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Tesla Evolution #1
Tesla
What if a whole race wanted you dead, where would you go? And what if you didn’t know why? What if everything you thought you knew about yourself was wrong?
Cyberpunk vs a dystopian post-apocalyptic adventure for MG/YA crossover
One thousand years have passed since nuclear war wiped out civilization in the northern hemisphere. The planet slowly heats and water becomes a rare resource. Out of the ruins of a devastated civilization rises a new breed of people - those with the power to control magnetism. Teslas
Sebastian, a young orphan boy from a quiet rural town, is being hunted by strange part-machine, part-human people. His only hope is Melanie, an angry, dying teenage girl who is dragged into the adventure and sets out to deliver him to the Steam Academy, even if it's just to stop him talking. Seb must confront an unknown past and fight against everything he believed in. And occasionally wash his hair.
No one said it would be easy.
Cyberpunk vs a dystopian post-apocalyptic adventure for MG/YA crossover
One thousand years have passed since nuclear war wiped out civilization in the northern hemisphere. The planet slowly heats and water becomes a rare resource. Out of the ruins of a devastated civilization rises a new breed of people - those with the power to control magnetism. Teslas
Sebastian, a young orphan boy from a quiet rural town, is being hunted by strange part-machine, part-human people. His only hope is Melanie, an angry, dying teenage girl who is dragged into the adventure and sets out to deliver him to the Steam Academy, even if it's just to stop him talking. Seb must confront an unknown past and fight against everything he believed in. And occasionally wash his hair.
No one said it would be easy.
388 pages, Paperback
First published December 30, 2013
56 people are currently reading
888 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
October 4, 2015
This book starts out with the phrase "sultry winter's day" Which made no sense.
I knew the second I read "sultry winter's day" that this book was going to have some problems.
My main problem with this book is the editing. The writing could have been better but the editor should have catch most the the problems and had them fixed. The phrase "sultry winter's day" was used multiple times in a very short span of time and the editor should have noticed that. It was a lot of little things that just added up and made it seem like the book was poorly written.
The main character, Sebastian, is only 12 years old so that was interesting. Personally, him being so young made it really hard to connect with him and because I couldn't relate to him, I wasn't interested in his story. I read though this book without really caring and at times I had to really push to get though it.
Overall, not a horrible book but it could really use some polishing. The writing and characters needed some major work.
February 2, 2016
Sebastian likes trying to fix things, fiddling with mechanicals and building little devices.
This is set for the younger end of the YA market, and definitely has that "Boys Own" vibe, but although its target audience appears to be 9-12 year old boys there are still some strong female characters. Nothing seems to faze Melanie, for instance, and they partner well in fighting the cyborgs.
It was almost 2 stars, but the amusement value of the cultural references combined with the predictive future was enough to bump it up. (The hair references though - I've seen pictures of the two main people in question, and I can't help but feel it's misplaced.) Unfortunately I just lost interest towards the end. Like the Duracell Bunny they just kept getting problems thrown at them till I just didn't care any more. It was mentally wearying - a shame, because if there had been slightly fewer heroic requirements and slightly more background or character development, I would have really enjoyed it. As it is, I won't bother with the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is set for the younger end of the YA market, and definitely has that "Boys Own" vibe, but although its target audience appears to be 9-12 year old boys there are still some strong female characters. Nothing seems to faze Melanie, for instance, and they partner well in fighting the cyborgs.
It was almost 2 stars, but the amusement value of the cultural references combined with the predictive future was enough to bump it up. (The hair references though - I've seen pictures of the two main people in question, and I can't help but feel it's misplaced.) Unfortunately I just lost interest towards the end. Like the Duracell Bunny they just kept getting problems thrown at them till I just didn't care any more. It was mentally wearying - a shame, because if there had been slightly fewer heroic requirements and slightly more background or character development, I would have really enjoyed it. As it is, I won't bother with the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2015
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first venture into the steampunk genre. Maybe it was me, maybe it was the book, maybe I shouldn't have started with a YA steampunk. But overall, this book was lacking something for me.
I don't believe in judging YA books any less just because they are written for a younger audience. I am an adult, and I like to read good YA books. It makes perfect sense because as a YA I was obsessed with reading the classics, and Stephen King. Perhaps this makes my opinion a bit skewed.
I can summarize my experience with this book up into one word, inconsistent. I enjoyed the overall story arc. But I just cannot ignore the story building. I actually stopped and googled the word steampunk, in the middle of this book. I wanted to make sure my that my expectations weren't just way off the mark. In case you are wondering, Wikepedia defines it as "Steampunk refers to a subgenre of science fiction and sometimes fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Although its literary origins are sometimes associated with the cyberpunk genre, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power." Now the scholar in me can't believe that I just quoted Wikepedia. But it pretty much summarizes what I was expecting, so I'm using it.
This book had that. It had an action packed storyline. It had an interesting back story. It had a likeable and relatable main character. It had a lot of details about the science behind this world. It also had accurate portrayals of how these steam machines could actually work. And if you have a YA that is interested in steampunk, they could very easily love this book.
My problem is that yes, there was a lot of action; but the scenes lacked detail. The skirmishes were over quicker than they began. Yes, the backstory that created this dystopian world was unique and totally believable. But while I understood the events that happen 1000 years ago during the Reckoning, I never felt like I fully understood the world Sebby lived in. On the one hand, I'm suppose to believe that his father was mocked for running the most profitable farm in the village with old fashioned equipment. On the other, I was suppose to believe that after the Reckoning some chose to give up techonology. Sebby's village was one of the groups to renounce technology, so then why are they mocking a man for not using it?
Sebby was a well developed character. But the side characters were all over the place. This part will have some spoilers, and I'm not tagging them, so read at your own risk. We spent a chapter learning about Sebby's aunt only for her to die first in the first skirmish. She was not a likable character. And I felt nothing at her death, not even relief. We get 2 paragraphs about the vet before the vet saves Sebby's life TWICE! Every character had a name even if they were never mentioned again, and I found the whole thing confusing. I couldn't keep them straight. Especially when they were name Sheila and little Sheila.
Overall, I'm just left unsatisfied. I will most likely not continue on in this series. Although I do want to know what happens next. So who knows. I do know I couldn't recommend this book without a few serious warning labels.
This was my first venture into the steampunk genre. Maybe it was me, maybe it was the book, maybe I shouldn't have started with a YA steampunk. But overall, this book was lacking something for me.
I don't believe in judging YA books any less just because they are written for a younger audience. I am an adult, and I like to read good YA books. It makes perfect sense because as a YA I was obsessed with reading the classics, and Stephen King. Perhaps this makes my opinion a bit skewed.
I can summarize my experience with this book up into one word, inconsistent. I enjoyed the overall story arc. But I just cannot ignore the story building. I actually stopped and googled the word steampunk, in the middle of this book. I wanted to make sure my that my expectations weren't just way off the mark. In case you are wondering, Wikepedia defines it as "Steampunk refers to a subgenre of science fiction and sometimes fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Although its literary origins are sometimes associated with the cyberpunk genre, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power." Now the scholar in me can't believe that I just quoted Wikepedia. But it pretty much summarizes what I was expecting, so I'm using it.
This book had that. It had an action packed storyline. It had an interesting back story. It had a likeable and relatable main character. It had a lot of details about the science behind this world. It also had accurate portrayals of how these steam machines could actually work. And if you have a YA that is interested in steampunk, they could very easily love this book.
My problem is that yes, there was a lot of action; but the scenes lacked detail. The skirmishes were over quicker than they began. Yes, the backstory that created this dystopian world was unique and totally believable. But while I understood the events that happen 1000 years ago during the Reckoning, I never felt like I fully understood the world Sebby lived in. On the one hand, I'm suppose to believe that his father was mocked for running the most profitable farm in the village with old fashioned equipment. On the other, I was suppose to believe that after the Reckoning some chose to give up techonology. Sebby's village was one of the groups to renounce technology, so then why are they mocking a man for not using it?
Sebby was a well developed character. But the side characters were all over the place. This part will have some spoilers, and I'm not tagging them, so read at your own risk. We spent a chapter learning about Sebby's aunt only for her to die first in the first skirmish. She was not a likable character. And I felt nothing at her death, not even relief. We get 2 paragraphs about the vet before the vet saves Sebby's life TWICE! Every character had a name even if they were never mentioned again, and I found the whole thing confusing. I couldn't keep them straight. Especially when they were name Sheila and little Sheila.
Overall, I'm just left unsatisfied. I will most likely not continue on in this series. Although I do want to know what happens next. So who knows. I do know I couldn't recommend this book without a few serious warning labels.
January 27, 2014
Disclaimer: I received this book from author, through the Making Connections group, in exchange for an honest review.
Tesla by Mark Lingane, is a creative novel that crosses genre boundaries to create a compelling and engaging read. Steampunk, cyberpunk, dystopian and urban fantasy mingle together in this novel, and as a reader I was impressed by the results. While some elements may be difficult for younger readers to engage in (as we engage more in the Tesla's abilities the 'science talk' gets a little heavy), I think this novel was worth the read and it will be interesting to see what future books hold.
In the beginning, I was really drawn into Sebastian's world. While he is a young protagonist (twelve, almost thirteen according to him), the story itself read a bit older which would match the teen audience. Sebastian is curious and courageous, and he takes whatever happens in stride. There are a few times this feels a little too easy for him , but the way Seb was written didn't make me question it much. It felt believable in the end.
Melanie was a nice addition to the story, although there were times she felt less developed as a character. She seemed so strong at the start, then she was gushing over Gavin and we start to loose her. Isabel felt like two different characters at times, and I wish we saw a bit more transition from the motherly figure we saw to the 'warrior' sort of character near the end. Transitions were a problem in general with this book though, and it was like taking a really nice walk with a rock in your shoe. There is a lot of nice scenery, but that darn rock just keeps jabbing.
While you're reading, Scenes cut off at unexpected places, and the transitions just don't feel smooth for some reason. While the prose is vivid and engaging, scene changes can feel a bit staggering if you aren't prepared for them. There are also some scenes that were just generally confusing. Merv, Marv, Shiela, Sherl...that whole troop felt like it was meant to be a bit too comical and maybe it could have been toned down a bit. The same thing happened when the Oliver Twist "I want some more!" moment pops up later in the book. I'm not sure if it was the location in the story, how it was written, or just my personal taste but I felt confused by those passages.
The science talk could also be a bit heavy for someone who isn't into that sort of thing. In some ways we drifted into sci-fi with the facts and the actual control of the magnetic fields and such. I didn't mind too much, but I feel it's worth noting in case someone doesn't like that sort of thing.
Overall, Tesla was a fun adventure, and certainly one of the more creative novels I've read lately.
Tesla by Mark Lingane, is a creative novel that crosses genre boundaries to create a compelling and engaging read. Steampunk, cyberpunk, dystopian and urban fantasy mingle together in this novel, and as a reader I was impressed by the results. While some elements may be difficult for younger readers to engage in (as we engage more in the Tesla's abilities the 'science talk' gets a little heavy), I think this novel was worth the read and it will be interesting to see what future books hold.
In the beginning, I was really drawn into Sebastian's world. While he is a young protagonist (twelve, almost thirteen according to him), the story itself read a bit older which would match the teen audience. Sebastian is curious and courageous, and he takes whatever happens in stride. There are a few times this feels a little too easy for him , but the way Seb was written didn't make me question it much. It felt believable in the end.
Melanie was a nice addition to the story, although there were times she felt less developed as a character. She seemed so strong at the start, then she was gushing over Gavin and we start to loose her. Isabel felt like two different characters at times, and I wish we saw a bit more transition from the motherly figure we saw to the 'warrior' sort of character near the end. Transitions were a problem in general with this book though, and it was like taking a really nice walk with a rock in your shoe. There is a lot of nice scenery, but that darn rock just keeps jabbing.
While you're reading, Scenes cut off at unexpected places, and the transitions just don't feel smooth for some reason. While the prose is vivid and engaging, scene changes can feel a bit staggering if you aren't prepared for them. There are also some scenes that were just generally confusing. Merv, Marv, Shiela, Sherl...that whole troop felt like it was meant to be a bit too comical and maybe it could have been toned down a bit. The same thing happened when the Oliver Twist "I want some more!" moment pops up later in the book. I'm not sure if it was the location in the story, how it was written, or just my personal taste but I felt confused by those passages.
The science talk could also be a bit heavy for someone who isn't into that sort of thing. In some ways we drifted into sci-fi with the facts and the actual control of the magnetic fields and such. I didn't mind too much, but I feel it's worth noting in case someone doesn't like that sort of thing.
Overall, Tesla was a fun adventure, and certainly one of the more creative novels I've read lately.
April 6, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author for his generosity.
Tesla is billed as a cross genre book, and it delivers on all levels. The almost non-stop action kept the pace rolling. Sebastian, who has uncharted powers, is a curious, adventuresome boy. We follow his travails from his home, to his new life with a group of boys called Tesla's.
We learn more about the boys, and why they can do what they can. The application of real world science along with how it works, maybe a little to deep for some younger readers. I found it a nice addition, grounding the "fantasy" of the boy's powers in a way which makes it believable.
I found the character of Melanie to be interesting, especially reading how she interacts with the people around her who expect females to be decorative and homemakers. The other main female mentioned, Sebastian's mother, Isabella, is shown to have more knowledge of those who control the cyborg's the town battles. I am hoping further books explain her role in more detail, and how she became a warrior.
There where parts of the story that came across as jarring, mostly with scene switches. I also found the Merv/Marv and Sheila/Shirl names confusing and had to re-read that part several times.
I plan on reading the other two books in the series, and hope they are just as good.
Tesla is billed as a cross genre book, and it delivers on all levels. The almost non-stop action kept the pace rolling. Sebastian, who has uncharted powers, is a curious, adventuresome boy. We follow his travails from his home, to his new life with a group of boys called Tesla's.
We learn more about the boys, and why they can do what they can. The application of real world science along with how it works, maybe a little to deep for some younger readers. I found it a nice addition, grounding the "fantasy" of the boy's powers in a way which makes it believable.
I found the character of Melanie to be interesting, especially reading how she interacts with the people around her who expect females to be decorative and homemakers. The other main female mentioned, Sebastian's mother, Isabella, is shown to have more knowledge of those who control the cyborg's the town battles. I am hoping further books explain her role in more detail, and how she became a warrior.
There where parts of the story that came across as jarring, mostly with scene switches. I also found the Merv/Marv and Sheila/Shirl names confusing and had to re-read that part several times.
I plan on reading the other two books in the series, and hope they are just as good.
June 22, 2017
I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 3.5
This was a great read. The story was fast paced and I enjoyed the action throughout the book. This was my first time hearing about a steampunk dystopian. The premise of cyberpunk vs. steampunk intrigued me to read this book. I am glad that I did. The world was interesting, but I wish there was more detail about the world. I thought that the characters were great, especially Sebastian.
Sebastian was an interesting character to me. I thought there could have been more information about, but despite that, I enjoyed his journey throughout the book. This book seems to be generally for the younger audiences. I would say from teens ages 13-16. Also, near the end, I got kind of bored. There was a lot of information being thrown at me, which made me a little bit confused. I like the cyborgs too. Overall, an action packed read. I hope the series gets better.
Actual Rating: 3.5
This was a great read. The story was fast paced and I enjoyed the action throughout the book. This was my first time hearing about a steampunk dystopian. The premise of cyberpunk vs. steampunk intrigued me to read this book. I am glad that I did. The world was interesting, but I wish there was more detail about the world. I thought that the characters were great, especially Sebastian.
Sebastian was an interesting character to me. I thought there could have been more information about, but despite that, I enjoyed his journey throughout the book. This book seems to be generally for the younger audiences. I would say from teens ages 13-16. Also, near the end, I got kind of bored. There was a lot of information being thrown at me, which made me a little bit confused. I like the cyborgs too. Overall, an action packed read. I hope the series gets better.
September 10, 2015
I don't know..
I couldn't connect with this book, unfortunately. I was dying to love it. And while I did love the idea of it, I just still couldn't get into it.
Three stars because I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.
I couldn't connect with this book, unfortunately. I was dying to love it. And while I did love the idea of it, I just still couldn't get into it.
Three stars because I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.
October 28, 2015
A mix between 2.5 and 3 stars.
I received this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tesla is about a boy named Sebastian who seems to attract trouble from the beginning of the book.
This book is mainly about science. People who like those range of subjects would enjoy it. There are a few characters partially named after famous scientists; Nikola, Albert, Isaac. Teslas are people who can sense magnetic fields? Or that's what I understood from this. I didn't get most of the references. I never enjoyed science in school.
This book started out at an okay pace, then it got a bit excited, but it slowed down so much I took quite a while to finish it.
I found the story repetitive and most times I didn't understand a character's motives. Sebastian was okay but I felt like his mind was a bit immature for his age.
I'm confused on what to rate this story, 2.5 or 3. It's not the subject. I've read books that focused on science before and I that never bothered me. The actions scenes seemed rush and came out of the blue. It got a bit annoying near the end. I feel that this book is more Middle Grade than Young Adult. I can't see myself continuing this series.
I received this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tesla is about a boy named Sebastian who seems to attract trouble from the beginning of the book.
This book is mainly about science. People who like those range of subjects would enjoy it. There are a few characters partially named after famous scientists; Nikola, Albert, Isaac. Teslas are people who can sense magnetic fields? Or that's what I understood from this. I didn't get most of the references. I never enjoyed science in school.
This book started out at an okay pace, then it got a bit excited, but it slowed down so much I took quite a while to finish it.
I found the story repetitive and most times I didn't understand a character's motives. Sebastian was okay but I felt like his mind was a bit immature for his age.
I'm confused on what to rate this story, 2.5 or 3. It's not the subject. I've read books that focused on science before and I that never bothered me. The actions scenes seemed rush and came out of the blue. It got a bit annoying near the end. I feel that this book is more Middle Grade than Young Adult. I can't see myself continuing this series.
January 6, 2020
In many ways this was like the original Mad Max movie: action-oriented, poorly written, incoherent, and takes place in the deserts of Australia. One of those is a good thing in my book ;), but the rest sure aren't. The main character is a young innocent kid with some kind of mental powers over... electricity? Nuclear... forces? It's not clear, or consistent. The setting is kind of steampunk, with electricity generated crudely, and giant mechanical firebreathing dragons. There's some kind of weird collective AI, and cool ancient possibly-self-aware leviathans that lie half-buried in the earth.
But it's not clear what the organization of the bad guys is, or even the good guys. And even when the selfish, short-sighted, incompentent jerks in the story are believable, they're written in a way that is painful to read. And the triple word use like "kill kill kill" gets really annoying.
I'm giving this 2.5 stars and rounding up, because even poorly written and semi-incoherent there are still good elements I'm glad I read. The girl with the terminal illness, for example, and the small portion devoted to the main character's mother.
But it's not clear what the organization of the bad guys is, or even the good guys. And even when the selfish, short-sighted, incompentent jerks in the story are believable, they're written in a way that is painful to read. And the triple word use like "kill kill kill" gets really annoying.
I'm giving this 2.5 stars and rounding up, because even poorly written and semi-incoherent there are still good elements I'm glad I read. The girl with the terminal illness, for example, and the small portion devoted to the main character's mother.
February 3, 2018
Snelle manier van schrijven. Ik moest er even inkomen en kon het boek vervolgens niet meer weg leggen.
March 23, 2017
This is a young, young adult book. ok read.
October 20, 2014
This is the first time I read a steampunk/cyberpunk book and I think it went well considering my expectations. I understand that this type of books are supposed to be full of action and kick-ass moments and Tesla sure delivers on this part. From beginning to end, there's always something going on that forces the characters to fight or run for their lives.
I liked the concept of this book. There's so much wrong in this world that I can sadly see it coming in a (hopefully very distant) future. It talks about how humanity loses itself when it depends too much on technology. When the thirst for the most advanced scientific breakthroughs can go horribly wrong. This world is dying. There's not enough water or people, and with killing machines running around attacking what's left, the odds of survival aren't very good.
The people that are still fighting the cyborgs are giving it all they have by training the Teslas, who can detect and manipulate magnetism. Sebastian, the main character, turns out to be a powerful Tesla since he is one of the few who can actually detect magnetism and with some training, control it. Unfortunately, since he is special, they don't let him get much involved, making him take matters into his own hands with the help of his friends.
Despite the never-ending action, I did have trouble getting into the book. The main problem was that I couldn't connect with the main characters, something that is a must for me to fully enjoy a book. Sebastian is an okay character. He is smart, he is talented at controlling magnetism, but he's a bit immature. I know he's still a child (he's twelve) but given the circumstances, you would have thought he would start acting more responsible. I liked him better at the start of the book than at the end, something I was not expecting. Melanie is another character I liked better at the beginning. She was fearless and determined to get better once she found out she had more days to live (she's sick), but when she meets Gavin (a tesla), she goes all goo-goo eyes for him and so I lost faith in her kick-butt persona.
And yet, I did like a few other characters from this book, like Isaac and Nikola. They are mostly secondary characters, but their personalities were interesting and I liked having them around. Isaac was funny and a good friend, while Nikola was a strong commander ready to save his people and do what he thought was best. So glad they survived everything that went through.
Tesla may not have been the most exciting read for me but I can't deny that it may be one for the younger audience. It's a good book with a good plot. I'll recommend this one to teens 12 & up.
*Thanks to the author for the free copy in exchange of an honest review. This was also posted at The Reader and the Chef.*
I liked the concept of this book. There's so much wrong in this world that I can sadly see it coming in a (hopefully very distant) future. It talks about how humanity loses itself when it depends too much on technology. When the thirst for the most advanced scientific breakthroughs can go horribly wrong. This world is dying. There's not enough water or people, and with killing machines running around attacking what's left, the odds of survival aren't very good.
The people that are still fighting the cyborgs are giving it all they have by training the Teslas, who can detect and manipulate magnetism. Sebastian, the main character, turns out to be a powerful Tesla since he is one of the few who can actually detect magnetism and with some training, control it. Unfortunately, since he is special, they don't let him get much involved, making him take matters into his own hands with the help of his friends.
Despite the never-ending action, I did have trouble getting into the book. The main problem was that I couldn't connect with the main characters, something that is a must for me to fully enjoy a book. Sebastian is an okay character. He is smart, he is talented at controlling magnetism, but he's a bit immature. I know he's still a child (he's twelve) but given the circumstances, you would have thought he would start acting more responsible. I liked him better at the start of the book than at the end, something I was not expecting. Melanie is another character I liked better at the beginning. She was fearless and determined to get better once she found out she had more days to live (she's sick), but when she meets Gavin (a tesla), she goes all goo-goo eyes for him and so I lost faith in her kick-butt persona.
And yet, I did like a few other characters from this book, like Isaac and Nikola. They are mostly secondary characters, but their personalities were interesting and I liked having them around. Isaac was funny and a good friend, while Nikola was a strong commander ready to save his people and do what he thought was best. So glad they survived everything that went through.
Tesla may not have been the most exciting read for me but I can't deny that it may be one for the younger audience. It's a good book with a good plot. I'll recommend this one to teens 12 & up.
*Thanks to the author for the free copy in exchange of an honest review. This was also posted at The Reader and the Chef.*
September 3, 2015
Tesla is a self-published book which is currently free on Amazon. The cover is impressive and the blurb sounded interesting, so I thought I’d give it a try even though I haven’t been impressed with self-pubbed books in the past. Hope springs eternal, though.
This book is not very well written. It’s clear almost immediately that the writing quality is amateurish. Not that there are a huge number of typos and grammar problems (although there are more than I’d expect to see in a published book). It’s more that the writing just lacks the polish and craft of a professional. Early on, there’s a stretch of eight or so sentences that all start with “He (did something)”. This type of sentence structure is a common problem throughout the book.
The way the plot unfolds also lacks craft. Characters come and go without any real purpose, or with only a single purpose (often to provide exposition or save the main character from danger) and once that’s fulfilled, they go away or are killed. And though the cover is very good and the summary sounds interesting, it gives the sense of a world that isn’t the world we’re thrown into right away or even very quickly. Steampunk vs. cyberpunk sounds pretty awesome, but what we get for far too long is a generic small farming town with basically no technology or even small-town charm.
The characters are bland, without any personality that goes beyond stock cut-outs and often without any physical description (or with only a single word like “young”), so most of them remain fuzzy, formless shapes that are only in the story to move the main character from A to B to C. Even the main character is a pretty generic young protagonist, with the added drawback of being passive more than active. He’s your typical young boy who stuff happens to because he’s physically special in some way rather than because of anything he does or any choices he makes.
It’s not that the writing is hopeless, mind. It lacks subtlety and nuance and craft, but those are all things that I’d expect an author to get much better at the more they practice. It’s just that this book is not of a professional quality and should not really have been published. This is the kind of book I expect to see from an author who’s still practicing and honing his skill. I wish that this author had held back from putting this book on the market, instead focusing on continuing to hone his skill until he could either write a new story of professional quality or revise this one until it was more professional. Putting out a book that’s really a skill-building book of the type that most authors have to write before they become good enough to publish something professional is like coming out of a fitting-room half-dressed.
(Review crossposted from my book review blog.)
This book is not very well written. It’s clear almost immediately that the writing quality is amateurish. Not that there are a huge number of typos and grammar problems (although there are more than I’d expect to see in a published book). It’s more that the writing just lacks the polish and craft of a professional. Early on, there’s a stretch of eight or so sentences that all start with “He (did something)”. This type of sentence structure is a common problem throughout the book.
The way the plot unfolds also lacks craft. Characters come and go without any real purpose, or with only a single purpose (often to provide exposition or save the main character from danger) and once that’s fulfilled, they go away or are killed. And though the cover is very good and the summary sounds interesting, it gives the sense of a world that isn’t the world we’re thrown into right away or even very quickly. Steampunk vs. cyberpunk sounds pretty awesome, but what we get for far too long is a generic small farming town with basically no technology or even small-town charm.
The characters are bland, without any personality that goes beyond stock cut-outs and often without any physical description (or with only a single word like “young”), so most of them remain fuzzy, formless shapes that are only in the story to move the main character from A to B to C. Even the main character is a pretty generic young protagonist, with the added drawback of being passive more than active. He’s your typical young boy who stuff happens to because he’s physically special in some way rather than because of anything he does or any choices he makes.
It’s not that the writing is hopeless, mind. It lacks subtlety and nuance and craft, but those are all things that I’d expect an author to get much better at the more they practice. It’s just that this book is not of a professional quality and should not really have been published. This is the kind of book I expect to see from an author who’s still practicing and honing his skill. I wish that this author had held back from putting this book on the market, instead focusing on continuing to hone his skill until he could either write a new story of professional quality or revise this one until it was more professional. Putting out a book that’s really a skill-building book of the type that most authors have to write before they become good enough to publish something professional is like coming out of a fitting-room half-dressed.
(Review crossposted from my book review blog.)
September 9, 2015
*I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Real rating: 2.5 Stars
This book is something else. The premise is not unlike others of the Sci-Fi genre, yet the focus on magnetism and the control of it adds to it a real uniqueness.
Now, first, I have to say that this book turned out to really not be for me. However, that doesn't mean I will give it a bad review all around. I think that's unfair, first of all, because I don't think the target audience for this book (or series) is women 21-35. I'd say this is a book that is mainly aimed for YA teen boys (and girls, but mostly boys) ages 12-18.
The MC in the story is a boy, Sebastian, who is only 12 years old. Without giving the story, and the gift of discovering away to those who have not read the book, I will say this is set in a world not unlike ours, however, many many years in the future after a terrible extinction level event type scenario wiped out a lot of it. Water is a lacking resource. Times are rough, hard. Lingane does a good job painting the world and characters, but as other reviewers mention as well, the sci-ency-talk...it gets to be too much. How do you write a book about scientific things without sci-ency-talk you ask? I can't answer that, all I can say is that there was too much in this book for me to enjoyably want to continue reading.
I mention in many of my reviews that if reading becomes a chore, you are reading the wrong book. My opinion would be that books that have a lot of heavy information building needed, stay minimal with things. Be accurate sure, but don't think the reader stupid or unimaginative. We can think some things up ourselves, give us the basic, accurate info and we can take it from there. I understand, no author wants to under explain, or give to little background, but where to draw that line between to little and too much...I just don't know.
Certain changes in settings and in plot were sharp and felt 'not thought out' to me. (I didn't think of a better word than 'not though out' ...that's bad) But that's exactly what I mean here. Lingane took a cool idea and stuffed it full with too much unimportant background information and I feel that was the downfall for this book for me. There would be no way to connect with the reader and have a smooth, effortless read with all that is going on in "Tesla".
Again, I don't think the target audience would pick up on everything I am saying, although now that I think of it, the target audience being boys 12-18, some on the younger side of the scale may find some of the content hard to follow - just a warning. Many may disagree with me, but as I said, these are but my opinions, and this book just was not for me.
Real rating: 2.5 Stars
This book is something else. The premise is not unlike others of the Sci-Fi genre, yet the focus on magnetism and the control of it adds to it a real uniqueness.
Now, first, I have to say that this book turned out to really not be for me. However, that doesn't mean I will give it a bad review all around. I think that's unfair, first of all, because I don't think the target audience for this book (or series) is women 21-35. I'd say this is a book that is mainly aimed for YA teen boys (and girls, but mostly boys) ages 12-18.
The MC in the story is a boy, Sebastian, who is only 12 years old. Without giving the story, and the gift of discovering away to those who have not read the book, I will say this is set in a world not unlike ours, however, many many years in the future after a terrible extinction level event type scenario wiped out a lot of it. Water is a lacking resource. Times are rough, hard. Lingane does a good job painting the world and characters, but as other reviewers mention as well, the sci-ency-talk...it gets to be too much. How do you write a book about scientific things without sci-ency-talk you ask? I can't answer that, all I can say is that there was too much in this book for me to enjoyably want to continue reading.
I mention in many of my reviews that if reading becomes a chore, you are reading the wrong book. My opinion would be that books that have a lot of heavy information building needed, stay minimal with things. Be accurate sure, but don't think the reader stupid or unimaginative. We can think some things up ourselves, give us the basic, accurate info and we can take it from there. I understand, no author wants to under explain, or give to little background, but where to draw that line between to little and too much...I just don't know.
Certain changes in settings and in plot were sharp and felt 'not thought out' to me. (I didn't think of a better word than 'not though out' ...that's bad) But that's exactly what I mean here. Lingane took a cool idea and stuffed it full with too much unimportant background information and I feel that was the downfall for this book for me. There would be no way to connect with the reader and have a smooth, effortless read with all that is going on in "Tesla".
Again, I don't think the target audience would pick up on everything I am saying, although now that I think of it, the target audience being boys 12-18, some on the younger side of the scale may find some of the content hard to follow - just a warning. Many may disagree with me, but as I said, these are but my opinions, and this book just was not for me.
July 16, 2016
3 stars
I'm not a huge fan of science fiction so I'm not really sure what possessed me to pick up this book, but I did and I read it till the end.
This book has potential.
The language kind of... varied throughout the book. There were many big words in the first ten chapters or so, like the author was trying really hard to make the book sound as nice as possible (and from what I learnt from school, you don't really need big words to make that happen). Then the author just kind of settled into a comfortable writing style. There were some paragraphs where I felt the sentences didn't flow, especially when the paragrph goes something like this: "He... She... He... He... She..." Makes me question what sort of audience this book is meant for.
Okay either Sebastian is a really pessimistic person and hates 90% of the people he meets or he just has the unfortunate luck of meeting assholes his entire life. That's a major problem I have with this book, do 70% of the people have to be assholes? But since those are mostly supporting characters, let's look at the main ones instead, shall we? Let's start with our male lead, Sebastian, who is apparently 12 but acts so bratty at times I thought he was 10 (and I honestly imagined Damian Wayne in my head every time Sebastian talked). Then there's Melanie, our strong female lead, who then melted into a puddle of love sickness the moment she laid eyes on the "hero".
As I said at the start, this book has potential, and I'm willing to read the next two books to see where this goes.
I'm not a huge fan of science fiction so I'm not really sure what possessed me to pick up this book, but I did and I read it till the end.
This book has potential.
What could he say? In the jaws of victory, no one had wanted to listen.
What could he say? He glanced back over his shoulder through the open gates.
He shouted. What could he say? Close the gates. They are coming.
The language kind of... varied throughout the book. There were many big words in the first ten chapters or so, like the author was trying really hard to make the book sound as nice as possible (and from what I learnt from school, you don't really need big words to make that happen). Then the author just kind of settled into a comfortable writing style. There were some paragraphs where I felt the sentences didn't flow, especially when the paragrph goes something like this: "He... She... He... He... She..." Makes me question what sort of audience this book is meant for.
Sebastian had had enough. His blood was boiling. He was exhausted from the
continual menial tasks. He hadn't seen anyone he liked even vaguely for months. His life
was being dominated by these greedy, lazy rednecks, and he'd had enough.
Okay either Sebastian is a really pessimistic person and hates 90% of the people he meets or he just has the unfortunate luck of meeting assholes his entire life. That's a major problem I have with this book, do 70% of the people have to be assholes? But since those are mostly supporting characters, let's look at the main ones instead, shall we? Let's start with our male lead, Sebastian, who is apparently 12 but acts so bratty at times I thought he was 10 (and I honestly imagined Damian Wayne in my head every time Sebastian talked). Then there's Melanie, our strong female lead, who then melted into a puddle of love sickness the moment she laid eyes on the "hero".
As I said at the start, this book has potential, and I'm willing to read the next two books to see where this goes.
October 3, 2014
TESLA by Mark Lingane
I received a free ebook copy of this novel from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is a Steampunk/Dystopian future novel set in what was once Australia.
This book follows the adventures and exploits of a young boy named Sebastian.
Sebastian is a Tesla, but doesn't know it at the beginning of the story.
When his mother is taken away to recover from her illness, Sebastian finds a note left by her telling him to go to the Academy.
He journeys to the Academy and along the way discovers that he is the target of cyborgs and other machines who want him dead. He has no idea why.
He meets up with many different characters on the journey who help him towards his goal.
On the last leg of his journey he meets Melanie who will become a true friend over time.
It is at the Academy that he learns he is a Tesla. But, exactly what does that mean? And, why do the cyborgs seem so set on killing him?
As Sebastian learns more about being a Tesla, he discovers just how unique he is. However, he wants to make a difference and due to his age, his ideas and opinions are often overlooked.
The mixture of adventure and science and science fiction will keep the reader's attention throughout the story. There are also a few humorous moments that will make you laugh.
The only thing I would like to see improved is the way that the author approached scene changes. They often come across as abrupt and jarring. It would be nice to have the scene changes seem to flow more naturally.
Sebastian's and Melanie's characters develop over the course of the story, and the author has done a good job of foreshadowing by dropping hints that there is more to Melanie than what she is letting on.
This is a story that will take you for a ride into a post-apocalyptic future and will keep you guessing.
It is an action packed thrill ride that will leave you wanting more. The ending is the perfect cliff hanger and I am looking forward to reading DECAY (the next book in the series).
I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
I received a free ebook copy of this novel from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is a Steampunk/Dystopian future novel set in what was once Australia.
This book follows the adventures and exploits of a young boy named Sebastian.
Sebastian is a Tesla, but doesn't know it at the beginning of the story.
When his mother is taken away to recover from her illness, Sebastian finds a note left by her telling him to go to the Academy.
He journeys to the Academy and along the way discovers that he is the target of cyborgs and other machines who want him dead. He has no idea why.
He meets up with many different characters on the journey who help him towards his goal.
On the last leg of his journey he meets Melanie who will become a true friend over time.
It is at the Academy that he learns he is a Tesla. But, exactly what does that mean? And, why do the cyborgs seem so set on killing him?
As Sebastian learns more about being a Tesla, he discovers just how unique he is. However, he wants to make a difference and due to his age, his ideas and opinions are often overlooked.
The mixture of adventure and science and science fiction will keep the reader's attention throughout the story. There are also a few humorous moments that will make you laugh.
The only thing I would like to see improved is the way that the author approached scene changes. They often come across as abrupt and jarring. It would be nice to have the scene changes seem to flow more naturally.
Sebastian's and Melanie's characters develop over the course of the story, and the author has done a good job of foreshadowing by dropping hints that there is more to Melanie than what she is letting on.
This is a story that will take you for a ride into a post-apocalyptic future and will keep you guessing.
It is an action packed thrill ride that will leave you wanting more. The ending is the perfect cliff hanger and I am looking forward to reading DECAY (the next book in the series).
I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
April 11, 2015
Flashes Of confusion
I just didn't get this book. It felt like it was all over the place to me, never having a distinct plot. I realize that it was meant to play out like a video game and in that aspect it succeeded, however, as a novel I think it just didn't work.
The writing was fine. There were some mistakes that irked me, but overall the author had good diction and varied his sentences. However, I will say there wasn't much description. It felt very factual and to the point, no flowery details or gut wrenching emotions. At times, it was even a little dry and rather dull. I guess it fit with the whole video game feel. Another thing that annoyed me was how couples always ended their sentences with love. Okay, once or twice is okay, but every sentence? I realize they love each other. You don't need to remind me after every sentence. I also didn't enjoy the structure that much. The whole quick scenes didn't work for me. I felt like I never really had a chance to enjoy anything or get to know any of the characters. Everything just happened too fast.
The plot itself had potential and wasn't too bad. I just think it wasn't my thing. The whole setting confused me. I have no idea what kind of world they are living in. It felt really consistent. I mean they talked about Zombies as if it was a normal thing to see. I just didn't get it. Plus, I still don't understand what or who Sebastian is. I'm so confused. There really wasn't much explanation about anything.
The characters themselves were okay. I don't think you ever really get a chance to connect with them, but oh well. If you asked me who Sebastian was, I don't think I could honestly tell you. Melanie was cool. I loved her whole take no crap attitude. The rest of the characters were all unremarkable and insignificant. Oh and all very inconsistent.
All in all, I just didn't like it. If you're into video games and books that contain only action, then maybe this is for you. Enjoy!
***I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review***
I just didn't get this book. It felt like it was all over the place to me, never having a distinct plot. I realize that it was meant to play out like a video game and in that aspect it succeeded, however, as a novel I think it just didn't work.
The writing was fine. There were some mistakes that irked me, but overall the author had good diction and varied his sentences. However, I will say there wasn't much description. It felt very factual and to the point, no flowery details or gut wrenching emotions. At times, it was even a little dry and rather dull. I guess it fit with the whole video game feel. Another thing that annoyed me was how couples always ended their sentences with love. Okay, once or twice is okay, but every sentence? I realize they love each other. You don't need to remind me after every sentence. I also didn't enjoy the structure that much. The whole quick scenes didn't work for me. I felt like I never really had a chance to enjoy anything or get to know any of the characters. Everything just happened too fast.
The plot itself had potential and wasn't too bad. I just think it wasn't my thing. The whole setting confused me. I have no idea what kind of world they are living in. It felt really consistent. I mean they talked about Zombies as if it was a normal thing to see. I just didn't get it. Plus, I still don't understand what or who Sebastian is. I'm so confused. There really wasn't much explanation about anything.
The characters themselves were okay. I don't think you ever really get a chance to connect with them, but oh well. If you asked me who Sebastian was, I don't think I could honestly tell you. Melanie was cool. I loved her whole take no crap attitude. The rest of the characters were all unremarkable and insignificant. Oh and all very inconsistent.
All in all, I just didn't like it. If you're into video games and books that contain only action, then maybe this is for you. Enjoy!
***I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review***
February 10, 2015
"Tesla" Is Quite A Ride
Although "Tesla (Tesla Evolution Book 1)" is aimed at the teen market, older folks, like your truly, can certainly enjoy it, too. I know I did and the reason is that I have been a fan -- and huge reader -- of science fiction (SF) for a long time. Written by Mark Lingane, a writer who does know his way around a paragraph, "Tesla" is about a young man who is fleeing from a group of cyborgs whose main preoccupation is wiping him out. They are doing this because of his unique talent (which incidentally does more than a little to mess up our robotic humanoids quite well).
After his village is wiped out, Sebastian is forced to run. During his travel, he meets Melanie whose mission in life is to get Sebastian to the Steamship Authority. Their trip is quite interesting and is well worth reading to find out exactly what I am not going to tell you (no spoilers here).
Overall, I found that Mark Lingane, an author whose experience spans 30 years, certainly knows about technology. His experience shows in his writing, as well. It helps to keep "Tesla," the first book in the series, moving right along. Lingane has a knack for not only making his characters multi-dimensional but also making us care for them, both marks of an accomplished author.
It would have been easy to lapse into tried-and-true formulaic writing, the type that you can easily find in any of a dozen post-apocalyptic novels that deal with the fallout of a nuclear conflict. Instead, Lingane does fold in elements of other post-apocalytic works into "Tesla" quite well. His talent is undeniable and he has an excellent future ahead.
Although "Tesla (Tesla Evolution Book 1)" is aimed at the teen market, older folks, like your truly, can certainly enjoy it, too. I know I did and the reason is that I have been a fan -- and huge reader -- of science fiction (SF) for a long time. Written by Mark Lingane, a writer who does know his way around a paragraph, "Tesla" is about a young man who is fleeing from a group of cyborgs whose main preoccupation is wiping him out. They are doing this because of his unique talent (which incidentally does more than a little to mess up our robotic humanoids quite well).
After his village is wiped out, Sebastian is forced to run. During his travel, he meets Melanie whose mission in life is to get Sebastian to the Steamship Authority. Their trip is quite interesting and is well worth reading to find out exactly what I am not going to tell you (no spoilers here).
Overall, I found that Mark Lingane, an author whose experience spans 30 years, certainly knows about technology. His experience shows in his writing, as well. It helps to keep "Tesla," the first book in the series, moving right along. Lingane has a knack for not only making his characters multi-dimensional but also making us care for them, both marks of an accomplished author.
It would have been easy to lapse into tried-and-true formulaic writing, the type that you can easily find in any of a dozen post-apocalyptic novels that deal with the fallout of a nuclear conflict. Instead, Lingane does fold in elements of other post-apocalytic works into "Tesla" quite well. His talent is undeniable and he has an excellent future ahead.
June 8, 2015
Tesla by Mark Lingane is the first book in a series that melds together a few type of science fiction books and melds them together flawlessly. Not meaning to sound like a used car dealer but there is something for everyone in this book. There is a steampunk feel throughout the entire novel explained by a disaster that was caused by a great wave that inadvertently caused a malfunction and what are assumed to be nuclear weapons are aimed at highly populated areas, thus creating a post-apocalyptic feel to the book. The devastation across the world and created to types of people, those who could not let go of the technology that was seen as the cause of the devastation and those who turned away from those practices to live a simpler life, called the steamers. Those that continue to use the machines ended up incorporating the machines into their bodies, in doing so they became cyborgs that are controlled by the machines they coveted.
The focus of this story is that of a young boy nearly 13 years old. His father had just died and his mother also becomes gravely ill. Sebastian or Sebby is an essential piece in the warm between the steamers and the cyborgs. After his home and everyone he knows is killed by Cyborgs he begins his journey to the academy where he learns he is what is called a Tesla. A Tesla is a person that can sense magnetic fields, Sebby has the ability to do much more than just sense them.
This fast paced well developed book is a must read for both young adult readers as well as adult. Experience this story with Sebby and his friends, it is a wild ride. The next book in the series is already on my shelf.
The focus of this story is that of a young boy nearly 13 years old. His father had just died and his mother also becomes gravely ill. Sebastian or Sebby is an essential piece in the warm between the steamers and the cyborgs. After his home and everyone he knows is killed by Cyborgs he begins his journey to the academy where he learns he is what is called a Tesla. A Tesla is a person that can sense magnetic fields, Sebby has the ability to do much more than just sense them.
This fast paced well developed book is a must read for both young adult readers as well as adult. Experience this story with Sebby and his friends, it is a wild ride. The next book in the series is already on my shelf.
August 28, 2015
Disclosure: I got this book for free through NetGalley from the publisher. I'm not required to post any positive reviews--just honest ones.
The author's note in the description of this book lost me--I don't play Assassin's Creed. Luckily, you don't have to be a fan of the game series to enjoy this book. Unlike other reviewers, I don't think the scientific explanations were too over the top. We underestimate middle grade readers if we assume those explanations would take away from their experience of the story. Even as an adult, the writing kept me engaged from start to finish. Ever time I put it down I wanted to pick it up again instead of doing grown up things like work. The irony of reading this book on a cellphone wasn't lost on me, either; I found it funny. Sebastian was very well rounded and even his companion Melanie had depth in her own way--she reminded me a lot of Toph from The Last Airbender series. Lingane did a fantastic job with the story line of this book, pacing it so we didn't feel everything was resolved too early while keeping enough action throughout the book to keep it from getting stale and boring. This would be a wonderful addition to any classroom or library, and I'd definitely get a kindle copy for myself. As for a physical copy, I'm not sure if it's something my daughter would want to read just yet. When she gets to that age it'd probably be something I suggest to her on our weekly library trips.
The author's note in the description of this book lost me--I don't play Assassin's Creed. Luckily, you don't have to be a fan of the game series to enjoy this book. Unlike other reviewers, I don't think the scientific explanations were too over the top. We underestimate middle grade readers if we assume those explanations would take away from their experience of the story. Even as an adult, the writing kept me engaged from start to finish. Ever time I put it down I wanted to pick it up again instead of doing grown up things like work. The irony of reading this book on a cellphone wasn't lost on me, either; I found it funny. Sebastian was very well rounded and even his companion Melanie had depth in her own way--she reminded me a lot of Toph from The Last Airbender series. Lingane did a fantastic job with the story line of this book, pacing it so we didn't feel everything was resolved too early while keeping enough action throughout the book to keep it from getting stale and boring. This would be a wonderful addition to any classroom or library, and I'd definitely get a kindle copy for myself. As for a physical copy, I'm not sure if it's something my daughter would want to read just yet. When she gets to that age it'd probably be something I suggest to her on our weekly library trips.
April 24, 2014
I received this book from the author, through the Steampunk Reads discussion group, in exchange for a review in Goodreads. Thanks!
Loved this part towards the beginning of the book:
""Is that why Zombies eat brains? So they can get their minds back?"
"That doesn't even make sense,"Dr. Filbert snapped "They'll only eat brains if they're told to. And it's not as if they carry around the tools to do so. You'd need a decent bone saw, a scalpel for the skin, and a spoon."
"What about salt?"
"Good grief, no. The brain's already quite full of salts due to its acidic nature."....."
I found this to be a fun, action packed and interesting read, where the main character is constantly getting into one entanglement or another. It is a mix of Steampunk, Cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic themes. With horse and cart, steam, cyborg technology as well as what might just be magic.
With all the different and in some cases totally crazy characters it is such fun. Then the main character Sebastian being a young man who jumps from one crazy adventure to another, as well as all the sci-fi and general madness and mayhem. I think that this would be a great book for younger teen and pre-teen males as well as so many others readers.
I look forward very much to reading the follow-up story to see where it will lead.
Loved this part towards the beginning of the book:
""Is that why Zombies eat brains? So they can get their minds back?"
"That doesn't even make sense,"Dr. Filbert snapped "They'll only eat brains if they're told to. And it's not as if they carry around the tools to do so. You'd need a decent bone saw, a scalpel for the skin, and a spoon."
"What about salt?"
"Good grief, no. The brain's already quite full of salts due to its acidic nature."....."
I found this to be a fun, action packed and interesting read, where the main character is constantly getting into one entanglement or another. It is a mix of Steampunk, Cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic themes. With horse and cart, steam, cyborg technology as well as what might just be magic.
With all the different and in some cases totally crazy characters it is such fun. Then the main character Sebastian being a young man who jumps from one crazy adventure to another, as well as all the sci-fi and general madness and mayhem. I think that this would be a great book for younger teen and pre-teen males as well as so many others readers.
I look forward very much to reading the follow-up story to see where it will lead.
July 1, 2014
This is a good book that despite the chasing, explosions, and intrigues has a somewhat slow start. Nevertheless, have a little faith and keep reading; you won't regret it.
Sebastian is your average boy, raised by a widowed mother until she falls ill with the same inexplicable decease as her late(otherwise strong) husband. She's taken away to be "cure", and Sebastian ends up in the hands of an Evil Aunt, who can make every evil stepmother and witch of fairy tales equal to Mother Teresa. But Fate is a cranky lady and she gets kicked from the picture (and I'm not gonna tell you how and spoil the surprise, right?), leaving Sebastian to fend for himself when all Hell breaks loose.
What follows is mayhem and destruction, and we get a glimpse of Sebastian's true nature and why he's being chased by ungodly things.
This is a interesting start for a series, but my only concern is that this book is not visibly promoted as Book 1 of a series. That's why when the unexpected end arrived, I feel confused for a bit. Beyond that, this is a cool book that will appeal to many tastes within the steampunk genre.
I received this book for free in exchange of an honest review.
Sebastian is your average boy, raised by a widowed mother until she falls ill with the same inexplicable decease as her late(otherwise strong) husband. She's taken away to be "cure", and Sebastian ends up in the hands of an Evil Aunt, who can make every evil stepmother and witch of fairy tales equal to Mother Teresa. But Fate is a cranky lady and she gets kicked from the picture (and I'm not gonna tell you how and spoil the surprise, right?), leaving Sebastian to fend for himself when all Hell breaks loose.
What follows is mayhem and destruction, and we get a glimpse of Sebastian's true nature and why he's being chased by ungodly things.
This is a interesting start for a series, but my only concern is that this book is not visibly promoted as Book 1 of a series. That's why when the unexpected end arrived, I feel confused for a bit. Beyond that, this is a cool book that will appeal to many tastes within the steampunk genre.
I received this book for free in exchange of an honest review.
October 6, 2015
I’ve never been one to give a YA story a pass because it’s not aimed at me as a demographic. Good storytelling is good storytelling, regardless of the target audience or the genre. Steampunk isn’t my “go-to” genre, but when I read the description on NetGalley, there was enough sci-fi and dystopian for me to request it.
I also demand more from an author-published work. If the indies want to play in the same sandbox as the traditional big publishers, then they need to bring their “A” game. I’ve read some clunkers from both camps.
The plot of Tesla did seem to jump around. There seemed to be portions of the story missing, but after swiping through the eBook, I can’t seem to find where that something missing was. If I had to wager a guess, I’d say that portions of the story were written years apart, and there is a distinct change in prose and style. I did like the female protagonist, but the young boy I really didn’t care much about.
I’m awarding this story three stars, because it wasn’t as bad as some people seem to think. I’d still be interested in reading the next book in the series to see what strives the author has made from book one to book two.
I also demand more from an author-published work. If the indies want to play in the same sandbox as the traditional big publishers, then they need to bring their “A” game. I’ve read some clunkers from both camps.
The plot of Tesla did seem to jump around. There seemed to be portions of the story missing, but after swiping through the eBook, I can’t seem to find where that something missing was. If I had to wager a guess, I’d say that portions of the story were written years apart, and there is a distinct change in prose and style. I did like the female protagonist, but the young boy I really didn’t care much about.
I’m awarding this story three stars, because it wasn’t as bad as some people seem to think. I’d still be interested in reading the next book in the series to see what strives the author has made from book one to book two.
November 4, 2015
OK, so the concept of the book is interesting. It's also much easier to digest if you think of the main character (Sebastian) as being 15, 16 or even 18 years old and his friend Melanie a few years older. I like it that Sebastian is not too perfect and obviously has his own flaws.
I was able to go through all the book but the first three quarters don't show a lot of action. It only starts towards the end of the book. A bit too late, frankly.
Furthermore, the author has scattered some interesting parallels to our world throughout the book but never goes on to explain as to why there are there. For example, the book is called "Tesla" and the main leader of the city is called "Nikola" -- obviously a reference to Nikola Tesla (even further given that the book deals with magnetism). All "cyborgs" use twitter "@" handles. They use steam locomotives when they obviously have and use electricity. People fly around in zeppelins... etc.
But why so, we fail to learn. In the end it just seems to be "because it sounded cool."
I was intrigued though and will probably read the next book to see if anything gets resolved.
I was able to go through all the book but the first three quarters don't show a lot of action. It only starts towards the end of the book. A bit too late, frankly.
Furthermore, the author has scattered some interesting parallels to our world throughout the book but never goes on to explain as to why there are there. For example, the book is called "Tesla" and the main leader of the city is called "Nikola" -- obviously a reference to Nikola Tesla (even further given that the book deals with magnetism). All "cyborgs" use twitter "@" handles. They use steam locomotives when they obviously have and use electricity. People fly around in zeppelins... etc.
But why so, we fail to learn. In the end it just seems to be "because it sounded cool."
I was intrigued though and will probably read the next book to see if anything gets resolved.
September 8, 2015
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tesla is a pretty neat story, it's got some great ideas and some pretty good characters. Some of the characters are well rounded, Others need some definite work. The story has an excellent plot, however, the execution just felt unplanned and thrown together. The battles fought were 'over quickly' quite often, and while there was one battle that went into some good detail, there were quite a few others that had very little detail, and the outcome was rushed and unbelievable, there needed to be more story, more explanation of what was happening, and eventually, why. we get a couple sentences near the end of the book, but really, by that time, we should have known more. The greatness is there, it just needs some work. Book needs to go through a final editor/proofreader to correct grammar and punctuation. Sometimes the wrong word was used completely, other times just the wrong spelling of the word. Has potential, but definitely room for improvement.
Tesla is a pretty neat story, it's got some great ideas and some pretty good characters. Some of the characters are well rounded, Others need some definite work. The story has an excellent plot, however, the execution just felt unplanned and thrown together. The battles fought were 'over quickly' quite often, and while there was one battle that went into some good detail, there were quite a few others that had very little detail, and the outcome was rushed and unbelievable, there needed to be more story, more explanation of what was happening, and eventually, why. we get a couple sentences near the end of the book, but really, by that time, we should have known more. The greatness is there, it just needs some work. Book needs to go through a final editor/proofreader to correct grammar and punctuation. Sometimes the wrong word was used completely, other times just the wrong spelling of the word. Has potential, but definitely room for improvement.
September 15, 2016
This book will quite easily divide its audience. Not because of the subject matter, but because of the writing. Either you're going to be in love with it and its original take on the apocalyptic fiction genre, or you will be very bored. I found myself caught in the middle, wanting to finish the book, but I also found myself bored enough to put it down and go for a wander now and then.
Having finally completed this book (it only took me 3 days, but still), I do have to hand it to the writer: the story line is something I haven't seen before. Forget the normal post-apocalyptic stories of war and death; this story line takes place 1000 years after the apocalypse, much further down the track than most people would set their stories.
The writing is good even though the edition I purchased appears to need one more edit for spelling & grammar. The pacing has a few problems. I can't tell if it had too many ups and downs, or if it was just all too fast-paced.
If you like fast-paced with a unique story line, this is a story you have to try.
Having finally completed this book (it only took me 3 days, but still), I do have to hand it to the writer: the story line is something I haven't seen before. Forget the normal post-apocalyptic stories of war and death; this story line takes place 1000 years after the apocalypse, much further down the track than most people would set their stories.
The writing is good even though the edition I purchased appears to need one more edit for spelling & grammar. The pacing has a few problems. I can't tell if it had too many ups and downs, or if it was just all too fast-paced.
If you like fast-paced with a unique story line, this is a story you have to try.
March 6, 2015
A great science fiction story.
Mark Lingane has written a great science fiction story, Tesla, basically set for the young adult reader, but I thought it was suitable for all ages as well. Tesla is book1 in the Tesla Evolution Series. The time period is set a millennium into the future. After a nuclear war occurred, leaving the future population to live a different life style to that known in previous millennium. The main characters Sebastian and Melanie face lots of problems while trying to overcome the adversities placed in front of them.
Lingane writes with large dollops of humour and also looking into the future with a great understanding and insightful revelation of what could occur. Thus coming up with a fascinating tale that will keep the reader turning the pages. I recommend the reading of this excellent science fiction book, with its great plot and characters and look forward to Book 2 in the series.
Mark Lingane has written a great science fiction story, Tesla, basically set for the young adult reader, but I thought it was suitable for all ages as well. Tesla is book1 in the Tesla Evolution Series. The time period is set a millennium into the future. After a nuclear war occurred, leaving the future population to live a different life style to that known in previous millennium. The main characters Sebastian and Melanie face lots of problems while trying to overcome the adversities placed in front of them.
Lingane writes with large dollops of humour and also looking into the future with a great understanding and insightful revelation of what could occur. Thus coming up with a fascinating tale that will keep the reader turning the pages. I recommend the reading of this excellent science fiction book, with its great plot and characters and look forward to Book 2 in the series.
June 13, 2015
If you were on earth in a millennium from now, what would it be like? I enjoyed Tesla by Mark Lingane very much, and have a feeling that if we keep on the current path, we might end up just like this. In this story, the world has experienced a devastating nuclear war and the northern hemisphere has basically been wiped out. Now, the world has a new breed of people who can control magnetism. As if this is not bad enough, water is so scarce that it is now a form of currency.
Sebastian, known as Seb, is a young orphaned boy who is being hunted by people who are part human and part machine. With the assistance of Melanie, a dying teenager, he tries to find his way to the Steam Academy. What happens next is an adventure like no other.
Whether you are a Sci-Fi fan or not, this story is a must read. I can’t wait to read the second book in this series. In addition, this is a great book for teens and early adults as we seem to be lacking in great books for that generation.
Sebastian, known as Seb, is a young orphaned boy who is being hunted by people who are part human and part machine. With the assistance of Melanie, a dying teenager, he tries to find his way to the Steam Academy. What happens next is an adventure like no other.
Whether you are a Sci-Fi fan or not, this story is a must read. I can’t wait to read the second book in this series. In addition, this is a great book for teens and early adults as we seem to be lacking in great books for that generation.
February 5, 2015
This is a sci-fi novel, set in the future, in a world where there is a war and water is becoming a rare resource. Sebastian, a young teenager who has just lost his parents and aunt, suddenly finds himself fighting strange creatures and having to escape his hometown. During his adventures, he meets Melanie, a very ill teenage girl elder than him that will become his ally…I won’t tell you anymore or I’ll spoil the story!
I just want to say that I was surprised when someone recommended me this book as I don’t usually enjoy sci-fi too much, even if I have absolutely loved the Hunger Games, the Divergent saga and Harry Potter! So, while reading the first pages, I was skeptical enough but then, even if I think it is really aimed at teenagers, I have found the book surprisingly gripping and very entertaining and I have actually read it really quickly! It’s really a great book!
I just want to say that I was surprised when someone recommended me this book as I don’t usually enjoy sci-fi too much, even if I have absolutely loved the Hunger Games, the Divergent saga and Harry Potter! So, while reading the first pages, I was skeptical enough but then, even if I think it is really aimed at teenagers, I have found the book surprisingly gripping and very entertaining and I have actually read it really quickly! It’s really a great book!
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