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The Deep Sky Saga #1
Achilles
Lost meets The 100 in this action-packed YA science fiction series-starter.
"WE'RE ON OUR OWN NOW..."
The year is 2221, and humans have colonized a planet called Thetis in the Silver Foot Galaxy. After a tragic accident kills dozens of teenage colonists, Thetis’s leaders are desperate to repopulate. So Earth sends the Mayflower 2 ―a state-of-the-art spaceship―across the universe to bring 177 new homesteaders to the colony.
For Jonah Lincoln, an orphaned teen who has bounced between foster homes and spent time on the streets of Cleveland, the move to Thetis is a chance to reinvent himself, to be strong and independent and brave, the way he could never be on Earth. But his dreams go up in smoke when their ship crash-lands, killing half the passengers and leaving the rest stranded―not on Thetis, but on its cruel and unpopulated moon, Achilles.
Between its bloodthirsty alien life forms and its distance from their intended location, Achilles is a harrowing landing place. When all of the adult survivors suddenly disappear, leaving the teenage passengers to fend for themselves, Jonah doubts they’ll survive at all, much less reach Thetis―especially when it appears Achilles isn’t as uninhabited as they were led to believe.
"WE'RE ON OUR OWN NOW..."
The year is 2221, and humans have colonized a planet called Thetis in the Silver Foot Galaxy. After a tragic accident kills dozens of teenage colonists, Thetis’s leaders are desperate to repopulate. So Earth sends the Mayflower 2 ―a state-of-the-art spaceship―across the universe to bring 177 new homesteaders to the colony.
For Jonah Lincoln, an orphaned teen who has bounced between foster homes and spent time on the streets of Cleveland, the move to Thetis is a chance to reinvent himself, to be strong and independent and brave, the way he could never be on Earth. But his dreams go up in smoke when their ship crash-lands, killing half the passengers and leaving the rest stranded―not on Thetis, but on its cruel and unpopulated moon, Achilles.
Between its bloodthirsty alien life forms and its distance from their intended location, Achilles is a harrowing landing place. When all of the adult survivors suddenly disappear, leaving the teenage passengers to fend for themselves, Jonah doubts they’ll survive at all, much less reach Thetis―especially when it appears Achilles isn’t as uninhabited as they were led to believe.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published September 26, 2017
15 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Greg Boose
6 books99 followersThe fourth of six kids, Greg Boose grew up on a large produce farm in northeast Ohio. He received his undergraduate degree from Miami University, and then later received his M.F.A. at Minnesota State University Moorhead where he focused on screenwriting and fiction.
Greg is the former Los Angeles and Chicago Editor for BlackBook Magazine, and his work has appeared on/in many magazines and websites, popping up in culture and news publications like Chicago Public Radio, The Believer, The Huffington Post, Time Out Chicago, Chicago Reader, and NFL.com; writing silly shit for humor sites like McSweeney's, Cracked.com, Yankee Pot Roast, Monkeybicycle, The Nervous Breakdown, Feathertale, and Opium; and working hard on writing TV pilots, humor shorts, and plays. His one-act play "Everybody Else's Fault" was performed by Bakersfield Community Theater in 2010, but he was too broke to travel and see it live.
When he’s not writing or reading, he enjoys skateboarding, boxing, tennis, following the Cleveland Browns and Cavaliers, collecting turtle skulls, and testing to see if people read everything closely.
He lives in Santa Monica with his two young daughters.
Greg is the former Los Angeles and Chicago Editor for BlackBook Magazine, and his work has appeared on/in many magazines and websites, popping up in culture and news publications like Chicago Public Radio, The Believer, The Huffington Post, Time Out Chicago, Chicago Reader, and NFL.com; writing silly shit for humor sites like McSweeney's, Cracked.com, Yankee Pot Roast, Monkeybicycle, The Nervous Breakdown, Feathertale, and Opium; and working hard on writing TV pilots, humor shorts, and plays. His one-act play "Everybody Else's Fault" was performed by Bakersfield Community Theater in 2010, but he was too broke to travel and see it live.
When he’s not writing or reading, he enjoys skateboarding, boxing, tennis, following the Cleveland Browns and Cavaliers, collecting turtle skulls, and testing to see if people read everything closely.
He lives in Santa Monica with his two young daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 23, 2017
Achilles, the first book in a planned trilogy, follows Jonah Lincoln, a first year cadet on board the Mayflower 2 on its way to Thetis, a planet in the Silver Foot Galaxy, accessible from Earth through a wormhole. After crash landing on one of Thetis' moons, Achilles, Jonah and the other survivors start to try to come to grips with their situation. Suddenly all of the adults vanish, leaving the kids alone in a world they know almost nothing about, despite the 1,200 plus page report about Achilles provided to each of them during their 380 day spacecraft journey, which apparently almost none of them bothered to read.
The first half of this book was basically non-stop action. Things exploded, were ripped apart, were on fire. People lost arms, were impaled, sliced in half. We ran, we jumped, we climbed. Pretty much everywhere we went the body count rose. I really should have been keeping count but more than two thirds of the people we started with have been obliterated, exploded, sliced, diced or squished.
The body count rose so quickly without a great deal of character development so a lot of the deaths had me thinking, 'Which one was that again?' then moving on without being sure because there was bound to be another gruesome casualty right around the corner. The maiming and death scenes in this book were quite visceral. Greg Boose is certainly fond of blood, vomit and froth dripping from nostrils.
The only way you were getting any respite from the constant action in the first half was if you were unconscious or dead. Like the characters I just wanted to go and have a quick nap to get a small amount of respite from the mayhem. There were a couple of times where I was so caught up in the action that I'm pretty sure I was holding my breath, particularly around the time there was the threat of people being impaled on porcupine trees. Throughout this book, when you think their situation can't get any worse, hold on, because it can and will.
The word that kept coming to me while I was reading the first half was cinematic. I could see the bloodshed and chaos unfolding around me like I was watching a movie. I was immersed in this strange world with its awesome gravity that allows you to leap over obstacles in a single bound and run with ten foot strides. The locations and the wildlife were described so well that Greg Boose seemed to implant a series of photographs in my imagination.
I liked Jonah as a character but I did get frustrated with him continually saying that his recruitment as a cadet was his opportunity to start over, which was almost immediately followed by him wanting to give up or thinking he should do something yet failing to and beating himself up for it. As an orphan who grew up in a series of abusive foster homes, Jonah is a survivor and as he desperately wanted to make a new life for himself I expected a dogged determination and stubbornness from him that didn't really shine through.
Around the halfway mark we met Tunick who from the get go reminded me of Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. I felt like I was suffering the effects of a hallucinogen whenever he was flitting around. He was hyper, he was all over the place emotionally, he was unpredictable and the things that came out of his mouth made a fairly limited amount of sense. He was the town weirdo and yes, I did enjoy hanging out with him although I'm glad I was able to do so at a safe distance.
As I've mentioned before, the lack of character development was an issue for me. We learned bits and pieces about some of the people but not enough for me to form attachments to them or to consistently distinguish which person had just been killed off. When I got to the big reveal of who someone was near the end of the book I actually had to ask myself who they were. I recognised the name but didn't know which kid it was.
Then there was a description of how this person acted just after the crash and I was like, "Oh!". Then, "Hold on. I need more information. Is he the one that ...?" I proceed to search that person's name on my Kindle and it turned out it was the one that ... but I think that was just a lucky guess. My Kindle name search also revealed something else about that person and I honestly thought that fact related to a different person. That sort of thing doesn't usually happen to me.
The final quarter frustrated me no end. I get that there needs to be a set up for the second book but the storyline lost my interest. Without the vivid descriptions of new locations to hold on to I was annoyed with a lot of the characters and had some 'Seriously???' moments.
I have some unanswered questions and frustrations that are bugging me now that I've finished reading. I understand that this is the first book in a trilogy but I expect by the time the next book comes out I will probably have either forgotten about them completely or they won't be burning questions anymore. So I feel free to rant here I'm putting them all as spoilers so if curiosity gets the better of you, don't say you weren't warned. 😃
In summary, the descriptions of location, animals, plants, blood and guts, all awesome. The character development, not so awesome. My rating is difficult so I'll break it down for you:
* First half of the book with all the cool descriptions and the movie playing in my mind - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* Third quarter with Johnny Depp 2.0 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
* Final act with question marks and frustration levels peaking - ⭐️⭐️
* Overall rating - as there are so many academics in this book I'm doing this mathematically. If my maths skills haven't failed me, the average across the board is 3.75, so I'm rounding up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Diversion Books for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
The first half of this book was basically non-stop action. Things exploded, were ripped apart, were on fire. People lost arms, were impaled, sliced in half. We ran, we jumped, we climbed. Pretty much everywhere we went the body count rose. I really should have been keeping count but more than two thirds of the people we started with have been obliterated, exploded, sliced, diced or squished.
The body count rose so quickly without a great deal of character development so a lot of the deaths had me thinking, 'Which one was that again?' then moving on without being sure because there was bound to be another gruesome casualty right around the corner. The maiming and death scenes in this book were quite visceral. Greg Boose is certainly fond of blood, vomit and froth dripping from nostrils.
The only way you were getting any respite from the constant action in the first half was if you were unconscious or dead. Like the characters I just wanted to go and have a quick nap to get a small amount of respite from the mayhem. There were a couple of times where I was so caught up in the action that I'm pretty sure I was holding my breath, particularly around the time there was the threat of people being impaled on porcupine trees. Throughout this book, when you think their situation can't get any worse, hold on, because it can and will.
The word that kept coming to me while I was reading the first half was cinematic. I could see the bloodshed and chaos unfolding around me like I was watching a movie. I was immersed in this strange world with its awesome gravity that allows you to leap over obstacles in a single bound and run with ten foot strides. The locations and the wildlife were described so well that Greg Boose seemed to implant a series of photographs in my imagination.
I liked Jonah as a character but I did get frustrated with him continually saying that his recruitment as a cadet was his opportunity to start over, which was almost immediately followed by him wanting to give up or thinking he should do something yet failing to and beating himself up for it. As an orphan who grew up in a series of abusive foster homes, Jonah is a survivor and as he desperately wanted to make a new life for himself I expected a dogged determination and stubbornness from him that didn't really shine through.
Around the halfway mark we met Tunick who from the get go reminded me of Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. I felt like I was suffering the effects of a hallucinogen whenever he was flitting around. He was hyper, he was all over the place emotionally, he was unpredictable and the things that came out of his mouth made a fairly limited amount of sense. He was the town weirdo and yes, I did enjoy hanging out with him although I'm glad I was able to do so at a safe distance.
As I've mentioned before, the lack of character development was an issue for me. We learned bits and pieces about some of the people but not enough for me to form attachments to them or to consistently distinguish which person had just been killed off. When I got to the big reveal of who someone was near the end of the book I actually had to ask myself who they were. I recognised the name but didn't know which kid it was.
Then there was a description of how this person acted just after the crash and I was like, "Oh!". Then, "Hold on. I need more information. Is he the one that ...?" I proceed to search that person's name on my Kindle and it turned out it was the one that ... but I think that was just a lucky guess. My Kindle name search also revealed something else about that person and I honestly thought that fact related to a different person. That sort of thing doesn't usually happen to me.
The final quarter frustrated me no end. I get that there needs to be a set up for the second book but the storyline lost my interest. Without the vivid descriptions of new locations to hold on to I was annoyed with a lot of the characters and had some 'Seriously???' moments.
I have some unanswered questions and frustrations that are bugging me now that I've finished reading. I understand that this is the first book in a trilogy but I expect by the time the next book comes out I will probably have either forgotten about them completely or they won't be burning questions anymore. So I feel free to rant here I'm putting them all as spoilers so if curiosity gets the better of you, don't say you weren't warned. 😃
In summary, the descriptions of location, animals, plants, blood and guts, all awesome. The character development, not so awesome. My rating is difficult so I'll break it down for you:
* First half of the book with all the cool descriptions and the movie playing in my mind - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* Third quarter with Johnny Depp 2.0 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
* Final act with question marks and frustration levels peaking - ⭐️⭐️
* Overall rating - as there are so many academics in this book I'm doing this mathematically. If my maths skills haven't failed me, the average across the board is 3.75, so I'm rounding up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Diversion Books for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
October 6, 2017
~*Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!*~
2.5 stars...GoodReads, half stars would be great at ANY time!
I wanted to love this book. It sounded so cool, and like a break from the ton of fantasy/fairy tale type books I’ve been reading. Achilles was a book that, try as hard as I might, I just could not really get into. However, if you’re big on science fiction you might love it! It did remind me of the first season of LOST…which, I, ahem, also discontinued a couple of episodes into Season 2 because I simply couldn’t stand all the craziness and constantly losing people.
Me, pretty much the entire book.
Characters :
I’m very character oriented when I read books. Characters are more important to me than world-building or excitement factor. In Achilles, the characters feel very flat and many of them feel the same. I got so confused because I could NOT keep many of the supporting cast separate. Not helped by the fact that many of them weren’t even given names (referred to as “the hacker,” etc.) until several chapters after they appeared. Jonah, our MC, I thought was going to be likable but he turns out to have a bad case of navel-gazing and I just…cannot. I feel bad for him but I spent most of my time being annoyed at the way he was written. Also, he’s supposed to be this hard-ass kid that’s suffered abuse and came out still standing, yet his reactions to a lot of the things that happen are not how abuse victims and soldiers (he’s been in a military training facility for some time by the time the book starts) react. It makes the whole thing kind of unbelievable – really jolted me out of my suspension of disbelief, which is necessary for any kind of fantastical fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, fill-in-the-blank). I really didn’t feel anything for the rest of the characters either, and I was a little – ok, a lot – put off by how some of them did unexplained 180-degree flips without any real reason. Very suspicious and never explained, so the conclusion I am left with is that the author just…didn’t notice? Ugh.
Oh, also – CAN WE PLEASE HAVE MALE AND FEMALE INTERACTIONS WHERE THE MALE IS NOT SUDDENLY OVERCOME WITH AN UNAVOIDABLE HARD-ON?? I swear, so many times, when a book is written from the male perspective, he’s so distracted by female characters physicality that he turns into an idiot and it gets really old. I refuse to believe that the male population of the world is run solely by hormones.
World-building :
I think this is where the author spent most of his time! The world of the moon Achilles is harsh and brutal and I actually felt grossed out by some of the descriptions of the creatures inhabiting it (hard to do…I’m an EMT and few things turn my stomach anymore). It seemed like something new was introduced in every chapter. Sometimes it was hard to keep up but it was definitely intriguing.
Feels :
I usually put this section first, but this time I am putting it last because…er. I really didn’t have any. This book failed at making me feel anything but relief it was over. I am not interested in finding out what happens next. It didn’t really end on a cliffhanger, though there are lots of things about Earth’s colonization of Thetis that are not explained and have very dark implications – the main points of the story were wrapped up and that’s all I cared about.
Thank you very much to Diversion Books for sending me the ARC (this in no way influenced my review)! I was delighted to read and review even if it turned out to not be my cup of tea.
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2.5 stars...GoodReads, half stars would be great at ANY time!
I wanted to love this book. It sounded so cool, and like a break from the ton of fantasy/fairy tale type books I’ve been reading. Achilles was a book that, try as hard as I might, I just could not really get into. However, if you’re big on science fiction you might love it! It did remind me of the first season of LOST…which, I, ahem, also discontinued a couple of episodes into Season 2 because I simply couldn’t stand all the craziness and constantly losing people.
Me, pretty much the entire book.
Characters :
I’m very character oriented when I read books. Characters are more important to me than world-building or excitement factor. In Achilles, the characters feel very flat and many of them feel the same. I got so confused because I could NOT keep many of the supporting cast separate. Not helped by the fact that many of them weren’t even given names (referred to as “the hacker,” etc.) until several chapters after they appeared. Jonah, our MC, I thought was going to be likable but he turns out to have a bad case of navel-gazing and I just…cannot. I feel bad for him but I spent most of my time being annoyed at the way he was written. Also, he’s supposed to be this hard-ass kid that’s suffered abuse and came out still standing, yet his reactions to a lot of the things that happen are not how abuse victims and soldiers (he’s been in a military training facility for some time by the time the book starts) react. It makes the whole thing kind of unbelievable – really jolted me out of my suspension of disbelief, which is necessary for any kind of fantastical fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, fill-in-the-blank). I really didn’t feel anything for the rest of the characters either, and I was a little – ok, a lot – put off by how some of them did unexplained 180-degree flips without any real reason. Very suspicious and never explained, so the conclusion I am left with is that the author just…didn’t notice? Ugh.
Oh, also – CAN WE PLEASE HAVE MALE AND FEMALE INTERACTIONS WHERE THE MALE IS NOT SUDDENLY OVERCOME WITH AN UNAVOIDABLE HARD-ON?? I swear, so many times, when a book is written from the male perspective, he’s so distracted by female characters physicality that he turns into an idiot and it gets really old. I refuse to believe that the male population of the world is run solely by hormones.
World-building :
I think this is where the author spent most of his time! The world of the moon Achilles is harsh and brutal and I actually felt grossed out by some of the descriptions of the creatures inhabiting it (hard to do…I’m an EMT and few things turn my stomach anymore). It seemed like something new was introduced in every chapter. Sometimes it was hard to keep up but it was definitely intriguing.
Feels :
I usually put this section first, but this time I am putting it last because…er. I really didn’t have any. This book failed at making me feel anything but relief it was over. I am not interested in finding out what happens next. It didn’t really end on a cliffhanger, though there are lots of things about Earth’s colonization of Thetis that are not explained and have very dark implications – the main points of the story were wrapped up and that’s all I cared about.
Thank you very much to Diversion Books for sending me the ARC (this in no way influenced my review)! I was delighted to read and review even if it turned out to not be my cup of tea.
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September 4, 2017
I love me some survival stories, so I practically smashed the Request button on NetGalley when I saw Achilles. Because not only is it a survival story, it is a SPACE survival story! And I agree with Michael Kelso from That '70s Show on this, that pretty much everything is better with "space" added in front. SPACE UNICORNS! But back to Achilles where there are no space unicorns, but a whole plethora of new flora and fauna for us to discover.
Earth has become practically inhabitable, which means it's time for the human race to broaden their horizons and find a home elsewhere. This new home is Thetis, a planet found beyond a wormhole, which is already being colonised. The next batch of people to receive a golden ticket to Thetis - A BUNCH OF CHILDREN. Because that has never gone wrong before! The characters of this book are in a whole new world (pun intended) of trouble when their spacecraft crashes on one of Thetis's moons, Achilles. Without giving too much away, it quickly turns out that their crash was not a crash after all, but a hijacking. Oh, and all the adults die. BECAUSE CHILDREN. So these guys are running around on a moon which they know nothing about, with a traitor in their midst, and SPACE predators attacking them left and right.
I have to say, the first half probably would've gotten a solid four stars from me. This was very much the survival story I was looking for, and I loved exploring Achilles along with the characters (from my very safe couch, mind you, because Achilles kind of sucks. I mean, SPACE spiders). The second half was probably more of a two-and-a-half-star rating for me, because that's when things got a little too wibbly wobbly and there were puzzles everywhere, which were never explained, and some deus ex machina guiding our Jonah in the right direction, and the main villain Tunick was really tiresome and annoying.
Jonah seemed like a fair Gary Stu with absolutely no bad qualities to him, but I did really like Vespa, their badass leader.
Then the ending came and yeah, I would definitely still be interested in the sequel. I'm left with a lot of questions and, despite not really being into the second half, I did really enjoy the overall storyline and I would love to know more about Thetis and the next part of Jonah's journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy
Earth has become practically inhabitable, which means it's time for the human race to broaden their horizons and find a home elsewhere. This new home is Thetis, a planet found beyond a wormhole, which is already being colonised. The next batch of people to receive a golden ticket to Thetis - A BUNCH OF CHILDREN. Because that has never gone wrong before! The characters of this book are in a whole new world (pun intended) of trouble when their spacecraft crashes on one of Thetis's moons, Achilles. Without giving too much away, it quickly turns out that their crash was not a crash after all, but a hijacking. Oh, and all the adults die. BECAUSE CHILDREN. So these guys are running around on a moon which they know nothing about, with a traitor in their midst, and SPACE predators attacking them left and right.
I have to say, the first half probably would've gotten a solid four stars from me. This was very much the survival story I was looking for, and I loved exploring Achilles along with the characters (from my very safe couch, mind you, because Achilles kind of sucks. I mean, SPACE spiders). The second half was probably more of a two-and-a-half-star rating for me, because that's when things got a little too wibbly wobbly and there were puzzles everywhere, which were never explained, and some deus ex machina guiding our Jonah in the right direction, and the main villain Tunick was really tiresome and annoying.
Jonah seemed like a fair Gary Stu with absolutely no bad qualities to him, but I did really like Vespa, their badass leader.
Then the ending came and yeah, I would definitely still be interested in the sequel. I'm left with a lot of questions and, despite not really being into the second half, I did really enjoy the overall storyline and I would love to know more about Thetis and the next part of Jonah's journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy
April 23, 2018
The beginning of this book was insane! Jumped right into the action, nice and gory XD It wasn't as hard-core sci-fi as I was led to believe, and I'm really grateful for that. The only down-side for me was how much concentration it needed, and as I did this on audiobook I got lost somewhere in the middle as I tend to get a little distracted and then was off for the whole end of the book. I tried picking it up but couldn't connect all of the threads and characters and stuff. I loved the whole idea of And then the introduction of The narrator did a really good job of acting out his crazy voice. So life-like. I'm really glad I requested this book and read it, it was amazing.
July 26, 2017
*voluntarily and honestly reviewed the ARC I received from NetGalley*
This was cool. I don't always find a sci-fi novel I like, but this one was something I clicked with immediately. Enjoyed the writing style, the flow. I loved the action and gory details- another surprise for me -and it was just pure adrenaline from start to finish. Jonah was an interesting character to follow, cautious. The others made up for what he didn't outright express in the story, taking lead or choosing the role of psycho or coward. It was all pretty quick, which matched the action going on, but I may not be used to these kind of stories, because while I thought everyone was great, I didn't really find any of them endearing, except maybe Hopper, but only outrageously so. I'll definitely be looking out for the second novel, though. I almost ripped my hair out when no one refused to explain why- well. You'll have to see.
This was cool. I don't always find a sci-fi novel I like, but this one was something I clicked with immediately. Enjoyed the writing style, the flow. I loved the action and gory details- another surprise for me -and it was just pure adrenaline from start to finish. Jonah was an interesting character to follow, cautious. The others made up for what he didn't outright express in the story, taking lead or choosing the role of psycho or coward. It was all pretty quick, which matched the action going on, but I may not be used to these kind of stories, because while I thought everyone was great, I didn't really find any of them endearing, except maybe Hopper, but only outrageously so. I'll definitely be looking out for the second novel, though. I almost ripped my hair out when no one refused to explain why- well. You'll have to see.
December 1, 2017
Let me just say from the start, this book could have been really good. It had the potential to be so much more than it ended up being. This is because the author made one vital flaw: the characters. The book starts off with Jonah's ship crashing, and on the ship, there are a lot of people. You don't get to know many of those because the majority is death after the crash. However, you do get to know A LOT of characters, and most of them aren't even important. In the beginning, I thought a few characters were important to the story but ended up dying really soon after you even get to know them. This made me question why I should bother remembering names and characters if the author's gonna kill them off anyway.
So throughout this story of killing characters (because that's basically what happens), none of them really made an impression on me. The only character I remember by name is Jonah and that's only because he was the main character. Jonah has an interesting background, he's an orphan, struggles with his past, etc, but that is barely explored at all! I would have loved to get more insight in Jonah's life and how it has affected him, instead of this weak backstory that seems only to be there to give him some interesting characteristics. Because basically, Jonah doesn't have much of a character. Not that the other characters had much of one either.
The story goes on as these kids (whose names I can't remember) run around on a moon, bickering, fighting and overall never seem to agree on A N Y T H I N G. It gave me strong The 100 vibes, which is not a good thing. The immaturity of the characters started to annoy me so much.
The antagonist of this story did not seem to have any more depth than being a psychopath and enjoying killing people, which is pretty much the same amount of depth the characters had tbh. I can go on and on about these characters... but I think I made my point.
The writing style didn't have anything special to it if you ask me and even was cringy at times. With sentences like "it's as if he's been blown to pieces, and he falls over like a tower of toy blocks." it didn't impress me much. Seriously, what kind of simile is that?
Let's end this on a bright note, the story had a lot of adventure and action. There was something going on at all times and I liked that! I found a quote that really represents the story if you ask me:
'He almost died. Again.'
To conclude, I am giving this book 2 stars because I honestly struggled with finding good points for this review. It had a lot of adventure but with a serious lack of character depth and constant bickering, I found it very hard to keep reading this book. I have skimmed entire chapters because I just didn't feel like it was worth my time. But perhaps, if you liked The 100th, you might enjoy this one. I don't remember much about The 100 (the book), but I watched part of the tv-series and I felt like the character dynamics and story elements were quite similar. I will not say I recommend this book but if you wanna read it, don't let me stop you!
I would like to thank Diversion Publicity and Netgalley for this e-galley, this has not affected my opinion in any way.
So throughout this story of killing characters (because that's basically what happens), none of them really made an impression on me. The only character I remember by name is Jonah and that's only because he was the main character. Jonah has an interesting background, he's an orphan, struggles with his past, etc, but that is barely explored at all! I would have loved to get more insight in Jonah's life and how it has affected him, instead of this weak backstory that seems only to be there to give him some interesting characteristics. Because basically, Jonah doesn't have much of a character. Not that the other characters had much of one either.
The story goes on as these kids (whose names I can't remember) run around on a moon, bickering, fighting and overall never seem to agree on A N Y T H I N G. It gave me strong The 100 vibes, which is not a good thing. The immaturity of the characters started to annoy me so much.
The antagonist of this story did not seem to have any more depth than being a psychopath and enjoying killing people, which is pretty much the same amount of depth the characters had tbh. I can go on and on about these characters... but I think I made my point.
The writing style didn't have anything special to it if you ask me and even was cringy at times. With sentences like "it's as if he's been blown to pieces, and he falls over like a tower of toy blocks." it didn't impress me much. Seriously, what kind of simile is that?
Let's end this on a bright note, the story had a lot of adventure and action. There was something going on at all times and I liked that! I found a quote that really represents the story if you ask me:
'He almost died. Again.'
To conclude, I am giving this book 2 stars because I honestly struggled with finding good points for this review. It had a lot of adventure but with a serious lack of character depth and constant bickering, I found it very hard to keep reading this book. I have skimmed entire chapters because I just didn't feel like it was worth my time. But perhaps, if you liked The 100th, you might enjoy this one. I don't remember much about The 100 (the book), but I watched part of the tv-series and I felt like the character dynamics and story elements were quite similar. I will not say I recommend this book but if you wanna read it, don't let me stop you!
I would like to thank Diversion Publicity and Netgalley for this e-galley, this has not affected my opinion in any way.
July 27, 2017
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*
2.5 stars.
This story is an adrenaline rush from start to finish. It wastes no time in jumping into the action.
The only problem with it being so fast paced is I felt the character development was compromised.
I must admit, sci-fi/space novels aren't really my thing - so if you are a fan of high action sci-fi books then you should definitely give this one a try!
2.5 stars.
This story is an adrenaline rush from start to finish. It wastes no time in jumping into the action.
The only problem with it being so fast paced is I felt the character development was compromised.
I must admit, sci-fi/space novels aren't really my thing - so if you are a fan of high action sci-fi books then you should definitely give this one a try!
August 22, 2017
Jonah is a 16 year old cadet on a space ship called Mayflower 2 with 177 other people in the year 2221. They are on a resettlement journey to the planet Thetis and they're almost there. After being moved from foster home to foster home when his parents died in an earthquake Jonah can't wait to start over. He's finally getting the chance to start his life over by being a cadet and going on this mission. The journey abruptly ends when the ship unexpectedly crashes on a moon called Achilles right off the planet Thetis. This sets many into panic, traps many others and some perish. How can they survive on a moon with limited resources? Will they ever get off Achilles or will they live there til they die? What else is there with them?
I love the way this book was written. The twists and turns make this novel exciting and terrifying. I don't mind the ending because it is the first in a series and leaves you wanting to read more. I will definitely be reading the next book!
I love the way this book was written. The twists and turns make this novel exciting and terrifying. I don't mind the ending because it is the first in a series and leaves you wanting to read more. I will definitely be reading the next book!
July 29, 2017
***received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
The book starts off strong with tons of action but I found myself getting somewhat bored a bit. I did enjoy the book and will continue the series when more come out but for now, I'm sitting at a 3.5 rating. I will go back and reread it at a later time.
The book starts off strong with tons of action but I found myself getting somewhat bored a bit. I did enjoy the book and will continue the series when more come out but for now, I'm sitting at a 3.5 rating. I will go back and reread it at a later time.
April 13, 2018
This review was originally posted here on my blog, Ready, Set, Read!
If I'm going to be honest, I really didn't want to write this review. I have a lot of pros and cons to Achilles; I struggled to read Achilles at times, and other times I was enjoying what I was experiencing.
One big issue I had with this book was the pacing. For most of the time, I felt like nothing was happening. These kids were stranded of this planet, but after the initial crash and night, I was not interested. The middle just felt like a filler until the ending. While the ending was explosive and thrilling, I wish the whole entire book was like that. Instead, the beginning and ending were fast paced and kept me reading, while I trudged through the second act.
It also didn't help that I didn't care for the characters. I don't think they were developed enough, and I kept forgetting that some characters even existed, or I would mix them up. The only character I really enjoyed reading about was Tunick, who is so maniacal and complex. I honestly loved reading about his crazy antics, and there is one scene where he manipulates a lot of the characters and everyone is stuck between a rock and a hard place, literally. I think that was one of the strongest scenes, but the rest of the book (besides the beginning) was lackluster. Because I didn't care for any of the characters, the ending didn't impact me emotionally, even if it was interesting.
I got so confused with the characters because so many were introduced all at the same time. We see a ton of new people in the beginning, and none of them were fleshed out enough that I could easily differentiate the characters. I only remembered four characters out of maybe 12-15 that were introduced, and only two names. Even writing this review, I only remembered Jonah's name because it was in the synopsis.
Though I hinted at this before, the beginning and ending were the strongest points for me. I was not invested at all during the rising actions, and could barely keep reading. Though I do think the ending was worth it, it was also pretty gimmicky. I knew that Achilles was going to be part of a series, but the set up didn't feel genuine.
Achilles was okay, but it wasn't anything outstanding. I thought the beginning was really strong, but the book went downhill from there. The ending was thrilling, but it was also confusing, considering how many characters there were. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to you, but I wouldn't not recommend it to you. Venture forth at your own risk!
With that, I give this book
3 out of 5 Stars!
Initial Reaction: A solid three stars! It wasn't amazing, but it was okay. I had a hard time keeping my attention on the book, but the last 20 percent of the book was really good. I don't know if I would necessarily recommend this, but I don't think you shouldn't. Full review to come! :)
If I'm going to be honest, I really didn't want to write this review. I have a lot of pros and cons to Achilles; I struggled to read Achilles at times, and other times I was enjoying what I was experiencing.
One big issue I had with this book was the pacing. For most of the time, I felt like nothing was happening. These kids were stranded of this planet, but after the initial crash and night, I was not interested. The middle just felt like a filler until the ending. While the ending was explosive and thrilling, I wish the whole entire book was like that. Instead, the beginning and ending were fast paced and kept me reading, while I trudged through the second act.
It also didn't help that I didn't care for the characters. I don't think they were developed enough, and I kept forgetting that some characters even existed, or I would mix them up. The only character I really enjoyed reading about was Tunick, who is so maniacal and complex. I honestly loved reading about his crazy antics, and there is one scene where he manipulates a lot of the characters and everyone is stuck between a rock and a hard place, literally. I think that was one of the strongest scenes, but the rest of the book (besides the beginning) was lackluster. Because I didn't care for any of the characters, the ending didn't impact me emotionally, even if it was interesting.
I got so confused with the characters because so many were introduced all at the same time. We see a ton of new people in the beginning, and none of them were fleshed out enough that I could easily differentiate the characters. I only remembered four characters out of maybe 12-15 that were introduced, and only two names. Even writing this review, I only remembered Jonah's name because it was in the synopsis.
Though I hinted at this before, the beginning and ending were the strongest points for me. I was not invested at all during the rising actions, and could barely keep reading. Though I do think the ending was worth it, it was also pretty gimmicky. I knew that Achilles was going to be part of a series, but the set up didn't feel genuine.
Achilles was okay, but it wasn't anything outstanding. I thought the beginning was really strong, but the book went downhill from there. The ending was thrilling, but it was also confusing, considering how many characters there were. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to you, but I wouldn't not recommend it to you. Venture forth at your own risk!
With that, I give this book
3 out of 5 Stars!
Initial Reaction: A solid three stars! It wasn't amazing, but it was okay. I had a hard time keeping my attention on the book, but the last 20 percent of the book was really good. I don't know if I would necessarily recommend this, but I don't think you shouldn't. Full review to come! :)
November 4, 2017
This review first appeared on B For Bookslut. More reviews like this can be found here.
As I started reading Achilles, I came across a couple of very negative reviews on Goodreads and I’m usually very swayed by reviews, especially if they resonate with me and I go, “yeah, that’s what I was thinking as well”. But, long after I’ve finished reading Achilles, what really sticks with me was how terrifying it was. And I say terrifying in a good way because I’m only very freaked out if I watch horror movies. But, Achilles gave me nightmares, literal nightmares that made it very hard for me to go to sleep. Described as Lost crossed with The 100, it’s pretty apt in that the survivors of the crash have to contend with the “locals” but there’s more to Achilles than just survival.
It’s very obvious that the author spent a lot of time worldbuilding and constructing the world of Achilles and The Deep Sky Saga because the attention to detail, honestly, is glorious. You can tell that a lot of thought went into how the details would come together to form a giant picture. The landscape was incredibly vivid and the alien creatures were bone-shuddering terrifying. And, despite all the attention to detail, there was enough room for imagination to allow readers to picture the surroundings and live in the shoes of the characters.
However, the worldbuilding is the only plus point I have for Achilles. Other elements of the book fell a little flat. It wasn’t terrible, no, not at all. But to compete on the stage that is YA these days, Achilles needs to step up their game, and fast!
While the worldbuilding was stunning, delivering it was a whole other different story. Many details were left unexplained and the writing was poor. There were tons of sudden scene changes and incomplete details that left me disoriented. I had to reread a couple of lines so that I could get back on track and figure out what the scene was trying to describe to me. It almost felt like an incomplete piece or rather, writing out a movie scene where details are shown rather than explained. I’m not sure if that makes sense but it’s kind of like in a movie where you’ve seen the detail so they quickly jump to the next bit. But you’re on track because it’s visual.
Also, there was a noticeable tone difference when it came to descriptions and interactions. In describing the world, there is a very serious vibe that felt more akin to an adult’s science fiction novel as opposed to something YA. It is hard to remember that these were kids and teenagers that we’re talking about. But, on the other hand, the dialogue and interactions between the characters were typical YA.
And speaking of characters, the ones in Achilles were not memorable. I could hardly sympathise with them. They were completely unrelatable and instead, could come off as very annoying. Joshua felt like a cookie cutter character despite the author’s attempt at giving him a “past” and “history”. Furthermore, these kids were needlessly cruel to each other and to the people around them ie. the locals.
There appeared to be some attempts at romance or relationships but it felt completely out of place and unneeded. Fortunately, it was only hinted at and never really pursued.
And while I will admit that these characters often drove the plot, the plot itself was unsure of itself. There seemed to be a lot of loopholes and black holes and unanswered questions. Some parts were dragged out longer than they needed to be. This one is definitely leading up to the second instalment which unfortunately is a trend I find happens more and more these days with YA novels.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for a take-your-breath-away science fiction-fantasy, this is not it. The only thing that really cinched Achilles together is the potential for plot and the crazy world building. I think this is one of those novels that fall into the debut-trap and I do hope we get a better second book because on some level, I do love Achilles because it was such a wild ride.
As I started reading Achilles, I came across a couple of very negative reviews on Goodreads and I’m usually very swayed by reviews, especially if they resonate with me and I go, “yeah, that’s what I was thinking as well”. But, long after I’ve finished reading Achilles, what really sticks with me was how terrifying it was. And I say terrifying in a good way because I’m only very freaked out if I watch horror movies. But, Achilles gave me nightmares, literal nightmares that made it very hard for me to go to sleep. Described as Lost crossed with The 100, it’s pretty apt in that the survivors of the crash have to contend with the “locals” but there’s more to Achilles than just survival.
It’s very obvious that the author spent a lot of time worldbuilding and constructing the world of Achilles and The Deep Sky Saga because the attention to detail, honestly, is glorious. You can tell that a lot of thought went into how the details would come together to form a giant picture. The landscape was incredibly vivid and the alien creatures were bone-shuddering terrifying. And, despite all the attention to detail, there was enough room for imagination to allow readers to picture the surroundings and live in the shoes of the characters.
However, the worldbuilding is the only plus point I have for Achilles. Other elements of the book fell a little flat. It wasn’t terrible, no, not at all. But to compete on the stage that is YA these days, Achilles needs to step up their game, and fast!
While the worldbuilding was stunning, delivering it was a whole other different story. Many details were left unexplained and the writing was poor. There were tons of sudden scene changes and incomplete details that left me disoriented. I had to reread a couple of lines so that I could get back on track and figure out what the scene was trying to describe to me. It almost felt like an incomplete piece or rather, writing out a movie scene where details are shown rather than explained. I’m not sure if that makes sense but it’s kind of like in a movie where you’ve seen the detail so they quickly jump to the next bit. But you’re on track because it’s visual.
Also, there was a noticeable tone difference when it came to descriptions and interactions. In describing the world, there is a very serious vibe that felt more akin to an adult’s science fiction novel as opposed to something YA. It is hard to remember that these were kids and teenagers that we’re talking about. But, on the other hand, the dialogue and interactions between the characters were typical YA.
And speaking of characters, the ones in Achilles were not memorable. I could hardly sympathise with them. They were completely unrelatable and instead, could come off as very annoying. Joshua felt like a cookie cutter character despite the author’s attempt at giving him a “past” and “history”. Furthermore, these kids were needlessly cruel to each other and to the people around them ie. the locals.
There appeared to be some attempts at romance or relationships but it felt completely out of place and unneeded. Fortunately, it was only hinted at and never really pursued.
And while I will admit that these characters often drove the plot, the plot itself was unsure of itself. There seemed to be a lot of loopholes and black holes and unanswered questions. Some parts were dragged out longer than they needed to be. This one is definitely leading up to the second instalment which unfortunately is a trend I find happens more and more these days with YA novels.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for a take-your-breath-away science fiction-fantasy, this is not it. The only thing that really cinched Achilles together is the potential for plot and the crazy world building. I think this is one of those novels that fall into the debut-trap and I do hope we get a better second book because on some level, I do love Achilles because it was such a wild ride.
September 8, 2017
How to explain how I feel about Achilles. Huh. It gave me anxious feelings...like the entire way through. I was on the edge of my seat and not necessarily in a good way. I will say first thank you very much to Diversion Books for sending this to me. Let me give you all a little run down of the plot...
We follow Jonah, who is an orphan who has been passed around from foster home to foster home and he's looking to restart his life and find his place again. A chance comes up for him when a disease rips through half of the teen population causing the Government to realise they need to go to their nearest planet to pick up more teens to continue on with the reproduction. Jonah is recruited on this trip, however half way to Thetis the ship crashes killing half the crew on the 'unpopulated' moon Achilles.
Right now...PHEW. We open on the ship and given pushed in backstory about Jonah - however the main character is black so representation with other characters as well was a definite thumbs up.
However, the dialogue seemed almost stilted and most definitely awkward, there was no time to connect with the characters on the ship and when the ship crashed a few pages in and kids die... I felt sick with the description - not because I cared about them, but because it was brutal. Bodies were being sliced in half, boys crushed, girls flying off into the abyss and poor young boys are getting sliced and pierced by porcupines.
It was one of the most disgusting scenes I have read but the characters who were left seemed underwhelmed. I mean Jonah seemed affected but only for a chapter or so. I mean if I were him, seeing what he saw? I would be traumatised.
Also teachers/doctors alike seemed to trust Jonah with information even though he is a random kid. Um? Huh?
We quickly find out after the crash landing that this planet is actually inhabited and monsters/creatures come out of the darkness to attack one by one. The other characters such as Sean and Vesper were incredibly annoying and inorganic. It reminded me almost of a Lord of the Flies because everyone became power hungry with a 'YOU DO AS I SAY CADET' and making their voice be heard to lead. (No conch insight though)
This book...this book didn't seem to understand the market it was aiming for. Are we young teen, or older teen? Graphic detail alone I would say older, however the writing style and the character development and actions were all incredibly young YA. For instance one of the characters we meet along the way - he seems to have turned a little crazy anyway mark you- farts and makes a huge thing of it. It really took away from the tone of the story and it didn't have humour for me - if that was what Boose was aiming to do. In that sense Riddle in Stone comes to mind..
I rated it 2 stars because it was action packed in the sense we didn't sit around for long before something else happened, it felt gritty and the world building was there for me with the descriptions of the creatures and the land around them however the execution and character development didn't make me care enough.
Also what is this description please? 'His nose was like a baby's fist.' ... What?
And 'The hole in the boy's throat was bigger than Jonah's outstretched hand.' How thick is this young boy's throat?!
Anyway, it was a very quick read with the adrenaline pumping action so give it a go if you're just looking for a quick action fix. As for characters that will stay with you? It won't give you that.
We follow Jonah, who is an orphan who has been passed around from foster home to foster home and he's looking to restart his life and find his place again. A chance comes up for him when a disease rips through half of the teen population causing the Government to realise they need to go to their nearest planet to pick up more teens to continue on with the reproduction. Jonah is recruited on this trip, however half way to Thetis the ship crashes killing half the crew on the 'unpopulated' moon Achilles.
Right now...PHEW. We open on the ship and given pushed in backstory about Jonah - however the main character is black so representation with other characters as well was a definite thumbs up.
However, the dialogue seemed almost stilted and most definitely awkward, there was no time to connect with the characters on the ship and when the ship crashed a few pages in and kids die... I felt sick with the description - not because I cared about them, but because it was brutal. Bodies were being sliced in half, boys crushed, girls flying off into the abyss and poor young boys are getting sliced and pierced by porcupines.
It was one of the most disgusting scenes I have read but the characters who were left seemed underwhelmed. I mean Jonah seemed affected but only for a chapter or so. I mean if I were him, seeing what he saw? I would be traumatised.
Also teachers/doctors alike seemed to trust Jonah with information even though he is a random kid. Um? Huh?
We quickly find out after the crash landing that this planet is actually inhabited and monsters/creatures come out of the darkness to attack one by one. The other characters such as Sean and Vesper were incredibly annoying and inorganic. It reminded me almost of a Lord of the Flies because everyone became power hungry with a 'YOU DO AS I SAY CADET' and making their voice be heard to lead. (No conch insight though)
This book...this book didn't seem to understand the market it was aiming for. Are we young teen, or older teen? Graphic detail alone I would say older, however the writing style and the character development and actions were all incredibly young YA. For instance one of the characters we meet along the way - he seems to have turned a little crazy anyway mark you- farts and makes a huge thing of it. It really took away from the tone of the story and it didn't have humour for me - if that was what Boose was aiming to do. In that sense Riddle in Stone comes to mind..
I rated it 2 stars because it was action packed in the sense we didn't sit around for long before something else happened, it felt gritty and the world building was there for me with the descriptions of the creatures and the land around them however the execution and character development didn't make me care enough.
Also what is this description please? 'His nose was like a baby's fist.' ... What?
And 'The hole in the boy's throat was bigger than Jonah's outstretched hand.' How thick is this young boy's throat?!
Anyway, it was a very quick read with the adrenaline pumping action so give it a go if you're just looking for a quick action fix. As for characters that will stay with you? It won't give you that.
September 9, 2017
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I marked this book as DNF.
Summary: Jonah and several hundred people are on their way to colonize a planet called Thetis. When they’re a day away from reaching the planet, their ship crash lands on one of Thetis’s moons, Achilles. Despite what was believed about this moon, it’s not as uninhabited as they thought. Not many people survive the crash, and while everyone is trying to figure out what to do, the adults in the group go missing. A few turn up dead, and the remaining people (kids) travel through Achilles to up their chances of being detected by telescopes from Thetis.
The summary sounds promising, and I was all for this story. I was expecting a story mixed between Across the Universe by Beth Revis and The Martian by Andy Weir.
I did not get that. What I got was a confusing story with confusing descriptions and confusing action sequences. The main character, Jonah, has no spine. He has no redeeming qualities. And we’re meant to feel bad for him, or sympathize with him because his parents are dead and he’s jumped from abusive foster home to foster home. I’ve never been in the foster system, but I’m pretty sure a foster home wouldn’t abuse their foster kids, and if they did, Jonah wouldn’t get every single foster home that did.
There are terms used like ‘first year’ ‘fourth year’ and I don’t really know what they mean by that because they’ve only been on the ship for thirteen months. There’s no mention of them training back on Earth. And Jonah mentions an academy, but there’s no clarification about it. And then there’s another term, and I thought it was a weapon at first but I don’t know what it is at all because Jonah mentions that it has his valuables in, but there’s no description about it. We’re just to assume what it is.
We get descriptions like “...grey sheets float off Manny’s hair…” But there’s nothing to clarify what the grey sheets are? I’m thinking it’s dust but I don’t know why ‘sheet’ is used as a descriptor for it. And Jonah is apparently a mathematician because he’s able to measure distance with his eyes: “A stripe of saliva drips out of Manny’s destroyed lips. It stays connected for more than ten feet...” There are tons of descriptions that give exact measurements and it’s just a pet peeve of mine when I read them. There’s no way to know the distance unless you’ve measured it.
There are many awkward descriptions such as: “…its milky eyes begin to rise out of it’s skull on dripping yellow sticks…” I don’t even know what is being described. And this one: “…weed exploded at his heels, its shrapnel…” Shrapnel?
Vague action sequences such as: “…His reflexes tighten and he blocks Sean’s hand before dropping down into a fighting position…”
There were several times when the 3rd person limited POV switched to omniscient: “…North runs on body mechanics now, telling his feet each time when to move…” That was the only one I highlighted, but I ran into more as I kept reading.
Not only was Jonah unlikable, but all the characters were. They were angsty teenagers that acted like twelve-year-olds. They yelled obscenities as if they would make sense in every scenario. It was annoying reading ‘fuck’ in every other dialogue.
Something else that was also mentioned a lot was a European war. No clarification. I want to know how bad this war is and what countries are involved in it. How bad life on Earth is.
I got up to chapter nine before I decided to DNF this book. It’s about half-way and it was a struggle just to get that far.
1/5
I marked this book as DNF.
Summary: Jonah and several hundred people are on their way to colonize a planet called Thetis. When they’re a day away from reaching the planet, their ship crash lands on one of Thetis’s moons, Achilles. Despite what was believed about this moon, it’s not as uninhabited as they thought. Not many people survive the crash, and while everyone is trying to figure out what to do, the adults in the group go missing. A few turn up dead, and the remaining people (kids) travel through Achilles to up their chances of being detected by telescopes from Thetis.
The summary sounds promising, and I was all for this story. I was expecting a story mixed between Across the Universe by Beth Revis and The Martian by Andy Weir.
I did not get that. What I got was a confusing story with confusing descriptions and confusing action sequences. The main character, Jonah, has no spine. He has no redeeming qualities. And we’re meant to feel bad for him, or sympathize with him because his parents are dead and he’s jumped from abusive foster home to foster home. I’ve never been in the foster system, but I’m pretty sure a foster home wouldn’t abuse their foster kids, and if they did, Jonah wouldn’t get every single foster home that did.
There are terms used like ‘first year’ ‘fourth year’ and I don’t really know what they mean by that because they’ve only been on the ship for thirteen months. There’s no mention of them training back on Earth. And Jonah mentions an academy, but there’s no clarification about it. And then there’s another term, and I thought it was a weapon at first but I don’t know what it is at all because Jonah mentions that it has his valuables in, but there’s no description about it. We’re just to assume what it is.
We get descriptions like “...grey sheets float off Manny’s hair…” But there’s nothing to clarify what the grey sheets are? I’m thinking it’s dust but I don’t know why ‘sheet’ is used as a descriptor for it. And Jonah is apparently a mathematician because he’s able to measure distance with his eyes: “A stripe of saliva drips out of Manny’s destroyed lips. It stays connected for more than ten feet...” There are tons of descriptions that give exact measurements and it’s just a pet peeve of mine when I read them. There’s no way to know the distance unless you’ve measured it.
There are many awkward descriptions such as: “…its milky eyes begin to rise out of it’s skull on dripping yellow sticks…” I don’t even know what is being described. And this one: “…weed exploded at his heels, its shrapnel…” Shrapnel?
Vague action sequences such as: “…His reflexes tighten and he blocks Sean’s hand before dropping down into a fighting position…”
There were several times when the 3rd person limited POV switched to omniscient: “…North runs on body mechanics now, telling his feet each time when to move…” That was the only one I highlighted, but I ran into more as I kept reading.
Not only was Jonah unlikable, but all the characters were. They were angsty teenagers that acted like twelve-year-olds. They yelled obscenities as if they would make sense in every scenario. It was annoying reading ‘fuck’ in every other dialogue.
Something else that was also mentioned a lot was a European war. No clarification. I want to know how bad this war is and what countries are involved in it. How bad life on Earth is.
I got up to chapter nine before I decided to DNF this book. It’s about half-way and it was a struggle just to get that far.
1/5
October 10, 2017
The year is 2221, and humans have colonized a planet called Thetis in the Silver Foot Galaxy. After a tragic accident kills dozens of teenage colonists, Thetis’s leaders are desperate to repopulate. So Earth sends the Mayflower 2―a state-of-the-art spaceship―across the universe to bring 177 new homesteaders to the colony. For Jonah Lincoln, an orphaned teen who has bounced between foster homes and spent time on the streets of Cleveland, the move to Thetis is a chance to reinvent himself, to be strong and independent and brave, the way he could never be on Earth. But his dreams go up in smoke when their ship crash-lands, killing half the passengers and leaving the rest stranded―not on Thetis, but on its cruel and unpopulated moon, Achilles. Between its bloodthirsty alien life forms and its distance from their intended location, Achilles is a harrowing landing place. When all of the adult survivors suddenly disappear, leaving the teenage passengers to fend for themselves, Jonah doubts they’ll survive at all, much less reach Thetis―especially when it appears Achilles isn’t as uninhabited as they were led to believe.
The story revolves around young teenager named Jonah who we first meet aboard the Mayflower 2 journeying towards a new Earth like planet. The story quickly dissolves into chaos when the ship experiences some sort of failure and crashes on Achilles, a moon of Thetis. Half of those aboard the ship are killed on the initial crash and the survivors try to deal with the crippling loss. Very soon though it's revealed that the crash was not as accidental as it appears and the group begins to struggle with trust. When people start mysteriously turning up brutally murdered sides are chosen. As one group splits up and decides to journey across the moon, it becomes apparent that something is not quite right about the moon or the planet Thetis. As more and more starts to go wrong a plot unravels that pushes all the teenagers to the very brink of their humanity.
This book was basically The Maze Runner meets Lord of the Flies meets The 100. It's such a well written tale that really took me through some strong emotional turns. There were some people, sad to say that I'm glad didn't make it. There were others who I felt deserved to survive and grew quite attached too. The loose sense of law and order was my favorite part of the story because it didn't feel forced or out of place given the situation. The best part I would say is that Jonah was a very well rounded character who I feel had a part that everyone could connect to.
If you are a fan of dystopian novels or enjoy the idea of a bunch of kids lost together trying to just survive then pick this book up. I really struggled with putting this book down once I started it. I feel like many would have the same issue.
This book can be picked up from the Amazon link above. There is a link to the author’s bio at the top of the page. I humbly thank NetGalley and the publisherDiversion Publishing for this ARC copy of the book to review prior to release. I wish the author the best of luck with his future writing endeavors.
I rated this book a 4/5. I'm eagerly waiting for the next book to be released whenever that happens. I'm sure we ca expect great things from this author.
The story revolves around young teenager named Jonah who we first meet aboard the Mayflower 2 journeying towards a new Earth like planet. The story quickly dissolves into chaos when the ship experiences some sort of failure and crashes on Achilles, a moon of Thetis. Half of those aboard the ship are killed on the initial crash and the survivors try to deal with the crippling loss. Very soon though it's revealed that the crash was not as accidental as it appears and the group begins to struggle with trust. When people start mysteriously turning up brutally murdered sides are chosen. As one group splits up and decides to journey across the moon, it becomes apparent that something is not quite right about the moon or the planet Thetis. As more and more starts to go wrong a plot unravels that pushes all the teenagers to the very brink of their humanity.
This book was basically The Maze Runner meets Lord of the Flies meets The 100. It's such a well written tale that really took me through some strong emotional turns. There were some people, sad to say that I'm glad didn't make it. There were others who I felt deserved to survive and grew quite attached too. The loose sense of law and order was my favorite part of the story because it didn't feel forced or out of place given the situation. The best part I would say is that Jonah was a very well rounded character who I feel had a part that everyone could connect to.
If you are a fan of dystopian novels or enjoy the idea of a bunch of kids lost together trying to just survive then pick this book up. I really struggled with putting this book down once I started it. I feel like many would have the same issue.
This book can be picked up from the Amazon link above. There is a link to the author’s bio at the top of the page. I humbly thank NetGalley and the publisherDiversion Publishing for this ARC copy of the book to review prior to release. I wish the author the best of luck with his future writing endeavors.
I rated this book a 4/5. I'm eagerly waiting for the next book to be released whenever that happens. I'm sure we ca expect great things from this author.
November 11, 2017
Achilles is the first book in a sci-fi trilogy by Greg Boose.
Set in the year 2221, Earth is basically being ravaged by war. However, scientists have discovered a wormhole in space, which lead them to the discovery of a new galaxy, complete with a habitable planet called Thetis.
The first attempt to populate Thetis goes horribly wrong, and the teenage colonists are killed in an accident. So the Mayflower 2 sets off for Thetis with a new set of teenagers and adults. Unfortunately for them, they don't quite reach Thetis. Instead, they crash land on Achilles, one of the moons of Thetis.
Achilles is not a friendly place to be, and the group has to try and figure out how they're going to get rescued and eventually get to Thetis. Too bad things don't goes as planned. Once the adults disappear, things get crazy.
I really quite enjoyed Achilles. It was fast paced and fun, with lots of crazy twists and turns. The characters were developed well, although there were some I would have liked to have fleshed out a little more.
Jonah, the main character, has had a hard life. Orphaned and put into foster care, he's had to learn to survive. Mostly because all of his foster families were craptastic. Seriously, they're awful. The mission to Thetis is a chance for him to start over and have a new life. But landing on Achilles only brings about more bad news for Jonah. Like, this kid just cannot win. At all.
There are other characters you'll find yourself liking and rooting for, too. Like Brooklyn and Vespa. I really liked those characters. Vespa was strong, determined, and smart. Brooklyn was kind of sassy, but also smart and kind.
Then you have characters you'll find yourself annoyed by. Hopper is one of them. As is Tunick. To be fair, though, Tunick has serious issues. There's a reason he's like that, but I won't spoil anything.
And then you have some characters who are sort of vague. You won't know if they're good and trustworthy, or if they're complete and utter trash. You'll just have to read through to discover their secrets and what type of person they really are.
The world building is really well done. I quite liked all the interesting flora and fauna found on Achilles. There's jungles, bodies of water... stuff like that. I suppose certain aspects of Achilles could have been described a little more thoroughly, but overall, I had a really good picture of what the moon was supposed to look like.
The plot chugs along at a decent pace, and there's enough going on to keep you, the reader, turning those pages, eager to find out how everything will play out. At least it was that way for me.
Like I said before, I really enjoyed Achilles, and I can't wait to read the second book in the series. Definitely looking forward to that one!
I give the book 4.5 stars. Highly recommend if you enjoy sci-fi similar to Lost (the TV show).
**Thanks to Diversion Books for sending me a paperback copy to read and review**
Set in the year 2221, Earth is basically being ravaged by war. However, scientists have discovered a wormhole in space, which lead them to the discovery of a new galaxy, complete with a habitable planet called Thetis.
The first attempt to populate Thetis goes horribly wrong, and the teenage colonists are killed in an accident. So the Mayflower 2 sets off for Thetis with a new set of teenagers and adults. Unfortunately for them, they don't quite reach Thetis. Instead, they crash land on Achilles, one of the moons of Thetis.
Achilles is not a friendly place to be, and the group has to try and figure out how they're going to get rescued and eventually get to Thetis. Too bad things don't goes as planned. Once the adults disappear, things get crazy.
I really quite enjoyed Achilles. It was fast paced and fun, with lots of crazy twists and turns. The characters were developed well, although there were some I would have liked to have fleshed out a little more.
Jonah, the main character, has had a hard life. Orphaned and put into foster care, he's had to learn to survive. Mostly because all of his foster families were craptastic. Seriously, they're awful. The mission to Thetis is a chance for him to start over and have a new life. But landing on Achilles only brings about more bad news for Jonah. Like, this kid just cannot win. At all.
There are other characters you'll find yourself liking and rooting for, too. Like Brooklyn and Vespa. I really liked those characters. Vespa was strong, determined, and smart. Brooklyn was kind of sassy, but also smart and kind.
Then you have characters you'll find yourself annoyed by. Hopper is one of them. As is Tunick. To be fair, though, Tunick has serious issues. There's a reason he's like that, but I won't spoil anything.
And then you have some characters who are sort of vague. You won't know if they're good and trustworthy, or if they're complete and utter trash. You'll just have to read through to discover their secrets and what type of person they really are.
The world building is really well done. I quite liked all the interesting flora and fauna found on Achilles. There's jungles, bodies of water... stuff like that. I suppose certain aspects of Achilles could have been described a little more thoroughly, but overall, I had a really good picture of what the moon was supposed to look like.
The plot chugs along at a decent pace, and there's enough going on to keep you, the reader, turning those pages, eager to find out how everything will play out. At least it was that way for me.
Like I said before, I really enjoyed Achilles, and I can't wait to read the second book in the series. Definitely looking forward to that one!
I give the book 4.5 stars. Highly recommend if you enjoy sci-fi similar to Lost (the TV show).
**Thanks to Diversion Books for sending me a paperback copy to read and review**
September 26, 2017
Achilles is a new young adult science fiction novel packed to the brim with adventure and fear. The story mimics American colonial history, but it is set in the future and taken to space. Greg Boose brings rich imagination to his writing while playing to traditional science fiction elements. Even though Achilles is directed towards the young adult audience, the novel can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
Science fiction is one of those genres that often comes with heavy storylines and plots that are sometimes hard to keep straight. Achilles reflects this aspect of science fiction, but it compiles a story that oozes excitement and intrigue. Seasoned science fiction readers are sure to absorb Boose’s writing well, and they will find themselves lost in his beautifully imagined world. Achilles promises high action and diverse characters, which I always appreciate in literature.
However, the novel did have a few flaws. For one thing, the sentences were often long-winded and over described. The dialogue was not a big element to the story, so the writer tended to “tell” more than “show” the reader. Even though I enjoy description in novels, I found that some parts of the novel could become redundant. Boose’s cast of characters was also quite large, and it was hard to keep track of them throughout the novel. It was also clear to me that Boose purposefully cut the story short since this novel is the first in a series. I would have rather had a longer novel than a longer series, but I do understand what his intentions were.
Achilles is a thrilling young adult science fiction novel, and I enjoyed falling into the story. Fans of The 100 will surely enjoy this novel, and I think that it is a great book to get into the science fiction genre.
Science fiction is one of those genres that often comes with heavy storylines and plots that are sometimes hard to keep straight. Achilles reflects this aspect of science fiction, but it compiles a story that oozes excitement and intrigue. Seasoned science fiction readers are sure to absorb Boose’s writing well, and they will find themselves lost in his beautifully imagined world. Achilles promises high action and diverse characters, which I always appreciate in literature.
However, the novel did have a few flaws. For one thing, the sentences were often long-winded and over described. The dialogue was not a big element to the story, so the writer tended to “tell” more than “show” the reader. Even though I enjoy description in novels, I found that some parts of the novel could become redundant. Boose’s cast of characters was also quite large, and it was hard to keep track of them throughout the novel. It was also clear to me that Boose purposefully cut the story short since this novel is the first in a series. I would have rather had a longer novel than a longer series, but I do understand what his intentions were.
Achilles is a thrilling young adult science fiction novel, and I enjoyed falling into the story. Fans of The 100 will surely enjoy this novel, and I think that it is a great book to get into the science fiction genre.
September 22, 2017
Rating: 3/5
I received this E-ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I still haven't entirely decided how I want to rate this book, so I'm sort of just going middle of the line. Once I got into the book, I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to see what was going to happen. But at the same time, I found myself annoyed with some of the things that were happening - vague explanations, weird things just happening in general in events and progression. Barely being introduced to characters and then they died in very gory manners. It does leave me curious as to what's going to happen in the next book though, kind of if the planet is as bad as people think, etc. etc. And you start to question whether things were really as it seems, at the very end with things that happen to Jonah.
I don't know. This is a pretty disjointed review because I just can't decide what to think. I was able to get through the book really fast, so I could get through the second pretty quickly. And I've read worse books. Maybe if someone just needed a super quick and simple read, I'd recommend it.
I received this E-ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I still haven't entirely decided how I want to rate this book, so I'm sort of just going middle of the line. Once I got into the book, I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to see what was going to happen. But at the same time, I found myself annoyed with some of the things that were happening - vague explanations, weird things just happening in general in events and progression. Barely being introduced to characters and then they died in very gory manners. It does leave me curious as to what's going to happen in the next book though, kind of if the planet is as bad as people think, etc. etc. And you start to question whether things were really as it seems, at the very end with things that happen to Jonah.
I don't know. This is a pretty disjointed review because I just can't decide what to think. I was able to get through the book really fast, so I could get through the second pretty quickly. And I've read worse books. Maybe if someone just needed a super quick and simple read, I'd recommend it.
January 8, 2020
First, my rating method: If you aren't someone whose name I recognize (and I have a heck of a time keeping up with everyone), I won't give your book fewer than three starts. If I can't give you at least that, I'll just pass on the review. Three stars means the book was worth my time and money, but it might have missed a beat or two. Four stars means it was darned near perfect, and five stars means it was darned near perfect and something about it will stay with me for a long time.
That said, I'm not sure what to think of this book. It seemed chaotic and disorganized, but the events it was depicting were chaotic and disorganized. It struck me like many modern movies strike me--long on action, short on plot. But again, it had to get the characters into a certain position. Suffice it to say that I was invested enough in the protagonist to want to know what happens to him in book 2. It's cued up in my Kindle. I'll get back to you later to let you know if it lives up to my expectations.
That said, I'm not sure what to think of this book. It seemed chaotic and disorganized, but the events it was depicting were chaotic and disorganized. It struck me like many modern movies strike me--long on action, short on plot. But again, it had to get the characters into a certain position. Suffice it to say that I was invested enough in the protagonist to want to know what happens to him in book 2. It's cued up in my Kindle. I'll get back to you later to let you know if it lives up to my expectations.
November 9, 2018
ACHILLES:
Wow, just wow! I started reading Achilles, the first book in the series, and ended up at 3 am, bleary-eyed and completely hooked. The book starts with a horrific crash, as a ship carrying cadets, doctors, and scientists smashes onto an alien planet. They were supposed to go to Thetis, a new colony in space - instead they are wrecked upon Thetis's moon - Achilles. The main character, Jonah, is a teen, an army cadet, and completely overwhelmed by everything. The author gives us bits and pieces about Jonah, as we see the accident and survivors through his eyes. The POV is tight, so we are not privy to anyone else's thoughts, but it works superbly with the story. The action never stops, the characters are amazing, and the world building is breathtaking. Amazing - highly recommended. However, be warned - extremely violent - the book also brings up such subjects as drugs and insanity. I'd say for ages 16+
Wow, just wow! I started reading Achilles, the first book in the series, and ended up at 3 am, bleary-eyed and completely hooked. The book starts with a horrific crash, as a ship carrying cadets, doctors, and scientists smashes onto an alien planet. They were supposed to go to Thetis, a new colony in space - instead they are wrecked upon Thetis's moon - Achilles. The main character, Jonah, is a teen, an army cadet, and completely overwhelmed by everything. The author gives us bits and pieces about Jonah, as we see the accident and survivors through his eyes. The POV is tight, so we are not privy to anyone else's thoughts, but it works superbly with the story. The action never stops, the characters are amazing, and the world building is breathtaking. Amazing - highly recommended. However, be warned - extremely violent - the book also brings up such subjects as drugs and insanity. I'd say for ages 16+
October 4, 2017
I think I'd rate this 3.5 stars, if Goodreads let us do that.
I found this to be a pretty engaging read. I especially sped through the last half just to figure out what was going on. A blurb somewhere said it's like the tv show Lost, and I'll agree with that--a bunch of kids stuck on a moon most of them know almost nothing about, with lots of strange creatures, and symbols in rocks that open up portals, and other interesting things. It seems like a pretty good start to a series that I'd keep reading just to know what the heck's going on. It is a bit violent, in a pretty graphic way, so that made it a little less enjoyable at times for me.
I found this to be a pretty engaging read. I especially sped through the last half just to figure out what was going on. A blurb somewhere said it's like the tv show Lost, and I'll agree with that--a bunch of kids stuck on a moon most of them know almost nothing about, with lots of strange creatures, and symbols in rocks that open up portals, and other interesting things. It seems like a pretty good start to a series that I'd keep reading just to know what the heck's going on. It is a bit violent, in a pretty graphic way, so that made it a little less enjoyable at times for me.
October 26, 2018
When I read the summary for Achilles I knew I had to read it as I have been looking for a book or movie about spaceships and people living on another planet for a long time. I saw the reference to The 100 and Lost and that just sealed it for me. I have been looking for books and shows like The 100 and Lost ever since I saw them for the first time this year.
Humans have been trying to colonize the planet Thetis for a while now so when an accident kills most of the teenagers on the planet Thetis calls Earth and ask them to send more. Earth sends the Mayflower 2 to Thetis with more teenagers and adults to Thetis but they never make it. The Mayflower 2 crash lands on one of Thetis moon called Achilles. The people on the Mayflower 2 don’t know anything about Achilles or all the dangerous animals on the moon. The survivors are determined to find a way to continue their journey to Thetis and get off Achilles before they all end up dead.
Achilles if filled with lots of action from the first page that will keep you jumping with excitement wanting to know more. With the crash and the ship being in several different pieces with people slung from one end to the other not mention people hanging out of their seats sitting in the tops of very tall trees with deadly spikes coming out of their branches to flowers opening up and shooting at them leaving fires in their wake to arms being ripped off to people hanging upside down inside the ship. There is enough action to keep you glued to the pages and the adrenaline pumping.
Achilles is a great introduction to The Deep Sky Saga that opens us up to the world that is to come. I can’t wait to dive into the next book and see what is waiting for all our little friends on Thetis and how far they have come in the colonization.
If you like spaceships, living on another planet, fighting space monsters, teenagers surviving on their own and being resourceful then you are going to love this whole new world of The Deep Sky Saga, starting with Achilles and then on to Thetis.
Humans have been trying to colonize the planet Thetis for a while now so when an accident kills most of the teenagers on the planet Thetis calls Earth and ask them to send more. Earth sends the Mayflower 2 to Thetis with more teenagers and adults to Thetis but they never make it. The Mayflower 2 crash lands on one of Thetis moon called Achilles. The people on the Mayflower 2 don’t know anything about Achilles or all the dangerous animals on the moon. The survivors are determined to find a way to continue their journey to Thetis and get off Achilles before they all end up dead.
Achilles if filled with lots of action from the first page that will keep you jumping with excitement wanting to know more. With the crash and the ship being in several different pieces with people slung from one end to the other not mention people hanging out of their seats sitting in the tops of very tall trees with deadly spikes coming out of their branches to flowers opening up and shooting at them leaving fires in their wake to arms being ripped off to people hanging upside down inside the ship. There is enough action to keep you glued to the pages and the adrenaline pumping.
Achilles is a great introduction to The Deep Sky Saga that opens us up to the world that is to come. I can’t wait to dive into the next book and see what is waiting for all our little friends on Thetis and how far they have come in the colonization.
If you like spaceships, living on another planet, fighting space monsters, teenagers surviving on their own and being resourceful then you are going to love this whole new world of The Deep Sky Saga, starting with Achilles and then on to Thetis.
September 11, 2017
DNF Page 80
I cannot do it. I just cannot. I feel no connection from this book. I do not want to read this book since it is so boring and so bland. I dislike the main character, Jonah. Ugh, I was really hoping to like this since it is science fiction.
Full review soon to be on blog, explaining in further detail of why I do not like it: www.newbookcatsreads.blogspot.com
I cannot do it. I just cannot. I feel no connection from this book. I do not want to read this book since it is so boring and so bland. I dislike the main character, Jonah. Ugh, I was really hoping to like this since it is science fiction.
Full review soon to be on blog, explaining in further detail of why I do not like it: www.newbookcatsreads.blogspot.com
October 28, 2017
this is like a 3,5 because it had some great characters, even if they were a little type cast, but above all it has all the suspense and mystery of a gripping thriller. if you love the 100 and lost, in a ya SF book, this is for you.
disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review
disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review
September 26, 2017
Great sci-fi, well plotted with memorable characters!
November 15, 2017
Its not that good but its OK, the story is pretty good putting aside the lame insults, but the crazy psych *whistles* Greg sure nailed that part.
January 24, 2018
Achilles is like a sci-fi lord of the flies meets lost. I loved it and I can’t wait for the next one!
January 25, 2018
The pace is too relentless for me. The protagonists suffer multiple wounds and kept going without any consequence; adrenaline can't do that much.
October 5, 2018
Good beginning to a series. Could be a bit confusing with all the "new world" names.
December 28, 2017
Seven days after completing Achilles, I still can't decide if I liked it or not.
The world it's set in is something out of this world (forgive the pun), but the characters and some parts of the plot made it really confusing and weird sometimes.
Full review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.fi/201...
The world it's set in is something out of this world (forgive the pun), but the characters and some parts of the plot made it really confusing and weird sometimes.
Full review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.fi/201...
September 30, 2023
4/5
Date Reviewed: D M 2017
This Review was first posted on It’s All Anthony. For more reviews, check out the blog here.
Thank You Diversion Publishing for giving a copy in exchange for an honest review.
In Achilles, a group of people are on their way to the new home planet of Thetis in the year of 2221, where their ship suddenly crashes on its moon, Achilles, instead. Upon landing on Achilles, Jonah realizes there is something deeper going on when all the adults goes missing. Along with surviving on the planet, Jonah and his group has to figure out a way to get off the moon once and for all.
Right off the back, this book gets right into the action. We start from Jonah being in the ship when the ship suddenly veers of course and out of control and there’s no stopping from there. We witness the crash, hear all the details, and see the aftermath. Also, trust me when I say that no small details are left out on everything that happened.
As soon as the story and the details start to lay out, you realize that there is an entire unknown territory and there is a mysterious feeling about the moon and the event. Everything that happens soon doesn’t makes sense with everything and Jonah realizes that to, something is going on.
What I liked most about the story was the fact that there was always something happening, but at the same times, there was a level of something you did not know. They had to survive, but at the same time, they are trying to understand what caused their ship to fail and crash. Jonah and the groups also have to figure out why the moon has mysterious symbols and workings.
However, there were a few times where I felt a little lost in the world building. I had to stop and try to remember what the world looked like. I couldn’t remember if it was all rocks like a usual moon looks like, or if there was some areas where there was live plants and stuff. I understand there are several areas where there are creatures and plants, but some scenes in the story got lost as to where the characters were. Luckily enough, most scenes were able to be followed easily.
All the characters were enjoyable to read about, even some of the annoying ones. I believe that most of the characters were well developed, but a few could have some areas of improvements. There was a certain character that I believed became to predictable earlier than expected, but I believe it was very subtle and I just caught it first thing. However, I did like the twists surrounding this character and a few others.
At the end, this was unlike any story that I have read before. I have read a few Sci-Fi stories, but not many taking place in outer space and that has a thrilling factor to it. It was quite different than what I have read before. At the end, I have enjoyed reading this quick read.
Date Reviewed: D M 2017
This Review was first posted on It’s All Anthony. For more reviews, check out the blog here.
Thank You Diversion Publishing for giving a copy in exchange for an honest review.
In Achilles, a group of people are on their way to the new home planet of Thetis in the year of 2221, where their ship suddenly crashes on its moon, Achilles, instead. Upon landing on Achilles, Jonah realizes there is something deeper going on when all the adults goes missing. Along with surviving on the planet, Jonah and his group has to figure out a way to get off the moon once and for all.
Right off the back, this book gets right into the action. We start from Jonah being in the ship when the ship suddenly veers of course and out of control and there’s no stopping from there. We witness the crash, hear all the details, and see the aftermath. Also, trust me when I say that no small details are left out on everything that happened.
As soon as the story and the details start to lay out, you realize that there is an entire unknown territory and there is a mysterious feeling about the moon and the event. Everything that happens soon doesn’t makes sense with everything and Jonah realizes that to, something is going on.
What I liked most about the story was the fact that there was always something happening, but at the same times, there was a level of something you did not know. They had to survive, but at the same time, they are trying to understand what caused their ship to fail and crash. Jonah and the groups also have to figure out why the moon has mysterious symbols and workings.
However, there were a few times where I felt a little lost in the world building. I had to stop and try to remember what the world looked like. I couldn’t remember if it was all rocks like a usual moon looks like, or if there was some areas where there was live plants and stuff. I understand there are several areas where there are creatures and plants, but some scenes in the story got lost as to where the characters were. Luckily enough, most scenes were able to be followed easily.
All the characters were enjoyable to read about, even some of the annoying ones. I believe that most of the characters were well developed, but a few could have some areas of improvements. There was a certain character that I believed became to predictable earlier than expected, but I believe it was very subtle and I just caught it first thing. However, I did like the twists surrounding this character and a few others.
At the end, this was unlike any story that I have read before. I have read a few Sci-Fi stories, but not many taking place in outer space and that has a thrilling factor to it. It was quite different than what I have read before. At the end, I have enjoyed reading this quick read.
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