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Maladapted
Cillian is the sole survivor of a devastating terrorist attack on a packed Metro train. How did he survive when everyone else was killed? Searching for answers with the mysterious Tess, Cillian discovers that his father has links to P8, a group of genetic scientists operating outside the laws of Foundation City. The shocking discoveries he and Tess make at P8's secret hospital start to make Cillian ask not who he is, but what he is.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2016
26 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Richard Kurti
25 books36 followersIn another life, I’d love to have been a clockmaker.
It’s not enough that a clock is a beautiful object, it also has to work – it needs to keep accurate time, month after month.
This is what attracted me to screenwriting, which is where I started as a professional writer. Screenplays have to tell moving, exciting, engaging stories, but they are also incredibly complex and very technical machines that are blueprints for the entire production.
When I ventured into the world of novel writing, I tried to bring some of the lessons I’d learnt in screenwriting with me…
High Concept
I always try to find a big idea to put at the heart of a novel.
It needs to be complex enough to resonate with different characters and situations, but it also needs to be clear enough to immediately take hold of your imagination.
Plot-Character-Plot-Character
To me, they’re very similar things.
Plots only happen because characters are striving for something; at the same time, characters are defined by what they actually do in different circumstances.
Mechanics
This is all about using different techniques to create the most dramatic and gripping story. Often it’s about knowing where to end a scene, or when to reveal information, or the ordering of different events. It’s a bit like playing a massive game of hide and seek with the reader!
Did I succeed?
Let me know what you think through Goodreads, or with a Tweet to @Richard_Kurti
Instagram: RichardKurtiWriter
It’s not enough that a clock is a beautiful object, it also has to work – it needs to keep accurate time, month after month.
This is what attracted me to screenwriting, which is where I started as a professional writer. Screenplays have to tell moving, exciting, engaging stories, but they are also incredibly complex and very technical machines that are blueprints for the entire production.
When I ventured into the world of novel writing, I tried to bring some of the lessons I’d learnt in screenwriting with me…
High Concept
I always try to find a big idea to put at the heart of a novel.
It needs to be complex enough to resonate with different characters and situations, but it also needs to be clear enough to immediately take hold of your imagination.
Plot-Character-Plot-Character
To me, they’re very similar things.
Plots only happen because characters are striving for something; at the same time, characters are defined by what they actually do in different circumstances.
Mechanics
This is all about using different techniques to create the most dramatic and gripping story. Often it’s about knowing where to end a scene, or when to reveal information, or the ordering of different events. It’s a bit like playing a massive game of hide and seek with the reader!
Did I succeed?
Let me know what you think through Goodreads, or with a Tweet to @Richard_Kurti
Instagram: RichardKurtiWriter
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 30, 2019
This story kept me on edge, with the train that Cillian and his father were on lurched violently from the track and smashed into the tunnel ceiling. People screamed in terror as they were engulfed by savage chaos. In the Foundation City Tess planted a bomb, but the electromagnetic pulse was supposed to knock out the train's systems, gridlock the Metro, not kill anyone. Cillian lost his father in the train crash. A strikingly original story as Cillian and Tess meet, but how and why? The suspense flows through Maladapted. A must-read for fans of The Maze Runner. I was sent this book free of charge for an honest review.
November 24, 2025
I really enjoyed their relationship
January 9, 2024
A great fast-paced action thriller, which I read with a tutee. He was hooked throughout this book! It’s definitely aimed at a younger audience, but I still enjoyed it.
November 16, 2015
If, like me, you read Richard Kurti’s inspirational debut novel Monkey Wars” with awe and found it rich in food for thought, you will be waiting impatiently for his next offering, “Maladapted”. Let me put you out of your misery: the wait is worth it. “Maladapted” is as cleverly written as the debut, pulling readers into political debates and making them unable to sit on the sideline and simply observe, regardless of their age.
Cillian and Tess are two teenage survivors who have their sense of self cruelly questioned by a set of circumstances that make them flee for their lives. Victims of opposing sides of an ideological war taking place in a planet cradled in science fiction, they make unlikely allies. For genre sticklers, their homeland may be Earth in the future or it could be a fantasy universe also peopled by humans and their idiosyncrasies. Either way, the reader is presented with a stark new world, chilling to contemplate, with hidden secrets worthy of a horror movie.
In short clinical chapters that follow the adventures of both adolescents Richard Kurti takes the reader on a breakneck journey of survival, betrayal, disbelief and terror. The novel begins with a chilling terrorist attack on a subway train in Foundation City from which Cillian emerges unscathed. Cillian initially believes his was a chance escape but within hours this happy thought is cruelly dismissed leaving him determined to discover why he was born under a lucky star. Tess, in the meantime, is grappling with feelings of guilt, doubt and suffocation after having acted in name The Faith and witnessed the consequences.
What makes it fascinating as an adult reading this novel are the philosophical questions being thrown our way almost anecdotally so as not to get in the way of the main conundrum so pertinent to teenage readers and their peers: do we really know ourselves? With precision story telling skill Richard Kurti pulls the strings effortlessly until the truth is revealed and turns out to be more dangerous than ignorance.
Try as you might, it is impossible to hate any of the adult characters in “Maladapted”, from the terrorists to the genetic scientists. Evil is presented in many garbs. Fear is ever present but so is the desire to trust these adults with their strong ideals. However frightful a path one or other character takes, there is nothing bleak or bland or defeatist in their stance. These are people motivated by purpose.
Much is left unsaid in “Maladapted”, open to so many possible endings it is a credit that closure is achieved, albeit with a cliff hanger. Detail hunters will marvel at its coherence. Teenagers will turn pages rapidly, hungry for speed, revenge, revulsion and restoration. Adults will turn pages in trepidation, increasingly unwilling to let the narrative get under their skins whilst at the same time thrilling in the aforementioned speed, revenge, revulsion and restoration.
Magnificent storytelling that doles out science fiction, horror and conspiracy theories with a handful of conscience and a lesson in forgiveness very graciously learnt by those involved. A truly good read, aimed at teenagers, recommended to all.
Cillian and Tess are two teenage survivors who have their sense of self cruelly questioned by a set of circumstances that make them flee for their lives. Victims of opposing sides of an ideological war taking place in a planet cradled in science fiction, they make unlikely allies. For genre sticklers, their homeland may be Earth in the future or it could be a fantasy universe also peopled by humans and their idiosyncrasies. Either way, the reader is presented with a stark new world, chilling to contemplate, with hidden secrets worthy of a horror movie.
In short clinical chapters that follow the adventures of both adolescents Richard Kurti takes the reader on a breakneck journey of survival, betrayal, disbelief and terror. The novel begins with a chilling terrorist attack on a subway train in Foundation City from which Cillian emerges unscathed. Cillian initially believes his was a chance escape but within hours this happy thought is cruelly dismissed leaving him determined to discover why he was born under a lucky star. Tess, in the meantime, is grappling with feelings of guilt, doubt and suffocation after having acted in name The Faith and witnessed the consequences.
What makes it fascinating as an adult reading this novel are the philosophical questions being thrown our way almost anecdotally so as not to get in the way of the main conundrum so pertinent to teenage readers and their peers: do we really know ourselves? With precision story telling skill Richard Kurti pulls the strings effortlessly until the truth is revealed and turns out to be more dangerous than ignorance.
Try as you might, it is impossible to hate any of the adult characters in “Maladapted”, from the terrorists to the genetic scientists. Evil is presented in many garbs. Fear is ever present but so is the desire to trust these adults with their strong ideals. However frightful a path one or other character takes, there is nothing bleak or bland or defeatist in their stance. These are people motivated by purpose.
Much is left unsaid in “Maladapted”, open to so many possible endings it is a credit that closure is achieved, albeit with a cliff hanger. Detail hunters will marvel at its coherence. Teenagers will turn pages rapidly, hungry for speed, revenge, revulsion and restoration. Adults will turn pages in trepidation, increasingly unwilling to let the narrative get under their skins whilst at the same time thrilling in the aforementioned speed, revenge, revulsion and restoration.
Magnificent storytelling that doles out science fiction, horror and conspiracy theories with a handful of conscience and a lesson in forgiveness very graciously learnt by those involved. A truly good read, aimed at teenagers, recommended to all.
April 1, 2016
A great opening chapter (reminded me of the fast-moving and action-led opener from Speed) - a bomb on a train... Drags you in immediately - just how did Cillian manage to survive such devastation without a scratch?
I had tried Monkey Wars by Kurti before, but it hadn't grabbed me. This, I really enjoyed, the themes of scientific and religious extremism, with parties from both camps forced together.
Cillian survives the train crash, but soon finds he is now wanted - the maths student has abilities that make him very special, very dangerous, and very much a target. Tess is part of the group that planned the explosion, a group that hates and works to undermine the technology-rich world of Foundation City, but Cillian is the key to finding out what the authorities and scientists are trying to do, something morally questionable.
Tess is a good conflicted character, with loyalty towards both sides and her heart torn between the two. Cillian I found a little bewildered and helpless at times, his mathematical ability well-used in one scene, but then strangely forgotten in another. The descriptions of him seeing the world through mathematical lenses though, are excellent.
It felt a bit like a Mission Impossible film at times, lots of chases, escapes, break-ins and pursuits, but without the climax leading to a resolution - no story end here, you need to read the next book to find out how it all ends.
That's not to say I didn't like this aspect - the build-up is good, and the set-pieces in medical facilities and in the great outdoors are very tense. There is something here for YA readers of both genders (and even lovers of maths!), and plenty to discuss for book groups.
It's dystopia, with action, suspense, possible romance, and lots of moral questions in it. The world of Foundation City sounds disturbingly familiar, with citizens glued to screens and technology taking the reins.
It does no favours to either scientists or religion though, both sides are exemplified with extremists and narrow-minded characters, equally dangerous, but ripe for discussion.
Will probably suit 13-16 year olds, and have them waiting the second instalment...
With thanks to Walker Books for the advance reading copy, sent for review purposes.
I had tried Monkey Wars by Kurti before, but it hadn't grabbed me. This, I really enjoyed, the themes of scientific and religious extremism, with parties from both camps forced together.
Cillian survives the train crash, but soon finds he is now wanted - the maths student has abilities that make him very special, very dangerous, and very much a target. Tess is part of the group that planned the explosion, a group that hates and works to undermine the technology-rich world of Foundation City, but Cillian is the key to finding out what the authorities and scientists are trying to do, something morally questionable.
Tess is a good conflicted character, with loyalty towards both sides and her heart torn between the two. Cillian I found a little bewildered and helpless at times, his mathematical ability well-used in one scene, but then strangely forgotten in another. The descriptions of him seeing the world through mathematical lenses though, are excellent.
It felt a bit like a Mission Impossible film at times, lots of chases, escapes, break-ins and pursuits, but without the climax leading to a resolution - no story end here, you need to read the next book to find out how it all ends.
That's not to say I didn't like this aspect - the build-up is good, and the set-pieces in medical facilities and in the great outdoors are very tense. There is something here for YA readers of both genders (and even lovers of maths!), and plenty to discuss for book groups.
It's dystopia, with action, suspense, possible romance, and lots of moral questions in it. The world of Foundation City sounds disturbingly familiar, with citizens glued to screens and technology taking the reins.
It does no favours to either scientists or religion though, both sides are exemplified with extremists and narrow-minded characters, equally dangerous, but ripe for discussion.
Will probably suit 13-16 year olds, and have them waiting the second instalment...
With thanks to Walker Books for the advance reading copy, sent for review purposes.
April 2, 2016
Not my normal read but a change from the norm is a good thing!
'Cillian and Tess are caught between two powerful and dangerous factions. What should they believe? Who can they trust? And will they survive long enough to find out?'
Set in a futuristic world, Cillian is involved in a terrorist attack that will change his life forever!
Really enjoyed this book & I look forward to reading more from Richard Kurti!
Thank you to The Book Club & Walker Books for sending me a copy of this book in return of a honest review!
'Cillian and Tess are caught between two powerful and dangerous factions. What should they believe? Who can they trust? And will they survive long enough to find out?'
Set in a futuristic world, Cillian is involved in a terrorist attack that will change his life forever!
Really enjoyed this book & I look forward to reading more from Richard Kurti!
Thank you to The Book Club & Walker Books for sending me a copy of this book in return of a honest review!
February 22, 2018
I really loved the storyline, but felt that it was all to unrealistically paced- so much seemed to happen in such a short amount of time, and I didn't seem to know what on earth was going on.
I did, however, from the offset I found myself really empathizing with the characters, and the nearly impossible position that they found themselves in - whether to follow their morals, but risk getting killed; or go against their beliefs, and get praised by their organizations.
I did, however, from the offset I found myself really empathizing with the characters, and the nearly impossible position that they found themselves in - whether to follow their morals, but risk getting killed; or go against their beliefs, and get praised by their organizations.
May 2, 2016
3.5 stars
May 9, 2016
This story is set in a struggle between unethical scientists and religious extremists.
What I like most is how it portrays a heavy technological-driven society that might become reality.
What I like most is how it portrays a heavy technological-driven society that might become reality.
March 21, 2020
It took me a while to get in to this book, but once I was hooked I WAS HOOKED!
A perfect blend of futuristic dystopia, Sci-Fi and action. I would definitely recommend if those are genres you enjoy, if you prefer action over romance, and if you like morally grey characters and factions. I got serious 'The Maze Runner' vibes while reading this book! It's definitely on the same wavelength.
Without giving anything away I can say that the overall idea of this book is Religion vs Science. The plot follows two young individuals who are caught between two powerful and dangerous groups - Revelation (representing religion) and P8 (representing science). Throughout the book I was swayed between the two factions. Both had equally convincing motives, but were too ruthless and dogmatic for me to actually choose a side. There is no good or bad! Just a wide range of grey that gets you questioning morality and how far you would go for your beliefs.
I can't find fault in the writing - it was brilliantly written and a kind of writing style I enjoy. I did find the main female protagonist quite irritating and unlikable, but I eventually ended up pitying her. Circumstances moulded her into who she is (doesn't that regard to everyone?).
My only concern is: WHERE IS THE NEXT BOOK?? Because so many questions remain unanswered and the ending leaves a lot of potential and sets the scene for more books to come (a trilogy maybe? I'd read it!).
A perfect blend of futuristic dystopia, Sci-Fi and action. I would definitely recommend if those are genres you enjoy, if you prefer action over romance, and if you like morally grey characters and factions. I got serious 'The Maze Runner' vibes while reading this book! It's definitely on the same wavelength.
Without giving anything away I can say that the overall idea of this book is Religion vs Science. The plot follows two young individuals who are caught between two powerful and dangerous groups - Revelation (representing religion) and P8 (representing science). Throughout the book I was swayed between the two factions. Both had equally convincing motives, but were too ruthless and dogmatic for me to actually choose a side. There is no good or bad! Just a wide range of grey that gets you questioning morality and how far you would go for your beliefs.
I can't find fault in the writing - it was brilliantly written and a kind of writing style I enjoy. I did find the main female protagonist quite irritating and unlikable, but I eventually ended up pitying her. Circumstances moulded her into who she is (doesn't that regard to everyone?).
My only concern is: WHERE IS THE NEXT BOOK?? Because so many questions remain unanswered and the ending leaves a lot of potential and sets the scene for more books to come (a trilogy maybe? I'd read it!).
April 27, 2021
Today’s review: ‘Maladapted’ by Richard Kurti....a YA dystopian, sci-fi novel that starts similarly to the film ‘Unbreakable’ with a teenage boy surviving a bomb blast, as the sole survivor......he then tries to find out why and realises he’s being hunted by two rival factions!
It’s everything you’d want for a YA novel; action, technology, chases, fighting and mutants with a fast pace. As a dad of the 2 kids that are the target audience I loved it. The ‘baddies’ were so well written that you understood their logic and the main protagonists (Cillian and Tess) are likeable.
There are shades of Alex Ryder, X-men and occasional Romeo & Juliet flashes too. If not for adult readers, this would be a great read for 11/12 upwards with no bad language or sex. I will read the sequel so as a YA novel- 5/5
As an ‘adult book’ - solid 4/5 but maybe lacking the depth you’d want. 💯 recommend either way though.
It’s everything you’d want for a YA novel; action, technology, chases, fighting and mutants with a fast pace. As a dad of the 2 kids that are the target audience I loved it. The ‘baddies’ were so well written that you understood their logic and the main protagonists (Cillian and Tess) are likeable.
There are shades of Alex Ryder, X-men and occasional Romeo & Juliet flashes too. If not for adult readers, this would be a great read for 11/12 upwards with no bad language or sex. I will read the sequel so as a YA novel- 5/5
As an ‘adult book’ - solid 4/5 but maybe lacking the depth you’d want. 💯 recommend either way though.
May 23, 2022
This book is a crazy dystopian adventure. The story is about Cillian, who is a teenager that is very smart especially at math. Everything seems like its going great when it all changes one day. Cillian was on a train with his father when it gets attacked. Everyone besides Cillian dies including his father. This is when Cillians life changes dramatically. Cillian is left to think about what happened and why he was the only one left alive. He starts an adventure to find out the secrets of what happened.
I recommend this book if you are into books set in the future.
I recommend this book if you are into books set in the future.
August 23, 2021
Surprisingly good - definitely written to be a movie. Fast paced, action packed, sci fi but not too confusing… I didn’t feel the main antagonists were explored or defined in enough depth - one paragraph in the last 10% about why Gabrielle was inspired to do what she does/Revelation was a faceless entity. Possibly not enough questions answered - felt like it was setting up for a second book, would definitely read it.
August 11, 2022
The plot is decent enough and it does a good job of portraying a fairly unique sort of dystopian future. There are a lot of very generic-sounding names for things, which serve to make it feel less unique when reading.
There are also parts with a lot of made-up techno-babble, or where it feels as if almost any problem can be solved with some made-up form of hacking, and those things get tiring after a while.
Overall, enjoyable enough, but not enormously gripping.
There are also parts with a lot of made-up techno-babble, or where it feels as if almost any problem can be solved with some made-up form of hacking, and those things get tiring after a while.
Overall, enjoyable enough, but not enormously gripping.
September 20, 2021
I’d like to be very clear with this review, my opinion in no way should diminish this book. It was well written, well structured and had a good story, it just wasn’t written for me and therefore I didn’t really enjoy it.
November 6, 2023
this is one of the best books ive ever read, its the perfect science fiction mixed with a little bit of romance which i LOVE i love love love, i also love dystopian fiction sm and i found the whole concept of it so fascinating
January 13, 2022
I did not really like it . It was a bit dark for me
August 3, 2016
Like a science experiment, Maladapted by Richard Kurti feels like a strange creation made from various parts, familiar in some places but alien in others. The result is a somewhat confused YA sci-fi that doesn't quite reach its own potential.
Thanks to Allen and Unwin Australia for this review copy!
Maladapted takes place in Foundation City, a futuristic, ever-expanding metropolis indoctrinated in the principles of Wealth and Industry. Automated robots abound, and people are pushed to constantly be better and achieve more - while the outlying Provinces slowly suffer from famine and disease. A terrorist organization called 'Revelation' works against the government, using the teachings of the main religion (The Faith) to justify their increasingly bloody attacks.
Our main character, Cillian, discovers that he's no ordinary mathematical genius when his train is bombed by Revelation and he miraculously survives - losing his father in the attack. In the wake of his death, Cillian discovers that his father worked with a medical research company called Gilgamesh, which operates an off-the-books genetic experimentation group called P8.
Cillian is part of 'Generation Zero' - a new generation of enhanced human beings, and he's forced to work with Revelation fighter Tess in order to escape police, assassins, and P8 themselves.
Maladapted has all the elements of a great cyberpunk book. Transhumanism is such an underappreciated science fiction concept, and rarely seen in mainstream fiction - especially in the Young Adult genre. Maladated occupies a niche space, and for fans of the subgenre, it's a welcome addition - I just wish it was a stronger novel.
The dialogue feels very wooden and oftentimes suited more to a Middle-Grade audience than the intended Young-Adult. In a genre increasingly dominated by gritty anti-heroes and finely-crafted worlds, Maladapted feels unsure of itself - the concepts are adult, the characters are teenagers, but the pacing and delivery feels immature. The world is painfully filled with 'Digi-' and 'Robo-' prefixes, and with so many machines fulfilling mankind's tasks, it's not clear where or what most of humanity actually does day-to-day.
The concepts of transhumanism, genetic experimentation, religious indoctrination, and corporate espionage are all there - at its heart, Maladapted wants to be a serious transhumanist novel, but the choppy pacing and unsatisfying ending takes away the shine.
The Good
The Bad
The Verdict
3/5 Stars
Thanks to Allen and Unwin Australia for this review copy!
Maladapted takes place in Foundation City, a futuristic, ever-expanding metropolis indoctrinated in the principles of Wealth and Industry. Automated robots abound, and people are pushed to constantly be better and achieve more - while the outlying Provinces slowly suffer from famine and disease. A terrorist organization called 'Revelation' works against the government, using the teachings of the main religion (The Faith) to justify their increasingly bloody attacks.
Our main character, Cillian, discovers that he's no ordinary mathematical genius when his train is bombed by Revelation and he miraculously survives - losing his father in the attack. In the wake of his death, Cillian discovers that his father worked with a medical research company called Gilgamesh, which operates an off-the-books genetic experimentation group called P8.
Cillian is part of 'Generation Zero' - a new generation of enhanced human beings, and he's forced to work with Revelation fighter Tess in order to escape police, assassins, and P8 themselves.
Maladapted has all the elements of a great cyberpunk book. Transhumanism is such an underappreciated science fiction concept, and rarely seen in mainstream fiction - especially in the Young Adult genre. Maladated occupies a niche space, and for fans of the subgenre, it's a welcome addition - I just wish it was a stronger novel.
The dialogue feels very wooden and oftentimes suited more to a Middle-Grade audience than the intended Young-Adult. In a genre increasingly dominated by gritty anti-heroes and finely-crafted worlds, Maladapted feels unsure of itself - the concepts are adult, the characters are teenagers, but the pacing and delivery feels immature. The world is painfully filled with 'Digi-' and 'Robo-' prefixes, and with so many machines fulfilling mankind's tasks, it's not clear where or what most of humanity actually does day-to-day.
The concepts of transhumanism, genetic experimentation, religious indoctrination, and corporate espionage are all there - at its heart, Maladapted wants to be a serious transhumanist novel, but the choppy pacing and unsatisfying ending takes away the shine.
The Good
A bold underlying narrative about the dangers of industrialism and the relentless progress of science.
The Bad
Chopping pacing, and very wooden dialogue that feels more Middle-Grade than Young-Adult.
The Verdict
Maladapted offers a compelling insight into transhumanism and genetic manipulation, but stumbles with its characters and overall delivery.
3/5 Stars
October 1, 2024
Well written and I couldn't put it down
January 5, 2017
A quick and easy read that finishes with a massive cliffhanger.
November 3, 2016
This was an easy read and it felt fun. This doesn't mean it is watered-down or overly simple -- Kurti has a nice vocabulary. It reads very visually (no surprise, given Kurti's background writing screenplays). Also...
* The tone reminded me of Stitching Snow, the premise shared some with Partials and Spark, and many details are comparable to Angelfall. But Maladapted isn't quite like any of these -- which is to its credit. But I think if we must pick a shared fanbase, it's more like a less-grisly male answer to Angefall OR a book for fans of Partials than it is in any way like The Maze Runner (which it's being tied to all over, including on the cover).
* I loved all the chrome (shiny sci fi bits). Eeee.
* Kurti has a real talent for efficiently using a few carefully selected details to quickly paint a scene.
* I read it quickly and wanted to keep reading. It was fairly fast-paced.
* But this could be why I didn't feel connected to the characters or character relationships. I think there was lots of action and not enough intimacy with these people I need to care about -- they don't ever slow down long enough for those intimate moments to happen. One character also does a really unlikable thing late in his/her development which disappointed me; it felt like we weren't making progress. But there is a male protag! Those are less common in the YA I'm sent (or that I pick, either one, ha!).
* There are some very predictable moments.
* There's this weird trademarking (maybe?) going on? Kurti types the numerals for small numbers -- like 2 and 3 --instead of writing them out as a word. It was surprisingly distracting.
* Every now and then the wording was clunky.
I can't say I'm hanging out for the next installment, but I certainly didn't waste my time -- for the SF content alone it was a nice little hit.
* The tone reminded me of Stitching Snow, the premise shared some with Partials and Spark, and many details are comparable to Angelfall. But Maladapted isn't quite like any of these -- which is to its credit. But I think if we must pick a shared fanbase, it's more like a less-grisly male answer to Angefall OR a book for fans of Partials than it is in any way like The Maze Runner (which it's being tied to all over, including on the cover).
* I loved all the chrome (shiny sci fi bits). Eeee.
* Kurti has a real talent for efficiently using a few carefully selected details to quickly paint a scene.
* I read it quickly and wanted to keep reading. It was fairly fast-paced.
* But this could be why I didn't feel connected to the characters or character relationships. I think there was lots of action and not enough intimacy with these people I need to care about -- they don't ever slow down long enough for those intimate moments to happen. One character also does a really unlikable thing late in his/her development which disappointed me; it felt like we weren't making progress. But there is a male protag! Those are less common in the YA I'm sent (or that I pick, either one, ha!).
* There are some very predictable moments.
* There's this weird trademarking (maybe?) going on? Kurti types the numerals for small numbers -- like 2 and 3 --instead of writing them out as a word. It was surprisingly distracting.
* Every now and then the wording was clunky.
I can't say I'm hanging out for the next installment, but I certainly didn't waste my time -- for the SF content alone it was a nice little hit.
April 24, 2016
I received this book for free from the publisher in return for a review. The following is my honest opinion on this book:
Set in a futuristic world 16 year old Cillian and his father are on board the Metro when it's involved in a terrible crash. While bodies fly through the carriage and people are dying all around him, something strange happens to Cillian, something that allows him to survive.
Maladapted is a science fiction thriller aimed at the young adult market. The first chapter plunges you straight into the action of the Metro crash and every chapter that follows keeps you hooked to read more. Most of the story happens in Foundation City, a futuristic and technologically advanced place which eerily resembles the world we seem to be heading into. After surviving the Metro crash Cillian's world is turned upside down and a fast-paced adventure begins to uncover the truth of what happened to him and how he survived.
The entire book is very well written and the style of writing really keeps you gripped. There are no long paragraphs with unnecessary extra descriptions and each chapter feels like a scene out of an action movie. Unlike most books the chapters in this one are remarkably short. Some chapters will span a few pages but most are no more than two or three pages long and a few are barely more than a page long. Although the chapters do feel short, and having 87 chapters in a 320 page novel may seem strange, it actually works well for the pace of this novel and each chapter ends with just enough information to compel you to read on.
Although marketed for teens I'm sure a few younger kids and adults will pick this book up and want to read it. Adults will enjoy it although I wouldn't really recommend it to younger kids as there are a lot of quite violent and shocking scenes. The book also has some use of the s swear word.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. The story itself is very good and has a good ending with a slight twist that leaves you feeling uneasy. But this ending and the overall increasing dystopian feel of the book makes for a satisfying read and leaves you questioning just how close our own world is to the one created by Richard Kurti.
Set in a futuristic world 16 year old Cillian and his father are on board the Metro when it's involved in a terrible crash. While bodies fly through the carriage and people are dying all around him, something strange happens to Cillian, something that allows him to survive.
Maladapted is a science fiction thriller aimed at the young adult market. The first chapter plunges you straight into the action of the Metro crash and every chapter that follows keeps you hooked to read more. Most of the story happens in Foundation City, a futuristic and technologically advanced place which eerily resembles the world we seem to be heading into. After surviving the Metro crash Cillian's world is turned upside down and a fast-paced adventure begins to uncover the truth of what happened to him and how he survived.
The entire book is very well written and the style of writing really keeps you gripped. There are no long paragraphs with unnecessary extra descriptions and each chapter feels like a scene out of an action movie. Unlike most books the chapters in this one are remarkably short. Some chapters will span a few pages but most are no more than two or three pages long and a few are barely more than a page long. Although the chapters do feel short, and having 87 chapters in a 320 page novel may seem strange, it actually works well for the pace of this novel and each chapter ends with just enough information to compel you to read on.
Although marketed for teens I'm sure a few younger kids and adults will pick this book up and want to read it. Adults will enjoy it although I wouldn't really recommend it to younger kids as there are a lot of quite violent and shocking scenes. The book also has some use of the s swear word.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. The story itself is very good and has a good ending with a slight twist that leaves you feeling uneasy. But this ending and the overall increasing dystopian feel of the book makes for a satisfying read and leaves you questioning just how close our own world is to the one created by Richard Kurti.
July 4, 2016
MALADAPTED may be set in a distant future but it contains much relevance to the world of today. So much so, that I was a little freaked out to read the opening – a terrorist bombing of a Metro, as the same events unfolded in Brussels on my TV screen. One of the book’s protagonists, Cillian, walks out of the explosion unharmed, only to realise that his whole life has been a lie, because he is not, in fact, human, but a genetically engineered cyborg. As he searches for the truth he comes in contact with the second protagonist of the book – Tess, the terrorist who planted the bomb. The two characters, who should hate each other, are drawn together as Tess is betrayed by the fanatical religion she has been a devout follower of all her life.
Together, they try to make sense of a world in which robots do the menial jobs while people get to enjoy all the benefits of ultra-modern science and technology. Some people, that is. Because a mere scratch at the shiny surface of Foundation City reveals an ugly underbelly – ‘Foundations were always built on somebody’s bones.’
And indeed the book asks many important questions about science, technology, and genetics. Just because we can do something, does it mean we should?
The writing itself is super-sharp and as finely engineered as the robots that traverse the book’s pages. Chapters are short and always end on cliff-hangers which make for compulsive reading. The pace is incredibly fast and cinematic, which is no surprise given that the author is a BAFTA-nominated screenwriter.
A fantastic read which will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. (12+
Together, they try to make sense of a world in which robots do the menial jobs while people get to enjoy all the benefits of ultra-modern science and technology. Some people, that is. Because a mere scratch at the shiny surface of Foundation City reveals an ugly underbelly – ‘Foundations were always built on somebody’s bones.’
And indeed the book asks many important questions about science, technology, and genetics. Just because we can do something, does it mean we should?
The writing itself is super-sharp and as finely engineered as the robots that traverse the book’s pages. Chapters are short and always end on cliff-hangers which make for compulsive reading. The pace is incredibly fast and cinematic, which is no surprise given that the author is a BAFTA-nominated screenwriter.
A fantastic read which will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. (12+
March 28, 2016
I was drawn to the plot of this book. It's a bit different to my usual book choices but everyone likes a break from the norm now and then, right? I'm glad I decided to read it because it's a great story which is written in a wonderfully visual style (thanks to Richard Kurti's work as a screenwriter). I can see this being turned into a movie in the future.
Cillian is involved in a catastrophic terrorist attack. Everyone else dies so how does Cillian survive? As his father lays dying on a gurney he utters the word 'Gilgamesh' to Cillian; a word Cillian has never heard before, nor does he understand it's meaning. In his quest to discover what his father was trying to tell him he unearths P8 and comes up against Tess and the formidable Revelation. Who is Tess? Friend or foe? And who or what is Cillian...?
A tight story about a futuristic world and one organisations need for perfection in human form. Parts of the book had me totally gripped. It's full of action, adventure and lots of chase scenes.
I found Richard Kurti's futuristic world fascinating; information screens which scan your retina, bots to do all the tedious work, SmartCells to keep you in touch with social networks and the ability to transfer large amounts of data with only a DigiKiss. It all sounds so achievable, maybe not so futuristic after all...
Four out of five stars.
Many thanks to the Richard Kurti, Walker Books and THE Book Club on Facebook for providing me with a copy of Maladapted in exchange for an honest review.
Cillian is involved in a catastrophic terrorist attack. Everyone else dies so how does Cillian survive? As his father lays dying on a gurney he utters the word 'Gilgamesh' to Cillian; a word Cillian has never heard before, nor does he understand it's meaning. In his quest to discover what his father was trying to tell him he unearths P8 and comes up against Tess and the formidable Revelation. Who is Tess? Friend or foe? And who or what is Cillian...?
A tight story about a futuristic world and one organisations need for perfection in human form. Parts of the book had me totally gripped. It's full of action, adventure and lots of chase scenes.
I found Richard Kurti's futuristic world fascinating; information screens which scan your retina, bots to do all the tedious work, SmartCells to keep you in touch with social networks and the ability to transfer large amounts of data with only a DigiKiss. It all sounds so achievable, maybe not so futuristic after all...
Four out of five stars.
Many thanks to the Richard Kurti, Walker Books and THE Book Club on Facebook for providing me with a copy of Maladapted in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2016
What I liked about this novel from the start is just how recognisable it is. It feels like it could happen in just a few years. Smartphones, terrorism, conspiracy and the breakdown of traditional ideas around family and religion all seem desperately pertinent. The book’s young and troubled Cillian is different; he can see patterns. When he and his father are blown up in a terrorist incident, it sets off a chain reaction that means there is no going back for Cillian, or for Tess, who planted the bomb and who must somehow atone for her act. Written for teenagers, this story neatly delineates the complexities of ‘doing the right thing’ in the face of insuperable odds. The young protagonists are at once vulnerable but capable of finding their inner strength when they need to. Tess is particularly interesting in this regard. Raided by religious zealots to do their bidding, she has the toughness to see when she’s being duped and isn’t afraid to kill when she has to. The setting of Foundation City is particularly well-drawn. This is no Brave New World. It’s an anonymous consumerist nightmare with endless CCTV and surveillance, robots to attend to your every need and automated barges to take all the rubbish away. It moves at a cracking pace, almost too fast for this reader who wanted to understand Cillian’s conception and birth in more depth. But even so, it’s intelligent dystopian sci fi for readers who will relish the very topicality of many of the themes contained here. Surely it’ll be a film soon?
September 8, 2016
Written by BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Richard Kurti, who knows how to drag a reader directly into the action; it is not surprising that this book begins with immediate pace and chaos. In a futuristic world, Cillian is the only miraculous survivor of a bomb attack. In a screen adaptation style of writing, every chapter is short and fast paced. As his father lies dying he says one word to Cillian; “Gilgamesh” and this sets Cillian on a path of adventure and intrigue. Cillian has many questions about his survival that the adults around him appear to be ignoring or circumventing the truth. He finds an unlikely ally with a survivor named Tess who seems to have diametrically opposing views to Cillian. The futuristic world that Kurti imagines for the reader is chillingly believable and fascinating. Although action driven, this novel touches on many moral and philosophical questions such as the end justifies the means and the boundaries of science and research. Genetics, terror, evil, ideology, fear and fanatical religious beliefs are all themes that run through this novel. In the end, not all is resolved and the reader will have to make some own conclusions, but it will certainly provoke some thoughts and discussion about scientific and religious extremism.
Suitable for 13+ ethics, genetics, religion, experimentation, science fiction, dystopia
Suitable for 13+ ethics, genetics, religion, experimentation, science fiction, dystopia
July 24, 2016
This a nice read.
Although the lead characters are sixteen the book reads more as if it was written for Middle Grade in my opinion. There was lots of suspense and action, but it lacked depth. Huge issues were tackled, but it all stayed near the surface. To be honest: I've read tons of Middle Grade books that took the reader deeper into the story than this book does.
The lead characters both have tons of things going on, but the lack of depth made that I didn't connect with them.
Still this book is entertaining. The action makes that this is a fast read, and I enjoyed the overall story. It ends in a way that leaves itself open for a sequel, but I'm not sure I'll pick that up if/when it releases though.
Although the lead characters are sixteen the book reads more as if it was written for Middle Grade in my opinion. There was lots of suspense and action, but it lacked depth. Huge issues were tackled, but it all stayed near the surface. To be honest: I've read tons of Middle Grade books that took the reader deeper into the story than this book does.
The lead characters both have tons of things going on, but the lack of depth made that I didn't connect with them.
Still this book is entertaining. The action makes that this is a fast read, and I enjoyed the overall story. It ends in a way that leaves itself open for a sequel, but I'm not sure I'll pick that up if/when it releases though.
February 1, 2017
A brilliantly paced Sci Fi/Action Adventure. Cillian isn't aware of his true identity until his Father is killed in an horrific Terrorist attack, caused in part by Tess - an activist for the Revelation.
As Cillian has to come to terms with his Fathers death and learn who to trust, he meets Tess who is sent to gain his trust...
The book flows well, short chapters help keep the pace up. I was put off a bit by the fact is seems to be slowing up the storyline in order set up a sequel or series. I'd like it to have tied up a bit better. that being said, I'll definitely be interested in reading the follow up book - I am assuming there will be as the novel sets up some major events to happen in ongoing adventures...
As Cillian has to come to terms with his Fathers death and learn who to trust, he meets Tess who is sent to gain his trust...
The book flows well, short chapters help keep the pace up. I was put off a bit by the fact is seems to be slowing up the storyline in order set up a sequel or series. I'd like it to have tied up a bit better. that being said, I'll definitely be interested in reading the follow up book - I am assuming there will be as the novel sets up some major events to happen in ongoing adventures...
September 24, 2019
Cillian being one of the only survivors of a terrorist attack on a metro train that killed his father wants answers to who is behind the attack. The Foundation City planned for Tess to plant an electromagnetic bomb, the pulse was supposed to knock out the train systems but ended up causing the train to crash. Tess and Cillian make an alliance and are both looking to uncover secrets about the new world.
April 16, 2016
Thank you to TBC and the publisher who gave me an ARC of Maladapted in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't too sure what to expect when I started this book, but it captured my imagination from the first page and didn't let go until the final page was turned. An exhilarating 4 star read.
My full review is available here: calturnerreviews.blogspot.co.uk
I wasn't too sure what to expect when I started this book, but it captured my imagination from the first page and didn't let go until the final page was turned. An exhilarating 4 star read.
My full review is available here: calturnerreviews.blogspot.co.uk
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