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gen:LOCK #1
Storm Warning: An AFK Book (gen:Lock)
The first-ever novel for gen:LOCK, the hit animated sci-fi series starring Michael B. Jordan, Dakota Fanning, David Tennant, and Maisie Williams!.
The last few months have been a whirlwind for Cammie MacCloud. Ever since she agreed to join the gen:LOCK program to help fight the Union, an authoritarian force threatening the world, she's been struggling to find her place in the group. As a 17-year-old genius hacker, she doesn't really fit in among the other four recruits: She can't shoot, she isn't the most graceful in the field, and her brash style doesn't exactly jibe with Command.
But Cammie notices things the others don't, and she has the skills to investigate when something feels off... like their latest mission, which finds them stranded at the center of a deadly storm with a Union spy in their midst.
Don't miss this epic, original novel from multiple award-winning author Melissa Scott and the gen:LOCK team!
The last few months have been a whirlwind for Cammie MacCloud. Ever since she agreed to join the gen:LOCK program to help fight the Union, an authoritarian force threatening the world, she's been struggling to find her place in the group. As a 17-year-old genius hacker, she doesn't really fit in among the other four recruits: She can't shoot, she isn't the most graceful in the field, and her brash style doesn't exactly jibe with Command.
But Cammie notices things the others don't, and she has the skills to investigate when something feels off... like their latest mission, which finds them stranded at the center of a deadly storm with a Union spy in their midst.
Don't miss this epic, original novel from multiple award-winning author Melissa Scott and the gen:LOCK team!
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2020
13 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Scott
100 books447 followersScott studied history at Harvard College and Brandeis University, and earned her PhD. in comparative history. She published her first novel in 1984, and has since written some two dozen science fiction and fantasy works, including three co-authored with her partner, Lisa A. Barnett.
Scott's work is known for the elaborate and well-constructed settings. While many of her protagonists are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, this is perfectly integrated into the rest of the story and is rarely a major focus of the story. Shadow Man, alone among Scott's works, focuses explicitly on issues of sexuality and gender.
She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction in 1986, and has won several Lambda Literary Awards.
In addition to writing, Scott also teaches writing, offering classes via her website and publishing a writing guide.
Scott lived with her partner, author Lisa A. Barnett, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for 27 years, until the latter's death of breast cancer on May 2, 2006.
Scott's work is known for the elaborate and well-constructed settings. While many of her protagonists are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, this is perfectly integrated into the rest of the story and is rarely a major focus of the story. Shadow Man, alone among Scott's works, focuses explicitly on issues of sexuality and gender.
She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction in 1986, and has won several Lambda Literary Awards.
In addition to writing, Scott also teaches writing, offering classes via her website and publishing a writing guide.
Scott lived with her partner, author Lisa A. Barnett, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for 27 years, until the latter's death of breast cancer on May 2, 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 25, 2021
I need to get my biggest qualm with this book out of the way. The writer is an older woman who has written a lot for older sci-fi series such as Star Trek and the like, and it shows. Her writing style is dated, older, and it makes reading this book a bit of a chore. Honestly, the fact I read it in under 4 hours (according to the app I used to read it) amazes me as it felt much longer. The writing isn't bad, but the prose is often written in the same manner as the following excerpt from the book, "The fog darted in again, but this time she was ready, met it with an expanding wall of fire that drove it back beyond the edge of the breach." You see that? The writer used 'met' rather than 'and she met,' and similar things happen throughout. It makes it very hard to follow what is happening sometimes. Now, to get onto more of my qualms before I can actually get into the good parts of this book. Firstly, I found at least 2 typos in the book, and while this could merely be the e-book I was reading, I somehow doubt it. One was a missing period or comma or something in a long string of Dialogue from Chase and another was the misspelling of Varden, the name of a major side character of the book. I don't know how the hell an editor could have missed those mistakes, they're small, but they're pretty damn noticeable when reading the book, and it completely ruins the moment when you do notice them.
Another issue I have with this book is a similar but less noticeable version of an issue I had with an audiobook I recently listened to. Doubt and back and forth trusting and believing for the sake of stretching length and building extra personal conflict and tension. In this case, the thing debated is whether or not there is a spy amongst the refugees or if Cammie and Valentina are just seeing things, and further, what should be done, if anything, to gain more evidence and to look further into the refugees. Now, it doesn't bother me all that much here, honestly, and that's because of the character study aspect of this story, because of Cammie and Valentina and Kazu and Chase all being such brilliant characters and them all feeling so real, so lively, and with their minds being laid out for you in such a brilliant and interesting way. You lose yourself in the characters, in how they feel, what they're thinking, and you forget that fact that they've been arguing over whether or not there actually is a Union spy in the group of refugees for most of the book now. And really, oddly enough, this writer of Sci-Fi stories does character drama and character behavior fantastically, and it's the best part of the entire book, without a doubt. The way she brings the characters to life and gets you entrenched in their emotions and struggles is something else.
As for larger writing issues, the writer has issues when it comes to fight scenes and describing locations. At the very beginning, I had a really hard time piecing together what was going on and when they were landing I found myself confused as to how the location was set up. When it comes to the fight scenes, they aren't necessarily bad, but they aren't great either. Figuring out what actions people are taking can be difficult with this writer's style and sometimes I feel like they forgot what the characters were doing, such as when Kazu is swinging a spider tank around and then is suddenly using his sword when the book never said he had got rid of the tank. Still, there are only two actual fights and one at the beginning and one at the end, so it doesn't really matter all that much, it can just be annoying. I have a similar issue with the scenes in the Ether because trying to comprehend what is actually happening can be rather annoying and tedious. The writer also has a bad habit of just kinda assuming you know what they're talking about, but while you're able to piece certain things together, doing so is, once again, tedious. This book in general is just kinda tedious, and believe me, I love this book to pieces, but really, it gets on one's nerves with ease. Finally, I feel like I need to say this and get it out of the way: Yaz is underutilized, but honestly, that's a problem in the main show as well.
Okay, so now that I'm done with the parts of this book that annoy and anger me I can get to the parts that I adore with all my heart. gen:LOCK has two main characters. Period. Cammie and Chase are the main characters and every other supposed 'main character' is secondary to them whilst the supporting cast is tertiary. This is just how things went, Chase and Cammie were the emotional core of the gen:LOCK story in the first season, Cammie had her growth, her childishness, her self-loathing, and, of course, her PTSD, while Chase was trying to get his life back while finding out terrible things about his past that he had never known before. Of these two storylines, Chase's is pretty well resolved, but what else there is is a story for the show to handle, something that CAN be handled outside of the show; however, is Cammie's PTSD. The gen:LOCK comics even focus on her PTSD, but they also do focus on Chase and Kazu as well, just to a lesser extent than they focus on Cammie. Here, though, the focus is almost entirely on Cammie, with the writer using the 3rd person limited perspective to get inside of her head, showing us all the dark corners of it, all while showing us what others are thinking about her and the situation in the brief moments we inhabit their minds rather than Cammie's. Not only does this mean that the emotional core of this book is strong as hell, but it also shows how amazing the writer is.
The writer shows that she completely understands gen:LOCK, she writes the characters perfectly, she expands the universe believably, she gets into everyone's heads with ease, and she even mimics the humor of the original show along the way. From including cute Kazu x Valentina moments to expanding on Cammie's trying not to curse, to how self-loathing and afraid Cammie is, how much she hates herself for having nightmares, for letting them get to her, how she is horribly trying to deal with it, why she won't try to deal with things in a more healthy manner, everything in gen:LOCK, everything that makes it as brilliant as it is, is in this book, and it's done perfectly. The writer knows and cares about the property she has expanded upon in novel form, and that is something special, that is something brilliant, and it shows. As much issue as I have with how this author writes, you will never find me complaining about her characterization, her dialogue. This book really is Cammie's, the cover and the summary don't lie, this book is all about her. Valentina sets her on her way, but Cammie is the one who the story is about, and the story plays to her strengths and weaknesses flawlessly because of that. Cammie is the weakest link of the team on the battlefield, but outside of it, despite her nightmares, she is the most valuable asset gen:LOCK has aside from the holons and Caliban.
Cammie is a hacker and she's the only member of the team who is. They have multiple pilots and soldiers, but only one hacker, and while Cammie might struggle on a battlefield, she proves herself in cyberspace, in the ether. This story uses the ether brilliantly, and as it expands on Cammie's past, tormenting her along the way, it shows just how capable she is online and just how brilliant and strong she is. God, I can't stress how well written Cammie is, she's just perfect in every way, and it makes the things she's feeling that much more visceral to the reader. Now, as for the story itself, it's basically what the summary says. The gen:LOCK team rescues some refugees and get stuck at a military base during a hellish storm only to being to question whether there could be a spy in the refugees' ranks. Valentina is the first to be suspicious, but Cammie is the one who uncovers the truth, who goes through Hell, puts herself on the line, to get the data needed to out the spy, the saboteur. And it costs her. She's constantly fighting not only the team, but herself as well, on if she and Valentina are just being overly suspicious or not, and along the way she messes up, she gets reprimanded, she gets scared and scarred, and by the end, she finds herself in a better place, but only barely, and not without new wounds in need of healing, at least mentally, that is.
I want nothing more than to give this book a 9/10, really, but you've seen the first half of this review, you know the many issues this book has, and I can't in good conscience give this book a 9/10 when I have so many valid complaints. This is a book that you could easily hate, and truthfully I'm amazed I haven't seen anybody bashing it yet. Still, I love this book with all my heart, and it saddens me to have to give it an 8/10 rather than a 9, but I've made up my mind and I'm not going to change it now. Read this book, enjoy it, but don't allow yourself to be blind to its flaws, its many flaws. We stan Cammie in this house, we always will, and this book clearly does too. How did I make my last book review as long as I did???
Another issue I have with this book is a similar but less noticeable version of an issue I had with an audiobook I recently listened to. Doubt and back and forth trusting and believing for the sake of stretching length and building extra personal conflict and tension. In this case, the thing debated is whether or not there is a spy amongst the refugees or if Cammie and Valentina are just seeing things, and further, what should be done, if anything, to gain more evidence and to look further into the refugees. Now, it doesn't bother me all that much here, honestly, and that's because of the character study aspect of this story, because of Cammie and Valentina and Kazu and Chase all being such brilliant characters and them all feeling so real, so lively, and with their minds being laid out for you in such a brilliant and interesting way. You lose yourself in the characters, in how they feel, what they're thinking, and you forget that fact that they've been arguing over whether or not there actually is a Union spy in the group of refugees for most of the book now. And really, oddly enough, this writer of Sci-Fi stories does character drama and character behavior fantastically, and it's the best part of the entire book, without a doubt. The way she brings the characters to life and gets you entrenched in their emotions and struggles is something else.
As for larger writing issues, the writer has issues when it comes to fight scenes and describing locations. At the very beginning, I had a really hard time piecing together what was going on and when they were landing I found myself confused as to how the location was set up. When it comes to the fight scenes, they aren't necessarily bad, but they aren't great either. Figuring out what actions people are taking can be difficult with this writer's style and sometimes I feel like they forgot what the characters were doing, such as when Kazu is swinging a spider tank around and then is suddenly using his sword when the book never said he had got rid of the tank. Still, there are only two actual fights and one at the beginning and one at the end, so it doesn't really matter all that much, it can just be annoying. I have a similar issue with the scenes in the Ether because trying to comprehend what is actually happening can be rather annoying and tedious. The writer also has a bad habit of just kinda assuming you know what they're talking about, but while you're able to piece certain things together, doing so is, once again, tedious. This book in general is just kinda tedious, and believe me, I love this book to pieces, but really, it gets on one's nerves with ease. Finally, I feel like I need to say this and get it out of the way: Yaz is underutilized, but honestly, that's a problem in the main show as well.
Okay, so now that I'm done with the parts of this book that annoy and anger me I can get to the parts that I adore with all my heart. gen:LOCK has two main characters. Period. Cammie and Chase are the main characters and every other supposed 'main character' is secondary to them whilst the supporting cast is tertiary. This is just how things went, Chase and Cammie were the emotional core of the gen:LOCK story in the first season, Cammie had her growth, her childishness, her self-loathing, and, of course, her PTSD, while Chase was trying to get his life back while finding out terrible things about his past that he had never known before. Of these two storylines, Chase's is pretty well resolved, but what else there is is a story for the show to handle, something that CAN be handled outside of the show; however, is Cammie's PTSD. The gen:LOCK comics even focus on her PTSD, but they also do focus on Chase and Kazu as well, just to a lesser extent than they focus on Cammie. Here, though, the focus is almost entirely on Cammie, with the writer using the 3rd person limited perspective to get inside of her head, showing us all the dark corners of it, all while showing us what others are thinking about her and the situation in the brief moments we inhabit their minds rather than Cammie's. Not only does this mean that the emotional core of this book is strong as hell, but it also shows how amazing the writer is.
The writer shows that she completely understands gen:LOCK, she writes the characters perfectly, she expands the universe believably, she gets into everyone's heads with ease, and she even mimics the humor of the original show along the way. From including cute Kazu x Valentina moments to expanding on Cammie's trying not to curse, to how self-loathing and afraid Cammie is, how much she hates herself for having nightmares, for letting them get to her, how she is horribly trying to deal with it, why she won't try to deal with things in a more healthy manner, everything in gen:LOCK, everything that makes it as brilliant as it is, is in this book, and it's done perfectly. The writer knows and cares about the property she has expanded upon in novel form, and that is something special, that is something brilliant, and it shows. As much issue as I have with how this author writes, you will never find me complaining about her characterization, her dialogue. This book really is Cammie's, the cover and the summary don't lie, this book is all about her. Valentina sets her on her way, but Cammie is the one who the story is about, and the story plays to her strengths and weaknesses flawlessly because of that. Cammie is the weakest link of the team on the battlefield, but outside of it, despite her nightmares, she is the most valuable asset gen:LOCK has aside from the holons and Caliban.
Cammie is a hacker and she's the only member of the team who is. They have multiple pilots and soldiers, but only one hacker, and while Cammie might struggle on a battlefield, she proves herself in cyberspace, in the ether. This story uses the ether brilliantly, and as it expands on Cammie's past, tormenting her along the way, it shows just how capable she is online and just how brilliant and strong she is. God, I can't stress how well written Cammie is, she's just perfect in every way, and it makes the things she's feeling that much more visceral to the reader. Now, as for the story itself, it's basically what the summary says. The gen:LOCK team rescues some refugees and get stuck at a military base during a hellish storm only to being to question whether there could be a spy in the refugees' ranks. Valentina is the first to be suspicious, but Cammie is the one who uncovers the truth, who goes through Hell, puts herself on the line, to get the data needed to out the spy, the saboteur. And it costs her. She's constantly fighting not only the team, but herself as well, on if she and Valentina are just being overly suspicious or not, and along the way she messes up, she gets reprimanded, she gets scared and scarred, and by the end, she finds herself in a better place, but only barely, and not without new wounds in need of healing, at least mentally, that is.
I want nothing more than to give this book a 9/10, really, but you've seen the first half of this review, you know the many issues this book has, and I can't in good conscience give this book a 9/10 when I have so many valid complaints. This is a book that you could easily hate, and truthfully I'm amazed I haven't seen anybody bashing it yet. Still, I love this book with all my heart, and it saddens me to have to give it an 8/10 rather than a 9, but I've made up my mind and I'm not going to change it now. Read this book, enjoy it, but don't allow yourself to be blind to its flaws, its many flaws. We stan Cammie in this house, we always will, and this book clearly does too. How did I make my last book review as long as I did???
September 28, 2020
I received a copy of Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) is the first novel to come out from an animated series that I personally adore. It may only be one season in, but I'm totally hooked. This first novel is set after the events of season one, and presumably before season two (cannot wait!).
With the Union ever gaining ground, the gen:LOCK program is one of the last remaining hopes for any semblance of freedom. Introduced in the first season of the series, the program allows five pilots to mentally enter and drive their holons – the best technology they have available.
Basically, they're five giant mechas with a whole lot of pressure on their shoulders. The novel takes a deeper look into the characters involved, paying special attention to the youngest member of the team, Cammie MacCloud.
Once upon a time, Cammie was a hacktivist. Then she got caught, and started serving her time by backing up the Polity. Then gen:LOCK found she was a match...and the rest, as they say, is history. Only, she was never trained to fight. Not like the others. That provides unique challenges, while also bringing about a different view on the same problems they all face.
“We've now received intel that Union forces are moving to intercept them. If they've got anything on the Union's use of the gen:LOCK technology-we want it. We need it, Chase.”
So, in case it wasn't obvious, I'm completely obsessed with gen:LOCK. I read the graphic novel that came out (if you haven't, you should too!), and piratically screamed when I found out that there was going to be a book focused on Cammie (one of my favorite characters).
To say that I was excited for Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) would be the understatement of the century. I devoured this book, no exaggeration. I read through it all in what felt like just a breath, but in reality was several thrilling hours.
Then I read it again. It was worth it. Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) is a novel full to the brim of details worth picking up on, especially for those gen:LOCK fans that are dying for any news about a second season.
Like the graphic novel, the book is set after the conclusion of season one. It also took the time to explore how everyone was handling what happened, though arguably it focused the most on Cammie and her obvious case of PTSD.
More than that, it provided yet another adventure for the gen:LOCK team. Though realistically, they wouldn't call it an adventure. What I really loved about this book is that it showcased just how different Cammie is from the rest of the team, and how that isn't a bad thing. She has a different way of handling and perceiving things, and even a different way of resolving problems. She's a hacker through and through, and that gives her a unique toolset in the world of gen:LOCK.
“She wasn't sure who sounded more surprised, the cow or Kazu.”
Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) was a strong reminder of the very human characters that make up the team. Not just Cammie, but Valentina, Yaz, Chase, and Kazu as well (and don't forget Migas!). Each one has their own struggles, and they shine through in, thanks to the unique lens of this novel.
All things considered, I am highly impressed with what Melissa Scott did with this novelization. I can't help but hope that details revealed here will be canon in the second season, and hopefully even come up a time or two. That would make me extremely happy. Though honestly, what would make me happier is the promise that there will be more books like this in the future. Please!
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) is the first novel to come out from an animated series that I personally adore. It may only be one season in, but I'm totally hooked. This first novel is set after the events of season one, and presumably before season two (cannot wait!).
With the Union ever gaining ground, the gen:LOCK program is one of the last remaining hopes for any semblance of freedom. Introduced in the first season of the series, the program allows five pilots to mentally enter and drive their holons – the best technology they have available.
Basically, they're five giant mechas with a whole lot of pressure on their shoulders. The novel takes a deeper look into the characters involved, paying special attention to the youngest member of the team, Cammie MacCloud.
Once upon a time, Cammie was a hacktivist. Then she got caught, and started serving her time by backing up the Polity. Then gen:LOCK found she was a match...and the rest, as they say, is history. Only, she was never trained to fight. Not like the others. That provides unique challenges, while also bringing about a different view on the same problems they all face.
“We've now received intel that Union forces are moving to intercept them. If they've got anything on the Union's use of the gen:LOCK technology-we want it. We need it, Chase.”
So, in case it wasn't obvious, I'm completely obsessed with gen:LOCK. I read the graphic novel that came out (if you haven't, you should too!), and piratically screamed when I found out that there was going to be a book focused on Cammie (one of my favorite characters).
To say that I was excited for Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) would be the understatement of the century. I devoured this book, no exaggeration. I read through it all in what felt like just a breath, but in reality was several thrilling hours.
Then I read it again. It was worth it. Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) is a novel full to the brim of details worth picking up on, especially for those gen:LOCK fans that are dying for any news about a second season.
Like the graphic novel, the book is set after the conclusion of season one. It also took the time to explore how everyone was handling what happened, though arguably it focused the most on Cammie and her obvious case of PTSD.
More than that, it provided yet another adventure for the gen:LOCK team. Though realistically, they wouldn't call it an adventure. What I really loved about this book is that it showcased just how different Cammie is from the rest of the team, and how that isn't a bad thing. She has a different way of handling and perceiving things, and even a different way of resolving problems. She's a hacker through and through, and that gives her a unique toolset in the world of gen:LOCK.
“She wasn't sure who sounded more surprised, the cow or Kazu.”
Storm Warning (gen:LOCK) was a strong reminder of the very human characters that make up the team. Not just Cammie, but Valentina, Yaz, Chase, and Kazu as well (and don't forget Migas!). Each one has their own struggles, and they shine through in, thanks to the unique lens of this novel.
All things considered, I am highly impressed with what Melissa Scott did with this novelization. I can't help but hope that details revealed here will be canon in the second season, and hopefully even come up a time or two. That would make me extremely happy. Though honestly, what would make me happier is the promise that there will be more books like this in the future. Please!
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
October 15, 2020
GenccLock is a great animation, made by Rooster Teeth, the same group who made RWBY, but this series is more futuristic, and sci-fi. To see a novelized form of GenccLock is really great for someone with visual impairments, because I had no idea how some things looked, and I was NOT disappointed. If you like GenccLock, and books, then you will LOVE Storm Warning. Melissa Scott did the series justice, and I'm glad she wrote this story!
Now to wait for book 2!
Now to wait for book 2!
June 4, 2021
Going into the franchise blind I found a lot to analyze.
Cover
This cover really did catch my attention. Between Cammie and the futuristic tech jargon, and geometric shapes is just enough for the cover. A bit of a nitpick but I thought thy could have done a touch more than just flip and mirror the graphic make it unique image.
A little touch that could have been added is Melissa Scott could have been in the same Gen:LOCK font on the cover. Then again it’s the same font as all the celebrity names on the back so that might have been the direction for that.
Something to note in the details. On the cover It’s hard to see but ESU and Quantum Status are awesome little details added to the cover to hit the tech/hacker theme a little harder.
Interior
Personally I found that the book suffered the same way the show suffers. Too much telling not enough showing. This isn’t just an episode shoved into a book but I can’t completely see this working as a single episode and I love it for that. (Maybe a real fan could see this being stuffed into a twenty-minute episode but I really can’t.) What death there is I have to admit, I can’t tell if it’s more brutal that it’s partially left the imagination or not.
I actually really like the final pages. The talk between Chase and Cammie was touching. I really appreciate how it’s left a little open to speculation. Actually all the two person conversations were some of my favorite moments. Seeing how they each play off each other in the book was a nice touch and the friendship feels genuine.
After Thoughts (Spoilers if you haven’t watched the show.)
I started reading this book without watching a single episode. I gave up somewhere in chapter four and reread the whole thing.
It’s one of my biggest qualms about it. It is completely dependent on the show if you ever want a chance to fully understand what is happening. I watched quite a few episodes in order just to follow along what was happening. I had enough trouble understanding who everyone was I couldn’t follow all the exposition and vague exposition about Cammie’s PTSD, Nemeses, Hollons, Chase’s avatar, and the Union invasion.
Reading through blind one of the things that really threw me was the Hollons. In my mind it made me think it was tied to holograms rather than a mind transferring mecha suits It didn’t help that Chase really is a hologram.
My theory (Spoilers!) (I over analyzed and pieced together a possible different ending.)
The climax we received isn’t exactly the climax Melissa Scott wanted. I don’t know if it’s time restraints, RoosterTeeth, the Publisher, or just plot conflictions but a lot more was hinted for the end.
I don’t believe the wind/storm during the spider tanks was meant to actually die down. The first half built it up nicely. Between Nemeses, nightmares of being lost/alone in the water/hurricane, and most importantly Cammie’s sub plot to figure out how to make her drones fly in hurricane force winds. Unfortunately, this becomes an understandable plot hole. Due to being banned from the either.
You can almost see the moment the initial decision was made to drop the plot.
Everything else ties to this also. A Spider Tank rising from the swell like the Nemesis nightmare fits. It also makes sense why they didn’t notice the Union attack, not because of a hacker but because security was low staying out of the storm. No one expected the Union to attack in the story so surprise is on their side. This would also mean not only would Cammie fight a hacker in her Hollon but have to use new tech in her suit finished the job. Also it would be more intense than being over taken by machines they take out nearly every single time they are on the battlefield. Cammie’s nightmare of being alone would then be real.
I’m not saying the book is bad or that the final product isn’t great. If I’m right plot holes are sometimes unavoidable and remove what could have been.
Cover
This cover really did catch my attention. Between Cammie and the futuristic tech jargon, and geometric shapes is just enough for the cover. A bit of a nitpick but I thought thy could have done a touch more than just flip and mirror the graphic make it unique image.
A little touch that could have been added is Melissa Scott could have been in the same Gen:LOCK font on the cover. Then again it’s the same font as all the celebrity names on the back so that might have been the direction for that.
Something to note in the details. On the cover It’s hard to see but ESU and Quantum Status are awesome little details added to the cover to hit the tech/hacker theme a little harder.
Interior
Personally I found that the book suffered the same way the show suffers. Too much telling not enough showing. This isn’t just an episode shoved into a book but I can’t completely see this working as a single episode and I love it for that. (Maybe a real fan could see this being stuffed into a twenty-minute episode but I really can’t.) What death there is I have to admit, I can’t tell if it’s more brutal that it’s partially left the imagination or not.
I actually really like the final pages. The talk between Chase and Cammie was touching. I really appreciate how it’s left a little open to speculation. Actually all the two person conversations were some of my favorite moments. Seeing how they each play off each other in the book was a nice touch and the friendship feels genuine.
After Thoughts (Spoilers if you haven’t watched the show.)
I started reading this book without watching a single episode. I gave up somewhere in chapter four and reread the whole thing.
It’s one of my biggest qualms about it. It is completely dependent on the show if you ever want a chance to fully understand what is happening. I watched quite a few episodes in order just to follow along what was happening. I had enough trouble understanding who everyone was I couldn’t follow all the exposition and vague exposition about Cammie’s PTSD, Nemeses, Hollons, Chase’s avatar, and the Union invasion.
Reading through blind one of the things that really threw me was the Hollons. In my mind it made me think it was tied to holograms rather than a mind transferring mecha suits It didn’t help that Chase really is a hologram.
My theory (Spoilers!) (I over analyzed and pieced together a possible different ending.)
The climax we received isn’t exactly the climax Melissa Scott wanted. I don’t know if it’s time restraints, RoosterTeeth, the Publisher, or just plot conflictions but a lot more was hinted for the end.
I don’t believe the wind/storm during the spider tanks was meant to actually die down. The first half built it up nicely. Between Nemeses, nightmares of being lost/alone in the water/hurricane, and most importantly Cammie’s sub plot to figure out how to make her drones fly in hurricane force winds. Unfortunately, this becomes an understandable plot hole. Due to being banned from the either.
You can almost see the moment the initial decision was made to drop the plot.
Everything else ties to this also. A Spider Tank rising from the swell like the Nemesis nightmare fits. It also makes sense why they didn’t notice the Union attack, not because of a hacker but because security was low staying out of the storm. No one expected the Union to attack in the story so surprise is on their side. This would also mean not only would Cammie fight a hacker in her Hollon but have to use new tech in her suit finished the job. Also it would be more intense than being over taken by machines they take out nearly every single time they are on the battlefield. Cammie’s nightmare of being alone would then be real.
I’m not saying the book is bad or that the final product isn’t great. If I’m right plot holes are sometimes unavoidable and remove what could have been.
Read
December 29, 2020Gen:Lock is an animated series made by Roosterteeth, the same team behind RWBY.
The animated series was pretty amazing, and had some pretty famous English voice actors (David Tenant, anyone?). The story takes place in the future where nations are at war with each other, and one of them just developed a technology where human pilots can be linked to huge mecha-robots to fight - think Pacific Rim. The show is pretty entertaining, has great music and I am waiting for the next season.
This book, continues the story from where the show left off in season one. My initial issue was that I have seen and liked the show, but it was back when it aired, so I didn’t remember a lot of the lingo and technology they use. Not everything was explained in the book in detail, so this read is better suited to people who have already seem the show and remember some of the world. The second issue was, that I expected a team adventure, but this is very much a character book. The focus is on the youngest member of them gen:lock team, Cammie. Character focused writing is my jam, but it felt a little underwhelming how little she interacted with her team. The very few moments where we got another POV in the book, the given characterwas also focused on Cammie and wondered about what she thinks. And Cammie, well I felt that she just spent too much of the time thinking, wrapped in her own head, instead of communicating and bonding with her team.
The plot was only secondary to Cammie’s inner turmoil, as she tries to make sense of the aftermath of their big fight from the show.
If you liked gen:lock and you were curious about the inner workings of Cammie’s mind this book is definetely for you!
The animated series was pretty amazing, and had some pretty famous English voice actors (David Tenant, anyone?). The story takes place in the future where nations are at war with each other, and one of them just developed a technology where human pilots can be linked to huge mecha-robots to fight - think Pacific Rim. The show is pretty entertaining, has great music and I am waiting for the next season.
This book, continues the story from where the show left off in season one. My initial issue was that I have seen and liked the show, but it was back when it aired, so I didn’t remember a lot of the lingo and technology they use. Not everything was explained in the book in detail, so this read is better suited to people who have already seem the show and remember some of the world. The second issue was, that I expected a team adventure, but this is very much a character book. The focus is on the youngest member of them gen:lock team, Cammie. Character focused writing is my jam, but it felt a little underwhelming how little she interacted with her team. The very few moments where we got another POV in the book, the given characterwas also focused on Cammie and wondered about what she thinks. And Cammie, well I felt that she just spent too much of the time thinking, wrapped in her own head, instead of communicating and bonding with her team.
The plot was only secondary to Cammie’s inner turmoil, as she tries to make sense of the aftermath of their big fight from the show.
If you liked gen:lock and you were curious about the inner workings of Cammie’s mind this book is definetely for you!
November 17, 2025
Eh, it's a fine little YA book and that's about all I was wanting from it. Honestly, I had no idea what was really happening most of the time, the action was especially incomprehensible, but that's probably because I haven't seen nor learned anything about the show it's based on (didn't realize it was a tie-in until after I picked it up). The main character was endearing enough to carry my interest through; I liked her story and felt for her insecurities. It's nothing super complicated or nuanced, but I feel a lot of young readers would connect with her. Also really appreciated the ending, the main character isn't magically "fixed," but rather there's a sense that, while she's on a path to getting better, she will continue to grapple with her turmoil. While this is probably done due to the show picking up on these issues, I felt it was a mature and realistic way to end things, something really appreciated in the YA landscape.
January 29, 2024
Storm Warning is focused on Cammie, as expected from the cover, and I honestly love that, since I was really fond of her while watching the show, too.
I enjoyed just about everything about this book, except the end. It felt too sudden and there was a bit too much told instead of shown.
Generally it was a really good complementary story, though. It kinda impressed me how in character everyone felt - to be fair it's been a few months? a year? since I watched the show but still. In some moments the conflicts felt a bit repetitive but considering the story it feels right, it make me just as mad and frustrated at the institution as Cammie was.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator seemed to change up on Kazus voice at the start but other than that it was a job well done.
I enjoyed just about everything about this book, except the end. It felt too sudden and there was a bit too much told instead of shown.
Generally it was a really good complementary story, though. It kinda impressed me how in character everyone felt - to be fair it's been a few months? a year? since I watched the show but still. In some moments the conflicts felt a bit repetitive but considering the story it feels right, it make me just as mad and frustrated at the institution as Cammie was.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator seemed to change up on Kazus voice at the start but other than that it was a job well done.
April 24, 2021
Decent story premise, but too repetitive. Also, the author didn't explain the concepts surrounding the universe very well, so it seems there was a strong reliance on the reader having watched the first season of the show already. That being said, I can't wait to get back to this universe when season 2 finally comes out.
September 13, 2023
There were good parts, but sections of this bored me so badly I nearly didn't finish it. It takes a long time for a plot to kick in and meanders a lot.
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