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Elemental Trilogy #1
Elemental
A lost colony is reborn in this heart-pounding fantasy adventure set in the near future. Enter the world of the Elementals, which James Dashner called “completely gripping and full of intrigue, revelation, mystery, and suspense.” Sixteen-year-old Thomas has always been an outsider. The first child born without the power of an element—earth, water, wind, or fire—he has little to offer his tiny, remote Outer Banks colony. Or so the Guardians would have him believe. In the wake of an unforeseen storm, desperate pirates kidnap the Guardians, intent on claiming the island as their own. Caught between the Plague-ridden mainland and the advancing pirates, Thomas and his friends fight for survival in the battered remains of a mysterious abandoned settlement. But the secrets they unearth will turn Thomas’s world upside-down, and bring to light not only a treacherous past but also a future more dangerous than he can possibly imagine. Written by an award-winning author, this dynamic series is perfect for fans of dystopian thrillers like James Dashner’s The Maze Runner and Marie Lu’s Legend.“Plenty of action for readers who enjoy survival stories with a twist of the supernatural and a hint of romance.” –School Library Journal“The novel’s captivating storyline, rapid pace, and cliffhanger ending are sure to leave fans of novels like Grant’s Gone series absorbed with the action and anxious for a sequel.” –Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"Engaging characters and plenty of mystery, adventure, and action." -Publishers Weekly
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2012
91 people are currently reading
6597 people want to read
About the author
Antony John
17 books429 followersAntony John was born in England and raised on a balanced diet of fish and chips, obscure British comedies, and ABBA's Greatest Hits. In a fit of teenage rebellion, he decided to pursue a career in classical music, culminating in a BA from Oxford University and a PhD from Duke University. Along the way, he worked as an ice cream seller on a freezing English beach, a tour guide in the Netherlands, a chauffeur in Switzerland, a barista in Seattle, and a university professor. Writing by night, he spends his days as a stay-at-home dad—the only job that allows him to wear his favorite pair of sweatpants all the time. He lives in St. Louis with his family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews
April 4, 2013
Elemental had me glued to its pages from the get-go. It's a thrilling adventure that sparkles with emotionally powerful moments, stunning visuals and eye-popping plot twists. This story really has it all: a phenomenal post-apocalyptic setting, long buried secrets, ruthless villains (that you'll just love to hate!) and characters you'll be cheering for. The best part? The unique, fresh plot line that is just as mysterious and exciting as it is thought-provoking and moving. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down!
When many years ago the Plague spread across the globe, a small group of people had taken to the ocean in a desperate attempt to escape its deadly embrace. The small colony settled down on a remote island (Hatteras). The members of the colony - the Guardians and their Apprentices - all possess the ability to read and manipulate air, water, fire or earth. They use it to find food, summon fire and predict the violent storms that often hit the island. Our lead protagonist, 16-year-old Thomas, is the only one born without an element.
When yet another storm is about to unleash its fury on Hatteras Island, the kids (accompanied by Guardian Lora) end up waiting in out on a neighboring island. Things quickly go South from there: Guardian Lora passes away during the storm, all the other Guardians disappear without a trace, and a band of pirates invades their island, burning their colony to the ground. And they are now after the kids. To survive, Thomas and his friends first need to learn the truth about the Plague, their colony and themselves.
Elemental is - quite simply - a really awesome book. The plot line is well thought out, original and captivating. Full of secrets and mysteries, it really keeps you on your toes all the way to the end. Essentially, it's a great survival story, with a splash of romance and a sprinkle of paranormal, set against a beautifully described, intriguing backdrop. I absolutely loved it!
What I really loved about this book were the characters and the intertwining relationships between them. I loved Thomas - he was such a fun character to follow! Even though he was the only one without an element - which was obviously very hard on him - he did not complain about it or feel sorry for himself. He worked hard for the colony, trying to help out in as many ways as possible. Despite growing up without a mother and being constantly pushed away by everyone, he seemed cheerful and hopeful. I genuinely liked him and thought he had a very positive attitude and good personality. Same goes for Alice. What an incredible girl she was! Fierce, sharp, resourceful, direct, kick-ass and unstoppable, she was ready to fight for the truth. She was honest, thoughtful and brave. And even though she was one tough chick, she was also sensitive to other people's needs and very caring. I absolutely LOVED the chemistry between Thomas and Alice. The air crackled with tension whenever these two were together and I thought they were made for each other!
Another aspect of the story that I tremendously enjoyed was the breathtaking premise - from the ruins of the world destroyed by the Plague to the remote island surrounded by vast ocean waters - the setting helped create a magical, eerie (often scary) atmosphere. The post-apocalyptic world was both beautiful and treacherous. Antony John's descriptions were vivid, crisp and very helpful in visualizing everything in my head.
All in all, Elemental is one of my top favorite fantasy adventures. Everything - from the great pacing to ever-present tension - was really good. I loved how the story gradually picked up speed, building up to a very emotional crescendo ending. Many questions were left unanswered, leaving me pining for more. I can't wait for the next book!
_________________________________________________
When many years ago the Plague spread across the globe, a small group of people had taken to the ocean in a desperate attempt to escape its deadly embrace. The small colony settled down on a remote island (Hatteras). The members of the colony - the Guardians and their Apprentices - all possess the ability to read and manipulate air, water, fire or earth. They use it to find food, summon fire and predict the violent storms that often hit the island. Our lead protagonist, 16-year-old Thomas, is the only one born without an element.
When yet another storm is about to unleash its fury on Hatteras Island, the kids (accompanied by Guardian Lora) end up waiting in out on a neighboring island. Things quickly go South from there: Guardian Lora passes away during the storm, all the other Guardians disappear without a trace, and a band of pirates invades their island, burning their colony to the ground. And they are now after the kids. To survive, Thomas and his friends first need to learn the truth about the Plague, their colony and themselves.
Elemental is - quite simply - a really awesome book. The plot line is well thought out, original and captivating. Full of secrets and mysteries, it really keeps you on your toes all the way to the end. Essentially, it's a great survival story, with a splash of romance and a sprinkle of paranormal, set against a beautifully described, intriguing backdrop. I absolutely loved it!
What I really loved about this book were the characters and the intertwining relationships between them. I loved Thomas - he was such a fun character to follow! Even though he was the only one without an element - which was obviously very hard on him - he did not complain about it or feel sorry for himself. He worked hard for the colony, trying to help out in as many ways as possible. Despite growing up without a mother and being constantly pushed away by everyone, he seemed cheerful and hopeful. I genuinely liked him and thought he had a very positive attitude and good personality. Same goes for Alice. What an incredible girl she was! Fierce, sharp, resourceful, direct, kick-ass and unstoppable, she was ready to fight for the truth. She was honest, thoughtful and brave. And even though she was one tough chick, she was also sensitive to other people's needs and very caring. I absolutely LOVED the chemistry between Thomas and Alice. The air crackled with tension whenever these two were together and I thought they were made for each other!
Another aspect of the story that I tremendously enjoyed was the breathtaking premise - from the ruins of the world destroyed by the Plague to the remote island surrounded by vast ocean waters - the setting helped create a magical, eerie (often scary) atmosphere. The post-apocalyptic world was both beautiful and treacherous. Antony John's descriptions were vivid, crisp and very helpful in visualizing everything in my head.
All in all, Elemental is one of my top favorite fantasy adventures. Everything - from the great pacing to ever-present tension - was really good. I loved how the story gradually picked up speed, building up to a very emotional crescendo ending. Many questions were left unanswered, leaving me pining for more. I can't wait for the next book!
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March 27, 2015
As much as I want to love this book, I just can't. It wasn't bad and I reckon others will enjoy this one but for me, I wasn't hooked by the story. I only care less about it, seriously. And the only things that I am interested were the truth about Thomas's (the main character) powers (Does he really has no elemental power or he has?) and the truth about all the lies their families fed to them which I, of course, will not state here.
The first few chapters was slow for me. It arrived to chapter 16 and it was getting interesting and then boom the story followed a sine wave from that chapter. But this sine wave has small positive amplitudes and that's not a good news.
Anyway, maybe my expectations to this book was just high so I really expecting a lot. It sounds Avatar-ish (not the blue one) yet it wasn't. Even the characters can have elemental powers there are no water bending, air bending happened, whatsoever. Likewise I think what they can do with those powers are still essential.
There are times that I really don't understand what is happening so I back read, sometimes I don't because I don't feel so. They talked and talked and talked and explained the secrets and mysteries in this book and I only grasped half of it. The world building is ranging from vague to okay for me. It seems lacking or I just have so many thoughts rushing on my brain when I'm reading this so it seems one.
I don't know anymore.
I can't feel within me the feeling when I'm enjoying a book I'm reading. What is wrong with me? or with the book? *sigh* Nonetheless, I still want to read the second book but not any sooner.
The first few chapters was slow for me. It arrived to chapter 16 and it was getting interesting and then boom the story followed a sine wave from that chapter. But this sine wave has small positive amplitudes and that's not a good news.
Anyway, maybe my expectations to this book was just high so I really expecting a lot. It sounds Avatar-ish (not the blue one) yet it wasn't. Even the characters can have elemental powers there are no water bending, air bending happened, whatsoever. Likewise I think what they can do with those powers are still essential.
There are times that I really don't understand what is happening so I back read, sometimes I don't because I don't feel so. They talked and talked and talked and explained the secrets and mysteries in this book and I only grasped half of it. The world building is ranging from vague to okay for me. It seems lacking or I just have so many thoughts rushing on my brain when I'm reading this so it seems one.
I don't know anymore.
I can't feel within me the feeling when I'm enjoying a book I'm reading. What is wrong with me? or with the book? *sigh* Nonetheless, I still want to read the second book but not any sooner.
August 14, 2016
4.5 stars
I liked, nooo scratch that. I loved Elemental.
I don't know why but now I am sure I'm a science fiction addict.
ELEMENTAL. I liked scifis but I never thought I would love this book the way I loved other scifi books I've read. Though the first few pages seemed a little boring, I find it all really promising. You know when you encounter a character who's disappointed with basically everything about his life. That he knew he lacked something almost everyone had. It'll made you look forward having to see him be the most powerful of them all, and stuffs like that.
What really bugged me is theohsoobvious love triangle. Honestly, I've been shipping Alice and Thomas and I roll roll my eyes whenever there's a scene about Thomas and Rose being sweet and the like, i just DON'T. LIKE. THOMAS. AND. ROSE. UGGGH! And what really hurted me was when Alice was all bruised up and Thomas don't know if she was still alive or maybe dead and he what he did wasn't what I had expected. It seemed like he care, but not the care he must've been given Rose if she were in that situation. :'( But I'll figure it out myself if I'm going to love Thomas and Rose together in the second book or maybe my dream of Thomas and Alice together would be granted ♥
Sooo,
COVER: 7/10
WRITING STYLE: 7/10
CHARACTERS: 9/10
STORY: 10/10
ENDING: 10/10
I really want to read the second book right now. I just can't get enough of the preview and kewwwwl.
I wish I could organize my reviews later in my life, so yeah.
-Ax :*
I liked, nooo scratch that. I loved Elemental.
I don't know why but now I am sure I'm a science fiction addict.
ELEMENTAL. I liked scifis but I never thought I would love this book the way I loved other scifi books I've read. Though the first few pages seemed a little boring, I find it all really promising. You know when you encounter a character who's disappointed with basically everything about his life. That he knew he lacked something almost everyone had. It'll made you look forward having to see him be the most powerful of them all, and stuffs like that.
What really bugged me is the
Sooo,
COVER: 7/10
WRITING STYLE: 7/10
CHARACTERS: 9/10
STORY: 10/10
ENDING: 10/10
I really want to read the second book right now. I just can't get enough of the preview and kewwwwl.
I wish I could organize my reviews later in my life, so yeah.
-Ax :*
February 1, 2021
This was borderline unbearable. The plot was dull and uninspiring, all the female characters were awful (I liked that male characters though, they seemed well written), the Deaf character's speech was written in such a dehumanizing way, and the romance made me want to dry heave. Gets an extra star for pretty good prose and Dennis.
March 17, 2013
Via http://onlectus.blogspot.com/2013/03/...
I looove Avatar: the last air bender and that is why I picked this book.
By the way, is this a series? Because I'd love for more books to come.
As you know from the summary, in this colony everybody can summon an element but Thomas. Obviously, he feels like shit because of that. On top of that, the other people would never touch him as if he doesn't deserve human contact for not having an element.
One night a storm comes and the elders and the kids (age 16 and below) have to split. The elders, called the Guardians, stay in the colony and the kids go to a refuge one island over. On top of that, pirates show up looking for "the one" (not Neo) and burn the colony down.
The obvious pattern of thought here is to think that "the one" is Thomas because he is the only one who is different. So, why would the pirates want the one a kid who has no power/abilities/element?
Now there are just about six kids to fight the pirates and survive. Ah! But there’s something else, on this island where the kids sought refuge, their powers seems to enhance. What is about the island that help their element manifest?
In the middle of all this, there is an undercover love triangle going on. Alice and Rose both like Thomas. Who will Thomas like back? While Alice is fierce and wild, Rose is delicate.... just like her name. I liked the romance because it was very pure and sweet despite the hints and killing looks that Alice and Rose would let come out… catfight? No yet!
The book has some other interesting intrigues as well. For instance, Griffin, Thomas's brother is a seer. Also, although everybody has an element not everybody can control it as they wish which causes some friction.
I love the writing, the way the story is told, the intrigues, the way everything is waved and comes together at the end. In short, I'm in love with this book.
I wonder if this is a series because it doesn't say this is book 1 but the way it ended, there's room for more. And I hope so :-)
I looove Avatar: the last air bender and that is why I picked this book.
By the way, is this a series? Because I'd love for more books to come.
As you know from the summary, in this colony everybody can summon an element but Thomas. Obviously, he feels like shit because of that. On top of that, the other people would never touch him as if he doesn't deserve human contact for not having an element.
One night a storm comes and the elders and the kids (age 16 and below) have to split. The elders, called the Guardians, stay in the colony and the kids go to a refuge one island over. On top of that, pirates show up looking for "the one" (not Neo) and burn the colony down.
The obvious pattern of thought here is to think that "the one" is Thomas because he is the only one who is different. So, why would the pirates want the one a kid who has no power/abilities/element?
Now there are just about six kids to fight the pirates and survive. Ah! But there’s something else, on this island where the kids sought refuge, their powers seems to enhance. What is about the island that help their element manifest?
In the middle of all this, there is an undercover love triangle going on. Alice and Rose both like Thomas. Who will Thomas like back? While Alice is fierce and wild, Rose is delicate.... just like her name. I liked the romance because it was very pure and sweet despite the hints and killing looks that Alice and Rose would let come out… catfight? No yet!
The book has some other interesting intrigues as well. For instance, Griffin, Thomas's brother is a seer. Also, although everybody has an element not everybody can control it as they wish which causes some friction.
I love the writing, the way the story is told, the intrigues, the way everything is waved and comes together at the end. In short, I'm in love with this book.
I wonder if this is a series because it doesn't say this is book 1 but the way it ended, there's room for more. And I hope so :-)
did-not-finish
March 14, 2015DNF at page 97. I hung on for as long as I could, but I can't go any further. I'm realizing I'm not a huge fan of stories that don't give us as much information as we need to know. What is this plague? Why are there so few of them? How long has this colony been established? And WHY do they have elements? Admittedly, I don't think even these kids know any of this stuff. I attempted to flip through and see what happens but I'm not really even interested enough to do that. So many books, so little time. I'm sorry I couldn't finish it, but it's on to the next one.
September 13, 2020
2019
I read this book for the first time when I was waiting in a dermatologist's office to find out in my basal cell carcinoma was cancerous. So, it's safe to say that I didn't remember anything that I had read. It was basically like reading a brand new book for me this time around.
That being said, it also might be that this book just isn't very memorable to me. I think it's fine. I think the ideas behind it are pretty fresh and original. I also think that it's not written in a way that's interesting to me. Not that it's bad. I just could keep my attention on the book itself. And this time I can't blame the fact that I wasn't sure if I was going to have full blown skin cancer or not.
It took me over five days to read through this book. An average reading time for me is about an hour and a half. Maybe. If I haven't read through a book before or it has difficult themes or I'm distracted by something else. Generally, I'm a pretty fast reader. So, when it takes me five days to read through something, then I know something isn't working for me.
There were a lot of elements (**get it** wink wink) going on in this book. For one, the society was formed of people who had special talents. Like, making fire with their hands or calling fish out of the ocean or seeing storms before they actually happened. If you didn't have one of these special talents then you were treated like garbage. Thomas is one of these people. He is dismissed, laughed at, completely rejected by his society because he is perfectly normal.
Then a storm comes. The teenagers are taken to a different location to protect them from the storm. Only it turns out the storm isn't the thing they need to worry about. They need to worry about the pirates.
It's right about this point that I started to struggle to pay full attention to the book. This is the part where it should have been exciting. Where the adventure and intrigue and pirates and life threatening situations happen. Where the teenagers follow a Home Alone type of plan and show the pirates a thing or two about adversity and underdogs and blah blah blah. However, it was mostly just boring.
And then there is this stuff about a plague and rats and a solution that's actually a person. And a banished grandmother comes out of hiding. And Thomas isn't exactly what everyone thinks he is. And they have better access to their powers at their new location which isn't ever really explained. And even though their powers are stronger, they don't seem to have any control over them. Also, there are these echo things that they suffer with, but fish girl's is only that she has remorse for killing fish, which I thought was kind of stupid. And the whole love triangle, but isn't really a love triangle between Thomas, Rose, and Alice. Ugh.
Not a terrible book. Apparently quite a few people loved it. I just couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to.
I read this book for the first time when I was waiting in a dermatologist's office to find out in my basal cell carcinoma was cancerous. So, it's safe to say that I didn't remember anything that I had read. It was basically like reading a brand new book for me this time around.
That being said, it also might be that this book just isn't very memorable to me. I think it's fine. I think the ideas behind it are pretty fresh and original. I also think that it's not written in a way that's interesting to me. Not that it's bad. I just could keep my attention on the book itself. And this time I can't blame the fact that I wasn't sure if I was going to have full blown skin cancer or not.
It took me over five days to read through this book. An average reading time for me is about an hour and a half. Maybe. If I haven't read through a book before or it has difficult themes or I'm distracted by something else. Generally, I'm a pretty fast reader. So, when it takes me five days to read through something, then I know something isn't working for me.
There were a lot of elements (**get it** wink wink) going on in this book. For one, the society was formed of people who had special talents. Like, making fire with their hands or calling fish out of the ocean or seeing storms before they actually happened. If you didn't have one of these special talents then you were treated like garbage. Thomas is one of these people. He is dismissed, laughed at, completely rejected by his society because he is perfectly normal.
Then a storm comes. The teenagers are taken to a different location to protect them from the storm. Only it turns out the storm isn't the thing they need to worry about. They need to worry about the pirates.
It's right about this point that I started to struggle to pay full attention to the book. This is the part where it should have been exciting. Where the adventure and intrigue and pirates and life threatening situations happen. Where the teenagers follow a Home Alone type of plan and show the pirates a thing or two about adversity and underdogs and blah blah blah. However, it was mostly just boring.
And then there is this stuff about a plague and rats and a solution that's actually a person. And a banished grandmother comes out of hiding. And Thomas isn't exactly what everyone thinks he is. And they have better access to their powers at their new location which isn't ever really explained. And even though their powers are stronger, they don't seem to have any control over them. Also, there are these echo things that they suffer with, but fish girl's is only that she has remorse for killing fish, which I thought was kind of stupid. And the whole love triangle, but isn't really a love triangle between Thomas, Rose, and Alice. Ugh.
Not a terrible book. Apparently quite a few people loved it. I just couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to.
December 28, 2012
Okay, anyway Elemental is about a small society of people who all have 'elements' (hence the title). Thomas however doesn't have an element... or does he? *dun dun duuunnn* Let me just say I'm not a fan of people having 'special powers' that are so predictable like earth, water, fire and wind. The only real reason why I got the book at all was because of the pirates.
Yay! Pirates =)
Anyway, once I got around to starting Elemental it took a while to get hooked. I read the first chapter like 20 times before getting started for serious. The world building is really confusing at first but that's only because the islanders don't know much. It's confusing at first but it does sort itself out nicely. The romance... just no. I didn't feel any connection between Thomas and Alice or Rose. The whole love triangle thing was not cool. I like Alice (probably more than I like Thomas and definitely more than I like Rose) but pairing her up with Thomas doesn't work. A lot of characters are introduced but mean very little to the story. Thomas himself was a very average character and there's nothing specific that I can use to describe him - and that's not because he's ever so complex. Still, it wasn't like there was someone who I can't stand since Thomas and Alice were the only recurring characters. I like the little hints that are dropped and the book's easy to finish after the first few chapters. Events happen in a logical sequence and there's no awkward silences or large plot holes. There are no real boring bits either apart from the very beginning and while the story wasn't very thrilling I am curious to see how things are going to work out and the pirates bring a unique flavour of threats.
2.9 stars for a promising start.
Yay! Pirates =)
Anyway, once I got around to starting Elemental it took a while to get hooked. I read the first chapter like 20 times before getting started for serious. The world building is really confusing at first but that's only because the islanders don't know much. It's confusing at first but it does sort itself out nicely. The romance... just no. I didn't feel any connection between Thomas and Alice or Rose. The whole love triangle thing was not cool. I like Alice (probably more than I like Thomas and definitely more than I like Rose) but pairing her up with Thomas doesn't work. A lot of characters are introduced but mean very little to the story. Thomas himself was a very average character and there's nothing specific that I can use to describe him - and that's not because he's ever so complex. Still, it wasn't like there was someone who I can't stand since Thomas and Alice were the only recurring characters. I like the little hints that are dropped and the book's easy to finish after the first few chapters. Events happen in a logical sequence and there's no awkward silences or large plot holes. There are no real boring bits either apart from the very beginning and while the story wasn't very thrilling I am curious to see how things are going to work out and the pirates bring a unique flavour of threats.
2.9 stars for a promising start.
November 15, 2012
I was thrilled to win an advance copy of Elemental by Antony John. I got into the story and stayed up too late reading and finished it in a day and a half. The story begins with a small colony of plague survivors and centers around a teen who feels he does not fit in as he seems to lack the "elemental powers" valued in his community. I like the character development and unfolding of the story as this teen begins to know himself and understand how he has been misinterpreting what happens around him. There is the power of friendship, loyalty, sacrifice and danger as well as the beginnings of a young love triangle. It was interesting to have a deaf character and I enjoyed the sibling relationships. I wondered if the children were going to have to survive on their own as they tried to figure out the truth of their world and as they learn to control their varied powers. There are layers of deception and still some secrets untold at the end. This book is a great set-up for the rest of a series. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next!
January 14, 2013
There's not much to say about this book. It was just so utterly dull. For a book that had that amount of action, I feel like nothing happened. What we know at the end of the book isn't much more than what we know at the beginning. So many questions are brought up, and only a couple of them are answered. People keep secrets just for the sake of keeping secrets, and out of spite that other people are keeping secrets, which doesn't really make for an enjoyable read. I'm not wondering "why aren't they telling" because I know the reason will be "because the author said so." And there's really nothing else going on to hold my interest. The characters are all dull, what we see of the world isn't interesting (because all the interesting bits are withheld), and the few bits of mystery frustrated me instead of interested me. I really didn't care, because I knew it would all be solved once the right people got over themselves and had a simple conversation. Really, that's all it would take. And that's boring.
April 14, 2015
Usually, prior to buying a book, I always check the reviews and ratings in Goodreads. However, that was not the case when I purchased this one. I saw it one time in a bookstore, read the synopsis at the back of the book, and that got me hooked. I like anything that says “magic” and this one reeks with 4 magical elements. What else can I do? But I didn’t read it right away because I choose to read Steelheart first.
read full review here
read full review here
September 5, 2017
It was a very suspenseful book and had very many details. Their elements and how they could use them were different than I had seen in other books similar to it. It is probably my second favorite book.
January 9, 2020
Easy read with some unique twists on super powers.
July 26, 2023
This book is really good. An easy read for sure.
November 20, 2018
The first book in the Elemental trilogy is set in a futuristic United States colony where people called Guardians have powers over the elements: water, wind, earth, and fire. For years, sixteen-year-old Thomas believed that he doesn't have powers like everyone else in the colony, until pirates kidnap the Guardians and the remaining colonists fight for a survival on an abandoned town.
Elemental has its good elements that worked out well in favor, but it had some elements that just didn't work out too well – it just had more elements that didn't work out really well.
The book is primarily a survival book, but there's a mysterious aura surrounding the book that kept it somewhat interesting. However, the mysterious aspect? Antony John overdid it. You're immediately thrown into action when the book starts and it doesn't actually stop. A huge chunk of the beginning is dedicated to surviving from the pirates who kidnapped the guardians and Thomas and his friends trying to survive on this mysterious Skeleton Town.
There's not much about this Plague the Guardians keep talking about or how their elements work – what, precisely, is an echo? It's obviously a side effect, and it seems to leave a negative remnant on the person, but what is it exactly?. I'm confused on how this Plague works or how it started, even with that newspaper-esque clip – it sounds like an experiment gone absolutely awry and blew up not only in the experimenters' faces, but the entire world. No one appreciates an experiment gone awry inside and outside the lab, but the dead can't complain.
There's this "solution" the pirates are looking for, but Antony jumps between Griffin and Thomas intermittently – I'm still not too sure who the "solution" is. I'm not sure about this whole Guardians thing – sounds like an experiment similar to the one done to Captain America in a different style – even with Thomas and his companions coming across things in Skeleton Town that make them question the origins of the Guardians.
Elemental is also heading into highly awkward love triangle – it's in absolute danger zone and I'm not sure I want to stick around for two girls pining for Thomas' attention. It's not noticeable yet – it's very subtle and certainly doesn't disturb anything going on in the story or the overall plot.
By the end, Antony John leaves you with curiosity and perhaps a need to continue the series, but he leaves more questions and confusion with loose ends than a solid answer or two.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
Elemental has its good elements that worked out well in favor, but it had some elements that just didn't work out too well – it just had more elements that didn't work out really well.
The book is primarily a survival book, but there's a mysterious aura surrounding the book that kept it somewhat interesting. However, the mysterious aspect? Antony John overdid it. You're immediately thrown into action when the book starts and it doesn't actually stop. A huge chunk of the beginning is dedicated to surviving from the pirates who kidnapped the guardians and Thomas and his friends trying to survive on this mysterious Skeleton Town.
There's not much about this Plague the Guardians keep talking about or how their elements work – what, precisely, is an echo? It's obviously a side effect, and it seems to leave a negative remnant on the person, but what is it exactly?. I'm confused on how this Plague works or how it started, even with that newspaper-esque clip – it sounds like an experiment gone absolutely awry and blew up not only in the experimenters' faces, but the entire world. No one appreciates an experiment gone awry inside and outside the lab, but the dead can't complain.
There's this "solution" the pirates are looking for, but Antony jumps between Griffin and Thomas intermittently – I'm still not too sure who the "solution" is. I'm not sure about this whole Guardians thing – sounds like an experiment similar to the one done to Captain America in a different style – even with Thomas and his companions coming across things in Skeleton Town that make them question the origins of the Guardians.
Elemental is also heading into highly awkward love triangle – it's in absolute danger zone and I'm not sure I want to stick around for two girls pining for Thomas' attention. It's not noticeable yet – it's very subtle and certainly doesn't disturb anything going on in the story or the overall plot.
By the end, Antony John leaves you with curiosity and perhaps a need to continue the series, but he leaves more questions and confusion with loose ends than a solid answer or two.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
November 9, 2016
What would you do if you had the power of the wind? The power of the water? Can feel when a storm is brewing in...10 miles in the sea!! Can move rocks and find vegetables in the Earth with ease?
Yea...I would love it too!! All that power...all that respect.
But what if you were one of the unlucky ones that didn't get the power? Not an element, nor a regular? What would you do then?
Set in the future where the almost whole population of the United States is wiped out due to the plague but a few survivors with umlimited power of the Earth set on a cozy little island of their own. All can do just about anything with their specific power...all but one. And when something tragic hits their little garden of Eden, their powers won't be enough to stop it...but can the One Without Power save them all?
Yea...I would love it too!! All that power...all that respect.
But what if you were one of the unlucky ones that didn't get the power? Not an element, nor a regular? What would you do then?
Set in the future where the almost whole population of the United States is wiped out due to the plague but a few survivors with umlimited power of the Earth set on a cozy little island of their own. All can do just about anything with their specific power...all but one. And when something tragic hits their little garden of Eden, their powers won't be enough to stop it...but can the One Without Power save them all?
January 24, 2013
The book as a whole flowed well and ended in such a way that I am looking forward to the next installment. The characters are relatable and interesting. For the YA readers, there is adventure, sadness, humor, friendship, and a little romance.
It is another dystopia story line with a creative approach. There are many secrets, some which were revealed in this story and other's I'm sure will be revealed in the future. I recommend this book to any young adult and to adults that like to read YA books.
As a side note, I really like the cover of the book. It caught my attention when I was scanning for a new book series to read.
It is another dystopia story line with a creative approach. There are many secrets, some which were revealed in this story and other's I'm sure will be revealed in the future. I recommend this book to any young adult and to adults that like to read YA books.
As a side note, I really like the cover of the book. It caught my attention when I was scanning for a new book series to read.
March 17, 2015
This book embodies my favorite type of story, where the world is so different from what the reader is used to and the characters are placed in a situation where they have no idea what is going on. The storyline was engaging with a large majority of it being action. While the plot and characters were solid, I felt that they could have been more developed since so much happened during the course of the story.
April 5, 2016
The idea could have been good but the author tried so hard to make the story suspenseful that he did not give enough information to make the story believable or complete. It was annoying trying to figure things out and make the story make sense.
October 31, 2016
More like a 3.5 ☀
It is a slow pace book but it is full of action. The first 170 pages are a little bit slow, but after you get pass those pages, the story gets interesting.. Very Interesting.
Looking forward to read the other book. Firebrand.
It is a slow pace book but it is full of action. The first 170 pages are a little bit slow, but after you get pass those pages, the story gets interesting.. Very Interesting.
Looking forward to read the other book. Firebrand.
Want to read
December 5, 2011oh, cripes, another dystopian! the premise does sound cool, but i hope this one isn't just another one jumping onto the bandwagon.
lost-interest
June 15, 2013Yikes - apparently there's a love triangle here. Aaaand this has officially been pushed to the back-burner.
Read
October 23, 2014This is going in the DNF pile. After 50 pages, there should be an inciting incident, and there is none. I kept having to re-read because my mind was wandering quite a bit. So, no go for me.
February 15, 2013
Very good book, very easy too read and full of twists and secrets
August 29, 2016
great book its about ronack island
September 8, 2016
Source: Won,Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing.
Rating: Wobbly 3 Stars
Recommendable? Conditionally
I was all over the place with this one. There was a mix of the successful, acceptable, so-so, and lousy. Elemental felt like I would’ve, should’ve like it better, but couldn't. My hopes remain so close, yet so far.
When deciding a rating, it wobbled between 2 1/2 stars and 3. I went with the higher rating for benefit of the doubt and because I'm still hoping the next book, Firebrand will give me what I want. In the end, I will say that it was a fast paced, action-oriented read and enjoyable depending on what your preferences are.
It worked as the first book in a trilogy setting up, and drawing in while holding its own as a story. I will be reading Firebrand to find out what happens next but without a burning need to read it right now, I don't know when I'll get to it.
Hopefully, it recovers, strengthens, and clarifies to meets the high expectations I had for Elemental. It’s good enough with plenty to discuss, though it's not all pleasant. Most specifics are spoilers though, so that will be far down below behind tags.
Pros:
-Cover Love! It's what drew me to Elemental in the first place
-Loved the premise and world
-Fast paced
-Two favorite characters
-Tons of action
-Solid groundwork for a paranormal beach colony
Cons
-World-building felt haphazard, not enough to start and patched as it goes along. Not enough for me.
-Struggled to get immersed and imagine the world at first; perhaps a forward or more information up front would've helped
-Didn't care for most characters: unable to connect and they fell flat, including Thom, the main character
-Dystopian doesn't show up as a possibility until the end, even so it might be better as a post-apocalyptic
felt haphazard, not enough to start and patched as it goes along. Not enough for me.
The concept, the cover, the premise, and the world sound great and have a good basis. The problem comes in with what was lacking, mainly follow through.
Characters were okay, only fell in love with two and neither was the main character. It was hard to connect with almost all of them. The pacing was fast but considering my other issues, slowing down or including a forward would've been preferred; something to set up what the colony and its people were like under everyday circumstances. I think that would've solved some problems, including forming a better connection. For instance...
The beginning was a struggle. It wasn't what I expected and it was hard to keep every one and thing straight. I wish there was a reference in the back to assist. There’s the saying about not introducing a lot of characters in the start of the book and skipping to the move might've been to alleviate some confusion by narrowing the focus but it didn’t help me.
It’s hard to get a handle on who these characters are, their relationships, their dynamics and what their baseline is, when we get told things about them in the beginning and the rest is spent showing the opposite. "He's always calm" yet he's freaking out over something the whole time, for a hypothetical example. It felt so topsy-turvy. There really is a lot going on here, and it maybe just too much to push into one book so quickly.
As for the writing, it wasn't bad but it felt like telling not showing. I went flipping back for an example, but couldn’t pinpoint anything. Maybe it was not being connected or having so much shoved at me in a short period. It’s action-oriented so there’s the movie style factor, which I kept picturing as in the Pirates of the Caribbean. Though the only similarities are the pirates and ships.
With more of a Swiss Family Robinson than a dystopian feel for me, it was mostly confusion and disappointment at first. The only time it moved towards the latter is when Thom was trying to figure out everyday things from 'the before'. Of course, not necessarily dystopian, aliens would have the same reaction. The Plague talk is certainly post-apocalyptic but that's not the same thing--hint:government--and it didn't land with any impact anyways.
It should've garnered a reaction, but instead I felt like a neutral observer to another planet's problems. (Maybe I’m the alien here.) I think that comes from the kid's own inability to grasp how far widespread and devastating this event was. I think (hope) this will be amped up with the next book, Firebrand, especially due to the ending reveal and subsequent questions.
Otherwise, it was a paranormal group of people with magical powers stranded on a island. Which isn't a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
More Specifically: *Spoilers Below*
I keep it vague as I can in the beginning and hide true spoilers behind tags. But the only way to dig in is discuss in detail so.... If the spoiler tags don't work (on your device, RSS, Feedly, etc.,), let me know.
Characters:
Thom: I like him generally because he's a rather general boy like a placeholder to put yourself in the story, rather than a fully fleshed out person. I wasn't attached to him in anyway. He's very wobbly, like a baby calf standing up after being born. I’m sure he’ll get it eventually, just not really a fan of his in Elemental.
The only reaction to him I had was wanting to smack him for 50 pages due to whining about never again being touched or loved, when he could have just realized, “I’ll ask [person who would clearly know the answers] so it's not hopeless!” Even if Thom's would-be mentor was dead or is going to die, Thom could’ve showed some gusto by becoming determined to figure it out and standing up for himself.
Instead he continued the pattern of self-hate and self-pity. A boy feeling emotions isn't the problem, I'd hate a teenage girl whining about the same thing when it's clearly wrong, if they'd think for a second. Then there’s the pathetic excuse of a love triangle. Oy.
Rose: Mostly defined as quite, meek, and shy. And by Thom’s attraction to her, which is superficial. He keeps saying "She's SO Pretty! She’s always pretty! Look at her hair and her skin and her face." I wanted to start calling her Pretty Polly Pockets, after all they are both pretty blondes and need someone to move them around.
The personality is where? Oh, she's apparently really nice but I don't know about all that. I’ve been told that countless times but have yet to see it. She's mumbled about "my father shouldn't say those mean things..." and "you're special too..." but what about actually about being NICE?
She helps who she likes, when she wants but I don’t see her jumping to save Alice or being nice to Griffin. She decides to become her own person later in the book but it was so little, so late it didn’t really have an impact on me. She isn’t really active or payed much attention to, except for being leered at by Thom, so that’s a factor. Hopefully in the next book she’ll make more of an impression.
Alice: My favorite. She felt like a full character with her rebellious, spitfire personality. She's active and uses her strengths. Her motivations, and her reasonings are clear. There’s a standout moment at the fire where she stands up for herself and calls out Thom. It really showed who she was and how she felt. Of course, Thom’s like "I didn't think [it] had anything to do with [spoiler] me." Stupid, stupid Thom. And he’s supposedly observant? *snort* Anyways...
Griffin: My other favorite. He feels solid and compelling. There were so many moments and actions that showed who he was: strong, compassionate, talented and smart. I don’t know if I just liked him, or removing the ability of using (often) long sentences made it impossible to tell Griffin.
Maybe it was that he and Alice were different and stood out while Thom and Rose were bland. Maybe it was that Alice and Griffin struggled and overcame, while Thom and Rose wallowed or did nothing. Whatever it was, it worked well for Griffin and Alice, not so much for Thom and Rose.
The Love Triangle:
I get why there’s a love triangle seeing as how they are a small isolated community. There’s limited options. However, it doesn’t work for me because of personalities, lack of connection and obviously skipping over other people.
I get why Alice likes Thom, and that Thom thinks Rose is the prettiest girl ever. However, I don’t get why Rose is into Thom besides being pushed together by parental figures (doesn't that usually cause rebellion?) and not having another option. When Rose finally showed some character, I was miffed at Thom’s dislike of her progression beyond convenient floral decoration. They don't line up and what's connecting them is shallow.
Then there's Thom's flip-flopping towards Alice. They're mainly friends, which is cool. But "more" only came when she was willing to touch him simply because she was willing. Settling for the better character because of desperation was irritating. Either appreciate her and return the feelings or fuck off. Then he goes back to drooling over Rose while bellyaching over how torn he is between the two.
It was all weaksauce. It makes me wish Rose was the nice, caring person she’s supposed to be and all of them realizing Griffin is a person too. He can communicate and contribute. It’s frustrating how he's written off. Alice and Griffin were my two favorites yet no one else seems to grasp their greatness. A Rose and Griffin couple and a Thom and Alice couple seems far more interesting a development.
Since hey, if the seer mom could be with someone, why can’t Griffin? It would mean not just more developing romantic relationships but throw a stick into the guardians design and cause more than just 'brotherly love all the time' between Thom and Griffon. Character development, growth, and conflict all by changing up the love coupling.
Thom would have to get over being shallow and be happy for his brother. He'd start sticking up for himself as well, if he'd follow Alice's advice. I see more compatibility between him and Alice honestly. Thom has anger but suppresses it and turns it inwards, where Alice turns it towards those that cause it. They both have the rebellious tendencies and great cause to upset the balance. They've also been friends despite the odds with more in common.
Rose would progress as well by willing to stick up for someone who needs it, not being a judgemental jerk, and defying the colony. Griffin is the kind and gentle yet ‘don’t mess with my family’ type that seems to flow more with Rose’s shy, quiet type. Of course, Griffin with Alice and Thom with Rose could work as well, though I think it’ll take more work. And it'd have to be done extremely well for me to believe, let alone cheer for, all things considered. *sigh*
But there’s this wobbly, weak, forced, stereotypical in every-YA- book- around -now (and I’m sick of this) love triangle instead.
It's the least attractive, most annoying and disappointing aspect of the book. I can deal with just enjoying the ride and not getting attached to most of the characters. I can deal with the struggling in the beginning. I can deal with relationships not working out how I see it and terrible people I’m suppose to like. However, this poor showing of an overused trope in a book I had such high hopes for was too much, especially on top of everything else.
Other Random Things with My Reaction and Reasoning:
Rating: Wobbly 3 Stars
Recommendable? Conditionally
I was all over the place with this one. There was a mix of the successful, acceptable, so-so, and lousy. Elemental felt like I would’ve, should’ve like it better, but couldn't. My hopes remain so close, yet so far.
When deciding a rating, it wobbled between 2 1/2 stars and 3. I went with the higher rating for benefit of the doubt and because I'm still hoping the next book, Firebrand will give me what I want. In the end, I will say that it was a fast paced, action-oriented read and enjoyable depending on what your preferences are.
It worked as the first book in a trilogy setting up, and drawing in while holding its own as a story. I will be reading Firebrand to find out what happens next but without a burning need to read it right now, I don't know when I'll get to it.
Hopefully, it recovers, strengthens, and clarifies to meets the high expectations I had for Elemental. It’s good enough with plenty to discuss, though it's not all pleasant. Most specifics are spoilers though, so that will be far down below behind tags.
Pros:
-Cover Love! It's what drew me to Elemental in the first place
-Loved the premise and world
-Fast paced
-Two favorite characters
-Tons of action
-Solid groundwork for a paranormal beach colony
Cons
-World-building felt haphazard, not enough to start and patched as it goes along. Not enough for me.
-Struggled to get immersed and imagine the world at first; perhaps a forward or more information up front would've helped
-Didn't care for most characters: unable to connect and they fell flat, including Thom, the main character
-Dystopian doesn't show up as a possibility until the end, even so it might be better as a post-apocalyptic
felt haphazard, not enough to start and patched as it goes along. Not enough for me.
The concept, the cover, the premise, and the world sound great and have a good basis. The problem comes in with what was lacking, mainly follow through.
Characters were okay, only fell in love with two and neither was the main character. It was hard to connect with almost all of them. The pacing was fast but considering my other issues, slowing down or including a forward would've been preferred; something to set up what the colony and its people were like under everyday circumstances. I think that would've solved some problems, including forming a better connection. For instance...
The beginning was a struggle. It wasn't what I expected and it was hard to keep every one and thing straight. I wish there was a reference in the back to assist. There’s the saying about not introducing a lot of characters in the start of the book and skipping to the move might've been to alleviate some confusion by narrowing the focus but it didn’t help me.
It’s hard to get a handle on who these characters are, their relationships, their dynamics and what their baseline is, when we get told things about them in the beginning and the rest is spent showing the opposite. "He's always calm" yet he's freaking out over something the whole time, for a hypothetical example. It felt so topsy-turvy. There really is a lot going on here, and it maybe just too much to push into one book so quickly.
As for the writing, it wasn't bad but it felt like telling not showing. I went flipping back for an example, but couldn’t pinpoint anything. Maybe it was not being connected or having so much shoved at me in a short period. It’s action-oriented so there’s the movie style factor, which I kept picturing as in the Pirates of the Caribbean. Though the only similarities are the pirates and ships.
With more of a Swiss Family Robinson than a dystopian feel for me, it was mostly confusion and disappointment at first. The only time it moved towards the latter is when Thom was trying to figure out everyday things from 'the before'. Of course, not necessarily dystopian, aliens would have the same reaction. The Plague talk is certainly post-apocalyptic but that's not the same thing--hint:government--and it didn't land with any impact anyways.
It should've garnered a reaction, but instead I felt like a neutral observer to another planet's problems. (Maybe I’m the alien here.) I think that comes from the kid's own inability to grasp how far widespread and devastating this event was. I think (hope) this will be amped up with the next book, Firebrand, especially due to the ending reveal and subsequent questions.
Otherwise, it was a paranormal group of people with magical powers stranded on a island. Which isn't a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
More Specifically: *Spoilers Below*
I keep it vague as I can in the beginning and hide true spoilers behind tags. But the only way to dig in is discuss in detail so.... If the spoiler tags don't work (on your device, RSS, Feedly, etc.,), let me know.
Characters:
Thom: I like him generally because he's a rather general boy like a placeholder to put yourself in the story, rather than a fully fleshed out person. I wasn't attached to him in anyway. He's very wobbly, like a baby calf standing up after being born. I’m sure he’ll get it eventually, just not really a fan of his in Elemental.
The only reaction to him I had was wanting to smack him for 50 pages due to whining about never again being touched or loved, when he could have just realized, “I’ll ask [person who would clearly know the answers] so it's not hopeless!” Even if Thom's would-be mentor was dead or is going to die, Thom could’ve showed some gusto by becoming determined to figure it out and standing up for himself.
Instead he continued the pattern of self-hate and self-pity. A boy feeling emotions isn't the problem, I'd hate a teenage girl whining about the same thing when it's clearly wrong, if they'd think for a second. Then there’s the pathetic excuse of a love triangle. Oy.
Rose: Mostly defined as quite, meek, and shy. And by Thom’s attraction to her, which is superficial. He keeps saying "She's SO Pretty! She’s always pretty! Look at her hair and her skin and her face." I wanted to start calling her Pretty Polly Pockets, after all they are both pretty blondes and need someone to move them around.
The personality is where? Oh, she's apparently really nice but I don't know about all that. I’ve been told that countless times but have yet to see it. She's mumbled about "my father shouldn't say those mean things..." and "you're special too..." but what about actually about being NICE?
She helps who she likes, when she wants but I don’t see her jumping to save Alice or being nice to Griffin. She decides to become her own person later in the book but it was so little, so late it didn’t really have an impact on me. She isn’t really active or payed much attention to, except for being leered at by Thom, so that’s a factor. Hopefully in the next book she’ll make more of an impression.
Alice: My favorite. She felt like a full character with her rebellious, spitfire personality. She's active and uses her strengths. Her motivations, and her reasonings are clear. There’s a standout moment at the fire where she stands up for herself and calls out Thom. It really showed who she was and how she felt. Of course, Thom’s like "I didn't think [it] had anything to do with [spoiler] me." Stupid, stupid Thom. And he’s supposedly observant? *snort* Anyways...
Griffin: My other favorite. He feels solid and compelling. There were so many moments and actions that showed who he was: strong, compassionate, talented and smart. I don’t know if I just liked him, or removing the ability of using (often) long sentences made it impossible to tell Griffin.
Maybe it was that he and Alice were different and stood out while Thom and Rose were bland. Maybe it was that Alice and Griffin struggled and overcame, while Thom and Rose wallowed or did nothing. Whatever it was, it worked well for Griffin and Alice, not so much for Thom and Rose.
The Love Triangle:
I get why there’s a love triangle seeing as how they are a small isolated community. There’s limited options. However, it doesn’t work for me because of personalities, lack of connection and obviously skipping over other people.
I get why Alice likes Thom, and that Thom thinks Rose is the prettiest girl ever. However, I don’t get why Rose is into Thom besides being pushed together by parental figures (doesn't that usually cause rebellion?) and not having another option. When Rose finally showed some character, I was miffed at Thom’s dislike of her progression beyond convenient floral decoration. They don't line up and what's connecting them is shallow.
Then there's Thom's flip-flopping towards Alice. They're mainly friends, which is cool. But "more" only came when she was willing to touch him simply because she was willing. Settling for the better character because of desperation was irritating. Either appreciate her and return the feelings or fuck off. Then he goes back to drooling over Rose while bellyaching over how torn he is between the two.
It was all weaksauce. It makes me wish Rose was the nice, caring person she’s supposed to be and all of them realizing Griffin is a person too. He can communicate and contribute. It’s frustrating how he's written off. Alice and Griffin were my two favorites yet no one else seems to grasp their greatness. A Rose and Griffin couple and a Thom and Alice couple seems far more interesting a development.
Since hey, if the seer mom could be with someone, why can’t Griffin? It would mean not just more developing romantic relationships but throw a stick into the guardians design and cause more than just 'brotherly love all the time' between Thom and Griffon. Character development, growth, and conflict all by changing up the love coupling.
Thom would have to get over being shallow and be happy for his brother. He'd start sticking up for himself as well, if he'd follow Alice's advice. I see more compatibility between him and Alice honestly. Thom has anger but suppresses it and turns it inwards, where Alice turns it towards those that cause it. They both have the rebellious tendencies and great cause to upset the balance. They've also been friends despite the odds with more in common.
Rose would progress as well by willing to stick up for someone who needs it, not being a judgemental jerk, and defying the colony. Griffin is the kind and gentle yet ‘don’t mess with my family’ type that seems to flow more with Rose’s shy, quiet type. Of course, Griffin with Alice and Thom with Rose could work as well, though I think it’ll take more work. And it'd have to be done extremely well for me to believe, let alone cheer for, all things considered. *sigh*
But there’s this wobbly, weak, forced, stereotypical in every-YA- book- around -now (and I’m sick of this) love triangle instead.
It's the least attractive, most annoying and disappointing aspect of the book. I can deal with just enjoying the ride and not getting attached to most of the characters. I can deal with the struggling in the beginning. I can deal with relationships not working out how I see it and terrible people I’m suppose to like. However, this poor showing of an overused trope in a book I had such high hopes for was too much, especially on top of everything else.
Other Random Things with My Reaction and Reasoning:
November 19, 2014
Fast-paced, action-packed, and filled with tension: AMAZING!
July 11, 2021
Every year I ask my students to recommend a book or series that they think I must read. It has led me to Harry Potter, Divergent, The Maze Runner, and now this. Unfortunately, I didn’t love it the way those who recommended it did. I found it a bit disjointed, like trying to talk to someone on the phone with a poor connection or trying to watch something where the audio and visual are glitchy.
The story is dystopian fiction set in VA. A plague has wiped out much of the country, and our characters are some of the few who survived. The survivors have powers that have to do with the four elements--fire, water, wind, earth--and they refer to themselves as the Guardians. Where their powers came from is never explained, and what they are guarding is never revealed either, but perhaps the sequels will explain.
When the story opens, the community, which is located on Hatteras Island, is preparing for a storm. They send all of the youngsters off to a shelter on Roanoke Island. The main character is 16-year-old Thomas who is unusual in that he has no element. His younger brother Griffin does not have an element either per se, but he does have seizures during which he predicts future events. Some in the colony wonder if Griffin sees things happen or if he causes them to happen. No one in the colony touches either boy except their father, but we don’t learn why until later in the story. As they are leaving, Griffin touches his father’s hand and his reaction lets everyone know that something bad is about to happen.
Two important female characters are Alice and Rose. Both seem to have feelings for Thom, and he for them, but none of them seems to know how to handle the situation. I found this love triangle tiresome. Both girls knew things Thom did not but neither enlightened him and then complained about a lack of honesty. This hypocrisy is just another thing that frustrated me. 3
The story is dystopian fiction set in VA. A plague has wiped out much of the country, and our characters are some of the few who survived. The survivors have powers that have to do with the four elements--fire, water, wind, earth--and they refer to themselves as the Guardians. Where their powers came from is never explained, and what they are guarding is never revealed either, but perhaps the sequels will explain.
When the story opens, the community, which is located on Hatteras Island, is preparing for a storm. They send all of the youngsters off to a shelter on Roanoke Island. The main character is 16-year-old Thomas who is unusual in that he has no element. His younger brother Griffin does not have an element either per se, but he does have seizures during which he predicts future events. Some in the colony wonder if Griffin sees things happen or if he causes them to happen. No one in the colony touches either boy except their father, but we don’t learn why until later in the story. As they are leaving, Griffin touches his father’s hand and his reaction lets everyone know that something bad is about to happen.
Two important female characters are Alice and Rose. Both seem to have feelings for Thom, and he for them, but none of them seems to know how to handle the situation. I found this love triangle tiresome. Both girls knew things Thom did not but neither enlightened him and then complained about a lack of honesty. This hypocrisy is just another thing that frustrated me. 3
January 13, 2026
Summary
Facepalm.
You like love triangles?
How aboutblatantly obvious totally subtle™ foreshadowing?
Shallow characters, a ridiculous plot, and oh, the drama! Drama, drama, drama.
One trope that really gets under my skin: when the protagonist blames someone for not telling him their deepest, darkest secret, and calling them a liar. And the usual sulking and existential crisis that ensues, followed by the one character who did no wrong needing to apologize. This exact thing happens at least 3 times--before the middle of the book, at which point I began to skim.
The protagonist is especially pathetic. He whines, he sulks, and is mostly an emotional burden to everybody. Love Interest 2 (Rose) is also like this. He whines, she sulks, he whines some more. I was so happy when Love Interest 2 nearly died a couple of times, but each time, she was saved by pure plot armor. Love Interest 1 (Alice, I think her name was) was slightly more bearable but no less pathetic.
Oh, and the elemental powers that the protagonist DEFINITELY™ does not have a ✨SUPER SPESHL✨ variant of? Also pathetic. They can start fires, sometimes. They can fish super easily, sometimes. But oh no, they're running out of food because killing fish is morally wrong (or the author simply forgot that mechanic existed, I can't tell which). They get sick when a storm is coming, or at least the one guy does. There were other powers that were not elemental, and I think the author only included them for plot convenience. I do think it would be funny to include the element of surprise as a superpower in a story like this.
As for the antagonists of the story, they don't present any real challenge for the protagonists until the end, and even then, they're weak and stupid. There were no stakes.
At one point, they find two perfectly good boats to escape. They never use them. I was excited for a moment that we'd see the mainland, but no--just that stupid, stupid island.
Facepalm.
You like love triangles?
How about
Shallow characters, a ridiculous plot, and oh, the drama! Drama, drama, drama.
One trope that really gets under my skin: when the protagonist blames someone for not telling him their deepest, darkest secret, and calling them a liar. And the usual sulking and existential crisis that ensues, followed by the one character who did no wrong needing to apologize. This exact thing happens at least 3 times--before the middle of the book, at which point I began to skim.
The protagonist is especially pathetic. He whines, he sulks, and is mostly an emotional burden to everybody. Love Interest 2 (Rose) is also like this. He whines, she sulks, he whines some more. I was so happy when Love Interest 2 nearly died a couple of times, but each time, she was saved by pure plot armor. Love Interest 1 (Alice, I think her name was) was slightly more bearable but no less pathetic.
Oh, and the elemental powers that the protagonist DEFINITELY™ does not have a ✨SUPER SPESHL✨ variant of? Also pathetic. They can start fires, sometimes. They can fish super easily, sometimes. But oh no, they're running out of food because killing fish is morally wrong (or the author simply forgot that mechanic existed, I can't tell which). They get sick when a storm is coming, or at least the one guy does. There were other powers that were not elemental, and I think the author only included them for plot convenience. I do think it would be funny to include the element of surprise as a superpower in a story like this.
As for the antagonists of the story, they don't present any real challenge for the protagonists until the end, and even then, they're weak and stupid. There were no stakes.
At one point, they find two perfectly good boats to escape. They never use them. I was excited for a moment that we'd see the mainland, but no--just that stupid, stupid island.
October 18, 2012
***FINAL RATING: 2.90 STARS***
CATCHALL
I really, like really really, liked this book. It was definitely something different than my usual reads. It's dystopian, but there's a fantastical element that I really liked. Though elemental magic is a fairly common aspect of today's YA literature, I really like Antony's take on it and that for me made this book so much better. It was an absolutely joy to read and I will definitely be returning to it. It was full of action with a touch of romance, and while it was far from perfect that didn't keep me from really loving it.
THE HERO
THOMAS
Thomas is our awesome hero. When we first meet him, he's somewhat of an outcast in his society. He is the only person who doesn't have control of an element, and that makes him feel useless. We'll later find out that that is actually not the reason that he is set apart, but that goes into spoiler territory. Thomas was definitely a unique hero. He's not afraid to take control of the situation and I really loved the deep love and loyalty he had to his family. It's pretty obvious that he would do anything for them.
THE LOVE INTERESTS
ROSE
Rose I would have to argue is underdeveloped. I just didn't know enough about her to have strong feelings for her either way. She's very sweet and caring, but that's about it. Still, she's strong, too, and I think that the others definitely underestimate her sometimes. She's willing to go through a lot to keep the people she cares about safe, and she definitely isn't a coward. Though her bravery isn't always obvious, it does exist. I would have loved to see more development of her character, because she has potential.
ALICE
I actually have no clue if Alice is actually really a genuine love interest or not, but since I am too lazy to try and think of a name for another header she is going here anyway. Alice is probably the closest besides Thomas to being an outcast. Her element of fire is weak, but her inner fire is extremely strong and she isn't afraid to tell the others off. And as we'll later find out, she has many secrets of her own. She's a dynamic character, and I liked her role in the story.
THE PLOT
Ah, the plot. It was action-driven, that's for sure. Every event in the story was a seeming chain with very little deviation, such as romance. For the most part one event clearly followed another. While this linear progression was easy to follow, it at times made the story feel a bit superficial.
I thought the dystopian world was built very nicely. There was basically a Plague that wiped everyone on the "mainland" out, leaving the survivors to live on islands, such as Thomas's colony. Yet, their colony has kept secrets from them for all their lives. We find out that there are so many things that their parents haven't told them, thinking it was in their best interests. But in the end, it's much better to truly know.
I even thought the whole pirate thing was interesting. Pirates isn't a common thing to see in YA, probably because they're overused and clichéd. But the ones in this book weren't. Their leader is far from ordinary, and they're after something very specific. Not wealth. Not power. Something else.
And, well, the elemental magic. Elemental magic has become an extremely common thing. You can find it in many YA books now, each with maybe a little difference each time. I enjoyed the way the magic was handled in the book. More than that, there's more than just elemental magic floating around—there are other types of magic too.
I mean, despite its imperfections, this truly was a joy to read. The characters were a fun bunch, and the plot was incredibly high-stakes. Very, very high-stakes. And I thought the way it was handled by the teenagers was excellent considering their situation.
It's a matter of life and death, and the fear is that someone will have to die before it is all over. And the truth is, some will. The question is, who?
THE ROMANCE
This book only had a light touch of romance, but it was the perfect amount for this particular book. I think it's pretty obvious that Thomas loves Rose, as he goes to pains to prove it. Also, it's obvious in the way he talks about her, and the way he'd do anything for her. Though Rose can seem aloof, it eventually turns out that she has a pretty good reason and that she really cares about him too, and has some sort of feelings for him. It's again obvious that she would do anything for him. Though I'm not sure if Alice and Thomas's connection is actually a romantic one or not, they do have some sort of connection, and I think that there are feelings between them, although I'm far from sure.
THE WRITING
This probably wasn't the most sophisticated writing I've ever read, but it was fun. Its conciseness really, I think, captured the spirit of the action, which was fantastic. I was the type of writing suited for an action-packed novel. However, it didn't do the best job of capturing Thomas's voice, in my opinion. Sometimes he sounded the way I thought he should, and then sometimes he sounded like he was eighty. This flip-flopping was confusing and odd, but eventually I got used to it. Though, hopefully, this is something that will improve.
THE ENDING
This book definitely ended with a cliffhanger. Many of the questions in the book have been finally answered, but still there are many that haven't been. We don't know everything yet, and a revelation made on the very last page shocked me especially. I never could have seen it coming. There is, however, a massive jump in logic that I didn't agree with. It majorly intrigued me, although it also frustrated me. I get what Antony was coming to do by leaving this book with such a major cliffhanger but I don't think I agree with it.
WRAPUP
I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next for sure! This book has some real potential and I honestly believe that we'll see improvement. Overall it satisfied me. So, would I recommend it? Absolutely! Maybe not so much to the older crowd, though I'm sure there will be people there who love it. Even so, I'd have to say that this book is probably better suited to those readers who are younger who I think will gobble something epic like this right up.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
CATCHALL
I really, like really really, liked this book. It was definitely something different than my usual reads. It's dystopian, but there's a fantastical element that I really liked. Though elemental magic is a fairly common aspect of today's YA literature, I really like Antony's take on it and that for me made this book so much better. It was an absolutely joy to read and I will definitely be returning to it. It was full of action with a touch of romance, and while it was far from perfect that didn't keep me from really loving it.
THE HERO
THOMAS
Thomas is our awesome hero. When we first meet him, he's somewhat of an outcast in his society. He is the only person who doesn't have control of an element, and that makes him feel useless. We'll later find out that that is actually not the reason that he is set apart, but that goes into spoiler territory. Thomas was definitely a unique hero. He's not afraid to take control of the situation and I really loved the deep love and loyalty he had to his family. It's pretty obvious that he would do anything for them.
THE LOVE INTERESTS
ROSE
Rose I would have to argue is underdeveloped. I just didn't know enough about her to have strong feelings for her either way. She's very sweet and caring, but that's about it. Still, she's strong, too, and I think that the others definitely underestimate her sometimes. She's willing to go through a lot to keep the people she cares about safe, and she definitely isn't a coward. Though her bravery isn't always obvious, it does exist. I would have loved to see more development of her character, because she has potential.
ALICE
I actually have no clue if Alice is actually really a genuine love interest or not, but since I am too lazy to try and think of a name for another header she is going here anyway. Alice is probably the closest besides Thomas to being an outcast. Her element of fire is weak, but her inner fire is extremely strong and she isn't afraid to tell the others off. And as we'll later find out, she has many secrets of her own. She's a dynamic character, and I liked her role in the story.
THE PLOT
Ah, the plot. It was action-driven, that's for sure. Every event in the story was a seeming chain with very little deviation, such as romance. For the most part one event clearly followed another. While this linear progression was easy to follow, it at times made the story feel a bit superficial.
I thought the dystopian world was built very nicely. There was basically a Plague that wiped everyone on the "mainland" out, leaving the survivors to live on islands, such as Thomas's colony. Yet, their colony has kept secrets from them for all their lives. We find out that there are so many things that their parents haven't told them, thinking it was in their best interests. But in the end, it's much better to truly know.
I even thought the whole pirate thing was interesting. Pirates isn't a common thing to see in YA, probably because they're overused and clichéd. But the ones in this book weren't. Their leader is far from ordinary, and they're after something very specific. Not wealth. Not power. Something else.
And, well, the elemental magic. Elemental magic has become an extremely common thing. You can find it in many YA books now, each with maybe a little difference each time. I enjoyed the way the magic was handled in the book. More than that, there's more than just elemental magic floating around—there are other types of magic too.
I mean, despite its imperfections, this truly was a joy to read. The characters were a fun bunch, and the plot was incredibly high-stakes. Very, very high-stakes. And I thought the way it was handled by the teenagers was excellent considering their situation.
It's a matter of life and death, and the fear is that someone will have to die before it is all over. And the truth is, some will. The question is, who?
THE ROMANCE
This book only had a light touch of romance, but it was the perfect amount for this particular book. I think it's pretty obvious that Thomas loves Rose, as he goes to pains to prove it. Also, it's obvious in the way he talks about her, and the way he'd do anything for her. Though Rose can seem aloof, it eventually turns out that she has a pretty good reason and that she really cares about him too, and has some sort of feelings for him. It's again obvious that she would do anything for him. Though I'm not sure if Alice and Thomas's connection is actually a romantic one or not, they do have some sort of connection, and I think that there are feelings between them, although I'm far from sure.
THE WRITING
This probably wasn't the most sophisticated writing I've ever read, but it was fun. Its conciseness really, I think, captured the spirit of the action, which was fantastic. I was the type of writing suited for an action-packed novel. However, it didn't do the best job of capturing Thomas's voice, in my opinion. Sometimes he sounded the way I thought he should, and then sometimes he sounded like he was eighty. This flip-flopping was confusing and odd, but eventually I got used to it. Though, hopefully, this is something that will improve.
THE ENDING
This book definitely ended with a cliffhanger. Many of the questions in the book have been finally answered, but still there are many that haven't been. We don't know everything yet, and a revelation made on the very last page shocked me especially. I never could have seen it coming. There is, however, a massive jump in logic that I didn't agree with. It majorly intrigued me, although it also frustrated me. I get what Antony was coming to do by leaving this book with such a major cliffhanger but I don't think I agree with it.
WRAPUP
I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next for sure! This book has some real potential and I honestly believe that we'll see improvement. Overall it satisfied me. So, would I recommend it? Absolutely! Maybe not so much to the older crowd, though I'm sure there will be people there who love it. Even so, I'd have to say that this book is probably better suited to those readers who are younger who I think will gobble something epic like this right up.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
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