The Talented Saga includes four full-length novels and one novella: Talented (Talented Saga #1), Caged (Talented Saga #2), Hunted (Talented Saga #3), Captivated (Talented Saga #3.5), and Created (Talented Saga #4).
Talented: When Talia Lyons was just a child, her parents were murdered before her eyes. Offered a choice between accepting their fate and exacting revenge, Talia trains to become one of the country’s deadliest assassins in order to kill the man responsible for their deaths: Ian Crane. Luckily, Talia was born with a gift- the ability to read and influence the minds of others. At sixteen, Talia is poised to graduate from the McDonough School for the Talented, where she learned to control her abilities. Now there is only one obstacle standing between her and the retribution she craves... Talia, herself.
Caged: After her brush with death at the headquarters of the Coalition, Ian Crane’s compound, Talia Lyons feels like a prisoner. Plagued with seizures- the result of an unidentified drug injected in her neck by Crane’s men- and confined in her childhood home, Talia has put her dreams of becoming a Hunter on hold while she is recovering. So when the Agency Director asks her to go undercover at the School for the Talented, to expose the spy who set the trap for her in Nevada, she leaps at the opportunity. Who can Talia trust when everyone close to her is keeping secrets?
Hunted: In need of a distraction, Talia jumps at the chance to pack up and head to Washington, D.C., to have a purpose once again. She is tasked with administering the annual Talent Aptitude Tests, analyzing the children of the nation’s capital to identify those with powers. She knows that the Mandatory testing laws are controversial, but is still shocked by the protesters lining the streets of the city, and the curfew imposed upon its residents. These add fuel to her own misgivings about the Agency and its Director, the man who raised her.
Created
When Talia runs away from the only life she’s ever known, she could have never fathomed the lengths to which the Agency will go to get her back. But if the Agency Director- the man who raised her, trained her, and made Talia who she is- can’t have her, he wants her eliminated. Friends have become enemies, enemies have become allies.
Author of twenty-six books in six series, Sophie Davis is a pseudonym for best friends turned co-authors. The pair met in law school and instantly bonded over their love of great books and bad horror movies. When one longed for the ability to read minds so she wouldn't have to study for the bar exam, they created a dystopian world with superpowers that spans nine books.
While writing in genres of paranormal romance, time travel, urban fantasy, and mystery, their works have been optioned for film and translated for an international audience. You can find them teaching their dogs to enter wormholes in the desert of Southern California.
I read the first book in this saga in 2014. I liked it well enough to put the series on my to read list and this week I reread book 1 and read books 2, 3, and 4. While this is definitely teenage romance and angst, it also dystopian and paranormal. I think teen age girls will really like this series.
Overall, Davis has created an interesting world in which talented people having various psychic abilities (morphing, light manipulation, telekinesis, mind manipulation) are separate from the rest of the country. The purpose is to protect them, allow them to use their powers without feeling prejudiced against by normal people, teach them to use their powers - or so we are led to believe. Forced testing of children at age 5 and taking those children who are talented away from their homes is a touch subject that has resulted in 7 states withdrawing and creating their country. Those in the US are raised to believe that the states that revolted hate them and those leaders kill the talented.
Eventually, I got used to the romance and annoying childish behavior by Talia. Eventually, it led to the point that controlling ones power is emotionally challenging and certain adults are prime examples of how power leads to the hunger for more power, politically and internally. Davis created an interesting world and well-defined characters. I appreciated that her character development extended past our protagonists and antagonists to their friends, families, and other minor characters. I liked what most would describe as paranormal abilities but which aside from morphing are what science fiction used to refer to as ESP.
The books raised questions of personal liberty exchanged for government protection; truth, reality, facts, and history being manipulated by the winner or those in control; prejudice; fear; what lengths we may go to for survival; science and research and possible perversion in its pursuit; friendship and betrayal. You don't have to spend your time analyzing it but those themes are there in the story of Talia seeking her future, growing up, falling in love, and pursuing revenge for her parents' murders.
Overall, the first 4 books average to a 4 star rating. For me, they just didn't reach that 5 star level of being extraordinary and interesting enough that I am likely to reread them, but they are definitely above average, with the first book being the one that I liked the least. The author or publisher really should re-edit the books as there are some punctuation and missing or wrong word problems - enough of them that I was annoyed by it in the last book. I have put the rest of the series on my to read list.
I have finally finished this series after so long!!!!!!! AND IT WAS JUST AMAZING I MUST SAY!!!
The adventure and action in this was just about addicting and I could barely put down these books!!!! I was able to bond with Talia on a much deeper level than I expected to.
Sophie Davis is one talanted author as she was able to write this whole series! Her imagination and creativity made this book all the better. Not many authors are able to write a whole series so well without fault but Sophie Davis has done!!
I didn't know I was looking for this story until I had found it! It was just thing I needed!
If you like military sytle schools and fighting, special gift, and romance. Then this book series is for you. It was a long read but very engrossed. I would recommend 16 and older. It does have sex scenes but are not descriptive. I felt the last battle was lacking compare to other earlier fighting sections. The ending ends on a cliffhanger. Although they do say there is a nother series that goes on after this one.
This saga is just amazing. The character development throughout is fantastic. The story never stalls or becomes boring. The attention to details is extraordinary. The story continually flows smoothly. The story line is phenomenal. I started this set and couldn’t put it down. This is actually my second reading of the set and I was just as emotionally invested this time around. The characters are ones you will love, hate and even love to hate!
While the storyline is good, there’s way too much sexual behavior. It struck me as soft porn for teens. I also found it a bit predictable. The author is very talented at creating tension, and keeping the heroes’ values constant across the entire story. I would have rated it higher if there had been less focus on sex. I would not recommend it for anyone under 18 for that reason.
The story was quite compelling and I enjoyed the characters. The writing was usually very good, but the word editing was poor. I swear that in one of the later books it seemed like there was a mistake on every page. This made it feel less professional and more amateurish.
I liked this series so much that I missed a lot of sleep because I just had to read one more chapter which turned into many more. This dystopian paranormal tale has plenty of action and romance with teenage angst. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Had already read 1-4, got this because it had captivated and I adore that snippet into their meeting, and how sweet they are, how Erik held on to Talia through the viewing and protected her through his torture.
This is a fantastic story! The author keeps you guessing with plenty of plot twists and I could not put it down! I can’t wait to get the next boxed set and see what happens with Tal and the gang!
Love this series. A page turner. Couldn't put it down. Full of action. Such strong characters. Strength Natalia shows is remarkable. Ready for the next one
The Talented Saga is much like peeling an onion. The more you read, the more layers get pulled back. The pace is on target. Not so slow it drags or so fast it leaves you behind scratching your head because you don't know what happened. At the time of this post book number six, Inescapable is scheduled to be released in the June.
The dystopian saga follows the exploitation of Talia Lyons, a mind manipulator. Yes, there are an overwhelming number of books involving girls who can manipulate minds. I myself have read many. The Talented Saga runs with the head of the pack. In another post we will discuss the other good books in that category.
Talia Lyons' world, as she knows it, comes into question when she learns the people she loves and trusts may not be worthy of either sentiment. If that isn't bad enough, she soon finds out that she is more important to her organization than she was lead to believe. As her knowledge expands, her allegiance changes, but how do you fight a government agency with cart blanche very deep pockets and long reach? Talia and her friends find a way, though the cost is rather steep.
I love the characters. In the later part of the saga, Talia flounders in emotional turmoil which made me wish one of the other characters, namely Erik, would just smack her. I can understand the reason for her quick, almost violent, flashes of anger, restlessness, jealousy and even despondency. However, Talia's character had been strong, resourceful and intelligent up until that point. It makes the reader step back and remember, through everything that has happened, Talia is still a teenager. She's entitled to her meltdown. Fortunately, it doesn't last long.
This is another series/saga that I have read several times. I think you have to, to understand the nuances of Ian Crane, and the lengths he is willing to go to create the ultimate... Ah, ah. ah...you have to read the books to find out.
The Talented Saga, is a real page turner. The first book, Talented, is free. You should download a copy today and step into Talia's world.
Ich konnte mich gut in die Hauptperson hinein versetzen. Auch wenn man ihr manchmal gern einen Tritt gegeben hätte, damit sie selbst die Wahrheit erkennt und sich nicht von Mac so herumschupsen lässt. Sie hat sich auf jeden Fall für den richtigen entschieden gehabt, auch wenn Donavon im dritten und vierten Buch begann sein wahres, gutes Ich zu zeigen, weil er auch nur ein Opfer seiner Eltern ist. Abwechslungsreiche spannende Handlung durch alle vier Bücher. Freue mich auf die Fortsetzung.
I couldn't put this saga down! So many unexpected twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. A must read for fans of trilogies like The Hunger Games and Divergent.
Loved the chemistry between Erik and talia from the beginning and I totally knew she didn't belong with Donovan! Can't wait to read what happens to their little family and the united.