What do you think?
Rate this book
The Klaatu Diskos #1
The Obsidian Blade
Kicking off a riveting sci-fi trilogy, National Book Award winner Pete Hautman plunges us into a world where time is a tool — and the question is, who will control it?
The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished — only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing — one right on top of the roof — hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he’s launched on a time-twisting journey — from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker’s actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever.
The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished — only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing — one right on top of the roof — hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he’s launched on a time-twisting journey — from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker’s actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2012
135 people are currently reading
3873 people want to read
About the author
Pete Hautman
60 books357 followersPeter Murray Hautman is an American author best known for his novels for young adults. One of them, Godless, won the 2004 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The National Book Foundation summary is, "A teenage boy decides to invent a new religion with a new god."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 483 reviews
February 17, 2012
As seen on The Readventurer
Good time-travel YA fiction is hard to find. Really hard. The Obsidian Blade is a whopping #2 on my list of good time-travel YA sci-fi (#1, in case you are interested, is Singing the Dogstar Blues). Even though I am giving this novel only 3 stars, I assure you, it is good. The main draw here is the time-traveling system, that includes a series of disks that were engineered by people of the future and that transport you to various significant points in human history. These points range from the Crucifixion of the Christ to 9/11 and more.
Like any time-travel story, The Obsidian Blade requires some effort to keep up with the characters' jumps from one event to another, with changes in setting, with time paradoxes and crossed paths and swallowed years. But not even once does Hautman waver and stumble into a plot hole. I am not sure how he managed to track it all, but every time jump and every after-effect of it in this story seems logical and inevitable. Hautman raises questions of faith and fate, challenges readers to think if our destiny is pre-determined or our free will guides it. Exciting stuff.
There are two reasons for my not rating The Obsidian Blade higher.
One, this novel, to my disappointment, reads not like YA, but like a children's/middle grade novel. Although Tucker is mostly 14 in this story, he appears to be much younger, still playing with his toy truck and engaging in activities equaling in their childishness to banging dumpsters with a stick. (The only reason I am bringing this up, because I have a couple of 10-year old neighbors who just love banging those dumpsters. I personally don't understand the thrill, but my husband does. Apparently, he did the same in the grade school. There are some things I will never understand about boys and men and what they find to be a good time.) There is no helping it, I prefer my stories a tad more mature, dealing with teen age issues, rather than following preteens whose main preoccupation is being annoying and constantly putting themselves at a risk of being injured .
Two, it takes a looong while to get to the sci-fi part of the book. Almost half of The Obsidian Blade is just setting the ground work, introducing main players and watching Tucker being bored or stupid. My attention held only barely during those first 150 pages. After this 150 page mark, though, is when the story finally gets going.
Normally, I do not stick with series if I give its opener 3 stars or lower, but here, I might make and exception and get back to it. I am intrigued by the world and the task Tucker and Lahlia have ahead of them.
Good time-travel YA fiction is hard to find. Really hard. The Obsidian Blade is a whopping #2 on my list of good time-travel YA sci-fi (#1, in case you are interested, is Singing the Dogstar Blues). Even though I am giving this novel only 3 stars, I assure you, it is good. The main draw here is the time-traveling system, that includes a series of disks that were engineered by people of the future and that transport you to various significant points in human history. These points range from the Crucifixion of the Christ to 9/11 and more.
Like any time-travel story, The Obsidian Blade requires some effort to keep up with the characters' jumps from one event to another, with changes in setting, with time paradoxes and crossed paths and swallowed years. But not even once does Hautman waver and stumble into a plot hole. I am not sure how he managed to track it all, but every time jump and every after-effect of it in this story seems logical and inevitable. Hautman raises questions of faith and fate, challenges readers to think if our destiny is pre-determined or our free will guides it. Exciting stuff.
There are two reasons for my not rating The Obsidian Blade higher.
One, this novel, to my disappointment, reads not like YA, but like a children's/middle grade novel. Although Tucker is mostly 14 in this story, he appears to be much younger, still playing with his toy truck and engaging in activities equaling in their childishness to banging dumpsters with a stick. (The only reason I am bringing this up, because I have a couple of 10-year old neighbors who just love banging those dumpsters. I personally don't understand the thrill, but my husband does. Apparently, he did the same in the grade school. There are some things I will never understand about boys and men and what they find to be a good time.) There is no helping it, I prefer my stories a tad more mature, dealing with teen age issues, rather than following preteens whose main preoccupation is being annoying and constantly putting themselves at a risk of being injured .
Two, it takes a looong while to get to the sci-fi part of the book. Almost half of The Obsidian Blade is just setting the ground work, introducing main players and watching Tucker being bored or stupid. My attention held only barely during those first 150 pages. After this 150 page mark, though, is when the story finally gets going.
Normally, I do not stick with series if I give its opener 3 stars or lower, but here, I might make and exception and get back to it. I am intrigued by the world and the task Tucker and Lahlia have ahead of them.
August 28, 2012
As seen on Zombie Mommies.
There is a delicate balance between a story that is too simplistic and a story that leads to information overload. Too simplistic and the reader falls asleep; too complex and the reader is left in the dust wondering what just happened. Unfortunately, The Obsidian Blade falls into the latter category.
I should have known from the first chapter that I was heading into a bad mix of Star Trek vs The Twilight Zone. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy both. I'm just not sure they work well together...well, at least in this setting.
At the start, we are given a brief historical account of the Klaatu Disks (or time portals) invented by one discorporeal being in the postdigital age but made by Boggsian corporeals. Is your head spinning yet? It took me a few minutes to come to grips but I had to put that aside because then comes Tucker and his Reverend dad who finds themselves drawn to these time portals. And well...theadventure confusion begins.
From there, we discover that the Reverend has lost his faith and his wife is slowly heading into mental instability as a result of playing Sudoku. (Beware all you Sudoku fans!) The Reverend wants to cure his wife and disappears into the disks. But Tucker suspects this and eventually follows them.
In his journey, he meets such bizarre beings as futuristic autistic medical attendants (medicants) who use you in their product assembly line, futuristic priests who sacrifice pure girls to the disks, the last day of earth with a single mysterious woman who has secrets, a retelling of the crucifix of Jesus (who instead of dying and returning to earth, actually got delivered to the medicants: repaired and returned in 3 days), discovers that the Reverend got "cured" of his belief in God, references to the Digital plague, maggot disk eaters, and then being reintroduced to the Reverend as now Father September who will somehow return every one to a state of grace (from technology).
Wait a minute, I was under the impression I was going to read a time travel novel. Instead, the time traveling aspect is just a set up for introducing new bizarre circumstances. From what I can gather, the point of the story is about how we eventually become corrupt from technology...but why all the religious references? Is there a subtext I'm not understanding here. It's just all too complex and unrealistic; is there such a thing as unrealistic science fiction?
Sadly, I felt like I was reading a foreign language. I didn't feel anything for the characters and the story was just bizarre. Then a few days ago I was watching "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and ironically discovered that the main character is named Klaatu... coincidence? Why name the disks after one of the most popular sci-fi characters? I'm not sure, but I'm already too confused to think about it any further.
Sadly, a recommendation I can't make to anyone. If anyone has suggestions on a true time traveling novel, please let me know.
There is a delicate balance between a story that is too simplistic and a story that leads to information overload. Too simplistic and the reader falls asleep; too complex and the reader is left in the dust wondering what just happened. Unfortunately, The Obsidian Blade falls into the latter category.
I should have known from the first chapter that I was heading into a bad mix of Star Trek vs The Twilight Zone. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy both. I'm just not sure they work well together...well, at least in this setting.
At the start, we are given a brief historical account of the Klaatu Disks (or time portals) invented by one discorporeal being in the postdigital age but made by Boggsian corporeals. Is your head spinning yet? It took me a few minutes to come to grips but I had to put that aside because then comes Tucker and his Reverend dad who finds themselves drawn to these time portals. And well...the
From there, we discover that the Reverend has lost his faith and his wife is slowly heading into mental instability as a result of playing Sudoku. (Beware all you Sudoku fans!) The Reverend wants to cure his wife and disappears into the disks. But Tucker suspects this and eventually follows them.
In his journey, he meets such bizarre beings as futuristic autistic medical attendants (medicants) who use you in their product assembly line, futuristic priests who sacrifice pure girls to the disks, the last day of earth with a single mysterious woman who has secrets, a retelling of the crucifix of Jesus (who instead of dying and returning to earth, actually got delivered to the medicants: repaired and returned in 3 days), discovers that the Reverend got "cured" of his belief in God, references to the Digital plague, maggot disk eaters, and then being reintroduced to the Reverend as now Father September who will somehow return every one to a state of grace (from technology).
Wait a minute, I was under the impression I was going to read a time travel novel. Instead, the time traveling aspect is just a set up for introducing new bizarre circumstances. From what I can gather, the point of the story is about how we eventually become corrupt from technology...but why all the religious references? Is there a subtext I'm not understanding here. It's just all too complex and unrealistic; is there such a thing as unrealistic science fiction?
Sadly, I felt like I was reading a foreign language. I didn't feel anything for the characters and the story was just bizarre. Then a few days ago I was watching "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and ironically discovered that the main character is named Klaatu... coincidence? Why name the disks after one of the most popular sci-fi characters? I'm not sure, but I'm already too confused to think about it any further.
Sadly, a recommendation I can't make to anyone. If anyone has suggestions on a true time traveling novel, please let me know.
February 3, 2012
Considering I am a complete and utter sci-fi-phobe, I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
The idea behind it was extremely fascinating, clever and absolutely what-the-heck-just-happened mental.
However, I can't help but think that this book was wasted on me.
In the hands of a science fiction fan this book will probably be awarded 4/5 stars but in my "I-like-books-where-girls-and-boys-have-angst-and-then-kiss-and-maybe-go-on-a-roadtrip-or-fight-to-the-death-in-some-dystopic-world-and-then-eat-bread-and-cuddle" hands, I can only talk for my enjoyment and that's why I'm sticking with 3 stars.
But I'm not a science fiction fan and I don't know anything about the genre but, although I can't say that this book has made me rush out to my library, grab the librarian by his/her shirt and demand they direct me to the science fiction section, I found myself quite happy to be dragged along into the diskos and into Tucker's world.
If you are a sci-fi fan and you like them set in well-thought out worlds, with interesting mythology, a great cast of characters and maggots (yes... maggots) then I would not hesitate in recommending this one at all.
Also, there is an incredibly cute kitten called Bounce.
You can always win me over with adorable kittens.
I received this book from the publishers via Netgalley.
The idea behind it was extremely fascinating, clever and absolutely what-the-heck-just-happened mental.
However, I can't help but think that this book was wasted on me.
In the hands of a science fiction fan this book will probably be awarded 4/5 stars but in my "I-like-books-where-girls-and-boys-have-angst-and-then-kiss-and-maybe-go-on-a-roadtrip-or-fight-to-the-death-in-some-dystopic-world-and-then-eat-bread-and-cuddle" hands, I can only talk for my enjoyment and that's why I'm sticking with 3 stars.
But I'm not a science fiction fan and I don't know anything about the genre but, although I can't say that this book has made me rush out to my library, grab the librarian by his/her shirt and demand they direct me to the science fiction section, I found myself quite happy to be dragged along into the diskos and into Tucker's world.
If you are a sci-fi fan and you like them set in well-thought out worlds, with interesting mythology, a great cast of characters and maggots (yes... maggots) then I would not hesitate in recommending this one at all.
Also, there is an incredibly cute kitten called Bounce.
You can always win me over with adorable kittens.
I received this book from the publishers via Netgalley.
April 11, 2012
Some topics are harder to tackle in science fiction than others - - I consider writing about the future, different life forms than human beings, time travel,and major historical events that shape how each of us sees the world are all topics that take a lot of imagination and writing skill to effectively convey the story and get a reader to buy into it. Obsidian Blade begins in modern America, rural Minnesota. The main character, Tucker, has a fundamental evangelical preacher for a father and is enmeshed in the local religious community. Some authors write about rural America and it is obvious they have never lived outside of a big city but author Pete Hautman seems to know rural USA. So rural America, religious bible belt context, time travel and different life forms – that is Obsidian Blade summed up but not really in context. Relationships between friends, “foreigners”, and estranged family members are explored and religious beliefs are questioned. Even though this is an adventure story done in a science fiction format, some high level concepts are introduced in an accessible way.
If you had a choice to travel in time, where would you go? I think I would choose to see my spouse or my parents as kids, maybe my grandparents as kids too. Boring I guess, but major historical events are so well documented, my family’s past isn’t as well written about. Well, Tucker doesn’t have a choice but he is sent to some fascinating time periods - -the future of course, but he is also sent to two world changing events, one ancient and one very recent. I realized that many readers to this book may not have a first hand memory of the recent historical event in this book, given that they may have been toddlers when it happened so I think that perspective is interesting in itself. Sorry, I can’t spoil the where and when but the trip there is definitely done from a perspective I haven’t seen done yet. By traveling to these two events, Tucker questions some core beliefs of his own – religious and moral – and they are done in a flashy fight/chase scene manner so the travels are fun to read about. Obsidian Blade ends open and there will definitely be a sequel.
This is a young adult story written for young adults, there is no sexual content but there is some violence. The violence is mainly gun or knife fights, but not a lot, and the witnessing of historic events that every modern person in the Western world knows about – likely everyone in the world does. I struggled slightly with the story because I was not the target audience, my 12 year old daughter is definitely in the target audience and once I adjusted my expectations I was able to enjoy it. I think younger teens looking for adventure stories would really like this book.
If you had a choice to travel in time, where would you go? I think I would choose to see my spouse or my parents as kids, maybe my grandparents as kids too. Boring I guess, but major historical events are so well documented, my family’s past isn’t as well written about. Well, Tucker doesn’t have a choice but he is sent to some fascinating time periods - -the future of course, but he is also sent to two world changing events, one ancient and one very recent. I realized that many readers to this book may not have a first hand memory of the recent historical event in this book, given that they may have been toddlers when it happened so I think that perspective is interesting in itself. Sorry, I can’t spoil the where and when but the trip there is definitely done from a perspective I haven’t seen done yet. By traveling to these two events, Tucker questions some core beliefs of his own – religious and moral – and they are done in a flashy fight/chase scene manner so the travels are fun to read about. Obsidian Blade ends open and there will definitely be a sequel.
This is a young adult story written for young adults, there is no sexual content but there is some violence. The violence is mainly gun or knife fights, but not a lot, and the witnessing of historic events that every modern person in the Western world knows about – likely everyone in the world does. I struggled slightly with the story because I was not the target audience, my 12 year old daughter is definitely in the target audience and once I adjusted my expectations I was able to enjoy it. I think younger teens looking for adventure stories would really like this book.
May 27, 2014
This is the first volume of a trilogy that involves pretty much everything. Tucker, a twelve-year-old boy in the midwest inadvertently discovers a time-travel portal over the roof of his house; adventure ensues. Although the cast grows significantly, the story most closely follows Tucker and Lia, a neighbor girl of about the same age. There will be fighting, and many different sorts of culture, technology, cooking, religion, faith, moral quandaries, and a kitten named Bounce who never grows or ages.
As much metaphorical time and space as he covers, Hautman never disappoints in the worldbuilding and characterization. All of his places feel plausible and the people feel real, no matter how strange the circumstances. Readers who are in it for the adventure will find plenty to keep their attention, but there are plenty of Big Questions to muse over, as well. Because of the religious issues, this might be most similar to Philip Pullman's Golden Compass series, but also feels a bit like L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.
Library copy
As much metaphorical time and space as he covers, Hautman never disappoints in the worldbuilding and characterization. All of his places feel plausible and the people feel real, no matter how strange the circumstances. Readers who are in it for the adventure will find plenty to keep their attention, but there are plenty of Big Questions to muse over, as well. Because of the religious issues, this might be most similar to Philip Pullman's Golden Compass series, but also feels a bit like L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.
Library copy
August 17, 2012
Books that engage both your mind and your heart, make you question the real world, and inspire you to ponder the meaning of life, freedom, destiny and faith are many. Not many of them, however, are done right, and even fewer have the power to literally blow your mind to pieces. The Obsidian Blade is one of the best, most intriguing reality bending books I had the pleasure of reading, and not just in YA genre, but in literature in general.
I loved the concept behind this book. Time travel and alternative realities mixed in with a thought-provoking examination of religion and its impact on the history of human kind, and a deeply affecting family drama - all that (and more!) makes for a compulsively readable story, and one that I sure had a hard time putting down. The Obsidian Blade has everything a great science fiction novel should have: a well-realized, fascinating world, convincing characters, intriguing ideas, an exciting plot, and themes that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. It's intensely captivating, often moving, and at times even heartwarmingly funny (especially Tucker's conversations with his wild Uncle Kosh). The concept of Klaatu discos is not only interesting and unique, it is also exceptionally well-developed and well-explained, complete with information about their origin and history. I especially appreciated the encyclopedia-like commentary at the beginning of each part of the book that provided valuable info about the discos and their creators, the Klaatu. These brief notes were insightful and in my opinion quite essential to fully understanding the plot.
As much as I loved the science fiction aspect of this book, what I loved the most about it was the heartfelt, emotionally engaging storyline. The lead character, Tucker, was amazing and I quickly warmed up to him. He is a sweet, clever and brave boy, who - faced with an impossibly difficult family situation - tries his best to do the right thing. When his father, reverend Adrian Feye, magically disappears from the rooftop of their house, and then comes walking up the driveway an hour later, accompanied by a weird-looking girl, Tucker's world begins to change. It starts with his father announcing that he no longer has faith in God, followed by his mother's increasingly weird behaviour. Emily, Tucker's mom, slowly sinks into her private world of ghosts and obsessive-compulsive behaviour (polishing silverware over and over again, flipping light switches on and off, etc..). She becomes more withdrawn and disconnected from reality with every passing day, and no one - not even the family doctor - knows what's causing her sudden mental breakdown. When one day both his parents disappear, Tucker is shipped off to live with his uncle, Kosh. It's there that he begins to suspect that their sudden disappearance must have had something to do with the shimmering disk he spotted right above the rooftop of his home. And when he finally gathers the courage to step into it, he finds himself in the middle of a crazy time-travelling adventure that will take him to places he never even imagined existed, launched on a dangerous adventure that will change his life - and the history of the entire human kind - forever.
Lahlia (the girl brought brought home by Tucker's dad) is a very mysterious character and, though we don't see a whole lot of her in the first book, whenever she's present something interesting/dangerous happens. She's a wild and unpredictable creature, and she seems to know a lot about the Klaatu and their discos. I liked her sassy nature, though sometimes she appeared to be rather uninterested in other people's affairs. I'm looking forward to learning more about her and the role she has to play in this story.
Now, I'm not big on comparing authors and books, but to me Pete Hautman's novel is like a curious mix of Stephen King and Robert Sawyer, for teens and adults alike. The Obsidian Blade is a fantastic piece of speculative fiction, packed to the brinks with exciting adventures, complex (often provocative) theories, and mind-blowing plot twists. It's also deliciously dark and atmospheric. Hautman's writing style is quite straight-forward, occasionally humorous (in a dark, Stephen King-ish way), and attention-grabbing. Encompassing an array of thoughts and ideas that are bound to resonate with its readers, and re-examining important events in the history of humankind and their ripple effect on our lives, it's a thoughtful, elaborate and absolutely unforgettable story. And most definitely one of my top favourite reads this year.
I can't wait for the next book in the Klaatu Discos series. If you like your books intelligent, stimulating and just a tiny little bit provocative - this is the book for you. And if you prefer your characters real, flawed, and achingly human (as opposed to the invincible macho-hero stereotype) - this is the novel you should be reading next. Make sure to check it out!
I loved the concept behind this book. Time travel and alternative realities mixed in with a thought-provoking examination of religion and its impact on the history of human kind, and a deeply affecting family drama - all that (and more!) makes for a compulsively readable story, and one that I sure had a hard time putting down. The Obsidian Blade has everything a great science fiction novel should have: a well-realized, fascinating world, convincing characters, intriguing ideas, an exciting plot, and themes that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. It's intensely captivating, often moving, and at times even heartwarmingly funny (especially Tucker's conversations with his wild Uncle Kosh). The concept of Klaatu discos is not only interesting and unique, it is also exceptionally well-developed and well-explained, complete with information about their origin and history. I especially appreciated the encyclopedia-like commentary at the beginning of each part of the book that provided valuable info about the discos and their creators, the Klaatu. These brief notes were insightful and in my opinion quite essential to fully understanding the plot.
As much as I loved the science fiction aspect of this book, what I loved the most about it was the heartfelt, emotionally engaging storyline. The lead character, Tucker, was amazing and I quickly warmed up to him. He is a sweet, clever and brave boy, who - faced with an impossibly difficult family situation - tries his best to do the right thing. When his father, reverend Adrian Feye, magically disappears from the rooftop of their house, and then comes walking up the driveway an hour later, accompanied by a weird-looking girl, Tucker's world begins to change. It starts with his father announcing that he no longer has faith in God, followed by his mother's increasingly weird behaviour. Emily, Tucker's mom, slowly sinks into her private world of ghosts and obsessive-compulsive behaviour (polishing silverware over and over again, flipping light switches on and off, etc..). She becomes more withdrawn and disconnected from reality with every passing day, and no one - not even the family doctor - knows what's causing her sudden mental breakdown. When one day both his parents disappear, Tucker is shipped off to live with his uncle, Kosh. It's there that he begins to suspect that their sudden disappearance must have had something to do with the shimmering disk he spotted right above the rooftop of his home. And when he finally gathers the courage to step into it, he finds himself in the middle of a crazy time-travelling adventure that will take him to places he never even imagined existed, launched on a dangerous adventure that will change his life - and the history of the entire human kind - forever.
Lahlia (the girl brought brought home by Tucker's dad) is a very mysterious character and, though we don't see a whole lot of her in the first book, whenever she's present something interesting/dangerous happens. She's a wild and unpredictable creature, and she seems to know a lot about the Klaatu and their discos. I liked her sassy nature, though sometimes she appeared to be rather uninterested in other people's affairs. I'm looking forward to learning more about her and the role she has to play in this story.
Now, I'm not big on comparing authors and books, but to me Pete Hautman's novel is like a curious mix of Stephen King and Robert Sawyer, for teens and adults alike. The Obsidian Blade is a fantastic piece of speculative fiction, packed to the brinks with exciting adventures, complex (often provocative) theories, and mind-blowing plot twists. It's also deliciously dark and atmospheric. Hautman's writing style is quite straight-forward, occasionally humorous (in a dark, Stephen King-ish way), and attention-grabbing. Encompassing an array of thoughts and ideas that are bound to resonate with its readers, and re-examining important events in the history of humankind and their ripple effect on our lives, it's a thoughtful, elaborate and absolutely unforgettable story. And most definitely one of my top favourite reads this year.
I can't wait for the next book in the Klaatu Discos series. If you like your books intelligent, stimulating and just a tiny little bit provocative - this is the book for you. And if you prefer your characters real, flawed, and achingly human (as opposed to the invincible macho-hero stereotype) - this is the novel you should be reading next. Make sure to check it out!
June 19, 2020
Tucker Feye lived a normal life until his father, Reverend Feye, disappears one day and returns an hour later with a strange teenage girl named Lahlia in tow who never talks. To make things more weird, the Reverend, a devout man of God, announces that he doesn't believe in God. Things turn mind numbing for Tucker when his mother goes insane and then both his parents suddenly disappear and his weird Uncle Kosh arrives to take care of him. "Your father asked me to do it," Kosh says. So Tucker goes to live with his uncle.
One day when Tucker and Kosh return to Tucker's home to pick up something, Tucker sees a strange disk hovering over the barn roof. He's seen it every so often before his parents' vanished and now he wonders if the disk had something to do with his parents' disappearance. So he climbs up onto the roof, reaches for the disk – and ends up in a strange high-tech hospital in another world.
If Tucker thought he had problems back home, he has even worse ones in this unwelcoming world. It turns out that the disks are portals through time and space to other worlds – and Tucker's actions can change what happens in his own world. Undeterred, Tucker resolves to find his parents. But there's one problem. The inhabitants of the disk worlds want to see him dead.
The Obsidian Blade was a fun read that drew me in almost immediately. Tucker meets up with some really weird people during his quest. The action never seems to stop and there are a lot of plot twists.
I'll be reading the other two books in this Klalatu Diskos series.
One day when Tucker and Kosh return to Tucker's home to pick up something, Tucker sees a strange disk hovering over the barn roof. He's seen it every so often before his parents' vanished and now he wonders if the disk had something to do with his parents' disappearance. So he climbs up onto the roof, reaches for the disk – and ends up in a strange high-tech hospital in another world.
If Tucker thought he had problems back home, he has even worse ones in this unwelcoming world. It turns out that the disks are portals through time and space to other worlds – and Tucker's actions can change what happens in his own world. Undeterred, Tucker resolves to find his parents. But there's one problem. The inhabitants of the disk worlds want to see him dead.
The Obsidian Blade was a fun read that drew me in almost immediately. Tucker meets up with some really weird people during his quest. The action never seems to stop and there are a lot of plot twists.
I'll be reading the other two books in this Klalatu Diskos series.
January 16, 2012
The Obsidian Blade (Klaatu Diskos #1) by Pete Hautman
Tucker is a normal everyday day lad till his father disappeared off the roof of their family home. Hours later his dad turns up with a strange girl in toe but something weird has happened. Tuckers dad is now older and no longer has any faith in god. Over the next few weeks Tuckers dad grows distanced while his mother seems to be slowly losing her mind and can no longer tell the difference from fact and fiction. Life for tucker becomes lonely and he finds himself doing silly things but when he returns home and finds his family missing with only a short note leaving Tucker with an uncle he does not know. Then Tucker’s life changes when his sucked through a disko that takes him back in time and opens his eyes to what truly happened to his family.
Ok doing a review for this book was always going to be hard there was just so much going on and the book was so different and interesting. Well the first half of the book was really getting to know the characters and seeing how these strange disko turned the feye family upside down. I really loved getting to know everyone and I felt so sad for Tucker at times. While there was a lot of family drama and untold secrets from Tuckers dad and I was excited to see that the book built up to something imaginative and scary. Once his family vanish the book takes on a darker more dramatic side.
The last half of the book was full of strange places and different beings and poor Tucker trying to understand what was going on. I love seeing him grow as a character and there was such an amazing story line which is so hard to explain without giving away too much of the books. I was intrigued by all the stuff in this book but it was how well the author mixed Science fiction, history and religion together and made such a brilliant start to a series.
So many sides to this book something for everyone to love. Five stars
Tucker is a normal everyday day lad till his father disappeared off the roof of their family home. Hours later his dad turns up with a strange girl in toe but something weird has happened. Tuckers dad is now older and no longer has any faith in god. Over the next few weeks Tuckers dad grows distanced while his mother seems to be slowly losing her mind and can no longer tell the difference from fact and fiction. Life for tucker becomes lonely and he finds himself doing silly things but when he returns home and finds his family missing with only a short note leaving Tucker with an uncle he does not know. Then Tucker’s life changes when his sucked through a disko that takes him back in time and opens his eyes to what truly happened to his family.
Ok doing a review for this book was always going to be hard there was just so much going on and the book was so different and interesting. Well the first half of the book was really getting to know the characters and seeing how these strange disko turned the feye family upside down. I really loved getting to know everyone and I felt so sad for Tucker at times. While there was a lot of family drama and untold secrets from Tuckers dad and I was excited to see that the book built up to something imaginative and scary. Once his family vanish the book takes on a darker more dramatic side.
The last half of the book was full of strange places and different beings and poor Tucker trying to understand what was going on. I love seeing him grow as a character and there was such an amazing story line which is so hard to explain without giving away too much of the books. I was intrigued by all the stuff in this book but it was how well the author mixed Science fiction, history and religion together and made such a brilliant start to a series.
So many sides to this book something for everyone to love. Five stars
July 24, 2012
Candlewick
The Obsidian Blade
By Pete Hautman
2 Scribbles
Tucker is thirteen when he sees his father, the devout Reverend Feye, disappear through a hazy disk-shaped area just above the roof of his house. When his father, the Good Reverend, returns a few hours later, he is much changed. Suddenly, everything Tucker knows and thinks he believes begins to change, and his family stability begins to shatter.
At first glance:
It is difficult to evaluate this novel on sheer surface entertainment value. There is a great deal of confusion involved for the reader as Tucker, his father, his uncle, even his mother, travel to and from different historical and futuristic periods. That does keep the reader engaged to some degree because it is impossible not to want to know how everything turns out for Tucker and his family. So from a tension and action standpoint, the novel moves forward rather quickly. Also, there are some interesting characters in the novel, for one, Reverend Feye—a man of unshakable faith whose faith is shaken. Awn, a Yoda-like character who (ironically) seems untouched by time, and Lahlia, whose presence in the novel (and soon to be series) is as of yet unclear. The flaw in the novel is unavoidable, the reader is faced with paradox after paradox, and so it is challenging for the reader to organize and make sense of the reading experience in our linear minds. Additionally, the work is planned as a series and the resolution of this first book is unsatisfactory.
Digging beneath the surface:
From an intellectual perspective the story is mesmerizing. There is a great deal going on in this text thematically. It seems that the disks, or "discos" as they are called, enable a person to travel back and forth into different times. In fact, according to Awen "time is not symmetrical," and with this idea some themes emerge in the story. First, time travel seems to create all of mankind’s mysteries; if humans understood and believed that time travel is real then we would not see mysterious events like alien visitations, ghostlike apparitions, or the Resurrection of Christ so mysterious or important. Secondly, despite the historical era or geographical location in the Universe, all humans are at their core evil, and so they leave evil in their wake. And lastly, beings that are not human (aliens) exist and at times do interact with humans.
Peppered throughout the text are also symbolic references that are hard to miss. For instance, Feye literally translated means, "destined to die," which is true for all of us. In this story it is doubly true because characters that travel well into the future, like Tucker and his father, are already dead when they go forward in time. Paradox, no? The Feye might also be a reference to the fairy folk who could trap people in their fairy land while time passed more quickly on Earth. People might spend what seemed like a day in the fairy world to return to an Earth where forty years have passed just like in this book. Father September, another character (sort of) in the text, also has a symbolic name. The beginning of September is the start of the Ecclesiastical Year in the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church. And given the events in the story, this cannot be coincidence.
Overall, I probably just scratched the surface of what is an incredibly dense and perplexing read. I asked a reader-friend of mine, John, to read the book with me. As he said, "if you like Star Trek and the Bible, you may like this book." If you have read the book and would like to comment on my review, please do!
May 12, 2012
For a book that took forever to get actually moving, I was actually surprised at how disappointed I was in The Obsidian Blade. Here's what my journey through this story looked like.
Confusion: First - a completely strange, utterly alien world was introduced. Fine, that I can deal with. But then it was shoved into a closet and I was thrown into a reality that, honestly, sent me back to the internet to find out what was going on with this books genre classification. It seemed like a typical, young adult, non-science-fiction book. But nope.. after what seemed like forever, I was thrown back into the science fiction realm.
Disbelief: Not only were historical events not sacred (World Trade Center) but religious stories were pulled into the mix and treated with a heavy hand. It's one thing to express disbelief in the stories that are the foundation of a religion, but using them as a catalyst to make the story seem more interesting? Not cool - especially since it completely felt as if the stories were being used for mere shock value.
I was disappointed in this series, and definitely will not be investigating the rest of the trilogy. The science fiction elements seemed to be implemented merely as an excuse to use past events in a novel, and, as a result, were not very fleshed out in and of themselves. There was virtually no world building, no explanation other than a few vague paragraphs about the diskos, and no resolution of any sort. I understand it's the first book of a trilogy, but you have to throw your reader a bone, you know? Make the book worth reading now, rather than having to wait.
Confusion: First - a completely strange, utterly alien world was introduced. Fine, that I can deal with. But then it was shoved into a closet and I was thrown into a reality that, honestly, sent me back to the internet to find out what was going on with this books genre classification. It seemed like a typical, young adult, non-science-fiction book. But nope.. after what seemed like forever, I was thrown back into the science fiction realm.
Disbelief: Not only were historical events not sacred (World Trade Center) but religious stories were pulled into the mix and treated with a heavy hand. It's one thing to express disbelief in the stories that are the foundation of a religion, but using them as a catalyst to make the story seem more interesting? Not cool - especially since it completely felt as if the stories were being used for mere shock value.
I was disappointed in this series, and definitely will not be investigating the rest of the trilogy. The science fiction elements seemed to be implemented merely as an excuse to use past events in a novel, and, as a result, were not very fleshed out in and of themselves. There was virtually no world building, no explanation other than a few vague paragraphs about the diskos, and no resolution of any sort. I understand it's the first book of a trilogy, but you have to throw your reader a bone, you know? Make the book worth reading now, rather than having to wait.
December 3, 2012
I really wanted to like this book, but I don't think it was for me.
I'm extremely fascinated with the diskos and its time-traveling abilities, and it was cool to read (or in my case hear) about Tucker's travels to other time periods, even during the time of Christ. But even though the storyline had potential, to be quite honest, I kind of struggled to pay attention to what was going on. I couldn't really connect with Tucker and kind of felt indifferent toward him.
And when it was all said and done, I don't really get it. I understand the basic concept, but I can't figure out if the purpose of the time travel is more sci-fi with technological advances toward the future or if it was more religious oriented in the fact that the time travel has to do with the grand purpose of destiny. I don't really see how everything comes together. And it doesn't help that I can't grasp WHY there's the age difference for the last family reunion.
I know that Tucker has a lot of questions, and this is only the first book in the series. But I just can't wrap my mind around what's going on, and I doubt I'll be continuing the series. But that's just me, personally.
I'm extremely fascinated with the diskos and its time-traveling abilities, and it was cool to read (or in my case hear) about Tucker's travels to other time periods, even during the time of Christ. But even though the storyline had potential, to be quite honest, I kind of struggled to pay attention to what was going on. I couldn't really connect with Tucker and kind of felt indifferent toward him.
And when it was all said and done, I don't really get it. I understand the basic concept, but I can't figure out if the purpose of the time travel is more sci-fi with technological advances toward the future or if it was more religious oriented in the fact that the time travel has to do with the grand purpose of destiny. I don't really see how everything comes together. And it doesn't help that I can't grasp WHY there's the age difference for the last family reunion.
I know that Tucker has a lot of questions, and this is only the first book in the series. But I just can't wrap my mind around what's going on, and I doubt I'll be continuing the series. But that's just me, personally.
October 1, 2013
This book was absolutely wonderful! The name and the cover made me want to read it, as well as the intro. With the time-traveling, portal like disks, it was awesome. This book contains emotions like betrayal, curiosity, sadness, glee and a bunch of others. Each character is different. Everybody changes n their own way from the beginning to the end. Normally, minor characters don't play a big part, but towards the end, the minor characters will become important in the next book... It was wonderful! I used this book for my English class reading project. I'm glad I chose it. Filled with action, how can I not love it?
August 2, 2017
I really have no freaking clue why this book only has a 3.3 on here, it was absolutely fantastic!
I'll admit, I'm a sucker for anything to do with time travel and stuff so it was such an interesting read for me, I got sucked in right away. And I may or may not have read 200/300 pages in my last sitting, but what can you do?
Goodness... I definitely need to continue this story, I'll be getting the next book as soon as I possibly can and reading it because ughhh.
This one spent so much time building the world and the diskos and their possibilities and I cannot wait to see how fleshed out everything gets with the next book.
I'll admit, I'm a sucker for anything to do with time travel and stuff so it was such an interesting read for me, I got sucked in right away. And I may or may not have read 200/300 pages in my last sitting, but what can you do?
Goodness... I definitely need to continue this story, I'll be getting the next book as soon as I possibly can and reading it because ughhh.
This one spent so much time building the world and the diskos and their possibilities and I cannot wait to see how fleshed out everything gets with the next book.
December 19, 2024
"phones cause autism" has to be one of the shittier ways a sci-fi book has dealt with the topic of autism. The medicants were cool but underutilized and tbh I'm not keen on reading the rest of the series. I rushed through the second half because I just wanted to finish it and get it over with.
August 2, 2012
I can't believe The Obsidian Blade is rated under 4 stars on Goodreads! It's one of the best books I've read so far this year. I absolutely adored this book!
The Obsidian Blade has such a complicated and well thought out plot, it kept me hooked from the very beginning because I need to know more about what was happening. I was drawn in from the very beginning, when Tucker's father disappears for the first time. After that, I couldn't put the book down.
The world building was my favourite part of The Obsidian Blade. It was complicated and so well written that it's probably one of my favourite science fiction worlds! The whole thing about the diskos was fantastic, the history behind it and the different rules were things that I loved reading about.
There were so many plot twists thrown into this book, I had no idea what would happen next. I was totally gripped as I was trying to figure everything out before it happened, but I was proved wrong again and again.
I loved all the characters, even the antagonists. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Tucker, Lahlia and Kosh if/when the next book comes out. I'm wondering if we'll see Tucker mature more after everything that's happened to him and... Well, that would be a spoiler!
Pete Hautman's prose is flawless. Like I said, I was kept completely hooked, and I think a lot of that had to do with the writing style. There is one scene in which Tucker goes through a disko and is thrown into a situation in which he could well have died. I was holding my breath through the whole thing because the descriptions were so vivid.
This is an AMAZING book, and I think everyone should read it because I'm sure you would really enjoy it too. If you're a fan of sci-fi then definitely give it a go!
The Obsidian Blade has such a complicated and well thought out plot, it kept me hooked from the very beginning because I need to know more about what was happening. I was drawn in from the very beginning, when Tucker's father disappears for the first time. After that, I couldn't put the book down.
The world building was my favourite part of The Obsidian Blade. It was complicated and so well written that it's probably one of my favourite science fiction worlds! The whole thing about the diskos was fantastic, the history behind it and the different rules were things that I loved reading about.
There were so many plot twists thrown into this book, I had no idea what would happen next. I was totally gripped as I was trying to figure everything out before it happened, but I was proved wrong again and again.
I loved all the characters, even the antagonists. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Tucker, Lahlia and Kosh if/when the next book comes out. I'm wondering if we'll see Tucker mature more after everything that's happened to him and... Well, that would be a spoiler!
Pete Hautman's prose is flawless. Like I said, I was kept completely hooked, and I think a lot of that had to do with the writing style. There is one scene in which Tucker goes through a disko and is thrown into a situation in which he could well have died. I was holding my breath through the whole thing because the descriptions were so vivid.
This is an AMAZING book, and I think everyone should read it because I'm sure you would really enjoy it too. If you're a fan of sci-fi then definitely give it a go!
January 18, 2012
When I finished this book, I paused for a moment and then flipped back through to make sure I hadn't missed a few pages at the end. "What? That's it? No! I need more!" flashed through my mind, mostly because The Obsidian Blade is so gripping but partially--and I have to be honest--because the conclusion felt like the end of a chapter, not the end of a book. Talk about leaving me hanging!
As you may know by now, I'm not a huge fan of male narrators, but I actually didn't mind Tucker (and coming from me, that's high praise). As for the storyline, I was intrigued. I may be totally off base here, but I think this is the literary version of the game Portals, with diskos that transport the user to another time and location. The Obsidian Blade is a nice mix of sci-fi and fantasy with a little bit of historical fiction and suspense thrown in for good measure. It's all blended together nicely to form a cohesive plot.
I wish we had seen a little more of Kosh (I'm not convinced that he is who seems...yet) and Lahlia, but I think this is a great set-up for adventures to come. This is definitely an action and suspense filled novel, and I sped through it, eager to discover the secrets of Iyl Rayne and the Klaatu and maybe something about Tucker...
The ending really surprised me; I wasn't expecting the events that unfolded at the revival. There's more, but I'm afraid that I'll ruin something so I'll leave it at that. The Obsidian Blade is a fast-paced mind puzzle that's perfect for sci-fi and fantasy YA fans who like their reality a little warped.
[This book was received for review from the publisher.]
As you may know by now, I'm not a huge fan of male narrators, but I actually didn't mind Tucker (and coming from me, that's high praise). As for the storyline, I was intrigued. I may be totally off base here, but I think this is the literary version of the game Portals, with diskos that transport the user to another time and location. The Obsidian Blade is a nice mix of sci-fi and fantasy with a little bit of historical fiction and suspense thrown in for good measure. It's all blended together nicely to form a cohesive plot.
I wish we had seen a little more of Kosh (I'm not convinced that he is who seems...yet) and Lahlia, but I think this is a great set-up for adventures to come. This is definitely an action and suspense filled novel, and I sped through it, eager to discover the secrets of Iyl Rayne and the Klaatu and maybe something about Tucker...
The ending really surprised me; I wasn't expecting the events that unfolded at the revival. There's more, but I'm afraid that I'll ruin something so I'll leave it at that. The Obsidian Blade is a fast-paced mind puzzle that's perfect for sci-fi and fantasy YA fans who like their reality a little warped.
[This book was received for review from the publisher.]
August 30, 2012
E-books have one major disadvantage compared to physical books: as you're reading, you don't have a clear idea how close you are to the end. Even if, as I did, you keep periodically checking your progress, (mine was in percentages), being 94.5% finished isn't physically as clear to me as knowing that I am flipping over the last actual page in a book.
So, this happened:
Me, reading: "... oh wow! Oh, this is getting good! Wow, really?? TOM?! Oh no- what--"
Me, flipping to the next page and reading: "Acknowlegements: there are many people to thank..."
Me, confused: "Oh, I must have somehow skipped the last fifteen or so pages and went straight to the Acknowledgements..."
Me, realizing there are no pages that I've skipped: the last sentence I read was the last sentence of the book: "Umm... hang on here... I think I broke this e-reader. It seems to have lost the end of the book??"
... and so on. It honestly took me a few moments to accept the fact that I was at the end of the book. Whereas I'd have been much quicker to believe it if I'd been reading an actual book.
My surprise and shock aside, I enjoyed the second half of this book, once we got to the really interesting time-travelly stuff, more than the beginning, which was a bit slow for me.
There were some really neat ideas that I'd love to read more about, mainly the whole Medicant people- I love the idea that they've somehow evolved into a group who communicate entirely through numbers. And apparently the backlash was so great that, in the far far future, they pretty much eschew numbers entirely (i.e. Awn (? can't remember her name), and her odd, all-night-long stick-tapping version of counting). Also I noticed that at one point when
I also would enjoy reading more about the whole diskos technology, and also the weird, maggoty creatures that surround some of them. Not exactly sure about them.
Character-wise, I found Kosh the least interesting. I liked the twists in the Reverend's character development the most. Lahlia, I wanted to read more about (and also the cat, which was teasingly referred to a few times as an anomaly, but never fully explained).
I thought some of the plot twists, such as were really interesting, although I was disappointed that the end of that story wasn't really entirely fleshed out
Actually one of the most interesting bits was something mentioned in passing, about how the Vikings I love Vikings, so that was pretty cool.
All in all, it was a fun read, and I find it particularly funny that I read an e-book version of a book that discusses a Digital Plague. That's quite perfect.
So, this happened:
Me, reading: "... oh wow! Oh, this is getting good! Wow, really?? TOM?! Oh no- what--"
Me, flipping to the next page and reading: "Acknowlegements: there are many people to thank..."
Me, confused: "Oh, I must have somehow skipped the last fifteen or so pages and went straight to the Acknowledgements..."
Me, realizing there are no pages that I've skipped: the last sentence I read was the last sentence of the book: "Umm... hang on here... I think I broke this e-reader. It seems to have lost the end of the book??"
... and so on. It honestly took me a few moments to accept the fact that I was at the end of the book. Whereas I'd have been much quicker to believe it if I'd been reading an actual book.
My surprise and shock aside, I enjoyed the second half of this book, once we got to the really interesting time-travelly stuff, more than the beginning, which was a bit slow for me.
There were some really neat ideas that I'd love to read more about, mainly the whole Medicant people- I love the idea that they've somehow evolved into a group who communicate entirely through numbers. And apparently the backlash was so great that, in the far far future, they pretty much eschew numbers entirely (i.e. Awn (? can't remember her name), and her odd, all-night-long stick-tapping version of counting). Also I noticed that at one point when
I also would enjoy reading more about the whole diskos technology, and also the weird, maggoty creatures that surround some of them. Not exactly sure about them.
Character-wise, I found Kosh the least interesting. I liked the twists in the Reverend's character development the most. Lahlia, I wanted to read more about (and also the cat, which was teasingly referred to a few times as an anomaly, but never fully explained).
I thought some of the plot twists, such as were really interesting, although I was disappointed that the end of that story wasn't really entirely fleshed out
Actually one of the most interesting bits was something mentioned in passing, about how the Vikings I love Vikings, so that was pretty cool.
All in all, it was a fun read, and I find it particularly funny that I read an e-book version of a book that discusses a Digital Plague. That's quite perfect.
April 14, 2012
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman was my first time travel book, I read the synopsis and thought "Well, I LOVED Donnie Darko!" so I gave it a go. What I read was a good, albeit confusing, piece of literature. I found myself really enjoying the story and caring about Tucker and the rest of the Feye's. I don't think this book would be so confusing to me if I was a big fan of sci-fi and read within the genre alot more. I had a hard time wrapping my head around the timing and the concept of the Klaatu in general.
The novel starts off as more of a contemporary story about a boy's life and the disintegration of his family. Tucker Feye's mom becomes mentally ill and his father basically checks out because he can't deal. I was sad for Tucker, he was kind of pushed to the side and left to fend for himself. Dealing with a sick mother is something I know very well and it was hard to watch him cope with his mothers illness. Halfway through it becomes sci-fi and we start going with Tucker as he jumps through the diskos. What really intrigued me during this half of the book was that they went to important historical events. In one jump we land on top of the twin towers on 9/11 and in another we land on the hill of Golgatha and witness the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Though I cared for Tucker and the situation he was faced with, I didn't really connect with any characters in this book. They felt very robotic and one dimensional to me. My favourite would have to have been Curtis (Uncle Kosh) he was a dirty, rough biker with a finesse for cooking. I felt like he was the only character that had depth for me to latch onto. So it was an interesting story, but not exactly one that drew alot of emotion out of me.
There is alot going on here and while I did enjoy the story overall, it was ALOT to wrap my head around and I just didn't quite get there. At one point Tucker meets an old woman named Awn and I was sure that she would fill in some of the blanks in my head and connect point A to point B but she just served to confuse me even further! The being said, as I pointed out this was deifinitely a venture into a new genre for me (trying to expand my horizons a bit) but I did enjoy it, it just hurt my head a bit. I will be looking for the second book in this series though because we are left with quite the shocking cliffhanger and I simply must know what happens next!
A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman was my first time travel book, I read the synopsis and thought "Well, I LOVED Donnie Darko!" so I gave it a go. What I read was a good, albeit confusing, piece of literature. I found myself really enjoying the story and caring about Tucker and the rest of the Feye's. I don't think this book would be so confusing to me if I was a big fan of sci-fi and read within the genre alot more. I had a hard time wrapping my head around the timing and the concept of the Klaatu in general.
The novel starts off as more of a contemporary story about a boy's life and the disintegration of his family. Tucker Feye's mom becomes mentally ill and his father basically checks out because he can't deal. I was sad for Tucker, he was kind of pushed to the side and left to fend for himself. Dealing with a sick mother is something I know very well and it was hard to watch him cope with his mothers illness. Halfway through it becomes sci-fi and we start going with Tucker as he jumps through the diskos. What really intrigued me during this half of the book was that they went to important historical events. In one jump we land on top of the twin towers on 9/11 and in another we land on the hill of Golgatha and witness the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Though I cared for Tucker and the situation he was faced with, I didn't really connect with any characters in this book. They felt very robotic and one dimensional to me. My favourite would have to have been Curtis (Uncle Kosh) he was a dirty, rough biker with a finesse for cooking. I felt like he was the only character that had depth for me to latch onto. So it was an interesting story, but not exactly one that drew alot of emotion out of me.
There is alot going on here and while I did enjoy the story overall, it was ALOT to wrap my head around and I just didn't quite get there. At one point Tucker meets an old woman named Awn and I was sure that she would fill in some of the blanks in my head and connect point A to point B but she just served to confuse me even further! The being said, as I pointed out this was deifinitely a venture into a new genre for me (trying to expand my horizons a bit) but I did enjoy it, it just hurt my head a bit. I will be looking for the second book in this series though because we are left with quite the shocking cliffhanger and I simply must know what happens next!
January 9, 2013
EDIT: This book was basically a huge timescrew.
A good foundation, but an absolutely shitty middle plot and ending. The whole time I felt like the book was leading up to something, it kept building these really cool societies and factions and time eras and dis-corporeal beings and...it just fell apart. The ending is just a total "WTF HAPPENED?!" Lack of a crux, really, I think, is what messed it up the most. Kind of disappointing, actually. May or may not read the sequel.
A good foundation, but an absolutely shitty middle plot and ending. The whole time I felt like the book was leading up to something, it kept building these really cool societies and factions and time eras and dis-corporeal beings and...it just fell apart. The ending is just a total "WTF HAPPENED?!" Lack of a crux, really, I think, is what messed it up the most. Kind of disappointing, actually. May or may not read the sequel.
June 21, 2012
I was not wild about this one at all. The science fiction part didn’t work for me and I felt bludgeoned by the religious aspect.
May 24, 2012
First Impressions:
Thea: Throwback. That is the one word I think of when trying to write this review for The Obsidian Blade. Pete Hautman kicks off a new science fiction series by eschewing traditional linear storylines and expectation, by provoking questions of religion, history and causality, and does it in a way that is a most excellent throwback to old-school b-movie sci-fi. While the actual story is light on actual plot, I love this introductory novel to a strange version of our world where diskos manifest and certain key players can jump through time and space.
Ana: Well, dear readers, I fell hard for The Obsidian Blade and the more I think about it, the more I love it. The Obsidian Blade is thought-provoking AND fun, its time travelling factor well conceived (I can think of no plot holes) and with a brilliant omniscient narrative voice. Most of all, I absolutely, completely adored the self-assured writing style. If I didn’t know any better, I would think this book was written for me.
On the Plot:
Thea: Tucker Feye lives a quiet life in Hopewell, Minnesota with his beautiful mother Emily and his deeply religious preacher father, Adrian. One summer day, Tucker watches his father fix a missing shingle on the roof, only to inexplicably disappear into thin air. Not exactly thin air – into a shimmering disk that appears above the roof. An hour later, a frantic Tucker finds his father walking up the road as though nothing has happened – except his clothes are in tatters (save for a pair of strange blue slippers), his face has seemed to have aged years, and he has a young teenager girl in tow. Despite Tucker’s probing questions and his mother’s fears, Adrian refuses to speak about his disappearance, the mysterious girl Lahlia, or his sudden and absolute loss of faith. Slowly, following Tucker’s father’s return, his mother starts to become increasingly withdrawn, obsessed with rituals, numbers, and nonsensical puzzles – and gradually, she loses her mind.
With doctors stumped, Tucker’s father takes matters into his own hands – and one day Tucker comes home to find his parents gone, with just a cryptic note saying that they have gone to find help in a far away place. Tucker’s estranged Uncle Kosh shows up shortly thereafter, ready to take Tucker away from the town he calls “Hopeless”. Frustrated and seeking answers, Tucker knows that his parents’ disappearance must have something to do with the appearance of those strange, shimmering disks – and when he spies one appear over Kosh’s barn, he plunges in and finds himself hurtling through time and space on a quest to find and save his family.
It is hard to write more about the actual synopsis of The Obsidian Blade without giving anything away (or sounding crazy) because there is a whole lot that goes on once Tucker discovers the diskos and jumps into the past and far, far future – to eras with temples, priests and human sacrifices, to advanced medical facilities, to forests at the end of the world. The idea of these diskos, created at some point in the future by someone known as Iyl Ryn, is a fascinating one. While the conceit of future creatures coming back in time to view some of the landmark events (mostly atrocities) that have occured in human history is not a novel one and plenty of science fiction authors have tread this ground before The Obsidian Blade, it’s a conceit that I think works very well. I love the H.G. Wells-ian, Time Traveler-esque feel to Tucker’s leaps into the far future and the devolvement of humanity (or is it even humanity anymore?) into creatures bent on sacrifice, fixated on technology with the onset of the “Digital Plague”, the perversion of religion similar to the days of the Maya and Aztecs of old, and ultimately, the lack of corporeal flesh and bone. (I also love the classic references to The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Army of Darkness, from a purely nerdy perspective.) All of these elements are exposed in The Obsidian Blade, but nothing is really explained – and that’s ok. This is much more of a teaser, an amuse bouche, rather than the actual entree of the series.
Which brings me to my sole criticism of the book, with regard to plot and story. You know that phrase, waiting for the anvil to drop? THat’s how I felt the entire book. I kept waiting to learn about some jaw-dropping revelation (Tucker is Kosh is Adrian! Emily is Lah/Yar Lia! The Iyl Rayn is an anagram for Lia Ryyn! And so on) – and when that didn’t happen, because the book and the series is clearly building up to a bigger revelation, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. That said, this clearly is the first novel in a trilogy, and while setting and groundrules are established here, more meat is sure to come in the next two books.
Ana: Unlike Thea I don’t think The Obsidian Blade was light on plot – I thought that not only plenty happened but I also was pretty satisfied with what I’ve got especially when it came to the book’s thematic core. It is a strange little story, this one. The book opens with a short prologue which introduces us to the future history of this world, of our world, a post-digital future where most of humanity is discorporeal and enjoying the profoundly disturbing entertainment of watching the past – key, horrifying events of the past – via portals named diskos.
We then move to the present to follow Tucker, an extremely naive young boy who still plays with his toys. One day his father – a Reverend – disappears in front of his eyes and comes back one hour later looking much older and having lost his faith in God completely. Interestingly, it is the latter that disturbs young Tucker most profoundly. Until, of course, he learns of the diskos and is sucked (literally) into other timelines. But that doesn’t happen much, much later in the book and its first half more or less is dedicated to develop and introduce Tucker, his family and his life in Hopewell. The author takes his sweet time with his and I although there is an element of “introduction”, I thought this was essential to the story in terms of establishing the grounds for the setting and for the characters. It is more than introduction, it is framing and I loved the first part of the novel as much as I loved the second. Of course, this being a time travel novel and all, any minor detail which might seem random, could also mean something extremely important. And of course, we have no idea if any of Future Tucker’s actions have had consequences for his timeline or not. And that is absolutely brilliant.
This first part also establishes the very personal nature of this novel and of this world. Sure, we are talking about the future and changing the world but fundamentally, this is a story about a boy, his family and their relationship with faith and technology. I thought the book to offer a keen, frank, thought-provoking look at our connections with religion (more on that later on) and technology (technology is not inherently bad, it seems to say, but watch out for how we use it). I had no problems believing in the horrible voyeuristic future of their society as being a possible one for our own.
The story itself is fun (like any time travel story has the potential to be) but also incredibly gut-wrenching and courageous. The author does not shy away from delivering punches, from killing people off, from completely exploring the terrible possible consequences of time travel. It also lands Tucker on several horrific historical moments and they are described in gory detail (one of those moment nearly made me sick).
The narrative is delivered by a matter-of-fact omniscient narrator who narrates from several characters’ point of view. At times, I wondered if the narrator isn’t part of the story – from the future, telling what “happened” and in that sense how much can we truly believe this narrative?
And finally a word on the writing. Pete Hautman’s is just my kind of writing: self-assured, competent, with no shortcuts or clichés. It speaks of a seasoned writer whose other books I need to read NOW.
On the Characters:
Ana: The first thing to say is how there is an element of distance between the reader and the characters of the book – I think this stems from the omniscient narrative itself and I don’t think it was a problem per se. I didn’t, for example, love Tucker but that might be because he sounds oddly out of time (no pun intended) and too naïve and childish for a 14 year old. That said, I completely and absolutely loved his interactions with just about anyone else in the book (but mostly with his uncle Kosh, whom I LOVED). His relationship with his father changes and evolves with time as well (hee) and since they are both time travellers, it is really interesting to see how witnessing the same events and undergoing the same experiences affect them both so differently.
Most intriguing of all for me, is how the religious aspect is played out in the book. I am a reader who avoids and dislikes any kind of read that tries to be too didactic or promoting a religion as the UNIVERSAL truth. I do, however, LOVE to see and read books about single characters’ PERSONAL relationship with their faith. I think this book does really interesting, thought-provoking things with the conceits of religion, faith and destiny from a personal point of view. I loved that time travel in this story affects the characters’ lives and their personal beliefs – it is fun to see how Tucker’s father lost all of his faith, whereas Tucker’s has been reinforced. In that sense, no traveller in this story has been left unscathed and they are not simply breezing through time la-la-la-di-da-ing their way through it. There are consequences to their actions and they are both physical and psychological.
I just have one request for the next books – that Lah Lia becomes even more of a central character because holy crapoles was she awesome and that we get to see a bit more diversity? That would just make this whole business all the more impacting and awesome.
Thea: I agree with Ana that there is a certain distance from characters in this book, but I don’t think this is to the detriment of the novel at all. I felt like the character of Tucker is a fantastic protagonist that is both sympathetic, heroic, but not infallible. I love that he has a wildchild sort of daredevil/can’t-sit-still attitude, but underneath all of that is a boy that is desperate for his mother and his father. Can I be a little cheesy and say, there is a definite Star Wars vibe to this book and the relationship between Tucker and his father? There’s a palpable tension, between love, loyalty, and morality, and I love the way this relationship plays out in the book.
Like Ana, I also loved Kosh and the bond between uncle and nephew, and I KNOW there has to be more to this story, and Kosh’s involvement with Tucker’s mother…
And lastly, yes, I love Lahlia/Yar Lia (and her kitten, aptly named Bounce), and I cannot, absolutely cannot, wait to get more of her in book 2. Can I have book 2 now, please?
Final Thoughts, Observations & Rating:
Thea: I truly enjoyed The Obsidian Blade for its wonderful writing, fantastic characters, and scifi throwback appeal. Absolutely recommended…and now I am totally stalking the author’s backlist (there are a TON of awesome sounding books on there! Hello, Godless, Mr. Was, Rash, and Hole in the Sky!).
Ana: I absolutely loved this book from its great opening to its awesome fist-pumpy ending and consider this to be one of the best SciFi YA novels I’ve ever read. It is a Notable Read of 2012 and you know what? I wouldn’t be surprised if it made its way into my top 10 next December.
Thea: Throwback. That is the one word I think of when trying to write this review for The Obsidian Blade. Pete Hautman kicks off a new science fiction series by eschewing traditional linear storylines and expectation, by provoking questions of religion, history and causality, and does it in a way that is a most excellent throwback to old-school b-movie sci-fi. While the actual story is light on actual plot, I love this introductory novel to a strange version of our world where diskos manifest and certain key players can jump through time and space.
Ana: Well, dear readers, I fell hard for The Obsidian Blade and the more I think about it, the more I love it. The Obsidian Blade is thought-provoking AND fun, its time travelling factor well conceived (I can think of no plot holes) and with a brilliant omniscient narrative voice. Most of all, I absolutely, completely adored the self-assured writing style. If I didn’t know any better, I would think this book was written for me.
On the Plot:
Thea: Tucker Feye lives a quiet life in Hopewell, Minnesota with his beautiful mother Emily and his deeply religious preacher father, Adrian. One summer day, Tucker watches his father fix a missing shingle on the roof, only to inexplicably disappear into thin air. Not exactly thin air – into a shimmering disk that appears above the roof. An hour later, a frantic Tucker finds his father walking up the road as though nothing has happened – except his clothes are in tatters (save for a pair of strange blue slippers), his face has seemed to have aged years, and he has a young teenager girl in tow. Despite Tucker’s probing questions and his mother’s fears, Adrian refuses to speak about his disappearance, the mysterious girl Lahlia, or his sudden and absolute loss of faith. Slowly, following Tucker’s father’s return, his mother starts to become increasingly withdrawn, obsessed with rituals, numbers, and nonsensical puzzles – and gradually, she loses her mind.
With doctors stumped, Tucker’s father takes matters into his own hands – and one day Tucker comes home to find his parents gone, with just a cryptic note saying that they have gone to find help in a far away place. Tucker’s estranged Uncle Kosh shows up shortly thereafter, ready to take Tucker away from the town he calls “Hopeless”. Frustrated and seeking answers, Tucker knows that his parents’ disappearance must have something to do with the appearance of those strange, shimmering disks – and when he spies one appear over Kosh’s barn, he plunges in and finds himself hurtling through time and space on a quest to find and save his family.
It is hard to write more about the actual synopsis of The Obsidian Blade without giving anything away (or sounding crazy) because there is a whole lot that goes on once Tucker discovers the diskos and jumps into the past and far, far future – to eras with temples, priests and human sacrifices, to advanced medical facilities, to forests at the end of the world. The idea of these diskos, created at some point in the future by someone known as Iyl Ryn, is a fascinating one. While the conceit of future creatures coming back in time to view some of the landmark events (mostly atrocities) that have occured in human history is not a novel one and plenty of science fiction authors have tread this ground before The Obsidian Blade, it’s a conceit that I think works very well. I love the H.G. Wells-ian, Time Traveler-esque feel to Tucker’s leaps into the far future and the devolvement of humanity (or is it even humanity anymore?) into creatures bent on sacrifice, fixated on technology with the onset of the “Digital Plague”, the perversion of religion similar to the days of the Maya and Aztecs of old, and ultimately, the lack of corporeal flesh and bone. (I also love the classic references to The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Army of Darkness, from a purely nerdy perspective.) All of these elements are exposed in The Obsidian Blade, but nothing is really explained – and that’s ok. This is much more of a teaser, an amuse bouche, rather than the actual entree of the series.
Which brings me to my sole criticism of the book, with regard to plot and story. You know that phrase, waiting for the anvil to drop? THat’s how I felt the entire book. I kept waiting to learn about some jaw-dropping revelation (Tucker is Kosh is Adrian! Emily is Lah/Yar Lia! The Iyl Rayn is an anagram for Lia Ryyn! And so on) – and when that didn’t happen, because the book and the series is clearly building up to a bigger revelation, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. That said, this clearly is the first novel in a trilogy, and while setting and groundrules are established here, more meat is sure to come in the next two books.
Ana: Unlike Thea I don’t think The Obsidian Blade was light on plot – I thought that not only plenty happened but I also was pretty satisfied with what I’ve got especially when it came to the book’s thematic core. It is a strange little story, this one. The book opens with a short prologue which introduces us to the future history of this world, of our world, a post-digital future where most of humanity is discorporeal and enjoying the profoundly disturbing entertainment of watching the past – key, horrifying events of the past – via portals named diskos.
We then move to the present to follow Tucker, an extremely naive young boy who still plays with his toys. One day his father – a Reverend – disappears in front of his eyes and comes back one hour later looking much older and having lost his faith in God completely. Interestingly, it is the latter that disturbs young Tucker most profoundly. Until, of course, he learns of the diskos and is sucked (literally) into other timelines. But that doesn’t happen much, much later in the book and its first half more or less is dedicated to develop and introduce Tucker, his family and his life in Hopewell. The author takes his sweet time with his and I although there is an element of “introduction”, I thought this was essential to the story in terms of establishing the grounds for the setting and for the characters. It is more than introduction, it is framing and I loved the first part of the novel as much as I loved the second. Of course, this being a time travel novel and all, any minor detail which might seem random, could also mean something extremely important. And of course, we have no idea if any of Future Tucker’s actions have had consequences for his timeline or not. And that is absolutely brilliant.
This first part also establishes the very personal nature of this novel and of this world. Sure, we are talking about the future and changing the world but fundamentally, this is a story about a boy, his family and their relationship with faith and technology. I thought the book to offer a keen, frank, thought-provoking look at our connections with religion (more on that later on) and technology (technology is not inherently bad, it seems to say, but watch out for how we use it). I had no problems believing in the horrible voyeuristic future of their society as being a possible one for our own.
The story itself is fun (like any time travel story has the potential to be) but also incredibly gut-wrenching and courageous. The author does not shy away from delivering punches, from killing people off, from completely exploring the terrible possible consequences of time travel. It also lands Tucker on several horrific historical moments and they are described in gory detail (one of those moment nearly made me sick).
The narrative is delivered by a matter-of-fact omniscient narrator who narrates from several characters’ point of view. At times, I wondered if the narrator isn’t part of the story – from the future, telling what “happened” and in that sense how much can we truly believe this narrative?
And finally a word on the writing. Pete Hautman’s is just my kind of writing: self-assured, competent, with no shortcuts or clichés. It speaks of a seasoned writer whose other books I need to read NOW.
On the Characters:
Ana: The first thing to say is how there is an element of distance between the reader and the characters of the book – I think this stems from the omniscient narrative itself and I don’t think it was a problem per se. I didn’t, for example, love Tucker but that might be because he sounds oddly out of time (no pun intended) and too naïve and childish for a 14 year old. That said, I completely and absolutely loved his interactions with just about anyone else in the book (but mostly with his uncle Kosh, whom I LOVED). His relationship with his father changes and evolves with time as well (hee) and since they are both time travellers, it is really interesting to see how witnessing the same events and undergoing the same experiences affect them both so differently.
Most intriguing of all for me, is how the religious aspect is played out in the book. I am a reader who avoids and dislikes any kind of read that tries to be too didactic or promoting a religion as the UNIVERSAL truth. I do, however, LOVE to see and read books about single characters’ PERSONAL relationship with their faith. I think this book does really interesting, thought-provoking things with the conceits of religion, faith and destiny from a personal point of view. I loved that time travel in this story affects the characters’ lives and their personal beliefs – it is fun to see how Tucker’s father lost all of his faith, whereas Tucker’s has been reinforced. In that sense, no traveller in this story has been left unscathed and they are not simply breezing through time la-la-la-di-da-ing their way through it. There are consequences to their actions and they are both physical and psychological.
I just have one request for the next books – that Lah Lia becomes even more of a central character because holy crapoles was she awesome and that we get to see a bit more diversity? That would just make this whole business all the more impacting and awesome.
Thea: I agree with Ana that there is a certain distance from characters in this book, but I don’t think this is to the detriment of the novel at all. I felt like the character of Tucker is a fantastic protagonist that is both sympathetic, heroic, but not infallible. I love that he has a wildchild sort of daredevil/can’t-sit-still attitude, but underneath all of that is a boy that is desperate for his mother and his father. Can I be a little cheesy and say, there is a definite Star Wars vibe to this book and the relationship between Tucker and his father? There’s a palpable tension, between love, loyalty, and morality, and I love the way this relationship plays out in the book.
Like Ana, I also loved Kosh and the bond between uncle and nephew, and I KNOW there has to be more to this story, and Kosh’s involvement with Tucker’s mother…
And lastly, yes, I love Lahlia/Yar Lia (and her kitten, aptly named Bounce), and I cannot, absolutely cannot, wait to get more of her in book 2. Can I have book 2 now, please?
Final Thoughts, Observations & Rating:
Thea: I truly enjoyed The Obsidian Blade for its wonderful writing, fantastic characters, and scifi throwback appeal. Absolutely recommended…and now I am totally stalking the author’s backlist (there are a TON of awesome sounding books on there! Hello, Godless, Mr. Was, Rash, and Hole in the Sky!).
Ana: I absolutely loved this book from its great opening to its awesome fist-pumpy ending and consider this to be one of the best SciFi YA novels I’ve ever read. It is a Notable Read of 2012 and you know what? I wouldn’t be surprised if it made its way into my top 10 next December.
January 15, 2019
The book " The Obsidian Blade " By Pete Hautman is filled with mystery and secrets. The book takes place at the main character Tucker Feye's house in Small town Minnesota. The book gets interesting when his father, a preacher, disappears through a mysterious disk near the roof of their house. He reappears an hour later, without his religious faith, but with Lahlia, an awkward young woman who he claims is from Bulgaria. When, a year later, Tucker’s parents both vanish, he sets out to find them, aided by Lahlia and his biker uncle, Kosh. Tucker discovers that the “ diskos ,” which were created by a non corporeal artist from the distant future, that allow travel between time and place.
I gave this book 4 stars because it was a good book but some aspects of it have me questioning it. The questions that I have are why his dad and mother act so strange at the beginning and I also wanted to know why the author Pete made the characters so complex. I also thought that this book was very fascinating how there was a disk that could be used as a teleportation device.
The book " The Obsidian Blade " by Pete Hautman was similar to other books although when Pete brought Lahila in the story in created a very interesting twist through out the story. The book travels through different times and places. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes to have an adventure all the time.
I gave this book 4 stars because it was a good book but some aspects of it have me questioning it. The questions that I have are why his dad and mother act so strange at the beginning and I also wanted to know why the author Pete made the characters so complex. I also thought that this book was very fascinating how there was a disk that could be used as a teleportation device.
The book " The Obsidian Blade " by Pete Hautman was similar to other books although when Pete brought Lahila in the story in created a very interesting twist through out the story. The book travels through different times and places. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes to have an adventure all the time.
April 16, 2012
Reviewed by Rusty Key Writer: Jordan B. Nielsen
Recommended for: Both boys and girls, ages 13 and Up for some moderate violence and general complexity of plot. Teen boys are a natural fit for this story with its male protagonist and action-driven narrative, but the story is so well executed that there is no reason why girls shouldn’t connect with it as well.
One Word Summary: Mind-Bending.
What an architect we have in Pete Hautman. The Obsidian Blade is an expertly constructed time travel odyssey that uses tools from the established science fiction cannon to build a narrative that is fresh, terrifying, provocative and wholly thrilling.
Set, initially, in present day Minnesota, Blade follows the story of Tucker Feye an, initially, thirteen year old boy whose father vanishes one day. Tucker’s father, Adrien, the adored preacher of his small town, was up
on the roof of their home fixing something one afternoon when the event occurred. Tucker looked up from the yard just in time to see a strange ripple, a circular, disk-like warbling of the air. Moments later his father screamed out and then disappeared from sight. Thinking his dad had fallen off the roof, Tucker ran all around the house looking for him, but the man is nowhere to be found.
Hours later, Tucker sees Adrien walking up the road to their house, apparently unharmed. Only, he’s not alone, and something is mysteriously different about the man. His clothes are tattered, his skin seems darker and aged, his feet look like they’ve been dipped in blue paint, and with him is a strange, ethereal blonde girl named Lahlia and her grey kitten. Tucker’ father explains that he had just walked into town to pick up a few things and along the way met Lahlia, an orphan from Bulgaria, he claims, and that the young girl would be staying with them for a while. Being possessed of a functioning brain, Tucker rejects the obvious lies, but his father will say nothing more on the subject.
Left with no other options, Tucker attempts to allow things to get back to some sort of normalcy, but of course it’s all downhill from there. His father remains distant and evasive, but more shockingly, disavows the existence of God. Pretending nothing is the matter, Tucker’s mother buries herself in Sudoku puzzles, but gradually her behavior becomes bizarre, full of ticks and sudden outbursts, paralleling the symptoms of autism. The enigmatic Lahlia floats about the house, mostly mute, until she is handed over to some neighbors down the road for further care. And if his home life falling apart weren’t enough, Tucker’s town seems to be filling with strange people as well. Men dressed all in black, speaking an unrecognizable language begin popping up. Some who observe them think they’re Amish, some think they’re Hasidic Jews, but of course they are very evidently neither of those peoples. And though he can’t prove it, Tucker begins seeing phantoms: translucent, hovering figures that silently watch him before dematerializing once again.
Tucker is certain that all of this has to do with the inexplicable ripple he saw in the sky the day his father went missing for a few hours, but can convince no one of its existence. Then, at the boiling point of all this, both of Tucker’s parents disappear, his father having left behind a note vaguely stating that he has taken Tucker’s mother somewhere for treatment. At the same time, the disk reappears above his house. Whether lost or abducted, Tucker knows in his heart that his parents are somewhere on the other side of that disk, and it’s up to him to get them back.
What I’ve explained here is really just the prelude to the story, and I’ll go no further for fear of spoiling the truly surprising twists and turns of the narrative.
The Obsidian Blade is a marvelous achievement, a thrill ride, a thought provoking, scrupulously structured adventure, carried by characters that matter (I won’t explain his context, but the sarcastic, leather-clad biker, Kosh, with his culinary aptitude and Zen-like love of DIY mechanics won my heart). As with the best science fiction, Blade is about so much more than just the theatrics and trappings of the genre: the gadgets, the creatures, the parallel universes and time jumps. Hautman keeps his characters squarely at the center of the story. This is the journey of Tucker Feye, and you’re never allowed to forget that for the sake of the genre’s wizardry. It’s a fine skill that reminded me very much of J.J. Abrams’ heartfelt, character driven sci-fi stories like Super 8, Lost, and Star Trek.
Under the framework of this sci-fi epic, Hautman hosts a discussion of the perils of religious zealotry versus those of technological idolatry and the threats each pose to the future of humanity. He plays with alternate histories, catastrophic, unrecognizable futures, and the very nature of time itself and its malleability. Hautman may have some trouble with religious readers. Devout Christians will likely go ballistic over his alternate theory about the resurrection of Christ, but those less dedicated to the Bible’s statements will find a dashingly clever if overtly heretical take on Christian philosophy.
At its heart though, Blade is about Tucker Feye coming of age as he grapples with his own feelings on faith and his complicated relationship with his father. There are notes of Abraham and Isaac in their dynamic. Who hasn’t wondered what it was like for Isaac, growing up underneath a father so devout that he was willing to murder his own son in the name of God? Blade in many ways is a meditation on just that, the moment when your parents become a stranger to you, their beliefs having shifted so radically away from your own. There is a feeling of adrift-ness in Tucker’s story, of being pushed out of the nest before one is ready, but the pleasure comes in watching Tucker learn to flap his wings as he plummets towards peril.
An outstanding read I couldn’t put down, (like Abrams, Hautman is a master of the maddeningly suspenseful chapter enders) The Obsidian Blade has claimed a rightful place in our Golden Key Collection.
For more reviews, author interviews, reading lists, and feature articles from The Rusty Key, visit us at www.therustykey.com
Recommended for: Both boys and girls, ages 13 and Up for some moderate violence and general complexity of plot. Teen boys are a natural fit for this story with its male protagonist and action-driven narrative, but the story is so well executed that there is no reason why girls shouldn’t connect with it as well.
One Word Summary: Mind-Bending.
What an architect we have in Pete Hautman. The Obsidian Blade is an expertly constructed time travel odyssey that uses tools from the established science fiction cannon to build a narrative that is fresh, terrifying, provocative and wholly thrilling.
Set, initially, in present day Minnesota, Blade follows the story of Tucker Feye an, initially, thirteen year old boy whose father vanishes one day. Tucker’s father, Adrien, the adored preacher of his small town, was up
on the roof of their home fixing something one afternoon when the event occurred. Tucker looked up from the yard just in time to see a strange ripple, a circular, disk-like warbling of the air. Moments later his father screamed out and then disappeared from sight. Thinking his dad had fallen off the roof, Tucker ran all around the house looking for him, but the man is nowhere to be found.
Hours later, Tucker sees Adrien walking up the road to their house, apparently unharmed. Only, he’s not alone, and something is mysteriously different about the man. His clothes are tattered, his skin seems darker and aged, his feet look like they’ve been dipped in blue paint, and with him is a strange, ethereal blonde girl named Lahlia and her grey kitten. Tucker’ father explains that he had just walked into town to pick up a few things and along the way met Lahlia, an orphan from Bulgaria, he claims, and that the young girl would be staying with them for a while. Being possessed of a functioning brain, Tucker rejects the obvious lies, but his father will say nothing more on the subject.
Left with no other options, Tucker attempts to allow things to get back to some sort of normalcy, but of course it’s all downhill from there. His father remains distant and evasive, but more shockingly, disavows the existence of God. Pretending nothing is the matter, Tucker’s mother buries herself in Sudoku puzzles, but gradually her behavior becomes bizarre, full of ticks and sudden outbursts, paralleling the symptoms of autism. The enigmatic Lahlia floats about the house, mostly mute, until she is handed over to some neighbors down the road for further care. And if his home life falling apart weren’t enough, Tucker’s town seems to be filling with strange people as well. Men dressed all in black, speaking an unrecognizable language begin popping up. Some who observe them think they’re Amish, some think they’re Hasidic Jews, but of course they are very evidently neither of those peoples. And though he can’t prove it, Tucker begins seeing phantoms: translucent, hovering figures that silently watch him before dematerializing once again.
Tucker is certain that all of this has to do with the inexplicable ripple he saw in the sky the day his father went missing for a few hours, but can convince no one of its existence. Then, at the boiling point of all this, both of Tucker’s parents disappear, his father having left behind a note vaguely stating that he has taken Tucker’s mother somewhere for treatment. At the same time, the disk reappears above his house. Whether lost or abducted, Tucker knows in his heart that his parents are somewhere on the other side of that disk, and it’s up to him to get them back.
What I’ve explained here is really just the prelude to the story, and I’ll go no further for fear of spoiling the truly surprising twists and turns of the narrative.
The Obsidian Blade is a marvelous achievement, a thrill ride, a thought provoking, scrupulously structured adventure, carried by characters that matter (I won’t explain his context, but the sarcastic, leather-clad biker, Kosh, with his culinary aptitude and Zen-like love of DIY mechanics won my heart). As with the best science fiction, Blade is about so much more than just the theatrics and trappings of the genre: the gadgets, the creatures, the parallel universes and time jumps. Hautman keeps his characters squarely at the center of the story. This is the journey of Tucker Feye, and you’re never allowed to forget that for the sake of the genre’s wizardry. It’s a fine skill that reminded me very much of J.J. Abrams’ heartfelt, character driven sci-fi stories like Super 8, Lost, and Star Trek.
Under the framework of this sci-fi epic, Hautman hosts a discussion of the perils of religious zealotry versus those of technological idolatry and the threats each pose to the future of humanity. He plays with alternate histories, catastrophic, unrecognizable futures, and the very nature of time itself and its malleability. Hautman may have some trouble with religious readers. Devout Christians will likely go ballistic over his alternate theory about the resurrection of Christ, but those less dedicated to the Bible’s statements will find a dashingly clever if overtly heretical take on Christian philosophy.
At its heart though, Blade is about Tucker Feye coming of age as he grapples with his own feelings on faith and his complicated relationship with his father. There are notes of Abraham and Isaac in their dynamic. Who hasn’t wondered what it was like for Isaac, growing up underneath a father so devout that he was willing to murder his own son in the name of God? Blade in many ways is a meditation on just that, the moment when your parents become a stranger to you, their beliefs having shifted so radically away from your own. There is a feeling of adrift-ness in Tucker’s story, of being pushed out of the nest before one is ready, but the pleasure comes in watching Tucker learn to flap his wings as he plummets towards peril.
An outstanding read I couldn’t put down, (like Abrams, Hautman is a master of the maddeningly suspenseful chapter enders) The Obsidian Blade has claimed a rightful place in our Golden Key Collection.
For more reviews, author interviews, reading lists, and feature articles from The Rusty Key, visit us at www.therustykey.com
December 16, 2025
The Obsidian Blade, a Sci-fi Journey of Emotion
The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman is a science-fiction novel that explores time travel and identity. The story follows Tucker Feye, a teenager whose life permanently changes after his father disappears and returns acting strangely with a mysterious little girl named Lahlia. When a series of glowing disks begin opening around Tucker’s town, he is sent on a journey that throws him across different time periods and alternate realities. This main mystery creates a strong plotline that keeps the story focused.
Pete Hautman’s storytelling is one of the book’s substantial strengths. Every place Tucker visits feels weird, filled with strange gadgets, falling societies, and strange versions of ghosts. Although the plot moves quickly, the book raises questions about free will and how small choices can alter entire worlds.
Overall, The Obsidian Blade is an interesting story with great adventure. Its suspenseful pacing and imaginative concepts make it an interesting read for anyone who enjoys science fiction.
The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman is a science-fiction novel that explores time travel and identity. The story follows Tucker Feye, a teenager whose life permanently changes after his father disappears and returns acting strangely with a mysterious little girl named Lahlia. When a series of glowing disks begin opening around Tucker’s town, he is sent on a journey that throws him across different time periods and alternate realities. This main mystery creates a strong plotline that keeps the story focused.
Pete Hautman’s storytelling is one of the book’s substantial strengths. Every place Tucker visits feels weird, filled with strange gadgets, falling societies, and strange versions of ghosts. Although the plot moves quickly, the book raises questions about free will and how small choices can alter entire worlds.
Overall, The Obsidian Blade is an interesting story with great adventure. Its suspenseful pacing and imaginative concepts make it an interesting read for anyone who enjoys science fiction.
May 29, 2012
Originally reviewed at Minnesota Reads.
The Obsidian Blade is the first Pete Hautman book I have ever read. I feel really ashamed saying that.
I know, I know, it seems like I should’ve been reading Pete Hautman forever. Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature? Check. Friends praise him? Check. A lot of books full of mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy? Triple check. He really should’ve been on my Goodreads “read” shelf a long time ago, especially if all of his books are as awesome as this one.
The Obsidian Blade is the first in the Klaatu Diskos trilogy where we meet Tucker Feye, a 13-year-old living a simple life in Hopewell, Minnesota with his mother and preacher father. Things seem to be picture perfect for young Tucker until the day he sees his father, who was fixing a shingle on the roof, disappear into thin air. Before he disappeared Tucker swore he saw a shimmering, disk-shaped hole floating next to the roof. Did his father fall through the hole? If so, where did he go?
Hours later Tucker’s dad walks up the driveway, his clothes tattered, with a mysterious girl, Lahlia, by his side. His dad declared there was no god and they would need to find Lahlia a new home. Tucker begged for answers to what happened, but his father refused to tell him or Tucker’s mother.
Shortly after his father’s return, Tucker’s mother starts to go downhill. She withdraws from the family, becomes obsessed with numbers and puzzles, and eventually starts to go mad. Needing to get her better treatment, Tucker’s father leaves a note for Tucker saying that his brother will come watch him while they try to get treatment. Tucker notices their car is still in the driveway but a ladder is propped against the house, leading up to the roof. Does this have to do with the disk-shaped hole?
Uncle Kosh is the uncle that shows up to take Tucker back to his house while his parents are gone. While living at his uncle’s house, Tucker continually thinks about the disk-shaped hole and slowly starts to discover more about it, his past with his uncle, and his future.
As I write this I realize how hard it is to explain this book. I really can’t explain too much more because A) it’ll sound crazy without you reading the whole book and getting the big picture, and B) I don’t want you to not read it because you think it’s crazy.
What I will say is that yes, Tucker’s father’s disappearance does have to do with that disk-shaped hole in the sky. They’re actually called diskos and they are awesome and terrifying at the same time. They are the ultimate test for that disobeying instinct in all of us. You know the one, the instinct you have that makes you want to do something people warn you against. Someone says, “Don’t open that door. It hasn’t been opened in years, who knows what’s in there.” It makes you want to open the door, even though you know it could be bad. It’s that instinct to want to know and to disobey. This is what the diskos do to us. They are windows into different places in time, past and future, but almost all of them bring you to a sad or dangerous place in time, like New York on 9/11. But you don’t know where each diskos will take you. See the dilemma? You see a diskos and you know it’s probably bad, but you have no idea where it leads and aren’t you just a little curious?
I would jump through every diskos I saw. And thankfully there is a lot of diskos jumping in The Obsidian Blade.
I know what I described to you doesn’t sound very sci-fi and doesn’t sound all that magical, but the second half of the book is filled with diskos jumping and is quite different than the first half of the book. The first half leads up to all that takes place in the second half and I was hooked.
This is definitely a great sci-fi romp through time, and the kid in me was fascinated. But the relationships here also fascinated me. Tucker and his parents get along great, but when things come between them, namely religion, how do they cope? And what about Tucker and his Uncle Kosh? Uncle Kosh is very different from his father and Tucker is completely turned off at the beginning, but a bond eventually grows and I really loved them together. The mysterious girl Lahlia also has an interesting relationship with Tucker. She knows more than she’s willing to tell, though she does release information a little bit at a time to Tucker. I just know more is to come between Tucker and Lahlia in the future.
There are also really interesting discussions about religion throughout the book. Does god exist? If so, does he agree with all of the religious rituals we do, even when they are extreme? And what about Jesus hung on the cross? Is it all we imagine or have we built it into something more? All of this is very thought-provoking but never preachy.
I could go on and on about The Obsidian Blade because it really does have layers. You could read it simply as a great sci-fi, time travel book and you would be completely satisfied, but there is also so much more here. What a great book, Pete Hautman. And I’m so sorry I haven’t read you sooner. I will rectify that, I promise. I think Rash sounds really interesting, so while I wait for the second book in this trilogy I’ll check that one out. And, yes, I’ll eventually get to your award-winning book, too. Hell, if all your books are as good as this I’ll eventually get to them all.
The Obsidian Blade is the first Pete Hautman book I have ever read. I feel really ashamed saying that.
I know, I know, it seems like I should’ve been reading Pete Hautman forever. Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature? Check. Friends praise him? Check. A lot of books full of mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy? Triple check. He really should’ve been on my Goodreads “read” shelf a long time ago, especially if all of his books are as awesome as this one.
The Obsidian Blade is the first in the Klaatu Diskos trilogy where we meet Tucker Feye, a 13-year-old living a simple life in Hopewell, Minnesota with his mother and preacher father. Things seem to be picture perfect for young Tucker until the day he sees his father, who was fixing a shingle on the roof, disappear into thin air. Before he disappeared Tucker swore he saw a shimmering, disk-shaped hole floating next to the roof. Did his father fall through the hole? If so, where did he go?
Hours later Tucker’s dad walks up the driveway, his clothes tattered, with a mysterious girl, Lahlia, by his side. His dad declared there was no god and they would need to find Lahlia a new home. Tucker begged for answers to what happened, but his father refused to tell him or Tucker’s mother.
Shortly after his father’s return, Tucker’s mother starts to go downhill. She withdraws from the family, becomes obsessed with numbers and puzzles, and eventually starts to go mad. Needing to get her better treatment, Tucker’s father leaves a note for Tucker saying that his brother will come watch him while they try to get treatment. Tucker notices their car is still in the driveway but a ladder is propped against the house, leading up to the roof. Does this have to do with the disk-shaped hole?
Uncle Kosh is the uncle that shows up to take Tucker back to his house while his parents are gone. While living at his uncle’s house, Tucker continually thinks about the disk-shaped hole and slowly starts to discover more about it, his past with his uncle, and his future.
As I write this I realize how hard it is to explain this book. I really can’t explain too much more because A) it’ll sound crazy without you reading the whole book and getting the big picture, and B) I don’t want you to not read it because you think it’s crazy.
What I will say is that yes, Tucker’s father’s disappearance does have to do with that disk-shaped hole in the sky. They’re actually called diskos and they are awesome and terrifying at the same time. They are the ultimate test for that disobeying instinct in all of us. You know the one, the instinct you have that makes you want to do something people warn you against. Someone says, “Don’t open that door. It hasn’t been opened in years, who knows what’s in there.” It makes you want to open the door, even though you know it could be bad. It’s that instinct to want to know and to disobey. This is what the diskos do to us. They are windows into different places in time, past and future, but almost all of them bring you to a sad or dangerous place in time, like New York on 9/11. But you don’t know where each diskos will take you. See the dilemma? You see a diskos and you know it’s probably bad, but you have no idea where it leads and aren’t you just a little curious?
I would jump through every diskos I saw. And thankfully there is a lot of diskos jumping in The Obsidian Blade.
I know what I described to you doesn’t sound very sci-fi and doesn’t sound all that magical, but the second half of the book is filled with diskos jumping and is quite different than the first half of the book. The first half leads up to all that takes place in the second half and I was hooked.
This is definitely a great sci-fi romp through time, and the kid in me was fascinated. But the relationships here also fascinated me. Tucker and his parents get along great, but when things come between them, namely religion, how do they cope? And what about Tucker and his Uncle Kosh? Uncle Kosh is very different from his father and Tucker is completely turned off at the beginning, but a bond eventually grows and I really loved them together. The mysterious girl Lahlia also has an interesting relationship with Tucker. She knows more than she’s willing to tell, though she does release information a little bit at a time to Tucker. I just know more is to come between Tucker and Lahlia in the future.
There are also really interesting discussions about religion throughout the book. Does god exist? If so, does he agree with all of the religious rituals we do, even when they are extreme? And what about Jesus hung on the cross? Is it all we imagine or have we built it into something more? All of this is very thought-provoking but never preachy.
I could go on and on about The Obsidian Blade because it really does have layers. You could read it simply as a great sci-fi, time travel book and you would be completely satisfied, but there is also so much more here. What a great book, Pete Hautman. And I’m so sorry I haven’t read you sooner. I will rectify that, I promise. I think Rash sounds really interesting, so while I wait for the second book in this trilogy I’ll check that one out. And, yes, I’ll eventually get to your award-winning book, too. Hell, if all your books are as good as this I’ll eventually get to them all.
January 17, 2019
I really think that the book was okay it haded its moments but I would not really recommend it to someone.
September 5, 2023
Do you believe in god? Do you hate anyone who questions god? Are you mad that I'm not capitalizing the "g" right now? If so, I advise you NOT to read this book. This last thing this amazing book needs is a poor rating because your fragile feelings were injured. Get over yourself.
Now what I like about the book is that it confuses me, and not in a bad way. It's actually making me think. Most books don't even do that anymore, they just entertain you with their pretty stories, but this book is making me rack me brain!
See, let's talk about characters: Tucker, the protaginist, reminds me of Milo in The Phantom Tollbooth; he doesn't really seem to have a defining personality, but he does have some personal goals of his own, so he's not really a blank nobody. I mean, with the things that happen to Tucker in the book, I'm not even sure what target age this books is for. He has a 14 year old mind but with a very...different...body later on. But he doesn't even sound like a 14 year old, and he doesn't sound like a 18 or whatever year old either. He sounds like, well, Tucker. He's one of those everyman characters and it's perfect.
And then there's Lahlia. Something is up with that girl, and she has a story that has yet to be told. I expect a book in the future that will delve further into the hell she went through. Meanwhile, she's mysterious as shadows and it's driving me nuts. But she's very amusing; I've never been more disgusted or more questionable about meat. One full day hanging out with her, and I am never going to eat bacon again. Note to self: avoid Lahlia.
Another thing I like about the book is the time travel. History can be so full of holes and it can be brutally f'ed up. And no one will notice, not with time travel! Time paradoxes everywhere, living side by side with the original, and nobody none the wiser. It's bloody brilliant, and freaking confusing. The thing with Father September, Jesus, the Medicants and all the whats, hows and whys I shouted during the times I read it. It was a fantastic ride and I enjoyed every bit of it. Oh, and the little reference to important points/people of history? Brilliant.
But now it's time to get into the topic of religion, which is probably the biggest contraversial subjects of the book. Let me first say that I am an atheist, with a little agnostic in there to boot. I believe that those with religion are delusional cowards. So, yeah, I had a pretty emotional (as in anger and amusement) ride while reading it. I find it amazing how well Mr. Hautman weaved religion and time travel together. Who is Jesus? Is there Jesus? It's fantastic, and sure to anger the oh-so-sensitive Christians and Catholics of today. Where is your god now!? Not here, that's for sure. Muahahaha! I'll shut up now.
Overall, very good book. I enjoyed this rollercoaster and I strongly recommend you take a ride too. Except if you're a strict god-believer. Do not sully this book with your whining.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thanks, Goodreads.
Now what I like about the book is that it confuses me, and not in a bad way. It's actually making me think. Most books don't even do that anymore, they just entertain you with their pretty stories, but this book is making me rack me brain!
See, let's talk about characters: Tucker, the protaginist, reminds me of Milo in The Phantom Tollbooth; he doesn't really seem to have a defining personality, but he does have some personal goals of his own, so he's not really a blank nobody. I mean, with the things that happen to Tucker in the book, I'm not even sure what target age this books is for. He has a 14 year old mind but with a very...different...body later on. But he doesn't even sound like a 14 year old, and he doesn't sound like a 18 or whatever year old either. He sounds like, well, Tucker. He's one of those everyman characters and it's perfect.
And then there's Lahlia. Something is up with that girl, and she has a story that has yet to be told. I expect a book in the future that will delve further into the hell she went through. Meanwhile, she's mysterious as shadows and it's driving me nuts. But she's very amusing; I've never been more disgusted or more questionable about meat. One full day hanging out with her, and I am never going to eat bacon again. Note to self: avoid Lahlia.
Another thing I like about the book is the time travel. History can be so full of holes and it can be brutally f'ed up. And no one will notice, not with time travel! Time paradoxes everywhere, living side by side with the original, and nobody none the wiser. It's bloody brilliant, and freaking confusing. The thing with Father September, Jesus, the Medicants and all the whats, hows and whys I shouted during the times I read it. It was a fantastic ride and I enjoyed every bit of it. Oh, and the little reference to important points/people of history? Brilliant.
But now it's time to get into the topic of religion, which is probably the biggest contraversial subjects of the book. Let me first say that I am an atheist, with a little agnostic in there to boot. I believe that those with religion are delusional cowards. So, yeah, I had a pretty emotional (as in anger and amusement) ride while reading it. I find it amazing how well Mr. Hautman weaved religion and time travel together. Who is Jesus? Is there Jesus? It's fantastic, and sure to anger the oh-so-sensitive Christians and Catholics of today. Where is your god now!? Not here, that's for sure. Muahahaha! I'll shut up now.
Overall, very good book. I enjoyed this rollercoaster and I strongly recommend you take a ride too. Except if you're a strict god-believer. Do not sully this book with your whining.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thanks, Goodreads.
August 4, 2023
Wow. What a crazy, mind bending ride that was. After about midway through, my head never stopped spinning, and I'm still trying to put all the pieces together.
The thing I love about time travel books is how complex and intertwined the plots and scenes can get. Something that happens in the beginning of the book may not make sense until you see the scene again from a different time. The Obsidian Blade took time traveling to a little different place though. The time travel in this book is through diskos, like wormholes through time, and the diskos lead to significant moments in time. 9/11, for example. I really loved that unique spin on time travel.
The characters are fine, nothing much stood out about them to me though. The protagonist, Tucker seems a little immature for his age at times, even though his age actually changes a bit through the book. In fact, this book felt more like a middle grade novel than young adult novel most of the time. That doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the story though, and Lahlia, Kosh, and Bounce are some other characters that I really liked. I would have loved to see some more of Lahlia, and hopefully she'll be in the sequel more.
The story starts off just a tad bit slow paced, but I actually really liked that slow build towards the action. I was dying to know what the heck was going on, and there's this almost creepy atmosphere in the beginning. Everyone just keeps on acting like everything's normal, even while everything's coming apart. About midway through the book though, the action definitely picks up and doesn't stop from then on.
There's quite a lot of talk about God in several conversations and thoughts of Tucker's and we even get to witness a Biblical event, which was so interesting to me. I'm not quite sure how I felt about it all though. If you're a Christian, you may be a bit uncomfortable with some passages, although it's all very well done, and not offensive or anything.
I only have a few complaints about the story, the first being that I was very easily confused. I never really got the whole Klaatu ghost thing, which is a pretty substantial part of the story. I still don't why exactly the Klaatu are important. I don't know if this is because I wasn't paying close enough attention, or if it's just supposed to be vague at this point in the story. I would have liked a little more explanation on a few of those parts though. My other complaint is the ending. Cliffhanger, much? It felt very abrupt, like it was the end of the first part of a book, and then the second half got sucked away in a disk.
The Obsidian Blade is a unique, mind boggling sci-fi book that adds a unique element to the usual time-traveling story. If you like sci-fi, fast-paced adventure, or time-traveling kitties, you should definitely pick this one up. I'm excited to continue with the series, and I really think it'll only get better from here.
3.5/5
*Received from Netgalley
For more of my babblings, please visit my blog, Snug Shelf
The thing I love about time travel books is how complex and intertwined the plots and scenes can get. Something that happens in the beginning of the book may not make sense until you see the scene again from a different time. The Obsidian Blade took time traveling to a little different place though. The time travel in this book is through diskos, like wormholes through time, and the diskos lead to significant moments in time. 9/11, for example. I really loved that unique spin on time travel.
The characters are fine, nothing much stood out about them to me though. The protagonist, Tucker seems a little immature for his age at times, even though his age actually changes a bit through the book. In fact, this book felt more like a middle grade novel than young adult novel most of the time. That doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the story though, and Lahlia, Kosh, and Bounce are some other characters that I really liked. I would have loved to see some more of Lahlia, and hopefully she'll be in the sequel more.
The story starts off just a tad bit slow paced, but I actually really liked that slow build towards the action. I was dying to know what the heck was going on, and there's this almost creepy atmosphere in the beginning. Everyone just keeps on acting like everything's normal, even while everything's coming apart. About midway through the book though, the action definitely picks up and doesn't stop from then on.
There's quite a lot of talk about God in several conversations and thoughts of Tucker's and we even get to witness a Biblical event, which was so interesting to me. I'm not quite sure how I felt about it all though. If you're a Christian, you may be a bit uncomfortable with some passages, although it's all very well done, and not offensive or anything.
I only have a few complaints about the story, the first being that I was very easily confused. I never really got the whole Klaatu ghost thing, which is a pretty substantial part of the story. I still don't why exactly the Klaatu are important. I don't know if this is because I wasn't paying close enough attention, or if it's just supposed to be vague at this point in the story. I would have liked a little more explanation on a few of those parts though. My other complaint is the ending. Cliffhanger, much? It felt very abrupt, like it was the end of the first part of a book, and then the second half got sucked away in a disk.
The Obsidian Blade is a unique, mind boggling sci-fi book that adds a unique element to the usual time-traveling story. If you like sci-fi, fast-paced adventure, or time-traveling kitties, you should definitely pick this one up. I'm excited to continue with the series, and I really think it'll only get better from here.
3.5/5
*Received from Netgalley
For more of my babblings, please visit my blog, Snug Shelf
March 16, 2012
This book gives you the feeling that your watching a Japanese cartoon in english, but you still have not idea what is going on.
Note! Do not read unless you want the book spoiled, which it's really not so great anyways.
This book is... I don't want to say bad, but it really wasn't all that good. At all. It starts out with a 14 year old boy who launches a toy on the roof knocking a shingle loose, his father sees the loose shingle and goes up to fix it, finds the toy, and suddenly disappears. You later learn he fell into a magic portal that took him back in time to when Jesus died, he returns to his own time and starts a cult about resurrecting Jesus. The boy later goes in the portal, gets his heart halfway cut out by one of his father's cronies, gets healed in a facility that not only takes a portion of his life, but also steals his shoes and replaces them with blue plastic bags. He then leaves and ends up meeting his father at the time of Jesus's death and meets his father who throws him in a portal to the facility, and he is given superpowers. The facility is then bombed and he escapes in ANOTHER portal. He returns to the time where his father has the cult and his father tries to kill him again, but he escapes in a pile of pink goo that has ANOTHER portal in it. Pretty convenient huh. It then ends with a dramatic moment where his father chooses the main characters best friend to be the sacrifice. I mean, it's like the said, "oh, lets think of a story where we don't have to be very creative at all and have the character rely on portals that are only sometimes there to escape any bad situation he might come across. And, lets make up dumb weapons, one that by the description sounds like a policeman's billy, that essentially tazers people. But that's not enough! We need a telescopic lense that shoots incredibly powerful bursts of energy that can be used as a flamethrower." I mean really, they turned the coolest weapons of the century, next to the Tesla Canon, and make them dumb. Except for the billy, because that was cool. But I mean really, they have ghosts everywhere that are only cool because the author used the term non-corporeal to describe, but nonetheless, they're dumb. His mom becomes a deranged lunatic that spends her time doing Sudoku incorrectly. And that's not it. His dad builds a pyramid that has five sides to stage the sacrifice, because, you know, four sided pyramids are clearly insufficient. If your going to make a sacrificial stage, then have it be a pyramid made up of four different triangular pyramids that magically split apart, and then I would say "props to you, Pete Hautman." But no! they have nearly no cool aspects to this and the storyline is trash. It should be sent through a portal, conveniently, and disappear to his pyramid. This book may have just ruined my year, and I will NOT forget it. I swear, people will ask me "how was your year" and I'll say, "good, but I read The Obsidian Blade, so I am really not happy. AT ALL! Ok, I probably wouldn't go that far, but I really hate this book.
Note! Do not read unless you want the book spoiled, which it's really not so great anyways.
This book is... I don't want to say bad, but it really wasn't all that good. At all. It starts out with a 14 year old boy who launches a toy on the roof knocking a shingle loose, his father sees the loose shingle and goes up to fix it, finds the toy, and suddenly disappears. You later learn he fell into a magic portal that took him back in time to when Jesus died, he returns to his own time and starts a cult about resurrecting Jesus. The boy later goes in the portal, gets his heart halfway cut out by one of his father's cronies, gets healed in a facility that not only takes a portion of his life, but also steals his shoes and replaces them with blue plastic bags. He then leaves and ends up meeting his father at the time of Jesus's death and meets his father who throws him in a portal to the facility, and he is given superpowers. The facility is then bombed and he escapes in ANOTHER portal. He returns to the time where his father has the cult and his father tries to kill him again, but he escapes in a pile of pink goo that has ANOTHER portal in it. Pretty convenient huh. It then ends with a dramatic moment where his father chooses the main characters best friend to be the sacrifice. I mean, it's like the said, "oh, lets think of a story where we don't have to be very creative at all and have the character rely on portals that are only sometimes there to escape any bad situation he might come across. And, lets make up dumb weapons, one that by the description sounds like a policeman's billy, that essentially tazers people. But that's not enough! We need a telescopic lense that shoots incredibly powerful bursts of energy that can be used as a flamethrower." I mean really, they turned the coolest weapons of the century, next to the Tesla Canon, and make them dumb. Except for the billy, because that was cool. But I mean really, they have ghosts everywhere that are only cool because the author used the term non-corporeal to describe, but nonetheless, they're dumb. His mom becomes a deranged lunatic that spends her time doing Sudoku incorrectly. And that's not it. His dad builds a pyramid that has five sides to stage the sacrifice, because, you know, four sided pyramids are clearly insufficient. If your going to make a sacrificial stage, then have it be a pyramid made up of four different triangular pyramids that magically split apart, and then I would say "props to you, Pete Hautman." But no! they have nearly no cool aspects to this and the storyline is trash. It should be sent through a portal, conveniently, and disappear to his pyramid. This book may have just ruined my year, and I will NOT forget it. I swear, people will ask me "how was your year" and I'll say, "good, but I read The Obsidian Blade, so I am really not happy. AT ALL! Ok, I probably wouldn't go that far, but I really hate this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 483 reviews