Regeneration

®Evolution #3

by Stephanie Saulter

The gillungs – genetically modified, waterbreathing humans – are thriving. They’ve pioneered new aquatic industries, and their high-efficiency quantum battery technology coupled to tidal turbines in the Thames estuary looks set to revolutionise the energy industry. But as demand grows, so does fear of what their newfound power might mean.

Then a biohazard scare at Sinkat, their London headquarters, fuels the opposition and threatens to derail the gillungs’ progress. Was it an accident born of overconfidence, or was it sabotage?

DS Sharon Varsi has her suspicions, and Gabriel sees parallels in the propaganda war he’s trying to manage: politicians and big business have stakes in this game too. And now there is a new threat: Zavcka Klist is out of prison. With powerful new followers and nothing to lose, she’s out to reclaim everything they took from her.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Thriller

374 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2015

About the author

Stephanie Saulter is a writer of speculative fiction and the author of the ®Evolution novels: Gemsigns, Binary and Regeneration. They're set in a near future that's been fundamentally altered by neurological pandemic, genetic manipulation and social media, and use the lens of an altered humanity to take a new look at the old issues of race, class, religious dogma and social conflict.

Before she got around to being an author, Stephanie developed real estate, managed restaurants, was a corporate executive, a public policy wonk, a management consultant, and founded the Scriptopus interactive website for writing short fiction. She doesn't have a poor attention span; on the contrary she finds lots of things interesting and figures you learn more by doing. Few of her jobs would appear to have any relationship to her Humanities degree (English literature and anthropology) from MIT, but she would disagree. She lives in London.

Reviews

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a little over eight years since the events of Binary. The big news in London is the gem-created Thames Tidal, a tidal powered quantum battery power installation created, built and maintained mainly by gillungs, semi-aquatic gems that we were introduced to in previous books. Thames Tidal is just about to go online to the London power grid bringing disruption to the power generating business and potentially putting a lot of people out of work. This puts gems and norms back into political conflict again for the first time in years. And into this situation comes the release from prison of Zavcka Klist and a group of immortality-obsessed followers of hers called the Klist Club.

Mikal Varsi has become a veteran politician and his wife Sharon is now a Detective Superintendent. Gabriel from the first book works for Thames Tidal in PR; his experience as a receiving telepath invaluable in understanding how people think. He also has a little sister Eve, who is eight years old and whose entire family are extremely protective of. All of our other friends, Eli Walker, Aryel Morningstar, Rhys and Callan all play a part.

It's good to see the characters we've come to know doing well and getting some idea how things are going to turn out for them. The book itself has a little more nuance than the previous two and I think we're finally at the point where gem=good and corporate=bad aren't quite so obvious points of the book. The author has come a long way since the first volume and I'll be very interested to see what she does next.

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a rare thing, to see change coming. Embracing it is rarer still. We cling to the past even as we dream of the future, fearing always that what might be gained cannot make up for what must be lost.

Eight years have passed since the events of Binary, and while the world continues to change, some things stay the same. As Thames Tidal Power, a gem controlled cooperative enterprise, prepares to launch a new renewable energy technology, the inevitable push back from the old guard occurs. Attacks come on all fronts, from online rumour mongering to acts of outright domestic terrorism.

As was the case with the previous two books, Gemsigns and Binary, Regeneration is smart, sociopolitical SF with a contemporary feel. The characters are incredibly well drawn, which lends an air of realism to the whole story. As a reading experience, this one begins slowly but then becomes immersive and paced to reached an exciting climax.

Once again it felt as if what Saulter was writing about, although set in her imagined future, related to the same issues our own society is experiencing right now. Real change is always a struggle, and it is always difficult, but it is never hopeless, and the results are worth it.

The revolution was here, she thought, in these buildings. It was here on these streets, in the people with glowing, jewel-colored hair or odd anatomies or no gemsign at all who walked and talked and shopped and laughed and quarreled and played and ate together, all lifting their faces to the noonday sun as though nothing whatsoever about them was strange. The refugees and their allies had become the pioneers of a new landscape, the citizens of a city remade from its own ruins.

The trilogy as a whole is impressive and definitely recommended. I will absolutely be reading anything Saulter writes in the future.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Satisfying conclusion. There was a lot happening in this part of the trilogy; we encountered previous characters whilst some had moved on with their lives. I like this aspect.

The novel has moved on in time and attitudes towards gems have shifted. Needless to say, not all norms have moved on...

[Jessica Strider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pros: great characters, excellent world-building, interesting plot

Cons:

Thames Tidal Power, a co-operative made up mostly of gillungs, is set to start operations when a series of minor accidents occurs. The new company’s quantum-battery technology is poised to upend the energy market, and other powerful players aren’t too happy about that. There’s an election coming soon and the possibility of a new gem positive political party entering the race would split the United People’s Party vote, giving the historically anti-gem Traditional Democratic party a better chance of winning. As political and economic turmoil increases, Zavcka Klist is released from maximum security prison to house arrest. And she’s looking for the ‘daughter’ she lost eight years ago.

This book picks up the story of Gabriel, Gaela, Bal, Aryel, Mikal, Callan, Rhys, etc eight years after the events of Binary. The focus this time is on Gabriel and Mikal’s families. Gabriel now works on managing the socialstream commentary around Thames Tidal Power when he isn’t taking university classes. Along with his parents, he’s very concerned with keeping his adopted sister Eve off the streams in order to keep her safe.

Councillor Mikal Varsi, still an independent candidate, is being courted by both political parties as well as the potential third party. While the UPP and the new gem party make sense, he’s unsure why the Trads would consider approaching someone very much the opposite of what they stand for.

Mikal’s wife is now a Detective Superintendent, and keeping a close eye on the investigation into the accidents at the new power station.

It’s cool seeing how everyone’s grown, and also to see how time and change don’t necessarily remove the barriers and hatreds of ignorance, fear, and bigotry.

The story’s quite interesting and flowed nicely. There were a good number of unexpected twists, and while one aspect of the ending was fairly obvious, there were others that were not. I was particularly impressed with the last chapter that really rapped up the trilogy well.

While it’s possible to read this book without the others, the author assumes a familiarity with the characters, so backstory is left unexplained. This makes a few of the relationships harder to grasp if you don’t know them already. The ending is also somewhat dependant on knowing who Zavcka is and what she’s done in the past.

This is a brilliant series, highly recommended.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It can be a bittersweet thing to reach the end of a series you’ve enjoyed. I have loved reading Stephanie Saulter’s debut trilogy, and its closing volume, Regeneration, is every bit the finale I had expected. To think I almost didn’t say yes, way back when Jo Fletcher Books offered me a review copy of Gemsigns. But I did, and here we are, and I’m so glad I did say yes.

Books one and two of this trilogy, Gemsigns and Binary respectively, focused on a revolution and its aftermath, again respectively. Regeneration is all about progress, about moving on, and about the various ways in which we can find difficulty in doing so. The socially conscious parallels between fiction and reality here are striking, and Saulter handles them in a way that’s both deft and fearless in its thought-provoking clarity. This is not a story for anyone who’s not interested in change. For anyone who is, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

To dive in further (tiny pun maybe intended), let’s look at the gillungs. They’re a great example of what I mean when I talk about the theme of progress. Everything that the political changes within this story have led to can be summed up using these gems as a case in point. Genetically modified humans have been granted legal rights, and they’ve been accepted as part of today’s society. They are an aspect of life that the ‘norms’ have just had to get used to, and they have, in many ways, gotten used to it. But prejudice and unease are never so easily quelled, and it’s harder to act like some people are just like you when they can breathe underwater without artificial aid – also, when they refuse to hide their light under a bushel. The irony of the fact that the gillungs are using their unique skills to improve the energy industry, one of the biggest issues in politics today (and one that’s getting nowhere near the serious attention it deserves) is one that Saulter refuses to allow to be lost on the reader, and there is where the ‘deft yet fearless’ result really shows.

But there’s more to this story than just holding up a mirror to politics or society’s issues – and this would be a poorer book if it was otherwise, however impressed I might be by that approach. All of the characters I had come to know, love and be intrigued by in the previous books of this trilogy are back, and the theme of moving on (and growing up) is not limited to business or politics either. Gabriel, the boy we last saw at the top of Newhope Tower in Gemsigns, is a rapidly maturing teenager, and not only that, he’s a young man smart enough to have earned himself a prime position among the gillung team working to improve the quality of London’s energy. Gabriel is at the helm of its social media management, and he is good at what he manages. Granted, he has certain advantages – a gift for telepathy being at the forefront – but wisely, this advantage is one the author never overplays. Rather than god-moding one of her primary protagonists into heroically saving the day, she uses Gabriel’s gem-like ability to subtler effect, and therefore lends it more impact whenever it does prove useful. (Yes, he is involved in the dramatic finale, and no, that show isn’t all about him – but that’s all I will say on that score.)

Another returning character who’s finding the pace of change a challenge to keep up with is Zavcka Klist, newly released from prison and facing all of the difficulties that such circumstances typically present to convicts (given that she remains under house arrest, she’s not quite an ex-con). On top of this, she’s become the fanatical focus of what’s known as the Klist Cult – a group of fervently “supportive” norms who believe that Zavcka’s actions were the right ones, for all that they got her locked up. They’d also quite like it if she shared with them how she’s managed to stay alive and healthy for so very long (because of course they would), but really they have nothing but admiration for her. This is pretty twisted, and given everything we know about Zavcka and her ego it seems to be the proverbial flashing neon danger sign – but bear in mind, this story is about progress, and Zavcka Klist is no longer beyond restraint by the rules, as it were. She does have an agenda, but where it leads her is somewhere I doubt anybody – including Zavcka – will expect.

So, there are surprises aplenty in this book, and I was taken in by each and every one. There’s tension aplenty, too, from a slow burn at the start, to a lit fuse as the plot starts unwinding, and I think we all know what comes after a lit fuse. I’ve said before that Stephanie Saulter has proven herself as a marvellously capable writer, and one thoroughly deserving of recognition. These books are astoundingly well-written for a debut, and if smart, diverse and socially aware science fiction is something you’re hungry for, you should definitely be reading her work. I’m almost sorry to see this trilogy come to an end, but I cannot fault the results, and I’m absolutely looking forward to seeing what follows it.

[Ria Bridges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since first being utterly blown away by Gemsigns, I’ve been a huge fan of this series. The way it explores what it means to be human, the way people fear and hate what they don’t understand, the injustices done to people who are often just trying to live their lives peacefully but who don’t fit societal standards of normalcy… All of it strikes chords and resonates deep within me. On the surface it may seem like just a story about genetically modified humans and the future of humanity after a catastrophe, but so much of the series has its ties in what’s happening today, and what has happened in the past. The story of humanity repeats itself a dozen times over.

Saulter took us through gems gaining independence and no longer being slaves to the companies that made them. She took us through the early days of that independence, and the ups and downs of having to hold their own in a hostile culture. And now she lets us jump ahead to a time when Gabriel is an adult (or near enough to), to a time when gems are moving forward and working on projects that make the best use of their unique abilities, and to a time when certain people will go to any lengths to stop gems from holding the ground they’ve fought for inch by inch.

Business as usual, then.

Most of Regeneration focuses on the development on Thames Tidal, a gillung-developed power plant that aims to use the power generated by the natural flow of water through the Thames river, storing it in quantum batteries and releasing it as needed. It’s new tech, advanced and poorly understood by most, and so unsurprisingly there’s some opposition. The fact that gems are heading the project ruffles no few feathers, either. But as the setbacks keep mounting, it becomes clear that somebody has taken it upon themselves to sabotage not just the project but to endanger all those associated with it. The bulk of the story is something of a corporate espionage mystery, something that normally I think I’d find little interest in, but I suppose this just goes to show that most things can be made interesting with the right tweaks. Show me a story with a modern-day setting where the story involves a corporate espionage plot between Picrosoft and Gapple, and meh, I doubt I’d be too interested. Set the story in a power plant from the future and have the cast be genetically modified humans trying to adapt to a culture that still doesn’t much like them? Sold!

The Thames Tidal plot isn’t the only one, of course, because where would a story be with no subplots to keep interest going? You see more of Gabriel now, grown up and employed, keeping a rein on his telepathic abilities and trying to unravel what’s behind a smear campaign. Zavcka Klist has been released from jail and is under house arrest, but that certain won’t stop her from doing what she thinks needs to be done to protect her investments and regain some traction for her own agenda. Eve, a precocious little girl with far too much arrogance, hides much from her parents and becomes the focus for a group attempting to uncover Klist’s secret of immortality. It all comes together quite wonderfully, since everybody’s really tied up in the main plot one way or another, and every character is one I could quite happily read an entire novel starring and I doubt I’d be bored for a moment.

It’s really the characters that make it all come alive for me, as it has been in the trilogy’s previous books. I love the themes of social justice, of adaptation, of fighting to be acknowledged as worthy of respect and rights that others take for granted. I love that these themes are so relatable and applicable to current events but aren’t put across in a heavy-handed way. (As I said previously, it’s just the story of humanity repeating itself once again, not just a thinly-veiled metaphor for only what’s happening nowadays.) But as great as these themes are to discuss and explore, some explorations just fall flat on their faces if they don’t have a great cast of characters to move the plot along. The world can be on the brink of great chance, and if you’re writing about people who just sit back and let it all happen, chances are you’re not going to engage many readers. But all of the characters Saulter writes about are active, engaged, and whether or not you agree with them, you can’t deny that they’re all part of that great force for change, for good or ill, and you know that every one of them is playing or will play a part in how the future in written. Gabriel was remarkable as a child for his telepathy, something that shouldn’t be able to occur even with genetic modification, but as an adult, he’s remarkable for his tenacity and ability to spot patterns and to do what needs to be done when it needs doing.

That’s what I find so very interesting about the characters in these books. They have abilities above and beyond what most humans can do, and while these things often come with severe drawbacks, they’re practically poised to be superheroes, to turn what was done to them into something that thrives on vigilante justice, clandestine meetings and thwarting great enemies at every turn. And yet, they don’t. They strive to live, not to become superheroes. They’re remarkable for their gem-related traits, but they’re amazing for all the things they go that have nothing to do with those enhanced abilities. That they overcome a boatload of opposition, both from social views and from carving out a place in a world that wasn’t built to accommodate them, adds to their stories, but it doesn’t define them, it doesn’t reduce them to caricatures or stereotypes.

Even Zavcka Klist, someone who I alternately feel pity for and then want to strangle because she embodies so many things that I hate about ruthless abusive people and companies, someone who could do easily just remain a token villain in Regeneration, shows far more development and compassion toward the end of the book that I expected, so much growth that really only shows when something she’s passionate about might be taken away. As the antagonist, she was interesting. As the human being we’re made to confront near the end, she’s somebody that prompts reexamination, conflicted emotions. She’s still very much herself, but who we see her as has changed to a degree. I really have to give Saulter some praise for pulling that scene off in a very realistic way that still left me going, “Wait, did I read that right?” Making me reconsider what I thought I knew about what a character might do is definitely worthy of note.

As always, I feel like I could go on at length with my praise. But Regeneration — the whole series, really — is something best explored for yourself. It’s the kind of future that makes you think twice about the things you thought you knew, changes how you look at the world around you, and does so in a way that’s phenomenally entertaining and brilliant. The characters are wonderful, the story is compelling, the pacing and development smooth and fascinating; it all comes together as a rich tapestry that draws you in and doesn’t let you easily. The ®Evolution series has left its mark, and its influence will be felt for years to come.

(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)

[Joanne Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please be aware this review may contain spoilers for all three books in the trilogy, and proceed with caution!

Regeneration is the final volume in Stephanie Saulter’s ambitious debut (r)Evolution Trilogy. The story takes place eight years after the dramatic events in Binary, which resulted in the imprisonment of the odious Zavcka Klist and the take over of her gemtech company, Bel’Natur, by Gem champion Aryel Morningstar. The waterbreathing gems known as gillungs are about to launch a project that will revolutionise the energy industry, but someone is intent on sabotaging their plans. And Zavcka is out of prison, and intent on regaining everything she has lost. It falls to Gabriel, who was a major character in Gemsigns, who is now a teenager, and has learned to control his telepathic abilities. He must figure out if there is a connection between the saboteurs and Zavcka, before disaster strikes.

This is SF that reads like a thriller, as Saulter as layer upon layer of intrigue involving politics, big business, terrorism, a quest for immortality, and Klist’s ruthless pursuit of her own dark goals, a pursuit that will have consequences for the close-knit Gem community. Klist is the ideal villain, cold, manipulative, beautiful and smart, but even she, at the end, finds a small touch of redemption in the reluctant embrace of Aryel Morningstar, who in many ways holds up a mirror to Klist and forces her to look at herself the way she could have been.

The (r)Evolution trilogy is that rare thing, a series of intricate action-packed near-future SF thrillers that leave you thinking about the themes Saulter addresses long after you’ve read the last page. They are a vital, important addition to the SF canon, and damn-near to being the perfect trilogy. I hope these books will be being read and debated over for a long time to come, and Stephanie Saulter should be very proud of what she’s achieved here.



Received from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

[Mieneke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie Saulter’s ®evolution series has been one of my favourite series published in the past two years. I was blown away by her debut Gemsigns and thought the follow-up Binary was even more fabulous. So my expectations for the final book in the series Regeneration were sky high. I was wondering how Saulter would end her series and whether she’d stick the landing and bring it home in style. I shouldn’t have worried, because spoiler for the rest of the review: I loved it. As this is the concluding book of a trilogy, there will be spoilers for the previous two books, so consider yourself warned on that front.

If the central question to Gemsigns was “What makes us human?” and that of Binary was “Where do we draw the line?” then the central question to Regeneration is “What happens when the status quo is challenged?”. The gems have found their place in society and the gillungs, the gems who were adapted to amphibian life, have created a vibrant community on the banks of the Thames; not just managing to build their own way of life, but developing a revolutionary way to store energy that will cause a giant shift in the power balance of the energy market. It is here that the main conflict of the story has its roots, because the establishment doesn’t want to let go of its power and privilege that easily. Saulter explores privilege from the point of view of those that lack it and shows lengths the establishment will go to in order to retain it.

Facing the establishment are most of the characters the reader has previously come to know and love. In fact, several Gemsigns characters missing from Binary return to the page in Regeneration, Most notably Gabriel, Gaela and Bal. When we last saw him, Gabriel was an adorable, but precocious child; in this book he’s become a young adult, whose innate talents have put him in a position with huge responsibilities, perhaps more than should be asked of someone his age. But then Gabriel has always been extraordinary and he has had to learn to cope with prejudice from all fronts – both norm and gem alike – due to his telepathy. Saulter makes this explicit in the way people keep checking whether Gabriel is wearing his headband, which serves as a hands-free communication device, but in his case also blocks his ability to read others' thoughts. They don’t just check whether he’s wearing it, but also that he has it turned on. What most people don’t realise, is that Gabriel wears his headband not just to protect their privacy, but to protect himself from their uncensored thoughts. I loved how Saulter played with this and how she has Gabriel use his powers in different situations. Gabriel’s powers aren’t just scary or useful, they are also used as comic relief in the interactions he has with his little sister Eve. When Eve wants to annoy Gabriel, she’ll try to provoke a reaction from him by thinking “bad” thoughts at him, which cracked me up, as it is such a sibling thing to do.

But Gabriel’s family unit isn’t the only one we get to check in with. We see how Mikal and Sharon Varsi have moved up the professional ladder and have created a wonderful family. We learn that Aryel and Eli have taken Herran’s hint and are a loving and devoted couple, as are Rhys and Callan. I loved seeing Herran again as he was my favourite character from the previous book. Of course there are also wonderful new people to meet, such as Agwé, Gabriel’s best friend and colleague, and her foster parents Pilan and Lapsa. And on the more adversarial side, Saulter created some fascinating antagonists in Moira Charles and Abraham Mitford (and isn’t that just a name with delicious connotations?), not to mention the biggest and baddest adversary of all of them, Zavcka Klist. Klist is an amazing character. I loved her story arc and the way she is taken somewhat by surprise by her cult-following when she is released. Saulter’s development of Klist character is masterful, though hard to discuss without creating spoilers for the plot. Just believe me when I tell you she is brilliant.

Regeneration’s plot is a combination of political thriller, police procedural, and a House-style medical mystery all wrapped up in a race-against-the-clock conspiracy bow. The story unfolds over a very limited amount of time, but there is so much going on that the book flies past. This is aided by a super-smooth writing style that makes you gobble up pages without realising time is passing. As with the previous two books Saulter switches between a limited number of main third-person omniscient points of view, with several occasional points of view interspersed. I love the way she builds up her narrative , sometimes showing us the same situation from different viewpoints and sometimes deliberately withholding information from both the reader and specific characters. It makes for gripping reading and a very immersive experience.

Regeneration is a fantastic finale to one of the best SF series of the past five years. In my opinion, the ®evolution series is one of the most under-appreciated series out there. While the tech and other SFnal elements of the future Saulter created are fascinating and original, the true heart of the series is found in its characters and what they say about humanity and its society, past, current and future. I’ve been singing this series praises far and wide and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Do yourself a favour and go and read Gemsigns, Binary, and Regeneration as soon as you can, just to see how fantastic SF can be.

This book was provided for review by the publisher.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with the all of this series, I really enjoyed the wider premise, and some of the characters... But not so much the delivery. The last fifty pages are once again just where *everything* happens, and it's all neatly tidied up and bundled away. It just feels a bit too contrived.

Saying that, I do really like the premise of this series and the characters which is what has kept me going even when I haven't rated the books that highly.

[Dahlia Xander · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good conclusion emotionally and intellectually. I loved Zavcka's evolution and a surprise plot twist. I would have given you 5 stars, Stephanie, if you'd given us the tiniest bit of Aryel & Eli's romance instead of the fast forward. Longing sigh. Still. A great trilogy that left me dreamy.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a great conclusion to the trilogy.

[Martin Willoughby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't get into this. The author has fallen back into the bad habit of the first novel, by not explaining about the people, but lots of explanation about the tech and the politics.

[CJ]

DNF

[Graculus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apparently I am now massively predictable and whenever people ask for recommendations, one of the first names that comes out of my mouth is Stephanie Saulter - I'd read and loved the first two books in this trilogy ( Gemsigns and Binary ) and was looking forward to Regeneration so much. Except not, because it's book 3 and therefore done, not to mention there's always the possibility that the author will bodge things at the last. Having now finished Regeneration, I can confidently say that there is absolutely no bodging involved. It's such a great book and well up to the quality of the other two, though I still think I like Binary just a little more.
 
Anyway, a brief synopsis of where we're at coming into this book: years after the Syndrome has devastated the population and big business has responded to a labour crisis by genetically engineering people to do particular types of jobs, those individuals (the 'gems') have gained legal rights and are now trying to build a life for themselves. In Binary and Regeneration, we see the pushback to this idea - this time around the story is partly focussed on the gillungs, people who've been engineered so they can breathe underwater, and the technology they have developed to harness tidal water power on the Thames to provide safe and clean electricity.
 
As you can imagine, this innovation isn't welcomed by the people who've been running the energy industry to date and a concerted campaign is being run, both online and in the real world, to discredit or destroy the gillung's efforts. Alongside this, we again meet Zavcka Klist, who has been the villain of the piece in the previous two books, as she is released from prison into home arrest - in Binary, we discovered that Zavcka had been cloning herself repeatedly to provide vessels into which to implant her consciousness and the most recent clone is now a small child and living with one of the gem families.
 
As with Binary, we have a police investigation conveniently led by Sharon Varsi, who is married to a gem, as well as spending a lot of time with the gillungs - we also get to meet Gabriel again, who was a major character in Gemsigns and who is now 17 and an intern with the gillung project. All of the characters we've come to know from the previous two books are here and playing a part, in a setting that feels both familiar and just a little bit in the future. I highly recommend Regeneration and the whole trilogy which it completes and look forward immensely to seeing what other great books Stephanie Saulter is going to give us in the future (no pressure!).

[Soesje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of the time I don't really like time jumps in between the books of a series. But since the books themselves have a closed ending I found myself not really caring about the 9 year time jump form the second book to this book. I like how things were hinted at and you can connect dots yourself before the characters can do this. I did feel like sometimes different perspectives from characters where cutting in each others stories as I have often with multiple perspectives, it did not happen enough that I was annoyed by it. It also helped that we stayed with most perspectives for a while.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of them all. This book is an impossibly well-crafted follow up to the previous two. It feels like a sound ending, a really clear and thoughtful destination for the entire series, and I am amazed and the maturity of such a new writer. This book is insanely timely, covering the current energy crises as well as domestic terrorism. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[John Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine conclusion to the series, continuing its exploration of the mindset underlying human fear and hate. It loses a star because the climatic sequence of events hinges on the protagonists suddenly failing to show the paranoia about security they'd been worried about for the entirety of the story.

[Blodeuedd Finland]

I had it so I tried it, but, this really was one of those you should read book 1 and 2 first. I could not get into it

[Megan =^..^= · Rating 5 out of 5]

A kickass sci-fi novel that has a brilliant cast of characters on top of a unique and extremely well written story! Highly recommend!