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W.A.R.P. #1
The Reluctant Assassin
Riley, a teen orphan boy living in Victorian London, has had the misfortune of being apprenticed to Albert Garrick, an illusionist who has fallen on difficult times and now uses his unique conjuring skills to gain access to victims' dwellings. On one such escapade, Garrick brings his reluctant apprentice along and urges him to commit his first killing. Riley is saved from having to commit the grisly act when the intended victim turns out to be a scientist from the future, part of the FBI's Witness Anonymous Relocation Program (WARP) Riley is unwittingly transported via wormhole to modern day London, followed closely by Garrick.
In modern London, Riley is helped by Chevron Savano, a nineteen-year-old FBI agent sent to London as punishment after a disastrous undercover, anti-terrorist operation in Los Angeles. Together Riley and Chevie must evade Garrick, who has been fundamentally altered by his trip through the wormhole. Garrick is now not only evil, but he also possesses all of the scientist's knowledge. He is determined to track Riley down and use the timekey in Chevie's possession to make his way back to Victorian London where he can literally change the world.
In modern London, Riley is helped by Chevron Savano, a nineteen-year-old FBI agent sent to London as punishment after a disastrous undercover, anti-terrorist operation in Los Angeles. Together Riley and Chevie must evade Garrick, who has been fundamentally altered by his trip through the wormhole. Garrick is now not only evil, but he also possesses all of the scientist's knowledge. He is determined to track Riley down and use the timekey in Chevie's possession to make his way back to Victorian London where he can literally change the world.
10 pages, Audiobook
First published April 11, 2013
387 people are currently reading
8677 people want to read
About the author
Eoin Colfer
147 books11.8k followersEoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.
He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.
He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 978 reviews
May 31, 2013
I have been a fan of Eoin Colfer's books for years. Especially his Artemis Fowl books (duh. no explanation needed there). There is no doubt he is my favorite author. Ever. Which he once again proves with The Reluctant Assassin. With this new start of this new series, Colfer didn't let me down one bit. I was so nervous I wasn't going to like it or god forbid hate it but I should've know it was going to brilliant like everything he writes.
The Reluctant Assassin takes us to the year 1898 in London, which to me is a reason alone to start freaking out like a fangirl. We meet Riley, a 14 year-old orphan boy who's taken in under the wings of the evil illusionist Albert Garrick who can be hired as an assassin. When Garrick forces Riley to commit his first murder, luckily he is saved from the act when the victim turns out to be part of the FBI's Witness Anonymous Relocation Program otherwise knows as WARP from the future. By accident Riley gets transported to modern day London with Garrick on his trail.
Meanwhile in modern day London 17 year-old FBI agent Chevron Savano (Chevie) has been send to London as part of punishment and needing to lay low after an operation gone awry in Los Angeles. It's there that she helps Riley flee from Garrick, who's been altered by the wormhole, making him an scientific expert and more dangerous than ever if he'd find a way back to Victorion London where he could literally take over the world with his knowledge.
Even after all the Colfer books I have read I am still dazzled by how good his writing is. I mean, seriously, it's top-notch. I love how ingenious it all was and how well he described Victorian London. It was as I was there and could pretty much see and smell everything that was going on there.
I've never been much of a fan of time travel stories but I should have know that when Eoin Colfer takes on the subject he would make it brilliant and that's just what he did. I loved the idea of the Witness Anonymous Relocation Program and being transported via wormholes. It just mades the sci-fi nerd in my all giddy!
My favorite things in this whole book were the characters. Every single one of them were interesting in their own way. Naturally I liked our three main characters, Riley, Chevie and Garrick the best. Yes, even the bad guy. I love to read about the baddies and how crazy they are. And let me tell ya, Garrick is one of the craziest I have ever read about and that why Eoin Colfer writes the best evil characters I've read about.
I must say, though, that Riley was my favorite character. I loved the way he talked. I could hear his accent in my voice almost and other than that he's pretty smart and very witty. Speaking of witty, that brings us to Chevie. She was awesome and kick-ass. She could handle her own and yet wasn't scared to admit how it all became too much at some point. Like she herself said, she's only 17 years old and wasn't meant to be caught up in all the time travel business. But she never did gave up, even when things seemed at their worst.
There were a lot of other great characters. Colfer really does have a knack to write some really remarkable people with a lot of wit that will always stay with me.
The whole story itself was really good worked out in my opinion. Slowly, but surely everything comes together and we all learn more about our three leads. How Riley became an orphan, what really happened there, what made Garrick how he is and what happened to Chevie in L.A. Though this book is considered a Childrens/Middle Grade book it might be aimed more at a little older audience, maybe. And I must say it never got boring. I don't think it's possible to get bored with a Colfer book. Never.
The ending was really well done, as always. No surprise there either. I was sad to see Chevie and Riley part ways but that's how it's gotta go, man. That's how it's gotta go. I'm pretty sure they'll meet again if I have learned something about Eoin Colfer's books is that there's always something that's going to happen again where the characters will once again meet and there is always a third or fourth or fifth party involved. Mark my words!
So, people, Artemis Fowl may be over, but Eoin Colfer is back! The Reluctant Assassin was a brilliant start to what I know will be a brilliant series. The writing, the characters, the time travel, the exploding action all wraps up another great Colfer book that I enjoyed immensely. And, though, not as good as Artemis Fowl, I have nothing but praise for The Reluctant Assassin and of course for Eoin Colfer himself. Still my #1 favorite author and I can't wait to read more of his work.
The Reluctant Assassin takes us to the year 1898 in London, which to me is a reason alone to start freaking out like a fangirl. We meet Riley, a 14 year-old orphan boy who's taken in under the wings of the evil illusionist Albert Garrick who can be hired as an assassin. When Garrick forces Riley to commit his first murder, luckily he is saved from the act when the victim turns out to be part of the FBI's Witness Anonymous Relocation Program otherwise knows as WARP from the future. By accident Riley gets transported to modern day London with Garrick on his trail.
Meanwhile in modern day London 17 year-old FBI agent Chevron Savano (Chevie) has been send to London as part of punishment and needing to lay low after an operation gone awry in Los Angeles. It's there that she helps Riley flee from Garrick, who's been altered by the wormhole, making him an scientific expert and more dangerous than ever if he'd find a way back to Victorion London where he could literally take over the world with his knowledge.
Even after all the Colfer books I have read I am still dazzled by how good his writing is. I mean, seriously, it's top-notch. I love how ingenious it all was and how well he described Victorian London. It was as I was there and could pretty much see and smell everything that was going on there.
I've never been much of a fan of time travel stories but I should have know that when Eoin Colfer takes on the subject he would make it brilliant and that's just what he did. I loved the idea of the Witness Anonymous Relocation Program and being transported via wormholes. It just mades the sci-fi nerd in my all giddy!
My favorite things in this whole book were the characters. Every single one of them were interesting in their own way. Naturally I liked our three main characters, Riley, Chevie and Garrick the best. Yes, even the bad guy. I love to read about the baddies and how crazy they are. And let me tell ya, Garrick is one of the craziest I have ever read about and that why Eoin Colfer writes the best evil characters I've read about.
I must say, though, that Riley was my favorite character. I loved the way he talked. I could hear his accent in my voice almost and other than that he's pretty smart and very witty. Speaking of witty, that brings us to Chevie. She was awesome and kick-ass. She could handle her own and yet wasn't scared to admit how it all became too much at some point. Like she herself said, she's only 17 years old and wasn't meant to be caught up in all the time travel business. But she never did gave up, even when things seemed at their worst.
There were a lot of other great characters. Colfer really does have a knack to write some really remarkable people with a lot of wit that will always stay with me.
The whole story itself was really good worked out in my opinion. Slowly, but surely everything comes together and we all learn more about our three leads. How Riley became an orphan, what really happened there, what made Garrick how he is and what happened to Chevie in L.A. Though this book is considered a Childrens/Middle Grade book it might be aimed more at a little older audience, maybe. And I must say it never got boring. I don't think it's possible to get bored with a Colfer book. Never.
The ending was really well done, as always. No surprise there either. I was sad to see Chevie and Riley part ways but that's how it's gotta go, man. That's how it's gotta go. I'm pretty sure they'll meet again if I have learned something about Eoin Colfer's books is that there's always something that's going to happen again where the characters will once again meet and there is always a third or fourth or fifth party involved. Mark my words!
So, people, Artemis Fowl may be over, but Eoin Colfer is back! The Reluctant Assassin was a brilliant start to what I know will be a brilliant series. The writing, the characters, the time travel, the exploding action all wraps up another great Colfer book that I enjoyed immensely. And, though, not as good as Artemis Fowl, I have nothing but praise for The Reluctant Assassin and of course for Eoin Colfer himself. Still my #1 favorite author and I can't wait to read more of his work.
October 4, 2013
MEMO
Date: 2011
To: Eoin Colfer
From: Department of Terrible Advice
Subject: New Series (or Serial Killer?)
It has come to our attention that you would like to write a new series designed for young adults. Since you have experienced success with your previous books, you may feel some level of confidence. You should! Artemis Fowl has been a resounding success. The characters practically leap off the page and fart in your face! And dialogue so sharp, it could cut diamonds.
However, teenagers are strange and elusive breed. They wander around in packs, obsessed with each other and slaves to the siren song of technology. How can you pull them away from snapchattweeting? By creating a book designed to appeal to their special needs!
We are here to let you know what teens like so you can create the best book for them.
Teens love:
If you follow our advice, we promise an instant classic!
Date: 2011
To: Eoin Colfer
From: Department of Terrible Advice
Subject: New Series (or Serial Killer?)
It has come to our attention that you would like to write a new series designed for young adults. Since you have experienced success with your previous books, you may feel some level of confidence. You should! Artemis Fowl has been a resounding success. The characters practically leap off the page and fart in your face! And dialogue so sharp, it could cut diamonds.
However, teenagers are strange and elusive breed. They wander around in packs, obsessed with each other and slaves to the siren song of technology. How can you pull them away from snapchattweeting? By creating a book designed to appeal to their special needs!
We are here to let you know what teens like so you can create the best book for them.
Teens love:
*Long descriptions of the setting.
*Descriptions of historical settings.
*Repeating the exact same scene within the same chapter, but from a different character's viewpoint. We promise that it won't be tedious.
*A spunky heroine who is forcefully confined to being spunky. DO NOT ALLOW HER TO DEVELOP DEPTH. Keep it nice and shallow.
*An everyman (or everyboy, in this case) who is always correct and utterly bland.
*Did we mention that teens LOVE it when you describe houses? Do more of that.
*An end boss who is horrifically violent and yet surprisingly nonthreatening. Make sure to spend lots of time from his point of view to take away any of the mystery or threat.
*Limit clever dialogue - one or two moments of witty banter should be enough for the entire book.
*MORE DESCRIPTIONS. Of magic or science or how London used to smell bad and have bad coffee. As you can see from this list, no point is made unless it is repeated ad nauseam.
If you follow our advice, we promise an instant classic!
December 15, 2017
After the Artemis fowl fairy magic joyride this book comes as a refreshing change of direction, with pseudo science time machines and under age FBI agents mixed with victorian footpads and demented London magician/ assassins. Chevvie makes for a tough leading lady and Riley a lovable orphan with an interesting skill set.
Young orphan Riley is whisked from the past into the modern age by a cockamamie time machine and into the hands of the FBI. His devilish master Albert Garrick follows, acquiring super-powers on the way. The Feds are soon cut down by Garrick, and Riley flees with Junior Agent Chevron Savano. With Garrick relentlessly on their heels they bounce around in time with barely a moment to gather their thoughts and comprehend the situation.
Time travels stories always set themselves up for logical conundrums and paradoxes. WARP is no exception. Colfer tries to cover all aspects of the time travel process but still creates parallel universes which contradict what has already been established. The story switches between the present day and 1898 both physically and narratively, and it's easy to keep up with though there are a couple of moments when the lack of description leads to confusion (Garrick's re-emergence in 1898 is barely detailed and it just sort of jumps to him being in the Orient Theatre). I'm not entirely sure of the Junior FBI agent thing works, and there are couple of frustrating coincidences that keep all of the story threads conveniently tied together instead of being free and loose.
Young orphan Riley is whisked from the past into the modern age by a cockamamie time machine and into the hands of the FBI. His devilish master Albert Garrick follows, acquiring super-powers on the way. The Feds are soon cut down by Garrick, and Riley flees with Junior Agent Chevron Savano. With Garrick relentlessly on their heels they bounce around in time with barely a moment to gather their thoughts and comprehend the situation.
Time travels stories always set themselves up for logical conundrums and paradoxes. WARP is no exception. Colfer tries to cover all aspects of the time travel process but still creates parallel universes which contradict what has already been established. The story switches between the present day and 1898 both physically and narratively, and it's easy to keep up with though there are a couple of moments when the lack of description leads to confusion (Garrick's re-emergence in 1898 is barely detailed and it just sort of jumps to him being in the Orient Theatre). I'm not entirely sure of the Junior FBI agent thing works, and there are couple of frustrating coincidences that keep all of the story threads conveniently tied together instead of being free and loose.
April 20, 2013
Comparisons to Artemis Fowl, I think, are going to be inevitable with W.A.R.P.. It’s probably always that way when a respected children’s author ends one beloved series to start another, and more so especially when the last book in Eoin Colfer’s best known series was released less than a year ago. I know many people are still getting their hands on The Last Guardian, heck I’m still getting comments on my review, so there’s a bit of nostalgia attached to this too and in a way it’s like I’m rooting for Colfer’s new series to succeed. That said though, I do think Colfer has done enough to distinguish The Reluctant Assassin from Artemis Fowl - enough, at least, for a favorable comparison.
There are probably only two things I should note about this series. The first - Artemis Fowl was always a silly series, yes it got sillier and more nonsensical as time went on, but even the first book was plenty silly; W.A.R.P. on the other hand is not. Yes, there are jokes, there are references, there are people with gorilla arms or dinosaur heads and all sorts of weirdness, but unlike his previous series about mud men and fae, Colfer actually plays this one with a straight face. We start out with the aforementioned reluctant assassin, Riley, about to kill an old man in his bed in Victorian England, and it’s violent, there are knives and murder and lives at risk, and it’s all done in a way that’s not Artemis Fowl, where yes there’s murderous trolls and dangerous pixies but besides that one time when Butler’s shot the violence is, well cartoonish, because Artemis is a genius and even in the most dangerous of circumstances surely he’ll come up with some brilliant scheme that lets the gang escape from harm. Well, not here, nothing against Riley or kid FBI agent Chevron Savano, but neither of them is Artemis Fowl, so while they have their own talents, the threat from evil magician slash professional murderer Albert Garrick is much more real.
The second - the premise smacks of a mix of The Time Paradox and The Last Guardian. If you rolled your eyes at the way Opal Koboi became a threat in The Last Guardian, unfortunately Garrick does pretty much the same thing. Sure, I have a problem with it, it’s just a bit too convenient and recycled, but on the other hand in order for the plot to work, in order for a Victorian Age villain to truly pose a threat in the present, you know, to be able to fire that high caliber assault rifle straight from the FBI weapons locker rather than bumble around like the stereotypical wide eyed visitor from the past who takes the TV for a magic box, it had to be done. I don’t like it (or the distracting point of view changes between Riley and Chevie for that matter), but I learned to live with it, because even with the way it was done I like that Colfer still did it with an appreciably serious turn, and I really can’t argue with the results, not with the way The Reluctant Assassin really grew on me over the course of the story.
How? I already mentioned my problems with premise, but once the story moved beyond the setup, there’s a lot to like. Like the scrappiness of the characters - if I had to describe this book in one word, that’d be it, scrappy - there’s no Artemis Fowl the boy genius who can get out of every problem just by thinking or Mulch Diggums with his million useful dwarf abilities or even Foaly and all his gadgets, Riley doesn’t have any of that and how he gets out of his problems is just being scrappy, replacing the quaint if silly absurdity of Artemis Fowl with a fighting spirit that’s enjoyable in its own way. Same thing with Chevie Savano, she’s more like Holly Short, but still, no fairy magic, no fairy technology, it’s just her kickbutt attitude and all the fight in her, punching and kicking her way through their problems. And the other thing, the time travel element isn’t exactly new, but it’s still handled differently than in The Time Paradox, this time the conspiracy is bigger with far more players, setting up sequels in a way that makes me think Colfer really refined his approach to time travel after doing Time Paradox and Last Guardian.
So no, W.A.R.P. doesn’t remind me of Artemis Fowl at all. It’s different, definitely more serious, but I like it.
There are probably only two things I should note about this series. The first - Artemis Fowl was always a silly series, yes it got sillier and more nonsensical as time went on, but even the first book was plenty silly; W.A.R.P. on the other hand is not. Yes, there are jokes, there are references, there are people with gorilla arms or dinosaur heads and all sorts of weirdness, but unlike his previous series about mud men and fae, Colfer actually plays this one with a straight face. We start out with the aforementioned reluctant assassin, Riley, about to kill an old man in his bed in Victorian England, and it’s violent, there are knives and murder and lives at risk, and it’s all done in a way that’s not Artemis Fowl, where yes there’s murderous trolls and dangerous pixies but besides that one time when Butler’s shot the violence is, well cartoonish, because Artemis is a genius and even in the most dangerous of circumstances surely he’ll come up with some brilliant scheme that lets the gang escape from harm. Well, not here, nothing against Riley or kid FBI agent Chevron Savano, but neither of them is Artemis Fowl, so while they have their own talents, the threat from evil magician slash professional murderer Albert Garrick is much more real.
The second - the premise smacks of a mix of The Time Paradox and The Last Guardian. If you rolled your eyes at the way Opal Koboi became a threat in The Last Guardian, unfortunately Garrick does pretty much the same thing. Sure, I have a problem with it, it’s just a bit too convenient and recycled, but on the other hand in order for the plot to work, in order for a Victorian Age villain to truly pose a threat in the present, you know, to be able to fire that high caliber assault rifle straight from the FBI weapons locker rather than bumble around like the stereotypical wide eyed visitor from the past who takes the TV for a magic box, it had to be done. I don’t like it (or the distracting point of view changes between Riley and Chevie for that matter), but I learned to live with it, because even with the way it was done I like that Colfer still did it with an appreciably serious turn, and I really can’t argue with the results, not with the way The Reluctant Assassin really grew on me over the course of the story.
How? I already mentioned my problems with premise, but once the story moved beyond the setup, there’s a lot to like. Like the scrappiness of the characters - if I had to describe this book in one word, that’d be it, scrappy - there’s no Artemis Fowl the boy genius who can get out of every problem just by thinking or Mulch Diggums with his million useful dwarf abilities or even Foaly and all his gadgets, Riley doesn’t have any of that and how he gets out of his problems is just being scrappy, replacing the quaint if silly absurdity of Artemis Fowl with a fighting spirit that’s enjoyable in its own way. Same thing with Chevie Savano, she’s more like Holly Short, but still, no fairy magic, no fairy technology, it’s just her kickbutt attitude and all the fight in her, punching and kicking her way through their problems. And the other thing, the time travel element isn’t exactly new, but it’s still handled differently than in The Time Paradox, this time the conspiracy is bigger with far more players, setting up sequels in a way that makes me think Colfer really refined his approach to time travel after doing Time Paradox and Last Guardian.
So no, W.A.R.P. doesn’t remind me of Artemis Fowl at all. It’s different, definitely more serious, but I like it.
July 15, 2016
This was a wonderful time traveling adventure! This is the first book I have read by Eoin Colfer and I am sure it will not be the last. He does a good job bringing two different worlds together in a frantic game of cat and mouse.
In current time we have young Chevron, a 16 year old FBI agent who is hustled away from being further known by the public. She is sent to London, to 'baby-sit' a pot with the instructions to notify her new superior if anything comes out. For 6 months she is bored when suddenly a boy materializes holding a knife over a mutated man. The boy, Riley,is from the past 110 year ago and warns her that Garrick is Death and is coming for him!
This book is creative and fast paced! At first I was baffles about a 16 year old being in the FBI but that does get explained. At least enough to make the story flow along. Chevron and Riley are constantly trying to run away from Garrick, who is one deadly opponent! I loved Riley's character the best. He seemed very down to earth, practical, caring, smart and fun to be around. While the plot jumped around between the three main characters' points of view, Riley's is one I would have liked to see more. Chevron seemed to have a neat personality, with a sassy edge but I just couldn't get quite as into her. Garrick annoyed me. Also, he is merged with another man after he travels through time which muddles his character too much for my taste.
Again, the pace was great for most of this book. Constantly moving forward, while unfolding lots of back-story on the characters. While parts of the book were predictable it was still an enjoyable read and the ending does leave you wondering what is ahead in the next book!
*I received a copy of this book from Disney Book Group in return for a fair and honest review. No money or gifts were exchanged/involved. The opinions stated in this review are my own!
In current time we have young Chevron, a 16 year old FBI agent who is hustled away from being further known by the public. She is sent to London, to 'baby-sit' a pot with the instructions to notify her new superior if anything comes out. For 6 months she is bored when suddenly a boy materializes holding a knife over a mutated man. The boy, Riley,is from the past 110 year ago and warns her that Garrick is Death and is coming for him!
This book is creative and fast paced! At first I was baffles about a 16 year old being in the FBI but that does get explained. At least enough to make the story flow along. Chevron and Riley are constantly trying to run away from Garrick, who is one deadly opponent! I loved Riley's character the best. He seemed very down to earth, practical, caring, smart and fun to be around. While the plot jumped around between the three main characters' points of view, Riley's is one I would have liked to see more. Chevron seemed to have a neat personality, with a sassy edge but I just couldn't get quite as into her. Garrick annoyed me. Also, he is merged with another man after he travels through time which muddles his character too much for my taste.
Again, the pace was great for most of this book. Constantly moving forward, while unfolding lots of back-story on the characters. While parts of the book were predictable it was still an enjoyable read and the ending does leave you wondering what is ahead in the next book!
*I received a copy of this book from Disney Book Group in return for a fair and honest review. No money or gifts were exchanged/involved. The opinions stated in this review are my own!
March 1, 2014
Sigh. Let's start with the positive. Chevron Savano is a cool woman of color teenage fbi agent. Good job on your choice of leading lady, Eoin Colfer. Now, if only you had actually let her develop any sort of personality aside from "cool and spunky", we maybe would have gotten somewhere.
I was looking forward to this book, but try as I might to love it as I did previous Colfer books, it just didn't connect with me. The villain is at once extremely violent and seemingly all-powerful and yet somehow never actually feels threatening. There is action all the time, and yet I was bored through most of it. I WANTED to like the protagonists, but I just couldn't bring myself to care. Both the humor and the heart that I usually love about his style just weren't there to balance out the action, and the story wasn't strong enough to pull me in without them.
I was looking forward to this book, but try as I might to love it as I did previous Colfer books, it just didn't connect with me. The villain is at once extremely violent and seemingly all-powerful and yet somehow never actually feels threatening. There is action all the time, and yet I was bored through most of it. I WANTED to like the protagonists, but I just couldn't bring myself to care. Both the humor and the heart that I usually love about his style just weren't there to balance out the action, and the story wasn't strong enough to pull me in without them.
February 19, 2017
Vrah na vyšší zabijácké úrovni než Jack Rozparovač? ✓
Promyšlený stroj času, kterému nemůže konkurovat žádný jiný? ✓ (I přesto, že má jen 97% úspěšnost)
Agentka, co by si ráda smáčela vlasy ve slzách svých protivníků? ✓
Kluk - sirotek - skoro vrah - skoro kouzelník - fikaný jak cosi fikaného - trošku dvanáctiletý ochlasta? ✓
Dobrá honička napříč staletími? ✓
Vraždy, mučeníčka, mrtvolky, souboje, krev...? ✓
Četba pro věkovou kategorii 12+? HAHA
Bože, bylo to skvělé!
Tak proč ji ještě nemáte v "to-read"?
Promyšlený stroj času, kterému nemůže konkurovat žádný jiný? ✓ (I přesto, že má jen 97% úspěšnost)
Agentka, co by si ráda smáčela vlasy ve slzách svých protivníků? ✓
Kluk - sirotek - skoro vrah - skoro kouzelník - fikaný jak cosi fikaného - trošku dvanáctiletý ochlasta? ✓
Dobrá honička napříč staletími? ✓
Vraždy, mučeníčka, mrtvolky, souboje, krev...? ✓
Četba pro věkovou kategorii 12+? HAHA
Bože, bylo to skvělé!
Tak proč ji ještě nemáte v "to-read"?
October 12, 2013
I apologize in advance Mr. Colfer for my high expectations about this book.
Surely one who has read almost all the books you have ever written has a bit of criteria.
I expected the book to be:
-humorous
-sprinkled with bits of genius
-having characters reminiscent of Artemis Fowl
-one with deliciously evil characters which the protagonist is fighting whether or not they like it
-the type of book that leaves me mindblown
So, did this meet those expectations?
Let's get to that later. First things first.
The summary of this book is above, so let's cut to the chase.
After reading this book, I can say that the book was humorous, after all, when 21st century United States and 19th century England clash there are many odd obstacles one is bound to face and Mr. Colfer used that to his advantage.
That said, to those who have read Artemis Fowl, Riley is NOTHING like Artemis. He is smart, but at the same time his wits are more street smart than genius mathematical calculation smart. Riley is also one of the most innocent characters in the book to the point it got a wee bit infuriating and one wanted to jump into the book and hit the kid on the head.
Which brings me to the next point that Riley was injured multiple times for multiple reasons, and there was usually a girl named Chevie (who is a bit like a mix of Juliet Butler, Holly Short, and something else altogether) to groan and mope about his stupidity aka lack of knowledge about the 21st century and too much knowledge about various superstitions.
But what do these two good-hearted characters fight against? That would be Garrick. Garrick is a character one tends to love for his complexity, flexibility, and unfailing and unnerving evil aura.
Is he the perfect antagonist?
Well, he is quite flawed, which is always nice to see, but he also somewhat unhuman, which can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing.
Overall, he does give you the crap crap crap crap please don't hurt me jibe, though that might've just been my mix of nerves and fangirl instincts stirring in a large mixer of complicated emotions.
Back to the point.
There are a vast majority of minor characters and if one has read Airman, a certain Otto Malarkey may turn up again somewhere among the pages.
I shall end saying that laughing is proven to help one live longer, and Colfer again, has undoubtedly added a few more seconds, minutes, maybe even hours to my life.
My expectations have been over-fulfilled and to top it with a good cake metaphor, Colfer presented me with a tiny bit flawed yet overall very filling triple-layer cake which was, of course, created from scratch with all natural ingredients...and maybe even a bit of magic.
Surely one who has read almost all the books you have ever written has a bit of criteria.
I expected the book to be:
-humorous
-sprinkled with bits of genius
-having characters reminiscent of Artemis Fowl
-one with deliciously evil characters which the protagonist is fighting whether or not they like it
-the type of book that leaves me mindblown
So, did this meet those expectations?
Let's get to that later. First things first.
The summary of this book is above, so let's cut to the chase.
After reading this book, I can say that the book was humorous, after all, when 21st century United States and 19th century England clash there are many odd obstacles one is bound to face and Mr. Colfer used that to his advantage.
That said, to those who have read Artemis Fowl, Riley is NOTHING like Artemis. He is smart, but at the same time his wits are more street smart than genius mathematical calculation smart. Riley is also one of the most innocent characters in the book to the point it got a wee bit infuriating and one wanted to jump into the book and hit the kid on the head.
Which brings me to the next point that Riley was injured multiple times for multiple reasons, and there was usually a girl named Chevie (who is a bit like a mix of Juliet Butler, Holly Short, and something else altogether) to groan and mope about his stupidity aka lack of knowledge about the 21st century and too much knowledge about various superstitions.
But what do these two good-hearted characters fight against? That would be Garrick. Garrick is a character one tends to love for his complexity, flexibility, and unfailing and unnerving evil aura.
Is he the perfect antagonist?
Well, he is quite flawed, which is always nice to see, but he also somewhat unhuman, which can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing.
Overall, he does give you the crap crap crap crap please don't hurt me jibe, though that might've just been my mix of nerves and fangirl instincts stirring in a large mixer of complicated emotions.
Back to the point.
There are a vast majority of minor characters and if one has read Airman, a certain Otto Malarkey may turn up again somewhere among the pages.
I shall end saying that laughing is proven to help one live longer, and Colfer again, has undoubtedly added a few more seconds, minutes, maybe even hours to my life.
My expectations have been over-fulfilled and to top it with a good cake metaphor, Colfer presented me with a tiny bit flawed yet overall very filling triple-layer cake which was, of course, created from scratch with all natural ingredients...and maybe even a bit of magic.
June 11, 2015
Eoin Colfer entführt den Leser mit seiner Zeitmaschine in das düstere Viktorianische Zeitalter. Zusammen mit der jungen Möchtegern-FBI-Agentin Chevron Savano und dem viktorianischen Jungen Riley gilt es vor dem mordlüsternen Zauberkünstler Garrick zu fliehen. Die Charaktere sind sehr glaubhaft gestaltet und die Bösewichter sind interessant und gewaltbereit.
Die gute alte Zeitmaschine ist jetzt technisch frisiert und wenn man nicht aufpasst, kann es mit ein wenig Pech zu ungewollten Mutationen kommen. Die Atmosphäre ist düster, das London vor 150 Jahren bestimmt kein Reiseziel, dass man ohne das nötige Kleingeld freiwillig besuchen möchte und so bekommt der Leser auch eine Charles-Dickens-Szeneriegeboten. Der Schreibstil lässt keine unnötige Atempause zu und so kann garantiert keine Langeweile aufkommen. Hier kommen Jugendliche beiderlei Geschlechts in den Genuss einer spannenden Geschichte. Ich freue mich jedenfalls schon auf den zweiten Teil.
Warum man zu diesem Buch greifen sollte:
1. Man ein Fan von Zeitreisen ist
2. Es gerne auch etwas düsterer und brutaler sein darf
3. Man ein Fan von Eoin Colfers Büchern ist
Die gute alte Zeitmaschine ist jetzt technisch frisiert und wenn man nicht aufpasst, kann es mit ein wenig Pech zu ungewollten Mutationen kommen. Die Atmosphäre ist düster, das London vor 150 Jahren bestimmt kein Reiseziel, dass man ohne das nötige Kleingeld freiwillig besuchen möchte und so bekommt der Leser auch eine Charles-Dickens-Szeneriegeboten. Der Schreibstil lässt keine unnötige Atempause zu und so kann garantiert keine Langeweile aufkommen. Hier kommen Jugendliche beiderlei Geschlechts in den Genuss einer spannenden Geschichte. Ich freue mich jedenfalls schon auf den zweiten Teil.
Warum man zu diesem Buch greifen sollte:
1. Man ein Fan von Zeitreisen ist
2. Es gerne auch etwas düsterer und brutaler sein darf
3. Man ein Fan von Eoin Colfers Büchern ist
July 3, 2018
I loved this book than I did when I read it 4 years ago it was well written and I liked all of the characters they were really interesting. I really liked the characters especially Riley and Chevie I really liked how they were written Riley seemed like what he was a 19th-century boy and Chevie was so very interesting she was well written and perfect for the modern point of view even the villain's point of view was interesting to read. I really enjoyed this story I loved the time travel part of the story as well as the evil assassin thing it was all very interesting. So overall I liked this book an will now be reading book 2 soon.
June 25, 2016
This is a very entertaining time-travel novel that swings between the 19th and 21st centuries. The two main characters are quite engaging and the page-turning adventure laces the exciting danger with wit. The villain is also quite an interesting figure--particularly when he melds with another character in a wormhole.
As a first book in a trilogy, this is a winner! One hopes that the sequels will live up to this wonderful opener.
As a first book in a trilogy, this is a winner! One hopes that the sequels will live up to this wonderful opener.
May 7, 2023
Molto carino questo nuovo libro di Eoin Colfer, personaggi interessanti, una trama sci-fi bella ingarbugliata (adoro i viaggi nel tempo e le loro strane conseguenze) e un finale aperto e pronto per nuove avventure.
***
A very cute new book by Eoin Colfer, interesting characters, a nice tangled sci-fi plot (I love time travel and their strange consequences) and an open ending, ready for new adventures to come.
***
A very cute new book by Eoin Colfer, interesting characters, a nice tangled sci-fi plot (I love time travel and their strange consequences) and an open ending, ready for new adventures to come.
Read
July 30, 2024I remembered another book I read in 7th grade :)
March 20, 2017
Here is a great first book of a series, by the writer who brought us Artemis Fowl. I really did like this book. It was a really good set up of characters, world defining and introduction to what the series is going,to become. If you have liked any of Eoin Colfer's previous books, you will certainly like this one.
July 17, 2020
The main thing that was left with me during and after reading this book was the amount of material simply lost in translation. I feel the book would have had exponentially more charm in the original language. The old victorian english way of talking and scottish accent and other things that were mentioned specifically did not show at all. Also some of the references to pop-culture and expressions did not click that much due to the Finnish language.
Other than that, the book is really close to the charmingness of Artemis Fowl. The basic setting is fairly close. A normalish person mixed up with fantasy elements that flavour up the story. None of the characters were as interesting or fleshed out as in the compared series but there was nothing really that bad about it. All the characters seemed to not have really much depth to them and they didnt really grow during the book. Their backstories in themselves were great and I liked the characters but in the end they felt a bit shallow.
I liked the time-travel element and also the risks of mutation involved. The entire book was pretty much revolved around this so the premise was enjoyable. And all in all so was the entire book.
Other than that, the book is really close to the charmingness of Artemis Fowl. The basic setting is fairly close. A normalish person mixed up with fantasy elements that flavour up the story. None of the characters were as interesting or fleshed out as in the compared series but there was nothing really that bad about it. All the characters seemed to not have really much depth to them and they didnt really grow during the book. Their backstories in themselves were great and I liked the characters but in the end they felt a bit shallow.
I liked the time-travel element and also the risks of mutation involved. The entire book was pretty much revolved around this so the premise was enjoyable. And all in all so was the entire book.
April 28, 2015
The concept behind The Reluctant Assassin caught me right off that bat! I mean, a witness protection program involving time travel? How could I resist?!
The Witness Anonymous Relocation Program (W.A.R.P.) takes very high level and important witnesses from major trials via wormhole into the past where (or should I say when) the bad guys won't be able to get to them before it's time to testify. When Victorian era Albert Garrick, an illusionist and assassin, brings his "protege" Riley along on a hit, it turns out the target is a WARP scientist, and Riley gets dragged into present day London along with the scientist as he dies. In the present, he is helped by "junior" F.B.I. agent Chevie Savano (only in London as punishment for a mission gone south) in order to evade Garrick who also managed to come through. Garrick has big plans; he plans to use his newfound knowledge to go back to Victorian London and literally change the world.
Eoin Colfer writes excellent characters (and Maxwell Caulfield is great at giving them voice!), so Riley, Chevie, and especially Garrick are fascinating to watch on their journey. Even though Chevie could be a bit stubborn at times it really works with her character and where she comes from. Colfer is also quite good at giving just the right amount of historical detail, so we can really get a good sense of culture shock on both ends of the wormhole. I also liked that we got a pretty good idea of how time travel works via the wormhole.
I definitely recommend this fast-paced, time-hopping, middle grade adventure for fans of Back to the Future, Doctor Who, Warehouse 13, The Twilight Zone, and Artemis Fowl!
Some favorite moments:
Charismo's Commander James Bond of Her Majesty's Navy, Pinkus Floyd "Another Brick in Yonder Wall", Batman of Gotham City, The Panther That Wore Pink, etc.
"Why would she bring me Scotsmen? What help would that be?" -Riley's thoughts on being told he would be getting some McDonald's later.
Agent Orange/Felix Smart should definitely be played by a grayer David Tennant speaking with his natural accent if this is ever adapted for screen! I almost expected Smart's password to be TARDIS rather than H.G. Wells!
When one goes through the wormhole they seem to come out freezing (and a little loopy) just like the Delorean!
"The Take That are most melodic and God bless Harry Potter is all I can say. If not for him all of London would have been consumed by the Dark Arts." -Riley on what he's learned from the tv of the 21st century while staying at the F.B.I. Out House.
The Witness Anonymous Relocation Program (W.A.R.P.) takes very high level and important witnesses from major trials via wormhole into the past where (or should I say when) the bad guys won't be able to get to them before it's time to testify. When Victorian era Albert Garrick, an illusionist and assassin, brings his "protege" Riley along on a hit, it turns out the target is a WARP scientist, and Riley gets dragged into present day London along with the scientist as he dies. In the present, he is helped by "junior" F.B.I. agent Chevie Savano (only in London as punishment for a mission gone south) in order to evade Garrick who also managed to come through. Garrick has big plans; he plans to use his newfound knowledge to go back to Victorian London and literally change the world.
Eoin Colfer writes excellent characters (and Maxwell Caulfield is great at giving them voice!), so Riley, Chevie, and especially Garrick are fascinating to watch on their journey. Even though Chevie could be a bit stubborn at times it really works with her character and where she comes from. Colfer is also quite good at giving just the right amount of historical detail, so we can really get a good sense of culture shock on both ends of the wormhole. I also liked that we got a pretty good idea of how time travel works via the wormhole.
I definitely recommend this fast-paced, time-hopping, middle grade adventure for fans of Back to the Future, Doctor Who, Warehouse 13, The Twilight Zone, and Artemis Fowl!
Some favorite moments:
Charismo's Commander James Bond of Her Majesty's Navy, Pinkus Floyd "Another Brick in Yonder Wall", Batman of Gotham City, The Panther That Wore Pink, etc.
"Why would she bring me Scotsmen? What help would that be?" -Riley's thoughts on being told he would be getting some McDonald's later.
Agent Orange/Felix Smart should definitely be played by a grayer David Tennant speaking with his natural accent if this is ever adapted for screen! I almost expected Smart's password to be TARDIS rather than H.G. Wells!
When one goes through the wormhole they seem to come out freezing (and a little loopy) just like the Delorean!
"The Take That are most melodic and God bless Harry Potter is all I can say. If not for him all of London would have been consumed by the Dark Arts." -Riley on what he's learned from the tv of the 21st century while staying at the F.B.I. Out House.
May 29, 2013
Given my love for the Artemis Fowl series, I was expecting more of the same. Perhaps why I didn't enjoy it as much. The new protagonists were nothing like Artemis, so, infinitely less brains, which reflected in how they navigated every difficulty they faced. Rather one-dimensional too, till late into the book .
My biggest gripe: The AF series prided itself on being intelligent YA. All the various "fantasy" science had credible explanations, or some attempts therein. Only found very vague explanations of how the entire time travel shindig worked, which really put me off.
There was typical Colfer banter though, which is this book's saving grace. Especially when it comes to the villain, who was the standout character from the book.
Still had hopes that the series would flesh out in the later books, till I was low blowed by the classic "bad" ending: HATE. THAT.
My biggest gripe: The AF series prided itself on being intelligent YA. All the various "fantasy" science had credible explanations, or some attempts therein. Only found very vague explanations of how the entire time travel shindig worked, which really put me off.
There was typical Colfer banter though, which is this book's saving grace. Especially when it comes to the villain, who was the standout character from the book.
Still had hopes that the series would flesh out in the later books, till I was low blowed by the classic "bad" ending: HATE. THAT.
December 28, 2023
Ta książka ma bardzo ciekawą, oryginalną fabułę. Od pierwszych stron dużo się dzieje. Histotia jest wciągającą.
Dwójki glownych bohaterów nie da się nie lubić. Świat przedstawiony został wykreowany w taki sposób, że jest złożony ale prosty do zrozumienia.
Polecam!
Dwójki glownych bohaterów nie da się nie lubić. Świat przedstawiony został wykreowany w taki sposób, że jest złożony ale prosty do zrozumienia.
Polecam!
December 16, 2019
I decided to give this a read, as I was looking for something quick and, having read almost all the Artemis Fowl books, was intrigued by a new set of characters by Eoin Colfer. I have to say that I do favor the Artemis and Holly Short duo over Chevie Savano and her 19th century street urchin sidekick, Riley, but I did enjoy this first book in W.A.R.P. series well enough. I found myself finishing this story in a few days and now I am going to buy the next two books in the series... The Hangman's Revolution (#2) and The Forever Man (#3). The Reluctant Assassin spends some of the time filling the reader in on the backstories of the characters, but I didn't think it was overly detailed in this area. The action pace was good for the age group it was intended for. One thing I did feel was that it was on the rather gory side for younger readers. Just my cautionary note for those that may pick it up thinking it is on par with Artemis Fowl series. Definitely darker.
April 19, 2020
To be honest I’m not the biggest fan of Science Fiction but this book was amazing! Even for a non science fiction reader like me! Absolutely blown away by the characters and story line. So if you enjoy time travel and villains so bad that your toe nails curl this book is definitely for you. Already excited to be reading the next one of this series.
Also, this book had one of the most thrilling epilogs that just keep making it more exciting...
Also, this book had one of the most thrilling epilogs that just keep making it more exciting...
November 12, 2019
This book was absolutely impossible to put down! The stakes were high, the time travel was fascinating, the characters were developed and relatable despite their intense backgrounds. Looking forward to reading The Hangman's Revolution!
January 31, 2022
Good book kinda bloody but still good like the storyline.
March 6, 2013
This review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca).
Note: My sincere thanks to Disney Book Group and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-
book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My Thoughts: I have to admit that I requested this book from NetGalley based on only two things. First, the book was from the highly successful Eoin Colfer - author of the extremely popular Artemis Fowl series. And even though I had never read any of his books {yet} I was quite excited to give this new series a try since my oldest son was so hooked on the Artemis series. Secondly, the premise was really, really cool. A witness protection programme that uses a time travel worm hole to hide its witnesses? Oh yes, sign me up, please!
I'm happy to report that Colfer has created a book that is strong start to his new series. It's full of time travel, lots of action and interesting characters. One of my favourite characters has got to be the evil, creepy and deliciously sinister Garrick. He's an illusionist who isn't satisfied with his lot in life and has higher goals of domination which makes for a great 'bad guy'. While he does have a slightly clichéd feel (he gives off a little of the 'moustache twisting, bwah-ha-ha' kind of creepiness) he still has enough realism to create a nice amount of suspense and a real threat to Riley and Chevie. You never knew when he'd catch up to Riley and Chevie and I loved that.
Another thing that made Garrick stand out for me is the fact that when he travelled through the wormhole he was altered and was able to gain not only special abilities but the knowledge of one of the Special Agents of W.A.R.P. He's now a sinister, evil, morphing genius who can function in both time periods. The story possibilities are endless!
The other two main characters are just as well-rounded and interesting. Chevron (aka Chevie) is a strong, funny, realistically flawed and sarcastic main character. Was she portrayed as more mature than I was expecting for a 17 year old? A bit but she also has a job and responsibilities that not many 17 years olds can boast of having. Something else that made her stand out was the fact that she has Native American heritage. I felt that it made her breath of fresh air and while we're introduced to her heritage, it didn't take over the storyline but merely added to her depth of character.
Young Riley, the reluctant assassin himself, is a street urchin with a heart. While Riley is a good main character and interacts well with Chevie and Garrick I will admit that he seems a lot younger and more immature than the 14 year old he's supposed to be. His reactions and overall demeanor seem to be more of a 9 year old’s. Perhaps that's the differences in the period he lived in? Overall, he's an interesting character and I like how he engages with Chevie.
I only have a couple criticisms -- and honestly I can't really even call them criticisms. First, I have to warn that this book was much gorier and bloody than I was expecting from a YA read that, I assume, is aimed at fans of his Artemis Fowl series (Boy 1 read the series when he was about 10 or 11 years old). The evil acts start right away with young Riley being taught the correct way to kill someone with a knife and go on from there. It's the fact that it's a young boy being taught, not some random zombie or other imaginary supernatural creature, that gave me some pause. That said, the book does have the word "assassin" in its title so I suppose I was fairly warned.
Also, due to the fact that the author had to set up characters, storylines etc for this new series I felt that, at one point, the pace suffered a bit for it. Definitely not enough for me to lose interest but the book starts out so strong that when the pace dips a little you notice it.
All in all, this is a strong start to a very promising new series. I look forward to seeing where Colfer will take this series.
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Note: My sincere thanks to Disney Book Group and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-
book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My Thoughts: I have to admit that I requested this book from NetGalley based on only two things. First, the book was from the highly successful Eoin Colfer - author of the extremely popular Artemis Fowl series. And even though I had never read any of his books {yet} I was quite excited to give this new series a try since my oldest son was so hooked on the Artemis series. Secondly, the premise was really, really cool. A witness protection programme that uses a time travel worm hole to hide its witnesses? Oh yes, sign me up, please!
I'm happy to report that Colfer has created a book that is strong start to his new series. It's full of time travel, lots of action and interesting characters. One of my favourite characters has got to be the evil, creepy and deliciously sinister Garrick. He's an illusionist who isn't satisfied with his lot in life and has higher goals of domination which makes for a great 'bad guy'. While he does have a slightly clichéd feel (he gives off a little of the 'moustache twisting, bwah-ha-ha' kind of creepiness) he still has enough realism to create a nice amount of suspense and a real threat to Riley and Chevie. You never knew when he'd catch up to Riley and Chevie and I loved that.
Another thing that made Garrick stand out for me is the fact that when he travelled through the wormhole he was altered and was able to gain not only special abilities but the knowledge of one of the Special Agents of W.A.R.P. He's now a sinister, evil, morphing genius who can function in both time periods. The story possibilities are endless!
The other two main characters are just as well-rounded and interesting. Chevron (aka Chevie) is a strong, funny, realistically flawed and sarcastic main character. Was she portrayed as more mature than I was expecting for a 17 year old? A bit but she also has a job and responsibilities that not many 17 years olds can boast of having. Something else that made her stand out was the fact that she has Native American heritage. I felt that it made her breath of fresh air and while we're introduced to her heritage, it didn't take over the storyline but merely added to her depth of character.
Young Riley, the reluctant assassin himself, is a street urchin with a heart. While Riley is a good main character and interacts well with Chevie and Garrick I will admit that he seems a lot younger and more immature than the 14 year old he's supposed to be. His reactions and overall demeanor seem to be more of a 9 year old’s. Perhaps that's the differences in the period he lived in? Overall, he's an interesting character and I like how he engages with Chevie.
I only have a couple criticisms -- and honestly I can't really even call them criticisms. First, I have to warn that this book was much gorier and bloody than I was expecting from a YA read that, I assume, is aimed at fans of his Artemis Fowl series (Boy 1 read the series when he was about 10 or 11 years old). The evil acts start right away with young Riley being taught the correct way to kill someone with a knife and go on from there. It's the fact that it's a young boy being taught, not some random zombie or other imaginary supernatural creature, that gave me some pause. That said, the book does have the word "assassin" in its title so I suppose I was fairly warned.
Also, due to the fact that the author had to set up characters, storylines etc for this new series I felt that, at one point, the pace suffered a bit for it. Definitely not enough for me to lose interest but the book starts out so strong that when the pace dips a little you notice it.
All in all, this is a strong start to a very promising new series. I look forward to seeing where Colfer will take this series.
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
August 31, 2016
Zum Inhalt
London, 1898
Während der Auftragsmörder Garrick aus seinem blutjungen Lehrling Riley endlich einen gestandenen Mörder machen möchte, geschieht das unglaubliche: Das betagte Opfer verschwindet vor ihren Augen in einem pulverisierenden Licht und mit ihm der Junge, der damit in ein zeitloses Abenteuer eintaucht.
London, heute
Zeitgleich ist die 16jährige Chevron Savano mit einem äußerst langweiligen Überwachungsauftrag beschäftigt. Sie gehörte zu einer Spezialeinheit des FBI, die allerdings durch einen unglücklichen Auftritt von Chevron aufgeflogen ist. Seit Monaten ist sie jetzt in London dazu verdammt unterzutauchen und in einem Haus eine ultra geheime Spezialkapsel zu bewachen. Als an diesem Abend tatsächlich jemand aus der Kapsel auftaucht ahnt Chevie nicht, in welchem Ausmaß sich ihr Auftrag auf ihre Zukunft auswirken wird.
Meine Meinung
Als das Buch 2014 rauskam war ich sofort neugierig, denn die Artemis Fowl Reihe von Eoin Colfer hatte ich mit viel Begeisterung gelesen. Das Cover von WARP, der Klappentext und der Buchtrailer haben mich sofort neugierig gemacht - vor allem den Trailer finde ich ja extrem gut gelungen!
Der Autor entführt uns in ein spannendes Agenten Abenteuer mit viel Action um Zeitreisen ins London des 19. Jahrhunderts, bei dem wenig Zeit blieb, um zu verschnaufen. Es gibt natürlich einige Zeitsprünge, die aber nicht verwirren, sondern viel Abwechslung bieten. Die Unterschiede zu damals und heute sind hier äußerst lebendig und lassen die Geschichte aufleben, wobei sich die ganze Handlung hauptsächlich auf die Flucht vor einem grausamen Gegenspieler fixiert.
Manches konnte ich nicht so ganz nachvollziehen, ist aber wohl dem Alter des Genres geschuldet und war für die weitere Entwicklung zweckmäßig.
Der Schreibstil ist klar, für das Alter entsprechend und hat auch einige witzige Passagen. Der „Slang“ aus der Vergangenheit wurde sehr schön umgesetzt und die Szenen anschaulich beschrieben.
Erzählt wird aus mehreren Perspektiven, wodurch man über alle Vorgänge den Überblick behält.
Den Charakteren bin ich leider nicht so nahe gekommen, wie ich es mir gewünscht hätte; wobei ich nicht so genau sagen kann. woran das jetzt genau lag. Sie sind alle sehr gut getroffen und klar umrissen; auch mit kleinen Rückblicken aus ihrer Vergangenheit, wodurch man ihre Persönlichkeit immer besser kennengelernt hat.
Vor allem Riley hab ich sehr ins Herz geschlossen!
Spannung war von Anfang an vorhanden und hat sich aus den zahlreichen, ausweglosen Situationen ergeben, die Chevron und Riley meistern mussten. Durch das kontinuierliche Tempo bin ich recht flott vorwärtsgekommen und es gab immer wieder überraschende Wendungen.
Als London Fan haben mich vor allem die Passagen aus der Vergangenheit angesprochen, denn trotz - oder gerade wegen - der fiesen Schurken und den vielen verschiedenen Eindrücken hat die Stadt wieder mal ihren ursprünglichen Charme versprüht.
Fazit 3.5 Sterne
Nachdem ich die Artemis Fowl Reihe von Eoin Colfer mit großer Begeisterung gelesen habe, war ich ein kleines bisschen ernüchtert. Trotz viel Action, einer eindrucksvollen Bühne und liebenswerten Charakteren ist der letzte Funke noch nicht so recht übergesprungen. Ich hoffe, dass der zweite Band mich noch ein bisschen mehr beeindrucken kann!
© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer
WARP
1 - Der Quantenzauberer
2 - Der Klunkerfisch
3 - Die Katzenhexe
London, 1898
Während der Auftragsmörder Garrick aus seinem blutjungen Lehrling Riley endlich einen gestandenen Mörder machen möchte, geschieht das unglaubliche: Das betagte Opfer verschwindet vor ihren Augen in einem pulverisierenden Licht und mit ihm der Junge, der damit in ein zeitloses Abenteuer eintaucht.
London, heute
Zeitgleich ist die 16jährige Chevron Savano mit einem äußerst langweiligen Überwachungsauftrag beschäftigt. Sie gehörte zu einer Spezialeinheit des FBI, die allerdings durch einen unglücklichen Auftritt von Chevron aufgeflogen ist. Seit Monaten ist sie jetzt in London dazu verdammt unterzutauchen und in einem Haus eine ultra geheime Spezialkapsel zu bewachen. Als an diesem Abend tatsächlich jemand aus der Kapsel auftaucht ahnt Chevie nicht, in welchem Ausmaß sich ihr Auftrag auf ihre Zukunft auswirken wird.
Meine Meinung
Als das Buch 2014 rauskam war ich sofort neugierig, denn die Artemis Fowl Reihe von Eoin Colfer hatte ich mit viel Begeisterung gelesen. Das Cover von WARP, der Klappentext und der Buchtrailer haben mich sofort neugierig gemacht - vor allem den Trailer finde ich ja extrem gut gelungen!
Der Autor entführt uns in ein spannendes Agenten Abenteuer mit viel Action um Zeitreisen ins London des 19. Jahrhunderts, bei dem wenig Zeit blieb, um zu verschnaufen. Es gibt natürlich einige Zeitsprünge, die aber nicht verwirren, sondern viel Abwechslung bieten. Die Unterschiede zu damals und heute sind hier äußerst lebendig und lassen die Geschichte aufleben, wobei sich die ganze Handlung hauptsächlich auf die Flucht vor einem grausamen Gegenspieler fixiert.
Manches konnte ich nicht so ganz nachvollziehen, ist aber wohl dem Alter des Genres geschuldet und war für die weitere Entwicklung zweckmäßig.
Der Schreibstil ist klar, für das Alter entsprechend und hat auch einige witzige Passagen. Der „Slang“ aus der Vergangenheit wurde sehr schön umgesetzt und die Szenen anschaulich beschrieben.
Erzählt wird aus mehreren Perspektiven, wodurch man über alle Vorgänge den Überblick behält.
Den Charakteren bin ich leider nicht so nahe gekommen, wie ich es mir gewünscht hätte; wobei ich nicht so genau sagen kann. woran das jetzt genau lag. Sie sind alle sehr gut getroffen und klar umrissen; auch mit kleinen Rückblicken aus ihrer Vergangenheit, wodurch man ihre Persönlichkeit immer besser kennengelernt hat.
Vor allem Riley hab ich sehr ins Herz geschlossen!
Spannung war von Anfang an vorhanden und hat sich aus den zahlreichen, ausweglosen Situationen ergeben, die Chevron und Riley meistern mussten. Durch das kontinuierliche Tempo bin ich recht flott vorwärtsgekommen und es gab immer wieder überraschende Wendungen.
Als London Fan haben mich vor allem die Passagen aus der Vergangenheit angesprochen, denn trotz - oder gerade wegen - der fiesen Schurken und den vielen verschiedenen Eindrücken hat die Stadt wieder mal ihren ursprünglichen Charme versprüht.
Fazit 3.5 Sterne
Nachdem ich die Artemis Fowl Reihe von Eoin Colfer mit großer Begeisterung gelesen habe, war ich ein kleines bisschen ernüchtert. Trotz viel Action, einer eindrucksvollen Bühne und liebenswerten Charakteren ist der letzte Funke noch nicht so recht übergesprungen. Ich hoffe, dass der zweite Band mich noch ein bisschen mehr beeindrucken kann!
© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer
WARP
1 - Der Quantenzauberer
2 - Der Klunkerfisch
3 - Die Katzenhexe
May 29, 2014
I had a lot of issues with this book, both general and specific.
First, the general. I am not sure what age group this is aimed at. The opening scene, with its explicit description of the feel and sound of a knife entering the chest of a victim, was shocking and offputting. At the same time, the children are very childlike, for all their fighting abilities. I think an older teen, for whom the gore level might be appropriate, might not feel at all engaged by the characters.
The characters are, for the most part, very crudely sketched. Not deep, no particular character development over the arc of the book.
Now, the specific. There were some rather odd word choices, put into the mouth of "Chevvie". (Really, a protagonist named Chevron?) I don't think most Americans, particularly a teenager, would use the word "quiff" to describe a hairdo. "Squatted on her hunkers" is an odd way to describe what I would more commonly see "hunkered down". Hunkered down is, I think, a little archaic, again, odd for a teen. And, last of the ones that really struck me, a modern American would not describe someone as "consumptive."
I am not sure why the author chose to make Chevvie Native American. Nothing in the depiction of the character supported this choice - only used as a basis for nicknames in the past. Also, the choice of Malibu as a place where she supposedly has a cottage. Malibu? Really? Where rents are $150000 a month and cheap properties are $450,000? Again, that detail had no development in the character.
First, the general. I am not sure what age group this is aimed at. The opening scene, with its explicit description of the feel and sound of a knife entering the chest of a victim, was shocking and offputting. At the same time, the children are very childlike, for all their fighting abilities. I think an older teen, for whom the gore level might be appropriate, might not feel at all engaged by the characters.
The characters are, for the most part, very crudely sketched. Not deep, no particular character development over the arc of the book.
Now, the specific. There were some rather odd word choices, put into the mouth of "Chevvie". (Really, a protagonist named Chevron?) I don't think most Americans, particularly a teenager, would use the word "quiff" to describe a hairdo. "Squatted on her hunkers" is an odd way to describe what I would more commonly see "hunkered down". Hunkered down is, I think, a little archaic, again, odd for a teen. And, last of the ones that really struck me, a modern American would not describe someone as "consumptive."
I am not sure why the author chose to make Chevvie Native American. Nothing in the depiction of the character supported this choice - only used as a basis for nicknames in the past. Also, the choice of Malibu as a place where she supposedly has a cottage. Malibu? Really? Where rents are $150000 a month and cheap properties are $450,000? Again, that detail had no development in the character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2013
W.A.R. P. Me to the next book
I had the great honor to read an advance copy of W.A.R.P. The Reluctant Assassin.
I often read the beginning of a series so I can make an educated purchase decision. Having read the Artemis Fowl series, my expectations were high.
I cannot say enough good things about this book without spoiling anything. I read the book straight through in one sitting. While many other stories coming out are a variation of another popular book already doing well, this is completely unique. Colfer hasn’t created a new world; he’s turned our world upside down. It does take you on a journey of twists and turns. Right from the first page you’re sucked in and you won’t want to put the book down until you find out what happens to Riley and Chevron Savano. I cannot recommend this book enough for young readers and those who enjoy a great story and compelling characters. It was very hard for me to write this without any spoilers as I want so bad to mention this, or that that happened, but this is one of those books best read to experience the story. The mystery that waits doesn’t disappoint. I want to thank Disney Book Group for the opportunity to read this book, and I thank Mr. Colfer for the giving me a new series to enjoy.
I had the great honor to read an advance copy of W.A.R.P. The Reluctant Assassin.
I often read the beginning of a series so I can make an educated purchase decision. Having read the Artemis Fowl series, my expectations were high.
I cannot say enough good things about this book without spoiling anything. I read the book straight through in one sitting. While many other stories coming out are a variation of another popular book already doing well, this is completely unique. Colfer hasn’t created a new world; he’s turned our world upside down. It does take you on a journey of twists and turns. Right from the first page you’re sucked in and you won’t want to put the book down until you find out what happens to Riley and Chevron Savano. I cannot recommend this book enough for young readers and those who enjoy a great story and compelling characters. It was very hard for me to write this without any spoilers as I want so bad to mention this, or that that happened, but this is one of those books best read to experience the story. The mystery that waits doesn’t disappoint. I want to thank Disney Book Group for the opportunity to read this book, and I thank Mr. Colfer for the giving me a new series to enjoy.
July 28, 2016
Another audio book chosen randomly off the library shelf. This is, in many ways, a typical techno-scifi-YA-thriller with dodgy science and an improbably teen-aged FBI "agent", but: wow!
The characters are so well developed, and the recreation of Victorian England (yes, there's time travel) is very impressive, including the use of language. ("Politicking" means "arguing," apparently--that's just one example.) The multiple villains are wonderfully varied, and the arch-villain Albert Garrick is truly terrifying (and lucky in his acquisition of vast powers, but don't hold that against him). The kids are loveable and only a little bit too resourceful to be possible--i.e., they're in the sweet spot for this genre.
Highly recommended beyond its target audience. Ripe for film treatment. The audio version is superb, with the narrator handling all the accents and voices with aplomb.
The characters are so well developed, and the recreation of Victorian England (yes, there's time travel) is very impressive, including the use of language. ("Politicking" means "arguing," apparently--that's just one example.) The multiple villains are wonderfully varied, and the arch-villain Albert Garrick is truly terrifying (and lucky in his acquisition of vast powers, but don't hold that against him). The kids are loveable and only a little bit too resourceful to be possible--i.e., they're in the sweet spot for this genre.
Highly recommended beyond its target audience. Ripe for film treatment. The audio version is superb, with the narrator handling all the accents and voices with aplomb.
January 9, 2019
Despite a rocky beginning, it actually grew on me. By the conclusion was was fully engrossed and truly enjoying both the characters and the story. These redeeming qualities at the eleventh however weren't quite enough however, so it's a very solid three stars for me. I do believe that had my mood been different that my enjoyment would have reflected this, so I may come back to it at another time.
June 11, 2016
Sehr unterhaltsame Zeitreisegeschichte mit der nötigen Prise Action & Humor, exzellent gelesen von Rainer Strecker. Obwohl Colfers Stil sprachlich brillant ist, hat mir am Ende doch das gewisse Etwas gefehlt... Für Fans von Zeitreisegeschichten aber definitiv ein Muss!
April 25, 2019
July 2013: 4 stars (16 y/o)
April 2019: 3.5 stars (22 y/o)
Liking a book a little less than what you did 6 years back is not a bad thing, not a bad thing at all. It just means your tastes have changed, and you’ve developed a keener and more critical eye.
RTC.
Onward with book 2, then.
April 2019: 3.5 stars (22 y/o)
Liking a book a little less than what you did 6 years back is not a bad thing, not a bad thing at all. It just means your tastes have changed, and you’ve developed a keener and more critical eye.
RTC.
Onward with book 2, then.
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