What do you think?
Rate this book
Hero Regan is a telepath, the first in a new subspecies of human engineered to save the world, but that was before she blew up a chunk of Cumulus City. Now the world doesn't need her, which is just how she likes it.
Hero has just about everything she wants: independence, friendship and a shot at her fondest dream—to explore the surface of the alien planet she calls home. Life would be perfect except her best friend is keeping secrets, Fink—her six hundred kilogram, genetically engineered companion—is constantly angry, and there's something wrong with Hero's brain. Like, really, really wrong.
It all wouldn't be so bad, except Hero has secrets to keep too—the kind that may just be unforgivable—and the Librarian once again needs her help to save the world, whether she wants to or not.
With past actions coming back to haunt her, old friendships falling apart and new, confusing ones coming together, Hero has to find answers because, this time, the world really is going to change.
Hero has just about everything she wants: independence, friendship and a shot at her fondest dream—to explore the surface of the alien planet she calls home. Life would be perfect except her best friend is keeping secrets, Fink—her six hundred kilogram, genetically engineered companion—is constantly angry, and there's something wrong with Hero's brain. Like, really, really wrong.
It all wouldn't be so bad, except Hero has secrets to keep too—the kind that may just be unforgivable—and the Librarian once again needs her help to save the world, whether she wants to or not.
With past actions coming back to haunt her, old friendships falling apart and new, confusing ones coming together, Hero has to find answers because, this time, the world really is going to change.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2016
4 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Belinda Crawford
31 books73 followersPhysics makes Belinda’s brain hurt, while quadratics cause her eyes to cross and any mention of probability equations will have her running for the door. Nonetheless, she loves watching documentaries about the natural world, biology, space, history and technology.
She’s also a sucker for a fast horse, a faster computer and superhero movies. When she’s not doing the horse, computer or superhero thing, Belinda writes science fiction (emphasis on the fiction), where she loves to write about butt-kicking girls (and guys) who blow stuff up.
She’s also a sucker for a fast horse, a faster computer and superhero movies. When she’s not doing the horse, computer or superhero thing, Belinda writes science fiction (emphasis on the fiction), where she loves to write about butt-kicking girls (and guys) who blow stuff up.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 5, 2017
I was so pleased to be able to finally start Riven. I loved book one, Hero, and really hoped that book two would be as good. Riven exceeded my expectations in every way.
Life for Hero has not become any easier. She’s having to deal with the psychic fallout from her actions in book one and Fink, her ruc-pard, is having issues all of his own, which are worsened by his need to protect her.
Crawford sets a cracking pace in this novel right from the outset which doesn’t let up until the very final scene, after which you are left desperately wanting book three. We have more of the action packed street racing and the dangers that are involved with these technological whiz kids with their exploding drones, Hero still has a criminal streak with her penchant for hacking into the colony’s computer systems, new mysteries surrounding her family’s past arise, people still want to “examine” her brain in a lab and she and Fink are turning marginally homicidal. I loved it!
What I enjoyed particularly was that this is turning out to be a series where the characters are actually growing and changing. They face difficult emotional challenges and moral dilemmas that they struggle with. Hero doesn’t always make the right choice; she often acts using instinctively and aggressively without thought to the consequences. Her friends are placed in a position where they must choose between friendship and what they believe is right. There is real fallout for them regardless of the choices they make; learning to deal with this we see the characters mature and change. I think this is one of the hallmarks of a great story.
Crawford’s world building is excellent there is just the right blend of description and action. I found everything easy to visualise. The tech side, at times, feels familiar for the genre, but also has its own unique twists. (Although I found this familiarity a good thing, because it meant that I wasn’t left struggling to comprehend these aspects at the expense of reading enjoyment.)
Although this is YA novel there is so much to enjoy here regardless of what age you are. (In fact I think advanced MG readers would enjoy this as well.)
I couldn’t put it down – five stars.
Life for Hero has not become any easier. She’s having to deal with the psychic fallout from her actions in book one and Fink, her ruc-pard, is having issues all of his own, which are worsened by his need to protect her.
Crawford sets a cracking pace in this novel right from the outset which doesn’t let up until the very final scene, after which you are left desperately wanting book three. We have more of the action packed street racing and the dangers that are involved with these technological whiz kids with their exploding drones, Hero still has a criminal streak with her penchant for hacking into the colony’s computer systems, new mysteries surrounding her family’s past arise, people still want to “examine” her brain in a lab and she and Fink are turning marginally homicidal. I loved it!
What I enjoyed particularly was that this is turning out to be a series where the characters are actually growing and changing. They face difficult emotional challenges and moral dilemmas that they struggle with. Hero doesn’t always make the right choice; she often acts using instinctively and aggressively without thought to the consequences. Her friends are placed in a position where they must choose between friendship and what they believe is right. There is real fallout for them regardless of the choices they make; learning to deal with this we see the characters mature and change. I think this is one of the hallmarks of a great story.
Crawford’s world building is excellent there is just the right blend of description and action. I found everything easy to visualise. The tech side, at times, feels familiar for the genre, but also has its own unique twists. (Although I found this familiarity a good thing, because it meant that I wasn’t left struggling to comprehend these aspects at the expense of reading enjoyment.)
Although this is YA novel there is so much to enjoy here regardless of what age you are. (In fact I think advanced MG readers would enjoy this as well.)
I couldn’t put it down – five stars.
December 3, 2016
When we left our hero, Hero Regen, gambolling freely with her ruc-pard companion Fink at the end of Hero – The Hero Rebellion Book 1, so much seemed rosy. Many of her enemies were dead or incapacitated, while her friends, the important ones, are back in health. But because this IS Hero Regen, it isn’t long before challenges and obstacles start to pile up.
As the book opens, Hero and teammate Norah Joshi – her best friend and racing team partner, another special or Jørgen like Hero, and her lynch-adder, Harish are preparing to participate in still another illegal street race. Hero is steaming because Timon Dane her main competitor called her a pixie. She doesn’t know what that is, but it has to be bad – right?
As the race progresses it soon becomes clear, that this is a very changed Hero. In Book 1, she was a sulky but still likeable teenager; here she seems so full of rage and anger that she can barely control let alone understand her murderous impulses – nor does she seem interested in controlling these mad rages. After alienating Norah with her temper, an isolated, angry and paranoid Hero takes refuge in her computer labs, determined to learn how to control the power of the explosive jwak.
Soon her old friend The Librarian is back with a new, more dangerous and more critical task. “Cumulus City is failing … the ground-side machines that generate the magnetic fields on which the city is kept aloft are no longer sufficient to the task. The outer burbs will fall first.” And on this Hero and her increasingly anxious friends, which in a stunning reversal come to include Timon and his snooty toa-mare, Phara, are off on another hair- raising adventure which includes facing off against giant roaches, evading agents of various organisations trying to kill or capture them and, when they reach the surface, discovering Fink’s original family.
As much as I enjoyed the chases, races and battles, I’m not a teenager; although I heartily recommend them to you if you are. They are taught and sharply written. However, for me, the real fascination is the towering sky scraper world that Ms Crawford has created in Cumulus City. Anchored to Old Terra, these almost limitless tower blocks have been allowed to thrust ever higher into the upper atmosphere. And, like so many man-made projects, insufficient thought or care has been given to maintenance or repair. Down here on earth, my first thought was to ask why haven’t the municipal authorities been doing their jobs properly? One answer is that there don’t seem to be any. The towers of Cumulus City seem to be totally under the control of a plethora of mercantile entities which include Bayard Corp. Hero’s mother’s nominal employer. Any book set in a far-future fantastical world is only as good as its world –building. In the Hero books, the complex places and creatures described are endlessly fascinating; so complex that the existence of telepathy between characters is only a part of how messages are transmitted. Far more provocative is the way in which the presence of colour and scent announce the arrival and mental state of a particular individual. When the friends finally get down to Old Terra, the colours and creatures of this semi-abandoned world are described so vividly, it is a joy to read about them.
It is often said that the second book in a series is often the most difficult, but in Riven, Belinda Crawford has brilliantly expanded the depth and interest of this creation.
Happily 5*****
As the book opens, Hero and teammate Norah Joshi – her best friend and racing team partner, another special or Jørgen like Hero, and her lynch-adder, Harish are preparing to participate in still another illegal street race. Hero is steaming because Timon Dane her main competitor called her a pixie. She doesn’t know what that is, but it has to be bad – right?
As the race progresses it soon becomes clear, that this is a very changed Hero. In Book 1, she was a sulky but still likeable teenager; here she seems so full of rage and anger that she can barely control let alone understand her murderous impulses – nor does she seem interested in controlling these mad rages. After alienating Norah with her temper, an isolated, angry and paranoid Hero takes refuge in her computer labs, determined to learn how to control the power of the explosive jwak.
Soon her old friend The Librarian is back with a new, more dangerous and more critical task. “Cumulus City is failing … the ground-side machines that generate the magnetic fields on which the city is kept aloft are no longer sufficient to the task. The outer burbs will fall first.” And on this Hero and her increasingly anxious friends, which in a stunning reversal come to include Timon and his snooty toa-mare, Phara, are off on another hair- raising adventure which includes facing off against giant roaches, evading agents of various organisations trying to kill or capture them and, when they reach the surface, discovering Fink’s original family.
As much as I enjoyed the chases, races and battles, I’m not a teenager; although I heartily recommend them to you if you are. They are taught and sharply written. However, for me, the real fascination is the towering sky scraper world that Ms Crawford has created in Cumulus City. Anchored to Old Terra, these almost limitless tower blocks have been allowed to thrust ever higher into the upper atmosphere. And, like so many man-made projects, insufficient thought or care has been given to maintenance or repair. Down here on earth, my first thought was to ask why haven’t the municipal authorities been doing their jobs properly? One answer is that there don’t seem to be any. The towers of Cumulus City seem to be totally under the control of a plethora of mercantile entities which include Bayard Corp. Hero’s mother’s nominal employer. Any book set in a far-future fantastical world is only as good as its world –building. In the Hero books, the complex places and creatures described are endlessly fascinating; so complex that the existence of telepathy between characters is only a part of how messages are transmitted. Far more provocative is the way in which the presence of colour and scent announce the arrival and mental state of a particular individual. When the friends finally get down to Old Terra, the colours and creatures of this semi-abandoned world are described so vividly, it is a joy to read about them.
It is often said that the second book in a series is often the most difficult, but in Riven, Belinda Crawford has brilliantly expanded the depth and interest of this creation.
Happily 5*****
February 27, 2017
Original review at http://wp.me/p4Wvzn-28w
A year ago we Two Nerds were fortunate enough to be granted an advanced review copy of the excellent novel Hero, the first in the Hero Rebellion trilogy. You can imagine how delighted we were to be directly approached by the author herself and asked to review Riven.
Riven picks up pretty well were Hero left off, with the books protagonist Hero doing her best to assimilate into a normal life. But it's not so easy to do that when you're telepathic and losing control from time to time.
The story is action packed with some fantastic character development and some amazing twists that I didn't see coming...and I'm usually THAT guy, the one who sees the twist miles away.
While I'm possibly not quite the target audience for this book, I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. Author Belinda Crawford has once again done an amazing job at creating a vibrant and realistic world. the characters in this book and the way they interact with one another just feels so natural and real...supernatural abilities notwithstanding.
If you've read Hero, you NEED to read this. If you've not read Hero, you'd best get on that and THEN read this too.
For the sake of journalistic integrity, we should mention that we were given a free review copy of this book. This in no way influences our opinion. I would have happily shelled out money for this book.
TNT Score 4/5
A year ago we Two Nerds were fortunate enough to be granted an advanced review copy of the excellent novel Hero, the first in the Hero Rebellion trilogy. You can imagine how delighted we were to be directly approached by the author herself and asked to review Riven.
Riven picks up pretty well were Hero left off, with the books protagonist Hero doing her best to assimilate into a normal life. But it's not so easy to do that when you're telepathic and losing control from time to time.
The story is action packed with some fantastic character development and some amazing twists that I didn't see coming...and I'm usually THAT guy, the one who sees the twist miles away.
While I'm possibly not quite the target audience for this book, I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. Author Belinda Crawford has once again done an amazing job at creating a vibrant and realistic world. the characters in this book and the way they interact with one another just feels so natural and real...supernatural abilities notwithstanding.
If you've read Hero, you NEED to read this. If you've not read Hero, you'd best get on that and THEN read this too.
For the sake of journalistic integrity, we should mention that we were given a free review copy of this book. This in no way influences our opinion. I would have happily shelled out money for this book.
TNT Score 4/5
December 29, 2018
For sci-fi fantasy fans this is definitely one to add to your 'must read' section.
Belinda Crawford's style is to let out hints and give just enough to the reader to keep them reading on.
I liked Hero in the first novel but at times viewed her as
flawed and problematic as a main character but it is her moments of weakness which keeps the reader liking her after all Fink likes her and trusts her so she can't be all bad!
What makes these novels work is having a main character and a number of minor ones to come and go. This makes it easy to read and more accessible. The novel is not overly long and has enough action to attract both male and female readers. Belindaa writing style is very visual, as it was in The Hunger Games, and I would not be surprised if this is also translated to the big screen.
For sci-fi fantasy fans this is definitely one to add to your 'must read' section.
I was given the novel free by prolificworks. com for my fair and honest review.
Belinda Crawford's style is to let out hints and give just enough to the reader to keep them reading on.
I liked Hero in the first novel but at times viewed her as
flawed and problematic as a main character but it is her moments of weakness which keeps the reader liking her after all Fink likes her and trusts her so she can't be all bad!
What makes these novels work is having a main character and a number of minor ones to come and go. This makes it easy to read and more accessible. The novel is not overly long and has enough action to attract both male and female readers. Belindaa writing style is very visual, as it was in The Hunger Games, and I would not be surprised if this is also translated to the big screen.
For sci-fi fantasy fans this is definitely one to add to your 'must read' section.
I was given the novel free by prolificworks. com for my fair and honest review.
May 1, 2017
Finished reading: April 29th 2017
"Instead, she reached out to touch her mum's mind. And ran smack-bang into a mawberry-flavoured wall. She glared at Fink.
He twitched an ear. Manners, he thought to her."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
June 3, 2017
The Hero Rebellion is a science fiction, young adult series that takes place on the planet Jorn. This is a world where the ground has been infected by Pollen so humans all live in cities in the air. Hero is a telepath who is struggling to learn and use her abilities. Last year I reviewed Hero, the first in the series, and loved it. I didn’t enjoy Riven quite as much, but I still want to see where the series goes.
Second books in a series face a lot of challenges. An author has to continue the story with just enough background from the first book that the reader isn’t lost. The story has to keep moving but a Book 2 is really a bridge between the character-setting and world-building of the first book, and the meat of the story that maybe happens later.
Some of the things I really liked about Hero (Book 1): the main character is young and angry, but with good reason. She’s been sheltered all her life, kept from other kids and lied to about her abilities, even forced to take drugs to reduce her telepathy and told she’s mentally ill. I also really liked the world-building, which has unique characteristics like genetically-modified animal companions and emotions that are read by Hero as scents and colors.
Riven is much faster paced, and instead of reading about Hero making new friends and adapting to her new school, we get a lot more chases and fight scenes. It's more on the adult side, and I expect a lot of people will like this one better for that reason. I found the pace a bit too fast, and I struggled at times to follow what was happening. I also had a hard time sympathizing with Hero. She lashes out (emotionally and physically) at the people she cares for. It’s not all Hero’s fault, for reasons I won't explain, but I wish we saw her struggle a bit more with this conflict.
By the end of the book I was left with mostly questions about the mission Hero and her friends are on. It’s not clear how much Hero is being controlled by what’s in her head, and by The Librarian, who has a different agenda. The book ends in an interesting way that’s a good set-up for the next book. This series is very much worth a look if you like YA science fiction.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author and publisher Odyssey Books. My full review can be found at http://thebookstop.wordpress.com.
Second books in a series face a lot of challenges. An author has to continue the story with just enough background from the first book that the reader isn’t lost. The story has to keep moving but a Book 2 is really a bridge between the character-setting and world-building of the first book, and the meat of the story that maybe happens later.
Some of the things I really liked about Hero (Book 1): the main character is young and angry, but with good reason. She’s been sheltered all her life, kept from other kids and lied to about her abilities, even forced to take drugs to reduce her telepathy and told she’s mentally ill. I also really liked the world-building, which has unique characteristics like genetically-modified animal companions and emotions that are read by Hero as scents and colors.
Riven is much faster paced, and instead of reading about Hero making new friends and adapting to her new school, we get a lot more chases and fight scenes. It's more on the adult side, and I expect a lot of people will like this one better for that reason. I found the pace a bit too fast, and I struggled at times to follow what was happening. I also had a hard time sympathizing with Hero. She lashes out (emotionally and physically) at the people she cares for. It’s not all Hero’s fault, for reasons I won't explain, but I wish we saw her struggle a bit more with this conflict.
By the end of the book I was left with mostly questions about the mission Hero and her friends are on. It’s not clear how much Hero is being controlled by what’s in her head, and by The Librarian, who has a different agenda. The book ends in an interesting way that’s a good set-up for the next book. This series is very much worth a look if you like YA science fiction.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author and publisher Odyssey Books. My full review can be found at http://thebookstop.wordpress.com.
October 7, 2018
This is so good, I enjoyed this book as much as the first and now I cannot wait until the 3rd book. This story is action-packed and engages from the beginning.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 29, 2018
This book was quite engaging read with a great plot that allows the characters all take you along till the finale.knocked out of the ball park that I truly enjoyed
December 19, 2018
Book 2 is just as amazing, even better. Here we see that Riven hasn’t got it any easier in the next one. Superb.
October 15, 2018
It has been over a year since I read the first book in The Hero Rebellion, Hero, but I easily fell back into the story. It starts with Hero in a street race, and hints at the trouble she has been facing since she stopped the Librarian from unleashing the program to alter the DNA of the citizens of Cumulus City to enable them to live on the surface of the planet below. With her hybrid DNA, not only is Hero one of only two people who can survive contact with the poisonous spores, she is telepathic. But being able to read the thoughts of those around her isn’t the only thing she can do. She now knows she can use her telepathy as a weapon, but using it to protect herself and her companion, Fink, in book one is having disastrous consequences.
Filled with anger and murderous instinct, Hero manages to alienate her friends and get her and Fink in big trouble. But Hero will do anything to stop the ruc-pard (a huge catlike creature Hero rides in the street races and who has been her companion since she was four) from being sent to the Farm or destroyed for trying to protect her. The telepathic bond between Hero and Fink is a big part of why I love this YA science fiction series. His attempts to keep her alive and safe contrast nicely with his appearance of a fearsome creature everyone else is afraid of. A single growl from Fink can clear the room. Fiercely loyal to Hero, he tries to stop her from overreaching her ability and her manners when she uses her telepathy on others.
With both Hero and Fink in danger because of the unnatural anger swirling within them, taking on a task for the Librarian seems like the only way for both of them to fight their way free. A task that sends them to the surface of a planet and a secret neither of them expected. Along the way Hero loses her best friend and gains an unlikely ally in an action-packed adventure that had me glued to the page and eagerly awaiting the third book in the series.
With vivid worldbuilding that allowed me to ‘see’ Cumulus City and the chaotic world Hero lives in, I was right there as she used her hacking and telepathic skills to win races, discover secret information, and fight to save Fink. She doesn’t always make the right choices, letting instinct guide her for the most part, but at heart she is trying to do the right thing. I am sure that when the next book is released Hero will have developed from a teenage girl struggling to find her place to a true hero worthy of the name. I can’t wait to go along for the ride.
Filled with anger and murderous instinct, Hero manages to alienate her friends and get her and Fink in big trouble. But Hero will do anything to stop the ruc-pard (a huge catlike creature Hero rides in the street races and who has been her companion since she was four) from being sent to the Farm or destroyed for trying to protect her. The telepathic bond between Hero and Fink is a big part of why I love this YA science fiction series. His attempts to keep her alive and safe contrast nicely with his appearance of a fearsome creature everyone else is afraid of. A single growl from Fink can clear the room. Fiercely loyal to Hero, he tries to stop her from overreaching her ability and her manners when she uses her telepathy on others.
With both Hero and Fink in danger because of the unnatural anger swirling within them, taking on a task for the Librarian seems like the only way for both of them to fight their way free. A task that sends them to the surface of a planet and a secret neither of them expected. Along the way Hero loses her best friend and gains an unlikely ally in an action-packed adventure that had me glued to the page and eagerly awaiting the third book in the series.
With vivid worldbuilding that allowed me to ‘see’ Cumulus City and the chaotic world Hero lives in, I was right there as she used her hacking and telepathic skills to win races, discover secret information, and fight to save Fink. She doesn’t always make the right choices, letting instinct guide her for the most part, but at heart she is trying to do the right thing. I am sure that when the next book is released Hero will have developed from a teenage girl struggling to find her place to a true hero worthy of the name. I can’t wait to go along for the ride.
October 7, 2018
She is a telepathic and has to save the world but she made a mistake and blow up a chuck of the city. Now she wants to get away and forget all about it. She has found that place but her friend is hiding something. She is also and soon she is called to save the world again. Can she do it this time? How will she do? See if she can
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews