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Under the Skin
After narrowly avoiding catastrophe on the world’s first space colony, humanity struggles to redefine itself. Logan, Druce, and the crew try to remain neutral. But tensions are mounting, and when Logan gets separated from the others, they will have to decide where their loyalties lie. As Logan’s longtime battle with her own identity comes to a head, she will find the fate of humanity lies in the balance.
- GenresScience Fiction
Unknown Binding
Published June 23, 2018
10 people want to read
About the author
E.B. Dawson
36 books145 followersI grew up in Southeast Asia. My first experience with America was when I was six years old. Sometimes I amuse my friends by telling them stories of my first impressions of this country (clean bathrooms, Toy Story, Taco Bell, getting lost in department stores).
My family moved to California when I was eleven and completely changed the course of my life. On the outside I'm a well-adjusted American adult, but in all honesty some days I still wake up to the sound of the grass being cut by machetes.
I have traveled a fair amount and lived in four separate countries. I see the world very differently from most people that I know. And because I am an analytical introvert I try to understand everything in my life. I pour this into my writing.
Everything I write is deeply personal to me. People who know me well recognize the shadows of people I've met, experiences I've had, and emotions I've walked through in my writing. My goal is not just to entertain and explore imaginary worlds, but to take the reader on a journey that explores difficult questions and instills some sort of hope.
My family moved to California when I was eleven and completely changed the course of my life. On the outside I'm a well-adjusted American adult, but in all honesty some days I still wake up to the sound of the grass being cut by machetes.
I have traveled a fair amount and lived in four separate countries. I see the world very differently from most people that I know. And because I am an analytical introvert I try to understand everything in my life. I pour this into my writing.
Everything I write is deeply personal to me. People who know me well recognize the shadows of people I've met, experiences I've had, and emotions I've walked through in my writing. My goal is not just to entertain and explore imaginary worlds, but to take the reader on a journey that explores difficult questions and instills some sort of hope.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 15, 2018
I don't even know where to start with this review, so I'm going to begin by talking about Logan, one of my absolute favorite characters. Her development in this novel was both impressive and heart-breaking. We see her grapple with issues of fear, isolation, and identity. As always, Dawson looks at all of these topics in thoughtful, multi-faceted ways. Logan's character development was heightened by how she interacted with multiple other characters (all of whom I love), but was also inextricably connected to the plot. That is brilliant writing right there.
I also loved how this novel upheld multiple disabled (or, in some cases, differently-abled) characters. I'm not going to touch on specific ones because of spoilers, but the disabilities all have unique sci-fi spins to them, while also still being amazing, respectful representations. It was one of my favorite parts of the book.
As to the overall picture of the novel: This book is on an even larger scale than book 2. It contains so many characters and so many new plot points, but they all weave together perfectly. The scope of this series blew my mind. And I was also happy that much of this book was either set in places from Jack's past, or in . SO cool.
Everything about this book was amazing to me: The character development, the thought-provoking themes, the pacing, the setting, the sci-fi elements. It was the perfect book 3.
I also loved how this novel upheld multiple disabled (or, in some cases, differently-abled) characters. I'm not going to touch on specific ones because of spoilers, but the disabilities all have unique sci-fi spins to them, while also still being amazing, respectful representations. It was one of my favorite parts of the book.
As to the overall picture of the novel: This book is on an even larger scale than book 2. It contains so many characters and so many new plot points, but they all weave together perfectly. The scope of this series blew my mind. And I was also happy that much of this book was either set in places from Jack's past, or in . SO cool.
Everything about this book was amazing to me: The character development, the thought-provoking themes, the pacing, the setting, the sci-fi elements. It was the perfect book 3.
December 13, 2018
4.5 rounding up to 5!
If COJ were in the MCU, structurally it would be somewhat like the Avengers trilogy. The first installment is all about laying the foundation, the second gets really intense and really fleshes out the characters and their interactions, and the third stomps on your heart (well, they all actually do that. But you get the point!) and crushes you with its ambition. Because boy was it brutal (in a good way). This one doesn't shy away from getting messy. The characters do some really gritty, damaging things, the lines between good side and bad side become even more blurred, and you're constantly left guessing if all the main characters are gonna make it out alive. This installment truly takes things up a notch!
In addition to its ambition, Under the Skin also takes its characters to some very interesting places. Jack has to adjust to being blind and being in-laws with a rather unstable family, Druce's backstory is finally fleshed out, showing us a slightly different side to him, and Crafton and Jesse are both given expanded roles, developing them even further.
The plot itself is brilliant! It very organically builds off many threads from previous books in the series, weaving them all into one interlocking conflict. I can't really dwell much on the plot without giving away some major spoilers, but suffice it to say, it's out of this world!!
As far as themes go, this story continues the conversation of what it means to be human and whether or not technological advancement takes away some of humanity's core, and, my favorite, how much of yourself can come back when you've been damaged (In the mental sense, not the physical. Mostly). Dawson continues to take these themes and tackle them head on from all different angles, while also continuing to throw more into the mix, and letting each answer to a question sprout more. The ending particularly opens up a whole new avenue of them, leaving me absolutely hooked and wondering what will happen next.
As far as critiques go, I feel like the book had a slight lack of character chemistry, some of the plot points confused me a little, and we still didn't get Gregson's backstory (you can't just leave is hanging after that whiff you gave us in book 2 😭). However, these are very minor qualms, and don't affect the overall quality of the story much.
In short, Under the Skin is a fantastic and ambitious continuation of the COJ saga! And I can't wait to see where book 3 takes us!
If COJ were in the MCU, structurally it would be somewhat like the Avengers trilogy. The first installment is all about laying the foundation, the second gets really intense and really fleshes out the characters and their interactions, and the third stomps on your heart (well, they all actually do that. But you get the point!) and crushes you with its ambition. Because boy was it brutal (in a good way). This one doesn't shy away from getting messy. The characters do some really gritty, damaging things, the lines between good side and bad side become even more blurred, and you're constantly left guessing if all the main characters are gonna make it out alive. This installment truly takes things up a notch!
In addition to its ambition, Under the Skin also takes its characters to some very interesting places. Jack has to adjust to being blind and being in-laws with a rather unstable family, Druce's backstory is finally fleshed out, showing us a slightly different side to him, and Crafton and Jesse are both given expanded roles, developing them even further.
The plot itself is brilliant! It very organically builds off many threads from previous books in the series, weaving them all into one interlocking conflict. I can't really dwell much on the plot without giving away some major spoilers, but suffice it to say, it's out of this world!!
As far as themes go, this story continues the conversation of what it means to be human and whether or not technological advancement takes away some of humanity's core, and, my favorite, how much of yourself can come back when you've been damaged (In the mental sense, not the physical. Mostly). Dawson continues to take these themes and tackle them head on from all different angles, while also continuing to throw more into the mix, and letting each answer to a question sprout more. The ending particularly opens up a whole new avenue of them, leaving me absolutely hooked and wondering what will happen next.
As far as critiques go, I feel like the book had a slight lack of character chemistry, some of the plot points confused me a little, and we still didn't get Gregson's backstory (you can't just leave is hanging after that whiff you gave us in book 2 😭). However, these are very minor qualms, and don't affect the overall quality of the story much.
In short, Under the Skin is a fantastic and ambitious continuation of the COJ saga! And I can't wait to see where book 3 takes us!
July 2, 2018
The "Creation of Jack" series so far has been filled with action, politics, and characters you have come to adore, and Under the Skin is no exception. The stakes were higher, the action was more intense (yes, it is actually possible), and you got to get to know some of the other characters more, like Druce and Crafton. Something I have been wanting to see since "Out of Darkness," and that Dawson has slowly been delivering, piece by piece. I say slowly, but it's clearer in each book that she does this deliberately so that each character has a chance to shine, despite the chaos going on.
As for the plot, I have already mentioned that the stakes are higher. But what I was very impressed with was the overall arc that Dawson has been forming. I already knew she could write well-developed characters and plots, but the way that each book seems to naturally tie together plot threads from the previous books is incredible. That being said, the book stands well on its own merit. What I like about Dawson's books is that they make you ask questions. There is a lot of gray areas and you can't count on one character to magically come up with the answer. Multiple sides of issues are presented by characters we both love and hate, and no one is perfect. Each has their own respective points. It's up to the reader to decide where they stand.
Fair warning: don't think everything is wrapped in a nice, neat little bow. There are new questions that arise and that I am impatiently waiting to be answered in book 4. But I have every confidence that Dawson will, whether in the next book or in future books of the series.
In short, this is an amazing addition to the "Creation of Jack" series, and I would highly recommend the book and this series.
As for the plot, I have already mentioned that the stakes are higher. But what I was very impressed with was the overall arc that Dawson has been forming. I already knew she could write well-developed characters and plots, but the way that each book seems to naturally tie together plot threads from the previous books is incredible. That being said, the book stands well on its own merit. What I like about Dawson's books is that they make you ask questions. There is a lot of gray areas and you can't count on one character to magically come up with the answer. Multiple sides of issues are presented by characters we both love and hate, and no one is perfect. Each has their own respective points. It's up to the reader to decide where they stand.
Fair warning: don't think everything is wrapped in a nice, neat little bow. There are new questions that arise and that I am impatiently waiting to be answered in book 4. But I have every confidence that Dawson will, whether in the next book or in future books of the series.
In short, this is an amazing addition to the "Creation of Jack" series, and I would highly recommend the book and this series.
April 12, 2021
What an ending! Still reeling from everything that happened in book three! There were definitely some character choices that made me mad and several that made me sad. But I love how each character feels like a real person, acting on their emotions and making decisions out of their places of pain and fear. I’ve come to love many of these broken people, and I’m hoping to see some mended relationships come about in the final book.
I’m enjoying how the full story in this series is progressively becoming clearer as the details and backstories are coming to light. I love the science fiction elements and I’m looking forward to finding out how the world recovers from the outcome in this book. So many things to anticipate in book four!
I’m enjoying how the full story in this series is progressively becoming clearer as the details and backstories are coming to light. I love the science fiction elements and I’m looking forward to finding out how the world recovers from the outcome in this book. So many things to anticipate in book four!
April 13, 2020
SECOND READING:
This book wrestles with what it means to be human in a beautiful, honest, complex way. Each of the characters gets a chance to shine here—even Saito and Clayworth. But my favorite part was how, despite unimaginably awful things that these characters go through, Dawson still manages to end the story with a sense of healing and hope. I feel like I got to grieve with the team and find a bit of comfort myself in these pages.
FIRST READING:
I've taken three days after finishing this book to try to figure out what to say about this book, and the only way I can think of starting is:
This book is beautiful.
I started Under the Skin right after re-reading Out of Darkness and Into the Void, and the story picks up where they left off. Like Into the Void, Under the Skin leaves behind the non-linear storytelling of Out of Darkness but continues to shed light on the events and characters of that book.
First, from a writer's perspective: Under the Skin is a beautifully well-told story. Each character has his or her own motivations, and those motivations cause the conflicts in the story. The book covers a couple years in time but manages to keep a steady pace and guide the reader from moment to moment without jarring breaks or jolts. The settings are gorgeous and enthralling, with just enough detail for me to feel immersed in the world but not so much that it bogged down the story. Tension rises steadily--to the point where, in the last 1/8th of the book, I stayed up way too late reading because I simply couldn't put it down.
Above all, this book was a rich experience as a reader. I loved being reunited with characters I have fallen in love with in previous books, and I loved seeing them encounter new struggles and obstacles. The members of the team are all so different from each other, but I love how they work together and make each other stronger.
The characters struggled through new physical challenges, international tensions, romance, family issues, grief, and uncertain moral questions and took me right along with them. I cried beside them. I felt their successes and joys, their betrayals and loss. While many stories that deal with these issues leave me feeling bereft, like something's been taken from me when I finish, Under the Skin left me feeling like I've been given something, like I'm more whole as a human for having experienced suffering and come through it.
This book is a treasure and a gift. I recommend it to all fans of dystopias and science fiction, especially if you feel like you've lost more than you were willing to give or like the world asks you to give too much of yourself.
Dawson's books just keep getting better, and I look forward to more of Jack, Druce, and the gang with greatest anticipation.
This book wrestles with what it means to be human in a beautiful, honest, complex way. Each of the characters gets a chance to shine here—even Saito and Clayworth. But my favorite part was how, despite unimaginably awful things that these characters go through, Dawson still manages to end the story with a sense of healing and hope. I feel like I got to grieve with the team and find a bit of comfort myself in these pages.
FIRST READING:
I've taken three days after finishing this book to try to figure out what to say about this book, and the only way I can think of starting is:
This book is beautiful.
I started Under the Skin right after re-reading Out of Darkness and Into the Void, and the story picks up where they left off. Like Into the Void, Under the Skin leaves behind the non-linear storytelling of Out of Darkness but continues to shed light on the events and characters of that book.
First, from a writer's perspective: Under the Skin is a beautifully well-told story. Each character has his or her own motivations, and those motivations cause the conflicts in the story. The book covers a couple years in time but manages to keep a steady pace and guide the reader from moment to moment without jarring breaks or jolts. The settings are gorgeous and enthralling, with just enough detail for me to feel immersed in the world but not so much that it bogged down the story. Tension rises steadily--to the point where, in the last 1/8th of the book, I stayed up way too late reading because I simply couldn't put it down.
Above all, this book was a rich experience as a reader. I loved being reunited with characters I have fallen in love with in previous books, and I loved seeing them encounter new struggles and obstacles. The members of the team are all so different from each other, but I love how they work together and make each other stronger.
The characters struggled through new physical challenges, international tensions, romance, family issues, grief, and uncertain moral questions and took me right along with them. I cried beside them. I felt their successes and joys, their betrayals and loss. While many stories that deal with these issues leave me feeling bereft, like something's been taken from me when I finish, Under the Skin left me feeling like I've been given something, like I'm more whole as a human for having experienced suffering and come through it.
This book is a treasure and a gift. I recommend it to all fans of dystopias and science fiction, especially if you feel like you've lost more than you were willing to give or like the world asks you to give too much of yourself.
Dawson's books just keep getting better, and I look forward to more of Jack, Druce, and the gang with greatest anticipation.
June 25, 2018
This is probably my favorite book in the Creation of Jack Series. It's full of fast-paced action and *lots* of science fiction elements, definitely more than its predecessors. The characters are just as amazing as before with even more depth. Dawson is also a writer who doesn't pull punches! She bravely pushes her characters to their limits, physically and emotionally. She makes bold, unexpected moves that keep the book (and her characters lives) exciting.
September 21, 2018
*4.5 rounded to 5*
Like the rest of the books in this series, I have so many varied emotions after finishing it. There were times I wanted to bang my head on a wall when POVs shifted mid paragraph, but then all was forgiven when Wolf came on the scene. I have a thing for robotic animals, I guess.
So many good things about this book. The writing was clearer, the punctuation much better, and MAN. The story was just so, so good. My favorite of the series, for sure. Dawson has a way of sucking you into the character’s lives and forcing you to like them. Even the bad guys.
The themes are multi-layered and realistic, the story-line is easier to follow than the previous books, and the dialogue significantly better. Dawson REALLY shines by tackling subjects a lot of authors shy away from, sometimes head on and in your face, other times gently and with tact. She seems to know just when to apply the right emotion in a scene (well, the romance was a bit stale. But that’s not all that important to me, for the most part.)
The story is a bit slow for the first half of the book, but that seems to be a stylistic thing now that I’ve read a bit of the authors work. The second half is mind-bracingly fast, and the plot... well, it borders in brilliant. Logan is one of my favorite female characters I’ve read in a long time. Dawson avoids cliched tropes many authors fall into when writing heroines, making Logan entirely believable. I wish she was a real person:(
All that to say, loved it. Do yourself a favor and just read the whole series.
Like the rest of the books in this series, I have so many varied emotions after finishing it. There were times I wanted to bang my head on a wall when POVs shifted mid paragraph, but then all was forgiven when Wolf came on the scene. I have a thing for robotic animals, I guess.
So many good things about this book. The writing was clearer, the punctuation much better, and MAN. The story was just so, so good. My favorite of the series, for sure. Dawson has a way of sucking you into the character’s lives and forcing you to like them. Even the bad guys.
The themes are multi-layered and realistic, the story-line is easier to follow than the previous books, and the dialogue significantly better. Dawson REALLY shines by tackling subjects a lot of authors shy away from, sometimes head on and in your face, other times gently and with tact. She seems to know just when to apply the right emotion in a scene (well, the romance was a bit stale. But that’s not all that important to me, for the most part.)
The story is a bit slow for the first half of the book, but that seems to be a stylistic thing now that I’ve read a bit of the authors work. The second half is mind-bracingly fast, and the plot... well, it borders in brilliant. Logan is one of my favorite female characters I’ve read in a long time. Dawson avoids cliched tropes many authors fall into when writing heroines, making Logan entirely believable. I wish she was a real person:(
All that to say, loved it. Do yourself a favor and just read the whole series.
June 23, 2018
This is the third book in the Creation of Jack series. This book is so awesome. Though it features more Science Fiction aspects than the other books in the series, it doesn't lose those wonderful political and action twists that make this series such a fast-paced and exciting read. The characters are all so deep and powerful and the themes and messages are so powerful. There are a few passages in this book that made me read them over and over again because they were so beautiful.
If you enjoy The Expanse, Lost in Space, or Star Trek, you will definitely love this new addition to the Creation of Jack series.
If you enjoy The Expanse, Lost in Space, or Star Trek, you will definitely love this new addition to the Creation of Jack series.
August 4, 2021
This installment has some of the most painful and most beautiful moments of the whole series. Bailey and Finamore are my eternal favorites.
September 23, 2019
This was my favorite of the series yet! I was warned to have tissues nearby when reading it and boy did I need them!
Also, did it help that I was listening to sad music while reading? Probably not.
Anyway, great book!
I can't wait to read the next one. 😊
Also, did it help that I was listening to sad music while reading? Probably not.
Anyway, great book!
I can't wait to read the next one. 😊
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews