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Everness #3
Императрицата на слънцето
Въздушният кораб Евърнес прави Скок на Хайзенберг към алтернативна Земя, различна от всичко, което екипажът е виждал. Еверет, Сен и останалите се озовават над равнина, която се простира безкрайно във всички посоки, без хоризонт. Натъкват се в средата на битка между фракции от две враждуващи нации. Дали екипажът ще намери спасение в този чужд свят или ще попаднат на място, отправящо се стремглаво към апокалипсис?
355 pages, Paperback
First published December 24, 2013
5 people are currently reading
541 people want to read
About the author
Ian McDonald
265 books1,263 followersIan Neil McDonald was born in 1960 in Manchester, England, to an Irish mother and a Scottish father. He moved with his family to Northern Ireland in 1965. He used to live in a house built in the back garden of C. S. Lewis's childhood home but has since moved to central Belfast, where he now lives, exploring interests like cats, contemplative religion, bonsai, bicycles, and comic-book collecting. He debuted in 1982 with the short story "The Island of the Dead" in the short-lived British magazine Extro. His first novel, Desolation Road, was published in 1988. Other works include King of Morning, Queen of Day (winner of the Philip K. Dick Award), River of Gods, The Dervish House (both of which won British Science Fiction Association Awards), the graphic novel Kling Klang Klatch, and many more. His most recent publications are Planesrunner and Be My Enemy, books one and two of the Everness series for younger readers (though older readers will find them a ball of fun, as well). Ian worked in television development for sixteen years, but is glad to be back to writing full-time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
January 23, 2014
5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
It's no exaggeration when I say these books in the Everness series just seem to get better and better. The adventure that started with Planesrunner only intensified with Be My Enemy, and now the third installment has taken things even further. Seriously -- I really wish there were more young adult novels like this out there.
Empress of the Sun continues the story of Everett Singh and the crew of the Earth 3 airship Everness. Spoilers for books one and two will likely be unavoidable in this review when discussing the third book, though if you haven't read the previous novels you can still probably pick up on the story and follow along, if you don't mind missing out on some of the nuances. Nothing will beat starting this great series from the beginning though, and obviously I highly recommend it!
Because Everness is about alternate dimensions and the Multiverse, you just never know where the story might take you next! That's what I love most about these books. And true to form, Ian McDonald starts this one off by dropping us into most bizarre and incredible parallel universe yet. In order to track down and rescue his father, Everett and his friends have taken to world-hopping. Armed with a jump gun and the Infundibulum, they now have the ability to go anywhere on any one of the 10 to the power of 80 worlds in the Panoply. Something goes seriously wrong with their last jump though, and the airship ends up on a strange version of earth which does not appear to follow the rules of astrophysics.
It turns out that the alternate earth they are on is actually an Alderson Disk. Not being very well-versed in my science fiction megastructures, this was the first time I've ever heard of such a thing. This is some cool stuff! And not only that, the world they are on is one where dinosaurs never went extinct. Instead, they have evolved over the eons to become the dominant species on this "discworld" (Pratchett fans, eat your heart out!) called the Jiju, whose civilization is 65 million years ahead of ours.
Not only is their technology frighteningly advanced, as the main bad guys in this book, the Jiju make the other villains that we've seen so far in this series look like peanuts. What is Charlotte Villiers or even the Nahn compared to these lizard people who have the ability to make the sun dance to their tune? The author sure pulled out all the stops with this one. Blown, my mind is.
I also can't decide what I love more about this book: the world building or the character development. The former has clearly impressed me, but as ever, the people in the stories are the most important to me when I read. With every book in this series, I feel closer and more amiable towards Everett and the crew. The relationship between him and Sen is moving forward nicely, and we're getting to the point where their feelings for each other are starting to come to the surface. This book also explores the friction between Everett and Sharkey. The two have not gotten along since the weighmaster suggested selling Everett out to the enemy in order to save the ship, but there is clearly a lot more to this precarious friendship than meets the eye.
The members of the crew aren't the only ones getting further developed in this novel. In Be My Enemy, readers were introduced to an alternate Everett, a version of him from another earth who was kidnapped and forced to take the place of real Everett, in order to spy and report to the nefarious factions in the Plenitude of Known Worlds. This doppelganger played a somewhat antagonistic role in the last book, but this one humanizes him and lets us see that deep down he is just like any other boy, with feelings and fears like everyone else. We also get a part of the story told in Charlotte Villiers' perspective, and even though she is the main villain, we are shown that there is a reason for all the things she does. To sum it up, this book just does a fantastic job all around at fleshing out everyone. As someone who places such high importance on characters, I couldn't be happier.
Action, adventure, and rollicking good fun! Empress of the Sun has all of that. And of all the books so far, I also have to say this one was the most humorous. There are some sections of dialogue that just made me laugh out loud, especially when it came to the conversation between Everett and Kax the Jiju about human reproduction. Oh my, I still can't stop chuckling when I think of that scene.
I'm so glad to see that there will be more of these books. The crew of the Everness still has much to do, and there are still so many worlds out there to explore. I can't wait to see where they will go next.
It's no exaggeration when I say these books in the Everness series just seem to get better and better. The adventure that started with Planesrunner only intensified with Be My Enemy, and now the third installment has taken things even further. Seriously -- I really wish there were more young adult novels like this out there.
Empress of the Sun continues the story of Everett Singh and the crew of the Earth 3 airship Everness. Spoilers for books one and two will likely be unavoidable in this review when discussing the third book, though if you haven't read the previous novels you can still probably pick up on the story and follow along, if you don't mind missing out on some of the nuances. Nothing will beat starting this great series from the beginning though, and obviously I highly recommend it!
Because Everness is about alternate dimensions and the Multiverse, you just never know where the story might take you next! That's what I love most about these books. And true to form, Ian McDonald starts this one off by dropping us into most bizarre and incredible parallel universe yet. In order to track down and rescue his father, Everett and his friends have taken to world-hopping. Armed with a jump gun and the Infundibulum, they now have the ability to go anywhere on any one of the 10 to the power of 80 worlds in the Panoply. Something goes seriously wrong with their last jump though, and the airship ends up on a strange version of earth which does not appear to follow the rules of astrophysics.
It turns out that the alternate earth they are on is actually an Alderson Disk. Not being very well-versed in my science fiction megastructures, this was the first time I've ever heard of such a thing. This is some cool stuff! And not only that, the world they are on is one where dinosaurs never went extinct. Instead, they have evolved over the eons to become the dominant species on this "discworld" (Pratchett fans, eat your heart out!) called the Jiju, whose civilization is 65 million years ahead of ours.
Not only is their technology frighteningly advanced, as the main bad guys in this book, the Jiju make the other villains that we've seen so far in this series look like peanuts. What is Charlotte Villiers or even the Nahn compared to these lizard people who have the ability to make the sun dance to their tune? The author sure pulled out all the stops with this one. Blown, my mind is.
I also can't decide what I love more about this book: the world building or the character development. The former has clearly impressed me, but as ever, the people in the stories are the most important to me when I read. With every book in this series, I feel closer and more amiable towards Everett and the crew. The relationship between him and Sen is moving forward nicely, and we're getting to the point where their feelings for each other are starting to come to the surface. This book also explores the friction between Everett and Sharkey. The two have not gotten along since the weighmaster suggested selling Everett out to the enemy in order to save the ship, but there is clearly a lot more to this precarious friendship than meets the eye.
The members of the crew aren't the only ones getting further developed in this novel. In Be My Enemy, readers were introduced to an alternate Everett, a version of him from another earth who was kidnapped and forced to take the place of real Everett, in order to spy and report to the nefarious factions in the Plenitude of Known Worlds. This doppelganger played a somewhat antagonistic role in the last book, but this one humanizes him and lets us see that deep down he is just like any other boy, with feelings and fears like everyone else. We also get a part of the story told in Charlotte Villiers' perspective, and even though she is the main villain, we are shown that there is a reason for all the things she does. To sum it up, this book just does a fantastic job all around at fleshing out everyone. As someone who places such high importance on characters, I couldn't be happier.
Action, adventure, and rollicking good fun! Empress of the Sun has all of that. And of all the books so far, I also have to say this one was the most humorous. There are some sections of dialogue that just made me laugh out loud, especially when it came to the conversation between Everett and Kax the Jiju about human reproduction. Oh my, I still can't stop chuckling when I think of that scene.
I'm so glad to see that there will be more of these books. The crew of the Everness still has much to do, and there are still so many worlds out there to explore. I can't wait to see where they will go next.
November 29, 2017
Харесвам Макдоналд; реално книгата е за около 3.5 звезди, но закръглих надолу, защото...
1) Макар да има де юре финал, тя завършва в началото на следваща трилогия, която явно няма да се осъществи.
2) Две книги и половина Макдоналд разнищва щателно приключения, запознава ни с героите изтънко и т.н., и накрая като стигна до голямото Приключение с нечовешки мащаб... оправи всичко за 50 странички, замете под масата, извънредно незадоволително при това...
Иначе книгата е чудесна. Има всичко, което си имат и предишните, и тъй като вече познаваме героите добре, то тънката емоционална динамика помежду им е много сладка и задоволителна. Предоволна съм. Те растат, развиват се, разкошни са...
Но този финал. Ох.
Моля някой да иде да му каже на господин автора, че поради 1) и 2) се е държал ужасно и не заслужава подарък за Коледа.
1) Макар да има де юре финал, тя завършва в началото на следваща трилогия, която явно няма да се осъществи.
2) Две книги и половина Макдоналд разнищва щателно приключения, запознава ни с героите изтънко и т.н., и накрая като стигна до голямото Приключение с нечовешки мащаб... оправи всичко за 50 странички, замете под масата, извънредно незадоволително при това...
Иначе книгата е чудесна. Има всичко, което си имат и предишните, и тъй като вече познаваме героите добре, то тънката емоционална динамика помежду им е много сладка и задоволителна. Предоволна съм. Те растат, развиват се, разкошни са...
Но този финал. Ох.
Моля някой да иде да му каже на господин автора, че поради 1) и 2) се е държал ужасно и не заслужава подарък за Коледа.
December 16, 2018
С корица като тази, „Императрицата на слънцето” (изд. „Студио Арт Лайн”) е книга, която моментално би ми хванала окото и би предизвикала любопитство. Но понеже се касае не просто за какъв да е младежки сай-фай, а за заключителната част в така любимата ми трилогия „Евърнес”, грабвам „Императрицата…” не просто с любопитство, а с небивало фенско настървение. „Иън Макдоналд, не ме разочаровай, или и прескачане в алтернативната Земя няма да те спаси!” – заканвам се аз. 356 страници по-късно разбирам, че заканата ми явно е свършила работа, защото кулминацията на „Евърнес” е всичко, което съм искал от нея! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
July 27, 2020
I'll start with that this isn't my usual preference of genre, but I was drawn to these books. Generally I liked them and I think the third book is the best in the series. I'm giving four stars because even if i really liked them I always felt that something was missing. I think that the characters are not developed fully and practically we don't know anything about them, we found out so little (and so late - in the last book) about what could have been much more interesting characters like Sharkey and Mchynlyth, and I didn't get anything about Captain Anastasia Sixsmyth, except she is a really cool person. A deeper understanding of what drives them and pushes them forward is missing in the narrative. I even felt that we know more about Kaz.
Another thing is that the author created such a huge world, so many universes with so much more potential and so little explanation about some of the other known Earths (like the one with the parasites and the one with the twins). So much more can be done with that exquisite world the author has crated.
And the ending! It felt like someone took something from me. Will we ever know what happened with the crew of Everness, did Everett find his father. What happened with the other Everett? Did Charlotte succeeded in saving her beloved and would that man still love her after the atrocities she committed in the name of saving him? (Sorry my English not in good shape :D)
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Ще започна с това, че това не е предпочитаният от мен жанр, но бях привлечена от тези книги. Като цяло ги харесвах и мисля, че третата книга е най-добрата в поредицата. Давам четири звезди, защото въпреки това, че ми харесват, все усещах, че нещо липсва. Мисля, че героите не са развити напълно и на практика не знаем нищо за тях, разбрахме толкова малко (и толкова късно - в последната книга) за героите, които можеха да бъдат много по-интересни, като Шарки и Макхинлит, а и не разбрах нищо за капитан Анастейзия, освен че е супер cool. Липсваше ми по-дълбок поглед върху това, което ги тласка напред. Дори усетих, че знаем повече за Какс, отколкото за по-важните и значими герои в историята.
Авторът създава такъв огромен свят, толкова много вселени с толкова много неизползван потенциал и толкова малко обяснение за някои от другите познати Земи (като тази с паразитите и тази с близнаците). Смятам, че може да се издеди много повече от този невероятен свят за едно наистина епично и вълнуващо приключение.
И завършекът! Имах чувството, че някой е взел нещо от мен, че някой ми е изгасил телевизора накрая на филма. Ще знаем ли някога какво се е случило с екипажа на Everness, намира ли Еверет баща си, какво се случи с другия Еверет? Успява ли Шарлот да спаси любимия си, и ще я обича ли този мъж все още след жестокости, които е извършила, за да го спаси?
Another thing is that the author created such a huge world, so many universes with so much more potential and so little explanation about some of the other known Earths (like the one with the parasites and the one with the twins). So much more can be done with that exquisite world the author has crated.
And the ending! It felt like someone took something from me. Will we ever know what happened with the crew of Everness, did Everett find his father. What happened with the other Everett? Did Charlotte succeeded in saving her beloved and would that man still love her after the atrocities she committed in the name of saving him? (Sorry my English not in good shape :D)
///////////////////////////////
Ще започна с това, че това не е предпочитаният от мен жанр, но бях привлечена от тези книги. Като цяло ги харесвах и мисля, че третата книга е най-добрата в поредицата. Давам четири звезди, защото въпреки това, че ми харесват, все усещах, че нещо липсва. Мисля, че героите не са развити напълно и на практика не знаем нищо за тях, разбрахме толкова малко (и толкова късно - в последната книга) за героите, които можеха да бъдат много по-интересни, като Шарки и Макхинлит, а и не разбрах нищо за капитан Анастейзия, освен че е супер cool. Липсваше ми по-дълбок поглед върху това, което ги тласка напред. Дори усетих, че знаем повече за Какс, отколкото за по-важните и значими герои в историята.
Авторът създава такъв огромен свят, толкова много вселени с толкова много неизползван потенциал и толкова малко обяснение за някои от другите познати Земи (като тази с паразитите и тази с близнаците). Смятам, че може да се издеди много повече от този невероятен свят за едно наистина епично и вълнуващо приключение.
И завършекът! Имах чувството, че някой е взел нещо от мен, че някой ми е изгасил телевизора накрая на филма. Ще знаем ли някога какво се е случило с екипажа на Everness, намира ли Еверет баща си, какво се случи с другия Еверет? Успява ли Шарлот да спаси любимия си, и ще я обича ли този мъж все още след жестокости, които е извършила, за да го спаси?
February 10, 2016
I was so disappointed in this book ! YA success has come to many writers who write by turns for both old & young ; but where (for example) Paolo Baciagalupi or Ursula K LeGuin put the same amount of thought, craft, and honesty into both their "YA" and their "adult" work, I was sorry to find that Ian McDonald (a real favorite of mine, for books like Dervish House and Brasyl) treats the two readerships quite differently.
An earlier reviewer, who loved this book, says: "Empress of the Sun couldn't be [more] different [than mcdonald's adult novels]. That's not say it's thin... McDonald has brought one of his great strengths, his vivid imagination, and applied it to the Young Adult oeuvre."
I think the reviewer's got McDonald's intention right; but I can't say I was as sympathetic to the results. In his other work, what distinguishes McDonald as a writer is not his imagination (imagination is not really a rare commodity) -- it is his graceful writing, his unabashed love for color, and his strong sense for how culture drives all interaction.
I'm sorry to report that this book shows none of these strengths... I wish that the author had taken a different approach; that he'd taken some of the things that make his books so fun, and recast them for an audience that demands action and vivid emotions. I think he missed a chance.
Having said that,I know that I am not in the YA target audience. So maybe I'm just missing the excitement. (Full disclosure -- at ages 8 to 12 I loved the books of Robt Heinlein & Edgar Rice Burroughs -- two writers who are now far too ham-handed for me to enjoy at all ! So in that light, please take this review with a grain of salt.)
An earlier reviewer, who loved this book, says: "Empress of the Sun couldn't be [more] different [than mcdonald's adult novels]. That's not say it's thin... McDonald has brought one of his great strengths, his vivid imagination, and applied it to the Young Adult oeuvre."
I think the reviewer's got McDonald's intention right; but I can't say I was as sympathetic to the results. In his other work, what distinguishes McDonald as a writer is not his imagination (imagination is not really a rare commodity) -- it is his graceful writing, his unabashed love for color, and his strong sense for how culture drives all interaction.
I'm sorry to report that this book shows none of these strengths... I wish that the author had taken a different approach; that he'd taken some of the things that make his books so fun, and recast them for an audience that demands action and vivid emotions. I think he missed a chance.
Having said that,I know that I am not in the YA target audience. So maybe I'm just missing the excitement. (Full disclosure -- at ages 8 to 12 I loved the books of Robt Heinlein & Edgar Rice Burroughs -- two writers who are now far too ham-handed for me to enjoy at all ! So in that light, please take this review with a grain of salt.)
February 12, 2014
I don’t usually get this effusive about books, but I’ve rarely had as much fun with a Young Adult SF series as I have with Ian McDonald’s Everness—now up to three books with the brand new, shiny addition of Empress of the Sun, possibly the best book of the bunch so far.
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
If you're new to series, you can find my review of the first book here and second book here!
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
If you're new to series, you can find my review of the first book here and second book here!
September 6, 2015
I gave 3 stars but really 2.5 stars. This books was far less confusing than the last one. This book feels like it is a transitional novel (like the last one) where the primary story in this book only incrementally moves the big plot forward. Still lots of loose ends. Seems like we have to wait for book four for some of the plot line to get better resolved.
September 30, 2017
Трилогията приключи! Никак, ама никак не съм доволен! Искам поне още една трилогия, а както гледам и във fantasticfiction и в goodreads поредицата е приключена още 2013 година и от никъде не се задава продължение, както е споделил мъдро народният поет. Което е жалко, защото "Евърнес" свършва в средата на приключението, а аз много искам да разбера какво става с Еверет, с неговият двойник - дело на Мадам Луна, с баща му и дали Валие ще успее да върне изгубената си душа, защото в края на краищата се оказва, че тя не е лоша.
Иън е един от най-добрите разказвачи в момента. Въпреки че третата част е изпъстрена с познати идеи, тя успява да грабне, да заинтригува и да увлече до последната страница.
Приключението продължава оттам, откъдето го зарязахме във втора книга и отплава към съвсем непознати брегове.
Какво щеше да се случи, ако преди 65 милиона години метеорит не беше ударил Земята и динозаврите бяха получили шанс да еволюират? Позната идея, но тук развита по по-различен начин. Динозаврите не само че са оцелели, но и са развили цивилизация, наречена Джиджо. Създали са мега структура, която като идея и реализация конкурира успешно сферата на Дайсън и Пръстеновият свят на Нивън - Диск на Андерсън. Тук усещам две преки референции към Пратчет и към Брин, което е като свалена шапка от джентълмен, към друг такъв.
Еверет, следвайки данните от Паноптикума и търсейки своя баща, препраща Евърнес на света на разумните динозаври и отприщва заплаха за всички паралелни Земи, на които хората са еволюирали, в сравнение, с която нанозаразата на Земя 1 е смехотворна.
От друга страна, книгата си има и своите слабости. Може би защото МакДоналд е решил това да е трилогия, последната книга има незавидната участ да приключи в себе си всички нишки, но за жалост по незадоволителен начин.
Сделката, която Еверет 2 сключи с колективният разум от нанороботи, заразил Земя 1, получи своето слабо развитие и меко казано край 5 за 4. Някак не успя да ме убеди, че машинен разум, поставил на колене по-напреднала от нас алтернативна Земя, ще бъде победен по толкова елементарен начин от юноша, още повече, че има в себе си съзнанието на паралелен Еверет.
Идеята за зашеметяващия дисков свят на динозаврите, която първоначално грабна вниманието ми като ниодимов магнит, започна изключително, продължи яко и завърши посредствено. Имах чувството, че МакДоналд се е развихрил и в един момент се е сетил, че това е последната книга и е приключил всичко набързо. Минало му е през ума нещо от рода: "Опааа! Тук изтървахме юздите на въображението, но въпреки това трябва да сложим точка, защото това ще е трилогия!". Еднакво лошо сдъвква и изплюва решението на кризите както с цивилизацията Джиджо, така и с наноботите. Перфектно начало и замисъл и много, ама много лош финал.
"Императрица на слънцето" има незавидната участ да е най-мащабна откъм въображение, откъм идеи и въпреки това да е най-ощетената откъм развитие. Тук всичко разцъфва точно като цвят на кактус - прекрасно, но за много кратко. По мое мнение Иън е трябвало да си продължи идеите така като ги е усещал, а не подчинявайки се на модерните в момента концепции за трилогии. Но каквото било - било. Надявам се в един момент в бъдещето историята да продължи и адмирации за издателство АртЛайн, че довършиха тази поредица, и не влязоха в безкрайният списък на започнати и незавършени поредици.
Моята лична оценка за последната книга, въпреки слабостите, е 4 от 5!
Иън е един от най-добрите разказвачи в момента. Въпреки че третата част е изпъстрена с познати идеи, тя успява да грабне, да заинтригува и да увлече до последната страница.
Приключението продължава оттам, откъдето го зарязахме във втора книга и отплава към съвсем непознати брегове.
Какво щеше да се случи, ако преди 65 милиона години метеорит не беше ударил Земята и динозаврите бяха получили шанс да еволюират? Позната идея, но тук развита по по-различен начин. Динозаврите не само че са оцелели, но и са развили цивилизация, наречена Джиджо. Създали са мега структура, която като идея и реализация конкурира успешно сферата на Дайсън и Пръстеновият свят на Нивън - Диск на Андерсън. Тук усещам две преки референции към Пратчет и към Брин, което е като свалена шапка от джентълмен, към друг такъв.
Еверет, следвайки данните от Паноптикума и търсейки своя баща, препраща Евърнес на света на разумните динозаври и отприщва заплаха за всички паралелни Земи, на които хората са еволюирали, в сравнение, с която нанозаразата на Земя 1 е смехотворна.
От друга страна, книгата си има и своите слабости. Може би защото МакДоналд е решил това да е трилогия, последната книга има незавидната участ да приключи в себе си всички нишки, но за жалост по незадоволителен начин.
Сделката, която Еверет 2 сключи с колективният разум от нанороботи, заразил Земя 1, получи своето слабо развитие и меко казано край 5 за 4. Някак не успя да ме убеди, че машинен разум, поставил на колене по-напреднала от нас алтернативна Земя, ще бъде победен по толкова елементарен начин от юноша, още повече, че има в себе си съзнанието на паралелен Еверет.
Идеята за зашеметяващия дисков свят на динозаврите, която първоначално грабна вниманието ми като ниодимов магнит, започна изключително, продължи яко и завърши посредствено. Имах чувството, че МакДоналд се е развихрил и в един момент се е сетил, че това е последната книга и е приключил всичко набързо. Минало му е през ума нещо от рода: "Опааа! Тук изтървахме юздите на въображението, но въпреки това трябва да сложим точка, защото това ще е трилогия!". Еднакво лошо сдъвква и изплюва решението на кризите както с цивилизацията Джиджо, така и с наноботите. Перфектно начало и замисъл и много, ама много лош финал.
"Императрица на слънцето" има незавидната участ да е най-мащабна откъм въображение, откъм идеи и въпреки това да е най-ощетената откъм развитие. Тук всичко разцъфва точно като цвят на кактус - прекрасно, но за много кратко. По мое мнение Иън е трябвало да си продължи идеите така като ги е усещал, а не подчинявайки се на модерните в момента концепции за трилогии. Но каквото било - било. Надявам се в един момент в бъдещето историята да продължи и адмирации за издателство АртЛайн, че довършиха тази поредица, и не влязоха в безкрайният списък на започнати и незавършени поредици.
Моята лична оценка за последната книга, въпреки слабостите, е 4 от 5!
September 9, 2024
Look, if we're being honest, McDonald had enough in the tank for one solid book rather than a trilogy. This third volume represents a slight improvement over BE MY ENEMY in the way that McDonald tells his somewhat engaging multiverse-happy yarn with a great deal of momentum. But I missed the joy and fun of discovery that was part of the first book, PLANESRUNNER. Also, basically ripping off Terry Pratchett (also name-checked) like this seems a bit too easy for a man of McDonald's inventiveness. I liked many of the goofy elements in this book, such as a dinosaur-evolved life form learning English. But ultimately McDonald's characters don't have a lot of room to grow, because it's almost as if McDonald was told by his editors, "Hey, buddy, plot the fuck out of this, given the last book." And I felt that the ending, which longed for a romantic spirit, was emotionally flat. I'll probably read some of McDonald's other fiction, particularly the standalone novels. But I think that he's one of those writers who needs to be reigned in when it comes to these multibook exercises.
August 20, 2014
I didn't love this as much as the first two, but that didn't stop me from compulsively reading it. Still want more.
February 5, 2014
originally posted at http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
Last year I read the first two books of the Everness series by Ian McDonald: Planesrunner and Be My Enemy. Already from the first book I was hooked onto his concept behind the Everness series. With the second book he really took his story a few dimensions further. Ian McDonald was well-known adult science-fiction, but he has carved and made a name for himself with his rapid action adventure series Everness in the young-adult genre.
The second book in the series: Be My Enemy left the series with even more promise that the first book. Ian McDonald did a great job in not letting his series falter with the sequel, he kept introducing new and exciting things to his many parallels and keeping the development of several key characters on track. It also introduced the reader to another Everett. His alter from a different version of Earth, heavily modified and with only one single goal in the back of his mind. Getting rid of the real Everett... The sequel left the series with a lot of threats for the real Everett to overcome...
Empress of the Sun opens with a failed jumped of the airship Everness, to a wild and exotic planet. Everett and the Everness are still in search for Everett's father and are on the run for the Order who want to get their hands on the Infundibulum, which contains all the maps of the parallel worlds. The planet that they are stranded on features lush jungles and much more, however this new world is so unique that the crew of the Everness find it hard to give this planet a place. Meanwhile Everett is being scolded for letting the Everness make a bad jump that caused them to crash... But it soon starts to dawn on Everett that his calculations weren't off, it the planet itself that is different... it's really different. And in here comes to show one of the major strengths of this book and the whole Everness series. Expect the unexpected. I was surprised with the sequel but Ian McDonald again shows his imagination in full colors. Because, what if the dinosaurs weren't extinct in several parallel universes? Well this is what you will see in Empress of the Sun. These dinosaurs aren't the brutal flesh eating kind that we mostly know, more on the contrary, they have 65 million years of evolution ahead of us! They are smart, not to be trifled with and very dangerous. Their headstart on evolution comes to show quite nicely when you learn what makes their planet go round. It's build on the idea of an Alderson Disc, these lizards have full control of what they do and when they do it and makes up for an interesting and engaging story. What further added a lot of great stuff to Empress of the Sun were the perspectives of Everett M. and Charlotte Villiers. Their stories alternate with those of the real Everett.
Not only enlarges Ian McDonald his series yet again with the new dimensions, he also doesn't falter with his character development. We see all the characters from the first two books, the protagonist Everett, and his friends of the Everness, Sen, Anastasia and lets not forget the ever preaching Mr. Sharky. All these characters be it the primary or the secondary characters all get to do their say, here Anastasia and Mr. Sharky did remain as how we got to know in the first two books but Everett and Sen really undergo some nice changes in the characters, they are starting to grow up and you can nicely see that Everett is becoming more of an adolescent boy, getting an eye for certain things... I liked how the more static relation between Everett and Sen grew to a more dynamic one. However it's not all good and good, because Sen has quite an personality and Sen wouldn't be Sen if she wouldn't let that come to show on more than one occasion, her no means no but it feels that this really is some playing hard to get... and it leads to some very funny dialogues. Luckily Everett doesn't give up that easily. Not only was the "romance" growing, it just feels that overall, by the actions and events that happen on this new planet.
Besides these characters I really liked the direction that Ian McDonald took with showing Everett M. We got to know this alter of Everett in Be My Enemy and that he was tasked with getting rid of the real Everett. Everett M. is heavily modified and can do stuff that a human couldn't, he has enhanced senses, reflexes and can boost his own power. He now has taken the place of the real Everett... with a lot of consequences. When I first got to learn about Everett M. I thought he was more of a robot instead of a human, his emotions felt more static in all and that he was only there for one task. Now that he is living a normal boys life it seems that is starting to grow more and more on his emotional side and this gave a great boost to his overall character. He is learning the normal customs of Earth life, going to school, having friends and a girlfriend and everything that comes along in a normal teenage boys life. Though this proved to be confronting him on many different levels, Everett M. is I think partly intrigued and impressed by how this normal life is paying off for him. Could this be a turn around for Everett M.? It does seem that he is will be redeeming himself and I am very eager to see how his character will develop further. Next to Everett M. there are some interesting development going on around Charlotte Villiers and her alter Charles. They stand central as the bad guys of the book, but they have planned everything in fine detail, but even then some plans don't work out as planned. However they wont let this set them back, more on the contrary, they make new, more devious plans to make sure they will succeed next time. It comes to show that The Order aren't to be messed with and when they set their eyes on something they will do anything to get... no matter the cost...
Storywise and characterwise, Empress of the Sun is just spot on. It's one adventurous journey that explores not only Multiversing from a scientific point of view but also with a great set of characters that have their ups and downs. Ian McDonald shows that he know how to write a great story, and tops it all of with a great sense of worldbuilding. Each of the planets that we have visited in Everness so far has been one-of-a-kind, they have been fun to read and the Nahn on Earth 1 gave this impending doom feeling. The dinosaur planet and the idea behind the planet with the Alderson Disc again showed a great imagination and Ian McDonald knows how to bring these heavy science fiction element readily to the younger audience. I just can't seem to find any fault in the characters or the world, it's one big pleasure to read.
Empress of the Sun is a fantastic read that you shouldn't miss out on. Eventhough it's classified as a young-adult book, I know that a lot of adults (like me) will find it just a great to read. Ian McDonald's Everness series keeps on improving book after book, they draw you in and don't let you go. It pacey and a whole lot of fun to read and it's all impossible to make a guess as to where the story will go, just sit back relax and let Everett take you yo places beyond your wildest dreams. The Multiversing still has a lot of untold and unfound places to discover and I hope to see it soon! This really is a story of unparalleled dimensions.
Last year I read the first two books of the Everness series by Ian McDonald: Planesrunner and Be My Enemy. Already from the first book I was hooked onto his concept behind the Everness series. With the second book he really took his story a few dimensions further. Ian McDonald was well-known adult science-fiction, but he has carved and made a name for himself with his rapid action adventure series Everness in the young-adult genre.
The second book in the series: Be My Enemy left the series with even more promise that the first book. Ian McDonald did a great job in not letting his series falter with the sequel, he kept introducing new and exciting things to his many parallels and keeping the development of several key characters on track. It also introduced the reader to another Everett. His alter from a different version of Earth, heavily modified and with only one single goal in the back of his mind. Getting rid of the real Everett... The sequel left the series with a lot of threats for the real Everett to overcome...
Empress of the Sun opens with a failed jumped of the airship Everness, to a wild and exotic planet. Everett and the Everness are still in search for Everett's father and are on the run for the Order who want to get their hands on the Infundibulum, which contains all the maps of the parallel worlds. The planet that they are stranded on features lush jungles and much more, however this new world is so unique that the crew of the Everness find it hard to give this planet a place. Meanwhile Everett is being scolded for letting the Everness make a bad jump that caused them to crash... But it soon starts to dawn on Everett that his calculations weren't off, it the planet itself that is different... it's really different. And in here comes to show one of the major strengths of this book and the whole Everness series. Expect the unexpected. I was surprised with the sequel but Ian McDonald again shows his imagination in full colors. Because, what if the dinosaurs weren't extinct in several parallel universes? Well this is what you will see in Empress of the Sun. These dinosaurs aren't the brutal flesh eating kind that we mostly know, more on the contrary, they have 65 million years of evolution ahead of us! They are smart, not to be trifled with and very dangerous. Their headstart on evolution comes to show quite nicely when you learn what makes their planet go round. It's build on the idea of an Alderson Disc, these lizards have full control of what they do and when they do it and makes up for an interesting and engaging story. What further added a lot of great stuff to Empress of the Sun were the perspectives of Everett M. and Charlotte Villiers. Their stories alternate with those of the real Everett.
Not only enlarges Ian McDonald his series yet again with the new dimensions, he also doesn't falter with his character development. We see all the characters from the first two books, the protagonist Everett, and his friends of the Everness, Sen, Anastasia and lets not forget the ever preaching Mr. Sharky. All these characters be it the primary or the secondary characters all get to do their say, here Anastasia and Mr. Sharky did remain as how we got to know in the first two books but Everett and Sen really undergo some nice changes in the characters, they are starting to grow up and you can nicely see that Everett is becoming more of an adolescent boy, getting an eye for certain things... I liked how the more static relation between Everett and Sen grew to a more dynamic one. However it's not all good and good, because Sen has quite an personality and Sen wouldn't be Sen if she wouldn't let that come to show on more than one occasion, her no means no but it feels that this really is some playing hard to get... and it leads to some very funny dialogues. Luckily Everett doesn't give up that easily. Not only was the "romance" growing, it just feels that overall, by the actions and events that happen on this new planet.
Besides these characters I really liked the direction that Ian McDonald took with showing Everett M. We got to know this alter of Everett in Be My Enemy and that he was tasked with getting rid of the real Everett. Everett M. is heavily modified and can do stuff that a human couldn't, he has enhanced senses, reflexes and can boost his own power. He now has taken the place of the real Everett... with a lot of consequences. When I first got to learn about Everett M. I thought he was more of a robot instead of a human, his emotions felt more static in all and that he was only there for one task. Now that he is living a normal boys life it seems that is starting to grow more and more on his emotional side and this gave a great boost to his overall character. He is learning the normal customs of Earth life, going to school, having friends and a girlfriend and everything that comes along in a normal teenage boys life. Though this proved to be confronting him on many different levels, Everett M. is I think partly intrigued and impressed by how this normal life is paying off for him. Could this be a turn around for Everett M.? It does seem that he is will be redeeming himself and I am very eager to see how his character will develop further. Next to Everett M. there are some interesting development going on around Charlotte Villiers and her alter Charles. They stand central as the bad guys of the book, but they have planned everything in fine detail, but even then some plans don't work out as planned. However they wont let this set them back, more on the contrary, they make new, more devious plans to make sure they will succeed next time. It comes to show that The Order aren't to be messed with and when they set their eyes on something they will do anything to get... no matter the cost...
Storywise and characterwise, Empress of the Sun is just spot on. It's one adventurous journey that explores not only Multiversing from a scientific point of view but also with a great set of characters that have their ups and downs. Ian McDonald shows that he know how to write a great story, and tops it all of with a great sense of worldbuilding. Each of the planets that we have visited in Everness so far has been one-of-a-kind, they have been fun to read and the Nahn on Earth 1 gave this impending doom feeling. The dinosaur planet and the idea behind the planet with the Alderson Disc again showed a great imagination and Ian McDonald knows how to bring these heavy science fiction element readily to the younger audience. I just can't seem to find any fault in the characters or the world, it's one big pleasure to read.
Empress of the Sun is a fantastic read that you shouldn't miss out on. Eventhough it's classified as a young-adult book, I know that a lot of adults (like me) will find it just a great to read. Ian McDonald's Everness series keeps on improving book after book, they draw you in and don't let you go. It pacey and a whole lot of fun to read and it's all impossible to make a guess as to where the story will go, just sit back relax and let Everett take you yo places beyond your wildest dreams. The Multiversing still has a lot of untold and unfound places to discover and I hope to see it soon! This really is a story of unparalleled dimensions.
April 30, 2015
If you've been hanging around these parts for some time, you are aware that I love Ian McDonald. He is one of my favorite science fiction authors, and to this day, River of Gods, Brasyl, and The Dervish House continue to rank among my favorite science fiction reads of all time. You may also recall my disappointment when it was announced that McDonald's next project would be aimed at the YA market.
And though I gave Planesrunner a shot with a certain measure of reticence, McDonald's first YA work impressed me. The plot did not show as much depth and the storylines were not as multilayered and convoluted as is usually his wont, yet I found McDonald's Planesrunner and its sequel, Be My Enemy, to be intelligent, entertaining, and fast-paced novels.
And since I read Planesrunner during a trip to Belize and Be My Enemy during a trip to Mexico, it felt natural to pack this one in my suitcase for this Southeast Asian adventure.
This third volume, Empress of the Sun, follows much in the same vein. I'm happy to report that the book moves the plot forward as much as in the first installment, which is an improvement from Be My Enemy. Like its predecessors, this one is another entertaining novel which contains all the key ingredients that made the first two installments such fun reads. Problem is, I'm not sure it's enough anymore. Given that Ian McDonald can raise the roof and bring the house down, I doubt that these books, as fun as they are to read, can continue to satisfy the author's adult readership for a prolonged period of time. At the top of his game, few science fiction writers can match Ian McDonald. Hence, I have to admit that I'm longing for something bigger, something more complex, something thought-provoking from McDonald. And I'm hoping that his next work will be reminiscent of River of Gods and The Dervish House, something aimed at his adult fans. After writing three YA novels in a row, I feel that the genre is starting to miss the Ian McDonald whose works have been nominated for basically every major SFF awards out there. . .
Here's the blurb:
The airship Everness makes a Heisenberg Jump to an alternate Earth unlike any her crew has ever seen. Everett, Sen, and the crew find themselves above a plain that goes on forever in every direction without any horizon. There they find an Alderson Disc, an astronomical megastructure of incredibly strong material reaching from the orbit of Mercury to the orbit of Jupiter.
Then they meet the Jiju, the dominant species on a plane where the dinosaurs didn't die out. They evolved, diversified, and have a twenty-five million year technology head-start on humanity. War between their kingdoms is inevitable, total and terrible.
Everness has jumped right into the midst of a faction fight between rival nations, the Fabreen and Dityu empires. The airship is attacked, but then defended by the forces of the Fabreen, who offers theEvernesscrew protection. But what is the true motive behind Empress Aswiu's aid? What is her price?
The crew of the Everness is divided in a very alien world, a world fast approaching the point of apocalypse.
The multiverse theory is one of the oldest science fiction tropes, one that some believe may have been done ad nauseam. Still, I found McDonald's approach, with such concepts as the Plenitude of Known Worlds and the Heisenberg Gates, to be sort of fresh and interesting. As was the case for Tad Williams in his Otherland series, it gives McDonald basically carte blanche to, at least where worldbuilding is concerned, go wherever his fertile imagination takes him. In Empress of the Sun, the author introduces the Jiju, dinosaurs who have evolved for millions of years and whose intelligence and technology are far beyond what humanity can encompass. As a race, they are reminiscent of Steven Erikson's K'Chain Che'Malle.
Again in this third volume, though very fluid McDonald's prose is evocative and every world and locale come alive as you read along. I particularly enjoyed how he portrayed the Jiju's Alderson Disc, the Worldwheel. What we learn about the Jiju is pretty much limited to what is revealed by Kax, which I found a bit disappointing. When you introduce such a cool race as those futuristic dinosaurs, a bit more information about their history and society would have been welcome. But this is YA literature and things need to keep moving fast, so. . .
Characterization remains what is probably the strongest facet of this novel. Once more, Everett Singh must share the spotlight with his double from Earth 4, Everett M Singh, and there is a nice balance between the two POVs. There are a number of other points of view, most notably those of Sen and Charlotte Villiers. The disparate cast of protagonists allows us to witness events unfold through the eyes various characters, which makes for enjoyable reading.
The pace continues to be fast from start to finish, something that doesn't always work for the best. I'm aware that the low pagecount and crisp pace are important aspects of YA novels. But I felt that we didn't get to know enough about the Jiju and the ending was decidedly rushed, which ultimately robs it of any emotional impact it was meant to have on everyone involved.
In the end, Empress of the Sun is nowhere near as awesome as the mind-blowing science fiction yarns Ian McDonald is renowned for. Still, like its two predecessors, it's a fun, entertaining, and gradually more complex work featuring an engaging cast of characters. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Writing for a younger audience imbues McDonald's writing with a certain exuberance that I find intoxicating. And yet, for all that they are fun reads, as a huge fan of McDonald's award-nominated and award-winning works, I'm afraid that the series might be losing steam as far as the author's adult readership is concerned. Knowing just how special and prolific McDonald is, I'm not sure that the Everness series, trapped under the yoke of the YA market demands, can continue to fully satisfy some adult readers. Time will tell. . .
For more reviews: www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
And though I gave Planesrunner a shot with a certain measure of reticence, McDonald's first YA work impressed me. The plot did not show as much depth and the storylines were not as multilayered and convoluted as is usually his wont, yet I found McDonald's Planesrunner and its sequel, Be My Enemy, to be intelligent, entertaining, and fast-paced novels.
And since I read Planesrunner during a trip to Belize and Be My Enemy during a trip to Mexico, it felt natural to pack this one in my suitcase for this Southeast Asian adventure.
This third volume, Empress of the Sun, follows much in the same vein. I'm happy to report that the book moves the plot forward as much as in the first installment, which is an improvement from Be My Enemy. Like its predecessors, this one is another entertaining novel which contains all the key ingredients that made the first two installments such fun reads. Problem is, I'm not sure it's enough anymore. Given that Ian McDonald can raise the roof and bring the house down, I doubt that these books, as fun as they are to read, can continue to satisfy the author's adult readership for a prolonged period of time. At the top of his game, few science fiction writers can match Ian McDonald. Hence, I have to admit that I'm longing for something bigger, something more complex, something thought-provoking from McDonald. And I'm hoping that his next work will be reminiscent of River of Gods and The Dervish House, something aimed at his adult fans. After writing three YA novels in a row, I feel that the genre is starting to miss the Ian McDonald whose works have been nominated for basically every major SFF awards out there. . .
Here's the blurb:
The airship Everness makes a Heisenberg Jump to an alternate Earth unlike any her crew has ever seen. Everett, Sen, and the crew find themselves above a plain that goes on forever in every direction without any horizon. There they find an Alderson Disc, an astronomical megastructure of incredibly strong material reaching from the orbit of Mercury to the orbit of Jupiter.
Then they meet the Jiju, the dominant species on a plane where the dinosaurs didn't die out. They evolved, diversified, and have a twenty-five million year technology head-start on humanity. War between their kingdoms is inevitable, total and terrible.
Everness has jumped right into the midst of a faction fight between rival nations, the Fabreen and Dityu empires. The airship is attacked, but then defended by the forces of the Fabreen, who offers theEvernesscrew protection. But what is the true motive behind Empress Aswiu's aid? What is her price?
The crew of the Everness is divided in a very alien world, a world fast approaching the point of apocalypse.
The multiverse theory is one of the oldest science fiction tropes, one that some believe may have been done ad nauseam. Still, I found McDonald's approach, with such concepts as the Plenitude of Known Worlds and the Heisenberg Gates, to be sort of fresh and interesting. As was the case for Tad Williams in his Otherland series, it gives McDonald basically carte blanche to, at least where worldbuilding is concerned, go wherever his fertile imagination takes him. In Empress of the Sun, the author introduces the Jiju, dinosaurs who have evolved for millions of years and whose intelligence and technology are far beyond what humanity can encompass. As a race, they are reminiscent of Steven Erikson's K'Chain Che'Malle.
Again in this third volume, though very fluid McDonald's prose is evocative and every world and locale come alive as you read along. I particularly enjoyed how he portrayed the Jiju's Alderson Disc, the Worldwheel. What we learn about the Jiju is pretty much limited to what is revealed by Kax, which I found a bit disappointing. When you introduce such a cool race as those futuristic dinosaurs, a bit more information about their history and society would have been welcome. But this is YA literature and things need to keep moving fast, so. . .
Characterization remains what is probably the strongest facet of this novel. Once more, Everett Singh must share the spotlight with his double from Earth 4, Everett M Singh, and there is a nice balance between the two POVs. There are a number of other points of view, most notably those of Sen and Charlotte Villiers. The disparate cast of protagonists allows us to witness events unfold through the eyes various characters, which makes for enjoyable reading.
The pace continues to be fast from start to finish, something that doesn't always work for the best. I'm aware that the low pagecount and crisp pace are important aspects of YA novels. But I felt that we didn't get to know enough about the Jiju and the ending was decidedly rushed, which ultimately robs it of any emotional impact it was meant to have on everyone involved.
In the end, Empress of the Sun is nowhere near as awesome as the mind-blowing science fiction yarns Ian McDonald is renowned for. Still, like its two predecessors, it's a fun, entertaining, and gradually more complex work featuring an engaging cast of characters. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Writing for a younger audience imbues McDonald's writing with a certain exuberance that I find intoxicating. And yet, for all that they are fun reads, as a huge fan of McDonald's award-nominated and award-winning works, I'm afraid that the series might be losing steam as far as the author's adult readership is concerned. Knowing just how special and prolific McDonald is, I'm not sure that the Everness series, trapped under the yoke of the YA market demands, can continue to fully satisfy some adult readers. Time will tell. . .
For more reviews: www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
December 11, 2018
speravo fosse una trilogia, davvero: così avrei chiuso l'anno con l'ultimo capitolo di una bella serie, non un capolavoro ma neppure noiosa o con momenti di stanchezza.
e invece no: probabilmente prima o poi uscirà un seguito (più seguiti?) perchè mcdonald mica può lasciarci così, con mille domande in testa e troppe storie che devono avere una fine (e non solo quelle lasciate aperte nei primi due libri: qui l'autore si supera e aggiunge TANTISSIMA carne al fuoco).
sarei un bugiardo a negare che una parte di me è in fondo contenta possa ancora esistere il mondo narrato in queste pagine e che si possa di nuovo tornare a viaggiare con la comunità airish, ma ho pure il terrore di notare come siano passati 4 anni da questo libro e come nel frattempo mcdonald abbia fatto di tutto: intendiamoci, magari mentre sto scrivendo lui è nel suo studio a buttare giù il quarto capitolo e il 2020 (per il 2019 la vedo improbabile) vedrà il proseguimento o la fine della storia, ma al momento tocca restare in attesa...
e invece no: probabilmente prima o poi uscirà un seguito (più seguiti?) perchè mcdonald mica può lasciarci così, con mille domande in testa e troppe storie che devono avere una fine (e non solo quelle lasciate aperte nei primi due libri: qui l'autore si supera e aggiunge TANTISSIMA carne al fuoco).
sarei un bugiardo a negare che una parte di me è in fondo contenta possa ancora esistere il mondo narrato in queste pagine e che si possa di nuovo tornare a viaggiare con la comunità airish, ma ho pure il terrore di notare come siano passati 4 anni da questo libro e come nel frattempo mcdonald abbia fatto di tutto: intendiamoci, magari mentre sto scrivendo lui è nel suo studio a buttare giù il quarto capitolo e il 2020 (per il 2019 la vedo improbabile) vedrà il proseguimento o la fine della storia, ma al momento tocca restare in attesa...
February 20, 2019
Onesto terzo volume di una divertente trilogia.
Nuove ambientazioni, un nuovo, pericoloso, nemico.
I personaggi rimangono un po' quel che sono, senza evoluzioni significative.
La serie, per ora, si conclude qui. Ci sono elementi per dei seguiti, alcune sotto-trame lasciate in sospeso, che potrebbero dare nuova linfa a un seguito. Ma non sembra essere nei piani immediati dell'autore.
Nuove ambientazioni, un nuovo, pericoloso, nemico.
I personaggi rimangono un po' quel che sono, senza evoluzioni significative.
La serie, per ora, si conclude qui. Ci sono elementi per dei seguiti, alcune sotto-trame lasciate in sospeso, che potrebbero dare nuova linfa a un seguito. Ma non sembra essere nei piani immediati dell'autore.
September 28, 2020
Поредицата започна обещаващо, но качеството се влоши, което е особено осезаемо в третата книга. Има толкова много неща, които не ми допаднаха, че ако започна да изброявам, ще се получи дълъг и неприятен за четене пост, затова ще си спестя труда. Единственото, което ми беше интересно и ми хареса, е начинът, по който са описани различните вселени.
December 29, 2022
Kind of wraps up the main plot threads started in the second and third books. Then introduces another major plot thread in the last pages -- and it's now been eight years without the next book coming out.
Overall, lots of good ideas in this series, and some great set pieces. Still kind of less than the sum of its parts.
Overall, lots of good ideas in this series, and some great set pieces. Still kind of less than the sum of its parts.
December 23, 2023
Probably a 3.5. A good old fashioned YA type science fiction book. Good plot and characters. I gave it a 5 as it is so nice to read something like this as this type of SF book is very rarely published anymore.
March 3, 2019
Хм, нямам думи :) Сега какво, Шарлът Вилие и Еверет Сигн ще се окажат брат и сестра ли, що ли? :) Ама ако се вярва на ГР Евърнес 4 не се задава.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2019
Probably the best of the series so far. Eagerly awaiting the next one
April 12, 2023
For a YA series I would recommend this for top of the list banning by the state of Florida.
May 11, 2023
Momentum is okay, but where do you lead us to?
As this book is the last of the series, it shouldn't contain so many cliffhangars
As this book is the last of the series, it shouldn't contain so many cliffhangars
January 18, 2024
Well constructed story.
August 18, 2024
По��тепено поредицата се превръща в безкрайна сапунена опера.
Интерено, динадмично, но не чак колкото предишните части. Поичерпва се, но оставя отворен финал за още и още и още и още...
Интерено, динадмично, но не чак колкото предишните части. Поичерпва се, но оставя отворен финал за още и още и още и още...
August 20, 2014
Empress of the Sun is the third installment in Ian McDonald's Everness series—which is, I'm afraid, not a trilogy. That discovery dismayed me a bit... as I've mentioned elsewhere, I much prefer self-contained works, and am not a big fan of open-ended series even when they're done by authors I like. McDonald is definitely one of the authors I like, though, so I suppose I can give him a little bit of slack.
Fair warning, though... if you haven't read the first two books in the series (Planesrunner and Be My Enemy), then this one won't make as much sense as it might. Also, this review will include information that you probably won't want to have when starting out... I'll try to avoid spoilers for the book at hand, but I'm considering the previous two to be fair game now.
Okay?
Here goes...
In Planesrunner, McDonald introduced us to Everett Singh, a British teenager of Indian descent living on what appears to be our own planet, which is actually Earth 10 (E10, for short). Along with Everett, we found out about the Plenitude of Known Worlds that, through their network of strictly-controlled Heisenberg Gates, already unites nine whole Earths out of the uncountable number of timelines that make up the entire uncharted Panoply of Worlds. Most of E10 is still ignorant of the Plenitude's existence, much less the wider multiverse, but that's about to change...
We watched Tejendra Singh, Everett's father, die (or at least disappear), and Tejendra's greatest achievement—the Infundibulum, a computer program that makes anywhere and anywhen reliably accessible—fall into Everett's hands. We learned a little about the Order, a conspiracy led by the villainous Charlotte Villiers, who aims to take the Infundibulum from Everett and thereby conquer the Plenitude, if not the Panoply entire. And we met the great airship Everness herself, from the steampunk timeline of E3, along with her captain Anastasia Sixsmyth and Cap'n Annie's fiercely independent daughter Sen.
Be My Enemy brings in another Everett... Everett M. Singh. His middle initial appears to be used, like that of a naughty child, to highlight his misbehavior as well as to distinguish him from our Everett—since Everett M. winds up in the service of Villiers' conspiracy, cyborg-enhanced by the Thryn of E4 yet still somehow, always, a step or two behind the "real" Everett.
Be My Enemy also introduces an even greater threat to the Plenitude than the Order already embodies: the Nahn, malign, intelligent nanotechnological goo that has already taken over one entire Earth and needs only the tiniest of footholds to begin taking over all the others...
As Empress of the Sun begins, Charlotte Villiers is closing in; Everett M. has infiltrated Everett Singh's own family back on E10; the Nahn are—is—very close to getting that foothold... and Everett Singh (the one we're rooting for, that is, not the Thryn-enhanced Everett M.) has—through no fault of his own, mind you—miscalculated a jump between worldlines. As a result, the Everness crash-lands in the branches above the surface of a jungle-covered Earth with dangerous fauna and entirely too much surface. At times it's hard to imagine that McDonald will be able to continue escalating the tension, but the threats Everett and the Everness encounter in this volume are even larger and more immediate than an impending nanotechnological apocalypse!
McDonald does resolve some of that tension. One part of that resolution involves an amusing sendup of the film Independence Day (1996), if you remember that one. Most of the earlier questions he raised eventually get answered, in fact. But then McDonald turns around and ups the ante yet again, bringing in at least two major surprises in the final chapters of Empress of the Sun, and underscoring the fact that this is by no means the end of Everness.
Looks like McDonald is settling in for the long haul...
Fair warning, though... if you haven't read the first two books in the series (Planesrunner and Be My Enemy), then this one won't make as much sense as it might. Also, this review will include information that you probably won't want to have when starting out... I'll try to avoid spoilers for the book at hand, but I'm considering the previous two to be fair game now.
Okay?
Here goes...
In Planesrunner, McDonald introduced us to Everett Singh, a British teenager of Indian descent living on what appears to be our own planet, which is actually Earth 10 (E10, for short). Along with Everett, we found out about the Plenitude of Known Worlds that, through their network of strictly-controlled Heisenberg Gates, already unites nine whole Earths out of the uncountable number of timelines that make up the entire uncharted Panoply of Worlds. Most of E10 is still ignorant of the Plenitude's existence, much less the wider multiverse, but that's about to change...
We watched Tejendra Singh, Everett's father, die (or at least disappear), and Tejendra's greatest achievement—the Infundibulum, a computer program that makes anywhere and anywhen reliably accessible—fall into Everett's hands. We learned a little about the Order, a conspiracy led by the villainous Charlotte Villiers, who aims to take the Infundibulum from Everett and thereby conquer the Plenitude, if not the Panoply entire. And we met the great airship Everness herself, from the steampunk timeline of E3, along with her captain Anastasia Sixsmyth and Cap'n Annie's fiercely independent daughter Sen.
Be My Enemy brings in another Everett... Everett M. Singh. His middle initial appears to be used, like that of a naughty child, to highlight his misbehavior as well as to distinguish him from our Everett—since Everett M. winds up in the service of Villiers' conspiracy, cyborg-enhanced by the Thryn of E4 yet still somehow, always, a step or two behind the "real" Everett.
Be My Enemy also introduces an even greater threat to the Plenitude than the Order already embodies: the Nahn, malign, intelligent nanotechnological goo that has already taken over one entire Earth and needs only the tiniest of footholds to begin taking over all the others...
As Empress of the Sun begins, Charlotte Villiers is closing in; Everett M. has infiltrated Everett Singh's own family back on E10; the Nahn are—is—very close to getting that foothold... and Everett Singh (the one we're rooting for, that is, not the Thryn-enhanced Everett M.) has—through no fault of his own, mind you—miscalculated a jump between worldlines. As a result, the Everness crash-lands in the branches above the surface of a jungle-covered Earth with dangerous fauna and entirely too much surface. At times it's hard to imagine that McDonald will be able to continue escalating the tension, but the threats Everett and the Everness encounter in this volume are even larger and more immediate than an impending nanotechnological apocalypse!
McDonald does resolve some of that tension. One part of that resolution involves an amusing sendup of the film Independence Day (1996), if you remember that one. Most of the earlier questions he raised eventually get answered, in fact. But then McDonald turns around and ups the ante yet again, bringing in at least two major surprises in the final chapters of Empress of the Sun, and underscoring the fact that this is by no means the end of Everness.
Looks like McDonald is settling in for the long haul...
October 14, 2015
I've always been a fan of Ian McDonald's adult novels. While they overflow with ideas and insights there quite dense in regard to plotting and theme (in a good way). They're books that need to be unpacked and discussed and cogitated over.
Empress of the Sun (book three in the Everness series) couldn't be different. That's not say it's thin in terms of character and plot and ideas. Just the opposite. McDonald has brought one of his great strengths, his vivid imagination, and applied it to the Young Adult oeuvre. But he's also pared down his writing style (there's still some beautiful passages but it doesn't have the richness of the adult novels) and, more importantly, he's put the foot down on the accelerator. While books like Brasyl and The Dervish House have their moments of action and adventure and drama and tension, they don't compare to the unstoppable rollercoaster that is Empress of the Sun. You can tell that McDonald is having an absolute blast writing this book, allowing his inner twelve-year-old to inspire some magnificent set pieces.
I haven't read the first two novels in the series - I know, shame on me - but without stuffing the reader with backstory and exposition, McDonald doesn't leave the newbie reader stranded. Basically, parallel worlds exist and a small number of the "known" worlds, or Earths, can be accessed by gates. Everett Singh's Dad has come up with a device that allows a person to access a parallel world without needing to use a gate. For certain nefarious characters in the multiverse, specifically Charlotte Villiers, this technology will give the wielder great influence and power. At some point, I assume early in the first novel, Everett's father goes missing - Charlotte uses a "jump gun" to send him into the multiverse without an anchor - and Everett steals away his father's invention. The series then follows Everett as he (a) searches for his lost father (b) evades capture from Charlotte and her henchman (c) meets the Captain of a zeppelin called the Everness - from a multiple Earth where fossil fuel was never discovered (in other words steampunk Earth) - and with the crew of the Everness gets into all sorts of shenanigans involving a plague of nanobots, alien technology and an evil cyborg twin. Oh, and Everett also happens to be a polymath - as smart as his Dad, or smarter - which is helpful when you're in a tight scrape and you need someone who can knock out a life-saving algorithm in a matter of moments.
In Empress of the Sun, Everett and the crew of the Everness, escaping the clutches of Charlotte, find themselves on a parallel world where Earth has been replaced with a ginormous discworld (and yes, McDonald can't help but lovingly reference Pratchett). On that discworld they discover... yes, you guessed it... intelligent dinosaurs who have spent millions and millions of years (a) perfecting the sort of technology that allows you to build a discworld in the first place and (b) fighting amongst each other. And that's just scraping the surface of the barmy ideas on display. None of them seem brand new, I'm sure someone else has written an SF story involving smart dinosaurs, but in the hands of McDonald they feel like they've been given a fresh coat of paint. A colour that's bright and exciting and vibrant.
What I found astounding is how quickly I was drawn into the narrative even though I'd not read the first two books. Everett and the crew of the Everness, especially the Captain's daughter, Sen, who has a thing for Everett and talks in Palari, are engaging and fun to spend time with. But the real surprise package was the character arc involving Everett's evil cyborg twin back on our Earth. With the real Everett elsewhere, Everett M (as he's referred to) finds himself living his twin's life. And rather than sabotage that life or threaten Everett's mother and daughter, Everett M sees an opportunity to make a home from himself. There's something empowering and redemptive about Everett M's attempts to be a better cyborg / person while hiding his true nature from everyone he knows.
Best of all McDonald gives us a climax that's genuinely satisfying (even though a number of plot threads are not resolved) The ending - which I won't spoil - is so cinematic you can imagine the CGI and you can smell the popcorn.
Empress of the Sun is fantastic stuff. Not deep and meaningful (though there are some nice discussions about making tough choices and taking responsibility for your actions) but so very fun. The sort of fun that will have you laughing with excitement and regretting that you started with Book Three.
Empress of the Sun (book three in the Everness series) couldn't be different. That's not say it's thin in terms of character and plot and ideas. Just the opposite. McDonald has brought one of his great strengths, his vivid imagination, and applied it to the Young Adult oeuvre. But he's also pared down his writing style (there's still some beautiful passages but it doesn't have the richness of the adult novels) and, more importantly, he's put the foot down on the accelerator. While books like Brasyl and The Dervish House have their moments of action and adventure and drama and tension, they don't compare to the unstoppable rollercoaster that is Empress of the Sun. You can tell that McDonald is having an absolute blast writing this book, allowing his inner twelve-year-old to inspire some magnificent set pieces.
I haven't read the first two novels in the series - I know, shame on me - but without stuffing the reader with backstory and exposition, McDonald doesn't leave the newbie reader stranded. Basically, parallel worlds exist and a small number of the "known" worlds, or Earths, can be accessed by gates. Everett Singh's Dad has come up with a device that allows a person to access a parallel world without needing to use a gate. For certain nefarious characters in the multiverse, specifically Charlotte Villiers, this technology will give the wielder great influence and power. At some point, I assume early in the first novel, Everett's father goes missing - Charlotte uses a "jump gun" to send him into the multiverse without an anchor - and Everett steals away his father's invention. The series then follows Everett as he (a) searches for his lost father (b) evades capture from Charlotte and her henchman (c) meets the Captain of a zeppelin called the Everness - from a multiple Earth where fossil fuel was never discovered (in other words steampunk Earth) - and with the crew of the Everness gets into all sorts of shenanigans involving a plague of nanobots, alien technology and an evil cyborg twin. Oh, and Everett also happens to be a polymath - as smart as his Dad, or smarter - which is helpful when you're in a tight scrape and you need someone who can knock out a life-saving algorithm in a matter of moments.
In Empress of the Sun, Everett and the crew of the Everness, escaping the clutches of Charlotte, find themselves on a parallel world where Earth has been replaced with a ginormous discworld (and yes, McDonald can't help but lovingly reference Pratchett). On that discworld they discover... yes, you guessed it... intelligent dinosaurs who have spent millions and millions of years (a) perfecting the sort of technology that allows you to build a discworld in the first place and (b) fighting amongst each other. And that's just scraping the surface of the barmy ideas on display. None of them seem brand new, I'm sure someone else has written an SF story involving smart dinosaurs, but in the hands of McDonald they feel like they've been given a fresh coat of paint. A colour that's bright and exciting and vibrant.
What I found astounding is how quickly I was drawn into the narrative even though I'd not read the first two books. Everett and the crew of the Everness, especially the Captain's daughter, Sen, who has a thing for Everett and talks in Palari, are engaging and fun to spend time with. But the real surprise package was the character arc involving Everett's evil cyborg twin back on our Earth. With the real Everett elsewhere, Everett M (as he's referred to) finds himself living his twin's life. And rather than sabotage that life or threaten Everett's mother and daughter, Everett M sees an opportunity to make a home from himself. There's something empowering and redemptive about Everett M's attempts to be a better cyborg / person while hiding his true nature from everyone he knows.
Best of all McDonald gives us a climax that's genuinely satisfying (even though a number of plot threads are not resolved) The ending - which I won't spoil - is so cinematic you can imagine the CGI and you can smell the popcorn.
Empress of the Sun is fantastic stuff. Not deep and meaningful (though there are some nice discussions about making tough choices and taking responsibility for your actions) but so very fun. The sort of fun that will have you laughing with excitement and regretting that you started with Book Three.
July 1, 2018
Wonderfully ridiculous and highly entetaining
March 1, 2014
We've been to some strange, yet slightly familiar places in the Everness series before. We've seen an Earh where everything runs on electricity and airships are an important means of transport. We've been to an Earth with alien intelligence on the moon and an Earth infested with an all devouring nano technology. But the place Everett takes the crew of the Everness next beats everything. While trying to find Everett’s dad they get stuck in an exotic forest with strange creatures. Everett soon thinks there is something truly weird about the place, especially when he sees the sun doesn’t follow the same path as it does on all of the other Earth’s he’s visited so far.
The crew of the Everness is confronted with the Jiju, a species millennia older than human beings. They are what would have happened when the dinosaurs hadn’t been wiped out, but had the chance to evolve. They have no idea what to expect from these creatures that learn their language and voice timbre in mere seconds. As a reader we have reason to be scared for our favourite airship crew, because for the first time ever Charlotte Villiers shows some uncertainty and fear when she finds out where the Everness has gone next. Are these Jiju such a threat?
‘Empress of the Sun’ was another exhilarating ride in the Everness Series. I loved it just as much as the previous two books, I might even love it a little more. I might even go as far as saying that I think this one is the best book of the three.
Sen keeps stealing more little pieces of my heart in every book. In this one I enjoyed her character immensely. In my opinion, Sen shows a lot of growth. She still has her sassy ways, but she is such a strong person and that really shows in this book. During their adventure on the plane inhabited by the Jiju she has to face some real tough decisions and overcome fears to save the people she loves. And she deals with it splendidly. Everett again has to face equally daunting decision, but Everett is still Everett, so he overthinks every choice he makes and doubts the roads he chose to take.
I also enjoyed finding out more about Everett M who is currently staying on Earth 10 in Everett’s place. Especially his interaction with Ryun was great to read about. Everett M goes through a transformation of his own during ‘Empress of the Sun’ and I liked how he turned out at the end of it. Everett M is still recognizable as Everett, but has some different traits, that Ryun recognizes as well. I think this is a great writing accomplishment from the author, making a character that is basically the same and gives that feeling of familiarity, but make that character just different enough to see them as separate, distinguishable people.
The writing is fantastic, as I’ve come to expect after the last two books. All of McDonalds’ books read so easily and are real pageturners. I’m always surprised how many pages I’ve read without even realizing it, after I close the book. This one wasn’t any different, the story just sucks you in.
Another thing that I thought was great about this book is the entire new world and civilization the author has come up with again and how he used it in his story. I’m very impressed with how he can keep the story interesting book after book and coming up with new elements that are still believable and not tedious.
I was a bit doubtful if there was a future for the Everness series after this book. I thought that every possible road the author could have taken was already explored in all the three books. But then the ending came and I was proven wrong. I can’t wait to find out what that was all about!
The crew of the Everness is confronted with the Jiju, a species millennia older than human beings. They are what would have happened when the dinosaurs hadn’t been wiped out, but had the chance to evolve. They have no idea what to expect from these creatures that learn their language and voice timbre in mere seconds. As a reader we have reason to be scared for our favourite airship crew, because for the first time ever Charlotte Villiers shows some uncertainty and fear when she finds out where the Everness has gone next. Are these Jiju such a threat?
‘Empress of the Sun’ was another exhilarating ride in the Everness Series. I loved it just as much as the previous two books, I might even love it a little more. I might even go as far as saying that I think this one is the best book of the three.
Sen keeps stealing more little pieces of my heart in every book. In this one I enjoyed her character immensely. In my opinion, Sen shows a lot of growth. She still has her sassy ways, but she is such a strong person and that really shows in this book. During their adventure on the plane inhabited by the Jiju she has to face some real tough decisions and overcome fears to save the people she loves. And she deals with it splendidly. Everett again has to face equally daunting decision, but Everett is still Everett, so he overthinks every choice he makes and doubts the roads he chose to take.
I also enjoyed finding out more about Everett M who is currently staying on Earth 10 in Everett’s place. Especially his interaction with Ryun was great to read about. Everett M goes through a transformation of his own during ‘Empress of the Sun’ and I liked how he turned out at the end of it. Everett M is still recognizable as Everett, but has some different traits, that Ryun recognizes as well. I think this is a great writing accomplishment from the author, making a character that is basically the same and gives that feeling of familiarity, but make that character just different enough to see them as separate, distinguishable people.
The writing is fantastic, as I’ve come to expect after the last two books. All of McDonalds’ books read so easily and are real pageturners. I’m always surprised how many pages I’ve read without even realizing it, after I close the book. This one wasn’t any different, the story just sucks you in.
Another thing that I thought was great about this book is the entire new world and civilization the author has come up with again and how he used it in his story. I’m very impressed with how he can keep the story interesting book after book and coming up with new elements that are still believable and not tedious.
I was a bit doubtful if there was a future for the Everness series after this book. I thought that every possible road the author could have taken was already explored in all the three books. But then the ending came and I was proven wrong. I can’t wait to find out what that was all about!
February 8, 2014
So I received this as an ARC but I haven't had the time to read it until recently. I hadn't read the first two books, but it seemed interesting and I thought that good sequels could still be enjoyed to their full extent without reading the first books, as long as you keep that in mind and realize that every mention to previous events you might not understand.
So that said, I found this book enjoyable, with a cool concept and interesting characters.
In short, the sci-fi world development was great, the sci-fi action easily the best part, obviously. However, the 'other' stuff was clearly not as strong, and I think I would have preferred an amazing completely sci-fi action novel rather than something that tried being well-rounded and didn't quite make it there.
Detailed things to note:
1. It seems targeted towards stereotypical teenage guys or something, and being a female, there were parts that just seemed so awkward it first made me think that must be how guys must feel when they read YA fiction with female main characters written by female authors, but then I realized umm no, there are loads of books like that that are enjoyed equally by everyone, and I've read loads of books with male main characters written by male authors that have felt completely realistic without being awkward...
2. Some plot developments just seemed to come out of nowhere, but I'm assuming they were continuing a plot thread from previous books, and they were easily acceptable.
3. The aliens were pretty darn cool, and felt like a good mix of humanity and not. The humans from other worlds were also very well developed, and I never felt confused, which is especially impressive considering I started on the third book.
4. The sci-fi tech was also really cool, and all felt well explained, enough that it felt like it could be real. Even the stuff I didn't really understand, it was obvious it was because it was a big part of previous books, and I understood the basic gist, enough to know what I should feel about it.
5. The alternate-world vocabulary was extremely hard to get used to, but it makes perfect sense - what wouldn't have made sense was if everyone in all the worlds spoke English. It does seem like I could have used more translations/explanations, especially because the main character speaks our English, but again, this is the third book, and there is a glossary at the back.
6. The characters at 'home' seemed a lot more underdeveloped than the ones that had direct contact with the sci-fi world(s). A lot less complex and just seemed less intelligent, but that might have been the point...
7. It first appears to be a pretty short read, but with the thing paper and really small font (most likely this is because it's an ARC) it was a lot longer than I expected, and it felt that way too. The plot was really interesting, and I really wanted to know what happens next - I never felt so discouraged that I put it aside or anything - but it did seem like there was too much STUFF in between the really interesting events. I wanted, or rather expected, a fast exciting read, but it was pretty slow and seemed to want to not just focus on the main plot, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY FINE, and something a couple other authors really need to learn, but it just seemed to be stretched a bit too far here.
So that said, I found this book enjoyable, with a cool concept and interesting characters.
In short, the sci-fi world development was great, the sci-fi action easily the best part, obviously. However, the 'other' stuff was clearly not as strong, and I think I would have preferred an amazing completely sci-fi action novel rather than something that tried being well-rounded and didn't quite make it there.
Detailed things to note:
1. It seems targeted towards stereotypical teenage guys or something, and being a female, there were parts that just seemed so awkward it first made me think that must be how guys must feel when they read YA fiction with female main characters written by female authors, but then I realized umm no, there are loads of books like that that are enjoyed equally by everyone, and I've read loads of books with male main characters written by male authors that have felt completely realistic without being awkward...
2. Some plot developments just seemed to come out of nowhere, but I'm assuming they were continuing a plot thread from previous books, and they were easily acceptable.
3. The aliens were pretty darn cool, and felt like a good mix of humanity and not. The humans from other worlds were also very well developed, and I never felt confused, which is especially impressive considering I started on the third book.
4. The sci-fi tech was also really cool, and all felt well explained, enough that it felt like it could be real. Even the stuff I didn't really understand, it was obvious it was because it was a big part of previous books, and I understood the basic gist, enough to know what I should feel about it.
5. The alternate-world vocabulary was extremely hard to get used to, but it makes perfect sense - what wouldn't have made sense was if everyone in all the worlds spoke English. It does seem like I could have used more translations/explanations, especially because the main character speaks our English, but again, this is the third book, and there is a glossary at the back.
6. The characters at 'home' seemed a lot more underdeveloped than the ones that had direct contact with the sci-fi world(s). A lot less complex and just seemed less intelligent, but that might have been the point...
7. It first appears to be a pretty short read, but with the thing paper and really small font (most likely this is because it's an ARC) it was a lot longer than I expected, and it felt that way too. The plot was really interesting, and I really wanted to know what happens next - I never felt so discouraged that I put it aside or anything - but it did seem like there was too much STUFF in between the really interesting events. I wanted, or rather expected, a fast exciting read, but it was pretty slow and seemed to want to not just focus on the main plot, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY FINE, and something a couple other authors really need to learn, but it just seemed to be stretched a bit too far here.
January 9, 2014
Empress of the Sun by Ian McDonald
A review by Jeanette Greaves
The series that started with 'Planesrunner' and continued with 'Be My Enemy' continues at a rollicking pace with the third novel 'Empress of the Sun'. It would not be wise to treat it as a stand alone novel; it hangs upon, and draws on, the events in the previous two books, so leaping in mid series is not advised. That said, going back to read the first two books is hardly a task to be avoided, but an initiation to enjoy.
A young adult novel that brings together alternate universes, steam-punk, lizard queens and a massive feat of space engineering needs a sure hand at the wheel, and thankfully, in Ian McDonald, it gets one. Ian is not afraid to give his characters and ideas time to gel together, making 'Empress of the Sun' a satisfyingly chunky read.
The book picks up the twin tales of two teenage boys, Everett Singh and his alter Everett M Singh, an almost identical boy from an alternate Earth. Everett Singh is the son of a physicist who, having discovered how to travel between different universes, has been exiled by those who are threatened by his invention, and want it for themselves. That invention, the Infundibulum, has been downloaded onto Everett's iPad and launched him (and the crew of the airship 'Everness') into the many adventures that are documented in the series. The alter, Everett M, has been engineered and blackmailed to fight against Everett. The boys are physically identical enough that Everett M fits convincingly into Everett's world, where he spends the duration of the book. He shows himself to be, like his alter, a strong and inventive teenager who survives challenges from several quarters, growing and maturing in the process. The story follows three main characters – the two Everetts, and the ruthless Charlotte Villiers, a power hungry steam-punk villain from another alternate Earth. McDonald handles the multiple viewpoints well, making Villiers' actions understandable whilst keeping her character an unsympathetic one.
Although the book is populated by a variety of interesting characters, the show is almost stolen by the landscape and setting of the world into which Everett and his friends crash at the start of the book. It is a richly drawn and fantastic world, utterly unlike any of the Earths that we have previously seen in this series, and its evolutionary history has led to a precariously balanced civilisation that is on the edge of extinction. The addition of Everett and his friends from the Everness to the volatile mix brings about a situation that threatens the whole of humanity.
The paths of the two boys take an interesting turn, initially we are presented with the idea that Everett Singh is the hero, and Everett M the villain, but as the story progresses, both boys are changed by their experiences, and we are challenged to reconsider our ideas.
The adventures in the book are brought to a satisfying close, but we know that the main story arc still has a lot of potential, and at the end of the book we get an intriguing taster for the fourth book in the series.
Empress of the Sun is out now, published by Jo Fletcher Books.
A review by Jeanette Greaves
The series that started with 'Planesrunner' and continued with 'Be My Enemy' continues at a rollicking pace with the third novel 'Empress of the Sun'. It would not be wise to treat it as a stand alone novel; it hangs upon, and draws on, the events in the previous two books, so leaping in mid series is not advised. That said, going back to read the first two books is hardly a task to be avoided, but an initiation to enjoy.
A young adult novel that brings together alternate universes, steam-punk, lizard queens and a massive feat of space engineering needs a sure hand at the wheel, and thankfully, in Ian McDonald, it gets one. Ian is not afraid to give his characters and ideas time to gel together, making 'Empress of the Sun' a satisfyingly chunky read.
The book picks up the twin tales of two teenage boys, Everett Singh and his alter Everett M Singh, an almost identical boy from an alternate Earth. Everett Singh is the son of a physicist who, having discovered how to travel between different universes, has been exiled by those who are threatened by his invention, and want it for themselves. That invention, the Infundibulum, has been downloaded onto Everett's iPad and launched him (and the crew of the airship 'Everness') into the many adventures that are documented in the series. The alter, Everett M, has been engineered and blackmailed to fight against Everett. The boys are physically identical enough that Everett M fits convincingly into Everett's world, where he spends the duration of the book. He shows himself to be, like his alter, a strong and inventive teenager who survives challenges from several quarters, growing and maturing in the process. The story follows three main characters – the two Everetts, and the ruthless Charlotte Villiers, a power hungry steam-punk villain from another alternate Earth. McDonald handles the multiple viewpoints well, making Villiers' actions understandable whilst keeping her character an unsympathetic one.
Although the book is populated by a variety of interesting characters, the show is almost stolen by the landscape and setting of the world into which Everett and his friends crash at the start of the book. It is a richly drawn and fantastic world, utterly unlike any of the Earths that we have previously seen in this series, and its evolutionary history has led to a precariously balanced civilisation that is on the edge of extinction. The addition of Everett and his friends from the Everness to the volatile mix brings about a situation that threatens the whole of humanity.
The paths of the two boys take an interesting turn, initially we are presented with the idea that Everett Singh is the hero, and Everett M the villain, but as the story progresses, both boys are changed by their experiences, and we are challenged to reconsider our ideas.
The adventures in the book are brought to a satisfying close, but we know that the main story arc still has a lot of potential, and at the end of the book we get an intriguing taster for the fourth book in the series.
Empress of the Sun is out now, published by Jo Fletcher Books.
December 26, 2016
[3.5 stars] This is the last currently published book in the Young Adult "Everness" series, though it seems that there are more to go. Free to continue the search for his father, Everett and the crew of the Everness head to yet another parallel universe -- and run into trouble. The Everness crashes into terrain that no one expected to be there, and the group finds itself to be shipwrecked on a planet that isn't a planet all, but an immense disc. Nor is the dominant species, they discover, even human, but a very advanced reptilian race called the JiJu, who are constantly waging war on each other.
Meanwhile, Everett M continues to impersonate his alter back on Earth 10 (i.e. our Earth) and finds himself developing attachments to his alter's family and friends. This plot thread reads more as teen drama than anything that came before in the series, with Everett M dealing with a suspicious friend, a crush on a girl, and the temptation to use his superpowers for attention. Similar elements show up in the "real" Everett's plotline, where he feels befuddled by Sen's mercurial behavior towards him (to be honest, she is a rather annoying character). I suspect that McDonald may have been reading a few teen dramas himself for inspiration.
The two Everetts remain in separate storylines for the duration. On the disc world (of course, there's a nod to Terry Pratchett in there), our hero and friends find themselves caught in the inter-clan Jiju conflict. One clan, which has mind-reading abilities, quickly works out that the Infindibulum would be useful to its ambitions to rule the entire disc. It takes all the wits of Everett and his friends to stop the Jiju as they launch an invasion into the other universes of the Panoply.
The action in the Everett M thread, in which he tracks down a Nahn (nanotechnology) infestation that he inadvertently let loose near London, isn't quite as thrilling, though he does become a sympathetic character. Luckily, the overall story remains imaginative, with McDonald giving us a taste of other worlds in the Panoply, and bit more perspective from other characters in the series.
This book might be a little weaker than the others, with its rushed ending and a few familiar "Hollywood" tropes, such as some hand-wavery around mathematics and computer hacking. Also, some of the pop culture references are going to be dated very soon. But, as with the previous books, McDonald tactfully sneaks in grown-up issues and questions. Everett, though his own person, finds reasons to consider matters of identity, boundaries between friends, politics, and moral responsibility that are relatable to most teens. Overall, it's enjoyable to see an author who has already made a name for himself in the "adult" world deploy his talents in the YA space, where the constraints of plotting can challenge a writer to be creative in other ways.
Overall, I'd recommend the series to anyone young at heart who likes pulpy but smart sci-fi adventure. As before, I'll point out that these books are geared more towards adolescents than young kids.
Meanwhile, Everett M continues to impersonate his alter back on Earth 10 (i.e. our Earth) and finds himself developing attachments to his alter's family and friends. This plot thread reads more as teen drama than anything that came before in the series, with Everett M dealing with a suspicious friend, a crush on a girl, and the temptation to use his superpowers for attention. Similar elements show up in the "real" Everett's plotline, where he feels befuddled by Sen's mercurial behavior towards him (to be honest, she is a rather annoying character). I suspect that McDonald may have been reading a few teen dramas himself for inspiration.
The two Everetts remain in separate storylines for the duration. On the disc world (of course, there's a nod to Terry Pratchett in there), our hero and friends find themselves caught in the inter-clan Jiju conflict. One clan, which has mind-reading abilities, quickly works out that the Infindibulum would be useful to its ambitions to rule the entire disc. It takes all the wits of Everett and his friends to stop the Jiju as they launch an invasion into the other universes of the Panoply.
The action in the Everett M thread, in which he tracks down a Nahn (nanotechnology) infestation that he inadvertently let loose near London, isn't quite as thrilling, though he does become a sympathetic character. Luckily, the overall story remains imaginative, with McDonald giving us a taste of other worlds in the Panoply, and bit more perspective from other characters in the series.
This book might be a little weaker than the others, with its rushed ending and a few familiar "Hollywood" tropes, such as some hand-wavery around mathematics and computer hacking. Also, some of the pop culture references are going to be dated very soon. But, as with the previous books, McDonald tactfully sneaks in grown-up issues and questions. Everett, though his own person, finds reasons to consider matters of identity, boundaries between friends, politics, and moral responsibility that are relatable to most teens. Overall, it's enjoyable to see an author who has already made a name for himself in the "adult" world deploy his talents in the YA space, where the constraints of plotting can challenge a writer to be creative in other ways.
Overall, I'd recommend the series to anyone young at heart who likes pulpy but smart sci-fi adventure. As before, I'll point out that these books are geared more towards adolescents than young kids.
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