect (not being aware) and hypnosis proves that people can be influenced (NOTE: Hypnosis though is voluntary and has limits, still), so I can buy the science in this one. One possible point.
Okay, the genetic code of the person being completely transformed. Just no... High school biology, not possible. Once a person is formed, especially a full grown adult, their genetic makeup cannot be so radically changed. True, cells can mutate and start growing on their own, such as with cancer, but not even the badest cancer can completely change every single cell in the body.
Also, the rate of infection is impossible. Even a disease like rabies, or the flu can't effect a human and overtake their immune system in five minutes.
The space travel was sketchy.
OTHER PLOT HOLES AND FRUSTRATIONS
I'm going to keep this short, because I'm tired of typing and talking about this book.
Amy's poor logic. The Financial whatever attempted to trick the Godspeed crew into taking the vaccination with accusations that the Centari sun made people sick. Amy, of course, blindly jumped on who wrong this was, because of course, she knew better. Amy, sweetie, just because you've been someplace for a week doesn't mean you know everything. It's entirely possible that the sun could have been deadly, just slower and causing onset diseases (see: melanoma, which is also a sun born illness. SCORE FOR SCIENCE.)
Also, Amy's sassiness at the end? Like, unwarranted. I kinda wished that the aliens would laid down the hoe down showdown smack down on her and put her in her place.
And Elder somehow surviving that impossible crash?
And Amy going all emo when she thought he was dead, including the dramatic line along the lines of "I won't feel anything again, ever". Ummm, okay.
The cover on this was was terrible. I was hoping for something as beautiful as the first two.
All in all, I'm happy to be done with this book.
March 15, 2017
* 4.5/5 stars.
Wow, that was so good! What a great way to end this trilogy. I loved the first book, Across the Universe, was a bit underwhelmed by the second book, A Million Suns, and then got pleasantly surprised by this one! The best part of the book was definitely the plot. Beth Revis had the tough task of introducing a whole new planet into the story while also wrapping up plot lines from the previous books, and she managed to do that oh, so well. The story took so many twists and turns and I loved every one of them!
Wow, that was so good! What a great way to end this trilogy. I loved the first book, Across the Universe, was a bit underwhelmed by the second book, A Million Suns, and then got pleasantly surprised by this one! The best part of the book was definitely the plot. Beth Revis had the tough task of introducing a whole new planet into the story while also wrapping up plot lines from the previous books, and she managed to do that oh, so well. The story took so many twists and turns and I loved every one of them!
September 2, 2015
Una de las mejores trilogías que he leído en mi vida, para la gente que le gusta los buenos libros de ciencia ficción, supervivencia, thriller, amor y mucho más, lean estos libros. Son 5/5
April 26, 2013
I have many, many problems with this series. Mainly the absolutely unbearable characters and romance. And another problem I've found myself having is how much Amy and Elder's voices mesh together for me. I could read several paragraphs before I realize "Oh wait, this is in Elder's/Amy's POV! Woopsies!" And don't even get me fucking started on the goddamn made-up swear word.
But I do admit that I enjoyed the concept and the plot, and I thought it all ended nicely until that very final chapter that I thought was a bit too cheesy. In my opinion this book would have been so much better without that last chapter, because I thought it wasn't necessary. But be that as it may, I do not by any means hate this series, but it's not one of my favorites either.
But I do admit that I enjoyed the concept and the plot, and I thought it all ended nicely until that very final chapter that I thought was a bit too cheesy. In my opinion this book would have been so much better without that last chapter, because I thought it wasn't necessary. But be that as it may, I do not by any means hate this series, but it's not one of my favorites either.
October 8, 2023
Someone PLEASE tell me there’s a short story or SOMETHING that gives us details of what happens after this book. I NEED MORE!!!!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,797 reviews