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Quantum Drop
Anthony Griffin is an ordinary kid caught up in a dangerous world. The boundaries between real and virtual are more and more blurred, and when Anthony’s girlfriend is taken out in a gang hit, he has to venture into the underground world of the Drop to flush out her killer and bring him to justice.
This is the story of a boy whose girl is worth more than money.
This is the story of a boy whose girl is worth more than money.
276 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2013
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Saci Lloyd
10 books33 followersSaci Lloyd was born in Manchester, but raised in Anglesey where she spent a lot of time lost in nature or down by the shore.
Saci returned to Manchester as an undergraduate, but soon quit University for a life of glamour. At various points in the glitz she has worked as a very bad cartoonist, toured the States in a straightedge band, run an interactive media team at an advertising agency, co-founded a film company and finally wound up as head of media at NewVIc. She’s now stepped down from that post, but continues her association with the college.
Her first novels, The Carbon Diaries series came out September 2010 to critical acclaim and have been optioned by Company Pictures. They have been translated into fifteen languages.
Her new book, Momentum was released on June 2nd and is already doing really well. Everything Starts Right Here, Right Now!
Saci has just finished her latest book, Quantum Drop, a thriller set against the backdrop of the financial crash, which will be released in February of next year.
Saci returned to Manchester as an undergraduate, but soon quit University for a life of glamour. At various points in the glitz she has worked as a very bad cartoonist, toured the States in a straightedge band, run an interactive media team at an advertising agency, co-founded a film company and finally wound up as head of media at NewVIc. She’s now stepped down from that post, but continues her association with the college.
Her first novels, The Carbon Diaries series came out September 2010 to critical acclaim and have been optioned by Company Pictures. They have been translated into fifteen languages.
Her new book, Momentum was released on June 2nd and is already doing really well. Everything Starts Right Here, Right Now!
Saci has just finished her latest book, Quantum Drop, a thriller set against the backdrop of the financial crash, which will be released in February of next year.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 18, 2013
A short, fast-paced novel, ‘Quantum Drop’ introduces us to a young man who goes by the name Anthony Griffin. Early in the novel he tells us that this is not his real name – he’s chosen it in order to tell his story, but he can’t tell us who he really is. Anthony lives in the Debtbelt, a place which sounds a lot like a rundown suburb of a large city, perhaps London, with his mother and younger sister Stella. Stella is eleven, highly intelligent, an expert on crow behaviour and a person with Asperger’s, and I loved her – she’s one of the most interesting characters I’ve come across in a long time. Anthony’s father is absent, but we learn a little about what happened to him as the book progresses, and we discover that Anthony finds it very difficult. His grandfather – who appears to be his paternal grandfather – is still a huge part of his life and gives him guidance, even if sometimes he chooses not to listen to it.
There is a group of people in Anthony’s world known as the ‘Bettas’, who appear to be like a gang; they have initiations, they are involved in crime, they are significantly better off financially than the other people who scratch out a living in the Debtbelt, and they are – on the whole – bad news. Anthony’s best friend is Ali, who has become wrapped up in the Bettas, for what he says are economic reasons. His loyalty appears to remain with Anthony, but the fact remains that Ali is a Betta – perhaps the word rhymes with ‘Better’ – and this causes conflict between the boys.
The existence of the Bettas, and the grinding reality of the Debtbelt, are not the only notable things about Anthony’s world. There also exists something called the Drop, into which certain people can connect themselves through their handheld computers (I imagined them like smartphones, but with far more capability); skilled users can make their living through manipulating the Drop, and Anthony’s friend Lola does just this. Another person who was an adept at using the Drop was Anthony’s girlfriend Tais; at the book’s outset, however, we learn that she has been grievously wounded, and that she is in a coma in hospital. Anthony’s grief and rage at this terrible situation blight the rest of his life – he flunks out of his school exams, and seems to be heading down a difficult road. Then, he is approached by a mysterious figure known only as ‘the Teller’, who seems to know the truth about what happened to Tais…
The book moves quickly through the reality of Anthony’s world: he finds out that there is a connection between the Bettas and Tais, and he enlists the help of his friends to get him into the Drop to get to the bottom of it. Anthony is not as skilled at using the Drop as his friends are, and this leaves him at a disadvantage – as well, of course, as endangering everyone else. Lloyd creates a disturbingly real and believable connection between Tais’ fate and the realities of ‘big banking’, economic collapse and massive scale financial fraud as we know them in our world – the scenarios she describes are cleverly constructed and extremely easy to picture. What is not so easy to picture, however, is pretty much everything else in the novel.
I am all for books dropping the reader straight into the heart of the action. I love stories that begin ‘in medias res’, and I love to be thrown into a story, having to figure out things as I go. I have no problem with trying to work out terminology, concepts, and the ‘technology’ of a fictional world, like a detective putting clues together. I love that challenge, being truthful. However, in order to do this effectively, a reader needs something upon which to base their imaginings. The Drop (i.e. the ‘Quantum Drop’ of the book’s title) is never properly explained, or described – it seems to be like a ‘virtual reality’, or a Second Life type scenario, where people exist in ‘reality’, wearing headsets which connect them to a second existence inside a computer. Inside the program, they can change their appearance, even creating a whole new identity for themselves which can fool everyone but the most adept of users. Injuries they suffer in the Drop appear on their physical bodies; if they die in the Drop, we’re led to believe they die in reality, too. Dodgy dealings are done in the Drop, and users who get involved with crime – helping criminals hide their ill-gotten gains, and so on – are the ones who earn the most money from it.
I have to be honest, though, and say that I found the Drop really hard to envision. My mind kept going to The Matrix, and how the characters in that movie ‘jack in’ to the other reality in which they live, one that can be controlled and affected by skilled programmers. I guess this was the idea Saci Lloyd was aiming for – but I think the Matrix did it a bit better. In that story, at least, there was a solid reason for the existence of the Matrix: in ‘Quantum Drop’, it’s just there. We don’t know why, or what it’s used for besides crime. It’s not properly described, and there’s no payoff for the reader in expending all their mental energy trying to imagine it. We don’t get to find out whether what we’ve imagined is ‘right’. I found that frustrating.
Having said all that, the plot is tight and fast and exciting, and the mystery at the heart of Tais’ fate is gripping. The characterisation is excellent throughout – each character is unique and distinct, and they are all interesting. I found myself emotionally invested in the story and interested to see how it would resolve; I particularly loved Stella’s role in the final showdown. My favourite aspect of ‘Quantum Drop’, however, is the thing which made me buy the book in the first place – the voice. Anthony Griffin’s voice is excellent. Lloyd has created a fantastic character in her protagonist, and I loved having him as a guide through the confusing and strange world in which he lives. The characters were more rewarding and ‘real’ than the world, I thought, but I really cared about Anthony and his family and friends, and their story was great even if the setting was sketchy and hard to envision. Saci Lloyd’s writing is poetic and imaginative, and she definitely spares no blushes in her handling of the harsher realities of life.
I would recommend this book, but I do think it would have benefited from slightly more clarity, and a little more in the way of concrete detail regarding the eponymous ‘Drop’. Besides that, it’s a great, fast-paced read.
Come visit me on my blog - http://sjohart.wordpress.com - for lots more book reviews, kidlit/YA-related stuff, and lots of booky goodness.
There is a group of people in Anthony’s world known as the ‘Bettas’, who appear to be like a gang; they have initiations, they are involved in crime, they are significantly better off financially than the other people who scratch out a living in the Debtbelt, and they are – on the whole – bad news. Anthony’s best friend is Ali, who has become wrapped up in the Bettas, for what he says are economic reasons. His loyalty appears to remain with Anthony, but the fact remains that Ali is a Betta – perhaps the word rhymes with ‘Better’ – and this causes conflict between the boys.
The existence of the Bettas, and the grinding reality of the Debtbelt, are not the only notable things about Anthony’s world. There also exists something called the Drop, into which certain people can connect themselves through their handheld computers (I imagined them like smartphones, but with far more capability); skilled users can make their living through manipulating the Drop, and Anthony’s friend Lola does just this. Another person who was an adept at using the Drop was Anthony’s girlfriend Tais; at the book’s outset, however, we learn that she has been grievously wounded, and that she is in a coma in hospital. Anthony’s grief and rage at this terrible situation blight the rest of his life – he flunks out of his school exams, and seems to be heading down a difficult road. Then, he is approached by a mysterious figure known only as ‘the Teller’, who seems to know the truth about what happened to Tais…
The book moves quickly through the reality of Anthony’s world: he finds out that there is a connection between the Bettas and Tais, and he enlists the help of his friends to get him into the Drop to get to the bottom of it. Anthony is not as skilled at using the Drop as his friends are, and this leaves him at a disadvantage – as well, of course, as endangering everyone else. Lloyd creates a disturbingly real and believable connection between Tais’ fate and the realities of ‘big banking’, economic collapse and massive scale financial fraud as we know them in our world – the scenarios she describes are cleverly constructed and extremely easy to picture. What is not so easy to picture, however, is pretty much everything else in the novel.
I am all for books dropping the reader straight into the heart of the action. I love stories that begin ‘in medias res’, and I love to be thrown into a story, having to figure out things as I go. I have no problem with trying to work out terminology, concepts, and the ‘technology’ of a fictional world, like a detective putting clues together. I love that challenge, being truthful. However, in order to do this effectively, a reader needs something upon which to base their imaginings. The Drop (i.e. the ‘Quantum Drop’ of the book’s title) is never properly explained, or described – it seems to be like a ‘virtual reality’, or a Second Life type scenario, where people exist in ‘reality’, wearing headsets which connect them to a second existence inside a computer. Inside the program, they can change their appearance, even creating a whole new identity for themselves which can fool everyone but the most adept of users. Injuries they suffer in the Drop appear on their physical bodies; if they die in the Drop, we’re led to believe they die in reality, too. Dodgy dealings are done in the Drop, and users who get involved with crime – helping criminals hide their ill-gotten gains, and so on – are the ones who earn the most money from it.
I have to be honest, though, and say that I found the Drop really hard to envision. My mind kept going to The Matrix, and how the characters in that movie ‘jack in’ to the other reality in which they live, one that can be controlled and affected by skilled programmers. I guess this was the idea Saci Lloyd was aiming for – but I think the Matrix did it a bit better. In that story, at least, there was a solid reason for the existence of the Matrix: in ‘Quantum Drop’, it’s just there. We don’t know why, or what it’s used for besides crime. It’s not properly described, and there’s no payoff for the reader in expending all their mental energy trying to imagine it. We don’t get to find out whether what we’ve imagined is ‘right’. I found that frustrating.
Having said all that, the plot is tight and fast and exciting, and the mystery at the heart of Tais’ fate is gripping. The characterisation is excellent throughout – each character is unique and distinct, and they are all interesting. I found myself emotionally invested in the story and interested to see how it would resolve; I particularly loved Stella’s role in the final showdown. My favourite aspect of ‘Quantum Drop’, however, is the thing which made me buy the book in the first place – the voice. Anthony Griffin’s voice is excellent. Lloyd has created a fantastic character in her protagonist, and I loved having him as a guide through the confusing and strange world in which he lives. The characters were more rewarding and ‘real’ than the world, I thought, but I really cared about Anthony and his family and friends, and their story was great even if the setting was sketchy and hard to envision. Saci Lloyd’s writing is poetic and imaginative, and she definitely spares no blushes in her handling of the harsher realities of life.
I would recommend this book, but I do think it would have benefited from slightly more clarity, and a little more in the way of concrete detail regarding the eponymous ‘Drop’. Besides that, it’s a great, fast-paced read.
Come visit me on my blog - http://sjohart.wordpress.com - for lots more book reviews, kidlit/YA-related stuff, and lots of booky goodness.
Read
February 17, 2020I read a quarter of this, but although the elements of the plot interested me, I could not get into it. I began to suspect it was meant for young adults or teenagers based on the age of the main character. I checked and it was a children's book although I'd picked it up in the adults' section of my library. Books targeted at YA or teenagers can be enjoyable for adults who are not young adults to read, but in this case, I suspect that's why I didn't get on with it. I'm not giving it a rating because I read less than 1/2 of it and it wasn't written for my age-group anyway.
September 8, 2016
In this novel we are firmly set in an alternative world, one that is very different to life today.
Anthony is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his girlfriend, Tais, is missing in action after double crossing those who run the drop. Anthony is determined - with help of his friends - to track down those responsible.
Not particularly action-packed.
Anthony is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his girlfriend, Tais, is missing in action after double crossing those who run the drop. Anthony is determined - with help of his friends - to track down those responsible.
Not particularly action-packed.
October 25, 2020
I really love the characters, especially Lola and Stella. They are so smart and interesting themself!
Great how Lloyd created the relationships between each character, really great!
Loved the setting and how the world of the Debtbelt and the Drop was explained/presented. Could imagine it really good which made it so beautiful to get lost in the book and the world of it.
Smartly and easily written. Loved it a lot.
Although I didn't like how stereotypical the "villain" César Desai was presented. Especially at the end where we get to see him for real for the first time.
Loved the ending tho! A little unexpected and quiet hopeful too. Great book.
Great how Lloyd created the relationships between each character, really great!
Loved the setting and how the world of the Debtbelt and the Drop was explained/presented. Could imagine it really good which made it so beautiful to get lost in the book and the world of it.
Smartly and easily written. Loved it a lot.
Although I didn't like how stereotypical the "villain" César Desai was presented. Especially at the end where we get to see him for real for the first time.
Loved the ending tho! A little unexpected and quiet hopeful too. Great book.
May 7, 2013
Quantum Drop follows the story of Anthony Griffin, an ordinary boy. When his girlfriend, Tais, is murdered by the Bettas, Anthony dives into a world which seems to be out of his league. He is determined to find Tais killer and get his revenge. Only with the help of his two friends, Ali and Lola will he be able to do this but first he must convince them of his cause.
First of all, I read this book for my school library. It is aimed at younger teens and if I had read this book when I was 11 or 12, I probably would have loved it. It is a world which many would want to live in. Virtual reality, known as the Drop is real here, yet believable. I believe that Lloyd wanted her readers to relate to the character which can be seen by the somewhat ordinary life Anthony lead.
The idea of the Bettas was likely to be taken from the idea of gang cultures. They were presented as a formidable enemy . In a way this seemed unreal but then that could have been the flaw in the Bettas. They didn't believe three children could bring them down so they let their guard down a little. That's the only way it makes sense to me, although Lloyd may have intended something else.
The events at the beginning had little affect on me. This was one of the things which caused the book to lose two of its stars. For most of the book I cared very little for the characters and I feel they had very little depth in their personalities. This was one of the things I dislikes about the book.
The story also progressed extremely fast. There was little time between each Drop and even less time for them to make the preparation adequate to what would be thought of as intricate plans to bring down a major organisation. This also annoyed me a bit as things just happened immediately and there was little sense of time from what I could tell.
On the other hand, the book was beautifully written with a good plot and no loop holes. The story flowed and was enjoyable to read. I would say this would appeal to a much younger audience than myself but I did still enjoy it.
One thing I really liked about this book was the way it was structured. We occasionally got extracts from characters blogs or newspaper extracts. Some of the words were structures in such a way that it conveyed the author's meaning a lot more clearly and put her character's points across.
Overall, I did enjoy this book but probably would not seek it out to read it again due to the age it's aimed at. I would say this book would be great for children aged 8 to about 14, maybe 15 at a stretch. It was action packed and I personally think it would be a great read for these people.
First of all, I read this book for my school library. It is aimed at younger teens and if I had read this book when I was 11 or 12, I probably would have loved it. It is a world which many would want to live in. Virtual reality, known as the Drop is real here, yet believable. I believe that Lloyd wanted her readers to relate to the character which can be seen by the somewhat ordinary life Anthony lead.
The idea of the Bettas was likely to be taken from the idea of gang cultures. They were presented as a formidable enemy . In a way this seemed unreal but then that could have been the flaw in the Bettas. They didn't believe three children could bring them down so they let their guard down a little. That's the only way it makes sense to me, although Lloyd may have intended something else.
The events at the beginning had little affect on me. This was one of the things which caused the book to lose two of its stars. For most of the book I cared very little for the characters and I feel they had very little depth in their personalities. This was one of the things I dislikes about the book.
The story also progressed extremely fast. There was little time between each Drop and even less time for them to make the preparation adequate to what would be thought of as intricate plans to bring down a major organisation. This also annoyed me a bit as things just happened immediately and there was little sense of time from what I could tell.
On the other hand, the book was beautifully written with a good plot and no loop holes. The story flowed and was enjoyable to read. I would say this would appeal to a much younger audience than myself but I did still enjoy it.
One thing I really liked about this book was the way it was structured. We occasionally got extracts from characters blogs or newspaper extracts. Some of the words were structures in such a way that it conveyed the author's meaning a lot more clearly and put her character's points across.
Overall, I did enjoy this book but probably would not seek it out to read it again due to the age it's aimed at. I would say this book would be great for children aged 8 to about 14, maybe 15 at a stretch. It was action packed and I personally think it would be a great read for these people.
February 21, 2013
Let me just start off that Quantum Drop was exactly what I want in a YA novel. Saci Lloyd doesn't shy away from real-life issues, she doesn't consider the status quo sacred, and she sure as hell isn't afraid of calling out our species for, well, sucking. I love that, because she's so right, but no one ever seems to want to say it. The fact that she not only does, but puts it into a kick-ass book? Brilliant.
But, I have to admit that Quantum Drop is probably not the book for everyone. If you aren't in the mood for a book that needs your brain to be "on" the whole time (which I totally get, by the way), then wait for a while before you pick up Quantum Drop. Otherwise you just won't enjoy it as much.
Now, apart from Saci Lloyd's oh-so-accurate insights into humanity, I also really enjoyed the setting of Quantum Drop. Anyone who has been round the East End will recognize the familiar-yet-futuristic "Debtbelt". Saci Lloyd has kept the verse just post-modern enough to be recognizable - so much so, I barely felt the sci-element of the book. That said, the characters spend a huge part of the novel in a virtual world known as "the drop" (which, if I had to describe it, I'd liken to The Matrix). Super futuristic stuff that, for some reason, felt totally normal.
The characters in Quantum Drop were complete stand-outs. They aren't the middle-class, worried-about-prom lot that we typically see in YA - instead, they have grown up with the odds stacked against them, and they know it. They are swimming against the tide, trying to do what is right while staying afloat. The main character, Anthony, wants justice for his girlfriend, but he also has a legitimate fear for his life and the life of his family. It's easy to just give up - so when many of the characters do, it's also easy to forgive them. This made Anthony's struggles all the more impressive.
Bottom line? Quantum Drop is one of those books that makes you think (about life, the universe and everything) while telling a hell of a tale along the way. Pick it up if you are looking for something different in your YA.
http://deadbookdarling.com/2013/02/re...
But, I have to admit that Quantum Drop is probably not the book for everyone. If you aren't in the mood for a book that needs your brain to be "on" the whole time (which I totally get, by the way), then wait for a while before you pick up Quantum Drop. Otherwise you just won't enjoy it as much.
Now, apart from Saci Lloyd's oh-so-accurate insights into humanity, I also really enjoyed the setting of Quantum Drop. Anyone who has been round the East End will recognize the familiar-yet-futuristic "Debtbelt". Saci Lloyd has kept the verse just post-modern enough to be recognizable - so much so, I barely felt the sci-element of the book. That said, the characters spend a huge part of the novel in a virtual world known as "the drop" (which, if I had to describe it, I'd liken to The Matrix). Super futuristic stuff that, for some reason, felt totally normal.
The characters in Quantum Drop were complete stand-outs. They aren't the middle-class, worried-about-prom lot that we typically see in YA - instead, they have grown up with the odds stacked against them, and they know it. They are swimming against the tide, trying to do what is right while staying afloat. The main character, Anthony, wants justice for his girlfriend, but he also has a legitimate fear for his life and the life of his family. It's easy to just give up - so when many of the characters do, it's also easy to forgive them. This made Anthony's struggles all the more impressive.
Bottom line? Quantum Drop is one of those books that makes you think (about life, the universe and everything) while telling a hell of a tale along the way. Pick it up if you are looking for something different in your YA.
http://deadbookdarling.com/2013/02/re...
March 9, 2014
Lloyd has created a world where gangs, virtual reality and money troubles have been warped beyond the norm, making the story futuristic yet believable. It was edgy, cool and dramatic yet I struggled with it, mostly I believe because of the target audience and lack of empathy with the protagonist.
Stuck in the Debt-belt, these characters were battling against the world to make ends meet and I fell easily into the story where they are forced to make sometimes illegal money in the Drop, a virtual and parallel world. As I said, I did sympathise with Anthony but never really connected with him. This might be because he gave a fake name, or I couldn't figure out when he was writing from, whichever but I just couldn't get the emotional link that I want with a first person perspective. However, I did really like little sister Stella, who's autistic and loves crows. She was really sweet and her autistic, straight-forward way of thinking was very refreshing. Even though Anthony was often distracted, I really liked the little snippets of rants, how much Anthony hated the way mankind had developed and screwed up the world, as well as the different narrative techniques, from huge fonts and symbols to excerpts from Stella's blog.
Set over a couple of days, everything happened way too fast; there was no real sense of time passing and considering how tired Lola and Anthony were after messing around in the Drop, I'm surprised they could keep going back so quickly. This time-passing also didn't allow any downtime to allow the reader to digest what had happened, but it managed to work as the story didn't lag. I just wish I had at least a breather between big revelations! It was also sometimes difficult to follow; it wasn't exactly complicated but the technological and money details sort of went over my head and mad me lose my place in the story.
Overall, an enjoyable if complex read; I just think I wasn't the target audience and did not have to brain power to keep all the details in my head!
Stuck in the Debt-belt, these characters were battling against the world to make ends meet and I fell easily into the story where they are forced to make sometimes illegal money in the Drop, a virtual and parallel world. As I said, I did sympathise with Anthony but never really connected with him. This might be because he gave a fake name, or I couldn't figure out when he was writing from, whichever but I just couldn't get the emotional link that I want with a first person perspective. However, I did really like little sister Stella, who's autistic and loves crows. She was really sweet and her autistic, straight-forward way of thinking was very refreshing. Even though Anthony was often distracted, I really liked the little snippets of rants, how much Anthony hated the way mankind had developed and screwed up the world, as well as the different narrative techniques, from huge fonts and symbols to excerpts from Stella's blog.
Set over a couple of days, everything happened way too fast; there was no real sense of time passing and considering how tired Lola and Anthony were after messing around in the Drop, I'm surprised they could keep going back so quickly. This time-passing also didn't allow any downtime to allow the reader to digest what had happened, but it managed to work as the story didn't lag. I just wish I had at least a breather between big revelations! It was also sometimes difficult to follow; it wasn't exactly complicated but the technological and money details sort of went over my head and mad me lose my place in the story.
Overall, an enjoyable if complex read; I just think I wasn't the target audience and did not have to brain power to keep all the details in my head!
December 12, 2013
When I first picked up this book, it seemed interesting. But I had a hard time getting into the story. A lot of things and names were thrown out as if the reader knew them and I actually wondered if this was a sequel to another book, because it felt like I had missed part of the story. When I had read around a third of the book I was about ready to put it down, and rate it as bad. It didn't engage me at all. But I kept reading and about halfway through the book began to pick up the pace and things started happening. The second half of the book was in my opinion much, much better than the first part which was confusing and often unengaging.
They frequently travel around in something they call "the Drop". The Drop seems to be some kind of virtual world. What bothered me the most with the Drop was that I still isn't really sure about what it is. They travel through it, and through different levels of it, somehow. At the start of the book, you immediately get thrown into Anthony's life and apparently a girl he cared about, Tris, is in a coma. The whole book relies on Anthony's wish to avenge her, to make the ones who did that to her pay. For this, he must enter the Drop. But throughout the book, I never feel that I know Tris. She's nothing more than a name. I hardly even know Anthony for a large part of the book.
As I said before, the book improved a lot during the later half. But I found the first half hardly worth reading. The concept is interesting, but I feel that the author didn't manage to make us care about the characters sufficiently. Overall, it's not a bad book, which is why I'm giving it 2 stars. But the start is so slow that I wouldn't really recommend anyone to read it. If you can make it past the confusing first part, however, the ending is quite good.
They frequently travel around in something they call "the Drop". The Drop seems to be some kind of virtual world. What bothered me the most with the Drop was that I still isn't really sure about what it is. They travel through it, and through different levels of it, somehow. At the start of the book, you immediately get thrown into Anthony's life and apparently a girl he cared about, Tris, is in a coma. The whole book relies on Anthony's wish to avenge her, to make the ones who did that to her pay. For this, he must enter the Drop. But throughout the book, I never feel that I know Tris. She's nothing more than a name. I hardly even know Anthony for a large part of the book.
As I said before, the book improved a lot during the later half. But I found the first half hardly worth reading. The concept is interesting, but I feel that the author didn't manage to make us care about the characters sufficiently. Overall, it's not a bad book, which is why I'm giving it 2 stars. But the start is so slow that I wouldn't really recommend anyone to read it. If you can make it past the confusing first part, however, the ending is quite good.
March 9, 2013
Quantum Drop is a lightening quick, action packed thrill ride! I did have some issues with the book but all in all I enjoyed it as a whole. I enjoyed main character Anthony's passion and drive to avenge his girlfriend, who was taken out in a horrific gang hit! I also really liked the weirdly intriguing cyber world that the characters enter, though I didn't fully understand how the whole thing worked. I actually really enjoyed getting to know the secondary characters, they were intriguing and very kick butt! The storyline is fast and furious and apart from the confusion I really enjoyed it!
What I think this book lacked was information - I really did need a bit more of a back story! Why was the world this way? How and why did the Betta gang start up? The In's and outs of the cyber world? I had too many whys and hows going on and it bugged me.
Anthony Griffin is a guy on a dangerous mission to bring his girlfriend's killer to justice! He must venture into the dark depths of the virtual world but things are confusing and not going to be simple. Anthony will not only need to put himself at risk but his closest friends....
Will he ever get justice for his girl?
Well obviously I can't give anything away! But I will say the end section of the book is amazingly action packed and will have you on the edge of your seat. I think Quantum Drop will appeal to a wide audience and I really do think it is worth a read.
Also, I would like to mention Anthony's sister, who has Aspergers Syndrome - I like how Saci has put this in the book because I don't think many teens will have heard of the condition before.
3/5 Stars
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co.uk
What I think this book lacked was information - I really did need a bit more of a back story! Why was the world this way? How and why did the Betta gang start up? The In's and outs of the cyber world? I had too many whys and hows going on and it bugged me.
Anthony Griffin is a guy on a dangerous mission to bring his girlfriend's killer to justice! He must venture into the dark depths of the virtual world but things are confusing and not going to be simple. Anthony will not only need to put himself at risk but his closest friends....
Will he ever get justice for his girl?
Well obviously I can't give anything away! But I will say the end section of the book is amazingly action packed and will have you on the edge of your seat. I think Quantum Drop will appeal to a wide audience and I really do think it is worth a read.
Also, I would like to mention Anthony's sister, who has Aspergers Syndrome - I like how Saci has put this in the book because I don't think many teens will have heard of the condition before.
3/5 Stars
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co.uk
October 21, 2013
This is “kind of a story” that follows Anthony Griffin, a fake name so as to protect his identity, who is the boy next door.
Anthony lives in a world where you might “punch something into your deck,” or people might be “plugged into the Drop” via a visor, or you might push “a hologram chip across the table” instead of a business card.
He lives in the Debtbelt where “once your credit’s gone there’s no way back. You’re toast.” This is because of the Betta. “Short-selling, junking, gold farming, black boxing, risk-rolling – the Betta got a finger in every pie.” Basically “you’ve got to keep sweet with the Betta because they are the power.”
Except Anthony’s girlfriend didn’t keep sweet with them and has ended up dead because of them, and it is eating up at Anthony as he tries to discover what happened, all at the expense of his own future, like his exams which he walks out on. And all he’s got to go on is a voice.
So that is the story right there. And the book is Anthony’s narrative of the story. It took me a while to get into it because of his voice with all it's chattiness – “I mean, why do you think, not for even one second, do I ever, ever shut up?” – leading to diversions about brains evolving from animals etc. But the story is none-the-less gripping once it gets going.
Older teens should enjoy.
Anthony lives in a world where you might “punch something into your deck,” or people might be “plugged into the Drop” via a visor, or you might push “a hologram chip across the table” instead of a business card.
He lives in the Debtbelt where “once your credit’s gone there’s no way back. You’re toast.” This is because of the Betta. “Short-selling, junking, gold farming, black boxing, risk-rolling – the Betta got a finger in every pie.” Basically “you’ve got to keep sweet with the Betta because they are the power.”
Except Anthony’s girlfriend didn’t keep sweet with them and has ended up dead because of them, and it is eating up at Anthony as he tries to discover what happened, all at the expense of his own future, like his exams which he walks out on. And all he’s got to go on is a voice.
So that is the story right there. And the book is Anthony’s narrative of the story. It took me a while to get into it because of his voice with all it's chattiness – “I mean, why do you think, not for even one second, do I ever, ever shut up?” – leading to diversions about brains evolving from animals etc. But the story is none-the-less gripping once it gets going.
Older teens should enjoy.
January 27, 2015
Quite honestly I am not a fan of this book
The ideas behind it are very clever and it tries to be quite edgy and cool but I actually found myself getting confused. The book tries to be the matrix meets east london gang warfare novel and I didn't think it worked. I think it would have been better had the author gone one way or the other. I wasn't a fan of the characters and never felt like I cared all that much about them or what happened to them so it meant by the time I finished I really wasn't invested enough to care about the outcome of the book. The techy side is clever but I really didn't get it. Maybe it was me being dim.
The one plus side is I did love anthony's little sister Stella. I though she was pretty cool
A book that I think maybe would work better as a film
November 30, 2014
This Young Adult Science Fiction thriller might be aimed at teens, but it's so original and thought provoking that adults can enjoy it too. Well done! Well written! I don't want to give anything away. The bad guys in this novel may surprise you. The description on the back of the book says what you need to know: "This is the story of a boy whose girl is worth more than money."
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