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Divided World #1
Divided Serenity
scifi thriller
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 6, 2016
57 people are currently reading
445 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 6, 2017
Really enjoyed this book! It's a well written, tense novel set in a dystopian world, with richly drawn characters and a plot that just races along. I loved Tanis and Hannah in particular but liked all them apart from Bill, although I think even he may be more complex than he appears. Quite bloodthirsty, so it's not for the squeamish, be warned!
This is an impressive debut novel and I look forward to the sequel.
My thanks to TBConFB for this copy.
This is an impressive debut novel and I look forward to the sequel.
My thanks to TBConFB for this copy.
February 10, 2017
Not a new concept - haves vs have nots, but the characters are rich, and the writing is crisp, clean, and colorful. The story is engaging, and using the characters to move the plot forward keeps the pages turning. Any book that entertains while forcing you to consider new possibilities is a winner, and Divided Serenity fits the bill.
May 14, 2018
divided serenity by g l cromarty.
This was a good read with good characters.
aterran is a place with a big wall. it is meant to be safe. they have stations out in Shadowland helping to keep the wall up. but one of the stations had malfunctioned. they sent one team out but they didn't get there. so they are sending Hannah Duvall out with a team. but she had only just reached majority. Can she get there and fix the station alive? is John tanis the enemy Bill says he Is? this was a little slow in places.
I liked the story and some of the characters but I didn't like bill. I didn't trust him. 4*.
This was a good read with good characters.
aterran is a place with a big wall. it is meant to be safe. they have stations out in Shadowland helping to keep the wall up. but one of the stations had malfunctioned. they sent one team out but they didn't get there. so they are sending Hannah Duvall out with a team. but she had only just reached majority. Can she get there and fix the station alive? is John tanis the enemy Bill says he Is? this was a little slow in places.
I liked the story and some of the characters but I didn't like bill. I didn't trust him. 4*.
March 22, 2017
Any Game of Thrones fan will see some similarities, and enjoy them. There are different societies living very different lives on each side of an impenetrable wall for generations. Just a few individuals cross to patrol the wilder areas on horseback. There are long-standing feuds, sudden violence, hand-to-hand combat, devious plans, broken loyalties and deep friendships.
But there is also futuristic high-tech, some left unexplained for now and some explored in more detail. The writing is particularly impressive on these topics, anchoring Divided Serenity firmly into the SF genre rather than fantasy.
The characters take on life as 'the plot thickens'; the narrative moves to different places and focuses on different members of the large cast, using some of their memories to add more and more detail. Not quite every piece has fallen into place satisfactorily by the end of the novel so I'll welcome the next in the series from this new writer.
But there is also futuristic high-tech, some left unexplained for now and some explored in more detail. The writing is particularly impressive on these topics, anchoring Divided Serenity firmly into the SF genre rather than fantasy.
The characters take on life as 'the plot thickens'; the narrative moves to different places and focuses on different members of the large cast, using some of their memories to add more and more detail. Not quite every piece has fallen into place satisfactorily by the end of the novel so I'll welcome the next in the series from this new writer.
December 18, 2016
Fantastic
I loved it. Good solid writing. Great plot. Interesting characters. Wonderful descriptions. What's not to like? I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an excellent read.
I loved it. Good solid writing. Great plot. Interesting characters. Wonderful descriptions. What's not to like? I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an excellent read.
April 7, 2017
I liked the hints of a previous civilisation but thought the arrangement of one race within the walls and two without & everyone happy about it was a little odd. I expected there to be more tension between civilisations rather than just Tanis and Bill's vendetta. Early on I kept forgetting Helen was Helen and Hannah was Hannah, likewise with mentions of John, Jon and Jonathan, similar sounding names but I soon realised which character I was actually reading about. I enjoyed the later revelations about Bill, early on he didn't seem that cruel. The reveal of his evil plan was a little slow and predictable however Theo was a genuine shock. The field scientists all blended into one character although Luke's death was excellent. Tanis did stand apart from his men and from the Aterrans and I'm glad that him & Hannah didn't end up in bed together. The pace felt a little stilted, whether that was an effort to build tension or not I'm not sure but it was obvious Bill was going to get his way in the Senate, that Tanis was going to win against the Jaru and that Hannah would turn the power back on. But there are still things to look forward to - whether there will be a coup in the Shadowlands, whether the Jaru will turn against Bill and what Theo & Nate will find out. I expect I will probably read the sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2018
I love reading dystopian novels and this was not my first that featured a city within a wall vs the people living outside the wall. What bothered me about this book was that the beginning was a bit slow as I was trying to figure out how it happened that the wall was brought about. I am still not really sure but there were some clues in the book regarding the Shadowlanders as well as the people from Aterra towards the middle of the book. I love some of the characters while Bill is not my favourite. There is a lot of violence without a second thought in this book but it still makes for interesting reading. I would recommend this book to lovers of dystopian fiction. Currently busy reading book 2 in the series.
June 22, 2018
I won't spoil the enjoyment for other readers by giving away the plot, but it was an interesting one which kept me engrossed in the story, in this debut novel. All I will say is an advanced technological society is seemingly being threatened by a medieval-type one, whose soldiers are armed with swords, axes and bows and arrows, rather than the energy weapons of their enemy. The first in a series, I look forward to reading the other ones.
May 10, 2018
Divided Serenity is a lot of fun. The author has created an interesting and engaging world full of contrasts. One is society cossetted within a protected world, enjoying lavish technology and comfort and a seemingly utopian lifestyle. Meanwhile, outside the impenetrable walls, a more medieval existence has created a very different society devoid of technology where brutally and death are commonplace and it is very much survival of the fittest, provided that the fittest are also merciless when necessary.
It is when these disparate collide worlds and the rich and varied characters within them interact that the swift and well-written story-telling takes flight. This book has surprises, a good dollop of intrigue, plenty of action and a healthy dose of sex and violence. If that sounds like your sort of thing, I would recommend this book.
It is when these disparate collide worlds and the rich and varied characters within them interact that the swift and well-written story-telling takes flight. This book has surprises, a good dollop of intrigue, plenty of action and a healthy dose of sex and violence. If that sounds like your sort of thing, I would recommend this book.
May 12, 2018
It took a few chapters to get going, but once it did, I struggled to put this book down. All the separate stories and the characters are written brilliantly. An excellent start to the series and I can't wait to read the next book to see how they all start coming together.
January 8, 2017
Great read. I found myself unable to put this book down after starting it just before Christmas. The story is well structured and the characters have great depth. A nice twist took me by surprise with one of the support characters. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
February 14, 2017
Divided Serenity is excellent. It is a well written science fiction novel. Fast paced, great plot and believable characters make this book a fantastic read. I can't wait for book two in the series to become available.
October 6, 2017
This is my review for G. L. Cromarty’s debut novel Divided Serenity: Divided World Book One (she has already released book 2). Visit her site for more information.
WARNING: This review may contain spoilers. They are not intentional, but you are warned in case they do happen.
Synopsis (from Amazon):
SERENITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIVIDED….
…and the lines between good and evil have always been clear. Long ago, the ancients colonized the planet Serenity and created the technologically advanced city of Aterra, separated from the indigenous people of The Shadowland by an impenetrable wall. The Shadowlanders are primitive, warlike groups that have gathered into two distinct groups that have been at battle with one another for eons. Yet suddenly, strange things are beginning to happen, and the Shadowlanders don’t seem to be fighting one another as much. What’s more, a portion of The Wall which protects Aterra, has unexplainedly come down, perhaps due to an earthquake, or perhaps due to something more sinister. What’s more disturbing is that only three people have the skills to repair it—until the first two disappear en route to a remote power station deep in the forest. Now Hannah, as the last expert, must go. Her journey will take her into a native land engulfed by war between ancient enemies. Along the way, her own perceptions will be changed and she will find herself playing a part in a new rivalry determined to bring down Aterra and rip the Shadowland apart.
What I liked:
This is an intense book. It’s a slow burn, but it does get there. The characters are not cookie cutter archetypes and the story keeps you guessing at everyone’s true motive. Who are the good guys? We can be sure of at least one bad guy. I think.
Divided Serenity is a large scale sci-fi adventure that reminds me a bit of Dune with some Game of Thrones style characterization thrown in the mix. (Of course, I’m not really a fan of GOT, but that doesn’t deter this story for me, and this isn’t nearly as brutal – though it can get brutal in some parts).
It’s not a hard sci-fi novel. There is the technology, but it doesn’t get into the nitty-gritty of it all like Orson Scott Card or Arthur C. Clarke, etc. While those are enjoyable, this is more a character study.
What I didn’t like:
It does take some time to get started. While action explodes from the beginning, there are so many character introductions that I had a hard time keeping track of who was who at first. (That could be my fault for listening to the text-to-speech on my kindle…but still, there are a lot of characters.)
Some of the choices/actions of some characters seem a bit out of place for who they are. Particularly, one of the central female characters starts a relationship (though, completely physical and nothing more) with someone that she is afraid of…and it comes off as something just thrown in and not fleshed out, not enough for me. Thankfully, none of the sexual encounters in the book are graphic, nor detailed in the book.
There are few completely likable characters in the book. They are intriguing, yes, but not sure if I actually like them. But, that’s just me.
Conclusion:
I think this is a good debut novel. A hard one to write, I’m sure, with its vast cast of characters and world-spanning plot. Only real gripes I have are with the pacing and the likability of some of the characters. Disturbed at how women are treated in most of the book, especially in the Shadowland (Aterra isn’t much better), but I see some strength in a couple of the characters that suggests to me that this won’t go unanswered. The writing could use some tightening in spots, but overall I enjoyed the book.
WARNING: This review may contain spoilers. They are not intentional, but you are warned in case they do happen.
Synopsis (from Amazon):
SERENITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIVIDED….
…and the lines between good and evil have always been clear. Long ago, the ancients colonized the planet Serenity and created the technologically advanced city of Aterra, separated from the indigenous people of The Shadowland by an impenetrable wall. The Shadowlanders are primitive, warlike groups that have gathered into two distinct groups that have been at battle with one another for eons. Yet suddenly, strange things are beginning to happen, and the Shadowlanders don’t seem to be fighting one another as much. What’s more, a portion of The Wall which protects Aterra, has unexplainedly come down, perhaps due to an earthquake, or perhaps due to something more sinister. What’s more disturbing is that only three people have the skills to repair it—until the first two disappear en route to a remote power station deep in the forest. Now Hannah, as the last expert, must go. Her journey will take her into a native land engulfed by war between ancient enemies. Along the way, her own perceptions will be changed and she will find herself playing a part in a new rivalry determined to bring down Aterra and rip the Shadowland apart.
What I liked:
This is an intense book. It’s a slow burn, but it does get there. The characters are not cookie cutter archetypes and the story keeps you guessing at everyone’s true motive. Who are the good guys? We can be sure of at least one bad guy. I think.
Divided Serenity is a large scale sci-fi adventure that reminds me a bit of Dune with some Game of Thrones style characterization thrown in the mix. (Of course, I’m not really a fan of GOT, but that doesn’t deter this story for me, and this isn’t nearly as brutal – though it can get brutal in some parts).
It’s not a hard sci-fi novel. There is the technology, but it doesn’t get into the nitty-gritty of it all like Orson Scott Card or Arthur C. Clarke, etc. While those are enjoyable, this is more a character study.
What I didn’t like:
It does take some time to get started. While action explodes from the beginning, there are so many character introductions that I had a hard time keeping track of who was who at first. (That could be my fault for listening to the text-to-speech on my kindle…but still, there are a lot of characters.)
Some of the choices/actions of some characters seem a bit out of place for who they are. Particularly, one of the central female characters starts a relationship (though, completely physical and nothing more) with someone that she is afraid of…and it comes off as something just thrown in and not fleshed out, not enough for me. Thankfully, none of the sexual encounters in the book are graphic, nor detailed in the book.
There are few completely likable characters in the book. They are intriguing, yes, but not sure if I actually like them. But, that’s just me.
Conclusion:
I think this is a good debut novel. A hard one to write, I’m sure, with its vast cast of characters and world-spanning plot. Only real gripes I have are with the pacing and the likability of some of the characters. Disturbed at how women are treated in most of the book, especially in the Shadowland (Aterra isn’t much better), but I see some strength in a couple of the characters that suggests to me that this won’t go unanswered. The writing could use some tightening in spots, but overall I enjoyed the book.
May 26, 2019
Divided Serenity is a science fantasy novel set on a different, earth-like planet. The plot revolves around a technologically advanced civilisation living in the eponymous city of Serenity and their neighbouring peoples who exist in a fantasy type world. The people of Serenity rely on their technology to keep them safe for the barbarians in the world, and when this technology fails, it falls to the heroine of the story, Hannah, to go out into the dangerous wilds to fix things.
The book is well written and edited, and it clear that Cromarty cared about what she was doing. The plot is well thought through, and there is plenty going on around the sides of the main plot to keep the reader interested. In my opinion, the book is well paced, mixing action heavy sees with plot driven scenes seamlessly. There is also a lot of information about this world and its peoples which needs to be delivered, and Cromarty does this to perfection.
There is a plethora of characters introduced in this book, but I did not find that many of these characters progress very much with in the pages. This may be because the book is only part one of a longer series. That being said, the characters are all very easy to get to know, even those who are ostensibly the ‘bad guys’. I was optimistic that, as a female writer, Cromarty would have written her lead to be a strong character. Although Hannah ultimately comes through this adventure, she relies heavily on the men around her to keep her alive, very much in the damsel in distress theme of many other books. She also comes across at times as a whiny teenager, which does somewhat detract from what could otherwise be a truly superb book.
The book has its fair share of twists and turns in it, although none of them truly shocked me and I do so love to be genuinely surprised by a story. As I said above, this is only part one of larger whole, and as such does not close off very many, if any, of the plot lines which open during the book.
I am genuinely looking forward to buying the next book in the series, which for me is the ultimate test of how good a book is. I have given this book 4 out of 5 stars; well worth a read but I was not blown away by it.
The book is well written and edited, and it clear that Cromarty cared about what she was doing. The plot is well thought through, and there is plenty going on around the sides of the main plot to keep the reader interested. In my opinion, the book is well paced, mixing action heavy sees with plot driven scenes seamlessly. There is also a lot of information about this world and its peoples which needs to be delivered, and Cromarty does this to perfection.
There is a plethora of characters introduced in this book, but I did not find that many of these characters progress very much with in the pages. This may be because the book is only part one of a longer series. That being said, the characters are all very easy to get to know, even those who are ostensibly the ‘bad guys’. I was optimistic that, as a female writer, Cromarty would have written her lead to be a strong character. Although Hannah ultimately comes through this adventure, she relies heavily on the men around her to keep her alive, very much in the damsel in distress theme of many other books. She also comes across at times as a whiny teenager, which does somewhat detract from what could otherwise be a truly superb book.
The book has its fair share of twists and turns in it, although none of them truly shocked me and I do so love to be genuinely surprised by a story. As I said above, this is only part one of larger whole, and as such does not close off very many, if any, of the plot lines which open during the book.
I am genuinely looking forward to buying the next book in the series, which for me is the ultimate test of how good a book is. I have given this book 4 out of 5 stars; well worth a read but I was not blown away by it.
July 3, 2018
I’m really not a sc-fi fan but the imaginative world and interesting characters helped made this book somewhat likeable. I had a little trouble keeping up with the story as I stopped many times in-between. But I’m really more impressed by how the author came up with this elaborate alternative universe.
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August 22, 2019I enjoyed reading this book
It did take me a few chapters to getting used to the jumping back and forth of the timeline & characters. But once I did I began enjoying the story more. I would recommend this book to my friends.
It did take me a few chapters to getting used to the jumping back and forth of the timeline & characters. But once I did I began enjoying the story more. I would recommend this book to my friends.
October 7, 2020
I need to know more!
I thought at first that it was pretty standard barbarians vs. the "civilized" city dwellers, but further into the story, I became caught up by the story surrounding the "divided" part. I now have to know the whole story. Pretty good stuff.
I thought at first that it was pretty standard barbarians vs. the "civilized" city dwellers, but further into the story, I became caught up by the story surrounding the "divided" part. I now have to know the whole story. Pretty good stuff.
May 30, 2018
Perceptions rule
Fascinatng plot told from a master politician. If you can get people to believe lies you can get them to kill to maintain the illusion.
Fascinatng plot told from a master politician. If you can get people to believe lies you can get them to kill to maintain the illusion.
September 12, 2019
New author, good first read.
April 14, 2017
This book is based on a good premise for a story but I found the execution poor. If the (unnecessary) swearing and sex was removed it might make a good YA novel. Frankly, reading characters are 'pissed' instead of angry, furious or disappointed reads like a 14 year old trying to be 'hard' rather than a mature writing style. Despite the author being female I also found the writing misogynistic (lots of women who should be spanked for not following the main male characters lead). I can't bring myself to care enough about any of the characters to want to read the next books in this series and will not be recommending the book.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews