The Artemis Effect

by Kasia James

Three comfortable lives are shattered when a wave of inexplicable events exposes the fragility of human society. With an unprecedented celestial phenomenon, devastating high tides, a breakdown in global communication networks, and the sudden appearance of violent ring-gangs swarming through cities and towns, Kimberley, Scott and Bryn struggle to understand the vast events unfolding around them. Will they survive the Artemis Effect? Will they discover the truth behind the collapse of society before it's too late?

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 2012

About the author

Kasia James writes primarily science fiction, with forays into other slightly unreal realities, and is the author of the novel 'The Artemis Effect'.
She reads widely and eclectically, in all genres from classics to mysteries to the occasional romance.
She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with a hydrologist and a big black cat called George.

Reviews

[Dale · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm giving up on this one. I couldn't care less about any of the characters or what is happening to them. Not that they really seem to care what is happening to them themselves. For people whose whole world and concept of society is falling apart in every conceivable way around them, they really seem to brush it off as no more of a concern than a slightly overcooked crumpet.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew right away this would be a novel I’d enjoy. It starts out generally talking about Earth and all the creatures that inhabit it. Then it zooms in on three groups of people from Australia, Britain, and America. We get a brief look into their lives before the introduction states they have no idea that something is about to happen.

The characters from Australia are members of a group called the Society for the Watching for Alien Presences (SWAP). The dialogue is realistic, to the point where their discussions reminded me of conversations I’ve had with my friends. They enjoy each others company and joke around a lot, which makes it fun to read.

One of the things I loved about this book is that author Kasia James shows tenuous connections between the characters living on different continents. The characters don’t always recognize these connections, but they are there. Some of the connections are humorous while others are more poignant.

As we get involved in the lives of the characters, the moon begins to change. This has global effects that aren’t noticed at first as people go on with their lives. When communication systems break down, transportation stops, and food isn’t readily available, everyone is forced into making changes in order to survive.

At times The Artemis Effect reminded me of The Stand or Earth Abides and those are some of my favorite books. The Artemis Effect has its own personality though, complete with quirky characters that readers will want to cheer on and keep visiting.

This novel is worth more than the $2.99 Kindle price. It kept me thoroughly entertained and left me wondering what might happen next until the end.

[Pete Denton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t judge a book by its cover?

This is another book that I decided to buy purely on the cover. I know. It’s a crazy way to decide to buy and read a book, but having followed Kasia’s blog for a while and seeing the book taking shape I just had to read it. And, I was not remotely disappointed.

This book is sci-fi due to the subject matter and without giving anything away, there certainly are elements of that genre. What appealed to me the most was that this is a character driven story. How they react to the events unfolding before their eyes, how they interact with each other as the dynamics of their world changes.

The Artemis Effect is written in third-person and follows three groups of people around the world. We have a group in America, Britain and Australia and the narrative rotates between the groups as the story progresses. Kasia has cleverly woven the three strands together and she’s placed some nice little touches for the reader to know and the characters to be none the wiser.

The narrative is well written and the story makes you think and ponder your own lifestyle and how you would be able to cope with serious changes to the way we live our lives. And you will never look at the moon the same way again.

If you enjoy character driven stories about how people deal with a crisis then this is the book for you. Another one that I wouldn’t have read had it not been for my Kindle (though this is out in paper format as well)

Well done, Kasia. I look forward to your next work.

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Have you ever had a crush on someone you admired from afar? Perhaps crush is too strong a word; it would be better to say that you were intrigued. This person isn’t popular, but there was something about him or her that was appealing. Perhaps it was the way he/she dressed that was alluring, or maybe the little bit of information you were given proved enough to pique your curiosity. So on a whim, you invest your time in this person. You take the chance that maybe, just maybe, this person will surprise you and live up to your expectations. But instead, the more you hang out with this person, the more flaws you find. Every time he or she opened his/her mouth, drivel spewed out; generic, bland drivel that does nothing for the imagination. You discover that this person has nothing of value lurking beneath the attractive veneer. Suddenly you’re confused; you have questions, lots of questions, but no answers are provided. In the end, you are left disappointed and unhappy, and you decide to dump this person’s sorry ass and never speak of him/her again.

That’s how this total Monet of a book was like for me.

I started out liking it, because I admired the cover and the synopsis had such potential. A lunar phenomenon that affects the whole world, with three central characters in different locations (Australia, Wales, and the US) telling the tale? Sign me up! I had entered the First Reads contest but when I didn’t win, I decided to buy the book, basing my choice solely on the cover and summary (no excerpt was provided).

What I found was uninspired, generic writing that made an exciting premise boring. I have honestly read more detailed fanfic than this professional work. There is no depth to the places, settings, or feelings Kasia James describes. The characters were forgettable and nearly interchangeable. They lacked true personalities that made them distinctive. Every joke fell flat, romantic pairings were tepid, at best, and I couldn’t care less about their lives. I was more interested by what happened with the moon: what caused it, what was being done about it, how the event affected everyone’s lives afterward. But of course, these issues were not exactly addressed.

There were many unanswered questions, including Anne’s miracle pregnancy that was brought on by the lunar event, why the newborns were all girls, why ring gangs were only in certain areas and why they cropped up to begin with. A detailed explanation of ley lines would have been very useful as well; I had to look it up on Wikipedia and it disrupted my reading flow.

At any rate, I am over this brief, failed relationship and have already moved on. I’m going to donate the book to my local library; maybe someone will have a better time with it than I did.

***I changed my rating to one star because as I wrote my review I realized that I truly didn't enjoy this book :(***

[W.E. Linde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling and Thought Provoking Science Fiction: The Artemis Effect, by Kasia James

This book is one of few this year that I waited intently for the release, and then purchased as soon as I saw it available. I follow Kasia James' blog, Writer's Block, and I had become familiar with her impressive poetry. So as I learned of the plot and impending release of The Artemis Effect, I promptly put it on my To Read list. I wasn't disappointed. Please note, as always, that this review does not contain spoilers.
The Artemis Effect tells the story of a confounding celestial event that rapidly throws the entire planet into crisis. Although global in scope, the story is told to us across three locations: Australia, England, and the United States. The characters in each location have their personal and environmental struggles as the world they know crumbles around them. The human responses to the growing crisis are unsettlingly realistic, despite the surreal circumstances. The unfolding breakdown is dramatic in some instances (e.g. riots), and much more subtle in others (e.g. unexplained disruptions to communications). As the modern world reels under the mysterious event in the heavens, the characters must learn how to protect themselves and their loved ones in an increasingly hostile and primal world.
Kasia James has a wonderful command of language. The prologue is poetically written, bringing to mind (despite the complete difference of genre) Terry Pratchett's engaging style. The character development is well done. I particularly liked the story that plays out in Britain. The characters are complex and I think some of the more exciting scenes play out there.
The Artemis Effect succeeds on a level that few other books I've read recently have been able to. James lays out for us an unfolding mystery that baffles the main characters, as well as the reader, throughout most of the story. There is something happening that has impacted the entire planet, and yet the best any of the characters can do is hypothesize as to what is going on. There is a tantalizing aura of mystery that permeates the book, and the author does a masterful job of leading the readers along without providing ultimate answers to the mystery until the very end (if indeed the observations given are wholly accurate). In my opinion, the climactic resolution of many a novel often goes too far, too fast, in providing answers. This is a problem when the primary entertainment is reading how the characters have to deal with the mystery. Take away the mystery too quickly, and you take away a big part of the reason to continue investing time in the story. The Artemis Effect kept me intrigued from beginning to end, and I recommend it to any who enjoy science fiction and mystery. I am very much looking forward to Kasia James' future works.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed The Artemis Effect. Without giving away too much, the story is about an event which affects the entire planet. However, the story is told from the perspectives of different groups of main characters on three different continents. Kasia James intertwines the three plot threads seamlessly. Her writing style is very descriptive, and the story has a very classic sci-fi feel to it, which I found quite refreshing.

[Austin Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great debut novel by Kasia James. It features great characters and very vivid, and sometimes "fancy", language. I would recommend this book to several different kinds of people, especially those who don't think you can get a good book at a relatively low price. This book really makes me excited to see what the author will do in the future. And lastly, I must say, I love the cover. :D

[faftsq · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how the book would subtly link the characters together. And how each story was concluded eventually. Usually I'm not a fan of novels telling three separate storylines, but I'll make this an exception; all the interesting links made me want to read on.

The book was a little hard to understand though. Especially after the chaos started. Although the strange phenomenons were explained along the way, it felt underdeveloped. So were some of the characters' relationships. It felt too abrupt. It's a generally nice read though.

I like books that I can learn something from, and this was one of them. The Artemis Effect. I had no idea that Artemis was the name of the moon goddess (which I knew only after I Googled it). And I didn't know that it was some kind of advocate for women's rights. Turns out that the book might actually have some play/stand on that topic. When some of the women gave birth asexually, I think it was hinting at something. But I still can't understand it. I need more brooding about it.

When the book ended with the fact that kids birthed through a normal fertilized pregnancy (terrible phrasing), it usually means that the father of the kid wouldn't have adverse behavioral affects of the moon. Whereas the women whose husbands were affected would give birth asexually, which was pretty weird to think about. Like, how can the moon dictate how Nature works??

[Karen Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Set in the present, this novel imagines a bizarre phenomenon affecting the moon causes 21st Century life to break down. The changes don't happen at once but before too long people are forced to live without the global communication network, electricity and eventually fuel. Food is in short supply and hospitals are closed down. It's a speculative look then of how quickly the fabric of society would break down if we lost the trappings of modern life.
The author has chosen to set the action in three main locations; an outback town in Australia, rural Britain and Midwest America. In each we are introduced to a small group of characters whose experiences we follow throughout the book. I would have preferred at least one main character to have been more challenging to like, these were all decent humans behaving mostly decently, a little more tension and some questionable ethics would have added an interesting further slant. However, I did appreciate that unusually and refreshingly little of the plot is set in a city and so urban looting and violence isn't a central feature but rather a creeping menace. It's still though a book that often covered familiar ground, whether the cause is something strange happening to the moon, a devastating global disease or the zombie apocalypse, there always seems to be small groups of individuals forced together to survive, gangs that have quickly descended into lawlessness roaming the streets, shops and houses broken into and left derelict.
My main criticism of The Artemis Effect though is the pacing. I wish the author had written this as a part one, rather than the complete story. The main part of the book takes its time describing the events that are occurring to our protagonists across the globe and we are given a sense of the fear of what if this change is permanent? The end though felt far too rushed, the reason for the change to the moon is never fully explained which I don't have a problem with but I did think it was a shame that a story that could have sensibly been extended into a second novel was instead wrapped up in a few pages that ultimately felt rather unsatisfactory. Despite these flaws I did enjoy The Artemis Effect, but I hope in future the author considers continuing her interesting and well thought out ideas into a sequel or even series of books rather than feeling the conclusion must be reached in just the one novel.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of The Artemis Effect from the publishers through Netgalley in return for my honest review.

[Wesley F · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book lost its way from an interesting premise and what at first appeared to be a compelling group of characters. The middle was simply too slow and dry for me to continue.

The novel follows three groups of people, one in the US, another in Great Britain, and a third in Australia. A series of unexplained events occur including power outages, loss of communications, bizarre behavior, and more. They discover there is something very wrong with the moon. As time passes and civilization falls apart, the three groups are forced to adapt to a new lifestyle, one without modern conveniences.

The apocalyptic premise was interesting but by the latter stages of the book, didn't feel like a real crisis. People, men and women, begin to act erratically, for no clear reason other than the moon changing its shape or somehow altering its orbit or something. I got the impression it was more fantasy than science-based. If it had a scientific basis, the author made no attempt to present it. I desperately wanted to know what the "Artemis Effect" was but James doesn't reveal anything.

The middle of the book is difficult to follow due to numerous shifts in POV, many different perspectives, vanilla characters, and a lack of drama. Despite the incredible events taking place, no one seems to react to it as anything other than an annoying power outage. Roving gangs of violent men are perceived as just "weird." People are dying but the characters just don't seem to care. One character is abandoned by her boyfriend upon hearing she is pregnant, but its all treated like a bad day rather than a traumatic, emotional life altering event. She gets over it by going shopping.

There is limited character development, thin descriptions, and a need for another round of editing. Some of the dialogue was pretty tedious as well, slowing the pace. I feel like the author wanted to write a story about normal people in their normal lives but felt compelled to add in all sorts of post-apocalyptic events to make it more exciting. The two concepts clashed with bad results.

The premise provided a great foundation for this novel, it just wasn't well executed. I couldn't finish because I was waiting for something to break, whether it was an explanation, or some sort of climactic event. As a reader, I inevitably took on the detached attitude of the characters. The novel feels like it is all moving towards something but you never get there (at least not by page 240). I cannot recommend this one.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this rather different apocalypse type story we follow 3 groups of people - one in Australia, one in the USA and one in England as communication crawls to a standstill, many people go insane, modern conveniences stop and people must fend for themselves. The cause of this catastrophe appears to be the changing shape of the moon. Prayed to as a goddess by some, its' changing shape affects more than just the tides.

Kimberly lives in the US and after things start falling apart, she goes to her mother's house in the country and befriends a pregnant and distressed woman named Alice. Together they traverse the post apocalyptic world with various groups of people trying to survive and evade the "ring gangs" - groups of insane men and helping the plethora of pregnant women.

Ray, Kimberly's husband is stranded in England, after having gone there on a work trip unable to return since planes are no longer flying and society has gone to hell in a hand basket. Hanes, a kind airport worker takes Ray home and they travel around England with a group of people for a while, trying to survive, Ray, all the while wanting to return home to his wife.

Scott and his friends - a group of people who are watching the skies for aliens in Australia are the third group of people who are followed in this tale as the strange behavior of the moon has caused similar problems in Australia as it has in the other parts of the world.
I found the story interesting, but it does have some editing errors and is not entirely well explained. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

[Amy Butcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book really had me hooked in the beginning. I absolutely loved the prologue. I thought that it was poetic and that the author found fresh uses for vocabulary and employed serious-minded yet playful descriptions. The prologue showed a voice and great style.

Then, unfortunately, rest of the book was a let-down as it just didn't live up to the promise of the prologue as a lyrical, descriptive portrayal of speculative problems plaguing the Earth.

The rest of the writing in the book is pretty straightforward writing. Not there's anything wrong with that, I just didn't understand the incredible difference in tone with the prologue. As a reader, I felt that there was a promise given that wasn't fulfilled.

Although the premise is very clever and the writing on the whole is very well edited (with some minor flaws here and there), I found that the book lacked a clear point of view. Whose story is this really? Even if it is an "ensemble piece" so to speak, there's no character to really bring us along into the craziness, and events just seem to happen to them randomly. With no central journey or arc, the characters seem to just fill a role in order for the plot to move forward. Unfortunately, I had to stop reading about halfway through.

Overall, a great idea and really polished writing, but for me it was a let-down for someone who's into serious-minded and literary sci-fi.

[Katerina B · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, i received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Giveaways.

Apart from the fact that this book describe the possibility of a total lack of electricity,as a result the lack of technology whatsoever,delivers important lessons about the humanity.The survival without collaboration isn't achievable,a human forgets preaty easy who he is and the animal insticts conquer when it comes to life or death.This book shows all types of human reaction in that case and a very interesting point of view about the future of the planet parallel to the relashionships and the reactions among the characters.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable take on the nearly end of the world genre. Nice mix of characters although one of the loosely interconnected groups felt off. The building plot had some nice twists and turns on its route, I could have done with a little more graphic descriptions but the tone of the book was more light.

Would recommend to anyone who wants a different take on the catastrophe genre.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline was excellent and it made one think about humanity and what could happen in a crisis. It was a very enjoyable read until the ending. It was as if the author had had enough of writing and just wanted to finish the book.