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Zhukov's Dogs
Lieutenant Colonel Nik Zhukov is just like any other desensitized seventeen-year-old living in the year 2076. At least he likes to think he is when he isn’t busy eliminating threats to national security, breaking up terrorist organizations, and trying not to get blown up. It’s all in a normal day’s work for one of the military’s top dogs, and he’s never disappointed. Never failed. Never lost sight of his dream of making it to the elite force, even as each new job forces him to see just how morally corrupt his leaders are.
On the verge of promotion, Nik is dispatched to the underground city beneath the icy Seattle tundra, his final mission handed down directly from The Council. It should have been a simple in-and-out, but the underground is full of dark secrets and he soon finds himself swept into battles, lying to his best friend back east, and growing a bit too close to the rebels he was sent to spy on.
Nik realizes too late that he’s broken the number one rule within his ranks; he’s allowed himself to feel normal for the first time in his life. He might be able to turn the job around, become the soldier he was once was, except for his growing attachment to the rebel leader. A guy. Yet another first for Nik. It’s a mistake he pays for dearly when he learns The Council’s true intentions for the city.
It’s never ‘just harmless fun’ when you’re a government dog, not when The Council holds the leash. Nik knows there are some lines you can never come back from crossing, and he’s forced to choose whose rules to play by. He races toward the invisible divide, aware he’ll be called traitor by both his nation and by his friends. Aware that even the right choice can be deadly to make.
On the verge of promotion, Nik is dispatched to the underground city beneath the icy Seattle tundra, his final mission handed down directly from The Council. It should have been a simple in-and-out, but the underground is full of dark secrets and he soon finds himself swept into battles, lying to his best friend back east, and growing a bit too close to the rebels he was sent to spy on.
Nik realizes too late that he’s broken the number one rule within his ranks; he’s allowed himself to feel normal for the first time in his life. He might be able to turn the job around, become the soldier he was once was, except for his growing attachment to the rebel leader. A guy. Yet another first for Nik. It’s a mistake he pays for dearly when he learns The Council’s true intentions for the city.
It’s never ‘just harmless fun’ when you’re a government dog, not when The Council holds the leash. Nik knows there are some lines you can never come back from crossing, and he’s forced to choose whose rules to play by. He races toward the invisible divide, aware he’ll be called traitor by both his nation and by his friends. Aware that even the right choice can be deadly to make.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2014
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February 21, 2015
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
This book turned out completely different from what I expected when I started reading, luckily it took a turn for the better.
Nik is part of a junior division of intelligence where teenagers are trained like dogs to follow orders. When he's sent to the now underground city of Seattle on a simple infiltration mission, he may loose more than he care to.
The first fifty pages or so, I didn't enjoy reading it. I can't really put my finger on what it was, but it wasn't working for me. Perhaps too military? I had some trouble in the beginning to bind with the characters (I spent several pages trying to guess the character's gender, which probably didn't help). But after this rough start, I noticed I started to enjoy the story more and more, until I actually liked reading it, a lot.
The premise might not be overly original. The 'good' soldier sent on a mission, where he accidentally learns there is more to (his) life than blindly following orders. But I liked the execution of the plot and think this is one of the better ones I read in this genre. Near the end I was kind of cheering for the characters. The ending is very open, which works perfectly and I think - hope - there won't be a sequel because I believe it's good not to always end with an overly happy all's well that end's well ending. I would however like to read more of Amanda Cyr's books.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book turned out completely different from what I expected when I started reading, luckily it took a turn for the better.
Nik is part of a junior division of intelligence where teenagers are trained like dogs to follow orders. When he's sent to the now underground city of Seattle on a simple infiltration mission, he may loose more than he care to.
The first fifty pages or so, I didn't enjoy reading it. I can't really put my finger on what it was, but it wasn't working for me. Perhaps too military? I had some trouble in the beginning to bind with the characters (I spent several pages trying to guess the character's gender, which probably didn't help). But after this rough start, I noticed I started to enjoy the story more and more, until I actually liked reading it, a lot.
The premise might not be overly original. The 'good' soldier sent on a mission, where he accidentally learns there is more to (his) life than blindly following orders. But I liked the execution of the plot and think this is one of the better ones I read in this genre. Near the end I was kind of cheering for the characters. The ending is very open, which works perfectly and I think - hope - there won't be a sequel because I believe it's good not to always end with an overly happy all's well that end's well ending. I would however like to read more of Amanda Cyr's books.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
July 22, 2016
This book could have been so much better if it was longer...for two books. Because, you see, there is a lot of going on here - Nik infiltrating underground rebel group, falling love in Val and trying to save Seattle in the process...and all that and so much more happens in only two weeks. As you know, most of the YA dystopias are trilogies and for a reason...When you're writing a dystopia, you need to build a whole new world. That takes pages this book sorely lacks. And that's without character development...which in this book happens at a rapid pace. BUT...do you know how many gay dystopian stories are out there? Not enough...not nearly enough. And though Zhukov's Dogs has its flaws, it had that true dystopian feel, and I truly wanted for Nik and Val to make it. So, my conclusion is that I liked it, but it could have been much better if it was more developed. Unfortunately, author is not planing any sequels.
August 15, 2017
Despite what my blog posts are for my book reviews, there are actually quite a few authors and books I gush about. Let me just say this, Zhukov's Dogs by Amanda Cyr was completely gush worthy. This book is a young adult science fiction dystopia published through Curiosity Quills Press, and, let me tell you, it is worth reading!
It starts off like a prisoner of war memoir. We literally meet Nik Zhukov, our main character, in the midst of incarceration and impending execution. Through an interview and his own flashbacks, we get the full story of who he is and how he ended up there.
The Characters: Nik Zhukov is a serious badass. I love his quirks and how he changes through the book. He is strong, both mentally and physically, but emotionally he needs help. Enters the underground group he is sent to infiltrate. Each character has their own quirks and personalities. I felt like I knew these people. It is clear that Cyr had taken great care for them.
Val, is a spunky guy who you can't help but love. Anya surprises you. Fritzi is the type of girl you definitely want on your side. And for the characters you meet in the prison, Dr. Halliburton was both deliciously evil and smack worthy. There were times I was hoping she got the picture and times I hope she would just jump off a bridge. Seriously, she's a well written character. They ALL are well written.
The story is a strong one. The reader is thrusted into the quick paced world and Cyr doesn't let you slow down. It's one of the those books you will be yelling at out loud. I did that. I laughed, I squealed, and I yelled angrily. An author who can make me aubily say something and make people around me stare in confusion, is an author worth reading.
This book has it all. There is romance, action, politics, and the horrors of what a country can do to their own people if not checked correctly.
I love the dash of history placed in there too with the Seattle underground. I used to live in Bremerton and I would go to Seattle almost every weekend. I did take a tour of the underground and there are places that no one has even seen since it was closed up. I love Seattle so much, I was even inspired to do something with the underground. I didn't write the story, but I'm glad someone incorporated it in their own work. I felt like I was in the Seattle of 2076.
In all, I love LOVE LOVE this book. Seriously, it's that big. READ.
It starts off like a prisoner of war memoir. We literally meet Nik Zhukov, our main character, in the midst of incarceration and impending execution. Through an interview and his own flashbacks, we get the full story of who he is and how he ended up there.
The Characters: Nik Zhukov is a serious badass. I love his quirks and how he changes through the book. He is strong, both mentally and physically, but emotionally he needs help. Enters the underground group he is sent to infiltrate. Each character has their own quirks and personalities. I felt like I knew these people. It is clear that Cyr had taken great care for them.
Val, is a spunky guy who you can't help but love. Anya surprises you. Fritzi is the type of girl you definitely want on your side. And for the characters you meet in the prison, Dr. Halliburton was both deliciously evil and smack worthy. There were times I was hoping she got the picture and times I hope she would just jump off a bridge. Seriously, she's a well written character. They ALL are well written.
The story is a strong one. The reader is thrusted into the quick paced world and Cyr doesn't let you slow down. It's one of the those books you will be yelling at out loud. I did that. I laughed, I squealed, and I yelled angrily. An author who can make me aubily say something and make people around me stare in confusion, is an author worth reading.
This book has it all. There is romance, action, politics, and the horrors of what a country can do to their own people if not checked correctly.
I love the dash of history placed in there too with the Seattle underground. I used to live in Bremerton and I would go to Seattle almost every weekend. I did take a tour of the underground and there are places that no one has even seen since it was closed up. I love Seattle so much, I was even inspired to do something with the underground. I didn't write the story, but I'm glad someone incorporated it in their own work. I felt like I was in the Seattle of 2076.
In all, I love LOVE LOVE this book. Seriously, it's that big. READ.
December 17, 2014
Copy by NetGalley.
3.5 stars
Nik Zhukov is a good dog.
Trained to be a soldier and part of the Youth Infiltration Division, he's the best at what he does.
Until he is given the assigment to infiltrate the undergrounds of an iced Seattle, join the rebels and spy on them, before The Council crushes the city.
But he hesitates, gets to know the rebels...and falls in love with their leader, Val.
The book begins with Nik imprisoned for treason, and chapter by chapter we learn how he got there, what happened when he was underground and how he fell in love with Val.
The story lacks world-building, it's not very annoying though, because Nik is mostly underground or imprisoned. I'd love to read why the city is covered in ice.The characters are strong, with unique personalities and the romance could almost be considered instalove, but overall a very satisfying read.
3.5 stars
In my eleven years of service, I’d never heard of something as extreme as crushing an entire city. The fact Aiden just told me I was going to have a hand in the crime made everything else on my mind seem trivial. Good dogs held their tongues and relied on nothing more than the briefing sheet in front of them, though, so I tried to keep my nerves together and not think about the mass genocide I was being asked to take part in.
Nik Zhukov is a good dog.
Trained to be a soldier and part of the Youth Infiltration Division, he's the best at what he does.
Until he is given the assigment to infiltrate the undergrounds of an iced Seattle, join the rebels and spy on them, before The Council crushes the city.
But he hesitates, gets to know the rebels...and falls in love with their leader, Val.
The book begins with Nik imprisoned for treason, and chapter by chapter we learn how he got there, what happened when he was underground and how he fell in love with Val.
The story lacks world-building, it's not very annoying though, because Nik is mostly underground or imprisoned. I'd love to read why the city is covered in ice.The characters are strong, with unique personalities and the romance could almost be considered instalove, but overall a very satisfying read.
November 5, 2014
I was given the opportunity to read to review this book by Curiosity Quills, as part of the Blog Tour, and I GREATLY enjoyed it!!
The year is 2076 and less than 40 states are still considered habitable, thanks to the destructive power of nature leaving them ruined and inhospitable. And yet there are still people living out there, mining resources, living underground. And the Council wants to crush one such city for ownership over their valuable operation - and they want one of their best Y.I.D. soldiers to help them bring it to fruition.
This is a Dystopian world and the military is a strong feature in it, with the protagonist opening up the story after having committed 38 counts of murder, arson, treason, and more. A prisoner of war expected to be executed for his crimes, he is sent reeling when he is given evidence by his captors that the man he loves was not dead, as he believed.
What's more, is that Nik Zhukov is a youth soldier and was about to be promoted when he turned 18.
Action thick and emotional, thought provoking, layered with history, and with a warning about the consequences of greed and short-term thinking, the author made ZHUKOV'S DOGS a big hit with this reader. =D
The year is 2076 and less than 40 states are still considered habitable, thanks to the destructive power of nature leaving them ruined and inhospitable. And yet there are still people living out there, mining resources, living underground. And the Council wants to crush one such city for ownership over their valuable operation - and they want one of their best Y.I.D. soldiers to help them bring it to fruition.
This is a Dystopian world and the military is a strong feature in it, with the protagonist opening up the story after having committed 38 counts of murder, arson, treason, and more. A prisoner of war expected to be executed for his crimes, he is sent reeling when he is given evidence by his captors that the man he loves was not dead, as he believed.
What's more, is that Nik Zhukov is a youth soldier and was about to be promoted when he turned 18.
Action thick and emotional, thought provoking, layered with history, and with a warning about the consequences of greed and short-term thinking, the author made ZHUKOV'S DOGS a big hit with this reader. =D
October 30, 2014
Zhukov’s Dogs is the most innovative dystopian novels, I have ever read. Amanda Cyr captured a world that is so vivid and real, it is frightening that a future a could be so deliciously bleak. In Nik Zhukov’s ruined future, there is no place for the old, it is survival of the fittest- at seventeen, Nik ploughs through the ranks to find things are not all they seem to be. Zhukov’s dogs is filled with arbitrage, intrigue and enough action to make this book hard to put down.
Wonderfully written, this thrill ride of a novel is often thought provoking, as Nik develops through out the book and reading it, you can see how this novel was a labour of love for the author. There is so much packed in and I’m limited with what I can say because I would not want to spoil this book for anyone by giving so much away but it has to be read. Zhukov’s dogs defies genre labelling, but if you enjoyed “Wool”, “Hunger Games” or “Maze Runners” then you will love this book as much as I did. Five stars is not enough! I highly recommend!
Wonderfully written, this thrill ride of a novel is often thought provoking, as Nik develops through out the book and reading it, you can see how this novel was a labour of love for the author. There is so much packed in and I’m limited with what I can say because I would not want to spoil this book for anyone by giving so much away but it has to be read. Zhukov’s dogs defies genre labelling, but if you enjoyed “Wool”, “Hunger Games” or “Maze Runners” then you will love this book as much as I did. Five stars is not enough! I highly recommend!
November 6, 2014
This is the kind of story I think of when I consider the definition of dystopian. As I read it, I kept thinking this must be like reading a memoir of Guantanamo, or a historical recounting of the horrors in Eastern Europe in the 1990's. Perhaps a more apropos reference would be to the medieval Children's Crusade, during which children of all ages were scarcely trained, then shuffled off toward Jerusalem as cannon fodder in an ongoing wE that even the Christian European adults could not win. Here, too, young children are trained, for espionage and killing; and when they're captured, age doesn't' excuse them from interrogation and torture.
September 23, 2014
Received a complimentary copy to read and review. I couldn't put it down. The characters and the story are very interesting. It has some great twists and turns. I recommend it to others. Readers won't be disappointed. I look forward to reading more of Amanda's books.
November 26, 2015
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Zhukov's Dogs was quite a surprise: an indie that was well written, engaging, nuanced, and even had an interesting romance. The plot flowed smoothly and organically, without being overly complicated or people acting out of character just to push a plot. Best of all, our lead is not bound by morality or conventions - he'll kill an innocent or fall for another guy without feeling the need to sermonize or agonize forever about it (take that, Katniss). He's a product of the society and written that way.Story: Nik lives in an America that has been ravaged by environment decline; a new ice age that has turned North America into the arctic. The government survives through tight control, creating enforcers called dogs who ensure peace across what remains of the country. Nik is a dog in the youth section; bred to do the government's dirty work and not think twice about those decisions. But when he is sent to underground Seattle to ferret out a resistance group, he's going to find something much more than he bargained for: his humanity.
I initially chose to read Zhukov's Dogs because it is a YA dystopian with a male/male romance. Fortunately, author Cyr eschewed a lot of conventions in all those genres by giving us a romance without graphic sex or overly assured intentions. Nik and Val make an interesting pairing that grows organically though admittedly quickly (it does veer a bit close to insta luv). What I respected and appreciated is that both our leads recognized the signals of attraction and didn't play dumb that it was happening. Right off the bat, Nik knew Val was interested. It just worked nicely.
The story is told through both flashbacks and present tense as Nik relates his experiences after being captured and believing Val is dead. As his story unfolds, so to do we get to see how the events in the past led up to the situation in which he now finds himself.
The side characters of the revolutionaries weren't necessarily developed since this is a very fast paced and smooth read. It's a story you start and just don't stop. There are no lags (though there are lulls so it isn't non-stop action). For this reason, I would love to see the story continue and build upon what has been written so far.
As noted earlier, our characters aren't good people necessarily. Author Cyr resists the temptation to make Nik too good - it simply wouldn't make sense to have a killer who suddenly decides he has too many morals to kill. But that is also a trigger for some readers who have to have sparkling shiney knights of perfection in dark worlds.
It's honestly rare to find a really good dystopian or M/M themed romance, especially in the indie sector. This is one of them; I really had so many other things to do but just couldn't put it down once I started. It was that good.
I am very glad I purchased this and highly recommend it.
October 31, 2014
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I found this book a particularly intriguing one. The blurb sounded really interesting and I found myself pulled into the storyline almost straight away.
Zhukov was a really well-written character and it was good to see the storyline written purely from his perspective. Although the book kind of went straight into the action, I still found it really easy to follow.
I would have liked to see a bit more of Zhukov’s past. There was enough to make him an interesting character, but I didn’t really see enough of why he became one of the dogs.
There were times in this book that I couldn’t help thinking Zhukov’s morality compass was incredibly skewed. It made sense with who he was and how he’d been brought up, but the loose ends thing in particular made me think I’m not sure Zhukov would be a person I’d like in reality.
I particularly liked Zhukov’s relationship with Val. It was interesting how Zhukov didn’t identify himself as being romantically interested in men, but it was more that Val was an exception.
I would have liked a bit of explanation about how Val (and Anya’s) build was so different to what others like them were normally like. The contrast between Val and Zhukov was fairly interesting, but I would have liked to know why Val’s body temperature was so cold in comparison to everyone else’s.
I did think Zhukov was a believable character. I was pulled into this storyline really easily and it was good to see other parts of the world. I would have liked to see more of the history of the world, but that lack of detail didn’t really detract from the story.
I would definitely be interested in reading a sequel to this book. It did have a proper ending, but there was a lot more of this story that I felt could have been told. I’d like to see more of the world and the characters.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I found this book a particularly intriguing one. The blurb sounded really interesting and I found myself pulled into the storyline almost straight away.
Zhukov was a really well-written character and it was good to see the storyline written purely from his perspective. Although the book kind of went straight into the action, I still found it really easy to follow.
I would have liked to see a bit more of Zhukov’s past. There was enough to make him an interesting character, but I didn’t really see enough of why he became one of the dogs.
There were times in this book that I couldn’t help thinking Zhukov’s morality compass was incredibly skewed. It made sense with who he was and how he’d been brought up, but the loose ends thing in particular made me think I’m not sure Zhukov would be a person I’d like in reality.
I particularly liked Zhukov’s relationship with Val. It was interesting how Zhukov didn’t identify himself as being romantically interested in men, but it was more that Val was an exception.
I would have liked a bit of explanation about how Val (and Anya’s) build was so different to what others like them were normally like. The contrast between Val and Zhukov was fairly interesting, but I would have liked to know why Val’s body temperature was so cold in comparison to everyone else’s.
I did think Zhukov was a believable character. I was pulled into this storyline really easily and it was good to see other parts of the world. I would have liked to see more of the history of the world, but that lack of detail didn’t really detract from the story.
I would definitely be interested in reading a sequel to this book. It did have a proper ending, but there was a lot more of this story that I felt could have been told. I’d like to see more of the world and the characters.
November 26, 2015
Love Destoys The Vilest Conditioning
This is a stand alone as far as I can tell.
Nik is a product of his upbringing for the most part. His father is military elite. His best friend is THE military elite... He was born and bred to be a soldier. Nik has never questioned anything that was instilled in him by his father or his indoctrination except where Aiden is concerned. Nothing and no one will get between them ever! They are the family they chose. So when Aiden asks Nik to do one last undercover mission he doesn't even hesitate ... Except for a bit of whining about the cold... But who could blame him? Will he be able to carry out his mission successfully? Or is his dormant sense of right and wrong finally rearing its ugly head?
This was an amazing thrill ride of an adventure with just enough soul searching to be believable :) It shows that the right person can turn your life upside down and make you a better person just by loving you and accepting that the past cannot be changed. Only the future matters in the long run! This was an amazing inspiring and fun read that shows love can prevail even in the harshest societies :) I can't wait to read more by this awesome author!
*** This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who are not homophobic and like a little hope in their postapocolyptic dystopian adventures :)
This is a stand alone as far as I can tell.
Nik is a product of his upbringing for the most part. His father is military elite. His best friend is THE military elite... He was born and bred to be a soldier. Nik has never questioned anything that was instilled in him by his father or his indoctrination except where Aiden is concerned. Nothing and no one will get between them ever! They are the family they chose. So when Aiden asks Nik to do one last undercover mission he doesn't even hesitate ... Except for a bit of whining about the cold... But who could blame him? Will he be able to carry out his mission successfully? Or is his dormant sense of right and wrong finally rearing its ugly head?
This was an amazing thrill ride of an adventure with just enough soul searching to be believable :) It shows that the right person can turn your life upside down and make you a better person just by loving you and accepting that the past cannot be changed. Only the future matters in the long run! This was an amazing inspiring and fun read that shows love can prevail even in the harshest societies :) I can't wait to read more by this awesome author!
*** This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who are not homophobic and like a little hope in their postapocolyptic dystopian adventures :)
December 24, 2014
Nik Zhukov is a dog (not literally) at the Y.I.D. and a very good one at it. He completes his missions and does what he's told without question. One day, when his boss and best friend Aiden sends him out on a mission to spy on some underground kids, he accepts wholeheartedly. But the real problem only starts the moment that he meets those so called "kids". They are organized, numerous, kind and ruthless. They accept Zhukov as one of their own and for once,he feels like he truly belongs.
I really liked the story though I do believe that it could've had more action in it. I felt like so little events were happening in the span of so many pages. The characters were well developed, complicated with many layers to them which is very nice but the connection was definitely lacking. The writing was very plain and I have to say that I wasn't really interested at the beginning as I was at the end. Cyr incorporated the romance very well into the book. I totally ship Nik and Val.
I would've never thought that this book was taken place in the US. I actually thought it was Russia. I mean come on snow everywhere, the names Nik Zhukov and Valerie... I didn't feel like I was in Seattle (even though sixty years may change a place drastically).
In general it was an OK book. The plot was unique in its kind but like I said before, not enough action. Unsatisfying ending.
I really liked the story though I do believe that it could've had more action in it. I felt like so little events were happening in the span of so many pages. The characters were well developed, complicated with many layers to them which is very nice but the connection was definitely lacking. The writing was very plain and I have to say that I wasn't really interested at the beginning as I was at the end. Cyr incorporated the romance very well into the book. I totally ship Nik and Val.
I would've never thought that this book was taken place in the US. I actually thought it was Russia. I mean come on snow everywhere, the names Nik Zhukov and Valerie... I didn't feel like I was in Seattle (even though sixty years may change a place drastically).
In general it was an OK book. The plot was unique in its kind but like I said before, not enough action. Unsatisfying ending.
January 8, 2015
You can find more reviews Mademoisellesnow Blog
Dystopian world and military is a huge feature in this book. This book starts off like a prisoner’s memoir. Where Nik Zhukov is in the midst of incarceration and his impending execution. But his story is told through an interview and flashbacks where the reader learns about him and his past and how he ended up where he is.
The story was really strong, the writing was amazing, and I just loved the way that everything was set up. With this story you’d be yelling out loud, laughing with the characters, squealing and laughing right along with them.
This book has it all! The romance, the action, the politics and the horrors that one country can do to it’s own people. I cannot recommend this enough.
Dystopian world and military is a huge feature in this book. This book starts off like a prisoner’s memoir. Where Nik Zhukov is in the midst of incarceration and his impending execution. But his story is told through an interview and flashbacks where the reader learns about him and his past and how he ended up where he is.
The story was really strong, the writing was amazing, and I just loved the way that everything was set up. With this story you’d be yelling out loud, laughing with the characters, squealing and laughing right along with them.
This book has it all! The romance, the action, the politics and the horrors that one country can do to it’s own people. I cannot recommend this enough.
December 14, 2014
At first I wasn't sure that I would like this book, then the story pulled me in and I was unable to get out. The characters in this book jump off the page and pull you back in. It is a story about whether to follow your heart or your orders. The main characters show exactly what they would do for those that they love, even when betrayal and treason are at stake. I highly recommend this book.
February 27, 2017
Some books grab you straight away, some take forever to do so, and some never do.
This is the second type.
I need to head off on a tangent for a bit, sorry. So sometime back, a certain novel was awarded a Hugo for being the best of the year. I tried to read it, and was instantly lost in the undefined terminology, cultures, world, and a distressingly nonlinear flow. That was Ancillary Justice, and I maybe got 10% of the book read before I deleted it. I don't mind all those things as a reader, I just need something to use as a guide to the world. In Kris Carey and Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.'s 'Flight To Mecha' you get most of those, but it is well done, and you are never thrown into things without a touchstone as you are in Ancillary Justice.
Back to the review at hand. Zhukov’s Dogs starts off going down the wrong path. Terms, environment, an obvious cultural shift...all of this is there in abundance, and it was enough to get me to stop reading while I read a few other books in the middle. But I did return, and I have to say I am glad I did. Because it clears up, mostly, and clears enough to allow the reader to move forward without knowing the whole of the story.
And you never do. You are seeing a fraction of the world - a narrowly focused slice telling this one specific story, without the background to really understand things. You wind up not really needing it, I suppose, but for myself, I missed it. As I have mentioned in this space before, I like knowing the full story. I like knowing what I am seeing in the background. I want to know why Zhukov is known as a dog, why there even is a Youth Intelligence Division, who decided Grey Men were a good idea (and, yes, why), how Seattle came to be not only mostly underground, but the cultural shift to make it uncomfortable for a gay character to be openly so.
So, yeah, there are some things that would make this more enjoyable.
But then there is that 'First Novel' tag, for this is indeed Amanda Cyr's first novel, and I do tend to give a lot of leeway on those. Getting published is hard, and having some dude half a continent away with precisely zero books published (or submitted, or written, or started) slam your decisions because they aren't his isn't needed.
So, what is the book about? Simply put, it is about one Lieutenant Colonel Nik Zhukov being dispatched to the underground city beneath the icy Seattle tundra, this is supposed to be his final mission handed down directly from The Council. The year is 2076, and America is vastly different than it is now - there is a Council, for one. Also different are the Grey Men, who seem to be genetically / chemically engineered super soldiers (more Bane than Captain America), who serve as guards and shock troopers. Nik, as a member of the YID, is also enhanced in some ways. A lot of this is gleaned from the text - the feel is very much one of 'everyone knows this, so no one explains it', which is a huge bonus to authenticity (as opposed to a single character spouting exposition for a chapter), but also a bit of a drain on the ease of readability. It makes the beginning harder to understand than it needs to be.
Don't give up though. While my preference for reams of backstory creates blinders, the bulk of the information you need is filled in, and the story soon leaves behind the need for explanation. What we get then is a decent infiltration tale, with the usual bits of seeing that the 'bad guys' aren't, that the establishment is corrupt, and so forth. These are well executed, and have their own twists, which removes them from being mostly standard tropes. The characters are mostly well developed, with two exceptions that I kept confusing. In the end, they didn't really matter, so no harm done.
That leads to the final issue I had - there is a lack of wrap-up. Which, again, is very much something Nik wouldn't know, but this reader wanted. Not that I need the follow-on novel of each character, but something would have been nice. After the story got me into it fully, that was a bit of a let-down.
So, if this review seems all over the place, it's because my impression of the book is as well. I loved large chunks of it - most of it, really, but then other parts were inexplicably deus ex machina mixed with handwavium. I couldn't get a handle on it. There is a reason I paused to read another novel in the middle. It just wasn't holding me. Then it was.
So, finally, we get to the end of this ramble. Let me close with this. I want to read the backstory - how did it get to this place where there is no President? What happened to the environment to make Seattle tundra? What changed in a fairly liberal city to make it intolerant of homosexuality? How do we have the tech we do, but not the tech we don't see? Grey Men? Youth Intelligence Division? So. Many. Questions. So, yes, I would read a sequel, and be vastly more interested in a prequel.
Zhukov's Dogs is good, it raised a lot of unanswered questions about the setting, and came dangerously close to losing me in the beginning, but it pulls it out, and is a good book. I think Amanda Cyr is worth watching - this is a great start.
This is the second type.
I need to head off on a tangent for a bit, sorry. So sometime back, a certain novel was awarded a Hugo for being the best of the year. I tried to read it, and was instantly lost in the undefined terminology, cultures, world, and a distressingly nonlinear flow. That was Ancillary Justice, and I maybe got 10% of the book read before I deleted it. I don't mind all those things as a reader, I just need something to use as a guide to the world. In Kris Carey and Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.'s 'Flight To Mecha' you get most of those, but it is well done, and you are never thrown into things without a touchstone as you are in Ancillary Justice.
Back to the review at hand. Zhukov’s Dogs starts off going down the wrong path. Terms, environment, an obvious cultural shift...all of this is there in abundance, and it was enough to get me to stop reading while I read a few other books in the middle. But I did return, and I have to say I am glad I did. Because it clears up, mostly, and clears enough to allow the reader to move forward without knowing the whole of the story.
And you never do. You are seeing a fraction of the world - a narrowly focused slice telling this one specific story, without the background to really understand things. You wind up not really needing it, I suppose, but for myself, I missed it. As I have mentioned in this space before, I like knowing the full story. I like knowing what I am seeing in the background. I want to know why Zhukov is known as a dog, why there even is a Youth Intelligence Division, who decided Grey Men were a good idea (and, yes, why), how Seattle came to be not only mostly underground, but the cultural shift to make it uncomfortable for a gay character to be openly so.
So, yeah, there are some things that would make this more enjoyable.
But then there is that 'First Novel' tag, for this is indeed Amanda Cyr's first novel, and I do tend to give a lot of leeway on those. Getting published is hard, and having some dude half a continent away with precisely zero books published (or submitted, or written, or started) slam your decisions because they aren't his isn't needed.
So, what is the book about? Simply put, it is about one Lieutenant Colonel Nik Zhukov being dispatched to the underground city beneath the icy Seattle tundra, this is supposed to be his final mission handed down directly from The Council. The year is 2076, and America is vastly different than it is now - there is a Council, for one. Also different are the Grey Men, who seem to be genetically / chemically engineered super soldiers (more Bane than Captain America), who serve as guards and shock troopers. Nik, as a member of the YID, is also enhanced in some ways. A lot of this is gleaned from the text - the feel is very much one of 'everyone knows this, so no one explains it', which is a huge bonus to authenticity (as opposed to a single character spouting exposition for a chapter), but also a bit of a drain on the ease of readability. It makes the beginning harder to understand than it needs to be.
Don't give up though. While my preference for reams of backstory creates blinders, the bulk of the information you need is filled in, and the story soon leaves behind the need for explanation. What we get then is a decent infiltration tale, with the usual bits of seeing that the 'bad guys' aren't, that the establishment is corrupt, and so forth. These are well executed, and have their own twists, which removes them from being mostly standard tropes. The characters are mostly well developed, with two exceptions that I kept confusing. In the end, they didn't really matter, so no harm done.
That leads to the final issue I had - there is a lack of wrap-up. Which, again, is very much something Nik wouldn't know, but this reader wanted. Not that I need the follow-on novel of each character, but something would have been nice. After the story got me into it fully, that was a bit of a let-down.
So, if this review seems all over the place, it's because my impression of the book is as well. I loved large chunks of it - most of it, really, but then other parts were inexplicably deus ex machina mixed with handwavium. I couldn't get a handle on it. There is a reason I paused to read another novel in the middle. It just wasn't holding me. Then it was.
So, finally, we get to the end of this ramble. Let me close with this. I want to read the backstory - how did it get to this place where there is no President? What happened to the environment to make Seattle tundra? What changed in a fairly liberal city to make it intolerant of homosexuality? How do we have the tech we do, but not the tech we don't see? Grey Men? Youth Intelligence Division? So. Many. Questions. So, yes, I would read a sequel, and be vastly more interested in a prequel.
Zhukov's Dogs is good, it raised a lot of unanswered questions about the setting, and came dangerously close to losing me in the beginning, but it pulls it out, and is a good book. I think Amanda Cyr is worth watching - this is a great start.
January 12, 2017
Not only can you not tell a book by its cover, you can't tell it by its title either.
Based on the title, Zhukov's Dogs seemed to be a good match for me: I enjoy it when troops/people are referred to as dogs, and I've taken a liking to books about Russian characters. The brief blurb both made it sound interesting and made me wary:
On the verge of promotion, Nik is dispatched to the underground city beneath the icy Seattle tundra. What should’ve been a simple bit of recon is complicated by the underground’s dark secrets. He soon finds himself treated as an equal and swept into battles alongside the misfit revolutionaries he was sent to spy on. Their gray-eyed leader isn’t fooled by his ruse, though, and as Nik worms his way into their lives, he unknowingly breaks the number one rule within his ranks. He allows himself to feel normal. It’s a mistake he pays for dearly when he learns The Council’s true intentions for Seattle.
"Icy Seattle tundra" caught my attention. Though the book was described as "new-adult, science-fiction, action-adventure romance" (way to cover all the bases), I figured it was another dystopia YA novel, and I was right.
I've mentioned before that special eye colors are a really bad sign in books, so I was worried at the gray-eyed bit. Turned out that both of the two main characters in the romance had special eye colors: One had grey eyes and the other heterochromia (brown and blue). Bad, bad sign.
The good points of the book: Based on the summary, it seemed just another teenage romance book. Turned out it was m/m romance. It's very rare for that to happen without "warning" on the cover or in the summary, so I was quite happily surprised by that. And, for almost the first half of the book, I enjoyed the romance part of it.
The bad: I don't even know where to start. Every other character except the two in the romance were one-dimensional. The bad guys were nothing but evil -- I expected the female villain to sprout a mustache just so she could twirl it. None of the characters were believable as people other than the two in the romance.
The logic was so badly off as well. Big elements: On one page, it was mentioned that Seattle was the second biggest producer of recycled metal. A couple pages later, the Council (new government) said they were going to destroy Seattle because it wasn't producing enough recycled metal. I had to stop reading and laugh -- was I suddenly reading Game of Thrones? "You win or you die"? Be the very best at producing or be destroyed?
A couple pages later I encountered GoT again, but didn't laugh. "Grey was the last name given to bastard children fathered by the Grey Men..." Is that a common thing? Naming all bastards of one group the same last name? The only place I've seen that done is in GoT. On top of that, there's an even bigger logic issue from this: The Grey Men are geneteched, not very human anymore. Their blood is poisonous, they're really hard to kill. What in the world are they doing interbreeding with humans? If the government produced them (and it's never explained how, when most of the country is in ruin), why in the world would they be left able to reproduce with people?
More odd things:
- "His smile was far too genuine to belong to a hardened criminal.". Buh? Criminals can't smile? They're never really happy? Nothing is able to get a genuine smile out of them?
- The main character, who has been trained in military/spy stuff since he was five or so years old, was sitting in a holding cell, put there by the Council. For lord knows what reason, he starts talking out loud to himself about what he was done... then is shocked that the cell had a mic in it and his captors heard everything he said.
- The "Dogs" (normal trained people, not geneteched) could heal from a gunshot wound in one day. How? "Dogs are given daily boosts of amino acids, protein, and a half dozen vitamins". Oh, it's that easy, huh?
- One of the two teens in the romance was a pack+ a day smoker. When the nonsmoker kissed him: "his nicotine-sweet lips". Um. NO.
The first half of the book at least had the romance going for it, but by the second it turned into more of an action movie. And I mean movie. Rarely a book is written as if it were intended to be a movie instead -- the characters don't act like people, they act like movie characters. For example, in this scene Dog Teen is trying to save his Rebel boyfriend from a Grey Man. The Grey Men are programmed to obey officers. (It's been announced on TV by the government that Dog Teen is no longer part of their army, the Grey Men are combing Seattle to find and kill him.)
I pushed my bangs out of my eyes. "My name is Nikolas Zhukov," I said. "Lieutenant Colonel of the Y.I.D. and commanding field officer of Battalions Alpha, Tau, Delta, and Zeta... And you're crushing my boyfriend.
Why, when the Grey Men are hunting Dog Teen down to kill him, would they obey him? Wouldn't the people who sent the Grey Men out tell them not to listen to him? And why in the world would Dog Teen order something other than "Stop!", "Drop him!", or some other impossible-to-misinterpret command? "And you're crushing my boyfriend" only implies that they should stop. The Grey Men are described as stupid, so do you really want them to have to take the time to think that through while they're crushing your boyfriend?
I only made it through 80% of the book. There were just too many plot holes, unbelievable characters, and unexplained things (what happened to the country? Why was most of it buried in snow? why was the government gone and replaced by a council? how in the world did a nation in that state get to the level of gene technology that would allow them to produce Grey Men?). I wasn't enjoying the book at all.
It's only been 11 days since my last review, but it feels like I spent months trying to get through this book.
Based on the title, Zhukov's Dogs seemed to be a good match for me: I enjoy it when troops/people are referred to as dogs, and I've taken a liking to books about Russian characters. The brief blurb both made it sound interesting and made me wary:
On the verge of promotion, Nik is dispatched to the underground city beneath the icy Seattle tundra. What should’ve been a simple bit of recon is complicated by the underground’s dark secrets. He soon finds himself treated as an equal and swept into battles alongside the misfit revolutionaries he was sent to spy on. Their gray-eyed leader isn’t fooled by his ruse, though, and as Nik worms his way into their lives, he unknowingly breaks the number one rule within his ranks. He allows himself to feel normal. It’s a mistake he pays for dearly when he learns The Council’s true intentions for Seattle.
"Icy Seattle tundra" caught my attention. Though the book was described as "new-adult, science-fiction, action-adventure romance" (way to cover all the bases), I figured it was another dystopia YA novel, and I was right.
I've mentioned before that special eye colors are a really bad sign in books, so I was worried at the gray-eyed bit. Turned out that both of the two main characters in the romance had special eye colors: One had grey eyes and the other heterochromia (brown and blue). Bad, bad sign.
The good points of the book: Based on the summary, it seemed just another teenage romance book. Turned out it was m/m romance. It's very rare for that to happen without "warning" on the cover or in the summary, so I was quite happily surprised by that. And, for almost the first half of the book, I enjoyed the romance part of it.
The bad: I don't even know where to start. Every other character except the two in the romance were one-dimensional. The bad guys were nothing but evil -- I expected the female villain to sprout a mustache just so she could twirl it. None of the characters were believable as people other than the two in the romance.
The logic was so badly off as well. Big elements: On one page, it was mentioned that Seattle was the second biggest producer of recycled metal. A couple pages later, the Council (new government) said they were going to destroy Seattle because it wasn't producing enough recycled metal. I had to stop reading and laugh -- was I suddenly reading Game of Thrones? "You win or you die"? Be the very best at producing or be destroyed?
A couple pages later I encountered GoT again, but didn't laugh. "Grey was the last name given to bastard children fathered by the Grey Men..." Is that a common thing? Naming all bastards of one group the same last name? The only place I've seen that done is in GoT. On top of that, there's an even bigger logic issue from this: The Grey Men are geneteched, not very human anymore. Their blood is poisonous, they're really hard to kill. What in the world are they doing interbreeding with humans? If the government produced them (and it's never explained how, when most of the country is in ruin), why in the world would they be left able to reproduce with people?
More odd things:
- "His smile was far too genuine to belong to a hardened criminal.". Buh? Criminals can't smile? They're never really happy? Nothing is able to get a genuine smile out of them?
- The main character, who has been trained in military/spy stuff since he was five or so years old, was sitting in a holding cell, put there by the Council. For lord knows what reason, he starts talking out loud to himself about what he was done... then is shocked that the cell had a mic in it and his captors heard everything he said.
- The "Dogs" (normal trained people, not geneteched) could heal from a gunshot wound in one day. How? "Dogs are given daily boosts of amino acids, protein, and a half dozen vitamins". Oh, it's that easy, huh?
- One of the two teens in the romance was a pack+ a day smoker. When the nonsmoker kissed him: "his nicotine-sweet lips". Um. NO.
The first half of the book at least had the romance going for it, but by the second it turned into more of an action movie. And I mean movie. Rarely a book is written as if it were intended to be a movie instead -- the characters don't act like people, they act like movie characters. For example, in this scene Dog Teen is trying to save his Rebel boyfriend from a Grey Man. The Grey Men are programmed to obey officers. (It's been announced on TV by the government that Dog Teen is no longer part of their army, the Grey Men are combing Seattle to find and kill him.)
I pushed my bangs out of my eyes. "My name is Nikolas Zhukov," I said. "Lieutenant Colonel of the Y.I.D. and commanding field officer of Battalions Alpha, Tau, Delta, and Zeta... And you're crushing my boyfriend.
Why, when the Grey Men are hunting Dog Teen down to kill him, would they obey him? Wouldn't the people who sent the Grey Men out tell them not to listen to him? And why in the world would Dog Teen order something other than "Stop!", "Drop him!", or some other impossible-to-misinterpret command? "And you're crushing my boyfriend" only implies that they should stop. The Grey Men are described as stupid, so do you really want them to have to take the time to think that through while they're crushing your boyfriend?
I only made it through 80% of the book. There were just too many plot holes, unbelievable characters, and unexplained things (what happened to the country? Why was most of it buried in snow? why was the government gone and replaced by a council? how in the world did a nation in that state get to the level of gene technology that would allow them to produce Grey Men?). I wasn't enjoying the book at all.
It's only been 11 days since my last review, but it feels like I spent months trying to get through this book.
June 22, 2020
spoilers!!
i was torn between 3 and 4 stars for a lot of the book. in the end what pushed me over was the scene near the end when everyone starts shooting at nik when they see he’s a YID dog and then after that everything is suddenly fine, no apologies given or anything. i liked the characters but some stuff gets redundant and some scenes make them a little unlikeable. but i appreciate badass women. also. the last quarter had a ton of spelling mistakes. a lot of what happened was entirely implausible or nonsensical, like at the end where they escape from the government building with literally no trouble.
it was okay.
i was torn between 3 and 4 stars for a lot of the book. in the end what pushed me over was the scene near the end when everyone starts shooting at nik when they see he’s a YID dog and then after that everything is suddenly fine, no apologies given or anything. i liked the characters but some stuff gets redundant and some scenes make them a little unlikeable. but i appreciate badass women. also. the last quarter had a ton of spelling mistakes. a lot of what happened was entirely implausible or nonsensical, like at the end where they escape from the government building with literally no trouble.
it was okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2016
Zhukov’s Dogs begins with Nik Zhukov in prison for treason. We then find out how he got there and why he did what he did. His father is military. His best friend is military. It is all Nik has known and he has always done what he was told. Until he was asked to spy on the undergrounds of Seattle and fell in love with their leader, Val.
I really enjoyed the rollercoaster ride the story takes. Nothing has ever distracted Nik until the right woman came along. When you find the one you love it trumps all else. It is all encompassing. It rules the heart and mind and doesn’t let go. Nik found his love in Val and had to betray his family in order to have that love. How can you not adore Nik and how much he loves Val. The fact that Val is a man has no bearing on how deep or strong Nik’s feelings are. It was never established that Nik is attracted to men, so to see his feelings for Val appear was refreshing and made them seem pure. But, that is not all there is to this story. Along with that is a lot of action and angst. It is the kind of story that holds the reader’s attention for a long time. Love that! My only issue with the book is how the story is told through flashbacks. I don’t like that style of story-telling, but that is my issue and doesn’t reflect on the author or her writing.
If you enjoy a good dystopian story, definitely grab this one. It’s also a great book to start reading m/m since it is not the focus of the storyline. All in all, it is well worth reading.
*Copy provided for review.
I really enjoyed the rollercoaster ride the story takes. Nothing has ever distracted Nik until the right woman came along. When you find the one you love it trumps all else. It is all encompassing. It rules the heart and mind and doesn’t let go. Nik found his love in Val and had to betray his family in order to have that love. How can you not adore Nik and how much he loves Val. The fact that Val is a man has no bearing on how deep or strong Nik’s feelings are. It was never established that Nik is attracted to men, so to see his feelings for Val appear was refreshing and made them seem pure. But, that is not all there is to this story. Along with that is a lot of action and angst. It is the kind of story that holds the reader’s attention for a long time. Love that! My only issue with the book is how the story is told through flashbacks. I don’t like that style of story-telling, but that is my issue and doesn’t reflect on the author or her writing.
If you enjoy a good dystopian story, definitely grab this one. It’s also a great book to start reading m/m since it is not the focus of the storyline. All in all, it is well worth reading.
*Copy provided for review.
November 26, 2014
Nik Zhukov is a 10-year military veteran in what is left of America, but he is also only 17. As one of the top operatives in the Youth Infiltration Division, Nik has been trained to fulfill all sorts of dangerous missions. This time his disillusionment with the government and the all-powerful Council may get Nik killed. Charged with infiltrating Seattle's rebel forces, Nik assists their leader, Valery Grey and his team while drawing them close. Perhaps too close, since Nik finds himself attracted to Val even though that was never on Nik's radar. Can he save them both from the Council?
Zhukov's Dogs is a thrill-ride on every page. I wasn't prepared for how this book took hold of me and wouldn't let me go. Instead of doing work, finishing this in one sitting became my priority and I flew through the 200+ pages to the satisfying conclusion!
Zhukov's Dogs is a thrill-ride on every page. I wasn't prepared for how this book took hold of me and wouldn't let me go. Instead of doing work, finishing this in one sitting became my priority and I flew through the 200+ pages to the satisfying conclusion!
Read
January 19, 2015DNF, couldn't get into it. I may try again but not for a while.
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