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Noumena #3
Apostles of Mercy
First Contact has not been going well.
The nations of Earth are rapidly militarizing against the arrival of the Superorganism, an alien civilization that promises to destroy humanity before it can develop into a real threat. The Superorganism has done it before–to their distant transient relatives–and they could easily do it again. But the alien Ampersand and his human interpreter Cora Sabino are done with trying to save humanity from both the Superorganism and itself; to them, this is a civilization that does not deserve to be saved.
When a strange new form of communication between the two of them reveals to Cora how alien Ampersand truly is, she begins to question her blind devotion. But she soon learns of a danger that may force them to leave Earth before either of them are a group of superorganism enemies that have been wreaking havoc on Earth for decades. Existence on the margins has made them desperate and bent on revenge against any of Ampersand's race whose path they cross. Before Cora and Ampersand can make their final escape, these hostile aliens stage an attack, and take that which is most dear to both of them.
Ampersand's enemies will not consider any form of truce; the greatest threat to them is not from the Superorganism, but from an increasingly fearful and violent human civilization newly aware of their existence. Cora and Ampersand must go to extreme measures to take back what was stolen and prevent wholesale human extermination–but in doing so they may be no better than the civilizations they are trying to escape.
The nations of Earth are rapidly militarizing against the arrival of the Superorganism, an alien civilization that promises to destroy humanity before it can develop into a real threat. The Superorganism has done it before–to their distant transient relatives–and they could easily do it again. But the alien Ampersand and his human interpreter Cora Sabino are done with trying to save humanity from both the Superorganism and itself; to them, this is a civilization that does not deserve to be saved.
When a strange new form of communication between the two of them reveals to Cora how alien Ampersand truly is, she begins to question her blind devotion. But she soon learns of a danger that may force them to leave Earth before either of them are a group of superorganism enemies that have been wreaking havoc on Earth for decades. Existence on the margins has made them desperate and bent on revenge against any of Ampersand's race whose path they cross. Before Cora and Ampersand can make their final escape, these hostile aliens stage an attack, and take that which is most dear to both of them.
Ampersand's enemies will not consider any form of truce; the greatest threat to them is not from the Superorganism, but from an increasingly fearful and violent human civilization newly aware of their existence. Cora and Ampersand must go to extreme measures to take back what was stolen and prevent wholesale human extermination–but in doing so they may be no better than the civilizations they are trying to escape.
520 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2024
214 people are currently reading
8469 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
June 13, 2024
6/12/24 update:
FINISHED! HOLY SHIT! this is probably my favorite book of the series so far. after how much i didnt care for cora in truth of the divine, I'm glad to say her character in this was is far more tolerable. she felt more grounded and mature, which makes sense considering how long its been since the events of the first book.
ellis continues to be really good at making characters that are believable and so lifelike. even ampersand and nikola and the other aliens introduced here, for all the incomprehensible-ness of their existence outside of science-fiction, their actions and motivations feel real. i could understand why they and the humans acted the way they did. even if it pissed me off sometimes.
cora and ampersand's relationship gets... better, but they probably are on a one track route to dangerous codependency. paris was a lovely addition to the book, and i can only hope that's also something that continues (as, iirc, this is a five book series now and not three... riiiight?)
im feel relieved to love this book the way i do. if it continued going downhill i would have been so grumpy about it, esp after "court of wanderers" this year was such a bust for me.
6/5/24 update:
i have it. we're really in it now, boys...
original review:
ah shit here we go again
FINISHED! HOLY SHIT! this is probably my favorite book of the series so far. after how much i didnt care for cora in truth of the divine, I'm glad to say her character in this was is far more tolerable. she felt more grounded and mature, which makes sense considering how long its been since the events of the first book.
ellis continues to be really good at making characters that are believable and so lifelike. even ampersand and nikola and the other aliens introduced here, for all the incomprehensible-ness of their existence outside of science-fiction, their actions and motivations feel real. i could understand why they and the humans acted the way they did. even if it pissed me off sometimes.
cora and ampersand's relationship gets... better, but they probably are on a one track route to dangerous codependency. paris was a lovely addition to the book, and i can only hope that's also something that continues (as, iirc, this is a five book series now and not three... riiiight?)
im feel relieved to love this book the way i do. if it continued going downhill i would have been so grumpy about it, esp after "court of wanderers" this year was such a bust for me.
6/5/24 update:
i have it. we're really in it now, boys...
original review:
ah shit here we go again
June 21, 2024
Rating: 3.3 / 5
Friends, Romans, Countrymen...
I did not like this book.
Seeing as I was on this ship when it first sailed and a strong supporter of both the first and much-disliked second book, I suppose that an explanation is in order, no?
So...phew, we start off the story with a flashback from 2005 for an event unrelated to the first two books, but that gives us some backstory into the main conflict of this one--hint hint, it has to do with the "transients" we've only alluded to before in the previous books.
Ahem, but anyway, Cora's storyline picks up over a year later from where the events of Book 2 left us off. She and Ampersand are continuing with their proposed experiment for "high language", but...well, let's just say that a lot has changed during that timeskip and...that's my first PROBLEM with this book.
A timeskip happens, sure, and there are bound to be changes, sure...
But they are NOT explained well.
Like...I think part of it is pressure from her readers, honestly. Ellis got a not-so-great reaction with the direction she chose to go in for Truth of the Divine, but in order to backpedal from that decision, perhaps a timeskip was just acheat easy way to do so. Honestly, I usually don't mind those things that much, as long as they're realistic and EXPLAINED.
In this case, what's NOT accurately or satisfactorily accounted for is Cora's almost complete 180 personality change. Like...remember how in Book 2 she was dependent, mistrustful, whiny, desperate, obsessed, traumatized, and basically just mentally unhealthy in her interactions with everyone and her relationship with Kaveh? Well, considering what happened at the end of TotD, you'd think that she'd be even MORE so now, but...NOPE! Cora's all of a sudden cold, calculating, indifferent, distant, calm, and, most shocking of all, not even interested in Ampersand anymore, and in fact kinda wants to just get away from him and live a normal life.
Hold. the. FUCK. up!!!!!!
First off, let me just say that it's not that I don't believe that at least SOME of these changes could come about in her personality, but why?! There is some minor mention of reading-between-the-lines of why this is happening, but this is NOT the direction that things were going in at the end of Book 2, and it's a HUGE change without explanation. I get that having closer interactions with an ET can be traumatizing and too much for a human--like Ampersand warned Cora that it would be--but even so, from a narrative point of view, it NEEDS more time to be explained than what the author is giving us. Like, in the first 100 pages or so, we only get one minor (1/2 page) traumatic-ish experience between Cora and Ampersand as they attempt to share a consciousness--the rest are only alluded to--and then the rest of the time is just Cora trying to avoid Ampersand or acting as a translator for him.
Um. Nope. Nope, I can't get behind a character like that, especially not without due reason. If anything, it's like she's the ANTI-Cora from before, with Ellis just wanting to set the stage for her becoming emotionless and more ET-like herself, but it. doesn't. mesh. well. (Especially not with how Cora WANTS to be in a relationship.)
And, oh yeah, let's talk about that.
Paris.
Yup, Kaveh's old friend, whom we briefly meet in TotD. Turns out that she and Cora are going to be together now. Yep. Forget the wishes for weird-but-"it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world"-alien-sex that you were hoping for, folks. Instead, we've got an interracial same-sex couple, which...in a general context I totally support and wouldn't mind reading about, but in THIS context just feels completely out of left field here.
Basically, it feels like Ellis wants a new Kaveh on the scene, this time a-la-strong-Black-woman.
Paris, I'm sure, is FINE as a character, but personally I just found myself NOT caring about her at all, and not caring if Nikola would kill her on sight just because.
Because, heck, she's in this BOOK just because, so why not kill her off just BECAUSE?
And then, also, there's just the treatment of other characters, old and new alike.
First off...BARNEY? Who sets out a CHAIR for Paris to visit Nikola? And Nikola asking Paris to come CLOSER to show him Kaveh's notes through the GLASS WALL of his PRISON?
SOUND. FUCKING. FAMILIAR?!?!?!?!?!
Also, Luciana and Cora? Remember all the rifts between them and all that drama?
Oh yeah, FORGET THAT.
And how much of an asshole-boss-but-still-boss CIA agent Sol was?
NOPE! Just have him be accused of wanting to fuck Cora as part of his intro, then relegate him as a carry-on accessory, pretty much.
Anyone else?
Well, Ampersand himself just becomes more and more distant as a presence, but THAT, at least, I could accept as Ellis wanting to write about what a genuine ET presence would be like, without "anthropomorphizing" him anymore. While this does make it harder and harder to care about him as a character, is Cora's character could only HAVE PICKED UP THE SLACK FROM THAT, then we'd honestly be good to go.
__________
*sighs* All of these things, I realize, are mainly character-based, and therefore should not be as central to the plot, except...
Yeeeeeah, they totally are.
Like...*sighs and sighs and sighs again*
It's slow-moving. Or, at least it felt like it to me. Yeah, there's the whole "transients are also here and they're dangerous" plot to contend with, but, honestly, I didn't care. It just felt way less personal and urgent than the other plots, especially since, as I've learned over and over again from reading, if you don't care about the characters, then even the best plot in the world kinda won't matter.
*shrugs* Just saying. Just saying. Just saying.
So, anyway, brainchild though this may be and intended as Ellis's comeback to appease more fans, I don't like the direction that it's going in. I'm sure that there's an eventual harbour where this ship is bound to sail, and perhaps it will be Ellis's magnum opus in one way or another; but, personally, I'm ready to step off this ship here and now, please and thank you very much.
Pre-Read Review:
Oh. My. GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friends, Romans, Countrymen...
I did not like this book.
Seeing as I was on this ship when it first sailed and a strong supporter of both the first and much-disliked second book, I suppose that an explanation is in order, no?
So...phew, we start off the story with a flashback from 2005 for an event unrelated to the first two books, but that gives us some backstory into the main conflict of this one--hint hint, it has to do with the "transients" we've only alluded to before in the previous books.
Ahem, but anyway, Cora's storyline picks up over a year later from where the events of Book 2 left us off. She and Ampersand are continuing with their proposed experiment for "high language", but...well, let's just say that a lot has changed during that timeskip and...that's my first PROBLEM with this book.
A timeskip happens, sure, and there are bound to be changes, sure...
But they are NOT explained well.
Like...I think part of it is pressure from her readers, honestly. Ellis got a not-so-great reaction with the direction she chose to go in for Truth of the Divine, but in order to backpedal from that decision, perhaps a timeskip was just a
In this case, what's NOT accurately or satisfactorily accounted for is Cora's almost complete 180 personality change. Like...remember how in Book 2 she was dependent, mistrustful, whiny, desperate, obsessed, traumatized, and basically just mentally unhealthy in her interactions with everyone and her relationship with Kaveh? Well, considering what happened at the end of TotD, you'd think that she'd be even MORE so now, but...NOPE! Cora's all of a sudden cold, calculating, indifferent, distant, calm, and, most shocking of all, not even interested in Ampersand anymore, and in fact kinda wants to just get away from him and live a normal life.
Hold. the. FUCK. up!!!!!!
First off, let me just say that it's not that I don't believe that at least SOME of these changes could come about in her personality, but why?! There is some minor mention of reading-between-the-lines of why this is happening, but this is NOT the direction that things were going in at the end of Book 2, and it's a HUGE change without explanation. I get that having closer interactions with an ET can be traumatizing and too much for a human--like Ampersand warned Cora that it would be--but even so, from a narrative point of view, it NEEDS more time to be explained than what the author is giving us. Like, in the first 100 pages or so, we only get one minor (1/2 page) traumatic-ish experience between Cora and Ampersand as they attempt to share a consciousness--the rest are only alluded to--and then the rest of the time is just Cora trying to avoid Ampersand or acting as a translator for him.
Um. Nope. Nope, I can't get behind a character like that, especially not without due reason. If anything, it's like she's the ANTI-Cora from before, with Ellis just wanting to set the stage for her becoming emotionless and more ET-like herself, but it. doesn't. mesh. well. (Especially not with how Cora WANTS to be in a relationship.)
And, oh yeah, let's talk about that.
Paris.
Yup, Kaveh's old friend, whom we briefly meet in TotD. Turns out that she and Cora are going to be together now. Yep. Forget the wishes for weird-but-"it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world"-alien-sex that you were hoping for, folks. Instead, we've got an interracial same-sex couple, which...in a general context I totally support and wouldn't mind reading about, but in THIS context just feels completely out of left field here.
Basically, it feels like Ellis wants a new Kaveh on the scene, this time a-la-strong-Black-woman.
Paris, I'm sure, is FINE as a character, but personally I just found myself NOT caring about her at all, and not caring if Nikola would kill her on sight just because.
Because, heck, she's in this BOOK just because, so why not kill her off just BECAUSE?
And then, also, there's just the treatment of other characters, old and new alike.
First off...BARNEY? Who sets out a CHAIR for Paris to visit Nikola? And Nikola asking Paris to come CLOSER to show him Kaveh's notes through the GLASS WALL of his PRISON?
SOUND. FUCKING. FAMILIAR?!?!?!?!?!
Also, Luciana and Cora? Remember all the rifts between them and all that drama?
Oh yeah, FORGET THAT.
And how much of an asshole-boss-but-still-boss CIA agent Sol was?
NOPE! Just have him be accused of wanting to fuck Cora as part of his intro, then relegate him as a carry-on accessory, pretty much.
Anyone else?
Well, Ampersand himself just becomes more and more distant as a presence, but THAT, at least, I could accept as Ellis wanting to write about what a genuine ET presence would be like, without "anthropomorphizing" him anymore. While this does make it harder and harder to care about him as a character, is Cora's character could only HAVE PICKED UP THE SLACK FROM THAT, then we'd honestly be good to go.
__________
*sighs* All of these things, I realize, are mainly character-based, and therefore should not be as central to the plot, except...
Yeeeeeah, they totally are.
Like...*sighs and sighs and sighs again*
It's slow-moving. Or, at least it felt like it to me. Yeah, there's the whole "transients are also here and they're dangerous" plot to contend with, but, honestly, I didn't care. It just felt way less personal and urgent than the other plots, especially since, as I've learned over and over again from reading, if you don't care about the characters, then even the best plot in the world kinda won't matter.
*shrugs* Just saying. Just saying. Just saying.
So, anyway, brainchild though this may be and intended as Ellis's comeback to appease more fans, I don't like the direction that it's going in. I'm sure that there's an eventual harbour where this ship is bound to sail, and perhaps it will be Ellis's magnum opus in one way or another; but, personally, I'm ready to step off this ship here and now, please and thank you very much.
Pre-Read Review:
Oh. My. GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 15, 2024
3.5 stars
The strongest thing about this series is that it’s so different and the aliens are REALLY alien. Honestly I’m starting to find Cora a bit tiresome, along with the consistently icky male characters that populate these books.
Reading some other reviews it seems there are people interpreting some metaphors that I just don’t get from the story, but whatever; there’s no doubt that in the game of who are the real monsters here the humans are very much in the running alongside both sets of aliens.
I felt this book was a bit more disconnected than the first two, the story splitting in some odd directions. I was engaged while reading it, but I’m not exactly sure I can say I liked it. I don’t think it will be to everyone’s taste, but if you have been following this series you will obviously want to read it.
The strongest thing about this series is that it’s so different and the aliens are REALLY alien. Honestly I’m starting to find Cora a bit tiresome, along with the consistently icky male characters that populate these books.
Reading some other reviews it seems there are people interpreting some metaphors that I just don’t get from the story, but whatever; there’s no doubt that in the game of who are the real monsters here the humans are very much in the running alongside both sets of aliens.
I felt this book was a bit more disconnected than the first two, the story splitting in some odd directions. I was engaged while reading it, but I’m not exactly sure I can say I liked it. I don’t think it will be to everyone’s taste, but if you have been following this series you will obviously want to read it.
July 15, 2024
He loved her. Not in a way that wanted or expected anything from her, not in a way that he wanted to make her his. Not even in a way that wanted love in return. He simply loved her.
June 26, 2024
June 26th, 2024:
This installment is probably my favorite so far. Maybe I’ll go into detail after I sorted my thoughts.
December 10th, 2023:
FINALLY!!!!
I am SO excited for this after thinking it might not be continued… Thank you, Lindsay Ellis for not letting us down!
Brb talking to my therapist to prepare for this next installment
This installment is probably my favorite so far. Maybe I’ll go into detail after I sorted my thoughts.
December 10th, 2023:
FINALLY!!!!
I am SO excited for this after thinking it might not be continued… Thank you, Lindsay Ellis for not letting us down!
Brb talking to my therapist to prepare for this next installment
June 17, 2024
You can tell parts of this book (and the second one) had to be condensed or rushed but still very good. Can’t believe there was no alien sex scene WHO SAID THAT
April 29, 2024
Between you and me I am never quite sure where this series is going to go when I pick up one of the book, I lock in for an experience and hope for the best. In this installment we obviously have to spend some time with characters processing the character death that was at the end of the second book, something that gutted me more than I thought was going to happen. That's not the only thing going on though. We have to deal with the fact that Ampersand and Co definitely aren't the only aliens in the universe, but they also aren't the only aliens on Earth and what those implications have for our characters. Once again Ellis does a really good job balancing the human characters and their alien counterparts; interjecting the political backdrop of the mid aughts that is the setting. What we're building toward in terms of a series plot still feels mostly nebulous in favor of zeroing in on the questions that this specific book wants to answer. It's something that I think works, not only for this book, but the series overall. Like really good TV it has the sense of telling a contained story that will ultimately benefit the overall season arc. It's also just very refreshing to have a science fiction series that is so grounded on Earth and the characters having to wrestle with the issues they face with resources that feel relatable in an era that still feels close but also has a thin veneer of nostalgia.
September 3, 2024
This novel continues in a direction I was very uncertain of at first. While the first novel, Axioms End, provided quite a fresh persepctive of First Contact, I found the second novel a little lacking in clear direction and purpose. I do not need my novels to have a clear endpoint or a guessable ending, but especially now that I have read this one as well, I feel a bit lost.
The second half of this book is by far the superior half, with a quite interesting last quarter and a few nice new developments, yet the new characters kind of didn't really click for me. Especially Paris, who is quite cool and interesting on the surface, lacks what it needs to keep me gripped to her storyline. Nikola has lost some of his bite as well, not really seeming the most interesting character anymore, as I felt he was in Book 2. I did like the addition of Saul as a new POV, but only because I am a sucker for a good spy story, and his covert op with Cora was my favorite part of the novel, especially because of the strange and uncomfortable dynamic between them. Ampersand continues to be a highligt and Cora's chapters shine among the rest, but I just couldn't get into it like with the other novels.
(The 2 stars are very reluctant, I would much rather give it 3 but I already gave Truth of the Divine that rating and I liked this one quite a bit less, so I guess it'll have to do in a flawed 5 Star rating system.)
My mood might have been a factor as well, but I feel that this series is starting to meander, with the middle always being the hardest part of a story to get right it isn't any wonder though. Its just unfortunate. I hope the next novel that is being teased in the final few pages is going to make up for this dip, and I have hope for the future of the series!
The second half of this book is by far the superior half, with a quite interesting last quarter and a few nice new developments, yet the new characters kind of didn't really click for me. Especially Paris, who is quite cool and interesting on the surface, lacks what it needs to keep me gripped to her storyline. Nikola has lost some of his bite as well, not really seeming the most interesting character anymore, as I felt he was in Book 2. I did like the addition of Saul as a new POV, but only because I am a sucker for a good spy story, and his covert op with Cora was my favorite part of the novel, especially because of the strange and uncomfortable dynamic between them. Ampersand continues to be a highligt and Cora's chapters shine among the rest, but I just couldn't get into it like with the other novels.
(The 2 stars are very reluctant, I would much rather give it 3 but I already gave Truth of the Divine that rating and I liked this one quite a bit less, so I guess it'll have to do in a flawed 5 Star rating system.)
My mood might have been a factor as well, but I feel that this series is starting to meander, with the middle always being the hardest part of a story to get right it isn't any wonder though. Its just unfortunate. I hope the next novel that is being teased in the final few pages is going to make up for this dip, and I have hope for the future of the series!
June 12, 2024
Wooooow what an awesome continuation. The stakes are constantly being raised and Ellis’ writing only gets better. That ending 😮💨🤯 cannot wait to see Lindsay Ellis in person tonight
July 9, 2024
Definitely the best one so far
July 30, 2024
my problem with this series is that i kept reading it for the freaky relationship of cora and ampersand except only ever the first book was about that. i don't care about alien drama! i especially don't care about cora's instalovey bisexual escapades with other human characters! this was such a weird story - a boring first contact sci fi spiced up with women's issues and an interspecies romance which would likely put off the typical target audience of sci fi books like this, which however weren't explored in a way interesting enough to entice other kinds of readers - i don't know who this was written for but it was unfortunately not for me
July 30, 2024
Cora Sabino and Ampersand/Jules are now living in a remote part of Japan after the violence that occurred in book two. They are both done with Earth and trying to save it from itself. The Superorganism is coming, and Earth powers are arming themselves, though Ampersand has said that Earth stands no chance against the vastness of the Superorganism's power.
A number of things happen in this novel:
-Ampersand decides he wants to connect directly with Cora's brain using a technique his people use. She has an extreme negative reaction to the experience and feels frightened of Jules, consequently.
-The US president is eager to push through legislation that will allow him to begin production of nuclear weapons, despite disarmament treaties
-Kaveh Mazandarani's colleague Paris Wells begins carefully monitored conversations with Nikola, while she and Cora begin a relationship
-A sister species is found on Earth, which terrifies people, as encounters with them have resulted in extreme violence
-Sol Kaplan is deployed by his superiors at the CIA to find this species.
So, lots of stuff on the go.
The part I think I liked best about this book, and this series, was how we see Cora gradually evolve from kind of aimless and needy, to becoming increasingly traumatized with each new experience she has because she is Ampersand's translator and companion/pet. Then, finally, in this book, Cora is maturing, and is beginning to make her own choices, rather than be a passive observer in her life.
Ampersand and Cora's relationship is both codependent, but also seems in some ways to become a little more equal in this book, despite the vast differences between a human and the utterly alien, cybernetic being he is.
The pacing felt a little slow at first, but picked up the further in I read. I like the strangeness of all the aliens in this series; they're not just humans with some latex on their foreheads.
I had thought, till I got to the end of this book, that this was the end of the series, but I can only assume that author Lindsay Ellis has more in mind for this pair of characters. Considering I enjoyed this book more than book two, I am eager to find out what happens next.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
A number of things happen in this novel:
-Ampersand decides he wants to connect directly with Cora's brain using a technique his people use. She has an extreme negative reaction to the experience and feels frightened of Jules, consequently.
-The US president is eager to push through legislation that will allow him to begin production of nuclear weapons, despite disarmament treaties
-Kaveh Mazandarani's colleague Paris Wells begins carefully monitored conversations with Nikola, while she and Cora begin a relationship
-A sister species is found on Earth, which terrifies people, as encounters with them have resulted in extreme violence
-Sol Kaplan is deployed by his superiors at the CIA to find this species.
So, lots of stuff on the go.
The part I think I liked best about this book, and this series, was how we see Cora gradually evolve from kind of aimless and needy, to becoming increasingly traumatized with each new experience she has because she is Ampersand's translator and companion/pet. Then, finally, in this book, Cora is maturing, and is beginning to make her own choices, rather than be a passive observer in her life.
Ampersand and Cora's relationship is both codependent, but also seems in some ways to become a little more equal in this book, despite the vast differences between a human and the utterly alien, cybernetic being he is.
The pacing felt a little slow at first, but picked up the further in I read. I like the strangeness of all the aliens in this series; they're not just humans with some latex on their foreheads.
I had thought, till I got to the end of this book, that this was the end of the series, but I can only assume that author Lindsay Ellis has more in mind for this pair of characters. Considering I enjoyed this book more than book two, I am eager to find out what happens next.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
April 24, 2025
I wasn’t planning to finish the series, and yet… here we are 👌 As I was reading, two questions kept circling in my mind: Does Book 3 redeem Book 2? And was Book 2 even necessary?
Honestly, I still think Book 2 could’ve just been an email. I understand now why we needed the background and context it provided, but I still don’t think we needed 500+ pages of repetitive content (Kaveh and Cora’s declining mental health). Don’t get me wrong, I love Kaveh. (Sideline for a quick comment that his presence in Book 3 was very tangible, which was shocking considering the obvious, and I adored that.) But Book 2 was just too much. The pacing dragged, and the repetition didn’t help.
Now, a quick rundown of the series:
Book 1: Cora meets Ampersand. First contact story with political intrigue. Turns out the aliens came to Earth because they’re fleeing from another alien species that are hunting them down. Very cute.
Book 2: Cora meets Kaveh, who’s friendly with another alien. She spirals into a mental breakdown for 500+ pages while Ampersand runs experiments on her brain.
Book 3: Set a year later. Ampersand is still experimenting, but this time with actual goals. Kaveh’s alien BFF has now bonded with a new human companion (who, surprise, is also into Cora).
I’ll keep things spoiler-free, but Book 3 definitely had its moments. Some of them were genuinely cool. What frustrated me, though, was how much of it felt like filler. It rambled in places, and a lot could’ve been trimmed without losing anything vital. Even though I adore Kaveh, it felt like he was name-dropped every other page. I love the guy, but come on. Enough already.
This book mostly followed Cora and Paris, the new love interest (and the new human companion of Kaveh’s alien buddy). The romance wasn’t forced, and I didn’t dislike Paris, but this book leaned so heavily into her character that Cora ended up just… annoying me more than usual. I loved solo Paris, but everything else had me eye rolling.
So, did Book 3 redeem the series? Yeah. Sort of. It was good. Better than Book 2, no question (cuz what the fuck was that 😂). There was a lot going on: some of it was intriguing, some of it frustratingly convenient (how does a book this long still manages to feel convenient?), but it had a strong finish. And honestly, that saved it for me. Endings can make or break good series, and while I wouldn’t subjectively say Noumena was great, the ending stuck the landing.
There’s a lot of love out there for Noumena, and I guess get it. So I’ll chalk my issues up to “it’s not you, it’s me.” Still, I have to say this was a very unique series. I loved Kaveh (I just wish his story hadn’t been so similar to Cora) and I appreciated the climate change theme at the very end. The covers are gorgeous.
Honestly, I still think Book 2 could’ve just been an email. I understand now why we needed the background and context it provided, but I still don’t think we needed 500+ pages of repetitive content (Kaveh and Cora’s declining mental health). Don’t get me wrong, I love Kaveh. (Sideline for a quick comment that his presence in Book 3 was very tangible, which was shocking considering the obvious, and I adored that.) But Book 2 was just too much. The pacing dragged, and the repetition didn’t help.
Now, a quick rundown of the series:
Book 1: Cora meets Ampersand. First contact story with political intrigue. Turns out the aliens came to Earth because they’re fleeing from another alien species that are hunting them down. Very cute.
Book 2: Cora meets Kaveh, who’s friendly with another alien. She spirals into a mental breakdown for 500+ pages while Ampersand runs experiments on her brain.
Book 3: Set a year later. Ampersand is still experimenting, but this time with actual goals. Kaveh’s alien BFF has now bonded with a new human companion (who, surprise, is also into Cora).
I’ll keep things spoiler-free, but Book 3 definitely had its moments. Some of them were genuinely cool. What frustrated me, though, was how much of it felt like filler. It rambled in places, and a lot could’ve been trimmed without losing anything vital. Even though I adore Kaveh, it felt like he was name-dropped every other page. I love the guy, but come on. Enough already.
This book mostly followed Cora and Paris, the new love interest (and the new human companion of Kaveh’s alien buddy). The romance wasn’t forced, and I didn’t dislike Paris, but this book leaned so heavily into her character that Cora ended up just… annoying me more than usual. I loved solo Paris, but everything else had me eye rolling.
So, did Book 3 redeem the series? Yeah. Sort of. It was good. Better than Book 2, no question (cuz what the fuck was that 😂). There was a lot going on: some of it was intriguing, some of it frustratingly convenient (how does a book this long still manages to feel convenient?), but it had a strong finish. And honestly, that saved it for me. Endings can make or break good series, and while I wouldn’t subjectively say Noumena was great, the ending stuck the landing.
There’s a lot of love out there for Noumena, and I guess get it. So I’ll chalk my issues up to “it’s not you, it’s me.” Still, I have to say this was a very unique series. I loved Kaveh (I just wish his story hadn’t been so similar to Cora) and I appreciated the climate change theme at the very end. The covers are gorgeous.
March 8, 2025
Knowing now that this is a five book series I can see we’re in the middle of somewhere and to be honest I don’t know where this is going. I loved book one… this one is ok. Cora and Ampersand will end up driving me crazy, their relationship is getting weirder as we move along and I’m not a fan.
However, I do like that we’re getting to know more species, the whole physeterine aliens was amazing, they feel new, they definitely feel alien (contrary to amygdalines who are looking more juman by the minute) and interactions with them took some interesting turns.
Don't know if everyone will stick with the whole series, there are things I might not agree with if they keep on the road they are now, but there are other who really have potential, so I’ll probably stay along for the ride, see what the future brings. Nikola certainly became more interesting in this book. I’d like to know how he evolves.
However, I do like that we’re getting to know more species, the whole physeterine aliens was amazing, they feel new, they definitely feel alien (contrary to amygdalines who are looking more juman by the minute) and interactions with them took some interesting turns.
Don't know if everyone will stick with the whole series, there are things I might not agree with if they keep on the road they are now, but there are other who really have potential, so I’ll probably stay along for the ride, see what the future brings. Nikola certainly became more interesting in this book. I’d like to know how he evolves.
June 19, 2024
Love this series but I really hope this is not the final one.
June 11, 2024
I would really prefer to rate this one three and a half stars rather than three.
I LOVE book one and really like book two, but I think that while there are parts of book three I enjoyed there were also a lot of parts that fell flat in comparison to the prior books.
- We get new POV characters, but one of them is a prisoner for most of the book (Paris) and the other is sort of bland (Sol), while Cora's POV chapters are just not as numerous as I'd like.
- We get to see Ampersand and Cora finally have a "normal" relationship for what they are, but after a time skip I really wish I had seen (the conservatorship) and they don't bone. We do get cool high language scenes though, but so little of it that I was disappointed.
- We see Nik make a new friend of Paris, but 75% of the book he is a glorified alien language translator and doesn't really bond with Paris to the depth of Nik and Kaveh. This makes his confession near the end of the book feel like it came out of left field, and he and Paris's relationship incredibly shallow.
- We get to learn great details about the sister-species, how they live, the culture of one of their pods, their family structures. But though Paris speaks to several of them, including juveniles, she never actually befriends or bonds to any of them, making these new aliens relationship to her also very shallow. I would have liked her to get to know one of them a little more personally.
- Kaveh remains an important character in everybody's lives, his death still influences all of them. I enjoyed his send off and the consequences that Nils has to face based on what he did in the prior book, what he thought he got away with but didn't.
Overall, while book three is solid, it is not nearly as iconic, heart-wrenching, or character-based as the last two. It told me what happened next, but it didn't give me the deep, emotional character-to-character relationship building scenes that I'd grown to love from the earlier parts of the series. There was some of that, but just far too little and in far too short quantities, not enough to justify some of the relationships between characters (such as Paris and Nik) that occurred by the end.
I LOVE book one and really like book two, but I think that while there are parts of book three I enjoyed there were also a lot of parts that fell flat in comparison to the prior books.
- We get new POV characters, but one of them is a prisoner for most of the book (Paris) and the other is sort of bland (Sol), while Cora's POV chapters are just not as numerous as I'd like.
- We get to see Ampersand and Cora finally have a "normal" relationship for what they are, but after a time skip I really wish I had seen (the conservatorship) and they don't bone. We do get cool high language scenes though, but so little of it that I was disappointed.
- We see Nik make a new friend of Paris, but 75% of the book he is a glorified alien language translator and doesn't really bond with Paris to the depth of Nik and Kaveh. This makes his confession near the end of the book feel like it came out of left field, and he and Paris's relationship incredibly shallow.
- We get to learn great details about the sister-species, how they live, the culture of one of their pods, their family structures. But though Paris speaks to several of them, including juveniles, she never actually befriends or bonds to any of them, making these new aliens relationship to her also very shallow. I would have liked her to get to know one of them a little more personally.
- Kaveh remains an important character in everybody's lives, his death still influences all of them. I enjoyed his send off and the consequences that Nils has to face based on what he did in the prior book, what he thought he got away with but didn't.
Overall, while book three is solid, it is not nearly as iconic, heart-wrenching, or character-based as the last two. It told me what happened next, but it didn't give me the deep, emotional character-to-character relationship building scenes that I'd grown to love from the earlier parts of the series. There was some of that, but just far too little and in far too short quantities, not enough to justify some of the relationships between characters (such as Paris and Nik) that occurred by the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2024
What a big, beefy, glorious adventure.
I really enjoyed the evolving and intense focus on the looming, impossible to fully grasp power of these aliens. The pure, unadulterated, unfathomable nature of how they survey humans, made more rich and complex in this third book with the addition of even more aliens to be excited and confused by. It makes it all the sweeter when we get glimpses of our Amygdaline sweeties' soft sides.
There's also just, so much action here. We're always on the move, and there's so many rapid, dynamic, engaging, and alarming plot developments. I loved the closer and more complex look at a few key characters, and I loved the level of suspense and sudden second-guessing the story maintained.
Can't wait for the Noumena video game for ps3 where I will enjoy completing 999 fetch quests for Nikola.
I really enjoyed the evolving and intense focus on the looming, impossible to fully grasp power of these aliens. The pure, unadulterated, unfathomable nature of how they survey humans, made more rich and complex in this third book with the addition of even more aliens to be excited and confused by. It makes it all the sweeter when we get glimpses of our Amygdaline sweeties' soft sides.
There's also just, so much action here. We're always on the move, and there's so many rapid, dynamic, engaging, and alarming plot developments. I loved the closer and more complex look at a few key characters, and I loved the level of suspense and sudden second-guessing the story maintained.
Can't wait for the Noumena video game for ps3 where I will enjoy completing 999 fetch quests for Nikola.
August 26, 2025
wish I could rate this a 6 even though I basically had a panic attack the whole way through
January 11, 2026
In Apostles of Mercy, the already-fractured first contact between humanity and the alien Superorganism edges closer to breaking point. Ampersand and his human interpreter, Cora Sabino, are finished trying to save a species increasingly bent on its own destruction — until a new threat forces them to reconsider escape. As long-marginalized alien survivors resurface, driven by desperation and revenge, Earth becomes even more dangerous �� not just for the Superorganism, but for humanity itself.
I both wanted to love this more — and wasn’t entirely sure I was going to love it at all. So a settled four stars feels right for this third installment of Lindsay Ellis’s Noumena series.
I originally tried this when it published in 2024, hoping it would recover some of the momentum that dipped for me with book two. It didn’t quite click then. Coming back to it on audio helped — enough that I’m glad I gave it a second chance — which says something about the hold this series still has on me, even when it frustrates.
One of my main struggles here was the introduction of yet another reporter perspective, once again one who is facilitating communication with Nikola. At this point in the series, adding another intermediary felt less expansive and more distracting. Ellis is clearly interested in how information moves — who interprets, who gets believed — but the collection of perspectives at this point dulls the sharpness of that question a bit.
Cora remains complicated for me. She’s more mature here than in Truth of the Divine, and certainly less whiny, but she’s also edging toward something flatter. Whether that’s intentional or a product of the expansion of the series is hard to say. She’s still compelling in concept, but her execution feels more one-note than it did in Axiom's End.
And yet, Ellis’s first contact story remains deeply compelling. Her blend of alternate history, science, philosophy, theology, and geopolitics is thoughtful and ambitious, and the alien civilizations continue to feel fully imagined rather than placeholders for a generic idea. I returned to this book because my mind kept circling the ideas in this series — and that matters.
It was also between books two and three that I realized this is no longer a trilogy, but a five-book series. That potentially reframes Apostles of Mercy: some of what feels unresolved or overextended may make more sense later — though it also makes me less certain how eagerly I’ll reach for book four. (That said, I know myself. I probably will.)
I both wanted to love this more — and wasn’t entirely sure I was going to love it at all. So a settled four stars feels right for this third installment of Lindsay Ellis’s Noumena series.
I originally tried this when it published in 2024, hoping it would recover some of the momentum that dipped for me with book two. It didn’t quite click then. Coming back to it on audio helped — enough that I’m glad I gave it a second chance — which says something about the hold this series still has on me, even when it frustrates.
One of my main struggles here was the introduction of yet another reporter perspective, once again one who is facilitating communication with Nikola. At this point in the series, adding another intermediary felt less expansive and more distracting. Ellis is clearly interested in how information moves — who interprets, who gets believed — but the collection of perspectives at this point dulls the sharpness of that question a bit.
Cora remains complicated for me. She’s more mature here than in Truth of the Divine, and certainly less whiny, but she’s also edging toward something flatter. Whether that’s intentional or a product of the expansion of the series is hard to say. She’s still compelling in concept, but her execution feels more one-note than it did in Axiom's End.
And yet, Ellis’s first contact story remains deeply compelling. Her blend of alternate history, science, philosophy, theology, and geopolitics is thoughtful and ambitious, and the alien civilizations continue to feel fully imagined rather than placeholders for a generic idea. I returned to this book because my mind kept circling the ideas in this series — and that matters.
It was also between books two and three that I realized this is no longer a trilogy, but a five-book series. That potentially reframes Apostles of Mercy: some of what feels unresolved or overextended may make more sense later — though it also makes me less certain how eagerly I’ll reach for book four. (That said, I know myself. I probably will.)
April 8, 2024
When Netgalley emailed me to offer me an ebook ARC I was both elated and a little annoyed that they had foiled my plans to re-read the first two books before starting this one. I must plan better for next time. I thank them wholeheartedly for the opportunity to read this early.
Lindsay Ellis has once again crafted a novel that encompasses the breadth of people's (very pointedly not referring only to "human" here) emotions when faced with desperate situations. The myriad reactions to fear, the things we will do to save ourselves and those we love, the urges to be cruel or compassionate in the face of impending doom, and how there are always choices.
There is infinite nuance in how Ellis writes her characters. It makes one wonder what one would do in those circumstances, between a rock and a hard place. The times when we would choose cruelty over mercy. It's easiest to imagine oneself as noble and self-sacrificing, but I know how irritable I am when I haven't slept well, so I cannot possibly imagine being my very best self when faced with horrific existential quandaries. I hope never to find out. Some of these characters are irredeemable, and it comes down to their own choices when the only unforgivable sin is protracted callous self-interest.
I believe we are, slowly but surely, societally moving away from finding earnest hope and love as a way to move forward naïve. Ellis very carefully steps away from nebulous revolutions as a solution to anything and advocates for slow, steady changes in policy as the only way to fix any problems we are dealing with. The solution is not blowing up the Bad Guys because there are fundamentally no collective Bad Guys. There are individuals who make choices. American imperialist politics and the military are scrutinised from within.
And then there's the romance. How the characters love each other is incredibly compelling. I can't go into any detail without spoiling things, but one of the most touching scenes in the book is one I did not expect at all. I simply can't wait to read what Ellis publishes next.
Lindsay Ellis has once again crafted a novel that encompasses the breadth of people's (very pointedly not referring only to "human" here) emotions when faced with desperate situations. The myriad reactions to fear, the things we will do to save ourselves and those we love, the urges to be cruel or compassionate in the face of impending doom, and how there are always choices.
There is infinite nuance in how Ellis writes her characters. It makes one wonder what one would do in those circumstances, between a rock and a hard place. The times when we would choose cruelty over mercy. It's easiest to imagine oneself as noble and self-sacrificing, but I know how irritable I am when I haven't slept well, so I cannot possibly imagine being my very best self when faced with horrific existential quandaries. I hope never to find out. Some of these characters are irredeemable, and it comes down to their own choices when the only unforgivable sin is protracted callous self-interest.
I believe we are, slowly but surely, societally moving away from finding earnest hope and love as a way to move forward naïve. Ellis very carefully steps away from nebulous revolutions as a solution to anything and advocates for slow, steady changes in policy as the only way to fix any problems we are dealing with. The solution is not blowing up the Bad Guys because there are fundamentally no collective Bad Guys. There are individuals who make choices. American imperialist politics and the military are scrutinised from within.
And then there's the romance. How the characters love each other is incredibly compelling. I can't go into any detail without spoiling things, but one of the most touching scenes in the book is one I did not expect at all. I simply can't wait to read what Ellis publishes next.
March 18, 2024
I received this as an arc from the Goodreads Giveaway so this review is based on that version. That being said I thought this was a fitting conclusion to the series. So if you enjoyed the first two books then you will probably enjoy this one as well.
I gonna sit with it a bit and might add more thoughts later, but initial instinct is it’s a 4-5 star book for me. Look forward to possible future novels on different subjects from Ellis.
I gonna sit with it a bit and might add more thoughts later, but initial instinct is it’s a 4-5 star book for me. Look forward to possible future novels on different subjects from Ellis.
June 15, 2024
Whew! Book 3!
Book 2 (Truth of the Divine) was such a hard read with Cora handling (rather mishandling) trauma, that I was a little nervous for where this series would go.
Obviously spoilers ahead.
Book 2 ended with Cora and Ampersand deciding to make plans to go off Earth. Book 3 Cora is still set on this, but has healed significantly and is now less anxious to leave, but honestly, Earth is so fucked so why not? (A super cute girl, that's why not!)
The tension becomes - should we stay, should we go. Is Earth worth fighting for, or should we cut losses? Which is so valid and very much a concern. Cora and Ampersand's relationship is also explored - what is Ampersand's intentions? can he love and can they be enough for each other?
And then we encounter another alien species and have themes regarding immigration/refugees and I just really dug a lot of what this book was doing.
Perfect ending too. It could be an ending or it could lead to a really cool new arc.
There are some parts that were hard to deal with. Cora with any man was a hot mess. Kaveh, her father, the CIA guy. It was all so uncomfortable!! I think it has to do with Ellis working through some things for herself, because it felt so specific, but who knows? Maybe we're getting Transformers references. BUT we do get the slow growth of Cora's character - someone whose heart is in the right spot but has to learn to advocate herself, so I do hope we get another book and Cora becomes queen of the world or something crazy like that.
If we're ending here, well-done. It makes me want to reread Axiom's End to meet Ampersand all over again and to see the plot from his eyes. I also got a kick out of putting Ampersand in Japan and with a cute outfit!! And when they comforted each other!! That is my SHIT!!!!
The audiobook is a treat with various narrators.
As always, I hope Ellis is doing well and that we'll get treated to more stories by her, maybe a super explicit alien fucking scene?? (I dare to dream)
Book 2 (Truth of the Divine) was such a hard read with Cora handling (rather mishandling) trauma, that I was a little nervous for where this series would go.
Obviously spoilers ahead.
Book 2 ended with Cora and Ampersand deciding to make plans to go off Earth. Book 3 Cora is still set on this, but has healed significantly and is now less anxious to leave, but honestly, Earth is so fucked so why not? (A super cute girl, that's why not!)
The tension becomes - should we stay, should we go. Is Earth worth fighting for, or should we cut losses? Which is so valid and very much a concern. Cora and Ampersand's relationship is also explored - what is Ampersand's intentions? can he love and can they be enough for each other?
And then we encounter another alien species and have themes regarding immigration/refugees and I just really dug a lot of what this book was doing.
Perfect ending too. It could be an ending or it could lead to a really cool new arc.
There are some parts that were hard to deal with. Cora with any man was a hot mess. Kaveh, her father, the CIA guy. It was all so uncomfortable!! I think it has to do with Ellis working through some things for herself, because it felt so specific, but who knows? Maybe we're getting Transformers references. BUT we do get the slow growth of Cora's character - someone whose heart is in the right spot but has to learn to advocate herself, so I do hope we get another book and Cora becomes queen of the world or something crazy like that.
If we're ending here, well-done. It makes me want to reread Axiom's End to meet Ampersand all over again and to see the plot from his eyes. I also got a kick out of putting Ampersand in Japan and with a cute outfit!! And when they comforted each other!! That is my SHIT!!!!
The audiobook is a treat with various narrators.
As always, I hope Ellis is doing well and that we'll get treated to more stories by her, maybe a super explicit alien fucking scene?? (I dare to dream)
November 29, 2024
I generally have a rule where I don't start a series until it's done. I didn't know there were going to be 2 more after this, but honestly I don't know if it would've changed my mind because this is a very solid entry in a very solid, unique sci-fi series.
There are certain passages where after I finish reading them, I think to myself "why did that feel so fresh and interesting?" and it's usually because Ellis dives into personal motivations, communication, trauma and reflection far more than most authors. Cora's development is really well done over the three books - she doesn't become this amazing superheroine of alien diplomacy but rather feels like a realistic depiction of somebody thrown into a scary, impossible situation and comes out capable, but scarred.
It doesn't quite reach the heights of Truth of the Divine, but it more than captured my attention - enough to give the upcoming entries a chance. I still couldn't quite get on board with all the alien class structure stuff, but I really dug the rest of it. Sol's arc was great too, unexpectedly and then final 20 pages are terrific.
There are certain passages where after I finish reading them, I think to myself "why did that feel so fresh and interesting?" and it's usually because Ellis dives into personal motivations, communication, trauma and reflection far more than most authors. Cora's development is really well done over the three books - she doesn't become this amazing superheroine of alien diplomacy but rather feels like a realistic depiction of somebody thrown into a scary, impossible situation and comes out capable, but scarred.
It doesn't quite reach the heights of Truth of the Divine, but it more than captured my attention - enough to give the upcoming entries a chance. I still couldn't quite get on board with all the alien class structure stuff, but I really dug the rest of it. Sol's arc was great too, unexpectedly and then final 20 pages are terrific.
March 22, 2025
So good - absolutely worth the fact that I begged my library to add it to the collection.
July 29, 2024
Finally got around to reading this! Finished in a week or a little less.
This book wasn’t what I was expecting in that I thought this was a trilogy. About a third of the way through the book I was starting to think “how is this going to be wrapped up exactly?”. I tried doing some research after finishing, but I didn’t really find any answers. This may be because google is useless garbage these days, but I hope Lindsay Ellis (who, I am a big fan of :) ) puts a FAQ in her website about this. I maybe read somewhere that the series is set for 5 books? Given where we are in the chaos of the story, this would make sense and would make for some really compelling books 4 and 5.
So given the up-in-the-air-ness, that partially is my reason for the 4 out of 5 stars. Mayhaps with some future clarity I will change this, as I have been enjoying the series.
Now for an actual review: This book is easy to read. Not in a mid-grade kind of way, which I have seen people disparage the other two books for. I think it just reads how a millennial thinks, which makes sense as the protagonist is a millennial and I’d venture to say the demographic is too.
The prose isn’t overly flowery or “poetic” really, but the themes are there and they are STWONG. The large chapter quantity aided in keeping the book feeling fast paced. The action is easy to understand, and the emotions are what I’m really here for.
After about the half way point is when the book starts free falling through the plot, the stakes get high, the tension is UP, shit is hitting the fan. And at the center of it all is a love story and hope hope hope. This book switches point of views a lot, but I was equally invested in all of the characters so I did not mind. Only once or twice did I think I DONT WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU RIGHT NOW.
Lemme just say, and don’t jump ahead but if you’ve already read it @ me lmao, page 318. Ho, boy. Girl. I was SCREAMING. Favorite scene in the series (so far, hint hint nudge nudge). Just, right up my alley. Weird and horny. We love it.
My other reason for one less star, and which could definitely change if I become aware of the future of the series, is Cora. I like Cora, but as I read i kept expecting it would all lead up to her finally “snapping”. I wanted her to be angrier, I wanted her to scream more, I wanted her to disrespect her surroundings. And she had some moments that definitely qualified, and some moments when she did take charge but just hadn’t yet shown her hand. But it felt incomplete as far as a character arch goes I guess? I never felt that confidence take over fully, I never felt like she was fully who she is meant to be. And that may be because she isn’t and there is more to come! I hope that is the case, because after what she’s gone through (and probably what more is to come) and I just need to see her come out of this as a total badass that rules over her alien cyborg polycule with an iron (consensual) fist.
Anyway, can’t wait to read more of either this or another book from Ellis if this goes on hiatus!
This book wasn’t what I was expecting in that I thought this was a trilogy. About a third of the way through the book I was starting to think “how is this going to be wrapped up exactly?”. I tried doing some research after finishing, but I didn’t really find any answers. This may be because google is useless garbage these days, but I hope Lindsay Ellis (who, I am a big fan of :) ) puts a FAQ in her website about this. I maybe read somewhere that the series is set for 5 books? Given where we are in the chaos of the story, this would make sense and would make for some really compelling books 4 and 5.
So given the up-in-the-air-ness, that partially is my reason for the 4 out of 5 stars. Mayhaps with some future clarity I will change this, as I have been enjoying the series.
Now for an actual review: This book is easy to read. Not in a mid-grade kind of way, which I have seen people disparage the other two books for. I think it just reads how a millennial thinks, which makes sense as the protagonist is a millennial and I’d venture to say the demographic is too.
The prose isn’t overly flowery or “poetic” really, but the themes are there and they are STWONG. The large chapter quantity aided in keeping the book feeling fast paced. The action is easy to understand, and the emotions are what I’m really here for.
After about the half way point is when the book starts free falling through the plot, the stakes get high, the tension is UP, shit is hitting the fan. And at the center of it all is a love story and hope hope hope. This book switches point of views a lot, but I was equally invested in all of the characters so I did not mind. Only once or twice did I think I DONT WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU RIGHT NOW.
Lemme just say, and don’t jump ahead but if you’ve already read it @ me lmao, page 318. Ho, boy. Girl. I was SCREAMING. Favorite scene in the series (so far, hint hint nudge nudge). Just, right up my alley. Weird and horny. We love it.
My other reason for one less star, and which could definitely change if I become aware of the future of the series, is Cora. I like Cora, but as I read i kept expecting it would all lead up to her finally “snapping”. I wanted her to be angrier, I wanted her to scream more, I wanted her to disrespect her surroundings. And she had some moments that definitely qualified, and some moments when she did take charge but just hadn’t yet shown her hand. But it felt incomplete as far as a character arch goes I guess? I never felt that confidence take over fully, I never felt like she was fully who she is meant to be. And that may be because she isn’t and there is more to come! I hope that is the case, because after what she’s gone through (and probably what more is to come) and I just need to see her come out of this as a total badass that rules over her alien cyborg polycule with an iron (consensual) fist.
Anyway, can’t wait to read more of either this or another book from Ellis if this goes on hiatus!
May 1, 2024
I was so happy to get a chance to read this early, I've been eagerly awaiting the continuation to Cora & Ampersand's journey and it did not disappoint.
We deal with the impact of Kaveh's death in the previous book on both Cora & Nikola. The dynamics between Cora & Ampersand are further explored and Cora is finding her voice when it comes to the differences in norms between the two, which is great to see. Paris is a great addition to the core group and helped contribute to Cora's character growth and provided another point of view. I was happy to see more of Luciana & Sol too. The personal stakes seem ever higher in this one than in any of the previous entries and I was constantly at the edge of my seat in certain chapters revolving around specific characters.
The Physterines were fascinating and I could hardly put the book down as the conflicts between all the species escalated. The last 20% of this book especially, was just non-stop. You won't want to stop reading. The last chapter as well!!! I was expecting the story to wrap up with this novel but with that ending, I hope this is not the last we've seen of these characters.
Thanks to Titan Books & Netgalley for the chance to read this arc!
We deal with the impact of Kaveh's death in the previous book on both Cora & Nikola. The dynamics between Cora & Ampersand are further explored and Cora is finding her voice when it comes to the differences in norms between the two, which is great to see. Paris is a great addition to the core group and helped contribute to Cora's character growth and provided another point of view. I was happy to see more of Luciana & Sol too. The personal stakes seem ever higher in this one than in any of the previous entries and I was constantly at the edge of my seat in certain chapters revolving around specific characters.
The Physterines were fascinating and I could hardly put the book down as the conflicts between all the species escalated. The last 20% of this book especially, was just non-stop. You won't want to stop reading. The last chapter as well!!! I was expecting the story to wrap up with this novel but with that ending, I hope this is not the last we've seen of these characters.
Thanks to Titan Books & Netgalley for the chance to read this arc!
July 31, 2025
I've been a long-time enjoyer of Ellis' YouTube content, and so it's with real disappointment that I say these books are proof that keen media analysis, a sharp eye for storytelling devices, and even talent at writing and performing video essays doesn't necessarily translate into writing good books. The key problem here is that Ellis' oeuvre is visual media. This book in particular, while hitting the right plot beats and having complex character dynamics, is let down by the quality of the prose. Awkward sentence construction, over-explanation, over-reliance on similes/metaphors, far too many brands/celebrities/proper nouns in general, and a tone that can't make up its mind between being flippant or heartfelt all drag this book down. It doesn't help that the main two characters, Cora and Paris, feel fairly one-dimensional, with a rushed romantic entanglement, and spend most of their time in the narrative being hauled from place to place by other characters or the demands of the plot. Additionally, what was for many people the key appeal of the first book - the Ampersand-Cora relationship (whether platonic or not) took a backseat for 2/3 of the plot, until it was more or less forced into a resolution. I understand authors maturing and growing out of their initial book ideas, and I don't think they should be beholden to the wishes of their readers, but it does weaken a series when the emotional core shifts so drastically from book to book.
November 22, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐️
I'm always strapping in and not quite sure where things are going to go when it comes to these books, but I know it will be a fun time. This book is no different and I really enjoyed the ride.
Some aspects that I loved:
- Cora's growth and agency! I've loved her character arc across the series and this book really showcases just how much she has overcome while highlighting how comfortable and confident she has become.
- This book probably has the most action of the three and includes some moments of suspense that made me want to keep reading.
- There are some great themes about humanity - what it means to be human and so on that Ellis does a great job of interweaving throughout each book.
- Romance - I won't get into it for spoilers but there are some, let's say interesting moments between Ampersand and Cora.
I think of the three, book 2 was my favorite. The themes about mental health were so good and I really connected with them. Something that stands out to me about these books is that while they are all part of a series, they really stand out individually with how they tackle what first contact might mean on Earth. I'm sad to be leaving this series but I'm looking forward to what Ellis writes next!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lindsay Ellis, and St. Martin's Press for my early access to this.
PopSugar 2024 - a book with the word "leap" in the title
I'm always strapping in and not quite sure where things are going to go when it comes to these books, but I know it will be a fun time. This book is no different and I really enjoyed the ride.
Some aspects that I loved:
- Cora's growth and agency! I've loved her character arc across the series and this book really showcases just how much she has overcome while highlighting how comfortable and confident she has become.
- This book probably has the most action of the three and includes some moments of suspense that made me want to keep reading.
- There are some great themes about humanity - what it means to be human and so on that Ellis does a great job of interweaving throughout each book.
- Romance - I won't get into it for spoilers but there are some, let's say interesting moments between Ampersand and Cora.
I think of the three, book 2 was my favorite. The themes about mental health were so good and I really connected with them. Something that stands out to me about these books is that while they are all part of a series, they really stand out individually with how they tackle what first contact might mean on Earth. I'm sad to be leaving this series but I'm looking forward to what Ellis writes next!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lindsay Ellis, and St. Martin's Press for my early access to this.
PopSugar 2024 - a book with the word "leap" in the title
July 3, 2024
UPDATE: (Thanks for the ARC! I really wasn't expecting it)
We'll I'll give it this: It is better than the second book (Truth of the Divine).
It's not as ham-fisted with its word choices, some of the descriptions actually work, and the dialogue lacks a lit of the earlier books pretension.
Still not a great read, though. Certain character moments, and smug little jokes I'm sure Ellis thinks are clever, grind things to a halt.
It seems Lindsay is finally listening to her Editor...or she, at least, was given one this time.
I am, however, disappointed that this is now a 5 Book series. If you can't stick the landing in the timeframe you initially planned then YOU SUCK AS AN AUTHOR. It reeks of shitty plotting and outlining. So, that doesn't bode well for the future.
Honest 2 out of 5, from me.
ORIGINAL:
Oh shit, here we go again.
Well, it can't possibly be worse than the last one.
Will discuss when I have a copy (I doubt I'll get an ARC, like last time)
(Note: I put 1-Star here because it's just as pointless as posting a 5-Star)
We'll I'll give it this: It is better than the second book (Truth of the Divine).
It's not as ham-fisted with its word choices, some of the descriptions actually work, and the dialogue lacks a lit of the earlier books pretension.
Still not a great read, though. Certain character moments, and smug little jokes I'm sure Ellis thinks are clever, grind things to a halt.
It seems Lindsay is finally listening to her Editor...or she, at least, was given one this time.
I am, however, disappointed that this is now a 5 Book series. If you can't stick the landing in the timeframe you initially planned then YOU SUCK AS AN AUTHOR. It reeks of shitty plotting and outlining. So, that doesn't bode well for the future.
Honest 2 out of 5, from me.
ORIGINAL:
Oh shit, here we go again.
Well, it can't possibly be worse than the last one.
Will discuss when I have a copy (I doubt I'll get an ARC, like last time)
(Note: I put 1-Star here because it's just as pointless as posting a 5-Star)
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