Roanne Harper is having a bad week. Falsely accused of shoplifting and suspended from school, her whole life has taken a distinct nose-dive. So when her solicitor tells her that there is another option open to her, that by helping to rescue a kidnapped child the charges against her could be dropped, she ignores the nagging voice of doubt in the back of her mind and agrees to help. What she doesn’t realise is that her journey will take her through a parallel dimension, where she will meet gods, demons, psychopaths and a boy who may hold the answer to who she really is.
Ooh, what a wonderful read. I loved Roanne, with her attitude and her dry, slightly irreverent, sense of humour. It serves her well when she enters Gileath via a portal and encounters a whole new world. And what a world! I loved it – like travelling back in time, but without the prissy attitudes of days gone by! The writing is fun, exciting and leads you gently on a path of discovery. And then there’s Oriel. Oh my! Without going OTT, Claire Stevens' writing compares favourably with Cassandra Clare and Colleen Hoover. She draws out the fantasy element perfectly and has a beautiful ease and flow to her writing. I think I’m hooked!
Zero was an enthralling read from beginning to outset. Filled with quirky humour, layers of sub-plots and tantalising hooks which entice you throughout. Yes, there were a couple of things which pulled me up, but this book was too close to perfect to warrant four stars.
One thing I loved about this book was the author said enough without being overwhelming. The reader was allowed room to imagine and fill in the gaps. The only place I would have perhaps liked a little more description was Baeroth’s prison. Claire Stevens has inserted the imagery in a way which barely disrupts the flow of the story.
The storyline itself had surprising depth. There was one point, where we find out that Ro is a pro-archer, where I sighed audibly. This was going to be another one of those books. BUT THEN a couple of nearly hidden hooks were dropped and the truth behind her perfect aim was revealed and it was a good reason. A believable, original reason. At this point I was getting pretty happy with the story. It didn’t stop there. The author’s style was more of a ‘slowly inject the storyline’ kind of style. Which I really enjoy. You didn’t find out everything in the first few chapters. Rather, it unfolded and you kept learning new information throughout the novel, giving you further incentive, if you needed it, to continue on.
So far I’ve mentioned the real stand outs for me. But this book had much more (or it wouldn’t be a fiver). It had the boy, the girl, the history and the explanations. A lot of thought had been put into the finer detail. There was an explanation of why the languages were the same and other finer bits like this which proved the author’s effort. The humour throughout was spot on. It was one of those books where you have a wee chuckle out loud. I particularly liked the ‘bee-yatch part (you’ll see what I mean when you read it).
Zero is highly recommended as the first part of a series. I am now going to fish out some more of Claire Steven’s books for future reading.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. While it could be compared to other YA stories/series about teen girls who find themselves doing battle in unfamiliar circumstances, I did feel it had an original concept, and I liked all of the main characters. I did feel, however, there were a few parts that dragged on a little, and I felt my attention start to wander a bit. Also, when I started reading this book I didn't realize that this is (apparently) the start of a series. Not sure if I would have delved into it had I known that from the description. Having said that, I did find the story and characters interesting enough that I would probably continue with the next book when it's written.
I have loved this book! Easy reading with the expectation factor on every turn of the page. I can't believe that l, being a 56 years old woman, would love this kind of theme, but its absolutely one kind of reading that l enjoy. The author tell us a story that flows easy, the caracthers all interesting, so as the description of places, monsters, wheapons... I don't know! Wonderful. Hope to read the second one soon, and l am recomending it to all my friends. Wish the author lots of sucess. Luisa Tappin
I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Zero". The characters were instantly likeable and the storyline drew me in straight away. I found it difficult to put down and I definitely recommend it.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Zero by Claire Stevens. I wasn't sure what to expect at first as I have not read any of Claire's work before but, right from the start, I was caught up in the fascination of the story of Roanne, Oriel, Neve, Raelthos and Kallista. In my opinion, this story would make an excellent film with some truly amazing special effects! My only disappointment is that I have now finished the book and have realised that Claire hasn’t finished the sequel yet so I will have to try and find something equally as enthralling to read in the meantime. As a huge fan of the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer, Zero (although nothing to do with vampires) also really captured my imagination and I very much look forward to reading the sequel(s). I am definitely a fan!
Overall a very compelling book and I am very interested in the trilogy. She is a strong heroine and she has many experiences which I found enjoyable. Looking forward to book two. Interested more character development and her 'sister'.
Do not like choice she made at end but a great book nonetheless. She is a hero but Heroes need family too.